Keeping resolutions right: Expert gives tips for the fasting period

With today's Ash Wednesday, not only is the carnival period officially over, but the fasting period also starts now. That means primarily for some humans: 40 days renouncement. This can be quite classic in the sense of sugar or alcohol, but some also take it upon themselves to do without social media or plastic waste. Fasting can even have a positive influence on our mental health. For many people, the first step toward fasting involves some effort. We leave out things that have crept into our everyday lives as a matter of course. The beer at the end of the day, chips while watching TV or the first glance at the smartphone after getting up. Even if it's hard at first, doing without can be good for our psyche (as Tiziana Osel, psychologist and head of the psychological competence center in Fürth, Germany, knows). Lent is actually a Christian custom to prepare for Easter. But many people also want to take up the challenge to do something good for themselves and their bodies. Some Middle Franconians want to take on this challenge until Easter and do without various things. Who decides for the classical way of the chamfering and does without some food, should do that best in arrangement with a physician. The high feeling from fasting can also have negative consequences in some cases. Christian fasting originally involves abstaining from meat, eggs and dairy products. However, many also use the period as an opportunity to rid themselves of other bad habits. Increasingly trendy among these is abstaining from social media. Whether for 40 days until Easter or regularly throughout the year, fasting can be good for the psyche. It is important to heed the signals of your own body and not to challenge yourself excessively.