Prolonged fasting involves an extended period without consuming food.
Extended is something that is longer than it is wide . The notion can also be used symbolically in reference to what is lengthened or extended in time , generally beyond the usual deadlines.
For example: “You have to go through a long hallway before you get to the manager's office,” “I don't like very long cars, I prefer those that are compact,” “This team hasn't won anything for a long time,” “ After a prolonged drought , rain returned to the town and alleviated the situation of the farmers .
Prolonged fasting
Fasting is known as the deprivation of the consumption of any type of food , both solid and liquid, for a longer period of time than normal (which takes place between one meal and another, depending on the culture). Broadly speaking, the consequence of this practice is a series of alterations in the function and structure of the organism, since energy sources and nutrients begin to become scarce.
It is important to note that the body adapts to prolonged fasting , especially by decreasing the amount of energy needed for each task. As it has less glucose, for example, it begins to take advantage of the protein reserves present in the tissues to produce it and also to generate glycerol and fatty acids, which are obtained by digesting fats.
Although a large part of the tissues can obtain fuel through ketone bodies (acid that is generated when fats are broken down) or fatty acids, the same does not happen with the brain, since the neurons require glucose to carry out its vital functions .
Prolonged fasting can be especially harmful to the brain , since altering your diet directly affects the nervous system, making it very likely that damage will occur to neurons, some of which may be irreparable.
On the other hand, prolonged fasting causes fat deposits to be consumed, which may seem little relevant from some points of view, but very much in relation to pubertal development , since during this stage leptin is needed, which It is produced by adipose tissue.
The bone mineralization process is also affected by the lack of food consumption for a prolonged period, since the calcium level drops, which can lead to osteoporosis or osteopenia, in some cases reaching irreversible levels.
The reasons that can lead a person to practice a prolonged fast are diverse, from a protest to a religious mandate, but it is very important to know its risks , since it can cause serious damage to the body or even cause death.
Prolonged pregnancy carries various risks.
A longer than normal pregnancy
A prolonged pregnancy is known as one that lasts more than 42 weeks. It is estimated that between 4% and 14% of pregnancies are prolonged, which can cause various complications.
Increased perinatal mortality, fetal and/or maternal trauma, meconium aspiration syndrome and acute fetal distress are some of the disorders that can arise from a prolonged pregnancy.
Other uses of the term prolonged
When certain weather conditions persist over time, we speak of waves. A heat wave , in this sense, is a prolonged period of high temperatures while the opposite is a cold wave ( prolonged period of low temperatures ).
The prolonged military blockade of a territory or space is called a siege . The siege usually ends in an assault on the territory with the aim of conquering it by force . The prolonged blockade, therefore, points to the erosion of the forces of those who defend what is intended to be invaded.