Fasting

A lot of us have heard that in Hindu religion we fast on days such as Ekadasi, Amavasai (New Moon) and other such days. Well atleast some of the religious people still follow it mostly in the villages and in the towns if not in the Metros. Also the meaning of fasting has also been modified to suit us. Some of us in the name of fasting do not eat rice/rotis (this being the staple diet for Hindus). But that is not the question, what is important is how and why is that we fast?
Well, it is a well known and documented fact that if we fast once in a while we allow our digestive system to be cleansed and we avoid any stomach problems, on the overall good for health. In my opinion, this fact was well known to our ancestors and they decided to take the help of religion to enforce this so that atleast out of the fear for God people would follow it. Also, it is well known that kids should eat well 3-4 times a day and thus the elders left the children out of this. Infact they are strictly prohibuted from fasting.
But some people took this to extremes and we know that if we do not eat well then we suffer, while others modified fasting to be that we eat other things than the staple diet while most of us no more believe in fasting. For that matter, I myself do not fast and I pay. Though, I know the benefits of fasting, I must admit that I cannot resist the temptation of the aroma of food. Anyways, let me see if I can do that from now onwards.