Fasting is included in most religions and has been on the scientific world's radar for the last 100 years. In the last few years, we have become acquainted with the benefits of "intermittent fasting" in a wide range of diabetes treatment, without losing weight. There are types of this diet that give an 8-hour eating interval and starve for 16 hours, or eat normally for 5 days and eat under 500 calories for 2 days.
The type we will be discussing in this article is water fasting, a purification that involves drinking only water and (preferably) some liquids for at least 3 days.
While doing research before the water fast I applied for 7 days, I came across quite a variety of directions and found it quite confusing. Because these seemingly small differences can completely change the effects of fasting, while also causing vital effects. Therefore, in the light of all my research, I will share the critical points of water fasting with my resources.
At this point, I should state that all the information in the article is based on average data. Individual values vary considerably, comprehensive analysis should be made and a specialist should be consulted before fasting.
So first of all..why water fast?
Most people's reasons for water fasting are divided into bodily health, fatânet (mental/spiritual/spiritual clarity and strength), and athletic performance. My personal reasons are grouped under two groups;
physical health;
To relieve IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) and inflammatory rheumatism disorders that have been going on for years and have tried various treatments.
Prevent autoimmune diseases such as ulcerative colitis and diabetes, which are in my family and have a genetic predisposition, before they occur
Enabling cellular regeneration by digesting old cells and producing new cells
Losing the weight I gained in the last year because I did not have a regular life
and of course, as a protection from diseases such as cancer, alzheimer, parkinson
mental acuity;
I think I was able to fast for a few days during the Ramadan months of my last teenage years, and a few years ago, I did a fruit juice fast for 3 days in the famous "juice detox" frenzy. Apart from that, I alternately follow a vegan diet and intermittent fasting with a ketogenic diet. However, it was not possible to consume anything other than water, even for a day, despite dozens of attempts. Similarly, although I was quite tired of the effects of being in a state of constant digital stimulation, I could not manage to stay away from social media for more than 3 days. I was aware that not being free from these addictions was mental, I wanted to strengthen my self-confidence and willpower by overcoming them.
On the other hand, we now know that the digestive organs are our second brain. In particular, the effects of improving the intestinal flora such as mental clarity, increased focusing ability, positive thinking have been revealed with scientific findings. With this purification, I wanted to get rid of harmful bacteria and fungi and balance my bodily functions.
and finally, the "human" has always amazed me. My greatest passion is to observe the tremendous adaptability of human beings, our incredibly intelligent reactions to every situation, our capacity to manipulate ourselves. I was very excited to see my body-mind-spirit reactions to the 7 days of hunger.
While these were my personal reasons, I also researched the effects discovered as a result of scientific research. Among the resources I've read and followed, I benefited the most from
co-founder of the True North Health Center (a medical-supervised fasting center) Dr. Alan Goldhamer interview and
the inventor of the famous "bulletproof coffee" biohacker Dave Asprey interview.
The second important topic is the risks and side effects of water fasting:
Dehydration, i.e. insufficient water intake
Dizziness due to low blood pressure
Overload of the kidneys
Triggering symptoms of existing diseases
Backfeeding syndrome, that is, disorders caused by malnutrition after fasting
Anyone can fast, but certain groups of people (eg pregnant women, eating disorders, chronic patients) must do so under medical supervision. Therefore, it is essential to go through a comprehensive analysis and get an expert opinion beforehand.
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After quickly explaining some terms and the scientific benefits of fasting, let's look at some critical questions.
Glucose means "sweet" in Greek and is the building block of carbohydrates, our primary source of energy. It can simply be called sugar.
Insulin is the hormone that balances the blood sugar level by storing excess sugar in the blood as fat. The absence, deficiency or resistance of this hormone to the hormone leads to diabetes. Its excess is the main cause of obesity, but it damages the vessels, nervous system and internal organs.
Ketosis is when our body uses fat cells instead of carbohydrates as an energy source. For this, it uses ketone particles that come out as a result of fat burning. The body's transition to the ketosis phase is only achieved by fasting or not taking carbohydrates for a certain period of time. In this phase, primarily burning of internal fat makes ketosis very valuable because most of the toxic wastes are stored in these fat cells. This is where the term “ketogenic diet” we hear often comes from.
Autophagy. The word "auto" means "by itself" and the word "phaji" means "eating". Thus, calling it "self-eating" sounds scary, but it is a regeneration process in which the body digests damaged cells and replaces them with healthy cells.
During fasting, with the decrease in blood sugar and therefore insulin secretion, the body first goes into ketosis and, while ketosis continues, autophagy. In other words, the body learns to use fat stores as the primary energy source, old and sick cells are digested as an energy source, harmful bacteria and fungi are destroyed.
In the graph on the side, we see the amount of ketones and glucose in the blood of a fasting person (as I will share later in the article, you can measure your personal timing by taking your own measuring device). The region formed by the intersection of the two graphs is called the "disease management area".
Analyzes on many cancer patients show regression in the tumors of patients who have passed this phase.
1. How long, when, where?
The most comfortable space you create for yourself within the available resources is ideal. The information we will share can give an idea about this area.
Duration
Fasting is not necessary for ketosis, the body switches to fat burning within 12 to 24 hours after carbohydrate consumption is stopped. Autophagy requires an average of 24 hours of fasting. Therefore, a 3-day fast is also very effective.
I intended for 7 days because my health allowed, but I was also open to the possibility of ending it at any moment by listening to my body. The last two days I've felt like I've been pushing too hard, I'll probably choose to do the next one for 5 days.
Timing
Doing it in a busy range can make the process easier. For example, if you are working, your weekdays will pass faster and you can overcome hunger attacks more easily. On the other hand, you should also consider the possibility of experiencing effects such as decreased tolerance, aggression, and sensitivity in perceptions.
As an esoteric knowledge, on days when the Moon is in our Sun sign, we secrete an oil from the pineal gland. If this oil descends along the spine line and reaches the coccyx, it will trigger spiritual awakening. That's why fasting or eating as lightly as possible on these days. Although it is a very subtle nuance, the value of fasting that coincides with this period is greater.
These days vary for each individual, for example, someone born on August 11 is a Leo, that is, their Sun is in the Leo constellation. If this person wishes to fast in November 2021, ideal days would be between November 24-26, as the Moon will be in his Sun constellation, Leo, during this time. On this site you can see the daily movements of the month.
Place
Although it doesn't matter much for some, especially if you are a perceptive person like me, where you are and the elements around you can affect the whole course. I made it in a house among the hills in a village of Datça. It was a great blessing to be surrounded by plenty of oxygen and only the sounds of nature. It was very comforting for me to have the host living next door as I was alone, making sure I was okay with a short chat every day. There must be someone around to watch over you throughout the process.
2. What should I consume?
Beverages;
Drinking 3-4 liters of water on average is very critical, darkening of urine color or burning during urination may indicate insufficient water consumption. During fasting, the fat around the internal organs is burned and these are the cells where toxic substances are stored the most. The kidneys can easily eliminate these toxins, but only with adequate water consumption.
Let's move on to coffee and tea. While black tea is definitely not recommended, a cup of green tea or coffee can provide benefits in terms of the antioxidants they contain. Among the scientific findings that coffee also increases the efficiency of ketosis and autophagy, on the other hand, if you already consume it regularly, you may want to purify your body from caffeine in this process. I drank coffee on my 4th and 5th days, and although it helped a lot in quenching my hunger, I didn't drink it for the rest of the days because my stomach swelled in the evening.
Herbal teas are in the safe group, especially chamomile, and thyme are ideal plants as they relax the stomach.
Supplements
Salt is indispensable for a healthy process. Salt not only provides the mineral balance, but also regulates the substance transfers between the cells and the blood. For this, it is sufficient to consume half a teaspoon of mineral-rich rock salt or sea salt.
You can find more comprehensive explanations of the biological role of salt in this video.
Magnesium and potassium are also among the recommended supplements. Instead of taking supplements, I mixed two small bottles of soda with the water I was drinking. The amount of minerals contained in each brand is different, for example, Beypazarı's 20cl bottle contains 205 g of calcium, 125 g of magnesium, 26 mg of potassium and 139 mg of sodium. And on the 4th day, when I realized that it also contains fluoride and chloride in addition to these minerals, I gave up and went back to drinking salt :)
Dave Asprey also argues for the positive effects of consuming activated carbon. However, I did not apply it because I could not find a brand whose quality I trust and I was not sure how to consume it.
Other
Another important factor is the products with chemical content such as toothpaste, deodorant and shampoo that are used regularly. Personally, since I normally use alternatives with natural ingredients, there was no change in my layout. In order to increase the efficiency of purification during fasting, it is recommended to use products with completely natural ingredients and, if not possible, to have minimal contact.
Again, by massaging yourself with natural oils, you can both relax the nervous system and protect your skin and hair from wearing out in this process when you do not take oil by mouth.
3. How should the preparation process be?
We stated that the body went into ketosis 12-24 hours after the last carbohydrate intake. Cutting carbs a few days before fasting will both make fasting more efficient and prevent you from dealing with the side effects of fasting and transitioning to ketosis. Therefore, it is recommended to completely cut out sugar, flour and / or fried foods for the last week, and to minimize fruit and grains.
You can get a ketone and glucometer (like this one) which I regret not getting this time. Thus, you can measure their values, monitor their phases and intervene quickly in case of a risky course.
4. Exercise during fasting
Studies show that exercise during fasting both accelerates ketosis and improves athletic performance. Even athletes such as LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony are among those who practice intermittent fasting. This diet is ideal for those interested in endurance sports such as marathon runners. On a long running track such as 40 km, their body's ability to easily burn fat increases the performance.
On the other hand, if exercise puts you under a lot of stress, it is useful to stay away from this process. I did routine breathing exercises for the first 3 days, followed by 20 minutes of stretching and light-intensity yoga postures, and in the following days I added long walks and swimming as I felt energetic. You can see my breathing and yoga practices in the two videos below.
5. Breaking the fast
I know, you will make a long list of foods when you are done during the fast and imagine yourself eating them :) Realizing this dream right away can make your digestive system very tired. Exiting long-term fasts incorrectly leads to various metabolic disorders and this is called “refeeding syndrome”.
Ideally, your first meal would be a lean vegetable soup in a blender; The vegetables in it should be as little variety as possible and low in sugar – for example, tomato zucchini soup. Or you can boil a few vegetables and drink only the water, and after 2 hours you can eat the vegetables.
After 2 hours, you can consume 5 whole walnuts that you soaked in water the day before and herbal tea with it. Again, after an hour or two, you can drink meat and/or bone broth and then return to your normal routine. In order to maintain the effects of the fast, it is recommended to consume healthy fats and proteins while minimizing carbohydrates (especially sugar and gluten) in the following days.
Animal sourced food should be preferred from free-range animals; marine animals are from the sea, not from farms, cattle from those that roam freely in large areas. You just got rid of some heavy toxins during fasting, you do not want to get them back through stressed and heavily medicated animals. Of course, the same is true for vegetables, but 70% of the toxins accumulated in the body come from animal foods.
References
[1] Asprey, D. (2019). Super human: The bulletproof plan to age backward and maybe even Live forever. HarperLuxe, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers.
[2] “Effects of intermittent fasting on body composition and clinical health markers in humans”, Nutrition Reviews 2015
[3] “The glucose ketone index calculator: a simple tool to monitor therapeutic efficacy for metabolic management of brain cancer”, Nutrition & Metabolism 2015
[4] Fasting and Exercise, Jason Fung
[5] Seyfried TN. Ketone strong: emerging evidence for a therapeutic role of ketone bodies in neurological and neurodegenerative diseases. J Lipid Res. 2014;55:1815–17.
[6] Brandhorst, Sebastian et al. “A Periodic Diet that Mimics Fasting Promotes Multi-System Regeneration, Enhanced Cognitive Performance, and Healthspan.” Cell metabolism vol. 22,1 (2015): 86-99. doi:10.1016/j.cmet.2015.05.012
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