The Health Benefits of Fasting

I'm on day 2 and 1/2 of fasting. It hasn't been as hard as I thought. I hope that there are health benefits. I'm hoping that it helps my allergies. I don't have food allergies, but have been told that the toxins in my colon and other areas are cleaned during a fast.

This is a good article, especially the part about the body removing focus from the digestive system to focus on other things.

I grew up in a family that considered fasting one day every week a must in their lives. I never did it, but the older females did it. My mother is 70 and throught her life she has mantained a healthy weight and no diseases other than minor colds. My grandmother did it and was healthy until her 90's when she started losing her vision and submitted to an eye surgery. Sadly she died from complications right after the surgery ( same day). I truly believe she would have lived to be a 100 easily. So now I am considering fasting in my life for health reasons and my plan is to do it yearly. I will try my first fasting this week. I already started preparing for the fasting by having one day of leek soup only. Today I had an orange and tomorrow I will have nothing but water. I am still thinking of the benfits of water vs juice fasting though..
Good luck to all of you!

I would like to start off by extending a big hello to everyone! I am new to this forum and just so happend to luck up on it when looking for information on fasting. I'm dealing with a lot of things right now in my life such as stress, wanting to become pregnant, needing to lose weight and I think that fasting will help me in all areas. The only thing that I am scared about is that I may not be able to it. I have tried fasting once before and by the middle of the night I wake up hungry and this is at 2 or 3 am.

I really need to seek God, because I feel that I have tried everything else and I am completley stuck in this point of my life. I was talking to my husband about possibly doing a fast together, maybe this will help our baby situation. He said that he would, but the point of the matter is I don't know if I could do it.

I guess my questions for you guys would be, do you think that I should start with a one or two day fast and work my way from there? Or should I try to committ and do a seven day fast.

One more thing, and please forgive me for being so long wind(lol). Water is my problem, I do not like the taste of water at all. I don't drink it and I know that this is not good for me. Could I possibly put something in the water, or can I drink grapefruit juices?

Any suggestions are welcome and would be greatly appreciated.

I look forward to hearing from each of you soon.

Thanks

Hi I have become very interested the idea of fasting. I am a little hesitant to try it out because I do not want to lose weight. I am an athlete and cannot afford to lose weight. any comments?

i have try to do fast on water for 7 days, and 3 days it is great?
you never belive it . after 3 day you start to feel you have energy and welness
plus i fast during the month of ramadan?
one month no eating no drink from 3 in the morrning to 6 evning.
do it and good lock

I have a question. I desire to seek (God) my Lord Jesus Christ on the most inner and outer personal level. I myself am 5'8 148lbs mother of 3. I am 28 years old. I notice every time I try to fast I get so nervous and scarf in an unhealthy way unwanted food and feel sad after. This is crazy. Please advise as to what I can do to press past this 3 days crisis and march forth into a 40 day adventure with Wisdom. Thank you, Christa

55 day water fast???
any ideas???

No salt on a fast!! this increases appetite and retains water which carries toxins that need to be relleased during a fast

Water fasting is just that,abstaining from any kind of food and using only water.Anything else is diet.Many people in this forum get it but some don't The good thing is that there is great interest in the subject and truly it is the best thing one can do to oneself in life.The books are out there on the subject.I highly recommend Paul Brag "The Miracle of fasting" You either fast on a regular basis,eat healthy, rely on the Lord for guidance or make the doctors and pharmasutical industry rich.I'm 47 been fasting for over 25 years and can testify that this is the second best thing somebody shared with me some years ago.Good luck to all of you and God bless you.

It is clear that there are numerous benefits to fasting. For first timers, I would recommend doing the fast in the following manner for a whole month.

10 days: Water fasting between sunrise and sunset.
Light breakfast before sunrise, then water whenever you are hungry during the day. Light dinner after sunset.

20 days: Complete fasting bewteen sunrise and sunset.
Light breakfast before sunrise, and light dinner after sunset, and no water in between.

Regards,
A.K.

Well my experience about fasting is following...and just clarify I am a muslim and I fast from sun rise to sun set about 12 to 13 hous of fasting in which we don't eat , smoke ,drink and stay away from our spouces also practice patience and avoid cynical thinking and vulgar and arrogant words.

I ususlly fast once a year which is must for us in our religiom but other than that I fast 2 times (which in optinal) every month.

Benifits what I think I have from fasting.

1. I feel very secured no fears as I have given my woories in the hands of God.

2. I feel more mentally strong after fasting it creates quick results for some thing I am chasing.

3. I feel less stressed and clean/calm internally.

4. I feel more grate ful for the blessings God has given me and I focus on the things I have.

5. I make your mind your thoughts more clear.

6. It has more spiritual and mental advantages than physical...I feel like my prayers get answered quickly during fasting.I feel like God gets wooried when I fast and bless me for what I want or takes out my problems so I get what I want ..Like a mother gets woooried when baby stops eating !

Imran

How do you handle the miserable detox process? I felt bad the first three days; awesome and energized on the 4th and 5th days, but in the evenings I would have severe back pain that shot down my legs and prevented me from sleeping.

This morning is the worst. I read Dr. Herbert Shelton's "The Hygienic System" regarding fasting and bile and I'm experiencing this now. I hate to vomit but with I could, as I keep burping up the bitter acrid taste of bile. I even ran a couple of miles and have been drinking water to see if I could encourage the bile to hurry up and start digesting so that I can eliminate it. Any suggestions?? I can't stand this taste!!

I'm in my late 50s and have fasted repeatedly, including two 30day water only fasts. My doctor will do blood work and keep an eye on me, and all should do this. If your doctor gives you grief, tell them its for religious reasons, and that will stop any discouraging, usually ill-informed advice. Dr. Joel Furhman, MD (Univ.of PA)has written a great book on fasting I highly recommend. Fasting for weight loss works, but you have to be prepared that when you go off the fast you will crave at a high to extremely high level. This is what our bodies are programmed to do. I am a great faster, but not a great post-faster. I'm beginning my spring fast March 1, and have decided to spend the month after on a very low carb (just lean protein and greens and low sugar berries (blue,black, straw, rasp) and very gradually re-intro the higher carb foods that cause the cravings to set in with a rush. Age is part of the factor; when you are young, under 35-40, you have more that your body will tolerate, but age makes those processes work more poorly.
Fasting is yin to yang of intake; we evolved to feast in times of plenty and fast in times of want; now people just feast, and look at the obesity rates.

Fasting can in rare circumstances be bad for people with certain conditions, so read Fuhrman, go to his website. I found that I need a tiny spinkle of salt in a glass of water once a day, since I tend to be low on salt from drinking so much water on a regular basis.

The benefits others have mentioned are all true. I always lose a pound a day, and after the third day, I have extraordinary energy, and I'm often told I don't look my age, but more like ten years younger. Plus, you are cleansing the system of all kinds of toxins that cause disease. So, fast; but FAST SMART!

Hi All
starting my fasting tomorrow. looking forward to it. 42 years old 189 lbs... 5ft 3... see what happens ... will keep you posted daily....
good luck to me... first timer.... ha ha
sheila

Hello. After abusing my body through periods of binging and purging, or simply binging without expelling the food, I am dedicated to embark on a 21 day water fast. I am hoping that by the end, I will acheive a weight loss of at least 20 pounds and that I will feel refreshed and energized. I am also deeling with clinical depression and I heard that fasting may help eliminate negative feelings; thus, I am anxious to see if my depression will subside.
My only concern is hiding this fast from my friends. I have had anorexia in the past, so they are weary of my attitudes towards food. However, I want to fix my eating habits once and for all so that I don't fall back into the binge tendencies that have seemed to increase this month.
Does anyone have any advice about breaking the fast?

I'm 5'2"-95 pounds. I'm interested in doing a 9 day water or fruit fast? Is it advisable to do so-I'm concerned about the slowing down of my metabolic rate. Is it perfectly safe to fast for 9 days at a stretch?

is it just plain silly to try this fast while being a smoker? I realize it flushes your toxins out and it would seem like an oxymoron to continuely put them back in, but I am hoping the fast will help my urges and strengthen my will power in that area, among others. Will I not have the same results as the others being a smoker? please reply......

first i would like to start off by saying a water fast is completely the healthiest thing you can ever do in your life when it comes to change..i finished a 14day water fast and would have went longer but my family was considered and worried for some days i lacked energy and some days i was bed bound.. during those times i did a lot of writing and reflecting, praying which was wonderful, i must say i also started the water enemas on my third day for i wanted to get all of the waste out of my system that was sitting there.. (horrified it was my first enema but for better health i did it) i wish all good luck on their path, including i experienced alot of achy pains in my thighs, light headache, nausea, sleeping issues, but all the pains i once had are all gone and i was surprise with my menstrual with my fast also, i have very bad cramps and the cramps were minor but my menstrual did last longer then usual, i took it as my body cleaning everything out.. my first day off i had some vegetable broth for breakfast and for lunch i diced up cucumbers for lunch, i included the cucumbers so i could have a natural bowel movement.. be aware your stomach has become smaller and it doesn't take much to fill you up, diner some more vegetable broth and of course water through out the day.. second day i had some vegetable broth for breakfast, lunch i had some lettuce and cucumbers, dinner broth and a slices of a pear.. you eat slower for you truly allow your taste buds to indulge in every bite.. to consume to much would be a waste of your fast. tomorrow i will have some broth and a small amount of melon for breakfast, lunch prob some more lettuce and cucumbers and for dinner i will steam some string beans and drizzle a little lemon and garlic on it mmmm sounds wonderful. stay positive all

Re. breaking a fast

After a water fast it is recommended to drink clear fruit juice for a couple of days. On the second day you can add vegetable broth and fruit which doesn't have a lot of pulp. On the third day vegetable juices and whole fruit and green salads. The idea is to build up to introducing more solid (fibrous) matter into your system.
To maintain the benefits of fasting, one's diet after the fast is considered as important as the fast. Fruit and vegetables are the mainstays.
I'd recommend getting a hold of a book on fasting to get some info on breaking the fast as well as lifelong healthy eating.

Good luck with the process. M

I am currently 112kg down from 120. Would fasting be a good way of breaking the weight loss plateau?

Does anybody can give me some information what to eat or drink after 12 days of water fasting? I`m on the 3th day but I plane to get 12 days only with water no juice, I appreciate if you answer.

I'm 46, 5'8", 132 lbs and female. I did my very first fast about 3 weeks ago. I did it for emotional clarity and to find some calmness. My life is in total chaos, it's never been this stressful before. 3 days of water only. I was surprised how easy it was. I figure this is really, really good or really, really bad. I only wanted something to eat badly once. I didn't get any headaches, stomach aches, dizziness or anything to make me feel badly except for one thing. My blood sugar dropped to 57 (that was a fasting reading, ha, ha). I drank two servings/cups of Orchard low sugar juice with 9g of sugar per serving/cup immediately. In less than 10 mins I felt better. I'm going to do another one, this time with a colon cleanse product. Any advice or answers?

Hey Jesse.. that comment you made above mine was sent to my email inbox, which is curious because I posted as Naturebunny way up about 1/4 in to the forum, the comment you were replying to wasn't mine. It is the only email i've gotten in response to this forum too, so moderators, I think there may be a glitch with the system.

Anyways the funny thing is, I got the email today, which is a really strange coincidence as I'm starting another fast today! (which was already decided before getting the response!) haha. I had tremendous succuess during my last water only fast in April, which lasted 17 days. I wanted to go 21 days, but I was in the middle of final exams and found myself coming down with a nasty cold, adn i knew I needed vitamins and fruit juice and fluids other than water to fight off the bug. I lost 23 lbs in a 17 day water fast. to those that are fasting for weight loss it is EXTREMELY important that you exercise after the fast and eat healthy and in moderation. As soon as I started eating again I found myself gaining back 2-3 lbs a day, even though I was staying under 1000 cals a day. It was really shocking. After I gained back about 10 lbs the weight gain slowed and I was able to maintain.. so I lost 13 lbs that I kept off.

I felt very healthy and energized and motivated after my fast in april so I decided to do it again. I am writing final exams again starting Monday, but I am not worried, fasting improves my think power and concentration.
I'll post when it's over and tell u guys how it went.

Thanks for posting this. Unfortunately the reference links no longer seem to work.

A few years ago did a 28 day water fast at True North Health Clinic in northern California. I hope to go back and do another long fast.

It is now December. In early September I decided to fit fasting permanently into my schedule and fast one day a week. When there is an opportunity (holiday weekend, etc) I may do a 3 day or longer fast.

Right now (early December) I am on day 5 of a 6 day water fast that I started the day after Thanksgiving and am astonished at how good I feel. The weather is cold for Los Angeles, and I have to move around a lot to keep warm. Yesterday I did a 2 mile jog/walk and this morning I did a partial lower body workout and a 20 minute upper body workout. Amazingly, I feel stronger now than when I eat - maybe because I am taking it a bit easy and my muscles have had more time to recover from my normal workout schedule.

Only if you have an underlying medical problem which is causing your depression, anger, and tiredness, and if that medical problem would be addressed by a water fast. Otherwise, you'll just feel depressed, angry, tired and hungry. It doesn't sound like fasting is good as a cure for specific conditions, but promotes general health and longevity. You need to find out what's wrong with you - conflict or dissatisfaction in your life, a nutrient imbalance, bad brain chemistry, or all three.

Hello. I am a teenage girl, and I feel myself getting caught up. I feel depressed and angry, tired, and not wanting to get out of bed. Though, usually I am a very happy person. Fasting is what I have decided. A water fast.
Would that be healthy for me?

Hi. I have been fasting 3 days a week, virtually for every week for over a year and a half. My weight just seems to stay the same,on average over the week.In all that time I have never felt hungry, not even once. I have recently extended the weekly period from 3 days to 5 for sake of work commitments and general well-being. I have more energy, sleep really well. Always, on the 2nd day I am at my lowest energy level point , but not low energy. I view the 2nd day simply as the body decidely changing its fuel-source from the external stuff you eat to internal body fat storage. Its so simple, it works. I just do it without any planning whatsoever. When I feel like it,I get on my bicycle and ride 50 or more kilometres when I am fasting just like I did over 20 years ago when I was 20 years old! Wherever I go I take with me 2 small bottles of filtered water from home. There was a lengthy period in my life when I was very hypoglycemic and held-down, by ,supposedly,chronic-fatigue-syndrome. I do not even think about those kinda things anymore.

I've experienced the calm that abides a fast, When one looks at food during a long fast, it appears like any other material.
I think that eating might actually increase our morbidity rates, if one considers that biological process can be tweaked in the future through synthetic biological design. Imagine humans someday reverse engineering our intricate and complex systems. Say, in the future we take a fast nap while receiving a theraputic and wake up in three weeks with a newly repaired body...

hi, im David, im 5'10 and 220 lbs. (i should weight about 180-190 lbs)
Im planning to do the water fast for about 30 days.
ive done the diet a year ago and it didn't turn out so well.
Well now im SUPER FREAKIn' motivated for the detoxification of my body and weight LOSS!
But im VERY curious, will i REALLY gain all the weight back?
After the 30 days of the fast, i start eating very healthy and exercise WILL i still gain ALL the weight back?

Well, many thanx, and i hope to hear from you ppl.
(please reply/comment)

First of all for those who think fasting is inappropriate, it is OK to be ignorant. Humans nature fears what it is unknown... And the side effect of fear is rejection.

I been practicing water fasting for about a year only for 5 days once in a while. My mother taught me since she has practiced it since I was a young child.

I am 5'10 and weight 198 pounds mostly muscle. I am also on my fourth day of water fasting and planning to do a 21 day. I am feeling great and always willing to help !

This statement is for those who are open minded!

It only takes a closer look at how the economy of our country works. The regular consumer like you and me contributes to 70% of consumption which turns into production in our economy.

If every doctor out there on every clinic you find in the corner and every hospital tells patients to fast, they will be out of business. In addition, FDA, chain food/local restaurants, BARS! and cigarette companies will suffer major losses in profits if the entire population gets savy and begins practicing fasting. If you think the economy is bad right now for some, just take a second and imagine if the whole country begins to educate themselves about fasting and decide to fast. Just imagine what will be the outcome?

What ever the outome you can imagine. It does not matter because if you want a physical and spiritual promotion in your life. be open minded and have the courage to step up and learn about it because you are missing something very special, and is waiting just for you!!!!

Thank You,
Jordi

great essay did not read all of it just the beginning for which my comments are that it is assuming that everyone has extra fat and carbz that are not being used, what about the extremely healthy sporty people i am sure that fasting will actually damage their system. they eat enough cabz, protein and good fats on a day to day basis as they train
fasting to me does not make logical sense that it can be good for you, healthy people must eat little but often every 3 hours a day, as it mentions, if you do not your body goes into starvation mode and slows down your metabolism so how can fasting be great for the person who eats right quantities a day and uses every bit of their energy correctly?
anyway as i said i did not read all of it and do not know enough about it, all i can say that fasting contradicts what healthy eating nutritions suggest

I am 36 years old, since a child I enjoyed candy, or anything with sugar in it. Now that Im older I can eat a 10 pack of reece cups in one sitting. Yes I know thats not healthy and I know Im eating myself to a slow death. I want to know will it be safe for me to drink water and fresh fruit until I get this habit under control?

help...i really want to start, cos i'm not happy with my weight, i feel horrible after meals but am hungry a lot. I've tried diets before and never seem to be able to stick with the plan, please give practical advise on how to deal with cravings and hunger pangs cos i have a decent to large appetite. But i need to change somehow.. i dont think i could do the water fast right away, the thought alone scares me, perhaps juice fast, are the results just as good? help

hey i m on third day of my water fasting and I am feeling completely fatigued, not that I dont have energy but I just feel there something running in my head causing discomfort, I have mild headaches and feverish when I sleep and upon rising, I feel nauseating from start of half of second day and feel there something inside my stomach or my colon or large intestines wanting to come out. I tried induced vomitting but nothing came out except for burps, however I feel I have something inside my colon, can any one please tell me how to help your body in such situation.
I personally feel if my body just does a natural purging (constipation since 2days) I will completely feel better.
are sodium phosphates enemas good, I am not able to get water pouch enemas also the quantity of sodium phosphate enemas is around 100ml , is good enough?

please could any one elaborate on enemas, like how long one should wait before getting the urge ect ect

Thanks for listening.

I just wanted to ask, is enema necessary for 3days fast? frankly I just hate the idea of having to do that crazy act, I am literally scared of it.
Can one get depressed during fast?

Can I break my fast with - apple juice, pear fruit, pineapple in moderation.

In Indian mythology, fasting is regarded to purity. When a person fasts he basically rejuvenates his body and soul by giving them a break. The food we eat basically strains your abdomen and asks it to process. This never stops, do you give them a break? NO.

What if someone ask you to work 365 days a year without a break? Sounds good? no.
Its the same with your system, give it a break and it fucntions even better :-)

**I've done juice fasts since I was 16 years old. Juice fasts are MORE beneficial to your body than the water fast. Water fasts do not give you any nutrients, vitamins, minerals or antioxidants to help flush the toxins out of your body. Pick up a book on Juice fasting and follow it religiously. I make 3 juices a day and tons of water and caffeine free tea daily.!!!
For instance my juice in the afternoon consists of: Carrots, spinach, kale, broccoli, garlic clove, and cucumber. I'm getting all the vitamins and minerals in my body and I'm not starving my body or doing my body any harm. Water fasts are dangerous but I do understand people have done them since biblical years!!
JUICE FASTING IS SAFER AND MORE BENEFICAL! *****
I'm on my third day of my juice fast and I'm planning on a 14 day fast......you're eyes, skin, hair, breath, overall feeling is spectacular! That is why you need to juice fast instead of water fast.....the juices contribute to all of your shiny hair, clear eyes, etc. It's all the vitamins and minerals going into your system!!!!!!

everyone here try to fast only water and excersices i bet after 2 week you will lose atleast 5kg

Yes, dear brother Muhammed Salim, you are absolutely correct. What amazes me is that the religion of Islam encourages healthy self and healthy society. Apart from fasting (which is enforced not only for the well being of self but also well being of society in total), drinking alcohol is absolutely prohibited as it is a social evil and causes personal, familial and social damages. In the same manner the religion prohibits illegitimate intimate relationships as they lead to several social and mental problems. I invite everyone to have an unbiased investigation of this divine religion, which reinforces the same principles as brought down by major religions but have long been forgotten or ignored.

Thank God, that people are seeing the wisdom that God has taught us so long ago in his holy books. Im Muslim and this is the start of our holy month, Ramadan. During Ramadan, for about 30 days, we abstain from food, drink and sexual activity. Our fast lasts from sunrise to sunset, during this summer season that is about 12-14 hours. I encourage all of you to investigae Islam and the healthly lifestyle that it encourages. God says in the Quran "we have ordained fasting for you as those before you(jews, christians etc) so that you may become pious." Of course being pious is the awareness of God and his centrality of our lives. With this awareness we find out health is directly related to your spirit-since each is a precious gift from our Creator.

Muhammed Salim

I was reading somewhere that it could be dangerous if you dont have enough salt in your system, I was wondering if this was true and if so should I sprinkle some sea salt into my water. I'm planning on a 21 day water fast for religious reasons and wanted to know if this was something that I needed to do.

Hey all I am a twenty eight year old woman who has recently lost her job. I am depressed and fat. I weigh 246 pounds and have ulcerative colitis. I am starting a water fast today seeing as I'm not working I will be able to rest the first few days if necessary. I am christian and will rely on God for strength. Thank you for all your comments as it does give motivation. Good luck to all.

Oh, and, where do you get the protein to build up during a 21-day water fast? Or will I have to give my biceps up?

Hey all

I'm a 17 year old and I take good care of my body by abstaining from excessive fat/sugar, processed stuff and so on. This has enabled me to work a lot on fitness and I do something like 70 pushups 3 times a day, everyday. I normally have a lot of carbs to sustain the energy level required for this, so I was wondering what effect a 21-day water fast would have on my energy levels and if I'd still be able to continue my regiment? A lot of people here have said they were bursting with energy after starting the diet, so I guess its worth asking...

Will appreciate anyone who can lay a finger on this.
Thanks!

Hi
I wonder if you guys stop drinking coffee also during fasting.

Hello All,

I turned 51 earlier this month. I fasted regularly in the past. Sometimes 3-5 days.
My longest fast was 15 days, and two weeks ago after my birthday a have decided to do a complete house cleaning and go for a 40 day waterfast.
Today is my 14th day, and I am doing very well. It is really a calming experience. I live a normal life, and work during this period.
Good thing that Nature gave us this healing power, so I do not have to deal with Doctors and Hospitals.

Regards,
Brian

Hello All,

I am a male and I am 51 today, I have decided to give fasting a try to improve my health. Many people say I look much youger than my years, not bad for someone who has four teenagers at home. I have often done the odd 24 hour fast and have felt better for doing it especily if I felt bloated beforehand.
I have read that fasting makes your hair feel more healthy but is there as risk that I might weaken or loose my hair by just drinking water for long periods?

Regards from Ireland.

Hello all. Just wanted to thank you all for your comments re fasting. I have just finished an entire day of fasting!! I know it probably doesn't sound like much but this is something I NEVER thought I would be able to do. I am really pleased with myself and eager to see if I can stretch this out to a 2-3 day thing to start off with.

The information in your comments and on this site has been fantastic and I am feeling really confident about the whole thing. I have no doubt as to the health benefits of fasting as I am already feeling really great. Not sure if this is just a mental thing because I feel like I have achieved something and developed some will-power (finally!) but I will be interested to see how things progress over the next few days.

Thanks again for all the info and please keep posting with your progress.

As addition to my compulsory Ramadhan fasting, I use to fast 1 day/week. Other than for religious matter, I like to fast because it gives me lighter sense, especially in my stomach. My tips for fasting are:
- Brush your teeth and clean your tounge before the fasting time starts
- Then drink a lot of water, at least 500cc.

In Islamic teaching, King/Prophet David was known to fast every 2 days.

I sometimes have iron deficiency due to being a thalasemia trait (b-thal) and about to begin a 21 days fast, I would like to have some advice as to how to proceed with this without any problems.

Thank you

Hi I have been fasting and detoxing for over 15 years. I am 48 healthy as an ox and I get asked out by 25-33 year olds. I am called the "prettiest women in (my county)". I have fasted 10 - 20 days per month every single month this year. I always start fast at at 3pm because it is easy to start a fast when it is half a day. I call this day one so that on day two it is easier. I do day two on watermelon juice (without fiber so you need a juicer) this prevents sugar imbalances from making the fast two difficult. Next I move on to lemon water with stevia and celtic salt. Using this formula allows me to work while fasting. The celtic salt keeps minerasl in the body, lemons supply all the nutrition you need and stevia makes it taste good. I finished a 10 fast two weeks ago while running 10 miles a day and working full time.

Well...

There are many reason's I've decided to fast.

Cleansing
Fat loss
Spiritually
Physiological benefits

Seeing as I did nothing to prepare for this and my only background knowledge is extremely limited, I am finding out all that I can now.

I’m a very scientific person and understand the human body pretty well.

I’m 5’11 175 lbs 22 years old.

So far what I am leaning toward is a 4-5day water fast. With possible longer attempts in the future when I’m better prepared.

My relatively obvious question is if I’m water fasting, what else am I allowed to drink?

I would love to be able to drink ISOPURE which is a protein drink - Aspartame Free, No Preservatives, Lactose Free, Fat Free, 0carbs-
It’s pure protein and I’m considering incorporating that into my fast because I don’t want to lose any muscle mass.
Also should I still be taking vitamin’s during the fast?
Good idea? Bad idea? Or anywhere in between?

I am also concerned about a slowed metabolism… and fast weight gain afterwards.
I do plan on an extremely healthy diet after the fast and reoccurring monthly or semi monthly fast’s.

Any story’s or advice or research articles would be greatly appreciated.

Hi,

I am a Muslim and we Muslim use to fast the month of Ramadan each year, I was looking for scientific information about fasting because I know from our prophet Mohamed that fasting is very good for health,

After major dental surgery, I lost 20 pounds on a juice and yogurt diet lasting 4-6 weeks. I was totally drugged out on pain pills, so I can't really remember how long it took to graduate to scrambled eggs and such. Since then I've had smaller follow-up surgeries, and I would lose 5 lbs at a time during 1-2 week recuperations.

The interesting thing is that before my big surgery, I was having recurrent heart palpitations - every few minutes my chest would do a thumpity-thump-thump. After the fasting, it completely disappeared. I recently saw a doctor on TV say that fasting causes the body to draw out the plaque that's collected inside your arteries. I never heard this before. Anyone ever experienced anything like this?

By the way - I now have fabulous teeth! And no thumping.

According to my BMI I am excessively overweight.

Im on my second day of a water fast. Hunger pangs aren't bad and I am keeping hydrated. I have even begun doing light exercises for about an hour a day (100 sit ups and about 50 laps in the pool).Though my main intention in this fast is to loose a significant amount of weight I am also young and want to start getting into healthy eating habits. I've been doing A LOT of research on water fasting and my main concern is the weight that you nearly always gain back after a fast. I am aiming for a 21 day water fast. I was wondering if there is any possible way too keep off a high percentage of the weight loss. Any advice would be extremely helpful.

i really enjoyed this article. i (water) fast about every other month for religious regions (Isaiah 58) and there are both spirtual and physical benefits. if i have hunger pains i pray and think about the sacrafices made for me (through Christ). although i am overweight i don't do it to lose weight, but to detox my system. i don't think you'll keep off any weight unless you fast reguarly, b/c youre body may hold on to all the things you deprived yourself from. at least that's what happens when you are mildly dehydrated.

I have been having colitis ulcerosa for about 22 years and with the help of fasting and ayurveda medicine I am able to handle it. Now they found out that there is a stenose with scares on the tissue (which might have happened couple of years ago) and makes some problems. Of course the allopathic medicine wants to operate. My question is if anyone is having experience of fasting and stenosis in the sigma in the large intestine. Is the body able to make the stenose more open or more soft through fasting.

I'm a 17 year old female and i want to go on a 6 or 7 day water fast. I'm sure I could do it but I fail at my attempts, I think I'm scared to do it but i really want the detoxafiying and weight loss benefits. I'm also afraid of gaining weight after the fast, could anyone put me at ease about this and some advice? it would be appreciated!

Hello,

What a great article on what happens to your body during a fast. I have fasted a few times a year for 10 - 20 days at a stretch. I always found taking 2 weeks before the fast as a prep very helpful in maintaining a longer fast and helping me in the first few days of water only.

2 weeks out I start taking a little more vitamin ester c powder supplement everyday a few times a day (careful not to overdue this as it results in watery stools) and eliminate all meat and fish supplementing the protein with protein shakes eating only veggies and fruit as much as I want, and a grain dish once a day like oatmeal, brown rice etc. The next week I start reducing the amount of veggies and fruit going to 1 protein shake a day, juices, water, tea, and miso soup. By the time I'm ready to start fasting on water only (no supplements) I've eliminated my need to chew as many times I pickup food just because it's there or I'm anxious, bored or whatever.

I personally have never had much success on juice fasts. I seem to not be able to drink enough juice to keep my stomach from growling.

I've found this prep approach has helped me with headaches and a general feeling of being extremely tired during the first 3-4 days of water, and reduced my stomach growlings. Usually after the 4th day when I get into a steady pace of water my stomach growlings disappear.

Once I end the fast I reverse the prep starting with juices teas etc, then working my way into veggies and fruit.

The benefits are amazing for months after a fast I generally cannot stand the site of any type of junk food.

I have been on a water fast for two days now and don't know how long I plan to go, at least one more day. I am just worried that my BMR will decrease. I'm a female, 18 years old and just recently got back home from my first year at college. I gained about 5 lbs but more importantly I let go off my healthy diet habits. I really want to cleanse my body and get back in the routine of exercise and eating healthy. Any reccomendations about how long I can/should go before my BMR goes down? I'm scared because it is pretty hard for me to gain lots of weight and I don't want to mess that up. Thanks

Hi, I am 18, 5'8 or 9, 130-135 lbs. I am deciding to go on a 40 day fast.
first 10 days water, and then *every other day* for 30 days I will allow myself to slowly eat (1 fruit or vegetable/day.)
I am a caffein addict, and I hate the thought of not having coffee.
I dont see the problem with having 2-5 cups of coffee/day with a small ammount of skim milk, or black. During my fast. Considering I am mainly doing it for weightloss purposes.
Does anyone have any comments about the caffein?
CAffein, I heard, is also an appetite supressant, so it might even make the fast easier.

I am 22 years old and weigh 250 lbs. I have had Psoriasis since I was 16 and now currently take 50mg weekly injections of Enbrel to help with my psoriatic arthritis. I am starting a water fast today May 22, 2008 and plan on at least completing 21 days. Hopefully this will help heal my intestines and in turn help purge my body of the toxins causing the plaques of psoriasis. I'll update one week from today. Cheers!

Angela

I am 21 years old and have been regularly fasting for a few days every month. This was a decision that I made after doing some extensive collegate research on fasting for a health related class-I'm trying to get my PhD in clinical psych and a undergrad in nutrition and health sciences. I want someday be able to integrate various psychotherapies with nutrition therapy and other holistic and natural approaches (like fasting, light and sauna therapy, and esp. exercise therapy) in a clinical setting all as a part of a wholistic healing program for people who want lasting change. So, fasting has fascinated me.

After the first time I fasted, I lost an good amount of water weight and fat. Before my fast, I was athletic and muscular, running 3-6 miles a day, and working out a few times a week on a consistent basis while maintaining a 198lb body weight at 5' 9" body height- I was never obese, but I just had this small amount of belly fat that despite my exercise wouldn't leave my stomach and oblique areas in addition to some water weight. After my first 3 day fast, I lost 6 lbs of body fat (not including some water weight) that has stayed off ever since. And ever since that first fast (and the proceeding once-a-month fasts), I have continued to loose more fat in those sections of my stomache that had fat that I couldn't seem to get rid of in the midst of athletic exercise and training. Now, I am 179lbs and haven't lost any muscular strength and can lift the same or more weight than before. I have absolutely no belly fat now (unlike before). I also have more cardiovascular endurance. I'd contribute this change to consistent monthly fasting and not as a psycho-somatic effect brought about through auto-suggestion, hetero-suggestion, or stress (...we can't forget about how a change in our emotional states affects us on a molecular and cellular level as quantum psychology has recently been illuminating.)

Question: I know that there is a direct correlation (and possibly a cause and effect relationship) between sodium toxicity and excess water weight--that the body intakes more water to dilute toxic amounts of sodium--or as sodium levels rise, so does water weight. Is there the same relation between excess fat stores and toxins--that the body stores fat as an attempt to ("dilute" or) keep other toxin percentages low--that as fat soluble toxins increase, so does body fat. In your opinion/knowledge is this true or possible? Thanks for your time.

I am a 22 year old African American women embarking on a 40 day fast. I am 5'9" and weigh 250 lbs. While weight loss is a big motivator for the fast, I am going to implement a healthier lifestyle that I will follow afterwards. So I've decided not to weigh myself until I commence on a juice fast for 10 days following.I have currently completed the first 5 days successfully on just water,and finally I have no hunger. I did an extensive amount of research on fasting: the good, the bad, and the ugly. I figured the good outweighed the bad tremendously. As long as I keep track of my blood sugar, my blood pressure, and my heart rate, I figure that I will be able to sucessfully finish the fast. So far everything looks good and I still have all the energy I had before the fast plus more. To all who are trying a fasts, whether its for spiritual, weight loss, or overall health, just stick with it. Good Luck!

Hello, I have only fasted for 3 days with water & tea. I am amazed at the toxins that came out. Likewise, I was also a smoker. Not now. I would love to go on a longer fast. This is my first time to ever fast. I too lost some weight, but not a lot. I'm small anyway & my main concern was getting the toxins out. My trouble was - feeling weak, sometimes feeling shaky, upper stomach pains, & now burning in urine. I went off my fast & ate - ate quite a bit actually - however -- all good foods. But I am going back on the fast. My concern is hurting kidneys, etc, by doing so that soon. I am curious if this is normal. And would love any advice or personal experiences to be known. Many thanks in advance. I plan to restart the fast again tomorrow. I also highly recommend it for all kinds of reasons. Esp.. with getting off sugar caffeine & quitting smoking. It's nice to feel clean, but I do know it takes more than 3 days - more than 1 or 2 weeks of water fasting in order to be completely cleaned. And my diet from now on will be -- mostly vegan.

I have attempted fasting before with only water but only made it to day 4 at which point I began to feel dizzy and so I began eating again. Even so the fast proved useful and I retained a diet of mainly vegetables raw, and water or tea which resulted in more energy and huge weight loss. I do worry about people trying this and going for a while and gaining more weight back after resuming normal eating. Being on day 7 I am having trouble keeping my stomach from hurting (especially during any type of activity or even getting up) and so I am wondering what the issue could be here. I do feel fine otherwise and am hopeful it will pass soon as I intend to go 25 days or so. I know now that you must resume eating very slowly after a long water only fast and I do agree that there are many health benefits although I do not instantly support most types of holistic or natural medicines because of the many false claims out there.
Any input would be nice
Thanks

I'm 16 years old and a male i don't know if that matters though. I'm wondering is it safe for me to go on a water fast being 16? I'm thinking of going on just a 1 to 2 day fast right now. and i would like to know what foods should i eat after the fast. If its just a 1 to 2 day water fast would it matter what foods i eat after the fast?

I am 24 6'2" 225 lbs and probably borderline alcoholic because I hang out at bars with my friends like 3 or 4x a week. I smoke cigs and occasionly pot. My diet is 90 percent meat/cheese/bread. My body has just recently shown me a few reasons why this road leads to destruction. I want to fast then adobt a somewhat vegan diet so I can enjoy sports and health for many years of my life. Will a fast release too many toxins into my bloodstream at the same time? I am sure I am a toxic wasteland inside. What type of fast and how long do you think I should go for one?

I'm on day 9 of a 21 day water fast and I've already lost 16 lbs. I no longer feel hungry, and as long as I get enough sleep I feel energized and light and alive. It's a very rewarding experience so far and I have no desire to quit before the 21 days are up. After the 21 days I plan on slowly refeeding by doing a week on pure fruit / vegetable juice and then a week on raw fruits and veggies. When that's over and done with I'll be adopting a vegan diet. i'm already a lacto-ovo-vegetarian so it shouldn't be hard. the elimination of all these toxins in my body has really made me realize how important it is to take care of our bodies and watch what we put into them! It has been such a rewarding experience so far that I think I will probably do this once a year.

I really enjoyed your paper, and your references.

I just started water fasting one day a week. Is that enough time to make a difference? So far I feel I have more energy, but it may just be my mind tricking me. Is doing it that often harmful?

I did a fast years ago and felt amazing. My skin was clear, my hair shiny, soft and full. I felt like I had tons of energy.

Since then, I've tried to do fasts again but with limited success. It's hard to concentrate on detox when you work a couple of jobs and have other responsibilities on top of that. You have to do a fast the right way and doing it 'half assed' really proved more detrimental than helpful. I ended up with iron-deficiency anemia and too much weight loss after numerous 'partial fasting' episodes. I also developed some weird food obsessions. If you have any eating disorder history, fasting is not an excuse to fall back into negative food perceptions. Feeling 'guilty' about eating is not healthy.

Anyway, I do believe in fasting's health benefits when it's DONE RIGHT. Anyone considering a fast should do lots of research before undertaking one.

I've just started delving into this practice, and I must say that just doing it for 2 days was an eye opening experience! I am going to experiment with this more. It's a wonderful test of discipline and I did not let myself down!

I feel much better after a fast and almost guilty about eating afterwards, but I go back to eating slowly and more controlled! It's great!

The hindu religion recommends it in daily life. Fasting is a closely followed practise within Yoga just like medication.

It has increased the life span of the sages in the Himalayas. Apart from food fasting there is also a fast where you keep silent (do not speak) for days. This was followed by Mahathma Gandhi which gave him so much spiritual power to his tiny frame. He did this every Sunday-complete fast (food and silence)

I did a 10 day water fast in February and another 5 day water fast in March. I plan on doing 5 day fasts each month or so to maintain the benefits.

The best benefit is that my hayfever went away. No more stuffy nose or itchy, watery eyes! (Yay!) I also kicked my caffein and sugar cravings. I felt such a sense of peace after the first 3 days on the fast. It is truly amazing.

I did a 50 day water fast and wow it changed my life. I wasn't angry with people anymore and I had more peace within myself. There are poisons, toxins and parasites that leave your body when you fast. Poisons, toxins and parasites make people bitter, angry, depressed, and makes you do many other crazy things. I highly suggest it. It doesn't cost you any money and your actually saving money by water fasting.

I am currently attempting a fast and have found the water from young coconuts good for giving me energy. ( much more than just plain water.) Is that still considered a fast? Is there a naturopathic doctor in the bay area.( San Jose Ca ) that I could consult too. Is there a good place to look for one in my area.

I am 52 and look 10 -15 years younger.
I have typically used fasting as a method for weight controll.

I look and feel better when I fast..I feel my worst after a big meal

I tried a fruit fasting for 21 days and it's helps because am not depressed anymore and I sleep better now and even loss 42 pounds... For me fasting is good because it helps me and am planning to do it again soon.