It sounds a little crazy, extreme, and totally contrary to the fad-free, evidence-based nutrition information that I usually share here, but bear with me for a second and let me explain. Decades of research have shown that fasting improves some measures of metabolic health in humans and prevents chronic disease in animals.
You can learn more about that in my intermittent fasting post. One day of fasting for a mouse is not equivalent to one day of fasting for a human. So basically, typical intermittent fasting protocols while beneficial in other ways are likely not long enough to reap cellular regenerative benefits. But many fasting experts, including my former professor Dr. Valter Longo , recommend it times a year for overall health.
I decided that a yearly prolonged fast was something I wanted to include in my disease-prevention toolbox. Then I spent almost two years pregnant and breastfeeding, so of course, no fasting then. This time, I wanted something shorter and a three-day fast seemed like a good way to dip my toes into the world of water-only fasting. Both my paternal grandparents suffered from heart disease and my dad had a heart attack and quadruple bypass last year. I — like the majority of people — have a family history riddled with chronic disease.
Day 1 of My 3 Day Water Fast
So, with that said, a 3-day water fast seemed like a pretty non-invasive way to support my health! Stick around until the end of the video and read on for more background on the science behind fasting and answers to common water fasting questions! While various types of fasting have recently become trendy, the practice actually dates all the way back to early humans. Unlike in our modern-day society, historically, food was scarce. Fasting was the norm and our bodies have been evolutionarily programmed to handle long bouts without food. Some medical experts believe that our current round-the-clock eating patterns may be contributing to chronic disease and that fasting may be the key to treating and prevent chronic disease.
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In animals, prolonged fasting has been shown to prevent and reduce cancer incidence, diminish the negative side effects of chemotherapy, and increase lifespan. Exercise has also been shown to induce autophagy in both humans and animals. Glucose is stored in the body in chains known as glycogen. During a fast, our body taps into our glycogen stores to get the energy it needs. Once the stored glycogen is used up usually after about 24 hours , the body starts breaking down protein and fat.
After about 48 hours, the body goes into a protein-sparing mode and relies predominantly on fat for fuel, turning it into glucose and molecules known as ketones to be used as energy. Without incoming nutrients, many physiological processes related to growth slow down. Fasting results in decreases in the hormone, insulin-like growth factor 1 IGF High levels of IGF-1 have been associated with chronic disease in adults.
Fasting also results in decreased levels of insulin and leptin and increases in the fat-burning hormone adiponectin. Meanwhile, antioxidant and stress-resistant enzymes are activated in response to decreases in these hormones, which is believed to be one mechanism by which fasting results in disease prevention.
Additionally, some individuals report increased mental acuity during fasting. However, one study of a three-week ketogenic diet showed no differences in cognition and mood in healthy adult participants.
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Note — you may have heard of ketosis in relation to the ketogenic diet. While short-term ketosis which occurs during water fasting may be beneficial for health and reducing disease risk factors, long-term ketogenic diets have not been shown to be beneficial for health, except in the case of severe epilepsy. A 3-day water fast means that for 3 days, you will be consuming only water — no food and no other drinks. Decide when you are going to start and end your fast. You should plan it out so that you have at least 72 hours between your last and first bite of food.
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Leading up to the fast, try not to overindulge. I ate ice cream at 9 pm the night before my fast. Bad idea.
Fasting For 3 Days: Will It Get Your Metabolism Cranking At Full Speed?
This just delays the inevitable. The goal is ketosis, which only occurs once your body depletes its glycogen stores. The more you eat and later you eat, the longer it will take to get to your goal. I was surprised to find that I had bursts of energy where I was able to work, but there were moments when I felt weak and tired and needed to lay down. Remember to speak with your doctor if you have had any health issues that may preclude you from trying a 3-day water fast. Any fast should be broken with a light meal or snack, for example, a piece of fruit. When you start eating again, your stomach needs to adjust to food again.
Eating too much or consuming a lot of high-fat or very acidic foods and beverages could result in an overproduction of HCl and lead to painful acid reflux. A water fast should include just that — water. Consuming coffee or tea activates the liver to detoxify caffeine molecules, so while your digestive system is getting a break, your liver is still working hard. Studies show that during a short-term fast, although sodium levels drop, they do stay in the normal range. However, long-term fasts longer than 7 days should be medically supervised to ensure the body does not go into starvation mode.
Ketoacidosis occurs when fat is being broken down too quickly, and it can cause serious health problems. Ketoacidosis is most commonly seen in patients with Type 1 Diabetes, but extended periods of ketosis can also trigger ketoacidosis. While a short-term fast is generally safe for healthy individuals, fasting while dealing with other physical stressors including exercise, lactation, or low body fat percentage can cause ketoacidosis.
Refeeding syndrome is an imbalance of electrolytes or fluids when nutrients are absorbed too quickly after a period of starvation. Refeeding most commonly occurs in people who have been chronically undernourished, have reduced physiological reserve low body fat , or have suffered physical trauma including a stroke or heart attack.
The longest fast ever recorded was in by a Scottish man, Angus Barbieri, who took daily vitamins with zero-calorie drinks like tea, coffee, and water. Obese at pounds, he fasted under doctor supervision until reaching his goal weight of pounds. Which he achieved in full health, days later.
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Nowadays, most extended fasts are days. The people who opt to do these longterm fasts are usually fighting obesity, fatty liver disease, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, or other metabolic diseases. Shorter fasts of up to days are seen more among people looking to detox and lose moderate weight. Other acceptable drinks for a health fast include tea and coffee. Feel free to add a slice of lemon, but avoid milk or sugar. Zero-calorie soda is out of the question. For fasts longer than 3-days, consider supplementing with electrolytes to maintain mineral levels. This can be done with zero-calorie electrolyte drinks, bone broth with sea salt, or miso soup for vegetarians like us.
And we drank tons of water! An absolute fast, usually done religiously, means nothing is consumed. However, the studies we read highly recommended drinking water because dehydration only harms and complicates your fast. The rule of thumb is to take the number of days you fasted and divide it by two.
Instead of breaking our hour fast by feasting, we ate this. The purpose of the fast is to drop insulin and glucose levels to kick your body into ketosis your fat-burning stage.
Eating a whole bowl of pasta will prolong the time it takes for your insulin levels to deplete and delay your good results. While we were fasting, we were incredibly focused and productive at work, but it was nice to have the option to sleep in until 10 AM. To make the most out of your fast, it would be nice to compare your blood sugar levels, cholesterol, ketones, etc.