The Truth About Fasting
Of all the existing dietary methods, fasting is perhaps the most controversial. Its proponents are convinced that abstaining from food can help with a wide range of issues—from obesity and metabolic disorders to psychological disorders. However, on the other hand, this method carries health risks. So what is fasting—a friend or a foe?
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even the ancient Greeks, such as Pythagoras, Socrates, and Plato, practiced fasting for health reasons—to purify the mind and spirit, and to achieve inner harmony and clarity of thought. The brilliant physician Hippocrates warned: “Excessive eating is contrary to nature,” and advised healing the body through abstinence, ridding it of all that is superfluous. The Roman physician Galen used fasting to treat mental illnesses, and the famous scientist Ibn Sina used it to combat smallpox and syphilis. In the Middle Ages, fasting was used to treat jaundice and epilepsy. In the 20th century, interest in this practice surged. The American Paul Bragg became one of the most active advocates of fasting, declaring: “The path to robust health and eternal youth—physical, mental, and spiritual—lies through fasting.” In Russia, Dr. Yuri Nikolaev developed this idea, favoring multi-day fasts of up to 30 days, believing that only on this scale could complete healing be achieved.
From despondency to a new beginning
What happens in the body when you stop eating? In the first stage, the body begins to crave food intensely—stomach pain sets in, saliva production increases, and an inexplicable sense of anxiety sets in. During this period, it is crucial to distract yourself from obsessive thoughts and remain calm. Any stressful situation can trigger the development of ulcers or uncontrolled overeating after a period of fasting. Then comes the stage where the feeling of hunger subsides. Many people who fast report an unusual lift in spirits, a surge of energy, creative inspiration, and a desire to share their experience. You could say that the body activates a “backup generator”: it begins to burn internal reserves—first nutrients in the bloodstream, then fat deposits and muscle tissue. Subsequently, subcutaneous fat layers are utilized, which explains why fasting is not a reliable method for weight loss.
Interestingly, different organs lose weight unevenly: the smallest changes are observed in the heart, brain, and lungs. The next stage is accompanied by acidification of the body—acidosis. The characteristic smell of acetone on the breath cannot be masked even by aromatic products. In addition, pimples and scabs may appear on the skin during this period.
Proponents of the practice associate these symptoms with the body’s detoxification. Opponents, however, believe that such phenomena indicate a deficiency of essential nutrients obtained from food. This is followed by a gradual loss of energy, despite feeling relatively well. It is important to avoid stress, apathy, and anxiety. And when the body signals an increased interest in food, the fast should be ended.
Remarkable recoveries
Short-term fasts lasting one to three days can be safely undertaken on your own at home—they will not cause significant harm to your health. By regularly repeating such fasts, for example, once a week, you can slow down weight gain, improve skin condition, and promote overall rejuvenation and healing of the body. Longer periods—ranging from a week to a month, but no longer—require medical supervision and, if possible, care at a specialized facility. Such courses are prescribed for serious chronic conditions: psychoneurological, allergic, rheumatic, respiratory, endocrine, hypertensive, and dermatological. It is believed that fasting can increase the life expectancy of cancer patients, since under conditions of food scarcity, the body destroys cancer cells—the least viable tissues—first. After each fast, tumors temporarily shrink, but may grow again after some time.
Fasting and sports—incompatible
Exercising while fasting is contraindicated. Even during a single day of fasting, you should avoid intense physical activity—only low-impact activities, such as swimming, are permissible. The body switches to energy-saving mode and suppresses any signs of physical activity, as it requires significant energy expenditure. This results in a situation where there is enough energy only for thinking, but not for movement. There have been isolated cases of an active lifestyle during fasting, but these are exceptional and cannot serve as a guideline for most people.
If you decide to fast, it is recommended to follow this plan. For the first two months, practice intermittent fasting for 24 hours once a week: from one breakfast to the next. ? For the following two months, extend the period to 36 hours once a week: from dinner to breakfast every other day. ? Once you’ve gotten used to this regimen, as well as to the subsequent “semi-fasting” day, you can move on to three-day fasting cycles. The best time is during seasonal transitions (for example, late summer to early fall) or a week before an important event—such as a business trip or a job interview.
In search of the perfect figure
Strange as it may seem, weight loss during fasting sometimes proceeds more slowly than when following a balanced diet combined with physical activity. On average, a person loses between 100 and 500 grams per day. However, once a normal diet is resumed, the lost weight quickly returns. The body is programmed for a certain weight, and prolonged abstinence from food does not alter this “internal memory.” Rapid changes in body weight often lead to sagging breasts, premature skin aging, and deterioration of the condition of hair and nails.
Women and fasting
An interesting fact: most adherents of therapeutic fasting are men, while there are very few female healers or recognized advocates of fasting among women. A likely reason is that prolonged food deprivation has a more negative effect on the female body than on the male body. When body fat body fat
Although fasting is not considered a standalone method for weight loss, many spiritual mentors use it to stimulate creativity. It is well known that multi-day fasts by believers and the refusal of food by some great scientists have contributed to inspiration and clarity of thought. If you are facing a creative crisis, try not eating for 1–2 days.
Recommendations for those who fast
The preparatory phase for fasting should last at least 24 hours. It is recommended to have a fasting day, consuming fresh vegetables that help cleanse the intestines. There are various approaches to fasting. For example, Dr. Yuri Nikolaev advised performing enemas in the morning and evening to protect the body from self-intoxication. At the same time, Paul Bragg, known for his robust health and long, active life (he died at age 92 while surfing), refrained from using enemas, considering them an interference with natural processes. We recommend taking a middle ground: if natural cleansing does not occur within the first 24 hours, it is acceptable to perform 1–2 enemas, but no more. During the fast, you should drink a few sips of warm, still water every 30 minutes—this will prevent the buildup of gastric juices and irritation of the stomach lining, improve blood quality, and help the kidneys eliminate toxins more effectively. Daily fluid intake should be 2–3 liters. Taking vitamins is not recommended during this period.
The transition out of fasting should last as long as the fast itself. If you have gone three days without food, you should resume eating over the course of three days. After a one-day fast, it is recommended to follow a gentle diet paul Bragg usually broke his fast with a meal of boiled tomatoes—sour but well-cooked vegetables that stimulate the internal glands and help kick-start the digestive tract. He then moved on to diluted vegetable juices, boiled cabbage, and the famous salad “broom” — shredded cabbage and carrots with lemon juice and a drop of vegetable oil. A “Russian” version is also possible — liquid oatmeal or fruit jelly. Here is the recipe for fruit jelly: pour three cups of water over a cup of rolled oats, add a teaspoon of yeast. After 12 hours, when the mixture has fermented, strain and boil. Kissel can be enjoyed both cold and hot, with vegetables or jam. This cleansing and therapeutic dish is known for its ability to eliminate, among other things, radionuclides, and is excellent for fasting days.
