My fasting journey has allowed me to feel a sense of clarity that I hadn't experienced before.
The initial pangs of hunger had subsided, and my body had shifted into a state of autophagy - a natural response to a prolonged lack of food. However, far from feeling weakened, I felt strong, energised, and incredibly focused.One of the benefits of fasting for an extended period of time is the increased production of human growth hormone, which helps the body to repair damaged cells and tissues.
This, in turn, can lead to better health outcomes and even an increased lifespan.I had also been amazed at the regenerative effects of fasting on my brain. Neurons that had been damaged due to stress or other factors were now repairing and replenishing, leading to increased mental clarity and focus.
It was like a fog had lifted, and my mind felt sharper than ever before.To supplement the fasting, I had also started implementing some other health-promoting practices, such as daily tongue scraping and regular exfoliation of my skin through dry brushing.
These practices helped to eliminate toxins from my body and promote healthy digestion and elimination.Another practice that I found particularly helpful during my fasting journey was regular steam and sauna sessions.
Not only did they help to eliminate toxins through sweating, but they also left me feeling relaxed and rejuvenated.As I continued on my fasting journey, I marvelled at the many benefits that this practice had brought me.
From autophagy to cell repair to the regeneration of neurons, I knew that this was one of the healthiest choices I could have made for my body and mind.
“Take away food from a sick man’s stomach and you have begun, not to starve the sick man, but the disease.”—E. H. Dewey, M.D
STAGE 1: PSYCHOLOGICAL HUNGER (DAYS 1 THRU 2-3)
(Most of the symptoms, if they appear, are usually transient – lasting only a day or two) Stage 1: Psychological Hunger (Days 1 thru 2-3)
• Blood Sugar levels drop below 70mg/dl • Liver glycogen is converted to glucose and released into the blood (enough for ½ day) • The body reduces basal metabolic rate (to conserve energy) • The heart slows and blood pressure is reduced • Glycogen is pulled from the muscles • Quick loss of weight is noticed, mainly due to loss of water
Typical Symptoms for this Stage:
1. Psychological hunger cravings (sometimes intense) 2. Irritability 3. Weakness 4. Breach of sleep 5. Acute reaction on look/scent/conversations about eating 6. Sucking pain in stomach 7. Discomfort of intestines 8. Muscle weakness 9. Headaches10. Dizziness or lightheadedness (from lowering blood pressure) 11. Digestive upset 12. Flatulence 13. Nausea and vomiting are possible 14. Bad breath 15. Mucous stools 16. Glazed eyes 17. Heavily coated tongue (a thick white or yellow fur coating, which can be scraped or brushed off) 18. Skin odours/eruptions may appear 19. Bad dreams
STAGE 2: ACIDOSIS
(DAYS 2-3 THRU 7-9)
• Fats are broken down to release glycerol and converted to glucose
• The energy for maintenance of basal metabolism is almost entirely met by the use of free fatty acids and ketones
• Increased norepinephrine (adrenalin) levels prevent the decrease in metabolic rate (after Day 5)
• Appetite is suppressed as ketones are formed by the incomplete oxidation of fats
• High levels of growth hormone (HGH) maintain muscle growth and lean tissues (after Day 5 – also the best time to exercise, due to the high levels of HGH)
• The body vigorously throws off acid waste products
• Scent of acetone from the mouth and metallic aftertaste in the mouth appears
• The tongue is covered by a white-greyish patch
• Ketone bodies are increasing in urine and reach its maximum on day 7-9
• Rancid oils are purged from the body
• Toxic waste in the blood
• Cleansing and repair of organs and lungs begins
• The colon is being repaired and impacted faeces on the intestinal wall start to loosen and are autolyzed
Typical Symptoms for this Stage:
1. Fatigue 2. Blurred vision 3. Possible dizziness 4. Nervousness 5. Backaches 6. Muscle tightness (the legs are the worst affected as toxins accumulate in the legs) 7. Cold virus (aka the body eliminating toxins) 8. Emotional disturbances (if eating was used for emotional comfort) 9. Occasional daytime weakness, drowsiness as well as breach of sleep 10. Rare but possible sickness, nausea and vomiting 11. Moderate bradycardia (48-60 beats per minute), possibly leading to blackouts 12. Blood pressure drops (be warned to get up slowly and avoid sharp movements) 13. Mild hypoglycaemia 14. Potassium and urea decrease 15. Oily skin 16. Possible pimples and/or boils 17. Clogged sinuses (from periodic expelling of the lymphatic system, expelling mucoid matter through the nose and throat, sometimes in shocking quantities) 18. Foul breath 19. Pallid complexion 20. Tongue is coated with a bad-tasting dryish mucus 21. Urine may be concentrated and foul (unless a good deal of water is taken daily)
Typical Symptoms for this Stage:
1. Fatigue 2. Blurred vision 3. Possible dizziness 4. Nervousness 5. Backaches 6. Muscle tightness (the legs are the worst affected as toxins accumulate in the legs) 7. Cold virus (aka the body eliminating toxins) 8. Emotional disturbances (if eating was used for emotional comfort) 9. Occasional daytime weakness, drowsiness as well as breach of sleep 10. Rare but possible sickness, nausea and vomiting 11. Moderate bradycardia (48-60 beats per minute), possibly leading to blackouts 12. Blood pressure drops (be warned to get up slowly and avoid sharp movements) 13. Mild hypoglycaemia 14. Potassium and urea decrease 15. Oily skin 16. Possible pimples and/or boils 17. Clogged sinuses (from periodic expelling of the lymphatic system, expelling mucoid matter through the nose and throat, sometimes in shocking quantities) 18. Foul breath 19. Pallid complexion 20. Tongue is coated with a bad-tasting dryish mucus 21. Urine may be concentrated and foul (unless a good deal of water is taken daily)
STAGE 3: NORMALISATION
(DAYS 7-9 THRU 14-16)
• Enhanced energy
• Clear-mindedness
• An increasing sense of well-being
• Acidic blood chemistry is gradually corrected
• The body’s healing process is at optimum efficiency
• The body scours for dead/damaged tissue, secreting substances to dissolved the damaged cells, irritating the nerves in the surrounding region
• Toxin irritation of the muscles (especially the legs)
• Excessive bacteria in the mouth
Typical Symptoms for this Stage
1. Daily loses of weight decrease 2. Dreams on food subjects 3. Old injuries may become irritated and painful as a result of the body’s increased ability to heal 4. Sore/tight muscles (the legs being the worst due to toxin accumulation) 5. Canker sores
Typical Symptoms for this Stage
1. Daily loses of weight decrease 2. Dreams on food subjects 3. Old injuries may become irritated and painful as a result of the body’s increased ability to heal 4. Sore/tight muscles (the legs being the worst due to toxin accumulation) 5. Canker sores
STAGE 4: ACCELERATED HEALING (DAYS 16 – 30)
• The body is completely adapted to the fasting process • The body now has more energy • The mind has heightened clarity and emotional balance • Damaged tissue is now being replaced • Cleansing periods can be short with many days of feeling good in between • Symptoms of diseases significantly decrease or disappear completely • Glucose, cholesterol, potassium, urea, bilirubin normalise • There are now days when the tongue is pink and the breath is fresh • The healing work of the organs is being completed • The body works at maximum capacity in tissue proliferation to replace damaged tissue (after the detoxification mechanisms have removed the causative agent or rendered it harmless; while a short fast will reduce symptoms, a longer fast can completely heal) • The lymphatic system is basically clean • After day 20, the mind is affected with heightened clarity and emotional balance • Memory and concentration improve • Repair and regeneration of tissues • Tumours are metabolised as food for the body • Arthritic deposits dissolve • Scar tissues tend to disappear • Damaged organs regain lost function (if they can) • Seriously ill people begin to heal
Typical Symptoms for this Stage 1.
Shorter cleansing days 2.
Rare discharge of mucus through the nose and throat
STAGE 5 (30 – 40): BREAKING THE FAST WITH THE GENUINE RETURN OF NATURAL HUNGER
• The Breath becomes sweet and clean • The Tongue becomes clean • Body Temperature returns to normal, where it remains • Pulse becomes normal in time and rhythm • Skin reactions and other reactions become normal • Salivary secretion becomes normal • Eyes become bright and eye sight improves • Excreta loses its odour • Urine becomes light • Hunger returns, indicating that the fast is to be broken; all other indications are secondary. Often one or more of the above secondary signs are absent when hunger returns, but one should not refrain from breaking the fast when there is an unmistakable demand for food..
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