Fasting for Health

[bellatakescharge]

So happy to have found this group ... here goes my experience. Up to 10 Days...

My first experience with fasting was nearly two years and it was medical reasons. I had undiagnosed/misdiagnosed lyme disease for a number of years and so wasn't treated for about 6 years. I was miserable - joint and muscle pain, became gluten intolerant, extreme fatigue, etc. When I finallly got treatment it took a while to get the right combo and then I went a wholistic herbal microbial route. Tons better but never 100 percent. I found Dr. Goldhammer's fasting info from True North Center in CA.

I also believe (for me) there is a spiritual component to fasting and so I began - only water and clear teas - nothing else, no calories. I have done this about 4 times: 3 days twice 5 days once, and even a 10 day fast. While I did find them very helpful healthwise I didn't find them helpful for weight loss.

I'm currently in a water/tea fast and I don't know how long I will go... just going to listen to my body. I'm currently into my 3rd day. Whenever I decide to break this fast then I plan to go to a 16:8 cycle and maybe alternate with an 18:6 one every other day.

I've lost over a stone doing keto but found that I wasn't eating healthy enough. so I think I'm going to incorporate some of the healthy carbs I had eliminated - mainly lentils, and beans - maybe a few more berries. With my strict keto I had gotten constipated and too much cheese and dairy. Hence my decision to go to a total fast for at least a few days (maybe longer) to clear and reset my system to move into IF with lots of green foods and healthy veggies and legumes.

Thats me.

Right now, at about hour 50... I'd love to be munching on a crisp green salad. But... I'm going to hold out at least one more day.

Thanks for listening! ... or I should say reading...

[Stoozie Administrator]

Thank you for sharing this. Your observations and journey sound like they fit with many of our members experiences.

One thing I have found helps with constipation if following a lower-carb diet is to bake using psyllium husk, and/or linseeds. Have you tried either of these?

[Stoozie Administrator]

ps, we assign members badges to give others an idea of who they are and their shared experiences with fasting. You may see my admin badge next to my name, or another member might have '10 kg IF16' to show their weightloss and usual fasting window.

If you would like me to assign you one, I am more than happy to do so, just shout!

[bellatakescharge 10 KG IF 16 in reply to Stoozie]

Yes please! Assign that badge!

[Stoozie Administrator in reply to bellatakescharge]

Done! Do please let me know if you want to change it at any point

[bellatakescharge 10 KG IF 16 in reply to Stoozie]

Actually Stoozie if it changes my weight loss from the stones I've been working with I think I'd like to change back. I really have my goals set with the stones and just near my next one... I'd be happy to have IF but only if I retain my stone weight. Thanks so much!!

[S11m Volunteer 70lb IF20]

Hi, thanks for the info.

I don't think anyone else here has fasted as much as ten days... if I am wrong, please tell us about it ¿anyone?

I was thinking I would do another 68-hour fast this weekend... but I was very busy yesterday - I would get the autophagy and longevity benefit, but I need to keep my weight up - and I eat "healthy carbs".

What health benefits do you get - and how can you fast for ten days without it helping weight loss?

[bellatakescharge 10 KG IF 16 in reply to S11m]

Hi S11m,

Of course weight came off immediately but not maintainable - at least not for me. The deeper the long term fast the better for healing of chronic disease. Actually in a sorta weird way it did a lot of work toward my ability to process some glutens - this gluten intolerance developed with the lyme. For the first time in over 10 years I could actually digest and eat bread. So a good healthy thing for my body but not for weight loss!

Also a tremendous impact on joint and muscle pain - particularly in my knees and hips. Just now at about 15 months out so of that is recurring, hence my desire to fast again. I'm very curious if it would eventually work to dissolve the nodules all over my body that came along with the Bartonella co-infection I had.

So ... I really believe IF is great for weight loss and deep extended fasting for medical issues and the weight loss could be sustained with IF - I just hadn't done that initially. I also believe that purely for weight loss the IF is best. For diabetes, high blood pressure, auto immune I believe long term fasting can be helpful but MUST be medically supervised if you are on medication for any of the above.

This is just my experience. I also feel a need from a spiritual aspect to fast as I'm at a transition point in my life and career.

That's my journey!

[S11m Volunteer 70lb IF20 in reply to bellatakescharge]

Yes - so many think of (Intermittent) Fasting only for weight loss.

I have gluten intolerance - but I can eat a bit occasionally and get away with it.

I now get less back pain - but I do not know how much of the improvement was due to fasting - and my heart is working better - but that is partly due to the weight loss and a new pacemaker - and my blood pressure is down to 108/70!

I think that with 20:4 I am getting some of the benefits of "longer fasts" - and I have been doing a 68 hour fast every four weeks.

Diabetics on Insulin routinely monitor their own blood glucose and dose accordingly - but we have to advise that longer fasts (for patients on mediation) should be medically supervised.

[bellatakescharge 10 KG IF 16]

I think you're doing it all in an amazingly healthy way. The intermittent fasting continually lets you have more autophagy and that blood pressure is amazing.

And then a monthly 68 hour gives you that optimal 3 days of fasting - maybe I'm going to follow your lead there.

I'm really curious about what you eat. I really believe fruits and veggies with some oats and almond coconut flour are the healthiest way to eat but I also know that the keto works (or did work for me) . it doesn't feel healthy to me anymore - at least how I was doing it. I'd much rather have lentils then ground beef but to stay in keto I did the later.

I'm a little nervous about including more of the legumes in my diet but I really do feel a health need to make the switch. All the fat on keto was starting to get to me!

What do you eat?