In a previous blog post, I mentioned that I found myself doing an unintentional water fast. Earlier this month, I was called to revisit this practice…
Benefits of water fasting
Consuming only water for an extended period of time gives the digestive system a complete break. This allows healing to take place from the inside out - a process called autophagy is stimulated which sees your body breaking down and recycling old (potentially dangerous) parts of your cells.
There has been much research and many case studies to support the fact that consuming nothing but water for 24-72 hours can have profound health benefits. Autophagy can help prevent cancers, Alzheimer’s and other chronic diseases. Fasting can help lower blood pressure and improve insulin sensitivity, as well as boost the gut microbe number and diversity, supporting immunity and providing relief in certain autoimmune diseases. Some people have reversed diabetes and defeated cancer diagnoses with fasting.
Fasting in the past and present
Fasting has been around for centuries. Our ancestors used it as a way to cleanse spiritually, but also as a tool for healing. Today, when we’re feeling unwell, we want to eat comfort food while bingeing Netflix. I challenge you - the next time you wake up with a scratchy throat or body aches, fast for 24 hours and observe how your body responds. Of course, this should be done from the comfort of your bed - rest is the best healer, so take leave from work and do as little as possible.
In general, fasting as part of a health regimen should also be taken seriously. If you have a physically demanding job, water fasting during work time can be very challenging, but also unsafe - if you get dizzy while operating heavy machinery or fall and hurt yourself, autophagy isn’t going to help you all that much! Ideally, fasting for 24 hours each week or a longer 36-72 hours each month should be done when you can take time off from life and just “be”. Unfortunately, this is not a reality for most of us, which is why I advocate for monthly juice fasts. This way you are resting the digestive system, while still consuming calories and nutrients to support you through the 3 days. However, the next time you have a few leave days needing to be used, why not try a water fast?
Fasting for self-discovery
Personally, the juice and water fasts are a way for me to keep my mind and emotions in check. Having battled with my relationship with food for most of my life, monthly fasting helps me find mental clarity and focus, as I explore and reflect on my food choices. This supports me in making better choices when I am eating food again. Taking this approach, may also help with weight maintenance over time, not to mention the changes in other areas of life that mirror the changes in one’s relationship with food.
Geneen Roth says, “The relationship with food is like a Rorschach test. It’s like a blot, where you get to see what you actually believe through seeing the food on your plate.” By noticing what and how one eats, core beliefs can be observed. These core beliefs often are created around the family dinner table and can be seen as stages, or levels, of food consciousness.
Stages of Food Consciousness
Stage 1 can be considered true intuitive eating. This is when we have no opinions surrounding food. Children up to 4 years old want to eat what they want to eat because they feel a certain way; they don’t think a certain way.
Stage 2 lasts until the age of 11-13. This is when we learn rules about food. This is when we start associating “good” and “bad” with certain food and food practices. The rules we learn will depend on our caregivers - they pass on their own core beliefs to us.
Stage 3 may then last our entire life. This is where we either comply with or rebel against the food rules we learnt. For example, if you were taught to finish all the food on your plate before leaving the table, you may battle to hear and listen to your body’s signals of fullness.
Stage 4 requires self-reflection. If we’re lucky, we get to a point where we are willing to try different eating approaches and observe how the body responds. This is taking us back to a type of intuitive eating - we try to resist abiding by the food rules we have been living by. In this stage, we must ask ourselves who is choosing the food on our plate. Is it really the present me? Or is it my mother, a fad diet, or 10 year old me rebelling against the “no sugar rule”? This is where we start to notice what we’ve been saying to ourselves and there is space to forgive and be true to ourselves again.
How to fast
A short (24-72 hours) water fast is safe for most people; however, it can seem very overwhelming. It is therefore important to prepare the mind and body, especially if your lifestyle is quite toxic. A great place to start is with our 3-day Juice4Joy cleanse: you are supported physically, mentally and emotionally throughout the program by professionals and a great community.
Alternatively, tap into your healing power by decreasing meal size and increasing time between meals for a few days and then start with a 24 hour water fast. During this time it’s also important to reduce (or stop) the intake of processed foods, sugar, alcohol, caffeine and gluten.
Most importantly, if you are on chronic medication or have any comorbidities, speak to your doctor and find a team of wellness professionals to guide and support you. As an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, I can be part of that team, so get in touch if you are curious and want to explore this further.
Comentarii