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06-11-2018, 07:14 PM
Interesting that its essentially recommending people go without food and water for up to 72 hours and remain fairly sedentary during that period and not do too much.
Periodic water fasting, analysing one's diet and activity patterns seem like they could be beneficial. I'm not sure about dry fasting however or benefits of 'metabolic water' though?
I would prefer to eat a balanced diet and do regular exercise. I can deplete glycogen stores in muscles by doing large volumes of compound exercises or going for a long run.
Have you guys ever had a DEXA scan or attempted to measure your body fat composition? I'm interested in any measurement of these proposed benefits. Like just how many 'toxins' would be stored in ones fat that you're proposing would be reduced.
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06-11-2018, 08:59 PM
How much have all you guys lost in these 10 day water fasts???
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06-11-2018, 09:55 PM
The important question to ask is what are your goals or what are you trying to achieve. Once you understand that then you can figure out what fasting method may be best - water, dry or intermittent.
For me personally - my story in brief. My doctor whom I have known for 20 years and I respect - we studied in the same university and are of similar age. However, whenever I mentioned the topic of fasting - he would usually say be cautious and would discourage it.
On my annual blood test a couple of years ago, he noticed was thyroid was showing above the healthy range levels which is above 4.0. He asked me to do blood tests every three months to keep track. My range was about 4.2 and once hit 5,2.
He then told me that I would need to start taking thyroid medication - the problem though is once you start taking the medication you will have to always be on it. If you stop taking it more damage can occur to the thyroid.
That is when I did my ten day water fast. I then went in again for my check up - and my thyroid was back down to the normal range of 2.6.
My doctor was puzzled bc according to him once the thyroid is out of balance, there is nothing you can do to correct it except medication. He was also puzzled by how perfect the rest of the blood test was - especially the
cholesterol.
Of course I did not mention my 10 water only fast to him bc he would not approve. If I had listened to him, I would be taking expensive daily thyroid medication.
Simply doing a ten day water only fast brought the body back to normal ranges and health.
The ten day fast was not that difficult either. Before you knew it, it was completed.
So for me, fasting is primarily about getting internal health.
I have had difficulty losing weight by fasting - you lose the weight but it comes back. Now I trying a keto plan. Lets see what happens.
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06-11-2018, 10:26 PM
So you sought medical advice from a Doctor but then did not disclose big changes in your health regime/diet?
"The important question to ask is what are your goals or what are you trying to achieve" and then evaluate all of the options available to you. For example, I believe you could lower cholesterol by eating more fibre and increasing the amount of moderate physical activity.
I also disagree with your assertion that many people would agree that a 10 day fast would pass quickly.
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06-11-2018, 11:50 PM
Yep. The wise doctors know that often the best thing they can do for their patients is get out of the way and let nature do its work.
And fasting is nature's way how it heals - not only humans, but animals - even plants, trees, mountains, rivers, forests, oceans... everything.
Those doctors who are quick to prescribe medication - and there are many - usually interfere with the process of nature.
There are many skeptics but there are also many who understand.
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0 day water-only fast completed
06-12-2018, 08:08 AM
Quote: (04-08-2018 05:20 AM)Ice Man Wrote:
Quote: (04-07-2018 06:40 PM)Bain Wrote:
What I did say was a one day dry can be quite beneficial if you properly prepare yourself -- meaning drinking plenty of water (and fruits) before your fast. Emptying your system of water for a day of two and then drinking the 3 - 4 litres on the third day is like doing a inner body flush.
You have completely made this up and have no idea what you're talking about.
There is no benefit to dehydration, none. There is no "inner body flush" by dehydrating yourself then drinking again- unless your "inner body flush" means recovering normal brain cell function, normal blood flow, heart rate etc that was increasingly degrading every moment you remained dehydrated. Yeah, I imagine it probably feels great to return to a normal functioning brain, cardiovascular and respiratory system after a number of days without it. What a great flush! ![[Image: dodgy.gif]](https://rooshvforum.network/images/smilies/dodgy.gif)
For anybody with a human body, here are just a few things happening to you under dehydration, ever increasing with time:
- Brain tissue fluid decreases, impacting cell function in the brain, and everything from mood to cognitive ability.
- Blood becomes thicker, heart rate increases, cannot pump it adequately, drop in blood pressure
- Ability of body to regulate temperature degrades, hyperthermia (increase in body temp)
These things and more begin to compound on each other the longer it goes on.
Not dying after X number of days does not indicate purposeful dehydration is healthy, beneficial, good or smart to try. Zero benefits to not drinking fluids, and very real and increasing negative impact, from the very first hours.
Be safe guys, and for the love of god ignore the "dry fast" trolls.
Decades ago, the IDF (aka the Israeli Army) had something called "water discipline" practiced on elite soldiers. They often had to endure serious force marches with limited water consumption as part of their routine training. Even non-elite soldiers had to go through forced marches like that in boot camp. It was far from pleasant but it was supposed to build character and endurance. The practice stopped following medical research by Professor Zohar that showed that many of these elite soldiers suffered severe health problems for life due to that water deprivation! I am no medical expert but I started reading this thread on day 4 of a 5 to 7 days fast (I have not decided yet when exactly to stop). I am doing that after reading the blog of Dr Jason Fung. His recommended fast encourages water consumption and even allows tea, coffee, and bone broth. My purpose in doing it is to see if it helps reduce my high cholesterol level. I will report results when I have them. But one thing I am sure of because I am
not a medical professional: limiting your water consumption without medical advice and supervision is sheer folly. Good post, Ice Man!
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06-12-2018, 09:36 AM
I did 7 days. Was not easy for me.
I know a guy who did 42 days, but this was 20 years ago. Now is fat and drinks a lot.
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06-12-2018, 09:42 AM
A forum member wrote me a PM asking for information about how the True North Health Center monitors patients during a fast. After writing a detailed response, I realized that it might be helpful to other members doing longer fasts (more than five days), so I am posting that information here. Fasting doctors typically recommend that if you do a fast longer than five days, it should be medically supervised. If you cannot attend a health clinic, this information will help you to work with your doctor (if they are open-minded).
First, for people who are on medications that they cannot stop, such as prednisone, antidepressants, etc., a water fast is contraindicated. These people should NOT water fast, but rather, do a juice cleanse. Before you arrive at True North, you must perform a comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP), which is a blood test that gives doctors information about the body's fluid balance, levels of electrolytes like sodium and potassium, and how well the kidneys and liver are working. If your kidneys or liver show out-of-range, then you should NOT water fast, but rather, do a juice cleanse. The same for a heart arrhythmia. They also require a CBC panel, a lipid panel, a homocysteine test,a C-Reactive Protein (CRP) test, and a 25-dehydrooxyvitamin test. If you are diabetic, they require an HGBA1C test. If you have thyroid issues, they require a TSH test. If you watch the True North videos, I know that they discuss the scenarios where fasting is contraindicated.
While I was at the clinic, a husband and wife arrived. The wife was in such poor health that True Health refused to admit her (because it was unsafe to do so) and sent her directly to the nearest hospital. The staff takes this stuff seriously. On the day that I left (about a week later), I had lunch with them. True Health allowed the wife into the clinic after she stabilized at the hospital. They both had serious health issues, but were now feeling great and impressed by how quickly their bodies reacted to eating a healthy diet. (Some people go to True North just to eat well for a few weeks or a month, to rest, and to LEARN how to eat healthy once they leave -- and do not undertake a fast or a juice cleanse.)
To answer your specific question, they monitored the following on a twice-daily basis:
1) Weight
2) Blood pressure
3) Pulse rate -- and quality
4) Water intake (at least six 16-ounce glasses of water required daily)
5) Collected urine each day to monitor ketone levels
6) Asked about any symptoms (most of which were normal while fasting)
7) Once per day, you had the opportunity to ask a doctor any questions about your symptoms or other concerns
Once a week, they would run a CBC or CMP panel to monitor your body's reactions to the fast. Ideally, you should run a CBC or CMP before you begin a long fast (five days or more) and discuss the results with your doctor to ensure that everything is normal. If you do a fast of ten days or more, ideally you should run another test half-way through your fast. If any of your CBC or CMP test levels are high, True North switches you from water fasting to a juice cleanse.
Ideally, you should just rest during your fast and allow the huge amount of energy that your body typically uses to digest food to be used for the healing process. You also should expect to have a significant drop in blood pressure during a fast (so be careful whenever you rise from a seated or lying position) and a lower body temperature (so expect to be colder than normal).
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06-12-2018, 05:22 PM
I have read a lot in the thread, but not all of it, so pardon me if I barge into an open door. I think everybody who actually tried to fast for several days without even juice agrees that it is not difficult at all to do, but at least some report that the first couple of days may be difficult. My personal experience is that it is easy from day one. I even enjoyed sitting with my family during dinner with nothing more than a cup of bone broth (which, for those who follow the advice of Dr Jason Fung, is allowed). But I think it was easy for me because I barely consume carbs when I do eat. Furthermore, for a few days prior, I had started intermittent fasting, at first one meal a day and then one day off and one day on (which was also easy for me). As a result, I suspect that my body was already used to digesting fat. My advice to anybody who wants to try fasting is to reduce carbs drastically first. That is, go on a ketogenic diet. Then, proceed to intermittent dieting; e.g., one meal a day or one day fasting per two days. Extended diets come last.
Disclaimer and excuse: I am not a medical professional, so I should not give advice, BUT this particular advice is far from medically risky. If you are considering fasting, surely you should not be afraid of a week or two of ketogenic diet. And note that I do not advise anybody to fast! I only speak to those who want to try fasting.
Minor note: I said it is easy for me, but don't confuse that with pleasurable. Eating is enjoyable and I do miss that joy sometimes these days (while I am fasting). But it is easy because I am not hungry.
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06-13-2018, 12:40 PM
Let me preface this by saying I'm not against the concept of fasting. I'm doing intermittent fasting now and I've done a ten day juice fast in the past which improved my health both in the short term and long term as it help me understand several important nutrition concepts that I had been unaware of.
I still believe that fasting for multiple days will have a negative affect on strength and muscle size for most guys. I understand that fasting can lead to the production of growth hormone and testosterone and that the theory is that muscle doesn't break down at all until fat stores have been exhausted. However, every bodybuilder, powerlifter and athlete I've ever talked to notices the same strong correlation that I do - you get bigger and stronger when you eat more and you lose gains when you eat less.
For example, a competitive powerlifter told me that his opinion on squats and deadlifts was to not worry too much about programming, sets and reps, and frequency because 80% of it is eating. He could skip the gym for a week but his squats and deadlifts would remain the same or go up if he was eating a lot, but those lifts would go down regardless of his training if he wasn't eating a lot.
Does anyone have any specific recommendations for how athletes can get the most out of multiple day fasting?
Are there any guys who do a lot of lifting and have done fasting for multiple days? What were your experiences? What are your suggestions?