25/01/2024
Bit of a long one here but worth reading. Bulletpoint list of what to do and what you need to do it at the end
Just finished a 3 day water-only fast. Photo is of me just about to break my fast with a bone broth. Trust me…it was THE nicest thing in the world!!!
It’s very interesting when you look at the benefits of not consuming anything apart from water and a little bit of electrolytes for 72 hours. Had my Sunday lunch then went straight through to Wednesday evening.
Why do it?
1. Stimulating growth hormones (a fat-burning hormone) secretion by 1300%
2. Triggering autophagy, ie. cleaning up of damaged cells
3. Stem cells generation
4. Stabilizes blood sugar
5. Immune system
6. Depression and anxiety
7. Detoxification
8. Weight loss and improved metabolic function
9. Slowing the aging process, longevity
10. Helping autoimmune conditions
11. Normalizing your insulin and leptin sensitivity
12. Lowering blood pressure
13. Thyroid conditions
14. Chronic pain
15. Candida, gut issues
16. Gallbladder issues
17. Improving biomarkers of disease
18. Supporting hormones and fertility
19. Menopause and perimenopause
20. Normalizing ghrelin levels, aka “the hunger hormone”
21. Reducing inflammation and lessen free radical damage
22. Lowering triglyceride levels
23. Memory function and mood
24. Boosting brain power by stimulating BDNF (a brain-boosting hormone) by 400%
25. Supporting the treatment and prevention of cancer
(See https://drmindypelz.com/a-beginners-guide-to-fasting/ for more details)
So…was it difficult?
Yes…at times. Particularly Monday evening when cooking food for the family. Looking longingly at the delicious mix of vegetables and meat knowing that I can’t eat until 2 days later.
Did my energy dip?
No. But i do intermittent fasting anyway. What i did notice on the second and third day was a huge mental clarity. On the third day you start to produce some ketones which the brain loves to use as an energy source.
What about body fat?
I went from 12.8% to 12.6% so not really noticeable but then again, 3 days fasting wont really shift that much fat as you’re only using around 2000 calories per day which only equates to maybe 2lbs of fat over 3 days. I did notice a change in visceral fat though. That went from a score of 5.5 to 5 (a decrease of around 10% in the score which is significant) - normal range is 0-12 with high levels being associated with diabetes, heart disease etc
What were the ketone levels like?
When you reduce carbohydrate intake your body moves to fats as a fuel source producing ketones in the process, which your body can use as a fuel source. The interesting thing about the water fast was the level of ketosis achieved…it was much higher than the 24 hour fasts and the Keto diets that I have done. Divide the glucose reading by the level of ketones and you get a figure which is the GKI (Glucose Ketone Index). The lower your glucose and higher the ketone the lower the number. Between 1-3 is a high level of therapeutic ketosis (see the chart pictured). I achieved a reading of 1.1 for a day which is almost at the level normally very difficult to achieve without being under medical supervision.
Did i exercise?
Yes but not at the level that I normally would have done. I did some light cardio (boxing etc) in my afternoon break on Wednesday (I knew i would be eating 4 hours later). I avoided the cold plunge also for the 3 days just in case it placed on much stress on my body.
What i noticed toward the end of the fast and certainly the morning after was that areas of my body why I know are damaged (particularly my left shoulder from previous injury) started to ache. This can be attributed to the extra metabolic activity due to the stem cells stimulating repair. You can pay thousands for stem cell injections!
So, if you’re interested in doing this there are a few key points.
* First and foremost always consult with your doctor before embarking on any extended fasting
* You need to monitor your glucose and ketone levels. If your glucose goes too low (below 3) you need to break the fast and try again at another time. You don’t want to be hypoglcaemic.
*You need to consume electrolytes to stop the muscles cramping and to support the cardiovascular system and nervous system
* Break your fast with bone broth then wait 30-60 minutes (this supports gut healing and repair as well as gut ecology)
* Second food consumed is kimchi (supports gut ecology) then waits another 30-60 minutes
* Consume single ingredient foods such as chicken, broccoli, butternut squash (no ultra processed foods such as bread, pasta, sauces, dips etc)
What I used:-
1- KetoMojo glucose and ketone monitor https://amzn.to/3HtLY53
2- Fasting salts https://amzn.to/3Hu9Bue
3- Kimchi https://amzn.to/3Sy3J9I
4- Bone broth https://amzn.to/3tXLvVD
Happy fasting.
Yours in health,
Dr Steve
