10 keys to a healthy fast

From our ancestors we have inherited the ability to perform the fast, to survive without food thanks to body reserves. Following this cycle not only helps to survive, but also to cleanse the body and start mechanisms that promote healthfertility and longevity.

Fasting also makes sense from solidarity with those who are hungry. Fasting does not consist in not eating anything, but in cause a series of reactions in the body by suppressing the contribution of solid food. This makes you live at the expense of body reserves, which triggers a physical and mental revolution.

Fasting is not, then, starving. In the acute inmediate one does not live from reserves but without reserves, for this reason one is in danger of dying.

Types of fasts

in the fast only drink liquids, ensuring that the total intake of calories does not exceed 300 daily. It is important to eliminate the unnecessary -such as coffee, tobacco or alcohol- and behave naturally, since fasting is a natural and physiological act.

The ways of fasting, depending on what is taken, are varied:

fasting 0. Only water is taken. It is the most practiced among hygienists.Take infusions. Fasting is done with infusions that help treat the specific problem of each person.Take mucilage. It is indicated in intestinal problems and mucilaginous substances without calories are taken –such as agar-agar or psyllium–, which help the intestinal tract and eliminate toxins.Buchinger fast. Based on broths, infusions or juices. It is the closest to the one discussed in this article and is, along with maple sap or maple syrup, the most bearable and affordable for most people.

If we take duration into account, we can also distinguish between short, long and intermittent fasting.

Fasting: everything you need to know to do it right

We will clarify some concepts and we will see what are the keys to do it correctly and safely.

1. Why is it healthy to fast?

When there is a lack of resources, the organism activates all its survival mechanisms: not only that of looking for food, but others that would not be activated in any other way and that are necessary for life. It has been shown in animals and even in people that this practice lengthens life and helps maintain health.

2. How many days can a fast last?

It depends on body reserves: a person of 1.70 m and 70 kilos can have reservations for about 40 days. But at a preventive and curative level, the most recommended fasts are short ones: from 1 to 3 days, once a week or a month.

You can also fast from 3 to 7 days once a month.

3. In which cases is it advisable to fast?

​As a hygienic rule, One day a week can benefit everyone. It can also be used as a therapeutic resource in numerous illnesses, as long as the patient has reservations and wants to do so.

It can be useful, for example, in case of obesity, cholesterol, infection, rheumatism or skin or digestive problems.

4. What liquids are recommended to drink?

In the morning, you can take an infusion; between meals, mineral water and suck lemon slices; at noon, a juice of raw vegetables or a vegetable broth; in the afternoon, again infusion; and at night, another fruit or vegetable juice or vegetable broth, and an infusion.

Basic salts (such as those provided by bicarbonated mineral water) prevent adaptation discomfort.

5. Where does the body get energy from?

​Of the energy reserves, the glycogen accumulated in the liver and muscles, of the proteins and above all of the accumulated fat. But he does not do it during the whole fast in the same way.

In a first phase of a day, the body uses glycogen. Then, when you run out of glycogen stores, you turn to fat and protein. After a week, only fat is used.

When the body begins to consume protein from its own tissues, the fast must be abandoned.

6. Do you go hungry during the fast?

​No. The first few days there may be stomach upset, anxiety or slight hypoglycemia, but they pass in 24 or 72 hours.

The non-starvation phase lasts until body protein begins to be consumed. Then hunger appears sign that you have to eat again.

7. What is the advantage of taking sap syrup?

​Like some sweet fruit juice, maple sap improves the detoxifying function of the liver; that of palm trees is rich in minerals. The step of metabolizing fats and proteins instead of glycogen is smoother, which makes fasting more bearable.

But going over the amount prevents fat burning from being activated.

8. What can you feel during fasting?

​You may feel some adaptation discomfort the first days and times you fast, such as headache or stomach upset. Then one adapts and does it without problems. The most common is to feel lightness, lucidity and general well-being, with an improvement in memory and a more relaxed body. Some euphoria is common.

9. Can you drink any water?

It is advisable to take care of the quality of the drinking water, since tap water is not free of contaminants even if it lacks microorganisms.

the aweak or very weak mineralized waters –the poorest in salts– have a lighter flavor –the palate appreciates it when fasting– and usually have a greater purifying capacity.

10. Is there a risk of rebound effect?

After fasting, fat is recovered and this effect is natural. If you don’t exercise, the body tries to accumulate even more to prevent being left without food.

But if we move during the fast and after, the body understands that the person is capable of looking for food and that it will not lackso it accumulates less.