Many people in health talk about water fasting, and today we'll go into detail, but first we should note that Dealing with water fasting should be done carefully and with proper medical supervision, and it is not a healthy practice to continue for a long time.
History of water fasting:
Fasting is not a new idea but it exists in many old cultures and religious beliefs, and in ancient times it was one of the most common dietary systems. Dr. Stanley Burroughs was one of the first doctors to use water fasting to treat many diseases in the 1940s. Recently, some people use fasting for sports and fitness reasons. Also, some religions still use it for spiritual and religious purposes.
Many companies and people promote fasting as the right path to healthy living. They justify it by saying our ancestors in ancient times fasted for long periods because they spent much time searching for food and food wasn't as available as today.
But Paleo diet fans don’t realize that life systems have changed, it is not right to compare the lifestyle now with how it was beforeand today there are many other health systems that help cleanse the body and remove toxins.
You should always check how fasting affects you and make sure it won’t harm your health. Its health risks should be less than its benefits, so it must be done under a doctor’s supervision.
What is water fasting?
Water fasting means avoiding all drinks and foods Except water, and this also means not drinking things like coffee, tea, and calorie-free sports drinks, plus all foods.
Fasting usually lasts 24 or 48 hours but longer periods are done under doctor supervision. Some athletes fast for three days or more.
There are many diets that help detox the body, but most of these diets aren't fully backed by science. Many of their claimed benefits have no real proof, they're mostly just personal experiences.
Is water fasting safe?
There are no 100% scientifically-backed tips that make water fasting fully safe. Most tips online come from groups doing this fast. The groups we’ll list next shouldn’t fast, and if they try, it must be under full medical supervision:
- People with chronic kidney diseases: It may worsen kidney function problems.
- Diabetics: Fasting may cause them to have more ketone acids and lower blood sugar.
- People with eating disorders: Fasting may lead them to more episodes of eating disorders like binge periods.
- People with acid reflux: Stomach acid may keep being produced during fasting hours which can increase reflux feelings.
Those under 18, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and people taking some meds regularly should check with their doctor before starting any diet.
Water fasting clinics:
There are some clinics that supervise certain who want to fast for long periods like fasting for a week or more, where they are under full medical supervision and they observe the health changes happening to them.
These clinics track the negative symptoms that should happen like bad breath smell, lower back pain, or some mucus discharge, getting headaches for long periods, and they do regular urine and blood tests.
These clinics also hold many seminars about how to fast, its benefits, and full healthy living, and most of them treat patients with eating disorders and many diseases related to nutrition.
Water fasting at home:
Some people fast at home but not for long periods, The longest you can fast alone is 48 hours, and although fasting is easy at first, it gets harder in the later hours, especially if you do a lot of daily activity, since you lose a lot of energy you usually get from food.
You should follow some tips like drinking more than two liters of water, taking all your vitamins and daily needs during eating times, and if you feel sudden tiredness or exhaustion, you should break the fast right away.
After fasting period:
After fasting, avoid big meals, because eating big meals will make your digestive system uncomfortable It can cause constipation or nausea, so you should have some light meals first, then prepare a hearty meal. You should know there are many negative effects that need to be avoided.
Benefits of water fasting:
Water fasting has many health benefits that you can get by practicing it at certain times. Some benefits are reducing the amount of sodium, sugar, and alcohol you consume during the day. We will learn about the rest of the benefits below:
First benefit: It helps with weight loss
You might notice weight loss during fasting hours. This loss comes from two things: losing some of the water in your body and your body using stored fats because of low carbs. This weight may come back shortly after you eat again. So if your goal is to lose weight, you should follow a proper diet plan aimed at that.
Second benefit: It helps lower blood pressure
Cutting salt and drinking more water helps regulate your body's blood pressure. Many studies show water fasting helps people with high blood pressure control it healthily, but it should be under a doctor's supervision and not more than two days in a row.
Third benefit: It helps renew damaged cells
Every day some cells in your body get damaged and try to renew themselves. Intermittent fasting helps cells renew and finish this process faster. This lowers the risk of many diseases like heart disease and Alzheimer’s. But there’s no research telling us the exact link between fasting and cell renewal.
Benefit four: Reduces risk of many diseases
There’s some evidence that fasting helps treat bad cholesterol and lowers triglyceride levels in the body. This leads to a lower chance of many diseases like heart disease and cancer cells forming. But there’s no firm studies proving fasting effectively treats cancer.
Benefit five: Helps protect against diabetes
Many studies show all kinds of fasting, when combined with a correct diet, help protect against diabetes. Like we said before, it improves insulin sensitivity.
Negative effects of water fasting:
There are some negative effects that can come from water fasting. You should know these effects so you can avoid them during fasting, and they are:
First harm: nutrient deficiency
Limiting your eating window and calories might cause you to miss important nutrients your body needs. So you should study your diet well. That's where a nutrition specialist from Fitness Garage management comes in. for its subscribersand make sure you get all your daily body needs.
The second harm: dehydration
You have to keep sodium levels in your body and not let it drop too low by avoiding intense sports during fasting, because your body loses a lot of sodium then and you can't replace it quickly just by drinking water.
The third harm: constant dizziness and fatigue
Feeling dizzy and tired always comes with not eating enough, and during fasting you'll notice your focus drops a lot at school or work. Avoid fasting during stressful times that need a lot of concentration.
The fourth harm: binge eating
Fasting can cause some people to feel ravenous, eat excessively, or develop other eating disorders. This ruins all the fasting benefits we mentioned earlier. So girls prone to eating disorders should avoid fasting completely.
