8 Days Water Fasting (NO FOOD FOR 8 DAYS!!)

8 Days Water Fasting (NO FOOD FOR 8 DAYS!!)
***DISCLAIMER***
DO NOT DO DO THIS IF
- You are under 18
- You suffer from bulimia, anorexia or any unhealthy eating patterns
- If you have serious health complications
- If you never fasted before
- If you are alone
Hey everyone! I wanted to share my experience with fasting! I am not promoting it, just sharing what I did. Please talk to the doctors if you want to fast and educate yourself a lot before attempting to do any fasts.
Water fasting is popular in the wellness world, but you should approach it with caution. While it may help you lose weight in the short-term, it’s not a sustainable approach to health or weight loss, and it puts you at risk for health complications.
Many cultures/religions include some fasting. The main reason for fasting is the same in all of these beliefs: Physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual healing; resetting. Fasting is nature’s way of allowing your body to heal itself, and that rest is essential to the success of the process.
When you stop eating (start fasting) all the energy that has been used to gain energy from food is now being used for flushing toxins out of the system and boost the natural healing mechanism of the body.
How to Water Fast
Water fasting is simple, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. During a water fast, you can’t consume anything but water. If you’ve never done a water fast before, you might want to prepare your body by gradually decreasing your calorie consumption for a few days leading up to your fast.
If you do engage in a water fast, try to resist the urge to eat a big meal. After restricting yourself from calories for an extended period of time, consuming large amounts of food can cause digestive discomfort or nausea. At worst (though it’s unlikely), you are at risk for refeeding syndrome, a potentially fatal condition that involves rapid metabolic changes, usually in people who are extremely malnourished.
Instead, start by adding caloric beverages like milk or juice, and work your way up using snacks and small meals. By the third day post-fast, you should be able to eat normally again.
How much water should I drink?
The first thing to remember is that 60 – 70% of our body is WATER. So, it’s crucial that you drink enough quantity of water, which should not be less than 8 – 10 glasses daily, to support the cleansing process. Drinking not enough water is during water fasting is the problem we observe the most. The body gets dehydrated, as a result, it becomes more acidic, and the cells don’t get hydrated enough to keep the blood alkalized.
Who can benefit from water fasting?
Everyone can benefit from water fasting. Either you are seeking for a periodic, or you suffer from different conditions; obesity, chronic disease, autoimmune disorders, food addictions, digestive disorders, mental and physical exhaustion, etc.
Benefits of water fasting:
Improves Body Composition and Fitness
Boosts Your Metabolism
Supports Fat Loss and Ketosis
Improves Cardiovascular Health
Lowers Blood Pressure Decreases Blood Sugar
Promotes Heart Health
May Slow Aging and Enhance Longevity
Decreases Inflammation
Improves Cell Recycling
Increases Growth Regulation
Promotes a Healthy Stress Response
Supports Healthier Collagen in Skin
Dangers of Water Fasting
Nutrient Deficiencies
Any fasting protocol can put you at risk for nutrient deficiencies. By restricting calories, you are also restricting essential vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, amino acids, and electrolytes—all things your body needs to function properly.
Dehydration
Even though you drink water during a water fast, you can be at risk for dehydration. For most people, at least 20 percent of daily water consumption comes from the foods you eat. If you don’t increase your water intake during the fast, you will actually end up consuming much less water than usual.
Hypotension
Hypotension is extremely low blood pressure—the opposite of hypertension, or high blood pressure. It can cause dizziness and lightheadedness.
Hyponatremia
Also called water intoxication, hyponatremia occurs when the water and salt lost through sweating are replaced by water only. You shouldn’t exercise during a water fast because you will lose salt through perspiration and won’t be able to replace it by eating food or drinking sports beverages. Use electrolytes every day in your water.
Dizziness, Fatigue, and Trouble Focusing
Dizziness, fatigue, and brain fog are all symptoms of extreme calorie restriction. When you don’t consume the number of calories your body needs, your body will struggle to perform at an optimal level. It may become difficult to focus at work or school during a water fast. Fasting can also cause mild-to-severe headaches.
Binge Eating
Fasting—and dieting or restricting calories in general—often leads to binge eating. Fasting can also lead to obsessive or intrusive thoughts about food, which may cause you to binge eat when your water fast is over.