“Why do you fast? You are nuts!”
“OMG! I could never fast. I would pass out”
“Why are you on a starvation diet?”
These are the many questions friends, family, patients, and colleagues as me when I started fast about 2 years ago. When I hear the remarks, I often chuckle to myself thinking “if only they knew the reason why I am fasting”
Fasting is a centuries old practice by many cultures and religions. In some parts of the world fasting is used to “cleanse” or “purify” the body. Certain religions recommend fasting as a regular practice.
However, I do not fast for any of these reasons. I DO NOT FAST TO LOSE WEIGHT. I fast for purely GOOD HEALTH. That is right. I fast because it is HEALTHY.
Before I started to fast, I used to suffer from anxiety and irritable bowel syndrome. Anything I ate or drank would trigger my irritable bowel syndrome. Also,I live with a baseline level of anxiety everyday because of daily life stress (kids, work, etc etc etc)
Initially I read Dr Jason Fung book called “The Obesity Code”. This compelled me to do more research on fasting. I soon learned that fasting cleans your body up in many different ways. Fasting rests the gastrointestinal tract, intiaties autophagy, (recycling old components and breaking down bad proteins in body), and reduces anxiety.
So, now I fast about once to twice a week. I shoot for one 36 hour fast, and then one 24 hour fast. Mondays are my 36 hour fast. Thursdays are my 24 hour fast.
So, how do you fast? It’s really simple!
When you wake up, i start the day drinking about 36 ounces of water. Then I constantly keep my belly full with water up until lunch. I have my usual one cup of green tea at 10 am.
For lunch, I continue to drink water. However, I drink about 12-18 ounces of vegetable broth. I continue to drink water, water, water, water.
For dinner, I drink another class of vegetable broth. I stop drinking water around 830 am (so I don’t have to get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom)
IF I feel weak, I add MCT oil to my coffee or tea, or add heavy whipping cream. As I get more practice with fasting and it gets easier and easier every time.
They morning after I wake up from a 36 hour fast, I feel AMAZING. Bloating is gone, mental clarity, and I have ton of energy. I fact, I end up continuing my fast. The longest I have fasted now it 39 hours.
Fasting has completely changed my life. And truthfully I have not lost much weight. I am just looking to lead a healthy lifestyle.
Have a Healthy Day!
Dr. Susarla