Fasting — How To Master It?
Fasting activates the cell’s adaptive stress response that many consider for its many beneficial effects. Intermittent fasting has been proved to protect against many age-related diseases including diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
There were many reasons why I’ve decided to try intermittent fasting. For a clearer understanding I will point them out separately.
1. Health concerns
Since I can remember my blood pressure was in the “high-normal” level, usually around 135/80. Because my father had heart problems at age of 45, I wanted to do something to lower my risk. Changing the diet to eat less salt worked, but I couldn’t keep up with it when I wasn’t the one cooking.
2. Medical education
As a medical student I had plenty of information about the importance of proper dieting, the importance of sport and medication. I firmly believe that using medication should be avoided for as long as possible and only after changing eating and living habits proves insufficient. Don’t get me wrong — they are extremely important, but if you prefer to eat a one-pound stake and then take pills for high blood pressure, then I’m sorry, but you are a wreck. And I’m using a nice word to describe you.
3. Nobel prize for autophagy
One of our teachers, although he is quite unorthodox, presented the importance of fasting through a 16/8-hour diet scheme. Although I disagreed with his approach, I can’t argue the evidence behind it (it even got a Nobel prize).
Up until now, the only proven way of living longer is so-called “caloric restriction.” Yeah, you heard me, eating less means living longer.
All the reasons above “forced” me to do something and I’ve decided to try it out. One day per week of eating nothing, 36 hours to be exact. I’ve decided the best day for it was Wednesday, because it’s my rest day from the gym and on weekends it’s hard to say no to food at family gatherings. And yes — you guessed it — it started terribly.
Wednesday number 1
The hunger was almost unbearable at the times when I usually ate (so most of the day). I couldn’t focus, study, read nor play video games. My body just wasn’t used to not eating. The worst part was the night. I had the worst sleep ever, nightmare after a nightmare. I’ve never slept so bad in my life. And the tingling all over my face and twitching hand movements…
Wednesday number 2
My body was a bit more adept. The hunger was terrible only three times (when I usually have breakfast, lunch and dinner). My brain was foggy, but not as much as last week. I even played basketball and did a lot of outside activities (TOO MUCH!). Why too much? With food you get up to 30% of water and I didn’t drink enough. My punishment? One of the worst headaches in my life. It started in the evening, but even though I drank water it was too late. It woke me up in the middle of the night and I had to go eat, so I could take the NSAIDs (ibuprofen). So, this was an important lesson. DRINK and DRINK and DRINK (water of course).
Wednesday number 3
I drank more water. My headache was moderate, but bearable. It got worse after playing outside (probably used too much glucose). I slept terribly.
Wednesday number 4
My body finally got used to it. My day was good! No headache! But because I didn’t have that much of a headache…I was hungry way too much. I woke up at 4:25 and couldn’t sleep anymore. I had nightmares. I had to eat something and then I could fall asleep again.
Wednesday number 5
Finally. The day was okay! The night was okay! I was hungry just twice: when my parents had lunch and at 9:00 p.m. I even played outside, my reflexes were a bit slow, but I was still able to do a lot. I had no headache. I was worried about it in the evening, especially because I couldn’t fall asleep for at least 30 minutes. But then I sleep until eight o’clock without any problem. I had more vivid dreams, but nothing that would wake me up. In the morning I wasn’t even hungry. I think it helped I ate late the day before (at 23:00), so my fasting was “just” 32 hours.
Conclusion
I was never able to fully dismiss my hunger. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to do it, but the whole idea is to gain more and more control.
I have (sadly) given up on the practise, but I’m planning to re-try it again. Hopefully this inspires someone to join me.
And the answer on how to master it: with time.