Ayurveda . Food & Recipes

Tips to a healthy fasting

On July 21, 2022 by margheviviani

Fasting means giving up solid food in order to eliminate accumulated toxins and cleanse the system. It is a wonderful method of keeping healthy and activating self-healing.

Benefits of fasting

Fasting gives rest to the stomach, intestines, and digestive organs. It cleanses and rejuvenates the body, removes blockages, relieves Agni (digestive fire), and gives energy. Physically, your system gets an entire overhaul. Fasting will help you to develop strong willpower and enable you to concentrate better: it will also allow you to experience clarity.

How to fast

I would like to advise you if your body is quite intoxicated, is better to switch to a vegetarian or vegan diet for a month or two before starting to fast. Otherwise, all toxins will exit altogether and make you feel more tired. If you are already following a plant-based diet there are no limits on when to start fasting (from the book of Paul Bregg “Miracle of Fasting”).

During a fast, drink plenty of warm water, herbal teas, or light broth. Don’t do strenuous mental or physical work during and fast lasting 24 hours or longer. If you get nauseous, drink water mixed with a little lemon juice. Be careful not to give in to cravings or to overeat. If this happens, the best remedy is to fast again. Try to work on your mental state during your fasting, and try to understand on a deep level why you are doing all this. Repeat inside: “I am doing it for my good, to clean my body and the mind, to feel healthier and happier.”

Breaking your fast

Break any fast that is longer than a day gradually, over the same duration as the fast. Reintroduce vegetable soup, diluted fruit juice, or coconut water first, three to four times daily for one-quarter of the length of the fast. Then, if your fast was longer than three days, continue with a diet of mainly fruit and cooked vegetables for the next few days.

* A fast can vary in length from 16 hours to a few days. Seek the guidance of an expert if you wish to fast for longer than 2-3 days.

16 hours fasting

If your lifestyle or constitution doesn’t allow for long fasts, this easy version is highly beneficial, especially when done on a regular basis.

Have a light lunch and then skip dinner or breakfast. This ensures a roughly 16-hour period of not eating solid foods.

24 hours fasting

During a 24-hour fast, drink warm water, herbal teas, or hot and light vegetable broth.

If it is difficult to sustain the fast, you can mix the juice of 2-3 fruits with water, or drink 1-2 glasses of fresh carrot juice with a drop of vegetable oil.

Alternatively, try 24-hour fruit fast. Any juicy fruit apart from mangoes will be beneficial. Avoid bananas and grapes.

2-3 days fasting

You can fast as long as two or three days on your own, provided you are careful to break the fast slowly by gradually introducing light and soupy foods at the end of the fasting period.

(!) Important note: Talk to your doctor before fasting, especially if you have a health condition, or have had one in the past. Do not fast if you have an elevated Vata, or you are pregnant, nursing, or underweight.

Did you ever fast? Feel free to leave a comment with your experience below or follow my Instagram to stay in touch!

Read also post about Concept of Ayurveda.

Always yours,

Marghe

3 comments