60 hours just now. I had hoped to get to 72 hours but I started to feel really weak and dizzy....so I am having some bone broth right now...... I did not have cravings and surprised myself of my mental power to not eat (love eating) and it felt good. I felt lighter and glowed more than usually that someone noticed. The goal is to eat again but no processed foods or sugar, and I have prepped already for my return to eating. liquids and easy on the stomach for a few days, then add protein and good fats.... I plan on moving to a 16:8 intermittent fasting and hopefully help my body stabilize in weight and energy. My only question is that I have some medication I still needed to take during the fast....3 medications for my heart (had a heart attack and a stint 3 years ago right after getting covid) and a medication for cluster migraines. I was not prepared to stop these as I was told to not without doctor approval..... Did the medicines hurt my fast at all? 3 in the morning and 3 in the evening....please advise
I made one week of intermittent fasting and that's true that I was not hungry. Now I generally make one day a week of intermittent fasting and my aim is to make 48 hours. In my opinion and experience, before fasting it's important to lower the consumption of sugar and carbohydrates.
How did you know or how did you measure that at 12 hours your insulin was dropping, and you were in a state of autophagy, ketosis and how did you measure you were burning fat.
Let me share a few things based on what current science knows:
Autophagy: the body's process of cleaning out old or damaged cells, tends to kick in after about 24 hours of fasting. That’s when insulin levels have dropped significantly, and the body shifts from glucose-burning to repair and deep cellular recycling. This has been observed in studies like those by Yoshinori Ohsumi, who won the Nobel Prize for his work on autophagy.
Regarding insulin: after roughly 12 hours of fasting, insulin levels begin to drop noticeably, especially if no carbs are consumed. This drop is essential because high insulin inhibits both autophagy and fat-burning. When insulin decreases, glucagon rises and that’s what helps trigger fat breakdown and healing processes.
Now about fat-burning: technically, you start burning fat earlier, around 12–16 hours, but it increases significantly once glycogen stores are depleted, often around 18–24 hours in. You can measure this shift into ketosis with tools like blood ketone meters or breath analyzers (acetone-based).
But for me fasting isn’t primarily about fat loss.
It’s about cleansing the body of old, misfolded, or toxic cells, by giving your system a reset. It’s a cleaning at the cellular level. That’s the true magic of fasting which is the healing, not the shrinking.
We used to fast annually for 7 days. Now we’ve dumped animal products interval fasting brings the same results. Kinda strange to knowingly eat wrongly all year though. Now I know better, and feel better. That goes for the planet, and more importantly for the abused too. Vegan yet?
Such great information in here, Orry! A few days ago, I did a 34-hour fast (my longest ever 😅) and was also so surprised that I didn't have many hunger cravings AND my mental clarity was through the roof. I'm definitely going to start incorporating the occasional fast into my life!
Interesting post Orry! Happy to know that prolonged fasting has well worked for you!
Hopefully, readers will approach this information with caution. Results may vary from person to person, and more human studies are required, since fasting studies have mostly been done with rats that have a much higher metabolism rate.
Long-term fasting can cause negative side effects like fatigue, malnutrition, dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, hypoglycemia, muscle loss, increased cortisol levels, and, in some cases, even refeeding syndrome if not properly managed.
For this reason, alternatives have been explored, including Dr. Valter Longo's fasting-mimicking diet, attempting to offer the benefits of fasting while limiting the risks.
Conversations like this help everyone learn and grow, allowing readers to explore options that work best for them. Thanks for sharing your journey! 💛
Thank you for your comment Sara! I really appreciate your thoughtful approach to fasting and the potential risks involved. However, I must admit I was a bit surprised that you primarily highlight studies on rats. While it's true that fasting research has often started with animal models, human studies and clinical applications have been around for decades.
In fact, numerous organizations worldwide have integrated medically supervised water fasting into their health programs, some with many decades of experience. These centers not only offer fasting for general wellness but, in some cases even support cancer patients with fasting protocols under medical supervision.
For those interested in learning more, here are some well-established organizations specializing in therapeutic water fasting:
TrueNorth Health Center (USA): A leading facility specializing in medically supervised water-only fasting.
It’s great to see discussions like this that allow for a well-rounded perspective on fasting. I agree while fasting is not straight without preparation for everyone, when done correctly and under supervision, fasting has been used therapeutically for decades. Therefore I also see a big approach on humans related to water fasting. Thanks again for sharing your insights Sara!
Exactly, my friend. Those and many more centers reinforce the importance of approaching prolonged fasting with care to prevent complications. So thank you, and yes, of course—it’s always a pleasure to connect!
Thanks so much for sharing this. And not only sharing your experience of how you felt during the fasting at each step but also explaining all the "science" behind it, what happens in a body during fasting. Sooo interesting.
This is a terrific explanation, Orry. I do a two and a half day fast with a group every 3 months (for the past 6 years) and it is a wonderful reset and such a great reminder of what our bodies are capable of🧡
Thanks Beth for your amazing feedback and insights. I like the approach you do with your group and that you can motivate so many people to do so too. Just amazing!
Thanks Sue nice to hear it triggered in a positive way. We need to go best step by step when fasting is planned for longer period. It's like a marathon for the body you can't just do a cold start there is warm up needed before.
60 hours just now. I had hoped to get to 72 hours but I started to feel really weak and dizzy....so I am having some bone broth right now...... I did not have cravings and surprised myself of my mental power to not eat (love eating) and it felt good. I felt lighter and glowed more than usually that someone noticed. The goal is to eat again but no processed foods or sugar, and I have prepped already for my return to eating. liquids and easy on the stomach for a few days, then add protein and good fats.... I plan on moving to a 16:8 intermittent fasting and hopefully help my body stabilize in weight and energy. My only question is that I have some medication I still needed to take during the fast....3 medications for my heart (had a heart attack and a stint 3 years ago right after getting covid) and a medication for cluster migraines. I was not prepared to stop these as I was told to not without doctor approval..... Did the medicines hurt my fast at all? 3 in the morning and 3 in the evening....please advise
Would like to know if there are any age restrictions for this specific type of fasting.
Thanks,
I made one week of intermittent fasting and that's true that I was not hungry. Now I generally make one day a week of intermittent fasting and my aim is to make 48 hours. In my opinion and experience, before fasting it's important to lower the consumption of sugar and carbohydrates.
How did you know or how did you measure that at 12 hours your insulin was dropping, and you were in a state of autophagy, ketosis and how did you measure you were burning fat.
Great question, Chris!
Let me share a few things based on what current science knows:
Autophagy: the body's process of cleaning out old or damaged cells, tends to kick in after about 24 hours of fasting. That’s when insulin levels have dropped significantly, and the body shifts from glucose-burning to repair and deep cellular recycling. This has been observed in studies like those by Yoshinori Ohsumi, who won the Nobel Prize for his work on autophagy.
Regarding insulin: after roughly 12 hours of fasting, insulin levels begin to drop noticeably, especially if no carbs are consumed. This drop is essential because high insulin inhibits both autophagy and fat-burning. When insulin decreases, glucagon rises and that’s what helps trigger fat breakdown and healing processes.
Now about fat-burning: technically, you start burning fat earlier, around 12–16 hours, but it increases significantly once glycogen stores are depleted, often around 18–24 hours in. You can measure this shift into ketosis with tools like blood ketone meters or breath analyzers (acetone-based).
But for me fasting isn’t primarily about fat loss.
It’s about cleansing the body of old, misfolded, or toxic cells, by giving your system a reset. It’s a cleaning at the cellular level. That’s the true magic of fasting which is the healing, not the shrinking.
We used to fast annually for 7 days. Now we’ve dumped animal products interval fasting brings the same results. Kinda strange to knowingly eat wrongly all year though. Now I know better, and feel better. That goes for the planet, and more importantly for the abused too. Vegan yet?
I’m today on my 8th day….
Such great information in here, Orry! A few days ago, I did a 34-hour fast (my longest ever 😅) and was also so surprised that I didn't have many hunger cravings AND my mental clarity was through the roof. I'm definitely going to start incorporating the occasional fast into my life!
Happy to hear Sophie. Everyone should do more fasting from time to time. Great to hear you consider it!
Interesting post Orry! Happy to know that prolonged fasting has well worked for you!
Hopefully, readers will approach this information with caution. Results may vary from person to person, and more human studies are required, since fasting studies have mostly been done with rats that have a much higher metabolism rate.
Long-term fasting can cause negative side effects like fatigue, malnutrition, dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, hypoglycemia, muscle loss, increased cortisol levels, and, in some cases, even refeeding syndrome if not properly managed.
For this reason, alternatives have been explored, including Dr. Valter Longo's fasting-mimicking diet, attempting to offer the benefits of fasting while limiting the risks.
Conversations like this help everyone learn and grow, allowing readers to explore options that work best for them. Thanks for sharing your journey! 💛
Thank you for your comment Sara! I really appreciate your thoughtful approach to fasting and the potential risks involved. However, I must admit I was a bit surprised that you primarily highlight studies on rats. While it's true that fasting research has often started with animal models, human studies and clinical applications have been around for decades.
In fact, numerous organizations worldwide have integrated medically supervised water fasting into their health programs, some with many decades of experience. These centers not only offer fasting for general wellness but, in some cases even support cancer patients with fasting protocols under medical supervision.
For those interested in learning more, here are some well-established organizations specializing in therapeutic water fasting:
TrueNorth Health Center (USA): A leading facility specializing in medically supervised water-only fasting.
🔗 healthpromoting.com
Buchinger Wilhelmi Clinics (Germany & Spain): Over a century of experience in therapeutic fasting and integrative medicine.
🔗 buchinger-wilhelmi.com
Clinique Lémana (Switzerland): Offers supervised therapeutic fasting programs in a medical setting.
🔗 lemana.com
Living Medicine Institute (USA): Conducts semi-annual medically supervised fasting retreats.
🔗 livingmedicineinstitute.com
Dr. Ariel Jones' Distance Fasting Program: A naturopathic doctor offering supervised online fasting retreats.
🔗 drarieljones.com
Fasting Escape (USA): Provides doctor-supervised fasting programs, including personalized protocols for various health conditions, including cancer.
🔗 fastingescape.com
It’s great to see discussions like this that allow for a well-rounded perspective on fasting. I agree while fasting is not straight without preparation for everyone, when done correctly and under supervision, fasting has been used therapeutically for decades. Therefore I also see a big approach on humans related to water fasting. Thanks again for sharing your insights Sara!
Exactly, my friend. Those and many more centers reinforce the importance of approaching prolonged fasting with care to prevent complications. So thank you, and yes, of course—it’s always a pleasure to connect!
Thanks so much for sharing this. And not only sharing your experience of how you felt during the fasting at each step but also explaining all the "science" behind it, what happens in a body during fasting. Sooo interesting.
Thanks Claudia for your feedback! I appreciate it a lot and makes me happy to see that my insights can be reused 🙌🏼
This is a terrific explanation, Orry. I do a two and a half day fast with a group every 3 months (for the past 6 years) and it is a wonderful reset and such a great reminder of what our bodies are capable of🧡
Thanks Beth for your amazing feedback and insights. I like the approach you do with your group and that you can motivate so many people to do so too. Just amazing!
Wow..What an auesome breakdown and enlightenment(puns intended 😉). Makes so much sense now. Thank U so much 🙏💪🥰
Thanks hope you can reuse some information. Feel free to give feedback if so.
I plan on it so will do. Thanks aga....aloss😉
Thanks Sue nice to hear it triggered in a positive way. We need to go best step by step when fasting is planned for longer period. It's like a marathon for the body you can't just do a cold start there is warm up needed before.