Modern doctors from medicine are constantly arguing-discussing with representatives of alternative medicine - supporters hunger treatment. A complete refusal of food, even for a short period of time, can greatly change, and often not for the better, the work of all functional systems. human body.

The other extreme, very popular in the last few decades, is complete rejection of foods containing starch(bread, potatoes, rice, etc.), refined sugar, protein, phosphorus (meat, fish, eggs, baked and fried foods), alcohol. Followers of this type of food urge to eat only foods of plant origin (vegetables, fruits, berries) and drinks from them (freshly squeezed juices, compotes).

There are many pros and cons for both types of nutrition. Let us dwell in more detail on the treatment of hunger or therapeutic fasting, which, fortunately, in reality bears little resemblance to the desire to starve out all the ailments in the body.

Therapeutic fasting able to cure many diseases or bring significant relief to the patient. Medicine and quackery (this is how for many centuries it was customary to call non-traditional medicine, based mainly on the experience of some representatives of the people who know how to use the sick) knows many examples of hunger treatment, leading to full or partial recovery.

Of course, first of all, such diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, which are caused obesity, heavy physical labor, sedentary lifestyle. Such diseases include gastritis with low or normal acidity, stomach and duodenal ulcer(on initial stages), cholecystitis, bowel disorder.

There are cases when hunger cured anemia, hypertension, angina and even a cold.

The prospect of starvation scares many. This, believe me, is a normal reaction of the body, which lives to a large extent by eating a certain amount of fats, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and mineral salts.

But hunger treatment does not does not mean a complete rejection of food and threatening in the near future complete depletion of the body. If you approach therapeutic fasting seriously (be sure to consult your doctor), then serious consequences, and they are quite real, can be safely avoided.

Rules for curative fasting

There are several essential fasting conditions:

  • Keep the body warm, that is, avoid hypothermia.
  • avoid the strong physical activity that require a significant amount of energy.
  • Alternate any load (from physical to mental) with rest, that is, observe a clear and strict daily routine, compiled specifically for this period.
  • Drink at least 1.5 liters of fluid per day.

Subject to these simple requirements, a forced "hunger strike" will indeed treatment, not self-torture.

Symptoms that occur during the treatment of hunger

It is impossible not to mention those symptoms that frighten many people, forcing them to refuse the treatment they have begun with hunger.

The most "terrible" and painful in this whole procedure, many patients consider acute feeling of hunger. But everyone forgets that a person experiences this painful sensation. only during the first 2-3 days, then appears feeling of lightness in the whole body, all senses are sharpened, the person starts think faster.

The feeling of hunger may reappear on the 5th-6th day of therapeutic fasting. But this feeling is already easier to overcome. Later comes the feeling of some aversion to food at one glance or mention of it. This feeling gradually disappears at the end of fasting, and a person returns to normal appetite.

The first days of fasting may be accompanied by some unpleasant sensations(bad taste in the mouth, plaque on the tongue, bad breath, etc.), which disappear at the end of treatment.

Maybe increase heart rate up to 120-140 beats per minute or, conversely, drop to 40. It also happens nausea, dizziness, weakness. All these unpleasant symptoms gradually disappear as soon as the body gets used to it. new form existence - short-term starvation. Of course, people emaciated and weakened by disease should not resort to prolonged fasting if they want to achieve favorable results. But for an old disease, sometimes there is no other cure, except for a long "hunger strike".

Transition from fasting to normal eating and lifestyle should be gradual. Otherwise, not only will all your efforts be nullified by one hearty lunch or dinner, but they will also cause irreparable harm to your body. Introduce food (especially of protein origin) into your daily diet with extreme caution. It is better to start with very small portions of food, gradually increasing the amount eaten to normal sizes. Of course, if you were obese before fasting and could not control your appetite, we do not urge you to return to your previous lifestyle. Speaking about the normal, usual amount of food, we had in mind the diet of a person leading a healthy lifestyle in all respects.

Now worth mentioning duration of healthy fasting. It depends on many factors, ranging from the age of the patient to the severity of his disease. Let's talk straight away fasting is not recommended for teenagers, whose body is actively rebuilding, and hunger can cause serious harm to a young growing organism.

Starve prohibited for pregnant and lactating women, because they "nourish" not only their body, but also the baby. Prohibitions on therapeutic fasting also exist for certain categories of patients (for example, duodenal ulcer requiring surgery, or serious endocrine disorders), but these prohibitions come from the attending physician after a thorough examination.

Therapeutic fasting can last from 3-5 days to one and a half months. Short-term fasting is recommended for people engaged in heavy physical labor. Short-term "hunger strikes" are good because they can be repeated at intervals of 2 to 4 weeks, upon reaching the desired results. Many tend to think that prolonged fasting gives a more tangible result. This is not always true. As a rule, the body, more affected by the disease, requires a longer fast, but in suitable conditions for this, under the supervision of an experienced doctor and with the assistance of the starving person himself.

The effect of curative fasting

Therapeutic starvation has on the body cleansing action: all redox processes occur 2-3 times faster. From the body slags are removed, the release from which was hindered by his congestion with the endless digestion of more and more new food. Spent on digestion great amount energy, which means that the load on the heart, liver, kidneys, skin and other organs increases.

Starvation relieves stress from all organs, as a result, they have to overcome less resistance in order to "pump" more blood for the internal washing of the body. Reduced load helps the liver and heart recover and strengthen their work.

Preparation for therapeutic fasting in diseases of the digestive system

The question arises, how to start therapeutic fasting? If your consultations with the doctor, the results of the examination allow you to start fasting, then start by prepare your body for this type of treatment. Here, the well-known to you will again come to the rescue. kefir.

If you are suffering gastrointestinal tract disease, then we recommend 3-5 day diet, the basis of which should be weak (one-day) or medium (two-day) kefir. We suggest using the following dietary menu.

  • First breakfast:
    • a glass of weak (medium) kefir.
  • Lunch:
    • a piece of cereal pudding or 2-3 pieces of lean cookies (can be replaced with white wheat crackers).
  • Dinner:
    • a glass of weak (medium) kefir;
    • cottage cheese or cabbage casserole (preferably unsweetened).
  • Afternoon snack:
    • 1/2 cup weak (medium) kefir (can be replaced with non-carbonated mineral water).
  • Dinner:
    • a glass of weak (medium) kefir;
    • a small amount of raw or boiled vegetables (but not in the form of a salad).
  • Before bedtime, V last resort, you can drink 1/2 cup of weak (medium) yogurt.

Such a diet will help to empty the intestines a little and prepare the body for starvation, having previously provided a significant amount of essential nutrients. In addition to kefir preparation, we recommend frequent exposure to fresh air, since the sun contributes to the formation of certain types of nutrients on the skin (in particular, vitamins of group D) and helps the body in the process of cleansing toxins (through the pores of the skin).

Only passing preliminary training you can start fasting for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases.

Preparation for therapeutic fasting for various diseases

In other cases, preparation for therapeutic fasting may be based on a fruit and vegetable (vegetarian) diet.

First breakfast:

  • a glass of freshly squeezed vegetable (carrot, pumpkin juice);
  • 2-3 pieces of lean cookies.

Lunch:

  • a glass of citrus (orange, lemon, grapefruit juice);
  • soft-boiled egg;
  • a small sandwich with feta cheese or low-fat cheese.

Dinner:

  • a glass of vegetable "tea" (carrot or beetroot) or weak vegetable broth with croutons;
  • oatmeal boiled in water with a small amount of salt.

Afternoon snack:

  • 1-2 apples or pears (you can replace 200 g of strawberries, strawberries, raspberries or black currants).

Dinner:

  • a glass of purified (filtered) chlorinated or mineral water;
  • a small amount of vegetable or fruit salad seasoned with olive oil.

After 2-3 days of vegetarian diet can be treated with fasting anemia, diseases of the cardiovascular system, night diseases, colds etc.

The essence of therapeutic fasting

Therapeutic fasting involves complete refusal of food, but not liquid, without which the body is threatened with dehydration. The amount of fluid drunk per day during therapeutic fasting may fluctuate 1 to 2 l. A logical question arises, what can you drink? Some healers - representatives of alternative medicine offer drink lightly carbonated mineral water . Others insist on ordinary tap water, which has undergone additional purification through special filters, which are presented in a wide range by domestic and foreign industries. Followers of Slavic quackery recommend lactic acid products in limited quantities (primarily yogurt, kefir, fermented baked milk).

The choice of drinks suitable for curative fasting depends on the disease with which the patient has to measure his strength. If it's about cholelithiasis, intestinal colic, gastritis, cholecystitis, then you can safely choose between mineral water(necessarily non-carbonated or slightly carbonated) and kefir. If you are suffering chronic form of lemon or grapefruit juice, alternating juices slightly warmed mineral water. Total water and juices for colds can reach 2 l to remove as much "morbid moisture" from the body through the pores of the skin.

For diseases of cardio-vascular system it is best to drink chlorinated water passed through a special filter water. Some cardiovascular and kidney diseases are characterized by limb edema. In such cases, it is recommended to drink filtered water mixed with honey(at the rate of 1 tsp per 200 ml of warm water).

As already mentioned, the timing of therapeutic fasting must be discussed with the attending physician and it is desirable to conduct therapeutic fasting under his direct supervision.

The danger of self-medication with hunger

I would like to immediately warn you against self-treatment by fasting. Despite its apparent simplicity, therapeutic fasting is quite dangerous procedure, since the consequences and the very course of therapeutic fasting can be deplorable if you take it on without consulting a doctor, without undergoing a special examination, without finding out the diagnosis with the maximum degree of probability.

Now you can buy a lot of the most diverse literature of a dubious "medical" nature, which offers to be treated without the help and advice (consultations) of an experienced specialist doctor, allegedly with the help of the knowledge of ancient healers and shamans. You should not easily believe everything that modern pseudo-medical books write. It is better to rely on laboratory-proven achievements modern medicine, which, by the way, never disdained the advice and recipes that have come down to us from great-great-grandmothers.

(10+)

Should you fast to lose weight? Is fasting effective?

The material is an explanation and addition to the article:
How to lose weight? Personal practical experience of weight loss.
What I learned about the mechanism of weight gain. How I lost weight based on this knowledge.

Question:

Should you fast to lose weight? Have you tried fasting to lose weight?

Answer:

I tried to starve. On the one hand, this is the fastest and easiest way to lose weight. On the third day of fasting, there is no desire to eat at all. However, there are three major problems with fasting.

Ketone poisoning. During the breakdown of fat and its transformation into energy, and this process is very active during starvation, among other things, acetone is released into the blood, which seriously poisons the body. The situation is aggravated by the fact that during fasting, metabolic processes slow down, including slowing down the removal of acetone from the body. Acetone poisoning is very dangerous.

Dystrophy of the gastrointestinal tract. Starving people quickly develop dystrophy of the gastrointestinal tract. If special measures are not taken, the intestines can literally rot. A daily enema is essential.

Lack of essential substances and minerals. Starving people quickly develop a deficiency of almost all the necessary substances.

When fasting, I lost 500 grams of weight per day.

Anyway, fasting is necessary under the supervision of a doctor. It is better to do this in special conditions, because when fasting, you will feel weak and may be slightly inadequate. You should not drive a car during fasting, work with dangerous mechanisms make serious decisions, generally do something responsible. You need to be under constant supervision. The fact that you can starve under the supervision of a person who is simply experienced in fasting is a dangerous delusion.

Please note that one of the founders of curative fasting, at the age of well over 80, did not see the approaching train and died.

There is an opinion that fasting promotes the breakdown of cholesterol plaques and other harmful deposits. This opinion, it seems to me, has serious grounds, since during starvation the body secretes special enzymes that break down all sorts of reserves, including deposits of salts and fats. Scientifically recorded positive results of the treatment of certain diseases by hunger.

There is another theory that the animal (and human) body feels better when its weight fluctuates. Either a set of body fat occurs, then their splitting and removal of toxins and all kinds of debris along with them. This corresponds to normal natural cycles. Decide for yourself whether to believe or not.

Once again I want to draw your attention to the fact that fasting is a serious medical procedure. It must be done as prescribed and under the supervision of a doctor.

For me, it is better to fight excess weight with a low-calorie diet. It's safer for health. How I struggled with excess weight, read in my article. A fat-free and carbohydrate-free diet allows you to lose up to 100 - 200 grams per day.

Restrictions in the amount of food consumed, especially after forty years of age, have a beneficial effect on health. One of the longest average life expectancies in China and Cuba. Why do you think? Health care there is not at the highest world level.

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The fasting method is gaining all great popularity as a way not only to lose weight, but also to cleanse the body naturally. Many supporters of traditional medicine are working on courses on how to fast properly, how long you can endure, and why fasting is so effective. Is fasting useful and how much you can starve without harm to health, read the article.

Starvation - what is it?

Fasting is a complete temporary abstinence from any food. It is considered a cardinal method, more stringent than a diet. Women are trying to lose weight faster by blocking the body's access to a source of carbohydrates. For them, the benefits of fasting are in the quick and effective possibility of losing weight, at the same time getting rid of them.


However, it is worth remembering that by refusing to eat at all, people block access not only to harmful toxins and an abundance of carbohydrates, but also to useful microelements. Thinking about whether fasting is useful, you can’t just choose a day, start it and end it, immediately returning to your usual daily menu. During fasting, the body goes through a series of internal changes.

Types of fasting

Fasting at home can be divided into two large separate groups.

Dry fasting - it is also called "absolute" or "complete", when, in addition to food, a person also refuses water, and this is an absolute ban on any contact with liquid. You can't drink, you can't wash your face, you can't even brush your teeth or take a shower. What happens to the body during fasting of this type?

Fats will break down faster, swelling will be removed, the body will look for liquid inside itself, but it is safe to keep dry fasting for no longer than three days, more long terms only with the consent of a specialist and under regular supervision. It is worth remembering that people live no more than 3-4 days without water. There is no need to turn the method of purification into a harsh, dangerous test.

Doctors believe that only a specialist after examination gives competent opinion how much you can starve the patient individually.



Water fasting is more common. You can drink, and a lot, the amount of liquid has no restrictions.

Subtypes of fasting:

Short - a day - two;
Average - 3-7 days;
Long - 10-15 days;
Extreme - 40 days.

It is clear that long periods for beginners cannot be set. It's worth starting small. Is fasting useful at all, what is the opinion of specialists from official medicine?

Most doctors agree that fasting, the benefits and harms of which are still debatable, is an ancient complex procedure that people often resorted to. Ancient Greece, China or Egypt. They used fasting as a cure.

It is worth remembering the behavior of a sick animal: it temporarily stops eating, even when the brethren bring food. It fasts while at rest, only drinks. Ancient healers tried to use the example of animals, in China in general they still believe that many diseases can be cured with plain water if you fast and drink more.



Advantages and disadvantages

When fasting, if with the consent of the doctor, in the hospital, unpleasant consequences can of course be avoided, because any negative changes will be recorded. But to arrange experiments at home, without medical advice, a person takes full responsibility for the consequences.

After all, a number of people generally categorically cannot starve:

cancer patients;
Having an open form in tuberculosis;
Having severe heart failure;
Patients with kidney or liver problems;
Organ transplant recipients;
When (only with the consent of your doctor;
Fasting during pregnancy, especially when the first months go.

The rest, theoretically, of course, can try, but fasting, the pros and cons of it for each act individually. You can’t just enlist good examples from acquaintances or neighbors. Several related factors play here: age, also gender and the presence of diseases, physique.

Possible consequences

Many people think about how to make themselves hungry when it is worth thinking about precautions. For example, the lack of food (stopping the supply of microelements, the necessary vitamins) will hit the immune system, it will decrease and a person will become an extremely easy prey for a million microbes with viruses. The red blood cells responsible for supplying the whole body with oxygen will decrease, and this is a manifestation of anemia.

Weakness will appear, fatigue will increase, dizziness with fainting is possible, general malaise, attention will decrease.



Aggravation of anemia will result in shortness of breath even after a slight load, headache, constant noise in the ears, sleep disturbances. Sometimes a hunger strike even leads to paralysis or coma. Is it worth the risk of reducing a couple of centimeters of the abdomen or hips?

Of course, such horrors do not happen all at once, you can starve without harm to your health if you consult a doctor in advance and remember the following rules:

1. Fasting is safe only for completely healthy people who know how to prepare for fasting and what possible contraindications it has;
2. During the fasting period, you should not drink any medicines, you should forget about alcohol or cigarettes;
3. Before starting, learn more about the chosen fasting method;
4. Find out how to enter correctly, about the recovery period;
5. Fasting during pregnancy is extremely dangerous, especially if the first months go by, and after the 4th it is completely prohibited. Why limit the child's access to trace elements, he needs vitamins for growth and development. A pregnant woman should discuss any intervention in her own health with her observing gynecologist;
6. They usually start small. If you are just a beginner, there is no need to set yourself records right away, testing your nerves or willpower. The main thing is not to break loose, not to undermine your health. It is good to start small.

Why during pregnancy early dates fasting is so categorically forbidden by many doctors? It is enough to know the changes taking place in the body. Hormonal restructuring, the body prepares a place for the fetus, many processes are running.



Why aggravate the situation with a hunger strike, especially vitamins necessary for the fetus. A woman will have to plan to lose weight or cleanse herself after pregnancy, often even after a feeding period. Although there are exceptions, any possibilities of fasting should be immediately discussed with your supervising doctor.

Correct entry

First you need to prepare for. Set yourself a specific day when you start your fast, let there be 1.5-2 weeks before it for preparation.

How to tune in to starvation mentally? Changes in the menu, positive mood and motivation will help. With the start of preparation, you need to cross out the following products from the usual menu:

Meat (leave only fish with seafood);
Fatty meals;
Fried;
Fast food;
Flour with sweet;
carbonated water;
Fast semi-finished products;
Too salty or spicy food.

Eat more vegetables with fruits, cereals. Proper fasting begins with such a preparatory diet. At the same time, the body is already starting the process of cleansing, because there is no heavy, harmful food.

About a day or evening before fasting, take an enema or drink a saline solution (activated charcoal) to help the intestines clear out faster.



How many days can you fast? To begin with, it is safer to apply the scheme:

Half a day (a day) - a day - 1-3 days, each time with an entrance, then a recovery period, making intervals between sessions.

Then the fasting period begins. It is better to start fasting from the day off, especially for beginners. It is easier to carry when there is no hard work or many trips. Remember, you can not take any, even the simplest medicines, vitamins, alcohol is not allowed.

It is useful to tune in to positive, fill the days of fasting good books, good films, walk more often, try to be distracted, because thoughts about delicious food, snacking will be pursued. Frequent contraindications - headache, possibly nausea or vomiting, any other warning signs should be carefully monitored if they become prolonged - fasting should be stopped.

Important: it is dangerous to start fasting for children, the elderly, also sick, even with a cold. Only adults who do not have serious health problems people.

What is the benefit of fasting itself? Slags will begin to leave the body, fat will break down, because with the loss of external sources energy will begin to switch to internal power. Fat deposits, storehouses of carbohydrates will be used. Many experts believe that contraindications in the form of a headache with nausea appear as a result of internal cleansing work.



They say that the split slags, once again in the blood, exert their toxic effect. You just have to wait until they get out. If you urgently interrupt the hunger strike, then the slags that have left the organs and tissues will return back without having time to actually leave the body.

What is the most painful thing when fasting? Indeed, sometimes all the positive attitude flies somewhere and it is impossible to spend even a full day without food. The hardest thing is to extinguish hunger. This primitive instinct will send dozens of impulses from the brain, demanding food, turning starvation into an endless wait for food. Drink plenty of fluids, preferably purified water, without sugar or sweeteners, otherwise the whole result will be "done" by sugar. Do pleasant things, walk more. Good thoughts, exciting books, maybe pick up a new hobby.

Right way out

Important: the recovery period is equal to the hunger strike. A day lasts - a day of recovery, three days - the same amount the body needs to recover. The rehabilitation period begins with the right exit, when the hunger strike is over and you can eat food.

Diluted homemade vegetable or fruit juices (you can not mix vegetables with fruits, but you can diversify the types of vegetables or fruits) - the first day after the end of the fast. Frequent snacks with juices, every 1.5-2 hours. Then you can vegetable salad (without mayonnaise, oil).



Day 2-3 - vegetable dishes, cereals, only without milk, without spices. Especially if the period of fasting is long.

Gradually introduce dairy products, wait a little with meat, fried foods, spicy. 2-3 weeks of such a sparing menu will allow you to enjoy the result of a complete cleansing, and the hunger strike will pass without much damage.

Recently, it has been widely believed that one-day fasting once a week helps to cleanse the body and even reduce it. It is believed that such fasting can help treat diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure, asthma, arthritis and other autoimmune problems. and also get rid of excess weight. Is it really?

Although this practice has existed for many years, and some doctors advocate one-day fasting, the benefits and harms of such restrictions are mixed. What causes controversy?

Arguments "for": cleansing the body

Proponents of this system argue that the body accumulates a lot of toxic substances over the years, but the body has little opportunity to focus on clearing them. Refusal of food one day a week contributes to this process: the absence of food allows the internal organs to use their limited energy to remove accumulated toxins. This is due to the fact that usually the functionality of the body is only enough to process the incoming food, and in its absence, opportunities appear to perform other functions.

"Rejuvenation"

One-day fast, the benefit of which is cleaning internal organs can also rejuvenate. It is believed that you can "change" your biological age by removing toxins from the body. During one-day fasting, previously accumulated chemical substances, nitrates and pharmaceuticals that are consumed regularly. These toxins interfere with mental and physical performance, age the body, and harm your body.

One-day fasting: rules and consequences

A healthy lifestyle should start with daily exercise, proper nutrition, and a weekly one-day fast. Such a cleansing of the body will give a lot of energy and vigor and, as already mentioned, even slightly rejuvenate. Proponents of this system claim that your skin will look better, you will lose excess weight, think more clearly and live longer.

A person begins to especially appreciate food when he abstains from it for some time. When one-day fasting is practiced, a feeling of hunger sets in, and the assessment of food consumed changes seriously. The stomach, as well as our consciousness with early age are programmed to eat three times a day, regardless of whether enough calories are burned, there is true hunger or not. One-day fasting allows you to learn to distinguish the true need for food from a programmed habit. If this "diet" is practiced weekly, the stomach shrinks to its natural size, and further overeating becomes difficult.

The Importance of Drinking Water

The previously mentioned toxins and inorganic (insoluble) minerals that enter the body through the fluid and food consumed enter the bloodstream and spread to all organs. Therefore, during one-day fasting, it is important to drink only purified distilled water. It does not contain inorganic minerals or chemicals, unlike drinking tap water or even filtered water.

When drinking undistilled or unpurified water, the body begins to accumulate inert inorganic substances which cannot be absorbed. Hard, calcified compounds begin to replace the synovial fluid in the joints, which can cause discomfort and pain with movement.

Psychological theory

Another theory in favor of one-day fasts is explained by a psychological factor. All the diets used today are basically not very effective because people tend to focus on the value of whole food consumption instead of focusing on healing and cleansing the body. Revisiting some values ​​can have much more positive results as the body can begin to heal itself. The meaning of the whole concept can be expressed in one short phrase: "Less is more." When a person feels unwell, he goes to the doctor, listens to negative information and then takes medicines that contain toxins. If you tune yourself in a positive way and imagine in detail the mechanism of self-purification, it can lead to good results. One-day about which from supporters of alternative medicine are positive, often also called a system of cure for various diseases.

Fasting advocates also argue that the practice of fasting days can effectively address serious health problems, from arthritis and colitis to heart disease and depression. Some alternative medicine practitioners report that improving the diet, along with not eating one day a week, helps reduce the symptoms of lupus, arthritis, and chronic skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema. There is also an opinion that such a nutrition system helps to improve the condition of people suffering from ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.

However, all the above arguments are given by supporters of alternative medicine, to which the attitude is ambiguous. In any case, everyone must decide for himself what methods of recovery seem acceptable to him.

If you decide on a one-day fasting on the water

The rules will be quite simple, but mandatory. Do not overeat the day before fasting. On the contrary, reduce your diet and lighten it. Eat lighter, cleaner foods (preferably organic): fruits, vegetables, nuts, nut butters, and sprouted grains. If you like meat, try to limit its consumption in the previous days and eat it in the morning. After lunch, foods that are easy to digest are recommended. For example, leafy greens, vegetables, fruits, and nuts. Drink plenty of water (preferably distilled or purified) and avoid alcohol or caffeinated drinks.

The essence of one-day fasting is to not eat for 24 hours after the last meal, while drinking plenty of water at the same time.

Arguments against: possible health risks

However, most medical experts agree on one thing: refraining from food is not a healthy tool for weight loss and body cleansing. One-day fasting, the benefits and harms of which have been studied for many years, slows down the metabolism. This means that later eating even less food will contribute to the deposition of fat.

One-day fasting also carries other health risks. Refusal of food during the day is rarely a problem if a person is healthy. However, this can be very dangerous if the daily diet is not healthy and balanced, or if there are problems with the liver or kidneys. In addition, fasting can cause some disturbances in the immune system.

Psychological problem

In addition, the weekly refusal of food for a day distracts people from real actions aimed at cleansing the body and fighting excess weight. A person stops thinking about the need to consume less fat on an ongoing basis, increasing the amount of fruits and vegetables in the diet, drinking clean water and limiting oneself to coffee and sugary drinks, desserts, and so on. The belief that one-day fasting will cleanse the body and get rid of problems is false and does not favor the formation healthy habits. First of all, you need to reconsider your constant nutrition system, and also start walking 30 minutes a day and sleep more.

Undesirable concomitant methods that one-day fasting entails

Harm from can be caused by other methods, which are often combined with cleansing fasting. These procedures carry their own risks.

Refusal of food is sometimes accompanied by enemas to cleanse the gastrointestinal tract, and this can be very dangerous, doctors say. There are many beneficial bacteria in the gut. When a person changes this balance, dysbacteriosis can begin to develop.

According to medical researchers, there are no scientific evidence of what will happen during starvation. Such a scheme has no biological basis, because the internal organs perform the necessary functions on their own. Thus, the liver is a natural detox center, the lungs, large intestine, kidneys, lymph nodes and skin also have certain functions helping to get rid of toxins.

Medical indications

However, there are medical indications for one-day fasting. For example, refusal of food is necessary during the day before surgery.

Fasting is also required to get accurate results on some medical tests. So, a short-term refusal to eat is indicated before taking tests for cholesterol and blood sugar.

Final Conclusions

Thus, fasting is not recommended for everyone. Absolutely healthy people, as well as patients who cannot be helped by official medicine, can practice four fasting days a month - weekly. However, this can also help to improve well-being only if such fasting days combined with good nutrition before and after it. It goes without saying that the exit from one-day fasting should also be smooth and accurate.

In addition, there are groups of people who are extremely undesirable to follow such therapeutic diets. These include:

  • Pregnant women.
  • Anorexic or regularly malnourished.
  • Having manifestations of cardiac arrhythmias.
  • Patients with hepatic or renal insufficiency.

Fasting is a method of alternative medicine, which consists in the voluntary refusal of food, and sometimes water, with further light meals for a specific period of time. The method is based on the idea of ​​the existence of toxins in the body. According to him, and as a result of the lack of food coming from outside, the digestive organs and other systems associated with them go into the so-called recovery (cleansing) mode.

The method is complete with unlimited use of water, absolute, combined. In the absolute variant, a person abstains from both food and water. There is also cascade fasting, in which abstinence from food is carried out in certain cycles. Some methods involve the use of medicinal decoctions of herbs. According to the timing of the "water" abstinence from food can be divided into:

  • small: 1-2 days;
  • medium: 3-7 days;
  • long: 8-40 days.

On the water

Considerable distribution has become therapeutic starvation at home for weight loss, which is based on the use of water. It implies a complete rejection of any products. It is advisable to drink filtered or distilled water - this is necessary both for weight loss and for recovery. The duration is different, the final effect largely depends on it. Proper fasting on water is often recommended by doctors and nutritionists, with its help you can achieve the following goals:

  • strengthen the defense system (immunity);
  • due to psychological (mental) unloading, the human body will begin to better cleanse and recover;
  • slow down the aging process by activating the pituitary gland.

Dry medicinal

With the dry method, not only food is excluded, but the use of water also stops. This method implies complete abstinence from any products, moisture. It is used, as a rule, for a short time, because. prolonged dry fasting will lead to dehydration. Water loss that causes a 10-20% weight loss is life-threatening. There are two types of this method:

  • Soft. With this technique, drinking water is completely stopped, but procedures in the form of warm baths, washing, bathing, cleansing enemas are not prohibited.
  • Hard (absolute). With this type, not only drinking water is excluded, but also any contact with it, i.e. shower, bathing, mouthwash, etc.

Benefit and harm to the body

Before you find out the answer to the question of how to start fasting for weight loss, which is aimed at cleansing the body at the same time, check out the available advantages and disadvantages of the technique. This will warn you against possible exhaustion of the body. The benefits of this kind of diet:

  • The gastrointestinal tract (GIT) is resting. If earlier people had to constantly hunt, farm (all this involved physical labor) to get food, today the situation has changed radically - everything you need is available in the store. A large proportion of people experience problems with overeating, which puts the digestive system under undue stress. It is useful to give the digestive tract a rest for a while. Sometimes this technique is used for chronic and acute pancreatitis.
  • During abstinence from food, internal processes (metabolic) begin to rebuild. The human body switches to its own energy resources. Thanks to this, with the help of such a therapeutic technique, fat deposits will decrease, which will contribute to the fight against excess weight, cellulite.
  • Therapeutic fasting prolongs life. This is due to the fact that this technique promotes purification on the cellular and molecular levels, thanks to which you can achieve the effect of rejuvenation. A striking example is Paul Bragg, who died at the age of 81, although doctors from his youth made him unfavorable forecasts regarding his state of health. A set of measures, including therapeutic abstinence from food, helped him live a long and active life.
  • The technique helps to cure various diseases. It contributes to the treatment of allergies, neuroses, disorders in the hormonal system, cardiovascular diseases. There have been cases where the therapeutic refusal of food has been productive in the fight against cancer and inflammatory cells. With a cold and SARS, the technique helps to reduce the manifestation of symptoms and speedy recovery.
  • The practice of fasting strongly stimulates creativity and mental capacity person. Yu. Nikolaev was the first in the world to use the method of dosed fasting for the treatment of mental illness.

It turns out that the technique is useful in terms of cleansing the body of toxins and not only, partial weight loss and cure for a number of diseases. True, she has a so-called back side medals. More about the dangers of the technique:

  • Possibility of loss muscle mass. Fat for the human body is considered a valuable energy resource. Experiencing a calorie deficit, the body does not immediately begin to maintain its performance with energy from fat reserves. First of all, glucose is used, and then proteins. Prolonged abstinence from food leads to muscular dystrophy - intensive breakdown of proteins begins on the second day of the hunger strike.
  • There is a risk of intoxication with ketone bodies - a product of incomplete breakdown of fats. In the absence of food, a decrease in glucose levels is manifested, leading to insulin deficiency. The fat is not completely oxidized. As a result, there is such a symptom as the smell of acetone from the mouth (as in diabetes). This condition is called acidosis, it can be used to find out that the process of intoxication has begun.
  • After exiting the process, especially the wrong one, there is an increase in appetite. Deprivation of food for the body - stress. The body, after returning a person to the usual diet, seeks to make up for the lost, and even with a margin. During a starvation diet (especially a long one), the production of the hormone leptin, whose function is to control appetite, stops. This further leads to excessive appetite, which is difficult to resist.
  • The fact that slags are removed when using this technique is a controversial point. Traditional medicine is inclined to believe that toxins as such do not exist. lymphatic, digestive and excretory system they do a good job of removing everything superfluous.

Benefits of fasting for weight loss

This method of losing weight is useful only with a competent approach - it is desirable to starve under the guidance of medical professionals. Remember that a sudden change in eating habits leads to changes psychological state some may even experience depression. Benefits of therapeutic fasting for weight loss:

  • fast and safe weight loss;
  • with weight loss, neither flabbiness nor sagging of tissues and skin is observed (the rule does not apply to very elderly patients);
  • weight loss is accompanied by an improvement in the body, an improvement in overall well-being, breathing becomes freer.

How to fast properly

Some experts recommend that before starting a therapeutic refusal of food, give the body a rest, which is expressed in light nutrition. The menu should become balanced and moderate. It is better to exclude animal proteins, flour and sweet products, dairy products from the diet, focusing on vegetables, fruits - do not overeat them. You can make a cleansing enema - the temperature of the water for cleansing the intestines should not be cold and exceed optimum temperature body. To lose weight and improve your health, consider the following tips:

  • It is not recommended to refuse food for a long time. Healthy people who just want to rest the digestive system should periodically practice the one-day method. During this time, no critical changes or disturbances occur in the work of the body.
  • If the technique is used to treat any disease, consult with your doctor. Starve in this case, as a rule, no more than 3, and sometimes 7-10 days.
  • The so-called dry fasting is unacceptable. With the refusal of food, the need for water increases. The body must have a sufficient amount of this component - this is the main condition for the effective breakdown of substances. You will need to drink more than usual.
  • Pick the right time to stop eating. Any mental and physical work consumes glucose. If its reserves are exhausted, then unfavorable processes for the human body will begin. You should be able to devote time in such a diet to rest, eliminating the load.
  • Before you refuse food, properly prepare for the procedure. It is important to follow the rules for entering and exiting a hunger strike.

How long can you starve without harm to health

Fasting for more than 3 days can cause serious harm to your health. When the process of glucose synthesis from proteins is organized and carried out, muscles suffer first of all - they contain the most proteins. In addition to this, when you refuse food, the cells cease to receive the necessary set of useful trace elements, vitamins. Against this background, there is a violation of the work of internal organs, a weakening of immunity. Therapeutic fasting is really wellness procedure but it must be used wisely.

How to prepare

The basic rule for preparing for a process is as follows: the entry period in time must be equal to the process or at least half of it. Start preparing by reducing food, you need to reduce not the receptions themselves, but the volume of servings. It is advisable to switch to plant foods, bitches, let's say low-fat kefir. Avoid animal products, protein and fatty foods. If everything is done correctly, then the process will be easier, without disruption. problems with digestive system and there will be no appetite after the exit.

Therapeutic fasting at home

To begin with, it is recommended to practice a 24-hour food refusal, which is carried out no more than once a week. A systematic approach will increase the period to 3 days a week, for example, on Monday, Wednesday, Saturday. Weight at first goes away intensively, sometimes its loss reaches 2 kg per day. Over time, the effectiveness will decrease to 300 g per day, but these will already be stable numbers. During hunger, several physiological processes are activated, one of which is the rejuvenation of the body. It is believed that the technique speeds up the metabolism. Recommendations:

  • In the first day, a growing feeling of hunger, weakness, irritability is characteristic. On the second day, you may experience slight dizziness, weakness, plaque on the tongue, bad breath. It is ideal to fast during the holidays.
  • More load falls on the excretory organs. Urine with refusal of food may become more cloudy, precipitation may occur. During a hunger strike, it is advisable to do cleansing enemas, thoroughly brush your teeth, take a shower 2 times a day.
  • Importance has a process for correctly completing a hunger strike, especially if you have chosen a 3-day or longer method.

Daily

Having decided to lose weight, pay attention to the treatment method of refusing food for 1 day. This option is considered the most useful, because. it does not pose a risk to human health. 1 day is enough for the digestive organs (stomach, pancreas, etc.) to rest, and the intestinal microflora to improve. During the day, the entire putrefactive component dies. With proper fasting, you need to adhere to the following recommendations:

  • Avoid heavy meals in advance, do not overeat, drink more water. Plan this process for the weekend.
  • Try to spend more time outdoors. Water procedures are shown.
  • Unpleasant sensations in the form of light dizziness, weakness, headache, etc. may decrease or disappear if fasting is practiced regularly.
  • The recommended duration is 24-27 hours.
  • The output of a one-day process can only consist of taking a cleansing salad "Brush". For him, carrots, cabbage are finely chopped, if desired, a pinch of raisins, a small apple, turnip is added. Salad flavored with freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Three-day

With proper fasting, designed for three days, the process becomes more stressful for the body compared to one day. Careful preparation and compliance with the recommendations for entry and exit is required. If you have not tried several one-day hunger strikes, then it is better not to start the three-day method.. For three days, digestive processes slow down, the process of splitting fat reserves starts, the body prepares for the transition to “internal nutrition”. List of mandatory rules:

  • Preparation is very important. A week before the procedure, it is recommended to give up heavy and junk food, alcohol. 1.5-3 days before the transition, focus on plant foods, reduce portions. Do a cleansing enema the day you start.
  • Drink more water, take a shower more often than usual.
  • Perhaps the appearance of unpleasant symptoms in the form of a headache, dizziness, short-term bouts of hunger. If proper fasting is difficult, then it is recommended to get out of it earlier, so listen to your feelings.
  • A symptom that indicates that it is necessary to immediately stop the refusal of food is very dark-colored or very cloudy urine.
  • In three days, weight loss will be several kg, but about half will return the next day after exit. To maintain the effect, it is worth leaving smoothly without overeating.

Seven-day

Proper fasting, designed for a week, is widely used in medicinal purposes. During this period of time, the body's ability to regenerate increases, and diseased tissues are destroyed. For 7 days of refusing food, the body switches to internal nutrition, as a result, a person is faced with an acidotic crisis. A characteristic symptom is the smell of acetone from the mouth. More about the rules:

  • Preparations begin at least 2 weeks in advance. Reduce the amount of animal products on the menu, exclude semi-finished products, alcohol, preservatives, and harmful food additives. Don't overeat.
  • The day before the start, give up meat, animal products.
  • In addition to cleansing the intestines before a hunger strike, it is recommended to clean the liver with an enema (blind probing).
  • Plan proper fasting for a vacation - preferably in the summer or autumn.
  • The first 5 days are characterized by nausea, headaches, mood swings, dizziness. All practitioners after the onset of an acidotic crisis observe an improvement in mood, well-being, a surge of strength and energy.
  • For some, the acidotic crisis occurs only on the 7th day or later. Immediately stop the hunger strike in this case is not recommended. Extend it by 2-3 days.

How not to be hungry

When refusing food, many experience not only hunger, but also weakness, a decrease in physical strength etc. In this regard, there is a great risk of breaking off from proper fasting and completing the procedure ahead of time. To prevent this, remember the motivation that led you to use this technique. Drinking will help not to experience severe hunger a large number water. Walking, reading, music will help to switch from thinking about food - there should be a frequent change of activity. Some practitioners are doing breathing exercises. Don't overwork yourself.

Way out of fasting

With a one-day technique, it is better to plan an exit for the evening. At the first meal, eat some vegetables or fruits, vegetable stew or vegetable salad with oil (linseed or olive oil). Until the evening, give up meat, dairy products, drink plenty of clean water. With a three-day proper fasting, the principles are the same, but do not leave it, starting with meat, fish, nuts, dairy products - only juices, vegetables (can be stewed), fruits. With the seven-day method:

  • during the first day only juices are shown;
  • on the second day, you can eat grated fruits, vegetables;
  • on the third or fourth day, the menu is supplemented with bread, soups, cereals;
  • a week after completion, you can eat protein foods, nuts;
  • then another week you need to adhere to a dairy-vegetarian diet, the principles of fractional nutrition (small portions).

Divided food and small portions

Proper fasting implies such a moment: when you exit this process, try to eat in fractional portions 5-6 times a day. The intervals between meals should be 3 hours. It is forbidden to use fats and salt, portions are only small. Especially compliance with the fragmentation of nutrition is important when leaving long-term diets that imply a complete rejection of food - do not neglect it.

Plant and dairy foods

When exiting from proper long-term fasting, it is important to adhere to a dairy-vegetable diet for some time. It is advisable to add fermented milk products to the menu on the 5th day - this is kefir, fermented baked milk, etc. May be used in small quantities butter. On the 6th day, sour cream is introduced, and on the 7th - cottage cheese. Vegetables with fruits can be eaten already on the 2nd day.

Compliance with time intervals

This principle is very important. A competent exit should not be one-time, it is necessary to meet certain deadlines. The longer you have been without food, the longer it will take to get out of the procedure. Even after a one-day fast, it is important to follow a certain diet for a few more days. In addition, do not overeat, otherwise all the work will go down the drain, and the weight will quickly return to its place.

Contraindications

  • muscle atrophy;
  • hepatitis;
  • cirrhosis of the liver;
  • renal and heart failure;
  • severe deficiency of body weight;
  • malignant tumor;
  • diabetes mellitus type I;
  • systemic blood diseases;
  • thrombophlebitis;
  • bronchiectasis;
  • active tuberculosis of the lungs and other organs;
  • thyrotoxicosis, etc.

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