What is the SECRET you may wonder... Keep reading...
The Secret... Water Fasting. What is it?
Water fasting is a type of fasting in which you consume only water for a set period of time. It is essentially a cleanse for your digestion system. Many types of cleansing diets are referred to as fasts, but in water fasting, you take in zero calories. It’s distinct from caloric restriction in which a person’s daily caloric intake is reduced by 20–40%.
One Day Water Fast and its Benefits
One day water fasts have become a popular way to maintain health and vigor. Fasting uses the self-healing properties of the human body. During 24-hour or a one day water fast, health improvements happen as the digestive system is given rest and the organs get ample time to repair and heal themselves. A regular practice of a fasting can improve digestive efficiency, increase mental clarity, increase physical and mental vigor, remove toxins, improve vision and give a general feeling of well being. A 24-hour fast, once a week, is a common religious practice in many communities.
1. Weight Loss
The fasting benefit that interests most people is weight loss. While it may seem obvious that not eating will lead to less body fat, let’s take a closer look at exactly how water fasting can help. Ketosis is the state in which your body begins taking energy from your internal fat stores instead of food. Water fasting helps your body reach ketosis more quickly than dieting. When you refrain from eating calories, your body is forced to burn fat cells for energy.
2. Promotes Blood Sugar Control
Several studies have found that fasting may improve blood sugar control, which could be especially useful for those at risk of diabetes.
It also helps decrease insulin resistance which can increase your body’s sensitivity to insulin, allowing it to transport glucose from your bloodstream to your cells more efficiently.
Coupled with the potential blood sugar-lowering effects of fasting, this could help keep your blood sugar steady, preventing spikes and crashes in your blood sugar levels.
3. Helps Fight Inflammation
Inflammation is a normal immune process used to help fight off infections, but chronic inflammation can have serious consequences for your health. Studies have found that fasting can help decrease levels of inflammation and help promote better health.
4. Increase Your Lifespan and Slow Aging
Currently there is no secret pill or drink to reverse or stop the aging process, and some people are blessed to age more gracefully than others. Animal studies have found that intermittent fasting can extend lifespan by up to 80% over control groups.
5. Improve Your Cell Health
Autophagy is your body’s normal, natural process for recycling unnecessary or dysfunctional components. Water fasting forces your system into an autophagic state. With the severely reduced caloric intake, your body is forced to be more selective in which cells it protects.
This means that fasting can encourage your body’s natural healing mechanisms to actively destroy and recycle damaged tissues, which may have a positive effect on several serious conditions.
How to Prepare for Your One Day Water Fast?
If you are already experienced, it will be easier for you.
If you are a beginner, choose a day that is stress free, with relatively less activities planned. Do not consider any heavy work or excessive travel during that day. Light activities, like reading, slow yoga movements, working on your computer, walking, meditation, watching television, driving short distances, etc., are acceptable. But avoid stressful activities, like heavy exercises, going to the gym, lifting heavy weights, running long distances, etc., as these consume a lot of calories and will make you unnecessarily hungry.
A normal human body can go for weeks without food. Hence, a one-day water fast is relatively easy to do. Once you starts doing it, you will experience great health benefits. But if you have any serious medical conditions, you may need to fast under the supervision of an expert or get the approval from your doctor first.
How to Do Your One Day Water Fast?
In your one day water fast, you must drink only water for 24 hours. No solid food or other liquids that contain nutrition (like fruit juice, milk, etc.) are allowed. Simple pure mineral water is the best. You may drink about 1 ½ liters to 3 liters of plain water in one full day, depending on your capacity. There is no harm in drinking even more, if need be.
The best time to start the water fast is during early morning. After getting up from bed and brushing the teeth, drink about two glasses of water. This will also help with bowel movements. The rest of the day, you can drink water any time. There is no restriction on the quantity of water to drink each time or the number of times to consume water. Continue this for a whole day, till the next day morning.
Your Body's Reaction Throughout the Day...
During your one day water fast, you will notice a few reactions in the body, this is normal. As a habit, the body is used to consuming food multiple times a day. When there is sudden lack of food intake, you may feel weakness, dizziness, nausea, etc. You may have also a drop in blood pressure and slight headaches. No need to freak out, this is all normal during a one-day fast. If you fast regularly, you won’t feel these symptoms. But as a beginner, just rest or lie down whenever these symptoms become intense.
You may even feel moments of hunger. Just take one or two glasses of water to dilute the gastric secretions. Then lie down and take rest. The hunger should go away shortly
How to Break from Your One Day Water Fast?
How you break from a fast is very important. During the fasting period, your body's digestive since has hardly any activity. So you want to be gentle on the stomach when breaking your fast. Do not overload the stomach. The best way to break your one day water fast is with coconut water, lime juice or orange juice. Half a spoon of honey may also be added to the juice. If needed, even fruits can be taken, as they are easy to digest. Boiled vegetables or soup are also fine. Use little or no spice with vegetables as it can irritate the linings of the stomach.
The second meal of the day can be normal.
Recap of some of the amazing benefits of a one day water fast:
A one day water fast (once every week) will give tremendous health benefits. Your digestive system works without any rest, day and night. A fast will give your digestive system its much needed rest to repair and heal itself from the inside out.
Improves your energy and mood.
You'll gain greater clarity and remove mental blocks.
Eliminate toxins from the body and help prevent future illnesses.
Fasting can improve immunity and has anti-aging benefits.
Fasting is the easiest way to lose weight.
So if you have never gone on a one day water fast, I highly suggest you give it a try. I promise you will experience all of these amazing benefits plus more over the longterm.
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