Water Fasting Tips

CEBU, Philippines — Water fasting is a sort of "lifestyle change" as so many patterns and routines become disrupted. It requires a great deal of commitment to do. But every time you fast, you will gain more insight into the process, making it easier and easier.

During your first day of fasting, it's natural that you feel the pangs. And it's usually in the first few days that you "miss" eating, even after those "hunger pangs" have ceased. You may be surprised to realize that it’s not only the food that you miss about eating. The very action of chewing can become something you crave. Some people miss the hand to mouth action of feeding themselves. But, for most, it's the full, satisfied feeling in the stomach that not only feels good physically, but provides a level of emotional comfort too.

There’s a way to ease yourself into water fasting:

• Prepare. The better your preparation in the days before your fast, the more physically comfortable you will be during the early part of your fast. In the 2 or 3 days before, eliminate any and all processed foods, sugar, white flour, and wean yourself off any caffeine products. Just like a cleansing diet, this will begin the process of your body flushing out, making the transition to water even easier.

The best thing you can do is to follow a raw diet of fresh fruits and vegetables, during the pre-fast period, and longer than 2 to 3 days if you can. This will significantly reduce the uncomfortable side effects – the headaches, nausea, and flu-like symptoms – that are so common in the first few days of a fast.

Do your best to clean up your surroundings and remove food items from sight and smell; little things like putting up the fruit bowl and cookie jar. If you live alone, you can tape the refrigerator door shut to stop the unconscious habit of checking its contents.

• Rest. It is highly recommended that you not work during a water fast and, most importantly, that you not work during those first few critical days. If you work in a totally loving and supportive environment, it might be okay to work during the latter part of your fast.

If you work in a non-supportive environment, particularly one that is highly charged with strict deadlines or difficult co-workers, just don't even go there. You may feel more emotional than usual during a fast, because your emotional and mental patterns will be undergoing a sort of cleansing of their own.

Note: Body odor and bad breath are quite often a side effect of fasting as your body eliminates toxins and wastes.

• Solicit support. Having the support of those around you can be so helpful, but not all of us are surrounded by people who understand the desire to fast. If you do have such friends, utilize their support and experience as much as possible. If not, at least tell one friend what your plans are; it's good for safety reasons to have someone objective watching your fast.

• Accept the now. Yes, it sounds very zen, doesn't it? It's actually easier than it sounds. Say to yourself, "This is the way it is." "This is just the way it is right now, tonight or tomorrow may be different, but right now, this moment, this is the way it is." "This is what I decided to do, this is what I wanted to experience."

If you're new to fasting, get a health professional’s help in deciding how long to fast. Rather than jumping into a long fast, start with shorter fasts so you can begin to experience and understand your unique reactions to fasting. Intermittent fasting offers more ideas for easing you into fasting using 24-hour plans. Using partial fasts, like fruit or brown rice, to prepare you for a water fast is a great plan as well.

(Reference: www.allaboutfasting.com)