Water fasting for the body's self-repair

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Extract from the article: Water fasting consists of voluntarily stopping eating hard foods for a certain period to allow the body to rest and regenerate. It can be done in the aftermath of the festive season, or at the beginning of the year. Unlike dry fasting, here you can d

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Water fasting consists of voluntarily stopping eating hard foods for a certain period to allow the body to rest and regenerate. It can be done in the aftermath of the festive season, or at the beginning of the year. Unlike dry fasting, here you can drink water throughout the day. In other words, you stop eating but continue to drink. There are several ways of approaching water fasting, because there is no universal way of doing it.  It depends on the individual and the situation they find themselves in. It is done by drinking water and combining it with other liquids or drinks such as herbal teas, juices or vegetable soups. The aim of the hydration diet after the festive period is to intensify the body's detoxification mechanisms by eliminating the intake of dietary toxins caused by excesses during the festive period. This will strengthen the functioning of the emunctory organs all year round, i.e. those responsible for eliminating organic waste: skin, lungs, liver, kidneys and intestines.

The principle of water fasting

The father of medicine, Hippocrates, said that « to eat when you are ill is to feed your illness ».The scientific essence of water fasting comes from the traditional therapeutic experiments of Hippocrates and the therapeutic fasting experiments of the German doctor Otto Büchinger (1878-1966).When animals are ill, they have an instinctive wisdom that leads them to stop eating in order to heal.  

According to the experiments of these two scientists, when the body is subjected to a lack of food, it is subject to stress that forces it to draw on its reserves and forces it into physiological self-regulation, with healthy cells strengthening and diseased cells weakening.Emotional self-regulation also occurs, with a hormonal upheaval caused by fasting that activates the production of serotonin and phenylethylamine, the hormones of happiness and joy.

Water fasting triggers autolysis or autophagy, i.e. the disintegration of poor-quality tissue, followed by a process of reconstruction and regeneration of healthy tissue.

As a result, the body recovers everything it can use and burns its reserves for energy.Water fasting gives the body time to carry out an in-depth cleansing of the arterial and venous walls, the thousands of kilometres of lymphatic and capillary networks, the cells of all the organs and the spaces between them.

Prepare yourself days beforehand

You need to prepare your body for the fast. The first thing to do is find out about the principles of water fasting. Then consult your doctor if you are undergoing treatment, and above all see a specialist in water fasting for useful information, advice and guidance.

Start by changing your diet

 You need to change your diet or go downhill at least a week before you start fasting. This essentially involves reducing your consumption of foods and animal products and other stimulants, including meat, fish, eggs, coffee, alcohol, sugar, sweet products, fats and cereals. This is an important stage, as it helps to prepare the body for fasting and to minimise the undesirable effects of fasting.

Reactions and discomforts of water fasting

Water fasting causes physiological reactions and effects or discomforts.  These are often referred to as detoxification crises: fatigue, headaches, irritability, slight malaise, liver attacks, insomnia, anxiety, occasional tiredness, occasional hypoglycaemia, digestive problems, etc.These discomforts are temporary and never last very long. The detoxification crisis can be reduced by adding juices and water if necessary.Low blood pressure can occur at the start of fasting, leading to fatigue and lethargy.To deal with tiredness and irritability, take the time to rest in a quiet place. For headaches, you can add a little salt to the water.Who can do water fasting?Anyone can do it, but people suffering from illnesses such as diabetes, tuberculosis, ulcers, anaemia, hepatitis, high blood pressure, cancer and children should be accompanied by a health professional who has mastered this therapeutic practice.

How is water fasting carried out?

Water fasting lasts for 12 days. Throughout this period, you must refrain from eating the following foods during the day: meat, fish, milk, cheese, eggs, bread, cereal flour paste, pasta, tinned food and pastries. You should also avoid alcohol, sugary drinks, wine, coffee, cocoa, sugar, salt, cigarettes and tobacco for 12 days.

On the first day, eat only natural raw vegetables, including carrots, and drink water. On the second day, natural fruit (banana, orange, soursop, mandarin orange, papaya, etc.) and water are recommended.On the third day, drink fresh natural fruit juices.  The fourth day is reserved for infusions of aromatic and medicinal plants, including lemongrass, Gambia tea, centaurea, cinnamon, turmeric, green tea, bay leaves, parsley, basil, mint, artemisia, combretum micratum (kinkeliba) and moringa.  From the fifth day onwards, alternate between water, fruit juices, infusions, decoctions and soups until the 12th day.

Beneficial effects

The digestive tract is completely rested, allowing the body to recover for its work of cleansing and replenishing energy.The cells of the pancreas that produce insulin are at rest and regenerate. The body repairs itself during this process and recreates a healthy, balanced environment that allows the cells to regenerate.The colon eliminates the waste that overloaded it and rebalances its intestinal flora while repairing its walls.Water fasting eliminates excess sugar, salt, alcohol and fatty, protein-rich foods, including meat, consumed over the festive period. After the 12-day water fast, the body is detoxified.

Breaking the water fast

After the 12 days of fasting, you should avoid jumping on foods that you did not eat during the fast.For example, go for alcohol, chips or pasta with a good sauce, or even some good foufou.This is very unwise and will neutralise the results of the fast.It may also cause health problems such as stomach ache and other discomforts.

For this reason, refeeding should be done gradually.It's a matter of reintroducing food over 12 days, equivalent to the 12 days of fasting. Go gently, using easily digestible products and small portions. In practice, alternate between water, fruit juices, infusions, soups and broths over two days.

After the fast, reintroduce food gradually

After the young person, for the first three days, you should eat cooked food, but be careful not to eat meat, fish, milk, cheese, eggs, bread, cereal flour paste, pasta, tinned food or pastries.

After these first three days, a second wave of gradual reintroduction of cooked foods with fish, cereal flour paste, pasta and pastries should be observed from the third day onwards.After this second phase, it is recommended to eat cooked foods with meat, fish, milk, cheese, eggs, bread, cereal flour paste, pasta, tinned food and pastries.Alcohol, sweetened drinks, wine, coffee, cocoa, sugar and salt can be consumed in moderation until the 21st day.

When should I do water fasting?

It is advisable to do this fast when you are on holiday.It's a practice that requires a lot of rest and calm to allow the body to self-regulate and regenerate. If you want to go to work and do water fasting, you need to reduce the time and intensity of your work. Bear in mind that the two keys to successful fasting are calm and rest. This is why, if possible, it is advisable to retire to the countryside or to a centre or house where there is peace and quiet.

Gadiel TSONYADZI

Article validated by Dr. Maarira Koutouma, nutritionist and biogenist specialising in nutritional education and health teaching.