So I have been reading up about the 7 day Water Fast.  Yes, you heard right. WATER FAST.  It is exactly what it says it is.  All you drink is water and consume absolutely no food.  A friend of mine does this once a year.  He says it’s an oppourtunity to clean out his system and wash away all the toxins in his body.  It also makes him lose weight and he looks visibly leaner. Fasting is not a new concept, most religions advocate fasting at one time or another, and as well as aiding spirituality it has amazing benefits on your body.  Based on my little research,

1. It detoxes the body. Every day we ingest things that are not good for us, for example, sugar and alcohol which raises insulin levels and damages our liver and kidneys while spiralling other disorders. Even when we think we are being healthy with fruits and veggies, we are ingesting pesticides.
2. It gives the digestive system a rest. Our bodies spend so much energy in digesting food all day all week. Imagine having this excess amount of energy being used to heal the body.  It can only be a good thing, even if it’s just for a short while.
3. It improves immune function. Studies have shown that Water fasting helps to reduce inflammations helping the body to become more resistant to illnesses such as osteoarthritis, type II diabetes, heart diseases, eczema, varicose ulcers, IBS, bronchial asthma, neurosis, uterine fibroids, allergies, insomnia and much more. (Source: www.gaianstudies.org)
4. It improves brain function. It does this by promoting growth of new cells and protein in the brain, which may help slow down ageing and cognitive decline from Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease ( Source: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
5. It makes you less stressed. When you water fast you are decreasing your blood pressure and hence rejuvenating the body
6. It also helps you lose weight. But I want to stress that this is not healthy for a long period of time, nor is it sustainable as a weight loss mechanism.

This year alone, I have embarked on a variety of diets.  In fact, my husband calls me the diet queen.  Cambridge, Keto, Healthy meal plans…you name it, I’ve tried it.  They actually all worked and contributed to my weight loss, but the artist in me gets bored quickly, and I need something fresh.  This is not to say that I am unhappy with my body, but rather, I’m trying to get back to a weight where I feel most comfortable, agile and physically and mentally active.  My last, yes…LAST baby is now 1 year old, and for me, it is the perfect time to work on my physical self.

I will be embarking on a 7 Day Water Fast Challenge starting this coming Monday, and will be posting my day to day experience right here on this blog.  So join me on the journey and let’s get fit and healthy together. What have you got to lose?

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POST UPDATE:

DAY 1: Day 1 of my water fast almost done.  Hasn’t been easy, especially for me as I own a bakery and cafe.  A meat pie and croissant is just a hop and a skip away…all day long.  Ultimately, it’s all about having the end goal in mind.  I was on the move a lot today so I limited the quantity of water that i drank so as to prevent a constant search for a bathroom.  I felt mostly fine, not light-headed or fatigued.  1 down 6 to go.

DAY 2: Day 2 of my water fast started great.  I woke up with a spring in my step.  I had energy and drank my water diligently.  I had a packed day of meetings today so the time flew by quite quickly.  My water intake triggered a constant need to visit the bathroom.  My energy seemed to have zapped out of me by 4pm and it all went down hill from there.  I felt tired and could no longer be productive at work.  All i could think about was efo riro and semo.  I left work, raced home, got into my pyjamas and got into bed.  I think it’s best to sleep off the efo riro temptation.  Good night All.

DAY 3:  What a morning!  It was tough.  I didn’t feel like getting out of bed. Also, I had a headache so I took some panadol.  The panadol was super effective.  Maybe the body takes it in quicker on a detox.  Worked within 10 minutes and I was able to go about my day.  I had a friends investiture to attend, and i was perfectly fine until the small chops started going round. I was able to resist this. However, next came lunch and all the assortment displayed on the table was too difficult to resist, so i left the event and went back to the office.  Late afternoon was perfectly fine.  I was able to focus and keep up with work.  From my research, day 4 and 5 will be much more easier with a clarity that promotes high productivity.  So i’m very optimistic and looking forward to tomorrow.  Good night.

DAY 4: What can I say. I tried.  Unfortunately i had to have some milk today as my tummy started to hurt.  Any since I have h-pylori ( a small step to a stomach ulcer) I didn’t want to risk it.   When coming off a water fast, you should still have liquids, for example, fruit juice, smoothies or milk.  You then gravitate to watery fruits such as watermelon.  This helps your digestive system to gradually pick up again.

The whole experience has been rewarding for me. 4 days of only water signifies mind over body.  I feel lighter and more agile.  Well done to everyone out there who went on this journey with me.  I’m cheering your on.