DAY 35 | Today’s FIRE Map

What is fasting?

Let us look at the definition of fasting again: Fasting is a voluntary decision to limit food intake to a minimum for a pre-determined period. This fasting window can be shorter or longer, depending on the intended outcomes of the fast.

“Fasting is a VOLUNTARY decision…”

The true power of fasting lies in the fact that YOU decide to do it.  If you feel forced to do it, then don’t do it, because your fasting will lose its psychological power. YOU are taking one of the most powerful human instincts and subjecting it to your will.  This is real power. Always remember this.

The other part of the fasting definition is:

“… to limit food intake to a minimum for a pre-determined period.”

Fasting is firstly limited in its scope, and secondly limited in its duration. Both limits MUST be set in advance.  

If you say, “No food, only water“, that is the scope of your fasting. Or you can say, “Only snacks and tea.” 

If you say, “Fast for 72 hours,” then that is your duration limit. You may choose 60 hours, or whatever. But you choose that time limit in advance. We explained why 72 hours is a magical number when it comes to fasting, but it may be that you need two or three attempts at lower targets first, before going for that magical number. It does not matter. It must be in YOUR power.

Fasting is not pleasant during the actual practice thereof. But once completed, you look back and feel the accomplishment.  You are no longer your body’s slave, or the slave of your appetite.

Fasting for 23 hours

So far, we’ve been fasting for periods of 23 hours at a time, three times a week. 

The purpose of this schedule is to lower insulin levels, and to reduce liver fat.

Fasting for 72 hours (Three days)

Now we want to introduce a new concept: the three day (72 hours) fast.

Coming Thursday is the start of your 72-hour fast. Your last meal will be lunch on Thursday and then you will break your fast for Sunday lunch.

Nothing confuses people more than telling them to stop eating.

At first, there is a longish silence as the instruction sinks in.

Then there is a look of incomprehension, which quickly turns to a look of fear.

And then come the questions and objections, like hail on a tin roof.

It’s quite easy, actually.  The less you do while fasting, the more you gain.  If you can spend three days eating nothing and drinking only water, you will not die. In fact, you will reach the other end not just physically stronger, but mentally stronger too.  A person who has fasted for three days is no longer scared of hunger or failure.  You look life in the eye and say, “Bring it on!”

However…

There are always those who have special needs, or those who need extra encouragement.

Purpose of a three day fast

The purpose of a three day fast is three-fold:

• Clear the liver of as much fat as possible

First, we are trying to clear the liver of as much fat as possible. During a typical three day fast, you should lose about half a kilogram of liver fat. Losing liver fat is essential in our quest to reduce insulin resistance. The less fat the liver cells carry, the less resistant to insulin they become.

• Stimulate the production of stem cells

Secondly, we are stimulating the production of stem cells. 

Stem cells are the body’s self-healing mechanism. Stem cell therapy has been the domain of Hollywood actors and the super-rich for the past two decades, but you can produce your very own stem cells at home, and actually save money while doing so. The only requirement is that you need to fast a full 72 hours. The stem cells will not appear if you fast less than that.

Stem cells are cells that can turn into any other type of cell. As such, they can heal any kind of damaged tissue, whether it be brain or lung or liver or kidney or heart. You get the idea. The healing power in stem cells is beyond anything that can be achieved with medicines. It is true healing and not just patching up and hiding symptoms.

• Autophagy

Thirdly, to rejuvenate cells in a process called autophagy.

Autophagy is a name for the way cells recycle their inner machinery and yes, it is legal. By putting cells under energy stress, they are forced to get rid of all equipment that is not working properly. This is then replaced with brand new bits and bobs, turning the cell into a brand-new, young version of itself. If you meet people who fast regularly, you will immediately notice that their skin is smooth and almost wrinkle-free. This is a result of autophagy. The same applies to the organs under the skin, which you cannot see.

What are the therapeutic benefits of a three day fast?

A three day fast can be used to great effect in the treatment of cancer, PCOS, gut inflammation such as IBS or ulcerative colitis, autoimmunity such as Hashimoto’s, kidney failure (if done under medical supervision), skin diseases such as psoriasis and eczema, pancreas reactivation / beta cell stimulation,

liver cirrhosis, emphysema, as well as in some brain diseases such as Parkinson’s. Fasting will not necessarily cure these conditions, but it will reduce their severity and make life much more bearable.

How often should I do a three day fast?

It is advised that you go on a three day fast once a month for at least three months. If combined with an Eat-Stop-Eat fasting routine and a low-carb diet, this will effectively clear the liver of all fat deposits. At the end of three months, your liver should be as clean and young as it was when you left school.

What can you expect from your first three day fast?

Unfortunately, your first three day fast is not a walk in the park. After 18-24 hours, your mood will take a dip. Between 24 and 48 hours, you will likely develop an unpleasant headache, as well as lethargy, tiredness and nausea (rarely). Your breath will smell ketotic. During the last 24 hours, you may experience constipation (and this can last for some days after you finish fasting), as well as more fatigue. However, the good news is that the headache usually resolves after 48 hours of fasting. Your mood also improves towards the end of the 72 hour fast.

Preparing for my three day fast

Hydrate

Please remember to hydrate. We get a lot of fluid from the food we eat. In other words, when you fast, you need to drink more water, to also replace the water that you would have gained from food. This also helps prevent another unpleasant side effect of fasting: constipation. About three litres of water over 24 hours is advisable.

Take your supplements and medication

We encourage you to take your supplements to further boost your diabetes reversal journey. Usually you don’t have to take your diabetic medication on fasting days (except for Metformin), but you need to check this with your doctor.

Use your other chronic medications on fasting days. If these meds should be taken with food, take it with some of the fast foods in Meal Plan 4.

Fast Foods

You will often hear it said in keto circles: “Only eat if you’re hungry.” This sounds like good advice, but it is terrible social advice. 

Food is not just fuel, remember? So, continue to gather for a meal three times a day. Pray or meditate beforehand, whether there is food in front of you or not. Talk, listen, and laugh. You may not be hungry for food, but you will be hungry for company.

To help you celebrate (yes, celebrate) your fasting, we created some small snack recipes that can ease up hunger pains, or make it easier to eat with family or friends during fasting days. 

The purpose of these “meal replacements” is to allow/enable you to still participate in the meal culture, instead of just staying away from the table altogether.

Fast food suggestions

These fast foods are all simple and quick to prepare. They contain little calories, thus do not constitute a breaking of your fast. But they are tasty enough to help you feel celebratory instead of gloomy when you watch the other people tuck in.

As long as you consume less than 200 kcal (800 kJ) per 24-hour period (and less than 10g carbs per 24-hour period), you will still get the full benefit of fasting. If you are skipping two meals during a typical 23 hour fast, this amounts to roughly 100 kcal (400 kJ) total energy content per meal.

These fast foods all comply with the same basic rules: 

• No more than 70 kcal / 280 kJ per snack
• No more than about 3 g carbs per snack. 
• Salt, herbs and spices may be used according to taste.
• You can have 3 of these snacks per 24 hours, one for each meal you’re skipping.

Vegetables

As a generalisation, non-starchy vegetables contain 6 g of carbohydrates and 30 kcal / 120 kJ of energy per 100g of raw produce. There are obviously variations, but we can work with these figures. When you are not fasting, slices of raw vegetables like carrot, pepper, celery, or cucumber are a great snack with houmous, 100% pure, unsweetened peanut butter or guacamole.

Cucumber

Cucumber (10 cm), thinly sliced, with a teaspoon of pickled dill cucumber slices and a teaspoon of cream, seasoned to taste.

• Variation 1: Add a quarter medium-sized tomato, chopped
• Variation 2: Add one chopped celery stick
• Variation 3: Use capers instead of pickled dill cucumbers

Tomatoes

Half a medium sized tomato, finely chopped, with a teaspoon of onion, finely chopped

• Variation 1: Add spring onion and/or chopped parsley
• Variation 2: Fry it all with a pat of butter

Broccoli

A sprig of broccoli, finely chopped (50 g / half cup), boiled, with a teaspoon of melted cheddar, salt and pepper.

• Variation 1: Use raw broccoli, instead of boiled
• Variation 2: Replace teaspoon of cheddar with a teaspoon of cream
• Variation 3: Use cayenne pepper instead of black pepper
• Variation 4: Add a teaspoon of onion (raw or butter-fried) for extra flavour
• Variation 5: Replace cheese with 2 cubes of diced bacon, fried in butter
• Variation 6: Replace broccoli with cauliflower

Fruit

Apple (Half)

Half an apple provides 40 kcal (160 kJ), of which 11g is carbs, 0g is fat and 0g is protein.

Half a grated apple, with a teaspoon of almonds or peanuts.

• Variation 1: Replace peanuts with a teaspoon of cream
• Variation 2: Add a pinch of cinnamon
• Variation 3: Lightly fry the grated apple in a pat of butter, with a pinch of cinnamon
• Variation 4: Replace almonds with a teaspoon of grated dark chocolate

Orange or Tangerine (Quarter)

A quarter orange or tangerine (naartjie) with a teaspoon of cream. 

• Variation 1: Add a pinch of nutmeg and/or cinnamon

Olives (1 Cup)

Many of us have let it get the better of us at some point or another, but snacking doesn’t have to be a bad thing if you can pick suitable substitutes that keep you satisfied. With their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits, olives offer both a nutritious and low carb snack. 

1 cup of pitted olives provides 155 kcal (620 kJ), of which 8.5g is carbs, 14g is fat and 1.1g is protein.

Avocado (Quater)

Avocado is a great example of a healthy fat that you should be eating more of! A quarter of an avo, seasoned to taste, provides 130 kcal (540 kJ), of which 8g is carbs, 15g is fat and 2g is protein.

Pear (Half)

Half a pear

Dairy

Cheese (30g – one handful grated cheese)

All types of cheese are relatively low in carbs, particularly brie, goat cheese, blue cheese and cheddar cheese. Provides 100 kcal (400 kJ), of which 8g is fat and 5g is protein.

Heavy Whipping Cream (15 g or 1 tablespoon)

Provides 50 kcal (200 kJ), of which 0g is carbs, 6g is fat and 0g is protein.

Yogurt 

60ml of full fat, natural yoghurt. Those that are reduced in fat are often packed with sugar. Add some nuts for extra flavour and texture – or even a teaspoon of cinnamon. 

Other

Biltong (2 tablespoons) 

(Roughly equivalent to beef jerky in the United States)

Provides 80 kcal (320 kJ), of which 0g is carbs, 2g is fat and 15g is protein.

Egg (50g)

Eggs are a great source of high-quality protein. A boiled egg is a great snack that you can prepare and have ready to go in the fridge. Or fry the egg in a pat of butter with a teaspoon of chopped onion. Provides 70 kcal (280 kJ), of which 0g is carbs, 5g is fat and 6g is protein.

Almonds (15g)

Nuts are a great source of heart healthy fats and protein. A tablespoon of almonds (15g) fried in a pat of butter and cinnamon. Use peanuts, walnuts or pistachios instead of almonds. 

Provides 140 kcal (560 kJ), of which 5g is carbs, 12g is fat and 4g is protein.

Dark chocolate (80+%, one square, 10g)

One square of 80+% dark chocolate, sucked slowly, not chewed.

Provides 60 kcal (240 kJ), of which 4g is carbs, 5g is fat and 1g is protein.

Dark chocolate (85% cocoa solids) contains approximately 20 g of carbs per 100 g, compared to milk chocolate containing 60 g.

Peanut butter (2 teaspoons)

Two teaspoons of sugar-free, 100% pure peanut butter, mixed with half a teaspoon of cacao.

• Variation 1: Add half a teaspoon of xylitol
• Variation 2: Add a pinch of cinnamon and/or ground nutmeg

Provides 100 kcal (400 kJ), of which 3g is carbs, 8g is fat and 4g is protein. (Make sure it is 100% pure and unsweetened peanut butter)

Get creative! Enjoy your fast!