Comments on: Part 3: What Happens To Your Body When You Fast? – Inflammation and Blood

By: gweipo

gweipo — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 02:46:47 +0000

I’m on day 4 today of a water fast, as recommended by Dr. Fuhrman. I started the fast as I’ve struggled with hip bursitis for the last 2 months which has stopped me from running.
I was interested to see that your article didn’t mention the benefits of fasting for all sorts of inflammatory diseases and autoimmune disease. In chapter 8 of his book “Fasting and eating for health” Fuhrman states
“fasting is an effective way to treat inflammation because it allows the body to remove the noxious stimuli that caused the problem in the first place…”

I’m hoping to be able to keep it up for the recommended 10 days, but taking one day at a time…

By: Tiffani

Tiffani — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 14:09:11 +0000

yea i think that this really help me alot on the things that i nees help on and the things that i never new that much stuff about.

By: Evan

Evan — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 23:52:25 +0000

I’m glad to read research like this. It’s something else I can show all the people who think I’m crazy or stupid for doing IF.

Speaking of crazy, I began fasting about 8 months ago with a simple one day fast. I found it was easy, and at the time I was also reading about prolonged water fasts, so I decided to try to do a 10 day water fast. I decided to stop on day 8 because I found I was getting irritable and more sensitive to stress. After that, I gradually eased back into eating over the course of 4 or so days. Although I didn’t appear to suffer any ill effects from it, I’m wondering if I did or could have damaged myself seriously.

Now I usually eat (paleo-style) within a four-hour window every day, with maybe 2 days a week of eating nothing. I feel great, have tons of energy, and as Mark L. was wondering, experience no soreness during recovery after exercise, no matter how intense. Yesterday I walked 18 km in a fasted state and today I feel like I could do it again.

Thanks again for this.

By: Metroknow

Metroknow — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 16:21:54 +0000

I don’t have a lot to add, but I just wanted to let you know how much I’m enjoying this series (and your site in general). Your material really is a cut above. I have been skeptical of the value of fasting, but this set of articles really is opening my mind to the idea. The insulin sensitivity is particularly fascinating to me, as logically I felt like it could have gone either way. Great stuff.

By: Mark L.

Mark L. — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 06:34:15 +0000

Anyone else experience a curious lack of soreness while recovering from exercise while fasting? Just curious about empirical evidence… I have also seen the same “lack of allergies” during fasting. (this from a once a day claritin user).

By: Jeff

Jeff — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 14:58:14 +0000

Hey Scott,

Fantastic post, as usual. My experience is consistent with this. I have been doing IF for about 3 months now. I started with skipping breakfast 3 days per week then extended 2 of those to dinner for almost full day fasts. As a result I have noticed a flip flop in the usual immune issues as compared with my wife who, while eating essentially Paleo like me, isn’t doing IF(she tried, got hungry and ate). She has been having allergy issues like we always both had, but I have not. She also recently caught a cold, and I have not had a sniffle. Usually I am the one to get the colds. I am getting more and more convinced that this is a key aspect to diet and fitness overall.

jeff