I don’t know if this is the right place for this or not. If not kindly move it or tell me where to put it. Thanks

If the medical benefits of fasting aren’t supposed to really kick in fully for 3+ days of water fasting this is something I want to try. I can do 48 hours easily enough I should be able to do 72 – 96. I’d be extremely interested in any and all information from people that have done fasts 3 days plus? There haven’t been a lot of studies on this that I’ve been able to find and not much rational discussion either.

In the long distant past (when I was young and dinosaurs still roamed the earth) I would dry fast for 24 hours frequently/regularly 2 – 4 times per month on average but never less than two per month. (religious/spiritual) I did this for years. Yes my health was good and I had no underlying medical conditions. I was light for my size 5ft 7in @ 125lbs lean but also extremely fit and active.

Several times I’d done 3 day dry fasts; I don’t recommend this to anyone! 1) it is extremely hard on the mind; emotional turmoil and crying jags can be the least of your issues. 2) If you have any underlying medical conditions you can be in for a disaster.

Only do a dry fast of any duration after first discussing it with your Dr. or medical professional and you must have someone sane, rational, and knowledgeable checking on you. You may have to search to find a Dr. that knows anything about the subject.

Now all these years later I’m not fit and the 232lbs on my frame makes me look a lot like the marshmallow man. I do have considerable medical problems COPD, heart conditions, blood pressure, blood sugar, inflamed joints, and the list goes on.

Due to my prior fasting experience the 5:2 eating plan felt like a great fit. (I refuse to call it a 5:2 diet as diets don’t work or not for long I’m proof I think I tried them all) I chose 5:2 for the potential medical benefits. Weight loss is just a bonus if it happens. Yes I had my Dr look at it and got his opinion and he couldn’t find anything wrong with it for me. (Please note that’s me not you, my being approved by my Dr doesn’t cover you. Get your Dr to check out the 5:2 eating pattern and the fit to your medical condition.)

For me I’m only in the third week on the 5:2 eating pattern but the medical benefits I’ve incurred are unbelievable and I have to keep shaking my head and seriously wondering if they are real or just in my mind. At any rate I am feeling better than I have in near to 20 years.

So 72 – 96 hours water fasting for medical health benefits any one with any experience or know where to find accurate information?

I’m not doing 5:2 eating pattern for weight loss. If weight loss happens that’s a pure bonus. (I know that it has)

The health benefits of fasting is what I am aiming for and I’ve found numerous benefits already. I’m looking now to expand and build on the benefits I’ve gotten from limited fasting, 36-48 hours. Longer fast times from 3 to 5 days are for health only (or spiritual reasons)

Thanks for the link to the Harper’s article all the links I could find to it were dead.

Much of what I find on fasting for 3 days plus is “spiritualism” and way too much is just …. well not for me.

Reasonable and rational discussion I can handle becoming a part of the wind, clouds, and rain….. well I’m not looking for that.

A 3 day dry fast is about as tough as I’d hope any fast to be and with my present medical conditions it is not something I’d undertake without medical supervision. Water fasting is a whole other thing supervision after 2 days is recommended.

Long term fasting greater than 48 hours is not something I take lightly. I find 48 hours easily obtainable though cooking for others during it does make me hungry but that is a mind thing as truly I’m not hungry. After a day I don’t really feel hunger and I can easily ignore it during day 1.

Eating a little each day during a fast is torture to me. It just keeps me hungry longer and my mind on food. If I know I’m not going to eat I can push it aside.

Yes this link worked all the other links I’d found to the Harper’s article were dead.

Great read and lots to think about. It would have been great if he’d had a blood panel done before and after he’d reached his goal.

The evidence on the benefits of fasting goes back into the 1880’s I can’t help wonder why so many Docs are dead set against it and more so why they won’t even look into it with an open mind. I guess I’m lucky with my present Doc as he looked over everything I took him and did other research on his own.

I do wonder what he’ll say when I talk to him about a 3 then 4 then 5day fast though. I’m thinking try 3 consecutive one month, have a blood panel then 30 days after the conclusion try 4 day and have a blood panel, then 30 days after try a 5 day and have a blood panel.

or jiggle everything a bit and work the 5 day into the Easter long weekend when I’m off work for 4 days and have the panel done first thing Tuesday morning.

More thinking and investigation is required.

A year in an update on this.

I am now doing 5:2 which is basically stop eating after supper on Sunday and don’t eat until Supper on Tuesday so a good solid 36+ hours.

Please note the following can be dangerous and I don’t recommend anyone try it. If you’re going to get full medical assessment and a Dr that knows what you are doing.

In addition once per month I fast for 5 days water only. I will NOT recommend this for anyone. I’ve now done 11 of these. The first few were a totally terrible experience and I mean HORRID. Day 3 was almost the breaker, headaches so bad I couldn’t move hardly, emotional swings, lethargy, mental confusion, sweats and tremors. (don’t attempt to work when these signs hit and don’t drive!)

The 3rd day seemed to last a week, on day 4 things cleared a lot, and day 5 was just feeling slightly hollow but my mind was clear as it could be. This happened through the 3rd fast. After that while I would be somewhat foggy I haven’t encountered anything worse since.

I’ve now settled on a pattern of starting a 5 day water fast after supper on first Tuesday of the month and I’ll fast until Sunday evening. I break the fast with 1/2 cup of homemade Greek style yogurt with cooked diced peaches, Apple Juice or Juiced celery, carrots, tomatoes and a Vegetable broth with a 1/4 cup of lentils. I will eat twice on Sunday evening about 3 hours a part. I will eat normally Monday through Wednesday and start 5:2 again on Wednesday evening after supper until Friday evening Supper.

Has it helped me? I wanted the 5 day fast for more medical benefits. My blood panels were all great from just doing 5:2. I had improved significantly. No longer border line diabetic, blood cholesterol fantastic, blood pressure down to low normal and blood pressure meds were cut by 2/3rds. All medications usage dropped from 15 different pills to 5. That was just doing the 5:2. I wanted more.

I did get some measurable improvement. Not huge but there. How I feel, which can’t be measured, is off the wall. My mind hasn’t been this clear since I was in my early 40’s. I have may more energy and I can move a lot easier my arthritis progression has almost stopped as observed by X-rays. However the pain from it has almost disappeared and can be controlled with a couple over the counter aspirin, Ibuprofen,or other OTC med.

I can’t say that these improvements wouldn’t have happened by only adhering to the 5:2 patter of eating. I suspect they would have come close in the measurable blood panels. I don’t think the mental clarity,and acuity would be as far along but then I don’t know for sure. All I know for sure is I feel better than I have in 23+ years and I have a much great enjoyment and joy in me than I have had for a long time.

Weight loss as side effect has been a great added bonus throughout but that would have continued if I’d only done the 5:2 pattern of eating. The 5 day fast just accelerated that a bit. Not as much as you might imagine though. I will continue on with this for the foreseeable future.

Again the 5:2 eating pattern works and I can’t recommend changing that to anyone. Follow 5:2 and you won’t go wrong. Anyone who tries extended fasting in anyway faces risks and your emotional health and well being may be the least of these. Don’t believe half of what you may read on extended fasting on the internet. A case in point here in my small town a woman tried a 6 day water fast she read on the net and on day 5 attempted suicide by slashing her wrists. The fast or her own mental issues? I can’t say all I know is for me the first 3 fasts I became exceedingly emotional on day 3-4

My suggestion just follow the 5:2 pattern of eating it works and there are great medical benefits to be had from it alone.