CHOOSING THE RIGHT FAST

The water fast is beautiful in its simplicity. You drink water and only water for the duration of the fast. No food. No juices. No calories. Simply water, allowing the miraculous metabolism of your body to cleanse, detoxify, heal on the deepest physical and spiritual level. It’s something we as human organisms are designed to do. It’s something we need to do in order to maximize health through our lives.

Each length of fast offers its own specific benefits, as described in the articles below:

1
day

water
fast

3
days

water
fast

7-10
days

water
fast

14-40
days

extended healing fasts

As hinted above, water fasts of different duration serve different purposes, both physically and spiritually. Each length of fast also requires its own kind of preparation beforehand, as well as transitioning back to normal eating afterwards. In choosing which fast is right for you, I encourage you to keep these factors in mind. And if you need someone to talk to, I’m here to help!

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10 responses to “CHOOSING THE RIGHT FAST”

  1. Hello, I have a question regarding water fasting. Is it dangerous to do a 7-10 water fast if you are anaemic (low blood iron). Can fasting actually help with anemia? Thank you.

    1. Tallis Barker, D.Phil., Nat.Dip. Avatar
      Tallis Barker, D.Phil., Nat.Dip.

      Hi Minott,
      Thanks for writing. There is certainly a potential danger in doing a 7-10 day water fast if you are severely anaemic. On the other hand, over the longer term water fasting is also likely to help your body regulate the absorption and assimilation of iron at healthier levels. So the devil really is in the detail here! When working with a client, I would want to identify the history, cause and severity of the anaemia. Based on this, we could identify the appropriate length of an initial fast and develop a subsequent fasting protocol.
      Hope this helps,
      Tallis

  2. Do you also coach dry fasts

    1. Tallis Barker, D.Phil. Avatar
      Tallis Barker, D.Phil.

      Hi Tom,
      Yes, I coach dry fasts as well as extended water fasts which include periods of shorter dry fasting. There’s a time and a place for everything!
      All the best,
      Tallis

  3. jeffroth9@gmail.com Avatar
    jeffroth9@gmail.com

    How long can a person fast off everything, including water?

    1. Tallis Barker, D.Phil. Avatar
      Tallis Barker, D.Phil.

      Hi Jeff,
      I’m afraid I’m not sure what you mean here. If you mean how long can a person fast without any intake of solids and liquids (ie dry fasting), then it’s a whole lot longer than the urban myth that we all die after 3 days! I’ve dry-fasted myself for 5 days, coached up to 9-days of dry fasting (which does require special preparation and protocol), and I think the longest dry fasts have been over 14 days when conducted in a clinic. I’d definitely recommend that someone become acclimatised to water fasting before attempting dry fasts of over 2-3 days because of the significantly stronger detox.
      All the best,
      Tallis

  4. Hi.
    There is a non cancerous cyst on my vocal fold from overuse. Is it possible to get rid of it by fasting? If so, how long would be needed to achieve it. Thanks.

    1. Tallis Barker, D.Phil. Avatar
      Tallis Barker, D.Phil.

      Hi Andriy,
      Thanks for writing. Yes, fasting can definitely heal (autophagise) cysts, and I see this frequently among my clients. However, it’s very difficult to predict how long it would take through fasting. It’s going to depend on your underlying toxic load, the strength of your immune system, as well as all the other issues your body may want to target before getting around to the cyst. It could take anywhere from 7-40 days, which I know isn’t going to help you plan very well. Sorry about that, but it’s the honest answer!
      All the best,
      Tallis

  5. Which fast is best to heal alcoholic liver disease?

    1. Tallis Barker, D.Phil. Avatar
      Tallis Barker, D.Phil.

      Hi Kristin,
      Do you mean what length of fast? As with any chronic condition, it depends on multiple factors: the severity of the case, the other stress factors contributing to your overall toxic load, the strength of your immune system… Without knowing more information about these factors, I’d probably be thinking in the region of 21+ days, which I’ve seen either heal the issue or at least make a significant improvement.
      Hope this helps,
      Tallis

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