I began to practice fasting regularly a few years ago after a nervous breakdown, when my body told me it didn’t want any food for a few days. I ended up eating one meal a day for 10 days in all but had no idea that I was boosting my immune system as a result.
After that fast my relationship with food and drink was dramatically different: my cravings had disappeared, I wasn’t interested in sugary foods, alcohol smelled toxic to me and I wanted more animal fats and proteins.
I wasn’t hungry and could go far longer without meals – in fact the number of meals I was eating reduced naturally from 5 or 6 a day down to 2 or 3. I was no longer thinking about food morning, noon and night.
Of course I went off the rails again when stressful times hit but fasting had become a feature in my life. I tried 1, 3-, 5-, 7-day water asts and even a 21-day water fast but more importantly made intermittent fasting part of my daily life.
I’m now more of a time-restricted eater, in that I fast for around 20 hours a day. My body feels better when I go for longer without food – I have less cravings, more energy and better mental clarity.
