Field report: Editor Janina tests the Body & Mind fasting cure
Seven days without solid food - but with some ups & downs and a lot of learning: Online and social media editor Janina tested our new Body & Mind fasting cure at home and tells how she felt about it.
As a freelance editor, I have come across the topic of fasting a few times. I knew about the many positive effects of not eating solid food and understood what is going on in the body. But fasting yourself? As a passionate foodie, I didn't dare to do that. Worrying about constantly going hungry, envying others for their food or doing something wrong while fasting was too great.
well! Now I'm sitting here writing an experience report about my 7-day fasting cure. Why did I decide to do this? On the one hand out of curiosity and because I wanted to prove it to myself. On the other hand, because the Body & Mind fasting cure from I·DO was not only developed with a health expert, but is also equipped with all the important information and helpful tools. That allayed my concerns and gave me the security of being able to take sufficient care of my body despite not having to. That's how the all-in-one package ended up in my shopping cart - and a little later at my house.
Such was my fasting experience
After I stowed the juices in my fridge and examined the tools that came with them, I took a first look at the fasting instructions. It first describes what fasting actually is and what the benefits of the cure are – from cleansing the gut to cleansing the mind. In addition, the accessories and their effect and application are described. From now on, the little journal would accompany me for a week and make the cure a lot easier for me.
relief day
Things got serious on a Tuesday morning: the relief day was approaching. I learned from the fasting instructions that this is important to prepare the body and mind for the cure. Because the calorie reduction relieves the burden on the intestines in advance. For this I should take four of the supplied juices today, as well as drink plenty of water and fasting tea. At lunchtime and in the evening there was also a warming vegetable broth.
I spent the day off in the office, which wasn't a problem except for a few stomach rumblings. Hunger was evident in the evening, but the broth made it absolutely bearable. The following defecation with Epsom salt was less pleasant. The solution tastes - as expected - very bitter, but is quickly forgotten with a few large sips and subsequent tea. For the next few hours, I settled in with a hot water bottle and let the Epsom salts do their job. Important: drink a lot!
1st day of fasting
In the morning my gut was still busy with the Epsom salts and I was feeling a little foggy. It is best to spend the first day of fasting at home. A glass of celery juice from the handy 3 liter box gave me an energy boost that made me feel better quickly. I opted for a round of yoga, which felt very good despite a slight feeling of dizziness - also thanks to the invigorating effect of the essential oils supplied. It wasn't until midday that I noticed that I didn't even feel hungry. The discharge the night before was already paying off. Only in the evening did I feel like eating, which could be remedied with a cup of tea with honey. Except for an increased feeling of cold and a slight exhaustion, the first day passed surprisingly easily.
2nd day of fasting
I also started the second day with celery juice , tea and – to my surprise – a pretty good mood. I felt fit, did yoga and went to the office motivated. Unfortunately, I was happy too soon. In the afternoon I got my first low: I had circulatory problems, difficulties concentrating and felt pretty exhausted. I listened to the Fasting Journal's advice and decided to get some fresh air. In fact, I felt a lot better afterwards. After using the scented candle, guasha stone and dry brush in the evening, I fell flat on my bed.
3rd day of fasting
I'm really enjoying my new morning routine now: getting up, pulling oil, using a tongue scraper, drinking celery juice, and moving around. Yesterday's low was almost forgotten again. In general, I noticed that I needed less sleep and felt lighter. The third day passed without any major problems and I was also able to concentrate better on work. I didn't think much about food, only an occasional twinge in my stomach reminded me that I hadn't eaten any solid food for four days. To end the day in a relaxed manner, I ran a bath and used the alkaline bath salts, which are supposed to draw out waste products through the skin. Super comfortable and perfect before bed!
4th day of fasting
According to the fasting instructions, my body had arrived at the fasting metabolism by that day at the latest. My stomach was flatter, my circulation stabilized again and my mind (by my standards) was quite calm. Not even the feeling of hunger could change my good mood. With a little broth and plenty of fasting tea, the day was easy to make ends meet. In addition, the Redondo Ball was used for the first time today as part of a Pilates unit - a pretty cool tool that I clearly underestimated!
5th day of fasting
I spent day five relaxing at home and giving my body time to recover. At the same time, I thought about my experiences with the fasting cure – how strong and adaptable our bodies are! I felt good, balanced and a bit "recharged". A nice feeling that I hope I can take with me into my time after the fasting cure.
Build-up day and breaking the fast
Wow, already the last day of the Body & Mind fasting cure! The time went by amazingly fast and I just felt like I had really arrived when it was already coming to an end. Even if I was doing well overall, I noticed the lack of energy and therefore started the day slowly. I was happy that I was able to drink four juices again - not because I was hungry, but because I was looking forward to the taste and to recharge my batteries. To promote my digestion, I paid attention to sufficient exercise and continued to drink a lot of tea. With the last sip, my fasting experience was already over. I proudly and happily filled out the last few lines of my fasting journal - what a great experience!
What did the fasting bring?
A week ago I didn't believe that I would go through the fasting cure without ifs and buts. But thanks to the perfectly coordinated all-in-one package, it wasn't that difficult for me to do without. Sure, there were ups and downs, the stomach rumbled from time to time and the mood fluctuated. Despite everything, the cure was a great experience that cost me a lot of stamina, but gave me just as much.
For me, sticking with it was one of the greatest successes of the fasting cure. It's been a long time since I've pulled through something so adamantly - even though there have been some temptations. So the feeling of pride afterwards is absolutely justified. In addition, the fasting cure broke my previous routines and established new ones. I've learned a few things both in terms of my eating habits and how I treat my body. For example, that hunger is something different than appetite and that you should eat food much more consciously and appreciatively.
Thanks to the accessories like the Guasha stone and the essential oils, I also did a lot for my mental well-being during the fasting cure. In combination with exercise, fresh air and daily meditations, it almost felt like a small retreat. A balanced mind is probably the best.
There were also some physical changes. The scale shows five kilos less and my waist circumference has decreased by six centimetres. Of course, one must not forget that the body loses water during a fasting cure and that the weight usually increases again after the cure. Nevertheless, I not only notice visually that something has changed, I also feel lighter and healthier all around. A bit like I reset my body and did a fresh start.
My conclusion on the Body & Mind fasting cure
I look back on my fasting journey with a proud smile and a good (gut) feeling: The experience was incredibly valuable for me - both physically and mentally. My initial concerns quickly dissipated as I felt taken by the hand by the journal and daily emails from I·DO. The cure was easy to integrate into everyday work (except for the first few days), which was particularly important to me. The big highlight are the many practical tools that round off the package and make the fasting experience a holistic experience.
If you want to challenge yourself and feel like a holistic "reset", the Body & Mind fasting cure gives you everything you need for physical and mental cleansing according to the Buchinger method . All you need in addition are a few fresh lemons, lots of water and a pinch of stamina.
Text: Janina Widhammer-Zintl
