Today I am covering everyone’s favorite topic, water fasting, just kidding! Water fasting is not necessarily a new method, but it has garnered many naysayers and believers. Many videos circulating on YouTube describe water fasting as an easy method to get glowy and clear skin. Every day there is a new article on the latest skincare trends, what you can do to achieve clearer and healthier skin, the latest skincare products to try, and even D.I.Y tricks to do at home.
After a certain amount of time, it all starts to feel gimmicky. No one knows what works for sure and it seems like there is no point in trying anything new. Water fasting sounds like a great idea in theory but how sustainable is it in the long run? Is it really good for you? Can it really improve your skin? Well, I am about to answer all of your dire questions, starting with the most important one of all.
Water fasting is a time period when a person eats no food and drinks only water. Yes, you heard me, that means no iced coffee, no tea, or any other food, you only consume water. How intense water fasting can be depends on the individual. It can last only for 24 hours all the way up to a week. While this may sound extreme to some, people undertake water fasting for religious, health, and personal reasons including skincare. We often hear that the key to great skin is drinking lots and lots of water and this fasting method is no exception. Many times when you are trying to clear up your skin you are told to change your diet.
As someone who had acne-prone skin in high school, I gave up dairy, soda, and candy and began drinking more water and I saw a huge difference. Intermittent detoxes are normally used for bodily health and weight loss but in this case, can truly transform your skin. What you eat or in this case, what you don’t eat, can easily benefit your skin health.
Many people fast from food for hours, days, and even weeks to cleanse their mind and body from food toxins and it also has many therapeutic effects. During a water fast, toxins that enter the body from the food you normally eat are flushed out of our system. With no food to digest, the energy required for digestion is preserved and is focused on other processes. This allows toxins to be expelled from the body at a faster rate. Mental clarity, reduced headaches, and lower blood pressure are all positive results of our bodies being cleansed of toxins.
Research shows that water fasting has a long list of benefits such as
And of course, healthier skin, since water fasting improves blood circulation and tones the skin. Because of the increased consumption of water during a water fast, the skin is more hydrated and able to heal and renew itself faster. It also helps to heal scars faster and help with problems such as acne and eczema. If you are looking to cleanse your skin as well as your body, this could be a great method to try to boost the condition of your skin. Since this fast can be quite jarring for most people, it is suggested that people start slow, like just for 24 hours. Once you feel comfortable enough you can start surpassing 48 hours.
If you are preparing to do a water fast, you must spend a couple of days preparing your body. Doing things like eating smaller portions of food will help your body transition into just intaking water for three days straight instead of eating hefty meals and completely cutting your body off without any transition. It is common to be craving food because your body is not used to going long hours without food especially if you are someone who does not practice fasting and detoxes regularly.
You may experience some discomfort and withdrawal symptoms such as headaches and tiredness towards the beginning of the fast. Some people may feel too weak or dizzy during their fast so they avoid doing things that require a lot of their energy like doing extreme workouts or operating very heavy machinery. When people are doing water fasts they drink twice as much water as they would do on a regular day (people normally drink two to three liters of water). It also makes sense to make sure you double on your hydration by drinking alkaline water or water that contains electrolytes like Smart Water.
If you have certain conditions it is recommended you do not surpass three days without medical supervision like gout, eating disorders, and if you are pregnant as it can cause some health issues or worsen existing conditions. However, extending your water fast up to 5 days can only help your body become more accustomed to the fast. The more your body becomes used to the water fast the better the results will be for your skin. When you end a water fast you should resist the urge to eat a big meal, just as you ease your way into your fast you should ease your way out of it. Starting with drinks like lemonade or juice and soft foods like soups or oatmeal.
From my findings, water fasting is Mirra approved. While there are some precautions you should take as this might not be the best route for everyone. I found that there are a lot of benefits to water fasting if you take the right approach and listen to your body. If you are also looking for a new method to help enhance both your skin and body this is a good way to practice your discipline, focus and you may learn something new about yourself. Taking a photo of your skin before you start the fast and after will be a great way to determine if this fast helped improve any of your skin concerns like unevenness in your skin, texture, acne, redness. Maybe you can see if you get one of those post-water-fast skin glows that everyone’s raving about.
Written by Ananda York
SOURCES:
