IMPORTANT NOTE
Talk to your doctor before fasting, especially if you have a health condition, or have had one in the past. Do not fast if you have an elevated vata, or you are pregnant, nursing, or underweight.
Fasting means giving up solid food in order to eliminate accumulated toxins and cleanse the system. It is a wonderful method of keeping healthy and activating self-healing.
Fasting gives rest to the stomach, intestines, and digestive organs. It cleanses and rejuvenates the body, removes blockages, relieves agni, and gives energy. Physically, your system gets an entire overhaul. Fasting will help you to develop strong willpower and enable you to concentrate better: it will also allow you to experience clarity.
During a fast, drink plenty of hot water, herbal teas, or light broth. Don’t do strenuous mental or physical work during any fast lasting 24 hours or longer. If you get nauseous, drink water mixed with a little lemon juice. Be careful not to give in to cravings or to overeat. If this happens, the best remedy is to fast again.
Break any fast that is longer than a day gradually, over the same duration as the fast. Reintroduce vegetable soup, diluted fruit juice, or coconut water first, three to four times daily for one-quarter of the length of the fast. Then, if your fast was longer than 3 days, continue with a diet of mainly fruit and cooked vegetables for the next few days.
16
HOURS
If your lifestyle or constitution doesn’t allow for long fasts, this easy version is highly beneficial, especially when done on a regular basis.
Have a light lunch and then skip dinner or breakfast. This ensures a roughly 16-hour period of not eating solid foods.
24
HOURS
During a 24-hour fast, drink hot water, hot agni drink (for increased kapha or if there is ama), or hot, light vegetable broth.
If it is too difficult to sustain the fast, you can mix the juice of 2–3 fruits with water, or drink 1–2 glasses of freshly pressed carrot juice with a drop of oil.
Alternatively, try a 24-hour fruit fast. Any juicy fruit apart from bananas, mango, or grapes will be beneficial.
2–3
DAYS
You can fast for as long as 2 or 3 days on your own, provided you are careful to break the fast slowly by gradually introducing light and soupy foods at the end of the fasting period.
A fast can vary in length from 16 hours to a few days. Seek the guidance of an expert if you wish to fast for longer than 2–3 days.
IMPORTANT NOTE
Talk to your doctor before fasting, especially if you have a health condition, or have had one in the past. Do not fast if you have an elevated vata, or you are pregnant, nursing, or underweight.
EXPERIENCE FOR VATA
People with elevated vata should not fast. Those with a lot of vata who are strong and healthy may start with a 16-hour fast.
EXPERIENCE FOR PITTA
People with a lot of pitta benefit from fasting, as long as they are healthy, but may find it challenging to their active metabolism.
EXPERIENCE FOR KAPHA
Those with a lot of kapha in their constitution benefit most from fasting and should fast on a regular basis—ideally once a week.