How to Maximize Your New Superpower Part 3/3
By Grove Higgins D.C.
So far, we have journeyed through the benefits of fasting, what happens inside your body during a three-day water fast, and the basics of how to do it. Now, it's time to wrap things up and guide you through the final phase—ending your fast and keeping the effects going.
Autophagy and Adaptations: The Magic of Day Three
By Day 3, as we discussed in the previous posts, your body is in full swing with a process called autophagy. Think of this as your cells' deep-cleaning routine, which removes damaged and diseased tissue. Autophagy plays a crucial role in cellular maintenance and repair, and there is a "drag" on your entire body if you aren’t getting to autophagy(1).
But it's not just about cleanup. Your body has also adapted to using fat as its primary fuel source, making it more sensitive to insulin, and improving metabolism. A study in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition explains how switching to fat for energy can lead to improved metabolic rates and better brain function(2). These benefits aren't just short-term gains; they're the kind of progress you'll want to maintain moving forward.
🛒 Dr. Higgins' Recommended Products for Success:
Breaking the Fast: Sustaining the Gains
Successfully transitioning back to regular eating is crucial for maintaining the benefits you've gained during your fast. Two key elements can help you continue reaping those rewards:
• Timing: Morning Matters
Research has shown insulin sensitivity is generally at its peak in the morning when you wake up(3). This means your body is primed to use nutrients more effectively. This may enhance the benefits you've gained during your fasting period by “burning” the sugar your body produces first thing in the morning, which is designed to help you wake up. This can help return you to utilizing fat faster than if you eat later in the day.
• First Meal: High-Fat, Low-Carb, Protein-Rich
Your first meal at the end of your fast should be high in fat, low in carbohydrates, and rich in protein. A perfect choice could be a bone broth mixed with collagen protein and a fat source such as grass-fed heavy cream, butter, or coconut oil. A study published in Nutrients supports the idea that a high-fat, low-carb diet can extend the fat-burning benefits achieved during fasting(4,5).
You'll find this first meal surprisingly satisfying as your taste will be enhanced, and hopefully, your urge for sugar will have reset. Continue with similar meals for the rest of the day, and gradually shift to a low-sugar diet over the next 24-48 hours to sustain your newfound well-being. Soups are amazing meals during this “break-fast” and are generally easy on the stomach.
Armed with this strategy, you're set to prolong the benefits of your three-day fast, transforming short-term gains into long-term lifestyle improvements.
After the Fast: Honing Your New Superpower
Now that you've completed your fast, what's next? You might find that you feel more energized, and you may even lose some weight. But the goal is to develop better health and give you control of your body again. To keep the momentum, strategies like intermittent fasting and low carb diets are extremely effective and should not be hard to make a lifestyle.
Exercise is the next hurdle, but that’s for another post!
**Read this if you want to get ahead of me: https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.01146.2017
Closing and Call to Action
And that's a wrap on our fasting series! If you've found this helpful, make sure to subscribe for more great content. Please share this with friends and family too!
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Until next time, Stay healthy, stay happy!
🛒Helpful Product Recommended by Dr Higgins for Post-Fasting Success:
Bone Broth: https://amzn.to/3sTQOUY Great Lakes Gelatin, Collagen Hydrolysate, Unflavored Beef Protein, Kosher, 16 Oz Can - 4 Pack
Grass-fed Cream: https://amzn.to/3Zocbd8 Maple Hill Creamery 100% Grass-Fed Organic Whole Milk - Ultra Pasteurized USDA Organic Whole Milk – Organic Milk for Toddlers, Kids & Adults, 64 fl oz
Grass-fed Buttery: https://amzn.to/3RtuTyk Maple Hill Creamery Organic Grassfed Unsalted Butter, 8 OZ
High MCT Coconut Oil: https://amzn.to/45VDpKI Keppi Flavorless MCT Oil - C8 and C10 for Keto Diet, Non-GMO, Certified Gluten-Free, Palm Oil Free, 32 oz Coconut Oil
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