Fasting Journal, Day One - Three Square Meals a Day

Yesterday was the first day of my actual fast. The beginning is always the hardest, as they say, and this time it was not any different. The body is still accustomed to digesting the food put into it regularly, so my stomach kept complaining and demanding food with loud grumblings. Such ungrateful chap, not fully appreciating the three meals I offered it.

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

It's a psychological trick, that supposedly is quite important for both body and mind, to follow the daily rituals we are used to, and sit down for a meal three times a day. I don't know the details whether it's best to emulate our own mealtimes, or try to strive for an ideal (and what that would look like). At the Buchinger fast I experienced, it was the classic breakfast in the morning, lunch at midday, and dinner in the evening we followed, every single day throughout the fast.

Hold On! Didn't You Say You Were Fasting?

That's right, and listening to my stomach, it would certainly agree that my meals did not include much food. However, they did supply valuable nutrients to make the fast easier.

For breakfast I had a cup of tea, a little bit of honey, and some lime juice. They actually go quite well together, and each has its own benefits. The honey regulates the blood sugar, so you won't suddenly pass out from fasting. It's important to limit yourself to a tiny amount, as otherwise you'll get hungry. Normally after the first 24 hours the body switches over to digesting itself (just to keep itself alive) and as it stops relying on the stomach for food, it will stop grumbling too. That is until you start putting food into it, or more than a tiny spoonful of honey, anyway.

The lime juice (or lemon if you will, but I'm in Mexico) is also important for the pH of the body. Have you ever felt that nasty sour taste in your mouth if you haven't eaten for a while? That's exactly what the lime makes go away. Unlike the honey it can be taken various times a day. In fact, you may mix all your water with lime juice. Why not?

The other thing you can keep drinking all day long if you want, is tea. But be careful! Not every type of tea is suitable for the fast. Fruit teas are generally too sweet, and just like the excessive honey, will keep you starving for food. Actual tea tea, that is green tea, black tea, or any infusion of the tea plant has toxins that you may not want. Though this last part is up to debate, as I know people who find nothing wrong with it. Some even drink coffee during the fast. Sure, whatever! I bought a bunch of dried chamomile flowers, which make a delicious fasting tea, but I have had nettle tea, ginger tea, and infusions of other fine herbs before. A bit of experimentation is worth it, if only to treat your taste buds to some flavor.

Veggie Broth for Lunch and Dinner

This part has the biggest room for creativity, and it is possible to create extremely delicious broths out of the right vegetables... or also truly disgusting ones! And even for someone like me, who considers himself to be quite decent at combining tastes, this can be quite a challenge. That's because the usual rules don't apply: salt is taboo, of course, and so is any type of added oil. Also, be careful about the choice of veggies: For example, potatoes are too starchy, and tomatoes too sweet.

So you have to rely on the veggies to supply all the flavor, which can be a hit or miss. Carrots and parsnips make a truly vile concoction, no matter how long you boil them. But add a bit of cabbage and some parsley and we're in business. It's okay to cook the veggies long and well, to get all the minerals out. Then you strain the roughage out of it, and you got yourself some lunch and dinner.

It's true though, not all the veggie broths in the world can hold a candle to the delicious recipes your mind comes up with during a fast. Towards the end, you'll get tired of even the best vegetable combinations, but don't despair. Pulling through is really worth it, because afterwards food will be more delicious than you could have imagined in your wildest dreams... even the dreams conjured up by the fast.