My ongoing love affair...

Dear...you,

Around one year ago, a new me was born. As I am a very complex being, this means lots of things. But now I just want to focus on one aspect that I enjoy every now and then, a treat that I learned how to give to myself: my monthly water fasting routine.

So yeah, what happens is that once every month, I stop eating for a few days hehe. This cleansing process has made such an impact in my life that I decided to dedicate an entire article to it and praise its’ wonders. For me this is not about losing weight or simply the lack of food. It is much greater than that. It is alignment, it’s intention, it’s purpose and clarity. I fast not to empty my stomach but to fill my soul.

This last month I had my first 5 days water fast and what other better way to celebrate it than to share my experience with anyone that is interested in learning about the real feel of this practice.

Before walking you through the actual sensations, I would like to emphasize that I do not recommend trying this directly, without practice nor guidance. I had both. On one side my best friend and health coach that shared lots of valuable knowledge as well as her time (we fasted multiple times together). And additionally, I started progressively. At first one day, then 2 and only then 3.

Now why am I saying this? Well because I also had absolutely no idea about all the things I am going to tell you in this article, prior to my “training” with my coach. Probably most people also do not. Water fasting can only achieve its peak if done properly. There are many little things that can stop autophagy even if you are not actually eating anything. You will not reap the benefits of the process; you will end up having just a “caloric” fast.

So what is the “correct” way to water fast?

The answer is, of course, it depends. If you are a woman you need to see in which monthly phase you are as if we force our body to do something it dislikes, no good can come out of that. Cortisol can, however. Therefore, never in the luteal phase. If you are a man, you’re fine, of course. As usual, men don’t have any issues haha.

Another important aspect is measurement. We do not just stop eating and then start eating and that’s it. It’s actually a carefully curated process. We need to know our markers constantly, aside from assessing our general health condition. So if anything bad happens…and trust me, it can…such as nausea, headache, metallic taste, dizziness, etc etc…then you stop right away. We do not want to push ourselves further than we should go at that moment. There are these tiny machines that measure several markers but the most important ones are ketosis and glucose. We want to make sure these values don’t go crazy as maybe we’re not feeling anything but the body is spiraling. If we are in the danger zone (glucose is too low or keto is too high) we also need to stop or risk ending up in the hospital.

Keeping yourself hydrated and avoiding getting your minerals depleted is also crucial to a good fast. We can drink water or water with gas (but in a glass bottle please, no plastic), black or green tea (plain, no flavors). Supplements are good and even recommended in these periods such as magnesium and others (I don’t want to bore you with technical terms but if you are curious, let me know and I can share my full list of supporting supplements). Celtic salt is also helpful in the morning to revitalize.

I left mindset last as it is the most important. Our mind is our biggest ally or…foe. Fasting, just like anything in life, can be what we want it to be. It can be a “traumatic” experience that we barely managed to survive or it can be the most amazing few days. We feel what we want, we attract what we believe. So yeah, it can be dreadful actually. It can be felt like a very long suffering with pain and appetite. Or, like in my case, it can be your safe place – a space of reconnection with your truest self; the one you didn’t know was there.

My first 2-3 fasts were done together with my friend. We spent the last 2 days together, in her house, supporting each other as well as spending quality time. I was lucky as I started by loving the process. This is one of the main conclusions: connection. Connection is so important both in life as in fasting. It is one of the key factors to longevity and the spark that keeps us alive. No matter how hurt we are or were, how much we care to admit or not, connection is the only thing that really matters and the force of life. Work does not matter, money does not matter. The house, the car, the yacht…nothing matters if you are alone. Imagine being a billionaire, having a huge mansion with multiple wings, dozens of rooms, art collections, land, the most expensive cars in the world, literally any item you could think of multiplied by 100….but having no one to share them with, having nobody to laugh or to give you a big hug when life gets hard and you are feeling down.

But this is a story for another time. Now back to fasting: connection in fasting is a game changer. A fasting buddy can help you get through those days much easier and quicker. It will be about quality time spent together, about memories, not about having an appetite for a cake or a steak. Find a fasting buddy or a fasting retreat and enjoy this wonderful experience with others. You won’t regret it.

Next: the “health” implications. Fasting does wonders for the body. It is so incredible and interestingly enough, almost nobody knows its real power as there is no marketing about something free and good for us…shocker…

It slows down aging, reboots your metabolism, lowers systemic inflammation and even creates new stem cells and neuronal paths. I am now going to hand it over to my good friend, Chatty (Chat GPT) to quickly explain as he does it better than me. Here we go:

“12–16 hours – Your body begins switching from glucose to fat for energy. Insulin levels drop and fat-burning (lipolysis) starts.

18–24 hours – Glycogen stores are depleted. The body enters mild ketosis, producing ketones as an alternative fuel. Cellular repair mechanisms begin activating.

24–36 hours – Autophagy intensifies: your body starts breaking down old, damaged cells and proteins. Inflammation decreases.

48 hours – Growth hormone levels surge. Insulin sensitivity improves. Deeper fat stores are used for energy. Mental clarity often increases.

72 hours (3 days) – Autophagy peaks. Stem cell regeneration begins, especially in the gut and immune system. White blood cells are recycled and replaced.

4–5 days – Regeneration of neuronal stem cells is triggered. Your body reaches a deeper state of metabolic reset and healing.”

Impressive right? So basically, your microbiome gets a fresh start. After this, you can be anything you want. Erase and start over. That’s why breaking the fast is extremely important. We do not want to give garbage to the body after this cleansing process. This is the chance for a fresh (literally) start. Re-feeding is done in steps and there is an entire science behind this as well starting from what to eat, when to eat it and how.

I mentioned many important parts of the process but I left intention for the grand finale. My first water fast was about trying out something new. However, starting with the second one, my coach explained how intention works and I started setting an intention for each fast. And it was amazing. Now it’s not just a period anymore, it becomes a story. A brief moment in time when it’s just you with you. This practice is so powerful that it can literally redefine you. Intentions can be whatever you feel you need – positive or negative. Sometimes maybe it’s about happiness and love while some other times it’s about stopping negative thoughts or stopping some toxic behavior. Regardless, setting an intention for each fasting help you enter the story – your story – and perceive the period as a chapter rather than a nuisance.

Before I go through the feelings I had in this last experience, I want to make sure I mention the incredible synergy that fasting helps you achieve with your body. Before, I never listened to it, I had no clue it can be so autonomous, so impressive, so magnificent. After learning to listen to my body, I now know what I need to do, when I need to do it and how. It is like a beacon of light that helps me navigate life much more easily than ever. Last month I wanted to try out the 5 days fast but my body said no. It was tired and stressed out from too much work. It signaled me after the first 2 days and I listened and stopped. It was the first and only time I couldn’t finish my 3 days fast. But it doesn’t matter. This is what it needed and I followed. This month however, it was on a roll. It helped me carry out the most impressive 5 days fasting that I never thought I could have.

There was no hunger, no stress, no fatigue, nothing. Just pure joy, calm, active reset. My first 3 days were regular. I am used to that by now. It is also used to it and, like anything else, it gets easier in time. If done multiple times, the hunger and the appetite go away. I remember in my first fastings I used to save so many recipes. I would literally think about food nonstop haha. Now this is completely gone.

But my oh my…what happened in day 4. Just before I hit the 72h mark, I felt an explosion inside. It was like a cellular atomic bomb. You would have to experience it to understand but I can only say…WOW! Suddenly it was like I was on fire. I have no idea how drugs feel like but this would probably be close to it I guess. A rush of clarity, energy, positivity….light….

I was simply…more….all of a sudden. No hunger, no fatigue, just pure glowing energy. I literally felt I was radiating it through my every cell. And then day 5 started to settle down. Same energy, same clarity, but peaceful perfection now. That adrenaline slowed down and I was able to enjoy a relaxing, regenerative last day.

For me, fasting became my ritual of stopping the noise. Of connecting to both myself and a higher force. It is about becoming better, stronger. About achievement, setting and reaching goals, experiencing new feelings and letting go. Giving up control so that you can follow what the body needs and not what the mind thinks. Being grounded in my truest self. With no makeup, no food, no toxic fragrances or chemicals. Just regeneration. Re-building myself constantly into a better self. A better version of what life can be. I’m not saying it’s easy or always enjoyable. Sometimes it was hard and I was not even sure I’d make it. But it does help you know your limits and work together with your body instead of against it.

And…why not…re-write your limits, your boundaries. So if we can re-write our genes and literally form new neural connections, new stem cells, what is stopping us from re-writing our lives? For me, the answer became clear after my water fasting experience: nothing! Nothing can stop me from building whatever I dream about.

And I truly wish the same for you too!

With love,

Di🌞