I am now certain that the ketosis state of fasting arrived this time almost immediately. In that phase, the body has settled into a ‘cave-man’ mode that can sustain it until the hunting and foraging delivers more food. For people of typical USofA lifestyle, that takes about four days on a diet of water only.
I am now into Day 3.
My bowel purged Saturday (Day 1). The low-grade fever that I have experienced around bed-time with every fast I undertook also began Saturday – which surprised me for arriving so soon. By Sunday my recently chronic congestion was reduced. I was somewhat disbelieving that I could be in the healing phase of ketosis THIS EARLY.
Today, however, I am now very definitely noticing health improvements. The systems our bodies use to expel attackers has calmed down. I have hardly any congestion, flem in my bronchia. The ‘sand’ in or around my eyes that has been present every morning for many weeks was not there this morning. That particular discharge of bad guys is apparently no longer needed. Ditto with the ever-present sinus congestion and related crust. The swelling in my lymph nodes is distinctly reduced.
Okay. This sense of hunger is worth the ride.
Speaking of that, yesterday afternoon and evening was a rough one. Oh how I wanted to EAT.
Have another hit on your water bottle, Ted.
… still there …
Then one of the lovely church ladies arrived with a fresh, hot batch of brownies to “help feed us” while Missy continues her recovery, rehabilitation from the back injury and from the corrective surgery two weeks ago. I crossed the ice sheet through the gate to the road and back inside – carrying fresh brownies transmitting their loving warmth to my hands and wafting their enticing aroma right into my face. Aaauugh!
I made it. Missy stashed the brownies where I would no longer see or smell them. Bless her.
I remembered this morning The Other Factor driving what we think of as I’M HUNGRY! Our circadian rhythms include programming in when we normally eat. That is how after several weeks of skipping, and missing lunches, we no longer craved them… even to the point of being able to sit with people eating the normal, expected ‘American lunch’ and being happy with a glass of water as a social drink. That trick sure saves time and money during our big city big box Missoula runs.
Somehow the tired feeling and evening low-grade fever arrived without me breaking my fast. More water and off to Dreamsville.
What makes all of the above noteworthy is not the healing aspects of fasting that I have documented previously, but that I entered that phase almost immediately. I most certainly did not expect that, but am very grateful. It means less time of deliberate, conscious deprivation.
How did I make myself so ready for this fast?
Since at least my last one, perhaps quite a bit longer, we have converted to no lunches, but very late breakfasts around 10 or 11 – more a brunch, but it literally is the meal that breaks our fast from the evening before. Our next meal comes about 7 hours later, then sometimes snacks and off to bed. That is a textbook “Intermittent Fast”, which is quite a bit easier than a full-on water fast, but does deliver some of the benefits.
The other factor is that we eat primarily paleo, with low carbohydrate intake and concentration on protein, fat, vegetables and fruit. As far as I know, THAT’S IT.
Perhaps my body has been in and out of ketosis daily for at least 8 months and quite ready to turn back to that mode on very short notice.
That seems to make my Super-Tool into a Super-Dooper-Tool.
Prepper Power Personified!
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This website is a gift to my community from a pensioner dedicating a bit of his life attempting to help preserve humanity, integrity, honor and liberty – a world under attack. If I help one person find our side of the rampart, or help the resolve of one who found it via another path, my time and money have been well spent.
You can show your gratitude and support via credit card, Paypal or, if you can figure out how, send a tip my way in meat space.
Thank you, Ted Dunlap