What I learnt from 6 days without food
“How long can a human survive without food?”
Was a genuine google enquiry I made in 2018 after talking with a friend who was the personal assistant to world famous magician Criss Angel. She had told me that she’d just completed a 19 day fast consuming only water. I didn’t actually believe her. She reckons Criss has gone up to 44 days without food. Google said “the body can survive for 8 to 21 days without food and water and up to two months if there’s access to an adequate water intake.” I was curious to learn more.
My first fast lasted 4 days. Since then every year around christmas I try and do a prolonged fast. The last one lasted a little over 6 days or 145 hours. Now you might think not eating for 6 days is crazy, but the crazy part is realizing that maybe our modern food consumption is all wrong. The hardest part of a fast is day 1, there might be some whispering of hunger pains, some longing for food. After day 2 that all kind of goes away. After the hunger passes I become clear of mind and paradoxically have more energy. On day 3 of the most recent fast I went for a 5km run and did 100 push-ups. By day 4 my body weakened but my mind was still clear. I was able to be sharp and focused. My sleep scores went way up. By day 5 my senses were so heightened I could smell what the guy downstairs was cooking. My perception levels improved I started being hyper aware of the world around me. The body sharpened to find food. I went to Whole Foods just to experience what it was like to have superhuman senses. It’s a weird experience. When I broke my fast my tastebuds were delighted at the bland soup I had cooked. It was like tasting food again for the first time. My cells welcomed the nourishment and my body had a newborn appreciation for food. There was some inner strength in realizing food was not my boss.
There is a lot to unpack from a prolonged fast. How much does food affect my mood? My thoughts? Where does energy come from? How have I been conditioned to think that I need 3 meals a day to function? Truth is, up until only recently in human evolution has food been in abundance. For the most part of human evolution we’ve been in starvation. Eating when we can and storing food on our bodies until our next available meal. We’ve never had access to so many calories. Yet we are sold the idea that we must eat three meals a day. Plus snacks. Plus drinks. And the rest.
The health benefits of fasting are widely backed by science. Fasting is anti-inflammatory, increases antioxidants, improves insulin control and improves cellular health. When we fast it gives our hard working digestive system a rest. Our gut bacteria resets and our cells self clean, cancerous cells are broken down. Lab tests on rats given a low caloric diet lead to longer lifespan and healthier outcomes. Studies of the oldest living populations in the world like the centurians of Okinawa point towards low calorie diets as at least one key to longevity.
Prolonged fasts aren’t always practical so many people practice intermittent fasting. This can take many forms including taking one day a week off eating or eating in defined time windows. My favorite is the 16–8 protocol. This is only eating during an 8 hour window and letting your digestive system rest for the other 16. For me this just means skipping breakfast and having my first meal around 12pm and not eating after 8pm. There is a great app called ZERO I’ve been using to track my fasts. This has plenty of science backed information and is used by millions of people.
Our bodies are survival seeking machines. We are programmed to find food to survive. The problem is today is our over abundance leads to over indulgence. Slow your roll a little. Skip a few meals here and there see how you feel. Find what works, everything in moderation.
What modern abundance are you perhaps indulging in?
“Pain is a beautiful thing. When you feel pain, you know you’re alive.”
― Criss Angel
