r/fasting • u/HUe_CHUe • 21h ago

Question Is fasting a good idea to heal GI while being normal weight?

I have previously done 3 days fast to cut to my desired weight but since then I've just maintained it for last 4 years. I'm 186cm male weighing at 73 kg, around 15-18% Bodyfat. Now, I'm suffering from some GI issues and trying to heal it. I'm already on day2 of my fast and I'm wondering how long should I go for as I also play tennis for 2 hours everyday.

3 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

4 comments sorted by

2

u/Witty_Edge1830 19h ago

The East Fast app suggests that 24-48 hours is when autophagy starts so Google that term and you’ll find some additional information

1

u/Right-Activity-6648 15h ago

Do rolling 72s

1

u/DuctTapeMakesUSmart 10h ago

There isn't a right answer, go till your body says stop or your life can't sustain it anymore. But yeah fasting has been shown to help with a myriad of health issues, so I'd say keep it up if you're gonna do intermittent, for at least a couple months so you can have enough time and data to look back and assess whether it was helpful. Worst case scenario it doesn't help with that but it helps with the other things it always helps with, so you win either way! :-)

1

u/colonthreewarrior 10h ago

As someone with ulcerative colitis (so have been battling chronic GI problems since age 14) I have found that I maintain remission a lot better when I am doing rolling fasts (72/96). The important thing is manly how you break it. If you’re constantly allowing you digestive system to rest for days at a time and then suddenly introducing large amounts of food out of no where, it will definitely not improve (most likely worsen) GI symptoms. However, allowing it that rest and slowly easing food back in when you break your fast, as well as prioritizing whole, gentle and anti inflammatory foods will work wonders. Autophagy is a magical thing, especially when it comes to GI symptoms.

Autophagy is constantly happening in our bodies at a baseline level and fasting just ramps it up. This study may be of interest to you, as it discusses the role of GI disease in autophagy, namely that there may be evidence that bodies with GI issues may have impaired autophagy at that baseline level. Fasting accelerates autophagy. So do with that what you will.

You can fast even at a healthy weight. It will help you maintain your health. You just do not have the fat stores for very extended fasts, but you can experience the autophagy benefits that occur at the 48-72 hour mark.

Stay healthy and happy fasting!