Top 10 Important Facts About Dry Fasting You Must Know – Hey guys!. In this post, I’ll be discussing a list of Top 10 Important Facts About Dry Fasting You Must Know. Fasting has been around for thousands of years, and for a long time was mostly practiced for religious or cultural reasons. In recent years, though, fasting has become a popular thing to try because of its health benefits.
Dry fasting has become really popular in the health community, and is different from most fasts because you aren’t able to take in water during it. Before you worry about learning how to dry fast, though, it’s important to know the risks, benefits, and more general knowledge about it.
That’s why today we are going to be breaking down what is dry fasting is and how to do it, as well as some facts that we think are essential to know before trying it for yourself. So let us count down the list.
1. How it started
It’s impossible to fully appreciate what dry fasting is without knowing why it came about in the first place. Dry fasting is a key component for devout Muslims during Ramadan, and it is one of the most common practices that involve intermittent dry fasting.
Another religion that utilizes dry fasting is Judaism, where it’s practiced during Yom Kippur traditionally. While many people have become interested in dry fasting as a way to stay healthier, it’s important to note the origins of the practice, and why it started in the first place.
2. What makes a dry fast unique
During intermittent fasting, you are actually able to take in liquids during the fasting period if they don’t have any calories. A hard dry fast, however, doesn’t allow for you to take in any liquids while you are fasting, as the name suggests. Because you are introducing another variable to the mix, it’s important that you keep tabs on your body while you dry fast, as there are more things that can go wrong.
Dry fasting is arguably the most extreme form of fasting that you can take part in, and also one of the most dangerous if things go wrong. If you do everything right and listen to your body, though, you will also find that it has some of the clearest health benefits too.
3. Soft dry fasting versus hard dry fasting
There are multiple ways to go about a dry fast, each with their own benefits and drawbacks. A hard dry fast is the more demanding of the two, as it has more rules that define it. When you soft dry fast, you are still able to do things like take a shower, maintain a skincare routine, or brush your teeth with water.
Basically, a hard dry fast prevents you from being in any contact with water during the fasting period, which for some people can last multiple days. Because of this, there are things that you should consider doing, like getting toothpaste that doesn’t require water, or to try to see how you can keep your face clean without needing water.
A soft dry fast doesn’t require this added step of preparation, but some people can find it harder interacting with water and still being unable to drink. It’s ultimately up to you which seems like the better choice for you.
4. How it works
Now that we have gotten some of the technicalities out of the way, one big question remains: how does it work? And what are the dry fasting benefits that we have been hinting at? Well, essentially our body is forced to begin burning fat when it is starved of water for long enough, which is particularly useful if you are trying to lose weight.
This is because our body is literally forced to use every energy source it has stored up in order to keep us moving, and so by dry fasting we are able to push it to burn all that stored fat. Many studies show that pesky fat, like that around our thighs or stomach, can be even more effectively burned by fasting than exercise alone.
5. Dry fasting can have unexpected health benefits
When you look at the dry fasting results after you’re done, you are going to get more than just some weight loss to show for it, as your immune system will also be boosted by the fast too. Since our bodies are forced to be even more efficient than usual, they seem to take stock of things more than when we are eating and drinking regularly.
This is also because our body doesn’t have to deal with the digestion and re-distribution of nutrients that it usually does, and it’s able to clean things up a bit.
This comes in the form of removing damaged cells, which allows your systems to create new healthier ones, strengthening your immune system and possibly lowering your risk of cancerous cells developing as well. Dry fasting also can help reduce general inflammation and promote healthier skin too.
6. Who should avoid dry fasting?
If you are someone who is suffering from any kind of illness then you should probably avoid fasting. The side effects of dry fasting, like tiredness, increased risk of heat stroke, and an overall discomfort during the fast, can affect even the healthiest of individuals, but it becomes more complicated when you are dealing with pre-existing conditions like diabetes, for example.
Pregnant and breastfeeding women are also not supposed to take part in a dry fast, as it can affect their ability to provide nutrients to their children. Some people can have strange reactions to dry fasting, so some nutritionists and doctors will suggest that you visit your physician before starting your fasting journey.
In most cases, however, the dry fasting benefits are enough for physicians to still recommend it unless you are suffering from some kind of illness that would affect your body’s ability to deal with the fast.
7. Dry fasting yields better effects with more attempts
While the research is as of now still rolling in, it has been theorized for years that repeated 24 hour dry fasts can earn you better results as your body becomes better at dealing with the change. A recent study took a look at people fasting that had never done it before compared to people that had dry fasted for Ramadan before, asking both groups to fast and study their vitals afterwards.
The research found that the Muslim group performed much better, both in dealing with the effects of the fast and in that the results of the fast were stronger for them.
There is still more research that needs to be done before we can know for sure how the body is able to adjust and improve following successive dry fasts, but the prevailing theory is that it is better able to anticipate the feeling of being without water or food better.
That allows it to focus more on removing dead cells, inflammation, and making the most of the time by drawing even more from fat reserves for energy.
8. Wounds heal faster
Whether it’s hard or soft dry fasting, your body is better able to help you heal when it is without water. This may not seem like it makes much sense, since our skin is so dependent on water to do its best to mend us. The science has shown, however, that it’s actually more important for wound repair that the immune system is operating at its best than our skin being hydrated.
According to a 2019 report, the increased immune activity helps our body to respond and deal with injuries better than ever, which only confirms a 2012 report done on mice that found similar results. If you are someone recovering from an injury, or find that your immune system doesn’t reliably respond to wounds quickly enough, a dry fast could very well help.
9. A dry fast may affect your ability to exercise
If you are planning on taking a longer fast such as a 24 hour dry fast or longer, you may want to continue your exercise routine during it, but you should be aware that this might be harder than you might think. While some people don’t have any issues, you could find that the lack of nutrients being funneled into your muscles has affected you more than you originally thought.
A lot of people can get tricked into feeling good while resting or going about daily tasks, only to find out that their body bottoms out when they try to run or lift weights. Again, dry fasting affects everyone differently, and so you are more than welcome to try to exercise through one, but be aware when you try it for the first time that things might not be all that easy.
Dry fasting is about the long term benefits, and for many it simply isn’t all that fun when they are going through it. Thankfully, your body does a better job as you continue doing it, but you may find that there are some changes to your routine you have to make in order to continue the fast.
10. You may go through some mental changes immediately following a dry fast
Whether it’s because of the fact you are excited to be able to eat again, proud of yourself for getting through it, or just ready to go back to your regular life again, it’s very possible you exit the fast with a lot of emotions.
It takes a long time to compile psychological information about this sort of thing, but testimonies from people following a fast usually feature some kind of revelation or extra clarity about their lives. Now this doesn’t happen to every single person, but going through the journey of a dry fast definitely seems to affect people’s mindsets in interesting and unique ways.
If you’ve tried a dry fast before, what part was the hardest for you? And the most valuable?
That is it from today’s post on Top 10 Important Facts About Dry Fasting You Must Know. If you do not agree with the points in the post and have some of your own opinions, share them with us in the comments section down below. Keep visiting Real Fitness Soul for more information about Fitness and Health.
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Chandan is the writer of “Top 10 Important Facts About Dry Fasting You Must Know”. Also, Connect with me on Instagram and Facebook.
