#75 How to Reset the Tastebuds

24-Hour Fast

If you are finding it difficult to overcome your cravings for rich foods, one trick is to do a water-only fast.

Fasting for a mere 24 hours can help reset the tastebuds. After just one day, you will find that your desire for healthy foods will have intensified. A bowl of blueberries might not sound so appealing when you’re deep in The Pleasure Trap, but after 24 hours of no food, you may find yourself craving it.

During that day you ideally would be in a state of rest. Fasting experts would advise that you not drive, work, or exercise. You also want to get plenty of water, about 70 to 100 ounces. Don’t spend too much time in the sun, and avoid hot showers. The hot sun and hot water can cause your blood vessels to dilate, in turn causing your blood pressure to lower.

Be careful getting up from a seated or lying down position. One time I had only fasted for a mere 24 hours, and I passed out after getting up too quickly from my bed. This was due to my blood pressure dropping too much. When I got up, there wasn’t enough blood flow to my head. Passing out was my body’s way of saving itself: by becoming horizontal, my body could quickly get oxygen-rich blood to my brain. You can avoid fainting by sitting up slowly, lifting your knees alternatively like you’re riding a bike on the side of the bed you’re lying in or the chair your sitting in (in order to get the blood flowing to the brain), and standing up slowly.

Water-only fasts are best only conducted following a week or two of healthy eating. A person who eats SAD (a Standard American Diet) prior to a fast may find it difficult to pass their stools when they try to refeed after a fast.

Following the above protocols, doctors at TrueNorth Health Center teach that water-only fasts can be safely done by a healthy adult for 24 hours.

However, if you have existing health conditions or are currently taking medication, you would want to first consult a physician who has experience with fasting protocols. Some medications cannot be taken during a fast, and others are taken at a smaller dose. I would recommend getting a consultation with one of the doctors at TrueNorth Health Center in Santa Rosa, California. You can sign up for a phone consultation. It would cost something, but would be well worth the expense.

Of course, there are some individuals who should not fast, such as Type 1 diabetics and pregnant women.

I am writing this article while on my fourth day of a medically-supervised juice fast at TrueNorth Health Center. I have been drinking 4 twelve ounce glasses of celery juice and 2 to 3 twelve ounce glasses of water each day. A bowl of blueberries sounds amazing about now; I’m so looking forward to it.