3 ms·

Just a personal anecdote, but I was getting colds and flu-like symptoms several times per year for years. People I knew often commented on how often I was ill.

by markkat 10y ago

Just a personal anecdote, but I was getting colds and flu-like symptoms several times per year for years. People I knew often commented on how often I was ill. I did a 3-day fast two years ago, and haven't had much more than a scratchy throat for about two days since. It could be coincidence, but other people have noticed and commented on my healthier state. I haven't significantly changed my behavior otherwise.

timmytokyo 10y ago
I'm not doubting that what you say is true, but I wouldn't necessarily draw a simple cause-and-effect arrow between a single fasting event and your improved long-term health. The fact that you even began a fast suggests you became increasingly conscious of your health at that time and were looking for ways to improve it. Perhaps you also decided at that time -- maybe even subconsciously -- that a healthier lifestyle with better eating and sleep habits would be in your interest. In other words, there is a correlation between your fasting event and your improved health, but not necessary a direct causation. This reminds me of the reasoning used by a lot of people who've made the link between autism and vaccines. "My child was vaccinated and shortly thereafter she became autistic!" Yes, but children are also vaccinated around the age when the first signs of autism become apparent. Human minds are incredible pattern-matching machines. Unfortunately, they're so good at it that they often deceive themselves.
pc86 10y ago
It has to be a coincidence. I can't imagine what the health benefits of a single 3-day fast could be that they would be so massive as to change your entire health for years.
- markkat 10y ago
  Quite possibly. However, if I found myself in a similar situation years from now, I would try it again.
- joveian 10y ago
  A change in gut bacteria could potentially do that. However, normally that is quite difficult to change long term. I seem to have a collection of gut bacteria that give me bad gas quite often without sticking to a very strict diet and I found a few months ago that a five day fast reset that as well as antibiotics. However, either way it gradually returns to the way it was (most of the way back after three months). Good to know that three days of fasting helps some people, since that is much easier than five :/.

by markkat 10y ago

timmytokyo 10y ago

I'm not doubting that what you say is true, but I wouldn't necessarily draw a simple cause-and-effect arrow between a single fasting event and your improved long-term health. The fact that you even began a fast suggests you became increasingly conscious of your health at that time and were looking for ways to improve it. Perhaps you also decided at that time -- maybe even subconsciously -- that a healthier lifestyle with better eating and sleep habits would be in your interest. In other words, there is a correlation between your fasting event and your improved health, but not necessary a direct causation. This reminds me of the reasoning used by a lot of people who've made the link between autism and vaccines. "My child was vaccinated and shortly thereafter she became autistic!" Yes, but children are also vaccinated around the age when the first signs of autism become apparent. Human minds are incredible pattern-matching machines. Unfortunately, they're so good at it that they often deceive themselves.

pc86 10y ago

It has to be a coincidence. I can't imagine what the health benefits of a single 3-day fast could be that they would be so massive as to change your entire health for years.

markkat 10y ago
Quite possibly. However, if I found myself in a similar situation years from now, I would try it again.
joveian 10y ago
A change in gut bacteria could potentially do that. However, normally that is quite difficult to change long term. I seem to have a collection of gut bacteria that give me bad gas quite often without sticking to a very strict diet and I found a few months ago that a five day fast reset that as well as antibiotics. However, either way it gradually returns to the way it was (most of the way back after three months). Good to know that three days of fasting helps some people, since that is much easier than five :/.