How Water Fasting Helped Me Reset My Body and Mind

Water fasting - just drinking ONLY water for a period of time might sound extreme in today’s world of constant snacking and endless diets. But when I first tried it around 10 years ago I wasn’t looking for a trendy detox. I was turning to something ancient. For thousands of years, cultures and healing traditions across the world have used fasting to cleanse the body, sharpen the mind and reset the spirit. From Ayurvedic medicine to Greek philosophy and religious practices, fasting has long been seen as a way to restore balance.

When I decided to try water fasting, I approached it with respect and curiosity. I wasn't just chasing weight loss or quick results, I wanted to feel better, mentally and physically. What I experienced surprised me in the best way.

The Physical Shifts

After the initial hunger waves passed, my body began to feel lighter and less inflamed. I later learned that this was partly due to autophagy, a natural process where the body begins to clean out damaged cells and regenerate new ones. My digestion also improved - I felt less bloated, and some lingering gut discomfort faded away.

And yes, I did lose weight, but what mattered more was the sense of balance I regained. My blood sugar felt more stable, my energy was steady, and my cravings drastically reduced once the fast was over.

The Mental Clarity

What really stood out, though, was the clarity. With no food to distract or weigh me down, my mind felt calm, sharp, and focused. There was a kind of quiet alertness that I hadn't experienced in a long time. I also noticed how much of my eating was tied to emotion or habit - not true hunger.

Fasting challenged me, but it also gave me a deeper sense of control and awareness. It helped me reset not just my body, but my relationship with food and even my own thoughts.

A Practice Worth Respecting

Water fasting isn't easy, and it definitely isn't for everyone. It requires preparation, mindfulness, and ideally, medical guidance - especially if you have underlying health conditions. But as a healing tool, it’s powerful. It’s not new. It’s not a fad. It’s a practice rooted in centuries of wisdom that still has relevance today.

If you’re feeling sluggish, stuck, or overwhelmed physically or mentally, water fasting might be worth exploring. For me, it was a reset button I didn’t know I needed. I now do this every few months just to cleanse and detox my body and give it the reset it sometimes needs.

*Disclaimer - If you are trying water fasting for the first time please approach it with caution and ease yourself into it a few days before by gradually decreasing your calorie intake.