Fasting Cures At A Glance: From Buchinger To Whey Fasting

People have been fasting for many centuries. There is fasting in the Bible, the fasting month of Ramadan in Islam and numerous health trends such as therapeutic fasting, alkaline fasting and many more.

We will give you an overview of the different fasting cures and explain which cure is suitable for whom.

Because Of A Zero Diet

At first, fasting sounds like a lot of deprivation, like austere days that you spend sipping a glass of water while those around you fill their bellies.Well, it's at least half the truth. In fact, when you fast you give up certain things, but it's not always a complete zero diet.

And in the end, if we can believe the experts, the sacrifice will be more than worth it. Fasting is said to bring increased vitality, a few fewer fat deposits and a completely new attitude to life.

What Good Does Fasting Do For Me?

Before we get to the overview of the individual types of fasting, we would like to explain to you why people fast in the first place.

Is there really something to the myth of a completely new consciousness and body feeling or does it fall into the category of advertising promises? Not really, because a fast actually has a lot of effect.

Of course, it will most likely be the case that you will lose weight during the treatment because the body has to quickly use its own fat reserves without regular or very reduced food intake. However, there are completely different effects on the body that are triggered by fasting. 

After a short phase of increased metabolic activity, a real anti-stress effect occurs. The blood flows better and the heart and circulation are relieved. Little by little, the entire organism is protected and can provide you with more energy.

In plain language, this means that it is no longer busy with digestion all the time and instead gives you a portion of energy for your physical and mental activities. That's nice. And if you don't constantly think about what you have to cook today, you also get a free time bonus.

Seriously: Fasting requires willpower and discipline, especially at the beginning, but it gives you a new body feeling, relieves the strain on the organism and trains you to be more mindful of yourself. Very strict and longer fasting regimens should still be supervised by a doctor or at least discussed in detail with the doctor in advance.

Fasting According To Hildegard Of Bingen

Hildegard von Bingen not only knew the natural active ingredients of our local plants, but also developed her own fasting cure. However, the focus here was neither on purification nor detoxification, but rather on inner contemplation, which they believe plays a significant role in inner healing.

It starts with a preparation day where you only eat light food. This is followed by days with reduced, but not completely eliminated, food.The fasting regimen according to Hildegard von Bingen allows around 800 calories a day. These should be filled primarily with vegetable broth with spelled meal, fresh herbs and steamed apples.

The duration can be determined by yourself; individual fasting days according to Hildegard of Bingen are also possible. This fasting cure is particularly recommended for people who want to regain their inner balance.

Therapeutic Fasting According To Buchinger

One of the classic types of fasting comes from the German physician Dr. Otto Buchinger, who opened the first spa facility for therapeutic fasting around 100 years ago.

Here, too, there is a relief day beforehand, which is intended to prepare the body and mind for the fasting cure. In addition, Buchinger relies on intestinal cleansing, which is initiated using Glauber's salt. Once the preservation day is over, the actual fasting period begins.

At Buchinger, only liquid foods are now permitted, specifically vegetable broth, vegetable or fruit juices and herbal teas. A Buchinger fasting day contains just 250 to 500 calories and is therefore usually not offered alone, but with medical support in special fasting clinics. This treatment lasts around five days and ends with the so-called breaking of the fast, during which solid food in the form of an apple is on the agenda again for the first time.

This classic therapeutic fasting cure according to Buchinger sounds austere, but is said to have an extremely positive effect on your general well-being and ailments ranging from rheumatism to migraines.

Alkaline Fasting 

A fasting regimen where eating is allowed – sounds like the ideal beginner tip, right? In fact, alkaline fasting is not fasting in the classic sense, but it calls for more mindfulness in dealing with our bodies.

The basic principle is the following: Foods are either acidic or alkaline and if you eat too many acidic foods, your body becomes acidic. Which in turn can lead to classic symptoms such as fatigue, headaches but also illnesses such as gout.

Alkaline fasting according to Drs. Sabine and Andreas Wacker aims to restore the balance between acids and bases by consciously avoiding acidic foods.

Vegetables are allowed here, from eggplant to fennel and cucumber to sugar snap peas. However, acidic foods such as meat, cheese and most nuts are excluded.

The treatment is possible over a few days to a week and is intended to provide relief from symptoms, especially for allergy sufferers and people who suffer from neurodermatitis.

Fasting According To F. X. Mayr

Now it gets adventurous, because we could hardly imagine a fasting regimen based on milk and bread rolls. When fasting according to F. X. Mayr, exactly these two components are part of the cure.

Vegetable broth and herbal tea and the aforementioned roll twice are on the menu every day - even if it's just a stale roll with a dash of milk. According to Dr. Mayr ensure that the intestines are noticeably relieved and gently cleaned.

With a duration of up to three weeks, this cure is one of the longer fasting cures and is particularly suitable for people who suffer from digestive problems.

Whey Fasting

Known especially in spas, whey fasting is one of the cures that are based exclusively on fluid intake.You can drink a lot, especially whey, but also still water, fruit juice or sauerkraut juice. In total, you should consume around three to four liters of liquid, including one liter of whey, every day.

Nothing is eaten during the fast.The target group of this fasting method is people with sluggish intestines or skin problems. The duration is variable, individual whey days are also conceivable.