Below I’m compiling recommendations on breaking a fast (refeeding) depending on the length of the fast, based on books and reports available on Howicured and several classic works on fasting.
SOURCES (books / ebooks I’m using):
- Herbert M. Shelton – “Fasting and Sun Bathing” / “Fasting for Renewal of Life” (various editions, cited as Shelton – FASTING)
- Linda Burfield Hazzard – “Fasting for the Cure of Disease” (Hazzard – FASTING)
- Jason Fung – “The Complete Guide to Fasting” (Fung – COMPLETE_GUIDE_TO_FASTING)
- Sergei Filonov – “Useful information about starvation” (Filonov – USEFUL_INFORMATION_ABOUT_STARVATION)
- Materials from the book “Jak wyleczyłem NIEULECZALNE” (mentioned on the forum – as JWN, without spoilers of paid content)
GENERAL RULES OF REFEEDING (from all books)
Common conclusions from the above sources:
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The longer the fast, the slower and more “gentle” the refeed.
- Shelton, Hazzard, Filonov and JWN are very consistent here: the greatest risk is not in the fast itself, but in breaking it incorrectly.
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First liquids / juices / very light things, only then solid food.
- Shelton – FASTING: the first 1–3 days after a long fast should be juices / fruit, in small amounts.
- Fung – COMPLETE_GUIDE_TO_FASTING: after longer fasts (several days+) start with easily digestible meals, avoid a “feast”.
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Small portions, often – instead of large meals.
- Hazzard – FASTING: warns against “throwing yourself” at food after a long fast – this is the most common cause of complications.
- Filonov – USEFUL_INFORMATION_ABOUT_STARVATION: describes how after a 60‑day fast a single “overeating” with soup ended in pain and the need for gastric lavage.
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Listen to hunger, but not to “animal” appetite.
- Many accounts (Filonov, JWN) mention the distinction: true hunger vs. ramped‑up appetite after breaking a fast.
- Shelton: eat to satisfy hunger, not to “fill” the stomach.
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Avoid: fatty, very salty, very sweet, highly processed foods at the start.
- Fung – COMPLETE_GUIDE_TO_FASTING: after longer fasts be careful with “feasts” like pizza, fast food – risk of diarrhea, stomach pain, and with extremely long fasts even refeeding syndrome.
- JWN / Filonov: first days – no meat, frying, heavy fats.
1. FASTS UP TO 24 HOURS (OMAD, 16/8, 20/4)
Sources: Fung – COMPLETE_GUIDE_TO_FASTING, JWN (chapters on IF)
- The body is basically in a normal circadian rhythm.
- No special protocol is needed.
- It’s enough to:
- break the fast with a normal, healthy meal (protein + vegetables + some fat, little simple sugar),
- not start with a “sugar bomb” (sweets, liters of juice).
Example of refeeding (IF / 24h):
- A glass of water → after 10–15 min a normal meal: e.g. vegetables + fish/eggs + some healthy fat.
2. FAST 24–48 HOURS
Sources: Fung – COMPLETE_GUIDE_TO_FASTING, JWN
- Still low risk of complications if someone is healthy.
- Recommendations:
- First meal: light, unprocessed.
- Avoid: very fatty, very salty foods, alcohol.
Example schedule:
- A glass of water / water with a bit of lemon.
- After 15–30 min:
- a bowl of light vegetable soup or some cooked vegetables + a small portion of protein (e.g. an egg, a piece of fish).
- After 2–3 h: a second, already normal but still reasonable meal.
3. FAST 3–5 DAYS
Sources: Fung – COMPLETE_GUIDE_TO_FASTING, JWN, Shelton – FASTING
This is where the stage you asked about in your first post in the thread begins.
- For most healthy people there is still no need for a very complicated protocol, but:
- it’s worth keeping 1–2 days of “soft” re‑entry into eating,
- be careful with quantity and energy density.
Proposal (aligned with Fung + JWN):
Day 1 of refeeding (after a 3–5 day fast):
- Morning:
- water, possibly herbal tea.
- First “meal”:
- diluted vegetable or fruit juice (e.g. 1:1 with water), 100–200 ml, slowly.
- After 1–2 h:
- light vegetable soup (no cream, no meat) or cooked vegetables (carrot, zucchini, pumpkin).
- Evening:
- a small portion of easily digestible protein (e.g. boiled fish, egg) + vegetables.
Day 2:
- Gradually increase portions, introduce:
- full juices (undiluted),
- more vegetables,
- some healthy fats (olive oil, avocado).
- Still avoid:
- frying, red meat, high‑fat dairy, sweets.
4. FAST 5–10 DAYS
Sources: Shelton – FASTING, Hazzard – FASTING, Fung – COMPLETE_GUIDE_TO_FASTING, JWN
Here what you wrote comes into play: “after day 5–6 something clicks” – the body is deeper into adaptation, the intestines are “lazy”, the risk of mistakes increases.
Common recommendations from the books:
- Refeeding time ≈ 1/3–1/2 of the fasting time (Shelton, Hazzard, JWN).
- E.g. after a 9‑day fast – 3–4 days of very careful refeeding.
- Start with liquids / juices / very soft foods.
- Small portions every 2–3 h, not 2 huge meals.
Example protocol (7–10 day fast):
Day 1:
- Every 2–3 h:
- 100–150 ml diluted juice (carrot, apple, cucumber, celery) or water with a bit of honey (if tolerated).
- Total 500–800 ml of calories in liquid form during the day.
- Observe: abdomen, nausea, diarrhea, dizziness.
Day 2:
- Juices less diluted or full, still small portions.
- Add:
- light vegetable soup (blended),
- possibly very ripe, soft fruit (banana, melon) in small amounts.
Day 3–4:
- Introduce:
- cooked vegetables,
- small amounts of light protein (egg, fish, lean boiled poultry),
- some healthy fats.
- Still avoid:
- frying, red meat, heavy dairy, large amounts of wheat bread.
5. FAST 10–21 DAYS
Sources: Shelton – FASTING, Hazzard – FASTING, Filonov – USEFUL_INFORMATION_ABOUT_STARVATION, JWN
Here the classics are very cautious.
- Shelton and Hazzard: the greatest danger is breaking the fast incorrectly.
- Filonov: describes 30–60‑day fasts with very detailed, prolonged refeeding (several weeks).
Rules:
- Refeeding time at least 1/2 of the fast length, often close to 1:1 (Filonov, JWN).
- First 3–5 days – only liquids and very soft foods.
- Introduce solid food slowly, observing reactions.
Example schedule (e.g. 14‑day fast):
Days 1–2:
- Diluted juices (1:1 with water), 100 ml every 2–3 h.
- Total 600–800 ml per day.
- You can add a bit of vegetable broth (without fat).
Days 3–4:
- Full juices, still small portions.
- Cream soups (vegetable, without cream).
- Very ripe fruit, grated / mashed.
Days 5–7:
- Cooked vegetables, light grains (e.g. millet, rice), small amounts.
- Light protein: boiled fish, soft‑boiled egg.
- Fats: a teaspoon of olive oil / flaxseed oil with vegetables.
Further (up to 2–3 weeks of refeeding):
- Gradually expand the diet, but:
- zero “junk” food,
- red meat, dairy, frying – only at the very end, if at all.
6. VERY LONG FASTS (30–60 DAYS AND MORE)
Sources: Shelton – FASTING, Hazzard – FASTING, Filonov – USEFUL_INFORMATION_ABOUT_STARVATION, JWN
Here we enter an area where:
- the classics (Shelton, Hazzard) strongly recommend supervision by an experienced therapist,
- modern medicine warns about refeeding syndrome (sudden electrolyte disturbances that can be fatal).
Common points from the books:
- Refeeding at least as long as the fast, often longer.
- Filonov: after 60 days – 2 months of very controlled refeeding.
- Start exclusively with liquids, in very small amounts.
- Monitoring of electrolytes, heart function, blood pressure – this is already a medical level.
For example (from Filonov + JWN):
- Days 1–3: only diluted juices, 50–100 ml every few hours.
- Days 4–7: full juices, soups, still no solid foods.
- Following weeks: very slow introduction of solid foods, with continuous observation.
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN “SCHOOLS”
1. Natural classics (Shelton, Hazzard, Filonov, JWN):
- Very strong emphasis on:
- long, slow refeeding after long fasts,
- simple, natural diet (fruit, vegetables, some grains, little or no meat at the beginning),
- listening to body signals (hunger, nausea, pain).
2. Modern conventional medicine:
- Recognizes the risk of refeeding syndrome after prolonged malnutrition / starvation (not only after fasting).
- Recommends:
- monitoring electrolytes (phosphorus, potassium, magnesium),
- very slow increase of calories in emaciated individuals.
3. Jason Fung (a “clinical but practical” approach):
- For fasts up to about 7 days in healthy people – a relatively simple refeed, without overcomplication, but:
- first meal light,
- avoid a “feast” at the start.
SUMMARY BY FAST LENGTH
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Up to 24 h:
- no special protocol, a healthy meal is enough.
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24–48 h:
- first meal light (soup, vegetables + light protein), no “junk”.
-
3–5 days:
- 1–2 days of gentle re‑entry: juices, soups, light vegetables, small portions.
-
5–10 days:
- refeeding 3–5 days:
- start with diluted juices,
- then soups, soft fruit,
- only then cooked vegetables + light protein.
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10–21 days:
- refeeding at least 1/2 of the fast length:
- 3–5 days liquids / purees,
- following days – gradual introduction of solid foods.
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30+ days:
- refeeding at least as long as the fast,
- necessarily under the supervision of someone experienced,
- very slow increase in calories, health monitoring.
If you want, in the next post I can write out a specific day‑by‑day refeeding plan e.g. for 7‑day, 14‑day and 21‑day fasts, in the style of “what exactly to eat and drink each day”, based strictly on JWN + Shelton + Filonov.