Anish Vij
A woman has shared her body transformation results after fasting for 36 hours.
Alla Driksne, a content creator and professional chef, had been fasting on and off for five years at the time of her 2020 video.
Then aged 32, she underwent a 36-hour 'water only fast' and provided some insight into what that can look like.
Studies have shown that 'constant food intake may lead to health problems' and 'fasting can have potential benefits for some people', the NIH reports.
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Tests on some animals show that fasting can 'protect against diabetes, heart disease, and cognitive decline'.
However, it's not for everyone.
The NIH has urged that anyone who wants to try fasting for the first time should 'speak with your health care provider first', especially if you are:
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• Aged under 25
• Pregnant or breastfeeding
• Taking insulin or other medications for diabetes
• Prescribed medication that must be taken with food
• Suffering from a seizure disorder
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• Working an evening shift
• Operating heavy machinery at your job
Fasting can also cause side effects like hunger, headaches, fatigue, and mood disturbances, as well as posing a risk to health if not carried out properly, the Emily Program explains.
But for those who are interested in giving fasting a go, Alla documented her 36-hour fast to show what exactly happened to her body.
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During the 0-19 period, Alla said she drank water and tea, went for a walk, and felt mentally clear.
"It's really important to go to bed early and sleep, you know, eight hours, and drink lots of liquids and also warm," she advised on her channel AllasYummyFood.
"Tea keeps you warm, and it feels like you know you're eating."
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The YouTuber, who has been a professional chef for 12 years, said it was 'challenging' to complete simple tasks, like cooking pancakes for her sister.
At this point, Alla noticed that she started to feel a little bit hungry.
"The time when you start to feel hungry on 36 hour fast, it's around lunchtime," she said. "Your body's like, hang on, something's happening. Why am I not getting food?"
"So I do have a slight headache," Alla admitted at this point. "But apart from that, I feel fine. I'm not actually too hungry."
She explained that because of her job, it made things that more difficult.
"I cook delicious food, and I edit the videos and pictures," the content creator said.
"And it's probably like the hardest part when you're fasting, because you're looking at all this food and you're like, 'Oh my God, I want to eat all this'."
After finally breaking the fast, Alla instead that she felt 'very good' and had lost 600 grams in weight.
"So I'm definitely going a bit smaller," she said.
Weirdly, she said she wasn't too hungry and felt pretty excited about completing the fast.
If you're interested in fasting, it's important to do your research and reach out to a healthcare professional before making any major changes to your diet.