The internet is full of diet plans and nutritional advice aimed specifically at burning body fat and losing weight. However, there are some dangers associated with such processes since one can go crash dieting their way into the hospital for various issues. Chiropractor Dr. Eric Berg wanted to weigh in on this by offering two kinds of fasting that he researched the efficacies and safety of.
Known for his extensive research and content on keto diets, Dr. Berg often posts nutritional advice with scientific backing. In his recent YouTube video, he wanted to discuss the difference between dry and water fasting. While both of these techniques promised fat burning, one was more efficient than the other in doing so.
Dry fasting, as the name suggests, involves restricting liquids and food on a short-term basis to trigger fat burning in the body. Water fasting, on the other hand, involves simply consuming water instead of anything else.
While both have their own set of pros and cons and ultimately lead to fat loss, Dr. Berg claimed that dry fasting was more efficient. He further supported his argument by referring to data that shows human beings can stay without water for prolonged periods.
“… don’t we have genes that also protect us against dehydration?…There’s over 50 different genes that protect us and also produce a lot of health benefits, including decreased risk for cancer.”
Dr. Berg highlighted a study done on birds who traveled across deserts without food or water and still survived. Turns out, their bodies triggered a chemical reaction that took oxygen from the air and made it react with the fat to not just burn it away but also produce water in the process.
“I think we can use dry fasting to our benefit. 12 hours of dry fasting for 30 days…so when we’re talking about short-term dry fasting, I’m only talking about 12 hours and maybe 20 hours to start out.”
Additionally, Dr. Berg also recommends a low-carb diet combined with low-intensity exercises. The goal is to aid dry fasting by not allowing oneself to lose more water, and for that, he had some more tips.
Dr. Eric Berg provides some useful additions for a successful dry-fast
Dry fasting can be tricky, especially with the added dangers of dehydration and muscle cramping. To ensure that individuals don’t face any inconveniences or discomfort, Dr. Berg suggested some practices to accompany the fast.
The first and foremost prerequisite is to stay in a cooler environment and not venture out much to avoid sweating. Losing additional water could lead to issues since dry fasting is already taxing the body. Additionally, he also suggested zone 2 cardio, like walking, to prevent sweating and muscle tears.
