Hunger

[Yakk]

I, like most people in the first world, have never really felt hunger.

The closest I've come to it is 30 hours without food (but with juice), or the occasional 24 hour fast.

What I want to learn is what it feels like to be hungry. I am worried about possible long-term (or even short-term!) damage. So, my question is:
How long is a safe fast? Is there anything in particular I should be doing to make it safer? Should I ease into it? How dangerous is going without food for 24 to 48 hours?

I doubt I'll try something like this without first consulting a medical professional, but I thought I'd see if anyone here has any useful information as an early step.

I just have the feeling that, without ever feeling real hunger, I won't understand a good chunk of human motivation.

[Cadwiz]

I'm not sure if you would do any "damage" fasting for one or two days. I have alwasy heard a person could go like 18-20 days without food. Going without water is a different story.

[Grasshopper Green]

I've gone without food for about 50 hours, just fluids. It did me no lasting harm. I've gone without fluid for 24 hours...THAT was a killer.

[thingstodo]

I think you can go for 30 days with no food but only four days with no water, plus or minus, of course!

[El Kaz]

Slight note, take it slow when you do start eating again. Many people imagine that when not eating for many days, they'll be so hungry that they'll be able to eat a whole buffet themself.. but it's quite the contrary. Your stomach will contract to a point that it's obviously shrinked, lessening it's "capacity".

I'm not sure if a 2 days fast is enough to make this noticeable, but I'd still advice to start eating progressivly after the fast ends.

[Yakk]

I remember the old maxim. You risk death from:
3 minutes without air
3 hours without shelter
3 days without water
3 weeks without food

I wasn't worried about gross damage. But, things like metabolism changes, cell death (nervous system), or the like. I also don't know how long I'd want to run the experience -- I should probably decide before hand.

[dman2]

I'm not sure if it will have any side effects. I doubt it. Are you fasting for spiritual reasons? A lot of people "fast" when they are trying to get through a tough time or they are trying to get closer to their spiritual center. Fasting helps them to focus on being less selfish and focus on what is important at the time. For example, I have heard of people fasting for someone when they are having surgery or when someone is dying. Fasting is supposed to help someone get more spiritually aware.

[Yakk]

Fasting for Spiritual reasons? No, not at all.

I spent a few months not eating on Wednesdays out of curiousity, to see how hard it would be and how it would feel. And way back in high school I did the 30 hour famine fund raising thingy.

I simply want to know what it feels like to be truly hungry. I think it will make it easier to empathize with people who live in near or in actual starvation, and to understand precicely how lucky I am to be living at this level of wealth in such a safe society.

[Melinith]

Originally Posted by Yakk

I simply want to know what it feels like to be truly hungry. I think it will make it easier to empathize with people who live in near or in actual starvation, and to understand precicely how lucky I am to be living at this level of wealth in such a safe society.

I admire your reasoning.

[j. dakar]

i fast yearly for religious religions, but it only includes 24 hours (sundown one day until sundown the next) with nothing to eat or drink. i don't perceive it as being dangerous and always feel great after completing one.