Water Fasting for Misophonia, Depression, Anxiety, & More!

Trigger Warning - this article does not discuss any triggers. You are safe!

You're probably thinking, wow, water fasting, how fun. Or, if you're unfamiliar with some of the latest research on the benefits of fasting, you might think I'm crazy. I'll admit, I am a bit crazy, or at least that's how most people perceive me when I tell them very common sounds cause me great agony, anger, and disgust.

Please keep in mind while reading this post that I am not a doctor, and fasting can be very dangerous if done improperly. Fasting is also not proven to be effective for Misophonia. What may work for me may or may not work for you, and you should always conduct your own research and consult with trained practitioners before trying new treatment methods.

Okay, so back to fasting, how did I come across fasting and why do I think it's going to help my mental health. In my PANDAS & Misophonia post, I discuss how my Misophonia and other sensory issues started at a young age. At the time, I was eating a very unhealthy diet, lots of candy, processed carbs, treats, etc. One time my mom told me I couldn't leave the dinner table until I finished my peas, so I ate them, and then promptly vomited all over the dining room table. While my parents always wanted me to eat vegetables so I would grow big and strong, I think this incident scarred them a bit and they pumped the brakes on their vegetable campaign.

It wasn't just that I didn't like eating vegetables or what most people consider health foods, it's that they actually made my stomach hurt. Perhaps, I wasn't born with a microbiome prepared to digest different kinds of complex carbohydrates. Or perhaps I was just stubborn and ungrateful, probably the latter. Another note regarding my PANDAS & Misophonia post, a lot of children diagnosed with PANDAS are also reported to be very picky eaters, so perhaps the two were intertwined with me as well.

Moving on to middle school, I still wasn't the healthiest bloke around in terms of my diet. I was playing sports, spending time with friends, building rockets, and constantly eating junk. Cue "Ooh La La" by Rod Stewart.

Yes, I do wish that I knew (then) what I know now, thank you Rod. Unfortunately, I didn't and continued eating lots of refined carbs and sugar. While I don't think my dietary habits are what solely caused my mental issues, as there are lots of children that don't eat healthily and make it into adulthood without serious problems, my eating habits certainly didn't help my situation.

In high school I was still playing sports, and started eating much healthier after I started working at a gym. My Misophonia didn't go anywhere though, no matter how many push-ups I did. Some days the trainers at the gym would give me enough pre-workout to lift an Elephant.

I'd work out hard, and feel great, but still, my triggers remained. Fast forward to college.

In college I was drinking alcohol most weekends, still not eating very clean, and generally not living the healthiest lifestyle. I was staying up late studying (well..."studying"), spending time with friends, and working for local startups. Life was really good aside from my Misophonia. Then after my junior year, I developed a severe panic disorder, general anxiety, depression, and other symptoms. If you're curious, you can read a more in-depth version of the story on my "About" page under "My Story." A year after college, when I realized my lifestyle was probably playing a significant role in my mental health, and I had rebalanced myself (eating VERY healthy, less to no alcohol, meditation, etc.), I wished that I could reset myself, or go back in time and tell my five-year-old self how important it is to eat whole foods.

Once I jumped on the holistic train of healing, fasting was one of the first things I read about. I was certain that my gut was in a state of dysbiosis after years of processed foods, alcohol, antibiotics, and Advil. However, based on the lab work and consultations I had had with functional medicine doctors, it seemed as if my gut wasn't as bad as I had previously thought. Now that I know stool tests aren't always accurate, as one sample can vary greatly from another, I think the doctors I was working with at the time may have missed something. Maybe not, but I still get really bad sugar cravings from time to time, and feel like I could eat a whole plate of cookies whereas most people would be fine with just one, or even a half (even though I no longer eat processed sugar).

Taking a sidestep for a moment, there is a theory surrounding our immune system and the different types of immune cells it's comprised of. This theory focuses on the balance of Th1/Th2 cytokines in our bodies. In a nutshell, people can be Th1 dominant, and have a certain set of symptoms, or be Th2 dominant and have another set of symptoms. While this theory is controversial, I happen to have all of the symptoms listed under Th2 dominance if you consider Misophonia an Autism spectrum disorder. Given this information on top of my high levels of Strep bacteria (see PANDAS & Misophonia post for more info), I'm assuming my immune system is out of balance in some way. Yes I know, it's not wise to assume as assuming only makes an ass out of u and me, however, since there is still no proven cure for Misophonia, I'm not keeping anything out of the question.

So, my three main goals with water fasting (on top of curing my Misophonia) are:

1. To cleanse my body from years of disrespect via processed food in my youth.

2. To reset my immune system, so my body can hopefully fight off any stealth infections and lower my Strep levels.

3. To eliminate the crutch emotional eating may have played for me in the past, to fully feel who I really am, and to sort through emotional restrictions I may be suppressing subconsciously.

Fasting? For your immune system? How in the world is abstaining from food going to help your immune system? If you're asking these questions, you would get along great with my parents, and probably the majority of the population (my parents were actually surprisingly very on board with fasting). I've posted a video below by the head of the clinic where I'll be staying that discusses some of the benefits of water fasting. Yes, I know, this guy runs a fasting clinic and could be biased, but it's still a good summary of evidence if you're curious.

In our modern world, fasting can easily be dismissed as unsafe, especially by people who for the most part are perfectly healthy. In fact, if I didn't have panic attacks, depression, anxiety, skin issues, etc. on top of Misophonia, I probably wouldn't give fasting the time of day either. Fortunately, new research has been coming out shedding light on the benefits of fasting, and specifically a process your body undergoes whilst fasting known as autophagy.

Autophagy in a nutshell is a process whereby your body cleans out damaged cells in order to generate newer, healthier cells. While I am not a scientist, here is an overview of a study done by Dr. Valter Longo from the University of Southern California discussing the different mechanisms at play during fasting. While the previous study examines the effects of a fasting-mimicking diet, here is another article summarizing a different Valter Longo study on the effects of brief, water-only fasting. The benefit I'm mostly interested in is resetting my gut and immune system. As Hippocrates said, "All Disease Begins in the Gut." If you have time, my sister also showed me a fantastic documentary summarizing some of the most recent research on fasting. It's called "The Science of Fasting" and I've linked the documentary below.

Studies aside, fasting for health makes sense to me logically based on the history of humanity. In ancient times, cavemen didn't have a Whole Foods around the block for their convenience. There certainly must have been times when they would have to go days or even weeks without food in order to survive. Additionally, fasting is discussed and practiced in many major religions such as Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, and more. Religion aside, I find it fascinating that different cultures have been practicing fasting for thousands of years, and yet it was rarely discussed throughout my upbringing and certainly not in a healing context.

After spending thousands of dollars and countless hours on different doctors appointments, herbs, supplements, and medications, what if what I really need to heal is as simple as nothing at all for a period of time?

I've tried intermittent fasting where I fast for 16 hours of the day and (pat yourself on the back for your math skills) eat for 8. Most days when I skip breakfast, I feel much better by the time I reach the 16th hour. I'm really hoping that an extended water fast will be even more fruitful in terms of benefits (short term and long term), and if not, well, In-N-Out Burger here I come. Just kidding, but at least fasting will be another technique I've tried and it will bring me a step closer to curing my Misophonia.

My fasting journey starts this coming Monday, July 20th, 2020, and depending on how I'm feeling, I'll keep you updated every step of the way.

Has fasting helped you or someone you know on their health journey? If so, please let me know in the comments or shoot me a message if you'd like to share your story. Cheers, Chris