The Miracle of Fasting

Hello valued friends, partners, and colleagues,

Someone once told me that a 24 hour fast with no food and no water would leave my body renewed, restored and energized. My first thought was simple. That sounds like one of the hardest things my body could ever do.

Then I tried it.

I did my first 24 hour fast last week. The mental fog disappeared. Energy overflowed. I felt reenergized and renewed in a way I had never felt before. It was one of the most incredible experiences of my life.

So this week, I decided to try it again in the hardest possible setting: travel.

I flew from JFK to Buenos Aires with a connection in Atlanta. I left my house at 9 AM Eastern on Friday morning and landed in Buenos Aires at 10:30 AM on Saturday. Nearly 24 hours of travel. Somewhere over the Atlantic I thought, why not. I fasted the entire 24 hours before landing.

I was shocked beyond belief.

The energy. The mental clarity. The lightness. I felt as if I had slept 15 hours straight. For the first time in my life, I stepped off an overnight flight focused, clear and full of energy. I went directly to the gym. I worked out. I went to the sauna, then the spa, then shopping, then a long beautiful walk through Buenos Aires. That night at 7 PM, a full 24 hours later, I finally ate my first meal.

I have now fasted for 24 hours three times. Every single time I have felt a level of clarity and energy I did not know my body could produce.

Here is what is happening inside your body during those 24 hours, according to science.

1. Your body switches fuel sources.

After roughly 12 hours without food, your body burns through its stored sugar and begins burning fat for fuel. This creates ketones, a clean energy source your brain loves. That is why the mental fog lifts and focus sharpens.

2. Your insulin gets a reset.

Constant eating keeps insulin elevated all day. Fasting gives this hardworking hormone a rest. Research links periodic fasting to improved insulin sensitivity and healthier blood sugar balance.

3. Your cells begin deep cleaning.

In 2016, the Nobel Prize in Medicine honored the discovery of autophagy, the process by which your cells recycle damaged parts and renew themselves. Fasting activates this built in renewal system. Your body literally takes out the trash.

4. Your brain gets stronger.

Animal studies show fasting can increase BDNF, a protein that supports the growth and resilience of brain cells. Human research is still early, but it points toward fasting as a friend to focus, memory and mood.

5. Inflammation calms down.

Studies on periodic fasting show reductions in markers of inflammation. Less inflammation often feels like lightness, ease and comfort in your own skin.

6. Growth hormone rises.

Research has shown that fasting can significantly increase the release of growth hormone, which supports tissue repair, metabolism and recovery. Your body uses the pause to rebuild.

7. Your digestive system rests.

Your gut works hard every single day. A full day of rest lets the entire digestive system reset. That lightness I felt was real. My body was thanking me.

A note of honesty, because your health matters more than any trend. Most of this research studied fasting with water, not fasting without it. The science on dry fasting specifically is limited, and going without water carries real risks, especially on long flights where the air already dehydrates you. Please check with your doctor before you try this. Do not fast if you are pregnant, managing diabetes or blood pressure with medication, living with kidney challenges, or navigating any critical medical condition. Listen to your body always.

Three fasts in, I am convinced of one thing. Sometimes the most powerful reset is not adding something new to your life. It is pausing everything, even for a single day, and letting your body do what it was designed to do.

Heal.

With love and gratitude,

Luisa