I share on social media that I have PCOS and leaky gut which is why I’ve been avoiding food I’m intolerant to like dairy, gluten and soy. But there are some days I tend to have a bit of soy (hello Chinese food), a serving of gluten (pastries pa more) and dairy (some desserts are too good to pass) because I’m only human. I learned about my leaky gut about two years ago and my doctor advised me to change my eating habits and focus on what I eat–go for whole (organic if possible) foods, take probiotics and digestive enzymes, avoid processed food and drink bone broth. For the past two years, I’ve been trying very hard to eat food my gut can digest and have been taking supplements. Unfortunately, I have not been taking the best food that can help heal my leaky gut which is bone broth.
I promised myself I’ll include bone broth but never made an effort to do so. I was intimidated by the tediousness of preparing it (though it’s just putting all ingredients in a pot and letting it boil for hours). I’ve checked those ready made bone broth in cartons (they’re healthy too but I find them diluted?) I learned nothing beats homemade. So I’m very thankful there’s a health, beauty & organic advocate mom by the name of Kimberly King who makes homemade bone broth. So glad I connected with her!
I found Kim on Instagram and I immediately messaged her to order a few bottles. I told her I need bone broth to include in my daily meals to help heal my leaky gut. Given she’s a health advocate (and she knows her stuff pretty well) she suggested I do a 3 Day Bone Broth Fast to reset my gut. I researched about it and found out it’s a good way to help the gut by letting it rest from digesting. It’s basically fasting for 3 days, consuming only bone broth and water. Sounds pretty hardcore but surprisingly it’s not as bad as I thought it would be. More on this at the latter part of this post.
Anyhow, upon reading up and doing research, I learned there’s such a thing as bone broth diet. It was done by the Kardashians & Mark Wahlberg who lost 10 lbs in 5 days!
Here are some of the many health benefits of bone broth.
Aside from healing my gut, knowing its a powerful immune system booster, without hesitation I said yes to Kim to do the 3 Day Bone Broth Fast. Most people have been doing this to kickstart their weight-loss & wellness journey. If you check @kimkingskitchen on Instagram you’ll see most of her clients are very happy with the weightless and other benefits of the bone broth diet/fast. So last May I did my first ever 3 Day Bone Broth Fast. I had only the weekend to prepare for it–mentally more than anything. While I try to eat right for my gut, the quarantine has brought out the serial snacker in me. Even though these snacks are healthy, too much is still not a good way to do it. My anxiety was at an all time high since the quarantine started up until May. I busy myself with chores & spend time with my kids all while snacking every chance I get. Come May I was experiencing brain fog, mood swings, bloating and felt lethargic despite working out everyday and eating “healthy”. This was a sure sign my leaky gut was working extra hard and my PCOS symptoms (acne & bloat) being present means I’ve had way too much sugar & such. This really got me determined to try the fast and start incorporating bone broth to my meals.
For those of you planning to do a broth fast, here’s Kim’s guidelines to help you prepare yourself not just physically but mentally as well.
My pro tip: Load up on veggies & whole food that are easy to digest a day or two prior to your fast. This is to prepare your gut for what’s to come. Don’t go eating all the junk or processed food you want because you know you won’t have them in the next 3 days. This will only make it harder for you while you’re on your fast because you’ll end up craving and feeling hungry. Mentally I’ve prepared myself over the weekend that I won’t have as much energy as I would in the next 3 days. Anticipating this made it easier for me.
DAY 1
You know the broth is of good quality when there’s a buildup on the top. The consistency of the broth when refrigerated is like of gelatin (that’s the protein collagen from animal parts). It’s an indication that the broth was cooked slowly for a long period of time–making it nutrient dense.
Started my midweek just like how I usually do, meditate & workout early in the morning. Managed to keep my energy up until the afternoon after having two servings (500ml) of bone broth for breakfast and lunch. I noticed energy depletion happened after dinner when I was washing the dishes. I didn’t mind it because like I said, I already anticipated this feeling knowing I’m consuming less calories versus calories I’m burning.
Drank a total of 1 liter of bone broth for the whole day along with herbal tea in the morning then it’s all water in between. Surprisingly I did not feel hungry at all. This was something I didn’t expect because when I did juice detox before, I felt hungry in between juices. I assume it’s all because bone broth is nutrient dense compared to fruits/veggie juices. I was supposed to go on a social media detox during my 3 day fast knowing that I might get frustrated with all the food posts I’ll see but I didn’t because I didn’t have any cravings nor hunger pangs at all. Galing! Day 1 done!
DAY 2
I woke up feeling okay. Meditated and managed to do Pilates in the morning after having a cup of herbal tea. Like any fast or detox, it is suggested to skip exercise but since I’m used to working out fasted (I eat breakfast after I workout in the morning) I decided to give it a try. I didn’t feel any dizziness nor light headedness but I felt not as strong as I used to. Felt energy depletion right before lunch time but I wasn’t hungry. It just feels like I’m exerting more effort even when I do minimal movement. Kim says it’s normal because my body is mot used to consuming just 30 calories (per serving of bone broth). Pretty surprised I wasn’t sabaw (not thinking clearly) on my second day of fast. Comprehension is still there as I was able to answer emails & read a few pages of a book. Though there were bouts of being sungit (irritable) especially when my kids would ask me random hard to answer questions hahaha. Other than this, I was able to manage my energy level that I lasted throughout the day without any difficulties.
DAY 3
The morning felt slow. Meditated and did Pilates again.I noticed the past two days, I burn more calories while working out. What used to be 150 calories per 30-35 minutes of Pilates/yoga easily became 200-250 calories! Pretty sure its because my body is exerting more effort while its on fasted state. I’m still active around the house–making the bed, cleaning, preparing food for my family, doing chores and so on. This last day was easy for my gut got used to having only broth. Still didn’t experience any hunger pangs but energy depletion was real. So I took it easy in the afternoon and just rested. One of the things I was concerned was not being able to go (?) for three days now. Being a regular in the bathroom, this got me worried but later on I learned it’s normal since the gut doesn’t have anything to digest. My lower abdomen (aka puson) is still bloated (all the toxins clogged up there eh?) which further heightened my concern. So I told Kim about it and she said it’s expected. She advised me to dilute epsom salt in water (this serves as a laxative) and drink it at night. Ended my 3 day fast with this concoction.
BREKAING THE FAST
Day 4 and I’m done with my bone broth fast! Happy to report I was able to release all the toxins and my bloat was gone. That heavy feeling I have on my lower belly was no more! Though I don’t regularly weigh myself, Kim asked me to do so for the sake of the fast. I was surprised I gained 5 lbs during the 2 month quarantine but was also happy I shed it off during my 3 day fast. Physique wise I still look the same, except my lower abdomen is not protruding anymore. Mood wise I feel so much better! Way better than I expected. Clarity was present which lead me to being more mindful. I’ve been experiencing anxiety even before the lockdown happened but during my 3 day bone broth fast, I never felt anxious nor overwhelmed. I don’t know if its because I have little energy to overthink or what but it’s the most calm state I’ve been. So glad I did this! Though I felt I could’ve prepared myself more, I think I did well. My gut is so happy because this is exactly what I needed. I wish I had done this sooner!
THE FOLLOWING DAYS
So impressed with the mental & emotional feeling I had during my 3 day fast that I told Kim I want to extend it and do a 21 Day Broth Fast. This time it includes eating clean, quality meals with servings of bone broth each day. I’ll write a separate post about it. But for now, I’m just happy I managed to do the 3 Day Bone Broth Fast and experienced its health benefits. Also glad to know a few of my Instagram friends have tried it as well. Let me know what you think about it and do share your experience.
Ngiting tagumpay!
Like I said, I did this fast to reset my gut not because I want to lose weight (though it was an effect I gladly receive –bye quarantine pounds haha). But if that’s your goal then go ahead and get in touch with Kim through her Instagram Kim King’s Kitchen she’ll be glad to answer your questions regarding bone broth fasting. Just to be on the safe side before doing this fast, please consult your doctor first especially if you have pre-existing health conditions.
Wow! This is great! Thank you for the information, it is very helpful.