Mayr Fasting Vs Other Fasting Methods

Dr Peter Gartner from Park Igls gives us the lowdown on Modern Mayr Medicine's principles for healthy fasting - and what makes the Mayr fast different to other methods.

1. What's the best way to prepare for a fast?

A week before any fasting programme, whether Mayr or another method, you should start cutting down on acidic foods and drinks: avoid sugar, meat, alcohol and coffee as well as hard-to-digest raw and fatty foods. Although minor, this adjustment is enough to improve your overall quality of life, enhancing your anticipation of the treatment programme to come!

2. What are the Contraindication to fasting, and when would you advise caution?

You should always arrange a health check with your doctor prior to embarking on a fasting programme. Some plans offer radically reduced calories and little to no protein intake – this can severely weaken the body and is therefore not suitable for everybody. This is why we base a Mayr fast on the eight Modern Mayr cuisine dietary stages. The gentler the diet prescribed by the Mayr physician, the less rigid the contraindications: caution is advised in untreated cases of thyroid disease and cancer as well as in cases of mental illness such as schizophrenia, psychosis, dementia, debility or severe autoaggressive behaviour.

3. How does Modern Mayr Medicine's approach to food intake compare with other fasting methods?

In Modern Mayr Medicine we adapt the dietary stage to the guest's physical and psychological constitution. This is determined by means of an initial health check and dialogue with the patient. The eight dietary stages range from traditional Mayr to the Mayr Energy Diet. Protein supplements are essential to prevent muscular degeneration. Allergies and intolerances are dealt with flexibly with a huge range of meal alternatives for every dietary stage; few fasting methods allow this. An alkaline diet based solely on fruit and vegetables is no use if you suffer from fructose intolerance. Buchinger fasting with vegetable broth, fruit and vegetable juice, alkaline tea and water is easier to adapt to allergies – but lacks protein. This punishing form of fasting also raises ketone levels, which in turn inhibits the excretion of uric acid. Increased concentrations of uric acid in the blood can eventually lead to urinary stones and gout. Modern Mayr cuisine aims to counteract these kinds of catabolic metabolic processes.

4. Why, unlike other fasting methods, does the Modern Mayr diet include protein supplements and different dietary stages?

A radical reduction in calorie intake can weaken the organism. Also, protein is very important and acts like an engine for muscles. If we consume too little protein, our muscles degenerate and this can have devastating consequences, especially for people already debilitated by illness. The low or complete absence of protein intake in many fasting programmes make it advisable not to engage in exercise. However, a balanced exercise programme strongly supports fasting success – as well as being a psychological boost. Thanks to Modern Mayr Medicine's personalised approach to diets and protein, customised exercise programmes have become key elements of the treatment.

5. How much should I drink when fasting?

Drinking is extremely important during a detox, and you should have around three litres of fluids over the course of each day, regardless of the programme you follow. Chronic acidification is the root cause of many lifestyle diseases, which is why the chief purpose of a Mayr fast is to restore the body's acid-base balance by flushing out acidic toxins.

6. Why liver compresses? and are they exclusive to the Mayr method?

Like manual abdominal treatments, liver compresses are an essential part of the Mayr method – but also routine in Buchinger fasting. It's still the most effective method for increasing blood flow and thereby detoxifying the liver. All you need is three towels – two small and one large – and a hot water bottle for a remedy that is proven to improve the success of the treatment programme.

7. Where should you fast?

We absolutely advise against unsupervised fasting. On the other hand, we do recommend fasting as an in-patient or, if at home, under the supervision of a Mayr physician who can favourably affect the course of therapy with two or three checks a week. This would also include manual abdominal treatments, an indispensable part of any Mayr therapy.

8. How often should you fast?

Ideally, we recommend repeating the Mayr treatment programme after six months, but an annual fasting programme lasting two or three weeks is more realistic for most people. Buchinger fasting and the alkaline diet are undoubtedly limited in duration – depending on the person's state of health.

9. And what about afterwards?

The end of a treatment programme generally means a step-by-step nutritional plan build-up. Left to their own devices, people fasting at home can often revert back to their old ways. Modern Mayr fasting, however, trains dietary behaviour as well as teaching you how to chew – something that should be practised long term. Modern Mayr cuisine is not just a fasting method, it's a sustainable, healthier, more enjoyable and realistic lifestyle. We also offer psychological counselling to help reinforce the newly learned behaviour patterns, help you make a new start or overcome any issues. Counselling can take a variety of forms, from psychotherapeutic one-to-one sessions to stress management coaching. The aim is to ensure that guests are equipped for their new lifestyle when they return home.