What Is A Weed Fast And Why Should You Do One?

My version of a weed-fast is more than just a tolerance break, it’s a way to rejuvenate your relationship with weed and the world.  

By also abstaining from food for at least the first 24 hours of a break from cannabis/THC, you will boost your physical, mental and spiritual health while getting a positive start to your T-break

That’s because not eating food for 24 hours offers a range of benefits, including increased focus, reduced inflammation and improved insulin sensitivity. 

It’s also ideal for people, like me, who struggle with the first couple of days of a tolerance break due to cannabis withdrawal symptoms. 

By removing distractions like weed and food (and coffee if you’re really brave), you give yourself space to truly relax, think and create. 

Why fast from food?

Not eating for long periods (24hrs +) is something humans have had to deal with a lot during our evolution. Food wasn’t always so readily available as it is nowadays. 

When it wasn’t available for a length of time, we adapted. By getting smarter. This is why you get an increase in concentration and motivation during a fast – originally, to help you solve the problem of getting food. 

Nowadays, we can take that extra focus and direct it onto another task, whether it’s working on a project, learning a skill or playing with your kids.   

Additionally, as your body is no longer having to digest food all day, it can assign energy into bodily maintenance, like clearing out old cells. 

Some of the proven benefits of fasting are improved body composition, more energy, appetite regulation, improved gut health, enhanced immune system, improve brain and heart health, longevity, and better self control 

Why take a tolerance break?

Just like when we eat food with no breaks, we tend to take it for granted. The same is true of weed – consume it too much and you won’t fully appreciate it (or get as high as you used to  due to a high tolerance).

Therefore, the most obvious reason to take a T-break is to simply lower your tolerance. High tolerance is a feature many long-term smokers will experience so a short T-break every now and then can be very useful.

Additionally, if your tolerance is high and you consume a lot of weed, it can be very expensive. Switching to a dry herb vape may help you be more economical with your stash but a T-break is still a useful way to reduce the amount you consume and, therefore, save some money.  

Compulsive cannabis use, also known as cannabis dependence or cannabis addiction, could  also represent a good reason to take a break. For more information on establishing a healthy relationship to cannabis, check out my book Overcoming Cannabis Dependence

Now if you use cannabis for medical reasons, you may not be able to take a break, but you can find other ways to mix things up, like vaping for a while or only using low-dose edibles. 

How long should weed fast last?

I suggest that, to start with, you should stick to 24 hours fasting from food, and as long as you like fasting from weed. How long you want your T-break to last depends on a number of factors, such as your goals, how much you consume, and your method of consumption. 

The minimum amount of time that is needed in order to reset tolerance to THC seems to be about two days, according to most reports. Heavy consumers may need a bit longer. 

If you struggle with compulsive behaviours or just wish to make sure your tolerance is completely reset, you may choose to do a longer T-break. 

Two weeks to a month is a popular duration for not only resetting tolerance levels back to pre-smoking levels, but also re-establishing healthy levels of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin. 

If you are facing a drug test, you will probably want to hold out for at least a month so that all the THC being stored in your body’s fat cells has purged. 

Summary

I’ve been using 24 hour food fasts to kick-start my cannabis tolerance breaks. 

Not only does this give my brain and body a boost, it helps me shift my mindset so that a T-break is much easier – especially the first two days. 

Give it a go and let me know if it helps you!

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