The third stage of long-term water fasting, when the body has already adapted to feeding itself through internal resources after an acidotic crisis, continues up to the physiologically acceptable level of their consumption. After these resources are exhausted, the blood becomes “hungry” again, activating impulses and a hunger sensation appears (secondary food excitement). The duration of this stage is strictly individual. It depends, on the one hand, on the body’s protective and compensatory capabilities, and on the other, on the duration and severity of the disease, which fasting is supposed to treat.

The end of this stage is determined by a number of objective and subjective signs (according to Yu.S. Nikolaev):

-increased appetite and hunger sensations
-the tongue is cleared of plaque down to its root.
-reduced excretions after an enema (absence of feces in the rinsing water, the liquid comes out transparent).
-eyes become shiny, the sclera–bluish and clear.
-persistent improvement in the clinical symptoms of existing diseases.
-complexion improves.

The appearance of these signs corresponds to a weight loss of 13-17% of the initial weight. It’s very important to identify these signs because if they remain unrecognized by the doctor, subsequent fasting will no longer be therapeutic, but, rather, ‘starves the disease’(P.P. Avrorov, V.V. Pashutin).