Ayurveda’s term for fasting is Lānghana (lightening) or Upavāsa (to stay near the Divine/Self). Its goal is to allow the Agni (digestive fire) to rest, recover, and burn up Ama (toxic, undigested material) that is the root cause of disease. Anyone with a health condition should consult with a doctor or nutritionalist before embarking on fasting, and anyone who is healthy should still get advice before any long fast. For weight loss and type 2 diabetes there are programs that do have fasting protocols that are longer, but they are managed with coaching.

Ayurveda and Fasting: The Dosha-Specific Approach

Ayurveda does not recommend a one-size-fits-all schedule like 18/6 or OMAD. All recommendations are based on your individual constitution (Prakriti) and current state of imbalance (Vikruti), categorized by the three Doshas: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha.

1. Vata (Air & Space) Types

Recommendation	Explanation
Type of Fasting:	Extremely gentle, short fasts, or often just a mono-diet of warm, nourishing soups or gruel. Skipping meals is generally discouraged.
Window (IF):	12–14 hours maximum (an overnight fast, 7 PM to 7 AM). No 18/6, OMAD, or 36-hour fasts.
Frequency:	Rare, maybe once every 3 months, to improve Agni especially if Ama (toxins) is high. More important is a regular eating schedule than actual fasting.
Why?	Vata’s qualities are lightness, dryness, and mobility. Fasting accentuates these, leading to increased anxiety, insomnia, constipation, pain, dizziness, and rapid wasting (aggravating the degenerative nature of Vata).

2. Pitta (Fire & Water) Types

Recommendation	Explanation
Type of Fasting:	Moderate time-restricted eating or a liquid/mono-diet fast (like kitchari or spiced soup).
Window (IF):	14–18 hours is usually sufficient (e.g., 7 PM to 7-9 AM). But OMAD or 36 hour fasting is OK. Longer fasts may be relevance for people who are very over weight.
Frequency:	Occasional, perhaps once a month or less, or only for a few days during a seasonal cleanse.
Why?	Pitta has a sharp, strong Agni and appetite. Prolonged fasting can cause an extreme imbalance: excess heat, acidity, heartburn, irritability, anger, or burnout. Their fast should be a “rest,” not a “deprivation.”

3. Kapha (Earth & Water) Types

Recommendation	Explanation
Type of Fasting:	Longer time-restricted eating, juice/herb fasts, or skipping meals entirely.
Window (IF):	16–18 hours (e.g., 7 PM to 1 PM the next day) is often well-tolerated and beneficial. OMAD or a 36 hour fast are suitable for Kapha types.
Frequency:	Regular, perhaps once a week skipping a meal, or even one day each week if you are over weight. Also one day a week if doing a cleanse, which can help to counter any natural tendency toward heaviness, sluggishness, and slow metabolism.
Why?	Kapha has slow, damp Agni. Fasting’s qualities (lightness, dryness, warmth) are directly opposite to Kapha’s qualities (heaviness, dampness, cold) and help stimulate metabolism and reduce fat/fluid retention.

Frequency and Age

Frequency (“Once a Month?”)

• Fasting is generally recommended to be done on a fixed day (like a routine) or seasonally.

  • Kapha: Can benefit from a fast or semi-fast once a week.

  • Pitta: Once a month (often linked to the moon cycles, like Ekadashi) is a traditional and appropriate frequency.

  • Vata: Maybe once every 2 or 3 months.

• The Key: The most common and beneficial form of “fasting” in Ayurveda is simply having a light, early dinner (before sunset) to allow for a natural 12-hour overnight fast until breakfast.

Age (Does it change as we get older?)

Yes, fasting should change with age, as the Doshas govern life stages:

Life Stage	Dominant Dosha	Fasting Recommendation
Childhood (0-25)	Kapha (Growth)	Never fast. Need constant nourishment for growth and stability.
Adulthood (25-50)	Pitta(Metabolism)	Moderate. Fasting is useful for cleansing, done according to Dosha type.
Seniority (50+)	Vata(Degeneration)	Avoid strict fasting. Focus on regular, warm, easy-to-digest, nourishing meals to prevent tissue loss and dryness.

Starting Age: It is not recommended to start strict fasting routines until the late teens or early adulthood, once growth is complete (around 16-18 years old).

Ayurvedic View on Water Fasting

Ayurveda generally does not recommend strict water fasting (abstinence from water) for most people, particularly Vata and Pitta types, because of the risk of severe aggravation:

1. Vata Aggravation: Water fasting is extremely drying, light, and depleting, which severely aggravates Vata, leading to anxiety, tremor, and rapid decay of tissues (dhatus).

2. Pitta Aggravation: The strong Agni of Pitta, if not supplied with fuel, can begin to “cook” or consume the person’s own body tissues, leading to acidity, burning, and intense irritability.

In Summary for your experience:

If you want more support you can have a coaching session or we can find an Ayurvedic practitioner near you, for personal advice on OMAD & 36 hour fasting: These are likely too long and intense for a daily or frequent practice, especially if you have a Vata or strong Pitta constitution. 36 hour fasts are suitable for more robust Kapha individuals under the guidance of an Ayurvedic practitioner.