Phase 3: The Refeeding Strategy
"The fast cures the disease, but the refeed heals the body." This is the most dangerous part of the protocol. Improper refeeding can cause edema, kidney stress, or negate the healing benefits.
Refeed Decision Engine
If <36 Hours → Soft solids are okay sooner, but caution still advised.
Why Carbs, Not Meat or Fat?
You might wonder: if meat and fat are more nutrient-dense, why refeed with simple carbs? The answer lies in the unique metabolic state your body is in after a dry fast.
The Three-Way Battle
Your body is navigating three competing demands during the refeed:
Why Pure, Easy-to-Digest Carbs Win: Simple carbs (white rice, coconut water, stewed fruit) are king of the refeed because they provide rapid energy without taxing digestion. The key is near-zero protein and fat for the first 5 days. This allows:
- Thyroid hormone conversion activation
- Better insulin response (randle cycle)
- Maximum stem cell activation and tissue repair
- Digestive system to slowly "wake up" without stress
- Less mutagenic stress while in refeeding state (read more in cancer section)
Once the digestive system is stable (Day 6-7), you can slowly introduce fats and proteins. But rushing this will sabotage the healing process.
The 7-Day Extended Refeed Protocol
This strict schedule focuses on calming the immune system and stabilizing stem cells. Follow it as closely as possible. Note that long-term fat adapted individuals will have a harder time with the carbohydrates, and may need to start with a smaller portion of rice and fruit. Protein introduction will affect insulin sensitivity, so it should be done slowly. You may also require earlier T3 therapy introduction. This refeed is a guide, and the longer you fast, the slower you should progress through the phases due to insulin spikes.
| Day | Goal | What to Consume | Key Rules & Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ultra-gentle rehydration + first carbs | Coconut water only, sipped very slowly (150–250 ml every 30–60 min). Max 2 L total for the
day. Late afternoon (only if you feel stable): a small bowl of rice; coconut water is recommended all day; because once you start eating other foods, it will be difficult to stop eating. |
Room temperature only. Lie down after each drink/meal. No plain water, no juice yet. Meditate after each meal. This day is often the most difficult. |
| 2 | Introduce easy starch + fruit sugar | Morning: coconut water (200–300 ml total) Breakfast: small bowl soft white rice porridge. Lunch & dinner: same porridge + ½ cooked peeled apple or pear (stewed, mashed) Throughout day: coconut water as thirst guide Optional: 1–2 tsp white sugar or rice if energy is very low |
Total cooked rice ≤ 150 g for the day. Chew everything to a liquid. Still zero fat, zero
salt. Add Methylated B-vitamins complex + Vitamin C (take daily from now on). Sugar should not be used unless absolutely necessary during refeed. |
| 3 | Increase rice + fruit volume | Same pattern as Day 2 but larger portions. Breakfast: bigger bowl rice porridge + stewed
apple/pear. Lunch: plain soft white rice + another cooked fruit. Dinner: repeat. Unlimited coconut water + optional diluted juice (1:1 with water) |
Total cooked rice = 200–300 g. Classic Kempner meals every 2–3 hours. Still no salt, no fat. Water Kefir acceptable if probiotic strategy is needed. |
| 4 | Consolidate high-carb phase | Continue exactly as on Day 3, just with more volume if hungry. You may now add a little white sugar or a small glass of juice (diluted 1:1 with water) for extra calories. Small amounts of peeled, well-cooked carrot or zucchini, mashed into the rice, are allowed. | Main calories still rice + allowed fruit (apple, pear, peach, berries). Total rice: 350–400 g cooked. This is where we can start introducing aspirin, inositol, and B vitamins. |
| 5 | Final day of the strict Kempner phase | Same foods as Day 4. Eat until comfortably full every 2–3 hours (most people on the original Kempner diet ate 400–600 g of cooked rice + 300–500 g of fruit daily). Coconut water or diluted juice between meals. | This completes the minimum 5-day pure rice-fruit-carb refeed. Gut should feel very calm now. |
| 6 | First, tiny fat & more vegetables | Breakfast: rice porridge + stewed fruit. Lunch & dinner: white rice + a larger amount of cooked vegetables (zucchini, carrot, pumpkin – peeled & soft). Add ½ to ½ avocado (or 1–2 tsp olive oil if preferred) spread across the day. Tiny pinch of salt now allowed if you feel you need it | First fat introduction – keep it minimal and observe digestion. You can start bringing in some milk kefir. |
| 7 | First animal or denser protein (optional) | Same base as Day 6 (rice + fruit + vegetables + small fat). Add one of the following (choose only ONE and keep tiny): • one soft-boiled or poached egg • 50–80 g white fish or chicken breast (baked/steamed, no skin) or stay plant-based and just increase avocado/vegetables. | Eat slowly and stop if any discomfort. Chew healthy gut (not plastic bags) for extra digestive power. |
Post-Refeed Principles: The Bioenergetic Transition
After Day 7, you are not just returning to "normal"—you are transitioning to a high-energy metabolic state. If you are finishing the fasting phase and moving to maintenance (or T3 Therapy), the goal is to fueling a "Ray Peat" inspired bioenergetic physiology.
The Transition Strategy
Accelerating the Switch: Solving Insulin Resistance
Transitioning from years of "Fat Burning" (Stress metabolism) to "Glucose Oxidation" (High Energy metabolism) can traditionally take years. We can compress this timeline to a few months by chemically forcing the body to use sugar correctly.
The Metabolic Accelerator Stack
Use these tools to sensitize your cells to insulin, allowing you to ramp up carbs faster without gaining fat.
Ginseng & ALA: Further aid in driving glucose into muscle cells.
Need Personalized Guidance?
Protocol adjustments can be nuanced. If you need 1-on-1 support, consider booking a session with Yannick Wolfe.
What you get: A personal therapist, researcher, and coach all in one.
Guarantee: Full refunds offered for anyone that does not heal with 1-on-1 guidance. Personalized medication shipping available if you are unable to source your own.
Visit DryFastingClub.comRefeed Log & Findings
Track reactions to foods. Any bloating? Edema? How quickly did energy return?