[killjoywashere]

> You can't live off of just fat.

He had electrolyte maintenance and periodic monitoring. Fasting is a remarkable component of the cure for all sorts of things.

> Punishing your gut bacteria/etc just because you can is not healthy.

Your gut bacteria don't care. They exit as poop and the remainders will be selected for survival, not "punishment". How does one "punish" bacteria? What does that even mean?

[ribosometronome]

I do not think he was speaking literally, suggesting that the fellow was taking his naughty gut bacteria out and spanking them but rather suggesting that long fasts could disrupt the balance of your gut flora and cause issues when you start a natural diet and start feeding a different ecosystem of bacteria.

[stcredzero]

How does one "punish" bacteria? What does that even mean?

Let's be charitable. He probably meant that the intestinal fauna population would be greatly impacted. For what it's worth, about half the time I read, "What does that even mean?" I can immediately think of a possible interpretation, and it makes me think the one who asked should have tried at least a little.