Fasting in the Mountains: Why Altitude and Quiet Deepen the Fast
How the mountain rhythm of Bayrischzell, clear mountain air, measured movement and medical guidance come together at Naturhotel Tannerhof.
Fasting in the mountains combines Buchinger therapeutic fasting — the conscious, time-limited abstention from solid food and stimulants — with the mountain rhythm, clear air and measured movement of Bayrischzell. At Naturhotel Tannerhof this framework has been medically guided for over 70 years. Landscape and medical guidance work as equals.
The essentials
- Fasting in the mountains at Tannerhof means walking, looking, settling down, giving the body time, and learning to eat again.
- Bayrischzell lies in the Upper Bavarian Leitzach valley, with a view of the Wendelstein and between the Wendelstein and the Sonnwendjoch.
- Studies on time spent in nature show that twenty to thirty minutes outdoors measurably lower stress hormone levels.
- Movement is part of Buchinger fasting therapy: moderate aerobic training and moderate strength training, slower than usual.
- Landscape and medical guidance stand as equals and deepen each other.
My hideaway in the mountains
People who travel to the mountains to fast rarely come only for the method. They come for distance and a different view from the window — a morning that runs not through appointments but across an alpine meadow. At Tannerhof this becomes my hideaway in the mountains.
Naturhotel Tannerhof offers Body Detox as medically guided Buchinger fasting. The method stays clear: the conscious, time-limited abstention from solid food and stimulants. Herbal tea, mild vegetable broth, fresh juices and plenty of water carry the day.
Bayrischzell sits in Upper Bavaria, southeast of Munich, in the upper Leitzach valley. From Tannerhof the view opens across alpine meadows and orchards up to the Wendelstein.
Why the mountain rhythm deepens the fast
Fasting is more than a diet — a therapeutic method, a cleansing on several levels, a meeting with oneself. Surroundings matter more than people often assume.
A widely cited study by Hunter et al. (Frontiers in Psychology, 2019) measured cortisol in city dwellers before and after time outdoors. A nature experience clearly lowered the stress hormone within twenty to thirty minutes. A review of shinrin-yoku (Antonelli et al., 2019) found similar effects.
Movement that fits the fast
Movement has always been part of Buchinger fasting therapy. At Tannerhof: moderate aerobic and strength training alongside yoga, Feldenkrais, Tai Chi, breathing therapy. Summit tours are possible, only slower — the body nourishes itself from within.
Guests who want more structure find it in Hiking and Fasting.
What happens in the body
During a fast the body works on two levels: fat burning (the shift from glucose to fatty acids and ketone bodies within roughly 24 to 72 hours) and autophagy (cellular recycling). Both run together but describe different mechanisms.
Landscape and medical guidance — as equals
At Tannerhof, three things belong together: the method, the medical guidance and the landscape. Medical guidance is not strictly required for every fast, but it is useful. Medical appointments form a quiet arc: intake consultation on the first fasting day, optional follow-up, and a closing consultation at the end.
Water, warmth and mountain views
The BadeHarpfe (2025) connects a Finnish sauna, a panoramic relaxation room, an endurance-and-strength fitness area and the outdoor natural pool. The 25 by 5 metre pool looks out between the Wendelstein and the Sonnwendjoch.
The return
A fasting week does not end with the last fasting day. The breaking of the fast begins at lunchtime with a small bowl of faster's broth and then the apple. After that comes the rebuilding phase over roughly one third of the fasting time.
If a lasting change is wanted, Schlanke Tanne Low Carb can follow on. More at Therapeutic Fasting and Schlanke Tanne.
Fasting in Bayrischzell
More at Body Detox and Hiking and Fasting.
FAQs
The Buchinger method stays the same. At Tannerhof the mountain setting mainly changes the frame: clear mountain air, a wide view, paths across alpine meadows and surroundings that make slowing down easier. Studies on time in nature suggest even short outdoor periods lower stress. Medically, individual medical guidance remains decisive.
Movement is part of fasting therapy, at a measured tempo. At Tannerhof, walks, hiking at a quiet pace, yoga, Feldenkrais, breathing therapy and moderate aerobic and strength training all fit. Summit tours are possible, only slower than usual, because the body nourishes itself from within. The medical team helps calibrate to the fasting day.
No. Fasting in the mountains is not about athletic performance but movement at the right rhythm. Paths around the house, gentle hikes, breath work, the outdoor natural pool, sauna and the endurance-and-strength fitness area can be used in different ways.
Studies on time in nature show that twenty to thirty minutes outdoors measurably lower cortisol; forest exposure works in the same direction. This is no mountain cure but a well-documented effect of nature on stress — particularly welcome during fasting.
During Buchinger fasting, no solid food or stimulants. At Tannerhof, fasting guests follow a rhythm of herbal tea, water, lemon or ginger water, mild vegetable broth, fresh fruit or vegetable juices and, where useful, additional protein. Meals are taken in the Fasterstube, the dedicated dining room for fasting guests.
At Tannerhof we recommend five fasting days and upward. For first-time fasters, a week with rebuilding is a fine size. In total, about a week and a bit is a good amount of time to allow yourself. The length of stay is booked before arrival; from the intake consultation onward, the course is adjusted with the medical team.
With chronic conditions, ongoing medication or uncertainty, medical clarification is useful. Pregnancy, breastfeeding and anorexia do not belong to the planning. What matters is your own will and readiness to fast. A telephone medical pre-consultation before arrival is available on request.
Sources
- Hunter MR, Gillespie BW, Chen SY: Urban Nature Experiences Reduce Stress in the Context of Daily Life Based on Salivary Biomarkers, Frontiers in Psychology, 2019.
- Antonelli M, Barbieri G, Donelli D: Effects of forest bathing (shinrin-yoku) on levels of cortisol as a stress biomarker, International Journal of Biometeorology, 2019.
- German Medical Society for Therapeutic Fasting and Nutrition (ÄGHE): Guidelines on Fasting Therapy.
- In-house source: Naturhotel Tannerhof, Body Detox, Hiking and Fasting.
Note
This article describes the approach and practice of Naturhotel Tannerhof regarding fasting in the mountains. It does not replace individual medical advice. A telephone medical pre-consultation is available on request.
Health Programs at Tannerhof
Body Detox Therapeutic Fasting
Mental Resilience
Longevity
Immune Booster
Aesthetics
