Therapeutic fasting in Bavaria – medically supervised at the Tannerhof

The essentials at a glance

• Therapeutic fasting in Bavaria at the Tannerhof means Buchinger fasting: not a zero-calorie diet, but a therapeutic method involving tea, water, mild vegetable broth, and freshly pressed juices.
• The Tannerhof is located in Bayrischzell in Upper Bavaria, in the upper Leitzach Valley, with a view of the Wendelstein—about 75 kilometers southeast of Munich.
• Two processes occur simultaneously in the body: the switch to fat burning and autophagy, the body's cellular recycling process.
• The initial medical consultation takes place on the first day of fasting after arrival; the length of the stay is booked in advance.
• Breaking the fast is followed by a transition period, often with a focus on the "Schlanke Tanne" Low Carb, our in-house low-carb nutritional program.

Therapeutic fasting in Bavaria: what makes it special at the Tannerhof

Those looking for therapeutic fasting in Bavaria are usually seeking more than just beautiful scenery. They are looking for a place where fasting follows a proven method, is medically supervised, and provides enough tranquility to truly unwind. At Naturhotel Tannerhof in Bayrischzell, Buchinger therapeutic fasting is no passing trend, but a deeply rooted tradition. Fasting is part of the hotel’s DNA. First introduced by Johannes von Mengershausen, it has now been continued across three generations of physicians for more than 70 years.

For a medically supervised fasting program in Bavaria, Body Detox is the dedicated program page. Find out more about the method and diet plan in context on the Therapeutic Fasting and Slim Fir Hub.

Buchinger therapeutic fasting is the conscious, temporary abstention from solid food and stimulants—far more than a diet and not primarily a weight-loss tool. The focus is on relief, a clean slate, and gently rediscovering a healthy rhythm of eating. As Otto Buchinger put it: Fasting stimulates the inner physician; and in the words of Johannes von Mengershausen: Through therapeutic fasting, you discover a new kind of freedom: independence from solid food.

The location in Upper Bavaria: Bayrischzell and the Leitzach Valley

The Tannerhof is located in Bayrischzell, in the upper Leitzach Valley, about 75 kilometers southeast of Munich, with a view of the valley and the Wendelstein. It is 15 kilometers to Schliersee, 38 kilometers to Rosenheim, and the Bayrischzell train station is just over a kilometer away. Munich and Salzburg airports are each about an hour and a half away by car.

The setting is about far more than just location. It encompasses roughly 16 hectares of grounds, the mountain stream, alpine meadows, the 1905 open-air cabins, the four cabin towers designed by Florian Nagler, the Orangery, the Fasting Lounge, and the BadeHarpfe bathhouse complete with Finnish sauna, panoramic relaxation room, and a 25-meter outdoor natural pool. Fasting here means fasting in my mountain hideaway.

To combine fasting with physical activity: Hiking and Fasting. Walking at a pace attuned to the fasting body.

Why people fast in Bavaria

Motivations vary: mental downtime, relief from excess, a medical concern, or restoring order to daily life. Behind these motives lies a documented body of research. The guidelines for fasting therapy from the Medical Association for Therapeutic Fasting and Nutrition (ÄGHE), consensus 2002 and update after 2013, describe the methodology, patient selection, contraindications, and medical supervision. They classify its use under professional guidance for rheumatic diseases, high blood pressure, metabolic syndrome, allergies, autoimmune diseases, asthma, migraines, type II diabetes mellitus, and depression.

The PLOS One study by Wilhelmi de Toledo and colleagues (2019) involving 1,422 people fasting for four to 21 days showed that Buchinger fasting within this framework was safe and well-tolerated; physical and emotional well-being increased significantly. Remarkably, the vast majority experienced no hunger.

What happens in the body: fat burning and autophagy

During fasting, the body works on two levels that are often confused. The first level: fat burning—switching from glucose to fatty acids and ketone bodies. The second level: autophagy—the body's own recycling and cleaning processes, for the discovery of which Yoshinori Ohsumi received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2016. Everything is being cleaned—cellularly, vascularly, in the connective tissue, in the gut, in the brain, in the liver, and in the kidneys.

Both processes occur together but describe different mechanisms. For certain metabolic and chronic issues, fasting can be medically interesting; the question of whether it is suitable in an individual case belongs in a conversation with the medical team. Mental effects are also part of it: the need for sleep often decreases, and some experience a mild fasting euphoria due to altered serotonin metabolism.

The schedule of a fasting week at Tannerhof

The doctors recommend one or more relief days before your arrival. The specific schedule will be coordinated together during your initial consultation on the first day of fasting.

During the fasting days, herbal tea, water, lemon and ginger water, gentle vegetable broth, and freshly squeezed juices shape the daily rhythm, accompanied by around three liters of fluids daily. Guests break their fast together in the Fasting Lounge. Exercise remains gentle: moderate basic endurance training and light strength exercises, along with yoga, Feldenkrais, Tai Chi, resistance band workouts, and breath therapy—the body nourishes itself from within.

Medical supervision at the Tannerhof practice

At Tannerhof, therapeutic fasting is always medically supervised. Medical appointments follow a calm progression: an intake consultation on the first day of fasting (holistic, including medical history, physical examination with bioimpedance analysis, medication review, and questions about your motivations), follow-up consultations if needed, and a final consultation at the end. Medical services are billed through the private practice at Tannerhof.

The accompanying range of therapies is extensive: bioimpedance analysis, IHHT altitude training, ozone autohemotherapy (if medically appropriate), hay flower wraps, aroma wraps, moor and warm packs, Kneipp contrast showers, detox baths, fasting massage, detox massage with royal oil, acidosis massage, lymphatic drainage, and foot reflexology. Mental support is provided through psychotherapeutic coaching, nature coaching, business and communication coaching, and art therapy.

Breaking the fast, rebuilding, and the "Slender Fir"

Breaking the fast still counts as a fasting day: a small fasting soup at noon, then the apple, with every bite chewed thirty to forty times. In the evening, vegetable soup with non-puréed pieces. Those fasting for five days will spend two days transitioning back; for seven days, it is two to three days, or about one-third of the fasting period.

The focus is on easily digestible vegetables, fermented foods, and plenty of fiber. The concluding consultation also covers post-fast nutrition. For those seeking lasting dietary change, this can be seamlessly followed by Slim Fir Low Carb, the hotel’s proprietary low-carb diet. Where the emphasis shifts from deprivation to newfound enjoyment and zest for life.

Who can fast and who should consult a doctor

Your own willpower and readiness to fast are crucial. Therapeutic fasting is not suitable for those who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or suffering from anorexia. In cases of chronic illness, ongoing medication, or uncertainty, a preliminary medical consultation by phone is available. At Tannerhof, we recommend a minimum of five fasting days; for first-timers, seven fasting days plus two to three transition days is an ideal duration.

Buchinger, Mayr, and Intermittent Fasting

Therapeutic fasting according to Buchinger is a compact fast over several days. F.X. Mayr works with chewing training and mild meals. Both methods are reputable and established; at Tannerhof, we follow the Buchinger method. Intermittent fasting in a 16/8 rhythm is the recommended way to carry the benefits of compact fasting into everyday life.

Discover therapeutic fasting in Bavaria at Tannerhof

Learn more in the Body Detox program, on the Therapeutic Fasting and Slim Fir Hub, and in our combined Hiking and Fasting package.