Fasting

[T-Lo9999]

Fasting... not juice or fruit or anything-fasting, but real fasting

Does anyone have any experience with this.

I know it has incredible health benefits. Especially if its 3 or more weeks. What I am looking for is how dangerous is it based on how toxic my body probably is after years of 10 years of drug use and general bad health practices.

I have read that I should pre-fast for a week or so with only fruit or something like that. Any help would be appreciated

 

[Jamshyd]

I grew up in a muslim society so I'd fast for a month every year (breaking fast at sunset - dawn).

To be honest, I don't think its very healthy. At least the muslims eat every night and fast in the day, and even then I noticed that it has no clear health benefits, and more diabetes than other societies I've lived in.

I think the best fasting is one I heard of certain sufi-mystics do: drink water and eat honey with bread. At least you'd be keeping your blood-sugar in check. I am pretty sure it is a bad idea to deprive your body from essential vitamins and minirals for a long time though.

 

[T-Lo9999]

I have read up on this and from what I understand, when you stop eating and only drink water, your body uses the energy that it would use for digestion, and uses it to expell stored toxins from your body and heal the body in ways that are not possible besides fasting. I wonder if anyone has any experience with this

 

[wakinglyfe]

When you don't eat breakfast and lunch, your metabolism slows down dramatically, so by the time dinner rolls around, you take in a large amount of food and it takes longer for your body to digest it.

Plus, people who fast have a tendency to overeat when they do eat.

The end result to fasting is, surprisingly, you gain weight.

 

[masonyoung]

Fasting is an excellent means of giving your organs a break from time to time, and helping to rid your body of toxins and impurities. Careful preparation is necessary, and I would suggest educating yourself on the methods you can utilize...the internet, of course is an immediate source of guidance in that area.
There are more books on it than you could imagine. Short term fasting, as little as one day, if your not familiar with the practice, should be done with juice and water (alternately or diluted), and keeping yourself in as stress free an environment is also advisable (not a workday-or school situation)...I'm not sure if I can mention any particular name brand supplements and regimes, but there are many colon cleansing systems, involving systematic practices that both prepare you dietarily, work you through the fast, and educate you on re-introduction of foods after the fast, geared toward stimuating your organ funtions in a proper manner...
I wouldn't recommend you do it blindly, even vegetarianism (vegan-or lacto ovo-or otherwise) needs to be approached with an educated directive...

 

[blkteg94]

Fasting is really only a way of self control, this is why religions practice fasting. There is no medical benefit to fasting, the internet will tell you other wise but if you believe everything you read on the internet then fasting will cure cancer...seriously i just wrote that so its got to be true. The only thing fasting does medically is provide a sure fire way to malnutrition, enjoy the dizziness, lack of concentration and fatigue. You're liver removes toxins it is it's main purpose but if don't agree with that try flushing your system with glass after glass of water.

 

[wizekrak]

I have read up on this and from what I understand, when you stop eating and only drink water, your body uses the energy that it would use for digestion, and uses it to expell stored toxins from your body and heal the body in ways that are not possible besides fasting. I wonder if anyone has any experience with this

If you aren't putting energy into your body (food) you aren't really saving any energy. Energy is energy, 2000 calories will be spent in which ever way benefits the body the most. If you have enough energy coming in then all necessary body functions will be performed, if there's any energy left over it's stored as fat. If you rob your body of energy input (0 calories in) then it has to consume itself to fulfill the necessary functions.

Toxins are expelled from the body regardless. In fact I'd wager that you're more likely to heal faster if you're getting adequate nutrition as your body has more building blocks to use to rebuild (anabolism), if you're not getting enough food you're in a catabolic state and some processes will suffer (hair and nail growth are first) as they need protein to grown, and protein is necessary for all vital functions.

Also the brain needs glucose to run, once you burn through your glycogen your body will start burning fats, ketones, and proteins as energy sources to conserve the glucose for your brain. This will make you feel stupid and give you difficulties in concentration.

The human body is meant to eat, and works best when properly supplied, if anything a prolonged fast for a month with absolutely no nutrient intake is going to do you great harm, just in terms of sodium and potassium loss alone.

Your body doesn't stay toxic, you actively secrete waste through urine, repsiration, and sweat. The body doesn't store toxins for a rainy day, its in the body's best interest to get rid of toxins as soon as possible, and that's exactly what it does on a day to day basis.

 

[glitterbizkit]

I know you didn't ask about juice fasting, but I'd just like to share my experience - I fasted on tomato and apple juice for three days, it was really difficult because I'd never done anything like that before, but I got through it and was very proud of myself.... Until I decided that the first best thing to eat after the fast was a massive fried chicken burger meal with greasy chips (I knew I wasn't supposed to, that I was supposed to start with easily digestible food, but I bloody well did it anyway 8) ). Had a stomach ache for the rest of the day, don't do that one at home kids!

 

[Jamshyd]

^ But the fact that the mainstream is not well with nutrition (obesity) doesn't mean you have to swing to the other extreme of.... malnutrition.

I completely agree with wizekrak, but I'll play devil's advocate for what its worth.

IF you have a high % of body fat, then yes, certain toxins will linger for a longer time inside your body stored in that fat. Things like THC and most benzos are cleared slower from the system the more fat there is.

In that respect, fasting is one option, but certainly not the best option, of releasing these substances faster by forcing your body to burn its own fat stores. However, I'd say excerise is a more effective way of doing so.

As said above, I agree that fasting is only useful for self-discipline, not for a healthy lifestyle.

 

[Ripley]

I remember when I was young and doing lots of drugs, and after several years of that, I mysteriously vacillated towards vegetarianism until I ended up adopting a Macrobiotic diet. Then, after several years of strict Macorbiotics and no drug usage, I mysteriously returned to being a carnivore—but with very sensible modifications, such as no refined/junk foods, no preservatives, organic produce when possible, plenty of exercise, etc., and now I've never felt healthier—except that, darn it, I'm older.

 

[serotoninstorm]

In my experience, whenever anyone starts talking about 'new-age healing' and uses words like 'toxins' and 'cleanse' a lot, I immediately call BS, as they are just trying to make a buck off of what is essentially fear mongering.

 

[felix_poker]

Fasting is bullsh... Try a fruitfast or the Wai diet if you want to "detox"!

 

[masonyoung]

on the subject of bullsh

Fasting is bullsh... Try a fruitfast or the Wai diet if you want to "detox"!

tell ya what, the Wai diet is Yoga (yogic) oriented...and it's a great option, my experience with fasting, was part of my orientation into a Yoga Teachers Training Course, from which I became a Yoga Instructor...in 1983, since that introduction I have explored many 'techniques' of fasting, as I have suggested the OP do, before embarking on a potentially risky endeavor http://www.wailana.com/yoga/newsletter/yoga-tips-against-colds-flus.php and even your reference suggests fasting, bullsh or not...a fruitfast as the name suggests, is still a fast...

 

[kultron]

Fasting on only water for more than a day is foolish and dangerous. After the 2nd day your body will begin to deplete vital nutrients and minerals that are needed daily, and after the 2nd day degeneration of the body follows after.

anyone ever wonder why you have body odor, and your feet smell...that doesn't occur with a healthful diet.

I call bullshit. People who eat meat have no more body odour than those that do. My ex-girlfriend was a vegan and she had body odour like any other meat eating girl. Feet odour has little to do with what you eat, only the moisture of the air and the socks and shoes you wear.

 

[wizekrak]

Body odour isn't from the body per se.

The smell comes from the breakdown of waste products by bacteria living on the surface of the skin. If we weren't coated in bacteria we'd never stink. You're going to secrete sweat and oil no matter what you eat, it's in your body's best interest to do so as sweating cools the body, and oil helps keep the surface moist to prevent dessication.

 

[mariacallas]

While everybody is entitled to their opinions....Please try to be nice everyone I wouldnt go so far as to say true fasting is "bullshit"....(very harsH?) and I generally want the tone of responses in this forum to be nice, and not too dismissive especially from those who dont believe in something that others do or are trying to understand / ask advice about.

Lets share our opinions, but try to be considerate even while agreeing to disagree.


I'll post my thoughts on fasting later.

 

[Karaboudjan]

Fasting is completely unnecessary imo. We evolved to eat whenever we could and our organs don't need 'time off' to regenerate or anything. I would never fast.

edit - lol, my first sentence was "fasting is bullshit" before reading the post above me.

 

[masonyoung]

^^love how you got it in anyway http://www.falconblanco.com/health/fasting.htm
OK, so some of you don't agree-and I really wouldn't say I think your "bullshit" too, especially because you don't know what your talking about...Even animals, who don't do it consciously, stop eating when there is a problem with their health...and giving your digestion a rest (in a decided manner) "is" a contribution to better health...You think those pot bellies walking around is just fat??? That is ,( & not in all cases), distention of the colon & bowels, impacted food stuffs of putrified consumption, that has adhered to the stomach lining like Pirelli Rubber, blocking absorption of nutrients (for one thing)...It may be easy for you to negate that there is any value to it, merely because your healthy (and probably young)...I know from personal experience, and from friends who employ (or who have utilized) fasting, they have had good experience with it.
So if you don't think it has value, fine-don't do it-but I find value in it-so keep your "bullshit" comments to yourself...I realize there are many 'schools' of thought on this subject, and talking about our evolutionary design, ultimately we are not designed to eat 'meals'...we are geared more toward one food group at a time, as we would come upon them naturally and seasonally, and ultimately are not designed to be meat eaters either...that especially for our present evolved state, where we should be educated enough to know that. Read John Robbins-"Diet for a New America"...then come and talk, and while your looking, read a bit more on fasting...I already have.

Your body doesn't stay toxic, you actively secrete waste through urine, repsiration, and sweat. The body doesn't store toxins for a rainy day, its in the body's best interest to get rid of toxins as soon as possible, and that's exactly what it does on a day to day basis.

....no, it doesn't store them for a rainy day, but in todays world, which is much more toxic than the body was designed for, and the body can't keep up with the load-which leads to 'dis'ease, hence, we have cancer etc...and on the other topic of body odor...those toxins are what your smelling...of course there are other factors...I'm talking the foul odors..the 'what died in you" odors..if you eat curry tonite...your sure gonna have it come through your pores and pits later or tomorrow...garlic too, anyone who has done drugs, c'mon...admit it theres that chicken soup smell comin off your pits...and worse , depending on what drug or chemical..if you have 'putrification" (and not you specifically-God knows I don't want to have to clarify or defend that too) you will have 'body odor'..and your feet will smell (and I'm talking badly...not your everyday scents)
So don't make me defend every freakin word I put down here

 

[wizekrak]

If someone is taking in enough toxins to overpower their liver they should heavily rethink their diet.

My main concern is that many individuals put their health in the hands of alternative medicine without doing the research. I'm not saying that conventional medicine is without it's pitfalls. Always keep in mind that every author has an agenda to push. By and large when it comes to health, unless something has been published in a reputable peer reviewed journal I'm highly skeptical of it's efficacy.

If someone is taking in mass amounts of toxins on a daily basis, so much so that it's overpowering their system, then yes, eating fewer toxins will be good for the body whether it's taking in nothing or simply less. But one can eat well and avoid toxins at the same time. In my opinion proper diet should eliminate the need to cleanse, as a diet rich in fiber, and devoid of preservatives and other additives is cleansing in and of itself.

I think there's an epidemic of poor health and poor diet in North America. I think American's are looking for a quick fix. They don't want to eat healthy and exercise regularly to prevent heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer, etc.. They'd rather eat their cheeseburgers and swill beer and then buy into any alternative that allows them to maintain their lifestyle while promising a cleansing of the system.

I guess what it comes down to is that there's a huge amount of misinformation out there, and very few people will make the effort to think for themselves when it comes to their most important asset, their health. If someone does the research and decides that caloric restriction is right for them, then it's their call. What bothers me is when people buy into unsubstantiated claims and put their health at great risk because they've heard some new age healer with a book for sale, or a friend of a friend extolling the virtues of some alternative therapy.

In my opinion people shouldn't buy into any potentially dangerous health practice until the practice has been evaluated and supported through independent research and reviewed by clinicians. Everyone is out to make a buck, be it alternative medicine or the mainstream healthcare system, remember that at all times.

 

[masonyoung]

I guess what it comes down to is that there's a huge amount of misinformation out there, and very few people will make the effort to think for themselves when it comes to their most important asset, their health. If someone does the research and decides that caloric restriction is right for them, then it's their call. What bothers me is when people buy into unsubstantiated claims and put their health at great risk because they've heard some new age healer with a book for sale, or a friend of a friend extolling the virtues of some alternative therapy.

In my opinion people shouldn't buy into any potentially dangerous health practice until the practice has been evaluated and supported through independent research and reviewed by clinicians. Everyone is out to make a buck, be it alternative medicine or the mainstream healthcare system, remember that at all times.

I totally agree, and that's why I offered the information i did, because I'm knowledgeable on the subject, especially through practice...I've been taught by experts...and wouldn't want anyone to buy into any claims they themselves haven't researched...John Robbins for example, was heir to the Baskin Robbins fortune, who, I beleive, wrote his book in the best interest of his fellow man. It's a muckraking expose' on the very industry he could have just as easily enjoyed the spoils of-rather than write a book...I'm pretty discerning about who I put my faith in, and can tell when someone is out for the buck...I'm certainly not-and have no interest in 'selling' anything...Actually, I only offered the infromation with the OP's best interests in mind...

I wouldn't recommend you do it blindly, even vegetarianism (vegan-or lacto ovo-or otherwise) needs to be approached with an educated directive...
11-03-2008 22:14

Peace