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The Health Benefits of Fasting
Biology 103
2002 First Paper
On Serendip
The Health Benefits of Fasting
Will Carroll
There has been much contention in the scientific field about whether or not fasting is beneficial to one's health. Fasting is an integral part of many of the major religions including Islam, Judaism and Christianity. Many are dubious as to whether the physiological effects are as beneficial as the spiritual promoted by these religions. There is a significant community of alternative healers who believe that fasting can do wonders for the human body. This paper will look at the arguments presented by these healers in an attempt to raise awareness of the possible physiological benefits that may result from fasting.
Fasting technically commences within the first twelve to twenty-four hours of the fast. A fast does not chemically begin until the carbohydrate stores in the body begin to be used as an energy source. The fast will continue as long as fat and carbohydrate stores are used for energy, as opposed to protein stores. Once protein stores begin to be depleted for energy (resulting in loss of muscle mass) a person is technically starving. (1)
The benefits of fasting must be preceded by a look at the body's progression when deprived of food. Due to the lack of incoming energy, the body must turn to its own resources, a function called autolysis. (2) Autolysis is the breaking down of fat stores in the body in order to produce energy. The liver is in charge of converting the fats into a chemical called a ketone body, "the metabolic substances acetoacetic acid and beta-hydroxybutyric acid" (3), and then distributing these bodies throughout the body via the blood stream. "When this fat utilization occurs, free fatty acids are released into the blood stream and are used by the liver for energy." (3) The less one eats, the more the body turns to these stored fats and creates these ketone bodies, the accumulation of which is referred to as ketosis. (4)
Detoxification is the foremost argument presented by advocates of fasting. "Detoxification is a normal body process of eliminating or neutralizing toxins through the colon, liver, kidneys, lungs, lymph glands, and skin." (5). This process is precipitated by fasting because when food is no longer entering the body, the body turns to fat reserves for energy. "Human fat is valued at 3,500 calories per pound," a number that would lead one to believe that surviving on one pound of fat every day would provide a body with enough energy to function normally. (2) These fat reserves were created when excess glucose and carbohydrates were not used for energy or growth, not excreted, and therefore converted into fat. When the fat reserves are used for energy during a fast, it releases the chemicals from the fatty acids into the system which are then eliminated through the aforementioned organs. Chemicals not found in food but absorbed from one's environment, such as DDT, are also stored in fat reserves that may be released during a fast. One fasting advocate tested his own urine, feces and sweat during an extended fast and found traces of DDT in each. (5)
A second prescribed benefit of fasting is the healing process that begins in the body during a fast. During a fast energy is diverted away from the digestive system due to its lack of use and towards the metabolism and immune system. (6) The healing process during a fast is precipitated by the body's search for energy sources. Abnormal growths within the body, tumors and the like, do not have the full support of the body's supplies and therefore are more susceptible to autolysis. Furthermore, "production of protein for replacement of damaged cells (protein synthesis) occurs more efficiently because fewer 'mistakes' are made by the DNA/RNA genetic controls which govern this process." A higher efficiency in protein synthesis results in healthier cells, tissues and organs. (7) This is one reason that animals stop eating when they are wounded, and why humans lose hunger during influenza. Hunger has been proven absent in illnesses such as gastritis, tonsillitis and colds. (2) Therefore, when one is fasting, the person is consciously diverting energy from the digestive system to the immune system.
In addition, there is a reduction in core body temperature. This is a direct result of the slower metabolic rate and general bodily functions. Following a drop in blood sugar level and using the reserves of glucose found in liver glycogen, the basal metabolic rate (BMR) is reduced in order to conserve as much energy within the body as can be provided. (2) Growth hormones are also released during a fast, due to the greater efficiency in hormone production. (7)
Finally, the most scientifically proven advantage to fasting is the feeling of rejuvenation and extended life expectancy. Part of this phenomenon is caused by a number of the benefits mentioned above. A slower metabolic rate, more efficient protein production, an improved immune system, and the increased production of hormones contributes to this long-term benefit of fasting. In addition to the Human Growth Hormone that is released more frequently during a fast, an anti-aging hormone is also produced more efficiently. (7) "The only reliable way to extend the lifespan of a mammal is under-nutrition without malnutrition." (5) A study was performed on earthworms that demonstrated the extension of life due to fasting. The experiment was performed in the 1930s by isolating one worm and putting it on a cycle of fasting and feeding. The isolated worm outlasted its relatives by 19 generations, while still maintaining its youthful physiological traits. The worm was able to survive on its own tissue for months. Once the size of the worm began to decrease, the scientists would resume feeding it at which point it showed great vigor and energy. "The life-span extension of these worms was the equivalent of keeping a man alive for 600 to 700 years." (8)
In conclusion, it seems that there are many reasons to consider fasting as a benefit to one's health. The body rids itself of the toxins that have built up in our fat stores throughout the years. The body heals itself, repairs all the damaged organs during a fast. And finally there is good evidence to show that regulated fasting contributes to longer life. However, many doctors warn against fasting for extended periods of time without supervision. There are still many doctors today who deny all of these points and claim that fasting is detrimental to one's health and have evidence to back their statements. The idea of depriving a body of what society has come to view as so essential to our survival in order to heal continues to be a topic of controversy.
References
1)"Dr. Sniadach – True Health Freedom 3
4)"Nutriquest, March 11th, 2000 – Ketosis and Low Carbohydrate Diets"
5)"WebMD – Detox Diets: Cleansing the Body"
7)"Fasting – Good Morning Doctor"
8)"The health Benefits of Fasting"
Comments made prior to 2007
The term for the breaking down of fat is lipolysis, not autolysis. Autolysis is the self-destruction of cells ... Paul, 3 April 2007
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Comments
BMR
I have been on a water fast for two days now and don't know how long I plan to go, at least one more day. I am just worried that my BMR will decrease. I'm a female, 18 years old and just recently got back home from my first year at college. I gained about 5 lbs but more importantly I let go off my healthy diet habits. I really want to cleanse my body and get back in the routine of exercise and eating healthy. Any reccomendations about how long I can/should go before my BMR goes down? I'm scared because it is pretty hard for me to gain lots of weight and I don't want to mess that up. Thanks
Hi, I am 18, 5'8 or 9,
Hi, I am 18, 5'8 or 9, 130-135 lbs. I am deciding to go on a 40 day fast.
first 10 days water, and then *every other day* for 30 days I will allow myself to slowly eat (1 fruit or vegetable/day.)
I am a caffein addict, and I hate the thought of not having coffee.
I dont see the problem with having 2-5 cups of coffee/day with a small ammount of skim milk, or black. During my fast. Considering I am mainly doing it for weightloss purposes.
Does anyone have any comments about the caffein?
CAffein, I heard, is also an appetite supressant, so it might even make the fast easier.
Cut the caffeine
Caffeine withdrawal only lasts for about a week during which time you'll likely be tired, headachey, irritable, and possibly a bit nauseous. Asprin helps. You probably want to get off of caffeine before your fast. I can't imagine how caffeine could be an appetite suppressant, since it increases your metabolism. Further, until you develop tolerance caffeine also acts as a diuretic. While caffeine doesn't have the negative traits that other drugs like nicotine and alcohol do, it IS an addictive drug whose benefits do not seem to outweigh its costs.
hai,rosa.
congratulation to you as you are able to complete yor fasting period in 40 days.I pray for you to finish it.I am a muslim and wanna to share about my experience in fasting during ramadan month.Actually for one reason it make your body become smaller naturally and exactly ewill decrease your weight.definitely,but as you keep on fasting you will fill very different when you see from other perspective.we will consider toward those persons that have nothing to eat,such as at poor countries.this feeling actually make you realize that you have something that other persons can not get it.
Fasting for Psoriasis
I am 22 years old and weigh 250 lbs. I have had Psoriasis since I was 16 and now currently take 50mg weekly injections of Enbrel to help with my psoriatic arthritis. I am starting a water fast today May 22, 2008 and plan on at least completing 21 days. Hopefully this will help heal my intestines and in turn help purge my body of the toxins causing the plaques of psoriasis. I'll update one week from today. Cheers!
Angela
Your fast
I just read your comment on the brynmawr page and was interested. i have student ( I am a yogini) who has the same issue as you and i have recommended fasting to her. I wonder if you have had great success with your fast?
you can check out my blog (www.thenewfastgirls.blogspot.com) and i also lead a yahoo group of women who fast weekly called FastGirls. We fast for 24-36 hours between monday-tuesday.
best,
jasai
well seasoned faster...
I am 21 years old and have been regularly fasting for a few days every month. This was a decision that I made after doing some extensive collegate research on fasting for a health related class-I'm trying to get my PhD in clinical psych and a undergrad in nutrition and health sciences. I want someday be able to integrate various psychotherapies with nutrition therapy and other holistic and natural approaches (like fasting, light and sauna therapy, and esp. exercise therapy) in a clinical setting all as a part of a wholistic healing program for people who want lasting change. So, fasting has fascinated me.
After the first time I fasted, I lost an good amount of water weight and fat. Before my fast, I was athletic and muscular, running 3-6 miles a day, and working out a few times a week on a consistent basis while maintaining a 198lb body weight at 5' 9" body height- I was never obese, but I just had this small amount of belly fat that despite my exercise wouldn't leave my stomach and oblique areas in addition to some water weight. After my first 3 day fast, I lost 6 lbs of body fat (not including some water weight) that has stayed off ever since. And ever since that first fast (and the proceeding once-a-month fasts), I have continued to loose more fat in those sections of my stomache that had fat that I couldn't seem to get rid of in the midst of athletic exercise and training. Now, I am 179lbs and haven't lost any muscular strength and can lift the same or more weight than before. I have absolutely no belly fat now (unlike before). I also have more cardiovascular endurance. I'd contribute this change to consistent monthly fasting and not as a psycho-somatic effect brought about through auto-suggestion, hetero-suggestion, or stress (...we can't forget about how a change in our emotional states affects us on a molecular and cellular level as quantum psychology has recently been illuminating.)
Question: I know that there is a direct correlation (and possibly a cause and effect relationship) between sodium toxicity and excess water weight--that the body intakes more water to dilute toxic amounts of sodium--or as sodium levels rise, so does water weight. Is there the same relation between excess fat stores and toxins--that the body stores fat as an attempt to ("dilute" or) keep other toxin percentages low--that as fat soluble toxins increase, so does body fat. In your opinion/knowledge is this true or possible? Thanks for your time.
Negative, osmotic pressures
Negative, osmotic pressures consistant with higher water to sodium ratios causing bloating are not analogous to the relationship between fat storage and toxicity ratio. An individual with a low Body Mass Index can still have a high toxic ratio even with less body fat accumulation, though one is able to metabolize generally all energy sources more effiently which makes up for it. After about 3 days of fasting, the body converts and flushes those toxic stores much more which is contributed to both the aforementioned benefits of fasting, and gently breaking fast, respectively.
Fasting for a longer, healthier lifestyle...
I am a 22 year old African American women embarking on a 40 day fast. I am 5'9" and weigh 250 lbs. While weight loss is a big motivator for the fast, I am going to implement a healthier lifestyle that I will follow afterwards. So I've decided not to weigh myself until I commence on a juice fast for 10 days following.I have currently completed the first 5 days successfully on just water,and finally I have no hunger. I did an extensive amount of research on fasting: the good, the bad, and the ugly. I figured the good outweighed the bad tremendously. As long as I keep track of my blood sugar, my blood pressure, and my heart rate, I figure that I will be able to sucessfully finish the fast. So far everything looks good and I still have all the energy I had before the fast plus more. To all who are trying a fasts, whether its for spiritual, weight loss, or overall health, just stick with it. Good Luck!
So did u finish?
Well I am a 30 yr old AA female . I weigh 232 lbs. Just curious to know if u were able to complete your fasts is so, great job! If not, then keep at it. Please contact me. I wouldn't mind being an encourager or motivator to assist in your weightloss. My strength and biggest encouragement comes from my relationship with God. I'm convinced that's the only reason why I've been able to go from 247lb to 232. It's been about 2 months so far. So I'm on my way and I don't want to give in. Anyhow god bless. Hope to hear from you soon. O.k. ~~Mitzi
what was the outcome of your fast??
did u finish the fast.how much weight did u lose?
first time fasting
Hello, I have only fasted for 3 days with water & tea. I am amazed at the toxins that came out. Likewise, I was also a smoker. Not now. I would love to go on a longer fast. This is my first time to ever fast. I too lost some weight, but not a lot. I'm small anyway & my main concern was getting the toxins out. My trouble was - feeling weak, sometimes feeling shaky, upper stomach pains, & now burning in urine. I went off my fast & ate - ate quite a bit actually - however -- all good foods. But I am going back on the fast. My concern is hurting kidneys, etc, by doing so that soon. I am curious if this is normal. And would love any advice or personal experiences to be known. Many thanks in advance. I plan to restart the fast again tomorrow. I also highly recommend it for all kinds of reasons. Esp.. with getting off sugar caffeine & quitting smoking. It's nice to feel clean, but I do know it takes more than 3 days - more than 1 or 2 weeks of water fasting in order to be completely cleaned. And my diet from now on will be -- mostly vegan.
On day 7 of a water fast
I have attempted fasting before with only water but only made it to day 4 at which point I began to feel dizzy and so I began eating again. Even so the fast proved useful and I retained a diet of mainly vegetables raw, and water or tea which resulted in more energy and huge weight loss. I do worry about people trying this and going for a while and gaining more weight back after resuming normal eating. Being on day 7 I am having trouble keeping my stomach from hurting (especially during any type of activity or even getting up) and so I am wondering what the issue could be here. I do feel fine otherwise and am hopeful it will pass soon as I intend to go 25 days or so. I know now that you must resume eating very slowly after a long water only fast and I do agree that there are many health benefits although I do not instantly support most types of holistic or natural medicines because of the many false claims out there.
Any input would be nice
Thanks
on day 7 of water fast
I am also on day 7 of a water fast. My stomach also hurts. A different kind of pain than I have ever felt before. I am assuming it has to do with my body eating away at my fat. But I really do not know. I am going for a 14-21 day fast or when ever real hunger returns to me. I am glad to see someone with the same symptom as myself.
Good!! Okay, I was fasting
Good!! Okay, I was fasting last week and made it to day 5 and I didn't think i could even get out of bed. I managed to make it thru the day, but my stomach hurt alot as well, as soon as i ate something all the pain went away. I was worried as to what the pain was so i continued with my normal diet. I too want to clean all the toxins out of my body and try to work my way back into eating with healthy wholesome foods. Today I started again with my fast, now that I know i was not the only one with the strange stomach ache, I hopefully can make it past it when it creeps up onme soon and contiue with my 21-day fast. And other helpful tips anyone has would be great.
Thanks,
Katrina
fasting in stages- fasting buddy
I am 28 years old, and am new at fasting. My goal of fasting is both physical and spiritual refocusing. So far the Lord has truely opened great verses and understanding. Without Him I could not last a day.
I have been focusing on my health since 10/20/08. Well, 10 days. Starting weight 251 lbs. First 5 days fruits and veggies then I started my juice fast. My plan is to fast in stages building up to a 40 day fast. I want to connect with the father in a new and deeper level. 3,7,14,21, 30, 40 day fasts with 7 days partial fasting inbetween. The first 3 days of the fast went good, I was moderately hungery. Day 4 I fasted all day then had 4 Tsp of vanilla yogart and 1Tbl chicken liver around dinner time. Day 5 I fasted all day then had 1/4 cup green salad w/ lemon juice at dinner time. This has really helpped clean the bowels.
I weighted in at 236lbs this morning. That is the loss of 15 lbs in this 10 day time frame.
Fasting is greatly worth it and I will continue the plan.
It is good to hear I am not the only person who has had some considerable discomforts. To be honest enought to stand out. I look forward to continuing on this fasting journey and would like to find a fasting buddy.
On 11/08/08 I will be starting the 7 dat juice fast if anyone is interested in joining me feel free to email me
fasting
I started a fast today and have done a few over the years and read today in Is 58 about the fast that God chooses- very good. I'm also doing it for health benifits and to become closer to the lord- My goal is 5 day water fast and I'll see beyound that if I will go further- how is your fast going! God bless you!
Jer. 20.11
this is the best reason to
this is the best reason to fast to get closer to the lord.by fasting we humble our selves before the lord
16 years old and wanting to fast for a short time
I'm 16 years old and a male i don't know if that matters though. I'm wondering is it safe for me to go on a water fast being 16? I'm thinking of going on just a 1 to 2 day fast right now. and i would like to know what foods should i eat after the fast. If its just a 1 to 2 day water fast would it matter what foods i eat after the fast?
When I was 16 I fasted 36
When I was 16 I fasted 36 hrs every week for quite awhile , I did a seven day water fast and 21 days on grapes at different times.It total matters what you put in your face after a fast. Raw veggies are a great place to start and with fruit to follow . Depends what condition you are in before you start, read and get informed first
Toxic Concern?
I am 24 6'2" 225 lbs and probably borderline alcoholic because I hang out at bars with my friends like 3 or 4x a week. I smoke cigs and occasionly pot. My diet is 90 percent meat/cheese/bread. My body has just recently shown me a few reasons why this road leads to destruction. I want to fast then adobt a somewhat vegan diet so I can enjoy sports and health for many years of my life. Will a fast release too many toxins into my bloodstream at the same time? I am sure I am a toxic wasteland inside. What type of fast and how long do you think I should go for one?
I think you are to toxic to
I think you are to toxic to go on water fast, try going on vegetable juice fast ,get yourself a juicer and juice carrots lemons tomatoes celery ect.Ive done this type fast and have had excellent results
Wait
You should probably take a week of a raw-vegetable/fruit diet or a vegan diet, with some nutritional supplements(If you don't ease into it with some vegetables/fruit first, you'll feel like hell). A water fast can be dangerous if you are missing any nutrients, as many Americans are for Potassium. Go to a doctor and measure the nutrients in your blood, or have you progressed measured by a naturopath. Doing this will also make you more determined to finish. And when you fast, nibble on some substitute salt. This will even your electrolyte balance.
Be gentle and careful!
I think its great that you are ready to make some changes, but I would work into fasting slowly and carefully. Your body is quite likely a "toxic wasteland" and the detox symptoms could be overwhelming and possibly discourage you from following through with your goals. If I were you I'd do a lot of reading and research (there are tons of books and online material) in order to prepare yourself mentally for the challange. Also, perhaps you could ease into it with a 24/36 hour fresh veggie juice fast, followed by a week of raw fruits and veggies, then a 3 day veggie juice fast, a week or more of raw fruits and veggies and then consider a pure water fast. Juice fasting is cleansing as long as its not too sugary with fruits and allows for slower detoxing.
suggested book- Miracle of Fasting by Paul Bragg
Good luck!
PAUL BRAGG
Glad to see someone mentioned the Paul Bragg book. That was my fasting "bible" back in the '70s. I'm wondering if the book is considered "old school" by now, hahaha. But it and fasting made for an amazing time in my life. I'll never forget the passage in the book, where well into a fast, Paul felt a sudden bowel movement coming on at the beach. When he found a secluded place, to empty out, he noticed a silvery substance in his stool. He later had it analyzed as--talk about toxic!--quicksilver!
I have read that passage and
I have read that passage and it amazed me to think that after all those years you still have gunk in your bowels.
But yes, it is a great book and I am currently reading it. It don't think it's old school, it's probably the most up to date.
Good comment. I am trying
Good comment. I am trying to get through a 24 hour water fast, and it's difficult. I am like the guy who has drank too much and have had too many cigarettes. However, I only do it once or twice a week and I tired of it. So I am fasting to revert some of the cravings...developing a tolerance to not eating, I think has to be established, before going on a 21-day fast.
It's been a long time since I fasted.
I know what you mean about it not being easy.. But I decided last night.. I am going to go on a fast.. This is my first day and I am so tempted to eat what my kids are eating.. I know that I will thank myself for sticking to it in the end.. I used to fast when I was younger.. My mom told me years ago.. "after the third day you stop feeling hungry" I tried.. I think I tossed and turned all night for the first 2 nights.. (I tend to eat more at night) After the third day I wasn't hungry.. I felt light and had energy.. It was like this hump I had to cross over. I fasted for 4 days. But I continued doing this through out my teenage years.. And the result? I was at a perfect weight and felt really good. Now I am close to 30. I have three kids and always used the fact that I have to feed them as an excuse. I just quite smokeing, and very over weight. So We'll see what happens.. Also reading all of these post has encouraged me.
Thanks Everyone!
Fasting
A good book to read for you is Aronld Ehret's Rational Fasting. It talks about the benefits for those who drink alcohol and smoke. Good luck.
Well I did 7 days of veggie
Well I did 7 days of veggie juice and I would make some lemonade in morning after a small workout. I took 3 days of just water then went to a raw fruit/veggie diet. To be honest, I feel better than I have in my whole life. I lost like 15lbs in no time at all. I did have some rashes and my tongue got a little crazy but I hope to go back into another 10 day or so juice diet. Thank you for the advice!
I would start the 21 day
I would start the 21 day water fast right away. Only drink clean spring water when you do drink it and also, if you drink too much water at a time it will make you a bit sickish. You should be able to tell when you've drank enough. When you get back onto food make sure you start with clear juices then friut and then simple green salads. Getting on the wrong kinds of food too fast will result in hurting your kidneys and also your appendix. Good Luck. (I'll bet it'll stop all those cravings too)
My fasting experience so far.
I'm on day 9 of a 21 day water fast and I've already lost 16 lbs. I no longer feel hungry, and as long as I get enough sleep I feel energized and light and alive. It's a very rewarding experience so far and I have no desire to quit before the 21 days are up. After the 21 days I plan on slowly refeeding by doing a week on pure fruit / vegetable juice and then a week on raw fruits and veggies. When that's over and done with I'll be adopting a vegan diet. i'm already a lacto-ovo-vegetarian so it shouldn't be hard. the elimination of all these toxins in my body has really made me realize how important it is to take care of our bodies and watch what we put into them! It has been such a rewarding experience so far that I think I will probably do this once a year.
Fasting - Highly Beneficial to Body and Mind
Fasting is an excellent ecercise that everyone should do. I am deeply in love with fasting and stronly recommend it to everyone. If you want to fast, but can not make up your mind when to start, let me know so we can fast together. This really works.
fasting.
Hi , I read your comment..,.this is my first fast...and am not sure what to expect...are you interested in fasting with me by any chance?
Where are you?
Fasting
Hi Peter,
I am curious what your experiences have been with fasting. I would like to start one on Saturday and go as long as I can. My main concern is vitamin and mineral deficiencies, particularly calcium. Can you comment on that? Do you take vitamins along with the fast, or do you include anything else, such as fruit or vegetables. Personally, I would prefer foregoing everything -- I grow tired of figuring out what to eat every day. I try to eat healthy, but sometimes fall off the wagon. I also drink Synergy, which is an Organic & Raw Kombucha tea --I'm truly addicted to it. It's very low in sugar, but is beneficial to the body. I would like to include at least 1 bottle of the tea along with a water fast. Any comments would be most appreciated.
Regards,
Joan
Fasting
Hi there,
I need to do a fast soon (like in a week time) for health purpose and general wellbeing. You said to let you know so I am hoping that you can help me fast. I am also trying to beat asthma. I have quit smoking for good a week ago and feeling better already.
I have fasted before for 3 days (years ago) and felt amazing by the 3rd day.
If you are still up for it I will let you know when I am ready again and maybe you could guide me.
Many thanks
Katy
I also need to start the 21
I also need to start the 21 day water fast
heath resons i would like to start with you thanks
janie
Fasting
I really enjoyed your paper, and your references.
I just started water fasting one day a week. Is that enough time to make a difference? So far I feel I have more energy, but it may just be my mind tricking me. Is doing it that often harmful?
I too have been water
I too have been water fasting one day a week since 12/07. I have been very healthy despite exposure to many people with colds and flu, and I have slowly lost about 10 pounds. I plan to continue this regimen forever. It works for me.
Interesting
That's interesting. Some people state that you can only reap the benefits of fasting by extended fasts, but a study says that if you fast every other day, you get a longer life. I suppose that once a week would be beneficial too.
I did a fast years ago and
I did a fast years ago and felt amazing. My skin was clear, my hair shiny, soft and full. I felt like I had tons of energy.
Since then, I've tried to do fasts again but with limited success. It's hard to concentrate on detox when you work a couple of jobs and have other responsibilities on top of that. You have to do a fast the right way and doing it 'half assed' really proved more detrimental than helpful. I ended up with iron-deficiency anemia and too much weight loss after numerous 'partial fasting' episodes. I also developed some weird food obsessions. If you have any eating disorder history, fasting is not an excuse to fall back into negative food perceptions. Feeling 'guilty' about eating is not healthy.
Anyway, I do believe in fasting's health benefits when it's DONE RIGHT. Anyone considering a fast should do lots of research before undertaking one.
Fasting
I've just started delving into this practice, and I must say that just doing it for 2 days was an eye opening experience! I am going to experiment with this more. It's a wonderful test of discipline and I did not let myself down!
I feel much better after a fast and almost guilty about eating afterwards, but I go back to eating slowly and more controlled! It's great!
Forms of Fasting
The hindu religion recommends it in daily life. Fasting is a closely followed practise within Yoga just like medication.
It has increased the life span of the sages in the Himalayas. Apart from food fasting there is also a fast where you keep silent (do not speak) for days. This was followed by Mahathma Gandhi which gave him so much spiritual power to his tiny frame. He did this every Sunday-complete fast (food and silence)
fasting
I did a 10 day water fast in February and another 5 day water fast in March. I plan on doing 5 day fasts each month or so to maintain the benefits.
The best benefit is that my hayfever went away. No more stuffy nose or itchy, watery eyes! (Yay!) I also kicked my caffein and sugar cravings. I felt such a sense of peace after the first 3 days on the fast. It is truly amazing.
Fasting and acidity
I suffer from acute acidity. I have to eat small portions every two hours - if I don't I get pain due to gas formation. I wonder if fasting is advisable for me.
fasting
I did a 50 day water fast and wow it changed my life. I wasn't angry with people anymore and I had more peace within myself. There are poisons, toxins and parasites that leave your body when you fast. Poisons, toxins and parasites make people bitter, angry, depressed, and makes you do many other crazy things. I highly suggest it. It doesn't cost you any money and your actually saving money by water fasting.
water fast
I would love to get in touch with Daniel Rogerson, who have done the 50 day water fast. I have attempted fast and lasted 7 days. Im starting another one tomorrow and aiming for 14 at least.
I would love to talk about this topic more
Mozkyna
50 day fast
How did you stop the hunger cravings? when did these get better? How much weight did you lose?- sincerley interested, katie
50 days on only water? did
50 days on only water?
did you do normal life?
did you stay in bed?
did you eat somethis to get you by?
water fasting
I'm water fasting for 21 days plus doing an enema 2 days a week. Can you tell what is this white stuff that looks like very small clear white thing that is coming out of my bowel and there is probably hundreds of these things sinking to the bottom of the toilet. I don't thinks it is parasites. What do you thinks it is?