Anyone Here Done Any Fasting?

Sunni,

I'm just coming off of a six day water fast. I am still very weak, but otherwise I feel great. I lost around 20 (or less as I'll probably pick a few back up as I start eating again) pounds, but that is not the reason I did it. A friend of mine who was VERY overweight had recently done a medically supervised (at True North in Marin County) 10 day water fast and it has hugely changed his life. I figured, what the hell and so I decided to give it a whirl. Partly because I have either kidney stones or a urinary tract infection which I have not been able to knock out with massive doses of vitamin C and cranberry pills I figured that I'd see if this might help my situation before I break down and go to the hated medical cartel for antibiotics which I will take only as a last resort. (Resort? Did someone mention RESORT??? :-) )

While I did the fast on my own, in the middle of nowhere, I had the telephone support of my friend which was very helpful as to what to expect and as a sounding board when weird stuff happened.

This will make you totally non-functional, so don't expect to be able to do ANYthing. At the end it was all I could do sometimes to stand up with any stability. Being alone I decided I was too weak to continue beyond the 6 days and so quit, but with a good support system I'd have been willing to go on for several more.

Coffee is definitely out. Oddly enough, I did not have coffee withdrawl symptoms. I expected them; they didn't show. Around day 5 I had severe heart burn and finally resorted to some sodium bicarbonate and water to calm them down when they became more than I could handle.

As several people (well... two) advised me, coming off of the fast is as hard as going into it. You must do this very gently with very small amounts of food, and nothing solid, to start. I started, against my friend's advice, with a few ounces of V-8 juice to break the fast. I had been planning to juice some apples and use that, but I found that the idea of juicing apples was simply more than I was capable of, and so I did the V-8 thing. My stomach revolted. Light fruit juice, non-citrus, is advised, and my friend says the clinic believes strongly in watermelon juice as a starter, three 12 ounce glasses on the first day. Tomato juice is okay on the second day, and then a few raw vegetables on the third. Steamed vegetables are okay on the fourth. Of course I, being who I am, and being in the middle of nowhere and unable to get to a store, have done almost none of that, but that is what they recommend.

Anyway, I'm quite pleased. I'm not yet sure whether this will fix my urinary problem, but regardless, I'm pleased. In fact, I may make it a regular thing.

HERE is one very informative article on water fasting.

and HERE is the link to True North's page, at the bottom of which is a series of very informative articles which the legal staff, I'm sure, has obfuscated most of the valuable information from. (I HATE it when I ask a question and am given the answer to go see my doctor!)

Oh yes. Please note that I went into this already eating a vegan diet, so for you meat eaters, this may alter some of what to expect from what happened to me. And all people are different, of course.

- NonE

disclaimer: This is in no way advice but is only a record of my personal experience and thoughts. As with all things of a personal nature, make sure to get permission from the appropriate government approved cartel before doing anything of any greater significance than tying your shoes.

I've done this a time or two, but certainly would not recommend it, especially to anyone who has children and ongoing responsibilities. You can't do anything else...

for the last 5 years, I have done a modified colon cleanse at least once a month, oftener if I feel the need. This involves drinking only water and two or three doses of psyllium husk (plain)in water over a 24 hour period. Occasionally, if needed, I extend that until noon the next day, no more.

I have found this to be of much more benefit than a water only fast, regardless of the length of time.

Just my 2 cents worth. :)

Thanks, everyone, for the input so far; but I must say I’m more confused than anything else.

Interesting that you just came off a fast, NonE., and that your first link is the same as my first link! Many of the articles I’ve read suggest that after the transition early in the fast, many feel energized. I wonder why your experiences, N.E. and M.L., have been so different.

When I was younger, occasionally I’d have attacks of some kind of very severe stomach pain (almost certainly stress-related). During those times it hurt more to eat than not, so I barely ate anything ... probably drank water, and maybe milk, but probably not much else. I was able to keep up with my routine activities (the first time this happened I was at college, and the second time working full-time at a job that kept me on my feet the entire 8 hours).

How do so many others fast—apparently successfully—if it’s so incapacitating? Muslims and some other religious individuals regularly fast, without laying about or being clucked over at a resort or spa ... I think some of TrueNorth’s material overmedicalizes the process.

And, ironically enough, the disparities in your reports and my previous experiences have me even more tempted to try it sooner, rather than later ... but then I’ve a batch of eggnog aging, which will probably be gotten out for the solstice; I don’t want to miss out on enjoying that.

My only "fasting" experience came about unintentionally. After a particularly bad end to a relationship, I simply had no desire to eat. I didn't eat a bite for a week and never got hungry; the very thought of food was disgusting to me. It was very hard to start eating again.

I don't think I ever got weak or anything. That is probably not applicable to your question, but is the only input I have.

I have fasted before, usually to correct stomach problems. Those fasts have lasted as much as 6 days. While they did me a lot of good, I was bedridden during the fasts.

... that fasting is as unique an experience as anything else, and is dependent in part upon the individual’s expectations and beliefs as well as his general health.

Thanks, everyone; all input was very helpful to me. (Which is not to be taken to mean the subject is now closed—additional comments are still welcome.)

I fast occasionally....water fasts, the old "lemon juice-cayenne pepper-maple syrup" fast (ugh!), fat fasts (yes, it sounds unhealthy, but I lose weight and feel better....fat is brain food), etc. My recommendation is to go on a 1 to 3 day tea fast. I like black tea for it's anti-viral properties and for the caffeine (it keeps the headaches away). Coffee during your fast will not ruin your fast and if you are used to it, continue with it. Some people even go as far as coffee enemas (I am not one of those people). Three days without food or nutrients will not kill you. If you want to go longer, add some vitamins and minerals, if you want. Although juice fasts are the ones that are usually recommended, I feel that they have too much sugar/carbs and prefer tea (mostly 'cause plain water is too blah for me). I usually will go on a 3-day fast and then eat regularly, but lightly and then go back on the 3-day fast after 3-4 days of eating. It's a good way to flush my system and shrink my stomach.

Good luck!