Having explored holistic health for about 10 years here I can say that there are few skills I have learned that can match fasting for their obvious effectiveness at accelerating healing and increasing body balance. Fasting is very simply the process of stopping eating for extended periods. My explanation for why we use the word 'fasting' to describe this process is that it causes the body's healing process to move faster. Etymologists will claim that the real origin of the word is with the idea of 'holding fast' or 'staying firm', but I maintain that often there are alternative roots for meanings in words which make MORE sense than the alleged origin derived from historical analysis of texts... ;)
Some Benfits of Fasting
Regardless of the meaning of the word, the process is the important thing to understand. The beneftis of fasting cannot easily be overstated:
- The body has more energy available for regeneration due to it not needing to use energy for the process of digestion. This means that the body can complete healing tasks that it previously didn't have the ability to complete.
- The immune system effectively gets triggered to 'reboot' and becomes renewed with greater strength and capacity to resolve major challenges - including cancer. See: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2016/03/12/fasting-for-three-days-can-regenerate-entire-immune-system-study/
- The various cellular wastes that the body stores can be released since they are not being constantly replaced and added to - the body's process of restoration includes 'cleaning house'.
- As a result of all of this, the body loses fat reserves first and quite quickly the skin will begin to glow (after several days).
- The psychology of the individual can undergo a dramatic shift since it becomes apparent that much which was being thought to be true about the body and food was actually incorrect. An example is that the hunger sensations which we had previously experienced are found to be false! They are not real hunger. The feelings that we commonly think to be hunger are actually usually just the feeling of the stomach being empty and have nothing to do with actually needing food. These feelings/thoughts end completely after 3/4 days of fasting. Real hunger will surface much later, sometimes up to 30 days later. Real hunger does NOT go away until we eat and indeed, if we do not eat relatively soon at that point we may do ourselves serious damage or even die.
- As a result of the greater understanding of the body it becomes simpler to end eating disorders and addictions - plus numerous other neuroses which cloud the thinking and make behavior dysfunctional.
- Perception of taste preference gets RESET! So if you had been addicted to sugary food and were convinced you hated greens, then due to the reset you have the possibility of easily shifting to a new diet after the fast concludes.
The process
While it might sound simple to just stop eating, there are some protocols which are important to adopt for safe and optimal results. I have provided a great free book below and several videos and I strongly urge that you take the time to properly learn what is being shared there before fasting yourself and I am in no way responsible for your own actions here. The book I have linked below is considered one of the all time classics on the subject and was written by a man who had fasted around 2000 people. He had meticulously recorded the experiences and learned a huge amount along the way.
In short though, as an overview - the key steps are:
- Make sure you have a comfortable and relaxing place to be for 20-30 days (if you intend to do the fast that long - though even shorter times are beneficial). Ideally you will not be interupted by phone calls or other people - your body is going into a special fasting state that needs peace.
- Only drink water, do not drink fruit juices or anything other than water. If the body receives nutrition it will switch from 'fasting mode' to 'normal mode'.
- Listen to your body's needs throughout the process and respond as appropriate (this is needed at all times anyway, but particularly during a fast).
- Be prepared for emotions to surface as you will be quietly exploring your inner consciousness more than usual. Emotions are from our will and need to be expressed safely rather than just thought about or spoken about.
- The first 3/4 days may be challenging due to habit patterns that reinforce the idea that you MUST EAT. Once you release the false beliefs surrounding the patterns and also clear emotional charges relating to them, you will be peaceful and able to continue comfortably.
- End the fast when is right for you - generally when you have a constant real hunger that does not end.
- Return to eating by gently introducing solids and some fresh juices. I have learned it is best to stick to fresh, organic greens and fruits/vegetables to begin with.
Intermittent fasting
Another approach to fasting is to do it intermittently and more regularly. This can involve not eating for most of the day and only eating in the evening - or can involve not eating for more than a day and then eating normally. Here's an interview with a very unusual guy who constantly intermittently fasts. He is a doctor and also a world record holder for weight lifting - he is also over 50 years old and frankly, looks kind of ageless - maybe around 30. I need to point out that I do not agree with his points about denial at all - he lives an ascetic lifestyle - but that is his choice and not necessary for fasting to be effective for others:
Get involved and help improve life!
I heartily advocate for healing without drugs and I know that such an approach is possible in the majority of cases - having done so myself numerous times and having listened to numerous medical professional who agree. If you are interested to participate in a community of other souls who care and are chosoing to heal, balance and evolve - I invite you to the social network I run called Ureka: Earth Heart community.
Fasting information videos
Lauren Lockman of the Tanglewood wellness Center in Costa Rica - on clearing out the body's garbage:
Lauren again on "Transitioning your diet or maintaining mediocrity":
Intermittent Fasting:
TED talk on "Why fasting bolsters brain power:
FREE digital version of the fasting chapter from classic book on health: "the hygeinic system" by Herbert Shelton (1934):
http://soilandhealth.org/wp-content/uploads/02/0201hyglibcat/020127shelton.III/020127.toc.htm
Further study
More material on this topic is available at the social network I run called ureka, here: https://www.ureka.org/katalists/view/29766/fasting-as-a-therapy-for-increased-health
Thanks for sharing those inspirational videos. Especially the deadlifting doctor. He doesn't look older than 35. Amazing.
I do intermittent fasting twice a week... Maybe i have to up it.
I've done 16 days and I am on LCHF diet, as I was stalling for while, all I can tell you, my body is full of energy and I feel great, will continue doing so, as this is the best we can do to our body, thanks for posting this video, it was great watching it.
you are welcome! how is intermittent fasting working out for you? I haven't done that yet but I have fasted for over 2 weeks a couple of times. I am due to do it again soon. In my case I always see my skin dramatically improve after a few days.
I find it to be harder than described... Feel very hungry on those days. Maybe it's because of the temptation from all the good food around.
In terms of health benefits, the biggest one is probably the weight management. Allows me to eat more on non-fast days without weight gain.
hehe - maybe that's part of why the doctor went to live in a forest :)
i might give the intermittent fasting a go too, thanks for the inspiration.
by the way, i am wondering if you understand why your comments here are receiving so many auto-votes.. Is that something you have consciously set up somehow?
I think it's cos i'm on esteem :)
what is esteem?
that is exactly what I was about to write to you, my skin ( mind you I was born with a rare skin condition) was never better, the level of energy and mind clarity is gone through the roof, I am always doing something like studying and working 2 different jobs (I have many hats on my head I can wear, job wise I meant) and if I have cold or flu symptoms, one day and I am on my feet again without any antibiotics, just home remedies (honey, lemon and cinnamon tea). I feel every time that I am rebooting my all body by doing these fastings (intermittent or 18hours ones). And working in the medical field I cannot disclose this WOE (way of eating) as it is "crazy", well let me tell ya, I am not injecting myself with insulin as I used to 5-6 times a day, go figure.
excellent! i think you have enough scientific study available from the alleged 'voices of authority' to tell the truth to the world.. lol.
truth be told, much of the recommendations of today's doctors are NOT based on sound scientific understanding or research at all - despite their false claims to the contrary.
congrats on your health, none the less <3
This post received a 46% upvote from @randowhale thanks to @ura-soul! For more information, click here!
yup this is all true dear.
Thanks @ura-soul for this article about fasting. I've done it a few times before, a week each time, with fantastic results. So yes, actually I was thinking about writing and posting about those experiences myself.
What I consider super-important is to pay attention to the preparation time as well as the return to regular eating. Normally I take half the time of the fast (so three days in case of a week's fast) to reduce the type of foods I eat, and take the same time to break the fast and gradually return to eating.
You are welcome! I am glad to hear of your successes. I have generally found that if my diet is already clean and nutritionally dense - plus if I am psychologically and emotionally accepting of the impending fast, that I don't really need to 'wind down' in advance of the fast - but I appreciate that in some cases it might help, yes.
Everyone is unique and has unique issues to deal with - so there isn't really a totally effective 'one size fits all' option.
Thanks for sharing!
i've been doing 18 hour fast, 6 hour eating the past month and dig it :)
great, thanks for sharing your experience :)
Also benefits spirituality (drawing nearer to God)
it helps to understand that god is not just spirit but is embodied on earth in bodies too. the entire universe is a body of god - but yes, fasting does help clarify the mind / body connection and the awareness of the origins of all that is. <3
i wouldn't be any good at fasting: :P
yes, the mind likes to throw those spanners in the works ;)
Thank you for the very informative post. Fasting can rejuvinate your dead cell and burn fat? I like this. Upvote and follow you
Definitely a great post, I was looking for information about fasting and it resolved a lot of questions. Thanks.
You are welcome, I'm glad you appreciated my work here :)