Less is More: Fasting for Better Health
There is much attention given to the idea of 鈥渇asting鈥� recently. Some put it forth as a cure-all. Others advocate it as a nice way to 鈥渞e-boot鈥� the system, inspired by our modern age of computer terminology.
Fasting is not a new idea by any means. It has been practiced for spiritual reasons for centuries.
Claims of mental benefit range from clearer thinking, to visions of past and future, to communion with God. Who among us can say for sure whether these claims are true, unless we have tried it, and experienced any or all of these things for ourselves. In any case, the more extreme benefits are purportedly reserved for those of the highest constitution, who are able to stay in a fasted state for 30 or more days. My personal record is 10 days on a vegetable juice fast. The documentary 鈥淔at Sick And Almost Dead鈥� chronicles a man who reputedly sustained his juice fast for 60 days.
The choice to fast is quite personal. There are practitioners and clinics that specialize in supervised fasting, which is what I advocate for first-time, long-term fasters. At these clinics, they monitor blood chemistry and other vital signs daily, so one cannot mistakenly do damage.
Before you decide whether or not to participate in one sort of fast or another, you may understandably ask 鈥渨hat蘑菇视频 in it for me?鈥� Well, some of the benefits I have seen documented, and some I have personally experienced include: blood sugar regulation; re-balancing of digestive bacteria essential for nutrient extraction; mental clarity; weight loss; internal organ healing, including liver, intestines, stomach, and kidneys; ability to break addictions to sugar, starch, and dairy; better appetite control; self-awareness regarding the effect of food; improvement of arthritis; and detoxification of heavy metals from the body.
These are but a few benefits commonly documented.
The primary logic for fasting is that it takes a great deal of resources for the body to run digestion, and it has limited energy to heal or detoxify itself while engaged in digestion. This is particularly true for processed, animal and fried foods. Raw greens, vegetables, fruits and other water-based foods digest much more easily. They still require enzymes and energy though: so they are not truly 鈥渇ree鈥� compared to fasting. So when we fast, the body can shut down digestion, and focus on deep cleaning and repair. It has been well documented that as hunter-gatherers we evolved to withstand periods of fasting when food was scarce.
In his book 鈥淭he Warrior Diet,鈥� Ori Hofmekler asserts that we evolved to hunt all day on minimal or no food, and only eat one large meal at night, resulting from killing prey, or gathering berries etc.
But you may very well say, fasting is scary, or seems too extreme, or is beyond your willpower. Be not dismayed by these imaginings dear reader: there are as many options for fasting as there are for dieting. We cannot explore the complete range of options, but let蘑菇视频 take a birds-eye view of some of the most popular approaches.
The most extreme is pure water fasting. This approach dates back as far as recorded history, especially in regard to religious practice. Water fasting is, for obvious reasons, the quickest way to get right down to deep cleansing and repair. Paul Bragg is a long-time advocate of natural healing, and very successful entrepreneur, has a number of well-regarded food products carried all over the world.
These include Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar, and Braggs Liquid Aminos. In his book, 鈥淭he Miracle Of Fasting,鈥� he outlines his approach which consists of eating nothing but clean water from dinner until lunch, essentially skipping breakfast.
This amounts to approximately 12 hours of water fasting. He also claims to practice a 24-hour water fast once per week, and then approximately three to 10 days four times a year. He points out the additional benefit this may have on your grocery bill. Bragg advocates distilled water as the best source.
Juice fasting is well documented in the movie Fat, Sick, And Almost Dead referred to above. Freshly juiced veggies are best.
Others prefer reverse osmosis or advanced multi-stage carbon filtration. Bragg practices a form of 鈥渋ntermittent fasting,鈥� of which there are numerous books written.
Ori Hofmekler practices his own version of intermittent fasting. He stops eating after dinner (typically 8pm but adjustable individually), and does not eat at all, or eats minimally until dinner next day. He allows a small salad, or a piece of fruit, or a small handful of nuts or seeds at lunch time. His book is interesting, and worth the read.
Another popular source is Brad Pilon蘑菇视频 鈥淓at Stop Eat.鈥� This approach advocates one or two days of 24-hour water fasting, combined with exercising in the fasted state. Why? In a fasted state, the body kicks up growth hormones, and blood sugar is stable, so it burns fat, and builds muscle more efficiently. Read his book for more info.
Another popular method, which is the basis of what I practice, is 16 hours off and eight hours on. This means approximately 8 p.m. to 12 p.m. just water.
That leaves an eight-hour 鈥渇eeding window.鈥� I have heard it recommended that women limit themselves to 14 hours, rather than the 16 recommended for men. Once again, a workout at the end of the fast, before eating, is the recommended technique. Shawn Hadsall is an example of an advocate of this approach.
He has plenty of videos on YouTube, books, and a website for more info.
The last approach we will introduce today is mono-fruit fasting.
This appeals to people because it doesn鈥檛 seem like fasting as much. The preferred fruits are apples, grapes, citrus, and melons. It is claimed the juices in these fruits have extraordinary cleansing properties. An example is an apple or two three times a day, with nothing else but water for approximately three days. Dr. Robert Morsend is a strong advocate of this. He has plenty of free videos on You Tube as well.
So there you have a jump-start introduction to fasting options. Remember that all fasting works best if combined with exercise and proper sleep.
It is also wise to eat clean the days before you enter a fast. Of course, we advocate trying to eat clean 90 percent or better in general.
Until next time, do your best, and don鈥檛 be too hard on yourself. Food addictions we acquired as children will not be conquered overnight.