Re: Fasting (& Vegetarism)

["pierre_mikael" <p.mikael@...>]

Dear Antiloop

People who say something is always right, are always proved wrong (at 
least most of teh time)

I mentionned that fasting a few days was good for a person a good 
health, I agree with you it is better to temper that. People would 
reast differently. 

Strictly from a medical point of vue, fasting a few days (3 to 5) is 
unlikely to cause any harm to a person in a reasonable health. You 
eliminate toxins and fat. The body regenerates. You will need a few 
days to recover. And it is definitely right to relax and not to work.

THe 1st 2 days weakness is due mainly to the lack of sugar in the 
organism. And yes, you will sleep a lot and feel tired. 
Drinking Fruit Juice or honney is a good way to help.


> By the third day I had slept 
> 12 hours because I was so weak and I barely had energy to do 
> anything. After being awake for only 1 or 2 hours I just wanted to 
go 
> back to bed and rest more. I could not even think very clearly as I 
> was indeed so weak. I longed for the fast to be over, because it 
was 
> affecting my ability to function. 
> 
> Interestingly enough, I was not hungry at all past the morning of 
the 
> second day. I did find this part of the experience quite 
fascinating 
> and for that alone I thought the experience was worthwhile doing. 
In 
> my current present, when I am very hungry, instead of obeying my 
> instinct and going to some fast food or less than healthy 
restaurant 
> on the way home from work, I just smile to myself and think "You 
have 
> survived 3 days eating almost nothing, surely you can wait 2 more 
> hours to eat, and this will help you gain more will power if you do 
> so". 
> 

This proves that your 3 days fasting has affected the way you relates 
to food a positive way. You feel quieter, and less "convulsive" when 
dealing with the food. You are less afraid of missing food and are 
more confident with the ability of your body to cope with hunger.

> Part of the intent of my entering this fast was to feel lighter and 
> to feel more connected to the Universe, as you nicely put... for 
> spiritual reasons. I can tell you there was no such result at all. 
> Instead I felt very weak and unable to take advantage of my 
> feeling "lighter" for this purpose. I had less ability to 
concentrate 
> on anything because I hungry during the first day and physically 
and 
> mentally exhausted the days after.

What I feel, is that 3 days is possibly not enough for your body to 
cope with the miss. 
To give you an ideas of what is "extreme fasting", in the 80's 2 
irish activists put in jail fastens for 60 days to get a political 
prisonner status. ONe of the 2 died after 63 days, the other was fed 
in hospital after 60 days and is now fine with no remaining effect. 
This is extreme fasting. A person mastering techics such as prana 
breathing could possibly go much further. I do not advice to do so.


> 
> The other interesting experience from this fast is that after it 
was 
> all finally over and I could eat normally again, I was very aware 
> that there was no way I could just sit down and have a regular 
> meal... even one most of us consider healthy. I was aware my 
stomach 
> could not handle the shock of processing such complex foods 
> immediately nor the regular quantities of food I normally eat, and 
> that I had to get back to normal progressively and slowly. 
Therefore 
> my first meal consisted of a very small portion of flavourless 
> organic yoghurt and a few pieces of simple bread. Had I sat down 
for 
> a big mac and large fries with coke, I am sure I would have been in 
> the hospital in less than 30 minutes! ;-)

FOr 3 days fasting, I am not so sure. But, well, considering big mac 
and large fries with coke is extreme eating, it is possible...;-)
I probably would go directly to the hospital with no fasting with 
such a meal.

> 
> I would still recommend people do a fast if they've never done one 
in 
> their lives, but be careful on how drastic the fast is, and with 
that 
> in mind, how long you strain your body for. If you start to feel 
VERY 
> weak, then you know you can not extend this too much longer. What 
> others are capable of is not necessarily a reflection of what you 
can 
> do at the moment, so yes push your will to the limits, but don't 
> sacrifice your health for this.
> 

Really, for a person in normal heath, it is unlikely that he or she 
will sacrifice her health for a 3-5 days fast. BODY IS ABLE TO COPE 
(of course if not done too often); the best time is at season start 
(except winter).

I am not a doctor. One should take some good medical advices if any 
doubts or if any illness.

best regards, 

Pierre Mikael