Fasting your way to health! Less food, more life.

[tgibson3770]

Health Benefits of Fasting

1. Fasting initiates rapid weight loss with little or no hunger. Most people are surprised at how little desire for food they have while fasting.

2. Fasting promotes detoxification. As the body breaks down its fat reserves, it mobilizes and eliminates stored toxins.

3. Fasting gives the digestive system a much-needed rest. After fasting, both digestion and elimination are invigorated.

4. Fasting promotes the resolution of inflammatory processes, such as in rheumatoid arthritis.

5. Fasting quiets allergic reactions, including asthma and hay fever.

6. Fasting promotes the drying up of abnormal fluid accumulations, such as edema in the ankles and legs and swelling in the abdomen.

7. Fasting corrects high blood pressure without drugs. Fasting will normalize blood pressure in the vast majority of cases, the blood pressure will remain low after the fast, if the person follows a health-supporting diet and lifestyle.

8. Fasting makes it easy to overcome bad habits and addictions. Many people have overcome tobacco and alcohol addictions by fasting, and even drug addictions. Fasting rapidly dissipates the craving for nicotine, alcohol, caffeine and other drugs.

9. Fasting clears the skin and whitens the eyes. It is common to see skin eruptions clear while fasting, and the whites of the eyes never look so clear and bright as they do after fasting.

10. Fasting restores taste appreciation for wholesome natural foods. People say that their taste buds come alive after fasting and that food never tasted so good.

11. Fasting is the perfect gateway to a healthful diet and lifestyle. Going on a fast gives you the motivation and enthusiasm to make a fresh start.

[Jen2]

In an answer to agents question on how one developes these eating preferences, this is my story. I ate and loved meat all my life. My favorite was a good steak sandwich. When I was 23 I found myself overweight, unhappy, and very depressed. I knew I had to take control of my life before I lost it. I had always wanted to become a nurse, so in the fall of 2001 I finally enrolled for my pre-reqs. Feeling really good that I was doing something for myself, there was still many things I needed to change. I was very unhappy with my current job as a Medical Assistant, and took a phleb job at a hospital. The job change was one of the best choices I have ever made. Working in the hospital has given me so much respect for the profession that I will be entering. Then low and behold we disected the cat in A&P. That was it. I couldn't even look at meat. I began to be a vegetarian. It wasn't because I wanted to be an extremist but because for the first time in my life I saw where the meat was comming from (no I don't eat cat, but just seeing a dead animal in general skinned with muscle intact). This just completely turned my stomach from meat. Yes I tried to prepare meat and even eat it but couldn't. Before this I was 5'5 and 191lbs. I began to loose weight that I had put on over the years. I started to look great and feel great. I finally had the confidence to get out of a very bad relationship. I have still stuck to my Vegan diet two years later and weigh a very healthy 125 lbs. I will also be starting my ADN program this week. When they say that it's a life style change they couldn't be anymore right.

I am constantly being criticized for being a vegetarian. I'm not some crazy member of PITA spray painting peoples fur coats on the street. I became a vegetarian by accident and now by choice. I'm not against meat eaters at all, was one myself for 23 years, but find that many meat eaters are almost angry at me for my choices or think I'm crazy. When people ask me how I lost the weight they say that I'll gain it back as soon as I start eating meat again. Well, I'm not going to eat meat again. I'd hate to see what it would do to my digestive system if I did. I'm far from perfect, in fact I'm still fighting the demon of smoking. Can't seam to kick that one, but I'm working on it. I think people are just afraid of what they don't understand.

3rdshiftguy, Thanks for posting that story. Sorry mines so long, but I just want more people to understand.

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

Jen2, the reasons one comes to her/his dietary choices are as varied as there are people on the planet. Thanks for sharing yours. Good luck with the smoking.

[MishlB]

I certainly hope you are not promoting this to patients. Many patients with medical conditions such as HTN need medical intervention along with a healthy lifestyle. What works for you will not work for everybody...and you say you eventually get over the sick feeling of not eating?? If this is true, then why are third-world starving children dying? You would think by your accounts they would be healthy and feeling fit....(referring to original post only)

[gwenith, BSN, RN]

There was a woman here in Australia who became briefly famous for advocating "Breatharianism" the belief that you could live on air alone. She was considered a harmless crank until her followers decided to run a health farm along these lines. I acutally looked after the victim of this "health farm". She was covered in pressure areas and dies a most terrible death from a metabolic collapse.

Now for the REAL research.

http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99993303

[azgirl]

3rd shift guy. What a wonderful post. Really spelled out the problems well.

I don't know how many times at work a pizza was given to the staff as a gift but uneatable for me. People told me to just pick off the meat and eat it anyway.

My doctor recommended in 1980 that I give up meat. My health so drastically improved that there would be no going back. I am not one who ever enjoyed meat so it was not hard to give it up.

In all those years I have NEVER criticized someone for their choice of food but have constantly put up with that. My husband won't ever tell anyone he is vegetarian because of that. Just refuses any food at work that he did not bring himself.

I like your part about the just trying a bite of something. LOL.

[Sekar]

To each their own. I eat a well balanced diet including my recommended allotments of fruits, veggies, carbs, and meats. MY main problem with the vegetarians I know is that almost all of them are "preachy". They seem to feel that I want to hear all about the benefits of a vegetarian diet and the evils of eating meat. I don't. I usually tell them this as gently as I can, unless they don't seem to get the message. Then I tell them a tad more bluntly until the message gets through. I won't judge what you eat or preach to you about how my dietary choices are superior to yours, so please show me the same consideration. I enjoy my meats, and while I have eaten some delicious veggie dishes, I have no desire to become a vegetarian. Infinite Diversity in Infinate Combinations, to include the diets we choose to eat.

[mattsmom81]

We make our own choices and need not feel criticized for them. The vegan lifestyle is a healthy choice for many today.

I agree with the posters who feel it is dangerous to promote the pure fasting recomended by the OP. A modified fast with fresh veggies and fruit sounds much more sane, and ANY fasting should be under a medical professional's supervision only, IMO.

Since our bodies do not know a fast from a famine, we put ourselves through too many metabolic rigors with a true fast, and someone with health issues may be compromised to the point of not surviving. Look at anorexics and bulemics and what they do to their bodies.

It is dangerous to the public for nurses to promote pure fasting and VLC dieting. Indeed it is a free board and one can post what one wishes here, but one must also be open to rebuttal if it flies in the face of reputable research.

The links Gwenith posted give scientific evidence vs fad nonsense, and a professional board should support what is scientific, IMO.

[Brownms46]

I for one love a good steak from time to time, a good piece of baked chicken, or fried every now and then. I LOVE seafood...except for oysters, and octopus... But I also LOVE vegetables! I can eat a meal of totally nothing but potatoes, green beans, and corn. Or boccoli [sp?], and LOVE bean sprouts..(YUMMM). I love lettuce, carrots, mushrooms, green peppers, pine nuts and onions in my salad. I LOVE cabbage raw or cooked, I love spinach, and green peas. But I like to have a little chicken or seafood thrown in there to. I have tasted veggie burgers, and Tofu...and I spit it out..YUCK!!!

I have no problem with anyone eating as they wish, as long as it's what they want. Their body, their decision, unless it is proving harmful to them, such as those with eating disorders. But I do have a problem with the one diet fits all gospel! No one diet is best for all, and never will be IMO.

[Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN]

:chuckle The preachy vegetarian sparked a memory at the cafeteria in a WVA hospital i ate at once a couple years ago.

Here i am getting ready to take a nice big bite of this huge delicious loadedburger when a plant nazi at the next table had the nerve to launch in to a why-meat-is-bad-for-you-you-barbarian soapbox moment. She got silent for a second and i said "are you quite finished?" and got up and put my receipt on their table, which plainly stated "Black Bean Burger w/ everything".

The look on that person's face was a Kodak moment.

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

Originally posted by Sekar

To each their own. I eat a well balanced diet including my recommended allotments of fruits, veggies, carbs, and meats. MY main problem with the vegetarians I know is that almost all of them are "preachy". They seem to feel that I want to hear all about the benefits of a vegetarian diet and the evils of eating meat. I don't. I usually tell them this as gently as I can, unless they don't seem to get the message. Then I tell them a tad more bluntly until the message gets through. I won't judge what you eat or preach to you about how my dietary choices are superior to yours, so please show me the same consideration. I enjoy my meats, and while I have eaten some delicious veggie dishes, I have no desire to become a vegetarian. Infinite Diversity in Infinate Combinations, to include the diets we choose to eat.

I know that's your experience, but seems a little stereotyping to say "almost all of them are preachy". Because from what I see most vegetarians are quitely living their lives eating their food, not speaking about their diet until spoken too. Of course the loud obnoxious one's cause the stereotyping. For every vegetarian preaching, every PETA Nazi, there are dozens of vegetarians quietly doing what they feel is best for them, without preaching.

On the other side, as I eat my veggies, tabouli and tofu why do meat eaters have to get in my face "why don't you eat meat? Meat is good for you! Humans were meant to eat meat? Don't you just want to eat a big juicy steak" On and on...so perhaps both meat eaters and vegetarians are a little self-righteous about what they eat.

It's a big world there's room for us all. I'm sorry you feel that way about vegetarians. I don't like preachy vegetarians either.

[geekgolightly, BSN, RN]

Originally posted by agent

Renerian, nothing against you.

I just wonder where these (what seems to be neurosis) stem from?

I wonder how ppl develop these eating preferences that seem to be in direct contrast to what society deems as normal eating habits.

It's so sad when people pass judgements like this. Standards set by society? Shall I bring in Foucault? I wonder what drives people (neuroses perhaps?) to keep others in line with what "society" thinks.

[zambezi, BSN, RN]

I am all for being healthy. I understand and see everyday what poor choices and poor diet can do to someone's body and quality of life. However, after reading a variety of tgibson's posts there is no way that you can convince me that these "diets" are "correct" either. It just seems fanatical to me. I have friends that are vegan, they don't seem fanatical to me though, it is just who they are...Mabye it is just because we are online and converstations are somewhat disjointed? Whether you choose to be vegan, vegetarian, etc, who cares? As long as you are healthy. As for this thread, I just don't see how fasting for long periods of time is good for you. Whatever happened to balance. Lately, it is Stop this, don't eat that, this is bad for you, milk, meat, etc...all bad. The current post: why eat at all??? Where does it end? I am not trying to flame here. I want to understand others opinions and certainly am all for a healtheir lifetyle but with today's diets (fast food, atkins, cabbage soup, etc...)It is so all or nothing. If you are against eating meat/milk, etc that is your own thing, I would not force you to eat my way because it is better...I don't understand how an occassional steak is bad if balanced with regualr meals, protiens, fruits, veggies, exercise. I realize that this is not the "american diet" but it seems more attainable that these crazy diets that are in. A change is never easy, but people are not perfect either. Diet and health are not all or nothing, they are daily choices that need to be reinforced. Sorry I am so rambling, I guess I just don't understand this mindset... Back to the original post: Im sure that it would go over really well in my unit (CCU)...you don't need to take your antihypertensives, just fast for a few weeks, the cureall for hypertension...Sorry, that was kind of a stab, but I just don't agree that this is the right way to assist someone in changing their lifestyle. Fasting for extended periods is not going to change health, promoting healtheir lifestyles and diets is. A healthy diet allows for some fun, and mistakes, too!!! IMHO, it is all about balance. :)