Hello Chrisb1,

Thank you for your interest. There are two main reasons.

During my 8 days 'let’s-fix-depression' fast I've got several insights about myself ... not very flattering though. Fasting worked but it was not what I expected. Also, during the fast I was sliding deeper and deeper into … some realizations which perhaps I was not (yet) ready to face. So, when a birthday party invitation came I convinced myself that I have to go. In hindsight, I think I was scared to fast further. Physically I felt ok, mostly without any appetite, but emotionally it was just too much for me.

Another side of the coin is my weight. I’ve been a junky vegetarian for years, consistently having about 80 pounds more than I need. I’m sure that I can fast for 20 days straight and perhaps that I can be a disciplined eater for a week or two after that. But I know myself, sooner or later I will go back to my old habits. 20 days is just not long enough to reset all ‘buttons’, to clean my body and to give me confidence that need.

So, my plan is sort of compromise. It should slow down mental and emotional cleaning and at the same time, it should give me enough time to acquire healthy eating habits. I know it is not ideal but this is best I came up with.

Your comments are appreciated as always. (But today is Day 2, so please be gentle.)
Anne

Hi ChrisB -and Anne.

in all honesty,
this idea of fasting for a week, but with a 'break' on Sundays feels to me utterly backwards. It makes much more sense, from everything i 'know' (have learned through study and experience) about Water Fasting to do just the opposite.

To eat well and lightly, in a plant-based lifestyle for six days with a break on the seventh, for water only, is entirely in accord with the way the body truly 'works',at all levels, from the subtle, through to the gross physical structures, down to the merest particle, and so forth.


I am surprised to hear you, Chris seeming to endorse the concept. (I've read a few posts on this-and it sounds as though you do.?) Mainly, it concerns me that people reading the threads that mention it, might get an entirely backward idea of water fasting. What one individual chooses to do might work for that person, yet be, in basic terms, not at all in sync with the norm.If that makes sense. not to put too fine a point on it, but the seventh day-on-food Water Fasting plan sounds like a strange form of malnourishment, or at worst--a "diet". Or penance, followed by one day's reward.? Surely what amounts to an interruption of one day's eating, just at the point when real healing begins (seven days) negates much of the benefit inherent in water fasting?

Perhaps I'm just wishing for more clarification.

best, Chiron

Hello braindamage,
A 2 day Water Fast every 2 weeks with a plantbased diet in between is not at all unsafe or dangerous: very beneficial in fact.
It only becomes unsafe in the manner I described earlier in the thread where an attempted 60 day fast (too long) without supervision, and the very real risk of an electrolyte deficiency as a result; AND from what has been described on the blog, makes this highly irresponsible.
Some people enter water-fasting as if it were just "going without food", but this simply isn't the case at all.
http://www.soilandhealth.org/02/0201hyglibcat/020127shelton.III/020127.ch29.htm


Glad to hear your skin is improving under this regimen. You might also wish to consider taking Essential Fatty Acids for your skin in the form of Omega 3's and 6's...............
http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/skin/EFA/index.html


If you don't wish to consume oily fish (wild caught) the best alternative is the oil-protein combination of flaxseed oil with a sulfurated protein (Budwig); this combo makes the oil water-soluble, which in turn allows the EFA's to enter the bodily cells far more easily and therefore therapeutically.

Chrisb1.

Hello #134633,
my post to you on your goal of a 60 day fast, and the account of day 7 on your blog, gave me real cause for concern. I admit I was a little harsh in my reply, but this was designed to hit my message home, so you would hopefully take note as to my concerns for your health and welfare.

I understand your aspirations now, as to aim higher you will most likely achieve more than you would have otherwise, if your goals were lower: 30 to 40 days is more realistic and achievable because of this.

No I didn't think that you were documenting your fasting journey to be labelled as irresponsible, but I think your account of day 7 was not the wisest choice of conduct, as there are inherent dangers in over exertion and dealing with heat as your account portrays.
I wouldn't agree though that we are all different, in that we all have to succumb to the same physiological laws and effects of a fast, and how this will affect the outcome both during the fast itself, and post fast. Fasting is of course a physiological rest, so if we engage in things that are contrary to this biological process, we may do more harm than good and hence my original post.

It is also true that people have survived unintentional and forced fasts of up to 90 days, and for one reason or another, but this was not by design, and certainly not to be recommended, as any qualified fasting supervisors would tell us. Voluntary protracted fasts would be of much shorter lengths, as there are issues of safety to be taken into account; an electrolyte deficiency being just one, and any sudden change in the vital signs being another. Fasting is an extremely safe process, but if carried too far, can result in harm unless we know exactly what we are doing, and have researched the subject thoroughly.

It is also true that many people have posted here once or twice concerning their aims/goals in fasting, and given up, but this I feel is through lack of discipline/willpower/motivation rather than anything else, including being irresponsible.

I am glad that you will be showing the highs and lows of your fast, as this will illustrate and motivate others into achieving the same: if she can do it as it were, then so can I.
Personal testimonies are invaluable, as will your own, but I hope that the future conduct of your fast will conform to the tried and tested conduct of a fast from those who have gone before us, in conducting it as safely as possible.

To your successful fasting journey.

Chrisb1.