Re: A couple of quick questions on day 13

I would keep an eye on that heart of yours and if it happens again I would consider stopping the fast and going to a doctor to see what's going on.

About the cocooning, that's normal. This is the sensation people describe when they say the fast intensifies everything. It manifests differently for each person. I remember being able to smell like a bloodhound. A little whiff of perfume suddenly seemed like as if someone sprayed the entire bottle on themselves. I suddenly noticed how horrible it was that everyone uses different products. Flower deodorant would clash with a franguance from Chanel and l'oreal shampoo. Elevators became death traps, all those different smell clashing. After the fast this stopped, but I still catch myself buying the same products and fragrances for my body.

To answer your question about BP, I'll start off by saying that 127/77 is good. I'll give you a little summary about bloodpressure so you'll have a better idea of what those numbers stand for:

Blood pressure is expressed as systolic/diastolic blood pressure, for example, 120/80. The systolic blood pressure (the top number) represents the pressure in the arteries as the muscle of the heart contracts and pumps blood into them. The diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) represents the pressure in the arteries as the muscle of the heart relaxes after it contracts. Blood pressure always is higher when the heart is pumping than when it is relaxing.

Systolic blood pressure for most healthy adults falls between 90 and 120 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). Normal diastolic blood pressure falls between 60 and 80 mm Hg. Current guidelines define normal blood pressure as lower than 120/80.

What is too low? The short answer is that there is no short answer.

Unlike high blood pressure, low blood pressure is defined primarily by signs and symptoms of low blood flow and not by a specific blood pressure number. Some people may have a blood pressure of 90/50 with no symptoms. However, others who normally have high blood pressure may develop symptoms of low blood pressure if their blood pressure drops to 100/60.

Symptoms
Feeling lightheaded, dizzy, or even faint.

Going from a sitting or lying position to a standing position often brings out symptoms of low blood pressure. This occurs because standing causes blood to "settle" in the veins of the lower body, and this can lower the blood pressure. If the blood pressure is already low, standing can make the low pressure worse, to the point of causing symptoms.

Now, since fasting makes you weak (I sure was anyway) it's easy to confuse the symptoms. Therefore check your pressure meter. If you see a significant drop, end the fast and see your doctor.

Hope this helps! Tweet