Re: You are doing well!

I think the lack of hunger is because you have cut the coffee. Just be careful now of headaches. If you drink a lot, you will get headaches over the next day or two. But just grin and bear it, because they WILL go away. If you don't drink a lot of coffee you should be ok. Headaches are caused ny caffeine addiction. I had them on my first fast, and have not had them since, However I now drink Redbush (Rooibos) tea, which doesn't have caffeine. I still drink coffee now and then though.

"I also noticed that my shin splints seemed to feel better ... I'm not sure how long healing will take?"

Dr Fuhrman made his ankle better by fasting, no other treatments could help. I think this is the sort of thing fasting can heal, but there's only one way to find out, and you are doing it. My knee got better, and I have had no problems since. I don't know how heavy you are but I am sure weight loss will also help relieve the pain, because there will be less load on the leg.

"I felt the room kind of spin because I got up too fast, but it passed after about 20 seconds."

That is normal, it happens when your head goes from being level with your heart to a position above the heart, it can also happen when you stand up from a sitting position. You experience a drop in blood pressure on the brain. The solution is to either sit down again, or stay still for a few seconds. The heart will quckly catch up with what's going on.

"I don't need coffee, which is great because I am pretty sure it was keeping me hungry."

That's exactly what I found out, just like you, by trial and error. Now I think you will get bored so find something to do if that happens.

"I had these TERRIBLE CRAVINGS for all sorts of sweet foods..."

Same as me on my first 27 day fast, mine was for pizza and spicy curry. But you actually can feel that it's not hunger, it's just food addiction. It was great that you closed the Domino's window! Hopefully this will pass soon, don't give in to that, and hopefully if you can pull off a long one you will soon br craving orange juice. This fast could change your whole life ahead, adding decades of good healthy living, if you manage to reset your taste buds. And don't fear that, as some on here seem to. I have just been reading some more John Robbins stuff and came across this:

In Abkhasia, it would be considered an insult to be told that you are “looking young” or that the years have barely changed you. People there compliment others by saying “You’re looking old today,” meaning that the person is wise and beautiful in their maturity. In Abkhasia, when older people lie about their age, they do not give a younger age, as is common in the West. Instead, they exaggerate how old they are, for this gives them greater standing in their culture."

These people are on a plant based diet, they live till 100+ with great health. You may as well go for it, the extra time will make up for the shin splint problems and more, ha ha! But even if you go back to eating just more healthily, you'll feel much better I am sure. I know how difficult it is to stand out from the crowd, there is a lot of social pressure to comply with others. I gave into it on my weekend away, I had some organic chicken and varous things that I normally don't eat, but fortunately all my friends are healthy eaters and great cooks, there was nothing processed on the plate. The kids on the trip even picked wild nettles to make puree for the mackerel that we caught. It beats Domino's hands down!

"So I know I have a ways to go: I still have bad food cravings, tounge is still coated and shin splints still have a little twinge in my left leg. But all of this is getting better."

The food cravings I had on my first fast and also on the second one just after Christmas 2007, I also craved food on the second one but I had eaten junk with my family over the holidays so it's hardly surprising. I would never have dreamed at that point in time that I would be eating what I am eating now, and actually enjoying it. It's great to know your leg is getting better.

"I noticed my skin is clearing up"

I am sure that is the fast. Chrisb1 might post a Shelton excerpt on that. Skin always feels lovely and smooth when fasting.

Enjoy your journey, sounds like it's going well so far.