Re: Human Experiment: The Effects of Starvation on Behavior

"But isn't this different than fasting?? Because they were in starvation mode but our bodies are in ketosis?"

This is definately different from fasting.  In fasting we are A) doing it because we want to and generally with some knowledge that keeps us from behaving hysterically...  because we are not starving and we know we are not... and B) burning predominately fat for fuel in ketosis,  i would say at a ratio of about 10:1 fat to protein in an amazingly protein sparing phenomenon.  And even with the protein that is utilized, the most diseased or dead or otherwise worthless tissue is autolyzed preferentially.   

In fasting, only upon the return of genuine hunger would we then be starving and only if we foolishly continued not to eat in the face of the most powerful feeling of natural hunger imaginable.  In this experiment, these guys ran out of body fat to burn and then began to agressively feed on their own muscle.  This can definatly be avoided in fasting. 

""Carrington has well summed up the matter in these words: "Fasting is a scientific method of ridding the system of diseased tissue, and morbid matter, and is invariably accompanied by beneficial results. Starving is the deprivation of the tissues from nutriment which they require, and is invariably accompanied by disastrous consequences. The whole secret is this: fasting commences with the omission of the first meal and ends with the return of natural hunger, while starvation only begins with the return of natural hunger and terminates in death. Where the one ends the other begins. Whereas the latter process wastes the healthy tissues, emaciates the body, and depletes the vitality; the former process merely expels corrupt matter and useless fatty tissue, thereby elevating the energy, and eventually restoring the organism that just balance we term health.""" from Shelton: http://www.soilandhealth.org/02/0201hyglibcat/020127shelton.III/020127.ch6.htm

It is true that a faster can become preoccupied with food, most especially in beginners of the art, but i believe that this happens only infrequently in experienced fasters. With myself as an example, i am 10.4 days in and i have had only one serious food craving.  I sniffed some food for about a half hour to ease myslef through it and the craving was gone.  I most certainly do not spend my days fantasizing about food, though naturally i will occasionally think about it as yes, humans do enjoy food and it's pretty normal and healthy to miss it after many days without.  If i knew nothing about fasting and had nothing but water for 10 days, i imagine i would be exhibiting a lot of the same hysterical behavior of these men who were quite literally starving at some point, even though i am not.   But instead, i am as calm as a buddhist monk.