Re: My last chance...Day one

GOOD FOR YOU! I hope you are doing your long fast with some kind of supportive natural health professional supervising. This would give you your best chance of success as you could discuss your goals and strategies, and have backup in case you need it.

Why might you need it? Good question! I do long fasts with the supervision of my wonderful naturopath/nutritionist and am always glad she is there. Last summer I fasted 60 days and at day 18 passed a small kidney calcification (ouchie!) during a crisis that lasted about a week. She gave me herbal support and encouraged me to fast through the crisis, which came out just fine. However, without her it would have been a terrible, painful, frightening process and I almost surely would have broken the fast at the wrong time.

This is not the only time I have needed her support and advice. WE can give you support and advice, but SHE (a) is professional, (b) KNOWS my situation, my body and my goals and (c) can prescribe support for problems that will not interfere with my fast. She also knows WHEN is the proper time to break a long fast, and can advise me on just how to do it.

I cannot stress strongly enough that you should FIND someone who is sympathetic to your goals who understands the process you will be undergoing and can support you locally.

That said, you CAN take a lot of that excess weight off through fasting. You might consider a series of shorter fasts, as opposed to one long one which is trickier by far. Ten days can safely be undertaken without support if you understand the process (read all you can!!!). Fast ten days, eat a cleansing diet for ten days, fast ten etc. I will be doing this through the summer myself as opposed to another longie.

You may also consider fasting on juices. In the long term they are very supportive and cleansing and you lose virtually the same amount of weight. You might alternate ten days MC, ten days juices. Juices must be fresh, fruits in the am, veggies in the pm. Get Paavo Airola's excellent little book, How to Keep Slim, Healthy and Young with Juice Fasting and read up! Pay special attention to what he says about the toxins held in fat and how they are released into your system as you fast--be SURE to keep your colon VERY clean EVERY day you fast. This is critical.

Whew! Seems like a big project, but take it a step at a time and the weight you lose will motivate you to go further.

We are here!

Best,
Somer