IntroductionFor the past couple of years I've always wanted to try out a type of fast, but was worried that it might have negative consequences due to my body still developing. Now that I'm 18 my body is basically done growing (apart from height), so I decided to give it the old educated try. It won't be a fast in the traditional sense of the word (no food nor drink). Instead, I'll be going on a variation of a fast, namely a "water fast", where I'll subsist on nothing but water and my body's stored energy.
The Mechanics of FastingNote: Long read ahead. For the short version, skip this paragraph.Anyways, a little bit about water fasting itself. A water fast consists of consuming nothing but water throughout the fast period, during which the body will go through many different fuel sources before reaching the detoxify state attributed to deep sleep. Once the body is denied of its primary energy source glucose, the body begins to consume the glycogen stores in the liver, which is the surplus of glucose that the body didn't need to assimilate right away. The glycogen stores are usually depleted within 8 - 12 hours, occurring the first day of the fast. During the next couple of days of the fast, the body shifts over to ketosis. During ketosis, the body converts the glycerol in fatty acids to produce the much-needed glucose. However, this does not fully meet the need of glucose, so the body begins to break down the amino acids in the muscle tissue, where it will turn into glucose in the liver. However, only in advance stages of starvation does the body almost entirely consumes the protein in muscles. It wouldn't make a lot of evolutionary sense if the body rendered itself immobile by consuming all of its muscle tissue if it went without food for a week or two. After the third day ketosis supplies ample energy and the body's protein stores are still being strongly conserved, though each day about half an ounce of muscle tissue is converted into glucose. Ketosis continues to steadily increase over a 7 day period, eventually hitting its peak on the last day, marking the 10th day of the fast. After the 10th day, ketosis begins to wind down, and the body needs a different fuel source. Still conserving its muscle tissue, the body seeks out any non-body protein sources, such as nonessential cellular masses like fibroid tumors and degenerative tissues, bacteria, viruses, or any other compound that can be used for food and is not vital to the body's life functions. This is where major healing will take place in the body, usually confined to the state of deep sleep. Since a good part of the body's energy used to be in the digestion of food, it instead focuses that energy on the removal of toxins from the body and the healing and regeneration of damaged tissues.
Here's the short version:During water fasting, the body goes through a myriad of fuel sources. After a period of around 10 days, the body finally settles on a slow but steady consumption of fat, parts of the body that is not essential to life (such as tumors, degenerative tissue, viruses, bacteria, etc.) and a small amount of muscle tissue. This is the part of the fast where the majority of the detoxification takes place, as the body redirects the energy it once used for digestion to healing.
Known Beneficial AspectsIt sounds counter-intuitive, doesn't it? Wanting to help your body by starving it? There must be something to it since it's been in practice for thousands of years, and possibly before the written word. I'm interested in it enough to try it out and see for myself (nothing ventured, nothing gained). I'll also provide a few cases in which fasting has helped cure diseases, general body ailments, and other pros.
- Fasting is exceptionally beneficial in chronic cardiovascular disease and congestive heart failure, reducing triglycerides, atheromas, total cholesterol, and increasing HDL levels
- Fasting has been found effective in the treatment of type II diabetes, often reversing the condition permanently.
- Severe toxic contamination has been shown to be significantly helped with fasting. Clinical trials have found that people poisoned with PCB experienced "dramatic" relief after 7-10 day fasts.
- In a 1988 trial of 88 people with acute pancreatitis, fasting was found better than any other medical intervention. Neither nasogastric suction or cimetidine were found to produce as beneficial effects as those from fasting.
- A number of studies have found that fasting is beneficial in epilepsy, reducing the length, number, and severity of seizures. Fasting is especially effective for helping alleviate or cure childhood epilepsy
- A number of studies have found that fasting is effective for treating both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Fasting induces significant anti-inflammatory actions in the body and researchers found decreased ESR, arthralgia, pain, stiffness, and need for medication.
- Although the use of fasting in the treatment of cancer is controversial, there is some emerging data showing that fasting helps prevent cancer. Intermittent fasting (2 days weekly) has shown an inhibitory effect on the development of liver cancer in rats.
- In addition to the curative properties of fasting, it has been shown to prolong one's lifespan. Regularly repeated 4-day fasting has been found to increase the life span in mice.
Now I don't mean to sound like a zealot; I'm merely sharing the information that caused me to consider (and consequently go on) a fast. I'm also well aware of the cons, such as the malnutrition my body will experience, lack of energy, and in some cases death. I'll post my body weight as the fast progresses to monitor if I ever lose too much weight too quickly, as well as a short paragraph about how I felt physically and mentally. The main reason I'm keeping tabs from a day-to-day basis is for my own motivation, but it also might be interesting just to see how a fast plays out for you guys. All body weights were measured in the morning shortly after waking up, naked and after using the facilities.
Please feel free to discuss or share your views on fasting. It is fairly controversial, so I'm sure everyone has their own take on it. Also, if anyone here is thinking about going on any kind of fast,
please be sure to read up on it extensively. It's something that should
not be taken lightly. I've studied fasting on and off for two years, and feel comfortable with my choice. Now, onto the "blog". But first, Q&A!
Frequently Asked QuestionsQ: Why do you want to fast?A: I personally find it an interesting avenue of holistic health to explore, as pseudo and taboo as it may seem. After reading up on it and hearing the arguments and counter-arguments for fasting (both having brought up superb points) I've decided to let my body be the judge of that. Not only proving to myself who is right or wrong, but also to reap potential health benefits. Essentially, I'm risking my body
for my body, as counter-intuitive as that may seem.
Q: How long are you planning on doing it?A: 15 days, but if I begin to experience pain or any other prolonged irregularities I'll be sure to call it off. That being said, I
may tack on a day or two after the cut-off if I'm feeling exceptionally well. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it.
Q: How long do water fasts traditionally last?A: Many last up to 40 days. Since this is purely experimental, I'll only be doing it for less than half that time. Though if it turns out to be a success, I will most likely attempt a longer one in the future.
Q: How can you fast in a house stocked with food?A: Willpower is a huge part of this, and this topic has immensely helped in motivation. I seriously doubt I would've given it a second try had I not spent all this time and effort into this thread, as well as support from you guys (my family doesn't approve and my friends don't know, so you're really the only ones who are supporting my crazy schemes).
Q: What's the difference between fasting and simply starving yourself?A: The only difference between the two is preparation. Before beginning this fast, I made sure to bolster my nutrient stores with fresh, organic produce, as well as my protein stores via veggie burgers. I was also careful to build up muscle mass, as muscle is essential to keep a fasting body healthy. If you decided to "fast" without making the effort to properly prepare your body, it wouldn't have any pre-existing nutrients to keep it properly healthy, and you would greatly increase the risk of lasting damage to tissue and organs. Also note that a fast can easily turn into starvation, since eventually those fat, protein, and nutrient stores
will be depleted, so one must always be careful.
Q: What about fat?A: Unfortunately my body isn't all that capable of storing large amounts of fat (that and my present way of eating), so I'll be banking on the cycle of fat consumption to be relatively short, entering immediately into the detoxify state. That and I'm fairly certain my muscle tissue can make up for lost fat.
Q: 19 is a little young to fast, aren't you worried about hindering your growth?A: I've gotten so many (really a lot) of conflicting opinions of when specific parts of the body are done growing (at least to the point where the body reaches its "peak") that I've decided to risk a few inches off my height to find out, though to be honest I'm not all that concerned.
Q: Will this fast do lasting damage to your organs/brain?A: Only in a last ditch effort will your body begin to consume the vital organs for nutrition. This usually occurs only in advanced stages of starvation, where fat, protein, and nutrient stores are nearly non-existent. The brain is a completely different story. Out of everything in your body, the brain is the
least to be affected. When in advanced stages of starvation, the brain literally consumes the body for its own well-being. Coupled with the fact that this fast is lasting nowhere near the point of starvation, I'm quite confident that no lasting damage will befall me, though this is no reason to abandon constant vigilance throughout.
Fasting JournalNote: The strike-through days were the first attempt.Day 1
Weight: 127.4 lbs (57.8 kg)First day of the fast, starting on March 1st (it was completely coincidental that I started on the first of the month, I thought it was a leap year). I expected to be much hungrier today, but I guess I'll see after the next couple of days. There were countless times where I unconsciously got up and went to the fridge. It's amazing how much I take food for granted that I don't even consciously realize I'm hungry. Drinking lots of water definitely helps to curb your appetite though, more than I ever thought it would.
Day 2
Weight: 126.8 lbs (57.5 kg)That little bit of weight I lost from day 1 to day 2 was just water; nothing to get worried about. Today I woke up with the strangest feeling in my stomach. It felt like I was experiencing sharp dips in gravity, like those experienced on roller coasters. It was a little disconcerting, but nothing too serious. It went away shortly after getting out of bed, so its no reason to discontinue the fast. Not feeling real hungry, I'm starting to wonder when I will. Feeling a little tired today, but that could also be me just not getting enough sleep. Still feeling mentally/emotionally normal, which is always a good thing.
Day 3
Weight: 125.2 lbs (56.8 kg)Today I woke up slightly nauseous with a noticeable increase in heart rate. Even during rest it felt like I was jogging, which is slightly worrisome. My family has a running history of mitral valve prolapse, which is where the valve between your left ventricle and left atrium of your heart is weakened, resulting in occasional backflows of blood, producing a gurgling or hiccuping effect. Though I haven't been officially diagnosed with MVP, I don't want to take any chances with my heart. Right now I'm clocking 75 BPM, which is considered normal for children over 10 and adults. I suppose my heart isn't beating faster, but harder, which still poses the same problem. I'm finding that continuing drinking water helps both the nausea and heart. Perhaps my mornings will always be worst since I'll be waking up with water deprivation as well as food deprivation. I'll write more as the day progresses.
... And progressed it has. It's been roughly 6 hours since my last post (I really need to start posting in the evenings) and I'm finally famished. It's about time too, I was wondering when I would be. Hopefully after today my stomach will stop trying to digest itself and start relying solely on fat/muscle tissue for energy. This usually occurs after the first three days of fasting, then around that time the body will clue in and stop wasting energy trying to digest air. I'm not too concerned about losing muscle mass; the maximum amount lost during a one month period of water fasting is between 1 - 2 lbs (0.45 - 0.9 kg for you Europeans/Aussies out there). Since I'm doing this for less than half a month, I'll be expecting to lose a maximum of 1 lb. Not too much considering there's less muscle mass per pound than fat, though it will be dearly missed nonetheless. Sacrifices must be made in the name of Science!
End of Day 1
Weight: 130.6 lbs (59.2 kg)
BPM: 86
I've gotten fatter! First off, I'll let everyone know that the "updates" to this fast will be made fairly late (or fairly early). That way, the entire day can come to pass and I can summarize it appropriately. That, and my sleeping schedule is pretty skewed. Since I'll be spending the last portion of this fast mostly sleeping (or lying in a semi-comatose state), I'm not too worried about correcting myself.
To begin with, I'm much hungrier than I was last time. It's not so much a rip-roaring hunger, but more subdued. More like a gnawing sensation, where if my stomach could speak, it'd say something along the lines of "You'd better not be pulling this shit on me again." Water, as always, helps enormously, and it really has done wonders to curb my appetite. I don't open up the fridge unconsciously like a fool anymore, so that's always a welcome thing.
Another thing that's happened sooner than expected were abnormal changes in body temperature. It reminds me a bit of a bad sunburn, and your body feels a little warmer than usual. But if you were to turn on the AC or fan, you'd immediately become cold. Of course, this is to a much lesser degree. This change in temperature almost directly correlates to metabolism, so I'm starting to wonder if it's the classic scenario of "Fool me once, shame on me; fool me twice, shame on you", regarding my body. The first time I deprived it of food it had no store of personal experience to pull from, as this was the first time it went without food for a long duration of time in its life. The only way it could cope with its present condition was to pull from the pool of ancestral memory encoded in its genetics. Now that it's been put through the gamut once, it may have wizened up a bit. We'll see as this progresses.
Oh, and I know I mentioned it somewhere in this first post, but I'll also start recording my heart rate. This will be more out of fun than to keep tabs on an obscure, undiagnosed heart condition that
may have been passed on to me through my mother. That, and I can't be arsed to go to Publix every day to get my blood pressure measured.
End of Day 2
Weight: 127.2 lbs (57.7 kg)
BPM: 61
Regrettably I don't have access to a scale right now, but I'll be sure to record my weight as soon as possible. I'm also impressed at the sharp decrease in heart rate in just 24 hours. I never would have thought my body to have slowed down so soon so fast.
Nothing much different has happened, although upon awakening my limbs feel slightly weak, my legs more so than my arms. I've already ruled out decreased blood flow, as my fingers and toes feel perfectly fine. It's strange in that it's not so much muscular fatigue, but a sort of emptiness. It's a feeling that should belong in its own category. If I had to relate it to anything else, it would be like a stomach experiencing sharp dips in gravity, but prolonged for about 10 minutes after waking, and in the limbs. It's a very peculiar feeling, to say the least.
One other thing that I've noticed that hadn't happened last time was the increased viscosity in my saliva. I found this out while brushing my teeth and trying to spit, and found it quite challenging. Now that I think about it, it could've been the fact that I hadn't rehydrated my body between awakening and brushing my teeth. At any rate, I'll be sure to increase my water intake.
Looking back at the previous Day 2, instead of having the experience of being on a roller coaster, I was instead a little nauseous. Nauseous though in the hungry way, if anyone knows what I'm trying to say. It went away shortly after drinking water, so I'm writing it off as inconsequential. I realize I'm describing a lot of menial things, but I feel it's important to relate everything abnormal to give a sort of blue-print for what one would expect to experience on a fast.
End of Day 3
Weight: 124.6 lbs (56.5 kg)
BPM: 65
Well, I'm certainly losing much more weight during this three day period than the last three day fast. I'm not sure whether to be worried that I'm losing too much too quickly, but then again this
is an inevitable side-effect when you don't eat. I'll be sure to counter-act that loss with, of course, water.
Nothing much has changed from the last two entries, other than a slight sense of lethargy. That and my legs are steadily becoming weaker, though after walking a bit they warm right up. It's exciting that I'm finally progressing past these three days into unmarked territory. I'll no longer have my previous fast to look back onto in reference.
I've also noticed that, unlike last fast, all of these entries are occurring after (not during) the day they were made. So I'll change the Days to "
End of Day x" for conciseness. More for me, since I easily lose my bearings. I'm sure the handful of you reading this won't mind.
End of Day 4
Weight: 123.1 lbs (55.8 kg)
BPM: 78
The only thing different that stands out from the rest of my days is that I've developed a sort of pain in my left leg. It's directly below the knee-cap, possibly the fluid-filled sac (bursa), which aids in knee movement by reducing friction between the sliding bone plates. That, and I'm slowing losing blood circulation. It's the feeling that one gets right before a limb falls asleep, but much more prolonged. I can still feel everything, but my toes are beginning to develop that prickly sensation attributed to deprived blood. This is very disconcerting, and nothing I've encountered before. If this continues or worsens, I'm afraid I'll have to post-pone my fast (again!) until a later date. I'm partly to blame as I get little to no aerobic and anaerobic exercise for my legs, and have only concentrated on developing my upper body musculature, and with that
increased blood flow. I'm running out of room; the limit is 20,000 char
Well, my personal recommendation would be don't do it. But then again, who is anyone to tell you how to run your life right? Keep in mind a few of the not so beneficial aspects of fasting:
You metabolism is going to crawl after it gets accustomed to not being fed. Sure, you'll start eating yourself inside out, but the metabolism is going to slow down to accommodate the lack of food. Be ready to get extremely sick in the stomach after you end your fast, as by then your metabolism is going to be null. When you do come off, do not pig out, DO NOT. You'll end up regurgitating a lot of it, and you'll feel worse than before. Also, afterwards, you are going to gain some weight. Not just weight you lost, but the wait that comes from your metabolism not being able to process everything you put in your mouth. Remember that it has to catch back up to normal.
I've seen lots of people get sick, and I've seen several faint over the lack of food (not from fasting, just not eating, including myself when mixing dehydration with lack of food). Be prepared. That anti-gravity feeling you are getting in your stomach is because it is empty, and overnight your metabolism slows down while you rest. Wake up, your metabolism kicks back in, and oh wait, you don't have food in you, your blood is thinning out now as well, so you'll get that feeling, as well as possible faints.
Be careful doing this. That's all I'll say.
EDIT: Also, be prepared to lose all your energy. Do not plan to do any sort of abnormal physical activity. You are going to lack any ambition to do anything physical, and you'll find that are wanting to sleep more to maintain a low metabolism, therefor maintain the resources in your body. There are no nutrients in water to substitute for food, so you're in for a wild ride.
If you want a good example of what happens with lack of food, watch a couple of episodes of Survivorman. That is in part was influenced him to stop doing the show, the health problems that he's encountered, and the major physical strain he put on himself out there. Sure, some of it is exposure to the elements, but the fact that he would have to spend weeks at a time after each episode recuperating is a major factor in why he couldn't continue doing it.
That's pretty interesting, I'll be keeping up on your "blog" of sorts. I don't think I could do it, hah, I consume everything. Good luck!
@Scotty: I appreciate the concern. I do have an eating plan after coming off, consisting of juiced vegetables and fruit for a few days, just to take it easy and let my body know it's getting fed. I'll also be avoiding any heavy-lifting or anything else that requires a heavy reliance on the cardiovascular system. I suppose one of the main reasons for trying this is to have myself confirm whether fasting is beneficial or detrimental to the body (at least my body, everyone is different), hence why I'm fasting for half the time recommended. If I like what I see, I may do another longer one down the road, but for now this is a personal experiment.
@Lucifer: Thanks! I appreciate the support.
I commend you for doing your homework and knowing what you're actually about to do before you set out to do it. But here's the main issue, I believe: you're 18. Sure, maybe fasting could help purify the body, or reduce rates of rheumatoid arthritis, or childhood epilepsy, or prevent cancer, but you don't have a tumor, epilepsy, or rheumatoid arthritis. If you don't need to fast, why do it? And Scotty's right, you'll just gain back more weight and miss out on a lot of physical activity.
But you've already decided to do it, so I won't convince you otherwise. I became a vegetarian a few years ago and my parents were concerned about my protein levels. But I'm doing fine now; I just eat a lot of cheese, beans, and the like to make up for it. So no one can really tell you what to do.
One other question I have: how are you going to fast for ten days if you have a rerigerator, which I'm assuming has food in it...? Or does it?
I admire your commitment! Good luck.
I have to point out that most people tend to do quite a bit of bulking up after the age of 18. That's typically the age (around the first year of college) that most people put on a good few pounds. Then after that there's a lot of bulking up in muscle and weight. You don't really see a lot of people gain a lot of height after that point. Most of that is in the earlier teen years.
Not to say that fasting will effect that or not. Just pointing out a discrepency.
Quote from: leviofoley on March 02, 2010, 02:21:15 PM
Sure, maybe fasting could help purify the body, or reduce rates of rheumatoid arthritis, or childhood epilepsy, or prevent cancer, but you don't have a tumor, epilepsy, or rheumatoid arthritis. If you don't need to fast, why do it? And Scotty's right, you'll just gain back more weight and miss out on a lot of physical activity.
True, although I'm not doing it to cure a disease, I'm doing it to rid my body of any stored toxins, carcinogens, fixated gases, etc. that accumulate in the body by simply living (and from my recent eating habits). I've never been concerned with weight gain/loss, though I understand it to play a major part in fasting. You should
never fast simply to lose weight.
Quote from: leviofoley on March 02, 2010, 02:21:15 PM
One other question I have: how are you going to fast for ten days if you have a rerigerator, which I'm assuming has food in it...? Or does it?
I think I'll be able to fast from my own willpower (plus this topic for added motivation). I'm still opening the fridge without realizing it and closing it again. Old habits die hard, eh?
Quote from: Lingus on March 02, 2010, 04:28:22 PM
I have to point out that most people tend to do quite a bit of bulking up after the age of 18. That's typically the age (around the first year of college) that most people put on a good few pounds. Then after that there's a lot of bulking up in muscle and weight. You don't really see a lot of people gain a lot of height after that point. Most of that is in the earlier teen years.
I've gotten mixed opinions from various sources when you stop growing. Regardless, it's only for 2 weeks, so I doubt it will affect me in any dramatic long-lasting way. My major concerns are lasting damage to the organs/brain, which the latter actually does quite well during starvation. I've always found it fascinating how the brain takes precedence over nutrition than any other thing in your body, and is the least affected during prolonged starvation.
Good luck. This is something I would probably never try, lol.
~Looperpuck
Your organs aren't fully finished developing untill age 21. Hence the reason one of the reasons the legal drinking age in the U.S. is so.
Quote from: NotoriousM4^ on March 02, 2010, 05:36:07 PM
Your organs aren't fully finished developing untill age 21. Hence the reason one of the reasons the legal drinking age in the U.S. is so.
And the brain isn't done developing till around 25... Which is the main area of worry.
interesting is all i got to say but just be careful. now ive never watched or read anything about water fasting but i have heard about people that reduce their calorie intact to the bare minimum and that when you only get the bare minimum of calories needed, not actually starving, that the body becomes more efficient since their isnt as much excess calories and fats that it can be careless with or something like that.
Day 5
Weight: 130.2 lbs (59.1 kg)
God dang! I could not keep my self back. Hamburgers just taste way too good. Will restart program next week...
:P
Well just some comic relief. Hope you are being full of care for your body.
I will read the whole thread later. For now, I will say this.
I have fasted before. I did six days with only water. Eventually the feeling of hunger passes, but you begin to have less and less energy. As we all know, Exersice gives you greater energy throughout the day. So despite the fact that you will feel so energy less as to not want to exercise, i suggest it because it will help you get through the day. Also, since coffee would be taboo to fasting you can always buy "wake up" pills over the counter at a pharmacy. This will give you some added energy. Oh, and don't forget vitamins, it will help.
Either way, after 6 days it became too much. Sitting at lunch with my friends watching them eat was overwhelming, and eventually I gave in. And remember, when you finally do eat again only eat a little.
Oh, and about body development by age, it's not the same for everyone, remember that. I'm closer to 20 now, And over the past 3-4 years I haven't grown. I hit my peak height of 6 foot at around 16. But I will grow wider, broader. Atleast I hope, because right now I'm slender and I hate it. It looks bad because my hips are actually a bit wider than my upper body, so it looks shitty as hell. So I hope my torso grows yet. So yeah, it's really different for everyone.
I appreciate all of the comments, however I'd like to clarify something again.
About the age at which the development of organs/brain/general growth ends, remember I'm fasting for 2 weeks, not a whole month. I highly doubt I'll do any serious lasting damage to myself since I'll be out of ketosis (for the most part) for merely 4 days, not 20. The brain, moreover, is largely unaffected by even the most advanced stages of starvation, as it takes precedence over nutrition than anything else in the body. In the most literal sense, the brain actually consumes the body to maintain its well-being.
I've gotten so many mixed opinions on when certain parts of the body stop developing (even a couple of medical websites had differentiating opinions) that I've lowered the bar to where it is now, just to be safe. I believe Seifer's right in saying growth varies from person to person, and there cannot be one set time in which a part of the body stops developing that applies to all humans. Once I'm 30 and positive everything has stopped growing, then I may try a more serious fast (depending on the outcome of this one).
Oh, and thanks Art. :P
Well if you want to go that route, the body is always growing. If it wasn't, how are your grandparents going grey in the hair? As far as reaching the prime of your life, I think we can all agree that isn't the age of 18. Even at half way to my 25 birthday, i don't quite know if I've hit my prime yet. I'm encouraging it though through lots of exercise and rock climbing, so time will tell.
I do have to go against what Seifer is saying about exercise though. When fasting, I would HIGHLY recommend reconsidering exercise, as that will only raise your metabolism. When you already have thinned blood, and you are going for two weeks, it would be unwise to go about exercising. Your heart rate will increase, and the blood will be flowing more rapidly. That would only further agitate your stomach. You'll notice how athletes always exercise before they eat a meal, and then that meal with allow them to replenish the lost calories and re-establish their protein levels, allowing for muscle growth. To exercise and not be able to replenish what was lost would easily equate a two week fast into that of a month-long fast. You'll find it much harder to accomplish your goals, and remain healthy in doing so.
Just be careful with what you do. If you do decide to exercise, and go even further against what your body demands than fasting alone, be aware of the consequences. As I've stated before, you're liable to pass out or faint. Drink a lot of water, and if it gets too extreme, stop.
Quote from: Scotty on March 02, 2010, 11:19:15 PM
Well if you want to go that route, the body is always growing. If it wasn't, how are your grandparents going grey in the hair? As far as reaching the prime of your life, I think we can all agree that isn't the age of 18. Even at half way to my 25 birthday, i don't quite know if I've hit my prime yet. I'm encouraging it though through lots of exercise and rock climbing, so time will tell.
I do have to go against what Seifer is saying about exercise though. When fasting, I would HIGHLY recommend reconsidering exercise, as that will only raise your metabolism. When you already have thinned blood, and you are going for two weeks, it would be unwise to go about exercising. Your heart rate will increase, and the blood will be flowing more rapidly. That would only further agitate your stomach. You'll notice how athletes always exercise before they eat a meal, and then that meal with allow them to replenish the lost calories and re-establish their protein levels, allowing for muscle growth. To exercise and not be able to replenish what was lost would easily equate a two week fast into that of a month-long fast. You'll find it much harder to accomplish your goals, and remain healthy in doing so.
Just be careful with what you do. If you do decide to exercise, and go even further against what your body demands than fasting alone, be aware of the consequences. As I've stated before, you're liable to pass out or faint. Drink a lot of water, and if it gets too extreme, stop.
Ahh, I beleive your right. With my shorter fast I did find that the exersice helped, but when shooting for two weeks I could see where complications would arise. I found my biggest issue was the lack of energy, and it helped.
Again, about growth...I lost 7-9 baby teeth throughout highschool, evenly distributed across the years. Heck, at 19 I've still got an Adult tooth thats yet to come down(My jaw needs to grow).. So yeah, it really varies.
I have never done fasting but the army has taught me survival skills
but we were always told things in a rule of 3 in survival
3 min without air
3 hrs without shelter
3 days without water
3 weeks without food
so yeah your getting close to 3 weeks so be careful
and eat little ammounts when you start eating again
I liked how people say it prevents cancer, I also like how eating vegetables prevents cancer as well (apparently) so doing that is just as good as fasting :P
@Scotty & Seifer: Don't worry, the last thing I'd do is exercise during a fast of this duration. I don't want to try anything deviating from the norm in fasting. I just want a short, simple test to see if it actually works for my body or doesn't.
@JoEL: People can draw all sorts of conclusions leading to the prevention or curing of cancer. Personally, I wouldn't deprive myself of nutrition if I had cancer, I just thought it'd be fun to throw in the list. As for cancer itself, the two time Nobel laureate Dr. Otto Warburg has demonstrated that cancer cannot thrive in an alkaline environment with ample oxygen. Since the healthy pH for humans to have is 7 - 7.2, it's not hard to throw off this balance with poor eating habits and/or stress.
On a side note, I updated my weight and wrote a small paragraph, and will be writing more as the day progresses.
Quote from: JoEL on March 03, 2010, 07:30:53 AM
I liked how people say it prevents cancer, I also like how eating vegetables prevents cancer as well (apparently) so doing that is just as good as fasting :P
Eating vegetables prevents cancer.
Eating vegetables also causes cancer.
So does red meat, engine oil, plastic, air, sex, purified water, cancer, sushi, tobacco usage, and long walks on the beach during sunset hours.
All he means is that people with diets that are mostly vegetables have lower rates of cancer.
Quote from: Scotty on March 03, 2010, 12:42:21 PM
Quote from: JoEL on March 03, 2010, 07:30:53 AM
I liked how people say it prevents cancer, I also like how eating vegetables prevents cancer as well (apparently) so doing that is just as good as fasting :P
Eating vegetables prevents cancer.
Eating vegetables also causes cancer.
So does red meat, engine oil, plastic, air, sex, purified water, cancer, sushi, tobacco usage, and long walks on the beach during sunset hours.
Which is why I don't give two shits about cancer. I hate when someone tells me "Don't do it! It causes cancer". Everything causes cancer... The !@#$ing sun causes cancer. If I'm going to get cancer than i'm going to get it, and I need not change my life because of it.
Quote from: Seifer on March 03, 2010, 03:39:23 PM
Quote from: Scotty on March 03, 2010, 12:42:21 PM
Quote from: JoEL on March 03, 2010, 07:30:53 AM
I liked how people say it prevents cancer, I also like how eating vegetables prevents cancer as well (apparently) so doing that is just as good as fasting :P
Eating vegetables prevents cancer.
Eating vegetables also causes cancer.
So does red meat, engine oil, plastic, air, sex, purified water, cancer, sushi, tobacco usage, and long walks on the beach during sunset hours.
Which is why I don't give two shits about cancer. I hate when someone tells me "Don't do it! It causes cancer". Everything causes cancer... The !@#$ing sun causes cancer. If I'm going to get cancer than i'm going to get it, and I need not change my life because of it.
Quoted For Truth! So truthful, it doesn't deserve to be "acronym'ized"!
That's really not true though. The more you do which is known to be carcinogenic (such as smoking cigarettes or spending a lot time in the sun without sun screen) the higher chance you will have of getting cancer. You can't just say, "Eff it! Everything causes cancer so I don't give a crap." It might be partially true, but some things increase the risk more than others. And some things just flat out don't have anything to do with your risk of getting cancer at all.
Bad news, guys. Recently my girlfriend found out that I was "intentionally starving myself" (which is not far from the truth) and threatened to break up with me if I didn't eat something. She can definitely be melodramatic at times, however I do care about her, so I'm calling off the fast. It's a huge disappointment to me that I didn't get anywhere near as far as I'd hope, but I'm glad I did it even though it was only for three days. For now I'll regroup my efforts and try again at a later time (hopefully sometime soon), educating her about fasting all along the way. It's a shame this topic didn't go anywhere near as far as I'd initially hoped, and now I feel like a fool for spending so much time and effort on it only to have it come to an abrupt halt within the same week of its creation. I apologize for wasting everyone's time.
Welcome to life in a relationship. Now you know that anything remotely important should be run by your significant other before getting too far into it.
Quote from: Lingus on March 04, 2010, 08:22:57 PM
Welcome to life in a relationship. Now you know that anything remotely important should be run by your significant other before getting too far into it.
As much as I hope you were being cynical, I know its not far from the truth... haha...
Awwww that's a shame Trogdor, I was hoping to see you down here sometime soon.... I mean uh, it was pretty interesting to hear about fasting, good luck on any future attempts. *ahem*
Heh. Might as well keep this topic open just in case.
Ooo, whipped! Whapeesh! jk, jk...
Well sorry about that dude, better luck next time? :-\
Little off topic here, but are you a tall and skinny guy? Just curious because you almost weigh as much as i do...
Quote from: Trogdor on March 04, 2010, 07:32:16 PM
Bad news, guys. Recently my girlfriend found out that I was "intentionally starving myself" (which is not far from the truth) and threatened to break up with me if I didn't eat something. She can definitely be melodramatic at times, however I do care about her, so I'm calling off the fast. It's a huge disappointment to me that I didn't get anywhere near as far as I'd hope, but I'm glad I did it even though it was only for three days. For now I'll regroup my efforts and try again at a later time (hopefully sometime soon), educating her about fasting all along the way. It's a shame this topic didn't go anywhere near as far as I'd initially hoped, and now I feel like a fool for spending so much time and effort on it only to have it come to an abrupt halt within the same week of its creation. I apologize for wasting everyone's time.
I will say i did not see that ending like that.
Quote from: ARTgames on March 05, 2010, 12:03:30 AM
Quote from: Trogdor on March 04, 2010, 07:32:16 PM
Bad news, guys. Recently my girlfriend found out that I was "intentionally starving myself" (which is not far from the truth) and threatened to break up with me if I didn't eat something. She can definitely be melodramatic at times, however I do care about her, so I'm calling off the fast. It's a huge disappointment to me that I didn't get anywhere near as far as I'd hope, but I'm glad I did it even though it was only for three days. For now I'll regroup my efforts and try again at a later time (hopefully sometime soon), educating her about fasting all along the way. It's a shame this topic didn't go anywhere near as far as I'd initially hoped, and now I feel like a fool for spending so much time and effort on it only to have it come to an abrupt halt within the same week of its creation. I apologize for wasting everyone's time.
I will say i did not see that ending like that.
Women have this weird strange power over men like that. True, i didn't see that coming either. What I think he meant to say was "Sex is off until you feed yourself." In that case, GOOD CALL TROGDOR!!!
Quote from: Scotty on March 05, 2010, 12:06:18 AM
Women have this weird strange power over men like that. True, i didn't see that coming either. What I think he meant to say was "Sex is off until you feed yourself." In that case, GOOD CALL TROGDOR!!!
Yeah, and that strange power is called blackmail. <_<
Quote from: JoEL on March 04, 2010, 11:59:27 PM
Little off topic here, but are you a tall and skinny guy? Just curious because you almost weigh as much as i do...
I don't consider myself tall, I'm only 1.7 m. (5' 7.5"), though my BMI is relatively low. I just realized that it's been almost a year since I last measured myself, and I haven't grown at all. Hmm...
I'd like everyone to know that I
will be attempting this again. I just came across an unexpected snag. I'll simply plan another one sometime during the summer so I can make up a viable excuse for a 2 week absence. Be prepared for a necro! *Pulls out robe and wizard hat* (http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/text/bloodninja)
Awww...I was reading through this and I was so looking forward to it. Darn women!
For the part that you completed, this was a good journal! Very interesting read.
I found this topic thuroughly interesting and I'm glad you did your research before trying anything.
Also, if I found out my boyfriend was fasting and consuming nothing but water and did not mention it to me before doing so, I would be thuroughly upset. Comes with being in a relationship...
Quote from: DarkTrinity on March 09, 2010, 02:25:48 PMAlso, if I found out my boyfriend was fasting and consuming nothing but water and did not mention it to me before doing so, I would be thuroughly upset. Comes with being in a relationship...
See! I told you. The difference is, you know you have a good one when you tell her of your crazy schemes before hand and she not only allows you to do it but gets involved.
Quote from: Lingus on March 09, 2010, 05:25:28 PM
Quote from: DarkTrinity on March 09, 2010, 02:25:48 PMAlso, if I found out my boyfriend was fasting and consuming nothing but water and did not mention it to me before doing so, I would be thuroughly upset. Comes with being in a relationship...
See! I told you. The difference is, you know you have a good one when you tell her of your crazy schemes before hand and she not only allows you to do it but gets involved.
Haha, Yep. Though, I'm pretty sure my boyfriend would never do that, nor I, because we both love food and are both coffee addicts :)
I just meant crazy schemes in general, not fasting in specific. But yea.
Hey, just letting you guys know I'll be starting this up again in three days (August 24). Unfortunately, this summer was a bit more hectic than previous ones, which is the reason why I had to keep pushing this back. If there's renewed interest, I'd be happy to continue posting in this thread. I just thought I'd give you all the benefit of the doubt first.
Absolutely, I'd be curious to hear how it works out...
That is if the GF doesn't put a stop to it again... Damn sex, always complicates things when women think they have the power... Which they do... >:(
As always, just make sure you are well-freakin' educated and you know absolutely everything you are getting yourself into and I support ya!
Heh, I won't know absolutely everything I'm getting myself into until I'm already neck deep in it. Experience has and always will be the best teacher, hence my personal experimentation! But I understand where you're coming from, and I feel comfortable with my knowledge on the subject.
About my girlfriend, we're no longer seeing each other, so I'll make a point of doing this first before making any other commitments. I'm not going to allow anything to get in the way this time. Anyways, thanks for the support!
Given your already extremely low body weight (to be fair, I don't know how tall you are), I would suggest that intentionally starving yourself for the sole purpose of finding out how your body will react is a poor choice. Or maybe I'm missing the point.
I appreciate the concern, and I'll go ahead and reply to the best of my ability, as I'm sure others would be begging the same question. I'll be nailing out a few things based on your post, and I sincerely do not intend it as a personal affront to you, as much as it may seem.
Firstly, for the past few months I've been preparing my body for this fast. I have been eating foods I deem beneficial based on nutrient content, and have spent a couple of months solely building up muscle mass. Which brings me to my next point about having a low body weight.
I don't blame you or anyone else in the least bit about not reading my wall of text on the first page; to be honest, it was more of a point of reference and of departure, as well as a place for those few (if any) who would like to know the nitty-gritty details of a fast. Anyways, though fat is extremely helpful when deprived of food, muscle is supremely more important. Fat will keep you alive; muscle will keep you healthy. It's entirely up to the body to establish that fine balance between too little muscle consumption and too much. Too little, and the body risks lasting damage to vital organs and tissue; too much, and you lose mobility! TL;DR - Keep skipping walls of text, and muscle is more important to a fasting body than fat.
On to your next point: intentionally starving myself. I know very well you meant it tongue-in-cheek, but it brings up a great point of interest. I know it may not seem like it, but there's a vast difference between fasting and starving oneself. When starving, the body has exhausted all nutrient reserves and almost all of the body's fat and muscle reserves, and in a last ditch effort it begins consuming the vital organs and tissues of the body. Not a pretty way to go. In fasting, you prepare for it. You build up nutrient stores, fat, muscle, etc., and have a specific deadline under which you are to end it. Without that deadline, your stores would eventually be depleted and then you would go into starvation. I'm playing it save, and instead of going on the "traditional" fast of 40 days, I'll be doing less than half, 15. TL;DR - You prepare your body for a fast, whereas starvation you cannot.
If an obese person were to undergo a fast, he or she could easily go above that 40 mark into 50 or 60 days (though don't hold me to that rough estimate). Will that mean they'll be able to cleanse their bodies more thoroughly? Most likely not, as obese people are generally nutritionally deprived, and the body will be spending the majority of its time trying to keep that person alive, vice the time it could use to remove detrimental tissue, toxins, and stored carcinogens. However, if a relatively thin person were to undergo a fast, nutritionally prepared, 20 or 30 days would be more appropriate as the cleansing can be completed much faster and sooner. This all ties into the stage before ketosis, where the body's top priority is to preserve muscle tissue and use fat as the main source of fuel. However long it takes to deplete that store of fat, along with how nutritionally prepared that person is, determines when ketosis will take place, the backbone of the fast. TL;DR - Though fat does play a part in a fast's success, nutrition stores and muscle are much more important.
Once again, I'm doing this for everyone's benefit, not just to bash you. If I get enough questions I may just dedicate a part of the first post to Q&A. Thanks for being my scapegoat! TL;DR - You're lazy.
I have no doubt that you are fully prepared for your fast, I just don't understand how it benefits you specifically. I can't comprehend that your curiosity takes priority over your health and wellbeing. TL;DR - Whats the point?
You're a funny guy! This is just one of those many stupid things us humans do to satiate our ever-hungry curiosity. At least I'm not risking sailing off the edge of the world! I've developed an interest in it over the years, and am interested enough in it to try it myself. I suppose that's what it boils down to in my case; interest. That and I'm knowingly risking my health on the possibility that I'll become more healthy, instead of the possibility of becoming rich, or famous. Like I said before, nothing ventured, nothing gained.
EDIT: It's impossible to read sarcasm, but I just want to be sure that you know I wasn't putting in the TL;DR's for your benefit, but for people like this:
Quote from: runeskap master117
i never read trogdors posts always too long
Quote from: Trogdor on August 22, 2010, 01:49:00 AM
You're a funny guy! This is just one of those many stupid things us humans do to satiate our ever-hungry curiosity. At least I'm not risking sailing off the edge of the world! I've developed an interest in it over the years, and am interested enough in it to try it myself. I suppose that's what it boils down to in my case; interest. That and I'm knowingly risking my health on the possibility that I'll become more healthy, instead of the possibility of becoming rich, or famous. Like I said before, nothing ventured, nothing gained.
EDIT: It's impossible to read sarcasm, but I just want to be sure that you know I wasn't putting in the TL;DR's for your benefit, but for people like this:Quote from: runeskap master117
i never read trogdors posts always too long
Well then, good luck with not overly-damaging your body. I hope you satisfy your curiosity.
Also yeah, I understood the point of the TL;DRs. No worries, was just making a sarcastic joke.
After not eating for a couple days, does extreme hunger kick in? Or does the body go into some kind of survival mode where it knows it's not gonna eat for a long period of time, and the hunger is satiated.
Quote from: Jake on August 22, 2010, 03:37:01 AM
After not eating for a couple days, does extreme hunger kick in? Or does the body go into some kind of survival mode where it knows it's not gonna eat for a long period of time, and the hunger is satiated.
From what I understand, if the body stops receiving food, your metabolism slows down drastically to keep yourself from running out of every single resource in your body. After a while though, your metabolism is going to only have so much to retain, and your body will start eating itself inside out.
Again, you seem to know what you're doing, but I wish you luck anyways. I'll be sure to keep up on the updates.
Alright, I updated the first post. Does anyone know if there's a character limit, and what number that may be? I think I'm going to run out of room soon; I should've made a reserve post or two, in hindsight. :-\
Just so everyone knows, I don't really feel it's necessary to bump this every day that I make a new edit here, since mostly everyone has said what they were going to say on my first attempt. However, if it strays off the first page I'll feel obligated to bump it back to the first page. It's not exactly an active topic, but not a dead one either. So even if there aren't any *new* posts, there will be edits daily to the first post. It's a shame that edits don't bump a topic. :-\
I went ahead and made that Q&A section for convenience's sake, as well as to answer any unanswered questions from those reading this, and tidied up the first post a bit. I'll also write a short description of my current physical/mental status in a few hours.
I find it very interessting what you do and I will keep track and check back daily. If it works out well I might try it too in the soon future, of course I know every body reacts differently but you having it tested and documented every points of each day makes it easier for me. :-)
Just a short update as the first post is full. The condition in my leg had worsened so much so that I have no choice but to postpone this fast, once again. I'm not disheartened in the least bit, however, since I managed to push my body to the limit until the weakest part of it gave way. Now that I've wrested this valuable bit of knowledge from my body, I know how to better prepare myself in the future.
To give a brief overview of what happened, yesterday I had developed a sort of throbbing ache in the back of my left knee. I tried different ways of positioning and stretching, but nothing seemed to relieve the pain. I didn't really think much of it at the time. A few hours later I had begun to experience decreased blood flow in my leg to such an extent that I had trouble feeling the outer extremities. Additionally, there was some minor swelling in the back of my knee, using my right leg as a benchmark. I'm not sure if the swelling was from inflamed tissue or the beginnings of a synovial cyst, but in all honesty I didn't care to find out. The weird thing was that my right leg was perfectly fine; it was the left one who was giving me trouble.
At any rate, I'll be going on a hiatus until next attempt, but I'll keep this topic open. I'm not sure what to do now that I no longer have space for my day-to-day entries, and I'd prefer not to scatter them haphazardly throughout this topic. I most likely will just make another topic dedicated to the physical and mental changes a fasting body goes through. Of course I'll link back to this one for reference, but I'll be sure to hone my body to a razor-edge before I risk wasting forum space with a three-post foible.
Oh, and you guys need to be sure to tell me if you're getting sick of me yet. I can take a hint. This horse has been dead since my first fasting attempt, but I'll keep on beating it and beating it until you guys tell me to stop being an idiot with my half-assed attempts at starving myself and just eat, goddamnit.
Very interesting information...but don't kill yourself bro.
Enjoy the various foods in life, go eat a !@#$ing steak.
I'd say you should probably consult a doctor before attempting another fast.
Quote from: Torch on August 29, 2010, 10:56:59 AM
I'd say you should probably consult a doctor before attempting another fast.
I agree. They most likely won't agree with what you're doing, but they could give you some important advice that is specific to your body.
I've fasted before for 8 days, but my goal wasn't nearly as foul (sorry, couldn't find another word) as yours. I'm an extreme martial artist, and was in need of fasting my body to achieve that state of balance to progress more quickly, etc. You're doing it to educate yourself, gamble your health, and to prove science? With no professional help? Sorry, but I have to agree with Torch, since I know how dangerous this can get.
To answer some questions:
- I fasted 2 months ago, few weeks after school was over.
- I consulted a doctor, told him my reasons and he offered to help me out (while still telling me it's not a good idea at my age). I dearly accepted
- I'm only 17!
- I weight 68kg (149.9 lbs) and am 181cm (6ft) tall
- My family supported me
I lasted 8 days. First two and last two days were the hardest. First two days I've drank 5-6 glasses of water, at later days drank less. The hunger was almost unbearable, my stomach hurt like a bitch. After three days, I couldn't feel the hunger at all, nor the pain in my stomach. Only lack of energy, and tiredness. I still did most of activities I usually did, but exercising was out of the question. After like 4 days I felt terrible, was about to give up because of the pain in my body. The pain went away after few more glasses of water. I remember the next day was great, felt no pain, no hunger, and wasn't even tired at all. It passed really quickly. The 7th day was brutal though... I woke up at like 6am, couldn't sleep a wink and felt terrible pain in my stomach. I turned on the computer, and moments later felt the pain again. My body entered a state of detoxification and I got a pretty bad diarrhea. Rushing to the toilet 2 times an hour, for whole day felt pretty bad. At first I thought I had intestinal virosys. My doctor said that wasn't the case, because I would throw up as well. He told me it's about time to start eating again, since my body was detoxicated. I decided to hold on another day. Last day was terrible too, but I had no diarrhea. I was just tired as hell, slept in fever hour by hour waking up every time the pain was felt. At night, I had my first meal in a while. Rice =)
It was pretty bad experience, but it helped me greatly. During this summer, I've progressed in tricking like I never did before. I achieved my goal... But I wouldn't repeat this process, haha... I got my original weight back in something like 3 days.
Could you still maintain your level of tricking when you when back to your old weight?
Quote from: EpicPhailure on August 29, 2010, 12:31:05 PM
Could you still maintain your level of tricking when you when back to your old weight?
Well actually no... I felt really week days after... Maybe even weeks, but that's from such fast muscle loss... But after a month, I really got good results, and I could train even better. Felt better, tricked better... It was like some sort of "rejuvenation"... But now, I don't feel like it anymore, or I got used to it =/
Quote from: krele on August 29, 2010, 12:08:03 PM
I've fasted before for 8 days, but my goal wasn't nearly as foul (sorry, couldn't find another word) as yours. You're doing it to educate yourself, gamble your health, and to prove science?
Wow! That's a very descriptive word. Quite obviously you haven't read the entirety of my posts, though I can understand why. However, it really does save me a lot of time from having to point out the obvious to people who immediately jump to conclusions after skimming through a few sentences. Yes, I am doing it to educate myself
to better help and understand my body. I am "gambling" my health
to become more healthy. I am experimenting with it on the off chance that
my body will benefit, thus adapting a practice that will help serve it. As you can (hopefully) see, all of these reasons serve the same end.
I'm not entirely sure what you meant by proving science. Usually it's science that proves something...
Quote from: krele on August 29, 2010, 12:08:03 PM
With no professional help?
Believe me, I would never
dream of doing a fast without professional help. My primary care physician is very knowledgeable, kind, and understanding. I've actually had the same one since my birth, if you can believe that or not. Anyways, I didn't tell him I was going on a fast until I was a few days through, and he became a little upset with me. But he eventually succumbed to the idea and simply urged me to drink plenty of water. Now and then he would insist that I eat, but he stopped nagging after around three days. He also has this uncanny ability to know exactly when I should rest so I don't over-exert myself. He was even the one who found out that I wasn't getting enough blood in my leg, so we both agreed to postpone it. Even though he possesses this vast pool of knowledge on every medical subject imaginable, he's never been to medical school. Can you believe that?
I'm impressed that you got so far, I truly am. There's just one thing I don't understand.
Quote from: krele on August 29, 2010, 12:08:03 PM
At night, I had my first meal in a while. Rice =)
Are you saying you broke an eight day fast with rice? This right here is telling me that you (or your doctor) hadn't really thought out your fast, hence why you probably had such a hellish experience. What foods did you eat leading up to the fast? Did your doctor simply monitor your vitals, or did he also recommend what foods to eat before/after the fast?
Quote from: krele on August 29, 2010, 12:08:03 PM
At night, I had my first meal in a while. Rice =)
Are you saying you broke an eight day fast with rice? This right here is telling me that you (or your doctor) hadn't really thought out your fast, hence why you probably had such a hellish experience. What foods did you eat leading up to the fast? Did your doctor simply monitor your vitals, or did he also recommend what foods to eat before/after the fast?
[/quote]
I was surprised too, that's why I wrote it. He recommended rice because of my hellish diarrhea, so it won't come back (it was a possibility though). Of course I didn't stuff myself with it, I just ate a bit so it starts my usual food digesting body state. Doctor monitored my vitals, he was involved 2 days before I started fasting, so he couldn't really help me out there. But that's not the problem, since I've are pretty much same ingredients you noted here. The reason of my "hellish" experience is my fast metabolism, that just couldn't take it any longer =)
Also, about that "you want to prove science"... I meant to say you want to "prove science being right", "make an example of it", etc...
You should chill out... People here are trying to help. Taking their posts for granted (no matter what they said) won't help you, or will take away all that support you get here. I've read your posts fully, and understand every word of it, but please take me to the part where you told us you had a physician with you. It's really important, and would change few minds here, probably including scotty's, torch's, and mine as well...
Quote from: krele on August 30, 2010, 09:22:46 AM
I was surprised too, that's why I wrote it. He recommended rice because of my hellish diarrhea, so it won't come back (it was a possibility though).
Ah, I see. Very typical of a doctor to get rid of the symptom instead of the cause, which they're supposed to get paid for correcting... I bet what was running through his mind was as soon as your feces had solidified, his job was done. :-\
Quote from: krele on August 30, 2010, 09:22:46 AM
Also, about that "you want to prove science"... I meant to say you want to "prove science being right", "make an example of it", etc...
Okay, I see what you mean. Regarding science's study of fasting (among a great many other subjects), it has reached an impasse where both sides have documented proof that it does
and does not benefit the human body. Based on that, I don't have any intellectual backing for what I'm doing. For example, if I said I was only going to drink bleach for three days, any one of you could pull up unquestionable and verifiable scientific evidence that it will probably kill me. All members of the scientific community would agree with this. With fasting, both pro fasting and con fasting sides have this unquestionable and verifiable scientific evidence that contradicts one another. So that topic is pretty much up in the air.
Quote from: krele on August 30, 2010, 09:22:46 AM
You should chill out... People here are trying to help. Taking their posts for granted (no matter what they said) won't help you, or will take away all that support you get here.
Hm? What gave you that idea? I really did appreciate your own personal experience of fasting, and how your body reacted with it. I appreciate any and all posts; I would never take one for granted.
Quote from: krele on August 30, 2010, 09:22:46 AM
... but please take me to the part where you told us you had a physician with you. It's really important, and would change few minds here, probably including scotty's, torch's, and mine as well...
Eh, never mind. I was just taking a stab at being humorous, but that's one of the other things I fail at. Also, I'm not here to change minds, just sharing something interesting in my life that I thought you guys would be interested in. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, which is why I'll poke fun at myself from time to time for their sake.
Quote from: Trogdor on August 30, 2010, 08:46:10 AMBelieve me, I would never dream of doing a fast without professional help. My primary care physician is very knowledgeable, kind, and understanding. I've actually had the same one since my birth, if you can believe that or not...
...Even though he possesses this vast pool of knowledge on every medical subject imaginable, he's never been to medical school. Can you believe that?
Wait... What? Your primary care physician is not a medical doctor? Forgive my ignorance, but how is that possible? Or, is it possible that he became a medical doctor without going to medical school? I didn't think that was possible either.
Given I fully understand that someone can be knowledgable on a subject without being "certified," and I also understand that a lot of medical doctors often give bad advice, so maybe your "primary care physician" is more qualified than some doctors anyways.
I was curious, it sounds like this person is someone very close to you. Are they a family member?
Sorry, I was making a piss-poor attempt at alluding to my body.
... I'll be going now...
Oh... Oh man. I totally did not get that. Lol. Sorry.
Quote from: Lingus on September 01, 2010, 04:02:21 PM
Oh... Oh man. I totally did not get that. Lol. Sorry.
I didn't get it at first either, but afterwards I was like "ohhh, bahahahaha". I like your humor trogdor, just hard to follow sometimes. Don't be deterred though!