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anthony574
USA
549 Posts |
 Posted - Apr 22 2007 : 8:07:13 PM
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I am 19 years old and I have been vegetarian for a month and a half. When I switched over, I decided to go on a water fast for a bit to cleanse my body of the festering dead flesh it had accumulated over the years. It also coincided with my spirutual interests. Now, having gained interest in AYP and yoga, I wish to fast again...however, it doesn't seem to have the same flair as the first time being that the novelty is gone and only the bad memories remain.
I was wondering if perhaps my trouble with fasting - being completely based on my addiction to food (even though I'm only 136 pounds and 6'0") will ease later on when I am past the age of 25 or so and my body will defintley be done with growing. I wonder if the trouble I have is due to the fact that even though I am in the latest stages of adolescent development, people technically still grow in some way until about 24 and I know I am still developing a bit. I was hoping one of you elders could assure me that fasting becomes much easier in your ripened ages.  |
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david_obsidian
USA
2602 Posts |
Posted - Apr 22 2007 : 8:43:44 PM
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Hello Anthony, (presuming that's your name)
perhaps you should take it a little easier, and make changes more gradually.
Yes, all of this is harder while you are growing. In your situation, your best bet may best to
(i) over a period of time, gradually focus on improving your nutrition -- add the best stuff, remove the worst from your diet. Going immediately into vegetarianism isn't necessarily the best way to do it either -- consider going gradually into that too, cutting down on meat. Avoid veganism unless you have the time and resources to really do it well.
(ii) develop a good exercise regimen too if you don't have one already. Add this gradually too. Exercise actually improves your absorption of food.
(iii) there is a balance between taking things too seriously and being a fluff-bunny. Maybe you are swinging to the former at this point in time? Consider trying a swing to the latter.
If you are stable in these changes, you can consider some fasting. But no, fasting should not be really, really hard. If it is, it is probably just not the time for you to do it.
Enjoy AYP!  |
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anthony574
USA
549 Posts |
Posted - Apr 22 2007 : 8:50:22 PM
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Your last point makes sense. It did seem like a rather forced attempt at fasting whereas last time I felt so inclined I was actually EXCITED...go figure.
The switch the veg'ism wasn't very hard because I was already an organic nut and did not touch junk foods or processed sustenance and I do exercise daily. Fasting for me is not such a shock to my lifestyle as it is a shock to my addiction to food. I suppose a lot of that "addiction" does have to do with my age.
I mean, when I say I'm jonesing for foods it's usually for a carrot with hummus, or for basmati rice with broccoli and feta cheese (yeah, I know...not vegetarian...but I can't give up feta).
I figure also, I did just do a 2-day water fast preceded by a 2-day fruit fast so I'm guessing it's too early to do another one. I didnt detect a lot of toxicity leaving my system anyway compared to accounts I have read of healing crises. I'm guessing that most people don't get into fasting until they are past the age of 20. |
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Jim and His Karma
2111 Posts |
Posted - Apr 22 2007 : 10:18:06 PM
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Anthony, be aware that fasting puts you in risk of metabolizing muscle. My dad used to do very long, medically supervised fasts, and lost a bunch of weight...nearly all water and muscle.
I don't fast at all. Quite the contrary, I'm forcing myself to eat 4-5 healthy meals per day, because fasting is my natural inclination, and I've decided that giving my body what it needs for best health and doing AYP twice per day is the best route. And I've tried lots of alternatives, including some extreme ones (and can fast very very easily, by the way).
If you're geared up on yoga and want to add practices, go through AYP's lessons, where you'll find lots of stuff to add on, and it's all effective and very well described and thousands of people can vouch for their safety and effectiveness.
If you're thinking of fasting for health reasons rather than spiritual ones, you'll find plenty of laymen raving about its healthful benefits, but very very few nutritionists, athletes, body builders, doctors...the people who really study body stuff. And you're a bit young to be taking chances with your body. You want to get yourself into a healthy mode for many years of meditating!
Just my two cents.... |
Edited by - Jim and His Karma on Apr 22 2007 10:18:43 PM |
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anthony574
USA
549 Posts |
Posted - Apr 23 2007 : 09:35:24 AM
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I don't approach fasting with the naiivety that everyone assumes me to have ever since they found out my age. I have studied health since I was pretty young and am fully concious of my body and aware of its status. I at this point would not fast on water for anything exceeding 7 days...which I could never do anyway, but was planning on an intermittent juice-water fast plan. I live in a filthy polluted city, have eaten god-only-knows how many pesticides and hormones in my short lifetime, and fasting makes me feel good to know I am expelling some of that waste. And as far as nurtitionists and such who do not promote fasting, I believe if, let's say hypothetically fasting really is a miracle cure...why would modern Western doctors and nutionists want you to use it? I think we can agree Western medicine is a business so I do not put much stock on what MD's and the FDA agree on.
My reasons are primarily geared towards health at this point, as I believe a healthy body equals a healthy mind and spirit.
But thanks for your advice. I do plan on continuing this IAM thing for a while! |
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Jim and His Karma
2111 Posts |
Posted - Apr 23 2007 : 10:18:20 AM
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| I'd have posted the same thing if you were 35, FWIW. I strongly dispute that it's a healthy thing to do, and I'm someone who's spent a long time doing it. But I wish you success with it! :) |
Edited by - Jim and His Karma on Apr 23 2007 10:34:40 AM |
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anthony574
USA
549 Posts |
Posted - Apr 23 2007 : 12:49:50 PM
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| What were your experiences and what lead you to believe it is so unhealthy? Perhaps you went about it incorrectly or too extremely? |
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Etherfish
USA
3615 Posts |
Posted - Apr 23 2007 : 4:07:13 PM
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There is a lot of controversy over whether fasting is healthy or not. I believe the reason for that is that everyone is different, and you have to find out for yourself. For me, it seems extremely healthy. Whenever I have a disease like the flu or cold that doesn't seem to go away, I fast for two or three days and it goes away. So as soon as I feel I am coming down with a "bug", I go ahead and fast until it's gone, usually a couple days. But that's just me.
It can be very unhealthy for some people because the pesticides and poisons you speak of often store in the fat, so fasting can cause them to be released quickly. Also professional nutritionists and doctors often don't recommend it because it throws chemical balances off and causes havoc in some people.
One factor is in your "metabolic type". You can do tests to determine what that is, for instance I am a protein metabolic type. So I don't do well without protein, and whenever I eat vegetarian for very long I don't feel as strong.
I don't need a lot of meat, but a little.
Some people are fruitarians, which I believe is unhealthy because of too much sugar and not enough protein, but they think it is the best. It makes me very sick because I have low blood sugar.
So anybody that claims something is a cure-all shows they don't know what they are talking about.
Although fasting does often help clear toxicity, so does a good balanced, light diet with plenty of raw organic greens and lots of water, with whatever else your type requires for protein etc, combined with exercise. this clears toxins slower, so it's safer.
But I'm a believer that a 24 hour fast once a week is good for you too. I don't always do it, but if you start when you first get up, you have probably already completed more than eight hours. Start timing after dinner the night before, and 24 hours goes by quickly. |
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david_obsidian
USA
2602 Posts |
Posted - Apr 23 2007 : 5:02:12 PM
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I think Ether is exactly right and he is touching on something that should ideally be taught explicitly to modern people in general, especially modern yogis as well as anyone interested in their health:
Bio-individuality. We are all humans, but our genes are all different.
What is good and optimal for one person, whether diet, meditation practice, anything, is not necessarily good and optimal for another. So one should extrapolate from oneself to someone else only with caution.
It's so easy and natural to lose that caution, and much is lost and wasted as a result. It happens all the time at every level. One person goes off wheat, feels so much better, and becomes convinced that wheat is the root of all evil. Another person does the same for dairy. One person fasts, does very well with it, and over-extrapolate to other people. Another may fast, do poorly with it, and over-extrapolate to other people.
And it exists at the level of spiritual teachings. One teacher does very well with a certain technique or practice, and teaches everyone that, and it may not be suitable for some people. So entire spiritual movements have customs and practices which are tailored to the biology of the founder, who may no longer need the customs or practices in question (whether enlightened or dead).
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anthony574
USA
549 Posts |
Posted - Apr 24 2007 : 08:51:30 AM
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| As for the 24-hour fast, what do you do to prepare for it? I know with 2+ day fasts you are to eat a specific diet to ease into it. I assume with a 24-hour fast you would eat nothing but raw foods the day before? Also, do you count sleep? |
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Etherfish
USA
3615 Posts |
Posted - Apr 25 2007 : 08:10:56 AM
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Of course you count sleep. That's the easiest part!
I don't do anything to prepare for it. It's only from after dinner one night to the same time the next night. i only drink water, and be careful to eat light when you break the fast even though you may feel like "pigging out".
Sometimes I will have dinner very early the first night, so when breaking the fast I won't be eating late. |
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innov8ion
USA
1 Posts |
Posted - Oct 25 2008 : 7:57:28 PM
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I would recommend this book. It's quite helpful and written by a well-known doctor. Ref: http://www.amazon.com/Fasting-Eatin...p/031218719X
I'd like to correct a previous assertion. Fasting does initially break down muscle but after 48 hours in women and 72 hours in men, the body releases ketones which serve to spare muscle tissue and causes the breaking down of adipose tissue (fat) and other impurities. After 7 days of fasting, the body starts to really detoxify. Dr. Fuhrman suggests a 10-14 day fast is good for this. If one is healthy, fasting once every 5 years is healthy.
Tonite will mark the fourth day of my fast consisting of nothing but water. It's actually not that difficult for me. I'm reading Rumi every day and really enjoy it. I plan on going 10-12 days until breaking the fast. |
Edited by - innov8ion on Oct 25 2008 9:30:19 PM |
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brother neil
USA
752 Posts |
Posted - Oct 26 2008 : 09:26:54 AM
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innov8tion,
my suggestion, and it is only my suggestion, is that if you fast and want a spritual experience, fast of the senses as well. fast from this computer, TV, driving, etc.... if you want music maybe music of primal sounds etc... imo, from what i have researched, fasting is not just from food. If you must work, then work, but only doing what you must do may be more beneficial to you.
just my .02 and with inflation it may not be worth much
we are love, we are peace, we are joy
we are
brother neil
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newpov
USA
183 Posts |
Posted - Oct 26 2008 : 11:43:25 AM
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When I was about 33, I ingested nothing but water for 17 days. I undertook this out of curiosity.
Everything about me slowed up, but my sense of smell was heightened and I felt really clear. During this time I continued to join friends for socializing at their meals. They were amazed that I was in no way dropping dead in front of their eyes.
I stopped in anticipation of a party that was coming up soon. I felt, however, that I could continue and the entire experience was no agony for me, except the difficult first three days before ketone chemistry finally kicked in.
I would consider doing it again. I believe every young adult could and should fast, as the experience does help one focus with more clarity on what is happening in his or her life. |
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Does fasting EVER get easier?
