What’s the skinny on fasting? I’ve been hearing quite a bit about fasting, body cleansing/detoxifying, and the “Master Cleanser.” With supposed benefits such as gastrointestinal mucous removal and heightened energy levels, I’m thinking about it. (Thinking about it, in the sense that I would never want to hurt my body by starving it or worse, die.) I’ve exhausted the web, read reports from doctors and gurus alike and I’m still at a loss for fasting’s realities. Any help would be great!
I’ve actually been thinking of fasting (liquids only) two days a week, for health/weight reasons, and I’d be interested in hearing info, too . . .
Here’s an anecdotal story for you.
I have a book called something like “The Detox Diet.” The author claims it is a cleansing juice fast and that as the toxins leave your body you will feel like crap and that you will not lose any weight. I did not follow the fast to the letter (I took one sip of my first day’s luncheon of kale-beet juice and dumped it in favor of orange) but true to the author’s word by day two I felt like crap and I didn’t lose any weight. Severe muscle aches that lasted about two days beyond the end of the fast. Whether this was because of toxins leaving my body or some after-effect of not eating solid food for three days I don’t know.
What interested me in fasting initially was an article I read several years ago in I think Spin magazine, or maybe Details, about a guy who went on a specific fast (I don’t recall the name). I looked for information about that fast (at the library, can you believe it?) and couldn’t find it, but did find a book by a guy who fasted periodically over a number of years for periods ranging up to 30 days. He did it under controlled medical supervision and was himself a medical doctor and he seemed OK and did lose weight with each fasting period. IIRC the book was published in the 70s so I don’t know how he’s doing now.
check thisout
I fast for 24 hours about once a month. I drink vegetable juice, and take a fiber laxative.
I started doing this back in my serious bodybuilding days, after reading books by legendary trainer Vince Gironda, who recommended the practice.
I believe fasting lets the digestive tract have a break, allowing for better absorption of nutrients from food. I eat a lot of meat, which Gironda claimed can line the intestinal wall with mucus. The fasting does indeed cleanse me out, sometimes dramatically.
I also see a spiritual/willpower side to it – it’s enlightening to go hungry, even if briefly and voluntarily. You will never eat a better meal than the first one after a fast!
Another anecdotal report here—firsthand though. I went through a period where I would fast regularly. I would usually fast for three days a month…originally I would only drink water, but later I modified my fast to include a few glasses of fruit juice per day.
The effects were quite remarkable. I should state that I didn’t fast to lose weight (that would be…ah…dumb). Instead, my fasting was mostly for spiritual reasons. However, I noticed a definite health effect. After my fast I experienced increased energy, heighted mood, and a sense that my thinking was somehow “clearer”. So, for me the experience was extremely beneficial.
However, my experience was my own (duh), and other may not have the same results. And, if your health isn’t that great overall, it wouldn’t hurt to consult a doctor beforehand…
Looking up at my post, I just want to clarify something: When I said that fasting to lose weight was “dumb”, that was a poor choice of words. Previous posters in this very thread have mentioned that people have experienced weight loss through fasting.
What I’m trying to convey, is that if your primary purpose is to lose weight, there are many alternatives that would be much better. I just want to discourage the idea of “I need to lose X pounds by prom…I guess I’ll just starve myself for a few days”.
Also I wanted to agree with ** F. U. Shakespeare**'s statement about giving the digestive system a break. It seemed to give mine a “tune-up”, and I felt that my digestive system became much more efficient after my fast. YMMV.
My mother fasted every other day for one full year from 1978-1979. It was a true fast (no food, no water/fluids). She lost 88 pounds and drove the rest of us nuts!
Mr. Frink is right – in fact, if you want to lose fat, fasting may actually be counterproductive: your metabolism slows down when deprived of food, storing the bodyfat. (This is especially true for fasts longer than 24 hours, or repeated ones). You may lose weight, because the body burns lean tissue (muscle) in such cases.
As noted, fasting will ‘tune up’ your system, making subsequent dieting measures more effective. But the fasting itself is not a good way to lose weight.
The fight against ignorance is losing a lot of ground in this thread.
There is no, I repeat no, scientific evidence that fasting produces any sort of “detoxification” or “tuning up of the digestive system,” nor does it “give the digestive system a break.” Eating meat doesn’t “line the intestinal wall with mucus.” Fasting doesn’t result in “better absorption of nutrients.” These claims are all patent nonsense.
Those who speak of being “cleansed out” are referring to diarrhea, which is a sign of illness, period. It’s your body’s way of telling you to stop whatever it is you’re doing to it. Using laxatives when you’re not constipated (and even when you are, in some cases) just irritates your bowels, and can lead to permanent bowel problems.
Those of you who claim otherwise, please stop providing mere anecdotal evidence. Let’s see some citations to reputable sources (not food-fad gurus).
Perhaps if Early Out fasted for a few days the bug up his butt might starve to death…
Early Out, I never claimed anecdotes are research, but they are ‘realities’, which the OP asked for. I concede that YMMV on anything I have posted – do not fast if you suffer from hypoglycemia, diabetes, etc.
But I beg to differ with you: I can see the actual output of my monthly fasts (mucus, not diarrhea). I declined to give this much detail previously, thinking it might veer into TMI territory.
Would you provide a cite for your claim that *fiber[/] laxatives can cause bowel problems? I’ve never heard that before. My primary care physician claims that fiber laxatives are a safe way of adding fiber to one’s diet.
Well, If you consider accidently forgetting to eat for a day or two fasting, then I’m a master!
For starters, your digestive tract is supposed to be lined with mucus. If it weren’t, the acids in your stomach would eat right through. If mucus is being excreted, there’s a chance that you’re leaving yourself with a dangerously thin layer. Shoot, if you drank lye, I’m sure all sorts of stuff would come out of your body; that doesn’t mean that drinking lye is a good thing to do. (Kids, don’t even think about trying this at home!)
Fiber laxatives are probably OK as a means of adding fiber to your diet, though you’d be better off just eating foods that have a lot of fiber in them. However, if they produce urgent, loose bowel movements, you’re getting way too much fiber, and you’ve crossed the line from helping to harming yourself. As I said, diarrhea is nature’s way of telling you to quit doing whatever you’re doing!
(Sorry, Otto, but there was so much bad “information” being trotted out in this thread, I felt it needed a swift kick in the butt. Puns intended.)
If anyone here thinks Early Out doesn’t know what he’s talking about, please read my earlier link.
I just want to clarify what people are talking about when they use the term “laxatives”. There are some differences:
Bulk Formers: (Metamucil, Citrucel, etc.) make stool softer and are the safest laxatives and work the same way bran does.
Stool Softeners: (Colace, Dialose) keep stool moist and prevent dehydration
Saline Laxatives: (Milk of Magnesia) draw water into the colon for easier passage of stool.
Lubricants: (mineral oil) uh, lubes. These can also impair absorption of vitamins and rarely cause pneumonia.
Stimulants: (Correctol, Dulcolax, Senokot) cause muscle contractions in the intestines. Can lead to dependency.
Actually, minieral oil acts as an irritant and causes the bowels to move. Wether it provides a lubricating factor at the same time is debatable, unless, of course, copious amounts were inserted anally to help move along impacted feces.
Peace.
Detoxify with K-Y!
Perhaps the people who believe in this kind of quackery ought to consider “giving their lung system a break” by holding their breath for a couple of days.
The real question is do you eat freakin’ huge goddamned amounts of food at one sitting? If you do, well then, yeah, you probably do need to help your intestines move along that trough of slop you slurped.
Of course, what you really need to do is to eat smaller meals spaced out regularly over the course of the day. Then you won’t have feces jams in your bowels.
Yes. It’s called water loss. The first seven to ten pounds of any deprivation diet will be primarily water. And you’ll put it back on just as quick when you go back to what is normal eating patterns for you.
And no. As been mentioned above. When you deprive your body of nutrients, it goes into lock down mode. You metabolism slows down. Anything you do eat is quickly turned to fat for storage. Your body will burn muscle as much as fat.
To loose weight: eat slightly less calories than you burn, not a drastic reduction of calories. This takes time, but it is the tried and true way.
**
Yes, you have toxins in your body. Carbon dioxide from respiration, e.g. You can get rid of the poisonous carbon dioxide by doing this… breathing.
And by shitting and pissing, you’ll get rid of the rest. Eat right and drink plenty of water and it will all work as it should. Your liver, intestines, and bladders will do the rest. Appropriate amounts of exercise and sleep will also help.
And, don’t do stupid stuff like drink alchohol to excess (no more than two drinks in a single day… ever); or take OTC medications like they were candy; or expose yourself to lead or other harmful chemicals.
Peace.
In case I haven’t made my position clear, detoxification schemes are bullshit. Fasting should only be done for fun and profit.
Otto,
We don’t allow personal insults in this forum. Do not do this again.
We are about factual information in this forum. Early Out provided factual information. You provided “an anecdotal story”. We have nothing against “anecdotal stories”, but factual evidence, backed up by reputable cites trumps your little anecdote.
Check out the link kindly provided by x-ray vision and learn something.
DrMatrix - General Questions Moderator