Reference: Dr. Michael Kalper, True North Health Center Santa Rosa, CA, www.healthpromoting.com

  • What is fasting
    • Consuming water ONLY for a specific time
    • Therapeutic overhaul of your metabolism
  • Fasting vs. Starvation
    • Fasting → burning fat
    • Starvation → burning muscle (when run thru the entire fat stores, never ever want to enter this state)
  • Fasting has been around a long time - humans and animals have been fasting since their beginning, practice of Hippocrates
  • 80% of all the energy your body uses all day goes into digesting your food
    • Intestinal tract - a 30 foot muscular tube that is always pushing food along
    • Chemical synthesis - stomach acid, digestive enzymes, bile production, antibody formation, mucus production
    • Immune cells - lymphocytes, etc. interrogate proteins, identify pathogens, etc.
    • When you fast this energy is freed up for healing and rebalancing
      • Organ rest - allows for healing
      • Clean-out on a cellular level
      • Re-setting of hormone balances
      • Strengthens immune function
  • Benefits of fasting
    • Inflammatory processes subside / immune system strengthened
    • Insulin receptors clear → blood sugar levels normalize
    • Blood pressure normalize
    • Blood flow increase - arteries widen, blood less viscous, etc.
      • ↓ angina, leg pain with exertion, etc.
    • Bowel, skin, bladder inflammation subside
    • Headaches often improve
    • Taste buds recalibrate - addictions/cravings less strong
    • "If there was a pill that did all of this …"
  • Who can benefit from fasting
    • People with chronic diseases
      • Diabetes (Type II)
      • High blood pressure
      • Autoimmune diseases (lupus, rheum, arthritis, etc.)
      • Intestinal inflammation (colitis, Crohn's disease, etc.)
      • Headaches
      • Allergies
      • Flare-ups of any of the above
    • People who want to clean out and "detox"
  • Who should NOT fast
    • People with wasting diseases with severe weight loss
      • Advanced cancers, etc.
    • Type 1 diabetes (no insulin at all produced)
    • People who want to lose weight
      • Weight lost quickly comes back on quickly!
      • Loose weight by changing the foods you eat (after the fast)
    • People who are on medicines they canNOT stop
      • Prednisone, anti-depression
      • → they should juice fast
  • Medically-supervised fasting
    • Concerns for fasts >3 days (5 days, if healthy)
    • FAINTING (standing up and passing out)
    • VOMITING (at the end of a fast a catastrophe, it's a water fast, you don't want to dehydrate)
    • Disease complications (diabetes, BP, etc.)
    • Symptom concerns (serious or not?)
    • Food preparation at end
    • Conclusion - unsupervised water fasting
      • If you are on medications that you cannot stop, don't even think about water fasting
      • For healthy people
        • 3 days is safe
        • 5 days probably ok
          • Over 5 days - risk → have supervision
    • WATER fast vs. "JUICE FAST"
      • Juice fast is basically a 600 kcal liquid diet, has its uses, run up/down to the fast
      • Water fast
        • Hunger almost totally disappears (after day 2/3)
        • Sodium diuresis more pronounced (nice cleanout)
        • Weight loss from fat vs. Protein
        • Physiologic effects more pronounced
    • What happens during a fast
      • First 24 hours burn glucose in blood → hunger
      • 24-48 hours burn glycogen in muscles and liver (stored glycogens)
      • 3 days + burn fat stores ("detox phase")
        • KETOSIS begins (acetone)
          • Hunger goes - well-being (often) arrives!
    • How log to fast for → depends upon the reason for fasting
      • For "clean out and detox" → 1 to 5 days
      • To arrest or reverse disease → min. 10 - 30 days
      • Allow enough time for the fast and re-feed
        • However many days you fast, allow half again as many for re-feeding
    • People sometimes lose lots of weight at the beginning of a fast
      • High salt diets make the body retail water to dilute out the salt
      • Eat salt → retail H2O
      • Water is heavy, 61 pounds per cubic foot
      • There is often a marked diuresis early in the fast, so much water-weight can be lost
    • How will you (probably) feel during the fast
      • Days 1-3 hungry!
      • Day 3-10 energizes (or mellow)
      • Day 10+ contemplative, energy conserving
    • Before the fast
      • Fruits and vegetables only x 2-3 days (insisted)
      • Stop all medications (only allowed thyroid, but reduced by ½)
      • Stop all supplements - side effects
      • Stop all cosmetics, toothpaste, mouthwash, etc. (brush teeth with water)
      • Fasting is a time for substances to move OUT of the body - not IN
    • Laboratory testing
      • Before the fast
        • If any medical condition or concern or for a fast lasting over 5-7 days, immediately before fasting
          • C.B.C. (complete blood count)
          • C.M.P. (comprehensive metabolic profile - "chemistry"
            • For liver and kidney functions, etc.
          • Urinalysis - check for blood, protein, etc. (urine stick)
      • During the fast
        • go UP! → these are NORMAL, expected changes from the metabolic changes from the fast
          • Cholesterol and triglycerides
          • Uric acid
          • Liver enzymes
      • After the fast
        • If possible, avoid having your labs done for 60 days
    • Medically supervised fasting (this should happen, be discussed with your doctor/supervisor)
      • Initial history and physical exam
      • Agreement on fasting plan/strategies (don't lock yourself into unobtainable arrangement, don't sign with blood)
      • Initial lab tests done/reviewed
      • Blood pressure, pulse, temp 1-2 x daily
      • Blood chemistry and urinalysis weekly (potassium not falling)
    • How much water
      • Need less water
        • less waste excreted
        • metabolic water produced from fat
      • recommended volume = approx. 40 oz. say around 3-4 tall (12-16 oz.) glasses/day
      • "thirst + one more glass"
    • Enemas/colonics
      • Pre-fast
        • Colon irrigation→ OK!
      • During the fast
        • Unnecessary (fruits and veggies pre-fast)
        • Uncomfortable (esp. > day 14)
      • After the fast
        • Use enema/suppositories after the fast if no belly movement after two days eating, despite prunes, Senna tea, etc.
    • Early fasting events and signs of "detox"
      • Nausea
      • Vomiting - may be bilious (no problem early in the fast, carbonated water helps)
      • Diarrhoea
      • Skin rash / cough / runny nose
      • Muscle aches
      • Body odour
      • Headaches (esp. Coffee drinkers)
      • Acid reflux (carbonated water helps)
    • As the fast progresses
      • Signs of medical concern
        • Irregular heartbeat (rare) - notify medical supervisor
        • Light-headedness upon standing → fainting
    • What is fainting
      • Loss of consciousness from lack of blood-flow to the brain
      • Common cause of fainting during fast
        • Orthostatic hypotension
          • Ortho = straight
          • Static = stationary
          • Hypo = too low
          • Tension = blood pressure
          • → Low blood pressure from standing in one place
      • Leg veins are distensible, they can hold a lot of blood
      • You won't faint while you are walking
      • Veins move blood up to the heart
      • As you walk the muscles squeeze the veins and the valves create a one-way flow
      • Stand in one place for a long time and the muscular pump stops
        • Blood drains out of the head
          • Pools in the legs
        • → blood pressure drops
          • Don't feel so good
          • Lightheaded
          • Sweaty
          • Nauseated
          • Feeling going to pass out
      • Passing out is nature's way to get your head on the level of your heart and restore blood-flow back to your brain
      • You can even pass out sitting in a chair (movie, long plane ride) → move legs regularly
      • Less blood volume as the fast goes on → pass out easier
        • The risk of fainting increases as the fast progresses
      • Fainting hazards during fasting
        • While standing in the shower
        • Getting out of a bathtub
        • → sponge bath only! (no showers, no bathing)
        • Prolonged sitting in one place (at sink, talking, etc.)
      • If you feel faint → do this
        • Lay down straight and bend knees up
          • Blood-flow will be restored to the head
          • You will feel better immediately
          • This is also what to do/advise if anyone around you is about to faint
        • Then sit up slowly
        • Move your arms and legs (get your heart pumping!)
        • Have something to drink
        • Get up and keep moving (don't stand again in one place)
      • If you are fasting and lying down
        • Avoid suddenly going from lying flat to standing
        • Sit up on edge of bed
        • Move your arms and legs
        • Take a few deep breaths
        • Stand up - and keep moving!
    • Fasting strategies
      • Drink water
        • Thirst plus one glass (3-4, 12-16 oz. Glasses)
      • Don't be around food
        • Use time and energy for other things
      • Rest as needed
        • Avoid daytime sleeping!
      • Gentle daily walk, stretching, yoga → OK
      • NO aerobics, no vigorous exercise → NO! It burns muscle!
      • Fasting from the world
        • News
        • Work
        • Worry
      • Massages, colonics during fast
        • Best done before or wait until after the fast
      • Fasting is a time SHHHHHH
      • As the fast progresses
        • Observe the changes
        • Listen to your body - rest, drink, etc.
        • Allow the healing to happen
        • Be prepared for up and down times
        • Enjoy each unique day
      • Get to know yourself better → grow in new ways
    • When to stop the fast
      • When the objective has been achieved (best reason)
        • Blood pressure, blood sugar normalizes, etc.
      • When the body tells the person, "I'm done…" (2nd best reason)
      • When the body tells the doctor "enough"
        • Vomiting (late in the fast is a catastrophe, electrolyte imbalance, dehydration)
        • Severe headaches
        • Extreme weakness - inability to get out of bed
      • The truth is in the person and the pulse (tappier pulse → end of the fast is near)
    • How to break the fast (for 1-2 or even 3 days each stage, short fast 1 day)
      • Fresh juice (watermelon or steamed zucchini chunks)
        • Drink juice slowly! Take an hour for first glass of juice
      • Fruit (melon chunks, grapes, etc.)
      • Vegetables (raw or steamed - well chewed)
      • Soups → cooked foods
    • Colon concerns
      • Veggies only to start the fast
      • If the bowels have not moved in 48 hours after breaking the fast, consider
        • Prunes and/or Senna tea
        • Glycerine suppository
        • Small enema
    • After the fast → be patient!
      • After a prolonged fast, it can take weeks (sometimes many weeks) until your strength returns to normal
      • Sometimes 2 or 3 fasts may be necessary to achieve health goals
    • How often to fast
      • Allow 3-6 month between fasts > 1 week
      • Longer interval with longer fasts
    • More important than the fast is
      • The food you eat day after day, month after month, year after year
      • Base your diet around whole, plant-based foods
      • If symptoms recur after a fast
        • Ask yourself, what did I eat yesterday
    • After the fast
      • Keep your diet lean, clean, "food as grown"
      • Do something physical (to work up a sweat) at least every other day
      • Find some meaningful service to help make this a kinder, gentler world
      • Laugh as much as you can
        • It all goes by so FAST
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