Foibles of Fasting

[Guest guest]

FOIBLES OF FASTING

THERE'S AN ART TO GENTLY FADING IN AND OUT OF A FOOD ABSTENTION

http://www.nowtoronto.com/issues/2004-04-08/goods_health.php

NOW | APR 8 - 14, 2004 | VOL. 23 NO. 32

 

BY SIBYLLE PREUSCHAT

 

If you believe the fervent hype, you might think that spring's arrival is

the signal for a major detoxifying fast. But don't rush into this holiday

from food. Responsible alt-health experts stress that fasting is not for

everybody – and certainly shouldn't be done without a practitioner's

advice. There's an art to gently fading in and out of a foodless state. You

eat more and more lightly as you go in, and break the fast by very

gradually reintroducing fruits, then veggies, carbs and proteins. Plenty of

water all the way through is a must. Coming off should last half the length

of the entire abstention. Make sure your schedule during and for a week or

two after is very light. Fasting works best when combined with lots of rest

and a minimum of stress.

 

While short-term juice or fruit fasts may benefit healthy people, more

intense programs can deplete energy, vitamins, minerals and muscle tissue.

If your fat stores contain a lot of toxic compounds and your liver and

kidneys aren't ready to deal with the onslaught when your body burns its

fat stores for fuel, you can become very ill.

 

If you use purgative herbs or " cleansing " supplements in combination with a

fast, you risk irritating your insides. These herbs can throw your sodium,

potassium, calcium or magnesium levels are out of whack and the results can

be confusion, irregular heartbeat and convulsions.

 

Don't try fasting if you have a chronic illness, take medication, suffer

from weakness or thinness, constipation or irritation of the urinary

system, consume junk food regularly (making an abrupt change is hard on

your body) or experience sugar cravings due to falling blood sugar.

 

" I do not recommend a fast or water fast. People will feel good,

particularly two or three days in, because they often eat a lot of foods

they're intolerant to. But there are ways to do it better. I advocate

temporarily eating a nutrient-dense low-calorie diet for no more than a

week. Increase cooked and juiced leafy greens, eat small amounts of

chicken, deep sea fish, wild salmon or tofu and very low or no starches,

remove the common poorly tolerated foods and support detoxification with

botanicals, vitamins and minerals. If you can achieve detox through

non-agressive, safe means, then why not? "

ERIC MARSDEN naturopathic doctor, Richmond Hill

 

" According to our guidelines, it would never be advisable for a dietitian

to recommend a fasting diet. There's not a lot of clinical evidence that

fasting will detoxify your body or that your body needs a rest from

digestion. Fasting won't help you lose weight. You make it harder for your

body to lose weight – by feeding off your muscle stores and wasting the

lean tissue. That in itself lowers your body's metabolism. "

KARRI KOACH , registered dietitian, Lifestyle Metabolism Center, Toronto

 

" I'm observing here in the West that people are doing fasts for 10, 15, 20

days, for quite long periods, without considering their constitution. This

lack of understanding could lead to side effects. According to Ayurveda,

normal, healthy individuals can fast with warm water and appropriate herbs

(as chosen for your constitution by an Ayurvedic physician) one day per

week. This allows the digestive system to rest, and resets the digestive

fire. During a fast, we recommend herbs such as ginger , black pepper and

cayenne pepper to help reset the digestive fire and neutralize toxins in

the system. "

SONAL BHATT (MEHTA) Ayurvedic physician

 

" Once you start to feel better overall (from acupuncture and herbs), you

can start gentle fasting to maintain the balance in your system. It's a way

for your whole digestive system to just have a day off and relax. It's

probably best to do it with a practitioner. I suggest fasting one day a

month for about six months using organic fruit and juices, and always on a

day when you don't have to work, when you can rest. "

NOEL WRIGHT, MSc in acupuncture, clinical supervisor, the Michener

Institute, Toronto

 

" When we're ill, we don't have an appetite. It's a good idea in such cases

to stop eating and drink mostly fluids. However, if someone on his or her

own wants to do a longer fast, I don't suggest going ahead without medical

supervision. When we fast, the body starts to detoxify. If the kidney,

liver and colon are not properly prepared, the toxins that start to be

dumped there put excess stress on those organs, and the person may become

very sick. Look for an organization where doctors supervise therapeutic

fasting. You prepare your internal organs with herbal tea. A very gentle

herb that everyone can use is dandelion . The roots and leaves together

help the kidneys, liver and pancreas. "

AGOTA CSEKEY , herbalist, iridologist, Toronto

 

To clarify a matter from last week: some commercial drinks containing yerba

maté may have aspartame, but freshly brewed maté does not.