water fasting

[Procurator]

PLEASE tell me there's a punch-line at the end of this comment which you somehow failed to post!

 

lol!

 

下士聞道，大笑之

[nightwatchdog]

I got a stomach bug about a month ago. It was actually a very nice experience believe it or not.

 

I just let my body purge. I resisted nothing, and my body chose not to vomit, which made a difference. I fasted for three days I think. Rested a lot, and shit my brains out, until there was really nothing left. I would have liked to remain in that state of being "cleaned out" for a little while longer, but my body was weakened a bit and so I fed myself.

 

I would like to try again in a more gentle way soon.

 

Does anyone have a link to a "program"?

 

Of course just drinking water and being in a clean spiritual space is enough. but I do like to change things up sometimes. Cleaning the ailementary canal made a huge difference in that instance. I can see how mindfully doing it in a state of good health might be very pleasant.

 

[Sunya]

water is bad for you?

that's gotta be a joke.

 

the human body is ~80% water. if you don't drink enough water everyday you dehydrate. there are cases of people going up to 3 months or more just on water, but without water you won't survive longer than 3 days i doubt

[kathrynwyles]

Water is bad for you. I think I might write that in my human biology exam tomorrow... I wonder how far I'll get with that?

 

Every single cell in our bodies relies on water to function - to move molecules into and out of them; to maintain correct blood concentration (too little water leads to high blood pressure); and to filter urea and other waste from the body into the urine. Water is GOOD for you! =)

 

My only problem with water is that the tap water here tastes like shit... plus we're having a drought, so I might run out of water any minute now. Stupid Murray River.

Edited November 8, 2007 by kathrynwyles

[VeeCee]

Actually , there is such a thing as water intoxication - and it can kill you. Drinking excessive water can cause you to lose the electrolytes in your body. This is why doctors recommend that you not give water to infants. However, an adult has to drink huge amounts of water (gallons) for this to happen.

[Mal]

Actually , there is such a thing as water intoxication - and it can kill you.

However, an adult has to drink huge amounts of water (gallons) for this to happen.

 

Arrg, you beat me to the punch but then I'm one of those office workers sitting around with a bottle of water (don't drink coffee or softdrink)

 

And I must really be killing my kidneys as I drink ~3L of water a day

(I sweat like a pig when I'm not sitting in the office, it's hot here)

[Mandrake]

Actually , there is such a thing as water intoxication - and it can kill you. Drinking excessive water can cause you to lose the electrolytes in your body. This is why doctors recommend that you not give water to infants. However, an adult has to drink huge amounts of water (gallons) for this to happen.

 

 

and at that I remember when I one day made my mind up to set a new record on water drinking. I think I ended up drinking 11-12 liters.

Maaan, I felt awful. Folks, don't duplicate!

[minkus]

and at that I remember when I one day made my mind up to set a new record on water drinking. I think I ended up drinking 11-12 liters.

Maaan, I felt awful. Folks, don't duplicate!

 

Pretty dangerous as mentioned by Veecee this can screw up your subtle balance of electrolytes in the body. Also a reason sporters drink isotone sportdrinks, to spare the electrolytes.

[Sucus]

http://www.healthscience.org/content/view/35/111/

 

interesting article I found so I tried water fasting for 36 hours, never fasted in my life and it was hard, but after i got over the hunger I felt great. i'm going to start fasting one day a week and in december try a 5 day fast.

 

do any of you guys fast? do you find it beneficial?

 

 

 

I believe fasting is extremely unhealthy and ridiculous. It's just my opinion but if you don't need food and water then by all means fast. But if you feel like you need it, especially water, partake.

[sheng zhen]

I believe fasting is extremely unhealthy and ridiculous.

Unhealthy? Then you havent really tried fasting have you?

[Sunya]

I believe fasting is extremely unhealthy and ridiculous. It's just my opinion but if you don't need food and water then by all means fast. But if you feel like you need it, especially water, partake.

 

your opinion is appreciated, but please read the article. you're misinformed

[nightwatchdog]

It goes without saying that chronically undereating is unhealthy. It's also obvious that chronic over eating is unhealthy.

 

Fasting is a way to ensure that the body is not doing too much of one thing or the other. It is good to try once in awhile.

 

How many recognize that chronic over thinking is unhealthy?

 

What about mind fasting?

 

This is good to try once in awhile also.

 

Someone mentioned the middle path as being exclusive of food fasts, but in reality middle path encourages daily moderate fasting as being good for the body. This way ensures the body gets not to much, and not too little. Just right. It makes the body's connection to health very strong.

 

Equally important to food fasting is the daily mind fast. This is middle path meditation. It is good for our whole self. This ensures that the mind gets not to much, and not too little. Just right. It makes the mind's connection to Buddha Nature very strong.

[mYTHmAKER]

I drink three glasses of water, slowly, when I get up in the morning.

I find that dehydrate during sleep time.

I eat about three or four hours later.

Otherwise I rarely drink water as I have a high fruit and vegetable diet.

I did one 10 day water fast many years ago and a 14 day fast a number of years later.

I get weak after the third day - I guess it depends on how much weight you start out with.

Sometimes I do a one to three day short fast.

Drinking underwater can kill you

[Todd]

I did one 10 day water fast many years ago and a 14 day fast a number of years later.

I get weak after the third day - I guess it depends on how much weight you start out with.

 

 

Yeah, this is key in my opinion. How much weight do we start with. A few years ago I did a four day water fast, with some bliss and some hell states, but afterward I was weak. I couldn't do yoga poses that I could do before. So it really depends on our condition before we start a fast. Are we deficient, or do we have some excess condition? I did end up mostly a vegetarian afterward though, so I can't say it wasn't an interesting experience.

 

Of course, there are other factors at play. High level cultivators and whatnot, but for most of us, I think it is worthwhile to consider if fasting is the right medicine FOR US.

[Yoda]

fast-5.com has a free ebook which may be of interest to fasters.

[liminal_luke]

A few years back I did a juice fast as part of a program supervised by a naturopathic doctor. Here's the scoop I got from him. The important thing is how you start the fast and how you come out of it. We did 3 days of just fruits and veggies before the juice. Then 5 days of juice and doing an enema everyday. Followed by 5 days of slowly returning to normal eating. The first day off juice fasting we just ate fruits and vegtables again. During each of the following days other foods were added to the permitted list.

 

The hardest part for me was not following the instructions for resuming my normal diet. I had meat before I was supposed to. Not good.

[mantis]

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Edited November 11, 2007 by mantis

[Sahaj Nath]

you have got me sold. i'm going to fast tomorrow. can i still take my multi vitamin or should i only do water?

 

this is basically what i'm doing

 

wake up - drink 1.75L of water (water therapy thing cameron gave)

 

follow this up by drinking a glass of water when i feel hungry.

 

edit: after reading an article off of the site mikaelz gave, it is apparent that fasting for only one day is no good. hmm. there is no school monday which means i could fast until monday (two days) but then i'm faced with a challenge. how can i fast in school? this is what's picking at me. do you look all drained and messed up while fasting? is it possible to still do minimal physical activity? hmm. i'll try to fast until late monday and see how i feel.

 

 

i'd lay off the vitamins if i were you. very hard on the kidneys, they are. and you piss something like 80% of them anyway. better to just eat and drink healthier.

 

if you want to do a true water fast, then don't put anything in your body it has to process. give those organs a break. that's kind of the point. and even with a juice fast you want to avoid churning the digestive system. something solid like a vitamin will likely trigger the digestive process. that's a lot of energy that the body will be wasting.

 

how you will feel depends on you; no one can answer that for you. i posted what it was like for me, but that's me.

Edited November 11, 2007 by Hundun

[mantis]

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Edited November 11, 2007 by mantis

[mYTHmAKER]

Mantis

you could start your fast on a thursday evening after dinner.

You most likely will not get weak on friday so you can go about your business -but don't over exert yourself.

Then you have saturday and sunday to rest.

You can break your fast sunday afternoon or evening.

Break the fast gently according to the article.

No vitamins.

No supplements.

[Mal]

fast-5.com has a free ebook which may be of interest to fasters.

 

Anyone tried that diet? Eat what you for 5 hrs a day I'm almost like that naturally, it's 2pm and I'm still not hungry (pigged out last night)

 

Very strange as this morning I was thinking that I should only eat a healthy meal at night and just have fruit and nuts during the day when I get hungry. This would be easier as I could eat all sorts of crap

[Sunya]

how do you guys feel about fasting 1 day a week? is there any benefit in this?

 

or should I save my energy and fast like 5 days every month?

[sheng zhen]

how do you guys feel about fasting 1 day a week? is there any benefit in this?

 

or should I save my energy and fast like 5 days every month?

Fasting one day a week is great for focus and clearity. Some times when I feel stuck I can do a one day fast and things seem to release, my mind is clearer and life start to flow again.

 

One day fast does not cleance the body, but it is still not a waste of energy. Just try it out and see for your self. If you have done many fasts before and your body has a fasting-memory, it is much easier. Then the one day fastst will only be uplifting and refreshing. The body knows what to do and quickly adjusts to fasting-mode.

 

Getting used to one day fasts also makes it easier to do longer fasts.

 

But, 5 days every month I would say is much better than one day every week because then you get the physical cleansing as well.

[林愛偉]

It is good to get used to it first. Work yourself up to the fasting. Start eating less and less portions of food each meal till you can go on one meal a day, and then cut it all out for the 5 day or however long fast. It would be healthier and pose less of a semi-shock to the system. Also lets you recognize real hunger for mental hunger.

 

Peace and Blessings,

Lin

[joeblast]

I've yet to try it. I will, but not now...too much going on!