I feel compelled to issue a warning on this post – it is a long one. For those interested in fasting, who would like to have all the details of an extended water fast, it will be manna from heaven. For those who can’t last longer than a few hours without food, perhaps not your thing, so instead feel free to browse the blog for a nice, healthy recipe.
The disease I am dealing with does not have a cure. It is progressive and irreversible. I had small lumps on in the arches of my feet for probably about a decade with no pain or disability, but this year all that changed, with exacerbation of growth in size and a lot of pain. Surgery to remove the lumps is not a solution as they just grow back – it is a hyperproliferative disorder. Radiation therapy can halt the growth and pain for some, but it is not a cure and has unknown, possibly deleterious side effects – there is next to no research on this disease, especially in the feet. If you want more information, read my previous posts on this subject click here for the most recent and comprehensive one and click here for my initial post on the subject.
Fasting is not a new idea and if you are someone whose first instinct when it comes to health care is to rely on the medical system, it may be comforting to you to know that many medical doctors and science researchers all over the world are in agreement that, when done correctly, it is a very health promoting practice. I would highly recommend this website and this podcast, hosted by scientist Rhonda Patrick, which has broadcast interviews about the science of fasting and the benefits to longevity.
There is a lot of evidence that fasting (that means water only, juice “fasts” are really more of a low-calorie diet since the body continues to burn sugar as fuel) can help us live longer, healthier lives. After a day or two with no food, our stores of glycogen are used up and we switch to ketogenesis as a fuel source. While fasting our bodies initiate cellular repair processes and hormone changes in order to burn body fat for fuel. Fasting is rejuvenative plus reduces inflammation and oxidative stress. Human growth hormone levels skyrocket. Autophagy starts to remove waste material from cells, which I hoped would benefit my connective tissue problem in my feet and hands. Insulin levels drop which enhances fat loss. There are beneficial changes in gene expression relating to disease prevention and longevity.
I have been experimenting with restricted cleansing diets for awhile now, going from raw food to juicing to skipping breakfast and occasionally doing a 24 hour fast. I also previously attempted a longer fast that ended up lasting for only four days. These days, I now I like to stop eating early and start eating later the next day, depending on when I start to feel hungry. This gives my body a good long rest from digestion and a chance to repair that I find it easy to do. As a result, my weight had stabilized (prior to this 16-day fast) at about ten pounds less than my previous status quo and the “silent reflux” I had suffered from disappeared, likely due to no food within 3-4 hours of bed.
This is not a comprehensive guide to fasting or all the varieties of fasting you can try. Rather, it is an account of my personal experience with an extended water fast so you can see what might be expected from that experience.
I conducted this 16 day long fast in August of 2016, mostly for healing purposes, as I am struggling with a rare, incurable, disabling, genetic connective tissue disorder (Plantar Fibromatosis aka Ledderhose Disease). I was at the point (after a bad experience with too vigorous massage therapy, which aggravated the condition causing growth of the tumours, extreme pain and inability to walk) where I had to try something drastic or be unable to function at all.
Spoiler alert: It worked! Well, sort of. The fibrous tumours on the bottom of my feet are still there and have not changed size all that much since the last growth flare-up. The good news is that the pain was improved about 95% within a couple of days, perhaps at least partly due to decreased inflammation and this pain-free condition has continued as long as I stick to an anti-inflammatory diet that is free of bad stuff like sugar and I am conscious of my footwear, so it does not rub or irritate my feet. I went from being unable to walk more than a few yards to hour long meanderings on the beach with no pain!
This post is solely to share my experience – please read the legal proviso at the end of this post if you have any question about the intention of this information. If you decide to try fasting yourself, medical supervision is important. There are a small percentage of the population that are unable to fast due to a genetic defect in their ability to burn fat as fuel. Also, electrolyte imbalances are commonly experienced (and I was one of those people) which can be dangerous. Also, you need to gradually prepare for fasting with a clean diet beforehand, eating more vegetables and cutting out processed foods, alcohol, caffeine, sugar and perhaps doing a juice diet for a day or two after that. Then, perhaps some intermittent (shorter) fasts so your body gets used to burning fat for fuel instead of sugar. An easy way to begin is to simply have dinner early and then skip breakfast to extend your natural nightly fast. It takes 2-3 days to deplete your glycogen stores and then you will go into ketosis at which time hunger goes away. Water fasting should also come before trying dry fasting, which is more intense and can only be done safely for shorter periods of time (days rather than weeks) since death is the end result of doing that for too long. So, I think you can see fasting is something to be approached with a lot of knowledge and some caution.
It is important to have a calm and peaceful place to fast – preferably somewhere you can relax in the sun, walk, read and get in touch with your inner self. It is interesting how much of our life is consumed by food, so it is great to have that removed and so much time to contemplate life and get clear about what is important and what needs to change.
Fasting takes determination and willpower but it does get easier after two to three days when your body kicks into ketosis (fat-burning mode) and hunger subsides. You may still have cravings for food but that will not be because of hunger pangs.
WEEK ONE – Here we go, hope I can do this and really hope it helps!
Day 1:
I felt pretty good until around 5 pm at which time I felt really weak with a hollow feeling in the pit of my stomach. I wonder how long I can keep this up as it is challenging to go without the comforts and pleasures of food.
Day 2:
Things went pretty well until 4 pm when I felt a wave of nausea and had to lie down. I think what contributed was arguing with my husband as we were driving. When fasting, it is important to have a peaceful atmosphere and rest as much as possible and I was breaking both of those rules. We reached the beach by 5 pm and I went in the water, which felt good, but in retrospect I should have been resting instead. Later, I had a bath and did some stretching with my family then reading in bed. I am feeling pretty good, not really hungry and not as weak today. I feel like I have got this!
Day 3:
I am feeling weak and my calves are so seized up! The good news is that the nodules on the bottom of my feet seem a bit smaller. If I get up too quickly, dizziness ensues and climbing stairs requires at least one break to catch my breath. My mouth tastes like garbage, tongue is coated and teeth are fuzzy.
I have been applying a mixture of DMSO, castor oil and apple cider vinegar plus turmeric paste (anti-inflammatory) to the bottom of my feet at least a couple of times per day. The DMSO drives things into the body, the castor oil softens the tumours so they hopefully will break down and the apple cider vinegar contributes enzymes to also help get rid of the bumps. This is all theory of course, but I am desperate to try whatever might help.
Day 4:
Since around 4 pm yesterday, I decided to try a “dry” fast, which means no water. The Russians practice this type of fasting and it is said to be 3 times as effective as water fasting which would shorten the duration of my fast. Sadly, I do not think I am physiologically cut out to do dry fasting as I awoke with signs of a urinary tract infection (burning when I urinated).
The last time I attempted water fasting, on day four I experienced unrelenting, severe lower back pain and I stopped the fast. Guess what? Today, it started again. It is said to be a detox symptom, usually setting in on the 4th day and can last until the 9th! You really need to be determined to keep going with fasting, as there will be some very uncomfortable, miserable moments to endure. I just pray this doesn’t go on too long, as it is akin to labour pains.
I did an enema to see if it would help the pain and I think it did at least temporarily. I have a lot of stomach activity with gurgling and and empty feeling. My lips are dry and mouth feels cottony with a disgusting taste.
Day 5:
I am still in misery with severe back pain – it seems to be worse lying down. Since I was not sleeping well, I asked Dr. Google what to do about my potential UTI and came up with the least calorific option – parsley tea. I got up in the middle of the night to pick some parsley and made my tea. It is not uncommon for women who fast for Ramadan to have trouble with urinary tract infections.
Despite the constant back pain, I was able to distract myself a bit with reading, a very short stroll on the beach and a little stretching. It was nice to watch the sunset. When I got in bed around 11 pm the back pain worsened.
Day 6:
I had a miserable experience trying to sleep last night, with a lot of back pain and getting up to relieve the pain. Surprisingly, I seem to have a bit more energy this morning. I did some gardening, gathered herbs to dry, did laundry and was generally more active.
My family made quinoa pasta with marinara sauce for lunch but I did not have a huge desire for it. The back pain persists every time I lie down so being able to distract myself with moving around has been a blessing.
By evening, the pain eased off a little. I am continuing to put SSKI (super saturated potassium iodide) and a DMSO mixture that contains: castor oil (to soften) and apple cider vinegar (for enzymes to break down tissue). I am also using magnesium oil (which relaxes), frankincense essential oil and turmeric paste (as a poultice) in rotation.
My legs are the other area that is really, really painful in the lower calf area. I have been trying to do some gentle stretching to relieve that. I am sure it is another detox symptom that will pass eventually.
Day 7:
It was an absolutely gorgeous day on the beach – windy and sunny. I enjoyed watching the kite surfers go by. I went for a very short stroll. In the heat of the day, we watched an old Agatha Christie mystery with Miss Marple which was a welcome distraction and kind of fun.
The back pain has decreased to a few twinges every now and then. I decided to try taking 3 Wobenzym tablets (a systemic enzyme) at bedtime to see if there is any change in the nodules from doing so.
WEEK TWO – I can’t believe I have made it this far!!
Day 8:
I awoke to find my tongue way less coated in white stuff and my mouth generally felt a bit cleaner which makes me suspect that the enzymes have decreased my detox. The good news it that my husband offered a massage treatment and exclaimed, “your bumps are smaller”. Wow. I guess the proteolytic enzymes worked! I did a bit of research and was told by experienced fasters that these enzymes will not cause hunger. They do have some calories and macronutrients, but I think it is minimal. I plan to continue the recommended dose today to see if there is further progress tomorrow.
I am feeling very positive that this is going to work. I just have to have the intestinal fortitude to hang in there. Thoughts of food come to me often but it is interesting what I am now craving – things like salads, fruit and steamed broccoli rather than junk. Even though I wish I could eat, I am really not hungry. I have had a few moments of what I would call emotional release where I had some tears and have been just feeling very grateful for the beautiful place I have been privileged to do this fast – sand, sun, water, potted herbs, spring water and peace.
Day 9:
Had a rough night with broken sleep. Not feeling so good after taking all those enzymes yesterday so decided to discontinue their use for awhile. Since I am a bit worried about my potassium levels and in conjunction with a craving I was having I drank some sauerkraut brine. It tasted delicious and I am now feeling better. It has potassium and Vitamin C.
My very conservative MD called today to enquire about another matter and I ended up confessing what I was doing upon which he told me to stop immediately. I let him know that wasn’t going to happen so we ended up having a brief discussion where I mentioned the benefits of fasting and my good results so far, told him I knew what I was doing, my family is with me and I would monitor myself carefully. He asked how long I was planning to do it for and I was reluctant to say 21 days (since I don’t really know if I will make it that far) and said 14 days.
At 2:45 pm felt chipper enough to tidy up my room! By 5 pm, my feet are freezing cold and I am sleepy. I have a sour taste in my mouth, acidic and wonder if it is all the sauerkraut brine I have had today! Peeing a lot too.
My stomach is still not feeling great. There is a lot of gurgling. I think that taking the proteolytic enzymes was a mistake, especially so many of them. The directions on the bottle were to take 3 tablets, 4 times per day. I found out that that dose has 120 calories, which is definitely not minimal as I previously believed. It won’t take me out of ketosis but probably halted my detox. Despite all those enzymes yesterday, I did not notice any improvement in the nodules today. I am still not sure if yesterday’s progress was due to the 3 tablets I took at bedtime the night before or not.
I enjoyed a stroll on the beach and stretched out in the sun. My energy is pretty low, I have pounding in my chest and I even feel it in my stomach when I do the least exertion. It is important to avoid too much activity to minimize muscle loss – breaking down muscle without nutrients to repair is not a good idea!
Later in the day I had some Perrier with lime, which was a treat, but I think I will go back to plain water as my tongue is still not as coated which means the sauerkraut brine, enzymes and lime juice have caused my detox to slow down.
Day 10:
When I woke today, I could barely stand up to brush my teeth I felt so weak and my heart was pounding. I had to go lie down for a bit before getting dressed. My husband suggested I might be dehydrated and guess what, I had some water and felt much better! I guess dry fasting is not for me.
I am really liking how my legs are looking, brown from my regular, brief suntanning sessions (mostly to get Vitamin D) and getting pretty lean . When I started this process, my friend said to me, “Aren’t you worried about sagging skin?”, upon which I, of course, started worrying about sagging skin. As per my usual modus operandi, I started researching like crazy and from what I found, fasting actually has a rejuvenative effect on the body. It is not like I will be losing 100 pounds, so I think I am okay. Anyhow, a bit of sagging is worth it if my feet are healed.
I am definitely not hungry but the desire for food as entertainment is still there. It is interesting the type of food I am thinking about – things like steamed vegetables, kale salad, watermelon and a nice bean soup. The thought of things like cake or greasy fries is actually repellent . It seems fasting is a great way to reset your relationship with food.
I am a little concerned about how exhausted I am although according to everything I have read complete rest is a good thing when fasting as it keeps muscle loss at a minimum. When I go up a flight of stairs or even just get out of bed to go to the bathroom my heart is pounding and I am short of breath. The good news is that my feet continue to improve, little by little.
At California based medically supervised water fasting centre, True North, people fast for up to 40 days so it seems that the human body is designed to weather this deprivation. Dr. Klaper (a medical doctor) and Dr. Goldhamer (a chiropractor) supervise the facility and they have a lot of reassuring information on the internet, so google them if you are interested in more information about their centre.
I am still worried about electrolytes, so I drank about 3 oz. of sauerkraut brine. My body’s reaction- burning, then burping followed by pain in the stomach. I am thinking that maybe this was not such a good idea.
DAY 11:
My tongue is less coated and I have an awful acidic taste in my mouth, likely the result of my sauerkraut bring indulgence last night. Clearly, anything but water stops the detox process to an extent. I do feel a bit better though, so perhaps worth it to be able to continue the fast. I briefly considered taking some enzymes but decided it is back to water for awhile. The last time the enzymes really bothered my stomach and felt like a lump sitting in there.
It hurts to sit on a hard chair now – I guess my bum has lost a lot of padding. It will be interesting to see how much weight I have lost when my husband comes back on Friday with our scale. I am not sure of my actual weight when starting but two days before I was in hospital having testing done and I was 125 with clothes on so I am guessing 123.
I really can’t believe I have made it this far but it just seems like a way of life now. It is hard to think of eating at this point. I feel like I could go on like this for quite some time now that the back pain has dissipated.
Fasting makes you more introspective. It helps you sort out what you do and don’t want in life. It gives you time to read, to think, to dream.
DAY 12:
Truly wrung out – had to climb the stairs with hands and feet and lie down immediately when I finally made it with pounding heart and breathing hard. I did not sleep well last night since I spend so much time dozing during the day it is hard to sleep at night and have a good sleep schedule so I end up with sporadic bursts of sleep. Having absolutely no energy, I spent the morning in bed.
The pleasure of having all this time is catching up on my reading – I have a huge stack of books that I have been enjoying in short bursts. I just do not have the energy to even hold up a book for long right now.
The taste in my mouth is horrific – nasty, acidic and sour. My breath is absolutely heinous! Thank goodness the really bad lower back and calf pain has passed but I am now having rather fleeting, random pains in my body – my sinuses, left rear shoulder, upper back especially on the right, my left eyeball! The fasting gurus say that this is a sign of healing. I really hope I can persist in this until things really start to clear up. It would be a shame to go through all this pain for nothing. I am a little worried that even with the cleanest diet some inflammation will creep back in.
Super happy to report that my nodules continue to be almost pain free and when I walk on the carpet I cannot feel them the way I used to so they have definitely shrunk!
Before bed, I took two enzyme capsules (a different type than Wobenzym without so many calories) to see what happens.
Day 13:
Weight: 111.2
I awoke this morning to pain in my left foot – that pulling sensation from the fascia on the nodule, which is disappointing. I wonder if it is because I spent the day in bed yesterday and so things started to contract? This is such a frustrating disease.
I finally got my hands on a scale and weighed myself this morning: 111.2 pounds! That is 12 pounds in 12 days, right on schedule for the amount most people lose. Of course, much of that is water which will be regained quickly. I just hope I do not lose too much muscle as I don’t have that much to lose.
The acidic taste in my mouth is almost too much to bear. My tongue scraper is useless. I tried brushing my tongue with my electric toothbrush as well and that seemed to do the trick for about half an hour.
At 1 pm I had some potassium broth (a vegetable broth made with potato skins, celery, carrot, onion, parsley, garlic and herbs) as I suspect the way I am feeling has something to do with needing more electrolytes. It caused some burping and heaviness in the stomach even though it basically has no calories, just flavoured water.
I lived to regret the potassium broth as I felt awful all day with heaviness in my stomach and a horrible taste in my mouth. I decided to give dry fasting another go tomorrow, this time preparing in advance by taking some baking soda to alkalinize my pipes in advance.
Day 14:
Weight: 110
Awoke feeling relatively good despite my lack of sleep. I really need to get off devices way sooner than I do. I figure in this circumstance where I am basically just lying around and sleeping all day, what difference does it make? Mouth is dry (in fact when I woke up my lips were stuck together) and I have a disturbing burning sensation in my nether regions so may start drinking water a little sooner than planned.
I have been reading pretty much everything I can get my hands on about fasting. The latest book is “Quantum Eating” by Tonya Zavasta, a Russian mathematician and raw foods enthusiast. This is my second time on her book which I must say is a radical and very interesting read with out of the box thinking on almost everything. She is a proponent of intermittent dry fasting which makes a lot of sense to me as the least painful and still beneficial form of this practice.
At 5 pm drank some water with a teaspoon of baking soda and had a Perrier with lime juice.
Later, around 7pm, I sipped on 2 cups of vegetable broth. After that, I enjoyed some Perrier with lime while watching “The Amazing Race”.
WEEK 3 – Not sure how much longer I can take this….
Day 15:
Weight: 109.4
Boy, that broth was not a good idea I can still feel it sitting heavy in my stomach and the taste clinging to my tongue. Blech.
I did a dry fast from about 11 pm until around 12:30. Then, due to continuing extreme muscle weakness, heart palpitations and cramping in legs, I decided to take a dose of electrolytes. I had a squeeze of lime and splash of Perrier with that as a treat. I will see if that makes a difference as apparently my body is not ready to start eating yet.
3 pm: had some sauerkraut brine to see it if would settle my gurgling stomach. I fear I have activated digestion with the electrolytes and lime. No regrets though, as I need to have electrolytes to be able to continue and I am still in ketosis.
Went for a very short walk on the beach as it was starting to rain a bit. I wanted to test whether I felt any better than yesterday having had the electrolytes and, no surprise, I was able to walk my 200 yards with relative ease, although I was a little out of breath after climbing the hill to our house.
Had a lengthy conversation with my mom and noticed my body odour seems to have increased a lot – washed up and changed my top, but I think I will have a bath later.
Day 16:
Weight: 109.2
Had a rough night sleeping and ended up talking to my friend, who lives across the country, for quite awhile. Ended up sleeping in until noon while a storm raged outside. It is still raining. The good thing about that is I have a shorter time to suffer through another day of water. The tedium is getting to me a bit.
My nodules seem a teeny bit smaller.
All day long I have had stomach pains and gurgling and cannot get my mind off food. I am dreaming of some fat spears of asparagus or a luscious avocado drizzled with lime and a sprinkle of sea salt. I think I have reached the end of my tether with this water fast and am ready to move on to juices for a few days. I am rather distressed at the wrinkly, saggy skin on my legs and abdomen but I know I will fill them out soon enough.
At 7 pm tonight I completed 16 whole days of fasting. I am now sipping very slowly on a tiny cup of celery and cucumber juice. I keep burping. Also had half a cup of the vegetable broth. Later, the taste lingered on my lips and tongue for hours, which was not a pleasant experience. Stomach feels very heavy.
CAPITULATION:
Day 17:
Weight: 108.6
Measurements: Not going to go into detail, but let’s just say I never thought I would ever have a 26″ waist again!
Today is the day! Finally a little food if my stomach can bear it. I slept in and then around 11 am, I cut up some watermelon. I literally took one bite and realized I could not eat it. Way too sweet.
Had a half lemon with Perrier, which seemed to settle my stomach a bit. This business of breaking a fast is no joke.
At 1 pm I had a few steamed broccoli florets. They tasted very sweet with no adornment whatsoever, not even salt!
Later I had ¼ avocado with some lime and salt and it was the most delicious thing ever!
At 4 pm I had broccoli soup, pureed thoroughly, so it was really smooth, with fresh asparagus juice mixed in at the end. A little burping ensued.
Then another ¼ avocado but felt a bit queasy – maybe a bit too much at once.
Day 18:
Weight 109.2
9 am:: Chcolate shake with a scoop of vegan powder, cocoa, banana and hempseed.
2:30 pm: Today was my first time leaving the property since I started fasting. In town, I did not plan well and was absolutely starving. After assessing my limited options, I decided that a few falafel with salad and a couple of bites of hummus, baba ganouj, rice and potato would likely be okay. There were tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, pickled turnip and tabouli on the salad. I could only eat about 1/3 of it so my husband and son polished off the rest.
Dinner around 6 pm: Vegetable stock with glass noodle, broccoli, carrot, onion, bok choy, mushroom, tamari, sesame oil, lime and hot sauce – yum! Realized later that those noodles are super high in carbs and calories so not too happy about that – I assumed since they were made from mung beans that they would have protein and be more nutritious. Disappointing1 I think I will stick to vegetables tomorrow.
Had a couple of Perrier with lime during the day.
Now, at 10 pm, I still feel a little full and stomach is gurgling, but surprisingly okay after my not so ideal lunch (deep fried falafel balls and sauces with diary/oil etc.).
Haven’t had a bowel movement yet!
Did a few squats, plank, some yoga moves and back work with a band – trying to regain some muscle.
THE AFTERMATH:
My body looks like a smaller, skinnier version of the previous with skin that is, unfortunately, a bit more slack.
The pain in my left knee seems to be gone.
My nodules are not painful, just still a pulling sensation in the left one when I walk. They seem to be also a little more compact.
I feel relaxed and with a renewed sense of purpose and a longing to get back to accomplishing stuff.
My tastes have changed and I find sweet things appalling – prefer plain bubbly water with lime to Zevia, for instance and watermelon is way too sweet for me. I crave green vegetables – asparagus, spinach, broccoli, etc. I am also looking forward to a roasted sweet potato tomorrow!
DAY 19:
Don’t recall what I ate or exactly how much I weighed, but every day weight increases. I do know I have been having a LOT of sauerkraut!
DAY 20:
Up at 5:30 am. Made the Budig Protocol cottage cheese mixture (this is a protocol that includes freshly ground flaxseed, flaxseed oil, organic cottage cheese and turmeric powder with ground pepper. Had that plus an Asian vegetable soup with bok choy, broccoli, sweet onion, mushroom. Finally had a BM early today.
Later in the morning, another BM!
Quinoa rice pasta with marinara sauce, a little goat cheddar, sweet potato sautéed in butter. Soooo good!
Around 8 pm I enjoyed a Mexican treat with a toasted rice tortilla, romaine lettuce, tomato, hot peppers, avocado, lime, pinto beans and a little goat cheddar.
DAY 21:
115.6 pounds
Over 6 pounds in 6 days (!) I think that second dinner might be to blame, or all the carbs in the pasta and sweet potato I had earlier in the day.
I am going to try and rein in the eating which is hard to control right now – I am starving all the time.
I have spent the past 4 days eating quite a lot. Last night I planned to stop at 3 pm but ended up eating another meal in the evening. The food has been healthy though, no sweets, lots of nutrients.
Unfortunately, just as of yesterday, my feet showed some signs of inflammation – I had to cut short a walk due to a pulling sensation and feeling of stepping on lumps which makes me sad and a little more motivated to cut down on carbs again.
Late breakfast was a serving of the cottage cheese/turmeric/flax/flax oil combo. Then we all had an Asian soup.
Lunch was a delicious borscht, around 2 pm.
DAY 23:
114 lb.
Missed lunch time and was starving. Finally had second meal around 2:30 pm. Stopped eating at 4:30 and dry fasted until 9 am or so.
POSTSCRIPT:
DAY 42:
So, here I am, more than 3 weeks after the conclusion of my water fast. Just yesterday, I had some sugar for the first time in the form of an amazing caramel chocolate vegan cashew ice cream. It was just a small sample, at a trade show, but I can tell you I feel it today in my feet – the pain is back, not to the same degree, but it is a warning signal to not do that too often.
My weight seems to have stabilized at 117 lb. which is about 7 pounds lighter than when I began. I have been exercising – walking a lot, training with weights a couple of times a week and feel that my strength and lost muscle (along with some of the lost fat) has returned for the most part.
DAY 55:
I am still around 117 pounds, so it is not true that you will regain all the weight you lose plus some, as long as you focus on healthy choices for your meals.
What I have learned from this experience is that, at least in my case, there is a direct correlation between the pain I experience and my own actions, especially what I put in my mouth. The hard part is controlling cravings after the deprivation of fasting. Once you start eating, food is hard to resist but the good news is that your tastebuds becomes re-set to a degree so that you mostly want good-for-you foods, like avocado and broccoli, instead of junk.
When I follow a strict anti-inflammatory diet with no allergenic foods, coffee, gluten, minimal dairy (for some this is a no-no), processed foods and bad fats, eat lots of real food (especially vegetables), wear the right shoes, keep my stress under control and do some kind of exercise daily, I can still manage to control the pain enough to discourage any growth and live with my disease – even though I would prefer to live without it!
After spending much of my life pushing my body to the limit, I have been forced to slow down due to the health consequences from my previous over-committed, too-hectic lifestyle. This connective tissue disease which has flared up in my feet and hands, and imposing all kinds of new limitations, has been kind of the last straw. Living with chronic illness, the severity of which fluctuates, means a different kind of life, including letting go of things and people who cause stress and finding new ways to be happy despite limitations. It also means being prudent with what I choose to wear, how I choose to live and especially what I choose to put in my mouth.
I have found fasting, whether intermittent, short-term or a longer bout to be a helpful tool in managing my state of health. I encourage you to do some research if you are interested in learning more and to see if you might be a candidate to give it a try.
Disclaimer:
The information provided here is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care professional. You should not use the information on this site for diagnosis or treatment of any health problem or for prescription of any medication or other treatment. You should consult with a healthcare professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, before taking any medication, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem. You should not stop taking any medication without first consulting your physician.
This information is NOT intended as medical advice, but rather a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of the author. The author encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional. You and you alone are responsible if you choose to do anything based on what you read.