The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Advantages
Posted by Misty (Indiana, US) on 11/01/2014
★★★★★
We store glycogen and fat as energy specifically to survive periods of fasting. Using stored energy allows the body to take a break from digestion and really focus on healing the body. Longer fasts (generally 10-40 days) can even cure chronic disorders such as allergies, asthma, IBS, diabetes, etc. There are cases of obese patients water fasting for 90 days or more (under doctor's supervision of course) and keeping the weight off indefinitely.
A simple cold, sinus infection, or flu, however, can be rid from the body by fasting for several days. Water fasting is generally most effective, but bone broth, vegetable juices in moderation, and small amounts of coconut oil may be taken if going without food is too uncomfortable. Fruit juices are discouraged because the sugar can encourage bad bacterial growth. Fasting will also discourage lingering mucus and other cold symptoms after it's run its course.
Black Coffee and Mineral Water Fast
Posted by Vick (San Francisco, CA) on 04/21/2021
★★★★★
When a dear older friend of mine told me his doctor told him that he was "too old to fast", I resolved to endeavor to experience the easiest type of fast I could learn about. Life is short even when it is long and there are many great spiritual and intellectual people such as Upton Sinclair that claim their surprisingly long and productive life was a direct result of fasting of some type or another. It makes sense since probably the most onerous task anybody ever does is digest food.
When you give the body a break, it goes into an automatic "cleansing" mode that is well understood but little discussed in the mainstream media that would rather have people jumping from one useless supplement to another and/or addicted to sugar rushes.
Basically, you just start the day with a cup or two or three of BLACK coffee. It MUST be black. Coffee with sugar and/or cream will just stimulate your appetite too much and you will never make it past noon! I also need to do physical work of some sort. Just sitting still makes fasting impossible for me. When you start to get hungry you take a few sips of mineral water and keep working. What a surprise when I found my hunger had disappeared and it its place was a feeling of being energized young again! Remembering the clarity and energy before I "broke" any fast made me want to carefully try the more traditional types. Better late than never -- if you have never fasted you are really missing out on one of the greater experiences of life!
Unfortunately, if you are on prescription drugs or under a medical doctors care, you may never get to enjoy the experience. Doctors don't make money on people who don't depend on them for expensive treatments. Think of the money you will save! Believe me, you will be surprised.
Fasting Tips
Posted by Hisjewel (America, New York) on 08/10/2015
★★★★★
Fasting has served my fellow prayer warriors and myself, as a means of nurturing our relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and our heavenly Father. Through fasting, we have also experienced favor from God for a way out of no way out situations.
Weekly we fast two days, Tuesdays and Fridays. These are done on the go so people do the fast as they feel led. Some people do their fast no water and no food. This is not hard once you get the swing of it; because it is only 24 hours then you get a break. When you get use to this, you actually start looking forward to your fast days. Others do their two day fast by not eating until dinner those two days.
We also do three days fast which is often called the Esther fast. This fast is easier to master during a prayer shut-in. We shut in the church from time to time to accomplished this. The togetherness, and the saying there is strength in numbers works here. A hand few of prayer warrior stay in the church the full three days leading the prayer and bible study continually, while those who work come by for an hour or so to be refreshed. As a young woman working I would do my three day Esther fast and go to work with no problems. I would take teenage children out of their wheel chairs, and put them on them on the mat. At the appropriate time, I often had to pick them up myself and put them back in the wheel chair. Sometimes I was in the middle of a seven-day dry fast. I was young and healthy ( between 28 and 38 years old).
As the years passed by my body began to change and I had to prepare for a three to seven day fast if I was to complete it successfully. As I learned which foods were interfering with my fast I eliminated them two weeks before a dry fast. 1) I started getting headaches, so I had to stop drinking soda, tea, hot chocolate, and whatever caffeine was in, I had best success when stopped two weeks before fast. 2) By day two of a dry fast I noticed I was spitting a lot, so I learned to water down my juices and cut out deserts two weeks before my fast. 3) Even though older prayer warriors would break their fast with soup or an apple, I was young and did not listen. They would eat soup before they left church. I would go home and have a big breakfast. When I got older my body no longer break down the big breakfast after a fast. I got terrible, painful gas that would go on for days. I didn't know what to take. God healed me. I learned my lesson. I didn't go for soup, but something soft like watery grits.
The dry seven-day fast which I only did a few times a year, was a real challenge. As a young woman, I found it easier to do the seven days dry, no food, no water. On the fourth day I would feel ill and throw- up the bile. One that happened I made it through work and all with no problems. Later I learned that I should be doing a seven day fast with water. So, I would do the first two days with water, three days dry and water again on the seventh day. When I fast the seven days with water, the bile still came up, sometimes the fifth day and sometimes the seventh, but in all kept going.
Now older, I find that I must limited my activates when I fast less I get heart palpitations. When the church say's the are doing a three day shut-in, I am in it. I have had several healing miracles after a fast A lump in my breast was gone after a fast. A terrible firey pain in my back was gone when I completed a three day fast Shut-in during the Easter season. And so many other wonderful things like a gift for my plane ticket came in on time. Fasting can be a blessing everyway, Praise the Lord!
Alternate Day Fasting
Posted by Kenneth H. (Tennessee/USA) on 07/11/2019
★★★★★
The best fast for modern day people is alternate day fasting! Simply because fasting is not easy and it is hard on you, you simply cannot work or function normally while on a fast for more than a few days, weakness, dizziness, nausea, and a long list of other side affects will hit you while fasting and it will be extremely uncomfortable possibly even dangerous driving or operating machinery etc while on a fast because of these conditions! So here's how you can regain your health by fasting and not have to deal with so harsh of conditions> You fast every other day! That's right! You eat one day and skip the next, eat then next day and skip the following! I was skeptical too! But reports from those who do this indicate loss of excess weight, blood pressure returns to normal, and health ailments disappear like magic.
Go to You Tube and study people who have done this and gather your own conclusion! And it makes sense, as God would not ask you to risk your life at work by fasting to where you pass out and become injured or worse! Alternate day fasting not only works but also indicate that the overall health benefits are the same as that of long term fasting achieves but without the stress and dangers!
Try it!
ADHD
Posted by Charity (faithville, Us) on 01/28/2022
★★★★★
I have struggled with many things, and one is focus and habits. We fall into habits and then realize WE NEED TO CHANGE. I find that when I set a line in the sand, like I will do this fast and commit to it to change my routine, whatever that may be. A fast could be to add something or take something away, it is to make a change. Basically, it is your mind telling your body that, you're in control. I can say I hate diets and refuse to do one but I am willing to commit to changes. Today I am beginning a fast to limit my media so I can focus on upcoming spring and cleaning up and out the areas of my life not serving me well.
You will rule your body, or it will rule you because as you feed it, it develops appetites and addiction to brain chemicals that get released by certain habits.
A fast helps you decide to make changes and the more you shift things around the more control you have over your life. My fast is to stop my internet posts for two weeks and writing it here will, so to speak, put the gun to my head with some shame behind it to force my flesh to comply. See you again when I have instituted some new habits. Blessings, Charity
Internet is such a distraction from to do lists and then those things pile up as we are avoiding discomfort of facing them and that may include time to plan healthy food or sorting a cupboard or pulling weeds popping up before spring hits full force..
Black Coffee and Mineral Water Fast
Posted by beverly (Texas) on 12/17/2022
I have read a lot of Dr. Berg's fasting recommendations. He says to make sure you are taking electrolytes and vitamins especially long fasts. I have read studies where chemo side effects were reduced greatly by fasting the day prior. I hope to do a 3-5 day one after xmas to eliminate some stomach issues.
Merry Xmas
Fasting Tips
Posted by Hisjewel (America, New York) on 12/25/2015
This is the Day the Lord Has Made Rejoice!
Just a suggestion if you plan to ioin in a church shut-in for New Year's, start getting your body ready now. I know today is Christmas, However keep the sweets limited if you are about to fast. When you get older (like in your forties, smile) you may find that too much sweets before your fast will have you spitting during a 3 day no-food no-water fast, it will tell on you, so bring an empty cup and put some tissues in it. You will need it if you ate and drank to much sweets.
Several contributors have already reminded us to start cutting down on food prior to our fast, but we must also start cutting down on the on the coffee, teas and vitamins and supplements. It is not wise to take a bunch of vitamins on empty stomach. I have also learned that some supplements help to keep me wake a few hours long and some supplements with keep me sleepy all day and knock me out at night. As we often say at Earth Clinic many of our bodies do work differently one from another. However I will share my experience with a few supplements that I know effect how long I can last at night.
During an all-night prayer we are encouraged to stay wake all night and pray and praise God until miracles happen. During a three day, three night prayer there is limited napping. Therefore, If you are shutting in and fasting with one meal a day and are taking your supplements know which supplements make you sleepy and leave them home.
If someone has a list of foods, vitamins, and supplements that keeps us alert or make us drowsy please share it. Here are a few of the supplements I take that I learned have an effect on my alertness or sleepiness. MSM keeps me awake and alert at least another four to six hours after I take it. So, if I am eating before the one night, all night prayer I take it. When I am really sleepy even if I have not eaten in the last four hours I will take a MSM with a little juice.
For me, supplements that help with memory like Ginkgo biloba and Niacinamide gives me a good night's sleep. Also, I find that fennel supplement, mineral water and aspirin and give me good sleep so I avoid these when I have a long night.
Merry Christmas to All and to All. A Happy Healthy New Year!
Master Cleanse
Posted by Bluewater (Santa Ana, California ) on 10/18/2010
★★★★★
I did the Master Cleanse (also known as the Lemon Diet) by Stanley Burroughs, and I recommended to various people who did the diet with tremendous results. It truly is the most complete body cleansing program an individual can do using natural products you find in the super market. The average person has about 5 pounds of excess stuff in their digestive system, as well as in in their body organs. This cleanse will take care of everything. A friend of mine who did the diet healed an ulcer, my sister after doing the diet has remained in her regular weight level ever since she did the cleanse about two years ago. When I did the cleanse, my skin cleared of acne and I felt great. Another friend of mine did it, he said that for couple of days he was scared of what he was getting rid of in the toilet, stuff black as coal, and his face complexion cleared quite a bit and lightened up in color.
If you are interested in doing the diet, I recommend strongly that you buy the book. It was written in 1945 or so. The genius of this book applies to this day, and for ever. Mr. Burroughs mentions why the diet works, and the formula for doing the diet is covered in about three pages. You don't have to read the whole book to do the diet. I asked my holistic doctor (has a degree in chiropractic care, chines medicine and acupuncture)if he knew about the diet. He mentioned he did the diet back in the '70s, and that he recommends it. If you do the diet I recommend that you don't tell your friends and associates, because for sure they will tell you they know better. Just do the diet, and you are going to come out of it super cleansed.
Keep in mind that this diet is to cleanse the body, but you will lose about 2 pounds per day. Once you hit your normal weight you will remain there during the diet. This only indicates that the diet is well balanced. Whatever amount of weight you lose, you we'll get 1/2 back. People who are overweight or who have eaten terribly, we'll have a harder time doing the diet in the beginning. Your body will start releasing toxins, they get into your bloodstream and head, and you will feel headaches, nausea, and other things. This is all the more reason to continue, why there? If you think it's to much and you can't continue, do the diet just to replace a meal or two, and once you've cleared some stuff out of your body, go ahead and do it fully every day until you finish the minimal 10 days. If you do the diet, you will prevent future diseases, and more likely add couple or many years to your life. Best of luck.
Side Effects
Posted by Frances (Cabarlah, Qld.) on 11/20/2018
I'm just reading Dr Jason Fung's book The Complete guide to Fasting which you might find helpful. He discusses intermittent, long-term fasting.
Potassium
Posted by Hisjewel (America, New York) on 01/03/2016
★★★★★
When coming off the dry fast be sure to have the potassium ready. As a young woman, I did a dry fast 3 days straight every week. When I came off the fast, I ate as if I had never been on a fast. When I was in my forties my hands and feet began to cramp the moment I started back drinking water. On an occasion or two I oiled my legs and feet with prayer oil (olive oil) and told the pain to go, and it went. Then there was a time when I was over my mother's house in the middle of preparing food for the holiday, and my hand began to turn and brought me to tears. My mother said here take some potassium and it worked. So ever since then, I try to have some orange juice or other quick source of potassium available for coming off a dry fast.
Fasting Tips
Posted by Hisjewel (America, New York) on 08/11/2015
I just want to make the last sentence in the second chapter clear: "Others do their two day fast by not eating anything until dinner time on their days." And I would like to add one year I lost over Forty pounds eating "one meal after 3pm each day" for three months. I still had not changed my eating habits, my favorite meal was one or two pieces of fried chicken, french fries a biscuit and soda. I did do quite a bit of walking during that time, because I was giving out bible tracts.
Fasting Tips
Posted by Selectatarian (Md) on 05/16/2017 9 posts
It's the truth! I did a 24 hour prayer fast. Answers I could not attain on my own came flooding in. My mind was clear and I wasn't hungry even once. I even woke up on my own (no alarm) every few hours and prayed myself back to sleep. I did not experience any fatigue!
General Feedback
Posted by David (London, Uk) on 01/21/2012
★★★★★
In my personal opinion a lot of ailments are diet related, what better way to help the body out than to give it a holiday (all the systems of the body are at ease) every now and again from the daily barrage of food and drink, I have fasted many times over the years ( with no adverse effects) sometimes as a religious exercise, sometimes just to cleanse the body out , you see how during the fasting process the body heals and responds to the cleansing and resting process, but a fast for me has to be planned. I always start on a Monday and completely clear my fridge and cupboards of all perishable food stuffs. I have done weekly fasts and a few monthly fasts, it's not as hard as you think the first 24 hours can be the worst untill the body and mind settle into the fast and your reasons for doing it, for a beginner I would suggest a 3 day fast without any solid food only fruit juices.... give it a try you may be amazed at the results...
Fasting Tips
Posted by Hisjewel (America, New York) on 12/30/2015
Regarding Fasting and supplements that make you sleepy, borax was another one. I tried borax early 2015 for about a month. I only had the courage to try it with the borax power in water a few day, there after I used the borax pellets. Unexpectedly both were great for lifting mucus, however I was sleepy all day every day I took it. So it's a no no for the all night prayer and shut-in. I actually wanted to take it longer for arthritis, but went on and tried the MSM which turned out to be good for alertness.
Helping us to be alert so we can watch while we are praying, HisJewel.
Fasting Tips
Posted by Hisjewel (Manhattan, N.y.) on 01/19/2016
The beginning of the year is a good time to fast. It is a good time to make a clear and clean new start for our bodies and lives. When we come to Earth Clinic most of our goals is to better our health and help others to better their health. I would even say we come for advice for a longer and happier life (love that Fountain of Youth section).
Whatever I missed while studying about vitamins and minerals in the books was made clearer to me when I heard of how it helped the contributors of Earth Clinic. I tried so many of my fellow Earth Clinic friends suggestions that I often did not stop taking the one when I moved on to the next. For an example, when I liked the success story of a hair product I would try that one and keep doing the previous vitamins and washes too. I was taking A, B, C, D, E T & C again and of cause the longer name ones too.
Eventually I got some pain in the lower back. I guess it was my kidneys. One of the supplements I was taking for my hair (Olive Leaf) seemed to heal the pain when I took it two to four capsules a day. But when I realized the olive leaf was not causing hair growth I cut back to one capsule and the pain in the back returned. Now this is where the beginning of the year fast came to the recuse.
This year, armored with water and juice, I joined the church shut-in and fast. You are young you can do this and go to work, some of the people who were fasting to seek the Lord's favor ate and drank nothing for these three days, others had soup. The deal is prayer, praise and Bible Scripture thought every third hour. When you are in need of a little energy drink water, if your stomach rebels try about 1/4 glass of weak juice, but whatever you do don't give up.
Two weeks has passed now and I have no more kidney pain or whatever that was. And I have started back easy on the vitamins. One thing I have learned in life, you have to know when to start, and you have to know when to stop.
Dry Fasting
Posted by Hisjewel (America, New York) on 01/03/2016
★☆☆☆☆WARNING!
Regarding Dry Fasting for Forty (40) day. Read it again in Matthew 4:2 it says Jesus fasted forty days. It did not clarify how. In Luke 4:2 we are informed how, the bible says, "He ATE nothing". it did Not say He drank nothing. It tells us after forty day Jesus was hungered, and does not say thisty. So for a (40) day fast drink water this time unless you know without a doubt the voice of the Lord has told you otherwise. Obedience is better thank sacrifice. it the obedience that brings the miracle to pass. It you want to see a miracle do exactly what Jesus says.
Let's come out strong as we pray for others,
Feel His Power Enjoy Your New Year Fast!
General Feedback
Posted by Bill (San Fernando, Philippines) on 06/15/2015
Hi Louse...My own high regard for naturally maintained health really stems from ensuring that the body's liver, kidneys, intestines and thyroid are healthy. With healthy liver and kidneys, your excretory pathways are solid and assured and your body will continually detox itself adequately and successfully. I really learnt this essential truth from reading the extensive research of Drs Burt Berkson, Harold D Foster (
What Really Cures AIDS), Max Gerson (curing all types of cancer) and William Kelly. They all strongly stressed the importance of maintaining the health of the excretory and nutritional pathways in the body -- with exceptional results that cannot be denied. If you assure these pathways are healthy then you will have pure healthy blood and the other part is a healthy natural diet to adequately feed your cells.
Most people also forget or don't bother about digestive or intestinal health or turn to it later when they perhaps have autoimmune problems. As many have already said on this site, most autoimmune problems have to begin somewhere and it usually starts with a weakened local immune system in the intestines. This is the origin and this is also one of the places where bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungus etc can hide and secretly proliferate in the body with ease due to our poor supermarket diets.
My favourite smaller list of just liver helper nutrients are:
Chanca piedra
Selenuim, Alpha Lipoic Acid, Milk Thistle (aka Dr Berkson's Triple Antioxidant Therapy)
Lugols Iodine
Makabuhay (Tinospora cordifolia vine)
Makahiya (Mimosa pudica) -- Not the tree, it's a small tropical ground shrub with sensitive leaves.
Other liver health promoters would be nutrients such as acetyl cysteine, MSM, Dandelion, Burdock, Tumeric -- the list goes on and on.
I've also stumbled across some remarkable recent research on the effectiveness of quercitin, catechins and narenginin -- simple bioflavinoids found in green tea, grapes and other fruits like pomegranates -- that apparently have the ability, according to the research at UCLA, of reducing Hep C viral load quite quickly by interfering with the proliferation of the Hep C virus. I'm still researching this one, but this anti-viral bioflavinoid approach seems to also strongly promote liver health as well as having many other health benefits with no dangerous side-effects. More research on quescitin and Hep C here and here.
Master Cleanse
Posted by Maureen (Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada) on 10/21/2010
Here is a link to the Master Cleanse Book online. It is free to download
[Url=http://www.cookingwithsean.net/images/TheMasterCleanse.pdf
Maureen
Bm Tips
Posted by Dianna (Austin, TX) on 01/11/2009
this is a link to a site which has a very simple technique for sitting on the toilet a different way which helps your intestines empty easier. i have tried it and it works.
http://www.quickfasting.com/how_to_bm_.html
General Feedback
Posted by Kelly (Mt. Healthy, Ohio) on 01/03/2009
hello, i'm relatively new to this site. I have a complex question for Ted. My budget is tight and the chemistry of homeopathy is a little overwhelming until I get learn more. Could you give some suggestion on fasting with homeocleansing. please answer under "new posts" w/ that broad subject. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Please include any measurements, and unfortunately what is common to you is exotic to me (not much availability here) so keep it as simple as possible. THANK YOU! MANY BLESSINGS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.
EC: Sent to Ted for response. We'll post it as soon as he writes back!
Alternate Day Fasting
Posted by Sheri (California ) on 04/15/2024
★★★★★
I am getting good results for my painful swollen joints by not eating 12 hours. You can go from 8:00 t 8:00 or 12:00 to 12:00. I also exercise on my stationary bicycle for 30 minutes a day(exercise decreases inflammation in the body studies have shown) Lastly, I stay away from processed foods, oils, dairy/meat, fish is ok and I eat lots vegetables ….these three things along with Plaquenil has made my Rheumatoid Arthritis sooo much better. I've had it for awhile but I feel like a new person when I implement these three things and intermittent fasting is key!
General Feedback
Posted by Jason (Vancouver, BC, Canada) on 02/19/2009
Hi, First things first. Thank you for making all this possible. You are truly heroes in my book - all of you. My question is have any of you any information regarding the efficacy or dangers of fasting? I came across Patricia _____'s book on fasting but it is rife with only stories. I'm looking for more reliable proof that fasting works before I take the plunge. Thanks!! Keep up the great work.
Side Effects
Posted by Kendra (Hobbs, Nm) on 11/19/2018
I recently did a 21 day water only fast. I had read in many places that fasting shrinks cancerous tumors as well as fibroids. I don't think my health was good enough for such a fast and it ended up just stressing my body. Now I have lots of bile in my stools, and I also had some yellowish diarrhea while doing the fast. Can anyone explain what's up with this bile overproduction? I've never before had a problem with this. I also did one coffee enema towards the end of the fast, if that matters.
Thank you,
Kendra
Fasting Tips
Posted by Hisjewel (America, New York) on 01/30/2016
I ran out of MSM supplements, which helps me stay alert as well as taking away the achiness out of my bones. In about a week I will be participating in the all night prayer. I need to stop taking what's making me sleepy. When I stop the things that I do know make me sleepy, I find that I am still yawning.
Now I am hysterical with laughter, because though no one seemed to be able to answer my question about foods, vitamins, and supplements that keeps us alert or make us drowsy, I found a list quite by accident.
I clicked on the Earth Clinic, S section in ailments and saw a section called Sleep, Insomnia which I do Not have, but I figured if I can find out how people get to sleep, then I will know how to stay awake. The list is unbelievable. Now I know why I have been sleepy and I am laughing out loud.
HisJewel
Fasting Tips
Posted by Hisjewel (America, New York) on 02/09/2016
Regarding that while searching for a way to Stay Alert and Awake I found the Sleep, Insomnia section. The list is huge. I simply stopped all I was making use of from the list for the few days I had left before the prayer. And what a difference. I did not have to go put cold water on my face. And I did not fall asleep on the train on the way home.
P. S. in case you are wondering if the lower back is still gone after the prayer and fasting, yes it is still gone. No more kidney pain or whatever that was. it was a quick effective cleansing.
General Feedback
Posted by Francisca (Zug, Switzerland) on 01/22/2012
Hi David, I have tried fasting a couple of times. Even read a few books about it, especially fasting with fruit and vegetable juices but.... I am not sure at all that fasting is good for you! Our body needs a complex group of food stuff in order to function well, would it be right to not feed it for a period of time? Somehow I came to the conclusion that this may not be right and gave up! Also the fact that you have to start eating in an adapted way a few days before you start the fast, then have to go back to eating slowly as well... Although it makes a lot of sense it is quite troublesome! Not sure I will try it again...... If you live alone you do whatever you want, if like me, you have a husband, it is not easy!
General Feedback
Posted by Jumpingjackflash (Mckinney, Tx) on 12/01/2011
I have done quite a few fasts over the years for religious reasons and it always seems that if I go on a full fast, only drinking water, that after a couple of days I become very jaundiced especially in the white of my eyes. Anyone know what this might be from?
General Feedback
Posted by Timh (Louisville, Usa) on 12/02/2011 2048 posts
Jumpingjackflash, during your fasting/jaundice period, consider a visit to the doc. and get your liver examined cause you might have hepatitis.
General Feedback
Posted by Catherine (Colorado Springs, Co) on 12/04/2011
I'm a reader of everything health related and as I read your post a light bulb went off in my head about your fasting induced jaundice. It might have nothing to do with it, but it made me think, nonetheless. Your liver produces glutathione, among others, as an antioxidant to help push toxins out of your body as part of detoxification and needs protein to do this adequately. If glutathione is not produced, the toxins can build up quickly and easily. Now, I'm not saying that you need to increase protein (maybe you do, maybe you don't), but that you should see what seems to be harming your liver so that these symptoms show up while you are fasting. In the mean time, think about supplementing with Bill's arsenal of liver helping herbs and possibly N-Acetyl-Cysteine which converts to glutathione in your liver.
General Feedback
Posted by Louise (Sandy, Utah, Usa) on 06/14/2015
I would love to know what Bill's arsenal of liver helping herbs is. I Googled it but could find nothing. Where do I find this information?
