Fasting, what's with it?

[Jon Miller]

I know some doctors who think that a doctor assisted fast can be a good thing, health wise, when done occasionally.

JM

[Bkeela]

A natural explanation to the benefits of fasting might be that our species was conditioned over thousands of years (our genus over millions) to endure periods of little food.

Survival mechanisms that are pleasurable lend towards our survival, so the pleasure of fasting might be connected.

I personally cannot tolerate the feeling of an empty stomach. I eat not so much for the tasting of nice food, but to calm the stomach's moaning.

[Zkribbler]

A couple of decades ago, I did a fast. I was taking a herb (fennel?) which curbs appetites, so I experenced no hunger. But I experience two problems.

First, after several days, I just plain missed eating.

Second, I suffered what I've heard other people suffer. The body often stuffs toxins where they'll do the least harm, e.g. in fat cells. However, when the fat cells begin to be broken down to use for fuel, out comes the toxins...and I got lousy sick.

[Jon Miller]

Getting the toxins out of your system would be a good thing, I would think.

JM

[Krill]

Depends what they are. If they all get dumped in your blood then certain toxisn can do alot of damage before they are removed; it would have to be a controlled release.

[Krill]

Depends what they are. If they all get dumped in your blood then certain toxins can do alot of damage before they are removed; it would have to be a controlled release.

[Zkribbler]

You can say that again.

[Cort Haus]

Blake out-Pekka-ing Pekka.

If sleep deprivation can kick the brain into alternative states of consciousness (which it can) then why not food deprivation too? I can see why fasting could be used a 'spiritual tool' - that is to say, something that can bring about the hallucinatory state associated with metaphysical perceptions.

Ultimately though, the energy for living has to come from somewhere, and if its not coming from food it has to come from reserves. For an already-thin person this could mean running a bit close-to-the-bone, so to speak.

[Jon Miller]

I could quote my post above... but instead I will point to the bold doctor assisted bit.

JM

[LordShiva]

Unless you're trying to free your country from colonial overlords, or trying to prevent your countrymen from killing each other in the name of religion, I would generally advise against fasting.

[Addled Platypus]

had to change it from slowing

[Provost Harrison]

What a load of old cobblers...