Common Physical

Reactions To  Fasting

Whenever my kids couldn’t find something, I knew were it was.  Never said a word.  There’s no way I am going in there.  Weeks would go by, every day I would say the same thing; tonight, I tackle The Box.  Wrote, “Organize Box” on a To Do List, and you know where that ended up.  Something urgent would always arise, like a timely National Geographic Special on the mating patterns of the monogamous potato grub.  Until one day, there was a precise planetary alignment and on impulse I took The Box off the filing cabinet and threw it all over my man-made bed.  Four hours of agony, an empty box and I am feeling like the king of my castle, promising myself never to let things get out of hand again.  Of course it always would, until marriage filed my entire life into unrecognizable completeness and beauty.   

Stacy came up will a clever filing system.  If haven’t looked at it for a year, you probably never will so get rid of it.  Painstakingly, I went through all my precious papers, a lost sock, soon to be famous doodles and ended up throwing the whole lot out.   

Today the Filing Cabinet is a thing of practical elegance.  Alphabetical color-coded tags, paperclips, stickys, stapler that works, pens I can find when needed, a collage of family photos pasted on the side and fresh flowers where The Box sat.  Ah, the small delights of married life.   

It may be a garage piled to the ceiling with generations of junk, or a tub laminated with months of baths, a neglected letter to a friend, long overdue apology, or one day out of the blue, a call to fast.  The longer left, the harder to face.  But in the end cleanup time will come calling. 

Fasting is like cleaning out a filthy garage, twenty, thirty, maybe fifty years of harmful food latent in every cell.  Sometimes things must get worse before they get better.  This has never been truer than with fasting.  Fasting stirs up toxins on a cellular and spiritual level, resulting in days of discomfort.  They surface in the forms of bad breath, cankers, nausea, feelings of sadness, remorse, even depression.  All this can convince the faint of heart, fasting is bad.  

Facing my box full of paper stung because it was a reminder of negligence.  A fast can feel the same way, facing years of foolish eating manifested by pounds of unnecessary fat and toxins.  Easier not to deal with it, right?  Pack it away in the back of the mind.  But when reality spills all over your life in the form of illness, then face it you must.  

What you are about to read are common physical reactions to fasting.  These reactions are not symptoms of fasting but years of neglect.  I have often tried to imagine what the fasting experience was like during Jesus’ day.  Their Lifestyle was severe, eating a simple diet consisting of organic whole foods; their air and water was absent from the soup of pollutants we are forced to assimilate daily.  Fasting was a part of their faith; they often went short periods of time without food.  If Peter or John read the list below, I think they would be surprised.  We have talked about the law of sowing and reaping. The intensity of the following physical reactions will be a tangible measurement of your level of toxicity.  Sometimes we must reap a bad harvest to make room for good seed, a body cleaned to receive a new diet.   

Hunger

Most are surprised by the disappearance of hunger once the border is crossed into fasting’s land of silence.  After a day or two, hunger’s voice will be rare indeed.  Craving can continue on for some days longer, and then at last stillness, leaving the deep groans of the soul.  Once the body quiets, the richer connection with our spiritual hunger can be felt.  There is nothing like it!  Wonderful freedom comes when flesh is forced into silence, sharpening perception of the greatest sound of all; God’s still small voice. 

The odd time hunger can flare up, more often in a juice fast than water.  This could be due to excessive pulp in the juice, reawakening digestion.  If hunger persists, try straining your juice or adding some prune juice to clean out the digestive tract.     

Weakness

Water fasting will result in weakness and lack of energy.  There can even be dips in stamina during a juice fast if you have a high metabolism.  Weakness is a vital part of fasting’s slowing down process.  Embrace this wonderful quieting state, your expectations should be adjusted when planning a fast.  Give yourself lots of down time; enjoy the holiday away from the hustle and bustle.   

Backaches

Back pain can increase due to toxins in the lower intestine.  Blood vessels that draw nutrients from the colon are very close to the nerves of the spine.  Back pain will often decrease after elimination of the toxins.  Back exercises can also relieve some pain.  A cold pack also will help.  Using the enema kit will be the best remedy. 

Bad Breath

Waste passes through the lungs, which are an eliminative organ.  Brushing the tongue with a toothbrush using dental floss and rinsing with mouthwash will reduce bad breath.  

Cankers

Toxic build-up in the mouth and the absence of the washing-action of chewing food can allow an increase of bacteria between the teeth.  The tongue becomes coated with waste.  To stop cankers, gargle with sea salt mixed with water several times daily.  Dabbing the sore with tea tree oil or vitamin E quickens the healing process. 

Cold Virus

Mucoid is the perfect food for viruses.  Toxins weaken the immune system.  When large quantities of toxins and mucus are in the blood due to a fast, they can cause susceptibility to colds.  To fight a cold, continue fasting to eliminate mucus.  Increase intake of citrus juices.  

Blackouts

During fasting the body conserves energy.  The heart pumps slower and blood pressure lowers.  Standing or moving quickly from a resting position will cause the blood to flow to the legs, causing blackouts and dizziness.  To stop blackouts get down on one knee or sit.  Lowering your center of gravity will instantly stop a blackout.  Blackouts are more frequent during water fasting.   

Diarrhea

Fruit juices have a laxative effect which is more pronounced after water fasting.  The enema kit or using phylum husk during diarrhea helps regulate diarrhea. 

Headaches

Toxins can cause muscle tightness in the neck and shoulders.  This can result in tension headaches.  Massaging the neck and shoulders will help relieve the tension.  The herb Fever Few, which is available in health food stores, is well worth trying. 

Muscle Tightness

The muscles may become tight and sore due to toxin irritation.  The legs can be affected, as toxins accumulate in the large muscles.  A self-massage, hot baths, stretching and exercising will help to release the toxins. 

Nausea

When waste is released too quickly by the lymph glands some of the toxic overload is taken by the liver and secreted with bile into the stomach.  This causes nausea.  Drinking water or carrot juice will dilute the bile and toxin mixture, helping to flush it from the system.   

Nervousness

The elimination of toxins can irritate damaged nerves.  Light exercise will relieve tension.  Use quarter slices of avocado to slow the fast.  

Skin Disturbances

People with problem-free skin may have a few days of pimples or boils.  A pallid complexion is also a sign of waste in the blood.  When cleansed of mucus and toxins the skin will be healthy, soft and unblemished.   

Tiredness

Sleepiness is normal during water or restricted juice fasting.  Very few people receive enough rest, so enjoy the extra sleep; it may be as healing and rejuvenating as the fast itself.  

 Ron Lagerquist
http://www.freedomyou.com

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