Re: Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine

[Guest guest]

I meant to say that for some women who have reached a plateau in

their healing process, or a feeling of having stalled, fasting can

jump start it again! At least that was my experience.

Sorry for the blooper.

>

> I wanted to share some more info for those of you who are looking

into doing more detoxification therapies in the new year. The

reference book " Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine " by Drs.

Murray and ph Pizzorno is an excellent resource book full of

natural therapies to be used for various conditions. It is broken

down into easy to read sections and then specific disease

conditions. I highly recommend it, as it doesn't cost an arm and a

leg, and it has much valuable information.

>

> When I was looking for a link for the organization The

International Association of Professional Natural Hygienists (IAPNH,

an organization of healthcare professionals who specialize in

therapeutic fasting), I found this section online that I wanted to

share. I believe that for some women who have reached a point in

their healing process, fasting can jump start it once again. I

certainly found that to be true in my experience. So, for what it is

worth, here is another look:

>

> http://www.enotes.com/alternative-medicine-encyclopedia/fasting

>

> Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine | Fasting Fasting

> Definition

> Origins

> Benefits

> Description

> Preparations

> Precautions

> Side effects

> Research & general acceptance

> Training & certification

> EVARTS LOOMIS

>

> Definition Fasting is voluntarily not eating food for varying

lengths of time. Fasting is used as a medical therapy for many

conditions. It is also a spiritual practice in many religions.

>

> Origins Used for thousands of years, fasting is one of the

oldest therapies in medicine. Many of the great doctors of ancient

times and many of the oldest healing systems have recommended it as

an integral method of healing and prevention. Hippocrates, the

father of Western medicine, believed fasting enabled the body to

heal itself. Paracelsus, another great healer in the Western

tradition, wrote 500 years ago that " fasting is the greatest remedy,

the physician within. " Ayurvedic medicine , the world's oldest

healing system, has long advocated fasting as a major treatment.

> Fasting has also been used in nearly every religion in the

world, including Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, and Islam. Many of

history's great spiritual leaders fasted for mental and spiritual

clarity, including Jesus, Buddha, and Mohammed. In one of the famous

political acts of the last century, the Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi

fasted for 21 days to promote peace.

> Fasting has been used in Europe as a medical treatment for

years. Many spas and treatment centers, particularly those in

Germany, Sweden, and Russia, use medically supervised fasting.

Fasting has gained popularity in American alternative medicine over

the past several decades, and many doctors feel it is beneficial.

Fasting is a central therapy in detoxification , a healing method

founded on the principle that the build up of toxic substances in

the body is responsible for many illnesses and conditions.

>

> Benefits Fasting can be used for nearly every chronic

condition, including allergies , anxiety , arthritis, asthma ,

depression , diabetes, headaches, heart disease , high cholesterol ,

low blood sugar, digestive disorders, mental illness, and obesity .

Fasting is an effective and safe weight loss method. It is

frequently prescribed as a detoxification treatment for those with

conditions that may be influenced by environmental factors, such as

cancer and multiple chemical sensitivity . Fasting has been used

successfully to help treat people who have been exposed to high

levels of toxic materials due to accident or occupation. Fasting is

thought to be beneficial as a preventative measure to increase

overall health, vitality, and resistance to disease. Fasting is also

used as a method of mental and spiritual rejuvenation.

>

> Description The principle of fasting is simple. When the

intake of food is temporarily stopped, many systems of the body are

given a break from the hard work of digestion. The extra energy

gives the body the chance to heal and restore itself, and burning

stored calories gets rid of toxic substances stored in the body.

> The digestive tract is the part of the body most exposed to

environmental threats, including bacteria, viruses, parasites, and

toxins. It requires the most immune system support. When food is

broken down in the intestines, it travels through the blood to the

liver, the largest organ of the body's natural detoxification

system. The liver breaks down and removes the toxic by-products

produced by digestion, including natural ones and the chemicals now

present in the food supply. During fasting, the liver and immune

system are essentially freed to detoxify and heal other parts of the

body.

> Many healers claim that fasting is a particularly useful therapy

for Americans and for the modern lifestyle, subjected to heavy

diets , overeating, and constant exposure to food additives and

chemicals. Some alternative practitioners have gone so far as to

estimate that the average American is carrying 5-10 pounds of toxic

substances in their bodies, for which fasting is the quickest and

most effective means of removal.

>

> Physiology of fasting Through evolution, the body became very

efficient at storing energy and handling situations when no food was

available. For many centuries, fasting was probably a normal

occurrence for most people, and the body adapted to it. It is

estimated that even very thin people can survive for 40 days or more

without food. The body has a special mechanism that is initiated

when no food is eaten. Fasting is not starvation, but rather the

body's burning of stored energy. Starvation occurs when the body no

longer has any stored energy and begins using essential tissues such

as organs for an energy source. Therapeutic fasts are stopped long

before this happens.

> Many physiological changes occur in the body during fasting.

During the first day or so, the body uses its glycogen reserves, the

sugars that are the basic energy supply. After these are depleted,

the body begins using fat. However, the brain, which has high fuel

requirements, still needs glucose (sugars converted from glycogen).

To obtain glucose for the brain, the body begins to break down

muscle tissue during the second day of the fast. Thus, during

fasting some muscle loss will occur. To fuel the brain, the body

would need to burn over a pound of muscle a day, but the body has

developed another way to create energy that saves important muscle

mass. This protein-sparing process is called ketosis, which occurs

during the third day of a fast for men and the second day for women.

In this highly efficient state, the liver begins converting stored

fat and other nonessential tissues into ketones, which can be used

by the brain, muscles, and heart as energy. It is at this point in

the

> fast that sensations of hunger generally go away, and many people

experience normal or even increased energy levels. Hormone levels

and certain functions become more stable in this state as well. The

goal of most fasts is to allow the body to reach the ketosis state

in order to burn excess fat and unneeded or damaged tissue. Thus,

fasts longer than three days are generally recommended as therapy.

> Weight loss occurs most rapidly during the first few days of a

fast, up to 2 pounds per day. In following days, the figure drops to

around 0.5 pound per day. An average weight loss of a pound a day

for an entire fast can be expected.

>

> Performing a fast Fasts can be performed for varying lengths

of time, depending on the person and his or her health requirements.

For chronic conditions, therapists recommend from two to four weeks

to get the most benefits. Seven-day fasts are also commonly

performed. A popular fasting program for prevention and general

health is a three-day fast taken four times per year, at the change

of each season. These can be easily performed over long weekends.

Preventative fasts of one day per week are used by many people as

well.

> Juice fasts are also used by many people, although these are not

technically fasts. Juice fasts are less intensive than water fasts

because the body doesn't reach the ketosis stage. The advantage of

juice fasts is that fruit and vegetable drinks can supply extra

energy and nutrients. People can fit a few days of juice fasting

into their normal schedules without significant drops in energy.

Juice fasts are also said to have cleansing and detoxifying effects.

The disadvantage of juice fasts is that the body never gets to the

ketosis stage, so these fasters are thought to lack the deep

detoxification and healing effects of the water fast.

> Medical supervision is recommended for any fast over three days.

Most alternative medicine practitioners, such as homeopaths,

naturopathic doctors, and ayurvedic doctors, can supervise and

monitor patients during fasts. Those performing extended fasts and

those with health conditions may require blood, urine, and other

tests during fasting. There are many alternative health clinics that

perform medically supervised fasts as well. Some conventional

medical doctors may also supervise patients during fasts. Costs and

insurance coverage vary, depending on the doctor, clinic, and

requirements of the patient.

>

> Preparations Fasts must be entered and exited with care. To

enter a fast, the diet should be gradually lightened over a few

days. First, heavy foods such as meats and dairy products should be

eliminated for a day or two. Grains, nuts, and beans should then be

reduced for several days. The day before a fast, only easily

digested foods like fruits, light salads, and soups should be eaten.

During the fast, only pure water and occasional herbal teas should

be drunk.

> Fasts should be ended as gradually as they are entered, going

from lighter to heavier foods progressively. The diet after a fast

should emphasize fresh, wholesome foods. Fasters should particularly

take care not to overeat when they complete a fast.

>

> Precautions Fasting isn't appropriate for everyone and, in

some cases, could be harmful. Any person undertaking a first fast

longer than three days should seek medical supervision. Those with

health conditions should always have medical support during fasting.

Plenty of water should be taken by fasters since dehydration can

occur. Saunas and sweating therapies are sometimes recommended to

assist detoxification, but should be used sparingly. Those fasting

should significantly slow down their lifestyles. Taking time off of

work is helpful, or at least reducing the work load. Fasters should

also get plenty of rest. Exercise should be kept light, such as

walking and gentle stretching.

>

> Side effects Those fasting may experience side effects of

fatigue , malaise, aches and pains, emotional duress, acne ,

headaches, allergies, swelling, vomiting , bad breath , and symptoms

of colds and flu. These reactions are sometimes called healing

crises, which are caused by temporarily increased levels of toxins

in the body due to elimination and cleansing. Lower energy levels

should be expected during a fast.

>

> Research & general acceptance The physiology of fasting has

been widely studied and documented by medical science. Beneficial

effects such as lowered cholesterol and improved general functioning

have been shown. Fasting as a treatment for illness and disease has

been studied less, although some studies around the world have shown

beneficial results. A 1984 study showed that workers in Taiwan who

had severe chemical poisoning had dramatic improvement after a ten-

day fast. In Russia and Japan, studies have demonstrated fasting to

be an effective treatment for mental illness. A few years ago,

fasting was featured on the cover of the New England Journal of

Medicine, although mainstream medicine has generally ignored fasting

and detoxification treatments as valid medical procedures.

> The majority of research that exists on fasting is testimonial,

consisting of individual personal accounts of healing without

statistics or controlled scientific experiments. In the alternative

medical community, fasting is an essential and widely accepted

treatment for many illnesses and chronic conditions.

>

> Training & certification The International Association of

Professional Natural Hygienists (IAPNH) is an organization of

healthcare professionals who specialize in therapeutic fasting. It

certifies doctors who have completed approved residencies in

therapeutic fasting, including conventional medical doctors,

naturopaths, and osteopathic doctors.

>

> Resources

> BOOKS Cott, Alan. Fasting: The Ultimate Diet. Chicago:

Hastings House, 1997.

> Fuhrman, , M.D. Fasting and Eating for Health. New York: St.

's, 1995.

> Page, , N.D. Healthy Healing. CA: Healthy Healing

Publications, 1998.

>

> ORGANIZATIONS Fasting Center International. 32 West Anapurna

St., #360, Santa Barbara, CA 93101. http://www.fasting.com.

>

> Dupler

>

> EVARTS LOOMIS Evarts G. Loomis is known as the father of

holistic medicine. A homeopathic physician of international renown,

he is an advocate of holistic treatment of disease, natural foods,

exercise and meditation. Loomis was licensed to practice traditional

medicine in 1946, but began early in his career to diverge from a

quiet or dull practice. He served as a dog-sled doctor with the

Grenfell Mission in Newfoundland, Canada, worked in Algeria, as well

as with the Friends Ambulance Unit in China before he founded

Meadowlark, the first holistic retreat in North America. Loomis was

a pioneer in the holistic health movement in the United States. He

has also been a proponent of regulated, monitored 24-36 hour fasts,

touting the benefits of both the water fast and the all-juice fast.

> He and his partner, Fay Loomis, operate Health and Growth

Associates, from their home in Hemet, California. Loomis also

utilizes Dream Work and Kinesiology (the study of human movement) in

his health and personal growth counseling. Their retreat is open to

the public, and Loomis can be contacted at: 28195 Fairview Avenue,

Hemet, California 92544; phone at: (909)927-1768; or though e-mail

at: eloomis@l...

>

> Key Terms

> Ayurvedic medicine

> —A traditional healing system developed in India.

>

> Toxin

> —A substance that has poisonous effects on the body.

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