Water Fasting

[Triggy&Blue&Daisy Too]

Fasts like this are not about losing weight although, that can be one of the side benefits. Fasts are done first and foremost to release toxins from the tissues so your body can function properly. By allowing the process of digestion to slow, your body can then marshall it's resources to concentrate on healing. Done coreectly a water fast can be the most powerful and rapid but not many people have the luxury to just not phyically do much while they fast which is why I rarely do them for more than a day or two. With a water fast you need rest to recuperate. Your body will definately let you know when it's time to stop a water fast and only those who ignore their bodies signals end up doing themselves harm.

Years ago I too thought I just couldn't ever miss a meal or I'd get sick and would literally get ill if I went more than 5 or 6 hours without food. However, I found that was just one of the symptoms of future illness. I was so toxic from smoking, drinking, processed/refined foods and exposure to chemicals through work that to stop eating released the garbage so fast I'd get naseaus. It has been a gradulal process to remove those toxins and I have worked with a naturopath over many years to get the results of my previous lifestyle under control. As Nikki said, fasting is not for everybody but it is one of the only ways to undo a lot of the damage we've done to ourselves.

 

[Erica]

I have enjoyed reading this thread - and while I don't ever see myself ever ONLY having water......it has been an interesting read.

I know when I cut out all the refined carbs/sugars, added salts, grease ext......I can definelty feel my body go into detox and it is not fun, definelty don't feel like doing much of nothing for a couple of days. So I could not see me keeping up with college and studying trying to do only water for 30 days.

My concerns with no eating anything for that long of period is what happens to your metabolism?? ........seems to me it would Go WAY down, which to me looks like it would be evident when you went back to eating. But then again I am not a doctor or health professional, just a biology major/senior.

Also another thing I don't know HOW much water is drank on this diet but just like with alcohol poisioning - you can have water poisioning; it would take A lot of water, but it messes up your electrolite balance and can cause your red blood cells to burst due to hypotonic/hypertonic pressure build up.......

 

[Jill]

I never knew you could drink too much water!!! I don't doubt it now that you've told us. I wonder if I need to actually cut back the amount of water I'm drinking! I'm not drinking that much out of thirst but because I thought it was really good for me to drink that much (everytime you turn around, drinking 12 ounces or more, more than once an hour).

Plus, like I said probably like a dozen times in email, all this water drinking is making me so cold. Keep cranking up the heat and just feel so cold from it.

 

[Erica]

Well Jill -

I don't think there is a set amount that is too much......or at least we didn't talk about it, and this was in a class over a year a go.

I know I try to drink 6 bottles of water a day (I think they are either 20oz or some a tad smaller at 16oz) so I am looking avg 110 oz of water a day........I don't have any problem with that amount.

 

[minih]

I remembered seeing a news story about this on tv, looked it up on the internet, here it is

http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,455030824,00.html

 

[justanothercowgirl]

I never knew you could drink too much water!!! I don't doubt it now that you've told us. I wonder if I need to actually cut back the amount of water I'm drinking! I'm not drinking that much out of thirst but because I thought it was really good for me to drink that much (everytime you turn around, drinking 12 ounces or more, more than once an hour).

I have heard about this before but it is something that occasionally happens to athletes that are consuming huge amounts of water. Jill, I have heard that the magic number for how much water your body needs is to divide your weight in half and that number is the number of ounces of water you need daily. You would have to work very, very hard to drink too much water and then benefits you get from water are immense, your body needs water to survive but as well it can lower blood pressure, of course help your body flush out toxins which keeps skin looking young. There tons of benefits!! (these are just my opinions-not to be oconfused with real medical advice!)

 

[CharmedMinis]

Drinking too much water and getting toxic only happens rarely, and usually to athletes that are doing intense training.

I've read that the magic amount of water for people on diets is 1 gallon daily, or 128 ounces. It helps flush everything out.

I'm a water junkie and I drink a minimum of 135 ounces daily and my normal daily amount is 152 ounces. Plus I drink at least one or two diet sodas, which also counts as extra liquid.

A really good way to tell if you are getting enough water or not, and this is coming from my Aunt who is a Doctor..............if your urine is clear or almost clear you are getting enough liquid. If you uring is any shade of yellow your body is dehydrated and needs more water.

As far as fasting goes, my Mother and I are on a sort of fast right now, consiting of one protein shake in the morning and one Odwalls or Naked Juice fruite smoothie at night, and water. Both the protein drink and smoothie are free from added sugars.

There is no way I would ever do a water only fast, and I'm an Anorexic. I just have too much to do and am too active to be able to function on water alone. I wouldn't be able to take care of my animals.

 

[CyndiM]

The last time I went in to give blood I was turned down because my hemocrit (sp?) level was too low and the woman asked me if I had been drinking a lot of water. Which I had been that day. She said that will thin the blood and cause a low reading. However in the past (my younger years) I would fast a lot. Not to detox but because I was so busy, I'd forget to eat :new_shocked: . I need to get that busy again.

:

 

[Triggy&Blue&Daisy Too]

How are you doing today Nikki? Hope all is well.

This a.m, made a breakthrough, my bp and glucose are all low normal again with no meds. Thank goodness the holidays only come once a year, The party food gets me screwed up every year and you'd think I'd learn

: but at least I can get back on track with a January fast. At day 6 now so just 2 weeks to go.

 

[LaraP]

What about those that are diabetic? Do you take your meds? I take 1000 Mg of Metformin per day plus Actos for my blood sugar. The only time I had to stop taking it was when Joshua past away as I couldn't eat, and was doing sugar crashes with my blood sugar going down in the 40's and 50's which I actually got sick from that.

So when you fast with just fluids, do you stop all your meds?

 

[Triggy&Blue&Daisy Too]

Since I'm diabetic I do fast on the master cleanse but rarely do a pure water fast. However I use molasses as the main ingredient instead of the maple syrup. I discontinue my meds and track my sugars regularly while on the fast and as long as I'm not getting readings above 150 on the 3rd or 4th day I stay off of them. If not, then I resume but every "body" is different.

I find within about a week my glucose is under 100 upon rising and 130 2 hrs after meals and blood pressures are usually 115 over high 60's. On meds the best control I get is glucose of 150+ upon rising and 190 two hours after meals, blood pressures are in 130's over 80's. The fast does do me a lot of good and I've gotten the blessing from my MD to continue to do them. As always you should check with your doctor or health care provider before you decide to do this.

 

[mininik]

"How are you doing today Nikki?"

Still doing good! Thanks for asking.

: You still going, too, Shirley?

 

[Jenn]

Wow ... it really shocks me that people I assumed were logical and intelligent would do this to themselves.

Fasting is really quite dangerous. I urge all of you who are doing it to stop immediately and eat something!

No legitimate doctor in their right mind would advise you to fast like this.

No one with ANY sort of medical background - human or animal - would advise you to fast like this.

No legitimate dietitian would advise you to fast like this.

Get the point?

These health scams are crazy. How many people have to die before the world wakes up to this fact?

 

[mininik]

LOL!

: For a long list of legitimate medical professionals (from dietitians to doctors) who DO recommend fasting, do an Internet search, Jenn. I completely respect your right to believe whatever, but I don't understand why you would waste so much energy getting so flustered over something that you're not even affected by.

:

 

[ChrystalPaths]

Even in old times Indians did fast but only for 3 days, no water or food to seek their visions. To fast in order to lose weight or to clease? feels very very dangerous. Do please be very careful.

 

[Danielle_E.]

Holy Hanah!!! I just went to the site and one of the things I read is about being on the toilet for 1/2 hour to an hour alone in the morning :new_shocked: !!! GOOD GRIEF. I don't have time to be on the toilet for an hour and I certainly can't do that at work either, ROFLMAOOOOOOOOO.

 

[Jill]

Holy Hanah!!! I just went to the site and one of the things I read is about being on the toilet for 1/2 hour to an hour alone in the morning :new_shocked: !!! GOOD GRIEF. I don't have time to be on the toilet for an hour and I certainly can't do that at work either, ROFLMAOOOOOOOOO.

Well, there's always adult diapers :bgrin

 

[mininik]

Gross, you two.

:

 

[Lauralee]

Ah yes

2 cases of water and a pack of Depends.

Its all you need for losing weight.

 

[mininik]

LOL! This is truly going nowhere...

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