Fasting

[misty14]

Hello everyone

I would love to hear your fasting experiences as I've recently read an interesting article in The Times. It was by a lady with an auto- immune illness who gets good benefit from fasting for 2-3 days every couple of months. She says she's been able to come off her medication as it's stopped the inflammation!.

Has anyone had similar benefits?.

Thanks for your replies.

MistyX

[Natura]

Fasting? Fasting can mean juicing for a couple of days. My cousin has done this. Don't know if it improved things. She also eats very carefully.

[misty14 in reply to Natura]

Hi Natura

Thanks for your reply, the lady in the article didn't eat anything for 2-3 days!. She admitted she found it hard, frustratingly she didn't say which auto- immune illness she had but I guess that doesn't matter.

Hope things have improved for you. X

[Natura in reply to misty14]

Also, hypoglycemic....dangerous for sugar to drop too low with fasting. I choose to juice when I don't feel well, and I always feel better after. Either vegetable blend, beets, carrots, apples, etc....and/or fruit...I believe we are low on b vitamins due to a stressful childhood, and continued into adulthood life. I also take vit c everyday twice. Granted, I still have low energy days.

[MargaretGail]

I have to be perfectly honest Misty, just missing out lunch makes me keel over. They'd have to chain the cupboards shut for 2 -3 days

[tashi]

Hi Misty14 I read the article in The Times too. Did you read about her experience in the Swiss clinic? This should tell you what you need to know - don't do it without your GP or consultants knowledge!! For those of you who didn't see the article, this expensive Swiss clinic had medical staff, who rightly checked blood pressure & took bloods regularly, increased intake of limited watery broth or herbal teas etc as necessary. There were times this girl couldn't move or get out of her bedroom. Not forgetting she was in a clinic for a fortnight, not trying to live as normal at home.

Complete fasting - only water/ herbal teas should only be done with caution & supervised. Most of my meds have to be taken with or after food so whilst it sounded good, not practical, and as with MargaretGail I would keel over without food !!

Eating very sensible diet seems to help some people on here. Cutting out additives, gluten, dairy, meat - all sorts of possibilities but they suit some people and not others. Healthy eating and enough fluids every day is a good start.

Do be careful, whatever you decide to do

[misty14 in reply to tashi]

Hi Tashi

Thank you for your very informative reply. I agree with you about having a well balanced diet which I have and couldn't fast. I hope your as well as can be.x

[jamg3916]

I personally think this is quite dangerous unless as the article suggests it is done under very strict medical supervison. Denying yourself food is a really bad idea. Your body needs food as fuel for all its working parts. I feel that adjusting and altering a diet to include more healthy eating and trying to avoid processed food is probably a more sensible option. Several folk I know use juicing to make sure they get vitamins and minerals when they are feeling down, which is an excellent way of avoiding chemicals and additives. Good luck

[misty14 in reply to jamg3916]

Hi jamg

Thank you for your great reply which I totally agree with. I just wanted to read of other people's experiences of fasting on here and won't be doing it myself!. Hope your as well as can be. X

[jamg3916 in reply to misty14]

I really worry about some of these extreme claims....folk with chronic illness can be desperate to find a solution and it just preys on this. Often there are financial implications, or bizarre methods. I know of a young man who paid to have a course of drug rehabilitation from an unorthodox method and he died leaving young children. Although sometimes we feel the medical profession let's us down at least we know they have many years of bona fide training. Always in hope....

[Purpletop]

I've recently been reading The Wahls Protocol - a book by a doctor with MS who improved it by following a specific diet. She suggests that at some point in the diet journey it would benefit the body to eat only twice a day, to give it a chance to build, repair, etc. I've never heard of any long term benefit resulting from 2 days every couple of months - it doesnt seem sufficient to make a dent in the metabolism.

[Hidden]

I thought with taking meds regularly fasting would not be advisable. How can she fast if she must take meds daily?

[jeanie94]

I'm a pastry chef.. Fasting isn't something id do willingly

[SLC03]

I was told about this fasting for auto immune, from what I read about it further it and my basic knowledge it reboots parts of your immune system that are damaged or not working as there's a high percentage of cells in your digestive system. But as far as I can tell this seems to be more for those with low immune systems as apposed to lupus who have over active immune systems... I personally felt it may have adverse effects. Last thing we want is an even more active immune system. I may be wrong on this but be very careful if you try it maybe talk to a dietician as apposed to a GP as they may know more about it? I know I couldnt because I'm being watched to make sure I'm not losing weight and I love food to much despite rarely being hungry at the moment.

Hope that helps x

[misty14 in reply to SLC03]

Hi SLC

That's a very helpful reply as there is a distinction between low and over active immune systems!. In the article she didn't say what her immune system illness was which I thought was wrong!. I can't fast and it's always wise to seek professional help before doing anything new!. Hope your keeping well. X