| In biblical times, fasting was very | | | | bring in food, the body makes it into an |
| popular and used to heal or cure many | | | | organ of elimination. This is the very |
| different diseases. The bible has 74 | | | | reason that your tongue gets coated |
| references to fasting. Both Jesus and | | | | while you are on a fast. The best thing |
| Moses fasted for 40 days. It was after | | | | to rejuvenate the body and mind is |
| this fast that Jesus preached and | | | | fasting. |
| performed miracles like walking on water | | | | John Tilden, M.D., who has fasted over |
| and bringing the dead back to life. Many | | | | 1,000 people in his Denver center, said |
| 'dumb' animals also do fasting. | | | | "I must say in all seriousness that |
| The New England Journal of Medicine says | | | | fasting when combined with a properly |
| "Fasting is a valid experience. It can | | | | selected diet is the nearest approach to |
| benefit any otherwise healthy person | | | | a 'cure-all' that is possible to |
| whose calories now have the upper hand | | | | conceive-- profoundly simple and simply |
| in his/her life." Philippus Paracelsus, | | | | profound!" With juice fasting, people |
| a Swiss physician and one of the 3 | | | | can still work thier job during it. |
| fathers of Western Medicine (including | | | | During the water fast, it is best to |
| also Hippocrates and Galen), said | | | | just rest. A famous scientist, Alex |
| "Fasting is the greatest remedy-- the | | | | Carrel, M.D., says "The elimination of |
| physician within." Elson M Haas M.D. | | | | waste products by fasting increases |
| says on his website "Fasting is the | | | | longevity." |
| single greatest healing therapy." | | | | Gabriel Cousins, MD, says "I often |
| If you fast too long, you can die but if | | | | observe in the fasting participants that |
| you drink too much water at one time, | | | | by four days of fasting, concentration |
| you can die. The most common problems of | | | | seems to improve, creative thinking |
| modern day people, like being | | | | expands, depression lifts, insomnia |
| overweight, having trouble sleeping, | | | | stops, anxieties fade, the mind becomes |
| feeling tired during the day and | | | | more tranquil and a natural joy begins |
| headaches, are the things that fasting | | | | to appear. It is my hypothesis that when |
| is best for. On forums, people will ask | | | | the physical toxins are cleared from the |
| about cleansing the body and others will | | | | brain cells, mind-brain function |
| say that you do not to do anything since | | | | automatically and significantly improves |
| the body is constantly cleansing itself. | | | | and spiritual capacities expands." |
| But at the same time this cleansing is | | | | Prescription for Natural Healing by |
| taking place, you are adding more toxins | | | | James Balch M.D. and Phyllis Balch CNC |
| to the body by eating, which can cause | | | | says "Fasting is an effective and safe |
| this cleansing to get backed up or way | | | | method of detoxifying the body...A |
| behind. This is similar to the two | | | | technique that wise men have used for |
| opposite medical processes that take | | | | centuries to heal the sick. Fast |
| place in the human body called anabolism | | | | regularly and help the body heal itself |
| and catabolism. These are the processes | | | | and stay well. Give all of your organs a |
| where the body is breaking itself down | | | | rest. |
| while it is also rebuilding itself. At | | | | Fasting can help reverse the aging |
| the same time that the body is cleansing | | | | process, and if we use it correctly we |
| itself, you are eating and bringing in | | | | will live longer, happier lives. Each |
| more toxins or creating metabolic waste | | | | time you complete a fast, you will feel |
| to use medical jargon (2: the technical | | | | better. Your body will have a chance to |
| terminology or characteristic idiom of a | | | | heal and rebuild its immune system by |
| special activity or group). | | | | regularly fasting. You can fight off |
| So when they say that you do not need to | | | | illness and the degenerative diseases so |
| do anything to cleanse the body, the | | | | common in this chemically polluted |
| quickest way to cleanse the body is to | | | | environment we live in. When you feel a |
| do nothing, meaning to eat nothing, | | | | cold or illness coming on or are just |
| drink water and rest. Fasting gives your | | | | depressed-- fast!" When you lose your |
| body a rest or vacation, especially the | | | | appetite, your body is telling you to |
| liver, digestive and elimination | | | | stop eating. Copyright 2007 by Chuck |
| systems. Your body knows how to fast. | | | | Bluestein. |
| When you are not using your mouth to | | | | |