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Renew and Recharge
with Seasonal Fasting
By Marcia Fairweather
SeeingBlack.com Wellness Writer
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As the seasons change, it is a great time to renew and recharge
the mind, body, and spirit through fasting. Fasting is a time-honored
and natural way of maintaining good health and detoxifying the body.
During a fast, the body is in a more relaxed and focused state and
is better prepared to release stored-up toxins through all of its
eliminating organs. The health benefits of this process can be rewarding,
along with the opportunity for the body to recover from overindulgent
and harmful eating patterns.
Although fasting is typically recognized for its benefits to physical
health, it can also be used as part of a spiritual discipline and
offers the opportunity for gaining balance and peace. As we take
time to focus on the spiritual, mental, and emotional aspects of
ourselves, the mind becomes clearer, the vital force of the body
is recharged, and the integration of the mind, body, and spirit
enhances and enriches the total you. After just seven days of a
typical fasting process you will begin to notice a difference and
hopefully some enhancements in how you perceive yourself and your
connections to the universe. For this awareness is the starting
point to improving your overall well-being.
I recommend fasting for wellness four times per year, typically
with the change of the seasons, which provides an opportunity to
work within a natural cycle of the universe as the seasons change
and different energies are released and expressed.
- Spring - The first fast for the year should occur in
March to bring in the Spring season, a time of the year representing
re-birth and new growth.
- Summer - The next fast should be scheduled for June to
bring in the Summer, a time of year for continued growth and harvest
of the thoughts and visions from the spring.
- Autumn - The third fast should be scheduled for September
to bring in the Autumn season, a time for preparation and to strengthen
ourselves for the upcoming slow-down season.
- Winter - The last fast for the year should be conducted
in December to bring in the Winter season as a time to slow-down
and rebuild. This fast may be the most difficult to conduct since
there are lots of holiday parties and festivities to lure you
from your program between the Thanksgiving and Christmas season.
During the first week in December, immediately after the Thanksgiving
weekend may provide for the best time to plan for your final cleansing,
however, if a challenging holiday season prevents you from getting
in that last fast, try the first week of the New Year in January.
However, if a busy schedule does not allow for fasting during all
four seasons, try to do at least two fasts per year, once in Spring
and again in Autumn. If you have been diagnosed with high blood
pressure, diabetes, or other health concerns, please consult with
your physician for further advice on participation in a fasting
and wellness program.
A Weekend Fasting Program
In our journey to healthy living, we sometimes go through many
rituals and programs to find a path that suits our lifestyle and
energy and that works for us. But surprisingly, maintaining good
health can be much easier than one may expect. The distractions
of the wide selection of commercial food products, environmental
impacts, emotional stress, and other forces all shape the way in
which we take in and eliminate substances from our body. When we
begin to view our body as the physical representation of our mental
and spiritual being, the integration and assimilation of all the
elements that we take in becomes more important. The simple solution
is to make the time to allow the body to cleanse, replenish and
heal. A structured approach to a seven-day “time-out”
through fasting that will allow you to do this cleansing, replenishing,
and healing and to renew and recharge yourself.
Below is an overview to conducting a seven-day wellness program
that includes fasting and other mind, body, and spirit activities
for renewal and recharging. It combines many of the well-known approaches
to fasting using water, teas, broths, juices, herbal supplements,
and suggested daily activities. The process is a three-staged approach
to fasting and cleansing. The cleansing stages include: two days
of pre-fast activities, one to three days of fasting and two days
of post-fast activities.
Some initial planning is important once you have made the decision
to conduct a fast. For a weekend fast, schedule your pre-fast on
a Wednesday for a Friday through Sunday weekend of fasting or begin
on Thursday for a holiday weekend that ends on Monday. Being able
to get away for the weekend from family and other obligations will
provide for a more relaxed environment. If you are planning to schedule
this program for a get-away with a group of friends, you will have
the opportunity for a peaceful time with others who share the same
need for a relaxed atmosphere.
The Pre-Fast
The pre-fast prepares the body for the cleansing process. Before
starting a fast, you will need to slow the body down by reducing
the intake of foods that may require more digestive activity and
replacing them with foods that are easier to digest and eliminate.
During this phase you begin the elimination of any excess or old
waste that may be stored in your body. This slowdown also reduces
the shock to your body for the upcoming fasting phase.
The pre-fast consists of two days on a vegetarian diet with slightly
cooked and raw items to provide good fiber. Avoid starchy foods
such as rice and bread and any processed foods since they will tend
to lengthen the digestion process. An herbal laxative should be
taken in the evening to help the colon to loosen up old waste and
begin its elimination.
Drinking plenty of water helps to flush the kidneys, replenish
the skin and other vital organs. Other physical and mental exercises
such as walking and reading to keep the body and mind active are
also recommended.
The Fast
Fasting with various liquids such as teas, juices, vegetable broth
and water is conducted for three days, which will allow the body
to begin to rid itself of toxins and cleanse the blood. If this
is your first time fasting, you should fast for at least one full
day, but try to do all three. Usually by the second day of the fast,
the urge to eat has diminished and it is easier to complete the
process through the third day. During the fast, your body will not
be digesting any solid food. With the absence of solid food, the
liquid teas, broth and juices that you will be drinking will have
a greater chance of supplying the body with its nutrients. As a
consequence, the body will not need to perform as much digestive
work. Herbal supplements should be included to aid in the cleansing
process. The cleansing process that occurs during the fast allows
for the elimination organs of the body (skin, lungs, liver, kidneys,
and colon) to function more effectively. An enema and/or a colonic
during this phase are suggested to assist in the removal of the
toxins that are being eliminated. Specific tasks to focus on mental,
physical, and spiritual wellness continue during this phase. Some
mind, body, and spirit activities to help you stay focused may include
the following:
To Help Clear the Mind
Read or learn about new topics by attending a workshop.
Listen to books on tape or soft music.
To Cleanse the Body
Drink healthy liquid drinks, teas, and broths.
Have a massage, sauna, steam-bath, bubble bath or luxuriating shower.
Brush the body with a natural bristle brush.
Take and enema or have a colonic to cleanse the colon.
To Claim the Spirit
Spend time meditating.
Perform Yoga exercises and go on short walks.
Write in your journal or diary.
The Post-Fast
The post-fast is very similar to the pre-fast. However, the return
to solid food should be gradual. The first meal should be a soft
meal made up of fresh fruits or vegetables that have been blended
or liquefied. The more liquid in the first meal, the easier it will
be on your system. Continue to drink plenty of liquids. Later, your
regular diet that may include meats or other complex foods will
digest much easier now that you have given your body the rest it
deserves. At the end, you deserve a special treat with some pampering,
so go and have a nice massage, or treat yourself to a nice warm
bath.
Note that conducting a fast is not an easy task to undertake. If
you have tried a restrictive diet, then you will know that limiting
your intake to certain foods can be very challenging. Trying to
either obtain or maintain good health requires some level of discipline
that you will eventually incorporate into your overall lifestyle.
It may be difficult not to eat any solid foods for a few days, if
you have never done this before.
Frequently Asked Questions About Fasting
As a provider of health and wellness life enrichment programs,
I have developed a structured approach to fasting using a seven-day
process of light foods, and various liquid teas, broths, juices,
water and herbal supplements. Some of the frequently asked questions
regarding this process have been provided below. I hope these questions
and answers provide insight to assist you in initiating this ritual
so that it may be incorporated into your lifestyle on a regular
basis as a special time of replenishing and healing that you owe
to yourself.
What is fasting, and why should this be something that I would
want to do?
Fasting is a natural way to eliminate toxins from your body and
is mankind's most ancient self-healing practice and strategy. Traditional
cultures, including the Orient, East Indian, and Native American,
have long regarded it as a dependable curative and revitalizing
personal health measure. In modern Europe, reputable clinics that
support therapeutic fasting are quite common and it is becoming
more popular in the United States.
Overeating, lack of good fiber, the eating of processed foods,
and not enough exercise are the main contributors to the poor assimilation
of the nutrients to our bodies. These habits lead to cell starvation
and an accumulation of bacteria which lead to many illnesses and
ailments. The cliché “garbage in, garbage out,”
takes on new significance if you consider that we often take in
too much of the not-so-good food along with all the other environmental
substances to which we are exposed. Too much of this without a break
leads to bloating, a body filled with mucus, headaches, upset stomach,
constipation, and many other symptoms that keep the over-the-counter
drug providers in business.
At a much lower cost and price on your system, fasting offers a
natural method to cleansing and can aid in balancing your body functions
along with other aspects of your life. It is a method that gives
the body some rest from the energy-sapping processes of almost constant
digestion.
The natural health model theory is that the body can cure itself,
and it will most efficiently do that only when we give it the materials
that it needs to activate its self-healing nature: proper foods,
rest, and water, exposure to sunlight, exercise, and so on. Many
well-known proponents of fasting offer testimonials from recovered
asthmatics, arthritics, insomniacs, and ex-sufferers of migraines,
skin and digestive disorders, and dozens of other ailments. They
maintain that, with the exception of serious conditions like tuberculosis,
ulcers, diabetes, hypoglycemia, blood, liver, kidney and heart diseases,
systematic voluntary abstention from eating is almost always a healthy
first response to illness.
During a fast, the natural process of toxin excretion continues
while the influx of toxins is reduced. The energy usually used for
digestion is redirected to immune function, cell growth, and eliminatory
processes. Physical awareness and sensitivity to diet and surroundings
are also increased. As a result of the many positive fasting effects,
your body can heal with greater speed. Fasting will cleanse your
liver, kidneys, and colon, purify your blood, help you lose excess
weight and water, flush out toxins, and help clear the eyes, tongue,
and breath. The body is in a more relaxed and focused state and
is better prepared to release stored-up toxins. The health benefits
of this process are rewarding, along with the opportunity for the
body to recover from overindulgent and harmful eating patterns.
Is Fasting Safe and Healthy?
Fasting induces metabolic changes that are inherently cleansing
and repairing. The organs empty and rest, which allows you to conserve
energy, promote the elimination of waste and accumulated toxins,
and makes cell regeneration much more efficient. Although fasting
can be beneficial to many, diabetics, in particular, are generally
told to avoid fasting and/or juice dieting because of blood sugar
problems. Fasting should not be undertaken by pregnant or lactating
women, children, or persons with cancer, tuberculosis, a psychotic
disorder, severe depression, liver cirrhosis, or ulcers. Severely
underweight individuals and people on prescription drugs or under
a physician’s care should check with their physician to determine
if a fasting program is safe for their condition.
How Long Should I Fast?
The duration of a fast depends on one's medical condition, body
weight, lifestyle, reactions, and other individual factors. Depending
on the length of the fast, it will accomplish different things.
A three-day fast helps rid the body of toxins and cleanse the blood.
A five-day fast begins the process of healing and rebuilding the
immune system. Longer fasts may take care of many problems before
they arise and help fight off illness, including degenerative diseases.
Fasts for more than seven days should be supervised. Remember, it
may have taken years to wear your body down, and it will take time
to build it back up to its peak condition.
How Often Should I Fast?
To get the best benefits from fasting, it should be conducted more
than just one time. Fasts should be repeated in cycles, interspersed
with periods of taking light, natural foods. It should be a process
that is incorporated into your lifestyle and done on a regular basis
to maintain the good health and general well being. I recommend
fasting as described in this program at least four times per year,
typically with the change of the seasons. Conducting a fast during
the change of the season provides an opportunity to work within
a natural cycle of the universe as the seasons change and different
energies are released and expressed. If seasonal fasts don’t
work for your schedule, at least two fasts per year are suggested.
What Symptoms Should I Expect While Fasting?
Each of us carries a different level of toxicity, and each of our
bodies deals with that toxicity in a different manner. In general,
if you're very toxic, you may experience some cold-like or flu-like
symptoms: headache, runny nose, tiredness, fever, and so on. This
is especially true if you drink coffee, smoke tobacco, do recreational
or prescribed drugs, or consume alcohol. One predictable symptom
of food withdrawal is mild depression. Unfulfilled attachments to
sugar, coffee, alcohol, and chocolate may manifest as mood swings.
If you experience symptoms, be thankful. Go to bed and get a well-deserved
rest and let your body do some self-repair. Contrary to conventional
thinking that encourages us to suppress symptoms of whatever ails
us, the natural health model tells us that disease itself is the
cure, and that through disease the body is trying to heal itself,
working diligently to get rid of a toxic overload.
According to this model, if we suppress symptoms, we build deeper
and more dramatic problems for ourselves in later life. But invariably,
initial difficulties are replaced by a feeling of accomplishment.
You can also expect to experience some very positive changes on
a fast. Increased ability to concentrate, improved mood and sense
of well being, increased energy, less congestion, improved sense
of taste and smell, and a host of other good things. Ironically,
the longer you fast, the less hungry you feel. The mild euphoria
often reported by fasters around the third day may be traced to
the same neuro-chemical changes that athletes undergo when getting
their "second wind," as stimulating brain endorphins and
peptides are released.
Will I Be Tired or Weak While I am Fasting?
Each person will have a different experience while fasting and a
change in the food intake may have an impact on the energy one may
have. Based on your regular activity level and the amount of toxins
that are released, you may experience some periods during the fast
where you have less energy. However, regular moderate exercise during
the fast, benefits circulation and elimination. Yoga, breathing
exercises and swimming are excellent adjunct activities. The value
of fresh air, pure water, and sunlight during purification cannot
be over emphasized.
Will I Lose Weight While I am Fasting?
Since you are reducing your food intake and drinking lots of water
and other liquids, you will typically loose a few pounds. Average
weight loss varies, but most people lose at least three to five
pounds during a three-day fast.
Should I Use Fasting as a Weight-Loss Program?
Fasting is not a weight-loss program; however, you will probably
lose a few pounds due to the excess waste that is removed along
with the flushing of your system. Fasting provides an excellent
opportunity to cleanse the body prior to beginning a more structured
weight-loss program.
A structured approach to wellness through fasting with step-by-step
instructions and daily activities defined are available online at
www.fastingkit.com.
Additional information on a structured fasting and wellness program
offered as a weekend get-away retreat is available at www.frescoadventures.com/weekend.html.
Always consult your health care provider before beginning any
new wellness regimen. As general manager of Fresco Enterprises,
a service organization providing life-enriching programs, Marcia
Fairweather has provided this perspective on alternative health
care for our readers. This is information is not provided by SeeingBlack.com
as a cure for any illness. More information about her programs can
be found at http://www.fastingkit.com
and http://www.frescoadventures.com.
-- March 28, 2003
-- March 28, 2003
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2001-05 Seeing Black, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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