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Proponents claim that environmental toxins build up in our bodies over time. It would be wise to remove these toxins periodically through fasting. The goal of fasting is to maintain optimum health. Cleansing fasts are an important part of a detoxification program and may be part of a weight-loss program as well.
Fasting Pros and Cons
Of all the methods used by the natural physician, no method is as powerful and controversial as the fast. You could achieve more improvements of your health with fasting and its variations, than by any other single therapy. Yet the fast is but rarely used by most practitioners. This is because so few received appropriate training in the proper technique and procedures needed to obtain the best results.
Advocates of fasting believe that it periodically gives the body a break from digestion, and also allows it to eliminate the toxins that cause disease, while promoting healing and reversing the aging process. Studies indicate that fasting helps health conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, migraine headache, and some skin diseases as well. Acute illnesses such as colds and flu, colon disorders, allergies, obesity, and respiratory diseases may also respond to a fasting diet. Proponents claim a one-day fast creates a clearer mental state and increased energy of the body, that a three-day fast rids the body of toxins and purifies the blood, and that a long-term fast promotes healing, alleviates food allergies, sheds pounds, and rebuilds the immune system.
On the other hand, critics believe that fasting depletes the body of important nutrients, essential minerals and energy. They think fasting may be unsafe, and is an ineffective weight loss aid. The few pounds that are lost near the beginning of a fast are from water. They believe this weight will return as soon as the fast is over.
Certain scientific studies wanted to back up health claims and demonstrate that fasting works by releasing toxins stored in fat. Patients varied greatly in their response and the symptoms displayed during the fasting diet. Some of them state happily that they have never felt as well in their lives as during fast. Others displayed a variety of unpleasant symptoms that could not be avoided.
Effects on body
It is usual for a variety of skin eruptions to develop during the healing fast. This happens because this is one of the best ways the body has of casting off toxic substances. Any disagreeable reaction associated with such eruptions your doctor should control by using one of many physical therapeutic methods.
High blood pressure usually drops during a fast, whereas low blood pressure often increases to normal levels after a while. The doctor should carefully monitor the blood pressures of all patients during fasting. If the level drops too low, the fast is broken immediately. Urine examinations should be made daily, and blood samples should be taken whenever the need arises.
Most patients tend to show acid bodies in the urine after a few days of fasting. If this is keept within moderate levels by the vital force and if the patient is in good physical and emotional shape, it need not provoke concern. On the other hand, it could happen that the ketone levels begin to rise above the allowable range or that the patient begins to feel overly tired or ill. If that happens, it is helpful to add very small amounts of pure cranberry juice to the water. In almost all instances, this slight amount of juice – as little as a quarter-cup a day – corrects the ketosis. This should also give the patient a feeling of well-being. By following this proven method, it is possible to extend fasts in some patients far beyond what might have otherwise been advisable.