January 22, 2004
Fasting
The clip said that "going without food periodically may extend life and have health benefits similar to dieting-- even if you eat so much on other days that you don't cut overall consumption a bit... the health benefits of sharply cutting calories include longer life, less stress and less risk of diabetes" The material was excerpted fom the Proceedingss of the National Academy of Sciences.
While meditating the day I saw this, my holy humunculus got all excited. "I can do this, I can do this!!!" it shouted, and thus an exploration was launched. My intention was to bring consciousness to eating.
Here are some things I have learned, over several months.
1. A long swallow of water satisfies hunger very nicely. If you use Fruit 2 O you can even have dessert water. I drink lots of water when I do this.
2. Hunger isn't really the issue, in my case. This comes as no surprise.
3. These are the conditions under which I eat unconsciously. When I'm anxious. When I'm tired. When I'm in transition and can't think of, or decide what to do next. When I am at the edge of the unknown (everyone gets anxious here, an entry to follow on this subject). When I'm trying to think.
4, The flow of quiet energy in my body increases after the first eight hours of the fast. I have more clarity. I am both alert and at peace. At these times, I wonder why I am not doing this more often. (Note: it does seem that a bunch of major religions have happened upon this technique for calling up life force energy.)
5. It's not a great weight loss tool, at least in short run. Bringing consciousness to anything, however, will always have a benefit.
6. Fasting creates space to do other things. Food prep and dining are big time consumers.
7. Chewing gum stimulates the salivary glands, which, I think, increases hunger. Besides it contains either unwanted sugar or chemicals.
8. It's a good way to track unconscious aspects of self. Everytime I want to put something in my mouth on a fast day, I try, instead, to greet the part of myself with the impulse, in a friendly way. (Generally I exude judgement and hostility toward aspects like these.)
9. Fasting for two days is fine, three days is too much, one day is what usually happens.
10. Recipe for fasting broth that I use, especially when I'm doing two days. In a large pot boil a clump of chard, three beets, a leek or two, celery, garlic, carrots and whatever is limply left in the produce bin of the refrigerator. I try to use organic vegies for this. Simmer for two hours, cool and strain. I freeze what I don't use for next time.
Maybe this is the entry for the dead fish with a smaller dead fish in his mouth photo. No, I'll save it.
"The Complete Idiots Guide to Fasting"
Posted by Dakota at January 22, 2004 06:13 AM