Fasting can be an amazing healing experience. It can also be very dangerous. Timeless rules about fasting have not changed, but they are more important because the toxins today are more dangerous than they used to be.
An article recently appeared in Life University’s “Vital Source” that expressed in detail the problem with fasting.(1) A student had been persuaded to do a “Master Cleanse” and decided to actually document her health as she went. She got various assessments from MD’s and DC’s at the School who wanted to help her. She also got blood tests to determine internal health. She found that as the cleanse went on, she actually developed evidence of liver damage. She ultimately stopped the experiment early.
She is not alone. “DD” entered her naturopath’s office where it was determined that she needed some liver and blood cleansing. She was sold a cleansing formula. She called the author after three days because she had broken out in hives over her entire body. In only one week she was able to resume the formula after following simple rules.
What was a mystery to these two women was actually answered by two great herbalists from the 1940’s. (2)(3) Dr. John R. Christopher warned about cleansing the blood or liver without first opening the channels of elimination. He had a favorite story about a man who had 12 cats and he had 12 cat doors. One day a neighbor visited him and asked incredulously about the 12 doors: “Why not make them all go in and out one door?”
The man replied “What do you think would happen if you had 12 cats trying to get out with only one exit? You would get a horrible mess on the inside!” This is precisely the error made when people fast or juice or use Master Cleanse. These things do not starve the person, actually, but it is vital to understand that fat cells contain loads of toxins. If one wishes to lose fat instead of muscle, it is important to keep the elimination channels open, open, open! It is noteworthy that the more toxic the environment, the more important it is to do radical opening of the elimination channels.
A client, we’ll call him “CB” came in one day and announced that he finished a 20 day juice fast. He stated, “After 6 days, I felt so good I wondered why I ate!” Then he confided: “The key to fasting is enemas.”
This is precisely the answer. Either some herbs that are good cathartics or else regular colonics/enemas must be used to keep elimination flowing easily. Even toxic gasses and liquids will be released which may not be visible, but they are important to remove. Before any fasting is done, the person should use liver cleansing herbs and before liver cleansing herbs are ever used, the person should use bowel cleansing herbs. With these approaches applied wisely, fasting, juicing and master cleanse can be very healing very rapidly. If a person has troubles,she or he should seek help of someone who knows the way and discover how to be successful. Inability to fast and cleanse pleasantly indicates deeper rooted problems that should be addressed.
References:
(1)”Don’t Get Caught Drinking Lemonade.” Vital Source [Marietta]. 09 Dec. 2009: vol 3. Iss 4.
(2)Kloss, Jethro. Back to Eden. Loma Linda: Back to Eden Publishing, 1995
(3)Christopher, Dr. John R. The School of Natural Healing. 11th ed. Springville: Christopher Publications, 1996