Re: Ended My Fast

Whiskers wrote:
On 2007-08-21, Marshall Price <d021317c@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I ended my fast about ten days ago, on the 45th day. I didn't exercise
enough to maintain my muscle mass, nor to lose much weight, so I plan to
fast again sometime soon. I think my weight went from about 170 to 140,
but I'd like to lose a lot more fat and put on some muscle.

Congratulations for coping for so long!

I'm glad my talk of food won't be quite so frustrating now ;))

It's frustrating in that I have no way of baking here, but the last time
I fasted, I was working in a restaurant, and smelling the food was
immensely enjoyable and satisfying.

Many chronic problems went away during the fast, and some have returned.
For example, I've had a runny nose now and then since I quit, which I
suspect may be evidence of a food allergy -- perhaps to casein, the
protein in my yogurt and coffee creamer, or perhaps to wheat. I really
don't know what it is.

Try introducing grains and dairy gradually; that might help pinpoint any
problem. Using whole grains rather than 'white' might help, and I'm sure
that home-baking is far healthier than shop-bought mass-produced stuff,
particularly bread. Giving the dough time to 'rest' lets the enzymes work
on it longer to make it more digestible, likewise the yeasts if you use
them.

I've eaten sheep and goat cheese, and like them both, but that could be
a sign that I'm allergic to them! Food allergies are tricky things.

As for whole grains, often one develops allergies to proteins
(especially plant proteins) in food, so whole grains can, for some
people, be much worse than highly refined ones.

An occasional rash on my face (especially alongside my nostrils) went
away (almost completely) during the fast, though I used my prescription
cream much less than usual. Now it's better than it used to be, but
isn't gone, despite using the medication regularly. I've had it for years.

[...]

Interesting observations.

I have 'acne rosacea' which sounds like the facial rash you describe; my
doctor has me permanently on an anti-biotic tablet which keeps it well
under control. Just a layman's comment - only your doctor can diagnose
anything for you, of course!

(I've forgotten the diagnosis, but it's not acne rosacea.)

I find my health is generally better when I eat mainly home-cooked
bread and vegetables and a little meat; I also think there is 'something
in' organic food that is 'better' than the 'modern' stuff, and I avoid GM
like the plague (in the EU it has to be labeled as such, so avoiding it
isn't too difficult - in fact it's not easy to find any, as most people
don't seem to want it).

Too much protein can be a problem, especially for meat-eaters in the
West. There's some speculation that it might increase the risks of
cancer and auto-immune diseases, among other things.

Unfortunately for me, there are times when my Depression makes it too hard
to concentrate or bother about stuff and then I end up eating
'ready-meals' and supermarket bread, which probably doesn't help at all.

Ooh. I rarely eat any kind of bread, but when I do, it's usually pita
bread from a nearby Middle Eastern bakery, baked fresh each morning. I
prefer the white pita to the whole grain, but I get a lot of fiber by
eating plenty of oat bran, and I assume I'm getting more vitamins from
other foods (and supplements) than I'd get from grains anyway. I've
always thought eating brown rice was silly, since it's not a very good
source of any nutrients other than starch. (On the other hand, it might
be better to get some fiber in one's rice than to eat a large lump of
pure starch!)


BTW, I've thought of many more benefits I can attribute to the fast:

I've had _no_ problems at all with my teeth since I started; I forgot
all about them, other than to brush from time to time. I have a few
teeth that probably need attention, and occasionally felt a bit of pain
(before the fast) after letting sugar or honey get to one of them.

(I know an elderly man who doesn't even brush his teeth, and it shows.
But ever since he developed the habit of keeping a clove of garlic in
his cheek, he says dental trouble is a thing of the past!)

I used to have various itches and little pains (like mild mosquito
bites) here and there. They're gone.

I used to get the occasional nervous tic (a long time ago). I suspect
that's cured.

A few times a year, in the summer, I got "jock itch." I haven't used
any medication or special soaps (such as Dr Bronner's Hemp and Tea Tree
Oil shampoo), or taken any steps to prevent it (such as using a blow
dryer after showering), but it hasn't come back this summer.

The rash I mentioned also occurred on my chest, upper middle back, nape
of the neck (above the hairline), in three spots above the hairline in
front, and in my eyebrows. They're all gone.

This rash used to come and go, but whenever I used ketoconazole shampoo,
it flared up within minutes (before getting better). I used the shampoo
yesterday, and except for a very slight reddening alongside my nose,
where it first appeared over a decade ago, there was no evidence of it,
and even there, it went away very quickly. (I suspect it's caused by a
fungus, the hyphae of which have penetrated deep into my skin, where the
ketoconazole can't get to it; but the fasting helped tremendously, and
next time, it may wipe it out completely.)

I used to feel tremendous pain and distress at little knocks and bumps,
especially stubbing my toes. That's gone completely, and now I can kick
the wall with my toes and enjoy it.

I used to get pains in my feet a lot, especially when spending a lot of
time on my feet or when walking long distances. That's gone.

In the shower, I used to react strongly to water that was a little too
hot or cold. Now I actually enjoy both!

That ketoconazole shampoo used to get in my eyes no matter what I did.
I used to have to keep a damp, well rinsed washcloth handy every time I
used it, to wipe the suds away from my eyes immediately after soaping
up. Yesterday, I didn't bother, and it didn't get in my eyes at all.
Perhaps it has something to do with the oiliness of my skin, but now
it's _less_ oily than it was before.

I'd had a lot of trouble with body odor ever since puberty, but not for
the past month or so. I had to put on deodorant two or three times a
day, and always after a shower. I haven't even thought of it recently,
but didn't smell anything bad, though I put some on after the shower anyway.

My breath smells fine.

I've got plenty of energy -- more than I've had in over a decade, though
I suspect I'm still somewhat weaker than before. I haven't really put
my strength to the test in a long time.

I've been sleeping long and soundly; I had terrible insomnia before,
despite prescription drugs.

I still have trouble remembering "to do" lists and shopping lists of
more than a few items, but I'm doing a lot better than before.

I did a little speed reading and quick scanning last night. (To me,
that's more encouraging than it might sound.)

Though I expected my face to become gaunt, wrinkled, and creased, just
the opposite has happened. My skin is tougher, thicker, and more
elastic than before. It's not only more sensitive to touch, but less
sensitive to pain than before. Blackheads on my back fell out. The
greasiness is gone. Only behind my knees does it still look a bit aged
and "crepy." Though my legs and arms (and especially my waist) are
smaller, I have no stretch marks, and there's just a touch of sagging,
but I can tell by pinching my skin that it's still thick and healthy.

I think my tendons and ligaments are stronger, and my nervous system is
healthier, because I often used to feel pain when wringing wet towels
after washing them, even washcloths. I did that quite strenuously a few
days ago, and forgot entirely that it used to happen. I have no pains
in any joints or muscles at all, though at times in the past, that was a
frequent and distressing problem.

The skin around my anus, which used to get irritated sometimes by
wiping, seems perfectly healthy.

I used to feel a dull pain in my rectum sometimes, perhaps associated
with hemorrhoids (I don't know). That happened again about two weeks
into the fast, at which time, I gave myself a small enema. It hasn't
occurred since. It seemed to occur after eating certain things (I don't
remember what), and during bowel movements. Whatever it was, it's gone.


I'm still avoiding sugar (on general principles) and keeping the
starches down. I've been eating a lot of vegetables, but not the
expensive ones I used to like, and less salt than before, despite the
Miami summer heat. I'm eating cabbage, bok choi (including the greens),
onions, scallions, garlic, ginger, and oat bran. I'm eating fewer eggs,
and very small servings of more varied meats than before: shrimp, pork,
beef, chicken, salmon, herring, sardines, ham, and turkey -- usually in
vegetable broth. I haven't had mayonnaise recently, but may soon,
though the very thought of eating some of the things I used to eat, such
as jam, bread, ketchup, buttery potatoes, cheesy corn chips, cakes,
candy, whipped cream, etc. -- is repugnant to me now. I can't imagine
eating pizza, or spaghetti with butter, meat sauce, and plenty of grated
cheese, which I used to like a lot.


I hope I haven't strained anybody's patience, but I'm taking this
opportunity to gather my thoughts on the subject, as well as to share my
happiness about it all. I'm going to paste all this into my diary! :)

--
Marshall Price of Miami
Known to Yahoo as d021317c
.

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