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My First Water Fast
From 1936 to 1939 a friend of mine who had been diagnosed as having heart disease had been staying home and avoiding work. Fearful of straining his heart.
In 1939 he visited a Naturopath who told him that his diagnosis was wrong, that the pain he experienced was due to gas-pressure against the heart from faulty diet.
The doctor put him on an exclusive orange juice diet for 10 days which resulted in a cure of his condition and the end of his invalidism.
I asked my friend to get the name of the doctor who wrote on this subject of Natural Hygiene from this Naturopath, and the names he recommended were Wm. Howard Hay and Rasmus Alsaker.
I immediately went to the N.Y. Public Library reading room on 42nd Street, N.Y.C., and read all of their books.
These books referred to about 6 doctors who practised natural healing and drugless medicine.
While reading the writings of Dr. John H. Tilden, one of 6 doctors, I was startled by his statement that all colds, fevers and influenzas were nature's attempt to eliminate toxins and free the body of socalled disease.
Could this really be true, I pondered? If so, this radical and shocking fact changed the whole face of disease as a beneficent attempt of Nature to take care of her children and protect them from harm, as opposed to the idea that these illnesses were caused by bacteria and microorganisms.
I went home that day determined to find out if this was true.
I was 19 years old at the time, living with a sister and 2 younger brothers (our parents had passed away) and was able to do pretty much as I pleased.
I devised an experiment to test this theory.
It was winter at the time. One night I took a hot bath, opened the windows of my private bedroom wide and laid my wet body on a plastic waterproof cover I had put over the bed. I was trying to catch a cold or flu, after which I would go on a water fast to see if it worked as a quick healing and cleansing agent, as used by Dr. Tilden in his sanitarium.
After a few hours of shivering from the cold winds blowing in on my wet body, sure enough within a few hours, I developed chills, followed by a fever, great weakness and prostration.
I stayed in bed 3 days and nights, sleeping constantly and had no foods or liquids, after which my strength returned and I felt better than I ever did before. I had lost 10 lbs in the 3 days and I was so inspired and elated by the discovery of this great, new healing system, that I continued on the water fast for a total of 10 days.
Then I became a lacto-vegetarian, and began a new life, forever free from all fear of disease. Now I was convinced that disease was a healing process.
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Afterwards ... in the 3 times I had influenza during my lifetime, I always went on a fast
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In the course of my life afterwards, I have always been my own doctor and in the 3 times I had influenza during my lifetime, I always went on a fast, and the flu NEVER failed to disappear after 3 days. This radical experiment changed my life forever.
The picture to the right shows me in 1956 on the 38th day of a water fast, while working. My weight is 158 lb.
(Note: resting in bed while fasting is much preferable.)
Another interesting phenomena which I have experienced is, that on 3 occasions in my lifetime, whenever I had a dead or abscessed tooth causing inflammation and facial swelling, I invariably went on a water fast, and within 13 to 18 days the dead tooth fell out by itself. Naturally and painlessly.
The dentists I told this to were amazed and said they never heard of this. Yet I saved these teeth as proof of Nature being able to handle all conceivable physical problems.
April 12, 1994
Read more about fasting in Fruit-friend or foe?
"The 10 day water fast was an unforgettable experience. Since I was doing it with the only guidance from books, I was somewhat fearful at first, which I kept secret, but soon saw rapid changes in my appearance, which encouraged me to continue."
Also read: How Important is Diagnosis? - by Dr. Stanley Bass, explaining the 3 factors of disease - namely enervation, toxemia, deficiency..
- "Even if a person has a baffling, rare disease and the diagnosis is unknown, if he or she eats properly or fasts if necessary, the body will surely heal itself, as long as sufficient vitality is present."
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Q&A ---- Interview with Dr. Bass:
What is important to know before ones first fast?
Fasting is an ancient method, that is usually unequalled in speed and success for many hard-to-reverse diseases. But there are precautions:
If your body is deficient in something, e.g. minerals, for best results an extended fast (over 9 days) should be avoided. Vegans can be deficient in proteins and fat. This is a major reason why supervision during your first fast is recommended.
It is usually best to start with a short fast (with bed-rest), then be on a good diet for a couple of months to let the body build health and strength, while removing its deficiencies. Then have a second fast of equal length or slightly longer, then a good diet again. In this way you'll avoid possible complications.
Breaking the fast in a proper way is also very important.
Dr. Gian-Cursio observed migrating birds falling dead from the sky over New York on many occasions. Since these birds were fasting, his conclusion was that polluted air, as well as other toxins, can complicate fasts, and that there are times when you shouldn't do a long fast. Dr. Cursio set a limit of maximum 9 days for fasting and recommended fasting in an unpolluted environment. Persons who are poisoned with drugs, or are deficient and in a stage of depletion, always should be supervised professionally. Blood pressure and pulse are then checked daily, and the fast broken if the values drop.
In the old days it was pretty easy and safe to go on a long water-fast.
Nowadays with all food additives, dangerous artificial fats and trans-fats, and potent drugs - all of which may have damaged people severely - it has become more difficult. E.g. almost all bakeries (and candy and ice cream makers) now use dangerous cheap artificial fats. Antibiotics can have damaged peoples immune systems. (Example: detoxification of antibiotics during fasting can give temporary very high fevers.)
Actually it wouldn't surprise me if we within 20 years will get an enormous wave of mystery deaths, due to the low-quality foods and detrimental drugs we now give our children.
Also it is better to stay in bed, every day of the fast, with lots of sleep. When it comes to length I think a 10 day fast with bed-rest is better than a 30-day fast without bed-rest. Almost the only thing you get on a long fast while working is the weight loss, but you don't get the healing. I would not recommend ANY fast while working, long or short, except possibly the first 2 or 3 days, that's all.
If you want to work, you can instead go on a raw diet. Download and read my Remarkable Recoveries booklet for descriptions of many different raw diets/juices, that have been used for disease-recovery. It will take longer time but essentially achieve the same result (for most but not all diseases), especially if you use the single-meal-per-day approach.
Also see How much weight-loss on juices vs. fasting?.
How should I break the fast?
Correctly ending a fast is extremely important. Since the stomach and digestive system have been taking a well-deserved rest, you have to start them up gently. Small portions of raw foods, preferably liquid, is best the first days, before slowly introducing other easy-to-digest (raw) foods, in small portions, over the next week. Vegetable juices are fine. Avoid fruits and fruit juices since sugars overactivate the insulin mechanism. If you avoid sugar for the first week after a fast you should not develop the ravenous appetite that so easily can undo any weight loss you may have achieved. Note: serious (even life-threatening) problems can develop if you stuff yourself after a fast, especially with cooked foods.
What about enemas while fasting?
Many years ago, when I first started out I fasted many times while using enemas (colon cleansing). My experiences were negative, I often got weak and dizzy and experienced two blackouts. So I stopped the enemas, and never had any problems after that. Later I found out the Drs. Cursio and Shelton had had similar experiences, and also recommended against enemas.
(TIP: To get knowledgable support use IAHP-certified fasting clinics and practitioners - these have completed fasting internships and have a hygienic theoretical background.)
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ARTICLES
SUPERIOR HEALTH
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| My First Water Fast |
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I was startled by the statement that all colds, fevers and influenzas were nature's attempt to free the body of disease.
I devised an experiment to test this - click here
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| Fruit - Friend or Foe? | |
He lived on nothing but grapes - By the 32nd day, his gum was bleeding - one of his teeth fell out. He exclaimed: My God, I am detoxicating my teeth - click here
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| Symptoms to Expect when Improving Your Diet | |
This initial letdown lasts about ten days, and is followed by an increase of strength, a feeling of diminishing stress and greater well-being.
- click here
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| How Diseases are Cured |
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Dr. Shelton: - It is high time to learn about the causes of disease and of the "complications" that so frequently develop under regular care - click here
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| The Time-factor in Recovery |
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Dr. Shelton: - Why do we expect to get well in a hurry of a condition that requires a life-time for its development? - click here
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| Sequential Eating | |
Any quick digesting foods must wait till the slowest digesting foods leave the stomach - a process which can take up to 6 or 8 hours.
- click here
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| How Important is Diagnosis? | |
Once the truth of how to live is understood, the process of illness can be reversed more or less painlessly by intelligent living - click here
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| How to Live 100 Years | |
If you follow a minimal diet you can achieve super nutrition. Let's look at Luigi Cornaro, who at age 35 was weak, sick, and dying
- click here
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EMOTIONS & ENERGY
| How to Solve Problems | |
The following method, ancient in its origin, has been practiced by several civilizations dating back for thousands of years.
- click here
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| Causes of Addiction to Habits |
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The key which unlocks the mystery of why most habits are difficult to break lies in the understanding of the stimulation and depression mechanism.
- click here
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| How to Overcome Temptations |
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The very moment an undesirable craving has entered your consciousness, DON'T struggle with it. Absolutely REFUSE to consider its existence
- click here
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| Attentive Eating | |
A subject which can radically change a person's life in all of its aspects - physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. - Attentive eating.
- click here
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| Energy in the Body |
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The lift we get from drinking coffee, or the expression of strong emotions - is the expenditure of energy, not its accumulation
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| Energy, Feeling and Thought |
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The person who feels depressed or negative most of the time is low on the energy level scale and needs to increase rest and sleep - click here
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| New Concepts |
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All healing and regeneration is in ratio to the amount of energy which is available - the more energy, the more detoxicating healing
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SUPER NUTRITION
| Three Generations of Hygienists |
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These children, the skeletal development wasn't right, the dental arches were not well-formed, teeth came in crowded
- click here
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| In Search of the Ultimate Diet |
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I put a group of mice on a fruitarian diet. But they didn't seem to be eating very much fruit, and they certainly weren't crazy about it
- click here
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| The Ideal 100% Raw Diet |
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My aim here was to try to find a diet of 100% raw foods that mice and equally humans could live on, with all the factors needed for excellent health
- click here
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| Vegetarian Diet & Food Plan |
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Dr. Cursio: - it represents more than 55 years of this brilliant nutritionist's experience as one of the greatest teachers in the field of Natural Hygiene
- click here
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SPIRITUALITY
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