Fast Day 10 – 9:00AM Pacific Time

The final day has finally arrived, only 13 more hours before I go to sleep and awake to a large glass of fruit juice.

Today feels like:

• The day before my wedding day
• The day before my wife’s due date
• The day before the 7th day of the World Series (Yankees win, of course)
• The day before last year’s Super Bowl (Giants beat the Patriots)
• The day before the letter of acceptance to the college of my choice is to arrive
• The day before national board licensing scores are to arrive

There may be many other examples that I could add, but you get the idea. I am thrilled to have reached this day. I achieved my objectives, I feel great, and I believe that I have achieved long-term health benefits.

I only lost 1/2 pound in the last 24 hours, blood pressure remain fine at 100/78. I continue to have no hunger and the nausea that plagued me until Day 8 also has disappeared. I still have laryngitis and this strange odor, but these symptoms/signs should pass quickly as I start eating.

Here is the re-feeding schedule that begins tomorrow:

• Day 1: Juice only every few hours
• Day 2: Raw fruits and salad
• Day 3: Add steamed vegetables
• Day 4: Add grains, beans, and nuts

Looking forward to another cooking class today and my fruit/vegetable drinks tomorrow.

I will not be blogging tomorrow, but will be back on Sunday.

Fast Day 9: 10:00 AM Pacific Time

Overall, I am feeling better as the fast progresses. I still have reasonable energy and it is hard to believe one could feel like this after not eating anything for 9 days. Of course, it could be that I can see the end in sight and that is helping me over the last 2 days.

Of course, this is not to suggest that this has been easy. I continue to experience a variety of annoying symptoms. I finally experienced a symptom commonly associated with water-fasting, fasting insomnia. I had a hard tIme falling asleep last night and I never felt as though I was sound asleep. So no dreams to report today.

The doctor on rounds this morning was surprised it was the first time it happened to me. I forget to write that about day 5 I began to lose my voice and it has worsened each day. Today it is as if a have a severe case of laryngitis. I was told that is too, is a common symptom of water-fasting. I still have this obnoxious odor emanating from my body 24 hours a day. I can’t stand being near myself.

Lost another 1.5 pounds and I am now down about 18.5 pounds since the beginning of the fast, blood pressure and pulse were both great.

Looking forward to this afternoon’s presentation. I am going to a cooking demonstration on the 9th day of my fast. If you didn’t already think I am nuts, you are probably convinced at this point.

TWO MORE DAYS TO GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fast Day 8: 11:15 AM Pacific Time

Off to a very late start today. I overslept by an hour and the doctor on rounds had to wake me. I cherish the night time. I sleep well, feel good and I don’t have to try and force myself to drink water.

I am feeling surprisingly well with a decent energy level. Who would believe that you could feel this way not having eaten anything for 8 days? My lower back aches is gone for now and my only remaining problem is trying to drink adequately in the face of my almost constant nausea. If I had no nausea this would be a breeze. My body is now excreting this unpleasant odor through my skin. At first I thought I was smelling food from the kitchen here at True North. But the smell never changed. When I realized it was me I took a shower of course, but that did not help at all. It just comes oozing out of my skin all day long. It is VERY annoyng, but I am told it is an excellent sign that my body is getting the job done.

I lost more weight and I am now down a stunning 17 pounds. With 3 more days (counting today) left I expect I will top the 20 pound level. I will try and get someone to take a picture of me at my lowest weight. It will not be a pretty sight. My cheeks are sunken and I have lost weight over my entire body. I am on my last hole on my pants belt and even my wrists have become smaller and I have had to adjust the hole I use on my watch.

My blood test came back and everything looks outstanding. I think this would surprise people too. No food for 8 days and an absolutely normal blood test.

In any case, no need to worry about me, all is going well. I am feeling well enough and I am very happy I followed my instinct to proceed with this challenge. I am scheduled to begin eating again on Saturday – wow, I can’t wait.

I had another dream last night and it was not pleasant. I much preferred dreaming about soft Philly pretzels. In my latest dream I bought a car and when I picked it up it was BRIGHT RED. I told the dealer this was a mistake but he showed me the order form and there it was – RED. So I was stuck with this car for 3 years. I can’t stand bright red cars. I wonder what the dream means?

That is it for today, the worse part of the day is ahead of me. The glass of water I have to drink looks as tall as the Empire Sate building, and they say I have to drink the whole thing.

Fast Day 7: 9:30 AM Pacific Time

The afternoon yesterday was miserable again with constant nausea and bad back pain. I also vomited once in the evening. But I woke up this morning pain free with no nausea and a wonderful energy level. I am hoping it stays with me all day. The pattern has become clear, however. Feeling good in the morning, worsening by the afternoon and worst in the evening followed by blissful sleep and improvement in the morning.

I lost another 2 pounds and I am now down a bit more than 15 pounds in 6 days!  That is more than I expected.  I am starting to look scary, but the good news is that I will gain some weight back during the re-feeding process. The doctors and I decided yesterday that 10 days of fasting would be sufficient for me because I did not come in sick or overweight. Talk about hearing good news! I now can see the finish line only 3 more days and the re-feeding stage begins.

Last night I had my first dream about food. I was eating Philly soft pretzels with mustard. I must really be a Philadelphian now!

They drew blood again yesterday and I will get the results back this evening. It is another way they carefully monitor your status here.

The lectures (twice a day) are both educational and motivating and additionally fill part of the day. I look forward to them each day. Yesterday was a particularly wonderful and inspiring presentation.

Can’t wait for Saturday!

Fast Day 6: Pacific Time 12:00 Noon

Sorry for the late blog today, but I am losing energy and will only be able to do this once a day from now on.

Physiology

The physiology remains the same everyday now until I end the fast, so I will discontinue this section for now. The body remains in the state of ketosis from the 3rd day on and detoxification occurs with the body breaking down fat cells and other non-essential tissues.

Personal

I has quite a difficult day yesterday with bad nausea and lower back pain. On a scale of 1-10 the lower back pain is about a 7. It makes it difficult to find any comfortable position. The worst part of it is it interferes with sleeping which is now my favorite activity of the day or night. I have a massage scheduled for 1 PM today and I am hoping that reduces some of the pain. Apparently this is a known complication of the fasting process, nothing unusual. So is the nausea. I am just lucky enough to experience both of these annoying symptoms.

I have now lost 13 pounds and I am starting to look a bit scary. Goodbye love handles! My cheeks are kind of sunken. Today, until noon at least I am doing OK, but my problems have been occurring in the afternoon and evening.

I am looking forward to the 2:30 PM lecture today and then at 5 PM and will watch the Yankee/Texas game. Lots of time to kill everyday when you do not have to shop, cook and eat.

One of my friends commented that I only blog about my physical issues and asked – What about your emotional/mental state?

I guess that is a good question. Like many men, however, I may not be that “in touch” with my feelings, but I will try to express how I feel.

I suppose anyone going through this experience at times questions himself. Should I really be doing this? Personally, these thoughts do pass through my mind on occasion. It actually would have been easier to do this if I were diabetic, or had hypertension, or cardiovascular disease, or if I were 50 pounds overweight like the vast majority of my fellow fasters. They have true outcome measures they are trying to achieve. In my case I am just try to achieve better health which is not measurable. Thus, I have occasional doubts. I have been able to slow down for the first time in many, many years. I thought I would be working on professional things, but I have given up on that for now and just trying to relax. I miss my wife, Maxine very much and my children and friends at work and in my community and feel a bit lonesome here all by myself. Although everyone is very nice here, they are still strangers. In the end, however, when I work through the doubts and loneliness I feel proud of myself for undertaking this very challenging task and I feel that it will have positive effects on the rest of my life.

Until tomorrow…

Fast Day 5: Pacific Time 9:15 AM

Physiology

I am now well within the period of ketosis (day 3 and beyond). Not much to add on ketosis so I thought I would include the summary statement from a book entitled ” The Pleasure Trap” written by Douglas Lisle and Alan Goldhammer, two of the doctors here at True North Health.

“the vast majority of health problems are the result of dietary excess, for which the most sensible treatment is the removal of such excess. Further support is suggested by the investigations of Drs. Ornish, Esselstyn, McDougall, and their colleagues who have convincingly demonstrated the efficacy of removing dietary excess as a path to recovery.

Water-only fasting takes this sound logic to its ultimate conclusion: The removal of all substances, with the exception of pure water in an environment of complete rest provides the optimum gene-environment relationship for restoring health, particularly for problems caused by dietary excess. In a world that contains multitudes of space age drugs and surgical capabilities, it appears that this ancient and simple procedure is likely to be the single mist powerful healing tool of all.”

Personal

It seems that the evening (6 PM to 10 PM) is the hardest for me. It becomes difficult for me to drink water because I feel a bit nauseous and experience some heartburn. My tongue also feels sticky and uncomfortable. In the morning I feel much better and I am able to easily drink. I am starting to try and drink much more in the beginning of the day when it is easier for me. I look forward to 10 PM when I go to sleep. I had another very restful nights sleep and didn’t get up until almost 7 AM.

I lost quite a lot of weight already – I am down more than 12 pounds. My blood pressure this morning continued to go down and is now at 92/60. My lower back hurts a bit and I am thinking about setting up a massage today or tomorrow to deal with it.

I have a lecture scheduled at 10 AM and 2:30 PM today and look forward to attending.

Fast Day 4 – 9:15 PM Pacific Time

Physiology

Day 3 and Beyond

From the third day onward the rate of the breakdown of fatty acids from adipose or fat tissue continues to increase, hitting its peak on the tenth day. This seven day period, after the body has shifted completely over to ketosis, is where the maximum breakdown of fat tissue occurs. As part of protein conservation, the body also begins seeking out all non-body-protein sources of fuel: nonessential cellular masses such as fibroid tumors and degenerative tissues, bacteria, viruses, or any other compounds in the body that can be used for fuel. This is part of the reason that fasting produces the kind of health effects it does. Also, during this period of heightened ketosis the body is in a similar state as the one that occurs during sleep – a rest and detoxification cycle. It begins to focus on the removal of toxins from the body and the healing and regeneration of damaged tissues and organs.

Personal

Feeling OK today. More tired than yesterday, heart burn a few times last night and today, but no other symptoms. I have now dropped 8 pounds in 4 days. This is more than I expected and I hope the weight loss slows down. My blood pressure has now dropped to 105/65, considerably lower than when I started.

I suppose a question that most people have is : Are you hungry? I am actually not hungry in the sense that I do not long for food. I do have this constant feeling of emptiness in my stomach, but it is not really like hunger. I am a bit surprised at the ability to still function reasonably well in terms of working on manuscripts and other work-related projects. I just find I have to take more frequent breaks and nap. Some people report difficulty sleeping when they fast. Fortunately I am sleeping very well.

My main objectve for this fast was to have a beneficial effect on my cardiovascular system. So I wanted to share a passage from a book entitled “Fasting and Eating for Health”, by Joel Furhman, MD.

“The job of fasting is to supply the body with the ideal environment to to accomplish its work of healing. During the period of a fast the blood pressure will drop, the level of retained metabolic wastes will fall, and the blood vessels will begin to soften and rid themselves of hard sclerotic plaque.

When no calories are consumed, the body is living off its nutritional stores, primarily its fat reserves. The innate wisdom of th e body is such that, while fasting, it will consume for its sustenance superfluous tissues, carefully conserving vital tissues and organs. The body’s ability to autolyze and destroy needless tissue such as fat, tumors, blood vessel plaque, and other nonessential tissues, gives the fat the ability to restore normal physiologic function.”

These are the thoughts that led me to fasting and allow me to continue this challenging process.

Fast Day 3: 3:45 Pacific Time

Well I had a VERY good day today. The nausea and dizziness are gone and I am easily able to drink the required 48 oz of water. I spent the morning doing some work on the computer, watching some DVDs about fasting and nutrition. Just got up from a 20 minutes nap and I am feeling fine at this point.

I had a great time this afternoon attending a cooking demonstration of all things. You might think this is a strange thing when your fasting. But those of you who know me well, know that I love cooking and I was able to interact and ask the chef lots of questions. Learned quite a few new recipes. Can’t wait for the next class on Monday.

I also met some new people today who are also fasting and we spent some time sharing experiences and reasons for doing the fast. It is a VERY supportive environment here at True North.

Fast Day 2: 7:45 AM Pacific Time

Physiology

I am in the last 6 hours of Day 2. Physiologically this means that my liver’s stores of glycogen are gone, and my body is shifting over to ketosis or ketone production – the use of fatty acids as fuel instead of glucose. This shift generally begins on the second day of fasting and completed by the third. In this interim period there is no glucose available and energy from fat conversion is insufficient but the body still needs fuel. So it accesses glucose from two sources. It first converts glycerol, available in the body’s fat stores, to glucose but this is still insufficient. So it makes the rest that it needs from catabolizing, or breaking down, the amino acids in muscle tissue, using them in the liver for gluconeogenesis, or the making of glucose. Between 60 and 84 grams of protein are used on this second day, 2-3 ounces of muscle tissue. By the third day ketone production is sufficient to provide nearly all the energy the body needs and the body’s protein begins to be strongly conserved. The body still needs a tiny amount of glucose for some functions, however, so a very small amount of protein, 18-24 grams, is still catabolized to supply it – from 1/2 to 1 ounce of muscle tissue per day.

Personal

Just had my morning checkup:  Lost another 1.5 pounds and I am now down 4 pounds from the start of the fast.  Blood pressure: 110/74

This is not going to be easy – I had a difficult evening yesterday. Very lightheaded and nauseous. They want me to drink at least 48 oz of water a day, and I was left with about 12 oz at 7 PM and had to force myself to drink. It made me quite sick. I took a 30 minute nap and felt a bit better and then watched a DVD (Hostage with Bruce Willis) until 10:30 PM. Fortunately, I was able to sleep well and woke up at 6 AM.

I am still quite lightheaded, but no longer nauseous and hoping today will be an easy one. My first experience with Ketosis. I am scheduled for a blood test at 9AM, and lectures at 10 AM and 2:30 PM.

That is all for now as I get ready to read 6 newspapers on line, catch up on the news and sports, and then get some sun.

Fast Day 1 – 5PM Pacific Time

It has been another beautiful day in Santa Rosa ( 75 degrees and no humidity).

I am officially into my second day of fasting. Exactly 28 hours now. Feeling fine, maybe a bit light headed. I am having no trouble drinking (must drink 40 oz of water per day).

I went out to the courtyard today and met some of my fellow fasters. Here is a description of two of them.

1) One of the men (about 35 years old) is an orthodox Rabbi teaching at a seminary in Israel. The students are American boys spending a year in Israel before college. He just completed a 21-day water fast. I don’t know what he looked like before, but he is thin now and said he lost 41 pounds. Not sure of the medical issue that brought him here. He went from a 38 inch waist to a 32 inch waist and had to purchase new pants.

2) The second man I met today is a 48 year-old Russian man who lived in Israel for 8 years and then moved to Seattle. He was told that he needed bypass surgery . Instead he has decided to be treated here with a change in diet (vegan) followed by fasting.

Be back tomorrow morning.