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.