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| Health & Wellness |
 FASTING - AN ECONOMICAL APPROACH TOHEALTH By Monica Hirai, C.H., B.A.T. The lost art of fasting really is a lost art. With all the food available to us it is hard to consider fasting as a part of getting healthy, staying healthy, and preventing future disease. If we 'paid now' with fasting we wouldn't have to 'pay later' with a disease and all the financial repercussions that go along with any degenerative disease. When fasting there is a short-term pain for a long-term gain, as in missing social events to avoid being tempted to eat in order to obtain longevity and lower the risk of disease. There is also physical discomfort, especially when you fast for the first time. The releasing of toxins which can produce headaches, bad breath, tiredness, etc. These discomforts however are eliminated over time if you fast regularly. Fasting has been around since Biblical times, and people benefitted from it then. Can you imagine how we will benefit from fasting now since we are so much more polluted than ancient man was? When it comes to health, let's face the music, our digestion in North America is overworked from bad food, too much food, eating before bed, bad food combining, etc. Fasting weekly for 24 to 36 hours and going on longer fasts for 3 to 10 days 2 times per year, would give our digestive organs a must needed rest. It also gives our minds time to become clearer about where we are going in our lives on a weekly basis because there is more energy available to the mind when we are not digesting food. Some of the other benefits to fasting are as follows: - Eliminates accumulated wastes (pesticides, preservatives, etc.) - Mobilizes body energies for internal cleansing. - Strengthens the immune system (People with diseases have benefitted greatly, with some finding their body cured itself.) - Frees nervous energy blocks which are often lodged in the intestines. Remember the saying, "My guts are tied in knots." This statement is truer than you realize. - You can save up to 15% off your food bill per month if you fast weekly. - After fasting you are less toxic, thus you will naturally eat healthier and save money because you are not buying 'junk food.' - You will naturally eat less, because healthier bodies need less fuel to create the same amount of energy. There are many ways to fast from inexpensive concoctions you make at home to expensive cleansing kits. Even those who think they will starve to death can find a way that will work for them. Sometimes a cleansing kit will have a fasting period included in their procedure or you can fast on simply a vegetable broth, fresh-juiced vegetables, distilled water, honey and warm water, honey with certain herb teas, or you can combine programs with cleansing herbs or any of the above. Remember to get professional advice especially if you have a diagnosed disease and/or have blood sugar problems like diabetes or hypoglycemia. Even if you do not have a diagnosed disease, you can still benefit from professional advice. Coming off a fast is almost more important than the fast itself. If you fast for 1 day then you need 1 day to come off it, a 10 day fast requires 10 days to come off it, etc. It is the transition period between no solid food and solid food. This usually involves eating blended or finely chopped vegetables or fruits for the first day or so then gradually adding the more difficult to digest foods. The longer you take to get back on to the more difficult to digest foods, the better in most cases. You need to prepare for a fast by gradually deleting all the animal proteins, junk food, etc., until you are eating only vegetables or fruits. For a 1 day fast prepare for a 1 day 'coming-on -period', a 10 day fast requires a 10 day 'coming- on -period'. Take the fast one day at a time. Only stay on the fast if you feel you can handle coming off of it without binging on the first day you come off. It is better to have a shorter fast, say for 1 day and come off it properly then to go for a 7 day period and 'pig-out' on the last day. Fasting is an individual experience. Try to experience what you are going through as a gift of health and wellness to yourself and don't compare yourself to other people. Some books for reference are: Tissue Cleansing through Bowel Management by Dr. Bernard Jensen; the Miracle of Fasting by Paul Braggs; the Master Cleanser Booklet. Monica Hirai is a Herbalist/Holistic Healer who uses Muscle Testing as a primary form of health assessment. You may Reach Monica at 403 276-5756 to learn more about her service and to book an appointment. |