[www.eth-s.com] has my short report on this cult that requires one to FAST 21 DAYS on liquids to join. I have heard from a few individuals who have told me of the dangerous ( and in one case FATAL ) consequences of going on these dangerous long-term fasts.

I used to be in a part of the peace movement where long fasts, sometimes as long as 40 days were done by some persons.

Even they took electrolytes and vitamins in addition to water. And were supervised by physicians.

A person with undiagnosed diabetes, other metabolic condition or whose kidneys or liver are in poor condition could easily become very ill, even dangerously so, if doing a 21 day fast without medical supervision (which would include lab tests)

It is not difficult to fast after one makes it through the first 3 to 4 days. (Tho if one is used to caffeine and abstains, enduring a wretched caffeine withdrawal headache is part of the first few days.)

Over time, one may lose appetite and actually feel alert, serene, focused. Emotions go into flatline. Emotions require calories and when one starves, superfluous emotion is a luxury one cannot afford. I used to feel as though I was alert and on a tranquillizer at the same time.


A fasting person may come across as serene and yet chillingly remote at the same time.

Sexual feelings disappear. This can put stress on partnered relationships.

All of this may be addictive for some persons. Fasting can give them a sense of superiority and power. The body may be starving but the ego is pigging out.

Several things not generally known about fasting:

*Body temp drops. One feels freezing cold. After one resumes eating, the body preferentially stores calories as fat. This is not at all a good thing. Unless one does a conscientious remedial exercise program, muscle mass may be lessened while fat mass increases. Long term harsh fasting is NOT a good idea--especially if one has inherited a tendency to
type 2 diabetes or insulin resistance/metabolic syndrome.

Hypoglycemia

*Walking slows and becomes difficult. One may need at least one helper to assist one to walk and cross streets.

* Insomnia/sleeplessness. If someone has bipolar affective disorder (or has a genetic predisposition and does not know it) this insomnia, combined with the stress of starvation may trigger an episode.

* Boredom. Lots of social activities are cued by food and meals. Not sharing food, drinks and meals can set one apart from others. Shopping for food, cooking or preparing food take a vast amount of time. Fasting removes all this. Days can stretch like an eternity when one fasts -- unless one has a lot of ways to occupy that time.

A shared fast with other persons can be a potent bonding process - for better and for worse.

Fasting can easily lead to emotional blackmail. Many persons feel terrified to call a fasting person out on damage this inflicts on family members.

From an article on medical issues for Ramadan fast. But may apply here.

Quote

Total fasting reduces or eliminates hunger and causes rapid weight loss. In 1975, Allan Cott in his
"Fasting as a Way of life" noted that "fasting brings a wholesome physiological rest for the digestive tract and
central nervous system and normalizes metabolism."

It must be pointed out, however, that there are also many adverse effects of total fasting. That includes hypokalemia (potassium deficit) and cardiac arrhythmia associated with low calorie starvation diets used in unsupervised manner.

Quote

Those with severe hypertension or heart diseases should not fast at all.

Those with Migraine Headache: Even in tension headache, dehydration, or low blood sugar will
aggravate the symptoms, but in migraine during fasting, there is an increase in blood free fatty acids,
which will directly affect the severity or precipitation of migraine through release of Catecholamines.
Patients with migraines are advised not to fast.

[www.google.com]

Corboy -

Thanks for posting some really informative stuff!

The leader of the cult was 88 when she croaked. The last 15-20 years of her life - although she still continued to travel World wide - were spent dealing with NUMEROUS health issues, which, IMO, were because of all the fasting she did.

My fear is that as the members of this cult get older, they too will have health issues, BUT, they will chalk it up to "an attack of the devil" and other such irrational ideas.

The whole thing is turning into a cruel joke: Their "super spiritual fasting" is destroying their health, but they think it is the result of spiritual warfare, and NOT the result of the fact that they are destroying their own bodies , and rewiring their brains, which leads to more irrational thoughts, less critical thinking, and more bad "habits" such as long fasts, which leads too....you get the idea: a self-destructive vicious cycle - which they are oblivious to because of the sense of "superiority and power" they get while "their ego is pigging out" ( as you state in your first post.)

Mark

I knew someone in our local peace movement who did at least 4 water only fasts, medically supervised, that went on for 40 days, one as long as 47 days(!)

Guy seemed to handle it well at the time, continuing to walk, put in a full days work at the office.

But after three of these, he came down with pneumonia that was initially thought to be TB. Turned out to be caused by a bacterium that only causes illness in persons who are immune compromised--such as infants, the very elderly, skid row addicts and alcoholics, and those on immune suppressive chemotherapy.

This man had recurrances of lung trouble over the years, though he made it to age 80 plus.

Did himself NO favors, though. And I became disillusioned with Gandhian style fasting (which is what this man did) because it puts such a cruel hardship on families and friends. Coworkers have to take up slack for someone who fasts.

One may think they can handle it at the time, but the body will eventually have its say after too much abuse.

Will say, yet again, one doesnt actually suffer much when fasting if one has electrolyte balanced water and stays well hydrated.

If you want to learn more about mood and fasting, Marya Hornbacher, in her memoir Wasted: A Memoir of Bulimia and Anorexia describes in detail how she felt a potent calmness, focus, brilliance despite fasting.

One gets a feeling of utter purity that is seductive.

There is a sequel. Years later, Hornbacher found she had a particularly severe form of Bipolar Affective Disorder and gives this information in her second memoir Madness.

It is a pity this second book is not as famous as her first one.

That bulimia and anorexia (variants of fasting) were so potent in suppressing Hornbachers emotions that this initially smoothed out her mood swings.

In the long run this did not succeed.

But it hows the potent sedation and serenity that can be induced when we rob our bodies of food.

Will tell you I tried hard to fast for days on end but could only last for 4 days.

Why? I got so weak that I would have needed one or two assistants to walk me safetly across streets. And I did not want to give up my autonomy.

Years later, I found out my family carries risk factor for brittle bones (osteoporosis)

I was more grateful than ever that I had had no 'talent' for fasting.....