Leon Chaitow - Fasting - The only introduction you’ll ever need

Dedication Dedication Caution 1 What is Fasting? 2 Fasting – Ancient and Modern 3 The Effects of Fasting 4 How to Fast (and How to Stop Fasting) 5 The Many Ways of Fasting 6 Assisting Detoxification 7 The Spiritual Dimension References Keep Reading Resources About the Author In the Same Series Copyright About the Publisher

The publishers would like to thank Jillie Collings for her suggestion for the title of this series, Principles of …

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Dedication Dedication Dedication Caution 1 What is Fasting? 2 Fasting – Ancient and Modern 3 The Effects of Fasting 4 How to Fast (and How to Stop Fasting) 5 The Many Ways of Fasting 6 Assisting Detoxification 7 The Spiritual Dimension References Keep Reading Resources About the Author In the Same Series Copyright About the Publisher The publishers would like to thank Jillie Collings for her suggestion for the title of this series, Principles of …

Caution CAUTION The evidence offered in this book about the possible value of therapeutic fasting should be understood to be provided for information only, and not as a recommendation in any particular case for the use of fasting as a therapeutic intervention. If any fast is undertaken for longer than 48 hours it is strongly suggested that a suitably qualified, competent and experienced health care professional (see Resources section ) should be consulted for advice and to ensure that supervision is available. Fasting is to be actively discouraged outside of a residential setting for anyone with an eating disorder (such as anorexia and bulimia) or who suffers from any form of mental disease which requires medication to control it. Fasting is particularly contraindicated for anyone who does not fully understand and agree with its application. The author and publishers specifically caution against lengthy fasting (anything longer than two days) without expert supervision.

1 1 WHAT IS FASTING? At the age of 12 I experienced acute abdominal pain, and a doctor advised immediate hospitalization for removal of my appendix. My mother had also asked for advice from my father’s brother, a noted naturopath and chiropractor, Boris Chaitow (cousin of Stanley Lief, of whom more later). My uncle Boris took the extraordinary – many would say irresponsibly foolhardy – step of advising against surgery, and placed me on a water fast. During the following 10 days I (a most unco-operative patient!) was subjected to the indignity of regular tepid enemas, as well as hot and cold packs and a water-only regime. A few key facts are clearly embedded in my memory – that after the first day I lost all interest in and desire for food; that I detest enemas, and that I felt extremely well during the last week of the fast, with no sign of the agonizing pain previously experienced. I am well aware that the whole enterprise could have turned out disastrously had my appendix ruptured, as the doctor had envisaged if surgery was delayed. But it did not, and I still have both it and a firm conviction based on personal experience of the value of therapeutic fasting. Incidentally, at the time of writing, Boris Chaitow is alive and well and just short of his 90th birthday. Having subsequently trained in osteopathy and naturopathy (of which fasting forms an important element) I have over the years advised many patients with a variety of health complaints to fast – but have never had the nerve to risk what Boris (and my parents) risked with my appendicitis – nor do I recommend anyone else to do so. What is Fasting? 1 WHAT IS FASTING? At the age of 12 I experienced acute abdominal pain, and a doctor advised immediate hospitalization for removal of my appendix. My mother had also asked for advice from my father’s brother, a noted naturopath and chiropractor, Boris Chaitow (cousin of Stanley Lief, of whom more later). My uncle Boris took the extraordinary – many would say irresponsibly foolhardy – step of advising against surgery, and placed me on a water fast. During the following 10 days I (a most unco-operative patient!) was subjected to the indignity of regular tepid enemas, as well as hot and cold packs and a water-only regime. A few key facts are clearly embedded in my memory – that after the first day I lost all interest in and desire for food; that I detest enemas, and that I felt extremely well during the last week of the fast, with no sign of the agonizing pain previously experienced. I am well aware that the whole enterprise could have turned out disastrously had my appendix ruptured, as the doctor had envisaged if surgery was delayed. But it did not, and I still have both it and a firm conviction based on personal experience of the value of therapeutic fasting. Incidentally, at the time of writing, Boris Chaitow is alive and well and just short of his 90th birthday. Having subsequently trained in osteopathy and naturopathy (of which fasting forms an important element) I have over the years advised many patients with a variety of health complaints to fast – but have never had the nerve to risk what Boris (and my parents) risked with my appendicitis – nor do I recommend anyone else to do so.

2 2 FASTING – ANCIENT AND MODERN Partial or total fasting has been used for thousands of years by many religions and cultures as a means of increasing spiritual awareness and religious observation. For example, in Islamic tradition the period of Ramadan is characterized by complete abstinence from food or water during daylight hours for a period of a month. In the Jewish religion a fast day (no food or water) occurs during the ‘Day of Atonement’ (Yom Kippur) and yeasted grain products are avoided during the feast of the Passover, while Christianity has its Lent period when consumption of animal products are restricted prior to Easter. Biblical descriptions of lengthy fasts are common, with the emphasis on the heightened levels of spiritual awareness that they lead to, and texts also exist showing fasting to be part of pagan ritual, for instance in classical Greek tradition hundreds of years before the Christian era. 1 Fasting – Ancient and Modern 2 FASTING – ANCIENT AND MODERN Partial or total fasting has been used for thousands of years by many religions and cultures as a means of increasing spiritual awareness and religious observation. For example, in Islamic tradition the period of Ramadan is characterized by complete abstinence from food or water during daylight hours for a period of a month. In the Jewish religion a fast day (no food or water) occurs during the ‘Day of Atonement’ (Yom Kippur) and yeasted grain products are avoided during the feast of the Passover, while Christianity has its Lent period when consumption of animal products are restricted prior to Easter. Biblical descriptions of lengthy fasts are common, with the emphasis on the heightened levels of spiritual awareness that they lead to, and texts also exist showing fasting to be part of pagan ritual, for instance in classical Greek tradition hundreds of years before the Christian era. 1

3 The Effects of Fasting

4 How to Fast (and How to Stop Fasting)

5 The Many Ways of Fasting

6 Assisting Detoxification

7 The Spiritual Dimension

References

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About the Author

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About the Publisher

The evidence offered in this book about the possible value of therapeutic fasting should be understood to be provided for information only, and not as a recommendation in any particular case for the use of fasting as a therapeutic intervention.

If any fast is undertaken for longer than 48 hours it is strongly suggested that a suitably qualified, competent and experienced health care professional (see Resources section) should be consulted for advice and to ensure that supervision is available.