by
Paavo Airola, Ph.D., N.D.
HOW A FAST IS BROKEN
Whether your fast will turn out to be a success or a failure will
depend largely on how you break your fast. Breaking a fast is the
most significant phase of it. The beneficial effect of fasting
could be totally undone if the fast is broken incorrectly! As Dr.
Otto F.H.Buchinger says: "Even a fool can fast, but only a wise
man knows how to break the Fast properly and to build up
properly after the fast!"
The main rules for breaking the fast are:
1. Do not overeat!
2. Eat slowly and chew your food extremely well. (This rule was
taught by Charles Atlas in his famous "Health and Strength
Course, which I still have. He taught that you should ALWAYS eat
slowly and chew your food well. It is an important food law to
acquire the best out of the food as well as to control over-
eating. Atlas said that the more you chew your food the less food
you needed to eat - Keith Hunt).
3. Take several days of gradual transition to the normal diet.
First day: Eat one whole apple in the morning and a very small
bowl of raw vegetable salad at lunch, in addition to the usual
juice and broth menu.
Second day: Soaked prunes or (with the soaking water) for
breakfast. Small bowl of fresh vegetable salad for lunch.
Vegetable made without salt at dinner. Two apples eaten between
meals. All this in addition to the usual juices and broths.
Third day: As second day, but add a small glass of yogurt and a
few raw nuts for breakfast. Increase the salad portion at lunch,
and add a boiled or baked potato. A slice of whole-grain bread
with butter and a slice of cheese with soup at evening.
Fourth day: You may start eating normally ... If you fasted
longer than 10 days, the break-in period should be extended one
day for every 4 days of fasting.
In order to benefit from fasting to the greatest possible extent
it is of paramount importance that after fasting a build-up diet
of vital natural foods be maintained ... Such a diet will supply
the healing and regenerative forces of your body with all the
needed elements, so that the cleansing, regenerative,
rejuvenative and healing processes initiated by the body during
fasting can be continued.
But FIRST and foremost, keep always in mind the first rule of
breaking the fast: DO NOT OVER-EAT! This rule also happens to be
the first rule of keeping healthy and staying young longer.
WHAT JUICES TO USE
All juices used during fasting should be made fresh just before
drinking. In our Spa, various juices are prescribed individually,
depending on the particular condition of the patient. For
example, arthritics are not given citrus juices, except once or
twice a week, the emphasis is instead on vegetable juices,
particularly carrots, celery and alfalfa juices, and twice a day
vegetable broths. In some other conditions, the emphasis is on
fruit juices. Fruits and vegetables have a health-restorative,
medicinal value and, prescribed individually, can be effectively
used to speed the recovery. In my book, HOW TO KEEP SLIM, HEALTHY
AND YOUNG WITH JUICE FASTING, I describe the medicinal properties
of various juices and what juices to use for specific conditions.
If you are in a relatively healthy condition and are fasting for
the purpose of purifying and cleansing your body and rejuvenating
and regenerating all its vital functions, then you can use the
juice of any available fruits and vegetables. Fruit juices most
frequently used are: apple, orange, grapefruit, lemon, grapes,
pineapple, pear. In Mexican Spas, the juices of two tropical
fruits, papaya and lima, are used frequently. The recommended
vegetable juices are: carrot, celery, cabbage, beets, and, of
course, last but not least, the green juice, a "chlorophyll
drink" made from green leaves of alfalfa, comfrey, carrot tops,
beet tops, parsley, wheat grass, and/or any other available
edible greens.
HOW TO MAKE VEGETABLE BROTH
Vegetable broth is one of the standard beverages during fasting
in all biological clinics in Europe. Our fasting patients receive
a large glass of vegetable broth first thing in the morning and
before going to bed. It is a cleansing and alkalizing drink which
supplies a great amount of vitamins and particularly minerals,
which are so important for establishing and normalizing a proper
chemical balance in the tissues during fasting. Vegetable broth
is particularly rich in the mineral potassium which is of special
importance in the treatment of rheumatic diseases and arthritis.
Here's how you make it:
VEGETABLE BROTH
2 large potatoes, unpeeled, chopped or sliced to approximately
one-half-inch pieces
1 cup carrots, shredded or sliced 1 cup beets, shredded or sliced
1 cup celery, leaves and all, chopped to one-half-inch pieces
1 cup any other available vegetables: beet tops, turnips and
turnip tops, parsley, cabbage or a little of everything.
However, a satisfactory broth can be made with only potatoes,
beets, carrots, and celery, consisting of approximately 50%
potatoes.
Use stainless steel, enamelled or earthenware utensil. Fill it up
with one and one-half quarts of water and slice the vegetables
directly into the water to prevent oxidation. Cover and cook
slowly for at least a half hour. Let stand for another half hour,
strain, cool until warm and serve. If not used immediately, keep
in refrigerator. Warm it up before serving.
"EXCELSIOR"
"Excelsior" drink is a variation of vegetable broth especially
for patients with constipation problems and those with stomach
and bowel disorders. Flax seeds have a healing effect on the
stomach and bowel linings as well as act as a natural, mild
laxative. Bran supplies necessary bulk and stimulates normal
peristalsis. "Excelsior" should be used after fasting at least
for the first few days or weeks, until the normal peristaltic
rhythm is established.
1 cup of vegetable broth, as above
1 tbsp. whole flaxseed
1 tbsp. raw wheat bran
Flaxseed and wheat bran can be bought at health food stores. Soak
flaxseed and wheat bran in vegetable broth overnight. In the
morning, stir well, warm up and drink - seeds and all. Do not
chew the flaxseeds, drink them whole. Actually, it would be
better not to drink excelsior, but eat it slowly with a spoon,
without chewing, to effect proper salivation.
OTHER TIPS ON FASTING
1. WORK. Should you discontinue with your work and rest or stay
in bed while fasting? Not at all! On the contrary, staying in bed
during fasting is definitely harmful. Your body needs lots of
assistance in the form of fresh air, motion and exercise, in
order to accomplish a thorough cleansing of the blood and tissues
and to effectively regenerate and revitalize all the body
functions. Therefore, patients in the fasting clinics are advised
to do lots of walking and mild exercises, especially deep
breathing exercises, in addition to sunbathing. If you fast on
your own, it is advisable to continue with your normal
activities, but perhaps avoid too strenuous physical or mental
work. But do not neglect your daily walks! Do deep breathing
exercises while you walk.
2. BATHS. It is generally believed that one-third of all body
impurities and wastes are eliminated through the skin. Since the
tissue cleansing and speedy elimination of toxic wastes is a
prime purpose of fasting, it is important to keep the skin pores
wide open and the elimination through the skin as efficient as
possible. Daily showers, especially in conjunction with dry brush
massage are recommended. If the heart and circulation are good
(your doctor must determine this) then hot baths, steam-baths
(saunas) and hot-and-cold showers should be taken frequently.
(See chapters on Water Cure and Over-heating baths in my book,
HEALTH SECRETS FROM EUROPE.)
3. DRY BRUSH MASSAGE. During fasting - in fact, during the whole
period of biological treatment - all our patients are advised to
take dry brush massage. This is a simple and easy method of
rejuvenating and revitalizing your skin and of increasing its
capacity to eliminate accumulated poisons. Dry brush massage is
taken for about 10 to 15 minutes each morning before the
hot-and-cold shower, and again before going to bed at night...
(This is using a not too stiff brush or course towel and
thoroughly rubbing down the whole body so the skin in a nice pink
color - well stimulated - Keith Hunt).
4. CONTRA-INDICATION FOR FASTING. There are a few diseases and
conditions where prolonged fasting is not advised. Such diseases
are: advanced cases of tuberculosis; active malignancies;
advanced diabetes; and extreme emaciation or wasting disease.
Extremely emaciated patients should not fast longer than up to
three days at a time, with intervals of a nourishing diet. Where
there is serious acute disease, do not attempt fasting without
consulting your doctor and abide by his decision on the
advisability of undertaking a fast.
5. DRUGS ON FASTING. As a rule, a complete withdrawal of all
drugs is advised during a fast. However, in certain conditions
when drugs have been used for a long time and a certain body
dependence built up, withdrawal of drugs should be gradual and
the effect of withdrawal carefully supervised by a doctor.
Insulin in diabetes, digitalis in heart disease, or cortisone in
arthritis or other diseases - these and a few other drugs should
never be withdrawn suddenly and completely, but gradually, by
diminishing the dosage each day. This even applies to regular
coffee, if the patient has, for example, a heart condition and
has been a heavy coffee-addict for years.
6. VITAMINS. Should you take vitamins while fasting? ... I am
positively an advocate of taking vitamins and food supplements -
for the healthy as well as for the sick - mainly because of our
devitalized foods and toxic environment. Also, I use vitamins
extensively, often in huge doses, in my therapeutic programs for
practically any condition of ill health. But while fasting, the
intake of vitamins or other food supplements should be
discontinued completely. The general rule is that vitamin and
mineral supplements should be taken only when food is eaten; they
can be properly used by the body only in combination with foods.
However, as with drugs in certain conditions, there are cases
when certain vitamins can be allowed while fasting. Serious heart
cases, for example, are given vitamin E during the fast, although
in diminished dosage. The doctor who supervises your fast must
determine the necessity of continuing with vitamins while
fasting.
As soon as fast is broken, from the second or third day, the
usual vitamin supplementation can be resumed.
7. HUNGER. Will you feel hungry during fasting? Yes, during the
first three or four days you will feel hungry, of course. But
after that the hunger usually disappears. As a matter of fact,
the unbelievable will happen: the longer you fast the less hungry
you feel. Finally, when the body has completed its cleansing and
restorative work it will signal to you by a sudden and definite
feeling of hunger that you should start eating. This is
physiologically the right time to break the fast. Of course, in
the case of juice fasts, even during the first three or four days
you will hardly feel any hunger at all. However, every patient
reacts differently in this respect; much of it depends on the
mental attitude. Those who are not totally convinced of the
positive properties of fasting, or if they fast unwillingly
(nobody should fast unwillingly!), they will feel more hungry
than those who have complete faith and confidence in fasting.
The amount of will power and deterurination plays an important
role, too. Some of our fasting patients come to the dining room
where a smorgasbord table, loaded with most appetizing dishes,
tempts them, and drink their water or juice without being tempted
in the least. Others beg me every day to let them start eating,
although all symptoms indicate that they have no real
physiological appetite. This difference in the personality
make-up is one good reason why the best way to fast is at a
fasting clinic or health Spa where the practitioner can closely
observe the patient, encourage him to continue, and explain his
various reactions and symptoms, and where fasting guests can
encourage one another.
8. MENTAL ATTITUDE. Mental attitude during fasting is of
paramount importance. Avoid negative influences. Do not listen to
terrified relatives and "friends" who will warn you that you will
pass out any moment. As I said before, nobody has ever died as a
result of a few weeks of intentional fasting. Have confidence in
what you are doing. Remember, you are not the first to try it -
millions of people have done it successfully before you. If it
makes you feel better, do not call this measure a fast call it a
liquid diet.
It is best not to tell your friends of your new exciting venture.
If they know you are fasting, they will study you carefully and
tell you how much worse you look each day. If they don't know of
your fasting, they will ask you, "What's happening, you look
better and better each day?" Such is human nature! I know from a
quarter of a century of experience that when your fast is over,
both you and your friends will be surprised and amazed at the
remarkable - yes, miraculous - transformation that has taken
place.
9. FASTING AND SPIRITUAL AWARENESS. Fasting not only accomplishes
a physiological regeneration and revitalization of your body, but
has a profound stimulating effect on your mental faculties. It
also increases your spiritual awareness. It is important,
therefore, to adopt a proper, relaxed attitude. Try to
disassociate yourself from the usual everyday problems and the
worries of the material world, and let the refinement and
perfection of your inner self come to the fore as the ultimate
purpose of your existence.
Fasting is the time of rest, meditation and renewal of body, mind
and spirit. In all religions - Oriental, Hebrew, Christian,
Muhammadan - periodic fasting played a vital part, for two
reasons:
ONE, to keep the body (the temple of the spirit) clean; TWO, to
keep the spirit attuned with its Divine source.
You will notice that during fasting your visual and mental
perception and awareness of aesthetic beauty will be sharpened
and that your thoughts will gradually raise from a lower,
everyday level of unpleasant realities to higher realities,
concerned with the purpose and meaning of your Divinely designed
life. Your daily walk in the woods will be a new and totally
different experience. The singing of the birds will sound like
the most inspiring Bach-oratory, and the tall trees will appear
as mystic gothic cathedrals. Your heart will rejoice, your
earthly problems will seem unimportant, and you'll feel happy to
be alive. You will count your blessings instead of your problems.
And you will be amazed how your mental activity will be sharpened
and how thoughts and new ideas will flow with ease.
All in all, your first fasting will be a wonderful experience,
which will recharge, renew and rejuvenate your whole personality
- body, mind and spirit!
................
END OF STUDY ON LIQUID FASTING
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