RE: Fasting for long periods

[Guest guest]

Fasting like everything else will highlight the differences between

individuals. Some can easily forgo all energy intake for days, easily

transitioning to a fat and/or protein burning metabolism to keep the brain

supplied with energy. Some people will suffer severe discomfort at the first

tingle of dropping blood sugar. Different strokes.

As has already been pointed out, some of the apparent weight loss from

fasting is temporary depletion of glycogen stores (which also frees up

associated water weight).

I had never heard the distinction of " water " and " juice " fasting. While I

haven't researched this, couldn't you drink enough high calorie fruit juice

to gain weight, while fasting?

All that aside, I have fasted before and while not a regular scheduled

activity (for me), I believe there is merit in periodically resting the

body's digestive system. I won't offer an opinion on what an appropriate

period is. Local digestive flora are likely to be severely disrupted by an

extended period of zero energy intake, perhaps good if your local flora

needs shaking up.

As with all things, moderation and find the path that works for you. I would

be very surprised if any one strategy was ideal or even tolerable to all.

YMMV.

JR

-----Original Message-----

From: Francesca Skelton [mailto:fskelton@...]

Sent: Wednesday, June 09, 2004 9:10 AM

support group

Subject: Re: [ ] Re: fasting for long periods (was Re:

YourDaily eating Habits)

Hopefully we're all fans of the evidence. And hopefully open to new

evidence and not " locked in " (or we wouldn't have much to discuss on this

list).

At least one person I know (myself) would lose lots of weight on a 2 week

fast. During times in my life when I had little appetite for example, I

dropped scads of weight . I did not look upon this as beneficial for my

health, but admittedly those were times of ill health and not necessarily

the same as a period of intentional fasting. I become sick to my stomach if

I fast so I interpret this as a body signal that it doesn't take kindly to

fasting.

In the spirit of healthy debate, you can't dismiss Walford's studies on

rats and then mention that " bears hibernate " (and that they fast during

their hibernation) to bolster the argument that it's beneficial for humans

to fast.

on 6/9/2004 9:42 AM, Jeff Novick at jnovick@... wrote:

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[Guest guest]

>>I had never heard the distinction of " water " and " juice " fasting. While I

haven't researched this, couldn't you drink enough high calorie fruit juice

to gain weight, while fasting?

Technically, you are correct. True fasting is the abstention from food and

beverage except for water. Juice or fruit " fasting " are really juice and fruit

" diets " but many uese them as modified fasts as they typcially reduce their

caloric intake substantially while following them.

My guess is you could drink enough juice to gain weight, but it might be

difficult. A typical 8 oz of orange juice is about 110 calories. So, to get

around 2500 or 3000 calories would be 22 - 27 eight oz glassed. Doable, but

probably difficlut.

Jeff

[Guest guest]

Yes, I suspect most here can do the math.

I looked into this a little around a year ago, and even experimented some

with " carb Fasting " where I eliminated carbohydrates only for 24+ hour

periods (still have ketostix left over). My interest was in the effects of

fasting vis a vis the insulin pathway as reducing blood sugar should rest

the insulin system and perhaps improve insulin sensitivity.

In that context drinking high GI fruit juice during a fast would seem

counter productive. Kind of like my favorite TV ad for an " effortless "

exercise machine. Fasting while maintaining high blood sugar will surely

diminish that part of the benefit. I don't mean to diminish withholding

energy sources from digestive biotics is a different and important vector. I

have heard more good than bad about fasting but haven't personally formed a

strong opinion, or incorporated it into my normal patterns.

I do recall entering a peaceful state when there wasn't a bunch of food

gurgling around down there, but I enjoy eating even more.

Regarding the attempts to draw parallels with bears hibernating. It appear

the general public is well on its way in building up their fat stores,

unfortunately they won't wake up from any obesity induced " big sleep " .

Live long and well..

JR

-----Original Message-----

From: Jeff Novick [mailto:jnovick@...]

Sent: Wednesday, June 09, 2004 10:38 AM

Subject: RE: [ ] Re: fasting for long periods

>>I had never heard the distinction of " water " and " juice " fasting. While I

haven't researched this, couldn't you drink enough high calorie fruit juice

to gain weight, while fasting?

Technically, you are correct. True fasting is the abstention from food and

beverage except for water. Juice or fruit " fasting " are really juice and

fruit " diets " but many uese them as modified fasts as they typcially reduce

their caloric intake substantially while following them.

My guess is you could drink enough juice to gain weight, but it might be

difficult. A typical 8 oz of orange juice is about 110 calories. So, to

get around 2500 or 3000 calories would be 22 - 27 eight oz glassed. Doable,

but probably difficlut.

Jeff

[Guest guest]

Rodney, sounds good, let's do it. OK, now who has about 200 adolescent

mice?

(|-|ri5

>

> One study that, IMO, needs to be done is animals restricted to

> various different degrees to try to determine the shape of the CR

> benefit curve. I.E. where is life extension maximized? At 40%

> restriction? Or 70%? Or 38%?

> >

[Guest guest]

Rodney, I agree 100% also, Right now, there are so many variables and

unanswered questions.