A cautionary tale re fasting

[Guest guest]

I have done a modified Gerson back in 2001, with fasting, following a

nutritional M.D.'s protocol. I lost 30 lbs. in less than a month (went

from 167 lbs. to 137, I'm 5' 7 " ; today my weight is 148), and I found

out later that, because my gallbladder didn't need to squirt bile to

digest fats (I wasn't allowed any for a long time), and hence " went to

sleep " and stagnated, the bile built up and I got a lovely case of

cholesterol gallstones, discovered during a trip to the ER when I had

biliary colic. I didn't have gallstones before the fast!! Quick weight

drop is conducive to getting gallstones, I found out TOO LATE, and

people who have stomach surgery to lose weight are cautioned about this,

I found out LATER! They are prescribed bile acid salts prophalactically

to prevent gallstones. I will never again do a fast. The fast did

include daily juices 3X that I made, Sonne's #7 & #9 (fiber and clay),

teas, water, supplements, and coffee enemas, plus I was allowed some

V-8. The 3rd week I was allowed small amounts of protein, but no carbs

of any kind or sugars. This doc insists that most people's troubles

come from yeast. It's true that yeast can be a big problem for those

who've been on lots of antibiotics and who crave sugar; usually they

have trouble losing weight no matter how hard they try. And I'm still

thinking about whether or not systemic yeast and/or mold can cause the

stomach bloating that I've had lately. It does seem likely, because

other causes have been ruled out. I went back to the same doc for that,

and for IVC and B and cal/mag butt shots. BTW, the gallstones have

shrunk by 1/2 (by ultrasound) with TCM herbs, fiber and orange rind, and

I haven't had symptoms for several years of gallbladder trouble.

Obviously, I eschewed surgery for that little problem. So, bottom line,

I don't believe in fasting, it can cause a raft of other problems (would

be a problem also if you're hypoglycemic).

Ellen

P.S. For those who don't know, I've had chronic lymphocytic leukemia

for 10 years with no conventional treatment. Doing well.

[Guest guest]

Ellen, that is not a fast. Or, at least, not the kind of fast I am

experienced with. To me a fast involves ingesting nothing other than

water. Preferably distilled water. A fast that includes liquid foods

(Juices) or any calories at all, would obviously yield different results.

Chuck

>

> I have done a modified Gerson back in 2001, with fasting, following a

> nutritional M.D.'s protocol. I lost 30 lbs. in less than a month (went

> from 167 lbs. to 137, I'm 5' 7 " ; today my weight is 148), and I found

> out later that, because my gallbladder didn't need to squirt bile to

> digest fats (I wasn't allowed any for a long time), and hence " went to

> sleep " and stagnated, the bile built up and I got a lovely case of

> cholesterol gallstones, discovered during a trip to the ER when I had

> biliary colic. I didn't have gallstones before the fast!! Quick weight

> drop is conducive to getting gallstones, I found out TOO LATE, and

> people who have stomach surgery to lose weight are cautioned about this,

> I found out LATER! They are prescribed bile acid salts prophalactically

> to prevent gallstones. I will never again do a fast. The fast did

> include daily juices 3X that I made, Sonne's #7 & #9 (fiber and clay),

> teas, water, supplements, and coffee enemas, plus I was allowed some

> V-8. The 3rd week I was allowed small amounts of protein, but no carbs

> of any kind or sugars. This doc insists that most people's troubles

> come from yeast. It's true that yeast can be a big problem for those

> who've been on lots of antibiotics and who crave sugar; usually they

> have trouble losing weight no matter how hard they try. And I'm still

> thinking about whether or not systemic yeast and/or mold can cause the

> stomach bloating that I've had lately. It does seem likely, because

> other causes have been ruled out. I went back to the same doc for that,

> and for IVC and B and cal/mag butt shots. BTW, the gallstones have

> shrunk by 1/2 (by ultrasound) with TCM herbs, fiber and orange rind, and

> I haven't had symptoms for several years of gallbladder trouble.

> Obviously, I eschewed surgery for that little problem. So, bottom line,

> I don't believe in fasting, it can cause a raft of other problems (would

> be a problem also if you're hypoglycemic).

> Ellen

> P.S. For those who don't know, I've had chronic lymphocytic leukemia

> for 10 years with no conventional treatment. Doing well.

>

[Guest guest]

It is probably time to distinguish between 'Fasting' and juicing which is not

fasting in the sense it is meant.

This will avoid confusion. Gerson or any other strict diet, juicing or

otherwise, is not fasting. People use the term and therein is the confusion.

There shouldn't be any. Call a Spade a Spade and Juicing, juicing and when you

hear the word fast you should think, absolutely nothing except water.

People fasting, water only, do not experience the Gallbladder issues that other

quick weight loss schemes might bring about. Shelton conducted thousands of

fasts and I have read other practitioner's works and the weight-loss-gallbladder

problem was never an issue. Keep in mind, when doing a fast, even a short one,

which doesn't required the services of a professional, do it correctly or don't

do it.

Gallbladder issues are very common and I suspect that 99.9% of the people with

gallbladder problems never fasted and I suspect that most of them never juiced

either and quite a bunch of them never lost great amounts of weight quickly.

The problems one hears regarding these warnings, have little, if anything, to do

with complete physiological rest meaning no food, bed rest, minimal sunbathing

and all to avoid taxing the eliminative processes. If not getting nutrition,

and continuing one's daily routine, perhaps one is going to run into problems.

Again, this doesn't mean the cessation of eating for a day but rather when

fasting for longer periods.

If a well-seasoned practitioner who used fasting almost exclusively said he

didn't think fasting was useful in treating cancer, why would I want to

experiment with it? It would probably be better to continue this discussion

off-list.

Joe C.

[Guest guest]

What TCM herbs did you use to shrink your gallstones Ellen?

~Amber

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

.......the gallstones have shrunk by 1/2 (by ultrasound) with TCM herbs,

fiber and orange rind, and I haven't had symptoms for several years of

gallbladder trouble.