Fasting
for Health and as
an Anti-Aging Strategy
©
Leon Chaitow N.D., D.O., M.R.O.
Despite
this apparently lengthy list of possible dangers and side-effects
fasting is safe, and short term fasting is almost totally
safe.
Fasting
is arguably the most natural and effective health enhancing measure
available - or at least it was. Lengthy fasts, up to 100 days, used
to be carried out regularly with spectacular results and usually
following a predictable pattern.
Because
of the accumulation in the fatty tissues of almost everyone on the
planet of toxic debris from petrocarbons to dioxin and DDT fasting
may not be such a safe option any longer, or at least lengthy fasts
which produce an uncontrolled delivery of the toxic debris into
the bloodstream may no longer be safe unless under strict supervision.
There
are arguably only three broad strategies which can offer a beneficial
change to the inevitable decline in health caused by biochemical,
mechanical (posture etc) and emotional stressors impacting anyone's
defense systems:
1.
Removal of causes
(improved nutrition, exercise patterns, relaxation) so reducing
the demands being made on the adaptive, repair and defense capabilities
of the body.
2.
Improvement of
the adaptive, repair and defense capabilities of the body by methods
which enhance immune and repair functions.
3.
Treatment of the symptoms - either in a way which causes
no new problems (the ideal) or in ways which mask symptoms and actually
create new problems, depending upon which model of health care you
follow.
Natural
Healing Objectives
Unlike the use
of medication and much surgical intervention which impose
solutions, or which makes forced alterations to particular situations,
natural healing methods have a respect for the self-healing (homeostatic)
potentials of the body.
This
is sometimes referred to as 'vis medicatrix naturae' or the
'healing power of nature'. In German texts it is often referred
to as 'awakening the physician within', and in more scientific
terminology as 'enhancing homeostasis'.
Such
methods appear to work by allowing space, giving a healing opportunity
and doing the opposite of forcing a solution, which may offer only
short term benefits.
Fasting
sits at the centre of such approaches, along with relaxation and
meditation methods, the use of relaxing hydrotherapy methods (such
as the 'neutral bath'), the use of non-specific bodywork ('wellness
massage' and aromatherapy relaxation methods for example) and employment
of techniques which have a balancing, harmonising, normalising influence
- including some herbal and acupuncture methods. None of these methods,
in themselves, is 'curative', but all allow a healing potential
to operate more efficiently because they offer the body-mind complex
physiological rest,essential time, space and reduced demands which
encourages normalisation and recovery, irrespective of whatever
is wrong.
This
is not to say that such methods can produce absolute remedies in
all cases, since in many instances pathology will have created so
much change, so much damage, that the best that can be hoped for
is that matters do not get worse, or that there is a marginal improvement.
This is nevertheless an infinitely better outcome than a steady
decline into ever more ill health.
Trevor
Salloum ND describes the benefits of fasting,
"Decreased
weight, clearer skin, increased elimination, tissue repair, decreased
pain and inflammation, increased concentration, relaxation, plus
spare time and savings in the cost of food.Perhaps the greatest
benefit is the satisfaction that you are taking a major role in
improving your health."(1)
The
Aging Process - and Fasting's Anti-aging Potential
There are a number of competing theories as to just what constitutes
the mechanics of the aging process, but there is an increasing agreement
that it is probably a combination of interacting elements - all
happening at the same time. This was neatly summarised in Newsweek
(March 5 1990) by journalists Sharon Begley and Mary Hager,
"One
theory holds that the changes that accompany aging are the inevitable
result of life itself. DNA, the molecule of heredity, occasionally
makes mistakes as it goes about its business of synthesising proteins;
metabolism produces toxic avengers (free radials) that turn lipids
[fats] in our cells rancid and proteins 'rusty'. This damage accumulates
until the organism falls apart like an old jalopy....The other theory
argues that aging is genetic, programmed into the organism like
puberty. there is evidence for both sides."
So
we either gradually start to malfunction and fall apart because
of wear and tear and the effects of accumulated toxic materials,
and/or the whole process is as inevitable as growth, puberty and
the menopause - it is preprogrammed in our cells.
Research
into how to slow down this inevitable process has been focusing
ever greater attention on to what has been termed 'calorie restriction'
as a means of successfully reversing (or at least slowing) the decline
into decrepitude and death.
The
principle researchers in this field are Americans Richard Weindruch
PhD and Roy Walford MD. (2)
I have summarized their work and added other evidence to support
the value of 'calorie restriction' (which includes the use of fasting,
monodiets and exclusion/elimination diets) in my own books on the
subject, Natural Life Extension and my detoxification text
Body Tonic (formerly published by GAIA as Clear Body Clear
Mind)(4)
Short
Fasts? Long Fasts?
Fasting for longer than two days can hardly ever cause harm, although
some short-term symptoms might be noted, as will be discussed later.
Some
experts say that up to five days of unsupervised fasting is acceptable
- however I disagree and insist that no-one fasts for longer than
four days without the advice and potential for supervision from
a health care professional who is qualified to give advice, in case
symptoms of an unpredictable nature start during a fast.
And
What Are The Risks?
In the medical literature up to 1985, involving thousands of cases
of fasting, usually involving severely ill patients often with life-threatening
conditions, there are only 7 cases of death reported and in five
of these drugs were administered during their fast, something which
is quite definitely contraindicated. (4),
(5), (6),
(7), (8)
As
Joel Fuhrman MD explains,
"If
we look at the details of these cases we can clearly see that the
individuals were fasted improperly, using multiple drugs during
the fast, in patients who had heart failure and kidney disease prior
to the fast.....[some of] these patients drank unrestricted amounts
of coffee, tea, and fruit juice during the fast and were given digoxin,
diuretics and anticoagulants. These were not total fasts, and might
more appropriately be called coffee and fruit juice feasts."
A
statement taken from the ultra-cautious and medically conservative
journal The Lancet (9) helps to put into context the relative
danger,
"Fasting
short of emaciation is not hazardous, if death results, reasons
other than those of the fast should be considered before concluding
that all supervised fasts should be discouraged."
And
remember that NONE of these tragedies were related to short term fasting,
which is the most highly recommended tactic for home use. ALL
long-term fasting needs to be performed under supervision by a qualified
and experienced health care professional.
Contraindications
to Extended (beyond 48 hours) Fasting
- Emaciation.
Anyone who is severely underweight, for any reason should
not fast for long periods. However controlled short fasts can
assist in normalising reasons for the emaciation in some cases
(malabsorption problems for example). If emaciation is due to
advanced cancer, TB or AIDS or to an eating disorder
such as anorexia, then fasting of any sort should not be undertaken.
- Fasting
during pregnancy.
There exists danger to the foetus in some instances - especially
if the woman is also diabetic. Any fasting of a pregnant woman
should be under strictly controlled and supervised conditions
and for a clearly defined reason. Fasting is contraindicated when
breast feeding since milk flow is likely to cease and will
be difficult to start again.
- Type
l diabetics
should not be fasted according to many experts, however some allow
fasting as long as glucose levels are tested frequently and insulin
intake adjusted according to lowered needs during a fast. Type
ll diabetics should also be checked regularly, and they will
probably find that sugar levels are normalized during the fast.
- Infants
should not be fasted for longer than two days, and they seldom
need even that length to respond well to this method of health
promotion. There is seldom any reason for avoiding a short fast
(36 to 48 hours) in a child of any age, should this be indicated
(infection, digestive upset, skin reaction, etc.)
- Kidney
failure
is thought to be a sound reason for avoiding fasting since the
process makes excessive demands on remaining kidney function.
However under controlled conditions short fasts can be helpful
in such cases.
- Medium-Chain
Acyl-CoA Dehydrogenase (MCAD)
deficiency is a very rare enzyme defect which makes it difficult
for the body to process fatty acids which are mobilized during
a fast. In such cases urine may appear light in color which is
unusual during a fast when great deal of waste (ketones) are being
processed. Extreme lethargy and vomiting are early signs. Such
problems would only present a danger on a long fast, and not during
a short (48 hour) fast because the mobilization of fats would
not be advanced until some days of fasting.
- Long
fasts
are contraindicated in anyone with severe liver disease
or severe anemia, however repetitive short fasts may be
beneficial as part of an overall strategy to assist or normalise
such problems.
- There
are strong contraindications to even short-term fasting for anyone who is taking prescription
drugs. If a health condition is such as to warrant regular
intake of such medication then the condition should be treated
in such a way as to avoid long fasts or unpredictable reactions
could occur. This is particularly true of anyone taking steroid
medication, or who has taken steroid medication in the past for
long periods. A similar caution is required regarding anyone taking
forms of hormone replacement, such as in cases of under active
thyroid.
In
all such cases (where steroid - hormone medication is current of
has been prolonged) supervision of the fast is essential, in a controlled
environment - clinic, hospital etc. whether or not weaning from
the medication has been possible prior to the fast.
Physician
Joel Fuhrman MD explains his approach to patients on medication
if he wishes to have them fast,
"Normally,
I taper medication as the patient adopts a healthy diet and postpone
the fast until it is safe to discontinue most medication.......If
patients cannot reduce their dependency on such agents [toxic drugs
which combined with fasting can cause toxic insult to the kidneys]
through dietary and nutritional management prior to the fast, they
are not suitable candidates for a fast."(10)
Among
the forms of prescription medication which indicate that fasting
should be avoided would be the current use of antidepressants, non-steroidal-anti-inflammatory
drugs, aspirin, oral hypoglycemic drugs, anti-coagulant drugs, chemotherapeutic
drugs, anti-hypertensive medication. Once these have been safely
stopped, with a physicians approval, fasting can commence, however
if the fast is to last for more than 48 hours supervision is suggested.
- Anyone
habitually using 'social' drugs (alcohol, tobacco, street drugs
etc) should be very carefully detoxified (as well as stopping
the habit) before any long-term fasting is considered. All signs
of withdrawal should be passed before fasting is used, and careful
monitoring of their condition should be continued throughout long-fasts.
Short fasts, interspersed with other detoxification method are
preferable.
- No-one
who is afraid of the idea of fasting should be asked to do so.
There are gentler ways, including mono-diets which can start the
process.
Common
Side-effects of Fasting
Awareness of the likely side-effects of fasting is important for
both the person undertaking the fast and anyone supervising or looking
after them. Such 'side-effects' are usually relatively mild and
are rarely serious, and include:
- Headaches
(usually lasting less than a day - and common at the start of
a fast). Cold compresses, warm foot baths and neck massage should
help.
- Insomnia
is not uncommon at the start of a fast. A 'neutral bath' is often
helpful as are the use of essential oils.
- Nausea
and a coated tongue are usual on a fast. Scraping the tongue and
use of a herbal mouth-wash can help reduce these symptoms. Gentle
acupressure on the 'anti-nausea' point (P6) on the wrist should
help minimize this symptom.
- Dizziness,
lightheadedness and palpitations are common early symptoms and
highlight the need for rest and for no driving or use of machinery
requiring strength or concentration during a fast. Relaxation
and slow deep breathing exercises are suggested to assist in the
normalization of these transient symptoms.
- Increased
body odour, skin rashes and dry skin may appear during a fast.
Regular warm but not hot showers or aromatherapy baths using appropriate
oils are suggested. All such symptoms decrease as regular short
fasts are undertaken.
- Increased
discharge from mucous membranes (nasal, vaginal etc) often occurs
and this should be allowed to happen unchecked.
- Aching
limbs and muscles may occur and can be minimized by use of aromatherapy
oils in a neutral bath, massage and doing light stretching exercises.
- It
is normal to feel colder than usual during a fast so the individual
should dress more warmly than usual and add an extra blanket to
the bed.
- As
a rule hunger vanishes after the first day of a fast.
- Bed-rest
is not essential or even desirable unless the physical condition
demands it. Fresh air and a little gentle exercise are helpful
but excessive exercising (aerobic) and sunbathing should be avoided
to conserve energy and prevent dehydration.
- The
bowels may stop functioning during fasting and this is not a concern.
In long fasts if there is a history of a toxic bowel an enema
or colonic irrigation may be suggested, although this is seldom
necessary.
Possible
(rare) Side Effects During Long Fasts
- If
serious symptoms occur on a long fast, such as a sudden drop in
blood pressure, or a feeling of extreme cold which persists, or
a prolonged, rapid and weak pulse, or extreme weakness, or difficulty
in breathing then the fast should be stopped. These symptoms are
unlikely to occur on short fasts, but are possible on long-fasts
which highlights the need for supervision and the regular checking
of vital signs.
- If
vomiting and/or diarrhea occur and are persistent then expert
advice should be sought. It is essential to maintain liquid intake
at an optimum level.
- If
acute anxiety and emotional distress are experienced then the
fast should be carefully broken (vegetable broth, yogurt, steamed
fruit etc).
- If
there are signs of hepatic or renal problems the fast should be
terminated.
- Uric
acid levels in the bloodstream rise during a fast and if there
is a history of gout caution is required. High levels of fluid
intake can ensure that gout is an unlikely outcome of fasting
even if uric acid levels become relatively high.
Lab
Tests During Long-term Fasting (more than 4 days)
- Salloum,
Burton and Fuhrman as well as many other experts suggest that
during a supervised long fast there should be daily assessment
of vital signs (heart, blood pressure etc) and weekly evaluation
of electrolyte levels and reserves (which should be repeated if
vomiting and/or diarrhea or sudden weakness are noted)
- Before
a long fast is started liver and kidney tests should be performed.
A long fast should be ruled out if the liver or kidneys are in
a distressed state.
- No
specific patterns of laboratory results are predictable during
a fast, with individual characteristics being evident depending
upon overall health status and any concurrent medical problems.
- Liver
enzyme levels may rise, with or without liver disease being present.
- Cholesterol
and triglyceride levels usually rise as fat stores are mobilized
and uric acid levels rise (they should all fall after the fast).
- Blood
glucose levels decline in most fasting individuals (and normalize
subsequent to the fast).
- Erythrocyte
Sedimentation Rate (ESR) usually decreases during a fast while
most aspects of complete blood count remain stable if hydration
is adequate.
- Increased
specific gravity of urine usually indicates inadequate hydration.
A variety of unusual products are commonly found in urine during
a long fast.
- Insulin
and thyroid hormone levels usually drop during a fast, while growth
hormone increases (except in obese patients). Other increases
usually include serum melatonin (assisting sleep and stress reduction),
glucagon, cortisol, plasma norepinephrine.
- Blood
pressure is likely to drop as is weight and pulse rate.
- A
marked improvement occurs in immune function, especially during
the first 36 hours of a fast. There may be raised levels of T-lymphocytes
and lymphokines, decreased complement factors, decreased antigen-antibody
complexes, increased immunoglobulin levels, enhanced natural killer
cell activity, heightened monocyte killing and bactericidal activity
and marked increase in resistance to infection in the post-fast
period.
Despite
this apparently lengthy list of possible dangers and side-effects
fasting is safe, and short term fasting is almost totally
safe.
References
- Salloum,
T. Fasting - Patient Guidelines Textbook of Natural Medicine (eds
Pizzorno J Murray M) Bastyr University, Seattle WA. 1987.
- Weindruch,
R. & Walford R The Retardation of Aging by dietary restriction.
Charles Thomas Springfield Illinois. 1988.
- Chaitow,
L. Natural Life Extension Thorsons 1992 & Clear Body Clear
Mind GAIA London. 1991.
- Burton,
A. Fasting too long Health Science 2:144-146. 1979.
- Cubberley,
P. et al Lactic acidosis and death after treatment of obesity
by fasting New England Journal of Medicine 272:628-630. 1965.
- Norbury,
F. Contraindications to long-term fasting JAMA 188-88 1964.
- Kahan,
A. Death after therapeutic starvation The Lancet i:1378-1379 1968.
- Salloum,
T. Burton A Therapeutic fasting Textbook of Natural Medicine (eds
Pizzorno, J.; Murray, M.) Bastyr University, Seattle WA. 1987.
- Stewart,
W. Fragmentation of cardiac myofibrils after therapeutic starvation
Lancet i:1154. 1969.
- Fuhrman,
J. MD Fasting and Eating for Health St. Martin's Press NY. 1995.