Broken down into syllables, the word disease (dis-ease) becomes largely self-explanatory: There is a lack of ease in the functioning of our bodies.
Oberlin-based living foods chef and health educator Che Gonzalez acknowledges the body’s need for that ease. “It takes lots of energy to digest food … it’s like your bank account. If you’re trying to save money, then you don’t want to be taking it out of the bank.” Similarly, the more food we take in - and more important, the more wrong foods we take in - the more savings our accounts hold; essentially, more energy than our bodies can healthily provide. The more distanced our food is from its natural state, the harder it is for our body to process the nutrients and energy, calling for even more of that savings to be spent. Where processed foods are concerned, we're talking big bucks.
Water fasts, or the complete abstention from food and drink other than water, gives one’s system a break and replenishes our savings. Gonzalez says that water fasting is a practice that has been around since the ancient civilizations of Greece. Be aware that fasting is not cut and dried. Someone eating SAD (the unfortunate acronym for the Standard American Diet) is not prepared for a water fast. Gonzalez’ advice is to abstain from meat for at least one week before the fast. Wean yourself from substances like caffeine and sugar, too. The Miracle of Fasting by Patricia Bragg provides a good outline of where you need to start for a short fast, which can be done on your own for one to three days, but absolutely no longer than four.
Water fasting, if challenging, is a bit intriguing. With the proper guidance, you might be amazed at how your body can improve your health from within. The 15th-century physician Paracelsus, known as the father of body chemistry, once said "Fasting is the greatest remedy, the physician within.”
