Sunday, October 30, 2011

Day 11 of Fast - Breakfast

Wt: 181.5

   Sorry people, I just couldn't make it to 21 days this time.  The thought of going to work for a week feeling like I was hungover and nauseous just didn't appeal to me... and 10 days of being an invalid was getting me ready to climb the walls.  I broke my fast this morning with 3/4 of an Apple.

   So far so good, no discomfort from reintroducing food into my system.  Although the apple DID taste divine. It'll be about 5 days before I can resume normal eating quantities.  I truly hope this has helped lower my blood pressure, and if not completely rid me of migraines - curtail them at least.

    Interesting facts; When we take drugs, illegal or otherwise, and have other harmful substances introduced to our bodies, whatever the body can't elliminate, it turns into fat cells.  SO, when we fast, those substances are again reintroduced into our blood stream.  This has been proven, when researches drew blood from fasting patients and discovered traces of drugs in their blood stream.

    The people who are going to have the easiest time fasting are those who are athletic and those who have taken good care of their health and have used drugs sparingly.  Little wonder I had a week of fierce headaches.  I obviously haven't completely detoxing.  It's not finished until the tongue clears up, and other changes happen outwardly to the body.

    I WILL try again, definitely not so close to christmas, and hopefully be in much better shape when I do.  I plan on increasing my vegetable intake, and working out alot more.  Maybe I can burn away some of those poisonous fat cells.

Cadmanz... Climbing the walls

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Day 10 of Fast

WT: 183lbs

 HALLELUJAH!!!  Last night was the first night since this fast started that I haven't had a headache all night.  I think THAT part is done.

   On the other hand, all day today I've been feeling a big nauseous... as though I was binging on wine or port last night.  Not the greatest feeling in the world.   Oh well.  I'm heading into the home stretch.  Just a little longer and I'll break the fast.  Hopefully every day that I continue brings me closer to better health.

   Although I am really getting bored of not being able to do much, and the lousy lousy taste in my mouth is really getting old.  I'm looking forward to Christmas and making up for all of this downtime and stuff by getting out and having some fun.

  Not much else to report here.. spent the day at home watching TV and hanging out with my little girl.

Cadmanz...Almost... almost...

Friday, October 28, 2011

Day 9 of Fast

Wt: 184.5lbs

  It looks like the weight dropping is starting to slow down, which is completely normal.  Last night was rough at first.  I was starting to lose it, from so many nights of migraine headaches while I sleep I was frustrated and angry.  Fortunately, after praying for a while and finally surrendering I relaxed enough and fell asleep.  Even though I had a headache most of the night I woke up 3 or 4 times briefly and fell right back to sleep.  The most restful night I've had since the fast began.

   Thank God.

   Anyways, I've decided to end the fast at 21 days.  I recently discovered that it takes half as long to break the fast as the fast itself was.  That means it'll take me roughly 10 days to get back to regular eating again.  With company Christmas parties and such coming up, I can't allow my fast to continue beyond that.  It would be dangerous and foolish of me to think that I could cut the fast any closer than that.  Particularly with all the food and alcohol that are usually served at these events.  The temptation would be great, and it would be rude to only eat 3 tomatoes at a party when they've invested so much into the event.

    So if all my issues aren't resolved by then, I'll be eating healthier and exercising more, and then in the spring I'll do another fast.

    In any case, I don't look at it as a failure.  I think of it as a stepping stone.  Thus far, it's been the longest one I've had since 2002, and if I make it to the end, it will be the longest I've ever done.  And hey - it's not that much further to go... 12 days after all, can go by very fast.

Cadmanz...  Almost halfway there...

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Day 8 of Fast

WT: 185lbs

  As you may have noticed, I havent gotten my BP checked recently.  I still will, but probably more sporadically now.  At this point with all the headaches and migraines I've been having, it's almost useless. They tend to feed off of each other and the migraine and BP increase together.

   Every other part of this fast has been pleasant except the migraines.  I believe I probably still would be having them if I was eating, regardless - I'd just be able to hide them better with drugs, or wine.  Which also, is not a terribly healthy way to live.  So with that in mind, I persevere.  All the same... it can be very discouraging.

   I learned last night, that the majority of people who fast need less sleep than the person who is eating, simply because the body expends so much less energy.  Little wonder my nights have been restless.  I just wish I didn't wake up with a headache.  I could handle the less sleep stuff if it weren't for that.

   Here's some really fun stuff, my tongue, I noticed last night, is now covered with a white slimey coating.  I have become completely inured to the taste, although when it began it was absolutely awful.  From what I've read, when the tongue clears up, the breath smells sweet and the eyes begin to shine... That's a signal that the fast is ready to end.

   Ok, some more fun stuff... not so gross.  I was reading about how some other inexperienced fasters had broken their fasts...  Some REALLY bad food choices.  One woman and her daughter chose to break it with chocolate bars... they had to fast AGAIN before they could eat.

Another guy decided to have a huge steak dinner with all the fixings... he was hospitalized.

Ditto to the guy who broke it eating potatoes.

And for the diabetic who managed to do a long term fast... Well... he died real healthy after breaking his fast with some dates.

SO here's how you break your fast.  CAREFULLY!!!  You do NOT binge.  If that's all you want to do, don't bother fasting.  Just stick with your drugs, your better off.

Break it with fruits... and very little as possible.  For a fast of 14 days, I would suggest 4oz of Apples every 2 hours for the first day.  8oz the second, 12 oz the third, and then on the 4th a lunch of salad and fruits, breakfast and supper of fruits only, ditto on the 5th with perhaps larger proportions.  You WILL be ravenous, but do NOT give into the feeling.

After a week, you should be able to resume normal eating, but as always be careful.  You don't want to end up the hospital or on your bed in agony.  If you take your time while breaking the fast, you can reap all the benefits your sacrifice and patience has bought you.

Cadmanz... Still persevering.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Day 7 of fast

WT: 187

   SO... Last night was absolutely wretched.  On a scale of 1-10 for migraines last night was almost an 11.  I felt like my friggin eyeballs were going to fly out of my sockets, but I did learn several coping techniques... In case you're interested;

Peppermint on areas of tension,
Headband with Loonies on both temples... TIGHT,
Ice packs behind neck and on forehead,
And
Sleeping with no pillow


Mind you I'm still not having a solid night's sleep, which is really frustrating.  I hate waking up every two hours.  I hope this isn't the norm for the entire duration of the fast.  From Herbert Shelton's book he said the fasts are generally pleasant and memorable experiences.... I can't wait to get to THAT point.  So far, I'm still detoxing and I hate hate hate this stage.

A friend theorizes that it's because of all the perservatives we eat... Which would NOT surprise me in the least. Mass production is a wonderful thing, but I wonder if we're killing ourselves while we do that? :P

Anywhoo, I remember doing an 11 day fast when I was 25 and I do NOT remember dealing with all this crap... mind you, I didn't have the frequent migraines that I do now, nor did I take ANY drugs back then... And... well... I was 25... If I had a hangover it was gone in 3 hours.

In any case, most reports I've read has it that the real fun starts around day 10... And day 14 the ketoacids transition easily between the brain blood barrier increasing focus, clarity and mental concentration.  And finally at Day 21, it's been reported that people tend to become more zen and more spiritual at that point... more self aware.  Interesting...

Either way, I'm not trying to cause a revolution, I just want to wind the clock back a bit... get healthier, be able to do stomach crunches without a frigging gut, and sure - it would be nice to prove to some of the people who think I'm nuts to think fasting has any value... that it actually DOES.

So - day 7!  Yay!

Cadmanz... Persevering...

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Day 6 of Fast

WT 188lbs

   Day started out good.  A little tired though, been having headaches at night while I try to sleep, but other than that, it's been good.  Then at 2 in the afternoon a friggin migraine hit.  Nothing to do with the fast I don't think, probably some weather change.

   So tonight I'm just kicking on the couch and surviving this migraine.  Sigh... not too much to report today.

Monday, October 24, 2011

Day 5 of Fast

WT: 192lbs
BP: 142/90

  MUCH better day today.  No much for headaches anymore.  Thank GOD.  I was able to work and focus on it.  The only downside is I have nose like a blood hound.  I can smell a bag of doritos being opened clear across my office.  It kinda sucks at times.  Fortunately the hunger phase has also ended.  I can see and smell food without salivating and wanting to eat.

   And the really nice thing about fasting is I have more energy than I should.  I didn't sleep well last night, woke up almost every hour, but in spite of that, I had lots of energy at work.  However, when I walk around I sometimes have to catch my breath.  My mouth sometimes taste like I liked a sewage drain too...  Not much I can do about that.  It usually passes after a while though.

   I've also bought a 4L jug of distilled water.  I've read somewhere that it might make the toxins stage pass faster.

  Anyways, it's all looking really good here.  BP going down, weight going down, head feeling better...  I can handle this.

And yes - my BP IS getting better for those who are worried.  It's come down to the levels it was when I checked it on Thanksgiving.  I'm hoping it'll go down even further.  120 or less would be nice.

Cadmanz onward and upward!

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Day 4 of Fast

Wt: 194lbs
BP: Unknown

    Last night was absolutely wretched.  I slept waking up every 2 hours, needing to drink and sometimes use the bathroom.  My head was absolutely pounding, but felt better when I elevated it with a second pillow.  Go figure.

   All the glucogen should be completely gone from my body now.  I feel alot weaker, needing to catch my breath just walking up the stairs.  My wife told me to go brush my teeth ASAP cuz it smelt like boiled eggs. LOL  I guess my body really is detoxifying now.

   Got a wee headache this morning, so I'm still running deaf.  Gonna camp on the couch and watch TV.  I'm more worried about how it's going to go tomorrow.  I gotta go back to work and I can't really just lie on a couch to do my job.  :P  Unfortunately, I can't really take time off either.  I'm looking forward to when the friggin' "detox" part of this is over... It's getting old. :P

   Oh and I had alot of food dreams last night.  LOL  I would dream that I ate something, and then run to the bathroom to spit it out because I'm fasting.  It's kind of like when you quit smoking, for the first while, you keep having smoking dreams and then feel ashamed you're smoking and put the cigarette out.

  In fact, quitting smoking is alot like fasting...  It's just as hard, believe me.  So if you ever quit smoking, you CAN fast.  And another thing... Once when I was a smoker, I did a fast... on day 2 I was craving a cigarette SO bad...  Well, lets just say, after that, cigarettes didn't appeal so much anymore and I stayed away for nearly a year after that.  The memory of how SICK I felt after I smoked...

  So if you ever want to try quitting smoking... go for a fast. LOL Two birds with one stone, and it's pretty effective at getting ALL the nicotine out of your system, DAMN fast.  I kid you not.

   Anyways, if I get around to checking BP today, not sure if I will, I'll post it later.  It's probably still in the 140s or 150s... Until this detox and headache goes away, I don't think it's really going to drop.  My neck is totally throbbing and my eyes hurt when I see sunlight.  I've turned into a vampire and gone into the dark of my basement.

    Catching up on alot of shows and comics though... I'd game, but with the way my head feels, I just don't feel like doing anything that takes any real mental work... which is why I'm not looking forward to tomorrow if I'm still pushing out toxins.

   Why do they have to go out through my bloody head anyways?  I think I'd rather have diarrhea than migraines. :P

Cadmanz - Keeping keeping on...

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Day 3 cont'd

Spent the day relaxing, watching TV and napping alot.  It seems to have helped, my BP has dropped down to 147/89

Thank god, the high BP was worrying me.  Although I've had my CI turned off all day.  Every time I turn it on, it ends up hurting like hell.


Day 3 of Fast

Wt: 195lbs
BP: Unknown

   Day 3, the last day that most people have any glucogen in their system.  Thank God.  My heart and my pulse feels like it's quieted down.  My head hurts alot less.  I slept pretty well last night, only waking up periodically to drink some water.  It turns out, I can now sleep without a second pillow under my head.  I have very mild sleep apnea, but with only one pillow, it's guaranteed to act up.  So I always prop my head up.

   It's terrible on my neck, but it's the only way I can get any sleep.  Fortunately, this fast, so far, has allowed me to be rid of that.

   Today is mainly being spent at home, relaxing, and enjoying my family and not doing much of anything.  I don't want my heart to work too hard, and I want my system to rest up.  The work week and fasting is hard enough.

   I also found a yahoo group all about fasting.  Which is great for me, there's even a few doctors who drop in there from time to time.  It's hard to find others who are trying this...

  Oh - I'm also spending most of the day being deaf.  My implant is turned off, it seems to help keep the headache away as well, which oddly seems to feel like it's inside both of my ears pounding away last night. :P  Not fun.

Cadmanz... be back later.

Friday, October 21, 2011

Day 2 of Fast

Wt: 202.5 lbs
BP: 171/93

    Ugh, finally near the end of the second day of the fast.  The headache has gotten progressively worse as the day goes on.  Sleep wasn't too bad last night, but the pain was still there while I was sleeping, albeit I was getting migraines at night the week before anyways, so that means little to me as it is.  However, I can't use any drugs to assist.

    Tongue has gone white, and there's a crack down the middle of it.  From what I've read this is normal.  One more day and the glucogen should be completely exhausted.  I'm hoping by Sunday or Monday the pain will receed and I'll feel worlds better.... one can hope.

   Here are some interesting links on fasting;


 

 http://www.vegsource.com/articles/goldhamer_high_pressure.htm

Anyways, I'm going to kick back on the couch the rest of the night and relax.

Cadman signing out.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Day 1 of fast

Day 1 of Fast
Weight: 201 lbs
BP: 150/90

   First day of the fast has begun.  I've removed most situations where I'm confronted with food from my daily routine.  However, you still drive past fast food, and people in the office still snack.  The only way I could entirely avoid food is to stay in a sanitarium for the duration of my fast.  Unfortunately, that's not really an option.  As nice as it would be.

   I finished my last bite of food at roughly 8pm last night.  I started the day with a very clear head, no migraine but by 11am the fasting headache kicked in.  I don't expect it to be gone for at least a few days.  The headache has two purposes.  It's removing toxins from the bloodstream, and also, the body is starting to starve for glucogen and trying to get me to eat again.

   By the end of the 3rd day, I should be completely exhausted of glucogen.  After that, my body will switch to metabolising ketoacids.  Hopefully not long after that my headaches should diminish.  This is probably the hardest part of the fast, as it can be quite painful and difficult to sleep during this stage.  It only serves as a good signal that I need to eat and live more healthily in the future.

   As tempting as it is to give up and get a juicy Wendy's burger, and have a bottle of wine to cap it off, I have a focus, and a goal, and I'm not going to give up this time, for any reason aside from extreme danger to my health.

    I particularly don't like where my blood pressure is at, it seriously needs to come down.  I want to live to one day see my daughter graduate and get married and have kids herself.  Drugs aren't going to improve that, exercise and healthy food alone won't remove the problems from my body either.  So I'm driven to continue this and see where it leads me.

Travis Penner

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Preparing for FastDay

October 19, 2011

    Tomorrow starts the first day of my fast.

    I'm looking forward to it.  Yesterday I stopped at London Drugs and did a blood pressure test.  It's not very encouraging (151 over 89).  I'm looking forward to seeing what improvements the fast will have on my blood pressure, and likely will also affect my migraines.

   The vegetarian diet I've had in the last week has also been enjoyable, actually.  My wife has dug up some really good recipes and we've enjoyed the change.  As well, since she's a diabetic, her sugars have behaved better while on a vegetarian diet.

    Tonight I'll be going out for supper with my grandparents and that will be my last meal for a while.  You might think I'm crazy, but I can't wait!  There are so many benefits to be had.  And I'm going to try and document as much quantitive data as I can.

   I've read that once the brain switches from using glucogen for fuel to ketoacids, the brain's efficiency jumps to 200%.  I wish I knew of a way to accurately measure that.  To see if it changes my IQ or some sort of mental performance benchmark.

   Anyways, more to come!

Travis Penner

Monday, October 17, 2011

A new adventure

October 17, 2011
 

 It's been a while since I wrote.  And exactly a year since I started this blog and was unemployed.  Alot has changed in a year, alot has been learned.

   I've gotten involved more in theater.  I've gotten my A+ for computers.  I've learned more about our marriage and how much I love my wife, and our life together.  We've learned how to trim down our budget.  We've changed our plans in a heartbeat when we were told of our little girl's impending arrival.  And best of all, we've learned some things about parenting and love our daughter more every day.

   It's been a very good year,and I'm looking forward to the next.

   In two more days I'm going to begin a fast.  For those of you who don't know what fasting is; it's the cessation of eating food and drinking ONLY water.  No juices, no nothing.  Just water, and that's it.

   Fasting has numerous health benefits.  So many that I couldn't even list them all, as I don't know ALL of the possibilities that fasting can bring about.

   Simply put though, fasting allows your body to rest and repair itself.  The heart beats easier, the stomach rests, allowing the kidney and liver to purge itself of toxins that have accumulated.  The arteries soften allowing plaque to be purged.  Massive amounts of salt is urinated, and your body's salt content can finally be moved, swiftly, from the body.

   Contrary to popular opinion, fasting does not kill you.  Fasting is also, NOT starving.  At any time you are eating less than your required caloric intake per day, you are starving.  However, to cease eating, is completely different.  There are metabolic functions that can only happen when the complete and total cessation of food has occurred.  When those metabolic changes occur - your body chooses to break down FAT, and NOT muscle.  Only when the fat stores have been completely exhausted, will it then turn to muscle.

   However, science has shown that even a person who is NOT obese, can go up to 90 days without food.

   Rest assured, I will not be going THAT long.

   I say all this to help you understand that I'm not on a suicide mission, nor am I in a protest.  But should you be interested, I'm not the first person to fast.  Gandhi, and many other historical figures have fasted.  Fasting has been part of history and religion LONG before this culture of excess.  It is only in the last 100 years have we become a culture of fast food, and supermarkets.  Food is plenty in our western society.  Even our bums eat better than the pioneers, paupers, and serfs of the past.  And infinitely better than people in parts of 3rd world countries.

   It's my personal opinion that everyone should fast, regularly.  No matter how healthy they are, if they want to continue good health and many years of well being.

   That being said; why am I choosing to fast right now?

   My primary reason is to get rid of migraines.  I've had them since I was a boy of 10 years old.  I can remember filling a sink with hot water just to dunk my head into it and relieve my migraines.  I can remember deciding what I want to read, based on how big of a headache I had... an Archie comic is MUCH easier to read than a Sci Fi novel when your head feels like a dozen hippos doing a conga line inside it.

And here are some other reasons;

-Lower blood pressure
-Sleep better (mild sleep breathing disorder)
-Lower triglycerides and improve my blood's condition
-Prevent Alzheimer's
-Improve vision, and to safeguard good vision for a long time
-To get healthier so I can enjoy working out more
-Increased energy and stamina
-Improve my heart and reduce risk of heart attack


   There are probably more reasons that I have not yet listed.  But also, I've studied fasting for quite some time, and I'm fascinated by it.  There's very few people who have done it, and no one I know, besides myself, who have ever done a long term fast.  I've done 11 days, ten years ago, but this time I plan to fully experience it, and make a record of it.  If you're interested, check in here.  I will be documenting it as much as I can.

   I truly think fasting is one of the greatest tools nature has offered us, and has long been neglected.  My goal is not only to improve my health, but also to prove to myself and others, how infinitely precious this gift is, and how essential it is to everyone.

   Can similar results be achieved by exercise, good eating, and drugs?

   Yes and no.

   Drugs never really heal you.  They usually only correct the symptom but never the underlying cause.  I truly believe, that when we fast, we allow our bodies healing abilities to finally have the opportunity and time to fully remove the underlying cause.

   While exercise, and good food are great, they will never be able to protect, prolong, and restore the body to optimal condition.

   Think of fasting, as a renovation.  Which it essentially is, it's a chance to clean your house, and allow the contractors to come in and update things and make it as best it as it can get!

   One last thing.  If you're interested in this, feel free to read and join me on this journey.  If all you want to do is treat me like a head case and try to talk me out of it, don't bother.  If I have to, I will close off this blog and make it private if it comes to that.  I'm open to questions, and genuine interest, but I've heard enough BS from people who still believe that FOOD is life.

Finally I leave you with this;

Matthew 6:25: 25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?
And the best of them all;
Isaiah 58:6-12
6 “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
   and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
   and break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry
   and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
   and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
   and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness[a] will go before you,
   and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.
9 Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;
   you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.
   “If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
   with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
   and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
   and your night will become like the noonday.
11 The LORD will guide you always;
   he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
   and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
   like a spring whose waters never fail.
12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins
   and will raise up the age-old foundations;
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,
   Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.