Date: Sun Apr 18, 1999 6:22 pm

Subject: FASTING 101

I see fasting and cleanses are the latest things to come up on the group email.

These need to be approached with caution.

First remember that all the diverse symptoms and pseudo-medical dysfunctions we

experience are the product of misfiring or over firing neurons in the brain and

central nervous system. There is functionally nothing wrong with all the

hundreds of body systems that produce the pain and suffering of withdrawal.

With a normal liver and kidneys 60 days will eliminate all stored benzo toxins

unless you are obese.

What we seek is neurological healing and not chasing all the loose symptoms. We

do need symptomatic support of say a hyperacidic stomach or constipation but

other than palliative measures all the other chasing if worthless other than

killing time.

Good solid health measures are important. Good diet, supplementation, aerobic

exercise, stress elimination, support, meditation and spiritual connection.

Brain chemistry 101: the brain runs entirely, 100% on glucose, it is its only

fuel. Under stress the muscles and other organs use up huge stores of glucose.

This results in functional hypoglycemia. If the blood sugar gets too low the

body releases stress hormones to activate more glucose from the liver. These

stress hormones inflame the neural sites we are trying to heal. Improper or not

eating makes your sicker...period.

Fasting puts the body into ketosis and glucose cannibalism. It will make

glucose out of stored fats and muscle tissue if necessary. The brain will not

allow itself to run too low on glucose...if you do you die. Fasting can and

usually causes an increase in cortisol and other hormones we dont want. There

is the possibility of feeling initially better since we are living on

cortisol...but then we pay for it.

Fasting also causes DHEA depletion which exhausts the adrenals further and give

rise to all sorts of dysfunctions from immune suppression to depression.

Fasting is an old health theory that may well be extremely harmful for anyone

with anxiety, depression or stress. All the symptoms you feel that are claimed

to be toxins leaving the body are in reality the cannibalism process starting.

The only time fasting is indicated is for some gastrointestinal dysfunctions to

give the GI tract a rest.

It takes moderate protein, glucose and oxygen for the brain to heal. Vitamin

supplements can be used in megadoses for some symptomatic control but then they

enter the classification as drugs. Unless you are very well trained this is not

a good idea: the body requires intricate balances of nutrients to not become

deficient in others....dabbling can make the healing longer and cause other

problems.

I see everyone here chasing all sorts of holistic products.....be careful you

may be arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.

A better question to ask yourself is have you meditated three times today, had

45 minutes of exercise and so on...you know the stuff none of us wants to do.

Finally I will go out on a limb here: The probability is that 99.99% of us do

not have fibromyalgia. The damaged neuroceptors from benzo use cause chronic

muscle tension which will not be changed by all the fibro treatments in the

world. When the neuron channels heal the rampant firing quits and the muscle

and joint pain will stop...but it is apparently one of the last things to leave

for most of us. Fibromyalgia is known in the medical profession as a waste

basket diagnosis...if you cant figure it out and the muscles hurt then diagnose

fibro.

I think it would be a great benefit to the group if you want to experiment with

holistic cures to do so for 30 or 60 days and then report to the group your

progress. Or post things you have done solid trials with and feel they are

working. Chasing the next posted cure is stressful in itself....please please

remember we are all different and all come into this process with very

different physiologies and what works for one may be destructive for others.

I also know that when we are in great pain we seem compelled to do something.

Care for each other and ourselves!!

The only way out is through.....Robert Frost!!

Dog chasing tail fails to see the answer... Lao Tsu

Rik