I've dry fasted three times on Dr. Dunning's Phoenix Protocol. The experience of mental clarity cannot be described. And yes, you won't feel like sleeping on the final few days, the body/mind is in a state that I describe as "super-lucent". I lived to tell the tale, and I feel quite youthful.
I'm grateful for the researchers and pioneers who have bravely stared down the medical mafia, and rediscovered man's natural and Divine housekeeping routines.
I would also add that fasting supervised by a Professional can overcome a number of health problems and give you a sense of renewal. Supervision is paramount so check the professionals who continue Shelton legacy.They are listed in the U.S publication Health Science which is a great introduction to this way of living and thinking about your health.
Many of ones fears regarding health and disease can be addressed through the knowledge this tradition holds
I just started a fast. I'm on day two of a month long fast, give or take. I find great encouragement in this fine article. Thank you. Once I get past day three, the fast becomes much easier. At least, that's my experience.
I saw a video of a doctor talking about a man who had been paralyzed who decided to starve himself to death as a way of committing suicide. While he was doing that extended fast, feeling came back to his legs, and then movement. The man made a complete recovery and later took up jousting as a hobby. This fits in with the Bible, which says that if a man can't work, he shouldn't eat.
This is polite/non-argumentative reply regarding, "If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat." In context, this verse is addressing the following; unwillingness to work when one is able, laziness in our work attitudes, sloth...NOT physical impairment. God is asking each one of us to honestly examine his/her own work ethic. (2 Thessalonians 3:10)
I know that your understanding of that verse matches most interpretations of it, but I think there is more to it than that. Here's the New King James Bible's translation of that text:
2 Thessalonians 3:10
New King James Version
10 For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.
This little discussion is a great example of how to read or not to read the Bible and other spiritual texts.
You can read it from a position of charity, goodwill and wisdom, as it should be read. Wise men, Jesus in this case, are not out to punish people; they are out to heal people with their superior wisdom.
Therefore, when he says "shall not eat", it is not meant as a punishment but a remedy.
Ordinary egoic humans, in contrast, are governed by fear and desire, not charity, trust and humbleness. They are constantly suspicious that someone else will take advantage of them or rule over them.
They read the same sentence in a worldly manner but add a divine authority to it that doesn't exist. God is not interested in our work ethic; God is only interested in our salvation, enlightenment and healing.
Yes, of course, what you say is true. My original comment to John Ker was narrowed towards "work ethic" because he referred to a man with paralysis/physical disability.
Thank you for bringing this up as it moved me to write an article just now called “How To Read The Bible And Other Spiritual Texts”. Your comment features in it (without your name ) and I am quite harsh on you using you as a negative religous stereotype based on just one example. I want to apologize for that. This comment of you shows me that I might have misjudged you and I am sorry. https://markusmutscheller.substack.com/p/how-to-read-and-not-to-read-the-bible?r=14es53
This little discussion is a great example of how to read or not to read the Bible and other spiritual texts.
You can read it from a position of charity, goodwill and wisdom, as it should be read. Wise men, Jesus in this case, are not out to punish people; they are out to heal people with their superior wisdom.
Therefore, when he says "shall not eat", it is not meant as a punishment but a remedy.
Ordinary egoic humans, in contrast, are governed by fear and desire, not charity, trust and humbleness. They are constantly suspicious that someone else will take advantage of them or rule over them.
They read the same sentence in a worldly manner but add a divine authority to it that doesn't exist. God is not interested in our work ethic; God is only interested in our salvation, enlightenment and healing.
AMAZING ARTICLE!!! Have been needing this info for years. Planning my first fast soon. Been doing small fast but needed to know more about longer ones. Thank you!
Very interesting. I found Dr Mindy Pelz’s book Fast Like A Girl. Guides women through the process during their cycles. Great explanations of the different lengths of fasting up through 3-5 days.
Wow. I can get the same book on Amazon.com for $45.92. Has the Loony really devalued to only US$0.10? Or… you can read it for free at archive.org. (Has the U.S. dollar devalued to $0?)
So many good points and helpful distinctions. Thank you for doing this piece. However, advice to fast during pregnancy made my jaw drop.Morning sickness or no, fasting in the first trimester, let alone later, tells the body there aren’t resources to maintain a pregnancy and miscarriage would seem to be more likely. I say the first trimester because that’s generally when morning sickness shows up. It’s usually over by the end of the first trimester also. If there’s safety in fasting during pregnancy, I’d love to know it. I’m always having to reevaluate what I think I know but as a former birth and postpartum doula, that advice worries me.
Can you speak to fasting length? I’ve read and experienced this myself: petite women have a more difficult time with fasting, as described by A Midwestern Doc. My question is, what length of time constitutes a good fast? Is the 16 hour fast (stop eating after dinner, resume eating around noon) considered a worthy fast, or are you describing benefits from fasts that last a week or more?
I'm pretty sure this is addressing lengthier fast times than intermittent fasting, but length is a good question and something to build up over time. Personally, I cannot speak to lengthy fasts but I would recommend starting with intermittent fasting if you aren't doing so already at 16/8 hr. intervals and aiming for 18/6 as much as feasible. I find there are days I just don't feel as hungry and usually turn that into a day+ fast anywhere from 38-44 hrs. To me it's about listening to my body and not fighting that. Beyond that I would say try 3 days eventually if you want to or feel the need, but I've no experience like many others who go for 7+ days. If you're already a fairly disciplined person I don't think this is difficult to follow unless you're under inordinate stress at the time of trying to start.
Yep, I'm 120 and 5' 7"...not wanting to lose weight. When I did keto for a few months a few yrs back, I went from 125 to 105 rather quickly and had to quit.
You've taken me back to my early adulthood in the late 60s and early 70s when I first encountered hippies, grass, and "natural healing."
I delved into Shelton then as I did many others. I followed Airola's fasting plans. I remember the name only because two nights ago, I encountered some old books from that era.
I think the longest I fasted was between 3-4 weeks. The worst experience involved coffee enemas because they began removing some lining from my intestines--so caution is definitely advised. However, we had books and no one with whom talk...so, in essence, it was the Wild Wild West and learning by the seat of our pants. How lucky people are today to have such a wealth of literature on every aspect of health!
BTW, Unbekoming, do you have a Kofi link? I subscribed only once to a substack and had a miserable experience. The substacker tried to renew me without my authorization and had failed to provide the promised perks for an entire year. Unfortunately, Substack has no mechanism (of which I'm aware) like PayPal which would guard credit card information. My card had to be canceled, and a fraud alert was issued for the Substack writer.
Yup. In those days, circa 1960s, we gained information from books or newspaper articles. I saw nothing about coffee enemas except from one source...and decided to experiment. I was young so I could afford negative results sometimes. After I saw ropes and ropes of something in the toilet and I wasn't feeling too perky (in my 20s), I encountered another book saying that coffee enemas could be too strong and strip the intestine's lining. I totally stopped coffee enemas. Normally, herbal enemas and fasting left me feeling fantastic, and while much was evacuated via the enemas, I had never seen these ropes before. Of course, I suppose everything relies upon what protocol is used.
I've dry fasted three times on Dr. Dunning's Phoenix Protocol. The experience of mental clarity cannot be described. And yes, you won't feel like sleeping on the final few days, the body/mind is in a state that I describe as "super-lucent". I lived to tell the tale, and I feel quite youthful.
I'm grateful for the researchers and pioneers who have bravely stared down the medical mafia, and rediscovered man's natural and Divine housekeeping routines.
I was introduced to Natural Hygiene by a friend in 1978 I read Food Combining by Shelton and the underlying philosophy was a profound influence
Fasting when supervised in a supportive environment which Shelton and the professionals that have carried on his legacy practice is a life-changer.
I recommend his books on Fasting they are superb
Stephen Evans
I would also add that fasting supervised by a Professional can overcome a number of health problems and give you a sense of renewal. Supervision is paramount so check the professionals who continue Shelton legacy.They are listed in the U.S publication Health Science which is a great introduction to this way of living and thinking about your health.
Many of ones fears regarding health and disease can be addressed through the knowledge this tradition holds
Stephen Evans
Current IAHP list- https://www.healthscience.org/health-science/iahp-physicians-list/
I just started a fast. I'm on day two of a month long fast, give or take. I find great encouragement in this fine article. Thank you. Once I get past day three, the fast becomes much easier. At least, that's my experience.
I'm on Day 14 now and doing fine!
Day 21 and feeling great!
I saw a video of a doctor talking about a man who had been paralyzed who decided to starve himself to death as a way of committing suicide. While he was doing that extended fast, feeling came back to his legs, and then movement. The man made a complete recovery and later took up jousting as a hobby. This fits in with the Bible, which says that if a man can't work, he shouldn't eat.
This is polite/non-argumentative reply regarding, "If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat." In context, this verse is addressing the following; unwillingness to work when one is able, laziness in our work attitudes, sloth...NOT physical impairment. God is asking each one of us to honestly examine his/her own work ethic. (2 Thessalonians 3:10)
I know that your understanding of that verse matches most interpretations of it, but I think there is more to it than that. Here's the New King James Bible's translation of that text:
2 Thessalonians 3:10
New King James Version
10 For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.
I have read about experiments that scientists have done with rats and mice where the scientists severed the rodents' spinal cords, then put them on alternate days of fasting and a ketogenic diet, and the rodents started regrowing their spinal cords. I couldn't find that exact study tonight, but if you google that topic, you can read more studies about it. Here is one research piece that talks about this subject: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0244244#:~:text=Neuroprotective%20effects%20manifested%20as%20either,their%20outcomes%20as%20a%20whole.
This little discussion is a great example of how to read or not to read the Bible and other spiritual texts.
You can read it from a position of charity, goodwill and wisdom, as it should be read. Wise men, Jesus in this case, are not out to punish people; they are out to heal people with their superior wisdom.
Therefore, when he says "shall not eat", it is not meant as a punishment but a remedy.
Ordinary egoic humans, in contrast, are governed by fear and desire, not charity, trust and humbleness. They are constantly suspicious that someone else will take advantage of them or rule over them.
They read the same sentence in a worldly manner but add a divine authority to it that doesn't exist. God is not interested in our work ethic; God is only interested in our salvation, enlightenment and healing.
Yes, of course, what you say is true. My original comment to John Ker was narrowed towards "work ethic" because he referred to a man with paralysis/physical disability.
Thank you for bringing this up as it moved me to write an article just now called “How To Read The Bible And Other Spiritual Texts”. Your comment features in it (without your name ) and I am quite harsh on you using you as a negative religous stereotype based on just one example. I want to apologize for that. This comment of you shows me that I might have misjudged you and I am sorry. https://markusmutscheller.substack.com/p/how-to-read-and-not-to-read-the-bible?r=14es53
You are absolutely forgiven. No worries.
This little discussion is a great example of how to read or not to read the Bible and other spiritual texts.
You can read it from a position of charity, goodwill and wisdom, as it should be read. Wise men, Jesus in this case, are not out to punish people; they are out to heal people with their superior wisdom.
Therefore, when he says "shall not eat", it is not meant as a punishment but a remedy.
Ordinary egoic humans, in contrast, are governed by fear and desire, not charity, trust and humbleness. They are constantly suspicious that someone else will take advantage of them or rule over them.
They read the same sentence in a worldly manner but add a divine authority to it that doesn't exist. God is not interested in our work ethic; God is only interested in our salvation, enlightenment and healing.
AMAZING ARTICLE!!! Have been needing this info for years. Planning my first fast soon. Been doing small fast but needed to know more about longer ones. Thank you!
Very interesting. I found Dr Mindy Pelz’s book Fast Like A Girl. Guides women through the process during their cycles. Great explanations of the different lengths of fasting up through 3-5 days.
I have found fasting to be a most….beneficial intervention .
And…I was very unwell.
When combined with avoiding doctors …well don’t get me started.
There is one copy of Shelton's book available on Amazon.ca for $491.13. Must be truly subversive...
Wow. I can get the same book on Amazon.com for $45.92. Has the Loony really devalued to only US$0.10? Or… you can read it for free at archive.org. (Has the U.S. dollar devalued to $0?)
Thrift book also has the book for 20 bucks
Thrift books
THANK YOU !!
These truths deserve wide dissemination.
A protege of Burton, who was a protege of Shelton, is Alan Goldhamer, DC.
Interview done the other day- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDG1m_b5Ih0
So many good points and helpful distinctions. Thank you for doing this piece. However, advice to fast during pregnancy made my jaw drop.Morning sickness or no, fasting in the first trimester, let alone later, tells the body there aren’t resources to maintain a pregnancy and miscarriage would seem to be more likely. I say the first trimester because that’s generally when morning sickness shows up. It’s usually over by the end of the first trimester also. If there’s safety in fasting during pregnancy, I’d love to know it. I’m always having to reevaluate what I think I know but as a former birth and postpartum doula, that advice worries me.
Can you speak to fasting length? I’ve read and experienced this myself: petite women have a more difficult time with fasting, as described by A Midwestern Doc. My question is, what length of time constitutes a good fast? Is the 16 hour fast (stop eating after dinner, resume eating around noon) considered a worthy fast, or are you describing benefits from fasts that last a week or more?
I'm pretty sure this is addressing lengthier fast times than intermittent fasting, but length is a good question and something to build up over time. Personally, I cannot speak to lengthy fasts but I would recommend starting with intermittent fasting if you aren't doing so already at 16/8 hr. intervals and aiming for 18/6 as much as feasible. I find there are days I just don't feel as hungry and usually turn that into a day+ fast anywhere from 38-44 hrs. To me it's about listening to my body and not fighting that. Beyond that I would say try 3 days eventually if you want to or feel the need, but I've no experience like many others who go for 7+ days. If you're already a fairly disciplined person I don't think this is difficult to follow unless you're under inordinate stress at the time of trying to start.
If I fast more than 24 hrs at a time I drop 5 lbs and at 135 lbs that’s dangerous
That is my concern too. Being 110 and thin suggests I might not benefit from a long fast. More information will be Wellcome. Anore
Yep, I'm 120 and 5' 7"...not wanting to lose weight. When I did keto for a few months a few yrs back, I went from 125 to 105 rather quickly and had to quit.
How tall are you?
Everyone can afford to fast.
Supported or not….
Blessings and appreciation from Sydney Aus.
Outstanding article! I’ve been wanting to wanting to fast for some time now and this article has motivated me to actually do it!
You've taken me back to my early adulthood in the late 60s and early 70s when I first encountered hippies, grass, and "natural healing."
I delved into Shelton then as I did many others. I followed Airola's fasting plans. I remember the name only because two nights ago, I encountered some old books from that era.
I think the longest I fasted was between 3-4 weeks. The worst experience involved coffee enemas because they began removing some lining from my intestines--so caution is definitely advised. However, we had books and no one with whom talk...so, in essence, it was the Wild Wild West and learning by the seat of our pants. How lucky people are today to have such a wealth of literature on every aspect of health!
BTW, Unbekoming, do you have a Kofi link? I subscribed only once to a substack and had a miserable experience. The substacker tried to renew me without my authorization and had failed to provide the promised perks for an entire year. Unfortunately, Substack has no mechanism (of which I'm aware) like PayPal which would guard credit card information. My card had to be canceled, and a fraud alert was issued for the Substack writer.
Doing coffee enemas was “learning by the seat of your pants”?
Yup. In those days, circa 1960s, we gained information from books or newspaper articles. I saw nothing about coffee enemas except from one source...and decided to experiment. I was young so I could afford negative results sometimes. After I saw ropes and ropes of something in the toilet and I wasn't feeling too perky (in my 20s), I encountered another book saying that coffee enemas could be too strong and strip the intestine's lining. I totally stopped coffee enemas. Normally, herbal enemas and fasting left me feeling fantastic, and while much was evacuated via the enemas, I had never seen these ropes before. Of course, I suppose everything relies upon what protocol is used.