-Bookmark Comments To This Page-
Categories
- A Fasting Intro (7)
- Announcements (2)
- Breaking A Fast (6)
- Cancer Research (5)
- Cancer Treatments (8)
- Certification (2)
- Colon Cleansing (9)
- Detoxification Books (2)
- Fasting & Addiction (8)
- Fasting & Detoxification (4)
- Fasting & Healing (19)
- Fasting & Weight Loss (12)
- fasting club (2)
- Fasting Discipline (6)
- Fasting Problems (8)
- Fasting Research (7)
- Featured (1)
- How to Fast (12)
- Juice Fasting (6)
- Juice Recipes (24)
- Juicer Reviews (5)
- Medical Fraud (3)
- Patient Records (1)
- Prayer & Fasting (24)
- Questions & Answers (11)
- Research Sources (6)
- Stories & Testimonies (24)
- Supplements Review (12)
- Support (13)
- Water Fasting (10)
- Weight Loss Programs (5)
Latest Headlines
- Guyabano Cancer Cure
- Fast-5 Weight-loss Through Eating for 5 Hours a Day
- Fat Cells Do Not Live Forever
- 50 Day Fasting Testimony
- Fasting Progress Reports
More Articles
- 50 Day Fasting Testimony
- Fasting Progress Reports
- Cayenne Pepper - Weightloss- Fasting
- Darker Fruits Could Fight Cancer
- Intestinal Bacteria Replacement After Fasting
- Fasting Disasters, Blowing it Bad.
- Fasting-impacts-the-root-cause-of-cancer
- "FIRST" Wants to Interview Women Who Have Lost Weight During Fasting
- Dry Fasting
- Cellular Detoxification
- Fasting Support for Christin L.
- Fasting & Stomach Ulcers
- Chelation Therapy: Unproven Claims and Unsound Theories
- Water Fasting - An Introduction
- Can I drink bottled juice during a fast?
- Natural Face Scrub
- Tom's Favorite:Cantaloupes - Ranked First in World's Nutritious Fruit
- Mouth Cankers Remedies
- Extreme Transformation Introduction
- Sin Nature
- The Brain Stimulator Juice with Orange, Pear, Yam, Grapefruit and Apple
- The Hyper House Cleaner Juice with Yam, Beet, Onion, Lemon, Celery, Ginger
- A Taste of Heaven Juice with Carrot, Sweet Potato, Apple, Onion, Dulse Powder
- Battling Cancer With Fasting: Causes of Cancer
- Beneficial Intestinal Bacteria
- Nicotine Cigarette Tobacco Addiction
- Multi-Vitamin and Mineral Supplements
- Bibliography, Research Sources
- Starting a Juice Fasting
- Finding Your Purpose
- Fasting Cleans the Spiritual House
- Fasting Cleanses The Conscience
- Introduction to Biblical Fasting
- Fasting Heals Liver Disease
- Fasting to Heal Backaches
- Healing the Brain With Fasting
- Grace Lang lost 21 lbs. and healed stomach reflex disease and a skin problem.
- Ron Harrison lost 40 lbs. Healed sinus problem & weeping ulcers.
- Brian Chason lost 28 lbs. and dramatically increased enegy and stamina.
- Extreme Health Recipes by Tom Coghill
Fasting Downs and Highs
Written by Tom Coghill ·
January 11, 2008 | | 4,688 Views
Fasting is a roller coaster ride full of ups, downs, swerves and turns. During a fast, you can be flying high on the jet streams of exhilaration and unexpectedly nose-dive, free-falling face first into physical weakness and disturbing emotions. A little scary if you do not know it is coming. It would be great if I could hand you a daily forecast of how you will feel on each day of your fast, but fasting moves in mysterious ways. The body does the work of cleansing in cycles alternating between two very different states. In one state, you feel amazing, and, in the cleansing state, you feel badly. Feeling good is a sign the fast is working; feeling bad is a sign of detoxification. Every faster will experience the cleansing periods during a fast. Many bail out in disillusionment because they were unaware of just how difficult it is to endure three days of feeling weak and apathetic.
Fasting Dips, Downs and Cleansing Crisis
At the beginning of a fast, the lymphocytes seek out the dirtiest, toxic residues and burn this toxic filth as fuel. The body is finally able to rid itself of damaging carcinogenic pollutants which have built up in the system, but, at the same, time the burning of this unclean fuel results in physical discomfort. As the fast progresses, you will become cleaner and energy will increase until your body enters another cycle of cleaning. Changes can happen within hours, passing from a cleansing crisis, due to toxin elimination, to an energy peak.
When the toxic residues enter the blood, they affect mind and body functions. Ketones, an intermediary metabolic product, may accumulate in the blood to high levels and cause ketoacidosis. Combined with high levels of urea, resulting from protein metabolism, this state can cause intense discomfort, headaches, back pain, dizziness, weakness and nausea.
You will never get to the peak moment of fasting without passing through some fasting dips and detox periods. The cannibalization of sick cells, dirty fat, chocolate bars, Big Macs and fries make you feel dreadful. When the feeling intensifies, it can be truly fearsome. It has been termed a Cleansing Crisis. The good news is the body is finally able to rid itself of years of accumulated toxins.
Enduring a cleansing crisis is the hardest part of the healing process. To stop feeling bad, most people want to eat, but do not eat during a cleansing crisis. The body is overloaded with the work of removing toxins. Digestion makes matters worse. Using the enema kit and drinking juice will help. Herbal tea with honey warms the shivers.
Dips and Downs are the periods when the body is moderately cleansing causing periods of feeling down, like having a bad cold. You feel weak and lethargic. The mind rationalizes, I feel horrible; this can’t be working. You can maintain a normal routine of work on a dip; it requires willpower and determination. It also helps to know that the longer the down period, the greater the fasting high.
On a juice fast, the body can go weeks before there is a serious detox or you can be blasted with headaches, nausea and weakness on the first day. The Downs usually last from one-to-three days, and may hit day 2 or day 28 of a fast. Dips, which are shorter, last only a few hours. The greater the quantity of toxins in the blood, the worse you feel. As unspiritual as an enema may seem, it has helped many end or reduce the crisis by removing toxins from the colon. Emotions and thinking are affected; old memories and negative feelings arise from the dead, like a detox of the soul. It is easy to become discouraged, feel irritated, short-tempered or mildly depressed. These cleansing periods require faith that it will pass.
Energy packets of glycogen are stored in the liver and muscles for use during bursts of physical activity. During The Downs and Dips, the body utilizes glycogen from the liver and muscles for energy. This results in the familiar feeling of weakness. During a peak, the body has an abundant supply of glucose, and glycogen replacement occurs at a rapid rate creating abundant energy. Also, there is an intermediate state when glycogen is starting to be replaced. You will feel energetic but lack the endurance to match. Persevering through these various fasting states and energy levels is necessary for success.
Fasting Peaks and Highs
Pain is a sign of a problem. Feeling incredibly good is a sign your body is functioning at peak performance. Narcotics can alter your body’s chemistry to make you feel good, but the feeling of well-being is not connected to the state of your body. Drugs will increase endorphin levels, but with continual usage the body becomes accustomed and cannot produce endorphins without the drug. Meanwhile, the health of the body deteriorates from the impact of the drug. The high of fasting is the natural high of being clean as a baby. The peaks and highs of fasting can be better than any drug. Like never before, with a child-like innocence, you feel truly alive and laughter and love abounds.
The physical side of a fasting high is due to increased health, which increases endorphin levels similar to the endorphin high experienced by long distance running. Also, a cleaner brain functions with harmony and balance.
During fasting peaks and highs, there is a seemingly endless supply of physical energy. Don’t be fooled by this, you are still fasting, and conservation is the wisest practice. Energy can be fickle during the first stage of a fast. During water fasting, the detox is more aggressive and generally, it can take days to get to an energy peak.
Strong emotions are common and the brain starts speed thinking. It feels as if everything around you is slowing down and becoming lifeless. Mental energy in the right direction can achieve much, but if misdirected, like towards Grandma’s apple pie, the outcome can be disastrous. I broke several fasts because I failed to wisely handle the excess mental energy of a fasting high.
The longer you fast, the higher the peaks and highs. The best highs are after 20 days of juice fasting or the day when you end a water fast and go to juice fasting. The water-to-juice fasting highs are the most radical. While water fasting, you can feel horrible. When you switch to juice fasting, the energy of the juice surges through the veins, saturating the cells and catapulting you into this astounding state of well-being. The difference in how you feel can be extreme to the max. Peaks are the moments when the entire vista of your life can be seen with one sweeping glance. Purpose, conviction, resolution, determination and resolve burn strong. No challenge is too great.
These peaks and highs are some of the blessings of fasting, and no matter how good you get, your diet will never be able to match the highs of a long fast, but you will be able to live in an amazing state of health and well-being.
By Tom Coghill of Fasting.ws Articles may be copied or reproduced as long as the back links to fasting.ws are intact and the author’s name is included.
Related Articles
Comments On This Article
One Response to “Fasting Downs and Highs”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Recent Comments on Fasting.ws:
- Fasting Progress Reports (379)
- Robert: Congratulations Sarah. Glad that you are getting results. All the best. Rob
- sourgrapes: Hello all, Made it through day four on water only, was not ill like last time so will be doing it again. tomorrow is the last day of this fast but I will be fasting again in a couple of days. So far in the last 2-3 weeks have fasted for 16 days so am pretty happy with that and the...
- Robert: Hello All, I am beginning day 6 today. I am very nauseous and have a very very bad headache. Yesterday the hunger was incredibly intense. I tried to focus on a number of things to help get my mind off of it but my stomach just kept sreaming out for attention. I didn’t give in and...
- Robert: Indigowonders – Thanks for the welcome. I have been feeling nauseous as well yesterday and even worse today. It’s all a good sign as it proves the body is detoxifying.
- Robert: Hi Ed – Thanks for the advice about Juicing. I have increased the fruit content in my juice to help. I use apples and grapes. Tom – One fasting website said that you should not mix fruit and vegetables with juicing but didn’t say why. Have you heard this? Do you know why...
- Robert: Hi Tom, Thanks for the informative site about reverse osmosis water. I do added trace minerals to the water to make it alkaline, however I wasn’t aware that chlorine etc still remained in the RO water. I will look into drinking distilled water during the fast Thanks, Rob
- Robert: Hi Lena, Thanks for sharing. I really hope the fast helps you with this problem. I think it will – just stick with it. My wife is very much into health care and mentioned that you should definitely take a zinc supplement because this mineral can clear up even very bad cases of acne...
- Tom Coghill: Hi Keith101, I added you as an admin. And thanks Keith101 your warmth and spirit has transformed this site. I wish the same features we available at all levels. But we are upgrading the site. I have a full time programmer that lives with us called Larry. Big day at the hospital. The...
- Tom Coghill: Hi Robert, Yes reverse osmosis water filtering is far ahead of drinking tap water but it is not the best. http://www.allaboutw ater.org/reverse-osm osis.html I would drink distilled during the fast.
- Tom Coghill: Hi Sourgrapes, Sarah, My heart goes out to you. I could not imagine how I could cope if that was my daughter. I know it would take years to recover if ever. It is at these times I stir my faith in heaven. That one day there will be a glorious reunion and all tears will be replaced...
- Lena: Hi Ed, Thanks for sharing your combinations. I’ve had a problem with the taste as well. I read that it’s beneficial to let the juice mix with your saliva first to help with digestion. I suppose it probably doesn’t make much difference in a fast! I’ll try using the...
- Racheal: Hi Christina, You need your strength and clear focus at this time, so fasting may be the last thing you might be able to think about right now. I pray that all goes well with your dad. Do let us know how it all turns out. Love – Racheal
- Racheal: Keith, No, no, no, no no!!! I DO NOT want to share the award with you. I would love it if you were the clear winner and I was a distant second – glad for me but sad for you, because if you could top my story I may need a beach towel to dry my eyes when I have a read in a couple of...
- sourgrapes: hello all, I have a question that maybe one of you can help me with… When I lay flat i have this semi hard lump about the size of my fist in my otherwise flat stomach. It is about were my bellybutton is, it is also a little tender to touch. Is this normal? Sarah
- indigowonders: Christina–I 217;m sorry to hear about your father. He will be in my prayers. I’m an RN and if there are any questions I can help answer for you, please let me know. Welcome Robert–Hang tight. We’ve all been there.
Racheal and Sarah–My heart goes... - Robert: HI Lena, I add apples to all of my juicing but I will increase it to see if that helps. Thanks for the advice. Also, wanted to encourage you to keep at it. Remember healing doesn’t come until later in the fast. Hi Keith, Unfortunately I cannot dedicate myself to a long water fast...
- Racheal: Dearest Sarah, It is so hard to bring a baby into this world. No man would ever understand that miracle. I know how you feel about your loss. It took me a long time to realize that I do not hold the power of life or death in my hands. That belongs to the Most High. Your baby was meant to...
- Racheal: Hi Lena, Wow!!! Day 13 and still going, wonderful, way to go. What is the problem with your skin that you are fasting? Above all, don’t ever be dicouuraged. You are getting healthier and younger on your fasts, so don’t let the journey be what’s important but the...
- Ed: Everyone, I am on day 18 of a juice fast with some egg whites, like Tom suggested. I got sick of the veggie juice last month on a 10 day juice fast. Now I am pretty much forcing myself to drink the veggie juice. One good trick is to use a straw to drink the juice you don’t care for. It...
- Lena: Day 13 for me..not much has been happening. Getting disappointed that I haven’t seen any results yet. Worse, I finally decided to exercise (I hadn’t before) and I gained 2 pounds overnight! I don’t believe it, but it’s still discouraging. It was only some light yoga....
- Lena: Everyone, Thank you for sharing your personal stories. I’m sorry to hear of your tragedies, and hope that you’ll be able to find some relief. All of them touched me, and I empathize with you all. Hi Sarah, I think you should start with carrots. They supposedly taste the best,...
- keith101: HI CHRISTINA… Dont worry about your fasting at the moment! if your father is in hospital.. thank you to for opening up a little, that was brave of you. Looking at your posts!.. I think there is more to you than people will give you credit for?… I may be thousands of miles...
- keith101: HI LENA HI INDIGOWONDERS… HOW ARE YOU BOTH TODAY?… I normally leave messages in the morning and at 8pm uk time so sometimes i miss your comments…. with kind regards keith.
- keith101: boothed well done! day 11 tomorrow thats great… stay strong and the time will pass! i still remember day 1 lol… look at you now your on day 11 tomoz… best regards keith.
- keith101: robert i cant help but add to my last post… i have heard a few times before about enemas,but all the feciecs that lie in the body must be toxic and have an effect on the body whilst lying internally? every time iv taken an enema i really have felt much better and cleaner inside...
- keith101: HI ROB… Water fasting in my experiance is a lot easier on hunger!.. juicing i would have thought?..gives you the cals,and carbs the body needs to to stay in a limbo state?… half fasting..half in hunger due to your body feeding on nutrients thus hunger will be there?.. In my...
- Christinalove3: My dad is in the hospital having heart surgery plus he has lung disease so its messing up my fasting. I’ll have to be stronger I suppose. Ill post in a week.
- Robert: Hi Keith, I have been considering doing an enema because I haven’thad a BM since Tuesday. I may do one today but I’ll avoid doing them daily as I also heard that you should leave your bowels alone during a fast (not sure why)…. I am finding day 5 more difficult (i.e....
- boothed: I meant I am on day 10.
- boothed: God Bless Everyone and welcome Rob. I am not on day 10 of my 21 days of water and juicing. I really wanted to eat yesterday but did not give into temptation. I am looking forward to completing this fast because I know that God is in it. I want to encourage everyone to continue to seek...
- keith101: HI TOM… Tom i see you have upgraded your site! this looks much better as when we log on.. massive improvement, thanks. regards keith.
- keith101: christina…you will find all the support you need on this site… No one here is judgemental on anyone!… And tont think you feel out of place on this site as we are all behind you… warmest regards keith.
- keith101: HI ALL TODAY…DAY 28.. Last night my nephew came round to see me after over a month, and said oh my god, what have you been doing?..lol.. My mother had already told him that i was on a water fast! But he was shocked when he had seen how much waight id lost… but never once...
- keith101: HI ROBERT… THIS IS NOW DAY 5 FOR YOU! On my water fast i have only taken spring water!… half a cup of green tea in the morning sometimes.. and sometimes lemon on my water but felt tempted to have food after taking lemon in my water… i have taken enemas once in every 4...
- keith101: HI RACHEAL… Maby we can share this OSCAR?…LOL.. Maby you should wait till sunday..lol.. My heart sank when sarah shared with us all today.. I wish i was there to give a group hug for support.. We have all met on this site at a perfect time?…iv been looking fore answers...
- keith101: HI SARAH,,, I thank you so much for your testimony on your daughter, Joanna!…that was verry brave of you to share that with us all! My heart really goes out to you and your husband… No words can even begin to explain or describe the loss you had with your little princess...
- sourgrapes: Hi all, I made it thru day 3 and now onto day 4, drinking water only today so i’ll see how I go. My brain is really fighting the fast this time round, keeps trying to talk me into eating lol! But so far am staying strong. Sarah
- Robert: Hello all, starting day 5 today. Feeling nauseous and greater pain throughout my body. But I know it is all good as it’s a sign my body is detoxifying…. As the weekend is here, I will be only having juice this morning and then will be on water only until Monday. I am hoping...
- Christinalove3: I’ll post my water fast progress once I’m more ahead.
- Christinalove3: Thank you Tom! Will pass the advice along. Very much so kind of you =]. Thank you for letting me know about the detox. Sounds lovely.
- sourgrapes: Hi Racheal, My second child, Joanna, died when she was 6 months old. She was a heathy, happy, beautiful baby. My husband and I were both working at the time, working our shifts so one of us was always at home with our two kids, Our eldest girl who was 2, and Joanna. I left for work...
- sourgrapes: Hello, everyone, Im on day three of my juice fast, it seems harder this time around, but want to go for another 3 days if I can. Keith, Racheal, I think you are brave to share your stories, and I thankyou for that. Maybe I will one day also be able to do so. Hi lena, hows the fast...
- Tom Coghill: Hi Keith101 Wow your life and journey is very similar to mine. Yes it would be great to post your testimony.
- Tom Coghill: Hi Christinalove3, The best method for a full body detox is a long juice fast, with period of water fasting and maybe one or 2 days of dry fasting followed by a diet high in raw foods absent of processed oils and starches. Add some vitamins and herbs with essential oils and you have...
- Robert: Christina, I know that Cherry Juice removes uric acid from the body. Many people use it to treat Gout (which is a symptom of too much uric acid in the system). Perhaps a juice fast with cherry juice as one of the types would help. Rob
- Robert: Thank you Sarah, Keith, Racheal, and Lena for your replies. Keith – congratulations on day 27…. that is quite an accomplishment. I look forward to hearing your testimony. We all have a story to share. I am hoping this fasting experience will be as life changing for me as it...
- keith101: HI CHRISTINA…. I think tom will be able to give you really good advice on your question for your friend?.. regards keith…. THANKS RACHEAL… for your kind comments but maby i might take the OSCAR for my testimony on sunday..lol.. I am glad to see everyone starting to...
- Christinalove3: Thanks Racheal. I asked because my friend has higher uric acid in her blood and would like to know if there is any type of fast that will get rid of uric acid. Any help would be appreciated.
- Racheal: Hi Sarah, I lost my first son at the age of 12, so I understand your pain and your grief. We went on a vacation and both he and his cousin 15 drowned. That was over 10 years ago but it still tugs at my heart. I think of all the losses that a person could experience, the loss of a child...
- Fasting Club Jan 2009 (485)
- Lena: Hi alideleondi, Congrats on your progress! Why don’t you post in the ‘fasting progress reports’ page instead-plenty of activity there .
- Lena: Hi alideleondi, Congrats on your progress! Why don’t you post in the ‘fasting progress reports’ page instead-plenty of activity there
Nikki
10 Aug 2009 at 5:28 pm
Thank you so much for posting this! I’m so glad I got to read it! I will likely refer back to this very helpful article throughout my fast if I become discouraged.