Fasting

Today's my birthday and I'm enjoying a Wonderful Water Fast!

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, any of you already feel like a stuffed turkey?

I have friends that are Orthodox. They have so many fasts throughout the year that it adds up to about half the year is vegan. This is similar to how Catholics don't eat meat on Fridays and "give up something" for Lent, but is much more in number of days and complexity. Fish, meat, dairy, oil, wine, etc., are excluded at different times throughout the year. Leaving, by elmination, the remaining days for feasting, like Easter and Christmas.

I have heard a few raw foodist talk about fasting before, but always thought they were crazy. "Why, when you're already raw?", I thought. But I realize now that there are several reasons to fast. Many books out there on fasting contain those reasons.

Today I put together this fasting plan. It's 40 days long but can be cut short at anytime. It's a 10 day progessive fast that can be repeated to the 21st day or till the full 40 days. My plan is to break the fast every 40 days and on major holidays. Feasts are usually on weekends, so I suggest starting Day 1 on a Monday. Never eating after 2 pm, only water after 2 pm, and introducing something new everyday. Everything is 100% raw vegan.

DAY

1. Water Fast
2. Green juice/wheat grass fast
3. Vegetable juice fast
4. Green smoothie fast
5. Vegetable soup fast (add salt and oil)
6. add sprouts, blended
7. add solid food: fruits, vegetables, salads, fermented foods
8. add seeds
9. add nuts (avocado, coconut)
10. add dehydrated foods
REPEAT
11. Water Fast
12. Green juice/wheat grass fast
13. Vegetable juice fast
14. Green smoothie fast
15. Vegetable soup fast (add salt and oil)
16. add sprouts, blended
17. add solid food: fruits, vegetables, salads, fermented foods
18. add seeds
19. add nuts (avocado, coconut)
20. add dehydrated foods
21. add dehydrated foods
REPEAT
22. Water Fast
23. Green juice/wheat grass fast
24. Vegetable juice fast
25. Green smoothie fast
26. Vegetable soup fast (add salt and oil)
27. add sprouts, blended
28. add solid food: fruits, vegetables, salads, fermented foods
29. add seeds
30. add nuts (avocado, coconut)
31. add dehydrated foods
REPEAT
32. Water Fast
33. Green juice/wheat grass fast
34. Vegetable juice fast
35. Green smoothie fast
36. Vegetable soup fast (add salt and oil)
37. add sprouts, blended
38. add solid food: fruits, vegetables, salads, fermented foods
39. add seeds
40. add nuts (avocado, coconut)
41. Cooked Food Feast
42. Cooked Food Feast

Monday, start Day 1 again.

There are 31 days till Thanksgiving. So I'll break the fast from Thursday - Sunday, and start again on Monday with Day 1.

Then there are 25 days till Christmas. So I'll break the fast from Friday - Sunday, and start again on Monday with Day 1.

And then there are 3 days till New Years Eve. So I'll break the fast from Thursday -Sunday, starting again on Monday, January 4, as Day 1.

I should be able to get in a 40 day fast for Lent, next year, breaking the fast on Easter Sunday.

For the Orthodox, there are about 30 days of Feasting/Holidays a year. Fasting is always voluntary. Fasting should never become an obligation. So you should break a fast if you feel like you are missing out on something.

So for my birthday, I've given myself the gift of health and discipline.

Don't wait until New Year's Day to start a resolution, if you aren't happy with yourself now. Make a change today!

Please post a comment if you have fasted before or want to start fasting again.

Where does your meat come from?

www.themeatrix.com

Three great videos!

And a disturbing real-life story about a Woman's Life Shattered...

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/04/health/04meat.html