Fasting: My Experience About Not Eating for 10 Days

It sounds like a big deal, I know. Not eating for 10 days! But it wasn't. Believe me. On the contrary, it was a wonderful, rich, and spiritual experience. In addition, I am back at my ideal weight, I have more energy, my skin is glowing, my nails are healthier, and I feel strong mentally. Well, thinking about it that way, I guess it was a big deal.

Let me tell you more about it.

I went to ROYL Retreat. ROYL stands for "Rest of your Life" and it was, without a doubt.

The whole time I was under the supervision of Dr. Tosca A. Haag, a medical doctor who was raised under Natural Hygiene Law by her well-known mother in the field of Natural Hygiene, Dr. Vivian Virginia Vetrano, and her step father, Dr. Herbert M. Shelton, one of the fathers of Natural Hygiene. Dr. Tosca, as she prefers to be called, obviously knows very well about what she is talking. She was a Natural Hygienist before she was born. She has never taken medications or been vaccinated.

What is Natural Hygiene?

Natural Hygiene is a study of the science of natural living. Natural Hygiene concerns itself with supplying all of the needs of the body to regain and maintain optimum health, vibrant energy, and freedom from illness.

Natural Hygiene encourages taking in:

1. Pure air
2. Pure water
3. Adequate sunshine and natural light
4. Regular exercise
5. Adequate rest and sleep
6. A diet of whole, organically-grown foods such as fresh fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds eaten raw
7. Eating foods in proper combinations for optimal digestion
8. Fasting

The goals of Natural Hygiene include emotional balance, freedom from addiction, high self-esteem, a purposeful life, and nurturing relationships. Natural Hygiene believes that health is something no one else can give you, nor can it be purchased at the local pharmacy, health food store or hospital. Health must be earned through self-discipline and knowledge.

My experience at the retreat was a full circle. Back in 1991, when I was searching for the perfect diet the first time, I was lucky enough to buy and read the book "Fit for Life." At the time, my understanding was that Natural Hygiene was all about food combining and cleansing the body with the right food. I now understand that Natural Hygiene and health in general is much more comprehensive than that.

When I arrived at the retreat house, I wasn't sure about doing a fast but after listening to Dr. Tosca, I decided to do it. So the first 10 days of my 17-day stay, I fasted. I didn't eat at all. I DRANK ONLY WATER FOR 10 DAYS. During that time, the digestive system shut down and I was surprised to see how relatively easy it was. I wasn't hungry. My body was using pre-digested matter: accumulated fat, cholesterol, waste, and toxins. I learned that when we eat, we use 75% of our energy for digestion. During the fast, that same energy is used to heal and repair. During those 10 days, I slept a lot. It was really the "rest of my life." I also got what they call "Physical Healing Crises." For example, I had 3 days of sore throat. I believe my body was healing one of my weakest spots. I also had pain in my ovaries for a couple of days, but nothing to be scared of. Finally, I had light symptoms of allergies that was nothing to compare with the painful seasonal allergies of my twenties.

I also experienced some "Emotional Healing Crises." One afternoon, I felt pain in my chest. It was harder to breathe deeply. I was thinking: "It feels like someone is trying to strangle me." Now, I realize that it might be related to my challenge to speak up for myself, to speak my truth.

After the fast, I had 7 days of recuperation. For the first two days, I ate 7 meals of watermelon every two hours, starting with 4oz and then 8oz. Everyday, Dr. Tosca added food to my diet. After four days, I had some avocado and the next day, I had some nuts and nut-based dressing. The whole time, the diet consisted of fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, all raw. It is amazing what we can prepare with raw food and how diversified my diet was.

I have to tell you about my first bite of watermelon. It was so delicious, so juicy. After my fast, my taste buds were fully alive. I was fully alive.

During recuperation, I got another "Physical Healing Crisis." My back and my belly got covered with a rash of fungus, something I have been fighting on and off for a long time. But this time, it wasn't only a few spots here and there. It was pretty ugly but disappeared after three days.

I have been back from my retreat for three months and I am still having fun with new recipes. I am making yummy dressings, raw soups, raw dishes, salads, juices, and smoothies. My next experiment will be with raw desserts and raw "fake ice cream."

Fasting is now part of my life. I will be fasting for three days this coming December with two friends who went to the same retreat after hearing about my experience. We plan to fast together four times a year for three to four days.

Source by Cathy Vignola