1st Extended Fast Started 2 days ago

(Suzanne Leigh) #21

Mucho Gracias!!

#22

@Suzanne_Leigh An old remedy for clearing the bowels: one 10 ounce bottle of Magnesium Citrate (liquid) generally found in a pharmacy, not as a health supplement. Drink it down and make sure you drink 8 ounces of pure filtered water per hour for like 12 hours. When I did my first colonoscopy my PA prescribed this protocol over any other. It cost me $1.09 and was effortless.

Also, Ayurvedic medicine advocates supplements like Triphala to tone the bowel. You may want to explore that kind of medicine to gradually improve your tone and motility rather than chase the symptoms of constipation.

(Suzanne Leigh) #23

Thanks, Elaine1! I have magnesium citrate but didn’t drink the whole bottle. I’ve been using it to make keto-aid, but in middle of the night I took 3 big gulps, another 3 this morning plus a salt flush. Hoping for results, but not explosions.

My Integrative Health doc has mentioned Triphala, but she doesn’t want me to try it yet for some reason (she gave me the reason I just can’t recall). I’m all for getting something that helps to reset my bowel tone versus the endless chasing of ways to ease my constipation. Again, many thanks for your advice.

Note to all: my glucose was back up to 58 this morning and ketones down to 4.2 and I’m feeling a bit better so I’ll stick with my fast. I’m currently 90 hours in.

(Jennifer Kleiman) #24

Wish I could find someone to do this in Dallas or Chicago in the US!

May you have an easy fast.

(Suzanne Leigh) #25

Thanks, Jennifer. I actually do this work all over the world. So Dallas and/or Chicago are options. Preferably Chicago in summer and Dallas in winter :wink:

#26

@Suzanne_Leigh Good job! I broke my fast at 91, I am cheering for you.

So another thought on the old friend constipation. An energy healer once told me that constipation is another way of “holding”. Holding on, holding in, holding out, holding back, you get the idea. Mind is body medicine would suggest meditating on this and see if there is some letting go that needs to emotionally happen.

My Acupuncturist friend does abdominal massage, visceral massage, that also promotes the same emotional and physical work.

Be well and fast on…

(Suzanne Leigh) #27

So, I broke my fast at the end of day 4. I wasn’t hungry per se, but I was weak. I don’t understand that since my ketones were above 5. I thought I would feel euphoric, but instead felt low, low energy. I had a can of coconut cream and about 80g of macadamia nuts. Enough to leave me nauseated, but I finally had a good poo, so there was an upside!!

Today I’m back to fasting and hope to go 5 days this time. Then I’ll have another meal, and fast for another week. I got this idea from one of the participants here who eats OMAW, One Meal a Week.

Before I broke the fast I got weighed. Not my normal MO, but I ran across some amazing scales and decided to check in. Before starting the fast I was at least 137 but not sure how high I got. Anyway, I weighed in at 129!!! I was absolutely stunned. I never dreamed I would be below 130. I don’t necessarily have a weight goal–I’m fasting primarily for health improvements–but the weight loss was a great incentive to keep going.

Elaine,
Your words are d100% on target. I’ve known the constipation has an emotional component, but I haven’t been able to get to the root of it. I went through a traumatic and unexpected divorce 3 years ago and I still haven’t fully recovered my bearings. The concept of ‘holding’ resonates deeply. ‘Holding it together’ comes to mind right away, but I’m sure there are many more associations. I’ll give it some thought. I can’t tell you how grateful I am that you shared this. Many, many thanks!

#28

My metaphor is “holding my breath”, waiting for next awful thing to happen, preparing for the next awful thing. After a trauma I experienced my window of tolerance was so narrow I was terrified of letting go. Leaning into keto helped me find the relaxation to do so. In fact having established a keto life was very healing for me. Gratitude back at you.

Be health

(Suzanne Leigh) #29

POST FAST UPDATE:

I haven’t fasted since ending the fast last month, but I have a much easier time eating OMAD and/or eating in a really narrow window. My overall appetite seems to have dropped off, though I have had a few days of ‘feasting’ which for me is around 2000-2200 calories.

I have come upon a marvelous and miraculous help for my chronic constipation. It consists of 3 parts: 1) I eat a lower fiber diet than one would think necessary. I still eat veggies daily, but much more cooked now than raw (reversal of my norm) and usually end my eating window by 6pm latest (which has been my norm for a while) but many days by 4 or 5pm. 2) Around 8-8:30pm, when my last meal feels digested, I take one BIG swig of the bottled magnesium citrate and 3) I take 1.5 doses of Miralax.

This combo has kept me going consistently every day. No constipation, no loose stools. My goal is to fix the problem, not band-aid it, but I’ll take this band-aid for now as I feel so much better day in, day out.

As for fasting, I’m planning an extended fast next month at True North. After the pain I experienced in my January fast (which took over my headspace and made me think ‘something must be wrong’ which was a good reason to break the fast) I’ve decided I probably can’t do an EF without some supervision. I should start on or around March 3. I’ll start a new thread then to document that experience. Until then, I’m going to start a new thread with a question about raising my metabolism in the short term, i.e. before I visit True North. I got my RMR yesterday and it was abysmal.

#30

@Suzanne_Leigh I’m glad you were able to find what works for ya. Good luck on your EF March 3rd!