Agreed... isn't this, after all, the point of an open forum? ...to share our views/opinions? I'm not a doctor, but my mother is, and I have a fair amount of education in biological/health sciences. And given what I know, dry fasting just makes no sense to me at all. Even if it doesn't do any harm (which I doubt), I can't see how it could have any health benefit what-so-ever... much less one that would make it worth the risk.

But again, as "InCharge" says... nothing here is gospel, just opinion.

Best

InCharge,
thank you for your comments.
With regard to dehydration and its effects on the body..........

"Dehydration symptoms generally become noticeable after 2% of one's normal water volume has been lost. Thirst and discomfort appear first, possibly with loss of appetite and dry skin. This can be followed by constipation. Athletes suffer a loss of performance of up to 30%, and experience flushing, low endurance, rapid heart rates, elevated body temperatures, and rapid onset of fatigue.
Symptoms of mild dehydration include THIRST, decreased urine volume, abnormally dark urine, unexplained tiredness, lack of tears when crying, headache, DRY MOUTH, dizziness when standing due to orthostatic hypotension, and in some cases can cause insomnia.
In moderate to severe dehydration, there may be no urine output at all. Other symptoms in these states include lethargy or extreme sleepiness, seizures, sunken fontanel (soft spot) in infants, fainting, and sunken eyes.
The symptoms become increasingly severe with greater water loss. One's heart and respiration rates begin to increase to compensate for decreased plasma volume and blood pressure, while body temperature may rise because of decreased sweating. Around 5% to 6% water loss, one may become groggy or sleepy, experience headaches or nausea, and may feel tingling in one's limbs (paresthesia). With 10% to 15% fluid loss, muscles may become spastic, skin may shrivel and wrinkle, vision may dim, urination will be greatly reduced and may become painful, and delirium may begin. Losses greater than 15% are usually fatal."
*************************************************************************

These then are the signs of dehydration. The first being that of THIRST as the bodies way of notifying you of the demand for water. Only fluid losses of 15% or greater are fatal, but this is well after the point where the body has demanded fluids in its own inimitable way.

Dry fasting then is not "dehydration-fasting", as the body is forewarned by THIRST to avoid any possible harm. This is analogous to abstaining from nourishment where after several weeks the body will demand food and sustenance before any harm arises to the body, with the return of natural hunger: which invariably returns.

Does the abstention from food cause damage to the internal organs while fasting? No.
Does the abstention from food cause damage to the internal organs while starving? Yes.
Exactly the same can be said for water and fluids: there is a demarcation point where the body derives benefit from the abstention from water BEFORE any possibility of harm to the body.

Water is indeed a vital part of living, but then so is food, it is then just a matter of deciding by what degree as to the time limit we receive benefit via abstinence.

The facts InCharge are the testimonies of those who have used dry fasting in their everyday lives and have derived only benefit therefrom. What Dr Graham is most likely referring to is the overly-prolonged abstinence from water, resulting in severe dehydration, which no one in their right mind would advocate.

The gospel according to chrisb1 and Fonty is written & spoken on the basis of personal experience, plus the gospel of shared experiences of many many others in the realm of dry fasting.

Your quote re' dry fasting also applies to water fasting, but it is not entirely correct as you are quoting mainstream sources which are not reliable.
You are correct though as far as the production of ketonebodies, except for the part where the Brain feeds on "sugars" but which is more specifically glucose. Before the onset of full ketosis the Brain and body are still fed by a process called gluconeogenesis by providing glucose from the muscles.

However, the process of ketosis induced by water or dry fasting does not cause acidosis, which is a fallacy, or what you refer to as ketoacidosis...................


"During a fast the body lives on its reserves. Starvation does not begin until these reserves are exhausted. What is more, these reserves contain SUFFICIENT ALKALINE RESERVES to prevent the development of so-called acidosis.

Dr. Weger says: "Varying degrees of acidosis were often in evidence during fasting. These we consider physiological. Except in very rare instances, the active symptoms are of short duration and easily overcome without interfering with or curtailing the fast." He describes the "symptoms of acidosis during a fast" as "lassitude, headache, leg and back ache, irritability, restlessness, redness of the buccal (mouth) mucous membrane and tongue, sometimes drowsiness, and also a fruity odor to the breath."

These symptoms develop at the beginning of the fast and grow less and less as the fast continues, until they cease altogether. If fasting produces acidosis the evidence should increase as the fast progresses. I believe that all of these symptoms may be explained without regarding them as evidences of acidosis. They result, I believe, from the withdrawal of the accustomed stimulation--coffee, tea, chocolate, cocoa, alcohol, tobacco, meat, pepper, spices, salt, etc., etc.--and are identical with these same symptoms when they develop in the man or woman who gives up coffee or tobacco, but who does not cease to eat. I do not think the "fruity odor" of the breath can be explained in this manner. However, in thousands of fasts I have conducted, I have never met with such a phenomenon--the breath in all cases being very foul and much like that of the fever patient or like the bad breath most people have, only much intensified.

Dr. Weger, himself, says: "Fasting is not and cannot be the cause of acidosis, for the symptom-complex of acidosis is quite common in full-fed plethoric individuals, in whom the makings of acidosis exist as a result of an over-crowded nutrition. It is true that symptoms of acidosis frequently occur and make patients decidedly uncomfortable during the early stages of the fast. However, these symptoms are due to excessively rapid consumption of the body fat--a catalytic action--and the checking of elimination because of sub-oxidation. In less than ten per cent of such cases do these discomforts last more than three or four days. This indicates to us that the acidosis, as such, was a latent condition that would be excited into activity by any other equally potent provocative. This condition is analogous to a crisis which might occur in the form of an acute disease. The sicker one is made by a fast, the greater the need for it."

In general I agree with these words of Dr. Weger, but I have noted these supposed symptoms of acidosis in cases where there was no rapid breaking down of tissue, and in cases in which physical activity was sufficient to keep up normal oxidation and in which elimination was normal or super-normal. I do regard these symptoms as being part of a crisis and as beneficial in outcome. I have noted repeatedly that the more severe are these symptoms, the more benefit the patient receives from the fast and the sooner do these benefits manifest."

http://www.soilandhealth.org/02/0201hyglibcat/020127shelton.III/020127.ch7.htm



Chrisb1.