It is easily understood,   38 of course, that the overweight individual can fast longer than one who is thin. Among those who are particularly obese, the extra layers of fat and other tissue 
will provide the body with nourishment long after the normal patient would reach 
the termination of the fasting period. Measuring the fast in terms of days, weeks and months, we find that some pa-
tients have fasted as long as ninety days before experiencing the return of hunger 
and other symptoms denoting the end of the fast. Sinclair reported what was per-
haps the shortest complete fast on record, that of his wife, in which case the 
tongue rapidly cleared after only ten days of abstinence from food. For most pa-
tients, however, the completion of the fasting period is not reached at such ex-
tremes. Though exact statistics listing the length of the average complete fast are 
not available, an estimate of from four to seven weeks is probably fairly close. A number of physicians have maintained that every fast should be carried to 
completion, unless adverse symptoms other action. Among these were Dewey, 
Carrington and Hazzard. Dr. Dewey mentioned cases in which the patients broke 
their fasts prematurely and were unable to digest the foods, vomiting everything 
that was eaten. Upon resumption of fasting, and continuance to the return of hun-
ger, normal digestive powers were restored and foods could be handled with 
ease. Dr. Carrington referred to the artificial breaking of a fast before the return of 
hunger as "an abomination, and an outrage upon the system which cannot be too 
strongly deprecated." Dr. Hazzard believed that "Not until hunger indicates the 
need for food is the organism in condition to receive and transform it into tissue 
structure." Today the majority of practitioners accept, with reservations, the advisability of 
carrying the fast to its natural termination. The complete fast is looked upon as an 
ideal, but seldom as a necessity. Cases in which digestion was difficult or impos-  39 sible before the fast was "complete" were common in the Dewey-Carrington era of 
fasting because many fasts were then broken on solid foods. Today such cases 
are rare, and most practicing physicians have not encountered them, simply be-
cause of the advance of knowledge pertaining to the proper method of breaking 
the fast. If the correct liquid foods are given, a fast for chronic disease can be bro-
ken at almost any time without trouble. When acute disease is present, digestion is 
often impossible for a time and the fast must continue, though this is due to the 
disease itself rather than the fast. Certainly it is true that the utmost benefit is derived from a complete fast. In the 
case of some severe degenerative diseases recovery is impossible without such a 
fast, and in rare instances one complete fast may not even be sufficient, with fast-
ing again being resumed after a long period of eating to rebuild the food reserves 
of the body. For the majority of acute diseases, on the other hand, a complete fast 
is very seldom necessary, with recovery usually taking place long before the ter-
mination of the fasting period is reached. For chronic diseases in their early 
stages, a short fast of a week or two often gives the desired results. When the pa-
tient is very weak or emaciated, certainly a complete fast is not called for. It is apparent that no strict rule applying to all patients and diseases can be ap-
plied here. The length of each fast must be determined individually; it cannot 
safely and effectively be called in advance. All that can first be given is a general 
estimate; as the fast progresses and the symptoms subside, the correct time to 
give food can be chosen. For those whose condition and circumstances are most 
favorable, the fast can perhaps be carried to completion if this is so desired. For 
others — no doubt the majority — this will be considered neither necessary nor 
desirable. Each physician or individual must give judgment in these cases as he 
sees fit. The problem is not a difficult one; with adequate knowledge, observation   40 and care, the fast may be broken at the most opportune time, without danger, and 
with the possible benefits and objects in view having been secured. VI Safely of the Fast 
WHILE RECOGNIZING the value of fasting as a specific remedy for certain 
diseases, it is also necessary to consider the question of safety. It is one thing to 
be given the possibility or probability of recovery; it is another to be given this 
without any attendant danger, with assurance that a gamble is not being made 
which may involve disadvantages as well as advantages. A valuable therapeutic 
measure should both provide good results in treating disease and at the same 
time be associated with a minimum of danger. In the case of many therapeutic 
measures this requirement is not met, and one disease is being cured, while per-
haps more serious ones are being created through the toxic influences of drugs or 
the loss of important organs through surgery. It is important to understand the posi-
tion of fasting in these respects. Generally speaking, initial consideration of fasting is associated with fear both of 
death and the possibility of doing serious harm to the body. On the surface, at 
least, such fear may have a logical and reasonable basis, considering the fact that 
tradition has provided the almost universal impression that just a week or two of 
abstinence is associated with grave danger and possible death. This has led to 
analysis of fasting by many physicians who considered any observations of actual 
fasting to be completely out of the question. The conclusions thus drawn inevitably   41 were completely theoretical and speculative, there being no actual cases of fasting 
present upon which practical deductions could have been made. Unfortunately reports of fasting all too frequently are founded upon the very ba-
sis mentioned, with the result that objections to fasting have been made which, 
though they may sound logical from the theoretical evidence at hand, are com-
pletely fantastic to those who have done either laboratory or therapeutic work with 
fasting. In consequence statements have been made that fasting weakens the 
heart, causes the heart to collapse, causes the stomach to atrophy or makes the 
digestive juices digest the stomach, produces deficiency disease, causes the teeth 
to decay, lowers the resistance of the body to disease, causes degeneration of 
cells, is opposed to our natural instincts, causes edema, causes acidosis, and last 
but not least, creates a grave danger of death. In actual experience not a single one of these objections to fasting has been 
found to have any basis in fact. Quite apart from being weakened or collapsed by 
fasting, the heart is given a rest and thus allowed to gain new strength. Serious 
cases of heart disease have actually recovered while fasting. The stomach, in fact 
the entire digestive tract, is strengthened by fasting. There is no atrophy or im-
pairment whatsoever. Patients who have always suffered from digestive weakness 
fully recover while fasting. As for deficiency diseases — these do not occur while fasting. Beliefs to the 
contrary have resulted from studies of deficient diets. As a result, nutritionists 
speak of the "probable appearance of deficiency disease" on long fasts. It is as-
sumed that if diets lacking sufficient minerals and vitamins produce deficiency dis-
eases, a fast, which supplies no additional minerals and vitamins, must do like-
wise. During a fast, when the body's energy is not used in the work of digestion 
and assimilation, the need for minerals is lowered. The reserves of these elements   42 in the body are sufficient to meet all needs. It is for this reason that no deficiency 
diseases, including dental decay, occur on the fast, though they often follow a diet 
of refined foods. Man can live much longer on water alone than he can on a diet of 
white flour and water simply because use of the flour increases the need for other 
elements to enable the body to digest, assimilate and metabolize the flour. Hence, 
not one but many, severe deficiency diseases quickly arise on such a diet. Defi-
ciency diseases frequently even recover on the fast, due to better assimilation of 
elements already stored in the body. In this connection, the contrast between defi-
ciency diets and fasting is pointed out by Prof. Morgulis, who states that "our ob-
servation that the chronically underfed dog became debilitated in a measure not 
commonly noted in animals which undergo a straight fast is also borne out by 
more extensive study of this matter by Benedict, Miles, Roth and Smith." Claims that fasting causes degeneration of cells result from studies of animals 
in the last stages of starvation. Kellogg, for instance, refers to the work of Stat-
kewitsch, who found that prolonged fasting in many animals was associated with 
degeneration. Not distinguishing between the periods of fasting and starvation 
thus leads to wrong impressions. Rejuvenation rather than degeneration is the re-
sult of fasting. Quite apart from lowering resistance to disease, and producing diseases such 
as tuberculosis, which are believed to follow low resistance, fasting increases the 
resistance to disease and has been used successfully as a specific remedy of tu-
berculosis. Resistance depends upon chemical balance, abundant nerve force and 
all of the physiological conditions which fasting produces. The numerous complete 
recoveries from disease which occur while fasting are in themselves evidence that 
the power to overcome infection is raised on the fast, rather than susceptibility in-
creased. 43 Animal experiments substantiate these points. Roger and Jause found that fast-
ing produces an increased tolerance toward bacilli coli in rabbits. Three to eleven 
days after the animals had fasted for five to seven days, the inoculation of bacte-
rial culture took place. Without exception all control rabbits developed the infec-
tion, whereas the rabbits which had been fasted escaped all symptoms of infec-
tion. Though instinct is not given as a scientific reason for fasting or anything else, it 
is only fair to point out that fasting is not opposed to our natural instincts in the 
sense that is often reported. It is said that to fast is to thwart our normal sensa-
tions of hunger. The implication here is that hunger is normal throughout the fast, 
whereas the fact is that it only exists for the first few days, and when acute disease 
is present, it often does not exist at all. Unquestionably the customary practice of 
forced feeding in the case of acute disease is opposed to our natural instincts. Even among wild and domestic animals fasting appears to be an instinctive prac-
tice. In case of an occasional illness, or a serious wound resulting from accident or 
battle, they frequently fast until recovery is well under way or complete. Beliefs that fasting produces edema have resulted from the misuse of fasting. Frederick Hoelzel writes that he has "not known of any case of fasting, even when 
for only days, where some post-fasting edema was not present." In Mr. Hoelzel's 
experience, cotton fiber, lemon juice, and salt were given as food after fasting. It 
is quite surprising that the aftereffects were not more serious than actually oc-
curred. The development of edema under such a regime, with liberal amounts of 
water, is to be expected. On salt-water fasts, or when salt is used liberally with wa-
ter immediately after fasts, the tissues become water-logged, as the body attempts 
to protect itself from the irritating effects of the salt by holding it in solution, even 
though this calls for an excess of water in the tissues. The objection here is to salt,   45 the fasting method is employed. Many are near death when they start the fast. It is 
obvious that, under such conditions, some of the patients will die whether they fast 
or not. The development of pathology has simply gone too far, and nothing, not 
even fasting, can always prevent death in such cases. Actually the percentage of 
deaths while fasting is unquestionably much lower than is the case when the 
same diseases are treated by the usual orthodox means. In terms of safety, fasting is without doubt one of the best and most practical 
therapeutic agents. There are virtually no contradictions in fasting, in the sense 
that one part of the body is helped while another is harmed. In this respect it dif-
fers from so many other methods of treatment, which suppress one symptom, only 
to create others. Fasting helps the diseased organ in the same sense that it helps 
all other organs and tissues. Thus in securing a remedy for one disease, the body 
is made less liable to be afflicted by others. Health is restored by the safest and 
most effective means. VII Symptoms of the Fast 
FASTING INVOLVES a continual physiological change in the body. Rejuvenes-
cence, autolysis, increased assimilation, elimination and other processes are tak-
ing place. Under these conditions it is to be expected that there will be outward 
manifestations of the changes occurring in the body. Such manifestations may be 
either pleasant or discomforting, more often the latter, and, though in no sense a   46 cause for concern, they should be understood and expected. During the first day of the fast, a marked desire for food is usually present by af-
ternoon or evening. On the second day the desire is often greatly increased, with 
the degree of hunger reaching its climax. On the third day the hunger usually 
abates and in some cases it entirely disappears. In nearly all cases the disap-
pearance of hunger is complete by the fourth or fifth day. From this time onward 
there is not only no desire for food, but marked repugnance for food. Nausea and 
vomiting can even occur at the sight and smell of food. This state continues until 
natural hunger returns weeks or months later, or until the fast is broken, when ap-
petite rapidly returns. Dr. Weger reported that about one in each forty of his pa-
tients failed to lose their hunger on the fast. Other physicians also reported similar 
experiences. No reason is known to account for this abnormal reaction, and 
though it in no way diminishes the effectiveness of the fast, it does make fasting 
rather difficult. Fortunately such cases are the exception rather than the general 
rule. The tongue usually becomes heavily coated, and the breath very offensive, 
within the first few days of fasting. Here too there are very rare exceptions. Dr. 
Shelton reports three cases in his experience in which the tongue remained clean 
throughout the fast. Patients have also been observed who exhibited a clean and 
sweet breath while fasting. In the usual cases, when the reactions of the tongue 
and breath are normal, the tongue gradually becomes clean, and the breath sweet, 
as the hunger returns toward the end of the fast, or when the fast is broken. Both 
of these symptoms while fasting appear to be manifestations of the increased 
elimination within the body. The reactions of body temperature vary to some degree with different fasting 
patients. When there is acute disease, with fever, the temperature gradually drops   47 to normal during the fast. When the temperature is below normal at the beginning 
of the fast, as is often the case when chronic disease is present, it gradually rises 
to normal and remains there, although the rate of rise is not always the same, with 
some patients fasting two, three or more weeks before the rise is to be noted. In 
rare cases, when no acute disease exists, the temperature rises above normal for 
short periods. A rapid fall in body temperature has been recorded in a few in-
stances during the very last stages of fasting. Such reaction calls for immediate 
breaking of the fast and the application of external heat. As a rule the rapid fall in 
body temperature is a symptom of only the starvation period, marking the com-
plete exhaustion of the body's food reserves. Among animals in the starvation pe-
riod, the temperature falls rapidly for two to six days before death... Even though body temperature may be normal while fasting, there is occasion-
ally a slight tendency towards chilliness. This is presumably due to decreased cu-
taneous circulation, and requires additional clothing or bed covering. The feet of-
ten become cold, and in such cases a hot water bottle may be applied to maintain 
comfort during sleep. There is usually some variation in the pulse rate during the fast. In some cases 
it has risen as high as 120, and Macfadden records one case in which it dropped 
to 20. In most cases of chronic disease, the pulse rises slightly at first, then falls to 
about 40 or slightly more, after which it rises again to about 6o. When there is a 
disease of the heart present, the pulse rate often varies considerably from the 
standard. An erratic pulse is quite frequent while fasting. Only when there is a per-
sistent very erratic pulse, or when the pulse remains very high or very low for long 
periods should the fast be broken. The usual variations and short periods of er-
ratic pulse should be taken for granted. Most fasting patients sleep less than usual. In some instances no more than   48 three or four hours a day are spent sleeping. Others, especially those who have 
previously suffered from insomnia, sleep longer during the fast, with insomnia pa-
tients having slept as much as 20 out of each 24 hours in some cases. During the first few weeks of fasting there is occasionally an actual increase in 
strength. Prof. Luciani found that his fasting subject, Succi, registered a stronger 
grip on the dynamometer on the twenty-first day of the fast than when it began, 
and he further stated that the fatigue curve obtained by Succi was the same on the 
twenty-ninth day of the fast as is obtained from individuals under normal condi-
tions. Dynamometric tests taken of Agnostino Levanzin, on his experimental thirty-
one day fast at the Nutrition Laboratory of the Carnegie Institute, showed no de-
crease in strength. The one-time famous boxers, heavyweight Harry Wills and 
light-weight Freddy Welsh, both used short fasts during their training periods. In 
1913 Macfadden supervised seven days of fasting of athletes who then appeared 
on the eighth day at Madison Square Garden to perform athletic feats, primarily 
weight-lifting, which would have been exceptional for even the best athletes while 
eating. In was on this occasion that Gilbert Low, after breaking his fast at the end 
of the eighth day, established nine world records for strength and endurance. An increase in strength is especially noticeable for those who are very weak at 
the beginning of the fast. Patients have been carried into fasting institutions on 
stretchers and gained strength so rapidly while fasting that they were walking 
about again within a few weeks. Macfadden, Carrington, Shelton and others have 
reported increases in strength among their fasting patients. As a rule they have 
found that in these cases the increase in strength generally lasts to about three 
weeks, after which there is a gradual lessening of strength. Though cases such as have been mentioned are frequent occurrences on the 
fast, there are many, perhaps the majority, of fasting patients who gradually lose   49 strength from the beginning of the fast to the very end. There are others who 
maintain strength while fasting, as shown in tests, but who feel weak and languid 
when not exercising. This feeling appears to be the general rule among many fast-
ing patients. In nearly all cases, there is a much greater feeling of weakness in the 
advanced stages of prolonged fasting than at the beginning of the fast. While recognizing the variation in strength and weakness during the fast, it 
should be understood that this is not an important determining factor in the recov-
ery of most fasting patients. In any event strength which may have been lost on 
the fast is rapidly regained when food is again taken. Only in those very rare 
cases of extreme weakness need concern be given. Extreme emaciation, with 
weakness to the point of frequent fainting and inability to walk alone, is of course 
an indication that the fast should be broken. A loss of weight while fasting is of course normal and to be expected. The aver-
age loss is perhaps about one pound a day, with a greater loss in the beginning of 
the fast than towards the end. Usually overweight patients lose weight most rap-
idly. Dr. Rabagliati and Dr. Carrington have reported cases in which a slight gain 
of weight was registered during short fasts. Such occurrences are very rare and 
difficult to explain. There is of course no danger from the loss of weight while fast-
ing; it is rapidly regained when eating is again resumed 
After the last meal is digested the digestive tract becomes inactive and there is 
usually very little bowel action. The intestines become empty, in fact, sterile, and 
bowel movements are infrequent or altogether absent. People have fasted as long 
as fifty days with no bowel action, and though this is exceptional, it indicates the 
tendency here given mention. The lack of frequent bowel action on the fast is quite 
normal and no cause for concern. Bowel action is quickly restored after the fast. If and when bowel action does take place on the fast, the movements may be   50 easy or difficult, depending in part on the type of food that was consumed immedi-
ately prior to the fast. Prof. Benedict stated that "fasting feces become hard, much 
drier and pillular, and frequently cause considerable uneasiness." This is true in 
some cases when the pre-fasting diet was composed predominately of refined and 
cooked foods. The use of an enema is then required to obtain relief. This condition 
does not tend to occur, however, when the meals immediately prior to the fast 
were composed exclusively of raw fruits and raw vegetables. There is considerable variation in the sexual desire and activity of fasting pa-
tients. In most cases the desire is either reduced or abolished, with temporary im-
potency developing during long fasts. Occasionally patients continue to indulge 
sexually throughout the fast, and in rare cases fasting has produced an increase in 
the sexual desire. After the fast the sexual powers return with renewed vigor. Men 
who had been impotent prior to fasting have often regained virility, and sterility 
among women is also frequently corrected. In women previously affected by congestion in the ovaries and uterus, the men-
ses may appear at irregular intervals while fasting and appear almost viscid in 
consistency with an offensive odor. This is believed to result from the natural 
cleansing of the reproductive system. In most other cases the menses may be 
barely perceptible during the fast or it may not appear at all. So long as good nutri-
tion and habits of exercise are maintained the fast, this same reduction or cessa-
tion in the menstrual discharge may be apparent. This need cause no concern or 
alarm, for the excessive flow from the uterus seen in civilized woman is the result 
of abnormal congestion in the reproductive system. When this congestion is re-
lieved with fasting, the menstrual discharge is accordingly diminished. To the most important symptoms given may be added literally dozens of others 
which may or may not occur, and which are quite unimportant insofar as the pro-  51 gress of the fast is concerned. Among these are vomiting, spitting crises, skin 
eruptions, headaches, backaches, dizziness, hiccoughs, fainting spells, sore 
throat, slight colds and cramps. Though such symptoms are discomforting to a 
degree, they are no cause for concern. Many are simply indicative of increased 
efforts of elimination. Of course, practically no patients experience all of these 
symptoms; many experience none at all, and others experience them on a few 
short periods during the fast. The therapeutic action of the fast is exactly the opposite of that of drugs. Whereas the latter often suppress the symptoms of disease, it is the purpose of 
fasting to "bring out" such symptoms, eliminate all toxins present, and thus pro-
vide permanent recovery. A disease which in the past has been inactive, or sup-
pressed with drugs, may become active through fasting, as tissues are healed and 
elimination increased. It has been said that we "have to live our diseases over 
again" while fasting, and this is true to the extent that the weakest parts of the 
body are being rejuvenated and cleansed, and thus given immediate renovative 
activity. People, for instance, who have been susceptible to catarrhal conditions in 
the past, may eliminate streams of mucus from the colon, vagina, throat, sinuses 
and nose, depending upon the location of their original catarrhal condition, while 
fasting. After elimination is complete, or the fast is broken, such symptoms cease 
and the patients are much the better for the experience, generally being cured of 
future catarrhal ailments. A disease may become more intense during the early 
days of fasting, and as renovation continues to completion, all symptoms gradu-
ally subside until the patient has fully recovered. Thus many, if not most, of the 
symptoms of fasting may be ascribed to the curative action of the fast itself. In no 
instance can we consider them the development of new pathology, as is shown by 
their rapid disappearance and failure to return after fasting. 52 Obviously this sort of analysis may give indication that the nature of disease it-
self is somewhat different than has been generally believed. In the past we have 
been accustomed to speak of disease as "attacking" the body as some sort of de-
structive force, and as such have attempted to "destroy" or suppress the disease 
itself with equally destructive agents, and even to remove the part of the body in 
which the disease was present. Here we see, in fasting, the action of disease as 
being curative in nature, which is intensified and brought to its culmination. Per-
haps it is this which has induced many physicians who employed fasting to claim 
that disease itself may be a defensive mechanism that induces an "eliminative" 
crisis in the case of acute disease, or an "adaptive" crisis in the case of chronic 
disease. The validity of this concept remains to be seen, and it is not our purpose 
to consider it here, but rather to point out its relationship to the development of 
symptoms on the fast. The most important danger signals of fasting, as regards the pulse and tem-
perature, have been given, and there are but few other symptoms which may be 
considered sufficient reason for breaking the fast sooner than otherwise would be 
desired. Even temporary delirium on the fast (which has occurred seldom) is rarely 
considered as reason for giving food, unless the delirium is associated with heart 
palpitation. The palpitation of the heart itself, or pain in the heart, while fasting is 
quite uncommon and not considered dangerous. As a rule most symptoms of the 
fast must be considered in relation to others. Very few symptoms in themselves 
are sufficient reason for breaking the fast. It is the combination of many severe 
symptoms which, even though not always dangerous, is occasionally used as a 
reason for giving food. There are no hard and fast rules in this respect, and each 
physician must his own judgment in considering a particular case. The symptoms of fasting, quite apart from being a cause for worry or concern,   53 can thus be seen to be only outward manifestations of the gradual recovery to 
health being made. Few are seriously discomforting, and one symptom, the loss of 
hunger, even makes the fast much more pleasant. In the final analysis, it is hunger 
itself which is most dreaded on the fast, and when this disappears, fasting is quite 
easy, with little annoyance or discomfort. Certainly it is not so difficult an ordeal as 
going through continued ill health, and many do not look upon it as an "ordeal" at 
all, but rather enjoy their fast to an extent not commonly expected. VIII Supervising the Fast 
GREAT CARE is taken in the administration of most therapeutic agents. Many 
forms of medication can be very dangerous if used by the layman without com-
plete knowledge of technique and quantity. Massage, manipulation and other 
forms of physical therapy can be useless when not properly applied. Fasting is no 
exception to this principle in the sense that certain precautions must be taken by 
all patients. These are not as complex as one often finds in the field of medicine, 
and ignoring them usually does not have the disastrous consequences found in 
the misuse of other therapeutic agents. Yet both physician and layman should rec-
ognize certain fundamental rules which permit supervision of fasting at maximum 
efficiency and a minimum degree of danger. No form of preparatory treatment is essential to the fast, though one type of die-
tary change is helpful and will render the fast more effective. The highly refined 
and heat-processed foods of the conventional diet have a tendency to clog the in-
testinal tract. If the fast begins at a time when excessive amounts of food residue   54 are packed against the walls of the small intestine and colon, the patient may ex-
perience some gas and difficulty of bowel evacuation, and the efficiency of the fast 
may be lowered. This tends to be prevented if the patient consumes an abun-
dance of raw food, especially in the form of juicy fruits and succulent vegetables, 
immediately prior to the fast. As a rule, living upon raw fruits and vegetables for 
just a day or two before the fast will loosen the bowels considerably and promote 
copious elimination when this is necessary. With the alimentary canal thus cleaner 
and free from excessive residues, the fast will be more comfortable and effective. The raw fruit-vegetable diet also serves the purpose of accustoming the system to 
the reduced intake of concentrated foods, thus making possible the easiest transi-
tion into the absolute fast. In the case of certain acute diseases, in which there is 
no appetite and normal digestion is impossible, the fast should begin at once and 
preparatory dietary measures would not be in order. But for a planned fast in non-
emergency cases, the brief dietary preparation as indicated will be found helpful. Rest is the first recommendation to all fasting patients. Some physicians require 
rest in bed in all cases of fasting, and whereas this is perhaps taking the extreme 
attitude, it is founded upon a sound physiological basis. Observations made dur-
ing many long fasts show that the active individual consumes his nutritive re-
serves and energy more rapidly than the patient who rests most of the time. The 
resting patient can fast longer and emerges from the fast in better condition. People have often worked throughout long fasts. In one instance a New York 
athlete received considerable attention by walking cross-country over 500 miles 
during 20 days of fasting. No permanent harm was observed in this or similar 
cases and satisfactory results were obtained. The question here is not what is 
necessary, but what is advisable. Both active and resting individuals receive bene-
fit from fasting, though the latter perhaps recover more rapidly and are more com-  55 fortable during the fast. During short fasts, less than 10 days in duration, doing light work, and perhaps 
even taking a few exercises, should be quite harmless. Even on longer fasts some 
very light work or exercise may be permitted, but caution is much more important 
in such cases. The important thing here is to avoid excesses. The patient who is 
weak at the start of the fast can obviously be less active than the athlete or strong 
individual. Providing activity is not carried to the point of excessive weakness or 
exhaustion, the efficiency of the fast is perhaps not impaired. However, Puriton's 
recommendations of "loafing, resting, lazing along and not caring" are perhaps 
most appealing to any fasting patient, from the standpoint of comfort alone, and 
whenever possible the fast should be conducted accordingly. The second important need of fasting patients is warmth. This is especially true 
in the advanced stages of fasting, when the patient can freeze to death at tem-
peratures which normally would be found only a little discomforting. Also, lack of 
warmth probably impedes the process of elimination to a degree and interferes 
with the efficiency of the fast. If the patient continually complains of being too hot, but has cold extremities, 
the fast should be broken and artificial heat applied. In event of an extreme chill 
the fast should not be continued and all efforts must be made to provide sufficient 
warmth. Under normal conditions, with proper care, conditions such as these do 
not arise, but when, through carelessness, warmth is not maintained, especially 
during prolonged fasts, the precautions given mention should have immediate and 
careful attention. Many fasting institutions employ sunbathing with fasting. The beneficial effects 
of exposure to sunlight have long been well-known and sunbathing is no doubt 
helpful to the patient. However, it is very important to avoid extremes in this re-  56 spect. Sunbaths should always be of comparatively short duration during the fast. A sunstroke is possible when there is excessive exposure, and whereas there is 
generally rapid recovery in such cases, a little care is certain to prevent them in 
the first place. While fasting it is always best to take the sunbaths during the early 
morning and late afternoon when the temperature is not at its highest. As the fast 
progresses, the length of the sunbaths should gradually be decreased. It is particularly important to avoid fear and negative mental influences while 
fasting. The ill effects of anger, grief and shock are more pronounced while fasting 
than at any other time. Sinclair remarks that the faster "should not have about him 
terrified aunts and cousins who will tell him that he looks like a corpse, that his 
pulse is below forty and that his heart may stop beating in the night." Certainly this 
is true in all cases, and a group of well-meaning friends and relatives can be a 
great interference to the efficiency of fasting when they have no knowledge or un-
derstanding of the purposes and principles of the fast. If for reason of the environ-
ment, or other reasons, the patient is living in dread and fear of the consequences 
of fasting, the fast should not be continued. Cleanliness and fresh air are important during the fast just as at all other times. During bathing, extremes of temperature should be avoided, and the bath should 
not last too long. When the patient is very weak, a sponge bath only should be 
used. There should be fresh air in the room whenever possible, though in cold 
climates this should not be carried to the point of interfering with warmth. There has been some controversy as to the amount of water to drink while fast-
ing. Theoretical observers have advocated water-free fasts, and still others have 
recommended several quarts of water a day on the fast. Experienced physicians 
have not gone to such extremes, but have instead recommended thirst as a reli-
able guide. There is little doubt but what several quarts of water a day while fasting   57 is greatly in excess of actual needs, and hence probably impedes elimination. Wa-
ter-free fasts, on the other hand, are dangerous and should never be employed. There are no records of anyone living longer than seventeen days with neither 
food nor water. A certain amount of water may be regarded as essential on every 
long fast. Fasting two or three days without water probably does no harm, but 
longer fasts in the absence of water are inadvisable. The actual desire for water 
on a fast is usually not great, but can be relied upon to meet all needs. It usually 
calls for about a pint to a quart or two of water each day, depending upon each 
individual case. Occasionally days may arise on the fast in which no water is de-
sired, in which case none need be taken if the length of time does not exceed a 
few days. It may be added that spring water or tested well water is to be recom-
mended while fasting. Distilled water may be a second choice, whereas chlorin-
ated water should be avoided if any other form is available. A certain amount of debate has also centered about the use of the enema while 
fasting. Though the enema has been widely used in some fasting institutions, 
most experienced physicians today either refrain from using it altogether or use it 
very seldom. Recommendations of the enema are based upon the assumption that 
toxins and waste matter are being deposited in the colon during the fast, and that 
the same materials are in turn re-absorbed by the blood. Cleansing the lower 
bowel with an enema each day supposedly prevents such re-absorption. Actually the colon is not fundamentally an organ from which much absorption 
occurs, and experienced physicians have noted that the entire alimentary canal, 
including the colon, becomes quite free of all waste materials during the fast. There is no evidence to indicate that the supposed deposits in the colon occur. The use of the enema is to some degree a drain on the patient's vitality, which is 
already at a low ebb. It also washes away the mucus which normally protects the   58 lining of the colon, and it breaks some of the tiny muscles of the intestinal wall, 
thus causing the muscle tone to be damaged and laying the groundwork for future 
constipation. It has further been noticed that bowel action is usually restored more 
rapidly after the fast when the enema has not been used. In spite of these criticisms, there are occasionally circumstances which do indi-
cate the limited use of the enema while fasting. If the diet immediately prior to the 
fast was largely cooked and refined, and the feces become hard and dried out on 
the fast, an enema can be used to remove the fecal matter. This helps to prevent 
the formation of gas and will eliminate difficulty and pain during bowel evacuation. In the case of hemorrhoid patients, it will prevent a hard plug of feces from forming 
in the rectal tissues. It must be pointed out, however, that even with poor diet prior 
to fasting, hard fecal matter, with difficulty in passing, does not always occur. Fur-
ther, if the meals immediately prior to the fast were composed exclusively of raw 
fruits and raw vegetables, as has been previously recommended, this adverse 
condition may be prevented in nearly all cases, including those of hemorrhoid pa-
tients. If solid foods, in particular those which have been heat-processed, are 
taken too soon after fasting, bowel action may also be rendered difficult and use of 
an enema may be called for. Here again we find an easily preventable condition, 
which does not tend to occur if the fast is broken in the right manner. It is thus ap-
parent that the enema is very rarely necessary during or after a properly con-
ducted fast. Its use is indicated in exceptional cases only, and then it should be 
applied just often enough to provide relief for such adverse symptoms as may be 
present. It is important to avoid all forms of drugs while fasting, as these are readily ab-
sorbed by the patient, who in turn does not handle them as well as the normal in-
dividual. The danger of drugs on the fast was noted in particular by Aducco, when   59 fasting dogs were given cocaine, strychnine and phenol. In all cases the reactions 
were much more intense than when doses were given to well-nourished animals, 
with a rapid rise in temperature, pronounced motor reflexes, and occasionally vio-
lent convulsions resulting in such cases. Delafuoy also found that fasting animals 
are very sensitive to drugs, and Mansfield reported that drugs which produced 
only slight effects on ordinary rabbits, produced severe reactions and violent con-
vulsions when given to the animals while fasting. Other investigators indicate simi-
lar results, and with humans an equal sensitivity to drugs while fasting must be 
expected. Serums and injections of all forms must also be avoided while fasting, as is the 
case with different methods of physical therapy, such as spinal manipulations, 
gastric lavages, Turkish baths, cold baths, electrical treatments, etc. The fasting 
cure does not harmonize well with a variety of other therapeutic measures. Most of 
these are a further drain on the patient's vitality, and in the cases of serum or vac-
cine injections, there is extreme danger with possible death. It must be remem-
bered that the physiological effects of fasting are the exact opposite in many re-
spects of those of other therapeutic agents. A combination of such methods, quite 
apart from being useless, only produces complex reactions which tend to contra-
dict each other. It can be seen that therapeutic fasting is complete in itself. It is not a procedure 
which is to be used along with too many adjuncts and other therapeutic devices. The principles of its technique are few and render its application both safe and 
practical. With a reasonable degree of care, the fasting patient may pass through a 
comfortable period of therapeutic treatment and regain health in the most effective 
and pleasant manner. 60 IX Breaking the Fast 
OF VITAL IMPORTANCE to the fasting patient is the method of breaking the 
fast. The period of abstinence may be completely successful, but if this is not ter-
minated properly the results can be decidedly unfavorable. Many laymen have 
conducted their fasts with the greatest care, only to break them on whatever food 
happened to be most convenient and find themselves in dire distress. A few phy-
sicians, unfamiliar with the general technique of fasting, have likewise broken 
fasts in an experimental or careless manner, and found their patients to react in 
the most alarming fashion. To give inadequate attention to this matter is to court 
near-disaster; it may mean the difference in certain cases between life and death. The many reports of fasts which have been broken incorrectly well substantiate 
this and give vivid illustration of the possible aftermaths. Dr. Shelton refers to two 
fasts broken by an incompetent physician on chocolate candy, which were fol-
lowed by extreme gastric and intestinal acidity and great distress throughout the 
body. He refers to another fast broken on toast, followed by malnutritional edema. Dr. Havard recorded a case in which a 28 day fast was broken on a meal of beef-
steak, potatoes, bread and butter, after which violent vomiting spells occurred, with 
inability to retain even water which was afterwards given. He writes of another 
fast, 42 days in duration, broken on coarse bread, and followed by vomiting and 
extreme irritation of the stomach. Another report tells of a 31 day fast, broken on 
several beef sandwiches, followed by death. Prof. Ehret has pointed to a fast by a diabetic patient, broken on dates, which 
ended fatally. A different case described by Ehret involved a 28 day fast, broken   61 on boiled potatoes. An operation was necessary to remove the food, which was 
held in the contracted intestines, after which the patient died. Sinclair writes of a 
man "who fasted fifty days, and then ate half a dozen figs, and caused intestinal 
abrasions from which he lost a great deal of blood' Regarding one of his own fasts, 
Sinclair states that it was broken on a thoroughly ripe Japanese persimmon which 
"doubled me up with the most alarming cramp — and in consequence I do not 
recommend persimmons for fasters." When intake of food is stopped, the body adjusts itself to the new conditions. The digestive organs cease to exercise their natural function; the digestive glands 
do not produce the usual juices, and the stomach itself shrinks to much less than 
its usual size. All this is an associated requirement of the physiological rest. After many days of fasting the body thus loses its immediate power to digest 
and handle food in the usual manner. When foods are again taken it only gradu-
ally regains its power of normal function. If the first intake is of a solid nature and 
difficult of digestion, the organs may entirely rebel; there will be little or no diges-
tive activity, and the foods will decay and ferment, causing much distress and dis-
comfort. If this happens along the lower section of the digestive tract, in the small 
intestine, the reactions are most severe, and when peristaltic action to move the 
food is yet impossible, death may ensue. Hence the reason for selecting foods with the utmost care after the fast. With 
few exceptions there is general unanimity of opinion that the first nutriment should 
be of a liquid nature, for it thus is more rapidly absorbed and is easier of digestion. It is also more soothing and less abrasive to the delicate mucous membrane lin-
ing, which is especially sensitive at this time. Fruit and vegetables juices, vegetable broths, flesh broths and milk have all 
been employed. They have not, however, given equally satisfactory results. Milk is   62 too difficult of digestion for some patients immediately after the fast, and, if taken in 
large amounts, it is not always assimilated without trouble and tends to delay the 
return of normal bowel action. Flesh broths have other disadvantages, and after 
long fasts they may give adverse reactions, even though there is ease of diges-
tion. The strained broth of cooked vegetables is much better, but of widest use 
and generally most satisfactory results are the uncooked juices of fresh fruits and 
vegetables. Discomfort is practically unknown when these foods are used. There is 
ease of digestion, rapid assimilation and quick restoration of bowel elimination. Though both are practical, fruit juices are usually chosen over those of vegeta-
bles for breaking the fast. Unstrained orange juice is given preference by most 
practitioners, especially for the first few feedings, and it provides perhaps the 
easiest and most effective return of normal bowel action. Juices of the grapefruit, 
tomato, grape, pineapple, peach, pear, apricot, apple, cantaloupe, watermelon, 
strawberry and other juicy fruits may also be used, either to break the fast or to 
supplement orange juice after the fast is broken. Of vegetable products, carrot 
juice is considered most appropriate at this time. The fast should be broken on one-half glass of juice, followed by the same 
amount every hour, or by one glass every two hours, for the rest of the day. On the 
second day the same schedule may be followed, or the juices may be taken at 
less frequent intervals; a three-meal-a-day plan may be adopted if desired, about 
one pint of juice being taken at each meal. On the following days the quantity of 
juice taken may be increased, but care must always be taken to avoid excesses 
which might produce digestive discomfort. At no time on the post-fasting juice diet 
should more than an approximate pint of juice be taken at any one feeding. The best uncooked juices for use after the fast are freshly extracted. This is true 
for reason of palatability as well as nutrition. The sweetness and richness of flavor   63 of freshly extracted juices are especially acceptable for the post-fasting patient. Within minutes after being made, however, juices tend to lose their fine flavors 
through the process of oxidation. Enzymes, vitamins and other nutrients are lost in 
the same way. For this reason, all forms of bottled juices, which were prepared 
long before consumption, should be avoided after fasting provided some form of 
fresh juice is available. The juices used immediately after the fast are best served at room temperature, 
which permits easiest digestion. Cold and iced juices should always be avoided at 
this time. The first juices should be sipped very slowly. If they are consumed in 
great haste, without proper insalivation, stomach cramps and the formation of gas 
can result. If the juices are "chewed" before being swallowed, the acid and sugar 
of the fruit will be mixed with saliva and work of the stomach will be reduced to a 
minimum. The duration of the juice diet may vary from one to approximately six days, de-
pending primarily upon the length of the fast. Whereas the juice diet increases in 
length in accordance with the extension of the fast, the rate of increase is a de-
creasing one. The ratio of the fast to the juice diet may be only two or three to one 
in the case of very short fasts, about four or five to one in the case of fasts of 
moderate duration, and seven to one or greater in the case of very long fasts. This 
is expressed in full in the following chart, which represents a suggested time 
schedule for correlating the juice diet with the length of the fast. Length of Fast Length of 
Juice Diet 1 to 3 days 1 day 
4 to 8 days 2 days   64 9 to 15 days 3 days 
16 to 24 days 4 days 
25 to 35 days 5 days 
over 35 days 6 days 
This chart represents a general guide and not a specific rule. Certain deviations 
may be made under different circumstances. The patient who shows a long history 
of digestive weakness, constipation or hemorrhoids can occasionally profit from a 
slightly longer juice diet than usual. On the other hand, some people need not em-
ploy the juice diet quite as long as others who have fasted an equal length of time, 
and after "complete" fasts of long duration, there is customarily a reduction in du-
ration of the juice diet. If hunger returns while fasting, salivary secretion is normal-
ized and other digestive secretions are becoming available at the very time the 
fast is broken. Solid foods can then be handled somewhat sooner than when in-
complete fasts of the same duration are broken. The earlier introduction of solid 
nutriment in these cases is also helpful because the food reserves of the body are 
in need of more rapid replacement. In view of these considerations, the time factor 
of each juice regime should be treated in relation to all of the individual physical 
factors present, as well as the length and physiological stage of the fast. Following the juice diet all types of uncooked foods may be eaten. A slow transi-
tion to a normal diet is unnecessary if the juices are consumed for the recom-
mended length of time and if the normal diet thereafter is composed exclusively of 
uncooked foods. If, however, a variety of heat-processed foodstuffs are to be con-
sumed, the uncooked dietary should be adopted first and may serve as a transi-
tion diet. This should be continued at least as long as the juice diet itself. It may   65 also be continued permanently to assure optimum benefit from the fast when this 
course of dietary procedure is decided upon. The first regular meals following the juice diet should be small in size. On suc-
cessive days the quantity of food may be gradually increased. However, care must 
be taken to avoid excesses. A gradual transition into very large meals, to compen-
sate for previous restrictions, is definitely not called for. Moderation in eating is al-
ways desirable, and this is more important following a period of prolonged absti-
nence than at other times. Equally important is the proper mastication of all food-
stuffs. Liquids should be sipped slowly and solid foods should be chewed to the point 
of involuntary swallowing. Adequate attention to these factors will prevent overtax-
ing the digestive organs at a time when they are regaining their full working capac-
ity. The importance of breaking the fast properly can hardly be overestimated. Cer-
tainly more difficulties have resulted from incorrect breaking of the fast than from 
any other form of fasting mismanagement. Yet these difficulties can easily be 
avoided in all cases. We need only remember that the proper application of the 
uncooked juice diet is the basic key to success in the immediate post-fasting pe-
riod. When this is followed by a varied dietary of uncooked foods, consumed in 
moderate quantities and well masticated, the normal physiological adjustment of 
the body is completed in an ideal manner. 66 X Living after the Fast 
THE PURPOSE of therapeutic fasting is to remove the causes of ill health. Once these causes are removed, the various manifestations of disease which 
were present tend to disappear and the patient is said to have recovered. How-
ever, just as faulty living habits created the causes of illness in the first place, so 
can these same living habits, if continued after fasting, create the conditions which 
may produce disease all over again. There is no therapeutic agent of any nature which is certain to offer a perma-
nent remedy of disease if no thought is given to the mode of living after the agent 
is used. Most therapeutic methods, in fact, fail to preserve health permanently ir-
respective of the mode of living which follows their use. The suppression of symp-
toms with drugs, for instance, or the use of vaccine and serum therapy, are not 
even expected by those who employ them to remove the causes of disease. They 
are expected to exert important influences which will aid the patient, it is true, but in 
few instances can their results be expected to be permanent. Thus fasting, though its results are more permanent than is the usual rule in 
therapeutics, does not make one "disease-proof in the sense that the conditions 
which favor the development of disease cannot be built all over again. There are 
manifestations of disease that disappear during the fast and never return, no mat-
ter how the patient lives thereafter. There are other diseases that return rapidly 
after a fast if the mode of living is not correct. The determining factors in such 
cases are many and involve the character and type of disease present, and its 
stage of development, as well as the strength and general vitality of the patient. On the other hand, if care is taken to adhere to good living habits, a true control is   67 made over the preservation of good health; permanence of recovery from specific 
manifestations of disease may be regarded as probable, and in many cases, vir-
tually certain. There are many theories as to the causes of ill health. These may be grouped 
into four main categories — chemical, bacterial, mechanical and mental. Whereas 
it is not to be denied that each of these is of some importance in determining the 
state of physical well-being, the preponderance of scientific knowledge seems to 
favor the viewpoint that it is primarily chemistry which dominates the efficiency of 
physiological functions in the body, with bacterial, mechanical and mental condi-
tions acting chiefly as secondary causes, being dependent upon the initial chemi-
cal condition of the body. It is not our object here to go into detail regarding this 
matter, but simply to state that this assumption as to the causes of disease is gen-
erally accepted by physicians who employ fasting and that their consideration of 
the care of patients after fasting is determined accordingly. Basically the chemistry of the body is determined by nutrition. Sunshine, exer-
cise, fresh air, mental tranquility, as well as other factors, are also of some impor-
tance. The initial intake of minerals, vitamins and other vital elements is made 
through our consumption of food. Sunshine adds vitamin D and also seems to act 
as a catalytic agent which creates certain changes in the chemistry of the blood, 
with the calcium and phosphorus content in particular increased during sunbaths. It thus appears that sunshine may induce the secretion of certain hormones or 
ferments which permit the body to use certain chemicals that it otherwise would not 
be able to use. Exercise stimulates the functional activities throughout the body, 
increases the supply of oxygen through deep breathing, and increases the flow of 
nutritive matter to the cells. The purity of air is important, with many harmful toxins 
being taken into the lungs when the atmosphere of cities is infiltrated with smoke   68 and smog from industrial plants. Emotional reactions may alter the activity of vari-
ous glands and stimulate or decrease their internal secretions, as the case may 
be. Defective nutrition after the fast results in part from consuming foods that have 
been altered chemically during the processes of refining, cooking, canning and 
pasteurization. Refined foods have lost the greater part of their mineral and vita-
min content, and marked amounts of these elements are lost when foods are 
heated. Even prolonged storage often causes important losses of elements in 
foods. Many kinds of chemical treatment are also destructive, with the bleaching of 
flour, vegetables and other foods, insecticide spraying of many plants, sulphuring 
of dried fruits, and chemical additions to many meats and canned foods having the 
most marked effects. Many chemicals, in addition to or instead of lowering the 
food value, give toxic reactions in the body as well, especially when taken in large 
amounts. In the case of cooking there occur a number of chemical changes which are 
probably just as important as the losses of minerals and vitamins. Tars are formed 
in all foods which are scorched by heat until black forms on the outside. Such tars 
have been found to be carcinogenic when tested under experimental conditions, 
and hence they represent a serious objection to certain heat-processed foods. It is 
well known that all enzymes are heat-labile. Even the comparatively low heating 
temperature used in pasteurizing milk destroys every enzyme in the food. Certain 
hormones are also affected by heat, as are the essential amino acids comprising 
the protein of foods. Some of the amino acids, such as lysine and glutamine, are 
destroyed; others are denatured and become less valuable for nutritive purposes. The total protein fraction is coagulated by heat and rendered less digestible. Fats 
may be damaged even more, and much experimental evidence is available show-  69 ing that they may become carcinogenic after prolonged treatment at high tempera-
tures. Probably all of the activating substances and vitalizing factors of food are 
changed to some extent under sufficient exposure to heat. The complex chemical 
balance of all food nutrients is altered, with the entire physico-chemical change be-
ing sufficient to produce serious physical impairment among those consuming 
large amounts of the foods. This is clearly shown, under different conditions, by both animal experiment and 
human experience. Under carefully controlled conditions, natural foods of almost 
every description have been tested and re-tested for their effects upon the health 
of white rats, guinea pigs, cats, dogs, monkeys and other experimental animals. And the results have consistently shown that raw fruits, raw vegetables, raw nuts 
and other seed foods, raw honey, raw dairy products and raw meat products (se-
lected according to animal types) all produce much better results upon animal 
health than do their counterparts in heat-processed form. Animals fed exclusively 
upon uncooked foods maintain a state of splendid health, with practically no signs 
of physical, mental, sexual or reproductive impairment. Animals of the same spe-
cies fed a similar selection of foods, only in heat-processed form, develop literally 
dozens of pathological symptoms. These include severe degenerative diseases, 
as well as physical deformities in the new-born, behavior disturbances, sexual ab-
normalities, reproductive impairment and shortened life spans. The most common 
bacterial and virus diseases, together with parasitic infestations, are very common 
in cooked-fed animals and almost unknown in animals fed selected uncooked 
foods. The mortality rate is always much higher when heat-processed foods are 
provided. Eventually, if sufficient cooked foods are included in the diet of certain 
animals over many generations, reproduction itself becomes impossible and the 
strains of animal stock completely die out. 70 With humans the effects are less severe in terms of survival, but they are quite 
similar in terms of certain manifestations of bodily impairment. In some instances 
the rate of diseases in white rats fed selected heat-processed foods has been 
found to correspond almost exactly with the average incidence of the same dis-
eases in human groups using approximately the same foods. In the civilized world 
the widespread use of refined, heat-processed and otherwise damaging foodstuffs 
has its effects in the extremely high incidence of degenerative diseases and men-
tal disturbances. Despite the widespread availability of medical services, and na-
tionwide efforts towards control of our common diseases, most signs of physical 
and mental deterioration are increasing in number, in some instances at a rapid 
rate. Certain infectious conditions are also becoming more common, and we are 
now faced with the wide prevalency of new virus and fungus diseases which previ-
ously were almost unknown. Parturition has become so painful and complicated 
that it is described in terms of a pathological process. Birth defects rise in inci-
dence with each succeeding generation, as does mental retardation in young chil-
dren. In adult life there is frequent incomplete development of secondary sexual 
characteristics, and other imperfections of physique are usually so common as to 
be taken for granted. What a remarkable contrast we then find among different primitive racial groups 
which retained their native dietary habits into a recent era, using no refined foods 
and a smaller percentage of those which had been cooked. Scientists observed 
and studied isolated and semi-isolated groups of such people and found them to 
be enjoying a state of health unheard of in civilization. Under the most adequate 
nutritional conditions of primitive life, dental decay was entirely absent; the dental 
arches were of perfect form and regularity; infectious diseases were quite rare, 
and some of the degenerative processes were entirely unknown. Parturition was   71 painless, or nearly so, with scarcely any complications. Birth defects were ex-
tremely rare, and the secondary sexual characteristics of men and women were 
fully developed. At the same time chemical analysis of the foods utilized in primi-
tive life showed a content of minerals and vitamins many times as high as is nor-
mally found in modern foods. Some of the typical primitive diets of the healthiest 
tribal groups were found to contain over ten times the amount of fat-soluble vita-
mins as in the displacing diets, with the proportion of certain minerals being from 
five to twenty-five times as high. This all finds a very important correlation with the experiences of patients after a 
period of fasting. Those who once again return to the conventional diet — this 
largely refined and heat-processed — often receive the surprise and disappoint-
ment of seeing their old diseases, which disappeared on the fast, return in the 
same intensity and manner. In the nineteenth century era of fasting, when the sci-
ence of nutrition was in its early experimental stages, physicians often gave little 
thought to the patient's diet after fasting, and the problem of obtaining a perma-
nent cure was then very real. Today the relation between fasting and nutrition is 
well recognized, and the usual patient is given careful instructions for eating after 
the fast. The general nutritional requirement may be stated as follows. To the degree 
that foods are grown on fertile, biologically-active soil (developed and maintained 
primarily by adequate mulching practices), without the use of caustic chemical fer-
tilizers or poisonous pesticides, are they suitable in terms of flavor, nutritive quali-
ties and safety for use in the human food supply. And to the degree that foods of 
all basic types are used in their relatively natural state, without chemical adultera-
tion, refining or heat-processing, are they adapted to support life and maintain 
immunity to disease. It is the purpose of fasting to restore health; it is then the pur-  72 pose of scientific nutrition, with other hygienic factors, to maintain it. After the fast, 
the diet should be both unrefined and uncooked to as great an extent as possible. In view of the present chemical and radioactive contamination of our physical envi-
ronment, including our food supply, this step is not certain to provide the perfect 
nutrition that was once attainable, but it will give the best nutrition possible within 
the framework that exists. While not ideal, this is still sufficient for the purposes in 
question. For some patients after fasting, an adequate food stock may be available 
and an excellent nutritional basis may be established. Others will doubtless devi-
ate from the optimum nutritional standard, but all can keep the general goals of 
scientific nutrition in mind and endeavor to follow them as much as possible.
Fasting-Arnold_Devries.txt
Summarize the following text section accurately and concisely. Maintain specific details and numerical information, and use anti-repetition mechanisms:

        It is easily understood,   38 of course, that the overweight individual can fast longer than one who is thin. Among those who are particularly obese, the extra layers of fat and other tissue 
will provide the body with nourishment long after the normal patient would reach 
the termination of the fasting period. Measuring the fast in terms of days, weeks and months, we find that some pa-
tients have fasted as long as ninety days before experiencing the return of hunger 
and other symptoms denoting the end of the fast. Sinclair reported what was per-
haps the shortest complete fast on record, that of his wife, in which case the 
tongue rapidly cleared after only ten days of abstinence from food. For most pa-
tients, however, the completion of the fasting period is not reached at such ex-
tremes. Though exact statistics listing the length of the average complete fast are 
not available, an estimate of from four to seven weeks is probably fairly close. A number of physicians have maintained that every fast should be carried to 
completion, unless adverse symptoms other action. Among these were Dewey, 
Carrington and Hazzard. Dr. Dewey mentioned cases in which the patients broke 
their fasts prematurely and were unable to digest the foods, vomiting everything 
that was eaten. Upon resumption of fasting, and continuance to the return of hun-
ger, normal digestive powers were restored and foods could be handled with 
ease.
The text does not provide a specific answer to this question, but it does mention that some patients have fasted for as long as 90 days before experiencing the return of hunger and other symptoms.
How long can a patient fast before experiencing the return of hunger and other symptoms?
The text states that there is no one-size-fits-all approach, and each patient's fast must be determined individually. However, it also mentions that the majority of practitioners accept the idea of carrying a fast to its natural termination, with reservations.
What is the general consensus among physicians regarding the length of a fast?
The text does not explicitly mention specific dangers of breaking a fast prematurely, but it does emphasize the importance of proper care in breaking the fast and the potential risks associated with certain foods, such as refined and cooked foods.
What are some of the potential dangers of breaking a fast prematurely?
The text advises against the use of certain foods, such as refined and cooked foods, and recommends a gradual reintroduction of uncooked, raw, and unrefined foods.
What is the recommended method for breaking a fast?
The text suggests that it is crucial to maintain good living habits, including a diet that consists of uncooked, raw, and unrefined foods, and emphasizes the importance of scientific nutrition in maintaining health.
What is the recommended approach to maintaining health after a fast?