Gerry,

Don't have time lately to participate as much as I'd like, in all the neat
discussions lately, but this one I just have to jump in on ...

You said,
> When a person fasts, his/her body becomes so revitalized and efficient at
> utilizing food when one starts refeeding that unless one intends to eat
> "clean" food, they can do more harm than good.

Gerry, this is an EXTREMELY over-simplified description of what goes on, in
my opinion. You're right, one can do a lot of harm if one overeats after a
fast,
however it is not at all yet fully understood what mechanisms can account
for the various problems that can arise. And "clean" food (as you call it)
can, (and does), cause JUST as many problems as junk food.

I'm an advocate of fasting - I've seen it help a lot of people - but it
must be done with extreme caution and close supervision; and, from my
experience, because of the psychological difficulties, with outside help
during the follow-up period. Eating "clean" food will most definately _not_
insure that problems don't arise when the person resumes eating.


> That's why people who "diet," tend to put on more weight than they had
> initially once they start eating again. Their body is more efficient at using
> less so it "slaps" the excess calories on in the form of fat.

Again, this is a gross oversimplification, and is likely incorrect.
It is not known why some (not all) people gain weight more easily after
diets, although there are various theories attempting to explain this. And
dieting does not necessarily make the body more efficient at using less, as
you say above. There are MANY other factors influencing the body's
biochemistry, a huge one (which you didn't address at all) being exactly
_which_ foods are being eaten.

Anyway, had to throw in my two cents, especially in light of Axel's and
Chris's GREAT discussions on some of the real, and not at all yet fully
understood, problems encountered with fasting, raw eating, vegan diets,
etc.

Love Liza

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[log in to unmask] (Liza May)