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"If we all did the things we are capable of doing, we would literally
astound ourselves." Thomas A. Edison Excerpts from some research on fasting therapy: Psychophysiological Study on Fasting Therapy Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, 1978 Abstract. The Tohoku University method of fasting therapy was performed on 380 patients. The clinical results revealed an efficacy rate of 87%. With regard to psychosomatic diseases, irritable colon syndrome, neurocirculatory asthenia, mild diabetes mellitus, obesity and borderline hypertension were good indications of this therapy. In order to clarify the therapeutic mechanism, several clinical examinations were administered before, during and after therapy. EEG data was analysed according to the power spectral method. The peak frequency decreased as fasting progressed, while it increased as re-fed continued. Percent energy of alpha waves after fasting therapy was significantly higher than that of the pre-fasting stage. The dexamethasone suppression rate of urine 17-OHCS after fasting therapy was significantly lower than that of the prefasting stage. It seems that ketone nutrition may work as a strong stressor in the brain cell, temporarily placing all biological mechanisms in a stress state and then activating the natural healing power inherent to the human body, thereby bringing about homeostasis. Effects of Fasting Therapy on Liver Function Disorders Tohoku University School of Medicine, 1987, Abstract Fasting therapy is a very valuable treatment for psychosomatic disorders with elucidation of therapeutic mechanism which is recently developing. Although the cases of fasting therapy for liver disorders are increasing in order to correct the innappropriate life style, few researches have been done to investigate the influence of fasting therapy on liver function. The purpose of this study is to solve the above problem and to determine the indication of fasting therapy for liver disorders. The subjects were 30 cases with liver disorders, and two control groups whose age and sex were almost matched. The subjects included cases of alcoholic liver injury, hypernutritional fatty liver, drug induced liver injury, chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, and cause unknown hepatic dysfunction. Liver function of all cases in one control group was normal. The results suggest that fasting therapy has beneficial effects on mild liver function disorders especially on alcoholic liver injury, hypernutritional fatty liver and drug-induced liver injury via metabolic change, regualtion of autonomic function, and behavioral modification due to alteration of consciousness during fasting therapy. The fasting diet therapy as a non-medicamentous method of choice in complicated cases of asthmatic bronchitis and bronchial asthma. Results: benefits of the therapy include, increased nonspecific resistance toward bacterial infections, decreased incidence of allergic inflamatory processes, stimulation and better function of the adrenal gland, clearing of the bronchial pathway, formation of bigenic stimulants, and better function of the cardio-vascular system. Results of the many years of clinical observations and therapeutic effect include, 75% of observed patients have greatly improved in terms of breathing discomfort and asthmatic attacks, and in most cases the disease takes a milder form. Fasting and rheumatoid arthritis: A multicenter study. Clinical Ecology, 1984 Forty three patients with definite or classical rheumatoid arthritis from three hospital centers underwent a water fast lasting 6-8 days under controlled environmental conditions. No major medical complications were noted. Seven parameters of arthritic activity all significantly improved during the fast. Controlled trial of fasting and one-year vegetarian diet in rheumatioid arthrits. The Lancet, 1991 Fasting is an effective treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, but some patients relapse on reintroduction of food. The effect of fasting followed by one year of a vegetarian diet was assessed in a randomised, single-blind controlled trial, and found to be an effective course of treatment. Fasting and Eating for Health Joel Fuhrman, MD Precise diet and fasting programs to relieve headache, hypoglycemia, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, colitis, psoriasis, lupus, and uterine fibroids are included in this excellent book by Dr. Fuhrman. Fasting and eating integrates this age-old health practice with medical research to provide a complete diet and fasting program for conquering disease. Joel Fuhrman has supervised hundreds of fasts, and his approach is so effective that heart and diet specialist Dr. Dean Ornish has referred difficult cases to him. Throughout history fasting has been thought to heal the body. Numberous well controlled scientific studies have proven its safety and effectiveness in relieving and even curing seemingly intractable and chronic diseases, such as colitis, sinusitis, chronic allergies and chronic fatigue. See also, Vegetable diet may improve autoimmune disease, by S. Faivelson, Medical Tribune, June 11, 1992. Preplanned fasting in the treatment of mental disease Survey of current soviet literature, 1977. Experiences with the treatment of hypochondriacal patients are summarized by Gurwitsch (1969). This investigator stresses the fact that planned fasting will give favorable results in depressed as well as schizophrenic patients, even where other therapy has proven ineffective. A recent study by Rudakow, (1972) describing the results of planned fasting in patients suffering simultaneously from hypertension and schizophrenia is also of interest. He stresses the beneficial influence of preplanned fasting upon elevated blood pressure, hypertension, as shown by a detailed study of arterial and capillary pressure, as well as the favorable effect of this regimen upon the schizophrenic symptoms. |