Written by: Dr. Frannie Koe, MD
What motivated me to fast for eleven days? For many years, I have read about folks who had fasted for 20 to 30 days, or more, and completely got rid of symptoms of several illnesses. Because I have RA, it is something I would like to do. However, it is very difficult to fast for such an extended period and still work.
In the past, when I did longer fasts (5 and 8 days), I completed them when I could stay at home and I was not working in the clinic. However, there are many people who have done longer fasts while continuing daily activities such as attending work and school.
Dr. Joel Fuhrman, who appears frequently on PBS and has written several books on a nutrient-rich diet, is a family physician who went to school with Dr. Oz. They both went to Perelman Medical School in Pennsylvania. Dr. Fuhrman has won awards for teaching cardiologists about nutrition. He has written books that proposed a vegetarian, low-fat, low-salt diet which can be hard to get the average person to do.
Dr. Fuhrman was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis many years ago and he fasted for approximately 30 days, which led to healing his body from this autoimmune disorder. He was in his 20s. He could fast and continue to go to school daily.
I was inspired by his story and his ability to fast for such an extended period while continuing with his daily obligations. Also, because we share the same autoimmune issue, RA, I hoped to improve my inflammation and decrease the amount of daily pain I have.
The 11 day-long fast I undertook in the past was my first attempt at doing an extended fast while continuing to work each day. The next blog post in this series will discuss my fasting successes and failures. As always, do not fast without the help of a practitioner who knows how to help you do it correctly! These blogs are my personal experiences, and although I am a medical practitioner, are not a substitute for medical advice.
