So my friend just informed me she has been 'fasting' (drinking only water) since thursday. She is thinking about breaking it today, or tomorrow. I told her today, but she doesn't listen to me anyway :tired: She wants to know what foods she should eat when coming off the fast. :rolleyes: something that won't give her bloating (why she did it in the first place I dunno) :rolleyes:

Thanks everyone.

Hmm...I would suggest things with a low glycemic index to avoid spiking her bloodsugar. Whole grains, veggies, nut butters, etc.

Toast and maybe a little OJ?

rice and steamed veggies

it's likely that she's going to get a lot of bloating. there is no precident for extended water-only fasts in any tradition--religious or medical--in the world. it's a new thing, based on ignorance.

if a person wants to learn about fasting--the real deal--then they need to know what it is before they do it. They need to know how to do it, and when to do it only with medical or religious supervision or when they can do it on their own.

anything else is dangerous--could even be deadly.

after a day of grains and veggies, she can move into stewed fruit, boiled grains and beans (rice and beans), steamed veggies. From there, she can begin to add in spices (garlic, onions, etc), some whole fruit, etc.

What your friend did (and what you often describe that you do yourself) is incredibly dangerous. In every fasting tradition i've ever studied, the longest water-only fast is a 'day fast' which goes from sunrise to sunset. Traditionally, these fasts are not practiced in the summer, when days are longest. If a 'day fast' style fast is practiced, it's generally a 10 hour fast.

All other forms of fasting involve some kind of food--whether that's fruit and vegetable juices or broths, consecutive day fasts with meals before sunrise and after sunset (or ten hours apart if in summer), or simply omission of certain foods (such as dairy, sugar and flour, wine, etc).

The reasons for fasting are generally either religious, social/political, or medical. Most people who fast on a regular basis are fasting for religious reasons. The second two types of fasts i wrote up there are from a religious construct. The first one can be religious, social political, or medical. By social political, i'm refering to ghandi's extended fasts in order to bring peace to his country. He would go many days with the bare minimum of sustainence. Many times he would not fast, but in fact go on a hunger strike--which is for the purpose of starving oneself to reach a social or political goal.

i daresay that you and your friend have any of these lofty ideas when not eating. You both seriously need to reconsider your actions and consider getting professional help.

Hopefully she will listen to you Zoebird. Good advice for sure. Thanks :).

Cheers.