Day 19

Hello everybody-

I just talked to Elchanan and there is light at the end of the tunnel! I will be breaking my fast on Monday- which will make 21 days. He gave me re-feeding instructions for the first two days. I will be calling him in the morning on Monday just to make sure everything is understood and set.

He gave me a very difficult assignment. He wants me to be bored for the next three days. I have avoided dealing with myself throughout this fast by my many distractions- TV, radio, computer. I can read, but need to pay attention to when my eyes feel tired. I will stop blogging until early next week. This is an interesting challenge. Can I do nothing for three days?

I have someone bringing me a seeded organic watermelon on Sunday. Just knowing there is an end makes my heart SING!

I will be back with the taste of watermelon in my mouth.

Thanks for the company-

Seena

Day 18

Hi ya-

This morning started off with a senior handyman coming to fix my shower faucets. It's a long boring story so I won't go into it- it took him over 4 hours and cost me $140. He was a skilled plumber but had to make two trips to the hardware store - if you want plumbing done, get a real plumber with a truck full of parts.

We had an interesting talk afterwards about health. He was so confused because all the information out there was conflicting and he just wanted to be healthy. He was 71 and had heart problems, but looked great, and had an incredibly open mind. I ordered him the 80-10-10 book. It's funny how the universe justs brings you what you need- I need a hundred handyman things done and he needs to learn how to use his new computer. I teach basic computer to beginners. He and I are both thrilled that we can exchange services.

I was much more comfortable with the air conditioner on today. And so was Junior my dog! I am pretty weak most of the time and my energy ebbs and flows but it doesn't flow too much. I can sit without fatiguing but sometimes just walking to the bathroom is a chore. My rashes are less itchy today so maybe that process is coming to a close. I talk again with Elchanan in the morning.

I would be lying if I said I didn't wish it was time to break the fast. When I feel bad I wish this more, when I feel better I know I can go on. Also when I feel bad I know if I just wait I will feel more human again. The repetition of the seemingly endless days wears you down like water dripping on a rock. When I feel weak (most of the time) I don't have the energy to creatively engage myself. I welcome naps and a good night's sleep- anything that will move the calendar forward. My body is busy doing wonderful things and I am left behind in the background trying not to get in its way. But I am so grateful for the work it is doing that I don't want to let it down.

That is it. It is like 95 degrees in the middle of the day so I haven't gotten any sun since I have been home. Maybe I will try to get some in the real late afternoon tomorrow. That ought to spark my synapses.

See you tomorrow- maybe I will have a report on what my body has been up to from Elchanan.

Seena

Day 17

Ha- I'm writing a blog at night!

I have two more lessons learned. You guys don't know how lucky you are not to have to live my learning experiences!

• Sitting. On the 15th day of a 15 day stay I was making the dogs last meal. I couldn't stand any more so instead of laying down in the living room I grabbed a nearby bar stool and dragged it over and sat. I could then take my time and finish their meal at my leisure and not rush through it. I have great endurance sitting. I am comfortable sitting. I can't believe I went two weeks without figuring out that I could do a great many things without tiring if I could figure out how to sit and do them. Today I washed my kitchen floor with a hand scrub and a bowl of warm water. I sat on the floor and did circles with the scrub and used almost no energy.
  
• Temperature. I have been home for two days where it is much hotter than the other place, which is closer to the beach. I thought I was wiped out at night because I used up my reserves. That might in part be true but a friend brought water over in the afternoon and said "It's too hot in here!". Well, it was, about 87 degrees. My dog has been panting since we have been back. By the afternoon I can hardly stand. I turned on the AC and I perked right up! This was a demoralizing oversight on my part because I was beginning to think I was so weak and felt so bad that I would have to pull the plug on the fast. Now I am good to go.

My friend's are more alarmed than ever. I fear they will gang up on me and force feed me watermelon. I guess 17 days without eating is an alarming concept to most. I just don't listen to them and tell them I am almost done, whether I am or not. Elchanan says they feel a combination of fear and caring- so I keep this in mind and don't hear anything except that they care.

Yesterday I read "Fasting-And Eating-For Health: A Medical Doctor's Program for Conquering Disease" by Joel Furhman. It was quite good. Actually his dietary recommendations are pretty much 80-10-10 - he understands the bad health effects of eating high protein and fat. He does steam some veggies and eats some whole grains. I gave the book to a friend who thinks what I am doing is too restrictive for her so this may be a happy inbetween. He explains why we should not eat protein and fats very well and if she could make that move it would be a great start. And this guy is an MD. Some people just need to see the degree to attach the credibility to the work before they believe. He also did a great job with the fasting part of the book. Today I started "Fast Food Nation"- I have already seen the movie.

That is it- I'm off to read.

Seena

Day 16

Hello all-

I tried to write last night but was too tired so here I am again writing the morning after. Yesterday was my first day home and I rested lots. I didn't do anything other than water and pee me and feed the dog. I napped more than I have any other day. I had a little energy in the morning and less through out the day, even with the naps. My rashes are active and itchy, the right side in particular covers a large area.

In the morning I had a Dynamic Self-discovery session with Elchanan. He said the fast was going very well and that there appeared to be no DSD work to do. So we didn't do any, but I asked lots of questions and felt once again reassured and motivated when we were done. I asked it it still looked like a 30 day fast and he got a "no", but that may not be what I might hear on Friday when I talk to him again. Upon later reflection I thought that we never asked if it would be longer than 30 days- so I am reserving any expectations.

I did a lot of "scattered" reading. I picked up this and that and just read to fill the time. One book I revisited was Dr. Doug's 80-10-10 book- I was interested in the evening meals. Before I had little interest in the blended meals (other than my morning smoothies) because I had heard so many stories about how blended meals were tasteless. I have an Ann Wigmore book about nothing but blended meals and was never motivated to try one. But I want to re-investigate this topic because my head is changing about food. My sense of taste is so much better now that I don't use condiments, I really enjoy the taste of what I am eating. And I now eat organic produce so what I am eating tastes better to begin with. I find myself wanting to try some of his recipes, and have begun creating my own in my head. And without any stimulation at all for so long on this fast, my taste buds will be even more sensitive. Elchanan says I will have a whole brand new relationship with food.

I am going to try REALLY hard to write tonight, but Elchanan says to always take care of myself first and when the tank is out of gas, I am happy to just make it to the bed and flop for the night.

Later-

Seena

Day 15

Hi-

Today was moving day so it was packed full of things I had to do. I needed to try and make the house look like it looked when I got there and I had to prepare all the stuff I brought for the trip to bring back home. Of course, looking back I could have literally left 75% of that stuff at home. This knowledge is of no use to me now as I am positive I would never fast again away from home unless it was a formal place to fast.

I started the day off with the very best energy I have had yet. Thank goodness because I needed it. When it was time to move me back I was absolutely wiped out. I had a ton of mail to go through and all my stuff from the trip is all over the front room. And it can stay there until the fast is done for all I care- it is the morning after now and I am still really weak.

I have to prepare for my DSD session with Elchanan. I also have plans to do nothing but rest from now on. Elchanan says the third week is when a lot of real cleansing takes place. So cleanse away body!

I am too tired to write more, but I will do better tonight when I have rested.

Bye-

Seena

Day 14

Hi all-

I remembered two more lessons learned:

• Socialization. In two weeks I have seen almost no people I know. The ideal would be to be part of a fasting group where you could talk daily and support each other. The worst scenario is what I am doing- seeing almost nobody in person. People present a problem because seeing people who are invested in what they think is your health leads to their trying to save your life. These are not good subjects. I will be happy to be home where I have neighbors close by on each side. I live in a senior park so maybe they won’t notice that I am weak and getting thin (just kidding- one neighbor is picking up my mail and watering and knows what I am doing). Maybe I’ll just talk to the mailman- we have a good rapport and he doesn’t have time to hear the story. That’s one more person a day than I have now.
• Boredom. Elchanan says there is a “constructive boredom”. I have not found that delightful state yet. I started out with guidelines about the TV and quiet time and I’ve broken them all. Boredom will drive you to unknown places. Being weak is so constrictive; I often can’t do anything but lay there (as rest should be). So I will try harder these next weeks to conquer boredom.
  

Today I did do some enjoyable visualization. I fleshed out what I will be doing to build up my physical health. I included cardio, weight bearing, stretching, and balancing movements. I am very motivated to do this, slowly after re-feeding. I had neglected this for a long time so I am going to be looking funny with so much less fat and so little muscle underneath. I have always been athletic and I like the way it feels to be in shape. I got a great dose of sun today.

Tonight concludes two weeks of water fasting (and two weeks of not pooping!). The rashes on my left side are cleared; the ones on my right side are clearing. I look forward with untold joy to going home to my own house, with my own computer, with my only one quiet dog, with one fifth of the “chores”. I am loading up on water and dog food and will be in for the duration. I have one person getting me supplies and taking me home, another following with my truck. I am quite the happy camper.

We won’t talk about the Padres- they are breaking my heart-

Seena

Day 13

Hello to all-

It was nice to read the Path of Health digest in the morning and see some discussion about my fast. I hoped by keeping a blog I could journal my experience for myself, give anyone who was interested an inside look at what it was like for me, and to help give pointers to the fasters of the future. So- here are my

LESSONS LEARNED SO FAR:

• Negativity. The people who love you will not want you to fast any extended length of time. That is their job, they love you. Their protests are in direct proportion to how much they care. Before fasting tell them all if they can’t be supportive that you will talk to them again when you are done fasting- and mean it. You do not have the energy to battle their fear; they do not have enough correct information not to worry out loud.
• Rest. Rest means don’t do anything but get water, pee, and bathe when it is time. Don’t do like I did and think sitting and doing nothing at someone’s house is resting. You have no idea how much energy you will have, and just going out to get the paper in the morning can be exhausting.
• Environment. It should be quiet. The noise here from the cars and nearness of other houses with their gardeners and construction is distracting. It should be where you can enjoy the serenity of nature. This tract house doesn’t give me a view of much. It should be where you can lay in the sun. I can do that here, but have to move the lounge chair around depending on the time of day and it’s too much so I sit on the steps in the sun.
• Length. It should be open-ended so you don’t interrupt a cleansing process when you stop. If you work with supervision they can help you decide the best place to break. Damn- I did this one right!
• Preparation. Eat 80-10-10 for quite a while before you start, eat mono meals in the days before you fast, the longer the better. I also did this and went from burning carbs to burning fat very quickly and had very few typical SAD to fast symptoms.
• Hydration. Pay attention to your thirst!! This is of the utmost importance to your comfort and motivation. If you feel really crappy because you are dehydrated then you won’t want to continue. Sip your water often enough not to get dry mouth. Learn to recognize the back of the throat signal that you need water so you don’t get to the louder signal of dry mouth. Keep hydrated and you will keep happy.
  

I’m sure I’m forgetting things but I’ll include them later as I remember them. The Padres were so bad tonight I couldn’t watch the second half of the game. The bums stink!

Seena

Day 12

Evening-

Today I woke up and felt great. That is relative to how I have been feeling. Instead of walking around like the hunch back of Notre Dame I could walk around “regular”. I didn’t know if my body had just made another adjustment or was done with some big cleansing job or what. But I welcomed the change. I am still weak, but I could do things like walk to the other end of the house without planning it and taking rests along the way. Toward the late afternoon I was more tired but nothing like I have been.

I had a dynamic self discovery session, a short one, with Elchanan this morning. He said my temperature, blood pressure, and lymphatic circulation was out of kilter. Some how, perhaps from my smoking in the past, the three processes were no longer working together as they should so I focused on getting them back in sync. When done he said I had completed the process and I trust they are now working with better coordination. (How does he know these things?).

My morale is very high. Part of that is the feeling so much better. Part is having talked to Elchanan. I want to stay with this until he says it’s a good time to break, and I am not concerned about how long it takes. It will be what it will be. I am locked into being healthy. I want to be healthy with a real passion. I visualize my body doing this grand housecleaning, correcting my years of bad habits, fixing things I didn’t even know were brewing. When it’s time to stop, I will keep my diet clean and get some muscle tone. If I need to short fast later I will. If I need another long one, I will. I can see now more clearly how this fast is a great gift to myself.

Usually this is where I say I’m tired and have to go to bed. Well I am not tired and am going off to read!

See you tomorrow night-

Seena

Day 11

Welcome-

Today was a weaker day than yesterday but a good one. I guess my reserves will ebb and flow with the demands of my inner cleansing. Since I make a hundred trips to the water and the bathroom it’s not like I’m just lying down all day. I sit when I remember but I have always been one to lay down- reading, watching TV- I am not comfortable in a chair. Even when studying for school if there was a lot of reading involved I’d be on my back propped up with pillow behind my head.

I have new rashes. If I stand with my right palm to the side of my body, then move it back a few inches I am right on top of the new rash- half on my butt. It is about the size of my hand. I also notice I am bringing up stuff from my throat- nothing solid or colored and it took me a while before I realized I was doing it. It could be the decades of smoking. If it increases I will have to spit it out rather than just swallow as I can tell it my stomach will get upset and I don’t look forward to puking. That would surly mess up my hydration!

I started reading “The Liberty Dollar Solution To the Federal Reserve” today and I think it is a great book. It fills in my huge voids of knowledge about money and its relationship to liberty. I have so little background and it really doesn’t matter because we aren’t taught much in school that furthers my education on these subjects. I like the flow of the book and find it not so technical that I fall asleep. It’s not a quick read like a novel, but it may be one of the more instructive books I’ve read in years.

The Padres won 1-0 and the Dodgers lost their game so we are tied for first together again. I know nobody out there cares but this is the highlight of my whole day. I know I cleanse better when they win (just kidding). The days are endless repetitions of drinking water and peeing with a few phone calls and occasional sunshine. I look forward to the games.

That is it- I am tired (what else is new) and am going to exchange the couch for the bed.

Bye-

Seena

Day 10

Good evening-

It’s all about water control. I am getting very good at keeping myself hydrated without getting too much water. In the beginning, not being used to drinking water, I got to the dry mouth stage before I drank. I was dehydrated and feeling crappy. Now I sip often and never reach the dry mouth- and am beginning to feel the back of the throat signal to drink. I am weak, but being hydrated keeps my blood volume up so I don’t feel like I am going to faint if I sit or stand- and I feel much more comfortable. Today I felt very good. I had to take out the trash and pick up dog poop- but I took my time and did it in stages resting in between and I did fine.

The rash on my over my left kidney has gotten bigger, and it itches. There is a smaller rash on the right side. Nothing else is going on. My ring is loose. I have lost maybe 15 pounds. I am amazed that I can go without eating for ten days and feel as good as I did today. The body is so awesome. It is being completely self-contained- I am only giving it air and water.

I think about food sometimes, but not in a “I wish I could eat this” kind of way. I think about what I will be eating when I am done. Sometimes this thinking makes my mouth water and soon my stomach might growl, but I am not hungry. And I don’t dwell on food- so it isn’t a problem. I don’t want to eat, I want to fast. If I go thirty days then I have done one third of the time. If most of the days could be as good as today I won’t have a problem.

I will be happy to go home on Monday. I will have fewer responsibilities and I am close to my neighbors on both sides. Just five more days (that will be 15 and that’s half of 30!).

I’m real tired so I’ll see you guys tomorrow-

Seena

Day 9

Hi all-

I’ve decided to write short snippets throughout the day because I have limited reserves. Often I wait until the next morning to write because I am tired after the Padre game and the details of the day are gone.

I had a dynamic self-discovery session this morning with Elchanan. It was interesting because it was half the length of a regular session (but we will do them twice as often through my fast) and the statements were related to my fasting. “Every part of my system works in perfect harmony.” “It’s safe and OK for me to let go of anything and everything that no longer serves me.” The statements that have “it’s safe and OK” in them are my favorites- I apparently have safety issues.

It is comforting to know he is there with answers I can trust. I learned this will probably be a long fast; my kidneys are ridding themselves of toxins through rashes on my hips, and my worry of having stored lots of mercury (working as a dental tech and a ton of fillings) is well founded. Heavy metals are slow to leave the body so I am in for the long haul.

When I mentioned the new rash on my hips he said that’s the kidneys. Later I reached to the back of my left side, behind the new rash and felt another rash right where my kidney is. When you take his God given intelligence, his intuition, his understanding of nature’s design, and some kind of gift that produces a synergy- you end up with a resource that is awe inspiring. And respect inspiring. And gratitude inspiring.

I have to spend more time without the distractions that I make to let the time pass quicker. I almost never just lay there and do some quiet time. So I am setting aside some time to do this, but I want to approach it with more of a play mentality. I want to do some fun imagining along with some more serious musings. I will think about this tomorrow because I am going to go to sleep soon.

Today’s energy was different. I felt OK but started two tasks and ran out of energy in the middle of both. I had to give my little dog a bath in the kitchen sink. Usually I let the suds soak in for four or five minutes. I don’t think it was much more than a minute and a half and I was rinsing him off. I just couldn’t stand any longer. Same when I fed the dogs. It is a multi task chore- and I had to rest between each step. They weren’t happy. I also had a slew of calls for the owner of the house, and two people came to the door. The next fast I do will be at a professional fast center where I can actually rest.

Good night-

Seena

Day 8

Salutations-

Taking in more water was the best thing I could have done to make myself more comfortable. I am not "forcing" water, but I am trying not to allow myself to get to the dry mouth stage. I seem to be ignoring the thirst in the back of the throat signal that I need water. I haven't felt that "I am so weak I feel terrible" stage since I have increased my water consumption. This makes life so much easier. Yesterday a friend was freaking out because his computer crashed and he had to start from the beginning- he had lost everything. Since he was only a couple of blocks away he picked me up and I spent 20 minutes setting up his email account and reinstalled his security system. Then I laid down and rested for an hour and a half watching TV and napping- then I went home. It was nice to be in a different environment for a couple of hours as I was getting cabin fever.

In addition to becoming serious about a "real" garden I have another direction I want to go. I want to set up a fun and efficient physical exercise program. I have neglected this part of my health and I miss it. I want to start playing in my 50 and over basketball league again, and working out with weights and stretching. I also want to use the bike I got five years ago that I never use. When I am done with this fast I am going to be very much aware of how little muscle I really have.

Got to go and prepare for my dynamic self discovery session with Elchanan. I hope we work on something to assist my fasting.

See you later-

Seena

Day 7

Hello to you my readers-

Another uneventful day. I am not sure how I could have an eventful day unless something goes astray. Two very good friends who call me to make sure I am all right think I am harming myself and yesterday they both, separate from each other, said my words were slurring. One even said "Have you been drinking?". Like I could drink in this condition. Anyway I emailed Elchanan and asked if slurring (which I cannot hear myself) is significant and he said if I can get to my water and get to the bathroom and my lips are not chapped and could write that email then I am fine. So I am fine.

I have increased my water intake. Too often I go quickly from wet mouth to dry mouth and want to keep hydrated without dehydration symptoms. I have found doing this increases my trips to the bathroom but makes me feel much less weak. So perhaps this week of fasting will be more pleasant than the last. I think my body must be much cleaner than the average faster because I have had no uncomfortable symptoms, no bad breath, no body odor, and no coated tongue. I hope that means my body is working on deeper things than getting everyday toxins out. That would be great!

It is remarkable how fewer toxins I allow in, on, or around my body. I use no commercial person hygiene products, although I sometimes use vinegar and apple cider on my hair. I eat organic fruits and vegetables. I changed over from poisons to organic pest control, now I just repel the critters instead of kill them. It costs more but it works and I feel better about it. I use salt and vinegar to wash my laundry. I just bought my first two pair of hemp pants. The list goes on. And my reward is better health and a body clean enough not to have to go through the more uncomfortable cleansing experiences of headaches, runny nose and sore throat, rashes, stinky body and mouth etc. I guess I earned the easier ride.

So day seven draws to an end. One week. I just do them a day at a time. The Padres won and played well so all is right in the world!

See ya-

Seena

Day 6

Welcome back-

This morning I felt pretty good so I took a bath and went back to my house in the car and picked up my mail, talked to my neighbor, got a few things from the house, and drove back. And then I was EXHAUSTED. I tell you, on this fast I either felt pretty good and think I can go forever and not eat, and then I get to that wiped out feeling where I can hardly sit up. And then I wonder if I can go another day. But I have faith that the good times will follow the bad and it always has so far. I don't know if it is my body telling me "Hey you did too much" or my body is getting busy doing some great thing for me and just hogging all the energy.

I was thinking today about making a real garden in the back yard. I've played around and planted stuff before and came to the conclusion that it isn't worth the time and money for what I end up with. But I have about five books on growing real gardens that make the most of the area you have and I think I am going to devote the time and energy to do it right. So I am a little excited about that.

No sun again. I missed the morning sun because I was gone. I missed the afternoon sun because I couldn't get off my back. And no bowel movement again, although I feel like there is something there but it has nothing behind it to help it on the last of its journey. I am considering a quick enema but have to check with knowledgeable people. The seven day herbal cleanse I was on two years ago was so regimented- taking this and that a hundred times a day and doing colonics twice a day. This is a lot more relaxed, although a little water cleaning out sounds good.

That's it my friends. The Padres lost again, after being ahead 4-0 their bullpen (the best in the major leagues) blew it big time. So we are no longer in first place. Tomorrow is another day and I hope I have some energy.

Seena

Day 5

Hello, Hello, Hello-

My day was quiet. I started reading a novel in the morning and read straight through and finished in the afternoon. No bowel movement and I didn't lay in the sun today. I listened to the Padres lose and went to bed. I need to focus on having quiet time for myself without any reading, listening, watching to distract me. I will work on that.

I forgot to write last night so this is the morning after. I weighed myself and I have lost 10 pounds. I felt weakish in the morning and better in the afternoon and evening. I am never hungry and have no cravings, although I think about food in a pleasant way. In the kind of way that makes you appreciate it, that makes you want to take more time with it when you again start eating. And the food I think about is not SAD. I find that interesting. I want fruit, ripe and sweet fruit. And crispy greens.

I am sleeping well. I don't find myself napping much, but I am laying down a lot of the time. This morning I am feeling pretty strong so I am going to go home and pick up my mail and check the house. This is the first time I felt I could do this without worry.

My friends think I am crazy. My closest friends worry about me. It's so extreme and this can't be healthy- I hear a lot of that. So I will lead by example- I won't die and I will be very healthy! I am feeling very good emotionally. I have become my own best friend.

That's it- see you all tomorrow-

Seena

Day 4

Greetings-

Today I had no responsibilities other than feeding the dogs and bringing in the trash can. I think that the days will just kind of be the same from now on. I got sun in the afternoon and just laid around. I was a little less weak than yesterday, but I still have to be careful getting up too fast and I wouldn't drive feeling like this. But other than the weakness I have had no hunger and no uncomfortable feelings. Today I had no bowel movement, again. I got on the scale this morning and weighed about six pounds less than I did on the first day- but I am not sure how accurate the scale is. I hear it fluctuates every time you get on it, but I got on a couple of times and it was the same.

There isn't another thing I could add to this post, that's how nothing today was. But rest is the whole idea.

Maybe tomorrow's post will be more interesting.

Seena

Day 3

Hi all-

Day 3 was so uneventful that I forgot to write at the end of the day. I did have the phone guy come in the morning and he fixed the phone. Then later the gardener came and did the lawns. But there should only be regular routine from now on,

Yesterday I woke up feeling weaker than I had been feeling, but not like I felt the day before in the morning. This generalized weakness lasted all day so I laid around the whole day. I have to just be careful transitioning from laying down for a long time to standing. I have to sit a while in between. Maybe my blood pressure is lower, and it's on the low side to begin with.

I took a bath. I read and listened to the radio. I sunbathed in the afternoon. I had no bowel movement. I slept very well last night. I am experiencing no unusual symptoms of cleansing that I am aware of (no body odor, no coated tongue, no nothing). A rash that I have always assumed was recurring shingles on my left hip which had been growing and itching for two weeks- as is its pattern- has almost resolved. That's nice.

And that is it. I feel good when I am in a sitting position like now at the computer- so I will try to sit more than lay down, and maybe stand after that. When I feel weak I want to lay down, so it is kind of like a vicious cycle. When I am feeling weak I am kind of crabby when I have to talk on the phone. That's not nice.

That is it, I will try to not forget to write tonight-

Seena

Day 2

Hello my friends-

Today was another pretty busy day, I hope the last pretty busy day. I was busy in the morning planning my evening conference call, and spent some time before the call gathering my thoughts on paper. The call went well and I am tired!!

When I woke up this morning I felt TERRIBLE. I felt a little funny in the tummy, and very weak and shaky. I tried getting up but my body didn't want to so I just laid there for a while and thought about it. It had been 1 1/2 days since I ate, and the two last days I ate were mono meals of mostly watermelon. I figured with a fairly good diet the last few weeks leading into the fast, I had probably switched over from burning carbohydrates to burning fat as a source of energy. This realization alone made me feel better.

In my past I had experimented with Atkins type diets to lose weight, so the sensation of being in ketosis was not foreign to me. Actually, I had managed in the past to play basketball regularly in this state- it isn't something I would recommend. I knew I would adjust and once I did get up and walking around I felt much better.

During day two, as I predicted, I experienced no real hunger. There is a general feeling that you could eat, a kind of lightness- but I wouldn't call it hunger. I drank lots of water again, and peed lots again. My body is going to be getting rid of stuff it now has time to during this housekeeping opportunity and needs water to assist it. While I am talking of getting rid of stuff I forgot to mention I had a small bowel movement in the morning yesterday and none today. This is odd for me because the one thing I do have since eating raw is many, easy bowel movements through out the day.

I spent time in the sun today. Sunshine helps a body be healthy. And I like the feel of the sun on my body. I don't wear sunscreen, but I watch how long I am out there, don't do it in the hot part of the day, and don't let myself burn. I also like being tan. I am trying to go out in the back patio and lay in the sun in the early sun, and the going down sun.

I'm pooped (although I didn't poop today!) and I think this will be a recurring theme. If I don't volunteer to rest through this experience then my body will just make me rest. But resting is the whole point so I will be doing that in earnest from now on.

Time to sleep-

Seena

Day 1

Hi everyone-

I haven't eaten in just over 24 hours. I was pretty busy today so I wasn't dwelling on food. I took my friend to the airport, went home to orientate my neighbors on mail pick up, watering, and taking out my trash tomorrow. I came back to the house and was here for the plumber, then rested and napped. At 5 Pm I had a two hour teleconference. That made me tired.

I have had a lot of water. I drank when I was thirsty and peed a lot! I haven't really felt much like I have been resting, and tomorrow won't be much different, but tomorrow is almost the last of my scheduled responsibilities- just the phone technician who is coming on Wednesday.

My stomach gurgled once or twice, but I haven't felt hungry all day. And for some reason I don't expect I will feel hunger from now on. But I do expect I will become more tired. So far it was just another day, only I didn't take the time to eat.

That's it. Not very exciting but that is how it was. I did weigh myself so I would have some reference. I very seldom weigh myself. My concern for the last two years has been on building health, and I trusted my weight would find its natural level.

See you tomorrow-

Seena

Fast Off!

Hi-

At first I put "Less than 1 day till my fast" as a title until I realized I'm done eating for today so I guess this is the start! I am ready.

This was a very quiet and uneventful day. I finished moving all my things to the dog/house sit place and will stay here tonight so I can take my vacationing friend to the airport to start her trip in the AM. I am ready.

I had a late breakfast (11:00) of watermelon. I had an early supper of watermelon (4PM). And I just finished watching the Padres lose while I finished off the last of the watermelon (8PM). No more food. I am ready.

I brought in enough water to float a small fishing boat. I brought in enough educational books to start a small school. I won't watch TV, but have the "Planet Earth" series of 5 DVDs here because I want to limit my watching a TV screen and want something of quality to watch. I will listen to the Padres on the radio and not watch on the TV. I have the lounge chair set on the patio in the sun so I can catch the early morning and late afternoon mild sun. I am ready.

So let the fast begin.

I am ready.

Seena

Less Than 2 Days Before My Fast

Hello my new friends-

I was going to only eat watermelon today. I wanted to really slow down the digestion workload of my body these last two days so I could quietly slip into my fast with hardly a splash. I started off great, I have two small-to- medium melons for this weekend and had a nice meal early this morning. Then I packed lots of stuff in the car, along with the dog, to go to my friends house where I will be staying to house/dog sit. I wanted to start taking my stuff over and was going to meet another friend and go to the Padres baseball game from there. I packed everything but my watermelon!!

So before we left at 11:00 am to go to the ballpark I ate four bananas smoothie style in some water. After the game I was hungry so I ate more bananas. This evening I came back home and I am back to watermelon. Tomorrow I will try to remember to pack my other watermelon so I can just be doing watermelon. Watermelon is so full of water that to me it's more like something you drink than eat. At the ballpark I had two 20 ounces of bottled water, it was hot. I usually don't drink much water because my fruits and vegetables are so full of nature's best water. But I also usually don't sit in the sun for hours in the middle of the day.

At the ballpark I was assaulted by those smells. I think maybe my sense of smell is getting much better because I was so aware of the smells. Or maybe my self-awareness has improved through my Dynamic Self-Discovery work. Or both.

I think I have made friends with the cooked food smells. I still enjoy them, but they don't trigger any urges to go eat a mustard slathered hot dog or a mass of nachos in pretend cheese. I look at these "foods" and have no more desire to eat them than I do to eat my dog's food. But they do smell familiar and comfortable and nostalgic.

I looked at the size of the orders of french fries I saw everyone eating. I pictured that greasy huge lump just covered with salt and pepper and whatever sitting in my intestines. It was hardest to watch when a young child made their way through a plate full. Since I have stopped using condiments for so long I find that I want to taste what I am eating, and not the spices. I recently experienced my first meal at a raw food restaurant and didn't really enjoy much of it.

But after the game my friend was boiling up her potatoes so I could add them to her dogs meals this week, since she won't be home she didn't want to waste them. Plain potatoes being mashed with their skins without anything added did look appealing. If I wasn't preparing to fast I might have stuck a finger in for a taste.

We sat next to a young couple at the game, and I found myself talking to them about diet and health. I usually don't volunteer this kind of talk (I am passed the crusader phase!) because I don't know what a stranger may be ready, willing and able to hear. But he had a really open and curious mind and he drew me into further conversation. He was really listening to the answers I gave to his questions. It was such an unusual and pleasant experience.

That is it for tonight. Tomorrow will be a watermelon day. Then there will just be water and rest. It makes me smile.

Thanks for stopping by-

Seena

PS- The Padres WON!!!!

Less Than 3 days before my fast

Hello all my blog readers!

I meant to start this little journal of my upcoming fast sooner than this, but life has a way of getting in the way of life. First a little personal history:

I am a 60 year old female retired Senior Chief Dental Technician. I was born in the Bronx, New York, raised in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles, and have lived (when not assigned to a ship or overseas) mostly in beautiful San Diego since I joined the Navy in 1973.

I have been a member of the Yahoo "Path of Health" group for over six months. For a year and a half before the Path of Health I stumbled down the road of my journey from a Standard American Diet (SAD) and lots of bad habits to where I am now. In this process I have (in kind of chronological order):

• Stopped eating all meat (red, poultry, fish)
• Stopped smoking and almost stopped drinking alcohol
  
• Stopped taking prescription/over the counter drugs
• Gave away my microwave
• Stopped eating dairy
• Stopped eating processed foods
• Had a 7 day "cleanse" with herbs, colonics, no food
• Got regular sunshine
  
• Started buying organic fruits and vegetables
• Stopped cooking
• Started watching the fat content (went 80-10-10)
• Stopped juicing and dehydrating
  
• Stopped eating grains
• Learned the Path of Health principles and practices
• Started Dynamic Self-Discovery sessions

WOW! Whenever I find myself focused a little too much on looking forward or on goals I take time out and look backwards- to see what I have already accomplished. I don't need a goal as much as a direction. The rest will unfold on its own.

The last few weeks I have been eating very simply- fruit meals of bananas or watermelon, simple salads of greens, cukes, sweet red peppers, celery, grape tomatoes and some kind of homemade simple dressing. I did quite a few weeks of no added fats a few months ago and very seldom have avocado or nuts unless I am eating out. Saturday and Sunday I am just going to eat mono meals of watermelon to ease into the fast.

My fast will coincide with dog/house sitting at a friend's home- my dog Junior, her dogs Sophie and Molly. I have plenty of their dog food, and I will haul in enough water for me for the first two weeks until the house owner comes home.

I am looking forward to this experience with great joyful anticipation! I feel like I am giving my self a real gift- the gift to have a time out to take care of whatever my body decides to work on without having to do the regular daily chore of digesting food. The physical part of not eating doesn't concern me much. I did go a week without eating and now I am even "cleaner" than I was almost two years ago. I am interested to see what emotional issues arise- and to experience whatever cleansing incidences I encounter. Curiosity is good.

That's it for now. I am off to make a list of what I need to do before Monday. When you are over 60 you need a list for everything.

Thanks for coming aboard and y'all come back now- ya hear?

Seena