Cleansing with Intermittent Fasting
it is time for me to step into another form of deeper healing, intermittent fasting. this term was new to me before i had a stroke + was told i was dealing with churg strauss spring of 2018. however, when i began researching "healing," i began seeing several lifestyle-changes overlap as i listened to many healing testimonies. one of these life style-changes was intermittent fasting. a man used it often to heal from a life-time of asthma (which is a significant symptom of churg strauss), and another man used it to heal from the digestive disorder known as crohn's disease. dysbiosis, an imbalance of gut flora, is an important piece of my chronic sickness, too, so both of these testimonies connected deeply with me.
how does intermittent fasting work?
every night our bodies fast, cleanse and detox while we sleep. the better we sleep, the better we can detox. also, the longer we do not eat before bed-time, the better our body can completely focus on healing while we sleep. as long as the body has digestive work to do, it will not have extra energy to heal, and the opposite is true: when digestion work is done, the body puts all its energy into healing. yay, more of that, please!:)
with intermittent fasting we lengthen the fasting-cleansing-detoxing time during the evening, while we sleep, and in the early morning. then we shorten our eating window.
remember, as long as the body is digesting, it will not use it's energy for healing, so giving the body this longer break can open doors of healing never experienced before.
i would like to intermittent fast for at least 2 weeks, and it will look like this:
1. all foods for the day will be eaten between 10:00 AM and 6:00 PM. during the fasting time, water or herbal tea will be drunk when thirsty.
2. to optimize healing, foods will be "vegan," but, also, healthy fats will be kept low. a fatty diet (even healthy fats) slows the healing process significantly.
3. the following "healing-blocking foods," will be taken out of the diet: meat, dairy, refined sugar, and grains.
4. most fruits are great! however, banana, dates, figs, dried fruit will be taken out.
5. most vegetables are great! however, potatoes, yams, and squash will be taken out.
6. examples of great healthy fats are sunflower, pumpkin and hemp seeds and avocado.
7. if more protein is needed during this cleanse, a plant-based protein, such as "strength of samson" is a great addition.
the eating window is shortened, but one does not need to feel deprived when intermittent fasting. i do not want to lose weight. i do not expect to gain weight (although i personally would like that), but i certainly aim to maintain.
the key is eating clean and lengthening the fasting window to allow the body to take on deeper healing.
the ayurvedic kitchari cleanse and now this intermittent fasting cleanse are new for me. i welcome them as new healing practices in my life, and they allow me to strengthen self-control, a needed healing spiritual habit that has been missing from my life most of my days. i will be kind to myself as i am learning. i will not be "perfect," of course.:) but i pray that this quieting of the body blesses my days with more intentional prayer time (i would like to grow in listening more) and with edifying reading and creating time, along with, of course, deeper healing.
more guidance for intermittent fasting and fasting, in general, is here with vaughn lawrence from spirit of health. further, here, dr. zach bush, shares more at length about the importance of "pausing," and fasting.
blessed Healing to us all,
amy luella