Thursday, August 1, 2013

~15 Months Since My Last Fast - Broken Bones

I've been reluctant to write this entry for a while, but I have to remain true to the goal of this blog: To be honest regarding the good and bad about fasting.

Again, I am grateful that Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead brought juice fasting into mainstream culture and it's now an acceptable thing to do.  Fasters are no longer criticized and scrutinized for fasting.  In fact, some of my closest friends are starting to juice; after all, fasting has some incredible health benefits.

However, my issue with the movie is that it doesn't show the down-side of fasting, including the flu-like symptoms, the purges, the aches and pains, the hair loss.

And now I am reluctantly reporting another possible side effect: Broken bones.  *Sigh*

I grew up a tom-boy and could play sports with the roughest guys in the neighborhood, and I never - not once - had a broken bone.  Then while walking my dog last September, my foot slipped off of the side of the pavement (~2-3" drop), I put all of my weight onto that leg, and POP!  My tendon didn't separate from the bone, but the piece of bone attached to the tendon broke away from the rest of the bone.  Seriously?  It shouldn't have happened. 

(Also, I gained 25lbs in 6 weeks due to the non-activity that came with not being mobile while wearing the cast.  GAH!)

Then in March, I participated in one of those muddy obstacle races.  I made it through the whole thing (skipped a couple obstacles), and at the very end, I jumped off of one bale of hay straight down and ended up with a hairline fractured down my tibia.  Basically, instead of bending my knees and absorbing the shock, my knees were locked, and all of my weight came down onto that bone. Again, this should have never happened.

(Luckily I didn't gain any weight this time, because I learned how to adjust my intake to compensate for the lack of mobility.)

Next Steps:


Understand that I am assuming that fasting caused calcium depletion in my bones, simply because my bones have always been stellar and strong. The first injury I chalked up to being a freak accident.  But two broken bones in 6 months after a life-time of strong bones???  There's something more than just freak accidents.  

The next time I go in for my physical, I will talk to my doctor about possible calcium depletion as a result of several long-term fasts, and I will report the results to you.  Until then, I am still lifting weights to help build my bones back up as well as eating spinach, kale, yogurt, and taking multi-vitamins.

Again, I didn't want to post this, because I want to be able to say that fasting is the end-all and be-all.  Now I am not 100% certain, and it's only fair that I am honest with you.  Believe me when I say that I don't regret my first fast whatsoever; it broke addictions and taught me that I am a strong person and  can accomplish anything.  However, I probably should not have done the other 40-day fasts, at least without being under a doctor's supervision.  Fasting is a great resource when used appropriately - just like the right medication.

Fast wisely, my friends.  And be good to yourselves and stay safe.