I recently tried a one week cleanse and on the third day I started to pass out, thought my glycogen stores were depleted, that my brain was feeding off of vital tissue and dying, so I called 911. I probably overreacted a little, but, you just watch(!), someday my paranoia will prove to be useful.
Anyway, a few days after that I played tennis with some of the vegans from the Sac vegan group, one of whom is a raw foodist (I have recently been attempting (and failing at) raw foodism) and asked him about his cleansing practices (?). When I mentioned losing consciousness, he nonchalantly replied, "Oh, yeah, I pass out all the time when I fast. I go with it, let myself pass out, and wake up later." I find that to be a little unsettling... and I'm sure there is a way to "cleanse yourself" without shorting your brain on glucose.
Sounds scary.
I've nearly passed out from lack of food, too. It has led me to believe my body is rather sensitive to lowering glucose levels. Anyway..
Do you fast or cleanse (regularly, for religious purposes, randomly, even for blood tests, at any time/for any reason)?
Yes, to an extent. When I'm working on a project and I'm in the "zone" I don't eat or drink much. I don't want to. I don't even know food or anything else exists. That's how much energy I'm trying to put into focusing on what I'm doing.
Sometimes I find working on an empty stomach leads to more focus. Other times...it drives me to distraction. It's all about paying careful attention to how I'm feeling at the time.
One thing I do know is working on a full stomach is very bad. It makes me too sleepy and slows my brain down too much. I need that slight rush you get when you start getting a bit hungry. However, after I'm done with whatever I'm doing, or I'm at a place where I can take a long break, I'll stuff my face.
What do you consume when you cleanse (some people only consume liquids, etc.)?
Water. Soda.
Have you completed any sort of cleanse that did not compromise your consciousness?
Yes. I didn't go without food for more than a day. One time I did do that, and I nearly passed out the next morning (took all my will to fight it and choke down something to keep me from completely going out). I DON'T recommend that.
Do you think that there are benefits to cleansing/fasting?
I think short periods of fasting are all right as the increased alertness can help from time to time. But on the whole, it's much healthier to eat regularly.
Do you notice any changes in your thinking (do you find that you are more clearheaded, etc.) when you fast/cleanse?
There's a degree. Eat too little for too long, and your brain starts getting muddled, tired, and you'll feel really irritable and get headaches and it's just a mess. Eat too much at once, and you'll fall asleep, not think clearly, feel sluggish. Somewhere in the middle is the ideal point. The point where you feel neither hungry nor satiated. You just are, at the moment. When you start to tip towards not eating for a while, your head will get a bit clearer because your brain is trying to put you into "forage" mode. (Maybe it's just me, but my sense of smell is much sharper...makes walking home when someone is BBQing something torture...)
I wouldn't recommend it regularly.
Raw foodism sounds kinda...bad for you. Not bad for you in a fattening way, just bad nutritionally. Like it sounds like you might end up missing out on proteins that you might only get from cooking certain beans and grains (can't have potatoes, they're poisonous raw...can't have kidney beans raw) if you don't know what you're doing. While cooking food does cause the substance to lose some of its nutritional value, I think what ends up getting missed is that more foods are available to be eaten because they are safe to eat when cooked and quite healthy for you. (Sorry, I'm biased. I can't imagine life without delicious fluffy breads.)
But I'm sure whoever is adamant about it makes sure they get all the right nutrients with careful planning. And I don't doubt they find themselves feeling lighter and more healthy. Their diet
is pretty close to what we used to eat thousands of years ago as hunters and gatherers. Just throw in a little bit of meat every once an a while and you have it.