For some time now I have wondered how the attitude of many posters here would change if they had not eaten in three days. If you have ever taken survival training, you may have had the opportunity to see how well you respond to various difficulties after having not eaten. It has also been my experience that not one in twenty people can make it for three days without food, if they have access to virtually any edible item. So, I pose a challenge to doomer and polly alike ( as well as those who choose not to be so named ) fast for three days. Then come back here and report the experience. Tell us what you felt and thought. You may have as much water as you wish, but no other beverage.

-- Ken G. (eia_indy@iquest.net), November 01, 1999

Answers

None of them could get past one day. Most of them couldnt stand to skip lunch. Im not kidding. Just try it.

-- Earl (earl.shuholm@worldnet.att.net), November 01, 1999.

A few years ago I went on a 3 day fast. The first day I had hunger pains. The second and third day no hunger. The evening of the third day I was a little weak. Only the first day was hard.

-- freddie (freddie@thefreeloader.com), November 01, 1999.

Years ago I did a five day fast to test for food allegories (sp. First day very hard. After that didn't miss the food. Twice during the fast I worked out at Scandinavian Health Spa with no hunger pangs. Just drank more water.

And after the five days I learned I had some bad food allegories.

-- Mr. Pinochle (pinochledd@aol.com), November 01, 1999.

I have done 3-day fasts several times, and one 5-day fast. I did drink some diluted juice and also water with some very diluted vegetable broth in it, so I got a few calories, though not much. My husband, who is Native American, has gone 4 consecutive days and nights without food OR water on several different ceremonial occasions, some involving little physical activity, others involving extensive physical activity.

It is all in your mind. The body rebels the first or second day, after that it is much easier. It is comforting to know that I can easily go 3-5 days without food, and probably longer if necessary. Thus there is no need to panic. Then you also realize that if you don't need *any* food for a while, then even a little can be plenty, for a limited period of time. The best side effect, for me, is an amazing state of mental clarity and serenity, as everything slows down. Other people seem frenzied to me, when I'm in that state.

BTW, I noticed that the elders are the ones who go through ceremonies least affected by the absence of food and water - young, strong people tend to suffer more (probably hungrier, higher metabolisms).

-- (snoozin@no.more), November 02, 1999.

I fast regularly....

-- Mad Monk (madmonk@hawaiian.net), November 02, 1999.

I once went about 10 days eating nothing. After my body adjusted to the lack of food, I was not hungry. I was extremely inactive during that time and it was difficult to start eating again. I had to force myself and the amounts I could eat were small at the beginning.

-- Cherri (sams@brigadoon.com), November 02, 1999.

I understand the reason for the 3 day fast test. Just want to recommend the Master Cleanse Fast, as a no fast-fast. It consists of pure maple syrup, lemon juice, cayenne pepper and water. Trader Joes has maple syrup in metal containers(good for quakes or clumseys), cayenne keeps if there is no moisture and its sealed, I haven't figured out how to keep the fresh lemon even in ice cubes since if the grid is down it will melt. The concentrate is not recommended but might suffice, since most of the dehydrated stuff I stocked isn't my normal diet either. 13 days is the longest I've been on this fast and I felt the best I've ever felt. Also, not eating cuts down on a lot of time shopping, cooking, eating, cleaning up, or deciding what cafe to go to, driving there eating and driving home. I agree.....no food, not even the above would be a bummer, a fra

-- Marilyn (Me@MarilynEllis.com), November 02, 1999.

A Frantic Bummer......

-- Marilyn (me@MarilynEllis.com), November 02, 1999.

Take away the shelter, and expose the individuals in the above fasting scenarios to wind and the elements and they will be dead in hours not days!

-- (snowleopard6@webtv.net), November 02, 1999.

Ken,

No need to go without eating. Here...

***Tosses Ken our left-overs...***

Enjoy.

-- GoldReal (GoldReal@aol.com), November 02, 1999.

I have to eat my gold. After taking a certian someone's advice and selling all of my earthly possessions so I could buy gold, that is all I have left to eat. Gold with orange juice. Gold with ketchup. Gold with mustard. Gold with salt and pepper.

-- Golden Oldie (catsbutt@umailme.com), November 02, 1999.

Earl--Your right about people not being able to go more than 1 day without eating. I was listening to my scanner yesterday, and it's fun listening to phone conversations. "Hi honey, would you stop at Burger King? I want a #3. "Okay, I'll get 2 #3's." "Hi son, I'm on my way home, what do you want for dinner? "Mom, can we have Taco Bell for dinner?" "Hi Sugar, this is your Sweets here, I'm on my way home and going to stop at the store, what do you want for dinner?" "Let's have some Kentucky fried chicken tonight, it's right on your way home, and get me a six pack of beer." Not only will people have a hard time when they can't get their fast-food fix, they won't have any food in the house to cook, except for maybe macaroni and cheese, or a top ramen. Paul Milne is right "Anyone living within 5 miles of a 7-11 are toast."

-- bardou (bardou@baloney.com), November 02, 1999.

Sweetie did pilot survival training in the Everglades. It was a bit more complicated than a three-day fast. When I first met him he had not infrequent nightmares about it. It's one of the reasons I want to have a comfortable-feeling stash.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), November 02, 1999.

Wonder how the dynamics of the effects of reduced food and cold would work.....

Burned calories, of course, convert into body heat. "Long-term" reduced food intake tends to put me in a quasi-trance state, conserving energy with little physical activity. I have also experienced "long term" cold. Sitting in a sleeping bag made me colder than being active, where I would have burned calories and produced heat. Too much activity, of course, would produce sweat, which would reduce clothing's heat conservation properties.

From this, I would summise that moderate food intake (if possible) and moderate activity will be the best response, coupled with light, music and companionship to keep the brain and spirit active.

As long as you have water, I believe a person can go for extended periods of time (exceeding a month) without food. Of course, I don't believe that applies to going without coffee.

-- anon (anon@anon.calm), November 02, 1999.

I have fasted for four days once and 2-3 days several times. Some due to surgery coming up and being in the hospital and them not giving me anything to eat before surgery. Three days is really no big deal. Everyone is right, it is really the first day or day and a half that is hard. After the hunger pangs, they go away. I didn't feel weak after three days, just lighter, and like someone else said, definitely calmer.

I think what is more important is keeping the food consumption down. The hubby and I have already decided our 5 year old will not go without, but if we need to, we will eat as little as possible each day just to make it last.

In Chinese prisons, they sometimes feed the prisoners 1/2 c. of cooked rice a day. That is it. THere is a saying about that amount of food: not enough to live on, too much to die from. Try THAT for 3-5 days. You will have almost zero energy by the fifth day.

But really, I think it is amazing how little food we can survive on. In this country we have gotten so used to Biggie-sizing everything, we think we would die w/out 3000 calories a day. It's crazy.

I once heard someone say we are the most overfed and undernourished nation in the world. We are also the only country in the world who SPENDS around 3 billion dollars a year to starve ourselves (diets). Think about that.

-- preparing (preparing@home.com), November 02, 1999.