Dehydration Causes, Symptoms and Tips to Stay Hydrated

Our Body of Water
The majority of the body is made up of water with up to 75% of the
body's weight due to H2O. Most of the water is found within the
cells of the body (intracellular space). The rest is found in the
extracellular space, which consists of the blood vessels
(intravascular space) and the spaces between cells (interstitial
space).

What is Dehydration?
Dehydration occurs when the amount of water leaving the body is
greater than the amount being taken in. The body is very dynamic
and always changing. This is especially true with water levels in
the body. We lose water routinely when we: 
>breathe and humidified air leaves the body; 
>sweat to cool the body; and
>urinate or have a bowel movement to rid the body of waste
products.

In a normal day, a person has to drink a significant amount of
water to replace this routine loss.

Causes of Dehydration: Diarrhea.
Diarrhea is the most common reason a person loses excess
water. Diarrhea consists of unusually frequent or unusually liquid
bowel movements and excessive watery evacuations of fecal material. Persistent diarrhea is both uncomfortable and dangerous, as a significant amount of water can be lost with each
bowel movement. Worldwide, more than four million children die
each year because of dehydration from diarrhea.



Causes of Dehydration: Vomiting
Vomiting is the act of forcible emptying of the stomach, in which
the stomach has to overcome the pressures that are normally in
place to keep food and secretions within the stomach. The
stomach almost turns itself inside out - forcing itself into the
lower portion of the esophagus (the tube that connects the mouth
to the stomach) during a vomiting episode. Constant vomiting can
be a serious cause of fluid loss and it is difficult for a person to
replace water if they are unable to tolerate liquids.



Causes of Dehydration: Sweat
The body can lose significant amounts of water when it tries to
cool itself by sweating. Whether the body is hot because of the
environment (for example, working in a warm environment),
intense exercising in a hot environment, or because a fever is
present due to an infection; the body uses a significant amount of
water in the form of sweat to cool itself. Depending upon weather
conditions, a brisk walk will generate up to 16 ounces of sweat
(one pound of water).



Causes of Dehydration: Diabetes
In people with diabetes, elevated blood sugar levels cause sugar
to spill into the urine, and water then follows, which can cause
significant dehydration. For this reason, frequent urination and
excessive thirst are among the symptoms of diabetes.



Causes of Dehydration: Burns
The skin has an important role to play in the fluid and temperature
regulation of the body. If enough skin area is injured, the ability to maintain that control can be lost. Burn victims become
dehydrated because water seeps into the damaged skin. Other
inflammatory diseases of the skin are also associated with fluid
loss.



Causes of Dehydration: Inability to Drink Fluids
The inability to drink adequately is another potential cause of
dehydration. Whether it is the lack of availability of water or the
lack of strength to drink adequate amounts, this, coupled with
routine or excessive amounts of water loss can compound the
degree of dehydration.



What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Dehydration?

The body's initial responses to dehydration are thirst to increase
water intake along with decreased urine output to try to conserve
water. The urine will become concentrated and more yellow in
color. As the level of water loss increases, more symptoms can
become apparent, such as increased thirst, dry mouth, cessation
of tear production by the eyes, cessation of sweating , muscle
cramps, nausea and vomiting, heart palpitations, and
lightheadedness (especially when standing). With severe
dehydration, confusion and weakness will occur as the brain and
other body organs receive less blood. Finally, coma and organ
failure will occur if the dehydration remains untreated.



How is Dehydration Diagnosed?
Dehydration is often a clinical diagnosis. Aside from diagnosing
the reason for dehydration, the health care professional's
examination of the patient will assess the level of dehydration.
Initial evaluations may include:
Mental status tests to evaluate whether the patient is awake,
alert, and oriented.
Vital sign assessments may include postural readings
(blood pressure and pulse rate are taken lying down and
standing). With dehydration, the pulse rate may increase and
the blood pressure may drop because the intravascular
space is depleted of water.
Temperature may be measured to assess fever.
Skin will be checked to see if sweat is present and to assess
the degree of elasticity. As dehydration progresses, the skin
loses its water content and becomes less elastic.
Infant evaluation: infants may have additional evaluations
performed, including checking for a soft spot on the skull
(sunken fontanelle), assessing the suck mechanism, muscle,tone, or loss of sweat in the armpits and groin.

Pediatric patients are often weighed during routine visits, thus a body weight measurement may be helpful in assessing how much water has been lost with the acute illness.
In some cases, blood tests to measure potential electrolyte abnormalities and urinalysis may be ordered to determine the level of dehydration in the patient.



How is Dehydration Treated?

Fluid replacement is the treatment for dehydration. This may be
attempted by replacing fluid by mouth, but if this fails, intravenous
fluid (IV) may be required. Should oral rehydration be attempted,
frequent small amounts of clear fluids should be used. 

Clear fluids include:

>water,
>clear broths,
>popsicles,
>Jell-O, and
>other replacement fluids that may contain electrolytes.

Can Dehydration Be Treated at Home?
Dehydration occurs over time. If it can be recognized in its earliest
stages, and if its cause can be addressed, then home treatment may be adequate. Steps a person can take at home to prevent
severe dehydration include:

>People with vomiting and diarrhea can try to alter their diet
and use water-cure-protocol formula to control symptoms to minimize water loss.

>Acetaminophen or ibuprofen may be used to control fever.
Ibuprofen may irritate the stomach and cause nausea and
vomiting, so it should be used with caution in individuals
who already have these symptoms.

>Fluid replacements may be attempted by replacing fluid by mouth with frequent small amounts of clear fluids.

 If the individual becomes confused or lethargic; if there is
persistent, uncontrolled fever, vomiting, or diarrhea; or if there are
any other specific concerns, then medical care should be accessed. EMS or 911 should be activated for any person with altered mental status.



What Are the Complications of Dehydration?

Complications of dehydration may occur because of the
dehydration, and/or because of the underlying disease or situation
that causes the fluid loss. Complications that may occur include:
>kidney failure,

>coma,

>shock,

>heat-related illnesses (heat exhaustion or heat stroke), and

>electrolyte abnormalities.



Dehydration Prevention Tip #1

Plan ahead and take extra water to all outdoor events where
increased sweating, activity, and heat stress will increase fluid
loss. Encourage athletes and people who work outside to replace
fluids at a rate that equals the loss.



Dehydration Prevention Tip #2

Check weather forecasts for high heat index days. When
temperatures are high, avoid exercise, outdoor exposure, and plan
events that must occur outside during times of the day when
temperatures are lower.



Dehydration Prevention Tip #3

The young and elderly are most at risk of dehydration. Ensure that
older people, infants, and children have adequate drinking water or
fluids available and assist them as necessary. Encourage
individuals who are incapacitated or impaired to drink plenty of
water and assure they are provided with adequate fluids.
During heat waves, attempts should be made to check on the elderly in their homes. During the Chicago heat wave of 1995, more than 600 people died in their homes from heat exposure.



Dehydration Prevention Tip #4

Avoid alcohol consumption, especially when it is very hot, because
alcohol increases water loss and impairs your ability to recognize
early signs associated with dehydration. 



Dehydration Prevention Tip #5

Wear light-colored and loose-fitting clothing if you must be
outdoors when it is hot outside. Drink plenty of water and carry a
personal fan or mister to cool yourself.



Dehydration Prevention Tip #6

Break up your exposure to hot temperatures. Find air-conditioned
or shady areas and allow yourself to cool between exposures.
Taking someone into a cooled area for even a couple of hours
each day will help prevent the cumulative effects of high heat
exposure.



Dehydration Prevention Tip #7

Know the signs and symptoms of heat cramps, heat rash, heat
exhaustion, and heat stroke. Preventing dehydration is one step to
avoid these conditions.



Dehydration At A Glance

>The body needs water to function.

>Dehydration occurs when water intake is less than water loss.

>Symptoms range from mild to life-threatening.

>Prevention is the important first step in treating dehydration.

>The young and the elderly are especially susceptible to
dehydration.

How is dehydration diagnosed?

Dehydration is often a clinical diagnosis. Aside from diagnosing the reason for dehydration, the health care professional's examination of the patient will assess the level of dehydration. Initial evaluations may include:

Mental status tests to evaluate whether the patient is awake, alert, and oriented. Infants and children may appear listless and have whiny cries and decreased muscle tone.


Vital signs may include postural readings (blood pressure and pulse rate are taken lying down and standing). With dehydration, the pulse rate may increase and the blood pressure may drop because the blood is depleted of fluid. People taking beta blocker medications for high blood pressure, heart disease, or other indications, occasionally lose the ability to increase their heart rate as a compensation mechanism since these medications block the adrenaline receptors in the body.

Temperature may be measured to assess fever. While it is common to measure temperature in the ear (tympanic) or by mouth (orally), a rectal thermometer may be used to assess core body temperature if the patient appears warm, but no fever is noted tympanically or orally.

Skin may be checked to see if sweat is present and to assess the degree of elasticity (turgor). As dehydration progresses, the skin loses its water content and becomes less elastic. The amount of sweat is often felt in the armpit or groin, two areas that tend to have moisture normally.

The mouth can become dry and the health care professional may look at or feel the tongue to see how wet it is.

Infants may have additional evaluations performed, including checking for a soft spot on the skull (sunken fontanelle), and assessing the suck mechanism, loss of sweat in the armpits and groin, and muscle tone. All are signs of potential significant dehydration.

Pediatric patients are often weighed during routine child visits, thus a body weight measurement may be helpful in assessing how much water has been lost with the acute illness. This is very rough estimate because all scales are not the same, and for infants and children, it is important to know what clothing they were wearing when the original weight was taken.

Laboratory testing

The purpose of blood tests is to assess potential electrolyte abnormalities (including sodium, potassium, chloride, and carbon dioxide levels) associated with the dehydration. Other tests may or may not be ordered depending upon the underlying cause of dehydration, the severity of illness, and the health care professional's assessment of their needs and resources available.

Other blood tests may be helpful in determining the level of dehydration. Hemoglobin and red blood cell counts may be elevated because the blood is more concentrated with water loss from the intravascular space.

Kidney function tests including BUN and creatinine may be elevated, and this is one way of measuring the severity of dehydration.

Urinalysis may be ordered to determine urine concentration; the more concentrated the urine, the more dehydrated the patient.

Be prepared for QUICK FASTING to change your life for the better, just open your mind to the information presented here.

INTRODUCTION

Fasting is powerful. Fasting can cure your body.  Fasting can open spiritual doors. Fasting can help you attain mastery over self.  Fasting can also hurt you if you don't know what you're doing.

Few people know how to fast. It's not as simple as it seems. Any endeavor requires knowledge to get the maximum benefit.

Would you buy a tennis racket or golf clubs or anything without eventually getting some instructions on how to use them? Would you buy a weight set, and without any prior experience, just start throwing weights up in the air? There are many wrong ways to attempt to do a right thing. With something as powerful as fasting, you should know more about it and how to do it properly because it  involves much more than just not eating. 

Why should I fast?
 How long should I fast? 
 Is fasting a good way to lose weight?
 Should I work while I fast?  
Can fasting hurt me?  
Am I too skinny to fast? 
 Am I too fat to fast?  
How do I prepare for a fast?  
What is a quick way to tell if my body is in condition for a fast? Do I exercise while I fast?  
Can I have sex while I fast? 
These are just a few of the questions this book will answer.

We spend much time figuring out what to eat but when we decide to stop eating, we don't have the proper knowledge to get the  most out of our fast. Often, instead of the fast benefiting our bodies, it does us harm because of our lack of knowledge. Proper knowledge can turn a potentially harmful experience into a blessing that is beyond price.

Observing religious beliefs, seeking God, and maintaining and/or improving one's health are the major reasons for fasting.  Fasting is recognized by every major religion. The benefits of fasting are universally recognized for spiritual development but how many times have you heard anyone tell you how to properly conduct your fast?

Not once was anyone told anything about how to fast other than to simply STOP EATING!

There is more to a fast than that  ... MUCH MORE!

What is Fasting?

Fasting is the abstaining from ALL FOOD. Fasting means taking in nothing but WATER. NO JUICE, NO FRUIT, NO TEAS, NOTHING BUT WATER. 

Often people will make the comment, "I'm fasting,  I just have my coffee in the morning and a sandwich in the afternoon." That is not fasting. Fasting in its strictest sense is the total abstinence from anything considered food, and that's anything but water. There are modified fasts such as a juice fast, i.e., consuming nothing but fruit and/or vegetable juices or a fruit fast, consuming nothing but raw fruits.

There are other such fasts that abstain from everything EXCEPT the item that precedes the word "fast". For example, a grapefruit fast, is abstaining from everything except grapefruits. Many health enthusiasts, for particular reasons, may place individuals on particular types of fasts restricting them to one or a group of foods (usually fruits or teas), for healing purposes.

This book deals with the true fast, NOTHING BUT WATER. When I use the word fast, just as in the scriptures, I mean nothing but water. 

Many ask, "If I'm on a fast can I have a little piece of fruit, or a little piece of bread?" Or a little piece of "you fill in the  blank." If it isn't water, the answer is no! A true fast is NOTHING BUT WATER and more specifically, pure water.

We may talk about sex being the strongest fleshly drive, but it is not. We may think ego is the strongest of the fleshly impulses, but it is not. From the day we are born, the desire for food reigns dominant.

WHY FAST? (The Spiritual)

In a spiritual setting the emphasis is often on the denial of the self and the carnal desires to allow us to become more sensitive to God. Food is man's greatest carnal impulse. Many believe that sex is the strongest fleshly drive, but it is not. We may think ego is the strongest  of the fleshly impulses, but it is not. From the day we are born, the desire for food reigns dominant.

As newborn infants we first seek the love, comfort and warmth of our mothers, then we cry for food. The sex drive does not develop until the onset of puberty, our teenage years. Sex is the last drive to arrive and the first one to leave. The food drive is present from the beginning to the end, it never leaves, it never disappears. The latest U.S. government study shows that over 60% of all Americans are overweight.

We eat too much. Gluttony, the lack of discipline of the appetite, causes us to look old prematurely, to feel old before we get old and to suffer many different diseases. 

All the major killer diseases of today, heart disease, stroke,  cancer, diabetes, kidney failure, prematurely kill the majority of Americans and their sources are traceable to our lifestyles and diets. Science has found that it's just as important that we don't overeat, as it is that we eat properly.

Let me repeat that - studies have found that it's as important that we not eat to excess, as it is that we eat properly.
Fasting allows us to gain control of the appetite. When you can  develop the discipline to fast, you automatically develop the discipline not to overeat. When you can control your strongest carnal appetite (the desire for  food), you can then gain control of the other carnal appetites.

There are many different spiritual reasons why people or groups fast. Sometimes it is to show unity for a cause such as a fast against war, or  injustice, or a host of other social ills. Fasting in a group allows you to achieve something that you would never achieve on your own. You can draw on the  strength, the determination, the support, and the prayers of the group. Some  fast at preset intervals, once per week, once per month, one month per year,  etc. Some fast when the social or spiritual need arises. Some fast because the minister said so.
 

There are many different reasons to fast.
 

It is important to remember when you fast for spiritual reasons:
 

FASTING DOES NOT CHANGE GOD! FASTING CHANGES YOU

Americans are sick.

Everything from
Arthritis to Zits.

You name it, we’ve got  it.

The church is no exception.

Ever been to a church when a well-known healer comes to visit?

Have you ever noticed how long the healing line is?

WHY FAST?The Physical

Anything that God ordains has benefits for us here on earth. Yes, fasting has great spiritual benefits but there are very real and  tangible rewards in the flesh, or shall I say for our flesh. Fasting, when properly done, can provide great benefits for our physical bodies. 

Americans are sick. Everything from Arthritis to Zits, you name it, we've got it. The church is no exception. Ever been to a church when a well-known healer comes to visit? Have you ever noticed how long the healing line is? Come back to that church a year later and look at the line.  It will be just as long, with many of the same people in it.

God did not intend for us to be sick. He did not originally intend for us to be healed because we should not have been sick in  the first place. You only need healing if you are sick. Man was cast out of the Garden of Eden, cast out of perfect harmony, cast out of a perfect life, and cast out of perfect health when he (or they) ate the wrong thing. We've been eating the wrong things ever since then. 

When we eat the wrong things, we eventually get sick, or at least do not have the health and vitality that we should possess.  Proper fasting allows God through nature to heal the body. Look at nature for a minute.

If you have a cat or a dog, think about their behavior. If you do not have a cat or dog, then ask someone who does and they will verify what I'm going to tell you. What happens when a cat or a dog gets sick? What do they eat?
 

Think about this VERY CAREFULLY! 

What do they eat when they are sick? Is it PUPPY CHOW^®? NINE LIVES^®? GRAVY TRAIN^®? PUSS 'N BOOTS^®? Well, what do they eat? Anyone that has a cat or dog can tell you instantly what they eat when they are sick. 

ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! 

NO ANIMAL IN NATURE EATS FOOD WHEN IT IS SICK,
EXCEPT YOU-KNOW-WHO!

Animals instinctively, automatically know what is best for them and they FAST! Man is the only creation on the earth that will force himself to eat when he is sick, all of God's other creations know better. They fast. 

Man possesses a higher intelligence and is in an entirely different category than the other animals but our bodies work remarkably similar. That is why scientific researchers can test pre-market products on animals. They know the animals' bodies react just as ours do.  What hurts their bodies hurts ours and what heals their bodies also heals ours.

I am not advocating animal testing but the connection is undeniable. Their bodies respond similarly to ours.

The same principles of basic health apply. The  same foods affect different species of animals with similar metabolic processes and digestive systems in the same way. What causes animals (with similar metabolic processes and digestive systems to ours) to get sick also causes us to get sick. What causes them to get well, causes us to get well. If their bodies work like ours, their bodies will react like ours. You don't need a medical research degree to figure that out.

Fasting is a natural instinct among the animal kingdom when something is wrong with their bodies. They know to stop eating. We may not feel hungry when we are sick but we have been conditioned to eat for strength and to get well.

The digestion of food, especially the typical American diet, takes a tremendous amount of energy. That is why after a big meal you feel sleepy. It can take several days for the typical meal to pass through your body. It takes all of your energy trying to digest that big meal. The body works overtime. 

When the body stops digesting food, digestion energy is transferred to do other things. It is those "OTHER THINGS" that the body does with this energy that makes a fast so beneficial. 

The minute the digestion energy is released from digestion, the body starts to use it. What does your body do with it? It starts to do primarily ONE THING. It is this one thing that makes fasting so powerful  and yet so dangerous. This one thing allows for miraculous cures and instant recoveries of all types of diseases. Once it is understood, there is nothing magical about it. It is simple, but most things of great power are at the root,  simple.

This one thing can make such a transformation in your life and health that you will become a permanent believer in the power of fasting for your health. 

This one thing, if not understood, can also make you never want to try fasting again. It is nothing new but most people have never heard of it. Most ministers have never spoken on it. Most doctors are even unaware of its mechanism or that it exists. Any fasting book for health will  talk about it, but most of us have never read a book on the PHYSICAL HEALTH aspects of fasting. 

This is the ONE PRINCIPLE that you must thoroughly understand and know! If you do not understand this, ignorance can discourage, discomfort, or KILL YOU!

The Most Important Thing

To Know About Fasting
This one thing is the foundational knowledge for fasting for health.

Listen to it! Digest It! Remember  It!

THIS IS IT!

When you stop eating, the body starts to purify itself

and eliminate toxins!
 

Upon this law rest all the laws of the healing of the body through fasting.

This law sounds simple, it is. It has profound meaning and effect. It is because of this that the major medical benefit of fasting takes place (besides the spiritual aspects). When the body stops taking in food, it starts to eliminate the filth and the toxins.
 

YOU MUST UNDERSTAND THIS!
 

It is because of this effect, that I shall call "FAST  FLUSH", that we experience many of the so called "bad" effects of a fast.  When FAST FLUSH starts to occur, we can feel terrible. Can you imagine how much undesirable residue builds up in your body over the years? Years of smoking or breathing in smoke and pollution-filled air carries pollutants to the lungs, then to the bloodstream, then to the tissues.

We have years of eating dead and diseased foods. Our foods are filled with chemical preservatives and additives, chemical perfumes, dyes and such, and all of this is housed in the tissues of our bodies. It is understandable that cancer is on a rampage when it was virtually unheard of 100 years ago. 

It is understandable that our skin is drier than ever, needing moisture but unable to get it. Look at the lotion section in your drug or  grocery store and see how many of the lotions are now for Extra Dry Skin. As our tissues become laden with chemical overload, we are drying from the inside out.

No one needs to point out the condition of our environment, the quality of our food supply, and the health crisis in the nation. What we need is help in cleansing ourselves of the filth. The FAST FLUSH is one such way. God's infinite intelligence designed a self-cleansing mechanism within us, all we have to do is turn on the self cleaning button. You can not cook in a self-cleaning oven while it is cleaning itself.

This is also true with the human body. You can not continue to stuff food into it while it is trying to purify itself.
 
Let me explain how the FAST FLUSH system works.
 
In a nutshell, "I don't know." No one else knows either, they  just know that it works. When the body "fasts," it "flushes."
 
We all go through a mini FAST FLUSH each night. When we sleep, the body goes into FAST FLUSH mode and tries to detoxify itself and get rid of the poisons. When we wake up in the morning we notice it as "Morning Breath." It is the FAST FLUSH process beginning. 

The more polluted your body, 

the more the FAST FLUSH will bring out.

This principle can not be overemphasized because it is so important and it is the basis of healthful fasting. 

The FAST FLUSH effect is also the  dangerous part.

When a person fasts, it is not the lack of nutrition or STARVATION that is the danger. The danger is the elimination of  toxins that can dump DECADES of accumulated poisons in the bloodstream and colon and could literally cause you to die of TOXIC SHOCK.

You will not die of starvation, not in America at least. Let me make clear the difference between fasting and starving, THEY ARE NOT THE SAME!

Fasting is the voluntary abstinence from food for a time while the body feeds upon its fat, waste, and stored energy in the form of glycogen. When that fat, waste, and stored energy are used up, then the body will begin to feed upon healthy lean tissue and that's when the body enters into the state called starvation.

Television shows pictures of children from impoverished countries with swollen bellies and bald heads. They are undergoing starvation, which is severe malnutrition. 

I spent a week at the beach in Florida while fasting. Guess what I saw strolling up and down the beach day and night. I saw men, executives, well to do men, strolling in bathing suits with swollen bellies and bald heads. A different country, different circumstances, different extremes, but the same effect, SEVERE MALNUTRITION! Eating food with NO NUTRITION has similar results as having nothing to eat all.

A person who is fasting is NOT STARVING. If  they continued until they used up all of their fat, wastes, and energy reserves they would enter into a state of starvation, but that rarely happens and that is not where the danger lies. The body will give signs when it is about to go into starvation. Most people have so much fat on them that they would have to fast over 40 days before their bodies even thought about going into starvation. The real danger for the average faster is in the poisons that are released, not starvation.
 

FAST FLUSH is real.

FAST FLUSH happens
and it will happen to you when you fast.

 

When we stop eating, all of the energy that is normally directed into digestion is freed. The body then begins the process of trying to eliminate poisonous waste.

We think of the organs of elimination as only being the bowels (colon) and the urinary system. If we do not urinate it out or have a bowel movement (BM) we think that it does not come out. That's not true.  There are other organs of elimination. "What others?", I hear you asking. "All I  do is urinate and BM."

The largest organ in the body is also an organ of elimination. The skin is the largest organ in the body (yes, the skin is considered an organ) and it is an organ of elimination. The most usual form is  perspiration (sweat). When the other organs of elimination can't handle the load or if they are somehow clogged and inefficient, then Multiple Emissions of Systemic Sanitation or M.E.S.S. for short, must come out through the skin.

M.E.S.S. causes pimples, zits, acne, blotches, blemishes, pustules, dryness, and a host of other skin problems. The M.E.S.S. comes out through the skin. When M.E.S.S. comes out on the skin, it not only causes the skin to look bad, yes, you guessed it, it causes the skin or the person in the skin to SMELL BAD, too. Now the bad smell is actually caused by the bacteria that grows on the M.E.S.S. once it comes out on the skin, but it all boils down to the same thing.

One thing that you will likely notice during a fast is a marked  increase in body odor of the offensive smelling kind. The body is trying to purify itself. DO NOT BE ALARMED. That is why it is vitally important to understand the main principle of fasting.
 
When you stop eating, the body starts to purify itself and eliminate toxins or M.E.S.S.! 

The M.E.S.S. does not smell good coming out. You may find that your body odor increases drastically during the first phase of a fast. Mine started after only two days of the prefast preparation. Because I understood the FAST FLUSH phenomenon it did not concern me. In fact, I felt good about it because I knew this was only my body purifying itself and the odor was only M.E.S.S. poisons being eliminated from my body. I did not try to cover up the odor with deodorant. An antiperspirant would only slow down the process by blocking in the very M.E.S.S. I was trying to get rid of. Just keep your distance from people or at least have them informed of what is happening within your body. 

Often the M.E.S.S. toxins coming out through your skin can cause a temporary rash as the body purges them from your system. The M.E.S.S. toxins do not look good coming out either. 

The story of the M.E.S.S. toxins coming out gets worse, or better, depending on how you look at it.

Not only can the M.E.S.S. toxins come out through your skin but they also come out through another organ of elimination, the lungs. When a person drinks alcohol or eats garlic, both have one thing in common. Both alcohol and garlic enter the bloodstream. 

When they enter the bloodstream, each releases its chemical directly from the bloodstream into the lungs. Then it goes from the lungs straight to your breath. That's why mouthwash and breath mints do not help much with alcohol or garlic. 

The chemicals from the alcohol and the garlic are in the bloodstream and it is not a matter of deodorizing, it is a matter of getting them out of the bloodstream.

When the body stops eating, the M.E.S.S. toxins are literally squeezed from the tissues and into the bloodstream.

The bloodstream then struggles to get rid of them any way it can and the first available avenue is often the lungs. 

When M.E.S.S. toxins come out through the lungs, simply put.  . . your breath will stink. With any fast over three days, I can just about guarantee this will occur. There are ways to minimize the unpleasant body odor social effects of fasting. I will discuss that in the chapter on what to do during the fast.

When FAST FLUSH happens, stuff we never even knew was in our  bodies starts to be flushed out. We start to FLUSH out drugs (legal and illegal), nicotine, caffeine, pesticides, preservatives, etc. These chemicals can lie stored in our tissues for longer than we would dare imagine. Many of these toxins have been in our bodies since childhood. None of this M.E.S.S. looks or smells good coming out. It's a blessing that we are getting it out of our bodies before it makes us sick or sicker.

As unpleasant as the body odor and bad breath may sound, that is not the difficult part. "What is worse than that?" I hear you screaming.

How the M.E.S.S. makes you feel
is worse than that.

As the M.E.S.S. toxins impact your bloodstream and flood from your tissues, they can make you feel terrible. You will feel drained, you may be weak, tired, listless, rundown, beat down, and only fit to lie down. 

YOU MUST UNDERSTAND WHY!
It is  still because of FAST FLUSH.

Your body is going through a massive cleansing.  You now have more FREED M.E.S.S. toxins floating in your bloodstream than ever before. Your body is now diverting all available energy to cleansing your system. Yes, you may feel tired. The more toxic your system, the more exhausted you will feel. It is NOT LACK OF FOOD that has you weak and exhausted, it is the toxins.

The minute you eat the cleaning process will stop.  The M.E.S.S. toxins will stop pouring out. Your breath and body odor will clear up, and things will go back to the toxic condition that you were in before. When this happens people mistakenly believe that "THE FOOD" gave them energy and the fast was draining their energy due to no nourishment. Long term fasters will tell you that the energy usually increases after the 15th day to beyond what it was before the fast began. ENERGY INCREASES AFTER THEY HAVE GOTTEN THE BULK OF THE M.E.S.S. OUT. 

The temptation to eat due to the effects of  M.E.S.S. coming out is great. Eating will eliminate the negative feeling, but enduring to the end of the fast will have a greater positive impact on your health.

Each person's reaction to M.E.S.S. coming out may be different. I tasted metallic chemicals in my mouth for five days during my last fast. I knew what it was. I was tasting chemicals which had been stored in my body for ages. Even though I have never taken any quantity of medicines or drugs in my life, I had untold poisonous pesticide and pollution residues in my tissues. This was because of the environment and contaminated food I had consumed all my life.

If you have a history of heavy pharmaceutical use, the cleansing could be drastic. If your body is extremely toxic, the outpouring M.E.S.S. can cause serious harm. The next chapter deals with simple ways to tell how toxic you are before you begin to fast.

HOW MUCH OF A TOXIC DUMP ARE  YOU?

Before attempting to fast, it is a good idea to try to get some idea of exactly how much M.E.S.S. you are carrying around in your system. There are two basic ways to roughly estimate this. Neither is complicated or will involve sophisticated medical equipment. Both are fairly accurate.

When toxins enter the body, the body knows this stuff is not good for it. The body tries to do one of three things with them:

1. Burn them up in metabolic processes (that is, use it for  food).

2. Eliminate them through an organ of elimination.

3. Bind them up and store them out of the way for years.

Since the body knows these toxins are not good for it, it recognizes them for what they are: M.E.S.S.

If our bodies can use them for food at least that gets rid of  it. If our bodies can eliminate them, that gets rid of it, too. If our bodies can't do either of the two, they are left with only the third option: Put the M.E.S.S. in a form that can be stored the safest and put them away.

There are two easy methods to determine how much M.E.S.S. is in you.

For the first method you will need:

1. Full length mirror

2. Privacy

3. Honesty

Get alone in front of the full length mirror. Lock the door. Take off all of your clothes. Be honest about what you see.

Look particularly at your midsection. Is it bloated? Is there a potbelly there? 

Are there rolls of fat protecting (or suffocating) your stomach? If there are, then chances are you are pretty toxic.  If your abdominal section is distended, more than likely it is packed full of dead and decaying material that is highly toxic.
 
Question:
Do you have a bowel movement  for each meal that you eat? 

Yes, you should have a bowel movement for each  meal that you eat. Regular is NOT ONCE A DAY, regular is ONCE PER  MEAL. Think again about your cat or dog. They have a bowel movement for each meal that they eat. So should you. 

If the answer to the distended stomach question is yes and the answer to the bowel movement question is no, chances are you are very toxic on the inside.
 
"But everybody else's stomach looks like this, too, and they don't sit on the commode a bit more than I do!" you say.

You have a valid point but everyone else in hell will not make you cool. America's health is not very good. We have sickness on every hand and in almost every body. Because everyone else is unhealthy does not justify your being unhealthy. Another person's sin does not excuse your own.

The second test is simple also. Again you will need no fancy equipment or trained medical personnel. You probably already know the answer to this one without having to experiment.

HOW DO YOU FEEL
WHEN YOU MISS A MEAL OR TWO? 

If you get a headache when you miss a meal, then you are extremely toxic. Fast with just water for 24 hours. If you feel sick, get headaches, or if you are dizzy or extremely weak, you are very toxic. It's normal to feel hunger, but not sickness. If you feel sick it means the FAST FLUSH is really pouring M.E.S.S. toxins into your bloodstream at a very high rate. 

If your body shows signs of being extremely toxic,  you need to go on a pre-fast regimen before going on a full fast. This will be a lot easier and safer on you and your body. Even the pre-fast regimen will not be easy. When M.E.S.S. comes out, it's not pleasant whether you are in a full fast or not.

The highly toxic condition is where fasting can be dangerous. If you do not gradually reduce the toxins in your body, a full fast can be a devastating shock on the system and it may not be able to handle the toxins that pour forth.
 
Besides the visual inspection and the 24 hour fast, you can ask yourself a few questions that will give you insight as to whether your body may be highly toxic. 

A yes answer to these questions means a higher probability of high toxicity and a greater need for a pre-fast regimen.

1. Are you a current or former smoker?
2. Do you work or socialize around smokers?
3. Do you eat much meat?
4. Do you eat many dairy products?
5. Do you have less than one bowel movement per meal?
6. Are you presently on, or have you ever been on, heavy medications or drugs (legal or illegal)?
7. Do you not exercise regularly?
8. Are you more than 20 pounds overweight?
9. Do you drive in congested traffic or live near air pollution?
10. Do you drink less than eight glasses of water daily?
11. Do you eat less than five servings of fresh fruit and fresh vegetables daily?
12. Do you work in an industrial environment with a lot of chemicals?
13. Do you take laxatives?
14. Does your family have a history of short life span?
15. Do you have constant mucus (stuffy nose, sinus congestion, cannot breathe through nostrils clearly, etc.)?
16. Do you have a "bad" body odor without deodorant?
17. Do you have "bad breath" and constantly chew gum to cover it up?
18. Do you get sick easily and have many colds?
19. Do you have a major illness?
20. Do you have many minor illnesses such as arthritis, bad skin (psoriasis, acne, etc.)?

Go through these 20 questions. Many yes answers indicate the probability of a highly toxic body. 

Fasting can do wonders in such conditions but the cautions must be observed. The body has to be slowly and safely detoxified. 

You must remember, you did not become toxic overnight, it took many years. Do not expect to clean it overnight. If you have been clogging it up for 40 years, at least allow one day per year of your age to clean it out.  The next chapter deals with a pre-fast regimen.

The pre-fast program is strictly to REDUCE the  level of toxicity in the body to a point where a full fast will not be harmful...