It is also well to remember that where one individual dies while fasting
(not from the effects of fasting, but from the disease for which the
fast was begun), perhaps one hundred thousand starve because they have
too much to eat. Silly as this may sound, it is the truth, and this is s
the explanation: Overfeeding causes digestive troubles and a breakdown
of the assimilative and excretory processes. The more food that is taken
while this condition exists the less nourishment is extracted from it.
The food ferments pathologically, instead of physiologically, and
poisons the body. The more that is eaten under the circumstances, the
worse is the poisoning and at last the tired body wearily gives up the
fight for existence, perhaps after a long chronic ailment has been
suffered, or perhaps during the attack of an acute disease. The chief
cause of death is too much food.
Avicena, the great Arabian physician, treated by means of prolonged
fasts.
For the benefit of those who fear the effects of fasts of a few days'
duration a few quotations are given from various sources:
"My next marked case is a wonderful illustration of the self-feeding
power of the brain to meet an emergency, and a revelation, also, of the
possible limitations of the starvation period.
Pages:
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411