More Fun Times

 

I once read a study about mice, which some call a "murine" study.  But if you do call it that you may lose your reader.   It was a fascinating study.  Healthy mice, about 16 weeks old, were given a chemical that damaged their pancreases.  At that point, their fasting glucose levels were 400.  If people have fasting glucose levels of 400 they will most likely be recommended for a pancreas transplant.  The mice weren't eligible for transplants, but at this point their life expectancy was less than 16 weeks.  The mice were placed on a four day a week fast for 26 weeks.   At the end of 26 weeks, the mice had completely regrown their pancreases and had normal fasting blood glucose levels again.  This was amazing to me, so  I decided to try it.  

My problem wasn't high fasting blood glucose, but rheumatoid arthritis.  I had kept this at bay by avoiding foods that seemed to provoke it, until one day there was a relapse anyway.  In less than a month I had lost my right knee and injured a few other joints.  My doctor recommended a thirty day fast, and I did fast for 21 days, when I went into remission.  Well, this was no ordinary doctor.  I did have a total knee replacement with nearly perfect results, but still had other damage.  Maybe fasting four days a week for 26 weeks would regrow these injured areas.  

This fast lasted for 12+ weeks, when I ended it because of electrolyte imbalance problems, and insomnia.   But, even then there was massive improvement in the joint injuries and I was walking out into fields and places that I hadn't been able to go to.   Also, my fasting glucose had begun going up to 120 on a fast.  What?  Why?  I did find out later that the liver will sometimes go into overdrive when blood glucose levels are going lower than it likes, and soon return to normal when the hard times are over.   

I had thought that I would regroup and try this fast again later, but didn't do it.  

Now I am thinking of trying the four day a week fast again.  I did consider a longer fast, because this worked so well a few years ago.   But I just don't want to fast that long, so the four day a week idea was revisited.   What if I did this for 26 weeks?  Would I see an end to rheumatoid arthritis?  Maybe.   Can I make it that long?  Probably not.  We'll see.  

Another strange thing about the first fast is that I really didn't lose any weight.   Go figure.  So that's what's happening in Paradise today.  I suppose it would be a good idea to add prayer to the fast.  Once the disciples had tried to throw a demon out of a child with seizures, but were unsuccessful.  Jesus was able to cast out the demon, and then the disciples asked him why they hadn't been able to.  He said, "This kind goeth not out but by fasting and prayer."  I didn't do that the first time.  I think I'll try it this time.   Hey, I know.  I'll start keeping a journal about it.   This should be interesting.  To me anyway.