Risks of FastingSo you may have read about the many benefits of fasting but what about the risks? Well, in the same way that fasting can be an incredibly powerful and effective tool in the right hands, it can be equally as hazardous in the wrong ones, even with the best of intentions. The single most important thing you should do before engaging in this practice is to read through these risks and discuss your interest with your health care provider. Because of fasting's ability to alter your bodies electrolytes, metabolism and hormonal systems, it can cause temporary imbalances. If your body is not able to adapt to the short term effects of these imbalances, you certainly wont receive the long term benefits and your fast could pose some serious problems. If you already have a pre-existing health condition, this warning is especially true and you must discuss your desire to explore fasting with your physician. Otherwise, calculate your BMI and take the screening questionaire weve provided. If you still not sure as to whether or not fasting is right for you, talk to your doctor. 
As the graphic above illustrates, nearly every process in the body can be divided into 2 categories - anabolism (building up) and catabolism (breaking down). Together these two processes determine your individual "metabolism". In an amazing symphony of events, your body is constantly breaking down chemicals and reassembling them in order to maintain cellular and organ function. When this delicate balance is upset for an extended period of time, metabolic disorders develop. The practice of fasting temporarily encourages catabolic processes to predominate. We like to call this a catabolic shift. Your body shifts towards catabolic processes in order to manufacture fuel for living cells. First, the liver manufactures fuel (glyconeogenisis). Next, fat (adipose tissue) is broken down for further energy consumption. Eventually, and only after an extensive period of time, starvation begins as the body scavanges what energy it can from muscle and even your internal organs. It converts the two into glucose, the body's operating fuel. The reason we prime you on this is to make you, the reader, aware of what's actually happening when you refrain from eating. Extended fasting is best defined as going without food for a period of just 12 hours or more. Water is still consumed during this time but food is not. Your body will shift towards catabolic processes within 12 hours and will stay there the remainder of your fast. Understanding how your body works is important to understanding why certain people are at higher risk during a fast. Even in otherwise healthy individuals the following side effects have been reported. Because you can't always predict when these side effects will occur its important to understand how to handle them if they do. Please read through the section on preparing for a fast to familiarize yourself with the best ways to counter these problems. But we will discuss them here as well. • Hunger/Irritability • Weight loss (also a benefit) • Dehydration • Fainting (syncope) • Nausea/vomiting • Insomnia • Euphoria If you have any of the conditions below, you must, we repeat, must discuss them with your doctor as to whether they are an absolute contraindication or a relative contraindication. An absolute contraindication means you should never pursue the intervention; there is an imminent danger if you do.A relative contraindication means that in certain circumstances, given your health history, it may okay to assume the risk of fasting, if the potential benefit outweighs the risk. Here are some of the most common contraindications to fasting:
This list is not meant to be totally inclusive of every condition known to medical science. If you have a condition that you think may be made worse by fasting, please consult with your health care provider. Remember, when coupled with good nourishment and vigorous activity, fasting can have profound, beneficial effects. Without proper nutrition and activity, fasting loses much of its beneficial effects and the experience is more apt to be a negative, frustrating one.
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