[lambdaba]

It does indeed sound incredibly dangerous, it isn't though. Russians (and some other European nations chiefly Germany) are into fasting, though I only know about Russians organizing dry fasting retreats, like Dr. Filinov https://www.wildestvitality.com/portfolio/items/winter-2023-...

I know it's both a cliché and something that westerners often have forgotten how to do, but you can actually listen to your body and know minute by minute if you're in danger or not. For dry fasting, you are told that if you start getting persistent high heart rate you should stop.

Now what you should find intriguing is why would anyone put themselves through this? Well, it has immense and unique health benefits, that's why. It's been studied, although less than water fasting for obvious reasons. Even water fasters think we're crazy, so I understand.

[Alupis]

> Dr Sergey Filonov is a world leader in clinical dry fasting expertise and the successful treatment of diseases, acute illnesses, chronic disorders and undiagnosable conditions.

> you can actually listen to your body and know minute by minute if you're in danger or not

Friend, this is all hocus pocus bogus from a crackpot doctor. Other sources even say dry fasting is rarely done today (because it's hocus pocus), even if it was once popular in the Soviet Union.

You will also notice how this crackpot doctor charges $2,200 for a supervised 2 day dry fast - not 10!

Please don't go 10 days without liquid intake - especially when you are without medial supervision for crying out loud. You cannot monitor yourself properly under these extreme conditions. Even if you survive 10 days without any liquid intake, you may (and probably will) cause irreversible damage to your body and organs.

[lambdaba]

Well, I did it, and I felt AMAZING for months after.

I don't care about the doctor at all, I only wanted to link to the retreat to people are doing it and paying for it.

I'm not advocating anybody do it either, and since it's so difficult, even though it's less than it appears, I don't see anyone jumping in blindly into this.

Humans are almost uniquely adapted to starvation. Dry fasting is simply a boosted form of water fasting, which is almost mainstream. There's no particular danger to a person in reasonable health. I am so I could do it by myself.

[Alupis]

You may not be aware of the Placebo Effect[1]. What you experienced was not real in the sense that anything changed but your belief you felt better.

While the placebo effect can be a powerful mental illusion, it will not prevent damage to your organs (or death) during this 10 day dry fast. Please don't ever do this.

[1] https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/the-power-...

[lambdaba]

Of course placebo is involved in everything, as you know, whether you are aware of it or not, but the results of fasting are well studied and only a web search away.

[istultus]

From that site:

> Russian physicians have successfully treated many illnesses and diseases outside

> the standardized support of allopathic medicines, as well as more common

> ailments including, but not limited to, mental disorders, bronchial asthma,

> rheumatoid arthritis, hypertension, obesity and diabetes.

I guess the Gulag does cure everything...

(though to be fair, the part of the diseases mentioned that are due to metabolic disease - read: obesity - can be treated early in their course by just losing weight - diabetes and hypertension due to obesity will go away once you drop the weight. Just, you know, drink water if you're fasting. Or join the Darwin Awards, whatever).

[lambdaba]

Right, I sense a lack of open-mindedness here, or curiosity, fasting is widely recognized as having unique effects on stem cells including the immune system.

[istultus]

I'm sorry if you "sense a lack of open-mindedness" in my skepticism regarding Russian medicine. I'm actually very curious - I've water fasted myself. But I try to be rational, and tend to think anecdotal evidence shouldn't move my priors too much.

[lambdaba]

I don't know why you're making it about Russian medicine, as I said I've only given this example to show there is interest in structured arrangements for dry fasting, I guess it backfired because those Russians are backwards pre-scientific primitives or something.

Fasting is an ancient practice, perhaps the most ancient medical practice.

[Alupis]

There's a difference between not eating food for a day, and not drinking any liquids for 10 days... one of these can and will kill you. Do you know which? It seems you do not.