Water Fasting and Burning In Chest Area

[Diana Popa]

Well first, allow me to introduce myself!

Hello everyone, my name is Diana Popa, and I am almost 18 years of age. I have been on the water fast for 5 days now. It is my first water fast, and I am planning to stick to it for 15 days.

My problem is this: Since day 3, I have been unable to sleep due to a burning, "acidy" feeling. It comes from my chest, and up my throat almost like a burp. I feel this only at night, and it is very uncomfortable as you can imagine!

And now for the big question: Is this normal? Is it a symptom of detox, or should I be worried?

Thank you in advance!

D.

[Laur]

Hi -- I am new, but thought I would reply: I am experiencing this burning/dry/aching feeling right now, in fact. i have it intensely sometimes but I get it from overeating. I slightly overate in my last meal before my fast (bad, I know, but it was moderate for me) ... I as the result of this overeating episode had a lot of this burning-type pain and suffered with it for many hours and now almost 24 hours into my fast it is mostly subsided but still there.
I take this pain in my wn case to be a sign that my body is strong, and strongly resisting my overeating behavior: I had not really overeaten to that extent in a while (mostly because I hadnt' tried to fast in a while.i always allow a big meal jsut before a fast; it helps me psychologically fi I don't totally overdo it. I must stop it altogether of course but I am satisfied with my progress in stopping and I find that the trade is worth it: the benefits of the fast outweigh the slight harm from the large-meal-to-begin-the-fast.
I don't know if this helps; I am jsut trying to say I do experience the feeling you are talking about. Laura

[RawKnitster]

How are you doing now, Diana?

I read your post a couple days ago but I don't know anything about water fasting. Must be a problem with stomach acids....? I am curious about what types of food you ate prior to starting your fast.

[Diana Popa]

Well I did in fact suspect it had to do with stomach acid... and because I have been salivating quite frequently (thinking about food.. ha!) I thought the saliva (due to its content of digestive enzymes) was the main cause, stimulating my stomach to produce acid, and making the acid come back up my esophagus.. so for the past two days I have been spitting in a bottle, and it has helped somewhat. It still happens, but less frequently and has become more bearable.

To answer the questions addressed to me: I did somewhat dive into this fast, with little preparation. The day before I started I ate mostly fruit, though I did have a little cheese that morning. I did not overeat before the fast, so I doubt that is the cause.

Thank you to those that replied, it means a lot, and if anyone has anything more to add it will be greatly appreciated!

Diana.

[Aleesha Sattva]

Get some chia seeds (www.therawfoodworld.com/affiliate_show_banner.php?ref=199&affiliate_pbanner_id=1002259) and put a spoonful in your mouth swallowing them down dry.

In 15-20 minutes drink a glass of water.

No more stomach acid (as the chia seeds have absorbed it)... and you'll feel better.

All the best on your fast!!!

[Diana Popa]

Aleesha

Thank you for the tip! Last night I managed to sleep soundly with no "acid" problem, but if it starts up again I will be sure to try that out.

Thank you everyone!

[Laur]

HI,
I thought about this after I wrote you my initial reply and I wanted to add that what I experience is what I think people name "heartburn." But this has to do, I think, with the liver, not the heart. I think I get it when my liver is stressed -- when I eat (overeating-)triggering fatty or sugary foods and eat them in quantities that cause a reaction. I don't eat crazy amounts of food any more (for years now), but my system is still struggling and ultra-sensitive. I am seeking fasting long-term as my best solution; I know intuitively and in other ways that this long-term fast is what I need to do to really heal -- as it would really rest my system... just needed to mention that to affirm it for myself... anyway, I know I am having a liver reaction when my liver is tender to be pressed. To feel if your liver is stressed/tender, press your fingertips or thumb firmly into your abdomen just underneath the righthand side of your rib cage. The liver is there, and if it's painful to press there, it means you liver is stressed. The liver is located in the righthand upper abdomen, and a little piece of it is off to the left, just under the left-central part of the rib cage. I massage my liver until it gets less tender. i am told this massage also stimulates it to produce bile and stimulates a bowel movement. Sorry to be gross. But in my experience it's the inactive bowel that creates the most painful symptoms -- from depression and anxiety to this aching burning feeling to hyperventilation... my bowel shuts down whenever I overeat or just eat when eating is not OK with me -- which I do about daily, at least. i just have really ingrained patterns of overeating or eating more than my body can handle. I do it again and again and again. Talking about it is the first step to stopping. But a colonic therapist told me the whole thing about the liver and I found massaging made me slow down and deal with pain I had to deal with ... another benefit: healing the liver makes you somehow look very beautiful, since (as the Chinese acupuncture system asserts) the energy of "beauty" is housed in the Liver meridian of the body. I get the beauty effect from massaging my liver, perhaps most noticeably after a colonic/enema. sorry to be gross again or seem obsessed. It is just me sharing some ways I have found relief. Laura

[Aleesha Sattva]

bowel movements are a natural part of life and certainly an important part of fasting. it isn't consider gross or TMI on this forum and especially in the fasting section. ;)