Fasting Journal : Fasting Center International

FASTING BUSINESSWOMAN TRANSCENDS FEARS,
DISCOVERS SUCCESS, & REFERS 9 FRIENDS TO FCI

   [NOTE: Without challenges, this life has little meaning. Throughout human history, parents, teachers, mentors, coaches and noble friends have invented innumerable ways of 'challenging' those they see potential in and truly care about, to actually push the envelope or parameters of what they had previously thought possible, especially beyond irrational, long-programmed old fears. . .of the unknown, of failure, and ironically, even of success (perhaps because of the changes it entails). The ego, of course, always wants to hear such 'instruction' only in sugar-coated, mellifluous tones. However, if those had worked in the past, we would not still find ourselves in these less-than-optimum-health states, would we, seeking out the experiential knowledge and distilled wisdom of those veterans who have successfully climbed these mountains we now see before us.
   Here in Cyberspace today, now that this mighty, planet-spanning Internet allows us to actually seek out many of the world's top experts in their fields, many of those intuitively led to FCI arrive not yet fully comprehending what it actually means that Fasting Center International has established, over the past three decades, the gold standard in our global industry. . .long blessed to supervise our world's largest, nonresidential fasting clientele, with clients continuously on all major continents.
   As FCI's Founder/Director, I remain deeply involved with the one-on-one, nonpareil supervision of our global clientele. And even though FCI's unparalleled success has long blessed us with the option of working only with those of our choosing--from among the hundreds of prospective clients who visit FCI's virtual office each day of every year (for instance, we choose not to work with negative beings)--I do periodically take the time with some I evaluate, to 'challenge' where they appear to be 'stuck,' in hopes they are honest enough to admit and let go of outdated misconceptions, attachments, etc.
   For those with the courage to trust such a gentle challenge from one they've just met, the results--as I have lived to appreciate, three decades running--can be nothing short of miraculous! And now that we Cybernauts, as humanity's earliest adaptors, are blessed to meet on this World Wide Web--the fastest-developing, mass-consumer medium in global history--such neurolinguistic reprogramming must occur at the speed of light! Some are up for the challenge, such as Intel chairman and TIME's 1997 "Man of the Year," Andrew Grove, who credits the Internet as a key resource in his own fight against prostate cancer several years ago, presently predicting that this marvelous network of globally-linked computers will bring "revolutionary changes" to both America's and our world's health-care industry.
   Others, unfortunately, are not. What follows, however, is the story of just one who was--the female half of a Boston, MA, couple, ages 35 and 47, who founded their own business. From my own experience at FCI's helm for over 30 years, I immediately knew her fear of fasting was scientifically baseless, as well as irrational, since literally millions have successfully fasted before her, including almost all our species' greatest thinkers and spiritual teaches, as well as all three Fathers of Western Medicine--Hippocrates, Galen and Paracelsus (who diagnosed fasting as "the greatest remedy, the physician within").
   As you can now read, below, attempting such neurolinguistic reprogramming at this Cyberdistance and speed can shock one's 'ego,' initially. However, once one is able to get the ego, with all its attachment and expectations, to step aside, allowing intuitive wisdom onstage, the 360-degree priouettes which very often result can be beyond any teacher's imagination. Here, therefore, is the story of just one who chose to accept FCI's challenge. . .soon discovering strengths within she never knew she had.--positive lessons, by the way, which stay with FCI clients for life!]

   "Hi, Dennis: I wrote this testimonial from the heart, and hope you enjoy it, because I think you'll learn something about what you did for me, which you didn't even know you did. Also, I wanted to write a letter which will hopefully serve to inspire anybody who is considering fasting with FCI and you, Dennis, to get off the fence and just do it!!

   "Pre-fast, it's rather a coincidence that my husband and I were both feeling unlike ourselves--very heavy after each meal; not digesting food well; waking up feeling full; feeling tired and sluggish. . .sometimes like there was a brick just sitting there in our stomachs. We were still functioning in our daily work and activities, as usual, but just feeling unlike ourselves. I knew I had to change the way we were eating.

   "Two-and-a-half years earlier, we had both eliminated all meat from our diets, yet something still was not right. I was reading cookbooks from the health-food stores, plus anything I could on nutrition, to try to learn what we should do to get to feeling better. I was learning great stuff, but it takes awhile to get to know exactly what you are doing, so consequently, we weren't getting too far very fast, in our quest to feel better.

   "On top of that, my husband and I were each carrying around an extra 15 lbs. or so. Mine really bothered me, for I'd always been slim and eaten whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted, and however much I wanted. Thank goodness I've always loved salads, plus all types of veggies and fruits, as this is what I was gravitating toward. I never, ever had to diet or really think about my weight. . .until I turned 30. UGH!!! I had not changed my eating, but the weight was then coming on. So, there I was, wearing long jackets to help disguise the ever-emerging protrusion in the front, plus the now-jiggling protrusion in the back. My face looked big to me in the mirror, and I began feeling self-conscious about the changes I saw in myself, wondering silly things such as: Are my family and friends also noticing that I am putting on weight?

   "Then, I'd get angry with myself for actually letting this weight thing subtly effect my confidence level. I have a philosophy, though. A lot of stuff that happens in life is beyond our control, but most is within our control. Also, people with a winning attitude remain flexible, so that when life pushes you around and you deal with things that are out of your control, you avoid being tied up in knots. Anything that's within my control, I'm going to handle. This weight issue and not feeling well were definitely in my control, and I knew it. But, I didn't know how to fix it. What do you do in cases like this? In my case, I pray. So, I prayed to God that he would help me to feel better and lose some weight. I then got a strong notion (which, if you know God, you know isn't by chance at all) to look on the Internet for information on fasting. Here comes FCI and Dennis into our lives.

   "I read FCI's web pages from start to finish. This fasting stuff intrigued me, but I must say, I was pretty suspicious. Here were my concerns:

1) I was new to the Internet and still trying to figure out how legitimate it was. My first question was, why couldn't any bozo put up a web page and collect your money, and then never provide a service?

2) Who is this Dennis Paulson guy, and how do I know that he knows what he is doing?

3) Is fasting safe? I never knew anybody who had fasted, and the idea was very foreign to me. Is there any way that this could hurt me?

   "I read FCI's web pages again, from start to finish. By now, issue #1 was resolved, because if someone was going to scam you, there would be much easier ways than to put together such an elaborate, impressive website. Issue #2 and 3. . .only one way to resolve these; let's contact this Dennis guy at FCI, and see what he is all about. So, I sent Dennis an email and introduced myself. I asked him for some suggested reading material, where I could learn more about fasting. He replied that FCI does not recommend such reading, pre-fast, because there is too much conflicting information out there, which will only confuse anyone not willing to read it all, and then try all those modalities, in order to actually learn what's effective and what's not. I think he'd termed it the "Cliff's Notes approach to fasting dilettantism."

   "O. K., that makes sense, I thought. But still, I'm not satisfied. Let's ask this Dennis guy some questions. So, I wrote Dennis what I thought was a well-thought-out message. I had some points in there which I'd thought were really legitimate and needed addressing. One question was: Hey Dennis, if people feel euphoric and positive while fasting, why could not fasting also send someone the other way--into a psychological low? Another point: Will my husband have ill effects getting off of his six-cups-of-coffee-per-day habit? Another: are there any possible health risks? Can the fast be stopped at any time if you don't feel well? Should we see our doctor before and after the fast, to have our blood pressure and cholesteral checked? My husband travels alot; should he be fasting so far away from home?

   "I really thought these were great and legitimate questions, even though they were sandwiched into my third anxiety-filled emailing to FCI. Then came Dennis' reply. He responded professionally to all the latter questions, and then patiently addressed 'Anxiety Revisited One Final Time. . .Again, Tiffany, the point is that either you open you mind and walk through those baseless fears--accepting that scientific fasting has proved its efficacy over millennia, no matter what you've been focused on--or you will worry yourself to death with unnecessary anxiety. I mentioned, yesterday, in the hour I spent responding to all of your concerns, the prominent University of California physician (psychiatrist/pediatrician) who told me he'd read FCI's Website less than two minutes before filling in the online Juice Fasting Agreement and sending it.

   "'The point,' he clinically continued, 'is that some are ready; others are not. Among those who are, however, they simply have to set their 'normal' trepidation of now doing something brand new, aside, and open up their mind to this marvelous, self-improvement technique. The fact that you could read our Website, plus all of those marvelous, positive testimonials (repeatedly!) and still hold onto all that baseless fear, indicates that your mind is not open, Tiff. I trust you see the difference. Others look at the marvelous, prolonged examples of the Buddha and Christ and choose to emulate them, while you imagine some sinister, depression-inducing experience which no one on record has ever reported, over countless centuries. Where does that come from, Tiffany? You tell me, for it's absolutely baseless, scientifically. In fact, just the opposite occurs, as I explained yesterday. Again, as you can appreciate, neither FCI nor I have the time to coax anyone through her/his psychological anxieties. . .something only you can do.'

   "After I thought about it, I realized that I like this guy Dennis. He obviously has much passion for his/FCI's work. Think about something that you really have a passion for. If someone else insults that passion of yours (be it your husband, or your child, or your God, or your work), wouldn't you be strong in defending it? You would if you had alot of belief, and I love people with a passion, who stand for something. Also, I would expect anybody who would be mentoring me during fasting to be totally sold on fasting, wouldn't you? By that time, I began to really respect Dennis. I even liked how he had whipped me around--tough love, so to speak [I think he later called it "psychic aikido"]--so I replied: "Hi, Dennis! Thank you for taking the time to send me both messages. Your messages are very well understood. Now I know what one person who submitted a testimonial meant when she'd referred to your email messages as tough, yet gentle."

   "He'd said another thing which helped me know that fasting was a good move. He said that my intuitive wisdom had guided me to FCI. What Dennis had called intuitive wisdom, I prefer to call God. I mentioned to my husband that I wanted to fast. I told him that I'd found a guy on the Web who was knowledgeable and would help us. I mentioned that the guy was really cool, because he'd whipped me around and gained my respect. I offered about 50 pages of stuff FCI had sent for my husband to check out. My husband literally glanced at the first three pages, investing about three minutes, and said: "Fine, let's do it!" Just that easy; different strokes for different folks.

   "So, we started, embarking on the 20-day program. The fast was effortless for both of us. It was effortless because we made up our minds to do it, and once we make up our minds, there is never any other way to proceed, but to see it through (in my book). You make the decision once; then, you do not have to make any more decisions. Dennis was with us all the way, and was so prompt in responding any time we had questions.

   "Let me wrap this up by writing what has happened, post-fast. My husband and I are both terribly excited about the effects our fasts had on us. We are feeling great! No more bricks in the stomach. No more waking up feeling full. We are digesting our food well. The energy has come back, and the sluggish feelings have disappeared--not just in one of us, but in both of us! I lost 15 lbs.; my husband, 16, and my weight has stayed off.

   "As a matter of fact, I have taken FCI's post-fast LIFETIME OPTIMUM HEALTH PLAN to heart, and have successfully changed my eating habits. Also, I now buy organic produce, have eliminated sugar (I never thought I could give up sugar, but. . .no problem) and white flour from my diet, and almost all dairy products. I started the 20-day program at 139 lbs., finishing at 124 lbs. Now, following four months of eating right, I weigh 116 lbs., which is perfect fighting weight for me. FCI/Dennis has successfully taught me how to change habits, so that I can eat better and feel better.

   "By the way, I love eating what I am now eating. One would tend to think that all of the fun is gone from eating, but no. Once you get all of the junk out of your system, your body will crave different foods. You will crave nourishing foods. While doing the fast, I remember thinking that the first thing I would eat, post-fast, would be a bowl of brown rice! Not donuts or cake. . .brown rice. Can you imagine that? And today, even after four months, my body still craves veggies, whole grains, and fresh juices. The thought of now eating anything really sweet sounds disgusting. I don't think I could even get a brownie past my lips!! This, coming from a person who craved sweets all of the time, before the fast. I've dropped two sizes in my clothing, and am now running around trying to find cropped sweaters--no more disguises.

   "People around us saw the results of our fasts, so we encouraged family and friends to get in touch with FCI/Dennis and learn what fasting could do for them. Consequently, at least nine of our friends have done, or are presently doing, fasting programs with FCI/Dennis, and they all look great and feel great! There is not one of us who has felt unwell, or isn't excited about the effects this fasting program's having. All of us are recommending FCI and Dennis to other people. That is how powerful and positive fasting has been to all of us.

    "If the last paragraph did not make you say, 'WOW!,' then you better read it again. For all of us, Dennis truly has been a godsend. What amazes me is that all nine of us have such different personalities, yet Dennis has worked with each of us, all very well. What a talent that is. So perhaps, by now, you have concluded that we all are absolutely and positively behind both FCI and Dennis all the way in the work they do. We believe in FCI's (now our) scientific, therapeutic fasting program.

    "My husband and I both plan on fasting for a longer time, at some point. We chose the 20-day Program because we had an overseas trip planned, and I chose not to fast while traveling. However, I do feel that just as the fast was getting good, we stopped. So, I have since recommended to all the people we know to get on a longer fast. . .if not FCI's most popular, total detoxification [age + 17, in number of actual juice-fasting days].

    "As mentioned earlier, you do have a lot of control over the way your life goes. You can choose to be healthier, and thereby much happier. All you need is a vehicle to get you there, and you now have that vehicle within your grasp. All you have to do is get behind the steering wheel, and take control. Do yourself a favor. If you have fears as I did, just stick to Dennis like glue, and let him help you, as well, get over them.--Tiffany Jesudian

Please come back soon for new additions to FCI's online, archived FASTING JOURNAL!

Any questions, email or phone FCI. Email: FastMaster@fasting.com; phone: 818-590-2536 (know that the best time to catch Founder/Director Dennis Paulson, himself, with the least interruption, is between 10-4, California time). For the Fasting Center International home page, click here: www.fasting.com

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