Fasting Journal : Fasting Center International

A WORLD-CLASS CHEF, 43, TRANSFORMS HEALTH & EATING HABITS ON 80-DAY PROGRAM, AFTER DR. WARNS CHOLESTEROL IS IN 'HEART-ATTACK RANGE'!

      [NOTE: One of the most common questions among the hundreds of prospective clients accessing FCI's Virtual Office each day of every year--from 220 nations representing all continents and time zones--is: "How can I fast when I have to cook for others?" Or, another version is: "I love food and eating, so how would I ever be able to fast?"
      No one on Earth is better able to answer this question that a world-class, professional chef. Thus, for those who'd hoped to use food or having to cook as the self-sabotaging ego's excuse for not rewarding yourself with far greater health, happiness and healing power by doing this marvelous, self-improvement technique, you'll no longer be able to use this particular excuse, after reading the following from Alex Lester, 43, of Los Angeles, CA, executive chef of the catering arm of one of California's largest and most successful fine restaurant and catering chains, the Patina Group (http://www.patinagroup.com), written nearly a month after completing the 80-day Program he began after his doctor told him to lose 40 lbs. because of his high cholesterol was "in heart-attack range." He began at 6' 2", 245 lbs., also "looking forward to eliminating my 25-yr. caffeine addiction for life!" He was referred by a Los Angeles chef/friend, 41, who co-founded the abovementioned restaurant and catering chain, and who's currently doing FCI's 70-day Program with his wife. In Alec's words]:

      "I've been cooking professionally for over 20 years, in some of the most demanding kitchens anywhere. Having fully apprenticed under some of the masters of the culinary profession--Joachim Splichal, Sylvain Portay and Thomas Keller--I've also had shorter-term experiences cooking with chefs ranging from Katsu Michite to Jean-Luis Palladin and Jacques Maximin.
      "I've held the titles Garde Manger, Poissonier, Saucier, Chef de Partie Patissier, Sous-Chef, Chef de Cuisine and Executive Chef. All of these positions, I've held for lengthy periods of time. Cooking and restaurants have been the focus of most of my time. I have developed skill in the cooking of meat, fish, vegetables, foie gras, sushi and barbeque, among other things.
      "I'm not saying this to impress anyone, but to impress upon the reader of this that if you are a cook or a chef, or love to eat food with flavours and textures that are exciting to your taste buds, then you and I understand each other and speak the same language. If your idea of a tasty snack is Bar-B-Que, smokey to the bone, or Roast Chinese Pork with a layer of crisp skin--a thin layer of melty fat and juicy meat underneath--then you and I used to be on the same page.
      "In April, 2005, I went to Paris for a two-week vacation and ate my way across the city, including the best restaurant in the world--Alain Ducasse ($700 for two, not including wine)--plus the three-star Guy Savoy, and the pastry shops of Pierre Herme, Fauchon and Laduree. It was what you might call a chef's dream vacation.
      "Returning to Los Angeles, I took an additional week to rest and recharge my mind and body for the upcoming busy work season I was about to encounter. I had several movie premieres I was responsible for, along with feeding 1000 people for the opening of the Hollywood Bowl. Also, being the chef of the Emmy Awards, I had a a huge workload and needed to get ready for what was ahead, mentally and physically.
      "I went to the doctor to get a physical, and he told me that my cholesterol level was in the "heart-attack range!" He prescribed Vyotrin for my cholesterol and told me to lose 40 lbs. Every time the flu came around, I got it worse than anyone. I had a caffeine addiction that would make even the most jaded caffeine achiever shudder. I knew that this lifestyle I was living was not healthy, and was killing me. My first day back at work, instead of feeling rested and energetic, I felt tired and totally uninspired.
      "Having been a passionate surfer my whole life, I was currently riding a longboard. I could ride a shortboard, but I just couldn't paddle a shortboard anymore. I was so out of shape that every time the waves were good, I felt like I was going to drown. Plus, I no longer got the good waves--the nice, juicy hollow ones that I charged when I was younger and in better shape. I had no balance in my life. I was a perfectionist and wanted world-class health and fitness, yet I didn't have good health. Deep inside, I knew I was totally blowing it.
      "My friend Octavio told me about Fasting Center International. I was already familiar with fasting, having 15 years earlier been inspired by Paul Bragg's fasting book to do a 10-day, distilled-water fast, which gave me amazing results, but also was a miserable 10 days of feeling sleepy all the time, having body odor, and being irritable.
      "I went on the FCI website and read it through twice. I knew, immediately, that this was totally correct and absolutely brilliant. I made the commitment, right then and there, My goal was not to lose weight. It was to regain the energy I once had, and to resolve my cholesterol problem. I had no idea what a life-transforming experience I was about to have. Let's skip ahead to the results. After completing the fast, transitioning out, and then waiting 10 days, I had a complete physical exam, and these are the results:

The 4.7.05-to-7.12.05 transformation:
Total cholesterol: 220 down to 155; triglicerides: 185 to 78; LDL: 153 to 99; HDL (the good one): 30 up to 40, and weight, 245 down to 190. My doctor was amazed that my good cholesterol increased by 33%!

      "While those numbers are most impressive, and my doctor certainly was blown away, the greatest part is what came afterwards. I've achieved the lifestyle change that I've only dreamed of in the past! We all know that we should eat healthfully, lose weight, and exercise; it's just so hard to discipline yourself to live right when you're overweight, toxic and have no energy. For me, it was so much simpler to detoxify and lose the weight FIRST! Running used to seem violent to my body, but now it feels great.
      "Further, after 70 fasting days of only putting into my system liquids for the effect they had on my body and not my tastebuds, switching to a plant-based diet was almost effortless, in that it feels right and my body now craves correct, plant-based fuel--nuts, grains, juices, fruits, vegetables and superfoods. Because of my job, I taste most all foods, but that's not my diet I use to fuel my body anymore. Eating the way I used to is not an option anymore. After going through this eye-opening experience, a totally healthy lifestyle is clearly the only option.
      "If anybody reading this thinks that they can't do this because they "love food too much," or "have too much temptation being around food," your situation cannot be anywhere near as challenging as mine was during my 70-day cleanse. Due to my job, I thought about food all day long. I purchased food, organized and supervised production of food, cooked food and wrote menus. I tasted food (and spit it out). I always got a kick out of reading when Dennis (FCI's Founder/Director) would advise fasters not to think about their post-fast diet until that time arrived, and then I would go write a production recipe and think through flavours in my mind. My point, here, is that if you follow FCI's instructions to the letter, as I did, not only can you do this, but you will find it much easier than you ever imagined.
      "Several of my friends have gotten inspired by watching me go through this transformation, and are currently FCI clients, going thru the Program as I write this. That I have influenced others by my example with something that will so greatly benefit their health, is extremely gratifying, to say the least.
      "I am truly grateful to Dennis and FCI for this magnificent life-transformation. What you are doing with FCI is absolutely brilliant! You saved my life! Thank you, with much respect, Alec LestrÓ

[FCI FOOTNOTE: Those interested to read a similarly successful, post-fast testimonial from the Co-Founder of the Patina Group, Octavio Becerra, may do so at (http://www.fasting.com/becerra.html).]

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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