Fasting for physical and mental healing | Dr Tracie O’Keefe

Medical fasting is used for physical and medical healing. I am a clinical naturopath (ANPA) medical nutritionist and an orthomolecular practitioner. You may also get health fund rebates.

Fasting is an established clinical procedure to help you resolve physical and mental illnesses. I am also a registered clinical psychotherapist (PACFA) and mental health professional.

It’s important when undergoing medical fasting that you are supervised by a trained professional clinical specialist, so it’s safe and effective.

Each person is an individual with different physiology, biochemical make-up, medical history and nutritional needs. If you’re taking medication, that has to be factored into the treatment plan.

The history of fasting

Fasting has been used for thousands of years in different cultures and medical systems.

Hindus have used fasting to cleanse the body and the mind.

In the Jewish and Muslim religions there is fasting from 24 hours to much longer in certain cases. Cultural healers have used it as a way to cleanse the body.

In Russia, Siberia, China, USA, Germany and Switzerland there are fasting hospitals and clinics often funded by the government where patients go to detox and recover from chronic illness.

So, as you can see fasting is not new or a fad but established throughout time and across the world.

Medical fasting is generally not taught in Western medical schools because they are partly funded by drug companies who make billions of dollars out of you remaining sick.

Doctors are usually taught only two methods of treatment – give a drug or operate. In fact, they can be struck off for not offering you a drug even when it is inappropriate.

What can fasting help with?

The body is constantly under assault from poisonous substances in our environment and pollutants that can cause disease. These include heavy metals, chemicals certain, food substances, bacteria, viruses, medications and drugs.

We must detox from these substances on a regular basis to restore physical and mental health. Also, medical fasting helps with auto-immune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.

When you fast it elevates the actions of the immune system so it attacks cancer, other diseases and inflammation in the body and brain. The body begins to auto-correct and reset wellness.

Mental health-wise, fasting is used for anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and to clarify the mind. There’s a lot of recorded research and evidence for relief of these conditions.

How medical fasting works

As I said earlier, there is a lot to take into account when you fast. We have to consider what would be the best period for you to fast or how frequently you need to do that.

What may be right for one patient might not be right for another. In fact, what may be beneficial for one patient may even be dangerous for another.

I use fasting as part of an overall treatment plan along with other treatments such as meditation or hypnosis. It is important that all of the treatments fit together to maximise your wellbeing.

We also need to consider the particular foods you eat before and after the fasting period that are safe and work best for you. This must all be planned carefully.

You get a medical fasting plan

I’m a big believer in supporting the patient at home and giving clear and understandable information. This will tell you when and how to fast.

If you have a severe illness, we are happy to share the information with a carer or relative you live with. This helps the whole support network understand what’s happening and what each person in must do.

Fasting may be foreign and unknown to you or your relatives so we do our best to educate and facilitate you.

Book your medical fasting appointment with Dr Tracie O’Keefe DCH, BHSc, ND. In clinic visits or by zoom anywhere in the world call 0403 398808