Lately I've been watching +Loren
Lockman's YouTube channel. He's an experienced water only fasting supervisor and raw foodist for over 25 years. While I've read many others' take on the subject, Dr. Bragg and +Dr. Fuhrmann, just to name two, there's something that strikes me about Mr. Lockman, who doesn't have two or three letters after his name.
In his videos he approaches the subject of fasting gently, matter of factly and educationally. Along with his palatable, ten minute clips of information, he interviews several clients, all of whom have suffered from dramatic diseases such as MS, Lyme's Disease, CFS, Colitis, Chron's, Hypertension, Obesity...just to name a few. In each of the interviews, the client expresses many health shifts they've experienced as a result of the water fasting. The interviews are conducted before, during and after the fasts (some with the moment of refeeding on some glorious watermelon). Also, if you read the comment threads in YouTube, Mr. Lockman carefully answers each person's questions and comments. You're never left guessing what he thinks or where he stands.
After watching at least twenty of his videos and checking out the
Tanglewood Wellness Center website, I went sleuthing for more reviews. I came upon
this.. In short, one person died in the middle of a fast at Lockman's Maryland Center. With very little information and more slander against Mr. Lockman, I wanted to find out what really happened. From an interview, Lockman
makes some clear statements on what really happened. The faster had given himself insulin injections after being advised otherwise.
The reason I even bring this up is for the general discussion about fasting's safety. Mr. Lockman has supervised over 4,000 clients and this one incident seems to cast a shadow on his services. It is certainly a tragedy that anyone wishes didn't happen, not least of which, I'm sure, Mr. Lockman. But for the sake of discussion, if we were to hold up the statistics of various medical physician's outcomes of care based on the very same diseases Tanglewood sees, I think we'd see numeric casualties in the hundreds and thousands. You know it's true. Yet, because modern medicine has profitable backing of the AMA, insurance, lawyers, the FDA, pharmaceutical companies and other organizations, medical doctors get away with fewer career blights.
Anyway, this topic can go in several directions. And you might be surprised to know that I don't blame medical doctors for their scope of practice . . .because it is exactly that. A scope. A scope that encompasses myopic methods that lack integrative and holistic approaches in their high priced college curriculums. Especially nutrition and fasting (despite thousands of medical journal articles that report its benefits). I know many doctors that are trying to figure out how to change this, while others are narrowly staring down the barrel of their own guns. Of the latter, I'd hate to be one of their patients.
It is important to note that Lockman did not start supervising fasts until after ten years of his own experience and education with it--roughly the same amount of time it takes most medical students to become doctors. I only come to Lockman's defense because I'm more interested in the facts. I don't know him personally. Maybe he is a terrible person. But the fact is, he's helping people--as seen and heard with my own eyes and ears on the videos, backed by quality information in many books and by doctors, many of whom are board certified. If a potential client does their research, consults with a fasting supervisor, and signs a contract, then they know what they are getting into just as much as the person who signs an agreement to chemotherapy.
I certainly prefer the idea of less invasive and more natural means of healthcare for most conditions. Don't you? And who'da thunk clean water could do it?
One day I hope to go on a water fasting vacation. Any opportunity on this side of heaven to give my body a rest, detox and aright any health deficiencies is a bonus in my book. But doing long water fasts (beyond 4 or 5 days) on your own is not a good idea. Lockman recommends 21 days or more for most (but not all) people, which doesn't include the time it takes to refeed and get a client's digestive system running properly on high quality, raw vegan fuel.
As always, I encourage people do their research, never stop asking questions, and, when you find a physician, healer, naturopath, WHOEVER that you trust, make sure they are educating you and telling you what's going on, helping where they may, but ultimately matching your goals. And please, whatever you do, don't play the victim. These people might fail. There may be some trial and error in spite of their experience and professional training. And they may take you in a direction you don't want to go. But ultimately, they are not responsible for your health. You are. If you don't like it, get thee there out!
