There have been many famous people over the years that have used fasting for one purpose or another. Spiritual quests, protests, statement of health, and defiance against age. From Plato to Jennifer Lopez, fasting or abstinence from food or other substances has been made famous by a variety of people. Perhaps one of the most intriguing is Arnold Ehret. From Germany, born in 1866 is was a self proclaimed, naturopath.
Ehret was a vegan before there every was such a thing. He is the founder of this concept called, mucus-free living. This sounds crazy, and perhaps it is, but there is an entire healing system dedicated to this concept. He even helped to invent a intestinal laxative that was distributed via mail order catalog out of Los Angeles. He died in Los Angles in 1922. His product eventually was seized by the food and drug administration for misleading advertising.
Posthumously he was redeemed when the hippie, surfing culture of the late 60s and early 70s revived his writings. The concept of The Mucusless Diet Healing System came roaring back into mainstream with the republication of his works by Paul Bragg. The concept of eliminating toxins and having improved gut health are not considered mainstream and not quack science. There are now entire organizations dedicated to this concept, and fasting is a core component.
They refer to this health practice as “rational fasting.” So this intermittent fasting craze that seems to be everywhere can be attributed to the early writings of Arnold Ehret. Increasing longevity, watching when you eat, reducing the types of foods that cause premature aging, short term intermittent fasting are all parts of his concept. Funny to think that this concept has been around for over 100 years.
The basic concept that Ehret came up with is that the body gradually forms a mucus like substance in the intestinal tract that is the result of the decomposition of foods. Meat, rice and other substances do not break down well and a consequence you can get this glue like substance crammed up inside your body. Reducing your ability to process nutrients, preventing healthy cells from functioning well and causing general suffering.
“Only through a mucus-free diet can we expect to eliminate the accumulation of waste and obstructions deposited in the body tissues during a lifetime of wrong eating.” – Arnold Ehret
He has a ton of other non-scientific claims regarding mucus build up in the body. Some of them sound crazy, but many seem strikingly obvious.
I am not advocating one way or another, just interesting to note how this health craze surrounding the art of fasting has been around a long time. Centuries later we are starting to really see that some of the health benefits are worthy of consideration. V=P-O means Vitality = Power minus Obstructions. Something to think about.
