I appreciate your response. > None of this means we shouldn't try to help people where appropriate. But the way we go about trying to help people makes every b

I appreciate your response. > None of this means we shouldn't try to help people where appropriate. But the way we go about trying to help people makes every bit of difference. Agree that it makes a difference, which is why my style has evolved to what it is now. As I mentioned, it has been my experience that a more even-tempered, "civil" reply about water fasting simply gets downvoted instantly and rarely generates any discussion. Yet on the flip side, here we are 40 or so comments deep, and trust me, this has already been food for thought for several HNers. They're not going to necessarily start fasting tomorrow (nor should they without doing their own research) but it planted a seed, and that's all I'm trying to do. What gets me going on these threads is not a need to "convince one's self of their efficacy" as you put it. Based on my experience in this sort of parallel universe of the alternative medicine world, there is already no doubt in my mind that water fasting is what many people suffering from many of these diseases need. Its benefits are already well documented. I understand that we are all taught that we should wait for government agencies and pharmaceutical companies to study and approve every step we take in life. But any logical person can agree that we are not likely to get the FDA/CDC/XYZ to endorse water fasting any time soon. They're not in the business of telling people not to eat. I don't have any vested interest in getting people to fast. There's no "system" being sold. There's no kit to buy. No series of e-books to purchase. All the information is already out there, free for anyone to consume. And that's actually the point here - BECAUSE there is no industry around water fasting, it is highly unlikely to reach the mainstream any time soon. That's how messed up things are. You will see this in the CNN/NYTimes health section when someone figures out how they can productize not eating for 10-30 days. I'm passionate about something I know will help people. I don't comment as often as I would like on health threads here and elsewhere because it often frustrates me how much ignorance is displayed online regarding alternative treatment options and how many people miss out on getting better when only conventional medicine that treats symptoms and rarely actually heals people gets praise and bubbles to the top.