There are many stories where people struggle to lose weight. Weight problems are not something which is new, it has been there since many past years. People always love to be in the shape but there are also many people who struggle to maintain their shape. To get rid of the extra flab, people are ready to do anything. People also find new ways to lose weight. They are always willing to do all kinds of exercises and follow strict diet regime to get back into shape.
However, there was a 27 years old man in Scotland, Angus Barbieri, who adopted an unusual way to lose weight in the year 1965. He weighed 456 pounds when he decided to lose weight. He decided to completely abstain from food for as long as he can. He began fasting and survived for the period of more than a year. This was also a world record.
Angus Barbieri was suffering from obesity when he decided to lose weight by fasting. He consulted doctors before starting the fast and expressed his desire to do fasting as long as he could. He also requested the doctors to monitor him all along.
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As per the records of doctors, he was willing to lose weight through fasting. He has presented himself before the doctors. The doctors had planned short-term fast. But, seeing that he was maintain good health, they decided to go ahead with the fast.
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The patient was also willing to reach his ideal weight. Seeing all these points, they decided to go ahead with the fast. The doctors let him continue fast despite knowing that any fast beyond 40 days is dangerous for body.
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It was also known that Barbieri continued to live at his home. He only went to hospitals during this period and that was for check-ups only. During this period, Barbieri had only taken vitamins, supplements and non-caloric fluids. Barbieri only defecated in every 37 to 48 days. The supplements which Barbieri took used to carry potassium, sodium and yeast. The non-caloric fluids included sparkling water, coffee and tea.
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The doctors’ reports also indicated that there were many well-documented examples where people died while starving to lose weight. There were reports of two persons dying of heart failure, one person from bowel obstruction and two succumbed when they were in re-feeding period.
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As doctors were aware of the ill-effects of fasting, they constantly monitored Barbieri during his fast. He always seemed healthy all along his fast. Doctors had once observed that Barbieri had low blood sugar levels. But, as he was not showing any symptoms, doctors continued with the fast.
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It is a known fact that the human body starts breaking down fat to get energy in the case when someone stops taking food intake. In some cases, the body also breaks down muscles to get the required energy. But, most of the energy that the body requires comes from breaking down of the fat. The body breaks fat into glucose and ketones.
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However, some essential vitamins and nutrients cannot be produced by the body. To cover it up, Barbieri was taking supplements. There are also other examples where people starved to longer periods. In 1973, a man was found starving for 385 days because he was on hunger strike. He was finally forcefully fed with the feeding tube.
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Barbieri’s fast continued for 382 days. He was successful in losing 276 pounds and he finally reached his ideal weight of 180 pounds. His weight loss also persisted as he only gained only 16 pounds in the next five years.
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The doctors in present times call this long fast as harmful as it could risk the person’s life. But, the doctors who monitored his weight loss concluded that “supervised therapeutic starvation of the obese patient can be a safe therapy.” But they also insisted that the extended starvation therapy should be exercised with proper caution.
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The doctors’ report also appreciated Barbieri’s cooperation all along the fast. It said, “his cheerful co-operation and steadfast application to the task of achieving a normal physique.” At the end of his fast, Barbieri said, “apart from feeling a wee bit weak, I feel no ill effects.” He told a newspaper reporter, “I thoroughly enjoyed my egg and I feel very full.”
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