weeks would make an enormous difference."

It just so happened that I was in between set-up stages for a new
mail-order business I was starting and right then I did have a
couple of weeks when I was virtually free of responsibility. I could
also face the idea of not eating for a couple of weeks. "Okay!" I
said somewhat impulsively. "I could fast for two weeks. If I start
right now maybe even three weeks, depending on how my schedule works
out."

So in short order I was given several small books about fasting to
read at home and was mentally preparing myself for several weeks of
severe privation, my only sustenance to be water and herb tea
without sweetener. And then came the clinker.

"Have you ever heard of colonics?" she asked sweetly.

"Yes. Weird practice, akin to anal sex or something?"

"Not at all," she responded. "Colonics are essential during fasting
or you will have spells when you'll feel terrible. Only colonics
make water fasting comfortable and safe."

Then followed some explanation about bowel cleansing (and another
little book to take home) and soon I was agreeing to get my body
over to her place for a colonic every two or three days during the
fasting period, the first colonic scheduled for the next afternoon.
I'll spare you a detailed description of my first fast with
colonics; you'll read about others shortly. In the end I withstood
the boredom of water fasting for 17 days. During the fast I had