Vivere of air, light and energy, without eating and sometimes even without drinking. It’s what they claim they can dobreatharians‘, that is, the followers of a practice without any scientific basis but above all very dangerous for health. The so-called breatharianism – in English breatharianism – it is in fact a pseudoscientific belief whose adherents claim to simply eat “breathing” prana, presumed ‘vital energy’, deriving from the Hindu tradition, or in some cases, the energy of the Sun. And therefore be able to survive without taking any other form of nourishment.
Breatharians: who are they
«It’s one belief that has mystical-religious rootsattributable to real ones seven whose objective is ‘to rise to other dimensions’; elevation that would be obtained not by feeding on food but rather only through breathing, sun exposure or meditation. Often these beliefs are mixed with eating or psychological disorders, but above all there is a religious and mystical basis that leads to this attitude which is absolutely harmful to health” – explains the Dr. Salvo Di GraziaSurgeon specializing in obstetrics and gynecology and emeritus member of CICAP – Italian Committee Italian Committee for the Control of Claims on Pseudoscience.
Breatharians: the origins
Although the concept of Breatharianism originates primarily from Eastern asceticism, taken to the extreme, several self-styled Bretharians have also argued West this practice. Among the most striking cases, that of the Australian Ellen Greveknown as Jasmuheen and author of books in which she recounted the path that would lead her to free herself from the need to eat food and to follow ‘pranic nutrition. It was Jasmuheen who underwent a singular television experiment to demonstrate how he managed to live without eating or drink. However, ending up confirming, in fact, that it was not possible to follow this type of practice. Filmed by cameras of Australian broadcasting 60 minutesfor a week, without stopping, on the second day Greve showed i symptoms of dehydrationas well as problems speaking and weight loss. The program was then discontinued on the advice of doctors. In the 2017 on the Daily Mail instead, the story of Akahi Ricardo, 36 years old, and Camila Castello, 34, found space couple of ‘brespirans’ which he told about feed on the sole energy released by the universeeating occasionally and claiming not to have eaten for three years.
In Italy
A few years ago the practice also arrived in Italy: what caused a sensation, above all, was the existence of a Facebook page and a website (which still exists today) dedicated precisely topranic nutrition as a lifestyle which would allow – we read – ‘in its highest manifestation, to live in perfect health and perfect harmony without the intake of common foods, solid or liquid from the mouth’.
Breatharians: what do they risk
Extremely dangerous statements given that – it may seem absurd to have to repeat it but perhaps, to avoid any misunderstanding, it is necessary to do so – Depriving yourself of food and water poses very serious health risks and that, without drinking or eating, you can barely survive. «Without drinking very few days, after which we immediately see important symptoms such as dehydration, which also causes very serious cardiac problems and which can therefore already have a fatal outcome in itself – specifies Di Grazia. – Without eating you can survive a few more days, because the body tries to defend itself by implementing balance mechanisms. However, even not eating for a few days then leads to one extremely dangerous state of malnutrition. The first symptoms are neurologicallike delirium; others follow which however lead to death.”
How do they live? The trick is there
In fact, in most cases the breatharians not only do they carefully avoid having their practices monitored scientifically but they use tricks to feed themselves.
«In India, where these practices are very widespread, we went to check how the gurus who claimed they could live without drinking or eating did it and it was simply discovered that they cheated – explains Di Grazia again. – In short, it has been seen that they secretly obtained foods such as potatoes or powdered foods».
Who risks falling into the ‘trap’
A hoax, in short, that of the Breatharians, so sensational that it seems difficult to find followers. Yet there are those who ‘fall for it’ and risk big. Because these practices can do taken especially on fragile subjects.
«There are people who are convinced by these gurus that we can really survive, as they do, without eating, nourishing ourselves with air and sun – explains Salvo Di Grazia. – Unfortunately whoever falls for it really risks it: in fact there is no shortage the cases of deaths due to following these absurd theories. And those who pay the price are almost never the self-styled gurus who, as we were saying, find a way to feed themselves with tricks, but their victims.”
This is not about fasting
Also be careful not to mistake this dangerous conduct for a sort Of fastwhich we often hear about as a practice that can have positive effects on health.
«When we talk about fasting, like intermittent fasting, we do it always referring to a limited fast and always performed under medical supervision – specifies Salvo Di Grazia. – Not surprisingly, fasting is also not recommended for people who have significant health problems. It can be included as part of a weight loss diet, only under medical supervision and only by giving up one or more meals a day. Certainly not by observing weeks of abstention from food».
Breatharians and other hoaxes dangerous for health
The CICAP – born in 1989 on the initiative of Piero Angela and a group of scientists – has been carrying out important work for years unmask and report unfounded news and authentic scams in the medical and food fields. Hoaxes often camouflaged with scientific language and which unfortunately, just as often, find fertile ground on the web and social media. What are the most dangerous ones circulating online today?
«There are many dangerous hoaxes – explains Di Grazia. – In some ways similar to that of the Breatharians, that of the Gods is in vogue today detox enemas. They go a lot in America coffee enemas, because the belief has spread that they can have not only healthy but even effects detoxifying for the body. Which is absolutely not true. In Italy, however, thanks to groups that are both mystical and fraudulent, it has spread belief in continuous enemas which would help the body tofree yourself from toxins that are not well specified and identified. A practice that, in addition to having no scientific basis, because the enema has a completely different function, can have very dangerous consequences for health».
Common sense will save us (?)
How to protect yourself from hoaxes? Common sense is always the best weapon.
«The advice is to always keep your eyes open – concludes Salvo Di Grazia. – Don’t believe in miracles because they don’t exist and always contact your doctor. Because only with the our critical ability and the doctor’s advice we can distinguish nonsense from reality».
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