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If Everyone Does a Little, No One Has to Do a Lot: A Lesson in Collective Responsibility

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If Everyone Does a Little, No One Has to Do a Lot: A Lesson in Collective Responsibility The thoughts have been hitting me hard lately, and I realized I need to get back to blogging on a daily basis. Of course, I’m always doing too much, but I wanted to dedicate some time each day to writing. My idea was to align my blogs with the principles of the Nguzo Saba—so, for example, today being Kujichagulia (Self-Determination), I could write something that connects to that concept. Over time, this content could be compiled into something greater. And speaking of something greater, my family and I are gearing up for a trip to Ghana. That means I’ll be documenting our journey—shoutout to Ms. Sasha, who just got her passport! She’s officially stepping into the world as an international young lady of mystery and leisure. Our trip will take us from Columbus to New York, where we’ll spend a few hours exploring the city before catching a flight to Nairobi, Kenya. We’ll have a long layover there, ...
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The Subtle but Powerful Shifts of Fasting: A Journey of Discipline and Transformation

The Subtle but Powerful Shifts of Fasting: A Journey of Discipline and Transformation


Fasting is often reduced to a conversation about weight loss, but my journey has been about so much more. From January 6 to January 27, I undertook a fast that challenged not just my body, but also my mind and spirit. It wasn’t easy, but the process gave me clarity, self-discipline, and a deeper understanding of my body’s resilience.

I want to share my experience—not just the numbers, but the way fasting reshaped my daily habits, my mental clarity, and my approach to health.

Tracking the Physical Shifts

📉 Weight Loss During the Fast – I started at 197.8 lbs on January 6, and by January 27, I weighed 172.8 lbs. That’s over 25 pounds lost, but what mattered more was how my body felt.

💖 Blood Pressure Improvement – My BP started at 150/102 and by the end of my fast, I recorded 120/80 on January 21 and even 108/67 on January 27. My cardiovascular system was responding to the cleansing effects of fasting and movement.

🩸 Bloodwork Comparison – Before the fast, my blood tests showed areas of concern—high triglycerides, cholesterol, and glucose, with some immune system suppression (low WBCs and platelets). By the end of the fast, I saw:

  • A major drop in triglycerides (from 186 mg/dL to 96 mg/dL)
  • A reduction in total cholesterol (265 mg/dL to 238 mg/dL)
  • My white blood cell count increased slightly (though still low), indicating some immune system recovery
  • LDL cholesterol (the "bad" kind) increased slightly, showing my body shifting its energy metabolism

The biggest lesson? Fasting works, but it’s the long-term habits that matter most.

The Mental & Spiritual Discipline Gained

Beyond the numbers, fasting forced me into deeper self-discipline. Every day, I practiced a combination of:
✅ Yoga & Asana Rebel – Some days just 5-10 minutes, other days over 30 minutes, keeping my body flexible and strong
✅ TaiChi Practice – A few minutes each day, reinforcing breath control and fluid movement
✅ Gye-Nyame Salutations – Adding a spiritual element to my movement, aligning my practice with my journey
✅ Breathwork – Including Axe’ breath, box breathing, and rhythmic breathing to strengthen my mind-body connection

By January 23, I was feeling a mental clarity that made me rethink my entire approach to food and health.

Breaking the Fast: A Careful Transition

I didn’t want to lose the benefits of my fast by jumping straight back into processed foods. Instead, I broke my fast slowly:
🥤 First Meal (Jan. 27 @ 5:44 PM) – A carefully prepared drink of rice, pineapple, pineapple rind (cooked together), blended with honey, vanilla extract, and cinnamon
🥣 Soup for Nourishment – A homemade blend of steamed mushrooms (oyster, yellow oyster, and reishi), kale, dandelion greens, sweet potatoes, onions, tomatoes, and miso broth

The first meal felt sacred, like a new beginning.



Building Lasting Habits After the Fast

I refused to let this be a one-time cleanse. Since breaking my fast, I’ve continued many of my fasting habits:
🔥 Daily Breathwork (Axe’ breath, box breathing, rhythmic breath)
🔥 Gye-Nyame Salutations & TaiChi – Now a daily ritual
🔥 Conscious Eating – Eliminating processed foods and refined sugar
🔥 Experimenting with Natural Superfoods – Baobab fruit, chlorella, psyllium husk, chlorophyll, cacao

By January 29, I was already thinking about redoing my books and experimenting with cacao and baobab as a morning energy drink to replace coffee.

Final Reflections: The Journey Continues

The fast wasn't the end—it was the beginning. I’ve learned that what you do after the fast determines its long-term impact.

By continuing these habits, I’m staying in alignment with my health, discipline, and spiritual goals. My goal isn’t just to maintain my weight loss but to maintain the mental clarity, energy, and discipline that fasting unlocked.

Would I do it again? Absolutely. And next time, I’ll go even deeper.

🚀 Next Steps: If you’re thinking about fasting, start small and focus on what habits you want to keep afterward. It’s not about deprivation—it’s about transformation.

What’s your experience with fasting? Have you ever tried it? Let’s build together! Drop your thoughts in the comments. 🔥

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