John Roberds

I was, and still am a cyclist. I rode at least 150 miles a week to train and rode in a half dozen 100 mile events each year. I developed neuropathy in my legs and feet after my second vaccine shot. It came and went twice before the fall of 2021 but became too much in November of 2021.

My first symptoms came about six weeks after my second vaccine shot in late March 2021. It was pain in my legs and feet when I rode my bike and pain in my feet most days. The first symptoms lasted only 2 weeks. It was the beginning of the spring when I started riding outdoors. I just thought the pain was due to me being out of shape after the winter (I only ride indoors during the cold weather and only for an hour or so at a time.) The pain went away for about a month and then started again. I had upped my training because I intended to attempt a hard event in the summer. Again, I thought the pain was fitness related because I had started training harder. The pain only lasted for 3 weeks and went away. I felt good the remainder of the summer and completed a difficult ride in Colorado in August. In late September the pain came back and persisted this time. It got too much to take in November. I quit riding and went to my Dr. to figure out what was happening.

My doctor first thought of peripheral artery disease and referred me to a cardiologist. After a series of tests he said he couldn't find anything that could be causing the pain. My doctor next sent me to an orthopedic and he found a small amount of damage in my lower spine but when evaluated by a physical therapist nothing was found. I next had an EMG and that found some problems with nerves in my legs. I went to a neurologist and he diagnosed peripheral neuropathy. About the same time I read a report on what Pfizer had found from people reporting side affects of the covid vaccine and neuropathy was one of the problems. My neurologist told me 65% neuropathy is caused by diabetes and another 25% was caused by chemotherapy, neither of which applied to me. He also said there was no cure for neuropathy and I would have to try using some pain medication to deal with the pain. I tried the medicine when I rode my bike and it didn't relieve the pain enough to allow me to ride. This was in April 2022. I'll fast forward to the fall of 2022. I read a book about fasting and how it can cure many health problems. The book is "The Oldest Cure in the World" by Steve Hendricks. It didn't mention neuropathy specifically but it seemed to me that it would be worth trying to see what happened. I did a three day water fast just to see how it went and I felt fine. I few days later I started what ended up as a 15 day fast. At the end of the fast the pain in my legs when I rode my bike was gone! There was still pain in my feet but not as severe as before. I waited until after the holidays and started another fast in January which lasted 25 days. At the end the pain in my feet was about 85-90% gone! I also had upped my B complex vitamins and found some herbal supplements that are claimed to help neuropathy. I can't say that these were helpful on their own because I was taking them when I started fasting. My feet continued to improve after my second long fast and this may be due to the supplements but my fasting coach said the benefits of fasting would continue after I broke the fast.

My neurologist offered a treatment of the nerves in my legs and feet that stimulated the nerves with electrical currents. It was expensive, $1,500 per set of twelve sessions, and not covered by my health insurance. I did one set of treatments but I didn't think I got much out of it.

The conventional medical community doesn't embrace or understand fasting. I can say with complete confidence that there are myths about fasting and it's affects that aren't true. I did go without food, only drinking water and a little coffee for a three day period, a fifteen day period, and a 25 day period. I also did a dry fast where I consumed nothing, no food or water, for three days. Fasting is not easy but it can be done and is very powerful. When my family and friends questioned my decision to try fasting I simply told them that the potential payoff if it works is so great that I was willing to take a chance on it and the chance paid off! Two things. First, read the Hendricks book and search for info on the web on fasting. There a many good videos on Youtube. Sten Ekberg is one person who is good. Second, if you are unsure I recommend my fasting coach, Tallis Barker. His website is waterfasting.org. He told me that half of his current clients came to him for help because of Covid. Don't limit yourself to conventional treatment from MDs with drugs. There is more to this than they will acknowledge and I can tell you that fasting worked for me. In fact, I just finished a ride today of 35 miles and will train for another few days before going to an event next weekend to ride 65 miles. Before my neuropathy I would have ridden 100 miles in this event but I expect to be able to ride in a 100 mile event before the summer is over. And I am 72 years old. FASTING WORKS!