A woman by the name of Audra Bear from Minneapolis, Minnesota, is a self-proclaimed “breatharian.”
…so what the heck is that exactly?
Someone who does not consume any solids and practices getting her energy from breathing exercises and being outdoors.
The 25-year-old who started to identify as a breatharian exactly 8 months ago claims that her longest fast lasted 97 days and that she does breathing exercises for up to three hours every day.
And while she occasionally eats solid foods when out with friends or family, she sticks to teas, pureed fruits and veggies, smoothies oh — and air.
Bear says that her lifestyle brings her “much abundance, health and happiness,” explaining that sunshine and being out in nature is a natural booster that makes her feel both healthy and relaxed.
“I wouldn’t recommend anyone to fast, cleanse or restrict without first learning about the breath,” Bear shared with UniLad. “You can also experience prana through time in nature, sunbathing, earthing, creating and playing. You can eat if you choose to, for entertainment or social settings, know your energy is sourced from the life-force all around you. Most days I just drink teas, fruit juices, green juices and fresh coconut waters. I do eat occasionally now, but more for celebratory reasons.”
The word “Prana” is a Sanskrit word for breath, “life force,” or “vital principle.” Breatharians believe that they can inhale air as well as prana simultaneously and that the prana nourishes them — making food unnecessary.
“If you’ve had any sort of conversation with me lately, you know you cannot shut me up about the power of breathwork in my life. 3 months ago I was $13K in credit card debt, binging to stuff my emotions, drinking every night, an aweful friend to those around me and living in a place that was not in my alignment. I learned that the breath is the source of all abundance and I became debt free for the first time in years, stopped drinking and eating completely, moved to one of my favorite states, and I’m experiencing more love and abundance than I ever could imagined – it’s simple and everyone has these tools inside them, don’t underestimate the power within.”
While Bear alleges to be happier than ever due to her new lifestyle, it should be noted that there is zero scientific evidence backing the alleged benefits of the “breatharian” diet.
In fact, doctors strongly urge against it.
“This is a dangerous practice and perhaps stems from a fundamental lack of understanding of how the body works,” founder of Proactive Health Labs (pH) and author, Joy Stephenson-Laws, told Fox News.
“There are six basic nutrients we need to live healthily. We need water, protein, fats, vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates. We get these nutrients from the foods we eat or drink and we need them in the right balance. Depriving our bodies of these six categories of essential nutrients will cause us to be physically and mentally imbalanced and ultimately die.”
If you were actually to follow breatharianism by its actual definition (no solids or liquids), death would be quicker.
“It depends on the climate, and how much exercise you’re taking, but if you’re lying in bed you would probably be just about all right for a week,” revealed Dr. Charles Clarke following a swath of deaths in the early 90’s.
“But towards the end of the first week, you’d become pretty gravely ill. Your blood would become thicker, your kidneys can’t cope; multiple organ failure follows, you get hypothermic and eventually you die.”
So please, do not try this and DO eat! You are not a plant but a complex machine that needs substance!