Fasting with water and fruit and vegetable juices and a diet high in raw foods returned my health and freedom. The disease crippling me was chronic hepatitis. Years of serious addiction followed my drug abuse at thirteen, I contracted hepatitis, a frustrating and very painful illness. Deterioration of my liver progressed as the years followed, my other filtering organs (kidney and spleen) were caused to be overworked, thus damaging them, causing even more pain. A diet of natural foods combined with juice and water fasting I suffered for sixteen years. My swollen liver was as big as a football. The largest cleansing organ is the liver, and swelling caused pressure on other organs. When it does, constant irritating pain is felt from the rib cage to the stomach. It is impossible to forget hepatitis. Life was dismal and without hope. I was 270 lbs., and I was a burned out drug addict coming off a massive intake of chemicals. I needed 20 to 30 tranquilizers a day so I would not lose my sanity. I had uncontrollable emotions. My nerves felt like electrical wires on overload. In my desperation, I contacted Tom, a friend I had not seen in years. He offered to help and welcomed me to his house. After sleeping a few days, I woke up realizing how my life had become grossly complicated by my rebellion. I had played the role of someone else for 20 years, a person who was ruthless, tough and invincible. An empty barren soul remained. Tearfully, I agonized over the loss of my family. I was a victim of my own demise and there was no one to blame. Massive depression controlled life, and I thought Tom would help if I moved in, but I could not stop seeing the painful reality. Several nights, Tom stayed up listening to my sad story. I found an outlet for my pent up anguish so that my insides would not explode. There were remarkable changes after 20 days of juice fasting. Although I was not cured, I continued fasting because of the results. After 40 days of juice fasting, the unstable sickly man became a healthy, vibrant free-spirited soul. Losing 100 pounds boosted my self-esteem. The retention of large amounts of body fluids had caused the excessive bloating. The damaged liver prevented the release these fluids. My weight dropped to 170 lbs after the 40 days of juice fasting, the cause of the bloating had healed. The swelling of my liver completely disappeared. My mind had clarity and stability. For the first time in years, tranquilizers were no longer needed. I was wrong when I believed that permanent damage was caused by drugs. If a butterfuly could speak of the changes from a crawling insect into a colorful and graceful creation, its words would those of my heart. I was given back what drugs took away. I found freedom from a tremendous addiction through juice fasting. I was never this close to God in spirit.