Breatharianism

Breatharianism, also known as inedia, is the mistaken belief that a person can live without eating or drinking. Its most prominent proponent is a notorious charlatan named Jasmuheen, an Australian. Jasmuheen said that she was told by St. Germaine to practice breatharianism and preach it to the world, she claims that she talks to his ghost frequently, usually on the telephone line, she also claims to know the ghost of Pythagoras. 60 Minutes has disproven her claim that she can do this. Most people would not bother with nonsense like this but 60 Minutes did because her teachings have been linked to the deaths of some of her followers. One follower who died following the breatharian "diet" was Verity Lynn, who went into a mountainous area of Scotland and died with Jasmuheen's book Living on Light next to her and a diary noting that she was in the seventh day of her fast. One person who 60 Minutes interviewed about Jasmuheen, Dr. David Millikin, said "What she is teaching is a lie because if she is saying that you can live in this world without eating and drinking then that is a lie and if people believe that then they're going to die." He said about Jasmuheen "I guess it's tempting to say that she's mad, but I shy away from that, because my experience in working with many cult leaders leads me to believe that they actually believe intensely in what their doing, but I guess when she gets hungry, and eats a piece of Kentucky Fried Chicken, I would ask her then, does she believe, because of course she eats". The program's host Richard Carleton challenged Jasmuheen to prove that she could live without eating or drinking for one week. She agreed and was taken to a hotel where was videotaped and monitored by female security to ensure she did not eat or drink at all. Beres Wink, the president of the Queensland branch of the Australian Medical Association, monitored her progress. By day two there were already problems. Dr. Wink informed Jasmuheen that she was over 5% dehydrated. Wink said "If we let this go on much longer, that's going to, going to damage your kidney." On the third day Jasmuheen complained that city pollution was making it impossible for her to get the nutrients she got by breathing fresh air. So 60 Minutes took her to a place where she would have all the fresh air she wanted. She claimed she was feeling better. But still by day five she was very pale, gaunt, and sickly. Dr. Wink stated that she was over 10% dehydrated going up to 11%. She urged 60 Minutes to stop the experiment, saying they would culpable if they allowed Jasmuheen to continue. She said the risks were kidney failure and that Jasmuheen was burning up her fat and her muscles and was entering a very dangerous stage. (link to 60 Minutes episode about Jasmuheen http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8060648983626971848&q=breatharianism&hl=en)