Audra Bear of Minneapolis, Minnesota, has taken dieting to a radically new level: She doesn’t eat any solid foods and practices “breatharianism,” meaning she is a “breatharian” who gets her energy from breathing exercises and being outdoors.
The 25-year-old, who began to identify as a breatharian 8 months ago, claims her longest fast lasted 97 days and that she does breathing exercises for up to three hours every day. Though she occasionally eats solid foods when out with friends or family, she generally sticks to teas, pureed fruits and veggies, smoothies, and air.
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Bear says the breatharian lifestyle brings her “so much abundance, health, and happiness,” and explains that sunshine and being out in nature is a natural booster that makes her feel healthy and relaxed.
“I wouldn’t recommend anyone to fast, cleanse or restrict without first learning about the breath,” said Bear to 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.”
“Prana” is a Sanskrit word for breath, “life force”, or “vital principle,” according to Wikipedia. Breatharians believe that they can inhale air and prana simultaneously and that the prana nourishes them, rendering food unnecessary.
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Though Bear claims to be happier than ever as a result of her new lifestyle, there is absolutely no scientific evidence backing the supposed benefits of the “breatharian” diet—only definite dangers, which doctors and nutritionists say include dehydration, food disorders, and far worse.