In another article The Truth Behind Fasting as a Spiritual Practice I talked about why people fast as a spiritual practice. Many people see fasting as a way to become closer to God, or to find enlightenment. But there are other reasons why people fast. Fasting is a practice that was done by the believers of Jesus and the apostles, as well as many other people. Fasting in a spiritual sense is supposed to weaken the flesh in order to strengthen the spirit. Fasting may mean abstention from all foods for a whole day or just part of a day. Many people have fast for much longer. For the elderly or physically weak a fast could be limited to just one meal a day and drinking water for the rest of the day. Limited fasting could also be refraining from just certain kinds of foods. But fasting can also have health benefits to it; there is also an institute in Ohio which monitors fasting for a certain amount of time.
According to Healing Through Fasting fasting can remove cellular waste. Which means cells die and need to be replaced. As the body uses up the reserves it has, it naturally feeds off of the damaged and diseased cells. The point of fasting is to allow the body to naturally cleanse itself of things that hold it back or don't allow it to function the way it is supposed to be. Fasting for a certain amount of time allows the body to repair organs that may be damaged itself. Todd Sproul, a man who has fasted has said: "I have never felt as good mentally and physically as I have when I fast." It is also said that fasting can give your body a more youthful look because fasting keeps the body rejuvenated.
There are different forms of fasting. I have already mentioned the limited fasting, where one would eat just one meal a day. There is also water fasting; which is eating nothing at all and just drinking water throughout the day to quench your hunger. Then there is juice fasting which allows you to drink juice to help give some of the nutrients that our bodies desperately need. In his article Water Fasting: Stephen Buhner says that water fasting allows your body to rest, heal, and detoxify itself. Buhner says that the body's energy is not used to digest food, but to also cleanse itself and rely on itself to heal damaged tissue and organs. Water fasting is very beneficial in cardiovascular disease and congestive heart failure. It can also help with type II diabetes. It is also very effective for obesity, but should under no terms be used as a weight loss strategy.
On the other hand juice fasting allows you to drink juice and water; but it needs to be raw vegetable and fruit juices without a lot of sugar within. A good source to drink would be V8 Splash or their V Fusion. Different juices are a good source of antioxidants and vitamins that will help the body heal while it rests. Juice fasting still allows the body to rest, but gives it the other things that the body needs to help keep it strong while going through a fast; especially if it is a lengthy fast. Juice fasting is actually safer fasting than simply water fasting because it supports the body while cleansing. The juices contain natural medicines that different damaged organs and tissues need in order to heal better.
Fasting isn't something that you should jump into, but something you need to research and fully understand before doing it. Fasting shouldn't be taken lightly and requires a lot, but also takes a great deal our of you. While fasting one should not do strenuous activities but rest and relax the body. You should take time out of daily activities out of stress and things that causes the body to react in a different way. You want your body to spend it's energy one cleansing and healing itself, not by running a mile or even walking a short distance. Many Christians use this time to spend in the word. They read their Bibles, listen to songs with Christian lyrics like Jeremy Camp or David Crowder Band. Instead of spending the day watching television or something, they spend the day in prayer either inside or maybe out in nature in some way.
Talk to not only your doctor about his or her ideas on fasting, but also consult your pastor or other spiritual leader. They understand the best what fasting can and cannot do. The benefits and disadvantages that fasting can have for a person. One cannot think that fasting will be the solution to all problems, physical, emotional and spiritual. But it can help clear your head and heal your body.
