Introduction to the history of fasting.

In our modern time, the concept of fasting seems to have lost its significance in being helpful to sustain a healthy lifestyle. The history of fasting reinforces the powerful benefits of fasting. Fasting is more than just abstaining from food. Fasting has cultural relevance as well as religious relevance. It has also become a holistic practice that aims to enhance the quality of life a person has by helping them to have a nourished body, mind, and spirit.

For centuries fasting has been a path to rejuvenation. It’s a way for one to get a better understanding of oneself. A deeper connection with themselves and their higher power. This mini-series is written to help people understand fasting as an essence. We will go deeper into the different forms of fasting. We’ll discuss what happens on a cellular level while one is fasting. As well as the benefits of fasting in a spiritual aspect. Whether you’re new to fasting or a seasoned practitioner this mini-series can shed light on the magnificence of the human body.

In this blog post, we’ll explore

• Fasting in a religious setting
• Fasting in medicine
• Fasting in politics
• Fasting for weight loss

The blog posts on fasting were derived from a free ebook that I prepared for you. This ebook goes into detail about what fasting is, the different types of fasting, how to successfully break your fast, and how to incorporate the Daniel fast to further detox your body! You can find that ebook here.

– Aiyaken Sarai <3

History of Fasting

Let’s explore the vast richness of the history of fasting and how humans have been leveraging its power for millennia.

Fasting in a religious setting

When you think of fasting, do you think of monks sitting in a circle with their legs crossed? No? Me neither, but I did typically associate fasting with being a religious practice. Perhaps you’re here to get a better understanding of the Daniel Fast. You’ll be glad to know that you’re in good company. Religious segments of all types have been implementing fasting into their lives for centuries. Some religions utilize fasting to heighten their senses to receive spiritual visions, have insightful dreams, and arouse ecstatic forces. 

Some religions would undergo fasting to prepare for rituals that would result in supernatural contact. In the Christian bible, many household names have led in the example of fasting. People such as Moses, Esther, and Jesus to name a few. Muslims undergo fasting abstaining from food and water from sunrise to sunset during their holy month of Ramadan. All religions seem to agree that fasting allows you to humble yourself before your creator, and at times, make petitions towards your higher power.

Fasting in Medicine

Don’t be fooled into thinking that physicians don’t want to utilize holistic measures to heal the body. MDs have been studying and implementing the benefits of fasting on health for centuries. Doctor B. H. Dewey, MD, in his book ‘The True Science of Living’ wrote, “Every disease that afflicts mankind develops from, more or less habitual eating in excess of, the supply of gastric juices.” Dr. Dewey believed that digestion plays a major role in humans having adequate health. 

Through encouraging fasting, Dr. Dewey was able to promote healing in Charles Haskell, who was suffering from issues of the lungs and nervous system. Haskell went on to write a book encouraging others to heal themselves via fasting. Medical professionals would monitor both obese and non-obese people undergoing fasting. Both for weight loss and the healing of diseases.

Fasting in Politics

People also have used fasting as a means of political protest. On 14 different occasions, Gandhi fasted to bring attention to injustice. On three occasions his fasts lasted upward of 21 days. Not all political fasts end in favor of the person objecting. In 1920 Terrance MacSwiney succumbed to his 74-day hunger strike after being arrested during English/Irish Unrest. MacSwiney also holds one of the longest prolonged fasts by a non-obese person. Joseph Murphy also died on the same day after a 76-day hunger strike during the English/Irish unrest. Political fasting seemed to be popular for these groups of people. There is a record of the Irish Republican Army fasting 45 to 61 days to their death in the H block of Maze prison in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Fasting for Weight Loss

You may have thought that intermittent fasting was a modern trend however, medical professionals have advocated prolonged fasting as a method to lose weight for years. University of Minnesota’s Ancel Keys & colleagues followed 32 volunteers who underwent eight months of semistarvation in the 1950s. In 1915 physicians were recommending short periods of starvation as a safe and effective way to reduce weight, and reduce morbid obesity. Not all of these fasts were monitored by the physicians themselves, some would prescribe a fasting regimen, sometimes upward of 117 days. There are monitored fasts of 139 days, 236 days, and 249 days. The longest recorded fast was of an obese man in his 20s who fasted for 382 days and lost 276 pounds. Non-obese people seemed to have a cap of around 40-45 days of prolonged fasting.

Conclusion

While many people are familiar with fasting for weight loss there are many different types of fasting such as water fasting and dry fasting. I’ve written a blog post that you can read here that goes into more detail about different fasts. I would encourage you to prepare your mind as well as your body for a fast. I’ve drafted a blog post on how you can prepare for a fast here. You must have a proper understanding of how to break your fast properly. This blog post will provide you with more information on how to safely break a fast. Remember all things are possible, they are! The best is yet to come and the odds are always in your favor. Take care!

– Aiyaken Sarai <3

This blog post was written without the assistance of AI