“And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
Matthew 6:16-18
“Why have we fasted, and you see it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?’ Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers. Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with a wicked fist. Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high. Is such the fast that I choose, a day for a person to humble himself?
Isaiah 58:3-7
Is it to bow down his head like a reed, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast, and a day acceptable to the Lord? “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?”
Men do not talk about fasting anymore.
No one likes to fast because everyone loves pleasure and comfort. Many people view food as a god in the way they think and speak about it, including many Christians. This section is not going to be about bashing food and eating. Some Christians feel the need to avoid any and every type of pleasure including the enjoyment of eating. That is not the purpose of this section, though people do tend to bow to the altar of food.
“For forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry.”
Luke 4:2
When Christ spoke to us about fasting, He said that “when you fast” you should conduct yourself in a certain way (Matthew 6:16-18).
We place emphasis on the word “When”. Christ expected us to fast, it was not simply a suggestion. And while it seems like fasting is just another commandment, it actually brings several physiological benefits. As always, God, the Great Scientist, directs us towards actions that benefit us in the long run. Here are a few of the assorted benefits of fasting, and the sources for these statements are at the bottom of the page:
Fasting has been shown to have anticancer effects. It can also reduce inflammation in the body. This is beneficial if you have inflamed joints or any kind of sickness that involves high levels of body system inflammation. If you have blood pressure problems, fasting can help mediate those symptoms to a degree. Fasting protects brain cells and prevents the onset of dementia. This is known as the neuroprotective effects of fasting. It also promotes the growth of new brain cells in a process called neurogenesis. Overeating and gluttony may be prominent contributing factors of all the various types of dementia that we are seeing in the world. Weight Loss is an obvious benefit of consuming less calories during a fast. Fasting also increases growth hormone secretion in men, allowing for more muscle growth and better hormonal biochemistry overall. Lastly, fasting, and calorie restriction in general, can increase your lifespan.
Fasting can be uncomfortable, but the benefits it provides are numerous.
You save time during fasts because you do not have to prepare food. When Christ gave the command to fast, He wanted us to replace the time we normally spend eating with prayer.
We gain more time besides what we spend eating meals. All the time it takes to buy and prepare food is saved. Besides all the health benefits, there are benefits for your mentality that come from fasting. After you go through the hunger pains, you might have greater focus and mental clarity though these benefits are more subjective and tend to vary from person to person. Whatever your motivation for fasting is, you must fast. Christ expects it from us.
Mantra
I Sacrifice the pleasure of food for the profit of prayer.
Application
If long-term fasting scares you, you are weak minded and must strengthen yourself. You will need to start with the easy path of Intermittent fasting (IF). IF is where you fast for a portion of the day and then consume all your calories in a small eating window. Most people practice 16 hours of fasting with an 8 hour eating window. Obviously you will want to sleep during part of the 16 hours fasting window. If you have a standard job and are hungry in the mornings, you may want to start eating at 10 AM and stop at 6 PM. 12 PM – 8 PM may be the most reasonable eating window if you can wait until lunch time. IF will give you some of the benefits of fasting without the pain of long term fasting.
I think full day, 72 hours and longer fasts are the best. Work yourself up to the point where you can hold these fasts. There is no advice and there are no tips for fasting. You simply do not eat. Be sure to drink water. Easy.
Build the strength of the mind.
Behave wisely and with honor.
Prioritize action over emotion.
Conduct yourselves like men.
Sources
1 – Brandhorst, S. “Fasting and Caloric Restriction in Cancer Prevention and Treatment.”, Recent Results Cancer Research, 2016.
2 – Lavin, Desiree et. al. “Fasting induces an anti-inflammatory effect on the neuroimmune system which a high-fat diet prevents”, Obesity, Aug. 2011
3 – Anderson, B. Et. al. “Acute effects of short-term fasting on blood pressure, circulating noradrenaline and efferent sympathetic nerve activity.”, Acta Medica Scandinavica. 1988
4 – Manzanero, Silvia et. al. “Intermittent fasting attenuates increases in neurogenesis after ischemia and reperfusion and improves recovery”, Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow Metabolism. Feb. 19, 2014
5 – Ho, K. Y. et. al. “Fasting enhances growth hormone secretion and amplifies the complex rhythms of growth hormone secretion in man”. The Journal of Clinical Investigation. Apr 1988
6 – Carlson, Anton J. et. al. “Apparent Prolongation of the Life Span of Rats by Intermittent Fasting: One Figure”. Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Mar 1, 1946
