Fasting

The voluntary abstention from food and/or water, for spiritual or dietary purposes.

Photo by Jonathan Pielmayer

Fasting is the voluntary abstention from food, and sometimes drink, for a set period of time. It has been practiced for centuries across cultures for religious, spiritual, and health reasons.

While fasting may be physically challenging at first if you have experienced an abundance of food throughout your life, fasting is actually a natural process. Having spent thousands of years in times of feast and famine, our human bodies are designed to handle periods without food.

During a fast, the body shifts from using glucose (sugar) for energy to burning fat stores, which can lead to physical detoxification, autophagy, and mental clarity.

Beyond the physical, fasting is often used as a spiritual discipline. Across the world, fasting is a way to draw closer to the divine, practice self-discipline, and reflect inwardly. Throughout Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, and Hinduism, and other smaller religions, fasting encourages individuals to focus less on worldly pleasures and craving of external things, and more on spiritual, unseen things, connection to God, prayer, and meditation. In this context, fasting is not just about denying the body but about feeding the spirit.

"Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." Matthew 4:4

In modern wellness practices, fasting is also explored as a tool for healing and resetting the body. Scientific research suggests that fasting can support weight loss, improve metabolic health, reduce inflammation, and promote cellular repair processes like autophagy. However, it’s important to approach fasting mindfully and with proper education, as it may not be suitable for everyone. Ultimately, fasting can be a deeply personal journey that encompasses the physical, mental, and spiritual dimensions of health and growth.

Types of Fasting

There are many types of fasting that one may undertake for a predetermined period of time.

Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting involves alternating between periods of eating and fasting, sometimes allowing for a short feeding window each day or fasting on alternate days. Humans only recently began to eat 3 "square meals" a day, and intermittent fasting seeks to mimic ancient eating practices in which humans would generally go longer periods between eating.

Water Fasting

Water fasting involves consuming only water (and sometimes tea or electrolyte water) for a set period, and can be regularly practiced for 24–72 hours, though humans have been known to water fast for 40 days and up to a year, if there are enough fast stores to support survival. This method can be used for detoxification or spiritual purposes.

Dry Fasting

In dry or absolute fasting, no food or water is consumed. This is more more extreme and is typically done for short durations as the human body can go for less time without water than without food. This type of fast is found in Ramadan, in which Muslims fast from food and water from sunrise to sunset.

Restriction Fasting

Restriction fasting involves limiting the foods that are consumed, such as the Daniel Fast, eating only raw foods, etc. This type of fast can last for an extended period of time, such as 10-40 days and is often done for weight loss or for spiritual purposes, such as the season of Lent during which many Christians fast in various ways.

---

Liveology® creates uplifting content and products for abundant life. Shop our all natural bodycare, prayer & meditation cushions, and spiritual apparel! We offer a wealth of articles, videos, and courses on victorious living. Thank you for your continued and growing support all over the world. Wishing you abundant life, love, joy, peace, and prosperity.