Fasting for Health

Fasting is a practice in many religions across the world. It is practiced by animals in nature and also by each of us when our bodies require it (fever or other sickness). In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints fasting is defined as abstaining from food and water for a period of time, typically two meals or twenty four hours. It is practiced monthly accompanied by a worship service whose purpose is for the members of the congregation to strengthen each other spiritually as well as temporally.

In all scripture, fasting is mentioned as a regular practice, as well as for special occasions where assistance is requested from God. It is also a commandment from God with many blessings for obedience to the law of the fast. These blessings also come with obedience to other commandments in conjunction with this law, like obedience to the law of the gospel and prayer.

Some of the blessings mentioned in Isaiah 58 are directly related to health: "Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily ... And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not."

I just finished a book called The Miracle of Fasting: Proven Throughout History for Physical, Mental, & Spiritual Rejuvenation by Paul Bragg. He promotes weekly 24-36 hour water only fasts as well as occasional 3,7 and 10 day water only fasts. There are many health benefits that he claims come directly because of fasting. He died at age 81 from a surfing related incident - there are not to many surfing 81 year-olds. Either way, I recommend this book; even though it needed an editor to improve it's structure, it has many true principles of health at its foundation.

As I like to set a seven structure to everything I created seven health benefits of fasting. Between what I gathered from the scriptures and the book here they are:

1 Increases the body's energy
2 Regulates the weight
3 Improves digestion
4 Detoxifies the body
5 Rejuvenates the body
6 Strengthens the bones
7 Allows the body to rest

This, of coarse, needs to be coupled with proper health practices to be effective. I don't understand the one about the bones but it fits well into the structure and it is in the scriptures. The seventh is, as usual, the most important. It brings us closer to the spiritual, closer to God.

There are many other blessings of fasting that are not health related. Many are spiritual, like the ability to preach the word of God with power. Some blessings are for yourself and others, "to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?" In my life I have seen it undo the heavy burdens of those around me. It has helped me loose the bands of wickedness in my life. And I have seen it increase my body's energy.