About Fasting

Upon hearing the word fasting, many think of not eating for 24 hours on a certain feast day as is common in some religions. You may also think of abstaining from your favorite food for the Christian Lent period. You may think about abstaining from food for a time in protest of world hunger or poverty. These are just a few aspects of fasting. Fasting predates modern history and while its roots are in religion, it is used for several other reasons as well.

The Facts

To fast is to abstain from food, beverages or both for a period of time. This time period can be short or long. Not only do people fast for different time periods, but they also fast for different reasons.

Misconceptions

Many think that fasting is about food, but it can also mean abstaining from favorite activities such as sex, watching television or shopping.

Risk Factors

When abstaining from food, you must be careful to not overly neglect your body from the nutrition you need. Not only can you make yourself sick or weak by not eating for a long period of time, but you may also damage your metabolism causing your body to hold onto weight more when you begin eating again. In short, fasting can trigger a response in your body causing it to go into starvation mode.

Time Frame

Most people fast for only short periods of time such as one day, or up to a week. Some fasts can last as long as a month, but such a fast will generally be limited to choice foods or activities. The most extreme fasts are the political fasts, which can last until the subject becomes very ill, or until they die if the reason they are fasting is not resolved.

Type

There are several different types of fasting.
Religious fasting: Each religious group has different rules regarding fasting. Christians usually refer to the Book of Isaiah, which refers to afflicting the soul and abstaining from flesh related needs in an effort to purify oneself. For a partial fast that will go on for a long period, the book Daniel 8-16 is used for a guideline.
Medical fasting: The word fasting in medical terms means the state of the body after a meal has been digested. If a person has not eaten for 8 to 12 hours, then she is in a fast state. The fast state allows doctors to get true results on diagnostic tests and it is also wise to have no food in the body during operations.
Political fasting: Fasting is used by people to protest or to bring awareness to an important cause. Hunger strikes are a non-violent way of bringing attention to a causes.
Fasting for diet: While not recommended, fasting is often used as a means to lose weight quickly or to start a diet. While most people lose weight on fasts, they often gain it back just as quickly and damage the body in the process.

Significance

The significance of religious fasting is to deprive yourself or your body in an offer of sacrifice in preparation for prayer. Medical fasting is necessary if you are having a medical procedure or tests, as doctors may need your stomach and bowels empty before a procedure or for your blood sugar and over levels to be controlled. A person who fasts publicly for political reasons puts themselves in physical danger for the good of others. The significance of a diet fast could be give your body and mind a jump-start in losing weight before a prolonged diet.