The Power of Fasting and How to Maximize Benefits
- Amanda
- Feb 9, 2024
- 9 min read
As someone who enjoys fasting for the Lord typically twice a week, I have learned quite a bit along the way including:
-How to prepare
-When to not fast
-My favorite form of fasting
-How to maximize with herbs and minerals
-Health benefits over time
-Scripture related to fasting
Reasons to fast for the Lord:
Developing spiritual strength, including resisting temptation.
Practice self-control.
Showing humility.
Showing sorrow.
Enhancing prayer.
Obtaining spiritual knowledge and testimony.
Obtaining graces.
Helping the needy.
Preparation:
As always, praying for the Holy Spirit to help you along the way is critical as is checking with your doctor that there are no medical reasons that you should not be fasting. Some may include pregnancy, breast feeding, the need for food to properly absorb medications and prevent nausea, medical conditions, malnutrition risk, high physical activity, young age, and mental health conditions. Be sure to first consult a medical doctor prior fasting to identify any reasons that which you are not able to fast.
When I fast, I make it intentional. I offer the fast to the Lord. Sometimes it is for whatever His intentions are, sometimes it is for a specific prayer that, God-willing, He will answer in His time. You can fast for a specific group of people who suffer such as for orphans or people in utter despair and seemingly hopeless situations. Fasting for those who protect and serve God's people, with assistance from St. Michael the Archangel, is a great fast to offer up. You may offer up a fast for those in prison. You can also offer up your fast for the souls in Purgatory and they will pray for you.
Isaiah 58:5-11
"Is this the manner of fasting I would choose, a day to afflict oneself? To bow one’s head like a reed, and lie upon sackcloth and ashes? Is this what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the LORD? Is this not, rather, the fast that I choose: releasing those bound unjustly, untying the thongs of the yoke; Setting free the oppressed, breaking off every yoke? Is it not sharing your bread with the hungry, bringing the afflicted and the homeless into your house; Clothing the naked when you see them, and not turning your back on your own flesh? Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your wound shall quickly be healed; Your vindication shall go before you, and the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer, you shall cry for help, and he will say: “Here I am!” If you remove the yoke from among you, the accusing finger, and malicious speech; If you lavish your food on the hungry and satisfy the afflicted; Then your light shall rise in the darkness, and your gloom shall become like midday; Then the LORD will guide you always and satisfy your thirst in parched places, will give strength to your bones And you shall be like a watered garden, like a flowing spring whose waters never fail."
Make it intentional and with humility, knowing that God is in control and doesn't accept willful prayers or bargains for things that are not aligned with His holy plan for you and others. Personally, I don't tell people I am fasting unless they ask why I'm not eating. To receive heavenly rewards, deeds must be in secret for Him. I also apply this principle to fasting, but have made exceptions a couple of times at most if I feel called that it may inspire someone to also do the same for Him.
I suggest taking into consideration what your schedule looks like. If you have certain obligations it may be better to fast at a different time. Females should take into consideration their menstrual cycle. I do not fast during the end of the Luteal phase. I would also take into consideration, man or woman, if they are trying to conceive. You want to be sure that both of your bodies have the proper nutrients prior to conceiving, but maybe in advance do a fast for the Lord and the Blessed Mother with prayer for perfect conception.
Also, it is the holy thing to do to make a Confession prior to your fast or during, unless you have very recently gone. As we know from Isaiah 59 that it is our "crimes" and "transgressions" that make God turn from us and not answer prayers that align with His will, as we have turned from Him. Until we are clean, we should never expect Him to answer any prayer.
We remember Jesus' healing powers when He healed an epileptic boy in Matthew 17 and His verse that only some things may be removed by fasting.
"When they returned to the crowds again a man came and knelt in front of Jesus. “Lord, do have pity on my son,” he said, “for he is a lunatic and is in a terrible state. He is always falling into the fire or into the water. I did bring him to your disciples but they couldn’t cure him.”
17 “You really are an unbelieving and difficult people,” Jesus returned. “How long must I be with you, and how long must I put up with you? Bring him here to me!”
18 Then Jesus reprimanded the evil spirit and it went out of the boy, who was cured from that moment.
19 Afterwards the disciples approached Jesus privately and asked, “Why weren’t we able to get rid of it?”
20-21 “Because you have so little faith,” replied Jesus. “I assure you that if you have as much faith as a grain of mustard-seed you can say to this hill, ‘Up you get and move over there!’ and it will move—you will find nothing is impossible.” “However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting”
Matthew 17:14-21
Choosing Your Form of Fasting:
Although there are many types of fasting throughout the Holy Catholic book, I personally enjoy the type that requires the most suffering. Life can be hard, making it harder intentionally through controlling your pain often times makes things easier long-term. It's all relative. If you have too easy of a life, the slightest inconvenience will be intolerable.
My formula for fasting looks like:
Fast from all food + prayer + almsgiving
Almsgiving is often a neglected facet of fasting, that includes a selfless act of charity or generosity. It may look like a donation to a Catholic non-profit, church, helping someone in need maybe someone who you don't typically "get along with", volunteering, being bold about God's works in your life to someone suffering. It looks different for everyone.
Safe Families for Children is one of my favorite charities that helps temporarily foster children.
Please find donation link and mission, below:
"For 20 years, Safe Families for Children has encircled vulnerable children and isolated families enduring crisis with caring networks of support through Radical Hospitality, Disruptive Generosity and Intentional Compassion."
You can choose a cause and donate to a Catholic organization that supports them or make an additional donation to your Catholic church. The best thing to do is to make a donation and also choose a non-tangible, selfless form of almsgiving that God places in your heart.
How To Fast:
Decide length
I typically choose 1-5 days
Make sure to obtain proper nutrition prior to fasting
During a fast drink 2-3 Liters of water per day to ensure proper hydration.
I use 5-10 grams of mineralized salt, ancient or Celtic, which may be purchased here.
Mix fresh lime, a dash of cayenne pepper, ancient salt, herbs, and if you prefer a very tiny amount of honey or maple syrup with water. I opt out of the sugar. I also add a gram of Zeolite throughout the day, which you may find here. Zeolite is a natural mineral with detoxifying, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. View medical research here.
Keep a positive attitude, pray the Our Father if tempted and offer suffering to the Lord and both His and your intentions. Jesus wouldn't promise that temptation could be removed, if it weren't true.
Thank the Lord in advance for His blessings He will bring as a result, either for you or your intentions or for both.
"Do not look gloomy". Pray for strength, as we always are told to do this.
Matthew 6:16-18
“When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to others to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you. Treasure in Heaven."
Know that hunger is an illusion, often, that allows us to reconnect with God.
Going to Daily Mass is life-changing and I have personally experiences miracles and been healed through the Eucharist, which is truly Jesus' body in "bread" form. I believe that the people not in a state of grace, in need of Confession, do not believe this and for good reason. I have seen people get very ill following taking the Eucharist while needing Confession. I have even seen someone knowingly not make a full Confession of a grave sin and get violently ill after taking the Eucharist. When you take the Eucharist against church teaching of being in a state of grace, it is taught that you are not only piercing Jesus' wounds, but also inflict harm on yourself in various ways.
What Jesus said about the Eucharist:
John 6:25 "Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.""
Jesus was literal and direct about it, yet almost every single "follower" of His abandoned Him because of their ignorance to His warning. Many choose to conveniently ignore Him here:
John 6:53 "Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” 59 He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum."
I canceled a surgery for an eye problem I was suffering from for months because I was unexpectedly and quickly healed after receiving His body in the Eucharist. While in a state of grace, I had been attending Daily Mass. Nothing in my routine, other than receiving the Eucharist more frequently, had changed in my routine and it wasn't even a thought in my mind that I would need to cancel the surgery especially after such a short period of time. I had no idea of the healing power of the Eucharist until then.
Length of Fasting and Benefits:
According to medical research, within 24 hours autophagosomes increased which are responsible for carrying apoptotic cells to lysosomes to be broken down and removed from the body, clearing debris from your body. It peaks at approximately 48 hours. Click here to read more on various types of fasts and their impact on health. Medical research has shown how fasting impacts cancer, as seen here. Fasting and low-calorie diets are also notorious for improving longevity, and also increase Human Growth Hormone by up to 5x normal levels within 24 hours. It is also proposed to be neuroprotective and potentially anti-depressive, in that it helps with "increasing the levels of BDNF and NT3 in both control and T2DM rats. IF (Intermittent Fasting) could be considered as an additional therapy for depression, anxiety, and neurodegenerative diseases."
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In addition to fasting, prayer, and almsgiving it is imperative to ensure proper hydration through mineralization and beneficial to use herbs that promote good health, with a focus on your specific areas for health improvement. Up to 60% of the human body is comprised of water and it is necessary for many health processes. Too much water can also be harmful and even fatal, however.
Always consult a knowledgeable medical doctor and seek approval prior to fasting or making any recommended food and/or drink dietary changes to ensure safety first and avoid potentially serious health complications. Longer health fasts may be potentially dangerous and require medical consultation. Large meals following a fast can be potentially harmful, so check with your medical doctor to learn proper way to end a fast.
In the past, I have ended fasts after three days due to experiencing severe vertigo. Listen to your body, and also your doctor. In addition to medical supervision, pray for God's guidance throughout your medically-approved fast.
“Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster."
Joel 2:12
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