FASTING
Fasting:
1. As a Remedy for Disease
"Intemperate eating is often the cause of sickness, and what nature most
needs is to be relieved of the undue burden that has been placed upon her.
In many cases of sickness, the very best remedy is for the patient to fast
for a meal or two, that the overworked organs of digestion may have an
opportunity to rest. A fruit diet for a few days has often brought great
relief to brain workers. Many times a short period of entire abstinence from
food, followed by simple, moderate eating, has led to recovery through
nature's own recuperative effort. An abstemious diet for a month or two
would convince many sufferers that the path of self-denial is the path to
health.
2. When Diseases Occur
Indulging in eating too frequently, and in too large quantities, overtaxes
the digestive organs, and produces a feverish state of the system. The blood
becomes impure, and then diseases of various kinds occur. . . . The
sufferers in such cases can do for themselves that which others cannot do as
well for them. They should commence to relieve nature of the load they have
forced upon her. They should remove the cause. Fast a short time, and give
the stomach a chance for rest. Reduce the feverish state of the system by a
careful and understanding application of water. These efforts will help
nature in her struggles to free the system of impurities.
3. Fast Greater Benefits than Medicine in Some Cases
Persons who have indulged their appetite to eat freely of meat, highly
seasoned gravies, and various kinds of rich cakes and preserves, cannot
immediately relish a plain, wholesome, and nutritious diet. Their taste is
so perverted that they have no appetite for a wholesome diet of fruits plain
bread, and vegetables. They need not expect to relish at first food so
different from that which they have been indulging themselves to eat. If
they cannot at first enjoy plain food, they should fast until they can. That
fast will prove to them of greater benefit than medicine, for the abused
stomach will find that rest which it has long needed, and real hunger can be
satisfied with a plain diet. It will take time for the taste to recover from
the abuses which it has received, and to gain its natural tone. But
perseverance in a self-denying course of eating and drinking will soon make
plain, wholesome food palatable, and it will soon be eaten with greater
satisfaction than the epicure enjoys over his rich dainties.
4. Slave to Appetite
Because it is the fashion, in harmony with morbid appetite, rich cake, pies,
and puddings, and every hurtful thing, are crowded into the stomach. The
table must be loaded down with a variety, or the depraved appetite cannot be
satisfied. In the morning, these slaves to appetite often have impure
breath, and a furred tongue. They do not enjoy health, and wonder why they
suffer with pains, headaches, and various ills. Many eat three times a day,
and again just before going to bed. In a short time the digestive organs are
worn out, for they have had no time to rest. These become miserable
dyspeptics, and wonder what has made them so. The cause has brought the sure
result. A second meal should never be eaten until the stomach has had time
to rest from the labor of digesting the preceding meal. If a third meal be
eaten at all, it should be light, and several hours before going to bed.
Many are so devoted to intemperance that they will not change their course
of indulging in gluttony under any considerations. They would sooner
sacrifice health, and die prematurely, than to restrain their intemperate
appetite. And there are many who are ignorant of the relation their eating
and drinking has to health. Could such be enlightened, they might have moral
courage to deny the appetite, and eat more sparingly, and of that food alone
which was healthful, and by their own course of action save themselves a
great amount of suffering.
5. Appropriate Epitaphs
Scanty, ill-cooked food depraves the blood by weakening the blood-making
organs. It deranges the system, and brings on disease, with its
accompaniment of irritable nerves and bad tempers. The victims of poor
cookery are numbered by thousands and tens of thousands. Over many graves
might be written: "Died because of poor cooking;" "Died of an abused
stomach."
6. In Case of Severe Fever
In cases of severe fever, abstinence from food for a short time will lessen
the fever, and make the use of water more effectual. But the acting
physician needs to understand the real condition of the patient, and not
allow him to be restricted in diet for a great length of time until his
system becomes enfeebled. While the fever is raging, food may irritate and
excite the blood; but as soon as the strength of the fever is broken,
nourishment should be given in a careful, judicious manner. If food is
withheld too long, the stomach's craving for it will create fever, which
will be relieved by a proper allowance of food of a right quality. It gives
nature something to work upon. If there is a great desire expressed for
food, even during the fever, to gratify that desire with a moderate amount
of simple food would be less injurious than for the patient to be denied.
When he can get his mind upon nothing else, nature will not be overburdened
with a small portion of simple food.
7. The Enemy Controls the Mind Through Appetite
Through appetite, Satan controls the mind and the whole being. Thousands who
might have lived, have passed into the grave, physical, mental, and moral
wrecks, because they sacrificed all their powers to the indulgence of
appetite. The necessity for the men of this generation to call to their aid
the power of the will, strengthened by the grace of God, in order to
withstand the temptations of Satan, and resist the least indulgence of
perverted appetite, is far greater than it was several generations ago. But
the present generation have less power of self-control than had those who
lived then.
8. The True Fast
The true fasting which should be recommended to all, is abstinence from
every stimulating kind of food, and the proper use of wholesome, simple
food, which God has provided in abundance {fruits, nuts, vegetable and
grain}. Men need to think less about what they shall eat and drink of
temporal food, and much more in regard to the food from heaven, that will
give tone and vitality to the whole religious experience.
9. Most Practical Fast
Fast for a Day or Two a Week
There are some who would be benefited more by abstinence from food for a day
or two every week than by any amount of treatment or medical advice. To fast
one day a week would be of incalculable benefit to them.
Biblical Advice on Fasting
"And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto
you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this
mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing
shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer
and fasting." Matthew 17, 20, 21.
Note: Although dealing with demon possession, this spiritual advice from our
Lord has proven effective in the case of addiction.
See File 7, 10 Day
Cleansing Program in the case of Addictions.
Bibliography:
E. G. White, Counsels in Diet and Foods, p. 185-191, 158, 167, 257.
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