Fasting

Don't get all excited-we are not getting ready to fast. Although, we have contemplated it. I am reading this book entitled Hunger: An Unnatural History by Sharman Apt Russell. It is really fascinating.  The book discusses the role that hunger plays in our lives and how hunger, in and of itself, has had the power to heal and inspire.

Fasting is the main focus of the book so far...there was a story about a man who weighed 456 pounds and decided to complete a fast under medical supervision. He ended up fasting (going entirely without food) for 382 days and lost 276 pounds! I can not imagine how someone could go that long without eating. Apparently there is some truth to the idea that the more "padding" you have, the longer your body can survive without food. You actually start to break down the stored fat in your body and your body, in essence, lives off of it. Crazy.

The healing power of fasting is what amazed me even more...there are so many stories about people who fasted and rid themselves of a variety of diseases and medical conditions. Studies done on a number of animals, from mice to rhesus monkeys, showed that when given a limited amount of calories (though consuming all essential nutrients) animals programmed genetically to develop Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease, developed the disease more slowly. The study also showed that calorie restriction inhibited the growth of cancerous tumors in animals genetically designed to have cancer.

I remember participating in a 30 hour fast for several years with my youth group as part of World Vision's effort to raise money for famine relief. It was pretty hard to get through those 30 hours, but we spent at least half of the fast in a lock-in, doing fun things with others going through the exact same thing...and then of course we pigged out when it was all over. If I were to do it now, I would be most motivated by the health benefits-and I hate to say it-but it is probably something I would only do for a lengthy amount of time if I was actually sick. In reading this book, apparently the first 2-4 days are the worst, but then the hunger feelings dissipate and you begin to feel very "alive" and energized with the fresh feeling of fasting. I wonder how I would manage to get through those days and still manage my daily responsibilities as a mom and school psychologist...not to mention my role as a responsible citizen and driving a car. Hmm... you never know where life may take you-the things you thought you may never do, may not seem so unreasonable after all.