By Deacon Gary Keepes
CATHOLIC HEALTHCARE
It has been really interesting to see extensive research into the health benefits of fasting over the past several years. We all know that fasting for spiritual benefits has been practiced for thousands of years, and not just in Christianity. Almost all religious traditions practice fasting as a way to become more aware of the presence of God and to draw closer to this deep reality. God seems to have placed this desire to fast in order to draw us closer to Him within the very core of our humanity. It only makes sense that what God has desired for us to improve our spiritual life would also benefit us physically. That is exactly what we see in study after study.
Fasting has been shown to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. It also decreases inflammation in the body, which decreases the risk for and can even reverse diseases such as autoimmune disorders, coronary artery disease, neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia and Parkinson’s disease, cancer, allergies and arthritis. It is also an effective practice to help with weight loss. Fasting has been shown to improve our mental clarity and to improve our sleep.
Let’s explore the spirituality of fasting. In the Old Testament, we primarily see the Jews fasting for atonement, purification or mourning; but the goal was always to connect to Yahweh on a deeper level. In the New Testament, we see fasting linked with prayer and almsgiving. In our great Ash Wednesday reading from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 1:6,16-18) we hear these three practices as the collective key to the Christian vocation, symbolizing our relationship to God, others and self. Prayer and almsgiving are the wings of the spiritual life. Fasting is the practice that supports each wing. It strengthens our practice of prayer and helps us to focus on the other instead of self.
When we voluntarily go without food, it is because something else is more important to us. When that something else is God, we acknowledge that God is the source of all life and wellbeing.
Let’s talk about the nuts and bolts of fasting. How do we do it? Intermittent fasting is the idea of fasting for several hours throughout each day. One way to do this is to start eating at noon and stop eating at 8 p.m. You would then fast from 8 p.m. to noon the next day. This is called a 16/8 fast, where you eat in an eight-hour window and fast for 16 hours through the day. You could drink water, black coffee or unsweetened tea, but you would avoid anything with sugar or artificial sweeteners. One could also do longer fasts; most studies show more health benefits the longer you fast.
Just a few cautionary notes. If you are on medications or have health issues, talk to your doctor about fasting. This doesn’t mean that you can’t fast, but medications may need to be adjusted before beginning. If you are pregnant or nursing, also check with your doctor first. Fasting is probably not a good practice if you have an eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia. If you feel lightheaded or nauseated while fasting, drink a big glass of water. This will often help with those symptoms.
Fasting illustrates the great principle of both/and. It is both good for our physical health and an essential part of our spiritual health. I encourage you to give it a try. Many people are scared of fasting or intimidated by it. My advice is to start with short periods of fasting. Once you begin to see the great spiritual benefits and realize the physical benefits, you can try longer fasts. You can then unite yourself with the great saints throughout the history of the Church who have practiced fasting. I truly believe that though fasting, God will be glorified, and his will shall be done in our physical health, as well as our spiritual lives.