Fasting

God's Health Plan (Long Before It Was Trendy)

If you follow health trends or the thought of losing weight crossed your mind recently it’s likely that your social media algorithms have put an intermittent fasting app or program in front of you. Fasting is a hot topic in health and fitness right now. Scientific studies have shown incredible benefits to fasting. Here are just a few discoveries based on numbers of hours in a fasted state. 

• 13 Hours: growth hormone released that assists in burning fat and slowing aging

• 15 Hours: body begins to create ketones and switches from burning sugar to burning fat for energy

• 17 Hours: stimulate autophagy and cells repair themselves, detox, and can rid the body of pre-cancer cells

• 24 Hours: intestinal cells reboot, repairing gut health

• 36 Hours: body burns stored glucose, insulin, and toxins in the body leading to fat loss

• 48 Hours: reset dopamine receptor sites

• 72 Hours: stem cell regeneration to combat injuries and significantly boost the immune system

While fasting is a somewhat new trend in mainstream health, God has encouraged His people to access the tremendous power of fasting from the beginning. After all, He designed our incredible bodies. Fasting and feasting provides a necessary rhythm of life. With rhythm comes not only physical benefits but mental and spiritual growth as well.

Fasting according to the Bible means to voluntarily reduce or eliminate intake of food for a specific time and purpose. There are numerous examples of fasting in the Old Testament, both prescribed in the law in Leviticus and used by the Israelites to strengthen prayer, increase humility, and express repentance and love for God. 

Leviticus 23:27-28 - annual Day of Atonement

Exodus 34:28 - Moses fasted for 8 days while meeting with God on Mount Sinai

Daniel 10 - Daniel fasted for twenty-one days then received revelation from God

1 Samuel 1:1-20 - after prayer and fasting Hannah conceived Samuel

Ezra 8:21-23 - Jewish exiles in Persia fasted and asked God for safe delivery back to Israel

Esther 4:16 - Esther asked all Jews to fast in order to prevent their impending destruction

Jonah 3 - God spared Nineveh after the people fasted, prayed, and repented 

Before He began His public ministry, Jesus fasted and prayed for forty days and nights in the wilderness. This preparation for His ministry is what we commemorate during Lent. During the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches about fasting. The law required that all Jewish people fast annually on the Day of Atonement, but as we see above, fasting has become a regular part of worship. So as He teaches, Jesus says, “When you fast,” not “if”. He implies that fasting will be a regular practice for His followers, an important exercise in self-control in the pursuit of holiness. In Acts of the Apostles we learn that Paul and Barnabas prayed and fasted for the religious leaders they appointed as they completed their first mission. 

The obligations of fasting in the Catholic Church have changed dramatically over the years. In the 1917 Code of Canon Law, the following were days of obligatory fasting:

• the forty days of Lent (including Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday until noon)

• the Ember Days (four sets of three days, following a feast at the beginning of each season)

• the vigils of Pentecost, the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, All Saints, and Christmas

The only days of obligatory fasting according to the current Code of Canon Law are Ash Wednesday and Good Friday (lasting until the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday). The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) describes fasting as “one full meal, as well as two smaller meals that together are not equal to a full meal”. Fasting on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday is obligatory for Catholics between the ages of 18-59, exceptions are made for severe illness, pregnancy, and nursing. In addition to fasting, the Church requires abstinence on all Fridays year round. The USCCB has determined that only Fridays during Lent require fasting from meat but it is highly recommended that all faithful abstain from something every Friday to set it apart in remembrance of our Lord’s passion and crucifixion.  

For the last few years, my family has begun to observe the 1917 Code of Canon Law requirements on fasting and abstinence as part of our greater desire to live more liturgically. My kids are too young to fast but on these days we do encourage them to abstain from sweet treats. We also abstain from meat and/or dessert on all Fridays of the year unless it is a solemnity. Following the fasting and feasting rhythms of the Church have brought us much joy. The kids really look forward to those special feast days and fasting is always a great reminder to spend more time in prayer.

 A few months ago I began a new fasting journey. With hopes of healing my body, I explored my options. When a friend recommended Fast Like a Girl by Dr. Mindy Pelz, I was hooked almost immediately. As a Natural Family Planning instructor, I was very aware of the female hormonal cycle and had already explored research associated with my female hormones and my metabolism. Dr. Pelz’s book and Youtube channel are phenomenal. Over the course of a couple months I practiced intermittent fasting, increasing my fasting window slowly from 13 hours to regular 17 hour fasts. With Holy Week approaching, I knew I wanted to try a 3-day fast. Unfortunately, my cycle won’t line up well with the Triduum this year for a long fast, so I decided to do my fast this week. My goal was to drink only water as much as possible but I did consume a couple “approved” foods like coffee and tea with a dash of heavy cream and a spoonful of healthy fat like coconut butter and avocado a couple of times. This 72-hour fast was hard but also truly incredible. I was able to offer my hunger for many intentions. When I felt weak I surrendered my weakness to Jesus. In moments of “boredom”, I turned to Him instead of walking to the pantry or fridge. 

Have you dreaded Ash Wednesday or Good Friday because of the obligation to fast? Have those “two small meals” been not so small in the past because you just didn’t see the point? I encourage you to take another look at this ancient spiritual practice. The Creator of the Universe, the Divine Physician created you, and He found you “very good”. After the fall He knew we would need healing. In our very bodies He designed a way for us to find that healing, physically, mentally, and spiritually.