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“First We Eat To Live, & The Live To Eat” (Photo: My African Family <3 )
The first thing that pops in people’s heads when they hear the word, “FAST” is denial of ‘FOOD’ & ‘PRAYER’. Well, they are wrong and yet at the same time partly right. I would like to think fasting is simply, “Disciplining of the body subjecting it to your control against all that has controlled it.” Ironically speaking, fasting is the art of denying your body and self things that are pleasing to it or you. For example, food, drugs (ps. Alcohol is a drug too.), movies, friendships, fan and many more pleasurable things in our lives. We all have things we crave to do or have, in turn… the urge to have them creates a patten of receiving, having, using…. the cycle goes on. I call it habit. Habits are controling, some are good, others are bad. Sadly, the bad ones always tend to be huge downsides in our lives. Hence leaving us vulnerable and most likely out of control. If we don’t check our habits, desires and way of life, we put our lives in a danger of having an addiction. We never want our lives to depend on a particular  substance, thing or activity. We want to be free!! We want to be in control. And thats why fasting is important!
With reference to my personal life, am a great personality and pleasurable person to be around. However, I was so used to the idea of being taken as a good person that I completely forgot to watch out for those cropping and growing interests in particular substances like food and sugars, things such as electronics, technology, money… and activities such as romance, sex, friendship & relationship making and so much more. Not to say that this things are bad, however… the love of such things blinds you to their effects if not put in check! For example, the love of food breeds greed, poor eating habits, increased high and low blood pressure, chances of getting cancer and much more. Technology! We all see the effect of this, people today go for dates and all through they are on their phones. Because of this, there is little human interaction. Time won’t allow me to expound this point tho, maybe another time. Activities too have us handicapped, for example, friendships, these either build us, or destroy us (common), sex, the most terrible thing that can happen to you, is let sex control you. Additions of such kinds really hinder progress in your life and put you in the danger of contracting deadly disease or even more scary staff I won’t mention for now. All I want to say, such interests and things… if they get a grip of you, personal development in all areas will never be of account.
This is where Fasting comes in! Weather you are a Christian or not, I highly recommend you fast. Personally, I am born again and believe in the most High God. Who also (my God) encourages us to fast when He says, “…such kind of things can’t go away, unless we pray and FAST…” I have in along time dealt with habits for over 6 years now around certain things. At first, I never noticed them as a challenge, but today; I am facing the consequences. For example, the love of money and food had left me greedy, with no saving culture nor with tangible developments both spiritually or physically. Above all grown me deep in debt with a lot of financial problems let alone health weaknesses and threats. Sex, wow! It’s a slow killer of relationships, friendships, emotions, feelings and affection. Its just too much to talk about. However, fasting helps break controls of all this.
I embarked on a 21 water, juice and fruit fast with the intension of Seeking the Lord my God and hoped for a breakthrough in “My Crushing Life, Confusion and Mess!” However, I have come to discover a lot of beautiful advantages of fasting that happens naturally and spiritually. I love numbering points, so amo’ right away dive into it 😉
  1. My relationship with my God has tremendously improved. I am able to worship, praise, pray, meditate, read the word, and most importantly my faith has grown. During my fast, I have believed in God’s intervention in my debts, business and work. I must say, my debts have been paid, more clearing is taking place. Financial providence has been constant. And above all, my spiritual capacity has expanded for more divine activity in my life. Am conscious of sin and wrong. But I am peacefully filled with joy and confidence in the Lord.
  2. Habits are broken and more are letting me go! I feel no need of absolutely depending on any relationship whatsoever for comfort etc. Sex now days is not a question with a yes answer. On the contrary, it’s been fan to say no to sex offers, or temptations in just a blink of an eye with out thinking twice. Its fan right!!
  3. Am saving a lot of money, first from the food am not eating, but also little desire for material things technology-wise and fan related. Developmental thoughts have kicked in, leading a focus clear path to investment and construction. Finally, my money has account and value on purchase.
  4. My vision is clearer. Due to the time I have to my self , I have narrowed down a lot of objectives as per what I want to achieve in life. I know what books to read, friends to keep, relationships that matter and career that is vital. Every single time I spend, is well focused and helps me achieve my Goal.
Is it posible to go with-out food for that long? YES!! Biologically and Scientifically, it’s proven that your body can survive with out food for 40 days. You actually never hunger until the 40th day. What you feel as hunger pains is just HABIT Pains. As long as your body has water flowing through it, 8 glasses or more a day… you are good to go. The body is designed in a way that it communicates to it’s self. depending on when you have programed your mind to receive food, when that time reaches (wether there is food or not) the brain will tell the stomach, “food is coming, release gas (acid). When realized, it burns the stomach and you will think you are hungry… Hence eat and give the acid something to burn. This is no different during the fast. During your 1st-6th day, the brain will still communicate to the stomach, acid will be released, but will find no food in the stomach, leaving it to burn the stomach. What do you do? What dilutes acid? Liquid! So you drink water, or juice (no-acidic juice) and go about your business.
The 1st, 2nd and 3rd day will be easy but your 4th day won’t be, your body and brain will tell you that you are dying, truth is your not! On the 5th, 6th days, the temptation of eating food will be greatly strong, but don’t break it. On the 7th day is when your stomach and brain have a real conversation, the brain will tell the stomach, “Release gas, food is coming.” but the stomach will say, “No! there is no food coming down here!!” So it won’t release acid. It’s not until your 8th day! There the brain will not tell the stomach to release anything, because it does not expect anything. Now thats when you have gained true freedom over the habit of food schedules and eating completely. During the fast, the body will use the water to dilute the acid and help in the blood system.
  1. Your body will now have time to eliminate the poisons consumed from all the soda’s, sweets, chocolates and a lot of things we eat. Since your body will be expelling out the poison, if not flashed out, it can actually make you sick. And thats why a lot of water is very important, to flash our all the poisons. Did you know that every time you eat food, some of it does not just pass through your intestines! But it actually accumulates on the intestinal lining for over 7 months or even 8 years. As a result, your intestines and stomach expand causing a belly. This if not dealt with leads to column cancer.
  2. Fasting gives the digestive system to finally digest on that food stored on the lining of your intestines. In return, your stomach and intestines shrinks back to normal size. This food is available for the body for over 40 days. Your body never hungers until the 40th day. The more you fast, the more stronger you will be, your body only weakens on the 39th day. However, if it is before that, psychology will play tricks on you, especially on those first mentioned tricky days.
  3. Fasting purifies your mind! Gets rid of negativity! Pornography, lustful thoughts, dirty thoughts, scary experiences, painful memories and much more. The brain is put back in shape and creates it’s retention rate (strong memory). When you read or hear something, it will stick!
  4. Restores your taste buds on your tongue back to baby structure on the 14th day. Meaning, eating something will taste accurately with out just the normal taste we have had that is thought based! Meaning after that we shall enjoy food much more better.
There is just so much to earn from fasting. However, its important to note, that how you break a long fast of over 7 days and above. Long fasts always turns off the normal digestive systems hence resuming is very important. Never break a fast on bread, or any solid food! It can kill you or you may be admitted. Your first meal after a fast should be vegetable soup, Boiled! Then on your second meal, you can introduce salads or vegetables cause those are natural and are easily broken down by the body. On the 2nd or 3rd day, you can introduce simple carbohydrates, NB: in small quantities, “You will not be able to eat a lot anyway because your stomach will be small. Hence little food will satisfy you.
Ps. After the fast, you can choose to set any kind of diet and you will follow it. Also note, after 14 days of fasting on water, natural juice like watermelon or apple juice, controls of sugar and salt over your body will be completely broken, you can choose to deal without them and your body won’t need them.
Remember, during the fast, avoid everything that pleasure you. As for Christians, seek God, sing praises, worship, pray, read the word of God one every time you were meant to eat food. Keep away from sinning. All of you should drink plenty  of water and be strong not to stop along the way. The longer you fast, the greater the benefits. 14 or 21 days is what I may recommend you take up. Above all, enjoy your fast!!
EW