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Fasting

Shimon

Shimon

Member
I get fasting and have tried it in the past. Unfortunately, about 7 hours in, I get sweaty and shaky as my blood sugar drops. Then the headaches start and by about the 10th hour, I am on the verge of passing out. Unless monitored, that will progress into coma. I have been hypoglycemic since childhood. I don't recover until I've consumed a fair portion of both simple (for immediate relief) and complex carbs (to make the relief last). Part of the devolution of man I guess.

Does anyone know a way to get past this?

Dave :?
 
Just a thought, if the purpose of fasting is not health related, but spiritual, you can accomplish the goal and still maintain blood sugar levels. My experience is that I can enhance spiritual discipline and bring my body in subjection to my spirit by depriving myself of specific food items that I really like. For example, I refrained from all soda for a specified period of time and nothing was as desirable after the second day than a cold Coke. Each time I chose a drink, I was reminded to pray and to subdue my appetites. I think, for those with health issues, any food or favorite activity can be used.
 
The standard for most fasters is to drink nothing but pure water. If blood sugar dropping too low is a huge concern, I would suggest doing some experimenting, while being monitored, of course.

My suggestion would be to first, prepare for the fast by eliminating caffeine from the diet for a minimum of 4 days beforehand. If it isn't part f your life anyway, good for you. But for many folks, caffeine withdrawal adds anther layer of discomfort and even complication to the difficult first days of a fast.

Second, I'd suggest experimenting with a somewhat doctored brew. Instead of just water, try a "lemonade" made by adding fresh lemon, perhaps some sea or himalayan salt, honey and/or blackstrap molasses to the water. The blackstrap molasses may seem a bit odd, and may take some getting used to, but would be quite good for the health if you can palate it.

Possibly experimenting ahead of time would provide you with both an effective and enjoyable recipe as well as some confidence as to what to expect. And I believe that the ingredients mentioned would tend to aid, rather than inhibit, the natural cleansing effects of the fast.

If you found this still too volatile, I do know that there are doctors advocating "fasting" while drinking fresh juices of fruits, vegetables and greens. There are books available describing their reasoning, research, and methods. While I've chosen to stick with the water route myself, with good success, their ideas make sense as well.

Since our God is mightily motivated by compassion, is a healer, and rewards those who diligently seek Him, I'd be the first to encourage you to try whatever method works along these general lines, all the while reminding the universe that by His stripes you WERE healed. It's a done deal. You have title to total healing including hypoglycemia. So you are perfectly willing to go all the way to the water only version if God will kindly make manifest in your body the healing that His Son purchased 2000 years ago.

I do believe God will honor your heart and obedience as far as is physically possible. Expect an adventure.
 
I guess I am misunderstanding fasting. I am talking about fasting in the spiritual sense. I've always thought fasting applied to all food items save water during the fast. Is that a misinterpretation?

Dave
 
There is such a thing that is known as a Daniel fast. You give up meat and sugar. You should do some research on it. We have been known to skip a meal as a sacrifice to God.

SweetLissa
 
No misunderstanding. "Water only" is the ideal.

But when fasting, physical changes DO occur in all of us. Some can be quite unpleasant, particularly during the first 3-4 days, after which it tends to level off. The fact that the purpose of a given fast is spiritual does not exempt one from the physical experience. (So learning what to expect physically is a mighty good idea.)

And the physical experience is quite good for the long-term health. In fact, it is not uncommon for dramatic healings to occur. Cancer, diabetes, etc. It would not be surprising if the lifelong hypoglycemia were cured during a 40 day fast, though the challenge would be getting you safely along to that point.

Thus the suggestion for a brew likely to keep your blood sugar up enough for you to safely fast. And my point that God honors the intent of the heart and attempt of the body.

For example, I've been listening to a pastor who has administered Divine Healing during communion services around the world -- quite successfully. He tells of having to use water, koolaid, other fruit juices, and even coke instead of the "wine" due to availability or rather lack thereof. He says that Jesus shows up and heals anyway. It isn't the specific substance that matters, but the entering into Him.

Surely the same logic applies when we set our faces to seek him via humbling ourselves through fasting.

My personal experience is as follows: I experience the symptoms of diabetes, including inappropriate blood sugar levels and peripheral neuropathy. (Note the careful wording. Since understanding that I, as a son of God, own healing, I refuse to acknowledge any further ownership of the disease.) I attempt to control the blood sugar spikes with insulin, with mixed success.

Medical advice is for diabetics NOT to fast. Yet I do so. I quit taking insulin and begin the fast with my blood sugar between 100 and 225 -- normally towards the high end. Within a few days it tends to drop below 100 and, if I continue, to settle around 65 where it more or less stays for the duration.

The medical people tend to gasp and get a fit of the vapors. "Too low for a diabetic!" And if I dropped it in a matter of 3 hours from 450 to 65 they would be right. But since I have allowed it to arrive there gradually over a period of a week, *shrug* the body adapts quite nicely -- and God and I enjoy our little joke at Medicine's expense.

I suspect as your experience of fasting develops, you'll acquire your own version of this story, and I definitely look forward to hearing it.

Remember, the object of fasting is devotion and communion -- not oblivion and coma. That makes it simple, does it not?
 
Cecil, 40 hours would have me in the ER. 40 days would see me buried at this point. Unfortunately, I do not own my health, He does. So far at least, He has not lifted this from me. His will be done. I once passed out and fell down a flight of stairs. For some reason I have a hyperactive pancreas. I have to limit sugars and caffeine - or else expect spikes and crashes. The Doc once tried me on metformin - crash city. It cut my time between eating anything and a sugar crash to about 3 hours. I'd spike to around 200 (high for me - normal high after eating is about 140) and the crash, in a matter of minutes (to around 65). At which point I was shaking and sweating - and irritable. I had to eat right away to balance it back out.

I wish it took my blood sugar that long to drop. I crash within 12 hours of just water. Simple carbs such as molasses and honey cause spikes followed by even more severe crashes. Seems that in addition to hypoglycemia, my body no longer produces enough of the enzyme that returns stored lipids to the blood stream as glucose - forget what it's called. The doc's working that issue now. He no longer refers to it as hypoglycemia. Now he calls it a metabolic disorder. It's fairly easy to regulate with diet, although I've struggled with weight gain. Oh well.

Dave
 
sweetlissa said:
There is such a thing that is known as a Daniel fast. You give up meat and sugar. You should do some research on it. We have been known to skip a meal as a sacrifice to God.

SweetLissa
Click to expand...

Thanks Lissa

I can and have done that with lunch. If I do it at Breakfast or dinner, my sugars drop too much. Sugar (as a condiment) I can easily do without. I do crave fruits tho' if I cut too much sugar out. My meals are largely meat proteins tho'. I'd have to find another source of proteins that would work for me. Unfortunately, I find most soy based proteins nauseatingly unpalatable. I know. Picky, picky.

Dave
 
Shimon said:
Unfortunately, I find most soy based proteins nauseatingly unpalatable. I know. Picky, picky.
Click to expand...

Not at all. Just haven't had ME cookin' for you. *grin*

Btw, Avocados are a very high quality source of protein. Enjoy.
 
Dave,
Please consider that the spiritual purpose and benefit of fasting is not mystical or supernatural. From my point of view, it is about enhancing our fellowship with God, disciplining our body and giving priority to our spirit. The result of this execrcise is not like a vision quest where we experience something akin to an out of body experience. But the result is a greater relationship with God, a clearer perception of his Word, a greater submission to His leadership, and a more powerful prayer life. For someone with your health issues the same thing can be accomplished by my suggestion above, using anything that subdues the flesh to the spirit. Granted, the normal and preferred method is water only, but it is not a commanded method, but a directed practice. Methods should be adjustable when not prescribed. IMHO. :)
 
Dave,
There are many nutritional herbs that specifically target blood sugar irregularity, helping the body to regulate itself. My dad has also struggled with this for years, though not with your severity. In the past I have also taken herbs for the pancreas with great success.

Hope this helps!
 
I wanted to add that I got pretty sick the first couple times I tried to fast (water only). I fasted for 36 hours where I stopped eating at sundown one night, didn't eat the whole next day and planned to break fast the following morning. Anyway, I got pretty sick during the home stretch the night before I planned to break fast. I got real pale, weak and nauseated and felt HORRIBLE to where I could barely walk. I figured it was because I'm petite and have a quick metabolism so my body couldn't handle the low blood sugar. I made the mistake of trying to appease my flesh by drinking juice and eating and that made me vomit! But after I got over the initial hump of depriving my flesh the next time by NOT giving in to the sickness I was feeling, it was never a problem again and I was even able to fast for 3 days (water only) no problem.

I can understand that some people have certain physical issues that could be a factor when fasting and should therefore consider juice fasting or like others suggested, depriving the flesh in some other way like some other food habit. I just wanted to share my experience because I think that physical sickness is part of suffering through the flesh crying out and learning to get it under control rather than feed into it - no pun intended :)! Also, it is a fact that when fasting, your body will detox and that is uncomfortable - there is no way around it. I would think that the typical American diet makes it very hard for us Americans to fast because the worse the diet, the harder your body detoxes. That's why experts suggest that when you plan on fasting, you should not have any caffeine or other bad things for 2 whole weeks prior to your fast. It will make it that much easier on your body.

I mentioned this in another thread but will bring it up here, a really good little book on fasting is called, "God's Chosen Fast" by Arthur Wallis.
 
Wondering about the Daniel Fast. I found a website:
http://daniel-fast.com/

It gives a lot of good insight about fasting. Setting a time aside to pray and honor God is a good thing. As far as the food part, this website says the Daniel Fast is a plant-based eating plan with the only beverage being water. Then it gives additional restrictions.

It sounds like a good approach and plan, but I'm just wondering how Scriptural this eating plan is.

All I see in Daniel 1:12 is: "Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink." This looks like it was a vegetarian diet with only water to drink for 10 days. Although many would see this diet as something to be seen only in a time of praying and fasting, I don't see in Scripture where a true fast (prayer and fasting) is mentioned here. It is only a special diet. Also, it is unclear, but it looks like this diet was eaten for three years. So technically, I don't see what Daniel did as a fast, although he did seek to follow the Lord's leading in doing this.
 
dreamer said:
So technically, I don't see what Daniel did as a fast, although he did seek to follow the Lord's leading in doing this.
Click to expand...

Technically, you are correct. The "Daniel Fast" is not a fast, but a specialized diet. Calling it a fast doesn't make it one, any more than calling gay marriage "marriage" makes IT so. However, in practical terms, when one refers to a Daniel Fast, or to juice fasting, communication DOES take place. Both parties to the conversation come to a common understanding. *shrug*

Here's the question: Does God reward ONLY a technical water only or maybe a no food OR water fast? Or does He honor these temporary severely restricted diets done for the purpose primarily of seeking Him and testifying to the watching universe that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from His mouth?

My understanding, both from reading the Word, and from the experience of myself and others, is that He honors both. But that if you are desparate for Him, go as deep and as long into it as possible, and expect miracles! I've experienced them.
 
yes, the word fast is about abstaining from something.
whether the daniel fast was abstaining from meat or from things like desserts or both has been debated.
the idea that giving something that you want up in order to gain something spiritualy does not have a lot of tracktion with me, but if it is the opposite of gluttony and indulging ourselves it sure does not seem that it would be a hinderance. :D
mostly i prefer to fast for health's sake (denying some of our own wants and desires can be emotionaly healthy) and let our Lord do what He will with it.

edit; rereading the thread, i am in much agreement with john whitten about the spiritual side of it.
a permanent fast from sodas would not be a bad idea, though ;)
 
Well, this is my take on it :)

If your health is in the way of you fasting, then do something else. Fasting is merely giving up something you like in order to get closer to God.

For me, that involves music, videos, games, or FB. At the moment, I'm just past halfway, I think in a fast off Facebook. I usually have it for a month. I haven't fasted from food for ages, mainly because I'm extremely active, so cutting off food is not exactly the best way to go for me.

Maybe if you pick one food group you like, say meat or chocolate? That's what my dad does. Or you can do what I generally do, and cut off Facebook, movies, music, or something like that.
 
I tried to do a 40 day fast last year, but only made it for 31days. I felt awesome until the last few days I am thinking of trying at it again just this time when it is cold and see if it makes a difference. The last few days last time it was over 100 degrees and I started to feel miserable. So maybe if it is cold i'll make it all the way!
 
Gil:

That miserable feeling at 31 days was what is known as a "healing crisis" It tends to occur at approx 10 day intervals, and usually lasts 24-48 hours, then you are "all good" again.

What happens is that your body stores up energy that normally is used in the processing, storage, release, and elimination of food much like an electronics capacitor. Then, when it is ready, it releases it in a burst and performs some sort of healing and/or cleansing process that needed doing, but required too much energy to occur under normal living circumstances.

So ... congratulations on making it to 31 days. By all means, do it again. And if you hit a miserable day or two here or there, grin, give thanks for the cleansing/healing, and keep going. You can do it.
 
ground000:

Not a bad idea to give up distractions or a specific food for a period. I'm sure that God accepts the intent of the heart, and that doing so carries appropriate rewards, as in the case of Daniel & his friends.

But it isn't "fasting". That has a specific meaning involving forgoing all food and sometimes water.

Some folks advocate "juice fasting", using fresh juices of fruits and vegetables, or at least putting some lemon and honey in your water. Those are technically "diets", not fasts. Really, really good for your health, to be sure. Just not fasts.

The funny thing is that of late, here is the US, I've seen a bunch of folks advocating starting the year with a 21-day "fast". They try to get the whole church to do it, and claim that when they do, the church sees God move in big ways. But the "fast" they do or advocate seems rather like your definition. It puzzles me. Not truly a fast. Yet God does seem to respond to it. So whatever it is, I guess it's all good. :)
 
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