Hey everybody. So I have been contemplating undertaking a 21-day spiritual and prayer fast. No, I have NOT lost my mind! And I know what you're thinking: "She is just trying to get her body right for the Bahamas!" Well this fast will definitely help me in my bikini body goal, but this fast means more to me than that. My pastor has been educating my church on the power of fasting not only for an increased spiritual connectedness with God, but also, its power to heal the body from certain ailments. During this fast, for the first 8 days, I will be undertaking a "juice fast". During this time I will only drink water and 100% vegetable and fruit juices, and doing saltwater flushes at night to aid in digestion. This is going to be a challenge, because I LOVE to eat. The next 3 days I will be reintroducing solid foods to my body with soft fruits and simple carbohydrates. The remaining 10 days I will be eating baked fish, oatmeal, nuts, and 75% of my diet will be uncooked fruits and vegetables. NO DAIRY products during this time, as it can disrupt the detox! The theory behind this is that my body will detox from all the toxins we consume on a daily basis, and because my body will not have to contribute energy towards digestion, it can put more energy into restoring and healing the body. Additionally, to help deal with the hinger pains I will surely feel, I will increase my prayer regimen during this time to feed my "spiritual stomach", if you will. It is my hope that my spiritual, mental, physical, and emotional health will benefit as a result of this 21-day fast.
I mention this because this type of holistic or alternative medicine is many times discounted by many physicians and people who only believe in evidence-based medicine. There are many centers in this country that deliver these types of services, but are expensive, and many insurance plans do not cover them. I do agree that in a time where we are struggling to cover the basic health needs of Americans, maybe we should not pay for holistic medicine. However, we cannot forget to emphasize the importance of taking the time to not only focus on the absence of disease in our society, but to promote the mental, social and emotional health of Americans as well. The power of fasting can put people who fast in a better emotional and spiritual place, which can do wonders for mental health issues, such as depression, but also manifest itself by causing us to take better care of ourselves, because we feel better about ourselves. So much research has been done proving that good social, mental, and emotional health can have incredible benefits on physical health.
I will be sure to keep you posted on my progress. I plan to begin the fast February 15 and end March 7.
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