Daniel-Ezra-Isaiah Fast
My wife Kim and I have been experimenting with a new way of eating for the last 3 weeks. For 10 days (the longest 10 days of my life), we ate only fruits and vegetables. After the 10 days, we added protein to our diet in the form of peanut butter, cheese, chicken, and fish mostly. We also allow ourselves occasional treats such as eating out (like pizza, the thing I craved more than chocolate, bread, beef, and junk foods) and ice cream. I plan on repeating this “fast” of fruits and vegetables only for 7 days each month.
Now believe me, my past diet did not include a lot of fruits and vegetables, unless you count french fries as a vegetable. We watched a documentary called “Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead” which chronicled the journey of a man as he used juicing over a 90 day period to get healthy again. It was very interesting and inspiring, and Kim and I immediately decided to give it a try. Juicing is where various fruits and vegetables are processed so that only the juice remains, and the other parts (pulp, seeds, skin, etc.) are removed. I have to admit, the first juice that Kim made looked like grass clippings in water, and tasted much like that too!
As I looked at the parts of all those fruits and vegetables we had just bought at the store and then juiced being thrown onto the compost pile I thought “what a waste.” This part of the fruits and vegetables contained much of the minerals and vitamins of the plant, and plenty of beneficial fiber as well. I began to research alternatives to juicing and discovered blending and smoothies. This is where fruits and vegetables are prepared and then placed into a blender to make what is called a “green smoothie.” This made more sense to Kim and I, and blending smoothies is how we have been able to include so many different fruits and vegetables into our daily diet. I typically drink a green smoothie for breakfast and lunch, and then eat a healthy dinner. So far, I personally am very pleased with the physical results of the fast. I do not have hunger cravings, and if anything, I feel full most of the time. I have lost about 12-14 pounds over the last few weeks, and my high blood pressure medication dosage has been cut in half. I have noticed that my skin seems healthier, and I have had more energy.
I have been calling this the Daniel-Ezra-Isaiah Fast based on the following passages from the Old Testament: Daniel chapter 1, verses 8-17, Ezra chapter 8, verses 21-23, and Isaiah chapter 58, verses 1-12. In the past, I have used these passages of scripture as a basis for what I called “juice fasting”. I drank only juice and water for a 24 hour period, in order to prepare my body for eating healthier, but also, to prepare my mind and spirit to hear from God on a particular issue or group of issues. Last year I listened to the audio book called Fasting for Spiritual Break Through by Elmer L. Towns. Towns listed several types of fasts, and gave verses from the Old and New Testaments which each type of fast is based on. I highly recommend his book if you are interested in learning more about fasting from a Biblical perspective.
