Basic Information for Starting and Breaking a Fast

 

Basic information for starting and breaking a fast

Let's look at some basic information

about starting and breaking a fast.

Whether you decide to fast long enough

for your digestive system to shut down

or even a day or two.

It's a good idea to start drinking plenty of water

as a substitute for other beverages.

This will help with caffeine withdraws and the like.

Everyone knows headaches are no fun!

Avoid hard to digest foods.

While this isn't as crucial for a fast lasting only a day or two.

It becomes very important for a fast lasting 5 days or more.

Steak can take around 72 hours to digest.

Basically any form of red meat is hard to digest.

So you will not want to eat these types of foods before a fast.

Because of this.

It is best to avoid steak

and

red meats for 72 hours before a fast.

If you're fasting a day or two.

Then eating chicken, turkey, and fish

should be OK leading up to the start of your fast.

When eating chicken and fish baked is better.

Fruits and vegetables only take 12 hours or so

to pass through your system

and

They are highly recommended in all fast.

But, very important in extended fast.

Your last meal or last couple of meals

should be highly digestible foods

like fish, fruits, and veggies.

It is recommended that you do not work out while fasting

and

if you do, keep the intensity down.

Stick with light work, walking, and stretching if at all possible.

If you have a physical job

just remember to always take note

of how your doing and drink plenty of water.

If you feel your not getting enough alone time with God.

Make sure the time you would have spent eating

is spent with God in private.

Pray, Pray, and Pray some more.

Praise God, Jesus, and The Holy Spirit.

Be thankful with all your spirit.

Read The Word of God, listen to God,

and humbly strengthen your relationship

at the feet of Jesus Christ.

Remember The Holy Spirit of God lives in you.

You're saved, set free,

and

Baptized in The Spirit of Truth

with Full access to your Heavenly Father.

If you fast a day or two.

Wait about a week before fasting again.

If you fast five days or more

then wait around a month before fasting again.

Have a plan for the foods you'll eat to start and break a fast.

Avoid drinking water that is to cold.

You may even choose to drink your water at room temperature

to keep from having an upset stomach.

It's very important to understand

there's a breaking time for a fast

that last more than 3 days.

The longer you fast the more your stomach shrinks

and when your system shuts down.

You have to slowly wake the digestive system back up

to avoid serious health risk.

One of the worst mistakes you could ever make

when breaking an extended fast is to over eat and eat hard to digest foods.

Please remember,

if you break an extended fast

with meat, bread, or junk food it will be a disaster!

My personal definition for and extended fast,

is a fast in which the digestive system has completely shut down.

If you have any questions about this please feel free to ask.

When breaking a fast avoid drinking milk

or soy based drinks, coffee, tea, or cola because of the caffeine.

Always eat lightly and stop eating before you feel full.

It takes around 20 minutes for the brain to register that you're full.

So take your time.

It's not a race.

Do not eat starches.

Do not eat pastas, potatoes, rice, or bread

at the beginning of breaking an extended fast.

When breaking a fast of 3 days or less

it's recommended that you use fruits and veggies.

Even baked fish should be fine.

You may even try soup and a few crackers.

You can even eat toast.

Avoid hot soup.

Let it cool to room temp so it doesn't upset your stomach.

Really a good rule of thumb

is if the temperature of whatever you're consuming is to hot or to cold.

There is a good chance it will upset your system.

Stay away from fried foods for breaking all fast.

Again, the information provided

is just to give you some type of guide lines to get started.

Everyone is different and you must pay attention to your body

and

How it responds to different foods.

For instance, when I fast for 3 to 5 days.

Almost every time I go to a fish place

and eat the baked cedar planked salmon with honey buttered carrots, 

sweet potatoes and non sweetened tea.

But again,

I am comfortable with breaking a fast this way due to experience.

Hopefully this information

will help you to make good decisions.

Remember to pay attention to how your body responds

and

continue to drink plenty of water.

Breaking a fast that last more than 5 days

Great care and precaution must take place

when breaking a fast that goes beyond 5 days.

Usually after 5 days your system is completely shut down.

After 5 days

the stomach will probably no longer growl or talk back.

The time your body is normally trying to digest and process food

has now been refocused to other areas of the body

and the body begins to heal.

Especially while sleeping or resting.

I can't tell you how many times during a fast.

I spent time with God and communed with Him about one thing.

Only to break a fast and find something else was healed

instead of what I had shared with God.

You should find that your focus is heightened

and

desire fades.

Normally your stomach tells you what to do all the time

and now because you have conquered the stomach

all this free time from not eating actually becomes a blessing.

But, seriously when a fast goes beyond this point

things are more crucial.

Because it takes longer to break a fast,

that has gone on for a while.

Please remember, these are just guidelines

or

Suggestions to get you thinking and moving forward

with fasting and prayer.

Here's one last example

of what it might look like

to break a 15 day fast safely.

It's very important

to drink plenty of water before, during, and after a fast.

I cannot emphasize this enough.

Water, water, and more water.

Just don't force it.

You can and don't want to make yourself sick.

But, you also don't want to get so busy that you forget to hydrate.

Breaking a 15 day fast:

Day 1: Piece of fruit in the morning.

Suggestions: Apple, grapes, watermelon, or fresh berries.

I have found that watermelon works great.

Lunch: Vegetable broth.

Suggestions: Onion, celery, carrots, etc.

Bring to a boil. Let cool. Drink.

I have personally found that tomato soup works great.

Continue to drink plenty of water

and remember if you try tomato soup on Day 1.

It's acidic and could upset your stomach.

For the rest of Day 1 or dinner

you can drink fresh vegetable juice.

If you drink fruit juice it needs to be diluted 1 part juice, 4 parts water.

The acidity of fruit can upset your stomach.

Also remember,

things that are to hot or to cold will upset the stomach.

Day 2: Fruit in the morning.

Lunch: Small bowl of fresh vegetable salad.

Suggestions: Grated carrots, grated cabbage,

half an orange squeezed over it and continue to drink plenty of water.

I have personally found that a normal salad

with ranch dressing minus the croutons works well.

But, remember we're all different.

Dinner: Vegetable soup:

Suggestions: Steamed greens, spinach, swiss chard, kale, mustard greens.

Bring to a boil. Let cool and eat.

You could try String beans, carrots, steamed celery, okra, or squash.

Day 3: Same as Day 2.

You can add a handful of dates or raisins.

Continue to drink plenty of water.

You can eat a couple of apples between meals

in addition to your fresh vegetable juice and broth.

I would like to point out.

You need to find what works best for you personally.

So that this is an enjoyable

and

humbly rewarding experience,

between you and God.

In no way do you want to become overwhelmed

and

Loose the relationship reason

behind fasting and prayer.

Chicken noodle soup and Ritz crackers

personally works well for me on Day 3, for dinner.

Day 4: In the morning.

Fresh fruit such as: Banana, Pineapple, orange,

sliced grape fruit, sliced apples with honey.

I have personally found that scrambled egg

and

toast with butter and honey worked well for me.

Again, take note of how you feel

and

how well your digestive system has woken up.

Lunch: Salad, grated carrots, cabbage,

celery with a cooked vegetable.

Such as, String beans, spinach, kale, chard,

mustard greens, celery, okra, squash and a slice of toast.

Again, I have found a normal salad with ranch dressing

and

A sliced hard boiled egg on my salad works well

depending on how you feel.

I always substitute Ritz crackers for croutons.

Dinner: Cooked vegetables, soups,

and even eggs and fruit may be nice.

You could even try a dinner salad here if you went another direction before.

If all is well and you're feeling great.

Something like baked fish and carrots maybe nice.

Day 5: Everything depends on how you feel at this point.

If fasting over 10 days

it's safer to add 1 day

for every additional four days of fasting.

But, again only you know how you're feeling at this point.

It's a good idea to continue eating soft fruits and salads.

You could even continue to drink vegetable juice if you choose as in previous days.

If you're feeling adventurous

a small portion of a Zaxby's chicken salad

with ranch may hit the spot.

Day 6: All should be well up to this Day.

If you feel ready.

You can add, baked potato with sliced toast

or baked chicken, turkey, fish,

and even foods like brown rice should be OK by now.

I would recommend holding off on steaks.

You may feel that a hamburger would hit the spot today.

Take your time and eat slow.

Enjoy the moment.

Enjoy your food and new found taste buds.

Note: Fresh corn in a salad and oatmeal with prunes,

avoiding cheese, and a few glasses of prune juice should help

and Stop Constipation if your stomach hurts.

You may even try a few days of Juice.

Really, more than anything!

Enjoy the Life God has blessed you with.

Chew your food and maintain your peace.

Try new things with your new found taste buds.

Check your body for healing

and

Thank God for growing

and

Strengthening your relationship with Him

and

Always protecting you

as you press in with fasting and prayer.

Please consult a Dr. before proceeding and remember this information is to be used only as notes to help you make educated decisions about fasting. In know way is it being implied by the inward voice or this blog that you should or should not fast. Only move forward with your Dr's. consent.