FASTING: A
MUCH NEGLECTED CURE Dr. Mary Ruth Swope
It is no secret that
thousands of Americans have deep-rooted health problems. For example:
• They have cancer, heart
disease, high blood pressure, hardening of the arteries, arthritis, gout, diabetes
- many of which are said to be incurable.
• They have mental health
problems. Some are very fearful, anxious, and frustrated by life.
There is a well-documented
cure for most of these and many other conditions that has been buried, replaced
by new but "unproven" technologies in health care. The cure to which
I refer is FASTING.
While you are pondering
that last statement, let me give you another thought for your consideration.
Probably the most
unbeatable combination for total healing of the body is FASTING and PRAYER.
These are two of the most
powerful "weapons" in our personal arsenal for eliminating illness,
even the so-called incurable illnesses. I believe, like a scientist who said,
"I do not believe there is any incurable illness but I admit there are
millions of incurable people." Many who refuse to believe in fasting and
prayer would, in my estimation, fall into that category.
When I think of fasting,
two distinct things immediately come to mind:
1. The spiritual aspects of
fasting with all the
lessons to be learned and
2. The physical benefits of
fasting with all the case histories of success.
Through years of experience
in nutrition, I have learned that few people know about fasting. Very few have followed
the biblical pattern of fasting one or two days each week. In fact, schools of
theology and medicine both teach virtually nothing about either fasting or
nutrition.
I have heard many orthodox
doctors speak negatively about fasting - warning patients that it can be
very dangerous. Under a few
circumstances, it can be! There are untold benefits, physically and spiritually
for those who do it.
Let's define what I mean by
fasting. Experts use slightly different terms and give varying examples. For
the purpose of this article, fasting is denying yourself food and/or beverages
of all kinds, except water, for a given period of time. There are three basic
ways to fast:
I. The TOTAL FAST - just what you might guess. It means no
food or beverages of any kind. The Bible
records that Moses
completed two 40-day total fasts. These are recorded in Deuteronomy 9 and 10.
Also in I
Kings 19:8. Elijah went for
40 days and nights on a total fast. Don't try it yourself unless God tells you
to do that.
No one can survive more
than three days at the most without water. Forty days without food is no
problem for most of us - but only a supernatural fast could keep us alive 40
days without water. Most other biblical records of total fasts are from 24
hours to three days in length. Esther told her people not to eat or drink - day
or night - for three days (Esther 4:16). But let me repeat: Most people, unless
told by the Holy Spirit, should not go off water for three days.
II. The Absolute Fast - this means no food or liquid of any
kind except water. This is the kind I have practiced regularly for more than 15
years. I deny myself food from Friday night after dinner until Saturday night
dinner. This has caused me to humble myself before God. It "afflicted my
soul," as the Scripture says. Overtime, it gave my spirit power over my
mind, emotions, and will. I consider these to the greatest possible benefits.
I started fasting on
Saturdays because I was really hungry to know God better. I wanted to feel
closer to God - to hear Him speak to me, if He wanted to. Also, I wanted to
learn to pray more and more effectually.
Certainly these goals have
been achieved to a satisfactory level. I believe I understand true repentance
and true humility more after fasting for a few months. It caused me to become
more God-conscious and less worldly minded - and I'm happy about that.
In addition my physical
health has definitely improved. Some of these changes are only partially documented
by medical records but other things are clinically observable. For example:
• My cholesterol level
lowered from slightly above 200 to 154 in a relatively short period of time;
• My bad cholesterol count
is down;
• My good cholesterol count
is up - so I have less chance for heart disease;
• My tendency toward
hypoglycemia has leveled - I have no more energy swings from high to low as I
once did. I'm energetic all
the time;
• My tongue is never
coated;
• My eyes are clear and
very free from signs of disease;
• I don't have cravings or
go on food binges anymore. Food isn't preeminent in my thinking all the time. I
don't give a hoot about candy, doughnuts, cakes, pies, ice cream, and many
other poor nutrition foods;
• I've given up most of my
caffeine, so my heart doesn’t have irregular palpitations;
• I'm hardly ever sick. I
have a constant high level of energy - physical and mental;
• I sleep well and feel
rested when I awaken.
III. The Partial Fast - is the third method of fasting. This
is when you deny yourself certain foods and drinks - like the Catholics giving
up meat on Friday, or Daniel, who gave up bread, meat, and wine for 21 days
(Dan.10:3). A vegetarian diet would not be an example of a partial fast, in my
way of thinking. They are not giving up meat for an occasional meal or period
of time, but rather have adopted a vegetarian lifestyle.
A partial fast simply means eating very light meals, or fruits, or freshly-squeezed juices of fruits or vegetables - no heavy foods - no proteins, fats, complex carbohydrates, or grains. Daniel's fast included all the grains, but no meat, milk, eggs, or cheese. So partial fasts include giving up some of your favorite foods, especially those that we crave and overeat.
A partial fast simply means eating very light meals, or fruits, or freshly-squeezed juices of fruits or vegetables - no heavy foods - no proteins, fats, complex carbohydrates, or grains. Daniel's fast included all the grains, but no meat, milk, eggs, or cheese. So partial fasts include giving up some of your favorite foods, especially those that we crave and overeat.
In my estimation, a
teaspoon or two of BarleyLife is an excellent food to take when fasting. Your
cells are "satisfied" with the nutrients they receive, while the
digestive system continues to rest. Six calories per teaspoon is not enough to
stimulate metabolic processes. I'd also like to suggest that maximum benefits
of fasting occur when you accompany your food and drink fast with a fast from
your television viewing,b newspaper reading, and radio listening, as well as
your hobbies and pleasure-giving indulgences.
In fact, prayer and fasting
is the winning combination - physically, mentally, emotionally, psychologically,
and spiritually. You feel enriched and at peace, especially when fasting is
accompanied by your being quiet in your spirit. Wholeness of body, soul, and
spirit can be best achieved by prayer and fasting.
This has been my own
experience.
An in-depth presentation on
Prayer and Fasting may be found in my book
THE ROOTS AND
FRUITS OF FASTING
RULES FOR
FASTING
Rules for getting ready for
a fast:
1. Determine
the length - set a time limit.
2. Begin by
refraining from huge meals.
3. Plan to
spend long periods of time in prayer.
4. Read large
sections of Scripture.
5. Select key
verses to memorize.
6. Worship the
Lord.
Rules about
breaking the fast:
• Be wise - don't undue
quickly all you've gained. That means:
1. Begin with a very light meal - no greasy, fatty
foods. Start with soup, toast, or fruit.
2. For the next meal, have a big, raw salad as the main
dish - this acts tike a brush in your intestines.
3. The longer you fast, the more gradually you should
break it. Show real self-control.
4. One more point: As a result of fasting - even if
it's only for a couple of days – your stomach will have contracted, and it is
usually not wise to expand it again to the former size. Most people in Western
civilization have an over-expanded stomachs.
You will find that as you start eating after a fast,
you will begin to feel full sooner than you would before you fasted. Habit will
make you go on eating the rest of the meal, but wisdom says, "Why not stop
there?
You've had enough." Therefore, fasting is a way to
change eating habits, which many of us need to do.
68 Years of Nutritional Study
by Dr. Mary Ruth Swope
The greatest lessons I have
learned after 68 years of study, research and teaching in the field of Foods
and Nutrition, mostly at
the university level, are these:
1. Life can only come from
life. “Dead food” makes dead people.
2. Life begins, is
maintained and ends at the cellular level. Doctor’s agree!
3. Plant foods grown
organically, served fresh, raw and unprocessed are our best sources of life.
They also are our best
“medicines”. (The Father of Medicine, Hippocrates, said this in 450 BC – before
the birth of Jesus.)
4. Man-made foods are “dead
foods”; they cause disease and early death.
5. International research
studies have proven that the Jewish dietary laws, when followed, produce the
healthiest people on earth. (Read Genesis 1:29)
6. Herbs made from stems,
roots, bark, leaves, fruit and blossoms of natural plants outperform synthetic
drugs to restore sick cells in almost all cases – and without dangerous,
expensive
side-effects.
7. The Bible declares
barley leaves to be God’s champion food creation – the most perfect and complete
of all foods. Leviticus 23:9-11 (offerings had to be perfect!)
8. I believe almonds are
God’s second most perfect food creation. They are a near-perfect food.
Like barley, they are a
first fruit.
9. I do not believe in the
germ theory of disease. Disease results when the immune system is weak.
Poor eating and lifestyle
habits cause a weakened immune system. We are then subjected to all kinds of
disease because of a lack of fighter cells.
10. The “Real Doctor” is in
every cell. He has a recipe for changing any sick cell into a healthy one.
Man-made drugs are needed
only for crisis situations; Nutrients heal.
11. We were made to have
Divine health with an expected life-span of 120 years. (Genesis 6:3)
12. Following are the basic
rules of a healthy diet. I am trusting God is the most brilliant Scientist ever
– and I hope you, too, will follow His advice for your physical health. Here is
the record of His advice:
A. Plan A of the Original Diet for
Adam and Eve (Genesis 1:29). All of Nature’s foods are balanced sources
of protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals (the
natural medicines). Eat a wide variety in every category for the best health.
• Eleven cereal grains
(barley, wheat, rye, spelt, millet, oats, etc.)
• Sixty-four vegetables.
• Beans, legumes, lentils,
seeds and nuts.
• Forty-six fruits.
• Goats’ milk, eggs, cheese
and butter were allowed.
• God allowed “a little”
honey.
Then God cursed the soil
and people began to lose their vibrant health.
B. Plan B of the Original Diet.
In Genesis 3:18 God added
the green herbs of the field to their diet.
(Things like garlic,
capsicum, black cohost, bee pollen, parsley, black walnut, catnip etc.).
C. Plan C of the Original Biblical
Diet
In Genesis 9:3 God added
meat to the approved diet with carefully designed rules to distinguish clean
from unclean meats. See Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14 for guidance.
Modern-day researchers
confirm this information.
These are the basic rules
of a healthy diet.
A very important last point
is this: the quickest, easiest most accurate way to evaluate the status of your
own health (before doctors get involved) is to test the pH of your saliva and
urine. “
Nature's
Healing Gifts Dr. Mary Ruth SwopeGREEN VEGETABLES
Green vegetables have
become the focus for natural health and healing. Living constituents of plants,
and most importantly the chlorophyll, are receiving much attention today. They
have become health giants and are recognized universally as necessities, not
accessories. These jewels of nature are consumed by all of the species of
animals, birds and fish in one form or another. Whether leaf or seed or sea
plants each has a purpose to nourish, cleanse and detoxify its environment both
before and after consumption. Fortunately, the varieties designed for humans
are varied in their flavor and texture so that just about anyone can find one
or more to enjoy.
The National Research
Council has always recommended what any nutrition text book will tell you, YOU
NEED ONE SERVING DAILY OF A DARK GREEN LEAFY OR DEEP YELLOW VEGETABLE. So let
me ask you, how many servings of kale, collards, turnip greens, mustard greens,
spinach, beet tops, carrots, pumpkin, squash or sweet potatoes have YOU had
this week? You needed seven!
It's a problem! We don't
like deep green leafy and yellow vegetables. We don’t eat them and increasingly
we can't even find them where we're doing most of our eating. Consequently, we
are no longer getting enough deep yellow and dark green foods ( and especially
not enough raw greens) to stay healthy.
Why do we need a serving of
deep green leafy vegetables every day? It is due to their unique nutritional
contribution to the body's requirements for health. Green vegetables are
excellent sources of complex
carbohydrates (the best
kind), dietary fiber (so good for colon health), beta-carotene, chlorophyll and
antioxidant activity. They are usually low in fat and high in minerals and
vitamins. They also contain phytochemicals that lower our risk of cancer.
One special virtue of these
veggies is their green color - chlorophyll. Chlorophyll in plants can be compared to the blood supply
in humans. " Life is in the blood" and the life of plants is in the
chlorophyll.
A recent discovery adds
more importance to our daily need for green vegetables. When man (or animals)
eats green plants, the blood molecules of the plant can become the blood
molecules of man by a process biochemists call porphyrin biosynthesis. This
then is the clincher. God in His infinite wisdom provided
perfectly for
the self-repairing, self-rejuvenating, self- energizing of the physical man
through chlorophyll – the
blood of the plants.
So think of this, without
plants there would be no animal or human life on earth! Chlorophyll, the kind
found only in green vegetables, is absolutely essential to life.
And we need
one-half of a cup daily to meet our need for health.
One last thought. There is
no substitute in nature for chlorophyll. Your daily diet should include foods
such as:
turnip greens, collard greens, mustard greens, beet tops, dandelions, broccoli,
kale, deep green lettuce leaves, parsley and other greens. If your diet
is low on these foods, then you need to add a chlorophyll sources such as AIM’s
BarleyLife and AIM’s LeafGreens. These two sources of concentrated chlorophyll
will meet your body’s needs. They are the chemo-protectors, the
chemo-preventors, chemo-attackers, chemo-reversers, yes, chemo-healers.
If you fail to eat green
foods, you are failing to protect, reverse sickness or heal your body's cells.
Is that what you want? Only you can decide.
* * * * *
Health Benefits of Fasting
1. Fasting initiates rapid
weight loss with little or no hunger. Once the "ketosis" of fasting
sets in, it becomes quite easy to go without food. Most people are surprised at
how little desire for food they have while fasting.
2. Fasting promotes
detoxification. As the body breaks down its fat reserves, it mobilizes and
eliminates stored toxins.
3. Fasting gives the
digestive system a much-needed rest. After fasting, both digestion and
elimination are invigorated.
4. Fasting promotes the
resolving of inflammatory processes, including painful inflammatory syndromes
such as rheumatoid arthritis.
5. Fasting quiets allergic
reactions, including asthma and hay fever.
6. Fasting promotes the
drying up of abnormal fluid accumulations, such as edema in the ankles and legs
and swelling in the abdomen.
7. Fasting corrects high
blood pressure without drugs. Fasting will reduce blood pressure to a safe
range within two weeks or less in the vast majority of cases. And the blood
pressure will remain low after the fast if the person eats correctly and lives
healthily.
8. Fasting makes it easy to
overcome bad habits and addictions. Many people have overcome tobacco and
alcohol addictions by fasting, and even drug addictions. Fasting rapidly
dissipates the craving for nicotine, alcohol, caffeine, and other drugs.
9. Fasting clears the skin
and whitens the eyes. It is common to see skin eruptions clear while fasting,
and the whites of the eyes never look so clear and bright as they do after a
fast.
10. Fasting restores taste
appreciation for wholesome natural foods. People say that their taste buds come
alive after fasting and that food never tasted so good.
11. Fasting is the perfect
gateway to a healthful diet and lifestyle. Going on a fast gives you the
motivation and enthusiasm to make a fresh start and commit yourself to a new
and better way of life.
12. Fasting actually
shrinks the stomach- not in a harmful way, but restoring it to its normal size.
People tend to be satisfied with less food after fasting.
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