Fasting

I fasted for 24 hours the first time when I was 14. Now I do it monthly for purely spiritual reasons. I receive spiritual strength and blessings when I fast. I donate the money that would have been spent on food to those who need financial help. I like the way I feel when I fast. Well, I don't like the hunger pangs. I do like the feeling of self-control and thoughts of I-can-do-hard-things. Every month I am reminded that food should be a pleasurable event, not a stuff-it-in-the-face-'cause-it's-there habit. I promptly forget the reminder but, as the saying goes, "It's the thought that counts" ... or was it, "The road to hell is paved with good intentions."

Well, it's coming up to the time I fast and this month I have another reason to fast. I was listening to NPR and heard a great report on the health benefits of fasting. It can reduce cravings for sugar (not enough for me), reduce disease including cancer, can protect against brain problems like Alzheimer's, and even extend life. You know how yoga or, dare I say it, exercise can make you feel really great? Well, I think (and science agrees with me) that fasting can do the same thing for you.