Daniel Fast: Benefits For Your Spiritual, Emotional & Physical Health

Do you know that there is a secret therapy of healing which can affect your emotional, spiritual, and physical health in the most positive way? It does this as it includes a whole lot of Bible foods in it. If you don’t know what we are talking about, allow us to introduce you to a type of fasting called Daniel Fast. If you have ever read the religious scriptures, you would know that fasting is considered to be a discipline that has the ability to yield some healing and rewarding results. Moses, Peter, Paul, David, even Jesus… all of them fasted. And not for just one or two days, they fasted for a good 40 days! And if you’ve read the Bible well, you would have come across at least 70 or more references related to fasting (1). It’s sad that fasting has lost its importance in churches. However, religious fasting has undergone a makeover and has now become a popular method of dieting and maintaining one’s wellbeing.

What Exactly Is Fasting?

It is a process of abstaining yourself from having anything to do with food, water, entertainment, and other “worldly” activities for a specified period of time in a way that it benefits your mind, spirit, and body. There are various kinds of fasting:

• Standard fast (which includes water only)
• Partial fast (restricting oneself from certain specific drinks and food categories)
• Absolute Fast (no food or water)
• Intermittent Fast (allowed to eat only during a certain window is usually 1 pm to 6 pm.)

All these variations are known to have certain spiritual benefits because we devote all the time on spirituality and meditation instead of spending it on eating, entertainment, and other leisure activities. But, if you are someone who is looking for healing in terms of body, spirit, and/or mind, then Daniel fast should be your choice.

What Is Daniel Fast?

It has always been a topic of discussion as to what Jesus ate when he graced the earth. Did he eat meat? However, the Daniel fast has nothing to do with what is consumed. It’s a fast based on what one of Jesus’ followers consumed and no, the follower’s name isn’t Daniel.

The word Daniel here comes from the dietary of Prophet Daniel which was recorded in the Bible. It is considered as a type of partial fast where one can eat only vegetables and whole foods. One should not consume any kinds of animal proteins (which ideally means no meat). This is a fasting method which is essentially based on biblical facts and is followed for 21 days (2).

Foods Allowed In Daniel Fast

According to the facts available to us, we know that the Hebrew meaning of the word “pulses” roughly translates to a range of foods including grains, vegetables etc. We’ve put together a food list that is allowed in Daniel Fast. Take a look.

Beverages:

• Water (Only if it’s purified/filtered, also spring or distilled water is considered as the best)
• Homemade juice, almond milk, coconut kefir and water

Vegetables (should be consumed as per diet):

• Cooked or fresh
• You can also eat the frozen ones but not the canned ones

Fruits (consumed on a moderation 2-3 servings in a day):

• Cooked or fresh
• Should have a low glycemic index. For example, fruits like berries, cherries, stone fruits, apples, and citrus ones.
• Dried fruits are also okay but they shouldn’t contain any sulfites or any added sweeteners.
• Frozen fruits can be eaten but not the canned ones.

Whole Grains (should be consumed moderately but sprouted is preferred):

• Amaranth, millet, quinoa, brown rice, buckwheat, barley, all of which needs to be cooked only in water.

Legumes And Beans (should be consumed in moderation)

• Dried ones. Need to be cooked in water.
• Canned ones can be eaten as long as there are no added preservatives or salt in it.

Benefits Of Daniel Fast

There are multiples benefits of this fast (3). But all of the benefits start from an inward, spiritual motivation. In the Bible, it is stated as:
“This is the fast that I have chosen…to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke. Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth.” – Isaiah 58:6

Spiritual Benefits

• It brings you closer to God.
• It makes you sensitive and helps you to connect with God.
• It helps you get rid of all your bad habits.
• It helps us realize our weaknesses and makes us realize the power of God’s strength.

Emotional And Mental Benefits

• It helps relieve nervousness and anxiety.
• It helps to increase your inner peace.
• Keeps brain fog at bay.
• It helps you boost your trust in God.
• It clears toxins that make us depressed.

Physical Benefits

• It ends addiction to sugars.
• Promotes detoxification of the body.
• Improves the health of the skin.
• Improves digestion.
• Increases energy levels of the body.
• It boosts only healthy inflammation in the body and promotes joint strength.
• Helps maintain a healthy hormonal balance in the body.

All of the above benefits aren’t guaranteed. It varies from body to body and the duration of the fast as well. In a world where extreme diet practices are being applauded, we’ve forgotten such healthy diet practices. So will you try Daniel fasting now? Let us know in the comments below.

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