On Sunday Craig and Anne took time to share some practical advice about fasting and also answered several questions about fasting that had been sent in. (This excellent but partially recorded message can be found on the CCD website or on podcast streams such as iTunes, Spotify and Acast.)

While they were speaking Geof Cole remembered some practical advice and guidance that he and Sue had been taught several years ago about how to sustain more prolonged fasts lasting over a few weeks or even a month. He thought he would share this in case any of the church family felt led to fast for more than a day or a week.

Practical advice for prolonged fasting over a few weeks or even a month:-

Week 1 – Start by eating smaller and smaller meals and lessening your intake of tea/coffee etc. (This helps the stomach to shrink and reduces stimulation.) The negative effects of less caffeine will be lessened – headaches etc.

Week 2 – Eat a very simple diet – i.e. bread or crackers (no butter etc.) with plain soup (Oxo etc.), some fruit or fruit juice (preferably not squash or fizzy juice).

Week 3 – Eat no food, but drink plenty of water!

Week 4 – Slowly start to reverse these steps. Start by eating simple food (as per week 2 instructions), then build up to to smaller meals (as per week 1 instructions).

Additionally – Avoid the temptation to “pig out” when your fast is finished as your stomach won’t be ready for the onslaught!!! Throughout “eating time” can obviously be used as a focused prayer time!

We were encouraged to stop if we weren’t feeling well and to not go beyond 4 weeks without proper supervision.

From experience, this approach does work but it is certainly a bit tough into Week 2!

Love, Geof.