The Magic of Fasting: Physical, Mental & Spiritual Benefits

“What if you treated your body like you treat your car?” Derek Prince posed this question in his teaching titled “How to Fast Successfully.”

Imagine if you kept filling up your car’s gas tank from morning until night, even when it’s already full. What if you skipped maintenance tasks like oil changes, tire rotations, or changing filters? 

And what if you ignored the check engine light when it signaled a problem, just continuing to drive and refuel?

Well, many people are treating their bodies just like that. They’re constantly eating, even when they’re not hungry–never giving their bodies a break from digesting food.

But what if your body could take a break? Just like cars need maintenance to run smoothly, our bodies also benefit from a break. This break allows our bodies to work on important tasks like regulating hormones, repairing damaged cells, and strengthening the immune system.

Just as regular maintenance keeps cars running smoothly, giving your body a break through fasting helps with weight loss, improves mood, prevents illness, and slows down aging.

A car that only focuses on fuel and driving without maintenance eventually breaks down. Similarly, a body that’s always eating and digesting without a break won’t run efficiently.

So, if you’re feeling overwhelmed, stressed, anxious, or struggling with weight or hormone issues, there’s one simple thing you can try – fasting.

The benefits of fasting can be broken down into three main categories: physical, mental, and spiritual. Since the physical benefits are what originally drew me into fasting, let’s go over that first.

Physical Benefits

Think about how you feel after eating a big Thanksgiving dinner. You’re exhausted, and there’s always someone in the family who falls asleep on the couch.

The reason you’re so tired is because your body has to use all the energy it has to process all the food you just ate. While this may be an exaggerated example and not a normal day to day experience, this illustrates how hard your body is working during digestion in a tangible way for us to understand.

If you are eating from the time you wake up until the time you go to bed, your body will be forced to prioritize digesting all that food over anything else beneficial it could be doing.

So what could your body be doing instead if you’re fasting? 

Weight Loss

Weight loss is the first reason I came to fasting. Many people assume it’s the lack of calories that leads to weight loss while fasting, but that’s not really the case. There is a lot more going on behind the scenes. 

So if you’re curious about how weight loss from fasting is different from weight loss from a calorie deficit and how it all works, keep reading. 

Those holding on to extra weight are often insulin resistant. Fasting can reverse insulin resistance. If you have type II diabetes or are borderline diabetic, this is a clear indicator of being insulin resistant–although it’s not the only indicator.

Think about someone who takes ibuprofen daily. They may start out taking two a day as needed. Eventually, two doesn’t help and they have to increase their dose. Their body is now resistant to the medicine. This is how insulin resistance works. 

When you eat sugar or carbs, your pancreas releases insulin to regulate your blood sugar levels. The more sugar and carbs you eat, the more insulin your pancreas releases. But it can get to a point where your pancreas can’t keep up with the demand needed to regulate your blood sugar–just like if you take ibuprofen too often and too much, it can eventually stop helping you. 

When this happens you are now insulin resistant. And insulin is considered the fat storage hormone. Which means the more insulin produced leads to an increase of fat stored in your body, and therefore–weight gain. 

The good news is that fasting can help you reverse this problem. By fasting, you are not eating anything for a period of time–giving your pancreas a break from producing insulin. It’s the same idea doctors use when they rotate antibiotics so that your body doesn’t become resistant to them. 

Your blood sugar levels will also be stabilized while fasting, which will help you lose weight. There are diets centered around the glycemic index of food. The diet is meant to keep blood sugar levels stable–meaning no spikes or bottoming out. 

A better approach is to get your body able to process the food you eat properly without the blood sugar fluctuations. The same foods can have a different response in different people. 

Some can handle coffee, and others will see a spike in their blood sugar level from it. This demonstrates the importance of eating food that makes you feel good that your body responds well with.

Reversing insulin resistance will lead to stable blood sugars and your body’s ability to tolerate eating food without having to look it up on the glycemic index. And fasting is what will help your body be able to do this. 

If you’re thinking, “Can’t I just do keto to cut out the sugar and carbs to reverse insulin resistance?” You’re not wrong. This is why so many recommend fasting and keto together. 

But fasting actually gets you deeper into ketosis than doing the keto diet alone–and you don’t have to go low carb when you do eat. I personally don’t count carbs–but we will go over nutrition in a separate post. 

Getting into ketosis means that your body is now burning fat for its source of energy. Your body uses glucose stored in the liver (liver glycogen) as fuel until it is depleted before switching to fat burning for fuel. 

This is when fasting is much easier. Your hunger goes away when you are running on ketones. Your thyroid doesn’t have to work as hard. There are increased stem cells that lead to gut healing. And inflammation goes down. 

Fasting also completely changes your face because of how much inflammation you lose. The before and afters of people’s faces alone will make you want to try it!

Anti-Aging

The anti-aging benefits of fasting also go along with the weight loss benefits. When I was trying to figure out how to lose weight postpartum, I wanted to find something that would result in the least amount of sagging skin. 

I actually wrote a post about how to get rid of your mommy tummy, which includes natural solutions for loose skin. Check it out here.

I ended up finding Gin Stephens, who lost over 80lbs and was able to still wear a bikini at age 48. Here’s the picture she posted on Instagram that convinced me to start fasting.

The reason she doesn’t have sagging skin after this much weight loss is because of autophagy. Autophagy is your cellular recycling process. If you’re fasting and giving your body a break from digestion, your body can focus on this process. 

Sagging skin would fit the category of something extra your body doesn’t need and would be cleaned up during this process. It cleans up old cells and proteins in your body. It’s like decluttering your house, only for your body.

If it tightens up your skin like this, can you imagine the anti-aging benefits it has on your face and wrinkles?

Fasting leads to an increase in human growth hormone (HGH). This is called the anti-aging hormone as it builds our bones and muscles. It influences our height too. Exercise also triggers an increase in HGH. 

Fighting Illness/Health Issues 

Another physical benefit of fasting are the health benefits. I read so many testimonials in a fasting group I’m in that said they had the worst sinus issues and allergies until they started fasting. There were also many who were able to get off their prescription medicine. 

Weight loss alone can lead to many health benefits, but there’s more to it than weight loss alone with fasting.

Dr. Valter Longo is a leading authority on fasting. He recommends a 48-72 hour fast to enhance the immune system. Many will do a 72 hour fast periodically to reset their immune system. 

This means new stem cells are created, white blood cells increase in strength and size and have the ability to kill off pathogens, and your body will recycle the old immune cells and regenerate new immune cells. This reset leads to a reduced risk of cancer. 

Fasting also improves your heart health. It activates your parasympathetic nervous system–which means you are put into relaxation mode. It makes you stress resistant, which means your body will handle stress better. And your heart rate and blood pressure stabilizes. 

Below is a study from the National Library of Medicine on fasting that further details all the physical benefits I just explained: 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3946160

Mental Benefits

You might come to fasting for the physical benefits, but you’ll stay for the mental benefits. 

Your brain prefers to run on ketones over glucose, so getting into ketosis is also beneficial for your brain–not just your body for weight loss. 

Fasting for 18 hours is when you’ll start to experience brain benefits. And your brain will start to repair around 24 hours of fasting. 

However, the mental clarity you will get from even shorter intermittent fasts is phenomenal.

Let’s break down the specific mental benefits you’ll get from fasting:

Mental Clarity and Focus

Fasting improves our cognitive function. This means there is an improvement in our ability to learn, be productive, and our memory. 

The reason our cognitive function improves is because fasting causes a spike in BDNF, which regenerates cells in the hippocampus, forebrain, and cortex. Dr. Berg calls BDNF “miracle grow for your brain.”

Fasting also increases neuroplasticity, which means the neurons in your brain are able to connect better. This also enhances learning and memory.

Fasting improves the blood flow to your brain, making it easier to think and have mental clarity. This is called cerebral blood flow (CBF). While fasting, CBF is increased and results in increased delivery of oxygen and ketones to your brain that supports brain metabolism. 

Mood Improves

Most people believe they will be hangry when they fast. But when your body is used to fasting, your mood drastically improves. 

There was a study done that showed an increase in something called orexin signaling activity. This activity leads to an increase in dopamine levels and wakefulness. 

There was also an endorphin release–which makes you feel euphoric. Endorphins are what cause a “runner’s high,” if you’ve ever experienced that. 

I always describe fasting as making me feel high on life. Maybe I should start calling it a “fasting high.”

We talked about how fasting makes you stress resistant in the physical benefits section under fighting illness and health benefits. Your body’s ability to handle stress better while fasting will also improve your mood.

We already discussed how fasting reduces inflammation in your body. Inflammation also decreases in your brain. Having less inflammation in your brain will improve your mood and cognitive function as well. 

All of these things help to alleviate feelings of anxiety and depression. How amazing is it that our bodies can produce this outcome on its own naturally, without the use of medication? (Disclaimer: This is not medical advice.)

Longevity

Fasting is not only anti-aging for your body, but also for your brain. It improves your motor skills, which is related to your coordination and balance. 

The process of autophagy helps your brain too. It gets rid of the damaged proteins in your brain. 

Fasting makes your brain younger. So your body and brain are aging in reverse. 

Fasting also upregulates neurogenesis, which means your brain regrows neurons which prevents age‐related neurogenic decline. Which leads me to my last point about the mental benefits of fasting: brain health. 

Brain Health

Dementia, Alzheimers, ADHD, seizures, Parkinsons–these are all caused from chronic inflammation. Chronic means that it is constantly recurring. Fasting decreases inflammation, which means there will be a reduction in these illnesses. 

Fasting creates more antioxidants produced in your brain, which also helps with these illnesses. 

Fasting stabilizes your neurons, which is good for epilepsy. Constant exposure to glucose destroys your neurons–which is why your body prefers to run on ketones for fuel instead of glucose. 

Below are some studies on fasting that further detail all the mental benefits I just explained: 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3219306

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6836141

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jcmm.13418

Spiritual Benefits:

As a Christian, I will be giving a biblical view of the spiritual benefits of fasting. If you are not a Christian, this is still relevant for you. We will talk about a king who is not one of God’s people who has spiritual benefits after fasting–so look for how things turn out for him. 

In the Bible in Matthew chapter 6, verse 5–Jesus instructs us how to pray. He says, “When you pray…” and then He continues with how to pray. The “when” in this sentence implies that it is expected for Christians to pray. 

In the same chapter, verse 16–Jesus instructs us how to fast. He again says, “When you fast…” and then gives instructions on how He wants us to fast. Again, the “when” implies that it is expected for Christians to fast, just as we are expected to pray. 

Fasting brings you closer to God. It makes it easier to hear and distinguish His voice. The physical break it gives our bodies, the mental clarity and focus we get–it makes sense that this would draw us closer to God.

Healing

Isaiah 58 is an entire chapter about true and false fasting. If you fast for worldly pleasure while oppressing those around you, “your voice will not be heard on high.” (verse 4) Meaning, your prayers will not be answered.

But if you fast to humble yourself before the Lord, with care for others, then your prayers will be heard. Verse 9 says, “Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer.” 

He then gives promises of what will happen when you fast with the right heart. Verse 8 says, “…your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.”

He promises healing, righteousness, and the Lord’s protection. I have heard so many testimonies about how fasting brought healing for them. Reversed illnesses, skin issues resolved, pregnancies for those struggling with infertility, getting off medications, and countless others.

Before Jesus started his healing and teaching ministry, he fasted and prayed for 40 days. I believe this is what prepared him for his mission.

In Mark chapter 9, starting at verse 14–the disciples are unable to heal a boy from an unclean spirit that was causing him convulsions. When they asked why they couldn’t heal the boy, Jesus said, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer and fasting.”

Help with a Problem

When you need intervention for a problem bigger than you, fast and pray. 

In 2 Chronicals 20 – God defeated an army for Judah without them using their weapons. Jehoshaphat set his face to the Lord and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. Then the Lord answered and told them not to be afraid, for the battle is God’s. He said, “You will not need to fight this battle.”

He told them, “Hold your position so they could see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf.” So they went out and praised the Lord. They won the battle without having to fight. 

Esther also calls for fasting when she needs God’s help. After she unexpectedly becomes queen to King Ahasuerus, she finds out about a plot to kill the Jewish people. 

The king’s right hand man, Haman, convinces the king that the Jewish people don’t keep his laws and should be destroyed. Esther’s cousin, Mordicai, then encourages Esther to use her position to save her people, saying the famous quote, “ And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

Esther instructs all the Jews to fast for three days with her, then she will make her request to the king. She says, “And if I perish, I perish.” She knows she is risking her life approaching the king about his law to destroy her people. 

In the end, the king is furious at Haman for trying to destroy Queen Esther and her people. And the king has Haman hanged for it. 

If you don’t know what to do, and you need divine intervention–fast and pray.

When you do Something Wrong

Ahab was an evil king. The Bible says he was “more evil than all who were before him.” The Lord condemns Ahab and says He will bring disaster upon him. 

Ahab repents for his sin and fasts. Then the Lord says, “Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster in his days; but in his son’s days I will bring the disaster upon his house.”

God skipped a generation for King Ahab’s punishment because he fasted. Fasting is how he humbled himself. 

If God will do this for the most evil king to live (at least at this point in time), can you imagine what He will do for you if you fast?

Fasting For Others

If you need to intercede for others – fast and pray. In Nehemiah 1-2, Nehemiah learns of Jerusalem being destroyed and his people that survived are in trouble. He immediately fasts and prays about this to God. 

Nehemiah gets the chance to make a request to the king to return to Judah and rebuild the temple and the walls of the city. Nehemiah 2:8 says, “And the king granted me what I asked, for the good hand of my God was upon me.”

And we can’t forget Moses, who fasted for 40 days and received the 10 commandments on stone tablets from God only to find his people worshiping the golden calf. 

Then he goes back up to the mountain to fast for another 40 days to repent on behalf of his people, who God wants to destroy. Moses finds favor with God and the Isrealites are spared. 

What can we learn from this? We need to start relying on God first before we make any other moves ourselves. Our success depends on it. 

Another way to intercede for others is to fast and pray for your unsaved family and friends. Make a list about why you are fasting. And refer to it throughout your fast during your prayers. 

Fasting is Free + Freeing

The benefits of fasting are nothing short of magical. 

• Weight Loss
• Anti-Aging 
• Fighting Illness/Health Issues
• Mental Clarity and Focus
• Longevity
• Brain Health
• Spiritual Help and Healing

What else can provide these benefits for free? Good nutrition can aid in this for sure, but eating doesn’t give your body the break from digestion that is needed for some of these benefits. 

The freeing feeling you will get from fasting is unmatched. 

You’re not worrying about food all day. You’re able to have such clear focus for whatever you’re doing–work, learning, etc. And your body is cleaning itself from the inside out. 

First you’ll start to feel better, and then you’ll start to look better. 

Sign me up!

And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Matthew 6:16-18

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Disclaimer: The information provided on this blog is for general informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or any personal health concerns. Reliance on the information presented on this blog is at your own risk. The content is not intended to provide medical guidance or recommendations, and the author is not responsible for any actions or decisions made based on the information provided. It’s important to consult with a qualified healthcare professional for individualized medical guidance.