boughtwithaprice
Legend
God bless you for asking this question, joymercy
The beginning works in the Christian life, aka the spiritual battle are prayer, fasting and almsgiving.
My recommendation for reading and contemplating are either
The Spiritual Combat and Treatise on the Peace of the Soul by Dom Lorenzo Scupoli
Or
Preparation for Death by
Alphonse Liguori
Both are available on Audible which is a wonderful app. (You can control the speed at which it plays depending on the time you have)
The first one was a favorite of St Francis de Sales
And Alphonse Liguori is one of the premier Catholic moral theologians ever.
I have only ever been able to make it 60 hrs of fasting. All I took was water and black coffee during that time
As a physician I can tell you what happens to the body during that time. First your body uses all the sugar for fuel. That runs out after about 15 hrs and the body changes to a process called gluconeogenesis. ( just a crazy Latin phrase that means hey we are all out of sugar so we have to make our own ) the body does this by turning protein and fat into sugar.
The brain cannot run off of protein and fat, it has to have sugar to function, or the body’s sugar substitute, ketoacids, which it makes from fat.! The heart can run off of fatty acids.
The transition from sugar fuel to ketoacid fuel for the brain begins at about fifteen hours and is completed at about 4 days.
It is important to drink water during this time, because the keto acids are what they say they are, “acid” and if you are too dehydrated during this time you risk kidney injury.
It is also important to not take any calories during this time, like protein shakes. They will increase your feeling of hunger dramatically and make the fast that much more difficult.
If you avoid calories and have only Water or black coffee, the feeling of hunger diminishes over time. Maybe you can get away with a diet soda. The only calories I would consider consuming during that time would be the flesh and blood of Our Lord. He will cleanse your venial sin and decrease concupiscence to encourage you in your fast.
I have only made it 60 hours but if you make it to four days, your body has completely transitioned to living on ketoacids and given up sugar. You have brought your appetite for food completely under the will. You will be free to chose to eat or not eat and will no longer be tempted, or so I have heard from others
I have only ever made it 60 hours and yes I suffer from gluttony. I consider gluttony eating food that I really do not need.
Two other things to consider. Ketoacids have a fruity smell to them, so at 4 days your breath may smell different. Oral hygiene may help.
When you do start to eat again, your intestine have been without food for so long, you may get diarrhea and suffer incontinence if you are not near a restroom, and I mean really near
I will pray for you and am rooting for you to make to four days and beyond. You have encouraged me to try also
The spiritual benefits come if you are in sanctifying grace, so go to confession before you start and if you are able take the Eucharist to aid you. Once at four days, you will know what it is like to not be controlled by your appetite, you may even gain the strength to do a full Lenten fast of 40 days
God bless you in your attempt and let me know how it goes
I do not consider water breaking a fast rather a return to the beginning, as it was the first molecule created by God. Darkness was on the face of the deep and the Spirit moved on the waters.
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