Fasting literally means going without food .
An average person can go without food for approximately 55-65 days before dying from starvation .
40 days is estimated as the longest one can fast before serious damage is likely to begin to occur .
But this can vary somewhat with the individual , and the manner in which one goes about their fast .
I started fasting occasionally years ago .
I studied the subject , and learned that it takes about 3 days without food , to fully experience fasting .
So , my first fast was 3 days long . It wasn't very difficult , and it gave a greater sense of things spiritual .
Some time later , I fasted for longer periods , usually going a little longer each time .
Most of the time there were months if not years separating the fasts .
My last + longest fast ( ending 11 days ago ) was 30 days long , water and a little vitamin C ( couple squirts from a lemon once or twice a day ) . I probably drank about 8 , 16 ounce glasses of water per day , ( started the fast taking daily , one vit. C with bioflavonoids + one Cal. Mag. Zinc mineral supplement , but switched to only adding a little squirt of lemon to one or two of those approx. 8 glasses ).
The body cannot store well or produce vitamin C , and going without it for more than a few days , tends to bring on scurvy , which most noticeably involves one's gums receding , bleeding and becoming sickly , but can also have other undesirable effects .
There is a log of sorts ( here in the "fasting" forum ) , of that 30 day fast , it is titled " Currently entered into prayer and fasting ".
There are some real dangers in extended fasting , but a lot of what inexperienced people say about it is based on ignorant fearfulness . Also certain elements + industries would strongly prefer that we not learn of the pronounced benefits which can be received through prayer and fasting .
However , as with pretty much any subject / matter , there are also unbalanced extremists on the opposite side of the issue .
Know your source ; or at least seek a consensus through what are most likely to be reliable sources . ( Of course " most likely " can be a highly subjective categorization - one thing one can weigh is where a source is coming from , what do they stand to gain , and to whom do they give glory ? )
As for me , and my house , we will continue to look to , and call upon The Lord , for He alone has the words of eternal life !
May God Be Pleased !
wm
