THE DANIEL FAST IS A BIBLICALLY BASED, PARTIAL FAST INSPIRED BY THE prophet Daniel. This method of fasting involves eating only plant-based foods and drinking only water. It eliminates all additives, preservatives, flavorings, processed foods, sweeteners, solid fats, deep-fried foods, leavening, stimulants, and alcohol, what we call clean eating. (See “What Is Clean Eating?” on page 20.) Although the kinds of foods are restricted, the quantity is not. You can eat as much food as you want, keeping in mind that this is a fast.
THE BIBLICAL STORY BEHIND THE DANIEL FAST
The Daniel Fast is based on the fasting experiences of the Old Testament prophet Daniel.* Daniel found himself in Babylonian captivity with his three companions, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (renamed by the Babylonians as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego and who were thrown into the fiery furnace). Even though he was a captive, Daniel wanted to honor God and follow the dietary practices of the law of Moses. When offered the meat and wine of King Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel made this request: “Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink. Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king’s meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants” (Daniel 1:11–13 KJV).
Pulse is food grown from seed. From this reference we derive the principle of eating no animal products on the Daniel Fast and drinking only water. The fast is restricted to fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. Healthy oils, herbs, and spices are also allowed.
Daniel 10 describes another time Daniel fasted. The prophet was mourning over the seventy-year occupation of Israel by the Babylonians. He sought God’s wisdom and entered into a time of prayer and fasting. “In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks. I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled” (Daniel 10:2–3 KJV).
Another translation says the prophet ate no “pleasant food.” This passage is the basis for eliminating breads and desserts, sweeteners, stimulants (such as caffeine), deep-fried foods, and alcohol. Jewish fasting principles also eliminate leavening and food substitutes that try to work around these restrictions in an attempt to satisfy physical cravings.
It’s important to note that the Daniel Fast guidelines are not about trying to eat as Daniel ate. Instead, they are principles derived from the restrictions Daniel followed that establish the boundaries for a spiritual fasting experience. Like all Christian fasts, the primary purpose of the Daniel Fast is to separate yourself from everyday life for a period of time. During this set-apart time, you devote yourself entirely to the Lord. You open your heart to him and seek his fellowship, direction, assistance, and intervention for specific purposes.
DANIEL-FAST FOOD GUIDELINES
The foods allowed on the Daniel Fast are rich in nutrients, flavors, and colors. You can create a variety of appetizing and wholesome meals and snacks. (See part 4, “Meal Planning and Recipes” on page 143.) As you prepare and enjoy your meals, you can have the confidence that you are providing your body exactly what it needs for cleansing and optimal health. As you prepare for your fast, here are some food guidelines to keep in mind.
Foods Allowed on the Daniel Fast
On the Daniel Fast, you may consume all fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, quality oils, herbs, and seasonings. The only beverage on the Daniel Fast is water. (For more information about water and fluids, see chapter 11). Juice may be used as an ingredient in recipes and meal-replacement shakes, but not as a beverage. Additions to your water such as lemon slices, mint leaves, or cucumber slices are allowed as long as you can still call the beverage water. (See “The Health Benefits of Water” on page 29.)
Foods Not Allowed on the daniel Fast
Foods restricted on the Daniel Fast include all animal products, dairy products, added sweeteners, deep-fried foods, processed and refined foods, artificial flavorings, chemicals, and preservatives. Also not allowed are alcohol, caffeine, coffee, tea, leavening (baking powder, yeast, etc.), or solid fats (margarine and shortening). Some people ask why natural sweeteners (such as honey or stevia) aren’t allowed, noting that they are in fact “natural” and the Daniel Fast is all about consuming natural foods. Just because Daniel Fast foods are all natural, not all natural foods are allowed on the fast. For additional Daniel Fast guidelines, visit www.DanielCure.com/guidelines.
No Food Substitutes
Lines can get a little blurry when it comes to food substitutes. Although some food substitutes are healthy alternatives when not fasting (for example, applesauce for oil or butter; flax meal for eggs), you should avoid using food substitutes in an effort to diminish the restrictions of the spiritual-fasting experience. For example, bacon is not allowed on the traditional Daniel Fast, yet there is “vegan bacon” made of ingredients that may be consistent with the fasting guidelines. The same is true for some egg replacements. The individual ingredients may be allowed, but the purpose of the food is to provide a substitute for the real thing.
WHAT IS CLEAN EATING?
From a health standpoint, the Daniel Fast is a plant-based, whole-food, non-refined, clean-eating plan with a few additional restrictions. In simple terms, clean eating means food in its natural form, without adulteration. No chemicals, additives, preservatives, flavorings, colorings, or added sugar or fat. You’ll find most clean foods around the perimeter of the grocery store, not in the store aisles.
The terms “whole foods” or “non-refined foods” indicate foods in their natural form. In contrast, “refined foods” or “processed foods” are reengineered by the food industry and, in the process, typically depleted of some or all natural vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
White flour is an example of a refined food. It is the result of highly processed and finely ground wheat flour, typically bleached, from which most of the bran and wheat germ have been removed. Removing the bran removes fiber, one of the most significant ingredients that has huge health benefits. Fiber is essential for lowering cholesterol and maintaining regularity. The bran is rich in essential fatty acids, starch, protein, vitamins, and dietary minerals, making it a nutritional powerhouse. Removing the wheat germ also removes a high concentration of many other nutrients, including fiber, iron, magnesium, manganese, protein, omega-3 fatty acids, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, vitamin E, zinc, complex carbohydrates, calcium, and B vitamins (including folate, niacin, thiamine, and vitamin B6). In processing, removing the bran and the wheat germ depletes the flour of much of its nutritional value.
This is just one example of how food processing impacts the nutrient content in the foods we eat. Which is partly why processed foods — especially white bread, pasta, cake, crackers, cookies, pretzels, and similar food items — are not allowed on the Daniel Fast. The best foods are clean, wholesome foods — those created to nourish, heal, and satisfy our bodies and our appetites.
The significant element in fasting is that foods are restricted. This immediately puts our self-will — sometimes referred to as the “flesh” part of human nature — in conflict with the guidelines. Fasting includes profound lessons about things like submission, self-control, and walking according to the Spirit. However, when we substitute foods on the traditional fast so that the restrictions are watered down or eliminated, then we assert our self-will to pacify the flesh and bypass the discipline essential for spiritual growth. Rather than stretching and growing, we choose to stay immature, doing what we want to do. The apostle Paul taught the Corinthians about this condition: “And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal” (1 Corinthians 3:1–3 NKJV).
To hold true to the Daniel Fast guidelines, food substitutes are discouraged. As you consider what you will and will not eat on the fast, examine your heart. There are times when I (Susan) am not totally sure about a food, so I will ask the Holy Spirit to be my guide. There is no way we can bamboozle the Holy Spirit, and so when we come to him in good faith, we receive the direction we need.
No Processed Foods
Food processing transforms raw or whole foods into food in other forms. Raw potatoes are processed into things like potato chips, frozen hash browns, and instant mashed-potato flakes. In the process, healthy nutrients are often removed. To make these foods shelf stable and appetizing, food manufacturers add things like salt, sweeteners, artificial flavorings, and other chemicals, ingredients that can promote disease over time.* This is contrary to the Daniel Fast guidelines.
Eliminating processed foods means avoiding foods that have been reengineered. For example, white rice has had the hull and the germ removed. White flour is milled to remove the most valuable food elements in the wheat grain so that only the starchy white part of the grain remains. Enriched flour sounds good, but it’s actually flour to which small quantities of nutrients have been added in an attempt to make up for the fact that vital nutrients have been stripped during processing. Our objective with eating according to the Daniel Fast guidelines is to always consume food in its most natural form, free of processing and full of nutrients. (See “What Is Clean Eating?” on page 20.)
The restrictions on the Daniel Fast require us to pay more attention to the foods we eat, and that’s a good thing. In fact, one of the biggest “aha” moments that people experience on the Daniel Fast is when they learn what’s in packaged and canned foods by reading the ingredients lists on food labels. We often hear comments like, “I never realized all the added sugar, salt, and chemicals that are in packaged foods!” And once they know what they’re eating, they often make changes that become permanent. “There are a lot of foods I can’t eat anymore,” said Patty, a participant in one of the Daniel Fast studies. “Now that I know what’s in them, there is no way I can put them in my mouth. I can’t believe I didn’t know about all the additives in packaged food!”
IS THE DANIEL FAST THE SAME AS A STRICT VEGETARIAN DIET?
No. The Daniel Fast is much more than a strict vegetarian diet. Vegetarian diets involve removal of some or all animal products from the diet. A strict vegetarian diet removes all animal products. The most stringent of all is the vegan diet. It eliminates all animal products from the diet and from life in general (no leather, no furs, etc.). Variations of the vegetarian diet include:
• Lacto-ovo vegetarian: prohibits the intake of beef, poultry, pork, fish, and shellfish but allows consumption of eggs and dairy products.
• Lacto vegetarian: prohibits the same things as lacto-ovo vegetarian but also prohibits intake of eggs; consumption of dairy products is allowed.
• Ovo vegetarian: prohibits the same things as lacto-ovo vegetarian but also prohibits intake of dairy products; consumption of eggs is allowed.
• Pesco or pesce vegetarian (sometimes referred to as Pescetarian): allows consumption of fish.
• Pollo vegetarian (sometimes referred to as Pollotarian): allows consumption of poultry.
There are various other combinations of these plans, but this list gives you an idea of what a vegetarian plan might include.
Strict vegetarian/vegan plan followers consume no animal products, not even honey. In many ways, this plan is similar to the Daniel Fast. However, these diets do not prohibit processed foods, refined carbohydrates, bread with yeast, sweeteners, additives, preservatives, flavorings, coloring, caffeine, or alcohol — all items that are not allowed on the Daniel Fast. Because of these differences, we believe that the Daniel Fast is a healthier plan than a traditional vegetarian or vegan diet.
Eliminating processed foods, desserts, additives, and preservatives — clean eating — has significant health benefits. Following a traditional vegetarian or vegan diet, which does allow for non-animal products that are nevertheless unhealthy, may not yield the same results as the Daniel Fast.
THE NUTRITIONAL BENEFITS OF DANIEL FAST FOODS
The popularity of the Daniel Fast didn’t originate as a healthy eating plan. Its sole purpose was to function as a spiritual discipline to allow individuals to experience the power of prayer. However, the foods we eat on the Daniel Fast are natural, whole, and packed with the nutrients and elements our bodies need for optimum health. In our view, this plan is far superior to most other nutrition programs targeting enhanced health. (See “Is the Daniel Fast the Same as a Strict Vegetarian Diet?” on page 22.) Let’s take a closer look at the nutritional benefits of Daniel Fast foods.
Nutrient Dense
The core of the Daniel Fast eating plan is whole foods grown from seed. These foods contain essential vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other valuable agents necessary for your body’s good health. For example, phytochemicals — compounds found only in plants — have antioxidant-and immune-stimulating properties. Many scientific studies report that phytochemicals provide protection to the cells in your body, resulting in improved health. To have the good health you desire, it’s essential to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables.
Most of the foods on the Daniel Fast, especially the fruits and vegetables, are naturally low in calories and in dietary fat. They are considered nutrient dense, which means they have a high ratio of nutritional value per calorie — especially in contrast with processed foods, which are typically nutrient poor. For example, one ounce of potato chips (about fifteen chips) has 160 calories. To accumulate 160 calories in raw spinach, you would need to eat more than twenty-two cups of the dark-green leaves, which, by the way, are packed with vitamins and other nutrients. Potato chips are high in fat and lack almost all nutrients. Spinach, however, has no fat, is a good source of niacin and zinc, and is a very good source of dietary fiber, protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin B6, folate, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, copper, and manganese.
Low Fat and Low Cholesterol
Because the Daniel Fast is plant based, very little saturated fat or cholesterol enters your system. Except for a few plant-based oils, most saturated fat and cholesterol come from animal products, including (higher-fat varieties of) meat, poultry, and dairy. So during your fast, you are feeding your body primarily foods that have little to no saturated fat or cholesterol — the two nutrients that collectively can contribute to elevated blood cholesterol and hardening of the arteries (arteriosclerosis), which can lead to serious problems such as heart attack, stroke, and even death.
High Fiber
The extra good news is that many foods grown from seed contain an abundance of fiber. Fiber is actually poorly digested by your body. Normally, we don’t think of poor digestion as a good thing, but with fiber, it is a good thing. Because fiber is not fully digested, it works its way through the gastrointestinal tract and acts like a sponge to soak up undesirable substances, such as cholesterol, and helps them to be eliminated from your system. Without adequate fiber, blood cholesterol could remain high and increase the likelihood of blood vessel disease, potentially leading to heart attack and stroke.
Low Glycemic Index
The foods you eat on the Daniel Fast are mostly low on the glycemic index (GI). This benefit is particularly important if you want to lose weight, reduce body fat, or lower your blood sugar levels. If you’re not familiar with this important analysis factor, here is the clinical definition:
The glycemic index (GI) is a ranking of carbohydrates on a scale from 0 to 100 according to the extent to which they raise blood sugar levels after eating. Foods with a high GI are those which are rapidly digested and absorbed and result in marked fluctuations in blood sugar levels. Low-GI foods, by virtue of their slow digestion and absorption, produce gradual rises in blood sugar and insulin levels, and have proven benefits for health. Low GI diets have been shown to improve both glucose and lipid levels in people with diabetes (type 1 and type 2). They have benefits for weight control because they help control appetite and delay hunger. Low GI diets also reduce insulin levels and insulin resistance.6
In other words, you should avoid processed foods with a high GI in favor of natural foods with a low GI. If you are following the Daniel Fast, this will be a given, because processed food is not allowed. But let’s say you’re not adhering to a Daniel Fast regimen and you’re simply trying to make healthy food choices. For example, you might be preparing to make a sandwich and have the choice between a white-flour pita (GI equal to 70) and a whole-wheat tortilla (GI equal to 35). Choose the whole-wheat tortilla for healthy eating. It should yield a much lower blood glucose and insulin response than the white-flour tortilla and will better support your healthy lifestyle.*
The premise is quite simple. When you eat a meal of foods with a low GI, they are digested more slowly than foods with a high GI. Because of this slower digestion, the low GI foods don’t produce a spike in your body’s blood sugar. This is important because a spike in blood sugar triggers the release of insulin — a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels. Over time, the excessive blood sugar and insulin secretion may lead to metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes. This is one reason why men and women with type 2 diabetes are very often able to control the disease when they adopt the Daniel Fast plan. (For more information about diabetes and nutrition, see chapters 6 and 11.)
High-Quality Carbohydrates (Complex versus Simple)
Carbohydrates are divided into two categories, based on their chemical structure — complex and simple. In general, the more complex the structure of the carbohydrate, the longer it takes your body to digest and absorb the food. Vegetables, whole grains, and beans are all complex carbohydrates. These should be eaten in abundance when following the Daniel Fast.
In contrast, the simpler the structure of the carbohydrate, the quicker your body can digest and absorb the food.† Fruits are technically classified as simple carbohydrates (they contain a sugar called fructose) but are very healthy foods. They can be eaten in abundance. However, most other foods containing simple carbohydrates (such as soft drinks, candy, cookies, and cakes) are deemed unhealthy and should be eliminated when following the Daniel Fast.
Why is this important? First, because complex carbohydrate foods are typically much more nutrient dense than simple carbohydrate foods (with fruit being the one exception). Second, because, as in the example of the white-flour pita and the whole-wheat tortilla, the faster your body digests and absorbs the foods you eat, the greater chance that your blood sugar will spike, leading to excess production of insulin. Over time, chronically elevated insulin leads to problems with your body’s ability to make use of sugar in the bloodstream and supply it to body tissues, leading to elevated blood sugar and the potential for or eventual diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.
Your body’s metabolism is designed to work in harmony with your body’s needs and the food you consume. When you were an active child, your body required a lot of energy. Perhaps your school lunch included a cheese sandwich and an apple. You ate it and your blood sugar rose slightly. This signaled your pancreas to secrete the hormone insulin, which acts as a sugar controller. Insulin was released and said, “Okay, sugar, let me guide you out of the bloodstream and into the muscle cells where you can be used for energy.” Your cells were pleased to be offered this sweet food and opened their gates to receive it. Your blood sugar fell to ideal levels as the sugar was absorbed by the cells and then either burned through your activity or stored in muscle cells for later use. You felt great and all was well and good.
But fast-forward to your adult life. What happens when you over-consume calories, especially simple carbohydrates? And what happens now that you are inactive during most of the day, unlike when you were a child? If you are over-consuming carbohydrates, your body must work overtime to produce more insulin to help control the increase in blood sugar. If you do this regularly, the body eventually becomes less sensitive to the insulin that is produced. In simple terms, insulin just doesn’t work as well anymore. The result is elevated blood sugar with no place to go. So fat cells assist and start storing some of the excess sugar.
When this happens over and over again — as is the case for most people who are overweight or obese — muscle cells are more likely to say no to the insulin when it comes knocking. This describes a common condition known as “insulin resistance.” The pancreas is a diligent little organ and wants to do a good job for you. So when excess sugar continues to enter the bloodstream, it pours out more and more insulin, even though the muscle cells have almost closed their doors. This sets off a host of problems that may eventually lead to type 2 diabetes — and other related conditions such as heart disease. Your body that was wonderfully designed to serve you now has high insulin, high blood sugar, and lots of belly fat. Not the picture of health you want for yourself. In fact, your body is now on the road to potential and serious life-threatening diseases.
No Added Sweeteners
One of the restrictions on the Daniel Fast is added sweeteners of any kind. That includes granulated sugars, honey, syrups, and all the other sweeteners flooding the market these days — including sweeteners with no calories. So your body gets a twenty-one-day break from the overabundance of sugar entering your bloodstream. Your pancreas now excretes a reasonable amount of insulin and, in time, your muscle cells wake up, start to listen again, and soon open their doors to receive the sugar to create the energy you need.
THE DANIEL FAST VERSUS TRADITIONAL DIET PLANS
We’ve been asked, “Why does the Daniel Fast work for me when so many other diet plans have failed?” There probably are many answers to this question, but we’ll offer three observations. First, the Daniel Fast typically requires a swift education in nutrition. In order to adhere to the Daniel Fast guidelines, it’s essential to carefully read the list of ingredients on food labels. This increased awareness of what’s really in the foods they’re eating often causes people to make healthier food choices — both during and after the fast. This is why we encourage you to make a twenty-one-day Daniel Fast the first step in your lifestyle approach to the Daniel Cure. In addition to teaching you more about food and nutrition, it will allow you to focus on the Lord and seek his guidance as you begin your journey into a healthful lifestyle.
Second, the Daniel Fast is all about eating the right foods — foods that are nutrient dense rather than calorie dense; foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals, as well as fiber; foods that satiate you. In contrast, many diet plans are mostly about cutting calories. The Daniel Fast does not place a restriction on how much you can eat. Rather, it places a restriction on what types of foods you are eating. Many people who have spent years suffering through diet programs in which they were forced to count calories and deprive themselves of needed dietary energy enjoy the “freedom” of the Daniel Fast plan. They feel satisfied. And this is important for sticking with the plan long term. In fact, in our studies, people adhering to the Daniel Fast for six months reported significantly better compliance (about 80 percent) than people following diets such as Atkins and Ornish (about 35 percent) and Zone and Weight Watchers (about 40 percent). That’s important to know.
Third, there are no restrictions on how macronutrients (protein, carbohydrate, and fat) are combined with one another or at what particular time food must be eaten. Within the guidelines, you simply eat what you want, when you want, and as much as you want. These freedoms typically result in the consumption of an abundance of healthy, nutrient-dense, fiber-rich food that offers a satisfying feeling of fullness. This very often includes consuming fewer calories than normal, leading to weight loss and body fat loss over time, as well as improvements in other health-related outcomes.
This is often why men and women on the Daniel Fast describe feeling as if they have received a surge of energy. Their bodies have been reset and are now working as they should. Many other parts of your body will start to operate in a life-giving way rather than being weak and overworked. Plus, now that your muscle cells are open for the business of burning glucose for energy, you rid the excess sugar calories from your diet and start losing weight. That’s why we frequently hear comments like this one: “I’ve never been able to lose weight, but on the Daniel Fast I lost twelve pounds in just twenty-one days.”
A DOABLE FAST
One of the significant benefits of the Daniel Fast is that it’s doable and flexible. (See “The Daniel Fast versus Traditional Diet Plans” on page 27.) People who would have too hard of a time staying on a water-only or juice-only fast for an extended period of time find that the Daniel Fast is achievable. Within the Daniel Fast guidelines, meals can be as simple or as creative as you like. You might opt for an easy rice and bean combo or perhaps you know your way around the kitchen and decide to experiment with a few new culinary creations each week. You might also consider using meal-replacement shakes as discussed in chapter 13. Whatever you decide, your nutrition plan can be complete, satisfying, and relatively easy to follow.
If you have special health needs, the Daniel Fast is also adaptable. For example, we guide pregnant or nursing mothers to add lean chicken, beef, or fish along with low-fat dairy to their meals to make sure they are consuming enough protein to nourish the precious life they are supporting. The same goes for those with celiac disease or other health issues. Simply maintain the core of the Daniel Fast and, in consultation with your doctor, make slight adjustments to meet your special needs.
The Daniel Fast is the perfect launch to your journey on a lifestyle of health. The fasting experience provides the boundaries we need to enter into a time of submission and discipline, along with the spiritual power and support we receive from the Lord. As we study God’s Word and seek his wisdom about our health and our life in Christ, our minds are renewed and our resolve strengthened. Meanwhile, our body experiences a cleansing and resetting that dissolves cravings, awakens our taste buds, and positions us for the life of health we desire.
THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF WATER
Water is essential to your good health. Maintaining adequate hydration leads to many health benefits. For example, your body needs water to regulate your temperature, protect and lubricate your joints, moisturize the air that enters your lungs, protect your internal organs, aid in the transport of nutrients and oxygen into your cells, help your organs absorb nutrients, and maintain normal metabolic function.
Water is the primary component of your body and makes up the majority of your tissues. For example, muscles are composed of approximately 70 percent water; your brain is approximately 80 percent water; your blood is approximately 80 percent water; and your bones are approximately 20 percent water. Every cell in your body needs water to function properly. That’s why the body can go without food for a number of days but begins to break down within three days of no water. The next time you drink a glass of water, think of the good care you are providing for the many physical components of your body!
Water also has great benefits for weight loss. When your body is dehydrated, it sends a signal to your brain to “consume.” However, instead of drinking fluids, we often interpret this signal as the need to eat — and consume unnecessary calories. Staying hydrated helps to eliminate this problem.
Water also fills your stomach, providing a temporary feeling of fullness. A common and scientifically validated tip to lose unwanted pounds is to drink a large (16-ounce) glass of water before each meal, as well as a glass of water with your meal. This zero-calorie beverage helps to fill you up and can help to reduce food intake, resulting in a loss of weight over time.
Water also plays a crucial role in disease prevention. Such was the case in a clinical study conducted at the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of Sheffield, England. Researchers found that women who are adequately hydrated reduce their risk of breast cancer by 79 percent. Another study at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle found that women who drink more than five glasses of water a day (about 1½ quarts) have a 45 percent reduced risk of colon cancer compared with women who drink two or fewer glasses of water a day (one pint or less). Impressive results considering the ease with which we can all increase our daily water intake.
TURN YOUR THOUGHTS INTO ACTIONS
1Do you have apprehensions about fasting? Or are you excited and eager to experience this spiritual discipline? Perhaps you have a mix of feelings. Take a few minutes and identify your thoughts about fasting. If you have apprehensions, what can you do to overcome them so when you do begin your fast, you will be armed and ready?
2Make a commitment to review over the next week every food label for the packaged foods you purchase for yourself and your family. See “Making Sense of Ingredients on Food Labels” on page 138. This exercise should open your eyes to the plethora of unhealthy ingredients contained in many packaged foods.
3Pick one day this coming week and consume only water as your beverage. Aim for one gallon over the course of the day. Then reflect on how you felt. If the results were positive, consider water as your beverage of choice from that point forward.
* The Daniel Fast: Feed Your Soul, Strengthen Your Spirit, and Renew Your Body (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 2010) provides additional teaching about this method of fasting. You’ll also find more information on www.daniel-fast.com.
* Salt is one ingredient that is added in large quantities to processed foods. For example, it is estimated that up to 75 percent of the sodium in the average American diet comes from salt added to processed food (or to restaurant foods). Even if you are limiting the salt added via the salt shaker, you may be consuming high amounts of sodium without even knowing it.
* It should be noted that while the GI of individual foods is important, the overall quantity of food consumed is also important. The combination of these two factors is something referred to as the “glycemic load.” In addition, foods are usually eaten in combination, and the GI of individual foods will be altered when they are combined with other foods. Individuals may respond differently to the same food, in terms of blood glucose and insulin response. To be safe, include as many low GI foods in your eating plan as you can and eat small and frequent meals. One exception: high GI foods may be consumed following strenuous exercise in an attempt to replace depleted carbohydrate stores.
† While this relates to our discussion of the GI, not all simple carbohydrates have a high GI and not all complex carbohydrates have a low GI.