Practical and realistic explanation of fasting
583931
As a newbie to fasting (I have done limited fasts in the past, but without knowing the physiological effects and optimum procedures) I found this book a very good introduction to it.
There are many websites and books on fasting, but I trusted the opinion of the author, since he is a medical doctor, and frequently gives evidence for his assertions. His medical explanations help clarify not only what is helpful and dangerous in a fast, but why. This, in my opinion, separates a credible expert from a crackpot in many fields and particularly for fasting.
Some items which may be constued as negative: this is not a step by step guide to fasting (as the author strongly reccomends medical supervision for fasts), and the author spends considerable space on his agenda about the importance of vegan dieting(though dieting is essential to a healthy fast, before and after).
This book is definitely worth the money for learning the principles of fasting.
2001878
Bought this via Kindle after watching the television special -- I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in giving intermittent fasting a try.  It's easy to read; there's not tons of medical jargon.
2275434
There are a lot of books written on fasting, but none like this!  The author, Mahesh Chavda, is an ex-Hindu who gave his heart, mind, body and soul to Christ.  This is not a "dry" read - there are many personal accounts of miracles that will build your faith!  The author has lived out what he writes.

The list of benefits of fasting is so clear and so Biblically based that even if you only read that one chapter in the book, it could change your life.  Mahesh's message that there is power in fasting and prayer that is not available in simply praying cannot be ignored!  Believers who desire to be more like Christ and to serve others more effectively will not be disappointed in this wonderful study on one of the Biblical disciplines of the faith.  As Mahesh reminds us, when Jesus refers to fasting, he says "When you fast..." not "if you fast."  He that has an ear to hear, listen to what The Spirit is saying to The Church.
272489
Easy read that simplifies the process and benefits of intermittent fasting and Autophagy. The meal plan is realistically and makes it virtually impossible to not stick with this lifestyle.
3011293
I wanted to gather information about alternate day fasting, and this book gathers together important information that I think will help me.
3002689
I was intrigued to read the book Fasting  by Scot McKnight from Thomas Nelson.  When I picked it up I was thinking about Lent, and even though I cannot fast right now (nursing all that), I was interested in the possibilities of adding this to my spiritual arsenal.

After reading The Liturgical Year(see my review), I was a bit skeptical about it's usefulness but had to give it a try.  It was a fairly good read.  He tended to repeat himself a lot, but I think that it was a useful sort of repeating.  McKnight was very clear to make sure that the correct ideas got across in reading the book.  He opened the book with the idea that you don't fast to get things from God and I hadn't really considered that.  It struck me because prior to reading this book, that was precisely what I had been thinking of adding it to do.

Two big points stick in my head:

  1. You do not fast to get stuff from God.  You fast in response to something grievous that has happened.
  2. Improper fasting is not for weight loss or looks.  Too long & too extreme and it causes major problems for your body.

Overall, I would say that he did a fairly good job.  I was glad that there was no Catholic bashing (always checking for bias :) ), and he did a good job including information from traditional Catholic saints and holy people (as well as other Christians, of course).  I would recommend it to anyone who is considering or even interested in fasting as a spiritual discipline.

Disclaimer:  BookSneeze has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book to review.
4518210
This is a nourishing book for those interested in healthy longevity, and the healing potentials of the ancient practice of fasting.

It's a well-written and intelligent guide to assist informed "Intermittent Fasting" and even annual "Extended Fasting" - grounded in a LCHF/ketogenic understanding of how the fat-adapted brain is a gift to that supports us in the important work of rejuvenation and healthy longevity.  Lots of inspiring content on the bodys superpowers for fasting (mental, spiritual, and nutritional realms).  Also, many fascinating historical and cross-cultural insights from Cristi's own Romanian childhood and from Luigi Cornaro and Upton Sinclair and religious monastic traditions.  As a female, I would've also really liked to have also read about hermitesses and female practitioners like the Taoist Immortal Sisters, Hildegard von Bingen, Orgyan Chokyi, Dorothy of Montau, Jeanne D'Arc... maybe I will have to write that ;)

Yes, there are some ESL expressions and grammatical issues at times, but I'm just grateful he bothered to write the book in english or else I never could've read it!  And for those who find scientific study deep diving comparisons daunting - just skip them return to those sections when you have the bandwidth for it - that's what I did.

As this was written in 2015, not sure what Cristi's current take on butter coffee/Nepalese tea is for non-religious fasting.  I know that Jason Fung MD points to the fact that the fasted state isn't derailed by fat, unlike carbs and protein.  And athletes and sherpas that do things like climb the Himalayas have astonishing endurance with fat for fuel...

Harmonizing with the natural laws of biology involves so much more than one ever learns in western industrial culture - and this book is an important contribution to the topic.
3762525
Written in the 1960's, this book discusses juice fasting as a way of maintaining health, detoxifying the body and losing weight.  Clearly, juice fasting has been around for a long while, so it is not a fad.  It is so much more than that!
This book provides numerous anecdotal examples from the mid-1900's of people who have recovered from various illnesses and obesity while fasting on juice.  It gives some guidelines or "to-dos" for juice fasting and different methods and settings for doing a fast.  It discusses the vital importance of exercise and rest.  It does not incorporate nutritional information, scientific breakthroughs or medical insights from the past three decades.  It does not give a lot of detail about potential risks of fasting for different people.  The reader will need to balance the directives of the book with current health information and her knowledge of her own body.
The book is rather short.  As the title indicates, it is a guide for fasting.  It is not a guide for healthy eating when not fasting.  There is some information in there about that, but if more nutritional detail is desired, the reader will have to look elsewhere.
The author's writing style is very enthusiastic and easy to read.  It is clear that he had a passion for the subject matter and believed in the power of juice fasting.
After reading this book, "how to keep SLIM with juice fasting" was extremely clear to me.  Not eating = weight loss.  "How to stay young" and "how to stay healthy" with juice fasting were not as clear to me, and I looked to other, more recently written and up to date books for further guidance.
2728324
This is a good book.  A clear case is made for alternate day fasting, and a way to go about it.  Apparently, intermittent fasting is superior to simple calorie restriction in many respects.  I thought that message was pretty shocking.
3429987
I have read many books on fasting and prayer, but this book is by far the most comprehensive and informative of them all.  Brother Franklin writes as he teaches:  with insight, with practicality and with simplicity.  He writes from his own experience with fasting and his own in-depth study of God's word. I believe that God has chosen him to help restore the discipline of fasting to the church today.
1415269
I absolutely love this book and have recommended it to a number of friends & church leaders. The author is honest about the challenges of fasting and more importantly, the spiritual benefits and purpose of fasting. He draws on scriptures that are well known but not typically referred to in discussions about fasting. His sharing of his personal experiences and those of his church members makes the book easy to read due to the conversational tone. He challenges the reader to push past their excuses and seek God as never before. I had fasted for periods up to 21 days prior to reading the book, however, while reading the book I went on my first 40 day fast. It was an awesome experience and I thank Pastor Franklin for his encouragement and sound teaching! I will be re-reading the book when I start my January fast in 2010! After reading this book, I went on to read all the books written by this amazing author!
916639
Next to the bible, there's no better and more beneficial knowledge than what can be found in this book.  If you or someone you know has experienced major or minor health problems no matter how frequently, then this book is for you.  It exposes the mystery behind fasting and simplifies health related issues while giving concrete practical solutions that could significantly restore or improve your health and possibly save your life.  If you're not an expert on the relationship between health, nutrition and the functions of your bodily organs, then to NOT choose this book is to more than likely choose an early death.  Why not choose life - buy this book.
2603257
Although I've done some minor fasting over the years, I've never feel particularly "successful" about doing any long-term fasts.  This year I was really motivated to dedicate some time to prayer and fasting, and was plesantly surprised when my husband agreed to join me!  This book, and her website, were both amazing tools during this time.  The book offered practical advice, spiritual wisdom and down-to-earth easy to make recipes.  The recipes really made the experience very "do-able" instead of feeling overwhelming.  I think this is a great book for anyone looking for good vegan recipes, more understanding of what a Daniel fast is, or those needing an overall picture of how their lives would be different on a long-term fast.
224341
I've been researching fasting for weight loss. I actually first discovered this book at the public library. I would have gotten it, but it was only available through inter-library loan. The title intrigued me, so I decided to see if it was available for my Kindle. It was. So requested a free sample. I was so impressed by what I read, I ordered the full book. It is obvious that Dr. Whitaker knows his stuff. He writes in a way that is easy to understand and based on common sense. There are no weird pills, powders, meetings, counting, or measuring. He does mention a couple of supplements, but makes it clear that they are completely optional, and not required to lose weight. He understands how difficult it is to lose weight and the roadblocks (both medical and psychological) that often make it hard for people to lose weight. But he doesn't just discuss the obstacles themselves, he actually gives concrete suggestions and on how to overcome them. I like that there is flexibility built into this plan. No food is off limits, though he does (obviously) encourage the reader to eat healthy meals. I also like there is no counting, measuring, meetings or tons of restrictions. I know that I could never stick to a diet that is overly restrictive. I did Weight Watchers for awhile. I lost about 60 pounds. But I got tired of counting points and have gained a good chunk of the weight back. This diet is different. It is incredibly easy to incorporate into your life. It allows you to cut calories in a way that is pretty painless.

Dr Whitaker is an excellent writer. He is able to break things down in a way that is easy to understand. But he doesn't seem condescending or like he's talking down to you. He also includes a variety of success stories throughout the book. I just recently started this diet, so I can't say yet how much weight I'm going to lose, but this is definitely a diet I can see myself sticking to for life. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interesting in fasting for weight loss, but is intimidated by books that require you to fast for an entire day at a time. This book gives you the best of both worlds. It gives you the benefits of fasting, without making it seem overwhelming or impossible to implement. I'm not finished with the book yet, but Dr. Whitaker makes a lot of sense and definitely knows what he is talking about.

EDIT: This is still a great book, and I still recommend it. But the diet itself just isn't for me. Skipping breakfast just doesn't work for me. I don't feel dizzy or anything like that, but I take medication that is supposed to be taken with food. I was just eating a few crackers, and it did the job. But I also found that I got majorly hungry by the time lunch rolled around. I am going to try a diet where you don't eat anything after 6 p.m. and then eat normally the rest of the day. It seems like that will be a little easier for me to handle.
2624593
As mentioned in my other reviews, what did the trick for me was Dr. Jason Fung's videos and The Complete Guide To Fasting (Wheatbelly books are also an excellent source of information and will get you on the right path).Only have coffee with double cream until about 4pm. Kicked bread, rice & pasta and all processed foods. Really was quite easy. Went from size 38 jeans to size 32. Have been following these principles for nearly a year now, and weight stays off (went from 215 lbs down to 182 lbs in weeks). Stopped all diabetes and blood pressure meds within 2 weeks. Have regular check ups with my Endocrinologist just to be safe - he can't believe it and says most people could not do this - really - you would rather take a cocktail of drugs which will only get worse as time goes by, not to mention all the side effects?
1189354
Fasting is a free but powerful healing tool.  I'm glad Jimmy and Dr. Fung have taken the time to write this guide to aid people in utilizing fasting.
58187
Explains fasting well and in a simple manner. It has daily devotionals and Bible references. Recipes are excellent for vegetarians and vegans too.