Fasting: Physical and Spiritual Benefits

Fasting is a powerful practice that offers both health and spiritual blessings. Over the past month, as I’ve applied this law and principle in my life, I have felt a deep desire to fast more often. I’ve seen that fasting works as a principle—its blessings are received in proportion to my sincerity and intent—and yet it is also a law, a divine commandment that strengthens both body and spirit when honored.

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The Health Benefits of Fasting

Dr. Sten Ekberg teaches that fasting supports the body’s natural healing processes. When we stop eating for a period, insulin levels drop, allowing the body to switch from burning glucose to stored fat. This reduces insulin resistance, supports healthy weight loss, and decreases harmful visceral fat.

Fasting also activates autophagy, the body’s cellular cleanup system, which recycles damaged cells, supports mitochondrial function, and may slow aspects of aging. Many people notice steadier blood sugar, fewer cravings, and improved metabolic flexibility.

Reduced insulin and oxidative stress can decrease inflammation, resulting in clearer thinking, less joint discomfort, and improved vitality. Heart and metabolic markers, including triglycerides and HDL, may also improve.

Because fasting allows ketones to become a primary fuel source, many report sharper mental focus and better mood. Hunger and satiety hormones rebalance, helping the body recognize true hunger. Finally, fasting gives the digestive system a rest, calming the gut, improving digestion, and resetting eating patterns.

What Happens If You Don't Eat For 5 Days? Watch on YouTube.

Safety note: Fasting is not recommended for children under 18, pregnant or breastfeeding women, those with eating disorders, type 1 diabetes, or certain medical conditions.

These physical benefits naturally lead to the deeper mental, emotional, and spiritual clarity that many people experience through fasting.

Spiritual Benefits of Fasting: Receiving the Holy Ghost

While fasting has physical benefits, its spiritual blessings are even greater. The Glossary of Terms on Fasting explains:

“And blessed are all they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled with the holy ghost (3 Nephi 5:15). This scripture is not about hunger or poverty. It is about fasting and seeking after righteousness. All qualify for this blessing by ‘hungering after righteousness.’ All qualify by ‘thirsting after righteousness.’ In other words, one receives the holy ghost in proportion to the hunger and thirst he or she displays. Fasting is a promised means for increasing the holy ghost in one’s life.”

Wow! Look at this incredible blessing! Fasting is a promised means for increasing the Holy Ghost in one’s life. "The Lord speaks in simple formulas; they work. When tried in sincerity, acting no hypocrisy, with real intent, they work. Half-hearted efforts are not so effective. But when a soul, any soul, hungers and thirsts after righteousness, they are filled with the holy ghost."

Fasting and prayer open the spirit and allow individuals to know matters through the power of the Holy Ghost. As Alma testified:

“And this is not all; do ye not suppose that I know of these things myself? Behold, I testify unto you that I do know that these things whereof I have spoken are true. And how do ye suppose that I know of their surety? Behold, I say unto you, they are made known unto me by the holy spirit of God. Behold, I have fasted and prayed many days that I might know these things of myself” (Alma 3:8).

The sons of Mosiah also illustrate this principle. After their missionary service, they returned to Alma having “given themselves to much prayer and fasting,” and as a result, “they had the spirit of prophecy and the spirit of revelation… and they taught with power and authority” (Alma 12:1).

The Glossary further explains:

“Fasting is the most effective way to slacken the grasp of this telestial world on the mind and to move toward another ambience. To fast is to do without some normal necessities; your everyday considerations must be put aside because you will be doing other things that require a totally different mind-set. To fast is to disengage from the temporal and wasteful activities of the ‘real world.’”

Fasting, when done with sincerity and real intent, promises:

• Greater companionship with the Holy Ghost
  
  

• Clarity of mind and spirit
  
  

• Increased sensitivity to revelation
  
  

• Alignment of the heart with God’s will

Hungering and thirsting after righteousness is the pathway to being filled with the Holy Ghost.

Ideas taken from Glossary of Terms on Fasting

The Problem is Not Out There

If your heart is not at peace, something is wrong inside of you. These words are not to rebuke or judge but to show where peace is found and how to obtain it. The natural tendency is to find something or someone to blame for our pain. But if we truly want to be healed, we will stop blaming and projecting our problems onto others. 

When we touch a hot stove top, the burning pain is there to warn us. It tells us to move our hand. The same is true for our feelings and psychological pain. The pain is simply a warning sign. Something inside needs to shift, change, or move. We change our situation from the inside out. 

We all feel pain and turmoil. Pain can be very beneficial in helping us learn. Those who experience the greatest abuses and contradictions, have the greatest opportunity for growth.

When we say things like why me?  Or life isn’t fair. Remember some of the worst things happen to some of the best people. Life isn't fair because you have expectations. The key to happiness is letting go of expectations and dealing with what is in front of you. Life is tough, it is cruel at times, but there is also great capacity for happiness, even joy.

What’s the benefit of knowing pain is my great teacher? If I know I am supposed to learn from my pain, I can choose to be a good student. I can do something about it. If pain is just random suffering, then I am powerless. 

. . . though he was a son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered. Hebrews 1:12

. . . And Zion cannot be built up unless it is by the principles of the law of the Celestial Kingdom, otherwise I cannot receive her unto myself. And my people must needs be chastened until they learn obedience, if it must needs be by the things which they suffer. T&C 107: 1

Obedience to what? Jesus encourages us to be obedient to the laws of happiness. . . “Men are that they might have joy . . . “ 2 Nephi 1:10. When we are out of harmony with the laws of happiness, we experience pain. We are born into a world of pain. We all have different pain to work through. The purpose of life is to get better as soon as possible and be happy. 

We can do something about our pain. We can shift, move, and change. This is easier said than done, but totally in our control. Jesus has all power to lead us through the healing process if we will only ask for His help and follow His counsel. 

Healing starts with forgiving ourselves. We can’t do anything about the past except learn from it, and sometimes we can reconcile our mistakes with others. Don’t spend much time fretting about the past. Put your behind in your past. 

We also get to forgive others. Forgiveness has little to do with the other person. To withhold forgiveness only damages us. When we recognize we are all in a learning process, it makes it easier to give up a grudge. Being angry is a waste of time and energy.  A heart at peace is so much more desirable. 

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you — not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. “ John 9:9

The Lord’s presence brings peace and understanding. Peace is the one feeling the devil cannot imitate. If you are in turmoil, go inside and fix the problem. Call on the Lord to help guide you through the process. The problem is not out there. It is inside you, and you have power to be healed.

The Rights and Privileges of the Women in the Church

I was reading from the History of the Church and found some teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith of which I was not aware.

“At two o'clock I met the members of the "Female Relief Society," and after presiding at the admission of many new members, gave a lecture on the Priesthood, showing how the sisters would come in possession of the privileges, blessings and gifts of the Priesthood, and that the signs should follow them, such as healing the sick, casting out devils, &c., and that they might attain unto these blessings by a virtuous life, and conversation, and diligence in keeping all the commandments. . .” History of the Church 4:602

Here are some of the remarks of Joseph Smith to the Relief Society reported by Eliza R. Snow:

“No matter who believeth, these signs, such as healing the sick, casting out devils, &c., should follow all that believe, whether male or female. He asked the Society if they could not see by this sweeping promise, that wherein they are ordained, it is the privilege of those set apart to administer in that authority, which is conferred on them; and if the sisters should have faith to heal the sick, let all hold their tongues, and let everything roll on. . .

“Respecting females administering for the healing of the sick, he further remarked, there could be no devil in it, if God gave His sanction by healing; that there could be no more sin in any female laying hands on and praying for the sick, than in wetting the face with water; it is no sin for anybody to administer that has faith, or if the sick have faith to be healed by their administration. . .

“He spoke of delivering the keys of the Priesthood to the Church, and said that the faithful members of the Relief Society should receive them in connection with their husbands, that the Saints whose integrity has been tried and proved faithful, might know how to ask the Lord and receive an answer; for according to his prayers, God had appointed him elsewhere. . .

“This is a charitable Society, and according to your natures; it is natural for females to have feelings of charity and benevolence. You are now placed in a situation in which you can act according to those sympathies which God has planted in your bosoms.

“If you live up to these principles, how great and glorious will be your reward in the celestial kingdom! If you live up to your privileges, the angels cannot be restrained from being your associates. Females, if they are pure and innocent, can come in the presence of God; for what is more pleasing to God than innocence; you must be innocent, or you cannot come up before God: if we would come before God, we must keep ourselves pure, as He is pure. . .

“President Smith then gave instruction respecting the propriety of females administering to the sick by the prayer of faith, the laying on hands, or the anointing with oil; and said it was according to revelation that the sick should be nursed with herbs and mild food, and not by the hand of an enemy. Who are better qualified to administer than our faithful and zealous sisters, whose hearts are full of faith, tenderness, sympathy and compassion. No one. Said he was never placed in similar circumstances before, and never had given the same instruction; and closed his instructions by expressing his heart-felt satisfaction in improving this opportunity.

The Spirit of the Lord was poured out in a very powerful manner, never to be forgotten by those present on this interesting occasion.” History of the Church 4:602-607, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith p. 223-229

I feel blessed to read, hear, and live the words of God. He restored much truth through the Prophet Joseph Smith and his words are worth considering. Some of his views received from heaven seem to differ from what is generally taught in church today.

Sisters administering to the sick? Females laying on hands? Anointing with oil? Casting out devils? All that believe, whether male or female? A sweeping promise? Sisters ordained? And if the sisters should have faith to heal the sick, let all hold their tongues, and let everything roll on. Wow! This is getting interesting.

Delivering the keys of the Priesthood to faithful members of the Relief Society in connection with their husbands? No sin for anybody to administer that has faith? There could be no devil in it? Who is better qualified to administer than sisters of faith, tenderness, sympathy and compassion? No one?

I doubt this would get through the church correlation department in these latter days; in fact, it hasn’t. There are a lot of things Joseph said and doctrines he taught that have been obscured, buried, and discarded. If Joseph preached today what he restored nearly two centuries ago, some may promptly call him on the carpet, believe him to be an apostate, and likely reject him altogether. It may even be said, “There is a strange thing in the land; a wild man hath come among us” Moses 6:38.

Even in his day, Joseph felt opposition from the people and lamented that few of the saints were willing to carefully consider newly revealed truth. He declared:

“There has been a great difficulty in getting anything into the heads of this generation. It has been like splitting hemlock knots with a corn-dodger [a piece of corn bread] for a wedge, and a pumpkin for a beetle [a wooden mallet]. Even the Saints are slow to understand.

I have tried for a number of years to get the minds of the Saints prepared to receive the things of God; but we frequently see some of them, after suffering all they have for the work of God, will fly to pieces like glass as soon as anything comes that is contrary to their traditions: they cannot stand the fire at all. How many will be able to abide a celestial law, and go through and receive their exaltation, I am unable to say, as many are called, but few are chosen”. [see D&C 121:40] History of the Church, 6:184–85