Words Tell the Stories: Depressed? Try Fasting!

If you like the topic of fasting, this book is a MUST READ! ~ Excerpt of Review by Naturdoc

“Dr. Fredricks takes us on an amazing journey through time and through various cultures and religions, with the topic of fasting serving as the common thread. She carefully and masterfully documents facts about fasting that are truly fascinating! Her research on the effects that fasting has on depression is simply astounding.”

Guest post by Dr. Randi Fredericks:

Since prehistory, fasting has been used in various ways as a means of transformation. As a spiritual practice, it is the oldest and most common form of asceticism and is found in virtually every religion and spiritual tradition.

In psychology, studies have suggested that fasting can alleviate the symptoms of some psychiatric conditions, including depression and schizophrenia. In medicine, fasting is one of the most promising therapies, with research suggesting that fasting can cause certain drugs, such as chemotherapy, to work better while reducing drug side-effects.

Hunger striking, sometimes called political fasting, may be the most powerful application of fasting. Proof of this occurred in 1948 when Gandhi’s hunger strike caused millions of Hindus and Muslims in India to cease their fighting.

As a practical guide, Randi Fredricks, Ph.D. provides detailed information on the different types of fasting, where people fast, the physiological process of fasting, and the contraindications and criticisms of fasting.

Using existing literature and original research, Dr. Fredricks focuses on the transformative characteristics of fasting in the contexts of psychology, medicine, and spirituality. The relationship between fasting and transpersonal psychology is examined, with a focus on peak experiences, self-realization, and other exceptional human experiences.

Dr. Fredricks demonstrates how fasting can be profoundly therapeutic, create global paradigm shifts, and provide personal mystical phenomena. She takes the reader on an amazing journey through time and through various cultures and religions, with the topic of fasting serving as the common thread. She carefully and masterfully documents facts about fasting that are truly fascinating offering extensive information on the history, application, physiology, and clinical aspects of fasting.

Any serious student of fasting will find this well referenced book a valuable overview of this fascinating subject. She has thoroughly researched the literature on fasting, resulting in an excellent reference for anyone interested in studying the subject or planning to undertake fasting themselves. It will remain a good reference book for many years to come.

*****

“During deep fasting, what is called the rational mind is left behind for a time, and a different intelligence, located in the heart, is activated.” ~ Stephen Harrod Buhner

Dr. Randi Fredricks Dr. Fredricks is considered a national expert in the area of fasting and psychiatric disorders. Her discoveries in how fasting affects psychological problems is essential for understanding the manner in which diet, nutrition, and calorie restriction can resolve these issues.