1. New
    1. Member Announcements
  2. Home
    1. Get Started - Activities
    2. Posting Policies
    3. Community Standards
    4. Terms of Use
    5. Moderator Team
    6. Site Map
    7. Quizzes
    8. Articles
      1. Featured Articles
    9. All Blog Posts
      1. Elli's Blog / Articles
  3. Wiki
    1. Wiki Home
    2. FAQ
    3. Classical Epicureanism
    4. Physics
    5. Canonics
    6. Ethics
    7. Search Assistance
    8. Not NeoEpicurean
    9. Foundations
    10. Navigation Outlines
    11. Key Pages
  4. Forum
    1. New Activity
    2. New Threads
    3. Welcome
    4. General Discussion
    5. Featured
    6. Activism
    7. Shortcuts
    8. Dashboard
    9. Full Forum List
    10. Level 3+
    11. Most Discussed
  5. Podcast
    1. Lucretius Today Podcast
    2. Episode Guide
    3. Lucretius Today At Youtube
    4. EpicureanFriends Youtube Page
  6. Texts
    1. Overview
    2. Diogenes Laertius
    3. Principal Doctrines
    4. Vatican Sayings
    5. Lucretius
    6. Herodotus
    7. Pythocles
    8. Menoeceus
    9. Fragments - Usener Collection
    10. Torquatus On Ethics
    11. Velleius On Gods
    12. Greek/Latin Help
  7. Gallery
    1. Featured images
    2. Albums
    3. Latest Images
    4. Latest Comments
  8. Calendar
    1. Upcoming Events List
    2. Zoom Meetings
    3. This Month
    4. First Monday Zoom Meetings
    5. Wednesday Zoom Meeting
    6. Twentieth Zoom Meetings
    7. Zoom Meetings
  9. Other
    1. Featured Content
    2. Blog Posts
    3. Files
    4. Logbook
    5. EF ToDo List
    6. Link-Database
  • Login
  • Register
  • Search
This Thread

Welcome To EpicureanFriends.com!

"Remember that you are mortal, and you have a limited time to live, and in devoting yourself to discussion of the nature of time and eternity you have seen things that have been, are now, and are to come."

Sign In Now
or
Register a new account
  1. New
  2. Home
  3. Wiki
  4. Forum
  5. Podcast
  6. Texts
  7. Gallery
  8. Calendar
  9. Other
  1. Forum
    1. New Activity
    2. New Threads
    3. Welcome
    4. General Discussion
    5. Featured
    6. Activism
    7. Shortcuts
    8. Dashboard
    9. Full Forum List
    10. Level 3+
    11. Most Discussed
  1. EpicureanFriends - Home of Classical Epicurean Philosophy
  2. Forum
  3. Ethics - How To Live As An Epicurean
  4. Practical Applications and Epicurean Lifestyle
  5. Health And Diet
  • Sidebar
  • Sidebar

Fasting

  • Cassius
  • August 8, 2019 at 11:16 AM
  • Go to last post
Regularly Checking In On A Small Screen Device? Bookmark THIS page!
Sunday Weekly Study Zoom.  This Sunday, June 1st, at 12:30 PM EDT, we will have another zoom meeting (at a time more convenient for our non-USA participants).   This week we will combine general discussion with review of another question from our forum FAQ section. To find out how to attend CLICK HERE.
  • Online
    Cassius
    05 - Administrator
    Points
    102,233
    Posts
    13,997
    Quizzes
    9
    Quiz rate
    100.0 %
    • August 8, 2019 at 11:16 AM
    • #1

    I have traditionally not been interested in exploring fasting, in significant part because I associate it with asceticism and/or mystical eastern religious practices. I've been a reader and fan of low-carb diet theory, but I've not expanded that to fasting.

    In recent years however I've become interested in the work of Dr. Jason Fung, especially with intermittent fasting such as here. Anyone here have any experience with that? Here's their main Facebook group, which I hate to recommend but which has good info.

  • Online
    Joshua
    05 - Administrator
    Points
    14,895
    Posts
    1,888
    Quizzes
    3
    Quiz rate
    95.8 %
    • August 8, 2019 at 12:31 PM
    • #2

    I have family who swear by fasting, but they're devout Christians. I occasionally go a day without eating, but not on purpose. (Either because of work, or because of binging video games.)

  • Online
    Cassius
    05 - Administrator
    Points
    102,233
    Posts
    13,997
    Quizzes
    9
    Quiz rate
    100.0 %
    • August 8, 2019 at 1:02 PM
    • #3

    Yes the religious association is a major turnoff. I am trying to get on a one meal a day schedule to lose maybe 15 pounds and so far working very well.

  • Godfrey
    Epicurist
    Points
    12,186
    Posts
    1,706
    Quizzes
    3
    Quiz rate
    85.0 %
    Bookmarks
    1
    • August 8, 2019 at 2:28 PM
    • #4

    A couple of years ago my doctor suggested that I try a ketogenic diet along with intermittent fasting. I enjoyed both, but a cholesterol test showed that my bad cholesterol levels had skyrocketed. Apparently some percentage of people have this reaction to keto; I've stopped and would recommend to anybody doing keto that they monitor their cholesterol levels.

    I'm thinking of giving intermittent fasting another try. For me it was as simple as having a late breakfast and slightly early dinner. I'm not doing it for weight loss but for energy.

    I've never done any multi-day fasting but have read about the benefits. The hedonic calculus doesn't add up for me on that, though. ;)

  • Online
    Cassius
    05 - Administrator
    Points
    102,233
    Posts
    13,997
    Quizzes
    9
    Quiz rate
    100.0 %
    • August 8, 2019 at 2:35 PM
    • #5

    I've read a pretty good amount from Jason Fung and other low-carb doctors, and I gather that they say that sometime when we are losing weight the cholesterol numbers can go up. I am certainly no expert but I wouldn't give up without researching that aspect further, because the benefits of a method that actually works ought to be worth temporary number changes. I know in my own experience I have tested my blood sugars after a variety of types of high carb vs low carb foods, and so I have seen for myself how high-carb makes the blood sugar numbers skyrocket. To me doing the tests on your own body to see how you react to types of food is an excellent illustration of an Epicurean attitude in gathering evidence for oneself.

  • Hiram
    02 - Inactive
    Points
    4,106
    Posts
    582
    Quizzes
    1
    Quiz rate
    88.9 %
    • August 9, 2019 at 9:37 AM
    • #6

    I've read that the reason why people lose their appetite when they're sick is because the body conserves all its energy for healing / for the immune system to use. Digestion takes up a huge amount of energy, so by giving the stomach a break, the body does not have to use its energy for digestion and instead works to get rid of toxins.

    There's also research on cancer patients and how fasting, together with juicing, helps to diminish the side effects of chemotherapy. So again, it goes on healing mode (the shamans of most ancient peoples also use fasting, so apparently this is a very ancient practice).

    "Please always remember my doctrines!" - Epicurus' last words

  • Eikadistes
    Garden Bard
    Points
    14,522
    Posts
    843
    Quizzes
    3
    Quiz rate
    94.7 %
    Bookmarks
    10
    • August 9, 2019 at 2:42 PM
    • #7

    Being hypoglycemic, fasting becomes dangerous for me within 4-6 hours.

    This is a good example of the importance of the individualized, hedonic calculus.

    I tend to identify with Cassius, that I associate fasting with Christian monasticism and Indian ascetic practices, which marginalize the importance of the body. Clearly though, there seem to be reasonable applications.

    I suspect our general capacity to tolerate fasting corresponds with the evolution of hunter-gatherers and agriculturalists. Hunter-gatherers would have had to have adapted to days of movement without significant calorie intake. If we weren't engineered to "fast" at a certain level, we would never have made effective hunters. Similarly, agriculturalists had to wait for the maturation of crops; a dry season could lead to a dangerous decrease in calorie intake. Fasting––as a physical act, removed from the theological context––seems to be a trait that many humans would have been forced into through multiple periods of natural history. It seems likely that a large portion of contemporary people have inherited this tolerance.

    So, even though my mind associates [ fasting = illness],it seems reasonable that others could benefit from whichever physiological switches click according to the anticipated response in our bodies––BINGO. I didn't even mean to use that word, but, again, it seems automatic to acknowledge that our genetic nature "anticipates" the possibility of fasting, and is geared to respond to the emergence of this possibility according to billions of years of genetic "anticipation".

    Surely, there are some positives to fasting for many.

  • Online
    Cassius
    05 - Administrator
    Points
    102,233
    Posts
    13,997
    Quizzes
    9
    Quiz rate
    100.0 %
    • August 9, 2019 at 4:29 PM
    • #8

    I've seen pictures of you Nate and you're so thin I can't believe that dieting ever enters your mind! ;)

Unread Threads

    1. Title
    2. Replies
    3. Last Reply
    1. Daily life of ancient Epicureans / 21st Century Epicureans 38

      • Like 3
      • Robert
      • May 21, 2025 at 8:23 PM
      • General Discussion
      • Robert
      • May 29, 2025 at 1:44 PM
    2. Replies
      38
      Views
      1.8k
      38
    3. Pacatus

      May 29, 2025 at 1:44 PM
    1. Emily Austin's "LIving For Pleasure" Wins Award. (H/T to Lowri for finding this!)

      • Like 4
      • Cassius
      • May 28, 2025 at 10:57 PM
      • General Discussion
      • Cassius
      • May 28, 2025 at 10:57 PM
    2. Replies
      0
      Views
      113
    1. Confusion: "The feelings are only two" 49

      • Like 3
      • Rolf
      • May 26, 2025 at 2:10 PM
      • General Discussion
      • Rolf
      • May 28, 2025 at 1:09 PM
    2. Replies
      49
      Views
      1k
      49
    3. Rolf

      May 28, 2025 at 1:09 PM
    1. Brain-storming Ideas for Future Study Groups 10

      • Like 3
      • Kalosyni
      • May 10, 2025 at 11:45 AM
      • General Discussion
      • Kalosyni
      • May 27, 2025 at 3:27 PM
    2. Replies
      10
      Views
      250
      10
    3. Patrikios

      May 27, 2025 at 3:27 PM
    1. Words of wisdom from Scottish comedian Billy Connolly 5

      • Like 4
      • Don
      • May 25, 2025 at 8:33 AM
      • General Discussion
      • Don
      • May 25, 2025 at 12:27 PM
    2. Replies
      5
      Views
      306
      5
    3. Don

      May 25, 2025 at 12:27 PM

Latest Posts

  • Daily life of ancient Epicureans / 21st Century Epicureans

    Pacatus May 29, 2025 at 1:44 PM
  • Happy Birthday General Thread

    Cassius May 29, 2025 at 4:12 AM
  • Emily Austin's "LIving For Pleasure" Wins Award. (H/T to Lowri for finding this!)

    Cassius May 28, 2025 at 10:57 PM
  • Confusion: "The feelings are only two"

    Rolf May 28, 2025 at 1:09 PM
  • Episode 282 - Is A Trifling Pain A Greater Evil Than The Worst Infamy?

    Don May 28, 2025 at 1:04 PM
  • Brain-storming Ideas for Future Study Groups

    Patrikios May 27, 2025 at 3:27 PM
  • First Monday Monthly Zoom - 8pm ET

    Kalosyni May 27, 2025 at 2:27 PM
  • Sunday Zoom - How to Attend - Summer 2025

    Kalosyni May 27, 2025 at 11:07 AM
  • Sunday Zoom: "Discussion on the Forum FAQ Section" - Sundays @ 12:30pm EDT

    Kalosyni May 26, 2025 at 2:31 PM
  • Welcome Karim!

    Karim May 26, 2025 at 5:00 AM

Similar Threads

  • Nate's "Allegory of the Oasis" Graphic

    • Cassius
    • December 19, 2018 at 10:56 AM
    • Brochures, Pamphlets, and Handouts
  • AFDIA - Chapter Eight - Text and Discussion

    • Cassius
    • February 15, 2019 at 6:54 PM
    • A Few Days In Athens - Chapter Specific Threads
  • The Notre Dame Fire

    • Cassius
    • April 15, 2019 at 4:57 PM
    • General Discussion
  • Lucian: The True History

    • Cassius
    • February 14, 2019 at 2:43 PM
    • Lucian of Samosata - General

EpicureanFriends - Classical Epicurean Philosophy

  1. Home
    1. About Us
    2. Classical Epicurean Philosophy
  2. Wiki
    1. Getting Started
  3. Frequently Asked Questions
    1. Site Map
  4. Forum
    1. Latest Threads
    2. Featured Threads
    3. Unread Posts
  5. Texts
    1. Core Texts
    2. Biography of Epicurus
    3. Lucretius
  6. Articles
    1. Latest Articles
  7. Gallery
    1. Featured Images
  8. Calendar
    1. This Month At EpicureanFriends
Powered by WoltLab Suite™ 6.0.22
Style: Inspire by cls-design
Stylename
Inspire
Manufacturer
cls-design
Licence
Commercial styles
Help
Supportforum
Visit cls-design
  • Everywhere
  • This Thread
  • This Forum
  • Forum
  • Articles
  • Blog Articles
  • Files
  • Gallery
  • Events
  • Pages
  • Wiki
  • Help
  • FAQ
  • More Options
foo
Save Quote