In the book of Daniel
verse 1:12 "Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables (pulses) to eat and water to drink. 13 Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see." 14 So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days.
15 At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. 16 So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.
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It hit me the other day that my diet for the last 5 years has been basically what Daniel ate for a 10 day test (and apparently afterwards, once they saw the benefits of the diet), so I thought it might be nice for those of you who haven't eaten this way to give you a few tips and tricks.
I'll start out this post with a list of what to eat on a Daniel fast and what to avoid. Of course it is between you and the Lord what you ultimately decide to abstain from. If you are interested in a packet with over 20 pages of delicious recipes, and a 10 day meal plan, please comment with your contact info OR email me at thefigidea@mac.com and I'll send it to you.
When doing a long term fast, such as a 40 day fast, it is not advisable to abstain from all food if you are active and do not plan on lots of extra hours to rest. A Daniel Fast is therefore a good option for a lot of people because even though it excludes a lot of foods common in the American diet these days, you can consume as much fruit and vegetables, nuts, seeds, some grains and legumes on the diet. That way you get enough calories in order to keep you going strong-no fainting in class allowed!
In the packet I've included raw food recipes and cooked vegan recipes, so you can mix it up how you prefer, and take the fast as deep as you like. No matter what you decide to abstain from, if you cut out junk food, processed foods you'll be in good shape. It is fairly simple to improve upon the standard American diet (SAD), since it generally is full of foods that are less than ideal as far as creating healthful bodies. Processed foods contain many chemicals that disturb the delicate balance of our bodies functions. The goal is to eat as much whole, fresh, ripe, raw and organic plant foods as you possibly can. The more you eat fresh the better your body will treat you, and it will be less like a fast and more like a feast! A feast on good food that you love and that loves your body too. :)
I'd like to show you how very possible it is to consume only fruits and vegetables, and also how very enjoyable it is! :) If I have lived for 5 years on fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds only-in their natural uncooked raw state, then you can certainly do it for 40 days.
Special Note: if you have health issues, please be sure to contact your doctor for advice before committing to any fast.
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Foods you can eat:All
fruits! These can be fresh, frozen, dried, blended or juiced. Look for ripe fruits! Email me if you would like a fruit buying guide to assist you in choosing ideal fruits.
Fruits include but are not limited to apples, apricots, bananas, berries, cantaloupe, cherries, cranberries, figs, grapefruit, grapes, guava, honeydew melon, kiwi, lemons, limes, mangoes, nectarines, oranges, papayas, peaches, pears, pineapples, plums, prunes, raisins, raspberries, strawberries, tangelos, tangerines, watermelon
All
vegetables. These can be fresh, frozen, dried, or juiced. Vegetables include but are not limited to artichokes, asparagus, beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chili peppers, collard greens, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, ginger root, kale, leeks, lettuce, mushrooms, mustard greens, okra, parsley, potatoes, radishes, rutabagas, scallions, spinach, sprouts, squashes, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, turnips, watercress, yams, zucchini
All
nuts and seeds, preferably raw and unsalted. List includes but is not limited to sunflower seeds, cashews, peanuts, sesame. Also nut butters including peanut butter.
Beverages: spring
water, distilled water or other pure waters. Fresh fruit and vegetable
juice, fresh fruit
smoothies.
Other:
herbs and spices.
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Note: My diet doesn't include any grains or legumes(raw food diet). However, the word 'pulses' in the text in Daniel 1 suggests that 'pulses' are any food that is planted with a seed and is harvested. Therefore it is possible and likely Daniel included grains and legumes in his diet so I am including those foods here.
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All
whole grains, including but not limited to whole wheat, brown rice, millet, quinoa, oats, barley, grits, whole wheat pasta, whole wheat tortillas, rice cakes and popcorn.
All
legumes. These can be canned or dried. Legumes include but are not limited to dried beans, pinto beans, split peas, lentils, black eyed peas, kidney beans, black beans, cannellini beans, white beans. Be sure to check can food labels for beans that are preservative and chemical free!
Foods to avoid on the Daniel Fast:All meat and animal products including but not limited to beef, lamb, pork, poultry, and fish.
All dairy products including but not limited to milk, cheese, cream, butter, and eggs.
All sweeteners including but not limited to sugar, corn syrup, raw sugar, honey, syrups, molasses, and cane juice.
All leavened bread including Ezekiel Bread (it contains yeast and honey) and baked goods.
All refined and processed food products including but not limited to artificial flavorings, food additives, chemicals, white rice, white flour, and foods that contain artificial preservatives.
All deep fried foods including but not limited to potato chips, French fries, corn chips.
All solid fats including shortening, margarine, lard and foods high in fat.
Beverages including but not limited to coffee, tea, herbal teas, carbonated beverages, energy drinks, and alcohol.
Also avoid all artificial sweeteners(no diet or sugar free products), flavors and colors, as well as additives, chemicals, dyes and Hydrogenated oils.
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Fast=Rest
The word fast is equated with the word
rest. I pray this is a time of deep emotional, physical, physiological and spiritual rest for you, and that God uses this time to open up all your senses (physical and spiritual) to download treasures and revelations from His heart into yours!
I hope this helps you out! :)
Heaps of blessings,
~Christina:)
P.S.
Keep checking back for more info soon...
and email me if you need support with diet/detox/whatever you need, I'd be glad to help.
:)
www.thefigboxstore.etsy.com