Comments on: Is abstaining from fasting due to medical reasons a lack of faith?

By: World Peace

World Peace — Sat, 08 Apr 2017 19:35:00 +0000

In reply to papad. You can fast, but fast from something other than food. Do not use the internet, your cell phone, television. Fast from speaking to anyone, like a vow of silence. I am sure that God would welcome those fasts as much as He would your fasting of food. God bless you and I will pray for you. †

By: papad

papad — Tue, 07 Jul 2015 22:31:00 +0000

I am a convert of 43 years. I have been an insulin dependent diabetic for half that time. I also have an additional set of disabilities that has compromised my liver, kidney, and lungs. The ONLY known treatment fory liver has recently been studied and adopted. It is thee cups of coffee a day. The science is definitive and profound, however, i have chosen not to drink coffee, even though it would be easily justified by any church leader. It eould simply make me feel infaithful and unclean. But that’s just me. It most likely will shorten my life to refuse tis mode of treatment. My choice. On the other hand, i do not fast anymore, due to the unpedictability of controlling my bgs. Evwryone is different. My bg flucuates wildly for no apparent reasons. For me it seems irresponsible for me to throw another variable into the mix by fasting. It would likely result in disruptions of other peoples lives unnecesarily for me to do so. It could further exacerbate issues associated with muddled thinking an/or errant behavior that might resulr. It could endanger my pwn safety and the safety of orhers (such as when driving). It could easily result in my own unconscuosness and/or dearh. Some of the answers i have read here show an incredible lack of empathy, understandong, and an amazing degree of mosinformed arrogance, and ignorance of both medical and spiritual issues. The law is for man, not the other way around. I hope such ill advised comments don’t goad some poor lds o
into a tragic mistake.

By: Dora Ruilova

Dora Ruilova — Sun, 24 May 2015 04:19:00 +0000

I am diabetic and I drink a glass of milk with my pills in the morning and then fast till dinner at about 5. I consider it a mini fast and feel that Heavenly Father recognizes my efforts and I feel the same as fasting. I did not attempt to fast for many years but lately I feel called to try.

By: AR

AR — Sun, 10 May 2015 02:04:00 +0000

As a young adult, my physician after running many tests asked a puzzling question. (He and I were both faithful Latter-day Saints.) His question was, “How religious are you?” I had no idea what he was asking. And when I indicated I didn’t understand what he was asking, he went on to clarify by saying, “I’m telling you that if you insist on fasting you must drink glucose water.”
Knowing how terribly and truly awful I feel when my blood sugars are all over the place, I have chosen not to fast completely. What I do instead is to eat the smallest amounts of plain foods that I need to keep my blood sugars in proper range. I eat nothing that can be considered frivolous. An egg and a piece of toast is what I eat most often. As we’ve raised our family, my children knew and understood my limitations. As time progressed, we instituted a plain food diet even for the young children too young to fast completely. My little kids developed a sense of accomplishment feeling like even as pre-schoolers they were participating in the fast to the best of their ability. But perhaps the best thing we have done over the years is to open and close our fasts with prayer. We talk about our needs and desires. We ask for those blessings at the beginning. And we give thanks as we close our fast. It’s become a saying in our home that if you fast without prayer, you’re just going hungry. I hope my ideas may benefit another.

By: TruckerRon

TruckerRon — Sun, 10 May 2015 01:29:00 +0000

So, several of my heart and diabetes medications have instructions to “take with food.” Should I experiment with my health? Is it enough just to take them with milk? Should I try to swallow them without even water? Or should I fast and skip the pills?

By: Liz Perrott

Liz Perrott — Sat, 09 May 2015 16:10:00 +0000

I am surprised there has been no specific mention of the effects of fasting on those with Diabetes type 1. Also pregnant or nursing mothers.

By: Backroads

Backroads — Sat, 09 May 2015 14:34:00 +0000

Very well said.

By: Holly SB

Holly SB — Sat, 09 May 2015 13:48:00 +0000

I have a kidney condition which makes a full fast dangerous to my health. I choose to drink water and fast from food. I learned when I was pregnant and couldn’t fast at all that keeping with the spirit of the fast is most important. I ate simple meals (a piece of toast & cup of milk, for example,) and didn’t watch television or listen to “worldly” music, I prayed more & studied gospel writings. My fast Sundays were just as powerful & meaningful as at any other time. After all, fasting is about much more than skipping a couple meals.