Yes, of course it means sleeping well at night. Yes, it means waking feeling rested. Guess what else it means? Not eating as in fasting. Yes, for us and our dogs. Rest is one of the 8 laws of health. Yes, laws in nature aren’t optional and in fact are very much for our good as you’ll learn.
I’m going to focus on OUR health more in this post but first I want to mention once again the needs of our canine carnivores. In the wild, carnivores have no choice but to fast because there is no guarantee for them there will be prey for them to catch, Even if there is as during migration seasons, there is still no guarantee they will catch something to eat. While some may think it’s cruel to fast our sweet, beloved pets I hope together we will clearly see how this and this alone could clear up so many health issues in us and our dogs. Mine eat once a day a prey model raw diet. There are those who gorge feed so their dogs are fasted regularly since they gorge then fast, gorge then fast. Out of the various models of fasting, gorge feeding seems to produce the healthiest dogs. One of my friends fasts her dogs 3 days each month (they are super healthy, active dogs too). Why? You’ll find out why below and can do your own research into this. I’m sure you’ll find both naysayers and advocates. That’s true with just about anything these days. Just consider all the factors first. Watch the wild cousins of our dogs and then decide. Since rest is a LAW of health, it stands to reason digestion must rest for them and us to be well. Here is the podcast of this blog post:
This message of rest (as in fasting) has been coming up more and more for me of late (I know for the entire body of Christ if they are listening) so I’m going to share some of my conversation with a good friend of mine who is a retired veterinarian, Dr. Hugh Bassham. He’s the author of Better Health and a Plan to Achieve It – a three-legged focus on BEING and LIVING well.
In scripture we learn that it isn’t IF we fast and WHEN we sin, but the other way around – WHEN we fast and IF we sin. We’ve somehow gotten those two mixed up. I know, I know I am not a theologian, pastor, etc. However, I DIG in and learn, with Holy Spirit leading me into all truth – since He knows it all anyway and He said it not me. “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.” John 16:13, NKJV
If I post two of the most known scriptures about the previous paragraph, there will be argument, so please DIG in like our dogs do and learn…start with prayer and I’m betting you’ll also be led to fasting as I have been.
Also note that scripture is addressing those here who are born again followers of Jesus Christ. We’ve been set free from the law of sin and death into the law of the Spirit of life (Romans 8:2). So we are no longer bound to sin even though we still have the capacity to sin. In fact scripture also says that Jesus went to the Cross to be MADE sin (He took on our sin nature so we could gain His righteous nature), so Father could curse sin in the flesh, so that we may become the righteousness of God in Him! (2 Corinthians 5:21). (Want to receive Him, to know Him? Go here).
I think American Christians are the ones who switched things around so that we could live under a hyper type of grace to keep on sinning rather than allowing His nature to transform us. Also because we are so flesh (body/physical) focused we don’t want to NOT eat. The thing is, fasting for spiritual reasons is to be a living sacrifice unto God (Romans 12:1). To humble ourselves and bring our flesh into submission. Then His transforming work can do what it needs to do. The cool thing about God is He is multifaceted so lo and behold fasting also heals the body. Did you know that a three day water fast only can completely reboot the immune system? Funny thing huh – THREE days (Esther 4:16). That means we are to DIE to ourselves, just as Jesus did. DENY ourselves, take up our cross and FOLLOW Him (Luke 9:23)! Then He restores us – spirit, soul (mind/will/emotions) and body!!
Fasting hasn’t ever been my “healing” of choice lol. But I keep hearing God say this to me lately. A lot. I have typically only fasted whenever I’ve been sick in recent years. It’s just a no brainer for me now to do that. If I’m sick (which is rare), I don’t eat. I just drink liquids (mostly water, sometimes herbal tea, or water mixed with some juice depending on the day of the fast I’m on). It’s been easy to fast when I’m sick because I am already resting in bed. Not working, not exercising, not doing chores, etc. However, when I’m well, not so much lol.
To begin to get over myself and start to follow what I’ve learned about fasting for humans (and dogs), back in 2018 I started doing was what is called intermittent fasting. This is where you eat only during certain hours of the day so that I’m effectively fasting 16-18 hours each day.
That was hard too – at first. But I was determined. My good friend Bre lost a good amount of weight doing that after she tore her ACL in 2017 and had to have surgery. She was determined to be better than before her accident so that’s what she did to facilitate faster healing as well as get back to her preferred shape, size and strength. By doing that she also helped alleviate more knee strain and weakness.
When I broke my ankle and stretched ligaments back in 2013 while running with my dogs, I went on a vegan diet for 3 weeks, eliminating all refined sugar as well. Then I did all the natural things to help my body heal the ankle: soaking in epsom salts daily, essential oils (which I applied multiple times per day and changed them up as my ankle progressed), sunbathing, cold laser, herbs, supplements, and yes I exercised too (weights and pilates) while I wore a compression boot. My brother is a physical therapist so he taught me how to put a basket weave wrap on my ankle which I did under the boot. While I worked though, I sat in a recliner with no boot or wrap on so my leg could “breathe” with my ankle supported in the chair. I slept with a wrap also. My ankle healed much faster than if I’d had surgery or even done what the doctors wanted me to do (fyi it was a clean break which meant that surgery wasn’t truly needed. Had it been compound or some other type then yes I may have needed surgery no doubt). I drank a lot of good, pure water (NO fluoride or chlorine) of course and using supplements that support bone and ligament healing. All of that to say, we need to do what God has told us to do to BE well. Fasting in other words isn’t optional. I believe if I had water fasted for up to 21 days to help heal my body, the healing would’ve been even faster. I think we often switch from pharmaceuticals to natural remedies with the same mindset. Often the simplest solutions are the best ones.
Lastly the only length of fasting I’ve done is a 24 hour water fast when I’m well. You don’t feel too good when you’re fasting at first of course. But I’ve heard the longer you go, the better you feel plus spiritual breakthrough is phenomenal – which is the primary point of all of this for me. God just is so good He allows our body to heal too. People of yore always fasted for good reason as we now know. Here is a great resource to start you on this journey: Fasting Can Heal the Human Organism of Disease and Reverse the Aging Process
So I suppose it’s time for us to all step up our game – unless you already are doing this. I’ve done a lot of learning on this and as a Believer in Jesus Christ, I really don’t feel we have any other choice BUT to fast AND pray!!! So many I know have a hard time with this so I suggest starting with the intermittent fasting then go from there. I’ve struggled too but for such a time as this, I believe this is critical. Read the entire book of Esther in the Bible to go further into this.
Consider it for your dogs as well if you are raw feeding – if you aren’t then I invite you to consider learning through a course or a consultation with me to learn all the reasons as well as receive all the benefits for your dogs. Once a week. But definitely if you are raw feeding, consider feeding only once a day. As carnivores, they really do need to fast to BE well. Just like us.
Until next time…
Have a PAWSitively, tail waggin’, NATUROPATHICALLY healthy day!
Kim Bloomer, V.N.D., N.D. is an animal naturopath as well as being certified in small animal nutrition, with years of experience in animal wellness. Dr. Kim is a published author, writer, blogger, host of the DOGgone Truth podcast. Dr. Kim offers Animal Naturopathy Mentoring and Courses. Subscribe to her DOGgone Newsletter for updates or to her blog via email. Copyright ©2005-2024 Aspenbloom Pet Care, Dr. Kim Bloomer, All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the Author/Publisher. This article is intended to be educational. However, it is not intended to be a substitute for diagnosis or treatment from a qualified animal health professional. Dr. Kim Bloomer and Aspenbloom Pet Care, do not assume any legal responsibility for misuse of the products discussed in this article. The only essential oils referenced on this website are Young Living.
