The Science and Fine Art of Fasting

By: Herbert M. Shelton

Narrated by: Larry Peterson

In his 1934 book, The Science and Fine Art of Fasting, Herbert M. Shelton outlined his theory that fasting is a key component in promoting healing. The book’s ideas run counter to the well-known conventional wisdom that those who are sick must eat to “keep up their strength” and posits that fasting is a natural part of the rhythm of life. Shelton’s book outlines the history of this practice and explains the following in detail: what is fasting, the purpose of fasting, how to fast successfully, intermittent fasting for healing, and the general benefits of fasting.

Shelton was writing before the advent of genetic theory and modern medicine. His beliefs were criticized during his time, and he even faced legal penalties for publishing his views. But modern science is now beginning to show that, in some instances, his theories were accurate. Caloric restriction has been repeatedly shown to increase life span in animals, and researchers, such as David Sinclair of Harvard University, have discovered the cellular and genetic mechanisms that respond to such techniques.

According to Shelton, when someone is fasting, the energy typically going into eating and digestion is instead redirected to promote health and wellbeing. Fasting works as a method of “resetting” the body’s metabolism and has a multitude of applications. Shelton divided fasting into two distinct periods: eating and abstaining. Both periods are considered to be vital aspects of the same process.

As a child on his family’s farm, Shelton observed animals abstain from food when upset, wounded, sick, or just simply not hungry. Shelton came to understand this behavior as a means of survival. Man, as part of the organic world, has many reasons to mimic such behavior and has done so throughout history — as is seen in various religious practices throughout the world. Shelton viewed the purpose of fasting as a natural occurrence that generated healing and restorative benefits. As with animals, Shelton believed abstention from food is sometimes more beneficial than its consumption. For more than 10,000 years, fasting was used to alleviate human illness. In his book, Shelton gives anecdotal evidence of humans fasting for periods of 60 days or more and shows the practice has been known to cure a wide range of diseases such as epilepsy, typhoid fever, cataracts, and obesity.

Over the course of 30 years, Shelton conducted 25,000 fasts ranging from three days to over two months. Throughout the duration of the studies conducted, Shelton found the number of red blood cells increased during a fast and that a general rejuvenation occurred. He claims to have observed rapid healing of wounds and various organ systems in patients undergoing the practice. In one case, a group of university students studied for one week without food and showed remarkable improvement in their performance. He asserted that addicts found relief through fasting and that other mental conditions showed improvement through his methods.

Herbert M. Shelton and his works remain popular in the alternative medicine community even today, especially in the realms of fasting and restorative care.

©2019 Mockingbird Press (P)2021 Mockingbird Press

A much need life lesson

I really dont trust doctors anymore. They are more interested making money than my health. Ive learned that your better off to learn about health on your own and invest in good lifestyle and diet practices and avoid doctors at all costs.

Very interesting information and studies relating to contrasting information previously written

Very interesting book that talks about the studies that have somehow determined the acceptance of fasting and healing hand-in-hand. The author notes much of the historical information and modern information that is out there how it dances around the volume of truth that fasting hold not only in human beings, but is one of the finest and most, questionable sources as animal. Believe that fasting is harmful or detrimental to once health and life is a very twisted notion that arose purely from a senseless shallow notion. The author stands to protect and serve this amount of absurd information with offering up the beautiful proof of the power of true fasting, in any situation where the body is not hole or not in homeostasis. He talks along the psychological, addiction, written person. This book confirms the very power and positive return to health that fasting as a magnificent inherent tool can accomplish with the patient’s determination and the inner work that goes along with, abstaining from food. A wonderful book very informative angle on fasting. It doesn’t really tell you how to fast but it confirms what doesn’t work and what does work in a general direction.

Awesome!!

This book is very informative. Thank you for sharing your plethora of knowledge. i greatly appreciate it.

Worth the listen

A good argument for fasting. I’d like more details on how to conduct one but I don’t think it’s possible since most people will have differing responses. Hence the title calling fasting an art.

A very good book on fasting.

This is a highly recommended book on fasting. I am of the opinion that some of the recent books on fasting are indirect products of this author. He has many related books to his credit.

10/10

Superb.. great listen and narration.

(I heard that if he himself would have used an enema towards the end of his life, then he would have lived much longer)

My knowledge is expanded on this topic!

I liked the very thorough explanation of how subtracting food and drugs is a far superior way to help the body heal! The book went by fast 💨 even though it was 17 hours.. I will be listening again soon!