Every major religion includes fasting traditions. Over a billion Muslims fast during Ramadan; Jews fast on Yom Kippur; Christians have Lent. If fasting were dangerous, these traditions would have died out. The fact that humans have fasted throughout history—voluntarily and involuntarily—suggests it’s normal physiology, not something extreme.
This companion explores the religious traditions, what universality suggests, the safety implication, the therapeutic history, and what traditional wisdom doesn’t tell us. (4 min read)