The Daniel Cure: The Daniel Fast Way to Vibrant Health

353 Pages·2013·3.51 MB·English

by  Susan Gregory

the
daniel
cure
The Daniel Fast Way to Vibrant Health
SUSAN GREGORY
& Richard J. Bloomer, PhD
We dedicate this book to those who shared their experiences with us so that we
could in turn share with others. We thank the men and women who committed
themselves to the Daniel Fast clinical studies, to the thousands of people who
have shared their fasting stories on our digital platforms, and to those whom we
have personally met over the years. Thank you for your dedication, generosity,
and sincerity.
Disclaimer
This book is intended to provide practical material that may be helpful and
informative. The information provided reflects the viewpoint of the authors and
is based largely on formal education, clinical and applied experience, and
independent study. Neither author is a medical doctor.
The information in this book is not specifically intended to diagnose, prevent,
treat, or cure any health problem or disease, nor is this book intended to provide
medical advice or to replace the expert advice provided by your personal
physician or other health-care provider. Please consult your doctor before
making any decision concerning your personal health, including alterations to
your diet.
The authors and publisher accept no responsibility for any loss, risk, or
liability, whether personal or otherwise, whether caused or alleged to be caused
from actions taken directly or indirectly in reliance on material contained within
this book. Use of this information is at the sole choice and risk of the reader.
The statements made in this book are the views of the authors and have not
been evaluated by any government agency, including the Food and Drug
Administration.
contents
Title Page
Introduction
PART 1:
about the daniel cure
1. Are You Ready to Feel Better?
2. The Power and Mystery of Fasting
3. What Is the Daniel Fast?
PART 2:
taking control of your health
4. Your Body Matters
5. Losing Weight and Preventing Obesity
6. Preventing and Overcoming Type 2 Diabetes
7. Preventing and Treating Cardiovascular Disease
8. Fighting Inflammation and Associated Diseases
PART 3:
getting started
9. Preparing for the Daniel Cure
10. Making the Daniel Cure a Way of Life
11. Nutrition for Life
PART 4:
meal planning and recipes
12. Meal Planning and Preparation
13. Meal-Replacement Shakes
14. Breakfast
15. Main Dishes
16. Soups and Stews
17. Salads and Dressings
18. Rice and Grains
19. Side Dishes
20. Gravies, Sauces, and Dips
21. Desserts and Snacks
22. Sample Menus
PART 5:
twenty-one-day devotional
23. Food for the Soul
PART 6:
conclusion and resources
Conclusion
APPENDIX 1: The Daniel Cure Meal-Planning Worksheet
APPENDIX 2: The Daniel Cure Health File
APPENDIX 3: The Daniel Cure Pledge
APPENDIX 4: Daniel Fast Benefits:
How Does It Happen and Why Is It Important?
APPENDIX 5: The Science behind the Daniel Fast
General Index
Recipe Index
Acknowledgments
About the Authors
Copyright
About the Publisher
Notes
introduction
WE ARE IN A CRISIS. AS A NATION, WE ARE IN A REAL MESS WHEN IT COMES to our
health and well-being — spiritually, emotionally, and physically. Spiritually,
many people are alienated from God or refuse to accept Jesus as Lord.
Emotionally, many of us struggle with issues such as ongoing depression,
relational wounds, or self-defeating behaviors. But it is perhaps the physical
aspect of this crisis that is most striking. The sad truth is that the vast majority of
us fail to adequately care for ourselves. Some are dangerously unhealthy due to a
lack of knowledge about how to live a healthy lifestyle. Others know what to do
but can’t seem to let go of the sweet, salty, or fatty foods that threaten their
health. The overwhelmingly poor state of our physical health is so pervasive,
many actually consider it normal to have a lifestyle characterized by inadequate
sleep, lack of physical activity, and unhealthy eating habits.
This health crisis has led to an epidemic rise in lifestyle diseases — those that
can be prevented or controlled in most circumstances by personal choices —
such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. The rapid increase
in lifestyle diseases is prevalent across populations, regardless of race, gender,
socioeconomic status, and religious affiliation (or lack thereof). And these
conditions have a direct or indirect impact on all of us. First, we are impacted
economically by the rising costs of health care and medical insurance. Second
and more importantly, we are impacted physically by an impaired quality of life.
Even if you don’t suffer from one of these diseases personally, it’s likely
someone you care about does. Or perhaps you are living a life free of disease but
recognize that your lifestyle choices are not conducive to optimal health. You
recognize the need to make changes. In this book, we offer a surprisingly simple
solution — one we hope you will consider.
PERSONAL ENCOUNTERS WITH THE DANIEL FAST
In 2007, my coauthor Susan Gregory followed a divine prompting to blog about
the Daniel Fast, a plant-based partial fast inspired by the prophet Daniel. To date,
her blog (www.daniel-fast.com) has received more than 9 million visits. With so
many people interested in learning more, Susan has had the privilege of guiding
fasts for tens of thousands of individuals, many of whom have come to know
Christ through their experience. Now known as “The Daniel Fast Blogger,”
Susan is the author of the best-selling book The Daniel Fast: Feed Your Soul,
Strengthen Your Spirit, and Renew Your Body and continues to coach many who
want to explore the spiritual benefits of fasting.
I (Rick) first encountered the Daniel Fast a year later, but in a different way. In
the fall of 2007 my wife, Chrissy, was pregnant with our second child, and the
twenty-week ultrasound revealed that our soon-to-be-born daughter had spina
bifida. From the time of Madison’s diagnosis until her birth approximately
eighteen weeks later, we learned all we could about the condition. Within her
first three days of life, she had two surgeries. The first repaired the spinal defect
— an open “sac” on her back that had to be closed to prevent infection and
additional damage to her spinal cord. The second placed a flexible tube, called a
ventriculo-peritoneal shunt, in the left ventricle of her brain. The shunt allowed
cerebrospinal fluid to drain into the abdomen, avoiding a buildup of excess fluid
and pressure in the brain — a common condition in children and adults with
spina bifida.
When Madison was six months old, the shunt stopped working properly and
needed to be replaced. She underwent surgery and in the days that followed
developed an infection that required hospitalization. She received intravenous
antibiotics and after three days was released. On returning home, Chrissy began
a twenty-one-day Daniel Fast. She had learned about the fast from a family
friend. Her purpose was simple — to pray for our daughter’s health. About a
week later, Chrissy took Madison out of the bathtub one night and noticed a one-
inch bulge on the side of her neck. We knew from experience and from all of our
reading and study what an infected shunt looked like — and this was it.
We quickly called the neurosurgeon, who told us to get to the hospital right
away. It was about 7:00 p.m. We put Madison down to sleep in our bedroom
while we hurriedly packed and made arrangements for someone to come to the
house and stay with our two-year-old son, Evan. At one point, Chrissy looked up
from packing her suitcase and said, “How will I ever comply with this fast in the
hospital?” We knew from the fourteen days we’d spent in the hospital following
Madison’s birth that hospital food was not remotely Daniel Fast compliant. The
last thing Chrissy needed was one more complication. She had enough stress
caring for a severely ill child. But after thinking about it, Chrissy felt a strong
need to continue the fast. She had made the commitment to dedicate herself to
the Lord during her twenty-one-day fast, and she would stick to it. Along with
clothing and a toothbrush, she packed rice cakes, natural peanut butter, and fruit.
Within an hour, our friend arrived who was to care for Evan, and we were
ready to leave. Chrissy went into our bedroom to wake Madison and suddenly
called me. I thought something must be wrong and expected the worst. But when
I looked at Madison, I saw that the bulge from her shunt was no longer
protruding on her neck. No swelling, no discoloration — perfectly and
beautifully normal! We called the neurosurgeon, and she suggested we continue
to observe Madison’s condition and see how things looked in the morning.
Well, in the morning, Madison looked great, and — praise be to God — she
has not had one major health problem since that night, now more than five years
ago. In fact, she started walking on her own in the fall of 2010, running and
jumping in the summer of 2011, and taking ballet lessons in the fall of 2012!
God is powerful and miracles do happen every day.
Some people might consider the issue with the shunt and Chrissy’s resolve to
keep her fast a mere coincidence, but we know better. Madison’s healing was the
awesome and mighty hand of God at work, abundantly blessing our family! And
this is just one of the miracles our family has experienced through fasting.
CLINICAL STUDIES OF THE DANIEL FAST
This initial experience prompted both Chrissy and me to begin 2009 with a
Daniel Fast. After completing my first fast, I was impressed not only with how it
impacted my spiritual growth but also with the health benefits I experienced. In
fact, I was so intrigued that I decided to design a clinical study to investigate the
health-specific effects. Not everyone has the option of launching a scientific
study, but it was relatively easy for me. As a professor and director of the
Cardiorespiratory/Metabolic Lab at the University of Memphis, my ongoing
research is focused largely on the cardiovascular and metabolic impact of using
nutrition to manage and treat disease. My research team and I conducted the first
clinical investigation of the Daniel Fast in the fall of 2009.
Our initial results were more than impressive, demonstrating favorable effects
on a variety of health-specific outcomes, including reductions in blood pressure,
cholesterol, and markers of systemic inflammation,* as well as an increase in
antioxidant capacity† and molecular compounds important for blood vessel
health and blood flow. Since that initial work, we have conducted several
additional studies, all demonstrating positive outcomes and supporting our initial