text: what effects would it have on my body if i were to go a week totally without food?   why fast?  water fasting eliminates addictions, bad habits and unhealthy thought patterns. during the fast, the palate recovers its natural sensitivity to simple foods. salt, sugar, fats and processed foods become naturally unattractive. fasting is an ideal time to be introspective and honest with oneself. it is conducive to quiet observation of thought patterns and values. free your body from disease or accumulated toxins.  fasting is surgery without a knife. it allows nature and her healing power to take control of our being and do her cleansing and repair work. fasting is a medical procedure, restoring homeostasis, strengthening the immune system and healing many illnesses  free your mind from unnecessary boundaries.  fasting is also an ancient spiritual practice, withdrawing the energy from doing and transferring it into being in the moment. fasting takes us to our truth, allows old wounds to heal, addictions to fade, and our ego to die to be reborn into our spirit.  fasting brings the ultimate rest.  fasting provides a framework in which change is effortless and comes from the deep self.  who can do it?  fasting is beneficial to almost everybody with the exclusion of a few medical conditions. fasting may be practiced preventively to attain better health and longevity.    periodic fasting provides the rest for your digestive system. it allows your digestive system to recuperate from the rough treatment that you may have given it by overeating or eating the wrong foods or eating at the wrong time.  in addition fasting also provides an opportunity to eliminate many toxins from your body.  some people think that fasting is difficult. if you prepare yourself for fasting it is not difficult. prepare yourself physically by taking enough food and also plenty of liquids the day before. prepare yourself mentally by deciding the night before fasting: "tomorrow is fasting day, and i am not going to eat anything." if you take this mental determination prior to the fasting day, you will not be hungry during the fasting day. if you don’t make a prior determination, during the fasting day you will start to think “maybe i should eat, and fast another day!” decide before hand and you will be able to complete your fast..  all in all, fasting is one of the best practices for maintaining physical, mental and spiritual health. i highly recommend it.