Water fasting is a type of fasting in which the practitioner consumes only water. One may water fast for a variety of reasons, including medical and religious requirements. Such fasting for prolonged periods poses significant health risks if done improperly.
Health effects
Some engage in water fasting as a detox diet.
Religious requirement
Jainism
Jains maintain a strict water-only fast for 8 to 10 (digambar & Swetambar) days, during the days of Paryushan. The warm water consumed should be only between sunrise and sunset and not during the night, since night is a highly-susceptible time for micro-organism activity. For Jains fasting is a way of penance.It is practised every year and is thought to be a mechanism for spiritual unity with god.These Parv (Festival) are the days in which people revive , praise and incorporate in their life the qualities(Das lakshan) of their Teachers (Panch Parmeshti) which originates in them by following real Dharam .
Where in Jainism the sole/real meaning of dharam is Knowing Oneself with the help 3 Ratnatrayas .
So. essentially in these 10 days they try to know real dharam and their own value by following those 10 signs(qualities).
The 10 signs of dharam are(DAS LAKSHAN DHARAM)Â :
UTTAM (Best of Best) KSHAMA : Forgiving all living beings and asking forgiveness for hurting someone’s feeling. UTTAM MARDAV : Obviate Egoism (MANN) UTTAM ARJAV : Being genuine and Obviating Hypocrisy (Rectiduate) UTTAM SHAUCH : Being self-sufficient , Obviating Greed UTTAM SATYA : Being Truthful UTTAM SANYAM : Have self control on your Senses. UTTAM TAP : Doing Austerity UTTAM TYAG : Helping others by either giving donations of food,medicine,religious books or giving safe passage UTTAM AKINCHANYA : Renunciation of possible things UTTAM BRAHMACHARYA: Freedom from lust . In these 10 days people live there life very peacefully and try to follows these 10 dharams as per there capacity .
Roman Catholicism
Roman Catholics must engage in the eucharistic fast, which is a water fast before receiving the Eucharist during the Mass. While no nutritional or caloric sustenance is permitted, practitioners may take medicine if required, and those whose health problems impede them from taking part in the fast are dispensed of the obligation.
Up until the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, this fast was required from the previous midnight, as it is in various Orthodox Churches. However, under Pope Paul VI, the obligatory fast was reduced to only one hour before receiving the Eucharist.
The Catholic Church has also promoted a Black Fast, in which in addition to water, bread is consumed. Typically, this form of fasting was only used by monks and other religious individuals who practice mortifications and asceticism, but all Catholics are invited to take part in it with the advice and consent of their spiritual director.
See also
- Juice fasting
- Calorie restriction
- Intermittent fasting
References
Further reading
- Leiper JB, Molla AM, Molla AM (2003). "Effects on health of fluid restriction during fasting in Ramadan". Eur J Clin Nutr (Review). 57 Suppl 2: S30â€"8. PMID 14681711. doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601899.Â