the oldest cure in the world, by steve hendricks

A fascinating two thousand year history of fasting.

For thousands of years, fasting was more religious practice than scientific endeavour. From antiquity to Christianity, people starved themselves in the hope of appeasing their gods. Some philosophers and divines took a more moderate approach, and saw fasting as generally good for mind, body and spirit. But overall fasting, especially under Christianity, was an extreme practice that served little good.

Come the 19th century and fasting started to take on a more scientific aspect. It was proven that the body could endure fasting for much longer than was thought safe or prudent, and that it could in some strange way cure certain ills. There were some famous proselytisers, such as writer Upton Sinclair and  bodybuilder and publisher of Physical Culture magazine, Bernarr Macfadden. But for all these steps forward, there were many steps back. Fasting is deeply counter-intuitive. Starving yourself to promote a healthy body defies common sense. The most logical way to cure illness is to seek out a doctor and take prescription drugs or undergo surgery. The medical fraternity was deeply hostile to fasting. It threatened a powerful interest group.

Arriving in the 21st century, fasting has made a few leaps forward. There is a bit more science around what fasting does for the body, which is basic repair work, flushing out toxins and swapping out bad cells for good ones. When the body doesn't have to metabolise food, it can turn its attention to self-maintenance. While it won't cure all diseases, regular fasting might act as a good preventative. Studies show impressive benefits across a range of diseases. It could even be useful for combating mental illness, as several cases in the book demonstrate.

The great tragedy of fasting's long history is its neglect by science. If much more rigorous scientific inquiry in fasting had taken place over the past century, we might have cures for a range of diseases, avoiding hospital stays and lifelong drug dependency.

Steve Hendricks has written an engaging, lively, wide ranging history that should have broad appeal. 

The Oldest Cure in the World, by Steve Hendricks. Published by Abrams Press. $45

Review by Chris Saliba

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