THE DANIEL FAST

DANIEL FAST DAY 1

3 John 1:2
"Dear friend, I pray that you may prosper in every way and be in good health
physically just as you are spiritually"

As Christians we tend to focus on spiritual health and completely ignore

physical health. Consequently many spiritually healthy Christians are physically
sick. The scripture above reminds us not to separate the two. To fulfill our God
given assignment on earth we need both physical and spiritual health. Hence
during this fast I would like us to focus on both.

Today I want to focus your attention on a very important herb called parsley.
This herb does not only make the food taste nice but it also has a lot of health
benefits. Therefore, I would advise you to use it regularly when preparing your
meals during this fast.

Parsley eliminates bad breath and it may help reduce the bad breath that
comes with fasting.

Parsley is a natural diuretic. It helps eliminate excess water from the body. This
could have a beneficial effect of lowering high blood pressure.

It was found to play an important role in balancing blood sugar. This may be
very helpful to those who are diabetic.

Parsley contains oil called eugenol which has anti-arthritic properties. Therefore
consuming parsley may reduce the pain that is associated with arthritis.

Parsley has high levels of a compound called epigenin. This compound has
anti-cancer properties.

In a recent study published last month (December 2019), it was shown that
parsley prevents arteriosclerosis (damage to blood vessels) by suppressing the
expression of genes that regulate the arteriosclerotic processes. By preventing
arteriosclerosis, parsley prevents serious cardiovascular diseases like strokes
and heart attacks.

May God help us to grow spiritually and improve our health during this 21 day fasting
period.
DANIEL FAST DAY 2

When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah and after
he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and
had other sons and daughters. Altogether Enoch lived 365 years. Enoch walked
with God; then he was no more because God took him away.
In this portion of scripture we are told of how long people lived. However, when
it comes to Enoch, the focus is not only on how long he lived, but that he
walked with God.

Even today people live and die but there are those who walk with God. Life is a
gift from God. It is very important that when he takes it back, you are counted
amongst those who walked with Him. Our desire for 2020 should not just be to
live but to walk with God in this land of the living. Walking with God is dedicating
your who life to Him that He may use you according to His will and for His
pleasure.

Though walking with God is a spiritual journey, it has a physical aspect. That is
why God gave us physical bodies. Therefore we have a God given
responsibility to learn how to take care our bodies.

Today I will tell you about another tool of taking care of your body, almonds.
Almonds are classified as nuts even though they are seeds. They have a brown
covering which is rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants protect our cells from
damage. Oxidative damage to our cells is the major cause of diseases and
aging. Therefore if you take almonds as a snack, you don’t get sick often and
you live longer. Studies have also shown that almonds are effective in reducing
cholesterol. This means by snacking on almonds you reduce your chances of
getting a stroke or a heart attack.

May God grant us more wisdom to take care of our body so that we live long enough
to finish our mission.
DANIEL FAST DAY 3

Genesis 1:29
Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole
earth, and every tree that has fruit in it. They shall be yours for food"

God's original diet for mankind was a strict fruit and vegetable diet because of
their many nutritional benefits. A good example is spinach. It is an important
source if vitamin K and folate. Vitamin K prevents excessive bleeding when we
are injured and folate helps our bodies to produce red blood cells. Though
spinach contains iron, the iron in spinach is not easily absorbed by out body.
Spinach also has a number of phytochemicals that play an important role in the
prevention of cancer.

One import role of spinach that is not usually highlighted is its role in the prevention
of vision loss. Spinach is the richest plant source of lutein which prevents age related
macular degeneration and cataracts. Both conditions can result in blindness.
Therefore, regular consumption of spinach is good for eye health. In spite of all these
benefits, spinach consumption is very low world-wide. To maintain good health, we
have to consume green vegetables daily even after the fast.
DANIEL FAST DAY 4
Proverbs 23:2

And put a knife to your throat if you are given to appetite

Most of us are controlled by our appetite. If you crave something, you just give
in and eat it. This scripture associates over eating with suicide. This is very true.
Diseases of lifestyle which which result from overeating, are the number one
killer in the world. Fasting teaches us the discipline of controlling our appetite.

Learning to control our appetites will help us a lot because recent research
shows that eating within restricted time periods has a lot of health benefits. The
habit of eating anytime, disrupts our metabolism leading to increased abdominal
fat (umkhaba), increased cholesterol, high blood pressure and increased blood
sugar levels. To overcome the effects of erratic eating we must restrict our
eating to a ten hour period. This means every day you only eat within ten hours.
Let's say you eat your breakfast at 07:00 in the morning. Then you must eat
your supper at 17:00. After 17:00, you only drink water. So you must eat all your
meals (breakfast, lunch and supper) within ten hours. This gives your body 14
hours of rest and during that period your body repairs itself. In a way you are
cheating your body into thinking you are fasting everyday even thought you are
eating your 3 meals.

This time restricted eating results in dramatic health benefits that include
reduced body weight, improved sleep, reduced blood pressure and reduced
cholesterol.

May God grant us the wisdom to learn the techniques of taking care of our bodies.
DANIEL FAST DAY 5

Jeremiah 36:6
So go to the house of the Lord on the day of fasting and read to the people from
the scroll the words that you wrote as I dictated. Read them to all the people of
Judah who come in from their towns.

This scripture indicates that even in Old Testament times God's children had a
tradition of setting a day aside for fasting. Even today most Christans set one
day aside for fasting in a week. This practice does not only have physical
benefits but it also has a lot of health benefits.

Yesterday we discussed eating within a 10 hour restricted period. Today I will

introduce another type of fasting called intermittent fasting. This involves fasting
on two alternative days a week. You can either choose a Monday and
Wednesday or Tuesday and Thursday etc. During these days you only eat one
meal then on the other 5 days you eat your normal 3 meals a day. This is called
2:5 intermittent fasting because in a week (7 days) you fast for 2 days and eat
normally for 5 days. Research has shown that this fasting has a lot of health
benefits because during this fasing your body switches from glucose to ketone
metabolism for energy. Since your glucose stores are depleted, your body
breaks down fats. The immediate benefit from this is weight loss. The blood
sugar and blood pressure are also reduced. This fasting was also found to
benefit brain health by improving memory. It is therefore protective against
neurodegenerative diseases such like Alzheimers.

Besides these health benefits, we must always remember that fasting is a spiritual
exercise. We must not just confine it to health benefits like scientists. We must
always pray and read the word during fasting.
DANIEL FAST DAY 6

Genesis 1:30
And to every beast of the earth and every bird of the air and every creature that
crawls upon the earth, everything that has the breath of life in it, I give every
green plant for food.

Before the fall of mankind, everything ate greens. Even lions ate grass. Animals
started to each other animals when nature was corrupted by the fall. Therefore,
in the beginning, only fruits and vegetables were meant to be food. So right
from the beginning, God fortified fruits and vegetables with a lot of nutrients
because they were meant to be the only source of food.

Today I will focus on one of these nutrient rich vegetables, the cabbage. For
some strange reasons this vegetable is associated with poverty therefore it is
often overlooked.

Cabbage belongs to the same family as broccoli and cauliflower. It has

insoluble fiber which promotes regular bowel movements and prevents bowel
cancer. It also has soluble fiber that promotes growth of gut friendly bacteria.
These bacterial play an important role in boosting our immune system.

Cabbage also reduces blood cholesterol. It does it in two ways. The soluble fibre
binds to cholesterol and prevents it from being absorbed into the blood. Secondly
cabbage contains phytosterols which block cholesterol absorption in the gut.
Therefore, cabbage plays an important role in the prevention of strokes and heart
attacks.
BREAD OF LIFE

2 Samuel 6:4
And David danced before the Lord with all his might.

We thank God for Bishop Zoks for the revival he gave us the past days. We are
nourished spiritually. Now I would like to focus on the physical health aspect of
the Gospel. So today I will deal with brain health.

What does David's dancing have to do with brain health? Everything. David did
not just make some moves but he was dancing with all his might. This means
the man was sweating. Most importantly he did all this before the Lord. His
dancing was not isolated from his relationship with God and his calling as a
leader of Gods people.

Some people can look at this with disdain like David's wife. This is exactly how
we become as we reach our 40s and 50s. We forget how to be child-like. We
take ourselves too seriously. We live predictable rigid structured lives. We have
forgotten how to have fun before the Lord. Sadly this insipid lifestyle is slowly
killing our brains and by the time we reach our 60s our brains give up on us. We
suffer from dementia. Yet this is very preventable, if like David, we can arouse
the child in us.

A five year study showed that simple activities like dancing, playing board
games, playing a musical instrument etc., stimulate the brain and prevent age
related memory loss. Therefore in 2020 I would like to challenge you to engage
in 4 or more of these brain stimulating activities:

1. Dancing
Dancing improves your balance, memory and the speed at which your brain
processes information.

2. Fellowship
As we grow we tend to stop making new friends and slowly isolate ourselves.
Research has shown that people who engage in social activities and build
social networks in their 40s and 50s have a reduced chance of developing
dementia later in life. Let's meet on the 14 March and rekindle the fellowship we
had when we were young.

3. Learn to play a new musical instrument. We always relegate this to young

people. You are not too old to play an instrument. Playing a musical instrument
in your 40s and 50s stimulates your thinking skills.

4. Play games
When was the last time you played scrabble, chess or cards with your children.
Cards, board games and puzzles are good mental stimuli that promote brain
health. Research has shown that these activities improve both short-term and
long-term memory.

5. Drawing or painting
You dont have to be artistic to engage in this activity. What matters is the
activity not the final product. Drawing or painting improves memory, reduces
anxiety, improves your concentration and makes you more resilient.

6. Learning a new language

Language learning develops strong cognitive skills, increases your attention
span and develops problem solving skills.

7. Fasting
Fasting allows the brain to synthesize new neurons and this preventing age
related memory loss.
Studies show that engaging in in 4 or more of these activities reduces your
chances of developing dementia by 56%.

May God help us to be more like David and learn to rejoice in His presence even as
we grow older.
DANIEL FAST DAY 7

Joel 1:14
Declare a holy fast, call a sacred assembly. Summon the elders and all who live
in the land to the house of the Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord.

Today we complete one week of fasting. Praise be to God who has sustained
us so far. On this seventh day of our fast, I want us to cry out to the Lord and
bind the spirit of sickness in the church. Too many people are sick in the
church, both young and old. Some even die prematurely. It cannot be business
as usual. Healing the sick was central to Christ's ministry. He told us that we will
do even greater things than what He did. Today I want you to focus on any
sickness or disease that your loved ones or you may have and pray for healing
in Jesus's name. I declare that in 2020 God's children will experience divine
health. Christ promised us that we shall have life and have it in abundance.

Let us go to our churches today and worship Jehovah Rapha, the Lord our healer.
BREAD OF LIFE

1 Timothy 4:8
For physical exercise is of some value but spiritual exercise is valuable in every
way, promising benefits in this life and the life to come.

It is good that as Christans we focus a lot on spiritual exercise because it has

eternal rewards. What will it benefit you if you live this life with a strong healthy
body but forfeit your soul. However, we must not forget the first part of this
verse which says physical exercise is of some value. Though this value is
insignificant compared to that of spiritual exercise, it is still essential. One of the
most important roles of physical exercise is brain health. Dementia is one the
conditions that result from deteriorating mental healthy. The initial signs of
dementia are very mild and can be often ignored. You may start losing balance
and falling often. This may be followed by memory problems where you forget
where things are in the house and you forget words during your speech. Then
you forget routes you use daily. One lady says she was driving back home from
work when realised that she has forgotten where her home is. She was in a
road that she used daily. She had to phone her husband and ask for directions.
In its its final stages you forget your friends and family, even your wife or
husband. You get trapped alone in your brain.

Yesterday I suggested 7 things that can help you avoid this condition. Exercise
is also very important in the prevention of dementia. Exercising briefly even for
30 minutes five times a week is effective. Research shows that you need 150
minutes of aerobic exercise a week to prevent dementia.
Exercise increases growth factors in the brain allowing the brain to make new
neuronal connections. Research has found that people who exercise have a
larger prefrontal cortex and medial temporal cortex, brain areas that control
thinking and memory.

Let us go to church this morning to for spiritual exercises, but let us not disregard the
importance of physical exercise.
DANIEL FAST DAY 8

Ezekiel 16:49
Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom; She and her daughter were
arrogant, overfed and unconcerned, they did not help the poor and needy.

One the sins of the people of Sodom is overeating. It's rare to hear hear this
message preached over the pulpit. This is very understandable because it's not
just the congregants but even pastors do not consider overeating a sin. Hence
this sin continues unabated in the church. As the church we are eating
ourselves to death. Yet the Bible is very clear about the sin of gluttony.

The serious consequences of overeating is cancer. Cancer is one of the major

causes of mortality in the world. It can be caused by genetic and environmental
factors. Being overweight or obese is a serious risk factor for cancer. Excess
body fat increases the chances for breast, colon, esophageal, kidney and
pancreatic cancer. A large number of epidemiological studies have shown that
people consuming a diet high in fruits and vegetables dramatically reduce their
lifetime risk of developing cancer. Therefore, the Daniel Fast reduces your
chances for cancer in two ways: Firstly weight loss due to the fast reduces your
body fat, thus reducing your chances for cancer. Secondly, the fruits and
vegetables consumed during the fast protect you against cancer.

May God help us to control our appetites so that food does not kill us but nourished
our bodies.
DANIEL FAST DAY 9

1 Corinthians 10:31
So whatever you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

This scripture highlights that God cares about what you eat. This means we
have to think carefully about what we eat. Before eating we need to look at our
food and ask yourself this question, "Is God pleased with what I am about to
eat. Will my eating glorify Him?" God cares for what we eat because He cares
for our health. It is for this reason that He has provided us with many nutrients
that have medicinal properties.

Today I will focus on cayenne pepper, a hot spice with many health benefits.
Cayenne pepper belongs to the same family as chili pepper. It is rich in vitamin
A and contains an active ingredient called capsaicin.
Vitamin A is well know for its role in the prevention of night blindness. It also
plays an important role in reducing age related decline in eyesight. Some
studies have shown that it can prevent cervical cancer.

The other ingredient of cayenne pepper, capsaicin, has been shown to slow the
growth of cancer cells. It can even kill many types of cancer cells including
pancreatic and prostate cancer by inducing apoptosis in these cells. The good
news is that cayenne pepper can be part of your daily diet because it can be
added as a spice to many foods.

Let us glorify God with our eating and enjoy the benefits of a healthy life style
DANIEL FAST DAY 10

Deuteronomy 30:19
Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings
and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness your choice. Now
choose life, so that you and your children may live.

This principle applies to food as well. Food can nourish your body and make
you healthy or it can be detrimental to your health leading to death. The
difference between the two is what you eat and the quantity of food you take.
This choice affects you at a cellular level.

The cells if your body die in two ways; apoptosis and necrosis. Necrosis is
premature cell death that causes inflammation which ultimately lead to sickness
and premature death. On the other hand, apoptosis is programmed cell death
that causes your cells to regenerate leading to a prolonged life span. What you
eat may determine which of the two ways your cells die. Unhealthy eating
habits compromise your immune system leading to necrosis while eating a diet
rich in fruits and vegetables promotes apoptosis. Yesterday we discussed
cayenne pepper in detail. Studies have found that the capsaicin in cayenne
pepper promotes apoptosis.

As stated earlier, we are eating ourselves to death. In 2020, may we change this
habit and make a choice of eating to live.
DANIEL FAST DAY 11

Jeremiah 33:6
Nevertheless, I will bring healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them
enjoy abundant peace and security

I want us to enter into a prayer of agreement and declare 2020 the year of
health. I want us to put our faith into action by taking practical steps of living a
healthy lifestyle. God wants to heal all our infirmities, but we have do our part.

Today I want to focus on a very humble fruit, an apple. This fruit may be cheap
but it is rich in vitamins, phenols and fiber. It it the combination of these three
types of nutrient that gives apples their potent health properties. Most of these
nutrients are in the skins therefore it is very important that you do not remove
the peels of your apples.

Cancer
The fiber in apples protects you against colon cancer.

Weight loss
Eating an apple before a meal makes you eat less.

Cardiovascular health
The soluble fiber in apples reduces your blood cholesterol level. The peels of
apples are rich in phenols that are powerful antioxidants. These phenols play an
important role in protecting you blood vessels against damage. Thus reducing
your chances of getting a stroke or a heart attack.

Diabetes
Apples lower your risk of getting type 2 diabetes. Studies have shown that
people who eat one apple a day have a 28% lower risk of getting type 2
diabetes. The phenols in apples prevent damage to your beta cells that produce
insulin.

Brain health
Research has shown that apples may prevent age related memory loss. Apples
prevent Alzheimers by preserving acetylcholine choline which is usually low in
Alzheimers patients.

An apple a day keeps the doctor away. This is a reality. Eat your apples.
DANIEL FAST DAY 12

Genesis 3:6
When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing
to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it.
She also gave some to her husband, who was with her and she ate it.

When Adam and Eve ate the fruit, they knew very well that they were eating
what they were not supposed to eat. This was the original sin that led to the fall
of mankind. The act of eating may seem very minor but the consequences
were very disastrous.

This happens each time we eat what we are not supposed to eat, the impact to
our bodies is catastrophic.

A study I conducted indicates that 65% of South Africans are overweight or

obese, 37% are hypertensive and 8% are diabetic. This is not just a South
African problem but a trend throughout the world. More people are getting
overweight and sick.
Sadly, the situation in the church is worse. A study conducted in 2012 showed
that the incidence of obesity is higher amongst Christians compared to the
general public. To add salt to the wound, the situation is even worse amongst
pastors. A study published in the Journal of Health Care showed that 93% of
pastors are overweight, 68% are hypertensive, 35% have high cholesterol and
20% are diabetic. Now you understand why the message of healthy living is not
popular in our pulpits as pastors. What testimony are we giving to the world?

Christans are very ignorant of the sin of gluttony and the devil is the devil is
using this ignorance as a weapon to kill Christians prematurely. You have to be
conscious of the fact that when you overeat you are sinning against God. And
like any sin, it leads to death.

As part of this fast I would like us to humble ourselves before God and confess our
sin of overeating. Even those who have overcome this sin should carry us spiritually
and pray with us. As we humble ourselves before our Father, He will heal us and
indeed 2020 will be the year of health to God's children.
DANIEL FAST DAY 13

Roman's 12:1
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your
bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is a spiritual
worship.

Although this verse refers mainly to keeping your bodies holy, it does have an
element of health because even in the Old Testament times, God did not want
diseased animals to be sacrificed to Him. He was not pleased when the
Israelites brought Him unhealthy animals. He calls them cheats (Malachi 1: 8 -
14). A similar principle applies when you worship God with your bodies. If your
body is diseased because of your unhealthy eating habits, do you think God
considers you as an acceptable sacrifice?

Today I want to focus on turmeric, a spice that will keep many diseases at bay.
Turmeric contains the compound curcumin, which is a powerful antioxidant.
Oxidative damage to your cells is one mechanism that is responsible for aging
and many diseases. Curcumin can neutralize radicals that are responsible for
oxidative damage thus preventing many disease and slowing down the aging
process. A study published in Oncogen shows that curcumin is more effective
than ibuprofen and aspirin in the treatment of inflammation.

Blood vessels
Curcumin improves the health of blood vessels thus reducing the risk of heart
disease. One study showed curcumin to be as effective as exercise in
preventing heart diseases.

Cancer
Inflammation is linked to growth of cancer cells. By reducing inflammation,
curcumin has been shown to be effective in the prevention of colon, prostate
and breast cancer.
Dementia
Turmeric protects your brain against Alzheimers by increaslevels of brain-
derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) which plays an essential role in learning
and memory. Since Alzheimers is associated with low levels of BDNF, turmeric
can prevent or reverse Alzheimers.

Add a spice of turmeric to your food, it won't only make your food taste good, it will
also keep your health. The down side is that turmeric is not easily absorbed into your
blood. But this can be solved by adding black pepper which facilitates the absorption
of turmeric in your gut.
DANIEL FAST DAY 14

Deuteronomy 28:1
If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all the commands I give
you today, then the Lord your God will set you above all nations on earth.

This was the promise made by God to the Israelites before they entered the
promised land. They listened carefully but they never obeyed and they never
experienced God's blessings.

This month we are entering into a new decade, which marks the begining of
new things. The blessings of God are relevant to you now as they were to the
Israelites. You can choose to enter 2020 with these blessings by obeying Gods
word.

During this fasting period we have prayed and read God's word, now the
biggest challenge is whether you are going to obey God's word or go back to
your old habits of eating unhealthy foods.

Today I am going to focus on one of God's most potent medicines, the tomato.
Tomatoes are fruits but they are often mistaken for vegetables because of the
way they are prepared. This fruit is rich in a number of vitamins especially
vitamin C. The skins contain a carotenoid called lycopene which is responsible
for the tomato's health benefits. The more red the tomato, the higher the
content of lycopene in the skin. Tomato products like tomato paste and tomato
sauce, contain more lycopene than fresh tomatoes. Cooked tomatoes also have
a higher content of lycopene than raw tomatoes. Lycopene is fat soluble so
adding healthy fat to your tomatoes increases the absorption of lycopene in
your gut.

Epidemiological studies have shown that eating tomatoes is associated with a

reduced risk of prostate, breast and stomach cancer. Lycopene has also been
shown to reduce benign prostate hyperplasia (the age related non-cencerous
swelling of the prostate gland). However, to get these benefits you have to eat
tomatoes 2 times or more a week.

Besides cancer, consumption of tomatoes is associated with a reduced risk of

cardiovascular disease. This is due to the lycopene's potent antioxidant
properties and its ability to reduce blood cholesterol. These actions reduce your
risk of getting a stroke or heart attack.

May God help us not just to be hearers of the word, but doers as well.
DANIEL FAST DAY 15

2 Timothy 1:17
For God has not given us the spirit of timidity, but of power, love, and self
control.

We are in the last week of our fasting, one of the important things we have to
focus on is self-control. As you have realised, one of the most important things
you have to learn to control, is your appetite. Inability to control your appetite
can cost you many things, including your life. The power of the stomach is
demonstrated in the life of Esau, whose hunger caused him to lose his
birthright, just for a bowl of beans.

Why is hunger so powerful? The stomach has it's own brain called the enteric
nervous system. This is also called the second brain because it is capable of
acting independent of the brain and spinal cord. Many of the peptides that
regulate food intake are found in the enteric nervous system. This explains why
hunger is so powerful and so many people are overweight or obese. We thank
God who has not given us the spirit of timidity but the spirit self control.
Therefore, no matter how powerful the brain stomach can be, it is subject to our
authority because we have self control that does not only depend on our will
power but it comes from above.

Next time you have a strong uncontrollable urge to eat what you are not supposed to
eat or when you are not supposed to eat, just say NO! and your stomach will obey, in
Jesus name.
DANIEL FAST DAY 16

Exodus 23:25
Worship the Lord your God, and His blessing will be on your food and water. I
will take sickness from among you.

We often limit worship to Sundays during the church service. However worship
is much broader than that. It goes beyond the Sunday service. It is a daily
lifestyle of doing everything for God's glory. It includes eating. Do you think the
way you eat brings glory to God? In 2020 let's tack back our power from food.
Let us worship Him even in the way we eat. Let's turn food from a killer to a
healer. And He will take away sickness from amongst us.

God has enriched fruits and vegetables with healing ingredients. One of these
vegetables with known healing properties is an anion. Onions belong to the
same family as garlic. It is low on calories but rich in nutrients especially vitamin
C which is a powerful antioxidant.
Onions also contain quercetin which reduces blood cholesterol and blood
pressure, thus onions protects against strokes and heart attacks. The red onion
has even more health benefits because it contains anthocyanins which have
anti-cancer properties. A study published in 2017 shows that anthocyanins may
prevent breast cancer because of their ability to inhibit proliferation of cancer
cells. They also trigger apoptosis of cancer cells resulting in the death of cancer
cells.

Let us take worship beyond the Sunday service. Let is worship our Father by taking
care of the temple of the Holy Spirit, daily.
DANIEL FAST DAY 17

Joshua 14:11-12
I am as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I am just as vigorous to go
out to war as I was then. Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised
me that day.

This was an 85 year old man talking. Still full of vigour and ready to face
challenges. This is unusual because by age 50 many people give up on their hill
countries (life dreams). They are settled in life. They also dont engage anymore
on the exciting part of life. They no longer listen to music, dance, play games,
go out. Watching sopies, news, and soccer on TV is ther best form of
entertainment. The disease of aging has caught up with them. It is slowing them
down preparing them for the grave.

Why was Caleb so different? Firstly it was his faith in God and secondly it was
his diet. God kept them on a strict manna diet to make sure that they remain
healthy to enjoy the benefits of the promised land.

God has fortified fruits and vegetables with nutrients to prolong our lives.
Research has shown that oxidative damage to our cells plays a key role in the
aging process. Thank God there fruits like blueberries. Blueberries have the
highest concentration of antioxidants than all fruits and vegetables. That's why
they are referred as kings of the antioxidants. They are the perfect fountain of
your. They are able to slow down the aging process including improving your
brain function. Research has shown that regular blueberry consumption
prevents age related diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimers.

If you keep your faith and eat well, like Caleb you will achieve your childhood
dreams. Therefore, reach out for that dream, register that degree, start that
company, join that dance club, play chess and scrabble with your kids. Indeed life
begins at 40. All you have to do is eat health and hold on to your faith.
DANIEL FAST DAY 18

Proverbs 3:7-8
Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring
health to your body and nourishment to your bones.
The fear of the Lord is the begining of wisdom (Pro 9:10). This wisdom includes
understanding the importance of taking care of the temple of the Holy Spirit. In
2020 let us demonstrate this fear by eating healthy.

Today we focus on an easily available, cheap but very nutritious vegetable, the
carrot. Carrots are rich in beta carotene, an antioxidant that is converted by the
body to vitamin A. Vatamin A is essential for good vision and it prevents age
related macular degeneration. Carrots also have a hight fiber content hence
their low glycemic index. Which means though they have sugar, this sugar is
released very slowly to the blood.

They have both soluble and insoluble fiber. Pectin is the soluble fiber in carrots.
This fiber promotes growth of friendly bacteria which boost your immune
system. Thus regularly consumption of carrots makes you resistant to infectious
diseases. Pectin is also important for cardiovascular health as it lowers your
blood cholesterol levels. The insoluble fiber, mainly cellulose, reduces the risk
of bowel cancer. The beta carotene is a powerful antioxidant that plays an
important role in the prevention of prostate, colon and stomach cancer. Beta
carotene has been shown to prevent breast cancer in women who consume
carrots regularly.

Now comes the big question; is it better to eat your carrots cooked or raw? You
can get a lot of nutrients from raw carrots but cooked carrots are more
nutritious. Cooking releases the beta carotene from the cell wall matrix.

Let's fear the Lord, and get the benefits of health.

DANIEL FAST DAY 19

1Corinthians 9:27
But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others
I myself should be disqualified.

Imagine preaching about self control when you are overweight. How do you
teach the church youth about self discipline when you are overweight? We have
to practice what we preach. Over the past days we have practiced the most
difficult form of self discipline. We defied the strong urges of the second brain.
Let us continue this discipline even after the fast.

To maintain this discipline, I am going to suggest a very healthy snack, peanuts.

These are natural slimming pills because they are strong appetite
suppressants. Though we call them nuts, they are not related to nuts but they
are legumes. So they are related to beans and lentils. They low in carbs but
high in proteins and healthy fats. Therefore a lot of calories are used up during
the digestion of peanuts. Besides being effective in weight loss they contain
many nutrients which makes them excellent for cardiovascular health. They
also contain a strong antioxidant, p-coumaric acid, which protects your body
against many cancers.
A word of caution. In spite of their health benefits, peanuts are strong allergens.
They can result in life threatening allergic reactions in people who are allergic to
peanuts.
DANIEL FAST DAY 20

Luke 11:42
But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithes mint and evry herb, but you neglected
justice and love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the
former undone.

Though the focus of this scripture is not on herbs and spices, it gives us an
indication of their importance in the Israelites' lives. They were so important that
they were used for tithing. Natural spices and herbs don't only give our food a
good taste but they heal our bodies.

A good example is ginger. This spice, like turmeric its relative, has many
medicinal properties. I am currently doing research to see if it can reverse the
swelling of the heart caused by hypertension. I am sure I will get positive
results.

Consumption of ginger powder has been shown to reduce nausea and it is very
effective in reducing pain caused by arthritis. It also has powerful anti-diabetic
properties. A 2015 study showed that people who take ginger powder daily
lower their blood sugar levels. It is also well known for its ability to treat cold and
flue flu symptoms.

A compound in ginger called 6-gingerol has powerful anti-cancer properties. This

compound is only found in fresh ginger not in ginger powder. Evidence from studies
show that gingerol may be effective against pancreatic, ovarian, and breast cancer.
Let us spice up our food with ginger and enjoy its healing properties.
DANIEL FAST DAY 21

Numbers 11:4
The rabble who were among them had strong cravings. And the people of Israel
wept again and said, "If only we had meat to eat"

The people of Israel were fed a meat-free diet of manna throughout their
journey in the desert. This kept them healthy and strong. However they took
their health for granted and started complaining to Moses, demanding meat.
God was angry with them and he struck them with a plague. Many of them
died.

Today we complete the Daniel Fast and God is going to bless us in many ways.
However as we return back to eating meat we must not lose the health benefits
of the fast.

We cannot stop eating red meat completely because it has a number of health
benefits. It is good source of protein, iron and vitamins B12. However too much
red meat can lead to cancer, heart disease and kidney failure. Hence people
who consume red meat regularly have a reduced life span.

Red meat consumption increases your blood cholesterol leading to many

cardiovascular health problems. Moreover meat has been shown to increase
unhealthy bacteria in your gut. These bacteria produce trimethyl N-oxide
(TMAO) during digestion of meat. This compound damages your blood vessels
leading to strokes and heart attacks.

A study conducted in 2015 shows that red meat is carcinogenic (it causes
cancer). Cancers associated with red meat consumption include colon,
pancreatic, prostate and stomach cancer. Meat consumption has also been
associated with breast cancer in women. Processed meat like bacon, burgers,
polony, biltong, smoke meat, etc. is even more carcinogenic than unprocessed
meat. Braai meat is also very carcinogenic.

This does not mean we have to stop consuming red meat altogether but we
have to reduce intake and be careful how we prepare eat. So the following are
my recommendations:

1. You can eat boiled meat a maximum of 3 times a week.

Preparing red meat by boiling it is the safest method of cooking. Boiled meat is
less carcinogenic.

2. Limit fried or roasted meat to once a week. Frying or roasting meat produces
more carcinogens than boiling it.

3. Eat processed meat at least once a month. Processed meat has been
classified as a class 1 carcinogen putting it at the same level as smoking.

4. Limit braai meat to once in three months. Preparing meat in an open flame
produces the most carcinogens. This is the unhealthiest method of preparing
meat.

My final suggestion is that when you prepare meat always use herbs spices and
spices, especially turmeric and garlic. Then eat it with vegetables instead of
papa.

The Lord bless you and keep you.

The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious unto you.
The Lord lift up His face upon you, and give you peace.

AMEN.