Fasting - Transition to a world with scarce food

3aidlillahi

As you may know, it's Ramadan. It's the 18th of Ramadan actually. Ramadan is the (lunar) month when Muslims abstain from food, water, sexual activities and other needs throughout daylight hours from dawn to sunset.

At the beginning of the month, it starts off a bit hard, if you're not quite used to it. There's always the temptation of grabbing a quick bite to eat to ease the discomfort or drink a glass of water. However, as the days pass, it becomes significantly easier, especially on the food front. Being properly hydrated is a much greater concern - especially as someone who bikes 15-20 miles a day for 4-6 days a week, like myself.

One of the easing moments is when you realize that this is how our days will be spent for the greater part of the rest of our lives. Whether we grow our own food or not, we're likely not going to live in a post-peak world where your food and water desires can be met at the drop of a hat like they can now - be it in the kitchen or at the local burger joint.

The "problem" that arises with a scarcity of food - not to mention with a complete lack of food for even living purposes - is not so much physical or physiological as it is psychological. There is much ease in knowing that when you want to eat, you can eat. If that ease is taken away, especially in a swift amount of time with little room for adaptation, it will cause many people to break out as they won't be able to stand the discomfort or pain.

Fasting is, as I've learned and imagine, a decent stepping stone, if any exist, towards a shortfall in food sources and thus food accessibility. The hours (roughly 14 hours/day right now) are long enough that it tests one's ability to control oneself and think clearly when dehydrated, low on food and exhausted. Fasting, however, cannot simulate the psychological burden of not knowing when you will eat, if ever. The process of fasting involves, instead, actually knowing that you will eat, just not now, thus showing its flaws in perfectly capturing the feeling and experience of (nearly) starving.

I remember reading on here that someone else fasts completely for an entire week (was it Cur?). How about others? What have your experiences been like with fasting and the psychological and physical components that go with it? If you have not, I'd highly recommend that you look into fasting. I feel it can definitely help out at least some in your understanding and mental preparation for the post-peak world that we are just beginning to enter.
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I don't have the impetus to fast now but have in the past. Went 9 days without food once (though not sexual activity Surprised

... well during the same period anyway, I went my first19 years without that) and have gone a day or two without food a couple dozen times.

It's important to get healthy now while there is such an abundance of quality nutrition available to us from all over. I can't imagine trying to do a fast if I was 100 pounds heavier & addicted (to one degree or another) to cola, coffee & alcohol. Confused

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CarlinsDarlin · Moderator Joined: Jul 02, 2004 Posts: 1422

I have fasted many times in the past, for the entire month of Ramadhan. Hunger was never a problem for me, as I often don't even think about eating except for once a day. Thirst was a huge burden. Psychologically, it would have in no way prepared me to face a time without food, since, as you said, you know when you can eat again. That, and most of the people I was around shared a HUGE iftar meal each evening. Although it never happened to me, I knew people who actually gained weight during Ramadhan because of the huge iftar meals, and all the extra desserts and sweets that were prepared for it.
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ubercrap · Heavy Crude Joined: Apr 27, 2005 Posts: 344

Roccland · Peak Oil Prophet Joined: Jun 16, 2007 Posts: 1696

I fast one week a year (have for 15 years)...

Only water with lemon juice...

Everyone in the western world should be required to fast one week a year.

It's gonna happen anyway.

Might as well get used to the pain.
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smallpoxgirl · Moderator Joined: Nov 08, 2004 Posts: 6486

I started last year fasting for four days four times per year. I think it's a good thing. I don't know how good of a preparation it is for peak oil. The difficult part of fasting, for me at least, is not the hunger. It's maintaining the will power to not eat when you easily could. In a world of food scarcity, that won't be an option. There won't be any will power required.
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Roccland · Peak Oil Prophet Joined: Jun 16, 2007 Posts: 1696