Book Review: 'The Ultimate Guide to the Daniel Fast' by Kristen Feola

By Emma Koonse, Christian Post Reporter Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Nutrition expert Kristen Feola has penned The Ultimate Guide to the Daniel Fast to help readers in their fasting quests.

The book provides facts, recipes, and reasons to do a Daniel Fast, all while encouraging the reader with real-life stories as well as quotes from Scripture.

Many people participate in fasts for health, diet, and spiritual reasons, but Feola's guide highlights the benefits of self-discipline in a plight to grow closer to God.

"You don't have to be a spiritual giant to do a Daniel Fast," Feola explained in the book. "It's for anyone who is hungry for a deeper connection with the Lord and who is also willing to make a three-week commitment to the spiritual discipline of fasting as a means for pursuing that connection."

A Daniel Fast includes abstaining from basic physical desires in order to gain spiritual desires. Self-denial becomes a form of worship, and instead of feasting on food, one feasts on the truth of God's Word.

The concept of the fast comes from Daniel 1:8-14, "But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way."

Usually lasting 21 days is based upon Daniel who did not eat any "choice food," meat, and had no wine while fasting for three weeks. "Choice food" is widely believed to have meant desirable foods, such as bread and sweets.

In a press release, Feola said, "The goal on the Daniel Fast is not to duplicate Daniel's menu, but to imitate the spirit in which he sought the Lord."

The author continued, "His passion for God caused him to long for spiritual food more than physical food, which should be the ultimate desire of anything choosing to participate in a fast."

The fast consists of only eating fruits and vegetables for a certain amount of time, and abstaining from meat products.

Released in 2010, The Ultimate Guide to the Daniel Fast continues to be a leading source for individuals and groups who are participating in the Daniel Fast. When it was originally released, it became a top 50 best-seller on the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) list. Today, it remains in the top 50 best-selling books on Amazon under "Christian Living" and a top 15 best-seller in their "Cooking, Food, & Wine" section.

The book is broken down into three parts: The Facts, The Focus, and The Food. Feola relates her own life and the lives of those around her to the reasons behind doing a Daniel Fast, all while incorporating daily devotionals to further motivate the reader.

Foods that are allowed on the Daniel Fast are fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, legumes, nuts, seeds, and oils. Feola's guide includes a list Daniel Fast-safe foods in addition to numerous recipes that come with mouth-watering images.

Also a personal trainer, Feola cites many health benefits to participating in a Daniel Fast.

"Fasting gives your body much-needed rest as it cleanses your body of chemicals and harmful ingredients," said the author in a statement. "It also gives your body a chance to repair itself. Studies have shown that fasting decreases the risk of a variety of conditions including cancer and autoimmune diseases."

"And lastly, fasting enables a person to break destructive eating habits and retrain the body to resist certain destructive cravings," said Feola.

The Ultimate Guide to the Daniel Fast is available in a Spanish version, and is sold at many Christian book stores as well as on Amazon.com. For more information, visit Feola's official website at UltimateDanielFast.com.

Feola lives in Springfield, Missouri with her husband and two daughters.