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What does The United Methodist Church say about fasting?
Fasting has been a part of Methodism from it's early beginnings. John Wesley considered fasting an important part of a Christian's life and he personally fasted weekly. To Wesley, fasting was an important way to express sorrow for sin and penitence for overindulgence in eating and drinking. He believed it benefited prayer life by allowing more time for prayer. He also felt fasting was more meaningful if combined with giving to the poor. Wesley did advise caution against extreme fasting and against fasting for those in fragile health. Visit John Wesley: Holiness of Heart and Life for more on John Wesley and fasting.
"What is a Daniel fast?"
The concept of a Daniel fast comes from Daniel 1:8-14, “But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. Now God had caused the official to show favor and sympathy to Daniel, but the official told 
Daniel, "I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you." Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, "Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see." So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days.”
After eating these food over a 10-day time period, Daniel, along with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, outperformed all of “the young men who ate the portion of the king’s delicacies.” This diet, adopted by the American church, has been modified and named the Daniel Fast.
Foods You May Eat Whole Grains: Brown Rice, Oats, Barley Legumes: Dried Beans, Pinto Beans, Split Peas, Lentils, Black Eyed Peas Fruits: all fruits including apples, apricots, bananas, blackberries, blueberries, boysenberries, cantaloupe, cherries, cranberries, oats, figs, grapefruit, grapes, guava, honeydew melon, kiwi, lemons, limes, mangos, nectarines, papayas, pears, pineapples, plums, prunes, raisins, raspberries, strawberries, tangelos, tangerines, watermelon Vegetables: all vegetables including artichokes, asparagus, beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, garlic, gingerroot, kale, leeks, lettuce, mushrooms, mustard greens, okra, onions, parsley, potatoes, radishes, rutabagas, scallions, spinach, squashes, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, turnips, yams, zucchini Seeds, Nuts, Sprouts all kinds |
Foods to Avoid All Meats White Rice Fried Foods Caffeine Carbonated Beverages Margarine, Shortening, High Fat Products Foods containing Preservatives or Additives Refined Sugar Sugar Substitutes White Flour and all Products Using It Junk Food All sweets including candy, cakes and pies |
Persons who have special health needs or under a physician’s care, please follow your physician’s orders!!!