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Fasting Can Save Your Life
The popular mistaken concept is that we cannot gain strength and build resistance unless we eat So long as this illusion persists, thousands will go to premature graves.Food and nutrition are not synonymous. You are not nourished by food you eat, but in proportion to the amount you digest and assimilate.Through the ages men and women have fasted and regained health, peace of mind and a new way of life. Preservation of life depends on a system of right living. Fasting is only one phase of this system. When it is used properly and supervised by a qualified person, 'Fasting Can Save Your Life'
168 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 1964
37 people are currently reading
1231 people want to read
About the author
Herbert M. Shelton
206 books61 followersHerbert M. Shelton was an American naturopath, alternative medicine advocate, and prolific author best known for promoting natural hygiene, fasting, and raw veganism. Born in Texas in 1895, Shelton was deeply influenced by observing animal behavior during illness and early pioneers like Isaac Jennings and Sylvester Graham. He studied at several institutions devoted to chiropractic and naturopathy, eventually graduating from the American School of Naturopathy. Shelton believed that cooked food was harmful and that the human body could heal itself without medical intervention, primarily through fasting and a raw, plant-based diet.
In 1922, he self-published Fundamentals of Nature Cure, later retitled An Introduction to Natural Hygiene. He went on to write the influential seven-volume The Hygienic System and published The Hygienic Review for forty years. In 1948, he founded the American Natural Hygiene Society, which became the National Health Association. Despite facing frequent legal challenges for practicing medicine without a license, Shelton maintained a loyal following and left a lasting legacy on the raw food and fasting movements.
A pacifist, Shelton was jailed during World War I for opposing the draft. His career was marred by controversy, including patient deaths and lawsuits, one of which led to his financial ruin and the closure of his health school. Afflicted by a degenerative disease in later life, he remained active in his work until his death in 1985. His legacy remains polarizing, viewed by some as visionary and by others as dangerously unscientific.
In 1922, he self-published Fundamentals of Nature Cure, later retitled An Introduction to Natural Hygiene. He went on to write the influential seven-volume The Hygienic System and published The Hygienic Review for forty years. In 1948, he founded the American Natural Hygiene Society, which became the National Health Association. Despite facing frequent legal challenges for practicing medicine without a license, Shelton maintained a loyal following and left a lasting legacy on the raw food and fasting movements.
A pacifist, Shelton was jailed during World War I for opposing the draft. His career was marred by controversy, including patient deaths and lawsuits, one of which led to his financial ruin and the closure of his health school. Afflicted by a degenerative disease in later life, he remained active in his work until his death in 1985. His legacy remains polarizing, viewed by some as visionary and by others as dangerously unscientific.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
May 11, 2014
Herbert M. Shelton wrote his best books during his mature years, after 1940. The second edition of this book dates from 1978, so the reader gets the benefit of his decades of experience supervising tens of thousands of fasters.
He covers all the obvious angles: why to fast, where and when to fast, what to expect during a fast, when and how to break a fast. The safety of fasting. Who should fast? Should children fast? Should underweight people fast? Should pregnant women fast? The difference between hunger and appetite. Then, in separate chapters, he discusses various acute and chronic conditions that can be resolved by fasting: from arthritis and asthma to gallstones and tumors. From hay fever to heart disease, and others.
There is no more reliable source of advice on fasting than Herbert M. Shelton. He makes sense, basing his arguments on logic and sound science, not on mere testimonials. Whether his pro-fasting stance amounts to bias is arguable, but he knew fasting as few people have. Recommended.
He covers all the obvious angles: why to fast, where and when to fast, what to expect during a fast, when and how to break a fast. The safety of fasting. Who should fast? Should children fast? Should underweight people fast? Should pregnant women fast? The difference between hunger and appetite. Then, in separate chapters, he discusses various acute and chronic conditions that can be resolved by fasting: from arthritis and asthma to gallstones and tumors. From hay fever to heart disease, and others.
There is no more reliable source of advice on fasting than Herbert M. Shelton. He makes sense, basing his arguments on logic and sound science, not on mere testimonials. Whether his pro-fasting stance amounts to bias is arguable, but he knew fasting as few people have. Recommended.
January 4, 2016
Excellent source of detailed information about how water fasting has been used in a clinical setting to cure dozens of different diseases. Personally, it cured some arthritic joints.
April 23, 2017
Read this in a matter of hours. I'm surprised how much of an impact it's had on me. Given to me by a colleague fascinated by the concept of fasting I believe this book has me converted. It makes so much sense. It's even written beautifully with parts I wanted to underline they were so lovely to read. I like that he reinforces that it's not a cure all the way through but a tool to give your organs a rest and a way to detoxify. Loved this.
October 14, 2019
Wow! Excellent book. So informative, educational and inspiring. I stopped many times to read passages to my husband which explained some of the mysteries of our aging bodies. In our household my husband is the one who runs to the doctor for every little thing and takes whatever pill they prescribe. I am just the opposite, so the Natural Hygiene approach to good health which is promoted in this book, makes sense to me. I learned a lot by reading this book and hope that what I have learned about the benefits of fasting will enable me to get through a 24-hour fast--something I haven't been able to accomplish before. And I would definitely consider undergoing a supervised, prolonged fast for a chronic condition.
This is an old book and hard to find. I got a copy through interlibrary loan. I wish I didn’t have to return it. If I owned a copy it would be full of highlights that I would reference again and again.
The crazy thing is that this book came to my attention while I was researching a diet change for my dogs and the recommendation that they be fasted once a week. I now understand how that can be beneficial to their health as well.
This is an old book and hard to find. I got a copy through interlibrary loan. I wish I didn’t have to return it. If I owned a copy it would be full of highlights that I would reference again and again.
The crazy thing is that this book came to my attention while I was researching a diet change for my dogs and the recommendation that they be fasted once a week. I now understand how that can be beneficial to their health as well.
May 23, 2024
AN ADVOCATE OF ‘NATURAL HYGIENE’ RECOMMENDS FASTING IN SOME CASES
Herbert McGolfin Shelton (1895–1985) was an American naturopath and alternative medicine advocate; he was nominated by the American Vegetarian Party as its candidate for President of the United States in 1956.
He wrote in the Preface to the First Edition of this 1964 book, “The purpose of this book, based upon my own experiences, studies and observations over a period of over forty-five years of conducting fasts as a Hygienist, is to put into focus the true role fasting can play in promoting and maintaining good health, in eliminating pain in weight reduction and control, and in prolonging human life… fasting itself is not a CURE, but… a means of permitting the resources of the body itself to take over, to effect healing, or take off pounds at a rate unmatched by any other method. One of the primary purposes of this book is to answer the many questions about fasting which have begun to flood the offices of those who write about weight problems for the newspapers and magazines… At the same time a revival of interest in the means of mind-body care as developed by those who believe in Natural Hygiene has brought close attention to the theories and findings of Hygienists developed over nearly a century and a half… I am not therefore presenting merely the Hygienist concept of diet, exercise, rest, correct habits and routines. For the present indeed, I will deal with a totally new way of life.”
He explains in the first chapter, “Fasting is much more than simply not eating: it is both a science and an art. It has meaning in terms of overall well-being and affects the psychological and emotional aspects of our lives. Fasting… means total abstinence from all food for a definite period of time… In religious terms it may mean abstinence from certain food on certain holy days. But this is partial abstinence rather than total abstinence… Those who think that fasting is equivalent to starvation are entirely wrong. There are basically two periods in the process of abstaining from food that should concern us here---the FASTING period proper and the period of STARVATION.” (Pg. 17)
He states, “In acute disease, hunger is not present for the simple reason that the energies of the organism have been diverted into other channels. There is no energy to spare to carry on work like digestion… Yet food is often taken at such times under the medical dictum that we must eat to keep up our strength. In such instances the food is sometimes thrown up, or may be rushed out … by means of a diarrhea… the effort of the body to get rid of the unwanted nourishment lessens the efficiency of the body’s defensive and expulsive efforts in progress against the cause of the disease. Forces are diverted from the work of healing and wastefully expended in an effort that could be avoided by the simple expedient of fasting.” (Pg. 33)
He acknowledges, “There are those who ask: ‘Can fasting cure a cancer?’ My answer is that while I have seen cancerous growths greatly reduced in size during a fast, I have never seen one eliminated completely. It has been observed that diseased tissues in the organism are the first to be broken down and salvaged by the body during the fast as it strives to meet nutritive requirements of vital and functioning tissues… While the concept of the autonomy of cancerous growths can be very overworked, it is true that in some cases, they do persist in growing even through a long fast. In other cases the cancerous growth is greatly reduced in size, although I have never seen one totally obliterated by fasting.” (Pg. 39)
He explains, “The view of Hygienists… is that fasting is not a ‘cure’ in the modern meaning of this much abused term. Fasting does not CURE anything. A fast is a period of physiological rest. It does not do anything at all. It is, rather, a cessation of doing. The rest provides an opportunity for the body to do for itself what it cannot do under conditions of surfeit and full activity.” (Pg. 46) Later, he summarizes, “Natural Hygiene [is] the concept of the importance of the body’s own healing capacity.” (Pg. 103)
He states, “the reduction of blood pressure secured by means of the fast is a genuine reduction and not a forced state. The organism is not crippled in the process as it is when a gland or portions of the sympathetic system are removed. If we cut our causes instead of cutting out organs, we secure a genuine a lasting elimination of effects. As in all things, the causes that have produced the condition in the first place, will reproduce it if they are not permanently removed. Fasting is not a substitute for achieving---and holding to a correct say of life.” (Pg. 126)
He summarizes, “Again I emphasize: the fast is not a CURE; it does not CURE gonorrhea. The self-healing processes of the body eliminate the cause of the gonorrhea and restore the normal state. When one fasts under such conditions, one merely avoids putting hindrances in the way of the reconstructive processes of life.” (Pg. 150)
He concludes, “What I have said here, in sum, is that the body has wisdom in its very cells, and can heal itself, if we will give it the chance to heal. The fast is one way of cleansing the physical self, of giving rest to the body’s organs, often overtaxed by our own wrong living and wrong eating and overactivity. I have said that there is a wisdom in the fast, in rest, in quiet, in right living and right eating and right thinking; wisdom in recognizing the toxic effect of over-eating, over-tension, drinking; wisdom, indeed, in avoiding all he various poisons that so many of us put into ourselves, into our minds and our actions. There are no medical dogmas in this book, nor is the fast itself cited as a ‘cure’ for anything. It is only a way of rest hereby the body… will have a chance to perform its self-restoration to health and well-being, without strain or interruption, in quiet and peace and healing calm.” (Pg. 168)
This book will interest those interested in Natural Healing, and those distrustful of standard medicinal practices.
Herbert McGolfin Shelton (1895–1985) was an American naturopath and alternative medicine advocate; he was nominated by the American Vegetarian Party as its candidate for President of the United States in 1956.
He wrote in the Preface to the First Edition of this 1964 book, “The purpose of this book, based upon my own experiences, studies and observations over a period of over forty-five years of conducting fasts as a Hygienist, is to put into focus the true role fasting can play in promoting and maintaining good health, in eliminating pain in weight reduction and control, and in prolonging human life… fasting itself is not a CURE, but… a means of permitting the resources of the body itself to take over, to effect healing, or take off pounds at a rate unmatched by any other method. One of the primary purposes of this book is to answer the many questions about fasting which have begun to flood the offices of those who write about weight problems for the newspapers and magazines… At the same time a revival of interest in the means of mind-body care as developed by those who believe in Natural Hygiene has brought close attention to the theories and findings of Hygienists developed over nearly a century and a half… I am not therefore presenting merely the Hygienist concept of diet, exercise, rest, correct habits and routines. For the present indeed, I will deal with a totally new way of life.”
He explains in the first chapter, “Fasting is much more than simply not eating: it is both a science and an art. It has meaning in terms of overall well-being and affects the psychological and emotional aspects of our lives. Fasting… means total abstinence from all food for a definite period of time… In religious terms it may mean abstinence from certain food on certain holy days. But this is partial abstinence rather than total abstinence… Those who think that fasting is equivalent to starvation are entirely wrong. There are basically two periods in the process of abstaining from food that should concern us here---the FASTING period proper and the period of STARVATION.” (Pg. 17)
He states, “In acute disease, hunger is not present for the simple reason that the energies of the organism have been diverted into other channels. There is no energy to spare to carry on work like digestion… Yet food is often taken at such times under the medical dictum that we must eat to keep up our strength. In such instances the food is sometimes thrown up, or may be rushed out … by means of a diarrhea… the effort of the body to get rid of the unwanted nourishment lessens the efficiency of the body’s defensive and expulsive efforts in progress against the cause of the disease. Forces are diverted from the work of healing and wastefully expended in an effort that could be avoided by the simple expedient of fasting.” (Pg. 33)
He acknowledges, “There are those who ask: ‘Can fasting cure a cancer?’ My answer is that while I have seen cancerous growths greatly reduced in size during a fast, I have never seen one eliminated completely. It has been observed that diseased tissues in the organism are the first to be broken down and salvaged by the body during the fast as it strives to meet nutritive requirements of vital and functioning tissues… While the concept of the autonomy of cancerous growths can be very overworked, it is true that in some cases, they do persist in growing even through a long fast. In other cases the cancerous growth is greatly reduced in size, although I have never seen one totally obliterated by fasting.” (Pg. 39)
He explains, “The view of Hygienists… is that fasting is not a ‘cure’ in the modern meaning of this much abused term. Fasting does not CURE anything. A fast is a period of physiological rest. It does not do anything at all. It is, rather, a cessation of doing. The rest provides an opportunity for the body to do for itself what it cannot do under conditions of surfeit and full activity.” (Pg. 46) Later, he summarizes, “Natural Hygiene [is] the concept of the importance of the body’s own healing capacity.” (Pg. 103)
He states, “the reduction of blood pressure secured by means of the fast is a genuine reduction and not a forced state. The organism is not crippled in the process as it is when a gland or portions of the sympathetic system are removed. If we cut our causes instead of cutting out organs, we secure a genuine a lasting elimination of effects. As in all things, the causes that have produced the condition in the first place, will reproduce it if they are not permanently removed. Fasting is not a substitute for achieving---and holding to a correct say of life.” (Pg. 126)
He summarizes, “Again I emphasize: the fast is not a CURE; it does not CURE gonorrhea. The self-healing processes of the body eliminate the cause of the gonorrhea and restore the normal state. When one fasts under such conditions, one merely avoids putting hindrances in the way of the reconstructive processes of life.” (Pg. 150)
He concludes, “What I have said here, in sum, is that the body has wisdom in its very cells, and can heal itself, if we will give it the chance to heal. The fast is one way of cleansing the physical self, of giving rest to the body’s organs, often overtaxed by our own wrong living and wrong eating and overactivity. I have said that there is a wisdom in the fast, in rest, in quiet, in right living and right eating and right thinking; wisdom in recognizing the toxic effect of over-eating, over-tension, drinking; wisdom, indeed, in avoiding all he various poisons that so many of us put into ourselves, into our minds and our actions. There are no medical dogmas in this book, nor is the fast itself cited as a ‘cure’ for anything. It is only a way of rest hereby the body… will have a chance to perform its self-restoration to health and well-being, without strain or interruption, in quiet and peace and healing calm.” (Pg. 168)
This book will interest those interested in Natural Healing, and those distrustful of standard medicinal practices.
October 1, 2007
This is a classic in the fasting world. The doctor who wrote it has decades of experience helping people fast away chronic diseases. It is inspiring as well as a helpful guide to fasting (nothing but water).
March 6, 2008
this book is amazing! anyone who fasts or wants to fast for medical or religious reasons should read this book. It is written by a medical doctor and has a wealth of information about chronic diseases and how fasting can literally save your life.
December 1, 2018
A very informative book, i have the first edition, so glad this has been reprinted..
May 7, 2020
This was for me a mind-blowing book. Learning about fasting and natural hygiene, in general, gave me a glimpse that health is based on the right habits and rest, and fasting is rest for the body that can health itself from many different diseases. It is a simple book to read and I enjoyed very much.
December 10, 2020
This book is from the 1960's...so take this with a grain of salt. I picked it off a shelf in my Mom's basement last time I was visiting. Learned a lot about what happens to the body when we fast, how our bodies have a much easier time detoxing and ridding waste from our cells when it's not having to digest food.
March 26, 2025
Considering when the book was published, it's not surprising it didn't give some new information. It gives more broad approach to fasting and why it's useful with a lot of chapters dedicated to particular diseases and examples the author witnessed. I'm sure it was more useful at the time, but it's not as much for modern reader.
May 25, 2023
The first chapters are very good. Describes how to fast, where you can start to see results, and how to end the fast. Other chapters describe many miraculous regenerations after fasting. I don't mean that fasting is nonsense, I mean that it is written about as miracles.
February 17, 2020
Want to read
October 19, 2025
Summary: Fasting can indeed save your life given you balance your lifestyle afterwards.
October 28, 2025
This is an excellent book. Informative, educational and inspiring. He explains how to fast to restore your health. Highly recommend.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews