The Fasting Cure Classic Reprint

Upton Sinclair was not only a prolifc and much admired author, but also a follower of Bernarr MacFadden's Physical Culture movement (see his Physical Culture Cook Book, 1901) and a member of the editorial staff of Physical Culture Magazine. Dedicated to MacFadden, this 1911 volume advocates the benefits of systematic fasting in producing long-lasting health benefits.

The Fasting Cure is both a fascinating and slightly dangerous book. It was written by Upton Sinclair, a respectable and accomplished journalist, but no doctor. In this case Sinclair seems to have been taken in by his subject matter without using quite enough of his critical faculties. Fasting has been a part of health and religious practices since time immemorial, it can be healthy in moderation and has various well-documented effects on the body. From this perspective Sinclair's book is worthwhile for the hints and tips towards more sensible fasters and also as a historical document of the "fasting fever" which occurred around the time of writing. One thing fasting is not however is a cure for cancer, or for several others of the diseases claimed within. Another problem with this book is the claim that fasts for up to 40 or 50 days are common and healthy, modern medical advice would suggest that this is far too extreme and very dangerous. Rather than a single book this is a collection of articles written by Upton Sinclair on the topic of fasting as well as letters on the topic which he received. His remarks and comments on these are also included and serve to bind the parts together. Readers may be interested in this work from a historical or anthropological point of view especially, but should not follow the instructions without close contact with their physician. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

In May, 1910, Cosmopolitan magazine published an article by Upton Sinclair describing his personal experiences with the practice of fasting for health reasons. The article received such an enormous response that Sinclair developed a short book on the subject. The result is a snapshot of the health beliefs of the era.

These two books are history, or a story, of an evolution in the professional care of the sick. It begins in inexperience and in a haze of medical superstition, and ends with a faith that Nature is the all in all in the cure of disease. The topic unfolded is both original and revolutionary: its practicality is of the largest, and its physiology beyond any possible question.

The Fasting Cure is both a fascinating and slightly dangerous book. It was written by Upton Sinclair, a respectable and accomplished journalist, but no doctor. In this case Sinclair seems to have been taken in by his subject matter without using quite enough of his critical faculties. Fasting has been a part of health and religious practices since time immemorial, it can be healthy in moderation and has various well-documented effects on the body. From this perspective Sinclair's book is worthwhile for the hints and tips towards more sensible fasters and also as a historical document of the "fasting fever" which occurred around the time of writing. One thing fasting is not however is a cure for cancer, or for several others of the diseases claimed within. Another problem with this book is the claim that fasts for up to 40 or 50 days are common and healthy, modern medical advice would suggest that this is far too extreme and very dangerous. Rather than a single book this is a collection of articles written by Upton Sinclair on the topic of fasting as well as letters on the topic which he received. His remarks and comments on these are also included and serve to bind the parts together. Readers may be interested in this work from a historical or anthropological point of view especially, but should not follow the instructions without close contact with their physician. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Excerpt from Fasting for the Cure of Disease Self-conceit, credulity, and skepticism are said to go hand in hand; and candor compels the remark that these graces are not confined to the ignorant or to the uneducated. If a man be a skeptic, he can but mean that certain things do not exist relatively to his own knowledge; but no one can deny the possibility of the existence of that which he cannot har monize with his accepted opinions, or of which he is ignorant. Should he do so, the conclusion holds that he is Just as credulous as the man who believes without discrimination. When an extraordinary fact, a fact be yond its own experience, is presented to a mind vicariously moulded, more often than not it is rejected as impossible or as the result of disordered physical condi tions. In these circumstances even the testimony of the senses is repudiated, and that of credible witnesses is frequently imputed to base motives. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

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