The Complete Idiot's Guide to Fasting covers: fasting around the world--religious, cultural, and historical traditions and their relationships to modern health, nutrition, and spirituality; the differences between types of fast, from the one-day weekly juice fast to the yearly five-day fast and more; the physical, psychological, and spiritual challenges of fasting--particularly fasting as a catalyst for spiritual growth; fasting and health, and the mind-body connection; fasting and meditation, including fasting retreats; six types and fasts, as well as variations; and your fasting toolkit, with information for preparation for fasts of any length.