Fasting has been a part of culture in civilizations around the world for many millennia. Hunters and gatherers did not fast as spiritual practice, but as part of life. Our bodies were equipped to exist for long periods of time without large quantities of food in our ancient past. Perhaps we relied on seeds, and grasses as herbivores do today, but at some point fasting became spiritual practice. The gap between history and myth gives light to important facts about fasting.
Fasting from food and drink at times was always recommended in our distant past. Biblical text describe that in the garden, Adam and Eve were told they could eat from all the trees but one, the tree of knowledge, however, in Sumerian myth when Adapa was brought before the court of Anu, he was mentored by Enki not to accept the food and drink of immortality, but instead to honor Tammuz and Ningishzida with fast. Enki suggested Adapa follow his direction, and that if he ate of the food of the gods he would not obtain immortality, but would surely die. Now the rest of the myth suggests he did not eat the food or drink at the table of the gods as his creator suggested, and did not receive the gift of immortality from Anu. We can only speculate from this point as to why. We do know that Tammuz was the son of Enki, who died according to a hunting accident, some sources suggest he was put to death for his actions promoted by Inanna who was the wife Tammuz, and daughter of Enlil. Did Enki wanted Adapa to honor him instead of Anu, was this a test?
Because of this myth we connect immortality with food, and the tree of life, however, in some teachings immortality relates to maintaining our etheric or energetic body at high levels, which enables our ability to activate Merkabah, DNA permitting. One very important measure is keeping the body lightweight energetically, or high vibration, this requires fasting for longer periods, similar to the feat of 40 days and 40 nights where only water, and manna are consumed. Manna being the food of the gods, or the shewbread that used to be produced in a Hebrew temple. We no longer have the knowledge of how this was created. Some believe it to be Philosopher's Stone manufactured alchemically.
There is no scientific evidence that our current eating three meals a day plus snacks, is healthy, or contributory to health and longevity, and I am not recommending anything here, as we are to refer to Medical Doctors who are the authorities on health, and longevity. Wars, eating tainted foods, medical complications without medical professionals, and childbirth contributed to death rates in our ancient past. We should question how much food contributes to death today. If food was bountiful in the environment we lived in, we could survive very well as hunters, and gatherers without the other mentioned complications for long periods of time.
We still understand that immortality simply means extended life span, but if God lives forever, why doesn't he show up in the same flesh he had the day he created us. In this sense we may want to consider the immortality of the soul that lives forever, while all fleshly bodies perish at some point, including God's. The soul perhaps is not trapped in a body, but with practice, and knowledge may leave the body and return to it at will, as is suggested with Merkabah activation, and astral travel.
Science has now proven that fasting heals the body, it is suggested that when the stomach and intestines are empty, the body can more easily go to work and repair diseased states, and rejuvenate cells. Hippocrates recommended abstinence from food or drink for those enduring certain conditions. More recently, a study in Japan revealed that fasting speeds up the metabolism, and may also reverse aging, perhaps we not longer need the shewbread and water of the gods? It seems as though it is better to be eaten by the lion, than it is to eat the lion.
Bluezones.com Fasting for Health and Longevity: Nobel Prize Winning Research on Cell Aging, https://www.bluezones.com/2018/10/fasting-for-health-and-longevity-nobel-prize-winning-research-on-cell-aging/#:~:text=Japanese%20cell%20biologist%20Yoshinori%20Ohsumi,positive%20impact%20on%20cell%20renewal.
Britannica.com Adapa, Mesopotamia mythology. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Adapa