How would fasting heal the world? ER doctor and Orthodox Christian, Dr. Pete Patitsas links fasting as the cure to every problem we see in the world from disease to addiction, to even the out-of-the-norm ER accidents.

Drawing from emergency medicine, Orthodox tradition, and the Athos way of eating, we discuss how fasting impacts hormones, trauma, addiction, and our relationship with God.

This conversation covers:

✔️ What fasting really is (and what it is not)

✔️ Why Orthodox fasting is different from modern diet culture

✔️ The Athos diet and simple plant-based eating

✔️ How fasting helps heal trauma and addiction

✔️ Whether fasting affects hormones and mental health

✔️ How long the body can survive without food

✔️ How beginners should approach fasting with discernment

✔️ Fasting with kids, exhaustion, anxiety, and busy life

✔️ Spiritual encounters, inner demons, and dependence on God

I’ll be honest—I’ve avoided this topic because fasting scares me. But this conversation reframed fasting as an invitation to healing, not a burden.

⏱ Timestamps

00:00–7:40 Intro

7:40–12:23 Why an ER doctor teaches fasting

12:23–20:49 Fasting to overcome inner demons

20:49–23:47 Teaching children to fast

23:47–32:07 What is the Athos diet & Orthodox fasting

32:07–35:49 Fasting & hormones

35:49–38:15 Bridging the physical & spiritual

38:15–41:58 How long you can survive without food

41:58–49:46 How to eat plant-based on Athos

49:46–57:13 How to start fasting

57:13–1:05:12 Spiritual encounters while fasting

1:05:12–1:10:55 Fasting & trauma healing

1:10:55–1:14:36 Closing reflections

🔔 Subscribe for conversations on faith, healing, and redemption.

----------------------------------------------------

Subscribe to Dr. Pete's YouTube Channel 👉 www.youtube.com/@theathosdiet

Check out The Athos Diet Website 👉 www.theathosdiet.com

----------------------------------------------------

🌐 Explore More:

ALL LINKS → https://beacons.ai/michaelanikolaenko

Website → www.michaelanikolaenko.com

🎙️ Listen to the Podcast:https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/raisedandredeemed

🎥 Subscribe on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn2x_6If3KUo5d9aA_7ALLw

📲 Follow Along on Socials:

Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/michaelanikolaenko/

TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@michaelanikolaenko

Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/michaelanikolaenko