9. How to Fast in Comfort

James Hamblin, The Atlantic's Health editor, writes about advices given to Jewish people about preparing oneself for fasting day, Yom Kippur. The author mentions that The Jewish Times does not recommend overeating at the night before so the body doesn’t need more water and energy to break down the excess food, but recommends complex carbohydrates that retain energy and water. Hamblin suggests that one should tackle fasting as if it were a marathon, using the same kind of tips. He then points out NPR’s suggestion of having kreplach, the equivalent of a Jewish wonton, to sustain. Hamblin finally ends with a comment about fasting being bad for the body, but possibly good for the soul. His own suggestion is that one should fast, but also not go beyond the body’s limits by being aware of one’s own health.

The author does an effective job in this essay. He uses an informal tone with the audience, which does a good job of creating a connection with the reader. The writing is easy to understand because it has the appearance of a conversation. This is evidenced by the usage of pronouns like “you” and “I”. Hamblin also cites his sources from where he gets different advices, which is important for the effectiveness of his reliability. He does an excellent job in doing this, except for the advice that was given by Derek Thompson. This one is not so reliable, because he is mentioned to be simply one of Hamblin’s colleagues, not an important newspaper or national radio organization, such as The Jewish Times and NPR. What is just as significant is the usage of background information concerning the fasting day and Jewish culture. This is very useful so other readers who are not familiar with the culture can understand what is being discussed. 

http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/09/how-to-fast-in-comfort/279667/