HOW TO FAST

How to fast

http://www.healingdaily.com/juicing-for-health/how-to-fast.htm

First of all, for reasons given on the Why Fasting? page, I do not
recommendwater-fasting, and while juice-fasting I do not recommend
fasting for more than3 days without supervision. In preparation for our
first day of fasting, we maywant to take a few days to eliminate some
foods or habits from our diet.Eliminating alcohol, nicotine, sugar and
caffeine if possible is very helpful.

Intake of most nutritional supplements can alsobe stopped the day
before fasting. Supplements are usually not recommendedduring a fast.
Many people do well by preparing for their fasts with 3 or 4days of
consuming only fruits and vegetables.These foods nourish and slowly
detoxify the body so that the actual fastingwill be less intense.
Start with a 1-day fast

The first 1-day fast (actually 36 hours, including the nights - from 8
p.m. one night until 8 a.m. the following day) givesus a chance to see
what a short fast can be like, to see that this is not sodifficult and
doesn't cause any major distress.
Most people will feel a little hungry at times and may experience a few
mildsymptoms - such as a headache or irritability - by the end of the
day, but thisdepends on the person and their state of toxicity.
Usually, the first 2 days offasting are the hardest for most people.
Feeling great usually begins aroundday 3, therefore longer juice fasts
are really needed for the grand experience.
fasting and hunger

One of the problems with fasting is that it can be the most difficult
for thosewho need it the most, such as the regular 3-square-meals-
plus-snacks/ dayconsumers who eat whenever and whatever they want.
Often these people muststart with more subtle diet changes and prepare
even more slowly for fasting.

A transition plan which can be used before even going on the 1-day fast
is the1-meal-a-day plan. The one daily meal is usually eaten around
mid-afternoon.Water, fresh fruit or vegetable juices, and teascan be
eaten at other times. The one wholesome meal is not rich or
excessive.It can be a protein-vegetable meal, such as fish and
salad/steamed vegetables,or a starch-vegetable meal, such as brown rice
with mixed steamed greens,celery, carrots, and zucchini. People on this
plan start to detoxify slowly,lose a bit of weight, and after a few
days feel pretty sound. The chance of anystrong detoxification symptoms
developing, as might occur with fasting, isminimal with this type of
transition, and the actual fast, once begun, will behandled more
easily, too.

The goal then, is to move into a 1-day fast and then a few 2- and 3-day
fastswith 1 or 2 days between them when light foods and more raw
vegetables andfruits are consumed, and also provide fluids, soups,
juices, and a generallyalkaline cleansing diet. This way, we can
buildup to a 5 to 10-day fast.
Juice fasting provides nutrients to your body

Again I do not recommend a water fast. A juice fast is much easier for
mostpeople. The fresh juices of raw vegetables and fruits are what most
fastingclinics and practitioners recommend. The juices provide calories
and nutrientson which to function and build new cells, and also provide
important enzymescontained in these vital foods. (Food enzyme theories
are discussed at lengthin Dr. Edward Howell's book "Enzyme Nutrition")
Raw foods areconsidered the healing force in our diet because they
contain active enzymes,which are broken down once foods are cooked.
Many consider a raw-food diet themost healing and most nutritious diet.

For the begining faster, it is best to go slowly through the various
steps andto avoid being impatient or excessive so that we learn about
ourselves in theprocess. To do this, we need to make a plan and put it
into effect, observingor listening to our body and even keeping notes
in a journal. Get to reallyknow yourself. Then, once we have fasted
successfully, we could continue to do1-day fasts every week or a 3-day
fast monthly if we need them.
In general, diluted fresh juices of raw organic fruitsand vegetables
are best. Here you can use your imagination and createjuices which are
both healthy and delicious. You can get some ideas on my juicing
recipes page, but the possibilities areendless. You can also get some
solid knowledge on juicing in the juicing for health section, as well
as the juicingbooks page.
juice fasting
Cleasing the colon during fasting

Fasting clinics often suggest that enemas be used daily to help cleanse
thecolon, while fasting. With these, usually filtered water alone is
used to flushthe colon of toxins. Instructions on how to do an enema
can be found here.Although when fasting, replace the coffee with
filtered water only.

Herbal laxatives are commonly taken orally during fasting. These
includecascara sagrada, psyllium (in my opinion the best price on the
internet for ahigh quality psyllium supplement is hereicon),
sennaleaves and Licorice Root. The "saltwater flush" is useful forthose
who can tolerate it. A solution of 2 teaspoons of unrefined sea salt
isdissolved in a quart of warm filtered water (not distilled) and is
drunk firstthing in the morning on every other day throughout the fast
to flush the entireintestinal tract. Whatever colon cleansing methodis
used, keep in mind that regular cleansing of the colon and intestines
is akey component of healthy and stress-free fasting.

The amount of vegetable and fruit juice you drinkwill determine the
intensity of the cleansing. Drinking small amounts of juicesupplies
fewer calories, which increases the intensity of detoxification.
Themore intense the cleansing, the greater the discomfort. Juice
fasting allowsyou to have control over the process of elimination.
However, when the bodyenters a cleansing crisis due to toxins in the
blood, no amount of juice willeliminate the discomfort. You must wait
it out.
Breaking the fast

It is important to make a gradual transition back into our regular
diet, ratherthan just going out to dinner after a week-long fast.
Breaking a fast must beplanned and done carefully and slowly to prevent
creating symptoms andsickness. It is suggested that we take a few days
to move back into our diet,which is hopefully a new, more healthful
diet. Our digestive system has been atrest, so we need to go slowly and
chew our foods very well.

With juice fasting, it is easier to make the transition back into
foods. A rawor cooked low-starch vegetable, such as spinach or other
greens, can be used. Alaxative-type meal, such as grapes, or soaked or
stewedprunes, or cherries, can also be used to initiate eating, as it
isimportant to keep the bowels moving. Some experts say that the bowels
shouldmove within 2 to 3 hours after the first meal. If not, take an
enema. Somepeople may want to do a saltwater flush (drinking a quart of
water with 2teaspoons of unrefined sea salt dissolved in it) before
their first day of food.

However you make the transition from fasting to foods, go slowly, chew
well,and do not overeat or mix too many foods at a single meal. Simple
vegetablemeals, soups or salads can be used to start.
During fasting, it is essential to plan times to meditate, doing some
mildexercise, get fresh air and sunshine, clear our intestines, get
massages, takearomatherapy mineral baths, clean our house, brush our
teeth, and more. One ofmy favorite sources for essential oils
andmassage oils is auroma.com. Goodluck with your fasts and let me know
about your experiences!