Juice Fasting

Juice fasting is easier than water fasting and more suitable for people who are fasting for the first time. As explained in the ‘how to fast‘ article, fasting should only be performed once the colon is fairly clean, most of the mucoid plaque has been removed, and all meat has been eliminated from the diet. The reasons for these recommendations is that the typical meat eaters diet is so full of toxins, that jumping straight into a juice fast is a much more difficult way to cleanse the body, as opposed to using a good colon cleansing program.

Juice fasting is preferable to water fasting for many people as it provides the body with carbohydrates and also alkaline minerals and vitamins, which allow the body to more effectively neutralize and eliminate toxins, and also maintain normal functioning.

If the body has already been cleansed then juice fasting offers a great way for people to cleanse themselves even further, and also offers a great way to maintain their bodily health and gives them a chance to focus on eliminating the unavoidable toxins that we absorb while living on this polluted planet (which will hopefully soon become clean).

How to Juice Fast

Providing the colon is already clean (see above) then a person should start the juice fast by lightening up their food intake slowly, over 4 days or more. Progressing from cooked food, to steamed vegetables, to salads, fruit, then juices or smoothies is ideal. One step per day or 2 days should suffice.

Some people like to perform an enema or 2 during the initial stages of the fast, which can be helpful, but if the diet is reduced as explained above, this may not be necessary.

Suitable juices include most fruit and vegetable juices apart from the starchy, thick, or high sulphur types such as potatoes, pumpkin, bananas, asparagus, broccoli, red pepper, garlic, onion, watercress, kale and others.

Below is a list of some of the most preferable fruits and vegetables for juicing.

Good Juices for Fasting

All of the above juices can be combined except for the acidic tasting ones (pineapple and orange), which should be consumed on their own. The acidic tasting fruits are alkalizing on the body, despite their taste, and are actually the most cleansing of all the juices (apart from possibly beetroot).

Cleansing Reactions While Juice Fasting

When the body starts to eliminate toxins and wastes, many side effects or cleansing reactions can take place at certain times. Probably the most common is a headache or flu like symptoms. The symptoms are caused by the large amount of toxins being released. In most cases drinking more water and resting will help.

What to do if Cleansing Reactions Get Severe (in the following order)

The following protocol can be followed until the cleansing reactions pass:

• Drink 2 glasses of water
• Get some rest
• Drink a cup of decaffeinated green tea
• Have an enema or colonic
• Eat some solid fruit such as an apple or banana

If they do not pass and become unbearable, then it is recommended to cease the fast by slowing introducing solid fruit on the first 2 days, then fruit and salad on the third day, and then fruit and salad and a baked potato (if desired) on the fourth.

How Long Should a Person Juice Fast

“Anecdotally, during our 35 years as the global leader in our field–with clients on seven continents representing 220 countries–we’ve discovered it takes your chronological age number plus 17, in number of actual juice fasting days (plus five transitioning days on each end–to intelligently enter, and then skillfully break your fast), to remove the inner, toxic waste dump accumulated over your lifetime: toxic chemicals, drugs, un eliminated metabolic wastes, excessive cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood, arterial plaque throughout the body and brain, intestinal parasites, heavy metals, etc. Think about it.” – http://www.fasting.com/whyyoufast.html

Evidently your first fast doesn’t need to be as long as this, unless you have just been diagnosed with a terminal disease, you may be happy to get out most of the toxins in your body, but not all. Many people have gone on 30 day fasts with no problems, some people less, some more.

Do I Ever Need To Eat Again?

Many people have fasted for periods of time that most people would not believe, in fact it’s probably possible to live on fruit juice for many years, maybe even a lifetime. The internet is full of stories of people who juice fasted for months at a time.

Recently we met a young American gentlemen who eats 1 apple for breakfast and doesn’t eat anything until 4pm, which is when he consumes 1 bowel of fruit consisting of kiwi fruit, dates, banana and avocado. He has been eating like this for 4 years and informed us that he tried every kind of eating program you could think of, include the famous atkins diet (for which he commented he felt terrible). The appearance of the young man was extraordinary, his skin was glowing, his eyes were clear, mind sharp and attitude humble. His body was of a lean size, although not too skinny, just healthy looking. His daily work consisted of working 12 hours in a vegan restaurant (which is quite a strenuous job).

But from a pure nutritional perspective we would have to say that if people want to eat more healthy, then the raw vegan diet covers all the nutritional requirements, unfortunately we can’t say this about the fruitarian or juice diet, but this doesn’t mean it isn’t possible, as many people are doing it right now.

Finishing the Juice Fast (don’t do it too fast!)

It is recommended to cease the fast by slowing introducing solid fruit on the first 2 days, then fruit and salad on the third day, and then fruit and salad and a baked potato or soaked nuts (if you want) on the fourth.