1. Send Your Digestive System on Vacation
An ancient health ritual still used regularly in Europe, a cleansing fast acts like a vacation for your digestive system. For a normal American, fasting once a month can work wonders and lessen all kinds of physical and emotional problems. Plus, if you fast to lose weight, you'll gain a more balanced digestive system to help keep those excess pounds from coming back.
2. Ditch Those Toxins Fast
By giving the digestive system a rest from breaking down, processing and eliminating solid foods, a fast flushes the body clean with water or fresh juice, revitalizing overworked organs. Much like cleaning the pipes on your kitchen sink after its clogged with coffee and leftover foods, fasting clears the body of excess and dangerous toxins. If you suffer from constipation, asthma, frequent colds or any gastrointestinal ailments, push yourself away from the dinner plate for a day or two. Your sinus cavity, stomach and intestines will feel lighter and cleaner.
3. Fasting Has Temporary Drawbacks
Choose an "off" day for your fast, so you can concentrate fully on health and relaxation and take a break from work and personal demands. You'll experience temporary "withdrawal" sensations as you begin your fast, like headaches or slight muscle weakness. Pregnant women and people suffering from chronic medical conditions should consult their doctor before starting a cleansing fast.
4. Drink Up Your Fruits and Veggies
Juice fasting provides the body with basic nutrients and calories. You still get the benefits of fasting, but lots of vitamins are absorbed into the bloodstream, unlike the more advanced water fast. There's no fear of weakness because you're not ingesting solid food. Any combination of juices is appropriate for a juice fast. Whether you freshly squeeze them with a juicer or pour them from a carton, juices from fresh fruits and vegetables provide more nutrients. Drinking vegetable juices like celery, tomatoes and carrots flood the body with vitamin A and C, so include them in your juicer stock in addition to the usual oranges, apples and strawberries. Fresh juices prepared in your own kitchen contain live enzymes to protect the body from colds and other immune system problems. Pasteurized juices are healthier than eating a solid diet, but they don't have the benefits of fresh juice. Check with your doctor or nutritionist about the best juice combinations for your particular fasting needs.
5. Breaking a Fast
Take care when breaking your fast. Avoid the temptation to eat a big meal at the end of the cleansing detox. Begin by eating unsalted popcorn, or crackers with a light, fat-free spread. Ease the digestive system back into processing solid food by slowly adding more food to each meal for the first few days after the fast.
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