Historically, periods of sustaining only on water were completed for religious or spiritual reasons. Today you may fast for a medical procedure, internal cleansing or for a mind-body-spirit connection. Traditional fasts include brief periods of abstaining from food and drink other than water, whereas newer, healthier fasts allow juice, bread and even honey. Fasting on fruit juices, bread and honey take a modicum of willpower and mental strength to avoid the constant bombardment of food in this society. Learn how to prepare for this simple, modified fasting experience.
Step 1
Set your fasting goals. In order to remain safe and healthy, a fast should not exceed five days according to The American Cancer Society. This is a highly individual decision, as there is no right or wrong answer. Fast for 24 hours or for the full five days; setting your goals before you get started may help you stick to the plan.
Step 2
Decide how many meals or overall calories you will consume during your fast. Religious fasts, for example, tend to have fastidious rules on daily food allowances, whereas fasting for personal reasons have more lenient guidelines. Again, there is no right or wrong answer -- you may choose to eat six small juice and bread meals daily or stick with the more traditional three meals per day. Let your stomach and your fasting purpose be your guide here.
Step 3
Make a grocery list and go to the local supermarket or farmer's stand. Keeping a variety of fruits for juicing, breads and fresh honey on hand will help you stick to the fast when hunger strikes. A slice of bread with a dollop of honey may be used as a snack between juice meals if your fasting guidelines allow this. If you own or plan to purchase a fruit juicer, consider purchasing citrus fruits, pears, apples and grapes as they are easy to juice for the beginner and do not carry the more exotic tastes like kiwi or mango.
Step 4
Choose bottled or commercial juices only if you do not own a juicer or for convenience. Make sure you purchase juices that have no added sugars, dyes or chemicals, otherwise these artificial substances take away from the rawness of the fast. Establish a variety of natural juice products. As an example, six meals a day of apple juice may cause diarrhea and will not provide a complement of vitamins and minerals as found in other fruits.
Step 5
Plan on using a variety of fruits in the juicer to obtain a complement of vitamins and minerals. For example, citrus fruits provide a source of vitamin C, melons provide vitamins A and C and pears are a good source of the minerals potassium and phosphorous. Grapes may be juiced to include the pulverized seeds, which are a good source of grape seed extract, a popular herbal antioxidant.
Step 6
Obtain some protein during your fast to maintain lean muscle mass, especially for longer fasts. Types of bread rich in protein include bagels at 9 g and whole wheat toast at 5 g per two slices. Consider your protein needs when arranging your fast. The average adult requires 0.36 g of protein per pound of body weight. Although temporary reductions in protein for fasts are acceptable, it is wise to still attempt to feed your muscles throughout the fast. These light proteins can be used as part of your juice 'meal' or separately as a snack.
Step 7
Drizzle the honey over toasted bread or bagels or use it as a natural sweetener for your juiced fruits. You may also want to use a spoonful of honey to combat hunger pains, which are sure to accompany any fast. Unless you are fasting for a religious purpose, in which case you must follow those specific guidelines, there is no right or wrong amount of honey usage prescribed for this fast. Honey, however, is a natural calorie-rich substance -- if you are fasting to jump-start a diet take it easy with the sweet stuff.
Step 8
Take it easy during your fast and don't push yourself. Fasts are accompanied by periods of drastic caloric reduction; you may feel tired or irritable during the fast. Drinking a large glass of fresh water may help fill your stomach and temporarily control feelings of hunger, and is an important part of any diet or fast.
Things You'll Need
- Fruit juicer (optional)
- Pears
- Oranges
- Apples
- Grapes
- Assorted melons
- Tomatoes
- Fresh water
- Honey
- Whole grains breads
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