Juice fasting is an effective way to cleanse the colon. Drinking only juices will allow your digestive system to rest and detoxification of the bowel will activate more rapidly. Drink plenty of filtered water as well as juices to stay hydrated. Benefits of juice fasting include losing weight, removing waste "stored" in the colon and improving digestion and assimilation of food after the juice fast is completed. You also should consume herbal teas that will help further cleanse as you will be not be eating the insoluble fiber that would help move the bowels.
Juice only organic fruits and vegetables as you will be drinking the juices raw. If you use inorganic produce, soak them in bath made of 1 teaspoon of Clorox bleach with 2 quarts of water. Rinse thoroughly before juicing. This bleach bath removes pesticides from inorganic fruits and vegetables.
Juice apples with any other fruit or vegetable as it will not create indigestion. When juicing fruits and vegetables, be aware of what fruits may not taste as well in combination with certain vegetables. For example, juicing apples with carrots or kale produces a flavorful and easy-to-digest juice. Were you to juice spinach with banana, this might not produce as palatable a drink. Generally, juice melons on their own as they may not digest well in combination with other fruits or vegetables. This means juice watermelon, cantaloupe or honeydew on their own and consume as a single juice.
Experiment with different combinations, using your personal taste preferences. For example, juicing kale with bananas will probably not produce an appetizing drink. Instead, combine vegetables and apples with ginger root or lemon, and mix fruits with perhaps only one or two vegetables. As an example, for a cleansing green drink, juice curly, lacinto and dinosaur kale with apples, lemons and peeled fresh ginger root. Or, juice apples and a lemon with a few grapes for a sweet fruity drink.
Sustain the juice fast for one to three days if you are a newbie. Drink at least four to six 8-ounce servings of freshly extracted fruit and vegetable drinks daily. Also consume another four to six 8-ounce glasses of filtered water.
Sip herbal teas such as senna, cascara sagrada or buckthorn root to clear the bowel. Drinking only juices means that you will not be getting the insoluble fiber that would normally move the bowels.
Tip
Break the juice fast by gradually returning to eating small amounts of whole foods. Eat whole grains such as brown rice, legumes such as lentils and mixed steamed vegetables. Drizzle 1 tbsp. of olive or flaxseed oil over these foods for assimilation. Eat small amounts of live yogurt with lactobacillus acidophilus, bifidus or other live cultures.
Warning
If you have never done a juice fast before, check in with your doctor if you have any serious medical issues. If you are in good health, generally it is OK to juice fast for a day or two. If you feel weak, dizzy and have difficulty concentrating on simple tasks, discontinue your juice fast. If you develop diarrhea, also discontinue the fast and eat rice, bananas and small amounts of live culture yogurt. See your physician if you become ill. Sometimes a “healing crisis” is set off from juicing that can include a small fever, cold or even skin rashes. These usually dissipate, but if they do not, see your doctor.
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Writer Bio
Sava Tang Alcantara has been a writer and editor since 1988, working as a writer and editor for health publications such as "Let's Live Magazine" and "Whole Life Times." Alcantara specializes in health and fitness and is a certified yoga teacher and personal trainer. She does volunteer work regularly and has taught free public yoga classes in Santa Monica, Calif. since 2002.