What is Juice Fasting?

This is a good guest post about juice fasting.  I believe that every now and then it is necessary to de-tox my body.  I have quit sugar, caffeine, alcohol and dairy before for several weeks at a time, and I felt amazing.  I said in a post the other day that one of the small kitchen appliances that is on my wish list is a juicer.  I think I would like to try the fast for maybe one or two days.  I probably wouldn't go longer than that.  But, adding fruits and vegetables to your diet is never a bad idea!

 

What is Juice Fasting?

 

There are various methods of detoxing the body, and juice fasting seems to be one of the more popular methods. A juice fasting is also referred to as a juice cleansing and is really an internal cleansing technique that involves fasting combined with a detox diet. The individual who is on the fast will consume a diet that strictly consists of fruit and vegetable juices. They will, during the period of the fasting, abstain from consuming any other food. The aim is to have the fruit and vegetable juices deliver much needed nutrients to the body undisturbed while at the same time ridding the body of harmful toxins.

 

Juice fasts not only cleanse the body, but also reset physiological processes that are affected by the vast amount of toxins, pollutants, and preservatives from many of the foods we eat. Juice fasts may last anywhere from a few days to several weeks.

 

Preparing for a Juice Fast

 

A juice fast may sound simple because it only involves fruits and vegetables, but it is not something to be entered into lightly. The practice can be easily misunderstood, which can lead to detrimental consequences if the procedure is approached in the wrong manner.

 

The individual embarking on the juice fast will need to remove certain foods from their diet starting three days before entering the fast. This is essential as they could end up with withdrawal symptoms such as headaches and cravings. The prefast period is used to gradually wean the body of certain foods such as sugar, coffee, alcohol, meat and dairy. These should be replaced with an increased consumption of fresh vegetables.

 

When Do You Need a Juice Fast

 

Every day, the things we eat pass on toxins to our bodies. These toxins stay in the body and build up over a period of time, which then starts to affect us. Our body literally speaks to us and tells us when something is wrong. If you find yourself suffering from unexplained headaches, fatigue, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, irritability, skin troubles and excess weight, your body is actually telling you that it's time for a detox. The method that is applied in juice fasting is an effective way of flushing those toxins from the body.

 

Many people become squeamish when they are faced with the idea of going on a juice fast. The concerns are usually centered on them getting hungry during the fast as the juices are not considered as foods but rather accompaniments.

 

Are Juice Fasts Really Effective?

 

Once the fasting method is approached in an intelligent and committed manner the results are amazing. Not only does it leave you feeling beautiful, healthy, well-nourished and rejuvenated, but it also helps you to gain clarity. It is a wonderful method that breaks down and eliminates the toxins from our body and leaves us feeling like a new being. About half the juices that are consumed during a juice fast should be green as they help the body become alkaline, but avoid too much fresh fruit as they introduce too much sugar into the body.

 

Jennifer Fox is a diet and nutrition consultant who blogs on a variety of websites. She enjoys sharing her tips and insights. Visit Skinny Limits for information on healthy juices.

 

 

References

 http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-2372/How-to-Juice-Fast-Safely.html

 http://livinggreenmag.com/2012/05/21/food-health/the-beginners-guide-to-juice-fasting/

 

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