Thought About Juice Fasting?
We get asked about the juicing and fasting craze a lot because it’s all the rage these days! We want to provide as much DIY nutrition content as possible so here is some information on juice fasting and a few recipes as well. While it’s definitely not for everyone, you can still pick up some interesting info below!
Revitalize your health via juice fasting
Modern health practitioners are now looking into the importance of fasting.
While various religions commonly practice fasting as a ritual, it is now taken seriously by fitness and wellness enthusiasts as a healthy habit to integrate into your diet program [intermittent fasting is all the rage now].
Judaism and some Christian denominations fast just like what Moses and Jesus Christ did for 40 days during their ministry.
Fasting is also a Buddhist doctrine to practice self-control. Muslims observe the month of Ramadan by abstaining from food during the daytime to purify their soul, practice self-sacrifice, and refocus their attention on God.
Medical science has only recently recognized the healing benefits of fasting, which billions of people worldwide practice regularly. Aside from dry fasting (total abstinence from solid and liquid food), there is also liquid and partial fasting.
Benefits of juice fasting
Among the types of fasting, juice fasting has been tagged by many health experts as the fasting to perform. Juice fasting has a lot of health benefits. Among them are:
Improved digestion and assimilation of food – Juice fasting is an effective way to cleanse the colon. Through juice fasting, nutrients extracted from liquids squeezed out of fruits and vegetables are easily absorbed by the body.
The body quickly assimilates the nutrients even before the digestive process takes place, allowing the stomach and other organs of the digestive system to take a rest.
Provide enzymes to our body – Enzymes are molecules known to speed up chemical processes in the body. One of the key functions of enzymes is to accelerate the body’s metabolism—the chemical process of converting food into energy. Enzymes are delicate in the sense that high temperature easily destroys them. Many types of enzymes are destroyed when food is cooked.
Without enzymes, the body will work double-time to digest the foods. After years without the help of enzymes, the body will eventually wear down, resulting in a host of life-threatening diseases.
Aid weight loss – With improved digestion and acquired enzymes, the body can now assimilate effectively and efficiently the nutrients it needs. Your body will also boost its metabolism, a key component in losing weight. With a higher metabolism, your body can burn calories more efficiently.
Your bodily system can easily convert carbohydrates and stored fat into energy.
Who?
With its many benefits, juice fasting could be prescribed to most people, especially to those with health problems. Even bodybuilders and athletes are advised to do some juice fasting in the course of their diet as a way to reset their bodily functions after a race or competition.
But not all can perform this diet. The following people must not do juice fasting:
- Pregnant or nursing mothers
- Have just undergone surgery – please wait until you’ve fully recovered
The following people can juice fast only with doctor’s advice and supervision:
- Are diabetic or suffering from hypo- or hyper-glycemia
- Are on daily prescription medication
- Have a kidney or liver disease
- Are anemic
- Have low blood pressure
- Have a terminal disease, epilepsy, or any other chronic conditions
When?
According to an IronMan article, juice fasting is the best way to reset your body at the cellular level. It aids in the cleansing done by the liver, colon and kidneys by unloading impurities.
Juice fasting is also a great way to kick-start your fitness regimen, as it helps reveal what nutrients are lacking in your current diet.
How long?
The length of juice fasting depends on your purpose and how long your body can take it. Experts believe that an extended fast, longer than 30 days, can produce wonderful health benefits. It provides your body an uninterrupted time to cleanse and heal itself.
If you are a beginner, a one-day fast is a good start. If you do well, try two days, then three days until you can do a five-day fast.
The key is to always listen to your body. Your body, not your mind, decides when you should stop your fast. Be sensitive to the cues your intelligent body gives when it cannot sustain fasting anymore.
Once you can do a five-day juice fast, you may attempt to stretch yourself further to seven, 10, 14, 21, and 30 days. Some can do a 40-day fast, or even longer.
The trick is for your body to learn to manage possible hunger pangs during the first few days.
For starters
Want to start your first juice fast? Turn on your juicer and start making any of the four juices below:
- 1 large bunch of parsley
- 2 carrots
- 1 apple
- 1 celery stalk
Red pepper juice
- 2 red peppers
- 2 carrots
- 1 apple
- 1 broccoli spear
Eggplant mix
- 1 eggplant
- 3 carrots
- 2 apples
- 1 celery stalk
Parsnip mix
- 3 parsnips
- 3 carrots
- 1 celery stalk
- 1 apple
You can find more juice recipes at juicerecipes.com.
Wrap-Up
Just as a computer needs to restart from time to time to function properly, your body needs a reset.
Juice fasting is an effective way to reboot your system for a more energized and glowing you.
Updated 5/16/18
- The Wonders of Juice Fasting - May 15, 2018
