Juice fasting is one of the more extreme forms of detoxification. The duration of a juice fast can be anywhere from one to 30 days, and the idea is to consume only fresh, organic raw fruit and vegetable juices and water; no solid food at all. Juice fasting is an effective way to detoxify the body because juices are extremely high in vitamins, antioxidants, and other nutrients. Certain vegetables and fruits work to detoxify in specific ways; for example, beets specifically target the liver, while leafy greens work to have an overall alkalizing effect on the system. Juices also only contain complex carbohydrates, which the body digests quickly, expending very little energy to do so. When the burden of digesting is removed from other organs, especially the liver whose job it is to filter out every single toxin that enters the body, they can rest, thereby enabling a much more complete and effective detoxification. Depending on how long the juice fast lasts and because juices typically contain very little fiber, practices such as enemas or colon hydrotherapy are often used supplementarily with juice fasts to empty the colon and keep digestion working properly.
Because juice fasts are so powerful, usually a preparation diet is implemented seven to 10 days before a juice fast begins to help reduce die-off symptoms. Preparation diets involve eliminating foods from the diet that contain toxins or are particularly hard to digest; some examples include alcohol, coffee, refined sugar, dairy, meat and any processed foods. When these foods are eliminated for a few days beforehand, the body can create a baseline to detoxify from.
Reasons to do a juice fast vary, but weight loss is a big one. Others include improving overall appearance, or breaking a bad habit such as drinking too much coffee or smoking. It’s amazing how, when a cleanse like this is over, the body really has no craving or tolerance for toxic foods and behaviors!
To do a juice fast, the only tools necessary are lots of organic fruits and vegetables and a good juicer. As with any detox diet, knowledge and caution is key, and there are types of people who shouldn’t do a juice fast. These types include those with low blood sugar or diabetes, pregnant or nursing women, and those who have had recent surgeries. People who do juice fasts also have to be careful about nutrient deficiency, which is why it’s recommended to start with one that lasts only one to three days.
