Juice Fasts

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.

Going Raw

Raw food diets have recently enjoyed a resurgence in popularity as knowledge about alternative health has become more widespread throughout the country.  Raw foodism is a lifestyle which promotes consumption of food that is uncooked, unprocessed and of the highest nutrient quality possible (usually organic).  When a person eats over 75% of their food raw, he or she is said to be a raw foodist.  Raw foodists generally believe that the more raw food one eats, the greater the health benefits.  This theory has been popularized by alternative health professionals such as Gabriel Cousens, MD and everyday people such as the Boutenko family, who experienced major health improvements after “going raw,” so to speak.

So, how does a raw diet work?  Basically, raw or “living” foods are foods that have not been heated over 116 degrees F.  Supposedly this maintains the natural enzymes found in foods that can assist with digestion and absorption of nutrients.  Proponents of this diet believe that consuming “dead” foods that have been cooked or processed increases the amount of toxins in the body , brought on by chemical reactions that occur when food is cooked (in addition to the preservatives and other artificial substances found in processed foods).  Subsequently, detox symptoms often occur when a person switches over to a raw diet, before benefits can begin to be noticed.  When benefits are noticed, however, they often include all or any number of the following:

-weight loss/weight stabilization

-increased energy

-better skin appearance

-better digestion

-better immune function

-reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer

Generally, this diet doesn’t include much in the ways of dairy or meat (however, there are in fact ways to implement these items, either by consuming unpasteurized milk/dairy  or by “cooking” meats in liquids such as lime juice–think ceviche– or using fermentation to chemically alter harmful bacteria.).  Eating a vegetarian raw diet includes foods such as the obvious raw fruits and veggies, but also nuts, seeds, beans, grains, juiced fruits or vegetables, young coconut milk, seaweed, dried fruit and unprocessed organic food products.  Using tools such as a dehydrator, juicer, and food processor, and techniques such as sprouting seeds, grains and beans, juicing fruits and veggies, soaking nuts, and otherwise blending and dehydrating food, some pretty amazing and delicious dishes can be prepared.