Periodically I do a juice fast. Sometimes I get stuck making the same few recipes and then feel bored. I find that this and the fast pace of life leads me to eat out more often, gain weight, and succumb to temptations such as cooked soy based meals. Eventually I feel bloated, heavy, and less able to focus. That’s when I know it’s time to fast again.

After 7-10 days on a juice fast I feel MUCH better. I lose weight and my clothes fit better. My commitment to eating right is renewed and my energy level and focus increases. Here is what Dr. Opare and I do.

Before: It is always best to taper down what you are eating before you start your fast. I phase out cooked food, and reduce the amount of food I eat for a day or so beforehand. If you are eating meat you should eliminate that too.

Beginning: The first day of the fast it is important to empty your digestive system of accumulated waste. I use a purgative of some sort to cause the bowel to empty out. This is similar to the process you might have done if you have ever had a colonoscopy.

The first three days we stay at home as much as possible. These are the days when you are most likely to feel the detox effects. I often get a headache, and get irritable. Once that phase is through I feel great!

During: While fasting I mix all our juice 50% with water. We start the day with a class of fresh squeezed orange juice. I use an Omega BMJ juicer to make fruit juice for the first part of the day and vegetable juice for the latter part of the day. We drink plenty of water throughout the day. For more information about juicers visit my blog post What Type Of Juicer Should You Buy?

My favorite fruit juice combo is apples, berries, lemon, ginger, pineapple. My favorite veggie juice is cucumber, celery, carrot, bell pepper, garlic, basil, kale. You can go simpler if you desire. I think about what I would put in a salad.

To aid the detox process and prevent ourselves from getting headaches, bad breath and other side effects we do a daily dry brush massage and enema before our morning shower. Drink as much water as possible.

It’s important stay away other forms of toxins during your fast too. Lotions, deodorants, fumes, smoking etc. In fact this is a great time to break additions.

For those with serious health problems or taking medications it is very important to consult a health professional who knows about fasting to help you tailor the program to your needs. Your medications needs will likely change during the fasting period. Our Supervised Juice Fast provides daily support from Dr. Opare during the fast.

Ending: When we are ready to end the fast we introduce food back to our diets very slowly. The first day we may eat only an apple or a small green salad as well as our juice. Each day we add a bit more until we have reached our desired eating pattern.

This safe method of fasting can be maintained for quite a while. The juice provides the nutrients you need while allowing the body to rest and detox. Done in this way I find I can maintain most of my regular functioning and that my energy is high. 

Combined with journaling, mediation, prayer, and serious self-reflection your juice fast can be a powerful tool for turning over a new leaf in all aspects of your life.

Want to know more? Our Juice Fasting DVD has complete instructions. Keep your eyes open for our upcoming How To Do a Juice Fast e-book coming soon.

We’d love to hear from you! Comment below and share your favorite juice combos, ask a question, just say hello!

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