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| Photo by Leon Terra on Flickr.com |
Why Juice Fast?
Sluggish elimination in the digestive system and excess acidity in the body are two significant factors underlying inflammation in the body. Therapeutic fasting (using vegetable juice and vegetable broth) works to correct both.
To understand this, think about how in our ordinary busy lives we often only have time for minimal house cleaning. Perhaps we keep up with the laundry and the dishes, but not much else. Sometimes we might not even get that far.
The same thing is true for our bodies. When we are eating full meals and putting most of our energy into other tasks, our body often only has enough energy to do the bare minimum of housecleaning. Sometimes it even gets behind on that.
On a normal day, digestion takes an amazing 30 percent of our energy. That is a huge amount! Think about this: in a close political election, only 1 percent of the vote can mean the difference between victory and defeat. The same is true of health. An extra 1 percent can sometimes make all the difference. An extra 30 percent can often to carry the day, even when we are quite ill.
Therapeutic juice fasting provides the energy for our body to catch up on normal maintenance and to do the deep cleansing and releasing needed to flush out toxins and excess acidity.
The body heals. We end up cleaner, lighter and healthier. We become less likely to succumb to inflammation.
Juice Fasting While Working?
I don't recommend working while fasting. You can do it, but if you are not careful, the energy that is freed up by fasting can easily be diverted into work, especially if you are the type of person who gives 100%.
I know it is not easy or practical for many people to take off long enough to fast, but if you can, it will greatly increase the healing that can come from it.
It is feasible to fast while working a desk job, but again, you need to make it as non-stressful as possible to still get all the healing benefits that can come from a therapeutic fast. Napping and walks or other gentle exercise are important. Is it possible to build those into your work day? Can you still get freshly made vegetable juice?
When to Start a Juice Fast
I find the hardest day of a fast is the first day. If you work Monday through Friday and have the weekend off, I recommend eating breakfast and lunch on Friday and starting the fast at dinner time with fresh made vegetable juice. By Monday on the fast, your blood sugar and energy in general should be much more regular. If you have a few days off after the holidays, you could start the fast at the beginning of those days off.
Another thing to keep in mind is that once you have successfully fasted, your body may remember what that is like. I have fasted so much in my life it seems like all I have to do now is seriously consider another fast and my body starts switching over almost immediately to that mode.
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