To fast is to cease eating solid foods for a specific length of time. Fasting is not starvation; it is a short-term process meant to detoxify the body, rejuvenate the spirit or pay homage to a religious deity. The purpose of fasting is personal and can be highly ritualized or simply incorporated into your everyday life. Whatever your reasons, you should follow certain guidelines to ensure your fast results in good health, renewed energy and spiritual peace. Pregnant woman, children, those with heart disease, diabetes or are underweight should not fast. If you take any medication or have any chronic condition, check with your physician before fasting.
Instructions
1. Begin by teaching your body fast. Your first time fasting should be no longer than one or two days. Schedule your fast for a time when your obligations are minimal and you won't be putting undue stress on your body.
2. One week before your fast, reduce your intake of sugar, meat, eggs and wheat. Eliminate alcohol and nicotine intake. Eat small meals three times a day. Your meals should be made up of organic fruits and vegetables, beans and a minimum of bread. Drink only water and fruit juice throughout the day.
3. The day before you begin your fast, eat one meal late in the afternoon. In preparation for your fast, be sure to have plenty of fresh fruit and vegetable juice and water available. You do not want to have to go to the grocery store during your fast. Get a full eight hours of sleep.
4. Throughout your fast, you can drink water and juice. This is referred to as juice fasting. Your body then is able to retain electrolytes and receive essential vitamins and minerals. As you fast, your stomach continues to process; that is, the enzymes continue to break down stomach contents. Without solid foods, these enzymes could damage the stomach lining. Drinking juice and water throughout your fast helps eliminate this problem.
5. Spend your day as you normally would, but do try to avoid situations that are food-focused, such as lunch at a restaurant with colleagues. During those times you would usually eat a meal, try meditating, taking a walk or reading a book.
6. During your fast, you need to brush your skin. Toxins leave your body in a number of ways and one of those ways is through the pores of your skin. With a small soft-bristle brush, use upward strokes to brush your body. Begin with the feet and legs, then the arms, followed by the torso up to the neck. Afterwards, take a shower. Do this once in the morning and again in the evening.
7. While fasting, your body is releasing toxins. To further aid in eliminating these toxins from your body, include herbal teas that include senna or buckthorn. These act as mild laxatives, allowing your body to process waste and eliminate toxins. Limit yourself to one cup a day.
8. A few hours into your fast, you may experience some physical discomfort, such as headache or mild nausea. This should pass. You may also experience a kind of euphoria during your fast; this happens on longer fasts and usually after 24 hours. These are normal reactions. However, should you become physically ill or sense that you are not in control of your emotions, break your fast.
9. When you end your fast, do not eat a large meal or binge for a day. Break your fast by eating a small amount of fruit along with water. Slowly introduce solids back into your diet, but continue to keep sugar and meat to a minimum.
10. Keep your first two or three fasts simple. Go no more than one or two days and consume around 400 calories from the juices. Allow yourself one fast per month.
11. If you haven't experienced any negative effects from fasting, such as sudden drops in blood pressure, fainting or severe nausea you can lengthen the time of your fasting. A three-day fast once a month is a sensible goal for those wishing to incorporate fasting into their lifestyle.
