Regular fasting for 24 hours or 36 hours are a great detoxification practice to achieve optimal health and can easily be done with a little preparation.
Any fast longer than 36 hours may not be appropriate for some people and should be done under a careful supervision with a knowledgeable and qualified health counselor.
Popularized by Paul Bragg, one of the founding fathers of the American holistic health movement, short personal fasts are incredibly effective detoxification methods, especially if done regularly.
Fasting gives the body a break to do some cleansing and maintenance on its own.
The body has infinite wisdom and knows what to do if given a chance. Once we stop piling in food three or more times a day, the body starts cleaning up by itself.
Once a week, bi-monthly, monthly, or seasonally, short 24-hour and 36-hour fasts are most effective on a regular basis.
24-hour fasts are best done lunch to lunch. That is, let lunch be your last meal until the following day's lunch.
36-hour fasts are best from dinner to breakfast. That is, have dinner, and go without food for a full night, a full day, and the second night, and break your fast with break-fast of the following day.
A longer seasonal fast, normally in the Spring-time, is common in many cultures and is certainly much more profound, but, again, has to be supervised.
Long fasting should always include some form of nutritional support, and plenty of sugarless green vegetable juices.
For short fasts, it's OK to go on water only. However, it may be very difficult at first. Instead, apple cider vinegar (diluted in water) or the *Master Cleanser* can be used.
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*Master Cleanser*
2 TBS of fresh organic lemon juice, 1.5-2 TBS of organic maple syrup, and a pinch of Cayenne pepper (optional) to an 8-oz glass of purified water. Make lots of it, and drink it all day. It has enough calories (from maple syrup) to keep your energy up. With a short fast, you won't even feel hungry. |
If the Master Cleanser alone is still too challenging, it's good to begin fasting on vegetable juices and water.
Avoid fruit juices as they are too sugary and spike up your blood sugar levels.
Veggie juices are ideal: wheatgrass, kale, spinach, parsley, and celery. Juice these with green apple to make them more palatable.
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