Juice fasting involves the substitution of regular food with water, vegetable juices, and fruit juices. It is a wonderful way of getting rid of body toxins since the juices do a thorough cleansing of the body. This article provides information regarding the same.
Juice fasting, or juicing, is not only an easy weight loss plan, but also a powerful detoxification diet. With this fasting, you will consume considerable nutrition through freshly-squeezed fruit and vegetable juices instead of the normal solid diet. This diet is advocated because the juices, being a good source of vitamins and antioxidants, help the body get rid of harmful toxins.
Tips
For the purpose of losing weight, juice fasting is normally done for a period of one to three days. A longer juice fast needs medical supervision and monitoring to ensure that nutrient deficiencies do not occur. Following are some common tips to help a person while opting for a juice fast:
- A juice fast should be carried out during the warmer months. It is most effective during the spring which is also regarded as the best time for this diet.
- It requires a person to reduce the intake of some foods for seven days prior to the fast. The foods that need to be avoided include alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, sugar, dairy, wheat, animal meat, fish, and eggs. During the pre-fasting days a preparation diet of organic fruits, vegetables, and beans is considered the best.
- Regular intake of juices between 32 and 64 ounces per day is necessary during the fast. The intake can be spread out and sipped throughout the day.
- The diet should be inclusive of typical fruits and vegetables like celery, carrot, kale, cabbage, apple, pineapple, cranberry, spinach, beet, and greens. It is advisable to avoid citric fruits from the fasting diet.
- The diet should be supplemented with approximately 6 glasses of water everyday. A similar quantity of warm filtered water is recommended in addition to the juice.
- Juicing is more beneficial if organic fruits and vegetables are used instead of the regular stuff.
- Inorganic foods should be used by peeling the skin off the fruits and vegetables after washing them thoroughly. The foods should be washed in a non-toxic cleaner, which is available in most of the health-food stores.
- If the juices obtained from fresh fruits and vegetables are not available, then the juices from health-food stores, or juice bars can be used.
- Juices from green vegetables and sprouts are recommended as they have high chlorophyll pigments, which are beneficial for the body.
- People who cannot go on a complete-juice fast can have a single meal in a day along with the juice.
- There are certain fruits and vegetables parts which should be avoided. These include fruits with pits and seeds such as peaches, apricots, cherries, and fruit peels from apples, citrus fruits, carrots, and rhubarb tops.
- Fruits with tough skins such as kiwis, pineapples, mangoes, bananas, and avocados should also be excluded from the diet.
- Grapefruit juice and pomegranate juice should not be used during a juice fast, especially by people taking certain prescription drugs.
Who Should Avoid Juice Fasting?
This fasting is not favorable for people having special conditions since it deprives the body of nutrients that come from solid foods. A body going through a fasting period faces periods of weaknesses, that can be harmful for unfavorably indisposed people. Juice fasting or any sort of fasting is harmful for pregnant, nursing women, or children. Also, those who will be undergoing or have undergone surgery should not do a juice fast. People with diabetes, low-blood sugar, eating disorders, kidney disease, and liver disease can face problems with a juice diet.
People with conditions like malnutrition, addiction, underweight, anemia, impaired-immune function, infection, nutritional deficiency, low-blood pressure, ulcerative colitis, cancer, terminal illness, epilepsy, or other chronic conditions should avoid a juice fast or do so under a strict medical supervision. People taking prescription drugs or medications should avoid juice as it can affect the reaction of drugs to the body. It is advisable for a person planning to take a juice fast to consult a health professional, who is an expert in detox diet.
Possible Side Effects
Juice fasting is an effective way of losing weight; however, it can also lead to side effects like headaches, tiredness, hypoglycemia, constipation, acne, increased body odor, and bad breath. A juice fast can also lead to fainting, dizziness, low-blood pressure, heart arrhythmia, hunger, vomiting, diarrhea, and kidney problems.
Though there are side effects to this type of weight loss, a person gains a lot more than the possible side effects. It not only helps reduce weight, but also helps detoxify the body.
Disclaimer: This article is for informative purposes only and does not in any way attempt to replace the advice offered by an expert on the subject.
