Spring is right around the corner. Have you ever considered giving your body a break from digesting food?
Our bodies can benefit from a spring cleanse to aid in the elimination of toxins and freshen up the liver and digestive tract. Fasting is a fantastic way to give your body a much needed break to repair any imbalances.
Spring and summer are the best seasons to detoxify as we have more vitality and immune function than in the cooler winter months. The key to detoxification is improving liver function. Fasting helps strengthen your liver. When our liver functions poorly this leads to a decreased ability to clear toxins, hormones and other harmful substances. One of the best ways to detox is a short fast. Fasting is definitely not for everyone. People who are unwell, have medical conditions or are pregnant should always consult a physician before undertaking any fast or cleanse.
It takes a lot of time, effort and energy for your body to process the food you eat. So, by undertaking a vegetable juice cleanse/fast, or as we like to call it a juice ‘feast,’ it gives your body easily digested nutrition so it can rest and focus on healing.
Why Fast?
- To give the body a break from constant digestion
- To allow the healing of the internal organs
- To support healthy skin
- To lose weight and maintain a leaner, healthier body size
- To retrain eating habits to a smaller intake of food (portion control)
- A rest for all of the internal organs
- Rebuild your intestinal bowel health
- Increase nutritional uptake
- Speed up the elimination of waste
- Accelerate new cell and tissue generation
- Enhance cell-oxygenation
- Cleanse the bowel and liver
- Help ‘reset’ the cells of the body to a neutral and healthy state
- To boost your immune system
Make sure you are prepared to fast!
I don’t recommend jumping straight into a fast tomorrow. To get the most out of your fast, and to avoid any negative effects it’s important to prepare for the fast. In the days leading up it’s important to eliminate foods from your diet which can slow down the digestive process and cause inflammation. Go gluten free, and eliminate all dairy, coffee, alcohol, red meat and processed food.
In the lead up days to the fast consume liver loving foods such as carrots, beetroot, leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, green tea and lots of water! Even though you’re not yet on the fast your body is already detoxing because the light food means less time digesting and more time to detox. It’s important to drink lots of water prior and during the fast to flush out toxins through the kidneys and urinary tract.
Also make sure on the days leading up to the fast you consume small amounts of good quality protein. This is needed by the liver to make its detoxification enzymes, good sources include nuts, seeds, tempeh, egg and fish, beans, legumes, quinoa. I often recommend people avoid meat a few days leading up to a fast.
When should I fast?
A vegetable broth and juice fast is best over a weekend or when you have some scheduled time off. You are more relaxed on the weekend and you don’t have to cope with the rigours of a busy week at the same time. It’s important to avoid all stress while fasting. Start with a gradual two or three day build up to the fast, then the 24 hour fast and a gradual return to eating normal healthy food.
Tips for Fasting Success
- Make sure you prepare for a fast at least 2-3 days prior
- On the fasting day consume lots of water, and freshly made vegetable juice
- Sip ginger or lemon water or a liver detox tea – for warmth and toxin removal
- Move your body, do some light exercise such as walking, yoga or pilates
- Enjoy an epsom salt bath to help draw out the toxins, but don’t stay in any longer than fifteen minutes because due to osmosis, your skin will then start to reabsorb toxins it has flushed out
Remember…
During the detox you might not feel your best as the toxins start to leave their storage areas, such as fat cells, and enter your system for elimination. This is only temporary. You should have a remarkable improvement in your wellbeing by the time you’re back on your normal healthy diet. Some people breeze through a detox and feel great and energised the whole time.