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Memphis trainer Tonya Tittle of Energy Fitness loves to recommend fasting for weight loss and a boost in your immune system.

Have you ever considered it?  Many religious people for centuries have done fasting as a means to reboot their system to gain enlightenment and physical strength.

Lately I have seen two documentaries called Vegucated, and Fat,Sick & Nearly Dead which prompted me to do this blog post.

Many people go on a juice fast hoping that it will be a quick fix to their weight and health problems. Think of juicing as a gateway to better health & clean eating.

Did you know that the “juice” you drink on a juice fast isn’t the kind you buy in the store. It’s made with a juicer that compresses fresh fruits and vegetables and extracts the pulp. Most juice fasts consist only of drinking this type of juice and nothing else.

Some of our clients ask us what’s the difference between using a juicer and a blender. 

A blender works by using rapidly rotating blades to cut and break down the produce. However when fruit or vegetables are put into a blender the output contains everything that went into the blender, i.e. the fruit and vegetable fibers including skin, seeds, pits, flesh etc.

A juicer will separate the juice from the fibers. This separation is fundamental to the juicing process and its associated health benefits. The separation of juice from fiber means that the body does not have to divert large amounts of energy to the process of digesting the juice, as there are no fibers to breakdown. It also means that the body can easily absorb the micro-nutrients present in the juice extracted by the juicer as they have all been released from the fibers and are freely available.

When the drink is created in the blender the fibers ‘lock’ some of the nutrients and prevent them from being absorbed into the body.

The presence of large amounts of fibers in blended ‘juice type drinks’ reduces their palatability when compared with a smooth juice drink prepared in a juicer. This is because the blended drink will be much thicker in texture and may contain lumps of produce that haven’t been fully broken down by the blenders blades.

 How much is a a juicer?  anywhere from $49 to $600.  check out amazon.com and look at reviews.  I personally have a juiceman brand and I have had it about 13 years so far with no issues, it’s kind of loud.  Some are louder than others and some have variable speeds.

How Long to Fast

The length of people’s juice fasts can vary widely, anywhere from 2-60 days. It’s best to go for at least 5 days as the first 2-3 days people sometimes feel sluggish or symptoms of detoxification. It’s most definitely a good idea to start small. Juice fasts can be fairly intense, and lifestyle circumstances can make longer ones all but impossible. Completely breaking your fast is worse than going on a small one successfully, so as a rule of thumb a 2-3 day fast is a good stepping point.

Some people say that beyond 7 days isn’t a particularly good idea. While the benefits of a juice fast can be remarkable, they can have certain deficiencies when practiced for a prolonged amount of time.

For most people a Friday-Saturday-Sunday fast is a good place to start. The short period of time will allow you to “break in” to the diet, and the weekend will give you ample free time and a flexible schedule. Juicing is extremely healthy, but also a very labor intensive way of eating, so a flexible schedule is usually key.

How to fast

• Reduce or stop using caffeine, nicotine, sugar, dairy, wheat, meat, fish and eggs a few days before your fast. This will help your body prepare for fasting and reduce any side effects that may occur.
• A juice fast can last 1-7 days. During the fast, you should drink 1-2 liters of fresh vegetable, sprout and grass juice, ideally juiced just before drinking. You can also add green superfood powder to the juice. Limit fruits and sugary vegetables such as carrots or beets which will slow weight loss. Avoid oranges because they are high in acidic sugar. The juice can be diluted with up to 40% water.
• You should also drink 1-2 liters of water per day while fasting.
• After the fast you can gradually return to eating solids.
• Doing a juice fast one day a week is ideal for maintaining health and weight or gradual weight loss. If you do this for 7 years you will have given your body a break for an entire year!
• You can also do a program at a detox center if you want to fast for longer than 7 days or want to fast under the guidance of specialists.

Who should not do a juice fast

Pregnant or nursing women or children should not do a juice fast. People with any kind of chronic condition or those taking prescription medications should only do a juice fast after consulting with their doctor. A juice fast should not be done before or after surgical procedures.

Recipes

• Cucumber and Celery – juice 70% cucumber and 30% celery. A handful of greens such as parsley or spinach may be added. Cucumber helps flush out kidneys while cucumber and celery’s combination of potassium and sodium help cleanse cells and give a good electrolyte balance.
• Fat Burner – juice 30% each of tomato, celery and red pepper, 1 handful parsley, 1 clove garlic and fresh chili or black pepper. This tasty blend helps the liver cleanse and speeds the metabolism of stored fat.

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references: happy juicer.com
http://www.thelifeco.com/juice-fasting-for-weight-loss.aspx
http://www.ehow.com/how_5797347_go-juice-fast-properly.html