Fasting and cleansing play an important part in creating a new life for yourself.
Although a simple concept, modern life often makes it look more complex than it needs to be.
Keep it Simple
Fasting is simple:
- Stop the intake of food and let the body tap in its reserves.
Digestion can take up to 10% of your metabolic energy. Fasting can suddenly lower energy cost
- Most people feel more energized after the first or second day
Cleansing is a bit more complex:
- Stop the intake of foods that drain energy and create toxins
- Take in foods that promote elimination and rejuvenation.
Fasting changes your relationship with food
Living off green tea, juices, kidney detox tea, liver flush drink or potassium broth for a day or more is an exhilarating experience.
You will learn a lot about yourself besides harvesting the cleansing benefits.
Find the approach that fits you
There are tons of advice out there about how to fast or cleanse.
- Skip anything you are not comfortable with.
- Make your own adjustments, there are no real rules
Plan ahead
Rushing into this type of endeavor defeats its underlying purpose.
- It's about making your life better.
Kale and psyllium husk are only the outer layers. - Planning will help remove any ego-based motivations
- Planning is as much as important as the actual fast or cleanse
- Read and reread directions from the guidelines you want to follow
- Write your personal cheat sheet, extracting information that is essential to you.
- Find the most appropriate time to do it
Plan meal and grocery shopping accordingly
There is also much food you should steer away from the days before and after the fast as well.
- Looking at food going bad while fasting can be upsetting.
Get support
Make sure everyone at home and at work is on board.
- The house will reek garlic and there will be ginger everywhere.
- You will sit at the edge of the dinner table with your jug of dubious liquids.
- You will occupy the bathroom like conquered territory.
- Unconscious food guilt will impose itself on those around you.
Start shopping early
Shopping will require several passes on the same shelves for 2 weeks.
- Did you know that Juniper berries are actually hard to find?
- On the other hand, the diversity of chamomile teas, or other detox formulas will have your head spin.
Get organized
Getting caught short on Day 4 is a bad idea. Prevent any hiccups.
- Prep portions, peel, cut, and cook whatever you can in advance
- Have the recipes printed and gathered in a neat binder
- Have quick access to directions and recommendations.
- Make sure you have the tools and the know-how to use them.
- Measuring cups? Blender? Strainers? Cutting boards? Tight seal jars? Have them all clean and handy all the time.
There might be a lot of dish-washing.
Be mentally prepared for ugly
Most cleanse recipes are acquired tastes...
- Expect a few Near Puke Experiences.
- Depending on your metabolism, bathroom trips might become very interesting as well.
Ease in - Ease out
Regardless of duration, 1 or 7 days, a fast or cleanse is rather a 5 to 14 day affair.
A few days before Day 1, slowly eliminate from your diet:
- Sugary and sweet food and drinks
- Cookies, pastries etc.
- Starch-based food, pasta, bread
- Caffeine
- Alcohol
- Meat and meat products
- Junk food and comfort food
- Fatty food, butter, fried food
- Dairy et dairy products
Drink plenty of water and get plenty of sleep.
Same thing after the last day. Avoid overtaxing your body right away.
Even better, some foods may be eliminated forever from your diet or become rare treats instead of table staples.
Adjust your calendar
Fasting can free up a lot of time, bringing up the question of what to do with it. Find ways to occupy your restlessness
- Seek uplifting activities, such as meditating or reading inspirational texts
- Your schedule may be disrupted and you may feel weird, dizzy or fatigued
- There is a better time to pay bills, go to the DMV or call the cable company. Get rid of these before starting
Starts small - Go slow
If this is your first time ever disrupting your eating habits with a complete food makeover, start small.
- Start with something easy like a Juice Day or No Solid Food Day when it is most convenient.
- You can upgrade to higher challenges as you build experience.
- Take the time to learn how your mind and body react to the change of diet and deprivation.
The mental part is the hardest
A lot of food is consumed for reasons other than sustenance
- Habits
- Rituals
- Fear of missing out
- Boredom
- Plain old need for instant gratification.
The awareness resulting from challenging your mind into fasting is a real eye-opener.
Have fun and treat yourself
- Read and watch fun stuff.
- Seek knee slapper jokes, watch hilarious movies and hysterical shows.
- It is said a good laugh is worth a good meal.
- Pamper yourself with foot rubs and massages
- Indulge in long showers
- If you must live off green tea or juices for a few days, treat yourself to the highest quality
You deserve it
Rest
- Skipping breakfast may let you sleep later.
- Skipping dinner may let you go to bed earlier
Play and have fun
- Use your free time to reconnect and invest in quality time with people.
Feel better
Your body will feel alive again. You will feel alive again. You will develop a new awareness of what is going on around you
- The best part of fasting is the new taste it gives to food.
- A boiled piece of veggie becomes a treat and the act of chewing becomes a meditation.
A WORD OF CAUTION
Fasting and cleansing are serious practice.
- Make sure you are in good health before engaging in fasting or cleansing.