Has anyone here fasted?  If so, what was it for?  What was your experience?  How long?  Did you feel a difference afterwords?  Any details are appreciated.

I have done two juice fasts.

Went to someone to guide me for the first one.  Used this book for the second.

http://www.amazon.ca/Juice-Fasting-Detoxification-Healing-Power/dp/1878736655/ref=pd_bowtega_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1215745504&sr=1-1

My first juice fast lasted 18 days I think.  My second 32 days.

You need a juicer.  You can't have any pulp.  If you get pulp, it gets your digestive juices going and you feel hungry.  I felt great during both fasts, had mega energy.  Unfortunately after both, I slowly slipped back in to my bad habits.

When you are detoxing, your tongue gets really gross.  Thick white stuff on it.  They recommend you don't stop a fast while your tongue is going through a gross stage as you are really detoxing then.  Get a tongue brush.  Use it or when you talk to people or stick your tongue out at them, they will be freaked!  ;D  As well, you want to get that crud off your tongue.

Some people break out while fasting.  The toxins come out through your skin (another reason to dry brush before a shower or bath).  Oddly enough on a juice fast, you will still poop.  But not like you normally do.  Not even close.  You will definitely pee a lot.

You do lose weight but you will not lose more than your body knows it can lose.  It is a great way to start a weight loss plan because you get all the crap out of your body and then can start eating healthy when you end it.  Of course, you must NEVER break a fast with a pizza or something.  You have to start slowly and add broth, an apple etc to your diet but Steve's book explains it all.  Eating a big meal when breaking a fast can land you in the hospital.

I did not do any form of enema first.  I did do what the practitioner told me to do before I started.  A teaspoon of Epsom salt with water.  Do not leave your house or a bathroom that day.  So best to start on a Saturday.  

While fasting, also really good to dry brush your skin. You brush up toward your heart, legs, trunk. Down towards your chest.  Do not dry brush breasts or face.

My 32 day fast was about 7 or 8 years ago so I am going by memory.

It is really important you listen to your body.  It will tell you when it is time to quit.  Both times, I felt I wanted an apple ( I never crave an apple).  I knew it was time to eat.  I could have lasted longer on the 32 day one but near the end of the fast, I developed an allergy to carrots which was the main stay of my juice.  I was drinking too much fruit juice I thought.

Although, sweet potatoes, yams juice really well.  

I might like to do another one in the fall but will have to plan it very well because it will be carrot free.

I didn't go into thinking 3 days, a week, two weeks.  I went in to it knowing I would know when to stop.

Plan around a time you don't have dinner parties to go to, a wedding, etc.  Know that at the end of the fast, you should probably take a week of eating very simple foods and small amounts.  So don't fast, plan on stopping on a Friday because you are going to an event on Saturday.

Try to do as much organic as possible.  I don't think I could do it in the summer because our summers are short.  I tend to socialize more in the summer.

Fasting is a great way to break bad habits.  While fasting, you don't smoke, drink, do drugs.  If of course you are on birth control pills, you continue to take them. Other medications, I would check with a naturopath or doctor.  Obviously if you take thyroid meds, high blood pressure, you can't stop them.  Just check to make sure you will be fine.  Steve's book probably talks about that.  

You can exercise while fasting but they recommend walking or very mild exercise. Generally no weight training or heavy duty cardio.  Your body is working hard enough getting your organs working again and cleaning them out.  Although I swear to God, I have more energy fasting than when not.

I never had headaches, you might for a day or two.  But then I can easily go a day without eating.  You may have some flu type symptoms.  That is your body ridding itself of toxins.  

Other than weekends, I went to work the whole time.  Made juice in the morning and put it in a thermos.  Try to make your juice fresh daily as the fresher it is, the more benefits you get from it.

It can be a fairly spiritual experience.  You start to really learn about your body and what you can and can't do.

As well, people with eating disorders or diseases should be in touch with a naturopath, someone who specializes in fasting or a doctor.  Again, I believe Steve's book probably discusses that.

I know I could use another fast.  My BF has to have surgery in the fall and that might be a good time for me because he won't be able to do much for 6 weeks.  So it will be a slow tie for us socializing with others.

One of the best things to juice is celery.  Celery has cellulose in it and it helps your skin stay elastic when you lose weight so you don't have sagging skin.

Hope this helped.

Veg On!

Di

P.S.  I never did the broth that you can do during the fast.  I only did juice and water.
As well, don't tell people at work/school you are doing it except your closest friends.  Most think you are a freak and the others keep commenting on how hungry you must feel and that you are probably killing yourself.  Tell them after the fast is over.  Then you can tell them how great you felt doing it and how great you feel after it.  

Oh, you may have body odour....again toxins leaving your body.  The crud on your tongue will also give you bad breath.  Probably rinsing your mouth with sea salt and water would be good.  Brush a lot.

Yeah, I'm not a believer in fasting at all. I think juicing is a wonderful thing, and I wish more people would do it, the "juice" you can buy in store and stuff, ick, no bueno, but your body needs calories. And the acne, the tongue "fuzz" (haha, that's the first word that came to mind,lol), the body odor, it can all be explained medically, I truly don't believe it has anything to do w/ getting the toxins out. Just my $.02

How can this be healthy? ...I'm not understanding.  ??? Why not just eat healthy foods...all the time?

Yeah, I'm much more of a fan of a nice raw food cleanse with lots of raw fruits and veggies. And lots of water!  Get all the nutrients and fibe rin there to clean things out!  But I know lots of people have success with fasts too.
*shrugs shoulders*

Wow, thanks for all the input everyone.  I'm not considering a fast to lose weight as I'm very happy with where I am in that regard..I'd consider it for detoxing (if it really does detox) and mainly to experience it.  I wasn't considering a super long fast either, maybe a couple days.  Still would have to research it more..

Thanks for the info!

I didn't do it to lose weight either.  I did lose weight and I had to but that was just a bonus side effect.  I did it as a detox.  I so loved my energy level.

I'm not criticizing fasting or those who do it--I'm just unsure about the healthfulness of it.  That's all.  Sorry if it came off differently  :-[  I guess whenever I feel "blah" from eatiing too much junk ( like I do now from eating too much of the JoVB no-bake peanut butter chocolate pie...thanks a lot faunablues!) I just stop eating the junk for a couple weeks and focus on more whole foods and that works for me.  To each her/his own, though!

Agreed! I JUST started The China Study...but it seems this is addressed in the book....just a bit "fad-ish." I dunno..I'm just all about eating healthy all the time..trying to be as balanced as possible..and I never feel like I need to deprive my body of anything.

I'm sorry..but the fuzz on tongue stuff and so forth..reminds me of that commercial for those pads you put on your feet..and they are supposed to suck out all the toxins....ya know? Oh..Kinoki foot pads....or something...

The purpose of Fuhrman book is to advise people how to fast to heal a specific illness or injury. There is a medical clinic that helps people do it.

i am basically incapable of fasting.  the longest i've gone without solid food is 3 days, and that was because of a serious emotional trauma i was having at the time (ie, not for health reasons, obviously).  but if i go for like 6 hours without eating, i feel like i'm going to die.  it's pretty pathetic,

That's not pathetic;  that's natural!