A juice fast essentially gives your body a break and allows it to self-cleanse. We put our bodies through so much on a daily basis we don’t even realise, our insides are constantly working to enable us to function and get through our day. We place high demands on our body and a fast is a great way of thanking our body for all that it does for us. In doing a fast, our body rewards us with more energy, a feeling of rejuvenation, cleaner on the inside and glowing on the outside.
Some useful tips to begin with
Choose your time carefully
We recommend doing a juice fast over a quiet weekend as you will need time to rest, it can be quite challenging and requires willpower and commitment so choose your time with this in mind.
Prepare in advance
Avoid trips to the supermarket during a fast! The aisles of junk food will become even more appealing if you are trying to stick to fresh fruit and vegetables. Prepare yourself well in advance by buying all you need to make up your juices.
Symptoms which may occur
During a fast your body is undergoing some changes internally to self-cleanse so it is natural to feel tired and it’s important to rest when you do. You may experience bloating, flatulence, diarrhea, headaches and sweating. These are normal but if they become excessive, you should visit a doctor. A juice fast should not be done if you are unwell, pregnant or on medication (unless consulted with your doctor)
Treat yourself
See this as a period of complete rest for you as well as for your body, take a warm bath, treat yourself to a massage, take shorts walks in quiet, scenic spaces, watch your favourite movie or read a book. Don’t over-exert yourself and mix a fast with strenuous exercise.
Drink plenty of water
Extremely important to drink lots and lots of water to aid your juice fast
After a fast, it is extremely important to re-introduce food back into our system in a gentle way and not to overload the body suddenly with rich, cooked foods. Start with a substantial salad, dressed lightly with olive oil and lemon juice.
Sample recipes for a Juice fast
Breakfast: Start with a cleansing juice with a natural release of energy
Apple & Melon Medley
3 green apples, granny smith would be good
2 thick slices of melon
1 small handful of mint leaves
Apple & Carrot Mix
4 carrots
1 apple
Mid Morning: Boost energy levels, cleanse and detox
Beetroot Boost
2 beets
3 carrots
1 apple
1 orange
2 sticks of celery
Slice of ginger toot, about 1 cm thick
Lunch: Target digestion and skin without an energy hit, allowing your body to rest in the afternoon
Supergreen
8 spears broccoli
1 bunch parsley
3 green apples
Dinner: All round juice which tastes good, adds a different texture to what you’ve had all day, super-cleansing, targets energy, the immune system, digestion and skin
Green Waldorf
5 large kale leaves
2 apples, braeburn or cox
2 sticks of celery
1 dessertspoon of flaxseed (linseed) oil
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