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Juice fasting by Sharon Hopkins

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Fasting is often done for various reasons from religious belief to health purpose. Also there are different types of fasts ranging from fruit fast, water fast or eating nothing at all. Juice fasting is generally done for losing weight or for detoxification of the body. It includes consumption of only raw fruit juice, vegetable juice and water (no solid food should be included). Fresh vegetables and fruits are considered as a very good source of vitamins and minerals which helps in the detoxification process. Points to ponder for juice fasting – A week before starting juice diet try and avoid caffeine, sugar, alcohol, poultry, fish, eggs and processed flour products. Some vegetables and fruits which have excellent nutritional profile along with palatability in juice form include tomatoes, carrots, cucumber, cabbage, beet, zucchini squash, lettuce, celery, green vegetables, sprouts, apples, melons, grapes, pineapple and cranberry. Avoid juices of certain vegetables and fruits like potato, yam, citrus fruits, apricots, peaches, cherries, bananas and other with hard skin and seeds. Juices can be sipped through out the day. Drink 50-70 ounces of juice per day and also remember to drink at least 8-10 glasses of water per day along with the juices. Select a combination of fresh vegetables and fruits. Do not allow the juice to stand. Drink immediately as soon as it comes out from the juicer to ensure the intake of all the vitamins and raw food enzymes. Avoid consumption of canned or tinned fruit or vegetable juices. Juice fasting should not be done for long period of time as it may lead to nutritional deficiencies in the body. It should typically last for not more than one to three days. Grapefruit juice and pomegranate juice can be avoided during a juice fast, because they have certain components which tend to interact with certain drug component in the body. Break a juice fast gradually by eating semi-solid foods and then solid foods as per tolerance. Juice fasting is a concern for – People suffering from certain medical conditions like diabetes, kidney problem, liver problem, anemia, anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa, malnutrition or some nutritional deficiencies, infection, cancer, epilepsy, or after any surgical procedure. Children, pregnant and lactating women. Juice fasting should always be done under the supervision and guidance of a health care professional. This is because it can change the way certain drugs act in the body, lower serum proteins occasionally or may cause some undesirable effects like hypoglycemia, headaches, low blood pressure, arrhythmias, hunger, dizziness, weight loss, diarrhea, dehydration or vomiting.

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