experience fasting? cleansing fasts?

[peanut]

Hi,
I've been really sceptical of the idea of fasting ('cleansing fasts,' etc.) in the past, but I've been feeling really sluggish lately and having A LOT of nasty acne (which I never had before), so I'm thinking about giving it a try. Do any of you have experience doing this? Can you suggest a (moderate) method? I'd like to try a less-rigourous fast at first, maybe juice? or juice and raw veggies?

thanks for your suggestions and insights!

peanut

[lilian]

from what i know juice fasts or anything like that are not very healthy ways to go. however i have a few model friends who go on fruit/juice/soup fasts every so often for really important measurement days or photo shoots; i asked them about acne and they say it doesn't really help it but drops pounds FAST...of course they gain it back but it's not healthy, i don't recommend it.

but then again i've read articles in Cosmo (i think?) about that spa that a lot of Hollywood stars go to that "cleanse your systems" or "detoxify" or something by only feeding you liquids and not much of it. i guess if they set up a successful business they're all good and registered, but i bet it's a lot of $$.

maybe see a dermatologist and s/he can prescribe something for you?

[peanut]

yeah, i'm thinking more of the crazy new-age fasts where you eat yogurt and drink a lot of hot water mixed with lemon juice and also diluted organic apple juice to 'cleanse your kidneys'....

[JediEmpressMel]

Personally, I don't think fasting is healthy.
Any wieght you lose is going to be water wieght, which is going to come right back.

Have you seen a dermatologist about your skin? Try that.
Also, make sure you drink enough water, and take your vitamins.

[peanut]

i totally don't usually think fasting is healthy, either. i'm the girl who always claims that 'cleansing fast' is just fancy-talk for a-n-o-r-e-x-i-a. i am not trying to lose any weight, i just have this urge to spend a couple of days drinking water and eating only raw veggies, and i was wondering if anyone else had tried something similar. oh well.

re:dermatologist, yeah, i should go i guess. but i think they'll just give me some pills or something, which i think is probably less healthy.... dunno.

peanut

[honeybee]

i used to eat just brown rice every thursday as a way to give my body a break and have a gentle mini-cleanse.

i also have done what's called a "master cleanse" http://www.naturalways.com/master-cleanser.htm<
/a>, in which you drink lots of water with lemon juice, cayenne, and maple syrup. i did 10 days, which was too long, in my opinion, but a few days would be enough to get the benefits. i don't see any problem with infrequent (say, once yearly) fasts, as long as they are not for the purpose of weight loss.

be forwarned, though, that if you do decide to fast, your body will probably cleanse some toxins, which means that your acne might flare up before subsiding.

[jasmineT]

I think fasts work well if they're approached as a whole body break. You definately don't want to cut back on nourishment and then decide to go hogwild gardening or exercise like a madwoman. The few times I've fasted have been for spiritual reasons. During this time i also purged excess stuff from the house and gave it away. Another aspect of this is giving the money you would have spent on food to feed someone who's hungry. The concept comes from the book of Isaiah if you're interested. (although I think other religions have similar concepts in regards to a fast)
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[amygdala]

I fast once a year (on Yom Kippur) but I really don't think it is cleansing, at least not physically. I feel like poo every time I do it, I just get tired and cranky and headache-y. Of course, that is an absolute fast (you're not even supposed to drink water, which I think is part of while I feel crappy) so maybe if you took a more moderate approach it would be okay. Maybe you should go for a few days eating only really high-fiber foods and drinking water to clean your system out. I wouldn't reccommend a juice fast, if you haven't been eating anything, having a glass of juice is just going to spike your blood sugar. And take supplements if you're going to be fasting, you still need calcium and vitamins. And I'd consult your doctor before starting any fasting program, get a blood count and stuff to make sure that a fast, even a mild one, won't exacerbate any underlying problems.

[peanut]

[schnitzle]

Hey Peanut, I think what you are planning sounds good (yogurt, brown rice, steamed vegs) but I wanted to try and sound like a mom and say "Don't forget to drink lots of water!" :)

IMO drinking water can do wonders for your body. Also if you are drinking tons of water take a potassium suppliment (multivitamin or whatever) to counter any potassium loss.

Good luck and good heath to you!
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[Karla]

I used to work in the supplements area of a health food store. We had a lot of "cleanse kits" that were used to rid your body of candida, a yeast that lives in your intestines. It has been said that these little parasites left to grow unchecked are responsible for everything from bowel disorders to allergies. It requires a LOT of discipline to stick with this program. If you don't follow through with the complete cleanse, the yeast won't all be killed and it will multiply again. Some kits last months (I was recommended to start with a 3 month cleanse) and some last weeks. The people I know that used these, swore by them. It isn't easy. You will experience lots of cravings and discomfort because the yeast is trying to survive the cleanse. I admit that I never tried it. There were times when I did just want to detoxify my system but, I guess I didn't want to take it that far. I think it's rewarding but, only necessary for people with a significant overgrowth of candida.

There were a lot of people who would come in for these or "Noni juice" because they wanted to get skinny or pass a drug test. This isn't really the purpose of these supplements.

All that being said, I think lots of raw vegetables and unrefined products is the way to go for a general body cleansing and overall good health. Vegetable juice tonics are incrediblely detoxifying because all of that nutrition is condensed. Kale and spinach are good for detox. There are herbal supplements that can help like psyllium husk or cranberry but, don't assume that just because it's an herb it's good for your body. Always do your research. Certain things work for certain areas of the body...do you want to cleanse your liver or your lungs, etc. Also keep in mind that getting rid of toxins can really tax your immune system. Drink herbal teas that support the function of the organs you are cleansing. I think that if you can keep your diet full of lots of antioxidants, greens and water your body will be very happy! Drinking lots of water works miracles!!!!!!

Supplements by New Chapter are excellent. They are pricey but worth it. They have some herbal tonics like Smokeshield and Xyflamend that are really detoxifying.

I found this and thought it was pretty informative

http://inspiredliving.com/detox/a~detoxification
.htm

And, I loooooooove this site! It has these power meals (healing kitchen)where you can pick an ailment (like anxiety or allergy) and they give you a really good recipe with lots of helpful vitamins.

http://www.wholehealthmd.com/

Good luck and good health-Karla

[abigailamy]

Hello Peanut,

I've done some light fasting before and also some detox meals. It can be good for your system as long as you are gentle about it. Nothing that Roto Rooter might use.....

But another thing to consider is if you are taking any MEDICATIONS. That's part of the reason I'm posting because nobody else did. There are a number of medications where you need to take them with food, or you really really need to have food in your system for them to operate properly in your bloodstream. So if you are on ANYTHING, check with your doctor first about this fasting thing. My doctor put me on an antihistimine and when I mentioned fasting - he was really really not so thrilled with it. So I suggested a day of veggies and brown rice and he said okay. Its better to play it safe with your body.

:) Abigail
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[peanut]

hey all,
you know, i've started eating brown rice, steamed veggies, and this yum sauce made out of a little tahini, applecider vinegar, and garlic. Plus, smoothies with organic yogurt, fresh fruit, and wheat bran. also, green tea, and herb tea, and tons of water. dude, it's pretty good to go all health-food for a couple days, and i think it's been pretty effective for me...and mellower than fasting. maybe i'll build up to fasting. I can't believe how lousy I was eating at the end of the quarter....and that I used to eat all healthy like this all the time (before college, so long ago). Anyhow, I'm sticking with the "west coast fiber/produce diet" for a little, then maybe i'll go juice fast....
peanut

[atomic]

Hi Peanut,

I've fasted in the past, for the same reasons you mention. My skin doesn't seem to respond real quickly, but all-in-all it feels really good to just give your body a break from all the crap.

The way I usually structure it is like this:

- First day brown rice, raw veggies & fruit
- Second day raw veggies & fruit
- Third day juice
- Fourth day water only
- Fifth day juice
- Sixth day raw veggies & fruit
- Seventh day brown rice, veggies & fruit

I supplement with echincea/goldenseal while I'm doing this. Also important is no caffeine & no alchohol during the fast.

Good luck & hope you start feeling better!