Green Lemonade

A short 3 day juice fast is not right for everyone at the same time. Uncomfortable juice fasting symptoms can result if you don’t prepare your body.

Here are a few articles to help you get ready for your juice fast.

1. Sample menu: what to eat to prepare for a juice fast
2. Green based juices are best for a juice fast
3. Where to get your juice for a juice fast
4. How to break your juice fast

When Will A Short 2-3 Day Juice Fast Feel Good?

There is not one right answer. But generally, you’ll feel much better going into a short 2-3 day liquid only fast if you gradually work up to it. Start by reducing your intake of caffeine, dairy and meats. Ideally a few weeks (or at least a week before a short fast), enjoy lots of raw fruits and vegetables, a healthy amount of cooked veggies, and a lesser amount of more calorie dense cooked starchy veggies (such as beans, squash, potatoes), grains and nuts. Meats, fish and dairy are compliments in this way of living rather than the main feature.

Don’t be surprised if just through eating more whole, natural foods you experience some more traditional “detox” symptoms. An occasional headache or desire to chew is normal. For many of us, clean eating alone can be uncomfortable in the beginning as the body weans itself off of processed foods, caffeine and sugars. I am often surprised at how intense these feelings alone can be. Interestingly, eating more whole, natural raw foods is extremely detoxifying for the body.

As you start to feel good eating more clean foods, try to enjoy a few liquid breakfasts and lunches. For instance have some fresh pressed juice or a green smoothie in the mornings. You may want to start trying a few short daytime fasts – perhaps until lunch or even dinner.

Detox “symptoms” occur when waste is released too fast and not properly eliminated

When detox symptoms such as headaches and sluggishness arrive, everyone blames the juice fast and assumes they are not getting the nutrients they need (supported by work done by well respected cleansing veterans Arnold Ehret, Alejandro Junger and Natalia Rose).

The reality is that these symptoms occur from the release of too much waste too fast. That’s why a 2-3 day juice fast is not right for everyone at the same time. Some preparation work – in the form of clean eating – is key.

When you detox you awaken impacted waste in your body resulting from years of fried foods and excess eating! Detoxification symptoms resulting from a nutritious juice fast and even a clean eating regime (oriented around leafy greens, and veggies) can be moderated through the incorporation of some raw veggies or a few slices of avocado (in the case of a juice fast) or some lightly steamed cooked vegetables (in the early days of a more clean, streamlined diet). Eating these foods returns the body’s focus and energy to digestion vs detoxification.

Juice fasting coaches agree with skeptics on the dangers of the Master Cleanse

Separately, intelligent juice fasting coaches agree with the skeptics that unless you are under medical supervision a water fast or a lemon and water fast such as the Master Cleanse is not a healthy way to fast. Its too much detoxification for the body to handle at one time. Our elimination channels couldn’t possibly keep up with all the waste exiting the body, unsupervised. The Master Cleanse also does not provide the body with the nutrients it needs to effectively remove waste from the body. Cleansing and detoxing is about not only tearing down, but also eliminating and rebuilding!