There are many ways to improve your health. Eating lots (and lots, and LOTS) of deep colored vegetables and fruits on a daily basis along with adequate amounts of clean protein (free from hormones, antibiotics, conventional fertilizers, insecticides, etc.) and a handful of raw nuts or seeds on a daily basis while avoiding added sugar, liquid calories and artificial anything can go a long way to improving your overall health.
Fasting can also play a role, although there are certainly ways to optimize the benefits of fasting.
The Dos and Don’ts of Fasting and Detoxification
First things first: you should not do a water fast (i.e., consume nothing but water for longer than a day) until you are pretty healthy. The reason is that the process of detoxification requires a lot of nutrients and performing a water fast doesn’t supply any. Doing so can lead to what is commonly referred to as a ‘healing crisis’ where a person actually feels significantly worse while doing the fast/detox (most describe the feeling like having the flu).
In my experience, this is a load of B.S. and simply means that a person isn’t getting the nutrients they need for proper detoxification to occur.
Because fasting does require so many nutrients, most people will benefit from not only adjusting their diet for a period of time, but also taking some supplements to support proper detoxification. We have found the Clear Change Program to be the most effective and easy to follow. Most people would benefit from doing a 10-day Clear Change Program every quarter, with an additional one between Thanksgiving and New Year to undo any of the season’s overindulgences.
Once a person has attained a better state of health, there can be a lot of benefits from doing intermittent fasting.
How To Do Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting involves going without food for a short period of time on a regular basis. Many people find it easiest to fast 1-2 days per week, often on the weekends, as this is the time when their schedule is least hectic. The goal behind intermittent fasting is to allow your gastrointestinal (GI) tract and body a brief respite from work – think of it as a mini-vacation – so it can rebuild and repair.
During the fasting period (1-2 days), consume nothing but water or vegetables juices (with a little fruit added if needed for sweetness). Drink at least 8 ounces of liquid (water and/or juice) every 30 minutes throughout the day and take it easy. This is not the day to begin physically demanding pursuits; a walk would be fine, doing a 2 hour workout would not.
The real benefit of intermittent fasting comes over time. Performing intermittent fasts every 1-2 weeks allows your body to get in a natural cycle of growth and repair, which allows you to get healthier and healthier with time.
Detoxification and fasting can be an easy and extremely effective way everyone can use to improve their health. Use the “How to” guide above for detoxification and intermittent fasting and see the benefits for yourself!
