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Stephanie's January Fast
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During the month of January, I am doing a cleansing fast consisting of fresh fruit and veggie juices, veggie
broth, and a slow addition of whole fruits, veggies, nuts, and grains. Below, you can follow my progress and witness the benefits
of a detox fast.
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Goals
- To detox my elimination system
- To realize and regain my personal strength and will power
- To fight the inflammatory disease dermatomyositis
- To regain regular menstrual cycles
- To gain a healthy mind-set on eating
- To have a clean start towards a 75% raw diet consisting of fruits, veggies, nuts and grains and to pursue a predominately
vegetarian diet
Risks
- Substantial weight loss (a fast should never be done for weight loss alone)
- ketosis: whereby the body no longer uses carbohydrates for energy and relies on the burning of fat for energy. Prolonged
use of fat for energy increases ketone levels in the blood which creates an over-acidic environment and can lead to liver
and kidney damage.
- If a bowel movement is not had daily, a reabsorption of toxins released by the detox fast can occur
- Coming off a fast presents many risks too. Avoid indulging in foods with preservatives, additives, and artificial ingredients
and do not over eat.
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Feeling anxious but excited about starting my fast. I've done all my fresh produce shopping and am ready for juicing.
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The first few days were difficult. I felt very hungry until day 4 but so far, no cheating and feeling fantastic.
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I've been going through a lethargic stage for the past few days. Certainly low on energy but not on will power. I think
I can see this whole thing through!
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Still havn't had many of the common symptoms of excess body odor and tongue coating. I have finally had my first regular
menstrual cycle in over two years at 29 days. I have a skin rash covering some of skin which could be a few different
things; Candida (yeast) could be overgrowing in my system due to increased sugar consumption from the fruit juices; skin rashes
such as these are also a sign of detox. Seeing as I have a history of candida rashes on my arms and legs, I will take precautions
by adding acidophilus and increasing veggie juices and reducing fruit juices.
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My hunger has returned and is quite strong. Returning hunger is for some, a sign to end the fasting. During times of
detox and cleansing, the body isn't as hungry. The skin rash is not as bad. I am starting to think its just detox and not
candida. The rashes from candida normally have itching, which these do not. For the past few days, I have chosen to drink
predominately water with only one glass of juice. I will do this one more day then return to broths and juices for the remainder
of my fast. Weight loss is an average of one pound per day, so I have set a limit for my fast at 25 lbs or 30 days, whichever
comes first. Weight loss is a side affect to fasting but should not be the sole reason a person chooses to do a fast.
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I'm ending my fast today due to substantial weight loss. Overall, the fast has been a good experience. I will incorporate
a lengthy fast yearly and will continue a weekly, one day fast for increased elimination system cleansing. I will start by
eating light veggies for the first few days, add watermelon after day 3 or 4, and after approx. one week, I will add almonds.
I will eat this way for the first few weeks at which point I will add whole grains and some dairy.
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