For a while now I've wanted to blog about different diets. I decided the best way to do that was to immerse myself in them first and write about them after. This is diet #5.

I want to start by saying that I'm not doing any diet to lose weight. So you won't see any dramatic before and after pics here. My goal for these analysis is how they make me feel, physically and mentally. My body goal is to feel healthy and strong. I do not weigh myself regularly nor do I take my body measurements. Any weight loss I experience is not a good indicator of how much you may lose on each diet. Weight loss is extremely individual, based on your own metabolism, nutritional needs, lifestyle and activity level.

This is a Therapeutic diet. This is not intended for a long term diet plan. It can be considered therapeutic in the sense that it gives the digestion a break and is very detoxifying. By only taking in fruit and vegetable juices the body still gets the carbohydrates it needs for fuel and energy, but does not have the burden of digesting solid foods. This allows the body to use the energy to repair and detoxify.

The Diet: only fresh fruit and vegetable juices

Duration: 3 days (80 hours without food)

This is not my first juice fast. I would regularly do a 2-3day juice fast 2-3 times each year. I stopped fasting regularly when life became too busy and I couldn't carve out that time to rest and fast.

What I ate: I juiced lemons, oranges, grapefruit, ginger, spinach, celery, apples, pears, sweet potatoes, beets, pineapple. I also bought a few Thrive juice blends for while I was away from home. I drank a lot of water and herbal teas. I added some salt to my green juices to keep my sodium levels up. I also had a teaspoon of coconut oil each morning with my "orange" juice to help me absorb the vitamin A in the carrots and sweet potatoes.

Pros: Gives the body a break from the heavy work of digestion and allows for more energy to focus on detoxification and repair.

Some people will do a juice fast when they feel like they are coming down with a cold or flu. This gives the body lots of antioxidants and vitamins from the fresh juices while allowing the digestion to take a break thus allowing the body to fight illness faster. Many people swear by this method. (Adding bone broths would be a good idea here too!)

I like to use fasting as a forced break from everyday life. While fasting I don't over schedule myself, take lots of time for self care and rest. Fasting can be a very rewarding experience when you have the time and space to relax and do low energy activities that you enjoy. Ideally I think I'd like to do a fasting weekend away at a cabin, where I could relax by the water, go for walks, do yoga, take time to read and rest as I wanted and generally recharge in nature. I think that would be a wonderful fasting experience.

Cons: Fasting is not easy. The first few times I tried a juice fast I stopped earlier than I had intended. It easy to set yourself up to fail doing a fast. You really need to allow yourself to rest, and expect that your mind may not be as sharp as usual.

 Drinking fresh juice causes a blood sugar spike followed by a crash. This causes mood and energy fluctuations. The key is to sip the juice slowly as needed through the day. Most people will experience some headaches and dizziness from detoxification and low blood sugar levels.

Other side effects can include skin eruptions, muscle cramps and constipation due to the lack of fibre intake.

One of the things I never liked about doing a juice fast is cleaning my juicer. It's a messy, time consuming process. By buying some Thrive juices I cut down on the amount of cleaning I had to do, so that was totally worth it right there!

Modifications: I supplemented with spirunila for plant protein and I also had some coconut oil each morning for fats. I added sea salt to my green juices and took extra potassium and magnesium mineral salts to keep my electrolytes balanced. I did take fibre supplements as well.

Energy level: low in general, but not as low as I expected from my previous experiences. I felt really good all through the fast and didn't really get hungry as I was constantly sipping fluids. Ideally fasts should be done when you are free to nap, read and rest as required.

Weight loss: minimal

Cost: low. I bought lots of organic fruit and veggies for juicing, but it balanced out by not actually eating anything. I also bought some Thrive juices which are really good value for the amount of juice you are getting.

Recommended for: People with digestive issues that would benefit from giving their digestion a break. Fasting should be done only with proper supports, especially if this is your first fast. Fasting is very detoxifying, and if done incorrectly can make you feel worse as your body dumps all your toxins back into your system. Lisa can design a detoxification program for you without the unwanted side effects.

Diabetics can fast but should only do so with proper support and personalized recommendations. Juices can cause spikes in blood sugar levels followed by lows, modification would be needed. Not recommended for pregnant or nursing mothers, and those with certain medications.

Bottom line: I used to do juice fasts 2-3 times per year. It can be hard on the liver and often is accompanied by detoxification symptoms such as colds, headaches and extreme fatigue.

I've learned what works best for my body and am now careful to add plant protein and fat to create more balance. Still I rarely juice fast anymore as it's hard to fit into a busy lifestyle. If I had a few days at a cabin all alone to do a juice fast it might be a nice relaxing break. However trying to fast while working, taking care of the kids, making meals for my family is more difficult. Luckily for me, I had other family members make meals while I was fasting this time, and lots of support for the rest I needed.

I'm not good at following rules, I'd rather make my own. So here's the Changes I would make: To add to the detoxification I also did dry brushing daily before my shower. I oil pulled each morning and had a detoxifying bath or foot bath each evening. I did some rebounding or walking daily to promote lymphatic drainage.

Supplements: spirunila capsules for added protein, fibre supplements to keep the bowels moving, liver support homeopathic remedies, iron, potassium, sodium and magnesium mineral salts to keep my electrolytes balanced. I also used topical magnesium oil daily to prevent muscle cramps.

In the spirit of full disclosure I want to include my constants: For this diet I gave up my coffee, but had herbal dandelion tea instead. I drank lots of lemon ginger water. I did not do any of my cardio or weight training on this diet. I allowed my body to rest. I did some rebounding to increase lymphatic flow and lots of gentle stretching. I did not weigh myself regularly nor did I take measurements. Any weight loss I experienced is not a good indicator of how much you may lose on each diet. Weight loss is extremely individual, based on your own metabolism, nutritional needs, lifestyle and activity level.

I hope you have found this information helpful. My goal is to share information to educate and empower people to take control of their own health. Please contact Lisa for more information. I would love to help you experience Better Health Naturally!

The information provided here is for educational purposes only. For treatment please seek a qualified health care provider.

Next up: Parasite and Candida Cleanse

Copyright Lisa Paul The Natural Path 2017