Hi Everyone,

I am doing a 14 day freshly squeezed organic orange juice fast. Today is the end of 6 full days. Tonight I started feeling negative side effects: minor dizzyness, lightheadeness, and numbness/tingling in my head. Also my legs felt very heavy. I was sitting on the couch and lay down and slept for 2-3 hours. Now I feel better all those still quite light headed.

I am just getting worried about fasting/cleansing. I really want to do it for 14 days, or longer, I was hoping I'd feel so good to keep going for 28 days. I know I've read about healing crises when fasting... just when you feel your worst, you work through it and get stronger. I just want to get stronger and not do myself any damage.

Last summer I did this fast for 14 days and felt incredible after it. Even now I don't have the energy to do extensive cardio like I normally do, but I have been walking, and only sleeping 4-5 hours, as that's all I have been tired for.

Anyways, does anyone have any experience with fasting they would like to share? Or advice? It's always welcome.

Peace,

Sunflower
Raw Food Chef and Writer
Comfortably Raw
[www.comfortablyraw.com]

I started fasting this sunday. I have been raw for 9 weeks now and have been experianceig some emotional problems plus I started to bing on nuts. I was hoping that fasting would bring a balance to my system and clear my head. I have been drinking grapefruit juice and some vegetable juices and water throughout the day. I was a bit concerned with fasting however I read something today about fasting really cleaning out our bodeys and that useing juices helps us not detox to fast. I was reading this in the book by gabrial cousins called consious eating. I was encouraged in what he wrote abut the bodies need to have a rest and be allowed to rejuvenate itsself with fasting. I have not heard of just orange juice fasting but I have been mostly drinking grapefruit and some orange juice. That is mostly due to personal craveings I have at this time. I am not sure what to say about your symptoms and hope you the best in your progress. I personally hope to continue this fast for at least the rest of the week and see how I feel on monday. That would make it seven days. Today I drank mostly water but started to have a headach and decided to have some vegetable juice. keep posting your progress and I will do the same.
pam

If it was me I would stop the fasting now, it sounds dangerious from what symptoms you are discribing. just drinking the orange juice is messing with the acid/alkaline balance which can't be a good thing. If you feel like you don't want to do it for the 14 days isn't that your bodies way of telling you something! There are better ways of cleansing the body without going to dangerous extremes.

RawSun Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
. Even now I don't have the
> energy to do extensive cardio like I normally do,
> but I have been walking, and only sleeping 4-5
> hours, as that's all I have been tired for.
>

..... you shouldnt have the energy to do extensive cardio because you should be resting while fasting not going about things you normally do and certainly not doing extensive cardio ! lol

you are feeling weak and dizzy because the only fuel you are putting into yourself is OJ and you are NOT resting

resting doesnt mean you have to be sleeping ..

do you know how to break your fast gently and safely? i would suggest you do more researching on fasting before attempting it again ..each fast can have different effects during and after ..so the fact that you did one 14 day fast doing what your doing now doesnt mean that this ones going to work the same

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist




Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/24/2007 01:39PM by Jgunn.

this was a good article on fasting:

Fasting : Nature's Cleanse by Loren Lockman
Published in the September 25, 2002 Just Eat an Apple

There are over 25 million animal species on the planet, and virtually all of them fast when not well enough. You may have witnessed this first hand if you've ever had a cat or dog. Like other animals, when they are ill or injured badly enough, they will lie down and refuse food, not moving until they have substantially recovered.

Often, when people are sick, they lose their appetite. In our culture, we often encourage them to eat to 'keep up their strength.' Unwittingly, we are further teaching them to Not follow their instincts and intuition.

Unlike medicine - both conventional and alternative - fasting is about actually healing the body, rather than simply treating symptoms. It's not that fasting actually 'does' anything. It doesn't. Healing is an inherent power of every living organism. Fasting simply provides the body - any body - with the optimal conditions and opportunity to cleanse itself of accumulated toxins, and heal any prior damage. In this way, it's evident that fasting is the best way to deal with almost every condition.

Though there is much misinformation out there, the body will never injure itself when fasting. It knows exactly what it is and is not capable of handling, and though we sometimes detoxify faster than we might like to, this is rarely if ever dangerous.

There are, of course, some potential dangers while fasting, though they are few and far between. There are many symptoms which may arise while fasting, and a few that almost certainly will: lowered blood pressure, lowered body temperature, and coated tongue.

Blood pressure is virtually guaranteed to drop while fasting, and will stay lower if intelligent lifestyle choices are followed after the fast. This is great news for the 50% of Americans who will die of the ravages of high-blood pressure, heart disease, or stroke. It's worth noting for all fasters because below-normal blood pressure, while not inherently dangerous or problematic often results in orthostatic hypotension (standing up too fast and getting dizzy, in English).

This dizziness occurs when lower-than-normal blood pressure fails to provide enough blood to the brain upon rising. To insure that this doesn't occur, rise slowly. From a lying position, sit-up first, standing-up only after you feel a sense of equilibrium.

Should you stand up too quickly, or feel dizzy at any time, drop to a sitting or kneeling position immediately, and lower your head between your knees. This will insure ample blood supply to the brain, quickly eliminating the dizziness. Rise again slowly after insuring equilibrium.

Your body temperature is also virtually guaranteed to drop while fasting. Again, this is not inherently a problem, though it means you will need to take extra precautions to maintain your body temperature, especially when fasting in the winter. Don't wait until you're chilled to warm up. Doing so means that you are wasting your body's precious energy - energy that could be used for cleansing and healing. Rather, seek to stay warm. This may mean wearing more clothes than you would if not fasting. Keeping warm is generally not a problem when you are in bed and wrapped up in a comforter/blankets.

Your tongue will almost certainly become coated during your fast, possibly at the onset, and will likely remain coated during your entire fast. This is normal and is thought to indicate the degree of sludge in your colon. It has been said that once the tongue clears, the body is done fasting. Our experience is that the tongue will sometimes clear, and within a day or so become coated again, likely indicating that the body is working through pockets or layers of material. You can scrape your tongue, or brush the coating off with a wet toothbrush (no toothpaste). Don't be surprised if it returns fairly quickly.

This coating will color your taste buds, and you may find the water tastes good one day, and not-so-good the next. It is not the water that has changed, but your perception of taste.

You will note that we mentioned in the first paragraph that animals routinely lie down, ceasing all activity until they feel well again. 25 million species can't be wrong, and this is the ideal way to fast. Fasting is often thought of as abstaining from food, but this is really only part of the picture. To provide the body with the optimal conditions in which to heal, it's important to provide complete rest. Because the digestive tract uses approximately 50% of the body's daily energy, complete rest necessitates not eating. It also necessitates minimizing unnecessary brain function, as the brain is the second highest consumer of the body's energy, using about 35%. You can certainly read, write, and think if you choose to, but your process will be more effective if you don't do any more of these things than necessary.

Though you won't be able to sleep all the time - unless your body actually needs that much sleep - you can give yourself the next highest possible states of rest in two ways; First, you might want to meditate throughout your stay. We offer two groups meditations in the library daily, and you are welcome to participate in both. Of course you can meditate any time on your own as well.

Research has proven the amazing benefits of meditation, which provides a level of rest that is in some ways, deeper than sleep. Please note, meditation can never replace sleep, which is a physiological necessity. If you don't know how to meditate, there are simple meditation instructions here in the book.

The second way to achieve very deep levels of rest when not sleeping is to emulate the other species: lie down and close your eyes. Doing so dramatically reduces the body's energy consumption, providing very deep levels of rest. When we lie down and close our eyes, the heart rate slows down, the respiratory rate slows down, and brain waves become more normalized and uniform. These physiological changes show us that the body is in a resting state, and that energy has been freed up for cleansing and healing.

Closing our eyes is important because we take in 70% of the body's information through the eyes, and as long as they're open, we're expending a lot of energy processing the information they provide to us. Remember that we are attempting to allow the body to use all available energy for cleansing and healing, rather than shunting energy aside for other purposes. Any unnecessary activity consumes energy, making it unavailable to the body.

Your body goes through several distinct phases when you begin to fast. After your last meal, the body looks to your digestive tract for any nutrients or calories that it might need. This source of nutrition might last for 8-12 hours. Once your body has depleted this source, it goes to the liver for glycogen stores there.

Of all the nutrients available to the body, the only one that the body must have 24 hours per day is glucose, and glycogen is a glucose precursor, so the body converts it to glucose. The body goes to the liver stores first, because it always seeks to be as efficient as possible, and the liver provides the most readily available source of glucose.

The liver's glycogen stores will last between 8-12 hours, at which point the body, maximizing efficiency, goes to the next most readily available source of glucose - muscle tissue. In a process called neoglucogenesis, the body converts muscle tissue to glucose. Don't worry -- if you're fasting correctly and minimizing your activity, (and therefore your caloric needs), you won't consume much muscle tissue during this stage of the process.

And in fact, your body doesn't want to lose any more muscle than it 'feels' it can afford to, so as your fast continues, the body will switch over to a less-efficient, but safer long term source of fuel: adipose tissue, or long-term fat stores. How long it takes for this switch to occur depends on your body composition; the higher your muscle/fat ratio, the longer the body can 'safely' consume muscle tissue. In order to minimize the consumption of muscle tissue throughout your fast, it's important to minimize your activity. Though this may seem counterintuitive, as your activity levels increase, your body's caloric needs increase too, and your body will consume more muscle - a more efficient source of fuel - to more easily meet the higher demands.

The switch from consuming primarily muscle (with some fat) to consuming primarily fat (with some muscle) is very important for two reasons: first, we store toxins in the body primarily in our adipose tissue so wholesale cleansing doesn't begin until this stage of the process, and second, because the switch only takes place in the complete absence of all nutrients. This means that 'juice fasting' (which is a misnomer as juices supply both calories and nutrients) is far less effective than true fasting, because the body never moves into the most beneficial part of the process.

People sometimes have suggested that juice fasting is much more gentle, and this is true. The reason for this though is simply that it is much less effective, in much the same way that using a sponge to smooth a piece of wood is much more gentle than using a piece of sandpaper.

Rest assured, that fasting - done properly - provides the body with the optimal conditions in which to heal itself, and there is nothing better that you could do for yourself.

The keys, as mentioned earlier, are to eliminate or minimize all unnecessary activity, to provide your body with the deepest levels of rest possible, to drink enough water (covered later in the book), to maintain your body temperature, to rise slowly to minimize the likelihood of passing out, and to relax in the knowledge that you are providing yourself with an amazing gift.

The benefits of fasting are numerous and include not only a much higher-functioning physical body, but also more mental clarity, and a deepened sense of connection to all life.

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist

this is a decent how to break a fast ... and for those of you non-religous just ignore the god references

How to Break a Fast

by

Ron Lagerquist



You have completed a thirty-day fast. It has been a wonderful spiritual retreat, a time of refreshment with God. A withdrawal from the temptations of this world. A period of inner reflection, quiet meditation and prayer, lifted out of this world into a lofty realm where there are no earthly distractions from communing with your Father.

But now the fast has ended. It is time to return to the world of eating, a world that may have represented addiction, bondage and control.

Breaking an extended fast can be difficult. This is especially true if you were in bondage to food. It is often a period of attack. Satan wants control over your life and food has been a powerful lever. Is it possible to enter back into the world of eating and remain self-controlled? The answer is yes! Fasting was never meant to be an escape from Satan's kingdom, but a springboard to equip you in overcoming. Fear not--God has developed within you the Spirit of self-control, authority to say no!

When waking up a slumbering digestive system, the desire to eat will be intense. The flavors and textures of food will be enhanced by super clean nasal passages. Eating will be a brand new experience. This is the time to flex your new-found muscles of discipline and self-control. As the body screams, I want more, wisdom whispers, you have had enough. Fasting has schooled you in the fact that contentment does not come from a full belly but maintaining spiritual fellowship with the Bread of Life. My food is to do the will of him who sent me (John 4:34).

Eating small amounts of raw fruits and vegetables for the first five or six days will allow the body to gently wake up the digestive system. The body will continue to detoxify and cleanse during this period. Any toxins that have accumulated will begin to move due to the sweeping action of the soft fibers of fruits and vegetables.

1. For six days gradually increase the amount of raw fruits and vegetables in your diet. To break a fast and gorge on meat, bread or junk food will be disaster. Jarring the system this intensely when the digestive system is in a sensitive state can cause stomach cramps, nausea and weakness, negating much of the benefits of the fast.

2. Eat slowly and chew your food well. Saliva has enzymes that assist in digestion. Up to 80 percent of the starch, 30 percent of the protein and 10 percent of the fat can be digested by the enzymes in saliva.

3. Do not overeat! Discover the amount of food that your body needs to live a vibrant, healthy life.

4. Make juices during the breaking period. Juices are gentle nourishment to the body. Most continue to include juice in their daily routine, for the rest of their lives.

5. Continue in the same prayerfulness you had during the fast. God should be just as much a part of your eating as He was part of your fasting.

6. Educate yourself on how to begin a lifestyle of healthy eating. Fasting is a wonderful new beginning, a foundation for a lifelong, healthy diet.

7. Discern the difference between cravings and hunger. Never feed your emotions.

8. When breaking a fast over ten days, the break-in period should be extended one day for every 4 days of fasting.

An interesting phenomena occurs after a fast. The years of conditioning your body to tolerate unhealthy foods is reversed. The body is as clean as a new-born baby. Try feeding a new-born baby Grandma's apple pie.

When the body is full of toxins, its defense systems are not able to operate effectively. After a fast the natural defenses are able to perform the way God intended. Sensitivity to unhealthy food is increased. You will feel satisfied with smaller amounts of food and sluggish and tired when overeating. Rich foods, full of fat, salt, and processed sugars will cause nausea, headaches and weakness. A handful of fruit will be thoroughly satisfying. Because the digestive system has to work less, there will be boundless energy to spare

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist

Well I did survive last night! And am drinking my Orange Juice this morning. Worst part is I only got 4 hours sleep lat night 10-midnight then 5-7am. Too bad I have to go to work or I could have kept sleeping.
For the record I am NOT doing intense cardio, just light exercise aka walking which I have read is healthy while fasting.
I have done a lot of reading on fasting, and done several 3 day fasts over the last year as well. And I do know how to safely break a fast.
I read about The OJ diet in a ebook with the same name written by Storm and Jinjee, two well known raw foodists.

Sunflower
Raw Food Chef and Writer
Comfortably Raw
[www.comfortablyraw.com]

Jodi: Thank you for all of the information you have supplied. I just refreshed my computer and viewed it now.

Pam: Let me know how your fast goes today!

Sunflower
Raw Food Chef and Writer
Comfortably Raw
[www.comfortablyraw.com]

RawSun Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> For the record I am NOT doing intense cardio, just
> light exercise aka walking which I have read is
> healthy while fasting.

ok wellyou can see where i might misunderstand .. if you cant do it i would think you are attempting it thus unable to do it


> I have done a lot of reading on fasting, and done
> several 3 day fasts over the last year as well.
> And I do know how to safely break a fast.
> I read about The OJ diet in a ebook with the same
> name written by Storm and Jinjee, two well known
> raw foodists.

everyone will react differently to each individual fast , individually, so where they might advise one thing or another .. that might not work for you, and true fasting should be accompanied by nothing but rest

trying to work , exercise etc ... is counterproductive to what you are trying to do which is cleanse

good luck with it and listen to your body !

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist

Thank- you jodi, for your information. I found it helpful. I am doing well on my fast. I usually have lots of water and a glass of vegetable juice the juice of two grapefruits and two orange juice. This is my sixth day and so far I feel o.k. There are so many fears about not eating food. I think it is healthy to not eat for a while to just let your body rest. I havent fasted for a long time though. This is the first time I have attempted anything at length. I was just playing this by ear and may stop this monday. Nothing spectacular has happened.

Wow, thanks for all that info, Jodi! I had never considered fasting before but now I might be tempted to try, after reading that article. It makes alot of sense.

just want to say that what worked for us in terms of fasting at one period in outr lives may not be what our body needs or craves the next time. fasting is wonderful and amazing but what you need to fast on or will do well fasting on can vary with your spiritual development, the season you are in, what you have been eating up until the fast, your emotionalwell being, and your physical state of health. you may have done perectly amazing the last time you had an O.J. fast but this time around you may need to remember you are not the same person you were when you fasted before. you have been growing, changing and shifting and your body may have new or different requirements and need something different.
i for instance have done 7 and 14 day watermelon fasts many, many times. but i can tell you from previous experience that they are murderous on my body in the winter and after a few seasons of doing them around christmas time, i realized that watermelon while alkalizing and deeply cleansing is not appropriate for me in the cold december winters. i also noticed when i was deeper in my meditation practice and had a spiritual guide it was easier for me to juice fast on high vibration green juices and water and i had less of a need for sweet fruits.

for me, orange juice is such a powerful cleanser that if i haven't fasted for at least 5 or six weeks i can't put it into my body without breaking out in rashes and acne. my liver puts out all it's toxins when i drink o.j. and my colon goes nuts with o.j. so i have to be careful to calibrate when i can tolerate drinking it so i don't bring on an unnecssarily harsh cleansing reaction in my body.


peace
love
harmony
i breathe in
i breathe out
Bikini

Today is day 8 of my fast, I have completed 7 days of Orange Juice already. Last night I slept for 8 hours for the first time in months, so that felt good. My skin is clearing up and I've shed 5 pounds. I have been making more of an effort to drink ample amounts of water over the last day and a half. I am considering adding in one daily glass of leafy green veggie juice, as wonderful as I am starting to feel on this fast (but for my low point Thursday night) green veggie juice has to be healthful.

Thank you to everyone who has offered advice or support, I definitely am considerate of what each individual writes, and love coming here for support.

I wish I had the opportunity to not work while fasting, but if I had to wait around to have an extensive period of time off work, I would never get a chance to fast! Besides, I have a desk job, the only things I use are my hands to type and my brain and sometimes I don't even use that! LOL

Thanks again!

Sunflower
Raw Food Chef and Writer
Comfortably Raw
[www.comfortablyraw.com]