“What the eyes are for the outer world, fasts are for the inner.” – Gandhi
By now most people are familiar with “juice fasting”. There is a recent documentary about it called “Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead” where Joe does a 60-day juice fast to regain his health while touring around the US out of his truck. It has become popular culture to “cleanse your sins away” by not eating and only drinking juice for 3 to 30 days. There are detox retreats all around the world where you can pay to not eat for 7 days, take herbal supplements, drink clay and fiber shakes and clean out your colon with a colonic, enema or colema device.
In 2009 I left my life in the US to follow my heart to Thailand and found myself on the beautiful island of Koh Samui, where I discovered numerous detox retreats offering similar juice fasting programs. Because of my passion for detox and research, I decided to experience them all to determine which was the best program. Two years and twenty detox retreats later, I left feeling disillusioned with a hunger for something more. What I found was that most people where using juice fasting for quick fix weight loss or to feel better about their toxic lifestyle. They were also sold on the idea that in 7 days they were going to clean out their entire colon, blood and cells.
Juice fasts will help the body detoxify and heal to some extent. They free up digestive energy to allow your body to cleanse toxins and waste providing a freshening of personal energy, an increase in physical and spiritual energy, and a healthier relationship with food.
Because the fruits and vegetables are juiced and strained, the body has to do very little digestive work to assimilate the contents of the juice. Due to the carbohydrate content in juices the body does not go into a full state of ketosis, or deep healing.
Ketosis can occur only when insulin levels fall nearly to zero, and they will only do so if no carbohydrates or sugars are being ingested. When you stop consuming food, solid or liquid, your body begins using fat stores to break them down for use. As these fat stores are broken down, the chemical toxins stored within the fat are released. In addition, the associated emotions or reasons you accumulated that particular fat will also be released.
After leaving Thailand I was fascinated by the idea of water fasting and decided to head down to Costa Rica to only drink water and rest for 30 days. Based on my profound experience I realized that juice fasting isn’t really fasting, it’s more like a severely restricted diet.
Juice Fasting
- Is especially good for regular cleansing of the body, for initial fasting work, or if you cannot arrange time off work and still wish to fast.
- The body doesn’t approach the level of rest, repair and regeneration that can occur with water fasting and is rarely as beneficial in the treatment of severe chronic disease conditions.
- Hunger pangs do not disappear on a juice fast because the body does not switch over to ketosis.
Water Fasting
- Is easier than juice fasting in the sense that you do not feel hungry due to the body entering ketosis.
- Is ideal for those who are working with more serious or long-term chronic conditions, wish to lose a large amount of weight, or desire to engage in deep transformational healing.
- Is best in a retreat setting in nature without work and distractions where you can quietly rest.
- It is important to seek expert guidance in order to make sure a water fast is safe for you and properly prepare your body and mind.
Elicia Woodford, The Detox Advisor, is an expert on holistic detoxification, Candida cleansing and natural healing. She demystifies detox and provides expert advice to release what is causing your physical and emotional dis-ease. Elicia offers highly personalized detox and self-awareness consultations, programs and retreats. Sign up to receive her Detox 101 eBook for FREE http://www.thedetoxadvisor.com
Medical Doctor, author, speaker, media presenter and health industry consultant, Dr Joe Kosterich wants you to be healthy and get the most out of life.
Joe writes for numerous medical and mainstream publications, is clinical editor at Medical Forum Magazine, and is also a regular on radio and television.
Joe is Medical Advisor to Medicinal Cannabis Company Little Green Pharma, Chairman of Australian Tobacco Harm Reduction Association and sits on the board of Arthritis and Osteoporosis WA. He is often called to give opinions in medico legal cases.
He has self-published two books: Dr Joe’s DIY Health and 60 Minutes To Better Health.
In 2024 due to public demand he commenced a podcast, Dr Joe Unplugged, which can be accessed via Spotify, Apple or YouTube.
Through all this he continues to see patients as a GP each week.
