JUICE FAST
Juice fasting is a type of fasting and detox diet in which the practitioner consumes only fruit and vegetable juices. Being available only in digestible carbohydrates, these foods are digested rapidly as the juice digestion process expends only a small amount of energy. People choose to undergo juice fasts for various reasons and via various methods. Juice fasts are often marketed together with supplies, supplements and support groups. Some of the reasons given for undergoing juice fasts include religious reasons, losing weight and attempting to wean your body from unhealthy habits, e.g., smoking, drinking soda, overeating, caffeine addiction, etc. Some more serious participants use juice fasting as an alternative to conventional medical practices, i.e., as a healing technique for pain, cancer, depression, arthritis, severe infections that failed antibiotics, autoimmune diseases and many other supposedly incurable diseases. Fasters should be careful to maintain their intake of vitamins and nutrients. There are no specific side effects associated exclusively with juice fasting, although certain medical conditions such as diabetes may be aggravated by excessive intake of certain juices. It is also possible for some juices, such as grapefruit to interact with certain prescription drugs. Additionally, the juices from highly acidic fruits such as tomato and citrus juices can conceivably upset the body's natural acid-base (pH) balance. Certain groups of individuals should be careful before performing excessive juice fasting or even attempting juice fasting without the consultation from medical practitioners. These include children; the malnourished and underweight; pregnant or lactating mothers; advanced cancer patients; individuals with poor immunity; individuals who have recently undergone surgery; individuals who suffer from stomach ulcers, low blood pressure, excessive fatigue. Children should always check with their doctors or health care practitioners before participating in juice fasts. (Sources: National Institutes of Health/ Wikipedia)
