Fasting.

Fasting is an old custom, originating in ancient ritual, designed to promote health. The purpose of a fast is to cleanse the system of undigested residue, to stimulate the organs and glands, and to revitalize the entire system. Fasting does not necessarily mean abstaining from food, but does not entail following a specific diet of goods, liquids or a combination of both. Fasting should never result in dizziness, nausea or fatigue.

Many popular fasts may be detrimental to your health. A fast consisting of only water is valuable only in specific instances and not for prolonged periods of time. Water contains little nourishment and cannot cleanse the glandular system effectively or expel mucous from the digestive tract. Fasting for the first 10 hours of the day and then eating a heavy meal will drastically alter the metabolism and shock the system. It is not effective to try to combine eating with fasting. A fast should be followed for at least 24 hours or should not be attempted. Repeated fasting for one or more days a week, for months on end, will cause the stomach to repeatedly shrink and expand and may eventually harm the natural elasticity of the organ. Fasting for extreme periods of time may deplete vitamin and mineral reserves so badly that the body must metabolize its own bone marrow in order to continue functioning.

If you are mentally and physically prepared, however, fasting can be very beneficial to your health. A fast during an illness , such as a strict juice fast during a cold, can help the system to fight infection and heal wounds.

The length of a fast should be determined by your schedule. Do not attempt to fast when you are particularly busy or under severe mental or physical stress. It is important to remember that your method of ending a fast is just as vital as your method of fasting.