Fasting is generally defined as the abstinence from food or limiting of food.  Water Fasting is one example, where you might only consume water for 24 hours.  This gives the digestive organs a complete rest from their usual functions, which can be very beneficial. Fasting is also a natural response, for example, to an acute illness like a ‘flu where the idea of eating is just too much effort and would hinder the body’s need for complete rest of all systems.

Juice Detoxing, on the other hand, does involve some abstinence, mainly from certain food groups.  It focuses on nourishing the body with raw vegetables and some fruits in the form of fresh juices which are highly alkalising and loaded with potassium and antioxidants.  These are easy to digest, so as with fasting, your hardworking digestion still gets a rest!

Vegetable and fruit juices have an impact on the serum pH of the blood, cells and tissues which prefer to be in an alkaline state. Meats and grains, for example, are acid forming and have been shown to contribute to acidosis of the body.  Acidosis over an extended period becomes exhausting for the body because it gets depleted in alkaline buffers and starts to take alkalising minerals from elsewhere, such as stealing calcium from bone causing a decrease in density.  From the European Journal of Nutrition: “We know that clinically-recognized chronic metabolic acidosis has deleterious effects on the body, including growth retardation in children, decreased muscle and bone mass in adults, and kidney stone formation, and that correction of acidosis can ameliorate those conditions.”  L. Frassetto, et al. “Diet, evolution and aging.” Eur J Nutr 40 : 200–213 (2001) 

Flooding the body with a high concentration of alkalising minerals and antioxidants creates a sweep clean of the acids that have built up in the cells and tissues and it is helpful to support the routes of elimination in clearing those wastes with beneficial naturopathic techniques, which help make the effects of the fast vastly more comfortable and can avoid some, if not all of the symptoms of detoxing. 

If you want to create a space for you this year, to really make some healthy long lasting changes for your longevity… people find it can push them into a whole new direction … there are just 3 spaces left across the two retreats and we start the detox preparation in early to mid-February!  Join Look After You in Derbyshire this Spring Equinox to relax and recharge your batteries! Please see the Juice Detox Retreats page for more information and contact Suzy to book your place.