Has my fast run it's course?

[Purl]

Today is day 17 of my juice fast and I have been on water for 24 hours. I am feeling very strange. I feel light, and a little tired, but also hungry. Food is smelling gooood-whereas, even just yesterday nothing was very appealing. I have not lost nearly enough weight, my tongue is not perfectly pink, but much improved over yesterday??? I'm conflicted. I think I am going to go to bed now and see how I feel in the morning.

How do you KNOW when your fast is over?

[Ireland]

From my experience, hunger is usually a good indicator that your body is wanting food. Just be careful when you break your fast that you do it slowly.

Also, if you're doing this for the purpose of losing weight, you may also notice that a good part of the weight comes back on when you start eating normally again unless you were taking in a large amount of calories with your juices.

This is just my own experience, I'm sure others will add to it.

[Purl]

well I just read somewhere on here that REAL HUNGER is in your throat and not in your stomach??? I totally don't have that, so maybe I should just keep going? :confused: I suspect 5-7 lbs will come back as soon as I start eating....

[Shmoopie]

During a fast, an interest in food - after having lost your interest in food - is a sign of true hunger. A desire to chew or taste food is a sign of true hunger as well. Never heard of hunger being in the throat. You seem hungry, but ultimately that's for you to decide. I could be wrong here, but I don't think that all signs of detox have to be totally gone for your body to go back to feeling hungry. Just be careful.

[pdx kris]

That may be the case, but also keep in mind that switching to water from juices is going to cause big changes with your internal chemistry, and that it will be normal to be hungry on the first three days of water, even after 17 days on juices. It has something to do with protein metabolism; I can't recall the exact details, but would recommend Dr. Fuhrman's book on fasting for more details.

[FirstGarden]

Hi

Fasting is a very individualized thing. There is, fortunately, an enormous body of info available on it. Health giants like Sheldon, Bragg, Ehret and others deal with the matter extensively. Many factors should be considered, including age, diet history -- both which affect toxin accumulation. Ehret stresses much caution in this regard. Fasting involves courage, resolve and responsibility in terms of what your body can presently handle. I'd normally say, "push the envelope," particularly if you are under 30. But that depends on other factors as well. Read a lot, research the matter out to encourage yourself.

Funny thing - at age 22, I too went on a 17 day juice fast. Those were the days... in the 70s, when you could buy all your juices unpasteurized. Somewhere toward the end, I attempted a straight water fast, after feasting on all those thick, gourmet juices. I was hungry! But that had nothing to do with real hunger. Most authorities say that actual hunger doesn't set in until well beyond 30 days. Jesus fasted for 40 days, and "afterward, He hungered."

My hunger was a reaction to my GI having been used to all those thick, somewhat pulpy juices. Also, I suddenly became very weak without all that lovely natural fructose coursing thru my veins. Nature was doing its housework, and at such times, depending on the person, it's a good time to plan on being bedridden. That's great for folks who are retired, on vacation, don't have to work or otherwise live a pressure-free lifestyle.

One day I will attempt a prolonged water fast. Some suggest intermittent fasts, and/or prepping the body with natural, raw cleansing foods, preferably in stages. Wise suggestions! In recent times, I have gone up to 19 days on a liquid only diet. I will be 53 next month. I know my limits. I think I could fast for weeks, even months, on juices, providing I don't go too heavy, at first, on fruit juices, as they are far more aggressive in cleansing. I used to run into a barrier every 4-5 days where I'd get too lethargic to work. I thought I was too poisoned. But, finally I tried moderation with fruit juices, and it worked, to my great relief.

I have great faith in God & nature. But, we do need to go in with our eyes wide open, with much research and wise counsel under our belts, so that we don't hurt ourselves or become discouraged thru unrealistic expectations.

By the way, in the first garden, mankind was given herbs & vegetation as his ideal diet, albeit in an ideal environment, prior to the fall of man. Some may take the story literally, while others figuratively. But I personally find this very fascinating in the early record. Meat eating, etc was given to man later after he left paradise.

Best wishes with your fast,

FirstGarden

P.S. You are not hungry. :-)