If I fast once a week...

[soaringeagle925]

without having ever done a long fast - will that still be healthy for my body, or do I need to be fasting for a few days before the cleansing benefits kick in?

Thank you!

[spicyfull]

RAW by itself is a Cleansing Experience.

[michigan roman]

for me i had to build up my endurance on fasting . first one was 3 days and i was getting light headed , weakly , possesed with food cravings . i couldnt have pushed it any farther unless i was being coached and didnt have to work . then the next like 6 were the same way , building up from 3 to around 10 days . at that point i built my confidence with it up and also my body changed , is my thinking , to more easily be able to burn on my fat stores . which then made fasting way easier and for the majority of the day , when wasnt having cravings which make me edgy , makes fasting fun because ive more energy / need less sleep / feel lighter with an empty gut which makes running a blast / and a good feeling of accomplishment that im cleaning out inner pollution leading to long term health bennys and greater longevity . and to this point over past 4 years ive done somewhere around 18 fasts up to around 22 days , and now theyre way easier / fun for alot of the time unless cravings start pushing me to eat and i get edgy and have to fend it off . so to me one day fasts are great because your learning and starting to get in shape for a very benificial life time habit and longer fasts .

[Veganforlife]

RAW by itself is a Cleansing Experience.

SO true. I tried a water fast and was only able to go 2 days until a headache set in and having cured myself of headaches, I sure didn't want to deal with that! I still think it is not the healthiest of ways to cleanse one's self. Going 100% raw is the way to do it!

[oai]

yes. the raw food diet is a very cleansing diet in itself. it does not add further toxemia to the body unless foods are combined horridly. :D some people are used to(or in the extreme, addicted to) the bulk feel of years of improper food combining, so eating too simple from the beginning may cause more harm than good psychologically. but physically, it's the best way to go.

fasting 1x a week is fantastic. it will give your body rest from digesting once a week! in time, "visible" benefits will kick in (benefits will already have kicked in the moment you eat more healthy). you will have to be patient with raw vegan eating and/or fasting, b/c the body has been less than ideally treated for YEARS. it is not an insta-diet.

goodluck with whatever you decide to do!!! :)

[annavon]

without having ever done a long fast - will that still be healthy for my body, or do I need to be fasting for a few days before the cleansing benefits kick in?

Thank you!

I have read that many of the raw food health practioners fast once a week. It gives your digestive system a rest. I do one day fasts and I feel some of the detox symptoms, so I think they do help. Obviously if you can fast for more than three days, you get more benefit.

[Aleesha Sattva]

without having ever done a long fast - will that still be healthy for my body, or do I need to be fasting for a few days before the cleansing benefits kick in?

Thank you!

you've received some great advice. fasting one day a week is a great idea... no harm lots of benefits.

in the future you may decide to fast longer but honestly... fasting one day and eating raw... RAWKS!!!

[rawstrength]

I want to work up to fasting one day a week! Right now I am just skipping breakfast once a week (on Thursdays) lol and then eating really light for the rest of the day. Gradually I will work up to a complete water fast every Thursday.

Fasting has always been really hard for me and I've never really liked it. I always hated when we had to do one day fasts (for religious reasons) -- I would get so weak and headachy. But I am determined to fast once a week in a way that is gentle and enjoyable :) . I am gradually building up to it, pushing myself, but not forcing myself.

[Aleesha Sattva]

so then why not juice fast one day a week? or juice FEAST even... you won't be weak doing that :)

[annavon]

I want to work up to fasting one day a week! Right now I am just skipping breakfast once a week (on Thursdays) lol and then eating really light for the rest of the day. Gradually I will work up to a complete water fast every Thursday.

Fasting has always been really hard for me and I've never really liked it. I always hated when we had to do one day fasts (for religious reasons) -- I would get so weak and headachy. But I am determined to fast once a week in a way that is gentle and enjoyable :) . I am gradually building up to it, pushing myself, but not forcing myself.

I do juice fasting on Wednesdays and Fridays for religious reasons. I find the juice fasting easier than a water fast or a total fast. My spiritual advisor was OK with that.