How to Break a 7-day Juice Fast

Breaking a fast is the most important part of fasting. This can be difficult, though. I personally believe that this is the most challenging aspect of a fast - the urge to snarf down a burger or a giant plate of pasta after several days of not eating can be very intense. But making mistakes during this time can derail the benefits of the fast and make it all for naught. An immediate return to a normal diet can jolt the body and cause sudden, painful diarrhea. The general rule is to spend the same amount of time weaning yourself back to a normal diet that you spent on the fast. In this case, you should spend seven days weaning yourself back to a normal diet.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Willpower and patience.
• Plenty of fresh drinking water.
• Several pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables - whatever kind you like.
• A juicer (optional - there are other ways to juice.)

1. 
    

   Day 1 - Continue drinking your juice, teas, and water as normal. At some point during the day, preferably when you have at least an hour of free time, slowly eat a very small amount of fresh fruit. Drink some water with the fruit. You should feel the need to move your bowels shortly after eating. This should result in a small amount of painless diarrhea, but don't worry, this is normal. Have two or three more small amounts of fruit during the day.

2. 
    

   Day 2 - Again, continue with your juice, teas, and water as normal. Increase your fresh fruit intake if desired. If your bowels are not bothering you and you still feel hungry, eat some fresh veggies also. Keep the quantities small.

3. 
    

   Day 3 - 5 - By day 3, your digestive system should be up and running again. Do NOT stop drinking your juice, tea, and water. Gradually increase your amount and quantity size of fresh fruits and veggies. Feel free to snack on gentle proteins and starches like nuts or saltines.

4. 
    

   Day 6 - 7 - At this point you can begin weaning yourself off the juice and tea if you like. (Personally, I recommend that everyone drink fresh fruit and vegetable juice every day of their life regardless of fasting.) Slowly begin eating normal meals, but keep the quantities small. Pay attention to your body changes, and be careful not to overdo it.

5. 
    

   Congratulations! You have successfully completed a seven-day juice fast.

Tips & Warnings

• Drink fresh fruit or vegetable juice within 24 hours of preparation.
• Refer to my article "How to Prepare for a 7-day Juice Fast" for advice on what to do prior to fasting. There are several things you should do beforehand to ease the transition.
• Refer to my article "How to Do a Juice Fast for 7 Days" for detailed advice on what to do during your fast.
• Children, the elderly, and women who are pregnant or nursing should not fast. Fasting can be dangerous for people with diseases like diabetes. Consult your doctor before fasting.
• Do not drink too much water, as this can lead to a potentially fatal imbalance called hyponatremia, aka water intoxication. Symptoms may include headache, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, frequent urination and mental disorientation.

[kaylakitty]

on 1/13/2009 That's good to know! For some reason I always thought you were supposed to start with bread.