Fasting to Health

Fasting is a great way to remove the toxins in your body and head along the path toward living healthier. You don’t have to do it for a long time to receive the benefits. A one-day fast can increase your energy level, boost your metabolism, regulate your digestive system and improve your well-being.

“The most important way to protect yourself from toxins is to stop putting them into your body,” says healthy living expert Andrew Weil, M.D., founder and director of the Program in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona in Tucson. “Many people experience a clearer mental state and increased energy after a short-term fast. When I did my weekly one-day fasts, I consumed nothing but water or herb tea,” says Weil.

"Fasting" doesn’t mean "starving." Fasts vary from eating only fruit and vegetable juices to simply eliminating certain foods from your everyday diet, like chocolate or coffee. One-day fasts are easier than several-day fasts and you can usually avoid headaches with increased water intake.

Try a one-day fast of water, lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper, or tea or a few fresh vegetable juices a day. Or finish the day with a liquid meal to give your digestive system a break. There are also great places that specialize in fasting, detoxifying and cleansing the body. The Optimum Health Institute and We Care Spa are two popular fasting retreats.