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Therapeutic Fasting

Clear your body of built-up toxins

It's Fasting Season

Now is the time of year when we clear our homes from the dust and clutter that have accumulated over the cooler months. Your body should be no different! Fasting is a safe and simple way to allow your body to clear the toxins that have settled in your system, possibly causing undesired symptoms and preventing your body from working at its best!

When should you do a therapeutic fast? Anytime between the end of April until the end of October is ideal because of the warmer weather. Otherwise, the cold will slow your metabolism and you risk getting sick.

Did You Know?

There are two main forms of toxins: water soluble and fat soluble toxins.
Water soluble – taken up into the blood stream and filtered primarily by the kidneys. The liver is also responsible for processing toxins, helping make some more water-soluble for elimination.
Fat soluble – can be eliminated with food waste, but it is also often stored in the liver and fat cells (adipose tissue) of the body where it can bio-accumulate for long periods of time.

Where are you being exposed to toxins?

Worldwide, there are 2.5 million tons of pesticides sprayed yearly. Only 0.1% of this reaches the pests they target. The remainder winds up in the environment!

• Air, soil, and water pollution
• Food, especially fruit and vegetables
• In your home – in fact the majority of pesticide exposure is indoors!
• Pets (tick and flea repellents)

Other forms of toxins (formaldehyde and BPA for example) are found everywhere: clothing, furniture, most plastics, toys, shampoo and soaps, etc. Check out www.everydayexposures.com to find out what your exposure risks are.

 Why should you fast?

Therapeutic fasting gives your body a chance to get rid of all the toxins that have accumulated in your tissues. Here are just a few reasons that fasting could be a good idea for you:

• Give your pancreas a rest. The pancreas is responsible for making digestive enzymes and regulating blood sugar levels (insulin and glucagon). This is helpful in the treatment and prevention of Type 2 Diabetes;
• Give the digestive and assimilation organs a rest. These can be overburdened on a regular basis, especially if you tend to overeat or eat the wrong foods. This would be particularly helpful to anyone with food allergies, IBS, or constipation;
• Give the liver a rest. The liver regulates the level of chemicals in the blood, including phytochemicals (food and herbs), drugs, and other environmental toxins;
• Reduce the toxic burden on the body. Burden can wreak havoc on all systems of the body, including hormones and the brain. This could lead to symptoms like thyroid and reproductive concerns, brain fog, headaches, fatigues, irritability, and weight gain.

It is important to note that you should expect to feel worse initially. This is because the toxins are being mobilized from the fat cells and are circulating in your body, causing irritation to the system. Once they are eliminated, you may be surprised by how much better you feel. Long-term symptoms can fade away altogether!

Eat to live, don't live to eat

Society has caused a shift in our priorities: we no longer eat because we need nourishment; we eat to fulfill other needs (boredom, emotional needs, stress, etc). Far too often we just eat without pausing to think WHY we are eating.
Taking part in a fast will teach you two lessons:

• How to exercise your will power;

• How to be mindful of what you are eating and why;

Your taste buds will be refreshed and you’ll be able to appreciate the flavours in food. Remember - You control food; it doesn’t control you!

Is Your Digestive System Clean?

Our systems are so burdened with stressors (environmental, dietary, emotional or physical stress, inactivity, and poor sleep) that the body may struggle to work optimally. One of the main systems affected is the digestive tract. This can lead to food intolerances, constipation, or other digestive concerns. Food may not be well processed and waste could accumulate without you realizing it.

This is why we recommend doing colonics during a fast: to wash out any build up and prevent toxins from being reabsorbed into your system since the average person has about 20 pounds of waste accumulated in the digestive tract!

How does the Fast work?

You should commit to the fast for 3-7 days, depending on which health benefits you are hoping to gain. Although you won’t be eating meals, you will NOT be hungry during the fast! In fact, every hour and a half you will be drinking one of two mixtures:

• Greens powder – this is virtually 0 calories, yet provides many important nutrients that your body needs for optimal functioning. It is also a detoxifier and helps to alkalize the body’s tissues, which is important in the treatment and prevention of disease;

• Activated charcoal and psyllium – these compounds will bulk up the stool and bind toxins as they are released from fat cells. This prevents toxins from being reabsorbed and stored back in the system.

During the fast, it is important to have daily bowel movements to avoid toxin reabsorption (the longer they stay in your system, the more that will be recycled). Colonics is a gentle hydrotherapy that helps to remove excess build-up and is therefore often recommended with the fast. Consult Dr. Um, Dr. Prytula, or Dr. Magnotta to discuss any concerns you might have about your fast.

This could be your gateway to better clarity of thought, more energy, health optimization and disease prevention! To see if Therapeutic Fasting is right for you, talk to your NaturoMedic.com Naturopathic Doctor!

*Coming off the fast is an important step and can make or break the outcome of your efforts! Introducing specific foods needs to be done gradually and can take several days. For the list of which foods to introduce and in what order, please refer to the fasting protocol provided by your NaturoMedic ND.

 References

Images
- design/www.freedigitalphotos.net
http://www.123rf.com/stock-photo/fasting.html
http://www.clipartof.com/gallery/clipart/detox_word_collage.html
http://minutemanborderfence.com/green-drinks-will-increase-health-energy/
http://blog.greensplus.com/2013/05/21/whyweneedsunshine/
Content
-My Health Navigator
http://livingtraditionally.com/the-easiest-homemade-colon-cleanser/
http://nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/resources/Pesticide%20Trends.pdf