PREPARE (the week before the cleanse)

It’s not essential, but five to seven days before the fast, you can start to prepare your body by eliminating alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, sugar, dairy, wheat, animal meat, fish, eggs. The diet should consist mainly of organic fruits, vegetables, and beans.

Take the time to prepare yourself mentally. Create an intention for the duration, thoughtfully clear your schedule of any big challenges, and prepare to follow the directions in detail and stick with it.

Clear your schedule - make sure you don't have any events which will create too much stress or activity during your cleansing time. It's better to play it by ear and decide what you feel you can partake in. Just don't put any big challenges in your path during this time.

Read this entire guide before starting anything. Be prepared.

The night before the fast, start drinking the herbal laxative tea, described below.

Get the things you need:
Organic lemons (about 10 per person, per day), or freshly squeezed (not canned or frozen!) lemon juice, genuine “grade A dark amber” or “grade b” organic maple syrup, cayenne pepper, Smooth Move tea (or other herbal laxative), and lots of pure spring water. You might also need a container to carry your lemonade around with you. (Consider carrying a concentrate mixture to mix with water wherever you are). At home, it will be best to keep a concentrate in a glass container (keeping it for long times in a plastic container will leech toxins out of the plastic and into your drink) – figure out what you’re going to use, or get a suitable container.

CLEANSE (The duration of your cleanse)

To make one 10oz glass of the spicy lemonade:
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed organic lemon juice
2 Tbsp genuine “grade A dark amber” or “grade b” organic maple syrup
1/10 tsp cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredients in a 10oz glass, and fill with spring or purified water – warm is best, but cold is ok if it’s what you prefer.

To make one day’s concentrate of the spicy lemonade:
T he juice of 10 organic lemons
½ cup genuine “grade A dark amber” or “grade b” organic maple syrup

Combine all ingredients. You may want to strain the juice if you’d like a pulp-less mixture. Store in a glass container (plastic leeches undesired chemicals over time). When ready to drink, ladel ¼ cup of the mixture into a 10oz glass, add 1/10 teaspoon (a pinch or two) cayenne pepper, and fill with fresh spring water (warm is best, but whatever you prefer will do). Pepper continues to get hot over time, so it’s recommended to add this only at the time of consumption.

How much to drink
6 to 12 glasses daily – when hungry, drink the mixture. As long as you’re getting enough lemonade, also drink pure fresh water.

Aid Elimination
In order to help the cleansing along, you should drink an herbal laxative tea, such as Smooth Move. Drink a cup at night and a cup in the morning – the last and first things you do each day. Drinking tea is preferred to taking an herbal laxative supplement.

Salt Water Cleanse
Once you haven't eaten food for 24 hours, you can further cleanse your intestinal tract with a salt water cleanse. Here's what you need:

1 Quart of lukewarm spring water
2 teaspoons of uniodized salt

Double check your salt to make sure it's uniodized. Epsom, sea, or kosher salt will usually do, but regular table salt has iodine added. This is best done right when you wake up, and, importantly: make sure you don't have to go anywhere for about 3 hours. Mix the ingredients, and chug. It can be hard to get down, but do your best. Then, wait. The salination is similar to that of your bodily fluids, so rather than absorb this mixture, your body will expel it through your colon, providing a great cleaning. You can do this any number of mornings throughout the cleanse.

Can I eat anything else?
Unless you’re going to break the fast, do not eat any other food or take any other supplements or vitamins. This does not include medication – do not stop taking medication that is vital to you, though you may want to talk with your doctor before starting a fast.

You can, however, sip unsweetened mint or chamomile tea as a treat during the cleansing time.

Will I be... Ok?
According to Burroughs, between the maple syrup and lemon juice, your body is getting all it needs nutritionally to support you. Many people feel a great surge of energy. The cayenne pepper is part of the diet because it breaks down and helps wash out mucous.

Make sure to...
* Be sure to drink plenty of warm water in addition to juices.
* Go to bed early. In traditional Chinese medicine, 11 pm to 1 am is when the liver, the major detox organ, is most active. You’ll support your system best by being asleep and resting in this time.
* Keep warm.
* Nurturing and relaxing are important during this time. Do breathing exercises, yoga and/or meditation are great ideas for this time.
* Get lots of rest.

Suggestions for things to do while on the fast:
- if you’re using the fast to change your diet in any way, use this time to clean our your cupboards and reorganize – that is, if you can handle food without temptation. If you don’t think you can do this, I suggest ridding your cupboards of the food items you no longer plan on having in your diet before starting the fast. When you’re breaking the fast, make an adventure out of visiting a good food store and replenishing your cupboards with the food choices you want to support yourself with.
- Commune with nature. Take walks, lie on grass, sit under a tree. Use all 5 senses and take it in. Reconnect with your place on this planet.
- Practice mindfulness. Stress makes us ill: while you’re intentionally slowing down, practice these techniques that you’ll be able to recall during more stressful times later: No matter what you’re doing, pretend you have all the time in the world to do it. Do that thing as if it’s the most important thing in the world, even if it’s just washing dishes or walking to the mailbox. Experience the freedom and joy that comes from the feeling of having time and interest in the most mundane things. Have nothing better to do.
What to expect
In the first three days, it is not uncommon for headache and hunger to occur. These side effects are usually gone by the third or fourth day. As toxins are killed off, they can create aches and nausea. Many people notice a thickening in the tongue coating, which can be brushed off with a toothbrush or a tongue scraper. Other common experiences – known as healing crises -- are bad breath, unpleasant taste in the mouth, foul-smelling stools, digestive upset, acne, energy fluctuations, mucus in the stools, sinus congestion, skin eruptions, fever, irritability, yawning, muscle aches or tightness, and gas. Most healing crises pass within one or two days; it’s important to monitor your symptoms closely.

According to Stanley Burroughs, people often feel some discomfort in their digestive system. If your system feels upset, it’s because you don’t have sufficient elimination. Taking the herbal laxative is key – this is best taken in tea form. Even though you’re not eating, you should have 1-3 movements per day as waste is loosened from your organs and cells.

Healing crises often occur during a detox or other positive change in lifestyle. In addition to physical symptoms associated with the release of toxins, emotions can also be released during a healing crises. Old symptoms from the past can also appear during fasts. They usually last for a brief period.

IMPORTANT: If any symptoms last more than two to three days, it should be considered a problem and be addressed. If a problem worsens or causes concerns, or if fainting, bleeding, dizziness, low blood pressure, vomiting and diarrhea, palpitations, kidney problems, or arrhythmias occur, the fast should be stopped immediately and a doctor consulted.

BREAKING THE FAST

Breaking the fast properly is very important!

After fasting, it is important to return to a regular way of eating gradually in order to avoid adverse reactions. Here are some tips on how to do it gradually:
* Start slowly. Introduce solid foods into your diet gradually.
* Chew food well. Most people do not chew food thoroughly. Chewing releases digestive enzymes and minimizes the burden on the digestive system. Try to chew 30-50 times per mouthful.
* Don't overeat.
* Prevent constipation. Stewed prunes have a laxative effect and small amounts can be added at any point after the fast.
* Look for food reactions during the reintroduction phase. You may wish to keep notes on energy, digestion, cravings, and any symptoms, looking for any reaction within the 24 hour period after you have reintroduced a new food. Foods that cause reactions can be avoided for one to two weeks, eaten alone, and then monitored for any reactions.
* Many people use this time to transition into a healthier diet. Go to the health food store and try some new, healthy foods. It usually takes a while to adjust to new tastes, so give each new food two weeks before you make a decision.
* Go slowly. Don't reward yourself for fasting by splurging on a big dinner!

What to eat
For the first few days, eat a simple diet, consisting of fresh organic fruits, vegetables, and beans. As long as you don’t have any discomfort, continue eating this way. After 3-4 days, you can start introducing, slowly, dairy, grains or fresh fish, just a little bit at one meal a day. (if you’re testing for food allergy, skip this and see below.) If uneventful in the next 2 days or so, you can start adding small amounts of cooked meat and heavier cooked dishes. Within a couple more days, your system should be back on track and able to return to a regular diet.

If you have had symptoms before the fast and suspect a food allergy, prepare a schedule for working in the foods you want to test. The most common food allergies to test are: soy, wheat (gluten), dairy, corn, (*get full list). The best way to test is to “provoke” the food. Strictly refrain from eating all foods you want to test for the first 5 days. If you have no symptoms eating fresh fruits, vegetables and beans, introduce the first food and eat moderate amounts of it every day for 2 weeks. Monitor your symptoms for the reaction you’re used to. Journal what happens. If uneventful after two weeks, introduce the next food. Repeat these steps for each food and pay attention carefully. It’s very important to strictly eliminate the testing foods until they’re up for testing. The process can be very edifying and save you a lot of money in expensive diagnostics. Remember that you are the expert on your own body – the best science is what your body tells you it feels!

After a fast, be sure to spend the next months strengthening and rebuilding your system. Restorative or anusara yoga, probiotics (friendly bacteria) supplements, and stress reduction are some strategies that can help.

MORE INFO ABOUT JUICE FASTING

Benefits of juice fasting
Many people experience enhanced physical, mental, and spiritual well-being during and after juice fasting. In addition to promoting the excretion of toxins and decreasing congestive symptoms, juice fasting is believed to have the following benefits:

* Eliminates most food allergies and sensitivities.
* Reduces the burden on the digestive system, allowing it to heal.
* Releases pesticides, drugs, and other chemicals from stored fat, which can then be eliminated.
* Enhances mental, physical, and spiritual well-being
* Increased energy
* Mental clarity
* Glowing skin
* Prevents chronic diseases caused by poor diet and lifestyle
* Clears mucus dishcharge

People with these conditions often report the biggest benefits:
congestion (e.g chronic sinus congestion), constipation, headaches, white or yellow tongue coating (tongue coating can be a sign of toxicity), bad breath, acne or other skin eruptions, bloating, gas, flatulence, postnasal drip, premenstrual syndrome, runny nose, overeating, chronic bronchitis, muscle stiffness in low back.

When and how long to fast
It is often thought that the change of the season – especially in warmer weather, is the best time to fast. Most people should not fast more than twice a year. Spring is often thought to be the best time to fast.

Stanley Burroughs, the author of Master Cleanser, purports that the ideal time to do his lemonade fast is 10-40 days. However, you can still get a lot out of just a few days on a fast. If it’s your first time, it’s a good idea to take it easy – start with just a few days and monitor your experience.

Who shouldn’t fast
If you have any of the following conditions, fasting may not be for you, consult a professional before doing any sort of fast: diabetes, hypoglycemia, eating disorders, anemia, epilepsy, kidney disease, impaired or weak immune system, cardiac arrhythmias, weak heart, candida, cancer, peptic ulcer, malnutrition, pregnancy, nursing, gout, lactation, asthma, terminal illness, tuberculosis, ulcerative colitis, any condition that causes depletion and weakness, underweight, chronic infection, nutritional deficiency, low blood pressure, epilepsy. People should not try juice fasts before or after surgical procedures. Fasting can reduce blood proteins and change the way prescription drugs react in the body. People taking prescription medication should consult a health professional skilled in detoxification before trying a juice fast.

People with blood sugar disorders should only try a juice fast under the supervision of a health care provider. Juices that are higher in sugar, such as carrot, pineapple, grape, orange, apple, and beet, should be avoided.

Have you done the cleanse and have an experience or wisdom to share? Let us know by posting a comment...

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The above information was compiled mostly from these sources:

The Master Cleanser, by Stanley Burroughs
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0963926209/qid=1144807232/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/102-4809511-6480127?s=books&v=glance&n=283155

Juice Fasting by Cathy Wong, Naturopath, on Alternative Medicine at about.com http://altmedicine.about.com/od/detoxcleansing/a/juice_fasting.htm