It is necessary to consult a health professional before undertaking a fast to clear up your physical condition and to determine the length and type of fast (water or juice) that is most appropriate. During a long fast (more than a couple of days), vitamin or mineral supplements may be necessary, as well as changes in dosage of any medication. Periodic blood tests are recommended during the fast to monitor one's physical condition.

  Dr. Salloum approves a water fast in which only pure water (distilled, spring or purified by reverse osmosis) is used. He considers juice to be a food, since it supplies carbohydrates which inhibit the development of ketonemetabolism (breakdown of fats), and maintains that a juice fast is, in effect, a restricted diet. Dr. Salloum believes that during a fast, water should be consumed according to thirst, with a minimum of three glasses a day.

  Some practitioners approve a juice fast because of the withdrawal symptoms a water fast causes when nutrients and drugs (prescription and recreational) are released into the bloodstream for elimination. This detoxification process is much less severe on a juice fast.

  For over ten years, Dr. Loomis exclusively used medically supervised water fasts with his patients. He noticed his patients often suffered from intense fatigue and other symptoms during the first few days of the fast. While visiting Zurich's Bircher-Benner Clinic and the Landhaus Nurpfli retreat, both in Switzerland, Dr. Loomis was introduced to the use of juice fasts. Unlike water fasters, juice fasters were far more likely to continue a healthy diet once they had broken the fast, as they had become accustomed to the taste of raw vegetables.

  According to Dr. Loomis, acceptable juice combinations include carrots (diluted with water 50:50) and green vegetables. Fruit juices contain large amounts of sugar, and are not generally used in fasting. (For example, a glass of apple juice contains the equivalent of five apples-a considerable sugar load to ingest all at once.) Loomis's patients also take Bieler Broth (named after its inventor, Henry Bieler, M.D.), consisting of steamed green beans, zucchini, celery, and parsley, that are pureed and eaten with a spoon. Herbal teas are also permitted on this type of fast.

  If Dr. Loomis feels a patient requires a more intense detoxification, a detoxifying cocktail is taken at bedtime, consisting of a blend of one garlic clove, the juice of one-half of a lemon, the juice of two grapefruits (which can be replaced by apple juice if preferred), and two tablespoons of olive oil. Also known as a "liver flush," this works to detoxify the liver, a main organ of elimination most active between the hours of 11:00 P.M. and 1:00 A.M.

  Dr. Bailey believes that two five-day juice fasts a year are ideal for maintaining health. However, some of his patients with chronic health problems have gone on juice fasts in excess of thirty days. He prefers to use vegetable juices, since they provide adequate supplies of vitamins and minerals. Dr. Bailey recommends a beet/carrot/celery blend (equal parts of each), but the beet can be omitted if sugar is a health concern. This combination supplies excellent energy, vitamins, and minerals, live enzymes, and other nutrients needed to keep up health during the fast. By providing much of the body's daily caloric needs with easily absorbed juices, the release of toxins from fat cells is much more gradual and gentle. Dr. Bailey also recommends water fasts but believes that the further one's diet is from a nonprocessed, whole foods regimen, the greater the need for gradual detoxification, as provided by juice fasts.

  A person's nutritional status and degree of toxicity before the fast will determine the type of fast undertaken and its length. Also important to consider is whether the fast is being undertaken for detoxification purposes or to counteract a specific disease.

  Leon Chaitow, N.D., D.O., of London, England, recommends a two-day fast, as it can be conveniently followed over a weekend, and should not disrupt a work schedule. A two-day fast is also quite safe to perform at home with a doctor's approval, whereas longer fasts require continual professional supervision. 

The procedure of the Dr. Chaitov fast:

Saturday: Whether on a juice or a water fast, start the day with a slowly sipped glass of the fluid. Do stretching, relaxation, and breathing exercises, and spend the morning relaxing, reading, listening to music, or napping. Have a midmorning drink. After a lunchtime drink, nap for a while. Do more stretching exercises, have a massage, and, if possible, spend half an hour outside in the sun. Have another drink, relax, and meditate before going to bed early.

Sunday: Start the day like Saturday, and use an enema to cleanse the lower bowel. Rest outdoors. Drink midmorning, noon, and midafternoon, and have another massage if possible. Break the fast around 6:00 P.M. with a stewed apple or pear, live yogurt, or vegetable soup. You can have more of the same later if you are hungry.

Monday: Return to normal, but have a lighter breakfast than usual.

 

 Four stages of the Dr. Loomis fast:

Stage 1 is a period of general excitation of the involuntary nervous system and major detoxification, manifested through the increased electrical activity observed with the EEG (electroencephalogram). At this time, the blood picture reveals an increased number of white blood cells. This stage lasts about three days.

Stage 2 is heralded by increasing evidence of acidosis, the presence of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), and a psychomotor depression. Stage two is marked by a loss of appetite. The length of the second stage depends on the toxicity of a person prior to fasting and the number of medications he or she is taking. This stage may begin after three or four days of fasting, or not until the second week of the fast.

Stage 3 is a normalization period accompanied by a feeling of increased well-being that surpasses any preexisting the fast. This state is usually reached in the second week of the fast, but can occur earlier in less toxic people.

Stage 4 is usually accompanied by a vast improvement in energy, clarity of mind, and a heightened sense of well-being. Again, the time frame depends on the individual, and can occur anywhere from four days into the fast to the second week of the fast.