Fasting to Detox the Body

Do you want to detoxify your body?  The process of detoxification dispels unnatural chemicals and toxins from your body.  Even those who lead relatively healthy lifestyles can still benefit from an occasional detox.

If you are interested in detoxifying your body, you will likely turn to the internet.  Online, you will find a lot of free information, including detailed guides.  You will also soon see that there are many ways to detox or cleanse the body.  A few examples include limiting calorie intake, consuming organic foods only, and fasting.  Due to affordability, many opt for a water fast.

Before you, yourself, opt for a water fast, it is important to know the benefits, as well as the dangers.

Water fasting can be free.  The fact that we all have free access to water is one of the reasons why a water fast is a popular way to detoxify the body.

Water can be filled with chemicals.  Recent studies have hit the news circuits and they show that many cities have water that contains chemicals.  Small traces of some prescription drugs have found in some water samples.  Although you may have clean drinking water, it can be difficult or next to impossible for you to know.  For that reason, you may opt for bottled water, which can get costly.

No solid foods are consumed.  The fact that no solid foods are eaten during a water fast is both considered an advantage and a disadvantage.  As for the advantages, it makes it easier for you to detox your body.  It takes both time and energy for food to be digested.  Without solid foods, your body can rid itself of toxins easier and quicker.

Lack of nutrients.  As for the disadvantage of not consuming solid foods, there is a lack of nutrients.  Water is an important component of our body’s ability to survive, but so is food.  Our bodies depend on it to flourish.  With that said, those who are healthy and do not have medical conditions, can survive on a water fast, although it may be difficult for your body to adjust.

The adjustment.  Speaking of adjusting to a water fast, the difficulty will depend on the foods and drinks that you consume.  It is easy for individuals to become dependent on caffeine.  If you consume a large amount of soda or coffee, your body may soon start to experience withdrawal symptoms when on a water fast.

Is a relatively natural way to detoxify your body.  As previously stated, the human body depends on water to survive.  In that aspect, the consumption of water is natural.  What is unnatural about a water fasting is the non-consumption of solid foods.  However, when compared to many detoxifying or cleansing drugs currently available for sale, this is considered a very natural approach.

Can be dangerous.  As with all fasts, there are dangers associated with a water fast.  A relatively unknown danger is the consumption of too much water.  This leads to water intoxication.  Too much water can cause brain damage, as well as death.  If you opt for a water fast, drink the recommended amount or talk to your healthcare provider for more information.

Readjustment.  It may take your body a day to adjust to a water only diet, but it will take your body even longer to readjust to food.  If you fast for longer than three days, you will want to start eating slowly.  Many professionals recommend first adding other liquids, such as juice or soup, and then solids.  Also, since you just spent days detoxifying your body, be careful with the foods you do consume afterwards.  There is no better time to make the switch to organic foods than now.

As you can see, there a number of advantages and disadvantages to using a water fast to detox or cleanse the body.  A safe way to do so is with the advice of a healthcare professional and for a short period of time.  Some recommend water fasting for a least five days, while some state that you should never go more than three days.  Consulting with a healthcare professional is your best bet, but always listen to your body and any distress signs it may show.