It's very important to understand how a fast works in general and how a juice fast works in particular before commencing a prolonged juice fast.  One of the biggest mistakes I've seen people make who embark on a juice fast, or any fast, is they fast primarily for weight loss, without understanding that, while the loss of weight does occur during a fast, the true purpose of fasting is to detoxify the body and to heal the body.  Weight loss is merely a by product of that process.

Fasting is a roller coaster ride full of ups, downs, sharp swerves and turns. During a fast, you can be flying high on the jet streams of exhilaration and unexpectedly nose-dive, free-falling face first into physical weakness and disturbing emotions. A little scary if you do not expect it.  It would be great if you could have a daily forecast of how you will feel on each day of your fast, but fasting moves in mysterious ways. The body does the work of cleansing in cycles alternating between two very different states. 

In one state, you feel amazing, and, in the cleansing state, you feel badly. Feeling good is a sign the fast is working; feeling bad is a sign of detoxification. Every faster will experience the cleansing periods during a fast. Many bail out in disillusionment because they were unaware of just how difficult it is to endure three days of feeling weak and apathetic, much less off and on for 30 days.  Just go look at the Juice Fast blogs and see how many actually completed their juices fasts without breaking.

At the beginning of a fast, the lymphocytes seek out the dirtiest, toxic residues and burns this toxic filth as fuel. The body is finally able to rid itself of damaging carcinogenic pollutants which have built up in the system, but, at the same, time the burning of this unclean fuel results in physical discomfort. As the fast progresses, you will become cleaner and energy will increase until your body enters another cycle of cleaning. Changes can happen within hours, passing from a cleansing crisis, due to toxin elimination, to an energy peak.

When the toxic residues enter the blood, they affect mind and body functions. Ketones, an intermediary metabolic product, may accumulate in the blood to high levels and cause ketoacidosis. Combined with high levels of urea, resulting from protein metabolism, this state can cause intense discomfort, headaches, back pain, dizziness, weakness and nausea.

You will never reach the apogee of juice fasting without passing through some lows and detox periods. Autolysis, the cannibalization of ill and dead cells, cysts, tumors, dirty fat, chocolate bars, Big Macs and fries make you feel dreadful. When the feeling intensifies, it can be truly fearsome. It has been termed a Cleansing or Healing Crisis. The good news is the body is finally able to rid itself of years of accumulated toxins.

Enduring a cleansing crisis is the hardest part of the healing process. To stop feeling bad, most people want to eat, but do not eat during a cleansing crisis. Do not take OTC medications. The body is overloaded with the work of removing toxins. Triggering digestion just makes matters worse. Using a bowel cleanser or an enema kit and drinking plenty of fruit and green vegetable juice will help much more than eating. Herbal tea with honey warms the shivers. Hot lemon tea with cayenne pepper tones the liver which aids in detoxing.  It also alkalyzes the body.

The lows are the periods when the body is moderately cleansing causing periods of feeling down, like having a bad cold. You feel weak and lethargic. The mind rationalizes, I feel horrible; this can't be working. You can maintain a normal routine of work on a low; it requires willpower and determination. It also helps to know that the longer the down period, the greater the fasting high.  And don't lose sight of the new life you're building on this juicing journey.  I have likened a prolonged juice fast to be similar to the Vision Quest.

On a juice fast, the body can go weeks before there is a serious detox or you can be blasted with headaches, nausea and weakness on the first day. The lows usually last from one-to-three days, and may hit on day 2 or day 28 of a fast. Yet, sometimes they last much shorter,  only a few hours. The greater the quantity of toxins in the blood, the worse you feel.

As unspiritual as an enema may seem, it has helped many end or reduce the crisis by removing toxins from the colon. Emotions and thinking are affected; old memories and negative feelings arise from the dead, like a detox of the soul. It is easy to become discouraged, feel irritated, short-tempered or mildly depressed. These cleansing periods require faith that it will pass.  Because they do.

Energy packets of glycogen are stored in the liver and muscles for use during bursts of physical activity. During the lows, the body utilizes glycogen from the liver and muscles for energy. This results in the familiar feeling of weakness. During a peak, the body has an abundant supply of glucose, and glycogen replacement occurs at a rapid rate creating abundant energy. Also, there is an intermediate state when glycogen is starting to be replaced. You will feel energetic but lack the endurance to match. Persevering through these various fasting states and energy levels is necessary for success.

Dr. Arnold Ehret (Born in 1866) , an avid faster who wrote Rational Fasting, describes the high you can get on a juice fast as, "An indescribable feeling that gave me great joy and happiness just to be alive. Greater power, energy and endurance ...All my faculties were improved, beyond the healthiest part of my youth." 

The physical side of a fasting high is due to increased health, which increases endorphin levels similar to the endorphin high experienced by long distance running. Also, a cleaner, clearer  brain functions with harmony and balance within the body and between the mind and body. During fasting peaks and highs, there is a seemingly endless supply of physical energy. Don’t be fooled by this, you are still fasting, and conservation is the wisest practice, allow the energy to heal and rebalance the body. Energy can be fickle during the first stage of a fast.

Beware of intensified thoughts and emotions in this state. Fasting speeds up emotional states to the point where, one moment you feel a special peace, and then 2 hours later, it fades and you feel empty and cold. Strong emotions are common and the brain starts speed thinking. It feels as if everything around you is slowing down and becoming lifeless. Mental energy in the right direction can achieve much, but if misdirected, like towards Grandma’s apple pie, the outcome can be disastrous.

The longer you fast, the higher the peaks and highs. The best highs are after 20 days of juice fasting.  Peaks are the moments when the entire perspective of your life can be seen with one sweeping glance. Purpose, conviction, resolution, determination and resolve burn strong. No challenge is too great. The only way I can describe it is a feeling of in-depth connection and a deepened sense of inner strength and sharpened spirituality.

The lows of  a fast can come hard and fast, or gentle and slow, but they come.  It is something that must be endured until it passes.  Knowing what to expect on a fast by researching before embarking on a prolonged fast can go a long way towards reducing stress and anxiety when the cleansing crisises occur. The peaks and highs are some of the blessings of fasting, in addition to the added treasure of rebalancing and healing your body and spirit.