Re: Juice for Alcoholics?

Ken,

A modified juice fast could be a terrific thing to help an alcoholic recover, but someone needs to keep a close eye on him/her at all times. If the dependence on alcohol is too strong, the detox reaction could be severe. Some alcoholics really need to detox in a medical facility. In the event of convulsions or other serious reactions, call 911.

A couple things about alcoholism.

1) The alcoholic wants to drink constantly, liquid should be available at all times.

2) The alcoholic craves sugars and starches -- don't permit these. You need to break the blood Sugar cycles.

3) Alcoholics are severely mineral and vitamin deficient. They are also dehydrated.

Green juices from above ground veggies are best. Cabbage, broccoli, parsely, cilantro, asperagus, celery, green beans, peas, kale, spinach -- there are many choices. Get a variety.

Drink these diluted with pure water and flavored with organic whole lemon. Rind is especially important for the bioflavanoids. Add fresh ginger, raw garlic, whatever appeals. Mix juice from a variety of veggies, blended into a tasty combination. Drink as much as desired.

Daily you should provide small quantities of juice from root veggies (carrot, Celery root, parsnip, onion, beet, etc). These should be separate from the green juices and should also be diluted with pure water. These should also be flavored with whole organic lemon and ginger.

Do not feed an alcoholic fruit juice other than whole organic lemon. Fruit juice contains Sugar that will trigger cravings. In the morning, start with a whole lemon juiced and diluted with 1 quart pure water. Add whole lemon to every juice blend, 1/4 lemon in a 12 ounce juice mixture. Dilute this 50-50 with water.

Collect the pulp from your juicing and simmer it in pure water to make a soup. This should be thickened with freshly ground flax seeds. Eaten in the evening, at least a couple hours before bedtime, this fiber will provide bulk to help clean the toxins being released out of the colon. The flax seeds will also provide the essential fatty acids and a bit of protein.

If you and your alcoholic can stand it, continue on this routine together for six weeks. The first couple weeks will be very difficult. Use epsom salt/baking soda baths as often as needed to provide some comfort through the withdrawl jitters. This also helps remove toxins through the skin. Valerian root tea (no honey or sugar!) may help with sleep.

It should start getting easier in the third week. Start getting out and taking fresh air walks, swinging your arms and trying to get the bodily fluids moving. If this excercise causes hunger, add a second meal of pulp/flax soup and a green salad, dressed with lemon juice and flax oil.

You're starting the rebuilding process. The goal is not starvation but very low carb nutrition. The next thing I would add to the diet would be whole fresh nuts -- brazil nuts, almonds, walnuts. These add protein and good fats, again without carbs.

Somewhere in the fourth week, your alcoholic should be strong enough to start thinking about how to resume life. Talk about what is important to him/her. Focus on the good initially -- things to look forward to -- then acknowlege that it will take time to deal with the issues that built up over 40 years of addiction. Set up a support network, whether AA or some other.

The recovering alcoholic should re-engage in life slowly. Don't push, take on one challenge at a time.

Keep to a low sugar/starch diet. Learn about the glycemic index and focus on eating mainly foods with low glycemic load. Make sure to eat a small amount of protein and some fat at every meal. Eat whole fruits, but continue to avoid fruit juice, other than unsweetened cranberry and lemon.

The recovering alcoholic should continue to drink green juices between meals and when thoughts of alcohol are difficult to dismiss. Visulalize the minerals and vitamins flowing in and rebuilding the body.

Depending on health status, consider a series of Liver Flushes at the end of the six week detox/rebuilding period. Alcoholics do great harm to their livers. Flushing will not reverse cirrhosis, but it will help the remaining liver function more efficiently.

It is a big challenge, but people do it successfully.