Fasting in spring is a good way to shift from the richer diet of winter that is generally higher in salts and fats. Fasting detoxifies the liver, makes the body feel lighter and can give us greater mental clarity. However, there are several important elements to consider before making the decision to fast.
The most important point to consider about fasting is whether it is appropriate for your current health status. If you are ill, have a chronic or acute medical condition, are pregnant or nursing a baby or are frail or weak, fasting is contra-indicated. Fasting should not be undertaken in cold weather nor when you are busy or stressed. If you are unsure about whether it would be safe for you to fast, consult with your doctor. However, everyone can benefit from observing stage one of the fasting process below.
It’s also important to remember to plan your fast and do the necessary preparation. Have the food and beverages you will need ready, decide what foods you wish to avoid, and make sure your schedule is light on the days when you eat less (if you wish to do that part of the fast). If you have not fasted before, you may experience some unpleasant effects as your body starts eliminating toxins: headaches, tiredness, nausea, runny nose, itchy skin, tired or burning eyes, feeling faint or ‘spacey’ etc so it is essential to have time to rest and have adequate fluids and remedies. Be careful to ensure that you stay warm during the process.
Chewing well is essential to the fasting process. It ensures better absorption of nutrients from the smaller amounts of food that are being eaten. It helps you to feel fuller and more satisfied when eating smaller amounts of food or food that is less rich. The focus you provide to your body helps to increase your intuitive sense about what is right for you.
Ensure that your last meal is completed before 7pm so that all food is digested before sleeping to allow the liver to cleanse.
Also remember that fasting is something that should be done moderately so that you gain maximum benefit with fewer unpleasant side-effects. I recommend (from experience) fasting in three stages:
- Stage one: for 5-7 days, eliminate alcohol, refined sugar, tropical fruits and fruit juices, flour products, coffee and tea, chocolate and high fat foods from your diet (e.g. eggs, nuts, butter and cheese, chips, sausages and bacon, fried foods etc). Increase your consumption of wholegrains and vegetables, particularly sweet and green vegetables.
- Stage two: for 1-2 days, eat wholegrains and lightly-steamed, leafy green vegetables. For those with less experience fasting, eat normal portion sizes. For those with more experience, eat half the amount you would normally eat.
- Stage three: for 7 days, gradually start adding more whole grains and vegetables, sprouts and beans to your diet and gradually increasing the portion sizes of your meals. Try to widen your diet without including the foods you eliminated in stage one. Be careful not to overeat.
For people who do not have experience with fasting, just following the first stage will be enough to start, particularly if the liver cleansing process is quite unpleasant. If any side-effects are felt, you should rest, ensure that you drink adequate water or herbal teas and consider taking remedies such as ume-sho-kuzu, ume-kuzu, or eating an umeboshi plum (see the Remedies page for details). Do not go deeper into the fast and wait for the symptoms to subside. The side-effects will clear and you will feel better afterwards. For those who drink alcohol and coffee regularly, the side-effects may be stronger and more unpleasant. You may wish to split the first preparatory stage into two, eliminating coffee and alcohol first and then the other foods.
While the effects of the cleansing process may range from unpleasant to painful, once it’s over we can appreciate that fasting in spring is a really worthwhile thing to do. I find a greater sense of calm and clarity on a mental and emotional level and greater levels of patience to be some of the greatest benefits of fasting in spring.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me or book in for a treatment where we can plan the appropriate way to fast for you.