Fasting is not new. In fact, it has been around since before Moses. Many methods of fasting exist, as well as many attitudes about fasting. As a doctor, I have been able to look closely at the various popular methods of fasting. Some of them are good, while others can be downright dangerous. Fasting is often thought of as taking nothing by mouth. Technically speaking, this is true, but it’s not the type of fasting I suggest for detoxification. I consider total fasting—not eating or drinking anything—to be unsafe. Your body must always have at least two quarts of water a day to sustain your life, for you can only live for a few days without water. Although there are many ways to fast, the kind of fast that will bring about the optimum health benefits described in this book is the combination of a partial fast and juice fast. This type of fasting provides fantastic health benefits to your body, mind, and spirit.

• Fasting gives a restorative rest to your digestive tract.
• Fasting helps the body’s designed healing processes to automatically work by giving them a chance to rest from other activities.
• This rest from “digestion as usual” in turn allows your overburdened liver to catch up with its task of detoxification.
• Your blood and lymphatic system also receive needed cleansing of toxic buildup through fasting.
• Fasting allows your other digestive organs, including the stomach, pancreas, intestines, and gallbladder, a much deserved rest, which allows your cells time to heal, repair, and be strengthened.

There are health conditions and other situations that prohibit fasting for certain individuals. While the following list is not exhaustive, it does include some major conditions that prevent you from fasting. Please consult your physician before considering a fast, regardless of your state of health. However, if you have any of the following, DO NOT fast:

• Do not fast if you are pregnant or nursing.
• Do not fast if you are extremely debilitated or malnourished, such as patients with cancer, AIDS, severe anemia, or any severe wasting conditions.
• Do not fast before or after surgery, since it may interfere with your ability to heal.
• Do not fast if you suffer from cardiac arrhythmia or congestive heart failure.
• Do not fast if you are struggling with mental illness, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression, and severe anxiety.
• Do not fast if you suffer from severe liver or kidney disease.
• Do not fast if you are a type 1 diabetic.
• Do not fast if you are taking anti-inflammatory medications, aspirin, antidepressants, narcotics, chemotherapy, or diuretics. (Medications such as thyroid hormones and hormone replacement therapy are safe to take during a fast. Always consult your physician before fasting if you are taking any medication.)
• Do not fast if you are taking prednisone. You will need to first wean off this medication slowly under a doctor’s supervision. (You may continue to take low doses of hypertension medications during a fast as long as you are monitored by a physician. However, this does not include diuretics.)