Fruit & Juice Diet

Every day we ingest a huge variety of chemicals, refined foods, stimulants, and drugs that leave toxins in our bodies. While a healthy body can get rid of many of these toxins through natural elimination processes, we often consume far more toxic substances than our bodies can make up for. A fruit and juice diet or fast promotes detoxification within the body and helps create a greater sense of well-being. Of course, you should consult with your physician before beginning this diet.

Plan Your Fruit and Juice Diet

Schedule your diet for a low-stress time of year.

Decide how many days you would like to fast. Beginners might choose to follow the fruit and juice diet for as little as one to three days, while the more experienced may choose to fast for a full seven days. Be sure to choose a period of time when the external stresses in your life will be at a minimum. For instance, the week before a big project is due or the weekend your in-laws are visiting would not be the best time to conduct a fruit and juice fast. A long holiday weekend would be an ideal time for this kind of diet because that would allow you the time to relax and focus on your physical and spiritual well-being.

Gather Your Equipment, Recipes and Produce

First, you will need a sturdy juicing machine, or juicer, available at most super centers or health food stores for anywhere from $100 to $300, as of 2010. If you are new to juicing, consider borrowing one from a friend to try it out. If neither of these options is available to you, you can use a blender to blend juices and a wire strainer to strain out any fibrous pieces. Second, locate a juice recipe book at a local library or bookstore or find a juice recipe database online. Choose the juice recipes you'd like to try and write down a daily menu and a shopping list using those recipes. Finally, purchase the fruits and vegetables needed for your juices as well as extra fruits to eat in their whole form. Remember, traditionally grown produce is treated with pesticides, which will leave more toxins in your body. Try to buy organic when possible and, if you are lucky enough to live in a town with a farmer's market, consider buying local.

Staying Hydrated

Hydration helps your body rid itself of toxins naturally.

Staying hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids will help you cleanse your body, but making the right hydration choices will make that cleansing more efficient. For the duration of your fruit and juice diet, the only water you drink should be filtered water. Your most inexpensive option is to purchase a water filtration pitcher that you can fill from your kitchen sink. Keep lemons on hand and drink a glass of water with half a lemon squeezed into it first thing every morning. This will help balance your body's pH levels for the day. Also, consider making a pitcher of barley water to keep on hand for a mid-afternoon pick-me-up. Simmer one cup of barley in two quarts of filtered water for 45 minutes. Then strain out the barley, and add the juice of one lemon and one orange for flavor. Barley water is high in protein and B vitamins and has been used since ancient times to promote good health. Herbal teas, such as peppermint, chamomile and dandelion root, are also acceptable sources of hydration.

The Average Daily Menu

When you wake up, drink a glass of warm lemon water. For breakfast, have a glass of juice and one piece of fruit. Be sure to chew the fruit well to aid in its digestion. At mid-morning, have a glass of herbal tea. For lunch, have another piece of fruit and a glass of a different juice blend. At mid-afternoon, drink a large glass of barley water. For a special treat, mix a tablespoon of honey into the barley water. For dinner, have another piece of fruit and a glass of juice. Eat nothing after dinner except a cup of herbal tea. If you find that you are getting light headed or that this menu is too restrictive, you may have a medium bowl of cooked whole grain, such as brown rice, quinoa or barley, two times per day. Try flavoring your grains by chopping up and adding a piece of fruit.

Promoting Toxin Elimination

Sweating and massage are just two ways to promote healthy toxin elimination.

Toxins leave the body via the gastrointestinal, urinary, respiratory and lymphatic systems, as well as through the skin. Maximize the detoxification benefits of a fruit and juice diet by maximizing waste elimination. Drinking plenty of fluids will help you get rid of toxins through urination. Colon cleansing supplements, such as psyllium husk or senna leaf, will help to clear out the gastrointestinal tract. Sweating in a sauna or, if you do not have access to a sauna, in a closed bathroom with the hot water turned on will help eliminate toxins through the skin. Finally, consider scheduling a deep tissue or lymphatic massage for sometime during your fruit and juice diet since massage stimulates elimination and promotes overall well-being.

Exercise During the Diet

Do some light exercise.

Exercise is the key to a healthy body whether you are fasting or not. However, while you are on the fruit and juice diet, you need to remember one very important consideration: You are not consuming the necessary amount of nutrients and carbohydrates to support intense exercise. Therefore, while you are on the fruit and juice fast, do not attempt high intensity exercises such as running, martial arts or step aerobics. Instead, take a 30 minute walk at a moderate pace every day. Also, consider practicing yoga either in a class or with a video as yoga promotes flexibility, tranquility, and overall well-being.