Spring Equinox Cleanse

Why – for personal health; to break food addiction; spiritual personal goals; healing the body; detoxification; weight loss. The predominant motivation for fasting is physical healing, spiritual house cleaning, and a feeling of well being. It quiets the body and attunes you to a different state of consciousness.

What – Aside from totally abstaining from food and only consuming water, I subscribe to juice fasting. Juice fasting is an advanced method of detoxification that speeds the elimination of toxins from the body. Juice fasting works especially well because it requires minimal digestion, helps stabilize blood sugar levels, is easily assimilated by the body, and supplies nutrients and calories to help maintain energy while cleansing. Juice fasting also helps to decrease the unpleasant symptoms of withdrawal that occurs when solids are eliminated from the diet.

When – Give careful consideration when choosing your time to fast because it requires conservation of energy. I would not recommend fasting when physical, emotional or mental demands are being made on you. Every stressful day of your fast extends the time required to detox by a half a day. You are saving energy by not digesting food . But, if you are wasting it through emotional, spiritual or mental stress, then this energy is not available for healing. The human body will focus its attention wherever there are immediate needs. If there is an emotional crisis, the muscles tighten, the adrenalin increases, the heart pumps faster and blood pressure will increase. But if you’re lying in a hammock peacefully sipping lemonade, your body will work on internal repair and housekeeping.

Dead cells and toxins will be eliminated. Liver cells will be rejuvenated and small intestine and colon will purge themselves of unwanted matter. I fast at the beginning of each season. However, it can also be done anytime during the year that your body or spirit indicates the need. If you already have fasting experience, proceed and enjoy. If that’s new to you, speak with your physician or holistic health practitioner first. Start slowly and adapt to the regime little by little.

How – Periodic fasting maximizes your ability to function, the same way cleaning the boiler once a year prevents break downs in the middle of the winter. By abstaining from meats, grains and complex carbohydrates, we allow the body to receive nutrients directly from fruits and vegetables, which, in turn, allows our circulatory system and digestive systems to maximize the healing values that nature gives us. By weaning ourselves off of solid foods, and introducing fruit and vegetable juices, we accelerate the process of digestion, allowing more time for assimilation directly into the blood.

There are many different types of fasts, but the one that has worked for me for the past 25 years would be to eat fruit and vegetable salads (omitting banana, avocado, plantains and other dense fruits and vegetables) for the first three days of a seven to ten day fast. Then I juice fruits and vegetables in a juicer and partake of those for the duration of the fast.

                                      ~Iyalode Yeyefini, Meaningful Mondays