colon; others prefer saltwater laxatives, enemas, or
colonics for cleansing the bowel. A colonic is a proce-
dure in which a large amount of water, sometimes as
much as 20 gallons, is infused into the colon through
the rectum a few pints at a time. It differs from an
enema in that much more fluid is used, and a colonic is
infused into the colon, whereas an enema infuses water
or a cleansing solution into the rectum only. The
reader should note, however, thatmainstream physi-
cians do not recommend colonics, on the grounds that
they are unnecessary, based on a nineteenth-century
misunderstanding of the process of digestion, and very
often uncomfortable for the patient. In some cases
they pose serious risks to health.Breaking the fast
People should not return to solid foods imme-
diately at the end of a juice fast because the intes-tines need time to readjust to grains and other
solid foods. One sequence of breaking the juice
fast through a gradual return to a full diet is as
follows:
Day 1: Two pieces of fruit, each divided in half.
Day 2: Steamed non-starchy vegetables, such as spi-
nach or zucchini.
Day 3: Green salads and brown rice. Rice and other
solid foods should be thoroughly chewed to assist
digestion.
Day 4: Organic yogurt and eggs.
Day 5: Chicken, fish, red meat (if a normal part of the
diet), or tofu.
Day 6: Beans and grains other than rice.
Day 7: All other foods.KEY TERMS
Ayurveda—The traditional system of natural medi-
cine that originated in India around 3500BC.Its
name is Sanskrit for ‘‘science of long life.’’ Juice fasts
can be traced back to Ayurvedic practice.
Bioavailability—The rate at which a substance or
chemical is absorbed into the body or made avail-
able for a specific physiological process. Juice fasting
sometimes affects the bioavailability of prescription
medication.
Colonic—Sometimes called colonic hydrotherapy, a
colonic is a procedure similar to an enema in which
the patient’s colon is irrigated (washed out) with large
amounts of water. Some people undergoing a juice
fast have one or more colonics to remove fecal matter
remaining in the intestines during their fast; however,
this procedure is discouraged by mainstream physi-
cians because of its potential risks to health.
Detoxification diets—A group of diets that are fol-
lowed in order to purify the body of heavy metals,
toxic chemicals, harmful microbes, the waste prod-
ucts of digestion, and other substances held to be
harmful. Juice fasts are one type pf detoxification diet.
Fruitarian—A vegetarian who eats only plant-based
products, as fruits, seeds, and nuts, that can be
obtained without killing the plant. Many fruitarians
make occasional use of juice fasts.
Naturopathy—A system of disease treatment that
emphasizes natural means of health care, as water,natural foods, dietary adjustments, massage and
manipulation, and electrotherapy, rather than con-
ventional drugs and surgery. Naturopaths (practi-
tioners of naturopathy) often recommend juice fasts
as a way of cleansing the body.
Pancha karma—An intensive one- to two-week rit-
ual of detoxification practiced in Ayurvedic medi-
cine that includes enemas, bloodletting, and nasal
irrigation as well as fasting.
Pasteurization—A process for partial sterilization of
milk or beverage juices by raising the liquid to a
temperature that destroys disease organisms without
changing its basic taste or appearance. Pasteurized
fruit or vegetable juices are considered unsuitable for
juice fasts on the grounds that pasteurization
destroys important nutrients in the juices.
Spa—A hotel or resort for relaxation or health and
fitness-related activities. Some people undergoing a
juice fast do so at a spa in order to combine the fast
with colonics, massage therapy, and other practices
associated with juice fasts. The English word spa
comes from the name of a famous health resort in
Belgium.
Vegan—A vegetarian who excludes all animal prod-
ucts from the diet, including those that can be
obtained without killing the animal. Vegans are
also known as strict vegetarians. Some vegans prac-
tice juice fasting.Juice fasts