Ok, so I have put off the fasting for a couple of days to accommodate for the hubby's weekend off, physical work in the garden and Rhody's birthday...but no excuses now, it's officially my first day of my fasting period as I welcome the coming spring new moon.
I do consider a regular fast and detox period as an important part of my wellness. I choose to use the last quarter of the waning moon as the period to fast as this is the time in the moon cycle when our bodies are more responsive to the benefits of a detox enhancing this important ritual. When we work with the natural rhythms of our universe, life can become easier, so I like to use this highly powerful energy of the moon however and whenever I can.
My first day of a detox will consist of drinking only water. This may seem like an impossible task, or a very un-enjoyable one at that to most, as we all consider food an essential part of every day life and assume we cant go a day without some form of solid food. Through my personal experience and further reading on detoxing since becoming a raw enthusiast, a day or even a week without solid food is not only quite possible, but enjoyable and extremely beneficial.
My first experience with fasting was at the beginning of the year when my husband and I attempted a '3 day cleanup', which ended up evolving into something more. We started the first day with a complete day of just drinking water. Now understandably, this was very difficult as it was the first time our bodies has experienced a day of just water. By the usual mid morning, our stomachs were aching for food. We thought about food all day, but persisted through to the evening, still consumed by hunger pangs. By this time, our bodies were a little lethargic and our motions had slowed. During that night, I woke and was physically sick and staggered off to bed.
The next morning, my body was very weak, even a little dizzy and shaky. It was on this second day of the detox we allowed fresh fruit juice into systems. It was a welcome drink of freshly juiced watermelon. It was like a shot of energy and our bodies absorbed it with pleasure. Throughout the day I drank a large amount of watermelon juice and slowly my body began to come alive. By the evening, I felt really good and my hunger was only minimal.
On the third day, it was recommended to eat fruit only. Michael was keen to gnaw into a juicy big apple for breakfast, but after I had bounced out of bed with an unfamiliar lightness, I decided to continue on the watermelon juice into the third day. Michael's circumstances are currently dictated by his work and it was his last day off, so it was recommended he begin to introduce the solid foods before he began his usual 13 hour working days.
Day three for me was a major turning point. The feelings of lightness, extra energy and relaxed attitude made the last two days totally worth it. I didn't want to jeopardise this unique feeling of aliveness by eating too soon, so for the following 2 more days, I continued my watermelon juice fasting. The feelings associated with having an empty stomach and no feelings of hunger, while feeling highly energised is something that has to be experienced to be appreciated and understood. I could truly feel the benefits of juice fasting and understood the powerful benefits it had on my body. I now had first hand experience and knowledge to believe that not only can we survive quite easily without food for a period of time, we can also thrive and benefit highly from it.
By the final day - day six, I decided I would slowly introduce some solid food, starting with fruit - a mango in fact as it was the season for mangoes and I do love my mangoes. Taking only a small piece at a time, eating very slowly, I ate my first food in 6 days and within literally 5 mins, it came right through and out the other side, without a blemish! My juice fast had certainly cleared my system and my body was not in the mode of digesting. I have read articles on fasting and the importance of how it allows the body to 'switch off' from its daily task of digesting the over consumption of food and allows it time to do some 'in house keeping' and 'general repairs'. My body had certainly not been ready to digest that mango!
After another attempt of more fruit later in the day, my body accepted this and went back to its usual functions of digesting.
On the seventh day, I introduced light salads and by the eighth day, I was eating back to my usual diet of anything raw, but noticed my reduction of appetite and a significant amount of shrinkage of the stomach. I had also gained a renewed sense of gratitude for food. An avocado had more appeal, it seemed creamier, a simple green salad seemed crispier and fresher. The simplicity of food was more appealing. It was like abstaining from food for almost a week brought me closer to its basic form.
Since then, I have continued my monthly waning moon fast lasting anywhere from just the day of the new moon, to a longer periods of up to 6 days leading up to the new moon. I welcome them as an important part of my health and well being. I find by the time this cycle of the the moon passed over, my appetite is low and my care factor in preparing food is almost zero. I know then it is time to disconnect and then reconnect.
So today I enjoyed a day at the park with the kids, the warmth of the spring sun on my face, intrigued in a good book, sipping on my bottle of filtered water.
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