By Dr. Mark Wiley

Time and money are the two biggest commodities in the world. In fact, it appears that time is money—or so I’m told. So if you have an abundance of neither of these “resources,” the next best thing to a weekly visit to a spa to increase your general sense of well-being and overall quality of life, is fasting.

Fasting is a time-honored tradition in both healing and religious circles. Rites of passage and initiation often include fasting as an integral part of preparation for transition from one social position to another, as it helps clear the body, mind and spirit to bring it clean into the new position. As a mechanism of healing, fasting is so entrenched in the lifestyle of every culture of the world that it’s importance and effectiveness cannot be contested.

In its strictest sense, fasting implies the taking-in of nothing through the mouth. But starvation and dehydration do much to fail health, not increase and strengthen it. Classic fasting involved the ingestion of mere water, nothing more. This method, however, has been overshadowed in the past decades by raw juice and vegetable broth fasting—a possibly healthier variation on the theme. In fact, innumerable studies have shown the superior results of fasting on fresh raw fruit and vegetable juices, vegetable broth, and herbal teas over plain water—especially since it supplies the essential nutrients lacking in water. While one-day fasts can be beneficial, many programs advise that at least three days of continuous fasting is necessary to purge the system of poisonous toxins.

I have read dozens of books and three times as many studies on the healing powers and lasting effects of fasting. I personally fast four times per year—with each change of season. And it is perhaps the greatest known natural healing modality, since it is both therapeutic and preventative as it returns the body to a state of homeostasis. It does this by providing an alkaline surplus that is extremely important for the proper acid-alkaline balance in the blood and tissues. Fasting also increases the process of elimination and the release of toxins from the colon, kidneys, bladder, lungs, sinuses and skin.

Fasting is nothing new. Ancient cultures in such diverse places as Europe, India, and Asia have been detoxing the body through fasting for centuries. But in the United States, fasting is not undertaken frequently enough. But it should be, and here’s why. . .

Prolonged fasting has been proven to cure colds, flues, bronchitis, mucus congestion, allergies, hypertension, headaches, sluggishness, and constipation in many individuals. In fact, a strong percentage of migraine headaches, intestinal problems, acne, hair loss, arthritis, and other ailments can be traced back to poor diets—those high in cholesterol, toxic fats, nitrates and other chemicals, and a general lack of essential vitamins and minerals. Juice and broth fasting has been documented to aid in the recovery and elimination of such degenerative conditions.

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Raw juices and vegetable broth are rich in vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, carbohydrates, proteins, trace elements, and enzymes. Such essentials are easily assimilated directly into the bloodstream, without putting strain on the digestive system. This results are faster recovery from disease, more effective cleansing of the colonic tract, cell regeneration, and overall rebuilding of tissues.

All of these factors are vital to the rejuvenation and maintain optimum health. Short term juice fasting and prolonged juicing as part of a balanced diet will lead to increased levels of energy, a clear complexion, strengthened immune system, stronger bones, and a reduced risk of disease.

Most juice fasts require that the juice you consume be made fresh daily with only organic fruit or vegetables. You can do it yourself with a juicer or purchase the juices or broth from a health food store or farmers’ market. It is vital that you not fast with fruits or vegetables bought from your local chain food superstore, as these most likely contain chemical toxins and pesticides and will only add to your health problem.

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Since the aim of fasting is to engage body detoxification, this includes cleansing the colon and intestines and moving the bowels. The main way these are expelled or purged from the body is through the digestive and eliminative (gastrointestinal) system. However, during fasting toxins in the digestive and elimination tracts have no way of leaving the body since liquids alone do not excite the defecation reflex. You see, bowel movements are activated by muscle contractions in the intestines caused by the filled rectum, and since fasting is not causing ample pressure in that area, an enema is necessary. The enema fills the rectum with water and causes enough pressure to activate the muscle contraction necessary to force elimination of waste products in the bowels.

The fast road to health and recovery is just a drink away!