Breaking A Fast: Guidelines

For six days, gradually increase the amount of raw fruits and vegetables in your diet. To break a fast and gorge on meat, bread or junk food will be a disaster. Jarring the system this intensely, when the digestive system is re-awakening, can cause stomach cramps, nausea and weakness, negating some of the benefits of a fast.

First day: Eat a piece of fruit in the morning and a small bowl of raw vegetable salad for lunch; vegetable broth also is good. Drink freshly made juice for the rest of the day.

Second day: Soaked prunes or figs for breakfast. Small bowl of fresh vegetable salad for lunch. Vegetable soup made without salt at dinner. Two apples or a fruit salad eaten between meals. All this in addition to freshly made juices and broths.

Third day: Same as the second day, but add a handful of dates or raisins.

Fourth day: You may return to the diet you have chosen, but it is important to listen to your stomach, eat smaller meals, chew your food and eat according to hunger.

NOTE: When breaking a fast over ten days, a good rule of thumb is that the break-in period should be extended one day for every 4 days of fasting. When breaking from water fasting, go to a juice fast for two days or eat sweet fruits like oranges, mangos or pears.

Healthy Eating Habits

1. Eat slowly and chew your food well. Saliva has enzymes that assist in digestion. The enzymes in saliva can digest up to 80 percent starch, 30 percent protein and 10 percent fat.
2. Do not overeat! Listen to your body. Discover the amount of food that your body needs to live a vibrant, healthy life.
3. Decide ahead of time what you want to eat and the amount rather than eating from an urge.
4. Make juices during the breaking period. Juice is gentle nourishment to the body. Most fasters continue to include juice in their daily routine for the rest of their lives.
5. Be relaxed. Try to unwind when eating.
6. Stay focused on eating rather than on unsettling thoughts. Pay attention to the texture, smell and the sensation of eating. Be aware of how it feels in the stomach.
7. Enjoy eating to the max. People are starving and you have the privilege to eat.
8. Work at making healthy food appealing. A banana and pear taste great without preparation but having them sliced into a fancy bowl, sprinkled with chopped dates and chilled in the refrigerator will maintain your enthusiasm for eating healthy.
9. Discern the difference between cravings and hunger. Never feed your emotions by eating from stress, depression or boredom.
10. You will feel satisfied with smaller amounts of food and sluggish and tired when overeating. Rich foods full of fat, salt and processed sugars will cause nausea, headaches and weakness. A handful of fruit will be thoroughly satisfying. Because the digestive system has to work less, there will be boundless energy to spare.
11. Have an exit activity for after eating. Make it something you want to do. It will be easier to move away from the table.
12. Educate yourself on how to begin a lifestyle of healthy eating. Fasting is a wonderful new beginning, a foundation for a lifelong, healthy diet.