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From:	Michael J Liley (dpc67142130042.direcpc.com)
Subject:	Re: Juice Fasting VS Water Fasting
Date:	July 24, 2006 at 10:58 pm PST

In Reply to: Juice Fasting VS Water Fasting posted by John Rose on April 9, 2003 at 8:21 am:

John,

After reading your article on "juice fasting vs water fasting", I couldn't help but feel that you, like so many others, are totally misinformed and biased about "water fasting". Have you ever water fasted yourself, or have met others who have successfully used this ancient and proven treatment?

As a person who has fasted several times in my life, I can categorically state that "water fasting" is not the crazy, dangerous activity that so many "juicing" advocates make it out to be.

I have "water fasted" for up to 30 days, and though the experience was not easy, it was also not impossible or debilitating in any way. To state that a person needs an equal amount of time to recover after water fasting is just not true! People respond differently to "water fasting", depending on many factors such as: their health problems, age etc, but for the vast majority of people, it's a very safe and theraputic activity.

I think "juicing" and "water fasting" are both viable choices for healing, weight loss and detoxification, but I think it's unfair for "juicing" advocates to constantly demonize "water fasting".

I agree with you that "juice dieting" is much easier on the body than "water fasting", and it's also much easier to continue with your daily activities while "juicing". That's a valid point because water fasting takes a much greater committment of time and effort. Having said this, I'm not at all convinced that "juicing" can offer the same degree of healing and disease reversal that is typically seen in patients that have "water fasted" for seven to 40 days.

Practioners advocate "juicing" over water fasting for many reasons- it's much easier than "water fasting", has a higher acceptance level, requires little if any supervision or liability from a practitioner and lastly, requires much less knowledge and expertise. It takes special training, knowledge and years of experience in a clinical setting to properly supervise a "water fasting" patient.

Water fasting is not the dangerous activity you infer in your article, but I think it would be prudent not to undergo a long fast without being under the supervision of a fasting practitioner. (My 30 day fast was completed under supervision and in a fasting clinic.)

If you are truly interested in "water fasting" there is an abundance of books and literature available on the internet and on Amazon.com. You will find that "water fasting" has been well studied and researched, and further science continues to this day.

I believe that "juicing" can be very beneficial, but so can many other diets that are vegan or vegetarian based.

I have often wondered if the benefits of "juicing" could just as easily be obtained, if a person went on a strict raw fruits and raw vegetable diet. Why remove all the beneficial fiber and just have the juice? Is it really that much harder, or takes that much more energy for the body to digest a whole orange, compared to a glass or orange juice?

To "juice" or to "water fast" is a personal decision, but they should not be looked at as the same activity. "Juicing" is a diet limiting the intake of nutrients, while fasting is the total abstinence of all nutrients, except water.

In my opinion, if you are just looking to generally detoxify and to loss weight, "juicing" may be the better choice. But for those that need deeper healing from chronic and long standing ailments a "water fast" may be something to consider seriously.

"Water fasting" IS more difficult than "juicing", but I think the benefits received are much greater than any discomforts you will endure. There is also much that can be said of the spritual/emotional benefits that often accompany "water fasting", that could never be realized while "juicing".

Mike

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