HOW TO BREAK A FAST SAFELY AND RESPONSIBLY

Breaking Fast Safely And Responsibly

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Listen To Your Body                                                                                                 

Follow your instinct as you would know your own body best. Should you feel severe discomfort while juice fasting and feel that your body cannot take it, break your fast slowly using the guidelines below. Act responsibly regarding your health when juice fasting.

After a fast, don’t be tempted to go all out and eat everything you’ve been craving when fasting. This is dangerous as your stomach had shrunk considerably during fasting.

Gradually Reintroduce Food Back To Your System

You will have to take more precaution if you had done an extended fast, to prevent a shock to your system. It is very important to reintroduce food to your body in small amounts and very gradually. Gorging on food after a fast can be fatal.

How Long It Takes To Break Your Fast

Remember, the longer you fast, the more days you will have to take to break your fast.  As a general rule, for every four days you fast, you’ll take one day to break fast.  For example, if you had juice fasted for 40 days, you will need about 10 days to gradually break your fast.  But … always listen to how your body responds with the food and the amount of food you consume.

Foods To Avoid When Breaking Fast

Coconut oil, flaxseed oil, fish oil etc. are fine to be taken as supplements while you’re juice fasting/feasting. However, avoid oily deep-fried foods when breaking fast. Rich foods with fats, starch, processed sugar and salt can cause nausea and headaches too soon after you break fast.

Foods To Eat When Fasting

Water

What will be the first thing you reach for after the fast officially ends? A plate of hunger satisfying food or a nice big glass of water? While most of us would like to say water, the truth of the matter is that most people will fill up their plates before pouring themselves anything to drink. Though it may seem obvious to drink plenty of water after a fast, unfortunately most of us will not rehydrate properly.

While fasting on Yom Kippur, most people will feel tired, have difficulty concentrating and may even get a headache or start to feel dizzy (especially towards the end). While this is partly due to the fact that they haven’t eaten anything for a number of hours, and blood sugar levels are beginning to fall, it is probably mostly due to the fact that they are dehydrated!

While a 10 percent drop in our body’s water supply will land us in the hospital, a mere 2% drop can trigger signs of dehydration, including trouble concentrating, headaches, fatigue and difficulty focusing on smaller print, such as a book or a computer screen. In fact, mild dehydration is one of the most common causes of daytime fatigue as blood carries oxygen to the brain, and when blood volume is low (due to dehydration) the brain receives less oxygen than it needs, resulting in fatigue and difficulty concentrating. So before gobbling up plenty of food (to get rid of those hunger pains), make sure to drink a glass (or even) two of water.

Watermelon

While fresh fruits are normally reserved for the dessert portion of a meal, when it comes to breaking the fast, watermelon and other easily digestible fruit with a high water content such as grapes and honeydew, should be the first thing you grab. While these foods may not seem the most “filling”, they are the perfect way to break a 25-hour fast, as they don't require a significant amount of energy to digest. They will therefore quickly provide the body with energy and essential nutrients, so that we can get back to feeling “semi-normal”. Opt for fruits that have a high water content, such as watermelon, to help rehydrate your body as quickly as possible and avoid citrus fruits, such as grapefruits, as their high acidic content may upset your stomach.

Vegetable soup

After indulging in a few slices of fresh fruit, it can be a good idea to have some fresh (not store bought) vegetable soup. As most of us know from when we have been sick with the stomach flu, (non cream) soups are easy on the stomach, and easy to digest. The vegetables inside will also load your body up with Vitamins A through E as well as many essential minerals.

Sweet Potatoes

Now as healthy as it would be to just consume fresh fruits and vegetables for the post-fast meal, most of us will need something more feeling – i.e carbs! Once you have gotten your system moving again with fruits and vegetables, you can start to include complex carbohydrates. While bagels are generally the stars of most North American break the fast meals, they are not necessarily the most nutritious. Instead, reach for some sweet potatoes. With a GI score of only 54, a serving of sweet potatoes will provide just the right amount of energy without sending your blood sugar levels on a rollercoaster ride. They are also loaded with beta-carotene, Vitamin C and potassium. If you are the one preparing the food, mash them up with some cinnamon to create a tasty creamy dish that is easy on the stomach and contains no fat.

Eggs

While it is probably rare to find a dish of scrambled eggs at a break the fast meal; hard boil eggs and even quiches will generally find their way onto the table. Apart from being easy to digest (and easy to prepare), eggs are one of the easiest ways to restock your body with protein as one eggs supplies six grams of high-quality protein and all 9 essential amino acid.


 TIPS

• Decide ahead what permissible food you will eat when you next feel hungry—see suggestion list above. Gear up your mind for a slow break. Do not jump ahead and think of that pizza, for then you will surely pick up the phone and call pizza delivery!!

• Take time to chew your food well. The enzymes in your saliva will help with the digestion, putting less stress on your digestive system which is not yet fully awake.

• Eat only when you’re hungry and not by the clock or because it’s “meal time”. Eat because you’re hungry, not because of cravings. Listen to your body and be mindful of what you eat and what it does to your body.

• Continue to drink fresh juices at least twice a day until you’re back to eating normally.

• Keep yourself occupied so that you do not think too much about food. Have something to look forward to, like a good book, a handicraft project, etc., so that you can get up and leave the table without hesitation.

• Once you are back on track with eating normally, give yourself a small treat at your favorite restaurant. Celebrate and share with a loved one on your little success.

• Endeavor to continue to eat healthy after the fast. Let this be the beginning of your journey towards a healthy lifelong lifestyle.