Giving Your Body a Rest: Try a Mini-Fast

Here on my blog, we usually discuss what eating a raw-vegan diet is all about.  You know that a diet rich in fresh, raw fruits and vegetables is the best path to excellent health.

My stance on that certainly hasn't wavered.  Today, however, I'd like to take a look in a slightly different direction.

You see, while it’s important to know what to eat, it’s just as important to know when not to eat. 

Occasionally, there will be times when true hunger just doesn’t seem to present itself.  When this happens, even eating a perfect diet isn’t the right choice. 

Taking a short break to allow your body to rest is a much better idea. 

A great habit to get into is the weekly one-day fast. Taking one day off from eating gives your digestive organs a much-deserved chance to relax.  It also has the added benefit of giving you a great opportunity to push the reset button. 

Believe me, even as dedicated as you are, there are still going to be occasions where you slip up and eat things you’ll regret.  Don’t beat yourself up about it — big changes are always going to be tough at first, and you shouldn’t expect yourself to be perfect.  Just do your best, learn from your experiences, and be proud of your progress, then start each week with a clean new beginning. 

If you're concerned that going without food means you'll “waste away," you shouldn't be.  The truth is, there’s absolutely nothing to this at all.  It’s exactly the kind of misguided “conventional wisdom” that we’ve all fallen for. 

Our bodies actually keep a day’s reserve of energy (in the form of glycogen) ready and available at all times, so even if you go without eating for 24 hours you shouldn’t miss beat. 

Remember, those headaches and fatigue symptoms you’re feeling when you haven’t eaten for a few hours aren’t really hunger at all, they’re the signs of your body detoxifying.

You can pick any day for your mini-fast that works well for you, but I’d recommend choosing one where you’re busy or out of the house.  It can get really tempting to snack when you’re at home surrounded by food all day, but when you’re occupied with work, school or errands time flies by and you likely won’t have time to even think about food.

Start your mini-fast by eating a light meal the evening before.  Remember to leave several hours between when you eat and when you go to bed or you won’t sleep very well. 

The next morning, start by having a big glass of water and then go about your day.  Make sure you stay hydrated by keeping a water bottle with you.  Like I said, if you have a busy day planned you’ll be surprised how quickly time passes. 

Before you know it, it’ll be dinner time again.  That’s it, you’re done! 

You’ll be amazed by how invigorating it feels to free yourself from the burden of a full stomach for a while.  You really can’t realize how much of an energy drain digestion is until you experience a short fast for yourself. 

What I want you to understand is that there’s nothing to fear from skipping a few meals on occasion.  From your body’s perspective, there’s no such thing anyway. 

Just because we’ve developed social customs for eating at habitual times (whether we’re hungry or not) doesn’t mean it’s always in our best interests.  Instead of following this arbitrary routine, you should simply listen to your body.  If you know you aren’t hungry, don’t feel obligated to eat anyway.  Take the opportunity to let your body rest.

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Real-World Raw Health and Nutrition:
The raw food diet made easy for your busy life!

Mike Dillman is a self-taught raw-vegan who began his journey nearly five years ago.   Having worked his way through all the challenges firsthand, he wants to save you from making the same mistakes yourself.  You can visit Mike's blog at Real-World-Raw.com to learn how easy it can be to make a raw-vegan diet fit your busy lifestyle.

If you want to experience the amazing health that comes with living the one truly natural diet, Mike's new book, "Real-World Raw: The Busy Person's Guide to the Raw-Vegan Diet" is just what you're looking for.  See for yourself. 
To Download a FREE 20-Page Sneak Preview of the eBook click here!