Juice Fasting

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Juice for college students

Juice fasting has become very popular as a way to better one's health and lose weight. Juice fasting, also known as juice cleansing, is a controversial fasting method and a detox diet. It involves the consumption of only fruit and vegetable juices to obtain nutrition. Juice fasts may last anywhere from a few days to several weeks. Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead is a documentary that follows the 60-day journey of Australian Joe Cross across the United States as he undergoes a juice fast to regain his health. At the end of his fast Joe had lost 100 pounds and discontinued all medications. During his road-trip Joe meets Phil Staples, an obese truck driver with the same autoimmune disease Joe has. Joe takes this opportunity …show more content…

Most of these claims are false to some degree. Juice fasting can be dangerous for some people because it can cause liver, kidney, and gastrointestinal tract damage and also brain deprivation. The high sugar consumption in a juice fast can skyrocket blood sugar levels in diabetics or lead to liver damage. High levels of minerals and potassium from excessive juice consumption can build up in the blood and lead to kidney damage (Zamon,huffpost). This can become a concern as a body ages. There is actually no reason to do a juice fast for a detox since “The function of the liver and kidneys is to detoxify the body. The liver regulates the blood’s chemical levels while the kidneys help remove waste from the body to be excreted in the urine.” (Stoddard, Eatthis) The fast is wearing on the digestive tract because when a person stops using digestive enzymes, their body thinks they are not needed and stops producing them. This will lead to complications when reintroducing foods into the diet. In addition “Limiting important nutrients like protein can lead to decreased brain function and disruptions in neurotransmitters, which rely on protein to do their job”(Stoddard). These are only a few of the side effects that may occur on a 60 day juice …show more content…

Stoddard says “The juices you drink will not contain much in the form of protein, healthy fat, or fiber. Your brain won’t be getting enough fatty acids. This can result in you feeling depressed and sad since you’re missing omega-3s, which are known to increase serotonin levels. And because you won’t be getting enough protein, your muscle mass will decrease and you will not have much energy.” (Stoddard) Caffeinated drinks are a part of every day for many people, especially college students. Because caffeine is a drug, people become addicted to it. On the fast one will likely experience caffeine withdrawal if they are used to drinking caffeine every day. Caffeine withdrawal can lead to headaches, fatigue, anxiety, irritability, depressed mood, and difficulty concentrating. After the first week the caffeine withdrawal should be over, however people still reported these symptoms later. Meaning the brain is not getting all the necessary nutrients it needs to properly function. Feeling full is important so cravings are not as intense. Someone on the fast will not feel as full because they are not chewing their food or consuming all the fiber that would have slowed consumption in turn making them feel more full. How someone feels affects almost every aspect of their

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