Hi Folks. I think it may be important for me to reiterate WHY I routinely remind people that this was not intended for weight loss, and why it can be a bad idea to embark upon ANY fast with weight loss as your main focus or goal.
Let me explain...
Using a fast to achieve a rapid weight loss can be beneficial ONLY, and I repeat ONLY if the person fasting is absolutely and 100% percent committed to making some serious dietary and lifestyle changes post-fast.
Fasts were originally intended to help the body detox, and in the case of juice fasting, renew and rejuvenate. (FYI: While Juice fasting typically targets liver, kidney, and colon for detox, the MC targets the digestive tract and fat cells.) Weight loss occurs as a side product of these fasts, and at least some of of the weight will ALWAYS return once the fast ends. This is true for even vegans, raw foodists, and exercise fanatics - but for those who engage in a more typical american-type eating plan which includes meat, processed foods, dairy, fast foods, junk foods, infrequent to no exercise, etc - the weight will come back on as quickly as it left, and you can expect ALL of it to return.
Now, physically speaking, rapid weight loss or gain puts a lot of strain on the body and can be very unhealthy. Another issue is the emotional strain felt by a person who has "achieved" their weight loss goal, only to have all the weight return within a few weeks. Take these things into account and understand why it can be very risky to rely on fasting as a means to an end if one is not totally ready and committed to a lifestyle change post-fast.
Not only must one be committed to making some serious changes post-fast, but they must be really willing to embark on a VERY STRICT vegan and mostly raw diet for at least a month after any extended fast in order to help the body slowly ease back into eating and digestion again. After a month or two of restricted eating, exercise, and healthy living, the faster can then begin to reintroduce foods back in their life they have been doing without if they so choose - meat, dairy, what have you. But it is important to do so slowly, and carefully, and to monitor the body's response to these foods and take care not to over indulge so the weight does not return.
A simple 20 or 30 or 40 day fast takes over one's life much longer than just the duration the of the initial fast - keeping off lost weight really requires a much longer commitment. I commend anyone using fasting as a tool to detox, cleanse, and "push that giant reset button" on their life - the added bonus of the weight loss can be a great motivator to keep us on track and give us the push to embark on a new chapter in life full of healthier eating and exercise.
Fasting simply to cleanse and detox, without weight as a concern, can still bring about the same life changes as described above - and yet others are happy to resume their lives as before and go about business as usual. Only you know what is right for you, and what your motivations are, and what you are willing to commit to.
As for elaborating on why adding supplements and other things to this PARTICULAR program can be dangerous, the main reason is that the MC offers your body very few ingredients with which to function, detox, cleanse, and operate. It has worked beautifully for many people for many years because of its simplicity, and how the different ingredients interact with each other and your body to effectively cleanse and detox.
Adding or taking away components can pose problems because the things you may be adding, like vitamins for example, are meant to be taken into a fully functioning system operating normally, not a fasting system. A fasting system handles things differently from one that is not and things that would normally be "good" for you, can prove toxic in this environment. You should speak to a nutritionist educated in the MC, or a naturopath or other holistic doctor for more information, but the MC was designed to work in its simplicity and does not require the addition of anything else.
If you feel like you should be on a cleanse that requires supplementation of some kind, try Juice Fasting - as JF requires the addition of herbal tinctures and fiber to assist the liver, kidneys, and colon in the detox process.
I commend people for wanting to "add more good" to their bodies, but I think it should wait until you complete your MC. I also don't think it's wise to encourage others to do so during the MC, as it could have unforseen ill effects none of us would want to be held accountable for.
I am no doctor, and you'll notice all of the tips, information, and guidance I offer falls within the realm of the Original MC as it has been followed for years, mixed with my own research and experiences during my life. Though I have a lot of knowledge of nutrition, I am by no means an expert, but I have spent the last 15+ years of my life studying it and am presently working towards a degree in Bio and Nutrition (double major, fun fun !). Therefore I would never presume to offer information that I do not already know or believe to be accepted as medically sound. I don't agree with altering the MC because of the simple fact that as I am not a doctor, I cannnot forsee the possible dangers of doing so. Cleansing of this nature is serious business! I think exercising a little caution is prudent.
Best of luck to you all!!!
Warm regards,
Kari Jo
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