Mental Preparedness

The key to strength and success in your fast is through preparation. I Begin by cutting out caffeine and alcohol. Caffeine takes between 3 - 6 days to get out of your system.

Most sources seem to suggest 2-3 days of discomfort, but I know that is not the case for me. I have experienced up to a solid week of anything from mild to extreme headaches, clear up to full-blown flu-like symtoms. Some people can't go cold turkey at least the first time that they break the caffeine addiction. I don't assist with any drugs or vitamin supplements aside from a "last ditch effort" ibuprofen, I would rather during the first 2-3 days, when the ache is bad, have a 1/4 cup of coffee or tea diluted with some hot water, and sipped slowly (only 1 or 2 times over the course of a day).
I do not want to experience ever again that "Jonesing" feeling when I am detoxing on the fast, it is just too much to handle and can make the fasting process seem like an impossible or crazy idea. I think that is where a lot of the sick feelings and dizzyness comes from.

If you are not excersizing or walking on a regular basis, start it now.

The next to be eliminated is refined sugar (withdrawals may be experiecnced) and the other refined products like flour, white rice, pastas; mind you that I try to avoid them on a normal basis, but I find that through normal socialization I consume a moderate amount in dinners out with friends and family. Meat and fats go off the list about 1 week before I start. Eating primarily raw is the goal before the cleanse. This will make the detox symptoms much milder. Try to boost your fiber intake, as these little scrubbers are great at cleaning the digestive tract. Remember to increase your fiber intake gradually to avoid discomfort. Above all make sure you are drinking plenty of a good quality water, and also that you are eliminating at least once a day(2 to 3 times daily is my goal; meal in meal out), this is where the fiber helps.

The last meal. This could be a subject on its own. My beliefs are that you can pretty much eat what you want or what you think you will miss the most. However, as that last day approaches I find myself deep in thought of what to have that will be really tasty yet even more concern is for the meal to be really wholesome. I think that this is the result of my mental preparation and having basically cleaned my system of "slow moving" foods.