Guidelines for Breaking a Fast

Care needs to be taken when breaking a fast so as not to overburden your digestive system. The
best benefit of fasting is realized when a fast is broken properly. Taking it slow and easy is not only
kind to your body, but allows YOU the opportunity to integrate your new-found clarity on your
relationship to food.
During a fast, the body undergoes several biological changes. Enzymes normally produced by the
digestive system have ceased to be produced or have been diminished greatly, depending on the
type of fast performed, so introducing food slowly allows the body time to re-establish this enzyme
production.
The protective mucus lining of the stomach may be temporarily diminished as well, making the
stomach walls more vulnerable to irritation until it also returns to normal. Gentle reintroduction of
foods, beginning with the simplest and easiest-to-digest foods, supports this process. Substances
known to be irritating to the system, such as coffee and spicy foods, must be avoided during the
breaking process.
Because of these biological changes, overeating immediately following a fast is much worse than
overeating at any other time. Your system needs time to readjust back to normal digestion and
assimilation. Not taking the proper measures can result in stomach cramping, nausea, and even
vomiting.
The adjustment period necessary is based on the length of the fast. Four days is considered
adequate for any of the longer fasts, 1-3 days for shorter fasts, and just a day or so for one-day
fasts.

Foods to use for breaking a fast

The most nutritious and easy-to-digest foods are used to break a fast initially, gradually adding
more diversity and complexity over time.

The type of fast employed will determine the type of foods you use to break it. While juice or fruit
are good for breaking a water fast, obviously, they aren't very helpful in breaking juice or fruit fasts.

To help you determine when to introduce the different food groups, use the following list. It begins
with those that are easiest on the system and can be introduced early on, and progresses to those
that should be added later.

Depending on the length of your fast, you may go through the list in one day or in 4 days. And you
certainly don't need to eat everything on the list, it's just a general guideline.

fruit and vegetable juices

raw fruits
vegetable or bone broths
yogurt (or other living, cultured milk products), unsweetened
lettuces and spinach (can use plain yogurt as a dressing and top with fresh fruit)
cooked vegetables and vegetable soups
raw vegetables
well cooked grains and beans
nuts and eggs
milk products (non-cultured)
meats and anything else