Fasting for weight loss is becoming a more popular option in the modern world where many people are pressed for time and would happily embrace any reasonable excuse to just skip a few meals every once in a while. While they can be effective when done properly, these fasts put a lot of stress on the body. This stress isn’t always appropriate for people with certain conditions or lifestyles. It can be extremely dangerous for people to fast if they not physically and mentally prepared to handle it. So when is it NOT okay to try a typical water or juice fasting weight loss method?
Pregnant and nursing women are the first category to go. If those conditions apply to you, you shouldn’t even think of fasting. Your body needs all the nutrition it can get, since it’s literally feeding two people instead of one.
You should also avoid juice fasting for weight loss if you can’t use juices derived from fruits or vegetables you normally enjoy. If you’ve never tried a particular fruit before, don’t try it on a fast! Suffering an allergic attack in such circumstances is potentially very dangerous. You should only use juices derived from things you’ve already had and know your body can tolerate. Remember that even such innocent produce as pineapples, peaches, and bananas can be the focus of allergic reactions.
Diabetics generally should not fast unless their condition is mild, and should consult a doctor beforehand in any case. Diabetics who require medication are not recommended to fast unless their doctor explicitly approves. For that matter, if you’re taking any medications at all, you should talk to your doctor about how fasting may interact with them. The complex dance between medicines and body chemistry is still far from figured out. Rely on the experts.
Other medical conditions related to nutrition can also be issues. If your body starts out with a serious nutritional deficiency due to some defect or other, then depriving it of what little it can get just isn’t a good idea. And if you’re sick from a cold, flu, or some other illness? Forget about it.
But for all that, the average healthy or even just moderately unhealthy person can safely fast for a week or more with no ill effects. Don’t forget that there are many kinds of fasts to try, too… juice fasts, detox fasts, even plain water fasts. Pick the one that works for you, if you feel that you’re ready.