Rating: 
Summary: Interesting and helpful!
Review: A friend recommended JUICE FASTING & DETOXIFICATION by Steve Meyerowitz . . . and though the title might not ordinarily interest me, I figured that with that with Yom Kippur upon us (and me celebrating ALL holidays), what would be so bad about a fast? Besides, I have gained a few pounds over the past few months.
So that said, I delved into JUICE FASTING with great enthusiasm; i.e., until I got up to page 27 . . . then I came across the following almost stopped reading:
Speaking of activity, sexual activity should be avoided while fasting and until full strength is recovered. Sex redirects the amount of available energy to the sexual organs for stimulation. This is a setback to the fasting process and a stress on your whole system since the sexual organs are dormant and would need to be revitalized.
Fortunately, Meyerowitz goes on to say that the above recommendation applies to water fasting . . . and he typically doesn't recommend that; rather, he urges people to be into juice fasting.
Also, I learned that such fasting can have many other benefits, including detoxification, healing, spiritual, help to break addictions, political/social, and dental work.
In addition, fasting helps a wide variety of conditions, such as allergies, asthma, hay fever, hives, migraines, obesity, insomnia, high and low blood pressure, acne, rheumatism, ulcers, liver problems, gall stones, constipation, and diarrhea.
I also learned several other things from reading JUICE FASTING; among them:
Nothing is more nutritious than juice. Imagine eating a meal of spinach, parsley, sprouts, tomatoes, lemon, celery, radishes, green pepper, and cucumber. Ordinarily, considering the normal state of our digestive systems, we would be lucky to digest 70 percent of it. But once you
extract the liquid portion of these vital foods, you can assimilate and absorb up to 99 percent of the food value even if you have weak digestion. In fact, the beauty of it is that it barely takes any digestive energy at all, which is why it is so suitable for fasting. This condensing of pounds of valuable foods into a single glass while simultaneously maximizing assimilation is what makes drinking juices special. Take carrots for example. It takes a pound of carrots to make a 10 ½ ounce drink of carrot juice . . . mmm, delicious. But could you consume that many carrots? Absolutely not! Yet all the enzymes, water-soluble vitamins, minerals, and trace elements in those carrots are extracted (assuming it is a quality juicing machine) and condensed into the glass
of juice.
Don't get too excited about guzzling down delicious fruit juices unless you plan to make them yourself. Bottled juices must be pasteurized in order to have a shelf life. Of what significance is that? Pasteurized juices are boiled to sanitize these foods against bacteria and disease
organisms. Unfortunately, enzymes and may vitamins are destroyed along with it. Your only source of nourishment is these juices and you cannot afford to drink enzyme-less and vitamin poor liquids. Do not be fooled by the delicious taste and interesting assortment of flavors.
Though they taste good, they are basically dead foods. There is no live nutrition left-only sugar, flavor and water. Even the taste and color is no match against the fresh squeezed version. Which do you prefer-fresh squeezed orange juice or the store bought kind? If you like your orange juice fresh, you will really be amazed at the difference between fresh squeezed and bottled apple juice. Fresh apple juice is white-just like the color of the apple when you bite into it. Bottled apple juice is brown because vitamins have been oxidized upon contact with the air. Just exposing live nutrients to air and light is enough to destroy some of these fragile friends. Run your apples
through your juicer machine and taste the difference. Manufacturers can get away with it because the terms have been used loosely for a long time and the regulatory agencies have not laid down strict definitions for them.
Frozen juice is not as preferable as fresh, nevertheless it is another alternative. The process of freezing and thawing destroys some fragile vitamins, enzymes, and cell factors. However, everything is relative. It is not nearly as destructive as pasteurization, canning or irradiating. Frozen juice still tastes good and it is better than buying bottled juices at the store. It is one level removed from being totally fresh and alive. However, if that juice is your whole dinner,
such as on a fast, you must have the best. Fasters count on getting every vitamin. Freeze only if you have more juice than you drink, or if circumstances deem it the best alternative.
Myerowitz concludes with a useful chapter on buying a juicer and though I'm not quite ready for that, it is something that I'll definitely consider for the future!
Rating:
Summary: One of the most complete guides to fasting I've ever used
Review: Anyone new to fasting should check out this book. It walked me step by step through my first fast, so there were no 'surpises.' I was able to achieve a safe and very beneficial fast and I attribute that to this wonderful guide.
Rating:
Summary: Full of Great Info and Easy to Read
Review: Everyone is entitled to their opinion, of course, but I can't imagine why anyone would give this book a two star review and say that it does not contain enough information. This book is full of information. I have just finished reading this book, as well as the author's wheatgrass book (which I would also strongly recommend), and the amount of specific information that he packs into such a slim book is impressive. I can't think of a single question which was not answered for me somewhere in the book. Any concerns or questions you might have about this controversial subject are answered with real facts, not hype or new age mumbo jumbo. The author's writing style is also very easy to read. I have not tried a juice fast yet, but after reading this book I am getting ready to, and I know I'll be coming back to the book for consultation as I go.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing
Review: I was looking for a book that provided valuable information on how to fast.
Let me tell you in all honesty that this book does not give you that. Furthermore I found Meyerowitz?s work to be often repetitive, not particularly well written and lacking scientific grounding.
My intention was to start fasting the very same day I?d have finished reading this book, but once reached the end of it, I felt that my knowledge on the subject was really not enough to go ahead and start fasting.
Browsing the internet I have found valuable and more scientific information on fasting and its symptomatology (e.g. the pulse, appetite, tongue coating, temperature, feeling of chilliness and sleeping pattern alteration) were provided by an author by the name of Shelton.
(...)
I strongly advise anybody who is serious about fasting to read Shelton or to opt for another book that is more informative on the subject.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent book, covers the topics very well
Review: I'm new to fasting, and this book answered virtually all of my questions. He covers the aspects I am interested in - from the motivation to fast, how long to fast, water and juice fasting, a section I really enjoyed on detoxification, the psychology of fasting, and how to come off the fast. As an extra bonus, the book also discusses how to buy a juicing machine (I didn't know there are four different types!) and concludes with several pages of additional resources, including web sites and other organizations that can provide additional information. The text is well written, easy to follow, and I found it a joy to read.There is a lot more to fasting than just not eating. This book gives me the ideas and means to do an effective fast, and for that I am very grateful.
Rating:
Summary: Reader, alternative practitioner
Review: I've been very interested in and have personally conducted fasts on my own for the past 25 years. I am currently an alternative health practitioner and have helped people work through many health issues using fasting. For these reasons, I buy every book I can find on the subject.
Juice fasting, has been my favorite type of fasting so I was particularly interested in this book prior to receiving. Unfortunately, I wasn't as enthusiastic after reading it.
I found this book in congruent, disjointed and incomplete. It had a lot of anecdotal and miscellaneous information that might be interesting for trivial knowledge about the subject but not congruent enough to be useful when conducting a proper fast.
If you want to read a book on juice fasting that's complete, to the point and relevant, I've never read anything better than the old standard by Paavo Airola "How to Keep Slim, Healthy and Young With Juice Fasting". It's amazing how ahead of his time Airola was, after all these years, it still the best book on the subject.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing...did not meet my needs
Review: If you are looking for a meaty book with lots of specific info on juicing and fasting regimens....this is not it. Okay I guess for the newbiest of newbies but if you have already done some fasting and want info on more advanced techniques and/or serious detoxing, etc. look elsewhere.
Rating: 
Summary: BIZARRE book!
Review: Ok, in the beginning of the book there's some picture of a idol looking guy with cartoon angles flying around him - each with a word on it - one saying "Heavenly Father" on top. FREAKY! Next, there's a quote from Jesus from "Essene Gospel Of Peace"? Waaay too cultish or off-shoot religion sounding to me (one of the chapters is titled Spiritual Fasting). And the guy who wrote the book calls himself "Sproutman". I haven't found a shred of proof to back up any of his claims nor any studies or detailed explanations. Let me quote the book on page 18: "Basically, there are two lengths of fasts, short and long". Doesn't seem to be much detail to the book. Next, the whole section about how colonics and enimas can be FUN. No... I'm not kidding! The whole section "Try it, You'll Like It!" isn't enough to convince me but, even better, there's even a section on "Exotic Enimas". Plus, there's a lot of research out there that says it's not good for you. Even Stanley Burroughs agrees in his book "The Master Cleanser" and says if you want to clean yourself out, drink water with ocean salt instead. The only thing I saw redeeming in this weird book with angels all over it was a section in the back called "HOW TO BUY A JUICER" that's 9 pages long. Sorry to say... wouldn't recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: BIZARRE book!
Review: Ok, in the beginning of the book there's some picture of a idol looking guy with cartoon angles flying around him - each with a word on it - one saying "Heavenly Father" on top. FREAKY! Next, there's a quote from Jesus from "Essene Gospel Of Peace"? Waaay too cultish or off-shoot religion sounding to me (one of the chapters is titled Spiritual Fasting). And the guy who wrote the book calls himself "Sproutman". I haven't found a shred of proof to back up any of his claims nor any studies or detailed explanations. Let me quote the book on page 18: "Basically, there are two lengths of fasts, short and long". Doesn't seem to be much detail to the book. Next, the whole section about how colonics and enimas can be FUN. No... I'm not kidding! The whole section "Try it, You'll Like It!" isn't enough to convince me but, even better, there's even a section on "Exotic Enimas". Plus, there's a lot of research out there that says it's not good for you. Even Stanley Burroughs agrees in his book "The Master Cleanser" and says if you want to clean yourself out, drink water with ocean salt instead. The only thing I saw redeeming in this weird book with angels all over it was a section in the back called "HOW TO BUY A JUICER" that's 9 pages long. Sorry to say... wouldn't recommend it.
Rating: 
Summary: The FAST Track to Healthy Living
Review: Poisons sting twice: once on the way in and again on the way out. Expect to experience the toxins leaving your body in the form of headaches, light-headedness and fever. A one-day fast hardly interrupts your schedule, but it give's the body's organs a moment of peace in a hectic world to remove toxins and NOT be busy with the work of digestion. A one-day-per-week fast gives your body 50 days out of the year to cleanse and heal. Meyerowitz believes that fasting is the fastest way to restore your health. He goes into detail on short fasting and what it takes to safely experience long fasts of more than two weeks. Give your cells and yourselves the opportunity to cleanse, nourish, rejuvenate and heal. (1) Increase Energy and Improve Mental Alertness (2) Heal Chronic Ailments without Drugs (3) Lose Weight without the Hassle of Diets (4) Maintain Stamina without Hunger (5) Fast at Home or at Work --- Perfect for a Busy Lifestyle (6) Make Quick and Delicious Juice Recipes How Long to Fast According to Meyerowitz, the duration of a fast depends on: (1) Fasting Experience (2) Physical Strength and Condition (3) Nature of ailment if Any (4) Previous diet (5) Mental Attitude (6)Level of Toxicity (7) Schedule of Work and Activities (7)Environment and Weather (8) Age Chemically speaking, a long fast is divided into three stages, which Meyerowitz describes in some detail. The first few days is primarily devoted to body reorientation, as your system starts to change the pH of your stomach. During the second phase, the liver starts to purge itself of its chemical and toxic load. The third phase involves deep tissue cleansing. Drinking only water is what most people think of when fasting is mentioned. Rest and inactivity is very important during a long water fast. Choose clean fresh air in a relaxing environment for this kind of fast. There are good suggestions and guidelines in this chapter for both water and juice fasting. Juice Fasting is an ideal way for first timers to start. The juice supplies nutrients and calories and thus protects you if you must continue to work during the fast. This chapter contains valuable information on the various fruit and vegetable juices, including Weatgrass --- The Queen of Juices. Remember your water must be pure! Whether filtered water that contains all the minerals or distilled water that many describe as dead water ---- do not drink water from your tap without removing the chemicals from it. Coming off the Fast According to our author, fasting is easy --- but the transition back to eating is what is hard. He has suggestions for your transition from a long fast and which foods are good to start eating first. Knowing when to stop is discussed as is the phases in the road back. Break fasts with soft, high water content foods like juicy fruits, light soups, etc. Watermelon is a good choice. This is the second book that I purchased by Steve Meyerowitz. I was so impressed with "Power Juices Super Drinks", that I had to order "Juice Fasting & Detoxification". At 137 pages, this is not a very big book. But I highly recommend it if you are considering fasting as a part of your lifestyle. Each page is full of valuable information. It is a reference guide. Steve Meyerowitz Background In the mid-1970's. Steve Meyerowitz was nicknamed "Sproutman" ...He found no help for his allergies and asthma via traditional methods and turned to a vegetarian and fruitarian diet. He lives in the city yet grows much of his own food.
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