Leena Watts
TrueNorth Health Center in Santa Rosa, California, is known for its medically supervised water-only fasts and juice fasts to help people recover from serious illnesses. The fasts are short-term, ranging from a few days to a few weeks. After the fast, patients are advised to gradually reintroduce food into their diet and are encouraged to follow a Whole Food, Plant-Based (WFPB) or SOS-free diet. This means eliminating salt, oil, and sugar from their meals. The center also offers an 8-day fasting protocol that can be followed at home without medical supervision. This protocol includes a mix of juice fasting and eating only certain foods, like vegetables, fruits, legumes, and grains. It is important to note that fasting should be done right and under proper supervision, as it can be intense and sometimes unpleasant.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of Fast | Water-only fast or juice fast |
| Duration | A few days to a few weeks |
| Post-fast Diet | Whole Food, Plant-Based (WFPB) Diet or S.O.S. Free Lifestyle (no salt, oil, or sugar) |
| Reintroduction of Food | Gradual, with a well-structured re-feeding process that reinforces good dietary habits |
| Supervision | Medically supervised by trained hygienic doctors or clinicians |
| Environment | Complete rest, avoiding even moderate activity |
| Prerequisites | Physical examination and certain laboratory testing |
| Contraindications | Pregnancy, extreme weakness, inadequate nutrient reserves, kidney problems, cardiac instability, certain medications, and some types of cancer |
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What You'll Learn
- After a TrueNorth fast, it is important to gradually reintroduce food
- The diet should be Whole Food, Plant-Based (WFPB)
- The WFPB diet should be SOS-free, meaning no salt, oil, or sugar
- The re-feeding process should reinforce good dietary habits
- The body should be given an opportunity to develop a preference for whole, natural foods
After a TrueNorth fast, it is important to gradually reintroduce food
Therapeutic fasting at TrueNorth Health Center involves abstaining from all substances except pure water, in a state of complete rest. Fasting is not for everyone, and it is important to consult a doctor before attempting a fast. Fasting can be an intense experience, and it is important to be in the right environment to maximise the benefits.
After a fast, it is crucial to gradually reintroduce food. The initial re-feeding period is the most important part of the fast, and returning too quickly to food and activity can be detrimental. The body must be given time to eliminate the materials that were mobilized during the fast. A well-structured re-feeding process reinforces good dietary habits and typically requires a period of no less than half the length of the fast. For example, a two-week fast would require one week of on-site supervised refeeding.
The TrueNorth Health Center provides a health-supporting cuisine to facilitate the transition, encouraging a Whole Food, Plant-Based (WFPB) diet. This involves eating vegetables, fruits, legumes, and grains, while avoiding salt, oil, and sugar (SOS). This diet helps to heal a variety of health issues, including inflammation, gut problems, autoimmune diseases, chronic fatigue, and anxiety/depression.
It is important to note that fasting is not a cure, but a process that facilitates the body's healing mechanisms. Long-term dietary and lifestyle compliance are necessary to maintain optimal health.
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The diet should be Whole Food, Plant-Based (WFPB)
The diet after a TrueNorth fast should be Whole Food, Plant-Based (WFPB). This means that the diet consists of unprocessed, plant-based foods, including vegetables, fruits, legumes, and grains. It is important to note that the WFPB diet does not include salt, oil, or sugar (SOS). This is because these three ingredients are often associated with dietary excess and can contribute to health problems such as inflammation, gut-related issues, autoimmune diseases, chronic fatigue, and anxiety/depression.
The TrueNorth Health Center emphasizes the importance of a well-structured re-feeding process after a fast. This process typically takes a period of no less than half the length of the fast and is supervised by the center's doctors. For example, a two-week fast would require one week of on-site supervised re-feeding. During this time, patients are encouraged to gradually reintroduce food into their diets, starting with whole, natural foods.
The WFPB diet is recommended by TrueNorth as it aligns with their philosophy of addressing health problems caused by dietary excess, particularly the excess consumption of animal fat and protein, as well as refined carbohydrates. By eliminating these excesses, the WFPB diet can help reduce the risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, and autoimmune diseases, which are some of the most common conditions treated at the center.
Additionally, the WFPB diet is designed to facilitate the body's healing mechanisms and promote optimal health. Therapeutic fasting, as practiced at TrueNorth, is defined as complete abstinence from all substances except pure water, allowing the body to create a unique physiological healing response. By combining therapeutic fasting with the WFPB diet, individuals can reinforce good dietary habits and maintain long-term health and well-being.
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The WFPB diet should be SOS-free, meaning no salt, oil, or sugar
After a TrueNorth fast, it is recommended to follow a Whole Food, Plant-Based (WFPB) diet. This diet is SOS-free, meaning it contains no salt, oil, or sugar.
The SOS-free diet is a whole-plant-food diet that eliminates added salt, oil, and sugar. It emphasizes the consumption of foods high in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and unsaturated fatty phytochemicals. While the SOS-free diet does not completely restrict natural sources of salt, oil, and sugar, it aims to avoid foods with these ingredients as added components.
Salt, oil, and sugar are highly addictive due to their high concentration resulting from excessive refining and processing. Their consumption can lead to a cycle of overconsumption, known as the "Pleasure Trap," where the more we eat, the more we crave. Diets high in sodium, sugar, and fat contribute to chronic degenerative diseases, with high-salt diets specifically linked to increased blood pressure and decreased arterial functioning.
The SOS-free diet encourages the consumption of whole fruits and unprocessed foods, helping to stabilize blood sugar levels and reduce sugar cravings. It includes a variety of in-season produce, such as fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds, ensuring adequate nutrient intake. Small amounts of sea vegetables are recommended for iodine, while regular sun exposure provides vitamin D.
To adhere to the SOS-free diet, individuals should avoid processed foods and read labels carefully to identify added oils, sugars, or salt. Cooking without oil enhances the flavor of natural ingredients and allows you to explore alternative flavoring techniques. Some substitutes for oil include vegetable broth, lemon juice, and vinegar.
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The re-feeding process should reinforce good dietary habits
Therapeutic fasting, or water-only fasting, is a process that allows the body to create a unique physiological healing response. This healing response is facilitated by the body's self-healing mechanisms, which are activated when the body is provided with the requirements of health, including appropriate diet, environment, activity, and psychology.
TrueNorth Health Center in Santa Rosa, California, is one of the few chiropractic-run inpatient facilities that offer medically supervised therapeutic fasting. The center has been conducting these fasts for over 30 years to help individuals recover from serious illnesses. These fasts are short-term measures, ranging from a few days to a few weeks.
After completing a fast, it is crucial to undergo a well-structured re-feeding process that reinforces good dietary habits. This process typically requires a period of no less than half the length of the fast. For example, a two-week fast would be followed by one week of supervised re-feeding. During this time, individuals are encouraged to gradually reintroduce food into their diet, specifically a Whole Food, Plant-Based (WFPB) Diet with no salt, oil, or sugar (SOS). This gradual reintroduction is essential to ensure the body can properly eliminate the materials mobilized during the fast.
The re-feeding process is an opportunity to develop a preference for whole, natural foods and appropriate physical activity. It is a time to reinforce long-term dietary and lifestyle compliance, which is necessary to maintain optimum health. By adopting a health-promoting diet and lifestyle, individuals may find it easier to escape the "pleasure trap" of addictive, pleasure-stimulating foods and substances. This process empowers individuals to take control of their health and make positive, lasting changes.
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The body should be given an opportunity to develop a preference for whole, natural foods
Fasting is a process that facilitates the body's healing mechanisms. It is not a cure, but rather a means to an end. The body, when fasted, creates a unique physiological healing response. Therapeutic fasting is defined as the complete abstinence from all substances except pure water in an environment of complete rest. It is important to note that eating only certain foods or drinking only juices is not therapeutic fasting and does not have the same impact and benefits.
After a fast, the body must be reintroduced to food slowly and with care. The most important period of the fast is the initial re-feeding. A return to regular food and activity too quickly can be detrimental. The body must be given an opportunity to develop a preference for whole, natural foods and appropriate physical activity.
The TrueNorth Health Center in Santa Rosa, California, has been conducting medically supervised water-only fasts and juice fasts for over 30 years to help patients recover from serious illnesses. The fasts are short-term measures ranging from a few days to a few weeks. After the fast is broken, patients are advised to adhere to a Whole Food, Plant-Based (WFPB) Diet. This diet includes vegetables, fruits, legumes, and grains, with an emphasis on raw foods.
The WFPB-SOS diet is a variation of the WFPB diet that eliminates salt, oil, and sugar (SOS). This diet is recommended both before and after the TrueNorth 8-Day Fasting Protocol to prepare the body for the fast and to ease it back into regular eating. During the 8-day protocol, there is a progression from eating a variety of whole foods to juice fasting to eventually returning to whole foods.
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Frequently asked questions
TrueNorth Health Center is a chiropractic-run inpatient facility that offers medically supervised water-only fasts and juice fasts to help people recover from serious illnesses. Fasting is defined as the complete abstinence from all substances except pure water, in an environment of complete rest.
After the fast is broken, patients are advised to adhere to a Whole Food, Plant-Based (WFPB) Diet, also known as an SOS-free diet. SOS stands for no salt, no oil, and no sugar.
The re-feeding process reinforces good dietary habits and typically requires a period of no less than half the length of the fast. For example, a two-week fast would require one week of on-site supervised refeeding. During this time, patients are encouraged to gradually reintroduce food into their diet.
Therapeutic fasting allows the body to create a unique physiological healing response. It can help people escape the "pleasure trap" of being addicted to pleasure-stimulating foods and substances, and more easily adopt beneficial, health-promoting dietary and lifestyle changes.
