Monday, April 1, 2013

Our Fresh Juice Fast — Day 1

Our First Day of a Juicing Fast starts with 
Green Goddess Juice

The day has arrived!

In the past year we've watched Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead along with Forks Over Knives and several other documentaries that expound on the wonderful benefits of juicing for improved health. I've been a member of Raw Food Rehab, I've done green smoothie challenges, and I've explored the healing and juicing nature of Gerson Therapy, and most of you know I'm a fan of raw foods. I've been thinking that since hubby and I both have some serious-enough health issues, that we need more bombardment than just adding more raw food recipes into our lives and drinking raw juices here and there, and that a juice fast might be the best way to go for us.

I'm really excited about this, which sort of surprises me—I mean, not eating food . . . "me" . . . who is really addicted to food!  I imagine it would be hard for anyone, to abruptly change that habit of eating so often, from eating big meals to drinking meals, and consuming nothing else but water and a few supplements. But I'm also thinking that with the nutrition we'll be getting, I won't be hungry at all, and that has been the case today. I'm not hungry, but I have to get over my habit of nibbling something so often. 

Nothing is as beneficial as a daily green drink. 
And we'll be getting much more than one a day!

The amount of nutrition you consume from juicing is much greater than you could ever eat. According to Mimi Kirk (voted Sexiest Vegetarian Over Fifty, and she's 70+) says in her book Live Raw:

"It (green drink) can pack more nutrients in one drink than we can consume in a plate of salad. One large glass of juice can supply us with more nutrients than we could get from eating three vegetable meals a day."

That's what we need, to jump-start and continue the healing process!  

What is a green juice exactly?

A variety of fruits and vegetables can be juiced with a juicer. I use an Omega Juicer similar to this one. Through the mastication process (some juices use a different method), the fiber is taken out and you get a predigested juice that is very healing to the body. Most all of its nutrients remain in the juice, and we benefit as it quickly goes into our systems to all cells, tissues, and organs. Fresh juice also helps to flush the colon. Doing a juice fast allows the colon to rest and heal, especially good for G.I. symptoms and diseases.

I'm envisioning myself being drenched in enzymes, nourished with minerals and chlorophyll, and flushing toxins and disease out of my body. Plus, dropping a pound a day (just a hopeful guess), as I continue to exercise, feeling bright-eyed and alert, with more energy, and no aches or pains or migraines. Honestly, there have been many days the past year that I have not felt well and the brain fog has got to go. I look forward to seeing what I'll feel like at the end of a week, and then some.

We're going to take it a week at a time, but I know I'm going to want to continue somewhat longer. How long? I don't know actually. We'll see how it goes.  
 

I'm Excited to Get Started!

I did a "Master Cleanse" maple syrup lemonade fast for 10 days many years ago and I remember then, that the third day was the hardest. I managed, (I remember saying no thanks to the homemade ravioli at my neighbor's house) and I lost too much weight. I was a skinny rail, just in that short period of time, but then the weight quickly returned and I found myself pregnant with baby boy number three (yes a long time ago)! This is much different—I won't be starving myself, but feeding all my cells what they crave, at the basest level.

Hubby may need a bit more juice (or nutrition) than me (he's 6' 4" and 280 lbs), and he did eat some steamed broccoli, a handful of grapes, and Brazil nuts today in addition to his juice. That's perfectly fine!! If he goes without enough food, he gets terribly grumpy. I'm 5'10" and 200 lbs. wanting to drop 30 lbs. Since I'm tall, the weight hasn't always been a problem, but a few years ago when I was 170 lbs. it made a big difference in the way I looked and felt, so I'm wanting to get back to that weight.

Our chiropractor told my husband that for every 10 pounds overweight you are, there is a greatly increased pressure of 40 pounds on all of your joints. We all know that, right? That's something both of  us need to consider, especially at our age (too close to 60—YIKES!)

Green Goddess Juice 

I think it was the fact that I LOVE pineapple and I happened to have four of them sitting on my kitchen counter, but the name grabbed me . . . and with this fresh juice, hubby and I started our juice fast.

I found this great tasting recipe here through Karen Knowler. My version was only slightly different.

Ingredients:
2 cups of organic spinach
5 celery stalks
1 cucumber unpeeled
2 Granny Smith apples
1 large ripe pineapple
Juice from two lemons

Instructions:
Wash and cut all ingredients into pieces and then put through your juicer.
Have you done a juice fast before? I'd love to hear how it went for you!

To Your Health, and Mine—
Delicious! 

Linking up with Wellness Wednesdays

1 comment:

  1. I have never done a juice fast before, just water fasts. Thanks for sharing how yours went!

    ReplyDelete

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