Juice Feast-Day 73

Looking Ahead

Yesterday I mentioned how some fellow feasters who have recently returned to solids have struggled a bit with re-entry. This has led me down the road of feast-breaking research. Here's some of what I've found out. I've have come to believe the first 3-6 months after breaking an extended feast/fast are really crucial to successfully rejoining the world of solids (especially mentally and emotionally).

Physically, apparently the body naturally wants to overeat in response to being in a fasting/feasting mode for so long. It's a natural survival response to watch out for. This response can be especially strong if you have not been taking in enough calories while feasting (e.g. 1 gallon of juice every day) or if you have been fasting most of the time.

Another reason for this physical response is that your body has adjusted to getting boatloads of nutrients on a daily basis. Since it would be impossible as much raw produce you were juicing everyday (up to 15 lbs), you are in a sense, getting less nutrients (although still ample amounts for optimum health). So essentially, you are asking your body to scale back. Your brain's response is then to ask for more, more, more nutrients; "Please feed me more! I'm used to getting more!" This reaction can take weeks, even months in some cases to settle down...but then things level off and the body gets used to the new routine and taking in less food. Whew! Good to know!

Apparently, one can also look forward to any unresolved emotional issues surrounding food to rear their ugly heads once you're back on solids. This may be partly because you have created a new "safe zone" while feasting, and entering the world of solids with a new body and a new mind is a huge adjustment to make in a short amount of time. Needless to say, with all of these mental, emotional, and physical adjustments happening at the same time, the transition back to the wonderful world of solids can be tricky to navigate.

I've read that for most people, breaking a feast/fast correctly takes as much (if not more) resolve and solidity than the feast/fast itself. Check out this interesting article.

As for my own feast-breaking. I'm not too worried. I'm pretty sure all of the obstacles I've overcome so far while feasting have given me all the confidence (and patience) necessary to succeed. I'm just going to feast-break slowly and methodically like I feast. I already plan to take much longer than the recommended 7 days to break my feast and will follow a structured plan for the first few weeks.

My goal is to prevent myself from bouncing back and forth between solids and feasting. I've done this with diet and exercise for a long time now (hurry up and lose 20 lbs before a big trip and then eat like a crazy women while on vacation and gain it all back). I could see myself falling into a binge, feast, binge, feast pattern if I'm not careful because juice feasting has seemed to "cure all" for me very quickly in terms of weight loss. I mean, I've just lost 42 lbs in 73 days!

Juice feasting/fasting could become a great crutch for me (read "excuse"). A sort of "Oops I screwed up. Oh well, I'll just feast for a while until I fix it." I have a very addictive personality and if I want to be totally honest with myself, then I have to admit that I've always been on the look out for the "quick fix" in regards to my health. I suppose there could be worse addictions, but I'm REALLY trying to change that this time. I'm so grateful to have the opportunity to learn from those of you who are already out there post feast right now and testing the waters. I hope that by learning from their successes and mistakes I can make the transition easier on myself. More on this in days to come...

Juicy Diary-Day 73

(today's juices & supplements)

32 oz water

12 oz sweet Mexican chili tea + 1 Tbsp Raw honey. I found tea with ZING!

4 oz water +chanca peidra

32 oz water + MSM + parastroy + B12

74 oz green juice (kale, spinach, cilantro, rainbow chard, celery, cucumber, red bell pepper, carrots, Spanish radish, assorted hot peppers, dandelion greens) + parastroy

34 oz strawberry/kiwi (Oh geez. This one's good!)

Total Juice = 108 oz (0.84 gallons)

Total water = 80 oz (0.63 gallons)

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Sleep & dreams: Hee! Hee! All of the animals slept in today. Jackpot! I had a dream our neighbor (whom I adore) had a giant rummage sale in her front yard. There was lots of people there, and all she was selling was jewelry that she made by hand. (I don't know if she actually makes her own jewelry, but I know she's a textile artist). She seemed very happy to see my husband and I show up for her big sale. I picked out some bracelets I liked and she insisted that I just take them for free. I had the feeling that she was trying to raise money for something, so I insisted that I pay for them. The three of them cost me a grand total of $1.35.

Exercise: 2 mile hike with dog

Sauna: nope

Energy and mood: Great energy today, but I've felt very emotional and a bit on the edge.

Comments: Still sporting some skin eruptions. Curious. Am I reliving the chicken pox? That's what they look like to me. Also feeling "fat" today. Can't explain it, but I'm retaining water or something. It also feels like a bit of a struggle to down the proper amount of juice (at least 3 quarts). Hanging tough, though. Only 19 days to go!

Juice Feast-Day 72

Fasting vs. Feasting

Yes There IS a difference!

FYI: People use the terms "feasting" and "fasting" interchangeably when on detox program involving juice, but they are really two very different things. Juice FEASTING is a term coined by David Rainosheck, creator of the 92-day juice feasting program. Juice Feasting refers to a cleansing and detox program where feasters drink nothing but 3-5 quarts of juice of fresh organic fruit and vegetable produce daily (plus water) over extended period of time-as long as 92 days. FEASTING is about abundance. Your body stays well hydrated, filled with nutrients, and you still get 1200 to 1500 calories per day. Energy levels are high and detox is less pronounced. There are no hard and fast rules when juice FEASTING, but well researched programs do exist that are designed to give you maximum cleansing and detox benefits should you decide to follow them (hey, following the rules is working for me).

Juice FASTING happens when you drink less than 3 qrts of juice per day. Bodily systems slow down as you enter a fasting mode, energy levels drop, and detox tends to be more pronounced. Juice FASTING should never be done for more than 3-5 days without supervision. Both methods have their place, but I just wanted to clear up the differences.

Juice Feasting Is No Picnic

At least not psychologically...

Recently, a few people have told me that I make doing a 92-day juice feast look pretty easy. Let me assure you. It isn't. Here's why. It's summer. And here in northeastern Minnesota, summer lasts (if the weather cooperates) a glorious grand total of about 72 hours (trust me, this is only a slight exaggeration). So for those of us who live the bulk of our lives with the mercury hovering near 0 degrees F, summer is a time of fun and frolic, time for relaxing picnics by the lake, and impromptu backyard BBQ's.

Drinking nothing but juice, day after day, while everyone around you is scarfing down charbroiled burgers and sipping cold ones on the back patio ain't no walk in the park folks. Really, it's not. I've been drinking juice for 72 days now. And despite seeing it, smelling it, and yes, even cooking it for other people to consume (that seven layer salad at my folks nearly killed me), I haven't eaten solid foods since May 18th. MAY 18TH! That's crazy talk! And while it's true that I have chosen this path of health for myself, there certainly have been days where all I wanted to do is belly up to the bar for basket of O-rings and a Two-Hearted Ale in a frosty mug.

*sigh* ....takes short break to daydream about not so distant past....

Ahem. Anyway...Take last night, for example. My husband works at a restaurant. He came home at the usual time, only this time he had a to-go box with him that was filled to the brim with saucy chicken wings. In his usual, thoughtful way, he asked if it would bother me if he ate something as we sat and watched some shows we tivo'd. (he never gets a break at work and it had probably been nearly 9 hours since he had last eaten). "Absolutely not! Go right ahead! Won't bother me a bit!" I replied (and at the time, that's how I felt). Within 5 minutes I was cranky and miserable. I was nearly beside myself. I had to excuse myself and go upstairs to avoid watching him eat. I WANTED SAUCY CHICKEN WINGS! I wanted ANYTHING BUT JUICE! If I had only been two years old, I would have thrown the biggest tantrum...And before he came home, I wasn't even hungry!

Yes, it's true that I've weathered a bachelorette party, a wedding, a family reunion, 2 birthday parties, and a 4-day visit to my parent's house. And I still have another wedding, 2 more 4-day visits, and a 3-day sail boat adventure to go (and possibly a short camping trip). But you see, although taxing, social engagements are doable because you're mentally prepared going in. It's the little everyday moments in the middle of the monotony that will derail you if your not careful.

The hardest part about juice feasting (besides dishpan hands from cleaning the *amn juicer twice a day) isn't the detox. It's the psychological aspects of giving up eating. It doesn't matter if you're coming from a raw diet, or a SAD diet, animals are wired to eat things.

Juicy Diary-Day 72

(today's juices & supplements)

32 oz water + MSM + parastroy + b12
24 oz rooibos tea + 2 tbsp raw honey
15 oz water

34 oz pear/grape

32 oz water

74 oz green juice (Italian parsley, red lettuce, rainbow chard, celery, carrots, cucumber, black Spanish radish, red onion, garlic, cayenne, assorted hot peppers, red bell pepper, cilantro, dandelion greens) + parastroy

Total Juice = 108 ounces (0.84 gallons)

Total Water = 103 ounces (0.80 gallons)
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Sleep & Dreams: I was woke up prematurely by hungry cats this morning. Grrrr....Got about 6 hrs I think. Dreamt about my junior high boyfriend.

Exercise: 2 mile hike with dog

Sauna: 20 minutes

Energy and mood: good energy, but generally feeling crabby and on edge today. Grrrrr.....

Comments: I'm really starting to research how to successfully break this feast when the time comes. So far, no one I know that has recently broke their feast/fast has made a completely successful transition back to solid food. I see a pattern emerging among feasters where once back on solid foods they over eat or binge on SAD foods and then find themselves juicing a short while later in order to "feel good" again physically and mentally. This scares me a little as I could see myself having a tendancy to use juice feasting as a crutch- a way to avoid dealing with any residual food issues I might have.

Binge, juice, binge, juice, is NOT a pattern I want to get trapped in. I know me. It could happen. I'm grateful to be able to learn from the struggles of others who have complete their feasts ahead of me. Hopefully I can learn from their successes and thier mistakes and make the transition easier on myself.

Juice Feast-Day 71

Progress = Solidity

Yesterday I received a wonderful comment from Melissa in Canada (thanks Melissa!). After reading about my juicy blahs, she explained to me that according to David Rainoshek, most people on extended juice feasts can expect to pass through a series of stages that he calls the "Stages of Conception." In other words, experiencing the "juicy blahs" is all part of the process. Thankfully, so is solidity!

According to the David Rainoshek, here are the stages long term feasters can expect to experience:

Excitement - Days leading up to Feasting and the first 1-5 Days Cleansing/Detox - this starts up pretty soon after beginning to Juice, and goes noticeably for as long as necessary. Those with high toxicity/weight levels will find it goes for many, many weeks. (Umm...I can vouch for the MANY weeks part).

Euphoria - starts to set in periodically as the body re-hydrates, toxicity levels decrease, constipating waste matter leaves, body image improves, confidence grows, weight loss occurs, sleep is deeper, etc. ( I'm not sure I've experienced euphoria, but almost the entire time I've been feasting I've experienced a high degree of happiness and inner peace).

Boredom - A plateau occurs. Weight loss slows or stands still for 7-14 days in some cases. Physical transformation is not immediately apparent. Juices all taste the same, or one gets tired of Green Vegetable Juice, or all juices. Friends/coworkers/family keep asking you to go out, and if there is not a spiritual/emotional practice in place, boredom and the desire to return to the world of solid food is pretty strong. (I never really plateaued, but I definitely went through a stage where ALL juice tasted the same, green juice tasted repulsive to me, and the desire to return to the world of solid food was pretty strong. I juiced on anyway, drank my greens, and did my best to avoid the world of solid foods. This seems to be a phase I periodically pass in and out of).

Solidity - A new recognition sets in that progress has been made, and is being made. A significant difference can be seen in many aspects of one's being from the days before the Feast began. Confidence grows that a nutrient-dense plant-based diet and the degree of accomplishment one can realize on such a cuisine is not only possible, but desirable. The student has information that the world needs, and a willingness to teach and/or share sets in - even if it is just with one's acquaintances.(I've lost weight every week while on this feast. At least a pound. I only weigh myself once each week, but the progress I make each week-no matter how small-has helped carry me through a few tough times. At times, it has been the key factor in moving me from the Boredom stage back into Resolve!)

Freedom - The Juice Feast ends, and a solid move to a plant based diet (such as David Rainoshek's Four Means to Get Your Greens with other delicious prepared foods) sets in. With self-knowledge and understanding about nutrition and other aspects of being having taken a much deeper hold during the Juice Feast, the student finds himself more autonomous and self-actualizing, but not in a way that is limited to one's own ego. Living becomes a world centric Act of Love. (Looking forward to this phase, although I feel like I need to start really researching how to break my feast. Several people I know have seemed to really struggle with this).

I'm Back In My Skinny Jeans

Today was a bit of a milestone for me. I took some updated snaps of my juicy progress and found myself wearing a size 5 jeans for the photos. I'm not sure what on Earth possessed me to hang onto an old pair of size 5 jeans (I dare say I haven't worn them in at least 5 years), but I'm sure glad I did. Pulling them on was just what I needed to move from the "Boredom" stage right back into "Solidity!"

For today's weight loss update, I lost another 4 lbs this week. That's a total of - 42 lbs so far. I know. It sounds absurd to me, too. I mean, how the heck is that possible? Drinking my juicy greens (come hell or high water), that's how. Anyway, that's what the scale (the good old-fashioned reliable kind with the dial) is telling me. Even if the scale lies, the pictures tell a pretty good story.

Juicy Diary-Day 71

(today's juices & supplements)

32 oz water

16 oz water + MSM + parastroy + B12

30 oz pineapple/Rainier cherry

2 oz water + chanca peidra

68 oz green juice ( kale, spinach, rainbow chard, cilantro, celery, carrots, dandelion greens, spirulina, red bell pepper, black Spanish radish, garlic, red onion, jalapeno, assorted hot peppers, cayenne pepper) + parastroy

32 oz water

14 oz coconut water

Total Juice = 108 ounces (0.84 gallons)
Total Water = 82 ounces (0.64 gallons)
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Sleep & dreams: 8 hrs. Dreamt I was back in school taking classes on sustainability. The textbooks we were assigned for class were two that I used in college and currently have on our bookshelves at home. Perhaps I look into re-reading them, no?

Exercise: 2 mile walk with dog

Sauna: 20 minutes

Energy and mood: Great! Got a real boost today after seeing more progress on the scale! Plus, my hubby has made fruit smoothies for breakfast for himself two days in a row. How cool is that?

The Juicy Pictures

Revealing My Flaws...

It's not easy to expose your flaws to the world, especially for someone with a huge ego like myself. It's takes a great deal of courage. It also requires one to be comfortable enough with one's self to set aside his or her ego. When I started this feast, the thought of posting pictures for all the world to see was absolutely, unequivocally, 100% out of the question. (not to mention, not at all in line with my conservative Scandinavian, Lutheran upbringing).

But you know what? That was flawed thinking. I've got nothing to hide from anyone. I only want to help. And if these pictures can convince someone about the benefits of juicing and eating living foods, then it would be a real tragedy not to post them. After all, we are all just trying to figure out how to live the best life we can. And when we move ourselves into a healthier state of BEING, the whole UNIVERSE moves into a healthier state of BEING. So cheers to your health! *clinks glass of juice*

I've discovered a lot about my SELF on this journey. Juicefeasting has helped me see that I'm SO MUCH MORE than my physical body. When I look back at these pictures now, I realize that even on Day 1 I was beautiful. I just didn't recognize the REAL me. Embarking on this path has been an act of love. A gift to my SELF. I have no doubt it has saved my life-emotionally, spiritually, and physically. Here are some snaps of the physical progress so far. It's difficult to translate the emotional and spiritual progress I've made into words, so you'll have to trust me on the rest :)

DAY ONE



Uffda. I feel awfully sorry for this poor girl. It's pretty clear from that pictures taken on Day 1 that she's been on a S.A.D. (standard American Diet) for awhile now and she's hiding from her true SELF. Barely able to crack a smile, she's looking quite puffy and sad at 188 lbs. Something tells her that there's got to be a better way...and she's right.


Age: 39
Height: 5'5
Weight: 188 lbs
Shirt size: Large
Jean size: 14


DAY 40



Ah, yes...now we see the smile of a girl who is on to something! She's been infusing herself with enormous amounts of nutrients for 40 days and her body has happily responded by dumping a boatload of toxins...She's feeling much lighter (28 lbs lighter, in fact) on her feet!


Weight: 160 lbs
Same shirt & jeans (albeit a LOT looser!)



Day 71

In the groove now. Only 21 days left? Tempest Fugit!
Weight: 146 lbs
Shirt size: medium
Jean size: 5

And the recap....

So how will it all end? Stay tuned....

Juice Feast-Day 70

The Juicy Blahs

(<--I'm sure these cupcakes are 100% raw ) So here it is....day 70...ummm...about all I can say is...big whoop. I've arrived at this milestone on my feast only to find that I've got a good case of the juicy blahs today. I'm feeling quite bored with juice at the moment, and much more interested in eating solid foods. ANY solid foods at all. The mere sound of chewing seemed to send me over the edge today. I even found myself giving the dog and cats the stink-eye tonight while they crunched on their kibble.

Oh, don't worry. I haven't come this far to hop off the bus while it's still moving. I've only got 22 more days to go for goodness sakes. I'm simply feeling flat. Humdrum. Bored silly. In short, I am not all that fired-up about juice feasting right now. The thrill has gone.

Tomorrow starts week 11. And since it's a new week, I'll be stepping on the scale again in hopes that it will provide me with some much needed motivation. I'm not looking for massive weight loss. Any weight loss at all would suffice. In my mind, weight loss = detox. I'm clearly detoxing through my skin and tongue at the moment, but additional weight loss would signal that even greater detox is still happening. As long as I know that things are being cleared out, it's easy for me to mentally justify pressing on.

My Pepper-ache

Part of the reason I've felt so uninspired today, is that I finally reached my pepper threshold. Yes, it's true. Apparently, even I can over do it on the peppers. (blasphemy!)

Today (like every other day) I added green bell pepper, red bell pepper, jalapeno pepper, cayenne pepper, and assorted hot peppers (ancho, chili, Anaheim, etc.) to my green juice. It was HOT! HOT! HOT! Almost immediately my tummy said, NOT! NOT! NOT! I had a pretty good stomach ache going that tormented me all day long (that's should to be a real pleasure during my Sunday morning enema). I THINK it was the peppers that did it (for a moment the salmonella jalapeno scare crossed my mind), although it could have also been the extra hunk of red onion, or the extra 1/2 dozen cloves of garlic I threw in. What can I say? Oops.

Juicy Diary-Day 70

(Today's juices & supplements)

24 oz rooibos tea + 2 Tbsp raw honey

2 oz water + chanca peidra

32 oz water + MSM+ B12+parastroy

18 oz watermelon/blueberry

60 oz green juice (kale, spinach, red lettuce, dandelion greens, cilantro, Spanish radish, carrots, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, jalapeno, assorted hot peppers, garlic, red onion) + parastroy

25 oz pineapple/Rainier cherry

Rainier cherries were are real treat for me today. They are so sweet and their pale yellow flesh was a departure from the usual line up. Usually these cherries (which were bred by crossing Bing and Van cultivars) are more expensive than dark cherries. That is because getting them from the tree to the grocery store isn't easy. They are ultra sensative to changes in weather and nearly 1/3 of the crop is lost to birds each year.

32 oz water

Total Juice =103 ounces (0.80 gallons)

Total Water =90 ounces (0.70 gallons)

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Sleep & dreams: 8 hrs. No dream recall.

Energy and Mood: Feeling pretty blah and sad (sadness related to my Mom's illness), but I have good energy-especially compared to Thursday and Friday after coming off that 3-day water fast.

Exercise: 2 mile hike with dog.

Sauna: 20 minutes

Physical Observations: Yay! I had a lovely poop today! My skin is still sporting little 1/2 dozen mini volcanic eruptions on my chest, thighs, hips, and sides. Very odd indeed. Rather disappointing is the fact that my tongue still has cracks in it that I would have expected to heal after ingesting all of these wonderful nutrients for 70 days. My tongue is still sporting a white stripe down the middle, too. Perhaps things will look differently by day 92. Maybe I'll even turn back the clock on a few of my grays...

Juice Feast-Day 67-69 Three Day Recap

Back Home Again
I returned home from my parents house yesterday afternoon, and boy was I ready for some juice! After water-fasting for 3 days while away from home (plus a little bit of green powder), I was really feeling it. The water-fast definitely sent me into a deeper state of detox. The skin on my hips and thighs have now erupted in dozens of weird, chickenpox-like bumps (Don't worry, I already had the chickenpox when I was little), I've been super light-headed and dizzy, and I've had a fierce craving for red meat. I have found that water-fasting is definitely something my body (at least while doing this feast) is not comfortable doing for more than 3-4 days at a time. After nothing but water for a few days I simply MUST have juice!

Life Happens...Remain Flexible!
Within hours of arriving home, I was expected at a friend's birthday party. The invitation came up on short notice...and was not something I had been planning, so on the fly I juiced 1/2 watermelon with some blackberries before heading to the party. This was the first juice I drank after 3 days of water fasting, and the minute I had some I felt so much better. Unfortunately, it also seemed to wake up my system and set off a series of hunger pangs. The birthday party gathering was in our friend's garage, and when we got there a buffet of appetizers, prime rib, beer, and sweets was laid out in the middle of the garage. Ahhhh! NOT MEAT! The birthday boy is a grill master, and everything smelled so divine! Needless to say I sucked down my 2 qts of juice in short order and sipped on water for the rest of the party.

I have to say that after 1 bachelorette party, 1 wedding, a 3-day family reunion, 4 days of cooking and helping out at my parents house, and 1 lively garage party, I'm becoming quite adept at juicing despite "things coming up" on my social calender. I'm so grateful. My muscles of resolve have been flexed enough times now that they are big, strong, and virtually unflappable. I still have another wedding, a weekend on a sail boat, a camping trip, and at least one more visit to my parent's after Mom's chemo before I'm back on solids. Life continues to happen, but it appears that this time, nothing is going to stand in the way of my health :)

Eat & Drink Your Greens!

Juice Feasting is about detox. It's not a weight loss program. That said, weight loss is a important component of detox and maintaining a healthy body weight is an important step in creating a healthier life. Recently, I purchased Angela Stokes book, Revealing the Physical Changes. In it is some very interesting information regarding maximizing weight loss while eating raw foods. Here's an excerpt:

“Alkalizing the body is an essential component of healthy weight loss on raw. Getting an abundance of green into your diet, both fresh and powdered-will help you to alkalize. This is particularly key to understand in terms of the last ‘stubborn’ extra 10 lbs or so that people often experience difficulty losing. When we come from a very toxic background, our bodies are in an acid state and fat is used to surround those acids, to prevent further internal damage. If we lose a lot of weight without being cautious to alkalize the body at the same time, we will inevitably find that we are left with ‘stubborn’ package of fat at the end, that refuses to budge, as it is actually wrapping up those remaining acids for us and protecting us from damage. In order to shift that weight, we must alkalize our system thoroughly, with fresh greens, vegetable juice and green powders. Only then will the body finally release the remaining fat and toxins. It is much more advisable to keep the body well-alkalized throughout your weight loss, however, than to get to this end stage and then try to lever the last toxins from yourself with huge quantities of greens.”

Throughout this feast I've been religious about drinking plenty of greens. I've also regularly tested the pH of my urine and saliva to ensure my body is staying as close as possible to an alkaline state. Because I've experienced significant weight loss so far on this feast (nearly 40 lbs with 3 weeks to go) I'm assuming that what Angela Stokes wrote about alkalizing the body to maximize weight loss applies to juice feasting as well. If you want to maximize your weight loss while juice feasting, drink your greens!!!
Juicy Diary-Day 67-68

Water fasting (a gallon or more of water daily) + supplements + 2 qts of water with 3 Tbsp of green powder.

Juice Diary-Day 69

(Today' juice & supplements)

32 oz water + chanca peidra + MSM + parastroy + B12

78 oz green juice (kale, spinach, celery, cucumber, Spanish radish, carrots, cilantro, cayenne, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, dandelion greens, rainbow chard, red onion, mixed hot peppers, garlic) + 1 Tbsp of flax seed oil + parastroy

32 oz water

32 oz watermelon/blackberry

Total juice = 110 ounces (0.86 gallons)

Total water = 64 ounces (0.50 gallons)

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Sleep & dreams: 8 hrs. Woke up to a lovely thunderstorm this morning. I dreamt I took my dog to work with me (at a job I no longer have). He got run over by a forklift at the loading dock. He didn't die, but he had deep lacerations on his front legs. I was horrified that I let him run out into harm's way. I also dreamt that my husband told me that now that I've lost all this weight my boobs look old. ( I assure you he likes my boobs just fine! LOL!) In my dream I decided to go to a plastic surgeon to see if I could have my boobs "refreshed", but the plastic surgeon said I would have to have implants for the process to work. I was shocked he wanted to put me under the knife and fill me with silicon, so I said to hell with it. I wasn't interested in doing anything that involved cutting to my healthy new body. Umm....just for the record, I have never considered plastic surgery for anything so this whole dream seemed rather odd to me.

Exercise: 2 mile hike with dog. I honestly don't feel like I have any extra energy for lifting weights or hard core cardio right now. I STILL feel like my body is in a state of detox physiologically.

Energy: Good.

Sauna: 30 minutes

Comments: Happy to be back on the juice. I feel like I might have dropped some more weight this week-maybe a pound or two. Tomorrow is another milestone...day 70!

Day 65 & 66 Recap

Short Post From a Computer Far, Far Away...
(sorry, no pics here)

Just a short post to recap days 65 & 66 (today being day 66).
I'm still out of town at my parent's house. My mom had another chemo treatment on Monday so I'm here trying to be useful. Feasting-wise, things are going swimmingly. I arrived here yesterday-juice & supplements in hand-so day 65 was business as usual. As for today, I woke up deciding to water fast for the day. We had to go to the hospital for some tests today, so I thought it would be easier. It was. By the day's end I will have taken in nearly 6 liters of water-a quart of which was mixed with spirulina and green powder, and 1/2 quart of cantaloupe/grape. I've also been taking my usual supplements-parastroy, B12, MSM, and chanca peidra. I do have a watermelon and some blackberries chilling in the fridge should I decide to juice tomorrow. I may just stay with the green powder and water fasting depending on how I feel in the morning. I'm feeling clear, energetic, and optimistic. I cooked a lot of meat today (trying to stock up meals in the freezer) and grilled hamburgers and potatoes for my day for dinner. Good grief...I was loving the smell of meat! (I've been craving it lately, which I think in reality may be a craving for fats. Wish I had brought some flax seed oil). Anyway...all is well...feasting on and looking forward to regular posts (and juicing) by week's end).

Oh...I learned some juicy information about juicing and weigh loss today. Why some people lose, and others don't. More to come on that...:) Ellen

Juice Feast-Day 63 & 64 Recap

Yesterday-Day 63
Surviving the I Do's
I survived just fine. In fact, it was no problem at all. The wedding wasn't until 6 pm, so I had enough time to consume 50 oz of green juices before I even got there. That, coupled with the fact that I brought 1 quart of Apple/Kiwi and 1 quart of Watermelon/Cherry for the reception and dance, really saved me (for some reason the fruit juice seems to make things easier for me when I'm around people who are drinking). I never once wanted food, despite the most beautiful buffet of gourmet SAD food you could imagine (the only raw thing was sushi).

By the end of the dance I was starting to feel overstimulated, but I managed to hang in there until 2:30 AM. I traded in my heels for a pair of flip-flops mid way through the evening and got some good exercise out on the dance floor, too.
Today-Day 64
Weight Loss Update

Today I slept in late, which was divine. I think yesterday's events took more energy out of me than I probably realized. Seeing as to how I got such a late start to my juicing day, I only managed 1/2 gallon of green juice today, along with some water (plus my normal supplements). It felt like the right amount. That is, until Diners, Drive-Ups, and Dives came on the Food Network (yes, I continue to torture myself. I can't help it. I'm forever linked to the hospitality industry :)

Anyway...I also stepped on the scale again this morning (my Sunday morning ritual as soon as my feet hit the floor-and after I pee). I really didn't expect to release any weight this week, but I was down another three pounds. That's a total of loss of 38 lbs in 64 days, which works out to be a little more than 1/2 lb per day. Pretty amazing to still be releasing so much weight this far into my feast. You won't hear any complaints here! My starting weight was 188 lbs. My current weight is now 150 lbs. I'm definitely starting to round a corner physically and starting to recognize who I see in the mirror. The new improved "old" Ellen is on her way back!

Tomorrow I'm off to my parents house (across state) to help my mom out after her chemo. I'm not sure how long I'll be away from home this week, or how often I'll be able to post. Internet access is in her bedroom, which she may be confined to much of the time I'm there. I'll be bringing the Green Star with and shopping at their local organic market for juicy produce while I'm gone.

Juice Feast-Day 62

The Juicy *Chills*
I can't seem to get rid of them. We're having our warmest week of the summer so far, and I'm still wearing wool socks, a sweat-shirt, and flannel lined running pants to bed, and a fleece jacket around the house during the day. I shiver to think what it would be like to attempt a juice feast in northern Minnesota in the middle of January. IF I could afford the cost of buying 15 lbs of organic produce everday that time of year (ouch), I would probably have to set up camp in the sauna for the duration of the feast. I suppose I could always run an extension chord in there to power up the Green Star.









Nail Trim #2

Okay. For the record. What I'm about to do is remarkable-at least to me. I have to trim my fingernails and toenails AGAIN. That's the second time in 62 days. With the exception of two occasions in my life ( or lapses in judgement) when I had acrylics put on, I have NEVER had long finger nails. Heck, I've barely ever had short finger nails. Not only are they long ( a respectable 1 cm over the ends of my finger tips) but they are truly "tough as nails." Here's why...

Cucumbers

The combination of elements in cucumber juice plays a big role in the maintenance of healthy teeth, nails and hair. I juice AT LEAST one whole cucumber in my green juice everyday, and sometimes (like today) I juice two. I didn't set out to get healthy teeth, nails, and hair (btw: my hair and teeth have never looked better either), the cukes simply tend to be cheap this time of year and the are so high in water content that they give up a lot of juice for the money. That said, I think the REAL secret to my nail success is:

Green/Red Bell Peppers

Green pepper juice contains a lot of silicon which is necessary for nails and hair. I'm a pepper freak. I add all kinds of assorted hot peppers to my green juice everyday (it masks the bitter taste of the greens), and I ALWAYS juice at least 1 green or red bell pepper, too. Why? Because I read in one of my juicing books that bell peppers are the #1 most nutrient dense food you can juice. (Caution: As members of the night-shade family, they can aggravate arthritis in some individuals.)

Not only are my nails strong, the little suckers are sharp, too! So in an effort to avoid causing serious injury to myself, my husband, and the dog while sleeping, I finally (at age 39) had to go to the drugstore today and purchase my very first emery board (no joke). Long nails sure are pretty, but I'm finding that they are a real pain in the *ss when it comes to typing, holding a pencil, playing the piano, or picking small objects up off the floor.

My Sun Shower

According to juice feasting protocol, one should try to get in at least 10 minutes of sun each day. Ideally, one would do this buck naked during the early morning hours after sunrise (It's common practice in India, look it up). This is a lovely idea when weather (and a privacy fence) permits, but certainly not always possible.

Today was my first real sun bath of the summer, and I felt like my body was starving for it. I dialed up some Native American flute music on my Ipod and sprawled out on a beach towel in the backyard. It was three hours of radiant bliss. I got a little pink in places, but I didn't burn nearly as much as I would have expected for my first "fully exposed" (shorts and tank top) afternoon in the mid-summer sun. Like the heat lover I am, I followed my sun shower with 15 minutes in the sauna and a smokin' hot shower *grins*
Juicy Diary-Day 62

(today's juices and supplements)

32 oz water

12 oz rooibos tea

32 oz water

4 oz water + chanca peidra

68 oz green juice (kale, spinach, red lettuce, dandelion greens, cilantro, rainbow chard, celery, cucumbers, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, carrots, assorted hot peppers, red onion, radish, garlic, cayenne pepper, spirulina) + MSM + parastroy + b12.

68 oz watermelon/strawberry/blueberry/raspberry + parastroy

Total Juice = 136 oz (1.1 gallons)

Total Water = 80 oz (0.63 gallons)

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Sleep & Dreams: Well, I was in bed for approximately 8 hrs, but how much sleep I got is hard to say. It seems that EVERYONE in our neighborhood is getting a new roof put on this month-everyone but our next door neighbor...who is currently building a new garage! All projects seem to start at 8 am sharp, which is in complete conflict for those of us on a night schedule. Oh well, while picking up my first ever emery board at the drugstore, I also grabbed a 10-pack of ear plugs. Problem solved :) No dream recall.

Exercise: Nope

Sauna: 15 minutes (steamy!)

Energy and mood: My mood has been great, my energy a bit low today. A lack of sleep I suspect.

Comments: My apple/plum/grape juice from yesterday worked its magic today. I had two lovely bowel movements-one after each juice. I have a wedding tomorrow. Thankfully it's in town, so I can swing by home for juice between the ceremony and reception/dance. It's probably going to go late, so I'll post a recap of day 63 with my post on day 64. I'm looking forward to the wedding. I love LOVE! Maybe I'll even dance off another pound or two this week...

Juice Feast-Day 61

A Day of Leisure

Today was a day off for me. *Ahhhhh* What started out as a rainy, gloomy morning turned into a beautiful, sunny afternoon. My husband and I putzed around the house during the day and then took the dog for a 6-mile walk along the shore of Lake Superior this evening. On the way back to the car we decided to stop and linger for a while in the rose garden. This place is a MUST SEE if you're ever visiting northern MN (specifically Duluth) in July. The roses are sporting their full regalia this time of year and the sights and smells are nothing short of spectacular! Some how I always feel the need to applaud flowers when I see them blooming (or at least smile at them and send them "you're beautiful!" or "thank you so much!" messages telepathically). It is their moment to shine, after all. I know how much I like being acknowledged when I have a positive affect on someone. I think they appreciate it, too :)

While in the rose garden, we happened upon a musical group called the Windjammers performing a free concert featuring Big Band music. What a treat it was to have my eyes, ears, and nose bombarded by beauty all at the same time. It was almost too much to take in!

Parasite Cleanse Update
I'm thrilled to report that since day one of my Parastroy cleansing regime, no more wiggly, squigglys have made their way out of my bum. At least not visibly. I've only have 1 BM since the wormy one I had the first night, but I'm certain (by the gurgling noises coming from my tummy) that another is coming my way soon. To expedite the process, I made a quart of plum/apple/grape today. The malic acid in the apples, along with the laxative effect of the plums should help the cascara sagrada get things moving in no time. This parasite cleanse lasts for 21 days. After that about the only thing left to add in to my juice feasting program is probiotics on day 75.
Juice Diary-Day 61

I was insanely hungry today after going ultra light on the juice and water yesterday. To that end, I still didn't drink anywhere close to a gallon and don't feel I suffered at all for it (although the 6-mile walk did tire me out more than usual). All of my juices tasted extra yummy today, though.

(today's juices & supplements)

32 oz water

25 oz green juice (kale, spinach, rainbow chard, celery, carrots, cucumber, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, mix hot peppers, cayenne pepper, red onion, garlic, cilantro, dandelion greens) + 2 MSM + b12 + parastroy.

25 oz green juice + parastroy

32 oz water

12 oz water + chanca peidra (I REALLY hate the alcohol in this-it tastes awful. If I wasn't so lazy I'd find a way to evaporate it off.)

32 oz apple/plum/red grape

Total Juice = 82 oz (0.64 gallons)

Total Water = 76 oz (0.59 gallons)

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Sleep & dreams: 7 hrs (disrupted). Dreamt the doorbell rang and when I went to answer it a creepy man in a ski-mask tried to force his way inside. He smiled at me with that calm, confident look that told me he knew what he was going to do to me and there was nothing I could do to stop him. In my dream my husband was upstairs sleeping at the time, but I had the stereo on downstairs and the music was playing loud enough that I just knew he wouldn't be able to hear my screams to come and help me. Hmmm...unsettling at best.

Exercise: 6-mile walk

Sauna: 20 minutes

Energy and Mood: I woke up tired today (bad dreams last night), but had plenty of energy most of the day. The 6-mile walk this evening really took it out of me, though. My legs thighs were stiff afterwards, too. Weird. Guess I'm not used to walking on paved surfaces as we are usually tramping through the woods on trails.

Juice Feast-Day 60

Another Milestone Reached


Today is day 60 on my juice feast! Groovy! It's crazy to think that no solid foods have passed my lips for since May 18th (Ok, except for that lone tortilla chip, but I'm not counting that because I rinsed my mouth out and I never swallowed! )

As a way of celebrating my juicy success (at least in my mind), Chris and I bought a membership to our local Whole Foods Co-op. Our co-op isn't part of the "Whole Foods" chain (not to take anything away from them), but rather a REAL member-owned food cooperative. I'm super psyched! I've wanted to get a membership since moving here 10 years ago. Why we waited so long I'll never know. Well, actually I do know. We thought it cost $100 a year so we never wanted to pony up the cash. As it turned out, we were wrong. The cost of a lifetime membership is a $100.00-just a one time fee! And it's SO worth it! We get all kinds of member discounts, special member-only coupons, monthly specials, and voting rights at annual meetings. Plus, it's a joy to shop there. They just built a fabulous new L.E.E.D. (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified building, so our greens just got "greener", too!

~A Picture of our lovely co-op~

My husband and I also took a spin around the local shopping mall today. We've got a good friend getting married this weekend and were looking for some new duds. What a joy it is to shop weighing 35 lbs less than before. I could have gone crazy with all of the summer stuff on sale! HOWEVER...I didn't. I'll worry about improving my wardrobe once my body reaches a stable weight. In my mind, that equates to another 30 lbs of weight loss, but who knows where my body is going to decide it feels best. Maybe more, maybe less.

Juicy Diary-Day 60

(today's juice & supplements)

32 oz water

12 oz rooibos tea + 1 Tbsp raw honey

12 oz pineapple/cherry + MSM + b12 + Parastroy

32 oz water

25 oz orange juice + Parastroy

32 oz water + chanca peidra

Total Juice = 37 oz (0.29 gallons)

Total Water = 108 oz water (0.84 gallons)

I really went light on the liquids today-partly due to all of the running around I did. After today I'm fully restocked with fruit and greens and ready to go to town for the rest of the week. I like giving myself and my body a break every so often by throwing in a few days of water fasting or just light juicing (although I'm going to need at least a little bit of juice each day for the next few weeks due to the parastroy). It really seems to renew my appetite for the juices and it gives me a break from all of the clean up and prep work in the kitchen.

-----------------------------------

Sleep & Dreams: 7 hrs. No dream recall.At least not anymore :)

Exercise: Mall walking?

Sauna: 20 minutes

Energy & Mood: Perfect

Comments: I'm so happy and proud with myself to have reached this place on my journey. I really feel like I've reached a whole new level of being. I'm SO enjoying every aspect of my life right now. I feel completely and utterly HAPPY and JOYFUL for the first time in years. I'm just so grateful for this moment in time. The only moment that really matters.

Juice Feast-Day 59

Today's Short Post

Aren't these pretty? They are blooming right now in the Boundary Water Canoe Area Wilderness (or, what I like to call my vacation home). I know that they are water lilies, but they remind me of lotus flowers.

Anyway...I had a sort of all day deadline going on today, so I'll spare you most of the details. I pooped! Yippee! No more visible parasites, at least not yet (*pauses to gag*). I'm posting this from a remote computer so I don't have my juicy diary picture. Anyway, here's today's log:

32 oz water

12 oz rooibos tea

32 oz water + MSM+ B12

64 oz green juice + Parastroy

32 oz water

12 oz rooibos tea + 1 Tbsp raw honey

32 oz pineapple/cherry

Total Juice = 96 oz juice (0.75 gallons)

Total Water =120 oz (0.94 gallons)

------------------------

Sleep and Dreams: 6hrs. No recall.

Exercise: 1 mile hike with dog.

Sauna: 30 minutes

Energy and mood: Very focused at the task at hand all day long (my deadline).

Tomorrow is DAY 60!!!!!

Juice Feast-Day 58

Separating Myself From the Pack

(apparently, I've lost my "fun" gene)

I got a call from a friend tonight. If you could call it that. He drunk dialed me, and since I was on a deadline, I wasn't really feeling like putting up with his antics. He said he called me to ask me about my juice feast. He was at a party and my name (and "new-fangled diet") came up and apparently he just couldn't wait to get the story. I haven't seen him for a while, but I saw his wife at a social function recently (where I was asked why I wasn't eating or drinking) so I suspect she filled him in. After a few minutes of repeated questions about how much weight I've lost, whether or not he would have to give up booze while feasting, him talking over me, and his not-so-funny jokes, he declared that I wasn't funny anymore and that if I didn't plan to return to my old funny self, he didn't want me to stay on this diet.

Huh. Apparently I must have lost my "fun" gene. As one of my juice feasting buddies put, I probably peed it out :)

Depending on your social circle, juice feasting can definitely "separate you from the pack." I can tell it has for me. My values haven't changed because I'm juice feasting. Juice feasting is simply the lens that has helped me bring them more clearly into focus. I'm not willing to run with the "pack mentality" anymore. At least not if it means sacrificing my physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Maybe I'll end up being a lone wolf. But one thing is for sure, taking care of my health IS fun to me-even if it makes others uncomfortable.

Juicy Diary-Day 58

(Today's juice & supplements)

32 oz water

12 oz cup rooibos tea

32 oz water

24 oz apple/strawberry/raspberry + MSM+B12+ Parastroy

32 oz water

60 oz green juice (kale, spinach, red lettuce, celery, cucumber, cilantro, dandelion greens, green bell pepper, orange bell pepper, mixed hot peppers, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, spirulina) + Parastroy

4 oz water + chanca peidra (stone breaker tea)

22 oz water

32 oz orange/lime

Total Juice = 106 oz (0.83 gallons)

Total Water = 134 oz (1.04 gallons)

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Sleep & dreams: 9 hrs. Dreamt I was in the airport about to take off in a plane. I was hungry so I looked around the terminal for a place to get some raw food (progress!). Everyone wanted to sell me something "healthy" but no one had anything raw. I managed to snag a banana from a basket at one of the ticket counters before boarding my flight.

Exercise: 2 mile hike with dog. 20 minute incline walk/run treadmill.

Sauna: 20 minutes

Energy and mood: Still feeling "up" on all levels.

Juice Feast-Day 57

Day One-Parasite Cleanse
I wish the worms that I saw in my toilet tonight looked like the cute little fellers to the left. They didn't...

Today is day one of my 3-week parasite cleanse. On a 92-day juice feast, it's recommended that you undertake a parasite cleanse somewhere around day 60. Apparently, a LOT of people carry around parasites in the form of worms, flukes, bacteria, and viruses without knowing it. Especially people with pets and people who travel. For the past few days I've been thinking about the possibility of worms wiggling around in my colon (among other places) and it got me all freaked out, so I decided today was close enough to day 60 to get started. Besides, as my economics professor used to say, "There's no such thing as a free lunch." Not in my colon, anyway!

Parastroy
My "dewormer" of choice is Parastroy, by Nature's Choice. I ordered a kit from amazon.com and think I paid about $14.00 for it. You can find it a few bucks cheaper online, but I was already ordering some other goodies, so I figured I would save on shipping. My kit came with two CDs-both related containing tips for healthy living (haven't watched them yet).

The Parastroy kit comes with two bottles, one labeled Para Rid and the other Para Sweep. Each bottle containing 90 capsules, although kits are available containing 120 capsules. For people on a juice feast lasting 60 days or longer, taking Para Sweep is completely unnecessary and not recommended. Para Sweep is designed for folks who need help with elimination, not for people who have been cleaning their colons for the past 60 days. So if you're on an extended juice feast, the bottle of Para Rid is all you need. Unfortunately, I have never seen one bottle sold separately from the other so for long-term feasters, it's a bit of a waste. Para Rid contains cascara sagrada, so it should not be taken in tandem with any other herbal laxatives. Some juice feasting protocols call for 1 capsule twice a day for the first week, 2 capsules twice a day for the second week, and 3 capsules twice a day for the third week. The box recommends taking 2 capsules twice a day from the start, so that's what I'm doing.

The Bathroom Horror Show

(reader discretion advised)

I popped two capsules with juice for breakfast, and two with my juice for dinner. Soon after dinner I experienced some rumbling and mild abdominal cramping (no doubt the cascara sagrada was kicking in, or else I was experiencing some immediate die-off symptoms). I went to the bathroom and to my horror...Now seriously, I have pets (who, by the way, have had worms), and I've done some traveling (to some pretty wormy places) but I really didn't expect to see any results from my parasite cleanse. Let alone on day one! But, horror of horrors, there THEY were, a half dozen or more wormy-looking things floating in my toilet bowl. Some were big, some were small, some were in (pause to gag) "segments." All dead were dead.

So, were they really worms? Well, I think they were. There was nothing else expelled into the toilet to confuse them with. I suppose they could have been something else (something created by the parastroy ingredients perhaps?), but if so, I'm not sure what. Let's put it this way, if someone had said to me, "Hey Ellen, look in this toilet bowl and tell me what you see." I would have said, "Hey, those are little worms in that toilet bowl!" I was mortified and repulsed, yet oddly relieved all at the same time.

As I stood there, I wondered if I might just keel over and pass out from the sight of them. I kind of waited for it, but then the science geek in me took over and I ran upstairs and got a wooden kabob skewer from the kitchen so I could take a closer look. (Curiosity can be your best friend in these situations.) When I was standing there, it just didn't seem possible that what I was looking at just exited through my own butt. I mean, not MY butt for heaven's sakes! If they were worms (and I strongly suspect they were), there will be no more hitching a free ride fellas! Bye-bye! Ugh. I hope that's all of them...cause thinking about this again as I type this post is freaking me out all over again.

Okay then, on a much less disgusting note...

I released another 2 lbs this week. That makes a total of 35 lbs released so far. My starting weight was 188 lbs. Currently I weight 153 lbs. I decided to track my weight loss from week to week over on the right hand sidebar instead of writing about it here. I may post picture updates around day 70 or 80. Not sure yet.

Juicy Diary-Day 57

(Today's juice & supplements)

12 oz rooibos tea

32 oz water

15 oz honeydew/blueberry + parastroy + MSM + B12

64 oz green juice (spirulina, kale, spinach, dandelion greens, cilantro, carrots, celery, cucumber, red bell pepper, orange bell pepper, assorted hot peppers, cayenne pepper, garlic, onion)

32 oz water

34 oz strawberry/raspberry/apple

Total Juice = 109 oz (0.85 gallons)

Total Water = 76 oz (0.59 gallons)

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Sleep & dreams: 9 hrs (disrupted) No dream recall. I'm rarely tired when I'm awake these days, but when I sleep, I seem to REALLY enjoy sleeping!

Exercise: 1 mile run/walk with dog

Sauna: 30 minutes

Energy & mood: Feeling very blissful lately. I'm in a really good place both mentally and physically. I'm enjoying the wave of nirvana while it lasts because I know tricky days are probably just around the corner.

Comments: My body has really changed. I've never lost this much weight without exercising before, so physically, my body is taking on a whole different shape. That's fine by me. I'm rolling with it for now. I'm still feeling like physiologically I'm in a state of detox. I don't want to expend too much extra energy on exercising because 1) I don't want my body diverting energy to muscle repair that it could be using for detox, and 2) I don't want to build up any lactic acid in my muscles. I could definitely be doing more stretching and cardio, but I still don't feel like hitting the weights.

Juice Feast-Day 56

The Jarisch-Herxheimer Reaction

I've experienced a lot of detox and healing so far on my this juice feast. It's a gift I treasure, because I know it means my body is healing. Here is some of what I've learned so far:

1. Approximately 10% of our body's energy goes toward mastication (chewing our foods) and digestion. Juice feasting frees up that 10% energy, allowing our bodies to divert it toward detoxification and rejuvenation.

If detoxification occurs too quickly while we're feasting, toxins enter the bloodstream faster than our bodies can eliminate them. Sometimes this can lead to a healing crises-also called the Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction, named for the Austrian and German dermatologists credited with discovering it.

2. The released toxins floating around in our system can create a buffet of physical symptoms including:

headaches
body aches
joint pain
dizziness
sweating
sore throat
nausea
vomiting
rapid pulse
excess mucus
fever
weight loss
weakness
flu-like symptoms
resurfacing of pain from old injuries
swelling
diarrhea
skin eruptions (zits, rashes, etc.)
odd food cravings
depression
emotional upsets (yeah, baby!)
Sounds fun, no?

3. A healing crisis/reaction, may also occur once the vital forces within the body build up enough strength to handle detoxification. In other words, a healing crisis manifests once the body is ready:
Once you have caught up on your rest.
Once you have stopped taking drugs/chemicals/alcohol.
Once you have eliminated toxins from your diet that are not working for you.
Once you replace old destructive eating patterns with new healthy eating patterns.
Once you have cleansed enough from your system to strengthen the nervous system or blood supply.

4. Most detox symptoms are usually subtle and short-lived while juice feasting. All of these symptoms are a good sign. It;s a signal that your body is healing.

5. Hering's Law of Cure states:
"All cure comes from within out, from the head down and in reverse order as the symptoms have appeared in the body." As we adopt right eating and living habits, our body reacts to these new behaviors. The state of health will retrace backward via the same path that led us to disease in the first place."

6. Healing happens:
From within out.
From the head to the hands to the feet.
From a more important organ to less important ones.
In the reverse order disease first appeared.
This is true for emotional healing as well. From the head to our heart and downward, we must clear out old thought patterns, attitudes, and feelings and replace them with new healthier thought patterns, attitudes and feelings.

My "Sick" History

Here's everything (starting with the most recent) that has ever went wrong with me physically since I was a little girl. (Sorry, the emotional stuff is mine, and mine to cherish alone :) Green indicates things I believe are healed or currently healing because of resurfacing pain in those areas or other signs that function is being restored. Red indicates I haven't experienced symptoms of healing crisis yet (at least I don't think so).

Injuries to both knees from snowboarding-age 36/37

Stress fractures (to both shins) from training for a marathon-age 35

Appendix out-age 35

Premature Ovarian Failure (early menopause)-age 35

Horse stomped on big toe (I was barefoot)-age 13/14

Amnesia and concussion falling off horse-age 12/13

Mononucleosis-age 12/13

Possible concussion from slap shot of hockey puck to head-age 10/11

Mononucleosis-age 8 (missed school for 3 weeks)

Sprained Ankle-age 6

Okay, so if I follow the timeline, where is my body now? If for everyday you juice feast your body goes back 120 days, here's where I am. 56 days juice feasting = the reverse of 6,720 days, or going back 18.4 years. I'm 39 now, so -18 years means my body is healing things from around the time I was 21 years old. I didn't really have any physical maladies during that time in my life, but it would seem reasonable to expect some sore throats and headaches coming my way over the next month or so!

A healing timeline like this doesn't always follow your past health events exactly. Some physical and emotional dis-eases take longer to heal than others. Still, I think this exercise is a useful tool, because it really serves as a positive reinforcement that your health is improving, and it gives you an idea of why what is happening detox-wise, is happening. I have to add that I've been experiencing A LOT of emotional release during this process, and I've also released 33 lbs of weight. (next weigh-in tomorrow). I've been pretty fortunate health-wise throughout my life so far. Most of my "big stuff" has occurred only the in past few years.

Juicy Diary-Day 56

(Today's juices & supplements)

32 oz water

4 oz orange juice + MSM + B12

64 oz green juice (kale, parsley, spinach, red lettuce, rainbow chard, spirulina (3000 mg), dandelion greens, cilantro, red bell pepper, assorted hot peppers (including Serrano, Anaheim, poblano, jalapeno), red onion, garlic, carrots, cucumber, celery, and cayenne)

32 oz water

64 oz honeydew/blueberry

Total juice = 132 oz (1.03 gallons)

Total water = 64 oz (0.50 gallons)

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Sleep & dreams: 8 hrs. Dreamt about being "in school" and taking an advanced chemistry test. Part of taking the test meant being quizzed on "learning a new language." I was taking the test with my husband. He was writing really long equations and I was writing really simple ones, but we were both coming up with the same correct answer in the end. Well known raw foodies were there and I knew the test was really about learning the new language of my "body chemistry." Pretty cool, eh?

Exercise: 2 mile hike with poochie.

Sauna: 30 minutes

Energy & mood: Elevated on all accounts.

Comments: I have my period again. Nothing for X number of years, and now twice inside a month-go figure! I'm thrilled about it, because it means my ovaries are healing (or something down there is). I'm retaining a lot of water today, too. All hormonal I suppose. No moodiness, though. Hoping the extra water doesn't affect tomorrow's weigh-in. But hey, if it does, it does....