Juice Feast-Day 55

Relax, Ellen!
You can't juice feast your way to God!

Today I have been thinking some more about the excerpt I posted yesterday from Matt Monarch's Blog. The one thing he wrote that really resonated with me was this:
" ...there is no need to stress out and rush the detox process. Slowly make improvements, as your body [mind and spirit] asks for them. This will happen naturally, as you become cleaner and cleaner."[my words]

Juice Feasting is a remarkable way to detoxify and rejuvenate the mind, body, and spirit.

I tried a 10-day Master Cleanse once...umm..never again. I was in a hurry to detox this sick and tired body (the mind/spirit concept never occurred to me) so I jumped in without being fully prepared for the consequences. I experienced such incredibly horrific physical detox symptoms that by day 6, I was more than ready to throw in the towel (I remember being barely able to blog about it).

My Juice Feasting hasn't been like that at all. The detox and rejuvenation I have experienced has been (mostly) slow and steady. I've had more than enough energy to accomplish the everyday tasks and I've never felt "sick." Emotional healing and spiritual insights have come, but not always at break-neck speed. In fact, at times things have been so uneventful that I've become impatient and schemed up ways I might send myself deeper into detox.

Today, for the first time, I've reached a place of acceptance. A plane of patience. A state of surrender. I know that even if I'm unaware of it, detox on all levels is happening. Toxins are leaving my body (along with unwanted pounds), emotional wounds are healing, and spiritual channels are opening. Today I woke up knowing that I'm now ready to fully commit myself to the responsibility of maintaining this new level of physical, emotional, and spiritual healing when this feast is over. This is suddenly not a race to the finish anymore. It has become a new way of BEING. The old Ellen is falling away forever. I AM becoming a new BEING.

Hot/Cold Showers? Are You Kidding Me?

According to juice feasting protocol, taking hot/cold showers (a.k.a. hydrotherapy) is a wonderful way to assist your body in the detox/rejuvenation process. Here's how is works:

Hot/cold showers exploit the body's reaction to hot and cold stimuli. The sensation of alternating hot and cold water on your skin, along with the pressure of the water, causes nerves to carry the impulses felt on the surface of the skin deeper into your body. Once there, they stimulate your immune system, influence the production of stress hormones, and invigorate circulation and digestion by way of increasing your blood flow. Alternating between hot and cold temperatures on your skin also works to draw it in and tighten it up. In short, hot/cold showers are a great way to tone up the body, stimulate digestion, increase circulation, and boost your immune system.

So I tried this little number tonight after taking a sauna. The idea is to stand under each temperature for as long as you can stand it before alternating to the other. You repeat this back-and-forth several times. On the hot side of things...no problem. I can stand under a steamy hot shower all day long. Five minutes? Five hours? No problem! When it comes to the cold stuff though...umm...not so much. We're having a typical Duluth day here. It's foggy and 54 degrees (yeah, Fahrenheit) A cold shower? Nope. Nada. No thank you...Not for me! I lasted all of ...well, I'm a gal that loves to sit in a 230 degree (yeah! Fahrenheit) sauna when it's 90 degrees out. Maybe I'll try again tomorrow...if it warms up.

Cherishing Cherries

Yummmmy!.....Darker is better. Between the two types (sweet and sour) the sweet ones are best for juicing (e.g. Bing, black, Windsor, Napoleon, etc.) These guys are a rich source of flavonoids, and are loaded with antioxidants, antivirals, and anti-inflammatories. Try these combos:
Cherry/pineapple
Cherry/watermelon (or any melon)
Cherry/pear
Don't forget to remove the pits!

Juicy Diary-Day 55

(today's juices & supplements)

32 oz water

4 oz orange juice + MSM +B12

32 oz water

64 oz green juice (kale, parsley, rainbow chard, red lettuce, spinach, dandelion greens, cilantro, radish, red bell pepper, cucumber, celery, carrots, jalapeno, garlic, red onion, cayenne pepper, spirulina) Whew! HOT & SPICY!

64 oz pineapple/cherry

Total Juice = 130 oz (1.02 gallons)

Total water = 64 oz (0.5 gallons)

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Sleep & dreams: 8 hrs. No dreamy recall. I'm sleeping hard, but still waking up tired. My energy level comes online almost immediately after I get out of bed, though. I feel like I could sleep 12 hours a night. Detox, detox!

Exercise: none

Sauna: 20 minutes

Energy & mood: Good energy. In an upbeat mood all day today.

Comments: Just out of curiosity, I have decided to make a list of every illness and injury that I've ever had (that I can remember) dating back to my childhood. I'll be posting this on tomorrow's blog. I think it will be a fun and interesting way to keep track of how my body physically detoxes for the remainder of this juice feast and as I transition into solid raw foods.

Juice Feast-Day 54

Points to Ponder...
Today I have been pondering this post from Matt Monarch's blog and what it may mean for me...

Here's an excerpt:

"There are hundreds of people who are not 100% Raw and decide to juice fast for 3 - 5 months at a time. When you do something like that, you do so much cleansing that it is like fast-forwarding the process. If I would have done a massive juice fast like this when I first went 100% Raw, there is no way that I could have then gotten away for 4-5 years afterwards eating a few avocados at a time without digestive discomfort. Going 100% Raw is like going on a 'fast' in itself, because you are eliminating all foods except for the most water rich foods out there, which also happen to be the LEAST damaging to the body.Most of the time, my recommendation to younger people who want to embark on a long-term juice fast is to just do a 100% Raw Food Diet 'Fast' to begin with.Don't get me wrong; juice fasting can be EXTREMELY beneficial.......Many younger people seem to just be intrigued with the 'status' of doing a long-term juice fast and they don't often really understand what they are getting themselves into. If you understand and are prepared, then more power to you..........The point of all this is that as the years go by, there is no need to stress out and rush the detox process. Slowly make improvements, as your body asks for them. This will happen naturally, as you become cleaner and cleaner. Before you know it, you will be eating very little food if you truly listen to your body."

So, to that end, I have been trying to unearth some of the hidden reasons I may have undertaken this juice feast. The primary reasons remain to feel better, improve my health, look younger, and lose weight. However, sometimes I can't help wondering what has kept me going when times have gotten really tough. Is it to prove to myself I can accomplish/achieve something? Is it to have absolute control over at least one aspect in my life? (My mom is sick right now and I'm feeling very helpless). Or is it to say "Hey, look at me. I did this really big thing?"

I'm not exactly sure what has continued to carry me through. Maybe all of the above. One thing is for sure, none of these "other" reasons point to a very healthy mental outlook. I can see I'm still detoxing, which is a great reason to keep feasting. I have to admit, though, at times it seems a lot more like a chore lately-like something that I'm toughing my way through.

I'm starting to wonder what I've gotten myself in to. After yesterday's "chip incident" it's evident to me that my body is way ahead of my mind at this point in terms of detox (I didn't give in, but I wanted to swallow that chip more than you know). I don't feel like I've shaken any of my SAD patterns yet after 54 days of juicing. What is that going to mean for me in another 38 days? Disaster? I sort of feel like I've had some kind of lapband procedure, but without the mental preparation.

(*listen up future feasters*)

This is not to discourage non-raw foodies from juice feasting, but in retrospect, I think it would have been much wiser on MY part to detox on a solid raw food diet for a period of time before undertaking this juice feast. By juice feasting first, I have essentially sent my body leaps and bounds ahead of my mind in terms of "cleaning house". As it stands now, I will have to will my way through the transition to healthy solid foods and play "catch-up" with my head. I know now that I could have made it much easier on myself had I been eating and enjoying mostly raw solid foods for a while BEFORE feasting. Ironically, by trying to juice feast my way into raw foods, I may have made my ultimate goal of going raw (raw solids) that much harder to attain. Crap.

Oh well...what's done is done. I realize now that the transition path will be a difficult one for me whether I finish feasting today or in another 38 days. To that end, I've decided to remain feasting-and for these reasons:

1. I don't feel "done." I'm struggling, but I'm still obviously detoxing and at this point, I might as well go for as much detoxing as I can. Maybe something "big" will happen over the next 38 days. In any event, I can't lose anything by getting a cleaner body. After 54 days, I have raised my health to a higher level. Now I'm committed to maintaining it.

2. I realize that in order to ensure a successful transition into a consistently raw lifestyle, I need more mental preparation. Solid foods may be as simple as eating the same foods that I'm juicing now, but in their solid forms. Then again, it may not be that simple. Maybe I'll want something more interesting-new recipes, different flavors. I have no idea how my body is going to respond to solids once I finish feasting. I need time to learn more about the raw food lifestyle and what I can expect.

3. Throughout this feast, I've been unearthing a lot of the answers that lie within. I guess you could say I've been "excavating Ellen", especially on an emotional level. How many more answers might I excavate in another 38 days? Plenty I'm sure.

4. Even though I know a 92-day feast won't "cure" me of SAD food cravings, maybe it will open other parts of me that will make that challenge easier when it's time to transition. I need more time to learn to listen to my body and more practice dealing with those cravings. Juice feasting enables me to do both.

And Speaking of Cravings...
Seven years ago I quit smoking. If was by far the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. MUCH harder than juice feasting is on the hardest days. It took me several years to completely exorcise my body from craving nicotine. I was hoping the process would be the same for ridding myself of SAD food cravings-time would lessen my cravings. My feaster friends have been telling me that SAD food cravings never really go away-even for long term raw foodies. What??? Ahhhhh!!!!!!!

Not only that, but plenty of what I've read suggests that staying 100% raw is difficult for most people. Those that are super strict with their diets nearly always find themselves talking about "falling off the bandwagon" or having to "get back on track." So why bother being so strict, when you can get so many great benefits of being 70-80% raw?

I'm not sure if I agree with the 1005 way of thinking anymore. To constantly struggle to stay 100% raw for the rest of one's life sounds more like transferring food issues to me. It certainly doesn't sound like a person who has a healthy a relationship with food. I'm looking for health and balance in my life...not trading in one food obsession for another.

What you think and how you feel about the food you eat (while you're eating it) is probably just as important (if not more so) than what you're actually eating. I'm starting to second guess that the 100% raw lifestyle is what is really best for ME. It seems like a logical step for me after feasting, because I'm 100% right now. Still, if I want a piece of pizza (or Gasp! a mug of beer) again someday, I'm not going to send myself to hell for it. Life's WAY to short for that. I don't trust anything (or any lifestyle) that doesn't allow for some give and take. Perhaps high raw would be a better choice for me...Hmmm.....?????

!!Sensitivity alert!!

Beware of going to movies while feasting and all of your senses are heightened. My hubby and I went to a movie tonight. He picked a movie called WANTED, with Angelina Jolie and Morgan Freeman. It was so bad I walked out after the first 15 minutes. Too violent for me and way to much noise. I've never been one to spend money on watching people kill each other (I get that for a hefty monthly fee with my cable). It's just not entertaining to me-especially when the violence and special effects are meant to hide the fact that there's no plot. My hubby graciously offered to call it a night, but I could tell he was enjoying the movie so I volunteered to sit in the car until it was done (the lobby smelled to much like popcorn ) I was able to amuse myself just fine listening to the BBC on NPR. Whew! That would have been a painful two hours!
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Juicy Diary-Day 54

(Today's juices & supplements)

32 oz water

1 cup rooibos tea

64 oz apple/plum/black grape

32 oz water

2 cups (12 oz each) rooibos tea

Total Juice = 64 oz (1/2 gallon)

Total Water = 64 oz (1/2 gallon, not counting tea)

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Sleep & dreams: 7 hrs. Dreamt about spiders. Creepy. Wish I could remember the details, but kind of glad I can't :)

Exercise: Gardening

Sauna: Nope

Energy: Good

Comments: Been doing a lot of thinking today. More thinking than juicing. It was a day off for me, so I could afford to deal with the consequences of running a deficit. My body isn't wanting anything right now, so I'm trying to listen, but yet gently encourage at least some juice. I'm hoping to ease out of my little "slump" in the next day or two, maybe even without a renewed taste for juice. I still have no intention of stopping this feast yet. I still have WAY too much to release and to lear. Times are tough, but brighter days are just ahead.

Juice Feast-Day 52-53 (Recap)

From Heaven to HELP ME!!!!!

Day 52 went just great. I was really tired in the evening and didn't have much to report, so I skipped blogging about it. And then today happened....

Today (day 53) was by far the hardest day I've had so far on this feast. I was at the beach with the dog and was suddenly overcome by heavy feelings of depression and sadness. I had to leave immediately and was a sobbing mess the entire way home. My poor hubby, he is so understanding! He kept asking me what was wrong and I just didn't have an answer for him. I really had no idea! For the few hours I couldn't shake the terrible feelings of sadness and despair. All I could do was cry and all I wanted to do was quit feasting.

About two hours into it, I went straight to the cupboard and grabbed a single potato chip (my favorite comfort food). First I licked it, then I put it in my mouth and chewed it ever so slowly. It tasted divine! Divine! I couldn't do it, though. I couldn't swallow it. I just knew it wouldn't make me feel better in the long run. I'm a firm believer that the best way to deal with bad feelings is to drive head on through them So, I went over to the sink and spit it out-never swallowed any of it. Then I washed my mouth out with water until not a crumb of chip remained. LOL! Whew!
Finally, I ended up taking a shower to try to wash off some of the bad energy. All the while I began talking myself down from the ledge.

You know how the Universe has a way of sending you an Angel of comfort just when you need one the most? My sister-in-law (one of my favorite people in the whole wide world) called and left me a voice mail sometime during my crisis. I didn't get the message, so I called her back. Her voice was just what I needed to hear. Her energy was really positive and encouraging and she told me how proud she was of me. It really cheered me up and reminded me of how far I've come. Thanks Kathy! I love you!

So, in the end, I did prevail (with a little help from my hubby and my sister-in-law). But DANG!, I thought I was a goner for sure! Those were some intense feelings! I have definitely gone into a deeper level of emotional detox. I wasn't prepared for how fast it overwhelmed me. I hope that's all I see of that kind of thing for a while!


Juicy Diary-Days 52-53

(Yesterday's Juices & Supplements)

32 oz water
32 oz cantaloupe/strawberry + MSM + B12
32 oz water
8 oz coconut water
64 oz green juice (kale, parsley, romaine, spinach, dandelion greens, rainbow chard, red bell pepper, spirulina, jalapeno, onion, carrots, celery, cucumber, garlic).

Comments: Today was a rather dull, flat day, and nothing much stands out...except the wrenching stomachache I had later in the evening. I've been a bit confused as to how much spirulina to take. Mine comes in cellulose capsules of 500 mg each. What I usually do is open the caplets and dump the spirulina right into my green juice. Since there is no "standard recommended daily dosage", I searched the Internet to find out what other people were taking. I ended up upping the dosage to 3000 mg. I don't know if it was that, the coconut water I had right before my green juice, or what. But holy moly! I had a horrible stomachache ALL night long and into the early morning.

(Today's Juices & Supplements)

32 oz water
34 oz strawberry/blueberry/raspberry/blackberry (Yummy!!!)
25 oz water
48 oz green juice (kale/parsley/spirulina/carrots/cucumber/celery/chard/red lettuce/spinach/red bell pepper/jalapeno/garlic/onion).

I really shorted myself on the juice and water today due to the funk I was in. Tomorrow is a new day, and I look forward to feeling cheerful and full of resolve once again.

Juice Feast-Day 52

Juice Feast-Day 51

I'm A Little Trumpet...

<--- This was me...all day today. It was ridiculous. The dog wouldn't even hang out with me for heaven sakes. And to make matter worse, my husband thought the whole thing was a hilarious. He kept yelling, "good out!" every time I let one rip (there was no letting them out quietly). So after retracing my "juicy steps", I've come to the conclusion that I must have gassed myself up with the 1 Tbsp of raw honey I added to my rooibos tea yesterday. It was the first bit of sugary goodness (beyond fruit juice) I've taken in since starting this feast. My, oh my! We do become sensitive after going raw don't we? I can't imagine what a full blown meal would do to my system right now. That 1 tiny Tbsp of honey turned my colon into a fermentation station. Whoot! Whoot! Plus, I craved sugar ALL day long today. No more honey for me...for at least another 42 days!

Everything Needs Detoxing

Today it was time to detox my split ends :) I went to the el-cheapo hair salon, which turned out to be both good and bad. On the plus side, my haircut was practically free by today's salon standards. On the minus side, I ended up with "chatt Chuck", a hairdresser who has recently relocated to Duluth, MN from Malibu, CA. (I imagine he's probably still recovering from the shock). He chatted non-stop, apparently to the point of distraction. When I got home I noticed that the hair on one side of my head is now approximately 1 1/2 inches longer than on the other side. But hey, at least I heard some funny stories.

It's funny how the cleaner I get on the inside, the dirtier everything on the outside looks to me. My house, which ordinarily seems reasonably clean (spic and span by some standards) seems impossibly dirty right now. The energy needs lightening. It's too stale in here. It's time for a clearing again. My car suddenly needs cleaning out, too, as does the silverware drawer, my sock drawer, and the cupboard above the fridge.

Mucoid Juice???

I blended cantaloupe and blueberries today. Instantly I had a lovely blue/gray congealed blob in a pitcher. I'm not sure what happened, because I juice watermelon and blueberries all of the time. Just a word of caution. Unless you like your juice the consistency of psyllium/benonite, avoid this particular blend :)

Juicey Diary-Day 51
(Today's & supplements)
32 oz water
12 oz rooibos tea
32 oz red grape/pear/strawberry + b12+ MSM
68 oz green juice (kale, spinach, spirulina, chard, parsley, red lettuce, cilantro, dandelion greens, celery, cucumber, carrots, red bell pepper, mini yellow sweet peppers, onion, jalapeno, garlic, cayenne)
32 oz water
12 oz rooibos tea
15 oz cantaloupe/strawberry

Total Juice = 115 oz (0.98 gallons)
Total Water = 88 oz (0.68 gallons)
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Sleep & dreams: 7hrs. More detox dreams.
Exercise: 1 mile hike with dog, 20 minutes of light weights
Sauna: 20 minutes
Energy: Moderate
Comments: Whoot! Whoot! Lifting weights didn't go so well today. Maybe it's because I haven't exercised for a long time, or maybe it's because my body is happy not to be toting around that extra 33 lbs and now refuses to lift anything heavier than itself! Am I losing too much muscle? Doubtful. I'm getting a lot of protein with all the greens I'm consuming...Hmmmm. Don't know what's going on...

Juice Feast-Day 50

!!! DAY 50 !!!

I'm celebrating another milestone today. Yippeeee! It's crazy to me that less than a week ago I was "on the fence" about continuing this feast. I've been in such a different place for the past few days. In fact, after realizing I have only 42 more days to go, I'm kind of freaked out. That's not very much time! Will I be ready to go back to solid food by then? Right now I feel like I could feast forever :)

Lesson: When you think you're ready to throw in the towel and call it quits, wait a day or two. Give yourself time to regroup to see if things look differently.

A lot of feelings present themselves while juice feasting. Sometimes you feel weak, discouraged, negative, and at times you may feel an overpowering urge to quit. Little things seem big things as emotions, memories, and hurts from the past leave your system during detox. During these times, it's helpful to breathe, meditate, pray, partake in light exercise, and seek out support from other juice feasters. An enema can also greatly assist in speeding up the detox process. Remember, tomorrow things are likely to look different. Give yourself a day to two and then decide if you want to keep moving forward.

Teabag Quote of the Day:
"Live from your heart, you will be most effective."


Weight Loss Update
Starting weight: 188
Weight loss week #1: -11 lbs
Weight loss week #2: -3 lbs
Weight loss week #3: -4 lbs
Weight loss week #4: -4 lbs
Weight loss week #5: -5 lbs
Weight loss week #6: -1lbs
Weight loss week #7: -5 lbs

Total weight loss -33 lbs. Current weight: 155 lbs
Not bad! Happy to still be releasing!!!

Personal Care Recipes:
Shampoos & Conditioners

As much as 60% of what you put on your skin can be absorbed into your body. On average, women use as many as 12 personal care products per day, which can expose them to hundreds of unregulated chemicals. While you're juice feasting, it's important to try to eliminate as many of the toxins coming into your body as you can. This applies to the toxins found in make-up, soaps, detergents, cleaning products, and hair dyes. Here are some great recipes from the Do It Green Minnesota magazine:

Basic Shampoo
2 cups distilled water
1 1/2 tablespoons dried, chopped soapwart root (available at health food stores)
2 teaspoons Lemon Verbena or Catnip
Bring water to a boil add soapwart and simmer, cover for about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, add herb then allow mixture to cool. Strain the mixture keeping the liquid. Pour into a bottle. Makes enough for 6-7 shampoos. Must be used within 8-10 days. Store in a cool dark place.

Fruit Conditioner
1 avocado (peeled and mashed)
1 cup of coconut milk
Combine mashed avocado with some coconut milk. Mash together until it's smooth and about as thick as shampoo. comb it through the hair and let sit for 10-15 minutes. Rinse out with water.

Shiny Hair Rinse
Use apple cider vinegar (1/2 cup to 1 quart of water). Beer works, too!

Baking soda is another inexpensive and effective shampoo alternative. Simply add water to it to make a paste (and essential oils of your choice for scent) and "shampoo" your roots. Here are some more great tips from Christi Colvin at Nature Moms on you can go "no poo" using baking soda.

Juicy Diary-Day 50

(Today's juices & supplements)

32 oz water
12 oz rooiboos tea + 1 Tbsp raw honey
39 oz watermelon/lime + 2 MSM caps + 1 B12
68 oz green juice (kale, parsley, red lettuce, spinach, rainbow chard, dandelion greens, cilantro, cucumber, celery, carrots, red bell pepper, mini sweet yellow peppers, garlic, onion, jalapeno, radish, cayenne pepper, and 1 Tbsp flax seed oil). Mmmmmm! Really loving the green juices right now!

32 oz water
32 oz black grape/pear/strawberries. This may be my new favorite!

Total Juice = 139 oz (1.1 gallons)
Total Water = 76 oz (0.6 gallons)
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Sleep & dreams: 7 hrs. No dream recall.
Exercise: 2 mile hike with dog
Sauna: Nope. Feels like a sauna outside, though :)
Energy: Excellent
Comments: Feast on!

Juice Feast-Day 49

Breath Work & Detox


Lately I've discovered I'm a bad breather. By that I mean I periodically find myself having to take deep breaths to "catch up" because I've been breathing too shallow. Breathing serves two important functions. It transports oxygen throughout our bodies (duh), and it also helps rid of the body of waste and toxins. Since this juice feast is all about detoxing and renewal, from this day forward I've set a goal to take 5-10 minutes at least once a day to just sit and focus on my breathing. No thinking, just breathing. I'm also going to "check-in" whenever I think about it throughout the day and take deep breathes to return to my center. To get myself started, I found some great *FREE* resources on the web:

The Meditation Room

(Terrific virtual relaxation experiences that range from 3 to 10 minutes for individuals seeking more serenity and calm. It includes soothing sounds, imagery, and deep-breathing techniques)

Three Breathing Exercises

(Bellows Breath, Relaxing Breath, and Breath Counting. No sounds or images, just text. Compliments of the website of healthy living guru Dr. Andrew Weil.)

Juice Diary-Day 49

(Today's Juices & Supplements)

28 oz water

10 oz water and psyllium/bentonite shake (yucky!)

4 oz orange juice + 3 MSM + 1 B12

74 oz green juice (kale, parsley, spinach, celery, carrots, cucumber, dandelion greens, cilantro, red bell pepper, mini yellow peppers, onion, jalapeno, and garlic).

32 oz watermelon/lime

32 oz water

Total Juice = 110 oz (0.86 gallons)

Total Water = 70 oz (0.55 gallons)

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Sleep & dreams: 7 hrs. I dreamt I split from my husband. In my dream I was mad because he never wanted to do anything "downtown" . It seemed like all he wanted to do was get a boat and spend time on the water. So I took his car and headed downtown. I remember there being lots of traffic and feeling like I didn't know where I was going, but not being the slightest bit worried about it. Consciously, this scenario couldn't be further from my (wedded blissful) reality. But what does it mean?

Exercise: 1 mile hike with dog

Sauna: 20 minutes

Energy: Awesome!!!

Comments: Need to poop! Hoping the psyllium/benonite shake will help with that in the early am. No big changes since yesterday. Trying to increase my fluids today, but still falling way short on the water. Waiting for my Parastroy and Stone Breaker to get here.

Juice Feast-Day 48

Happy 4th of July!

This is a picture from tonight's fireworks display where I live. Lovely, eh? (photo by Clint Austin, Duluth News Tribune) The bridge in the foreground is an aerial liftbridge where ships come in and out of our port. Fortuntely, I can see everything perfectly from a second floor bedroom here at home so no need to fight the traffic...:) The dog wasn't particularly impressed (nor the cats) but I was...

I was on deadline today, so in typical manic style, I shorted myself juice and water again today. It worked out fine, though. It's always a cake-walk when there is something else to focus on. Tomorrow is our local farmer's market so I intend to swing by and peruse their offerings before heading over to co-op to restock my juicy supplies. I'm so excited to get some new and different fruits and greens! Hmm...and maybe some more coconuts. I'm quite taken with drinking the water lately, just wish they weren't so darn expensive.

On that note ($$$$), I've been saving all of my juicy receipts. It's not going to be pretty, but I think the final talley could be intersting for those who are considering feasting in the future. I won't count what I spent on juicers. That would surely push things over a cliff.

The Feasting Spectrum of Emotions

It's quite remarkable, really. I think I've experienced all of these emotions and then some. One day I'm up, the next I'm down. Sometimes I have several days inbetween where nothing much seems to be happening. If there is one thing that I have learned while juice feasting (from my own experience as well as the experience of others), it's that a day can make all the difference in the world. If one day you think you've got it all figured out...tomorrow will prove you don't. And if on another day you think you just can't continue... wait until tomorrow. You'll be so full of resolve you wouldn't dream of quitting. What a difference a day makes! Good, bad, or indifferent, a good motto to feast by is, "This Too Shall Pass."

Juicey Diary-Day 48

(Today's Juices & Supplements...short but sweet)

64 oz water

47 oz watermelon/cherry juice

Total Juice = 47 oz (0.37 gallons) OUCH!

Total Water = 64 oz (0.50 gallons)

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Sleep & dreams: 10 hrs (B-l-i-s-s!!!) I had some more detox dreams last night, although they were not quite as intense as they have been. Can't quite remember the content at this point.

Exercise: 2 mile hike with dog

Sauna: nope

Energy: Excellent despite being way down on my juice and water intake. Have had a few "light-headed" spells today after getting up too quickly. "whoa nellie"

Comments: Still sporting a rash on my belly button. Don't have a clue as to what that is all about. My period (the first real one in years) is finally wrapping up today. I have zits almost large enough to qualify for thier own zip code on my chin and I'm sneezing a lot today. I was hoping a day of straight fruit juice would encourage a poop. No dice. Might have to resort to the enema bag tomorrow.

Juice Feast-Day 47

Calm Waters...

Whew! (wipes brow). Today I'm back to feeling positive and full of resolve! I upped my juice and water intake today, and even though it feels odd and I'm not craving any of it, I'm exercising the discipline necessary to drink what I know my body needs.

The most important lesson I learned from this past weekend is to take things minute-by-minute. Go into social situations fully prepared-mentally and physically! Stock up on juice!!! If you're going to be around alcohol drinkers, take along a coconut and funky straw and treat yourself to an exotic juicy drink of your own.

Tips for Attending Social Events While Juicing

1. Go into your event with plenty of sleep. When you are tired, you are far more likely to slip up and give into temptation.

2. Physically prepare yourself. Bring along plenty of extra filtered water and juice. You tend to drink more and faster during social events so be prepared with extra juice. If you're on the go and can't bring a juicer or you run out of juice, stop and buy some. Raw juice is best, but any organic juice is better than none.

3. Make it fun. I like to bring coconuts and crazy straws when I'm at parties where the bubbly is flowing. Dress up your water bottle to suit the theme of the event.

4. If you're hosting company, keep your fridge stocked with everything you need to juice. If possible, prepare meals ahead of time for your company. Focus on dishes that will allow you to spend as little time in the kitchen as possible. (Egg bakes, quiche, or casseroles that you can pop right into the oven from the freezer).

5. Mentally prepare yourself. You don't have to eat and drink with people to enjoy their company. Remember, you are feasting for your health. There is never going to be a "good" time when life won't get in the way. Use these challenging situations as opportunities to flex and strengthen your "resolve" muscles. You're simply learning a new way of being in an old situation.

6. Be prepared to answer questions. Many people will be curious, and the vast majority of those will be 100% supportive. Others won't even bat an eyelash or think it odd that your not eating or drinking. If someone asks you a question and you don't feel like going into it, simply say, "Oh, I'm just giving my body a break," and then quickly ask them a question about themselves. Most people love talking about themselves and will gladly jump on the opportunity to change the subject.

7. Take lots of deep breaths. Steal a few minutes of alone time if you have to. Do whatever it takes to keep your head in the game. Above all, remember that "this too shall pass."

Juicy Diary-Day 47
(today's juices & supplements)

32 oz water

4 oz orange juice + 3 MSM caps

25 oz green juice (kale, spinach, dandelion greens, cilantro, green bell pepper, sweet mini peppers, celery, cucumber, garlic, jalapeno, carrots)

32 oz water

8 oz coconut water (this was so satisfying today!)

25 oz green juice

50 oz watermelon/cherry

Total Juice = 112 oz ( 0.88 gallons)

Total Water = 64 oz water (0.50 gallons)

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

Sleep & dreams: 10 hrs. Whoa. I really needed it, too. I dreamt I was trying to make a college volleyball team. The coach of the team wouldn't even let me try out. I told her I used to play and wanted to the opportunity to prove myself. She said no, she didn't care and she didn't want me on her team no matter how good I was. I was so outraged that I reported her to the dean of the college. He told me I was out of luck and that all decisions regarding tryouts and making the team were hers to make. I started sobbing because no one would address the unfairness of the situation. I know for a fact this is more detox...

Exercise: 2 mile hike with dog

Sauna: 30 minutes

Energy: Low in the morning coming off yesterday. Increasing throughout the day.

Comments: I'm sooooooo happy to be on the other side of some challenging days! Hopefully some coasting days are ahead :)

Juice Feast-Day 43-46 (recap)

Mid Point
Today is day 46. If I successfully juice feast for 92 days, today is the mid-point on my journey. I'm half way there.

I'm just wrapping up a 4-day "weekend" that was filled with social events and family time. It started on Sunday with a bachelorette party, and concluded today with a 3-day visit to my parents' house. Despite juicing during the past four days, I faced some tough challenges-including helping to prepare meals for my family and going out to eat. I was around a lot of cooked food, sweets, and alcohol, and I kept up a schedule that was far different from my daily routine (a.k.a. lots of sleep deprivation). Overall, my intake of juice and water was far below normal. I know from past experience that when I do this to myself, feelings of doubt tend to rise to the surface.

At times this weekend I questioned why I was doing this feast. I feel like I've been fighting hunger almost continuously for the past 46 days. I was (I am) feeling ready to eat something solid. I even found myself thinking that eating a piece of lettuce would be bad. That's a ridiculous notion when one really stops to think about it. How can lettuce be "bad"? That is how whacky my mind gets when juice feasting gets tough.

Today has been the toughest day so far. I've been on the fence all day about whether or not I want to continue feasting. Juice tastes blah to me, almost to the point where I'd rather drink nothing at all. As a result, my intake of juice and fluids is way down for the day (less than 2-quarts total). As a result I have a pounding headache and almost zero energy. I've sent my body into a deeper level of detox.

HOWEVER...

"Patience is waiting. Not passively waiting. That is laziness. But to keep going when the going is hard and slow - that is
patience. "

Tomorrow is a new day, and I'm never going to end this feast on a bad day! I vowed I will only end on a good day when I'm feeling proud of what I've accomplished. In the beginning I set a goal of 92 days. I've made it 46 days so far, which cannot be diminished no matter when I decide to end this feast. No one can take away the benefits of health I've given my body so far!

Still, I know these feelings of doubt tend to wash over me in waves. Maybe tomorrow the water will feel more calm. For now, I'm pressing on...

Check out this awesome video called Food Patterns of Our Body

Juice Feast-Day 42

Reflecting On Where My Food Comes From

Today while I was juicing I made a conscious effort to think about where the raw fruits and vegetables that are sustaining me come from, how they are planted, how they grow, who harvests them and how they make their way to the super market. Only a small amount of what I'm juicing right now is grown locally. Most of the fruits and vegetables arrive to our Co-op from the west coast, or from far off places like Mexico or South America.

I tried to picture my pineapple growing amongst thousands of others on the side of a mountain overlooking the South Pacific, like those at a pineapple plantation I visited on the Island of Moorea near Tahiti . I thought about farmers carefully sowing the seeds of my spinach, and visualized sprouting seeds and leaves slowly making their way up through the soil to be nurtured by sun and rain.

I thought about the workers harvesting my strawberries, and wondered what their morning routine must be like before heading out into the fields. I thought about all of the human and natural resources it takes to grow my food, harvest it, pack it into crates and load it onto trucks, ships,and airplanes. I thought about distribution warehouses, forklifts, loading docks, delivery drivers, and grocers.

Everyday, so many people are assisting me with my juice feast. I feel a deep sense of love and gratitude for all of the people who are unknowingly supporting my choice to be healthy. A thousand thanks to all of you!
Juicy Diary-Day 42

(today's juices & supplements)

32 oz water

4 oz orange juice + 3 MSM caps

20 oz apple/red grape/plum

32 oz water

30 oz green juice (parsley, spinach, celery, cucumber, carrots, green bell pepper, red onion, garlic, jalapeno, cilantro)

30 oz green juice

32 oz water

44 oz pineapple/orange/strawberry

Total Juice = 124 oz (0.97 gallons)

Total Water = 64 oz (0.50 gallons)

-----------------------------
Sleep & dreams: 8 hrs, disrupted. When I woke up I could remember parts of 6 different dreams. I'm not going to try to decipher them now, but I'm writing down what I remember so I can come back to them in the future.

1) I was running along the shore of Lake Superior barefoot trying to escape sharks that were trying to attack me from just off shore. They were swimming through the water like missiles and landing themselves on the beach in an effort to bite me. Then they would thrash about and slip back into the water only to try it again. It was stormy and cold and there was a giant ore boat moored near shore. I distinctly remember looking at the rudder of the boat and watching it turn back and forth.

2) My husband and I were to sign some real estate papers for our realtor. To get these papers, we had to drive to a large empty lot and retrieve them from a woman. As soon as we had the papers in hand, a grizzly bear started chasing us back to the car. The woman's small, black and white dog came out of nowhere and ran interference. It distracted the bear just long enough for us to get away. Later we noticed that the one of the papers had a large bear paw print on the back of it. We thought this was good because it would show our realtor just how hard we worked to get the papers.

3) I was in a large auditorium where they were drawing for two trips for two to Italy. The first winner was announced and it was someone I didn't know. I knew the second winner, a woman, and thought it was nice that she was going to take our friend TF with her.

4) A former co-worker of my husband (and friend of mine) was trying desperately to seduce my husband and get his attention. She was wearing a bikini and posing in all sort of erotic ways. He was clueless and completely disinterested. I remember thinking it was funny, but felt sorry for her at the same time.

5) I was out shopping and ran into a friend who had taken her daughter and daughter's friend shopping for prom dresses. Dolce and Gabanna prom dresses (ha!). The young woman with my friend's daughter didn't have a mother, so I took on the role of helping her shop and kept trying to boost her confidence by telling her how beautiful she looked.

6) My neighbor was walking her dogs up a hill next to our house. She decided to run up the hill to give her dogs more exercise, but tripped over one of them and fractured her leg. It was bent in a crazy direction. I rushed to her aid, called 911 and ran to her house to alert her son. While I was there talking to him she walked up on her broken leg.

Exercise: nope

Sauna: 20 minutes

Energy: great

Physical observations: The rash on my tummy is gone today. I also got my period again, but it doesn't seem like it will last more than a day or two. I've got to try to get some more sleep. I'm getting 8 hours, but it's disrupted and I'm waking up tired. The bags under my eyes do not represent the healthy glow of a juice feaster. I'm going to try hard to represent this weekend so people don't think I'm crazy. I don't want to give anyone anymore ammo that than necessary.

Juice Feast-Day 41

(Today's greens made 61 oz of juice using my Green Star)

Mmmm....Greens!

Today someone asked me what a typical day is like for me in regards to fluid intake. As I told her, usually, I try to take in at least 1 gallon of juice and a gallon of water-two gallons of fluid total. I don't always make it to two gallons, but I do my best. I don't use any exact recipes, so volume-wise it doesn't always come out the same. Usually if anything gets shorted it's the water or the fruit juice. Plus, sometimes I just don't feel like I can manage peeing every 15 minutes all day long!

In my opinion, the green juices are the key to my body getting everything it needs. That's why I feel like it's willing to release all of the other crud. I think the fruit juices assist me in clearing things out and adding vital antioxidants, but if my body wasn't getting the protein and phytochemicals it needed, I don't think it would feel like it could let go of all of the other "junk."

Lately I'm feeling the need to simplify my greens, but haven't come up with a combo that works for me yet. I add peppers, garlic, cilantro and jalapenos to my greens because it masks the taste. I HAVE to do this in order to drink 1/2 gallon of greens per day.

Juicy Diary-Day 41

(Today's juices & supplements)

32 oz pineapple/strawberry + 3 MSM
32 oz water
30 oz green juice (kale, spinach, parsley, cilantro, celery, carrots, cucumber, green bell pepper, mini sweet red peppers, jalapeno, garlic, onion)
32 0z water
30 oz green juice
32 oz water
32 oz apple/red grape/plum

Total juice = 124 oz (0.98 gallons)
Total juice = 96 oz (0.75 gallons)
-----------------------

Sleep & dreams: 6 hrs: I had three dreams last night. At the moment I can only remember part of one. I was standing under a cobblestone bridge that spanned a walking path. On one side of the bridge was the U.K. and on the other side of the bridge was the United States. I was standing on the U.S. side. There was also a man holding a horse on each side of the bridge. The horse on the U.S. side was a black horse with a rather dull coat (I think). The horse on the U.K. side was a beautiful shiny bay (I think). Horses usually represent my energy to me in dreams. I'm not sure which horse was actually on which side of the bridge, and I'm afraid that is probably a big key in deciphering this dream's meaning. Poo.

Exercise: 30 minute treadmill work out.
Sauna: 20 minutes
Energy: grrrrrreat!
Comments: Nothing really exciting is happening. Day 40 came and went and now I'm looking forward to the next big goal. Day 46 is the half-way point of feasting and my next big milestone, but I've got to get through a tough weekend first. :)

Juice Feast-Day 40

DAY 40!!!!
Befores & Afters

I meant to do this on day 30, but I forgot. So here are some before and after pictures from today. I wore the same shirt and jeans and tried to do my hair about the same (which means not doing it..hee,hee). Sorry about the difference in lighting :) I think it's quite an amazing transformation for only 40 days...but hey, that's juice feasting!

Honestly, I have no idea who the sad woman in the top pictures is. I don't even recognize her. The woman on the bottom, however, is starting to look like someone I remember! As of this picture I know I've released 27 lbs. I only weigh myself on Sundays, so I couldn't say how much more weight has been lost in the past 5 days.

Just Say "NO!" To the Perfume Counter


Today I went shopping for a bachelorette party gift at Victoria's Secret. While I was there, I decided (like an idiot) to spray a perfume tester onto my wrist to sample a fragrance. YUCK!!!! I may have just as well sprayed it directly into my face, because that was my body's response...instant toxic overload. My eyes starting tearing, my throat became sore and my head started to pound. I really thought I was going to puke. Lesson learned: It's apparent to me that in just 40 short day, juice feasting has increased my sensitivity to chemicals.


Since day 1 of this feast I've avoided all cosmetics, including lotions, lip balm, perfume, make-up, and yes, even deodorant (don't worry, I check well and check often). I'm still using shampoo and conditioner, natural bar soaps and Tom's of Main toothpaste. But it just doesn't make sense to me to detoxify my body while putting chemicals on my skin. After all, it's the largest detox organ we have! Stepping out without make-up isn't always easy (although, for me it's never been too hard) , so I'm going to to rely on a natural sunny glow for some up-coming social events.

Juicy Diary-Day 40

(today's juices & supplements)

32 oz water
32 oz water
4 oz orange juice + 3 MSM + 2 casacara sagrada
27 oz green juice (kale, parsley, spinach, cilantro, dandelion greens, green bell pepper, mini sweet red peppers, jalapeno, garlic, celery, cucumber, carrots, onion, Spanish radish, horseradish). OH MY...SOOOO GOOD!!
27 oz green juice
32 oz water
32 oz pineapple/strawberry

Total juice = 122 oz (0.95 gallons)
Total water = 96 oz (0.75 gallons)
---------------------

Sleep & dreams: 8 hrs. No dream recall
Exercise: shopping? ha! Umm...no.
Sauna: 30 minutes
Energy: Excellent
Physical observations: I still have a rash on my tummy and a few weird looking bumps on my shins (not itchy, though). My face is breaking out a bit again, too. I'm actually going to have to trim my fingernails today...not something I ever thought would come up in this lifetime :)
Comments: Well, here it is day 40 already. I'm really happy to have made it this far on my juice feast and excited about the mental, physical, and spiritual gains I've made thus far on my journey.

I have a tough 4 day period coming up starting on Sunday-one day long party and then a trip out of town for a few days. I'm going to be around a lot of people who (A) don't understand what I'm doing and (B) don't approve. I'm certainly going into this time with my guard up and will do my best to prepare myself both physically (with lots of juice) and mentally. Juice on, feasters!

Juice Feast-Day 39

Sunshine & Sea Kayaking

My husband and I spent the afternoon kayaking on the big lake today. It was absolute bliss being back out on the water again! We lucked out on the weather, too-sunny skies and minimal wind. This was our first time out this season, so after only a few miles of paddling we were feeling it. I feel so incredibly blessed to live where I do!

I Love My Zing!

I realize how weird this is going to sound, but my latest juice craze is watermelon/jalapeno. Zing! I've come to find that I like jalapeno in EVERYTHING! I think it's because sweet & spicy go really well together. Tonight I picked up some horseradish. I couldn't find any raw horseradish roots (not in season yet?) so I bought a jar of ground organic horseradish instead. I plan to mix some in with my green juices tomorrow. Zing!!!

Juicy Diary-Day 39

(today's juices & supplements)

32 oz water

2 oz orange juice + 3 MSM + 2 cascara sagrada

1 Tbsp coconut oil dissolved in warm water

27 oz green juice (kale, cilantro, dandelion greens, spinach, celery, cucumber, green bell pepper, mini sweet red peppers, jalapenos, garlic, onion, carrots)

32 oz water

27 oz green juice

34 oz watermelon/jalapeno

16 oz watermelon/jalapeno

Total juice = 106 oz (0.83 gallons)

Total water = 64 oz (0.50 gallons)

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

Sleep & dreams: 8 hrs. No dream recall (at least not while posting this)

Exercise: 2 hours of kayaking

Sauna: nope

Energy: Awesome energy until after kayaking, and then I was just tired from all the fresh air and exercise, not low energy.

Comments: Things are humming along wonderfully. I do have a small, itchy rash on my tummy. I remember having a similar rash (in the exact same spot) about 9 years ago. At that time I had my belly button pierced and was allergic to any cheap metals touching my skin. I'm assuming this is more detox???

Juice Feast-Day 38

Done With The Heavy Lifting


Last night I did a 30-minute run/walk program on the treadmill. After I finished, I picked up a 15 lb dumbbell in each hand and kept walking for a few more minutes. Wow! I got worn out almost immediately. I've released 27 lbs so far on this feast, and picking up those weights made me really appreciate just how much I have lightened my load. I'm SO done with the heavy lifting. My body feels so much less burdened right now!

Hunger Crisis Resolved???? YES!!!!


While juice feasting, sometimes it's so hard to know if our bodies are asking us for food because it needs missing nutrients, or if the struggle is more of a psychological one. Hunger has been an almost continuous battle for me while on this feast, but I think I've finally figured some thing out.

I'm really starting to pay close attention to how each type of juice affects me. For example, I'm never hungry after drinking green juices and I'm always hungry within an hour after drinking ANY fruit juices. I know I'm

I'm still not giving my body exactly what it's asking for, because it's still asking me for Vintage Italian Pizza. Instead, I'm giving it half green juice and half fruit juice. That way I know I'm covered nutrient-wise. My green juice contains "everything but the kitchen sink", including a minimum of 2 lbs of leafy greens, 1 whole head of celery and 1 cucumber. And my fruit juices always contain at least 2-3 different fruit every day-usually at least 1 type of berry. I fear that shorting my juices on either end (fruits or greens) will evoke some kind of response that will overwhelm my resolve.

***DRINK YOUR FATS!***

I know we need them everyday, but I've been avoiding them for days. (weeks?) Today I had a Tbsp of coconut oil dissolved in warm water (my morning tea :) Juice feasting protocols recommend 1 Tbsp a day of flax/hemp oil while on this feast (slightly less often if using coconut oil). I know this is medically sound and required by our bodies for proper functioning-but I've still avoided it. It's felt too heavy to me. Today after having some I felt immediately wonderful. Totally satisfied! I wasn't craving fats this morning, I just thought that maybe it would help with hunger today. It did. All day long. I think maybe the Vintage Italian Pizza cravings are just my body asking for some more fats :)



We Can Learn A Lot From Ants
For example...Persistence.

"Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination are omnipotent. The slogan 'press on' has solve and always will solve the problems of the human race." Calvin Coolidge

Juice Diary-Day 38

(today's juice & supplements)

32 oz water

32 oz water

2 oz orange juice + 3 MSM + 2 cascara sagrada

34 oz green juice (spinach, celery, cucumber, parsley, red lettuce, mini sweet red peppers, green bell pepper, carrots, cilantro, dandelion greens, garlic, onion, jalapeno).

34 oz green juice

32 oz water

38 oz fruit juice (watermelon/raspberry)

Total juice = 108 oz (0.8 gallons)

Total water = 96 oz (0.75 gallons)

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

Sleep & dreams: 8 hrs. I remember having a lot of dreams last night, I just don't remember much in the way of content. I woke up feeling sad and remember telling my husband I had a lot of sad dreams.

Exercise: walk with dog (kayaking tomorrow!)

Sauna: nope

Energy: Really great again today. I'm hoping that I've finally figured out my hunger pattern as it relates to the types of juices I'm drinking.

Comments: Don't be fooled into thinking that green juices only "heal" and fruit juices only "cleanse." Both do both. If for example, you stop drinking greens because you don't think you have anything to "heal" or you don't like the taste, eventually your body will run short on certain nutrients that it can only get from greens. You then run the risk of feeling "hungry" by way of your body's attempt to get you to replace what is missing.

Juice Feast-Day 37

My Juicy Olympics

I was watching the U.S. Olympic trials in men's and women's gymnastics this weekend and all of the athletes inspired me to continue my juice feast. Hour after hour, day after day, year after year, these athletes have exercised tireless discipline and made incredible personal sacrifices to pursuit of their goal of representing their country in the Olympic games. When they felt like quitting, they didn't give up. We they got injured, they didn't give up. When they wanted to sleep in or relax with friends, I bet they trained anyway. You know why? They all have personal RESOLVE. What an inspiration!!!!

I decided that this juice feast is a lot like the Olympics. It's a platform for achieving the best health I can attain. My own personal road to excellence. The Olympics start on 08.08.08. That's just nine days before my 92-day juice feast ends. I know I can make it. I just have to have personal resolve!

The following poem was found in Mother Theresa's room after she died...

Anyway

People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self centered.
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies.
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you.
Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight.
Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous.
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow.
Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough.
Give the world the best you've got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God.
It was never between you and them...anyway.

Good Stuff, eh?
Juicy Diary-Day 37

(today's juices & supplements)

32 oz water

4 oz orange juice + 3 MSM + 2 cascara sagrada

8 oz watermelon/blueberry/strawberry

30 oz green juice (wheat grass, spinach from my garden!, dandelion greens, cilantro, celery, cucumber, sweet mini pepper, green bell pepper, jalapeno pepper, carrots, onion, garlic)

32 oz water

30 oz green juice

32 oz water

34 oz red grape/plum/orange

Total Juice = 106 oz (0.83 gallons)

Total Water = 96 oz (0.75 gallons)

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

Sleep & dreams: 8 hrs. No dream recall.

Exercise: Walk with dog, 1/2 hr cardio on treadmill

Sauna: 30 minutes

Energy: great! It's feels so good to have energy after my two day water fast.

Comments: This is day 37, which means I have 55 more days to go. Amazing! I'm a mere 9 days from the 1/2 way point! Yipee! I'm feeling really great today, and now that my water fast is over my skin has its juice glow back :) I had a huge BM yesterday after returning to juices from water. This turned into huge diarrhea last night. (At least it's moving on out, right?) I ordered Parastoy (a parasite cleanser) today. I plan to start it on day 45. Feeling really great about starting to add in some exercise, too.

Juice Feast-Day 35 & 36

Day 35

Two Day Water Fast is Over...

I continued my two day water fast on day 35. It was so INTENSE that I had zero energy to post yesterday-sorry about that! Anyway, it's over. And thank goodness! I definitely spiraled into a deeper state of detox. By late last night I could barely hold my head up. I experienced episodes of sneezing, coughing, headaches, and nausea. Ugh. Probably not something I'm going to do again.

Today-Day 36....

I woke up this morning light-headed and with low energy. I immediately juiced an orange, and within 5 minutes I was feeling like a human being again. I followed the orange juice up with 32 oz of water and 32 oz of watermelon/strawberry/blueberry juice. Mmmmm! Perfect! It was SO yummy and refreshing! Within a few minutes my blood sugar was back up to par and I was feeling a lot more energetic.

I discovered that water fasting is good for more than just detoxing. It's also a great way to renew your interest in juice. Lately my juices have been tasting the same, but today all of them tasted really good to me again.
Candida Issues?

I'm not sure, but I'm starting to wonder if I have candida issues in my GI track. It's likely that I've been clearing out a lot of my beneficial flora while feasting. Yeast cells are harder to expell, so now I'm concerned that I may have tipped the balance in yeast's direction. Candida is a common yeast in the skin, mouth, gut and vagina.

Signs of Yeast in the Gastrointestinal Tract (gut):
Belching or regurgitating
Coated tongue
Constipation alternating w/ diarrhea
Cramping
Diarrhea
Distention or stomach pains
Frequent heartburn
Gas
Growling/Gurgling noises
Hemorrhoids
Itching anal area
Sore gums or tingling
Sour Stomach
Unusual sensation on tongue
White area on gums
White on corners of mouth

I am currently experiencing 10 of these symptoms. I'm really not sure what to do about it at this point, other than wait it out. Ironically, one of the best ways to get rid of candida is to do a 5-day water fast. Uff da! I'm not ready for that.

Latest Weight Stats

Today marks the start of week 6, so time to weigh-in again. I'm down another 5 lbs for the week! Whooppeee!Here's a recap of my weight stats so far:

Starting weight: 188

Weight loss week #1: -11 lbs

Weight loss week #2: 3 lbs

Weight loss week #3: 4lbs

Weight loss week #4: 4 lbs

Weight loss week #5: 5 lbs

Total weight loss 27 lbs. Current weight: 161 lbs

Juicy Diary-Day 36

(today's juices & supplements)

4 oz orange juice

32 oz water + 3 MSM+2 cascara sagrada

32 oz watermelon/strawberry/blueberry

32 oz green juice (kale, cucumber, celery, dandelion greens, cilantro, zucchini, green bell pepper, garlic, onion)

32 oz green juice

32 oz water

32 oz watermelon/strawberry/blueberry

32 oz water

Total Juice = 132 oz (1.03 gallons)

Total Water = 96 0z (0.75 gallons)

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

Sleep & dreams: 9 hrs (BLISS). I can't remember exactly what I drempt about, but I know it was a bit unsettling. Probably more detox dreams.

Exercise: hike with dog

Sauna: 30 minutes

Energy: Back to normal after getting back into the juices today.

Comments: For the past few days I've been debating how long I can last on this feast. Everytime I get to a "landmark" day (like day 30) I think that I've gone far enough. After all, 30 days is great, right? I'm just not sure whether it's my ego speaking, or if my body is just ready to be done. Then after my two day water fast I was sure I was going to be done. A new day dawned, however, and now my head is back in the game again. As of today, I can still see myself hanging in there for another 56 days.