Sunday, December 21, 2014

Day 1: letting go of definitions

April 26, 2008

* In Dec, 2014, I went back and manipulated the dates so that my juice feast could be read in order from start to finish. However, I added the original date to the start of each post. 

Here we go!

1 Qt: smoothie (after this I don't use frozen fruit, and this drink is not strained through a nut milk bag, though the rest will be): banana, fzn pineapples, fzn mango, comfrey leaves, arugula sprouts, mint, lemon balm water.

wheatgrass juice in water

1 Qt + 1 cup: celery, apple and water

1 Tbsp chlorophyll in water

1/2 Qt: pineapple spinach juice (blended and strained through nut milk bag)

Raspberry leaf infusion (strong tea)

1+ Qt: carrot, cucumber, chard, apples, water, and 1 tsp spirulina


Today I opened up Eckart Tolle's A New Earth for a random quote, this is what it said:

"Give up defining yourself - to yourself and to others."

So here I was yesterday, in my intro, defining myself.

I am not all those things I said yesterday; I just AM.

That will be a little something to ponder.

Also, I plan on adding more supplements: MSM, digestive enzymes, hemp oil, and bee pollen at least. They recommend these and other supplements on www.juicefeasting.com.

You can read what Paul Pitchford says about bee pollen in Healing with Whole Foods, pp. 111-112.

Pitchford recommends trying just a grain on your tongue to test for allergies, which is a great idea because my husband tried a few grains and had a severe allergy!
Care, presence and gratitude.

Saturday, December 20, 2014

Day 2: Rooting out cravings

April 27, 2008

Today's juices:

1/2 Qt Pineapple, Spinach, Water
1/2 Qt Blended watermelon
some granules of bee pollen to try it out
1/2 Qt water
1/2 qt plus 1 cup carrot + juice from yesterday
juice of about 2.5 oranges (I juiced four, but Ella drank some, too)
1Qt: tomato, garlic greens, onion greens, yellow pepper, cucumber, celery, collard, parsley, cilantro, lemon juice, kelp, dulse and water
1/2 tsp coconut oil with a drizzle of honey, followed by water, which made my stomach burn a little. And the pain went up to the front of my right shoulder.
1/2 Qt. water with chlorophyll
1 1/2 Q pineapple, orange, spinach and water
wheatgrass juice in water


My random quote from Eckart Tolle today is:

"What is it in humans that loves to feel bad and calls it good? The pain-body, of course." (p.153 of A New Earth.)

That is a big WOW for me when it comes to food. While making my daughter's mashed potatoes and lentils today I thought, "I want it!" But how could I? It makes me feel so bad when I eat that way. But the food is so good! How can that be? I never thought it was my pain-body creating that craving. Calling that food good just to make me feel bad, because the pain-body, of course is all about pain.

I was used to understanding the pain-body in terms of my irritability, anger, and what-not. I can usually catch myself, knowing it is my pain-body feeding on those emotions. But to think of it this way sheds a whole new light.

What I realize with the juicing (and raw foods in general), is the ABSENCE of fullness, bloating, pain. And really I don't notice the absence, so it feels uncomfortable to me. The pain is not there, and so my pain-body (for more info about the pain body, look at Tolle's A New Earth or The Power of Now) is saying, "Eat this! Mmmmm, doesn't that pizza look good? Oh, yes, that is soooo good" because it wants me to feel bad, because the pain-body is like another being living inside me, and it lives on pain.

I ordered my supplements from iherb today! If you've never seen iherb, check them out: great prices.

In fact, after this last order they gave me a referral code to pass along. If you order from them, use referral code: MEL526 for $5-off.

Enjoy!

Symptoms:

My left foot hurts so much! I broke it two years ago, but it healed so quickly and has never given me pain.
rt ankle also hurt a lot. That is from a bad break when I was in high school.
insomnia last night - barely slept at all

yesterday: day 1 during my nap: dreamed I gave birth - easily, unassisted. The baby came out still in her sac (not sure if it was a girl or boy, actually.)

Friday, December 19, 2014

Day 3

April 28, 2008

I woke early because I was so hungry! I did EFT: tapping on the points saying "even though I am hungry, juice is nourishing me" (or something to that effect.) But I got up at 4:55 am and made juice. Today I had:

3/4 qt: orange, banana, spinach, 1 tsp spirulina, water
1 3/4 qt: beet, beet greens, collard, apple, carrot, water and 1 tsp bee pollen
1 1/4 qt: celery, cuke, collard, apple, lemon, romaine lettuce and water
1 qt: orange, papaya, banana, spinach, mint, lemon balm and water
1/2 qt: mango, water, ice and pinch real salt in blender (no filter)

Went to the zoo today and had good energy, but felt hungry. Brought the juice with me. Making three different quarts of juice and washing all the machines took less than an hour. (I used our Jack Lelane juice and the blender with nutmilk bag.)

I haven't had a bowel movement in three days and according to juicefeasting.com I should have 2-3/day! I decided I needed to try the enema thing. First time ever so was trying to get a feel for the whole thing. Did get some stool out, though.

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Day 4: Salsa juice

April 29, 2008

Yesterday at the zoo I was craving the salsa we brought for Ella. It was from Mad Mex (a great local restaurant) and it was their fresh raw salsa. Today I tried to create the salsa as a juice: success! It was delicious and very satisfying.

Today I drank:

1/3 qt: grapefruit, mint, lemon balm, and lg tsp bee pollen
2/3 qt: yesterday's carrot, etc
wheatgrass juice in water
1 qt salsa juice: tomato, cuke, celery, collard, cilantro, lemon, salt, yellow pepper, garlic, onion, water
1 qt: pineapple, orange, spinach, with 1 tsp spirulina and water
1 1/4 qt: carrot, apple, beet
nettle tea

Did another enema tonight. They recommend morning, which does make more sense in terms of Chinese medicine: the bowel time is 5 am - 7 am. But I am more likely not to be disturbed when Ella falls asleep in the evening. From wee hours of the morning until she wakes up, Ella is a light sleeper who nurses quite a bit.

Symptoms today:
stickiness in teeth when molars meet
stiffness
slight headache and heavy head (frontal, above eyes)
right ankle pain
shoulders, upper back and neck achy after end of long day out with Ella

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Day 5

April 30, 2008

Juices today:

2/3 qt: grapefruit, orange, mint, lemon balm, 1 tsp bee pollen
1/2 T coconut oil
nettle tea
1 qt: tomato, cuke, celery, collard, cilantro, lemon, kelp, fermented veggies, carrot, yellow pepper, onion, garlic, salt, water
1 2/3 qt: coconut water, lime, pineapple, papaya, mango, banana, mints, lemon balm, spinach, spirulina
1/2 qt: celery, cuke, lime, apple, collards

Sx:

exhausted today.
fuzzy teeth (brushed a lot)
pain in many joints (ankle, foot, wrist) -- anxiously awaiting my MSM!
cracked right thumb and middle finger -- also awaiting my hemp oil! Should probably add olive oil and more coconut oil meanwhile.
woke feeling shaky and weak during the night

I added the fermented veggies to the blender in hopes of getting probiotics. Dave assured me they would go through the sprout bag.

Dave started the master cleanse today! (He is experiencing lots of allergies and asthma this year: wheezing, coughing, itching eyes, etc.)

Here are some of my reasons for doing this juice feast:

  1. To get as healthy as possible, and ready to have another baby
  2. For best chances of a healthy and easy pregnancy and childbirth
  3. If possible, to change Rh factor, or at least make it into a non-issue by being so healthy
  4. To live an energetic and long life
  5. To achieve ideal weight
  6. To adjust physically and emotionally my way of eating/nourishment
  7. Connect to the earth
  8. To be free of joint pain, stiffness and achiness

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Day 6

May 1, 2008

Juices:

  • 1 qt: grapefruit, orange, spinach + 1 lg tsp bee pollen (I love the bee pollen!)
  • wheatgrass in water
  • 1 1/2 qt: tomato, cuke, celery, lime, pepper, arugula, dandelion greens, cilantro, salt, kelp, onion, garlic, water
  • 1 tsp coconut oil
  • raspberry leaf tea
  • 1 qt: banana, young coconut flesh, pineapple, apple, lime, water, spinach
  • 1 qt watermelon juice
  • 1 qt: comfrey, chives, onion, garlic, arugula, dandelion greens, cilantro, lime, tomato, cuke, celery, pepper, salt, water, avocado, olive oil, spirulina


Today I really wanted to eat, and then I didn't, and then the real feelings came up: I was so sad and missed my daughter Molly so much.

Symptoms:

  • slept great! the whole night through and I hardly ever have done that in my life
  • hungry
  • right thumb and middle finger still cracked
  • phlegmy
  • teeth not as fuzzy
  • irritable this morning
  • very tired by 6:30 pm
  • fuzzy teeth returned in the evening


Today I asked "what is the answer to everything?" and then opened A New Earth to a random quote. The answer is: (from page 245)

"All you have to do is watch it happening."

Monday, December 15, 2014

Pictures from before and week 1

May 2, 2008




On the top is me just before starting the juice feast. Below is me on day 7. Hmmm. Maybe the slightest difference? Suddenly I have a neck, although I did just return from a yoga class in the second picture.

Before (top) = 182 lbs
Day 7 (below) = 175 lbs

Today's Juice:

  • 1 Qt Grapefruit, orange, dandelion greens, spinach, peppermint, spearmint, applemint, lemon balm + 1 tsp bee pollen
  • 1/2 Qt tomato etc from yesterday
  • 1/2 Qt Butternut squash, apple, ginger and water with cinnamon (yum!)
  • 1 Qt and 1 cup tomato, arugula, cuke, celery, lime, onion, garlic, yellow pepper, salt, onion powder (not a great idea, ick), tumeric, 1/4 tsp kelp, 1 tsp spirulina, olive oil
  • 1 1/2 qt carrot, apple, beet and water
  • coconut oil
  • 1 cap cascara sagrada


I did do an enema tonight, which released some stuff, though I still feel bloated.

Felt very sad missing Molly this morning. Went to a great yoga class, though. Very inward focus, just what I needed.

Sunday, December 14, 2014

Day 8

May 3, 2008

Last night I dreamed my teeth (and fillings) were falling out. In my dream, I had a nervous habit of pushing on my teeth, and then they'd just come out. I used to have this dream all the time, but I haven't had it in a long time. As usual, upon waking I checked my teeth, and they felt fine...strong, actually. (though still furry/fuzzy.)

Enema this morning...seemed like more went in that came out. Hmmm. I put salt into the water today, and a few drops of lavender oil.

Juices:


  • 1/4 tsp MSM and lemon in 1/2 qt water
  • 1 qt: 2 oranges, 1 grapefruit, spinach and 1 Tbsp bee pollen
  • 1 2/3 qt: tomatoes, cuke, celery, cilantro, arugula, garlic, onion, hemp oil, spirulina, keop, orange pepper
  • 1 tsp coconut oil
  • 1 qt strawberries, 2 apples, 1 banana, 1 orange -- YUM!
  • 1 Tbsp liquid chlorophull in 1/2 qt water
  • 1 qt yam, apple, lemon + yesterday's apple, carrot beet (mmm...sweet. The sweet potato is more starchy/powdery than the butternut sqash)
  • 1 capsule cascara sagrada

Today, I entered all my foods into fitday.com because I read on Angela Stokes's juice feast blog that you are supposed to get at least 1500 calories. My breakdown was:
1735 calories: 14% fat, 79% carbs, 7% protein.
I'm sure it's slightly different, because I put in the raw foods, instead of juices.

I did a second enema tonight, though I didn't really want to (didn't listen to myself!) Suddenly I got a shooting, stabbing sharp pain across my intestines and into my anus. I couldn't sit or stand...I just had to hobble into bed and sleep. I used to get this years ago (in 1991-ish, when I was in massage school) because I had such awful constipation. But since having my first child 8 years ago (actually being pregnant with her) I haven't had a problem with constipation since...until now. So I'm not too happy with that.

Symptoms today:

  • low back pain
  • constipation
  • rt shoulder tightness/pain
  • shooting pain in intestines (while evacuating during enema)
  • fuzzy feeling on teeth

Also...I haven't lost any weight since Wednesday. I'm not focused on the NUMBERS, but I think this is indicative of the constipation.

Saturday, December 13, 2014

Day 9 -- Blip

May 4, 2008

Baby lambs quarters in my juice!

Well, today was a little blip in the journey.

I totally panicked about the constipation thing, I realize now. I had a headache a few days ago, and I didn't think twice about it. But constipation....wow! Interesting....

So, I did do some things today to get fiber...had a couple smoothies without straining them, and I did (gasp) eat some soaked prunes. But I stuck with juices for the most part and I think I will forge ahead with this now not-so-perfect juice feast.

Today I had:

  • water with lemon and MSM
  • 1 qt smoothie: orange, banana, water with 1 Tbsp liquid chlorophyll
  • 1 qt juice: tomato, microgreens from thinning garden (with itty bitty lamb's quarters!! Yeah!), celery, cucumber, cilantro, lime, fermented veggies, hemp oil, orange pepper, garlic, onion, water mixed with yesterday's leftover green juice
  • 1 Tbsp coconut oil drizzled with raw honey
  • Raspberry tea
  • 6 soaked prunes and drank the soak water, too
  • ate a few pea sprouts and arugula microgreen from garden
  • 1/2 qt smoothie: juice from a couple oranges, strawberries, apples, soaked prunes and soak water, baby lettuce
  • wheatgrass in 1/2 qt water
  • juice of 2 oranges with 2 tsp bee pollen


I read more about enemas in a book called "Prescription for Herbal Healing" by Phyllis Balch. I liked her explanation of how, and also she recommended putting lemon juice in the water.

Ok...going to try to not focus on the constipation. Just do what I need to do (enemas, movement/exercise) and move on.

Speaking of exercise, we dusted off our rebounder and I did 10 minutes today, in small segments (2 minutes, 3 min, 2 min, 1.5 minutes, 1.5 minutes). Ella and I took turns on it, and I stretched a bit while she jumped. I took a tiny walk, too.

Friday, December 12, 2014

Day 10: Back on Track

May 5, 2008

I had a much better day today! What I love about this whole juicing experience is the EASE of it all. I either use our juicer, which I then rinse out immediately, or I use the blender, gigantic measuring cup and nutmilk bag. Everything just rinses right out. I also use a colander to wash the greens and produce, a cutting board and knife. I use 2 one-quart jars (one to put my juice in, one to store extra in fridge), and that is basically it. It's just so simple.

Today I also thinned and weeded the garden - and I collected all the microgreens and edible weeds as I went along, and had a HUGE bagful when I was done. (Dave and Ella helped, too.)

My juices today:

  • 1 tsp MSM and lemon in 1/2 qt water
  • 1 qt: pesto juice! : tomato, basil, garlic, spinach, salt, hemp oil, kelp, water
  • 1 qt: pineapple, orange, strawberries, and tons and tons of microgreens!
  • 1 1/2 cups blended watermelon
  • 1 Tbsp coconut oil with a drizzle of raw honey and some spirulina mixed in - like a decadent dessert!!
  • 1 1/2 qts: tomato, carrot, celery, cuke, orange pepper, onion, garlic, cilantro, arugula and more microgreens, salt, lemon and lime.
  • 1 cup orange juice (4 squeezed oranges) + 1 cup water
  • 1/2 qt leftover yam, apple, carrot, beet (from a couple days ago...but it still tasted good. I added a cup or so of water.)

I also did 1/2 hour of yoga, with pandora set onto Enya station - delightful.

And I went overboard on the rebounder...10 minutes, then 2 minutes, then 10 minutes more after yoga, which was a mistake. BUT, I can tell I am craving more exercise, and need to get out walking or even jogging again. I'd love to run in the Greenfield Glide 5K on June 1!

Thursday, December 11, 2014

Day 11 - Butterflies

May 6, 2008

I woke at 5 am today shaky and hungry. I knew I should have made a green veggie juice last night, but I went for what was already made: the sugary yam/apple/carrot/beet. I guess it threw my blood sugar off. I had a Tbsp of cholorphyll in 1/2 water, but it didn't help too much, though I was able to fall back to sleep eventually.

Today's juices:

  • 3 qt: tomato, cucumber, celery, carrot, pepper, lemon, lime, onion, garlic, thyme, arugula, spinach, cilanto with hemp oil, kelp and spirulina
  • 1 qt: strawberries, orange, apple, spinach
  • just under a qt: grapefruit, orange, lime, cilantro and 3 types of mint from garden with honey and 1 Tbsp bee pollen
  • 2 Tbsp coconut oil with honey and spirulina (after the first Tbsp, was so good I had to make more)

We're out of tomatoes, peppers, cilantro, limes and onions!

I ran a bit today. Maybe not even a mile, but I was out there. I also had the 1/2 hour walk back, and the walk around Phipps Conservatory...the butterflies were incredible there today.

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Day 12: Lotsa savory veggie juice

May 7, 2008

I am craving lots of savory, onion-garlic-pepper type of juices with lots of greens! Though the fruit juices still taste yummy to me, it's just not what I want.

Today's juice:

  • water with lemon and 1 tsp MSM
  • 1 qt borscht: beet and beet greens, carrot, celery, cucumber, spinach, fermented veggies, lemon, garlic, with hemp oil, kelp and salt.
  • 1 1/2 qt: fruit juice: strawberries, oranges, apples, banana, spinach + 1 Tbsp bee pollen
  • nearly 3 qts tabouli juice: tomatoes, celery, cukes, carrot, parsley, mint, orange bell pepper, garlic, onion, lemon and greens and weeds: arugula, lamb's quarters, comfrey, dandelion greens, plantain leaves.
  • 1 cup apple juice with water and lemon
  • bite of an avocado (!!!)
  • I took a sublingual B12 from Trader Joe's, which was made like a homeopathic remedy in that it was a big sugar (lactose) pill. It didn't seem to give me any extra energy. In fact, I'm quite tired right now (and hungry! After all that juice!)
  • nearly 1 quart of watermelon juice

I had lots of juice today and I'm still hungry. I have 1/2 qt of the borscht juice left and maybe I'll drink that. Also we bought a big organic watermelon at Whole Foods, so perhaps I'll dive into that. (I ended up going with the watermelon, as you can see from above list.)

My raw friend Wendi of www.purejeevan.com came over and said I was glowing - so that's good news.

Day 13 - MSM

May 8, 2008

I just noticed I didn't have any MSM today. I haven't noticed a difference yet in my joint pain and stiffness...but to hear/read people's experience with it, it sounds amazing! (I added information about it below.)

Tomorrow will be 2 weeks of juice feasting! I'll post pictures.

My juices today:

  • 1 qt watermelon juice with a squeeze of lemon
  • 2 qts salsa juice: carrot, celery, cuke, tomato, onion, garlic, pepper, lime, homemade sprouts, spinach, cilantro and lime + spirulina, hemp oil, kelp
  • 2 slices of avocado with lemon and salt
  • 1 Tbsp coconut oil with spirulina and honey
  • 1/2 qt: apple with lemon and water
  • 1 qt: sprouts, spinach, apples, oranges, strawberries, banana with 1 Tbsp bee pollen
  • dried nettle, fresh mint and fresh lemon balm tea
  • 2 cups water with lemon and MSM (I'm drinking it now.)

Information about MSM can be found on the www.Juicefeasting.com website.



I also read that to make your own lotion: mix the msm powder into aloe gel or coconut oil.

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Day 13 - post 2 - Feeling Sad

May 8, 2008


Baking holiday cookies at Wendi's

Today I wanted to eat again. I tried to convince myself that a raw food diet is just as good. I didn't eat, but later, while doing yoga in a quiet space, I looked up a picture of me on the beach, holding my beloved Molly, and the sadness just flowed: I cried and cried.

I'm grateful to have had 8 years with my loving daughter, but it went too fast. When she died, at first I could not accept the present moment at all. My mind literally tried to figure out how to go back in time (if all time exists now, why can't I go back?) Or, if not that, then how do I jump to a parallel existence (the ones that all the people in quantum physics talk about), - one where she is still alive?

Eventually I let go of that, but then I latched on to the anger I felt at the doctors - and myself for allowing her in their clutches (I can't possibly say "care", that's for sure.)

And finally, I just sometimes feel this incredible sadness and emptiness that she is not with me physically on this earth anymore.

One week on the New Earth webcast with Eckhart Tolle and Oprah, they talked about how when loved ones pass, you can actually feel their spirit with you more, if you can be open to that. I haven't experienced that peace yet, but it's comforting knowing that.

Leela Mata, of Peaceful Valley Ashram, told me that my sadness holds Molly to this past incarnation, and to do my best to let that go so she can move on with her journey. Mostly I feel like I do a good job, but sometime I just miss her so much.

Monday, December 8, 2014

Day 14 -- two weeks!

May 9, 2008


I think I'm going to post pictures monthly, because there doesn't seem to be a lot of change. ... To see Before and week 1 pictures, visit this entry

Today's juices:

  • 1/2 qt: yesterday's fruit with spinach juice
  • 1 qt: watermelon juice (organic! Juiced with skin)
  • 2 qts: salsa juice + hemp oil and spirulina
  • 1 qt: beet, carrot, celery, cuke, apple, parsely, arugula, mung bean sprouts, spinach
  • 3/4 qt: apple juice+ water + 1 Tbsp liquid chlorophyll
  • Tbsp coconut oil with spirulina and a drizzle of honey (yesterday, Ella said this tasted like frosting, and it totally does! I will frost a raw cookie or cake with it when I'm done with the fast. Though I might put raw cacao in for the spirulina ;-)
  • (I'll probably have some watered down oj with chlorophyll and bee pollen later)

Yoga class today at Breathe yoga studio was divine, but difficult.

Then we went to visit D's parents...went on a walk in the park, but then back to their house while they ate Chinese food (oh, it smelled good) and I sipped my salsa juice. At least I wasn't alone: Dave finished Day 10 of the Master Cleanse today! He is so ready to eat. He usually can't stand Chinese food and says the smell makes him sick and today he said it was the hardest thing not to eat yet, it smelled so good.

He's hungry!

I'm hungry, too, though. Last night all I dreamed about was eating and eating and more eating and when I wasn't eating I was talking about going to the grocery store to get more food to eat. I woke during the night with such huge hunger pains! I tried having my leftover fruit juice, but it tasted too bitter (though this morning it tasted fine.) I'm hungry right now, too.

Start Weight: 182 lbs
End of week 1: 175
End of week 2: 172

Sunday, December 7, 2014

Day 15 - Lucky Clover

May 10, 2008



Here's a four leaf clover my friend Tara found in our garden the other day


Yesterday on our walk I found a four leaf clover. And today, weeding in the garden, I saw a five-leaf clover! I took a picture...if it uploads well I'll post it.

Today, we were at Phipps again, taking in all the beautiful sights, and experiencing floods of butterflies (their butterfly room has NEVER been this good). We were outside in their chocolate exhibit when the stroller that had my quarts of juice on it tipped back -- and one of my jars broke! Oh, my precious juice! It was my savory one, too...all mixed with hemp oil and spirulina. I did have another quart of that juice, but without the oil (the oil really yums it up) or spirulina added.

After Phipps we made our rounds: Coop, Trader Joe's and Whole Foods, and this time we tried to get enough for the whole week. It will certainly save us on gas money, the past two weeks we've been running across town for this or that every other day. Filling up our gas tank cost us $80 now, so one trip a week will be much better. Plus, more time in the garden. We spent $160 on my organic produce plus a couple extra things like bread, cheese, tomato sauce for the family. But we aren't eating out much (Ella still gets lunch at Phipps or Lulu's noodles when we're in Oakland), which hopefully balances out the increase in groceries.

I also did my caloric intake on Fitday again (just to be sure, since I've been so hungry) and I had about 1700 calories, which seems like it ought to be enough. 25% fat (with the 1/4 avocado - which I don't have every day, 1 Tbsp hemp oil and 1 Tbsp coconut oil - without the avo it was still 22% fat), 67% carbs, and 8% protein (34 grams, which is surely enough. Plus, I watched a great video of Tonya Kay talking about the protein question...I put it at the end of this entry. It's awesome.)

(Hey - it is my lucky day! Lime in the Coconut is on the radio right now! I'm listening to WERS's weekend kid's show The Playground - I used to live in Boston; WERS is a public radio station from Emerson College.) Now I feel I should put the video of Kermit the Frog singing this song (it's GREAT!)...but two videos in one entry? I'll have to post it tomorrow...something to look forward to.)

My juices:

  • grapefruit, orange juice with water and 1 Tbsp liquid chlorophyll
  • 1qt: watermelon juice with rind, plus 1 Tbsp liquid chlorophyll
  • 1 qt: apple, lemon, water and 1 Tbsp liquid chlorophyll
  • 1 qt: veggie juice: carrot, celery, cuke, tomato, spinach, sprouts, lemon, cilantro, onion, garlic, pepper
  • 1 qt: corn, tomato, pepper, onion, garlic, cilantro, lime, lemon balm (huge amount from garden) baby lamb's quarters, sprouts, spinach some apple juice from above, hemp oil, spirulina
  • 1 Tbsp coconut oil with bee pollen and honey mixed in
  • 1/4 avocado with salt and lemon

Saturday, December 6, 2014

Day 16 - Happy Mother's Day!

May 11, 2008

Here I am, making my Mother's Day juice: strawberries, apples, and lots of mint and lemon balm from the garden - it was really good!



Happy Mother's Day, everyone! Cheers!



For Mother's Day this year, I got myself ANASTASIA, the Complete 9 Book Set, By Vladimir Megre - yes, the WHOLE set. I've already read the first one, and it was really great.

My juices:

  • Leftover apple juice from yesterday
  • 1 qt: Mother's Day juice: strawberries, apples, bunch lemon balm and mints with water and chlorophyll
  • leftover savory juices from yesterday (about 3/4 quart) with hemp oil
  • coconut oil, spirulina and honey
  • 1/4 avo with lemon and salt
  • shared the water of a young coconut with Ella
  • made 2 qts: corn, tomato, cuke, carrot, celery, lemon, lime, cilantro, sprouts, spinach, green apple, onion, yellow pepper, garlic, ginger - drank a quart so far
  • also made a quart of watermelon juice

Yesterday I cleaned out my freezer and found old spirulina tablets, so I am finishing those.

Today I am cleaning out our spice and herb cabinet...it is overwhelming. So many little plastic baggies from the coop -- some so old the writing is gone. I put my newly bought dry herbs: raspberry leaves, nettle, and hawthorn berry, into jars. I've organized the seaweed. Washed the cabinets...it looks great in there...but I still have about 50 little baggies that are in limbo (I've thrown out a bunch) - maybe I have enough little jars to store some, I'll have to see.

Friday, December 5, 2014

Day 17: Making the Juice

May 12, 2008

Not much new to report today...the strawberry, apple, lemon balm mint juice may be the best thing on the planet, though. I did write an article about meditation, posted on the Birch Center blog (my sister blog to this one.)

Today my juices were pretty much the same as yesterday. I made them all in one sitting, though, so I thought I'd discuss how I go about making 5.5 quarts of three different kinds of juices and clean up all in less than an hour (or about an hour.)

  • First: I make the fruit juices first. That way, I don't have to rinse the equipment before making the veggie juice. A little sweet apple in veggie juice (there's apple in there anyway!) is a lot better than onions and garlic in my fruit juices.
  • I like getting something in the nut mylk bag, so I can hang it on a cabinet and get it dripping while I do other things. I saw this tip in David and Katrina's juice feasting blog a while back.
  • In the blender I put my apples, strawberries, and mints (today there was an orange that Dave started to eat but didn't like, so that went in, too.) Oh, also some lovely fresh clover sprouts which just finished growing in our amazing FreshLife Sprouter - I love this thing! It is my favorite piece of equipment I've bought since going raw.
  • I blend it all with some ice (I have a Kitchen Aid Blender, and if I blend too long the juice will warm up, so I add a little ice to keep the temp down. It works great.) Then I pour it in the nut mylk bag and hang it over an oversize measuring cup on a plate (I don't want to lose any precious juice!)
  • Then I move over to the Jack Lelane juicer, and juice my watermelon - skin and all (it's organic - with seeds!! Since I will be trying to have another baby, I like to eat fertile fruit (with seeds), versus seedless.) I juiced 1/4 of the watermelon which makes about quart of juice. Pour into a quart jar, and put the lid on right away, so I don't accidentally spill it. If it makes extra, that is great because I will drink it right there.
  • Then still on the Lelane, I juice carrots, celery (an entire bunch), cucumber, tomatoes, apples, bell pepper and a lemon with skin (organic.)
  • Back to the blender to mix the greens: today was beet greens, sprouts and cilantro, with corn, onion, garlic and a lime, with a bit of water and ice.
  • I squeeze out the rest of the fruit juice from the nut mylk bag, put it in a quart jar (drink any extra).
  • I empty the pulp from the bag and pour the green juice in and squeeze that out.
  • Then, I gather the pulp from the Lelane, which is still QUITE JUICY, stick that in the bag and squeeze that out, too. Today I got 2 extra cups of juice from the pulp!!! Yikes. Not a plus for the old Lelane Juicer. I may dig out our Champion Juicer before I'm done with the feast.
  • I mix the two veggie juices together and that is my green veggie juice (GVJ)for the day (Today was 3 quarts!)
  • I just rinse all my equipment, wipe the counter, compost the pulp, sweep the floor and I'm ready for the day!!

Thursday, December 4, 2014

Days 18 and 19

May 14, 2008

Life gave me a kick in the pants yesterday, but by this morning I was able to look at the little glitch as a blessing and hopefully will move on gracefully. Just a little business glitch...the family is A-OK, thank goodness.

But the stress of yesterday really took it out of me. I tried to be present yesterday - even listened to some of Eckhart's webcast with Oprah to help me stay focused, but today I found myself out of breath at the littlest things (going upstairs, etc.)

BUT: I did have a marvelous and wonderful massage this morning - just what I needed! I noticed a big difference since being on this juice feast, too. Usually, as good as massages feel (I love massage, being a massage therapist myself), getting up off the table is painful: my lower back has usually seizes up and I'm stiff. But today, I only had a twinge of lower back pain (right side) at the end, and everything felt looser during and after the massage. Yay!

Yesterday I had only about 4 quarts of juice...which is the recommended amount, but I usually have more. I had the usual:

* juice of three oranges with water, chlorophyll and bee pollen

* strawberry, apple, mints, spinach, sprouts with 1 Tbsp chlorophyll - 1 quart

* watermelon with chlorophyll - 1 quart

* Green Veggie Juice (GVJ) with the usual suspects: carrots, cuke, celery, pepper, onion, tomato, garlic, spinach, cilantro, lime, lemon, sprouts, green apple - 2 quarts.

Today I made same as above, except the GVJ had orange beets and arugula as well, and so made 3 quarts.

So far I only drank the oj, apple/strawberry/mint/etc, 2 quarts of GVJ and some watermelon juice.

BUT, I made the most amazing soup (juice eaten with a spoon from a bowl) for dinner! Dave made lentil soup which smelled sooo very good, so I had to create something besides my usual.

Here is the recipe:

Juice:

* About 4 inches of the top of a butternut squash (mine was about 2" diameter)
* 1 tomato with a garlic clove pushed in (to get the garlic to through the juicer better)
* ginger
* 2 celery stalks
* 1/4 yellow pepper

To the bowl of delicious orange soup I added a squeeze of lemon and some hemp oil (optional). It was simply divine.

I wish I had taken a picture of this beautiful creation before gobbling (slurping) it up. Maybe I'll make it again tomorrow.

For eaters: some chopped tomato and basil in the soup would be amazing, I think.

The strawberries, watermelon and sprouts are gone (though I have sunflower sprouts starting in the old FreshLife Sprouter.

But a pineapple awaits, and Penni's mint julep recipe may be just the thing for tomorrow!

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Day 20 - Encore of Squash Soup

May 15, 2008



I made it again - the delicious butternut squash soup (above.) By soup, of course I mean juice poured into a bowl and eaten with a spoon.

I posted the recipe yesterday, but it was so easy: juiced butternut squash, tomato, garlic, ginger, yellow bell pepper, celery with some lemon squeezed on top.

The rest of today's juice was loaded with greens...greens from the garden! Some kale, spinach, chard, and arugula, but more than that: lots of lamb's quarters and plantain leaves and other "weeds" that I now harvest for health! (When I weed and thin the garden now, I do it with a big bowl next to me.)

Sad news about the garden: we went to plant our 50 strawberry plants and when we opened the package they were all moldy :-( Luckily, when we called Miller's Nursery they agreed to replace them, because they are supposed to be OK for two weeks after shipping, and they just sent it out two weeks ago (phew.)

So we did our three sisters planting: squash, corn and beans. And we did it Anastasia-style: giving the seed information about us by putting it under our tongue and holding it in our hands up to the sun first. That way, the plants are supposed to learn about us and our health needs, and they will produce the fruits and vegetables in a way which helps us! (All that information is in the first Anastasia book, by Vladimir Megre.)

The rest of the juices for today were:

  • 1 quart: pineapple and mints from the garden (spearmint, apple mint, peppermint, lemon balm)
  • 1 quart: Green Veggie Juice (leftover from yesterday) with hemp oil
  • about a quart of watermelon juice leftover from yesterday
  • about 1 quart of the soup (above)
  • and I still have 2 quarts of today's GVJ made that I didn't drink yet. It had the usual: celery, carrots, cucumber, yellow pepper, onion, garlic, lemon, lime, green apple, orange beets and greens greens greens! (I'm tasting it now, and I really notice the lack of cilantro. It's much better with cilantro and tomato.)
  • 1 Tbsp coconut oil with spirulina and honey


I'll probably drink at least a quart of that green veggie juice, and maybe also have a little orange juice with bee pollen before the day is through.

Monday, December 1, 2014

Day 21 - Three Weeks!

May 16, 2008

Day 21 - Three Weeks - Yeah!

Today I have been juice feasting for three weeks! Unfortunately we did not get a picture today because it was a running around sort of day, but tomorrow should be more low-key so hopefully I'll get a picture and get it up there. I did lose some more weight:

start: 182 lbs
week 3: 168 lbs

Today I went to a blissful and amazing yoga class again at Breathe. I just love the teacher, Maggie. Today we did handstands...lots of great fun. I used to be a gymnast and at one time in my life I felt as at home on my hands as I did on my feet. I have been thinking of handstands lately...especially with my tight painful right shoulder - which isn't so tight and painful anymore! (I literally just noticed that.) I had recently been thinking it would be nice to get back up-side-down and also to be able to do a back bend again (which, even when I was doing flips and twists galore, I would wince at a "simple" walkover, because my back was never that flexible.) So perhaps tomorrow's picture I'll be on my hands (if not tomorrow, then in the near future) and maybe by the end of the feast, I'll be in a back bend! Stranger things have happened, right?

Today's Juice:

  • juice of three oranges with water, bee pollen and chlorophyll
  • 1 1/2 qts yesterday's GVJ (green veggie juice)
  • 1 qt pineapple, spinach, cilantro, and parsley (wonderful!)
  • 1/2 qt apples, celery, lime with water and chlorophyll
  • 1 1/2 qts butternut squash, celery, tomatoes, yellow pepper, onion, garlic, ginger, spinach, cilantro, lime, lemon (this juice was delicious before adding the b'nut squash and celery, which I juiced separately in the Jack Lelane. Once I added the squash it became much sweeter and took on a totally different taste and was still quite good.)
  • Also had 1/8 avocado with lemon juice and salt

Didn't have my regular oils today (hemp and coconut) because of all the running around. Also missed the spirulina and haven't taken MSM in quite a while. Must start that soon...I'm noticing at night that my elbow is quite stiff.

A final note: I did get my period today...fairly light and a little cramping, but I am so happy that my body is back into a cycle after the miscarriage/hemorrhage on April 9, and all the FEAR-based warnings the nurse-midwives had for me if I didn't get to the hospital right away, (which I didn't go at all) etc etc. So anyway, yeah for my body!

Sunday, November 30, 2014

Day 22 - Answering Questions

May 17, 2008

I was so tired today and just could not get a good picture. Hopefully tomorrow.

I thought today I'd answer a couple questions that have been asked:

Hi Melissa, Congratulations on completing week 3! I am curious about how often you drink your juice, especially on a "run around" day like you mentioned today. How do your days out and about differ from a more typical day?

(I left off the name because I am unsure about blogging etiquette...)

I probably drink a half to a quart of juice every 1 1/2 or 2 hours I think (I follow my hunger). Usually I make my juice in the morning: at least 2 quarts of some sweet juice and 2-3 quarts of savory. When I go out I take at least one quart of sweet and one quart of savory just so all my cravings are covered. I put a couple ice cubes into my juice jars, and if I'm taking the car I will take a cooler and put all my juices in there. I also usually take a canvas bag so I can carry at least one juice around with me - usually I'll put in two (one sweet, one savory.)

Today I had:

  • water, lemon and MSM (I also took an enzyme capsule this morning)
  • juice of two oranges with water, bee pollen and chlorophyll
  • 1 quart green vegetable juice from yesterday (the one with squash)
  • 1 Tbsp coconut oil, honey, spirulina
  • 1 quart: tomato, celery, yellow pepper, onion, garlic, ginger, lime, cilantro, spinach, parsley, with hemp oil and spirulina
  • juice from a couple young Thai coconuts (shared with Ella)
  • some avocado with lemon juice and salt
  • 1 quart: celery, cuke, carrots, ginger, garlic, onion, pepper, mints, greens, apple, lemon, lime, salt
  • nettle tea
  • 1/2 quart water with lemon, honey and MSM

Another question I received:

I am curious about the small amount of avocado that I see you've had along with your feasting. Is that just something you're for a reason? I thought maybe you know something I don't.

No, actually, avocados are not really on the juice feast. They contain fiber and so should not technically be eaten - it slows down the cleanse. I don't know why I continue to eat them - probably some emotional crutch that I haven't let go of, yet. (I also don't filter all the pulp out after squeezing my orange juice - yikes!)

Finally, I'm asked quite a lot about fiber, as in, "but there is no fiber! That's not really natural..."

It is true this feast does not contain fiber. For the best and complete information, please see www.juicefeasting.com. From what I understand, this juice feast is not meant to be a diet that is followed indefinitely. It is meant as a healing diet which can safely be followed at home (due to the high nutrient and calorie content, unlike something like extended water fasting.) Once people have reached their ideal weight and have NO health issues remaining, it is best to go off the feast, or go to a modified juice feast (watch David and Katrina's Day 71 video on www.globaljuicefeast.com. Basically a modified juice feast consists of a diet high in juice: 2 - 4 quarts, plus fruits and veggies, but no nuts and seeds.) This juice feast is meant to span up to 3 months (92 days) or so, when tackling health issues. If after that length of time health issues still remain, it is still best to come off this feast and go onto a modified juice feast, in which you eat healthfully in addition to consuming lots of juice (the Gerson diet is one example of this.)

The lack of fiber allows the body to go into a cleansing and detoxifying mode. The purposes of this feast are to: rehydrate, alkalize, cleanse and rebuild.

I've also been asked for some recipes and more about the supplements, so I will get to those soon!

Thanks for reading!
xoxo
~Melissa

Saturday, November 29, 2014

Day 23 - I need a blue sky holiday...

May 19, 2008

Where is the moment we needed the most
You kick up the leaves and the magic is lost
They tell me your blue skies fade to gray
They tell me your passion's gone away
And I don't need no carryin' on

...Daniel Powter, Bad Day

I did juice today, but what made the day so BAD was that in Trader Joe's, I saw the doctor who was responsible for Molly's "care" (read: death). I always wondered what I'd do if I saw him...all I managed was to leave the store and retreat to a nearby yarn store and wait for Dave and Ella to finish shopping (and cry and cry.) To top it off: he has the reputation of being THE BEST doctor in all of Children's Hospital. Yes, the best they offer is a doctor who would not listen to us, over medicate to the hilt (until she was unconscious, therefore "more comfortable" in their view,) and not feed her for a week, then insist she's too thin (duh!) and needs G-tube surgery. This is why we all need to stay as healthy as possible and keep away from the doctors! And the sad thing is - I knew that - but I was at a point where I thought I needed some help figuring out what was wrong/why she was so uncomfortable, and I walked right into the lion's den.

Ok, enough of that. Later that day I asked Dave to take my week 3 picture, and that did not go too well, either. When I related the story to my friend Wendi of www.purejeevan.com, she told me to post the pics (and story) anyway, so here it is:

So first, I ask him to take my picture so I can put it up. He stays sitting on the couch and when he takes the picture it's at an "up" angle, and I look like a giant:



So I ask him to please stand up so he can take a level picture, but instead of standing up he just holds the camera above his head and clicks, but of course his hand moves and it turns out fuzzy and out of focus:



And finally, by the time he gets up I am so annoyed it's impossible to smile for a nice picture:



But anyway, you can still contrast it to my "before" picture (just 23 days before):



My juices today:

  • orange juice with bee pollen and chlorophyll
  • quart of gvj from yesterday
  • quart watermelon juice
  • quart delicious: tomato, cuke, celery, carrot, pepper, onion, garlic, ginger, spinach, sunflower sprouts, cilantro
  • I also had my MSM, hemp oil, coconut oil with spirulina and honey, and avocado, which must totally be a crutch because after seeing that doctor all I wanted to do was EAT, so I settled with the avocado....

Friday, November 28, 2014

Day 24 - "Love Who You Are and Forgive" - Louise Hay

May 19, 2008

I found such an excellent juice feasting blog today: Michelle's Juice Feast. She recently finished her feast, and her blog is such a wealth of experience and information! I found it as a link on Penni's juice feasting blog (which I read everyday!) I am going to have to update my list of links.

Today was a strange day: freezing cold here in Pittsburgh, I could not get warm. (Typically I am a "hot" person.) I'm still wearing my shawl/scarf, and I went on the rebounder three times just to keep warm. I also kept drinking cups of red roobios chai with honey.

I craved tomatoes and cilantro all day...all I wanted was green veggie juice made with cilantro and tomatoes! I know that cilantro is supposed to take out heavy metals, and I read recently tomatoes are cleansing to the liver...but I'd like to find out more about these foods. (Actually, Penni's blog, that I mentioned above, has a recent entry all about cilantro.) I didn't want fruit juice at all, but I did have lots of orange and grapefruit juice, because I could use the hand citrus juicer, and Ella was sleeping in the hammock in the living room and I didn't want to wake her by turning on a juicing machine.

My sprout bag ripped at the seem...pulp was squirting out at I was squeezing it through. I'm going to pull out my Champion Juicer, and I hope that spinach greens, cilantro and parsley (and the like) go through there well. I read (on Courtney Pool's blog) that you can apparently get some sort of paint straining cloth at places like Lowe's and Home Depot that can be used to strain juice, but I haven't been able to locate it either online or at a hardware store.

Today I had:

  • a quart of green veggie juice from yesterday
  • 1/2 qt honeydew juice with 1/2 Tbsp chlorophyll (I actually made a quart of this juice with a Tbsp chlorophyll...but the melon was not organic, and it really bothered me! I got a headache and felt a scratchiness in my throat, I just couldn't finish it.)
  • juice of one grapefruit and one orange with water
  • 3 qts (throughout the day) of GVJ: tomatoes, onion, yellow pepper, ginger, garlic, cilantro, spinach, carrots, cucumber, celery
  • juice of five oranges with bee pollen and water
  • 1/2 avo with dulse, lemon and salt
  • coconut oil with honey and spirulina
  • lots of red tea/chai with honey (naturally caffeine free)
  • extra water

I had a pain under my left ribs all day today; really bothersome. Thought maybe it was all the tea or possibly not enough water so I drank extra water but it didn't help. I'll try an enema within the next couple days.

Also, I was a total irritable crankpot today! Just so grouchy. Still felt emotionally down and heavy with sadness from yesterday. I think that what is going on is that I haven't been able to forgive myself and that is what is coming up, because I need to do that. The quote in the subject line: Love Who You Are and Forgive is from Louise Hay. I just heard it today when I was listening to her interview on Raw Vegan Radio.

And, my face is breaking out a bit. Detox, detox, detox (I'm guessing.)

Has everyone noticed the beautiful full moon tonight? It's so lovely. Last night, it was amazing as black clouds covered and uncovered it in incredible ways. I am awake a lot at night. It's nice to be able to see the moon out the window.

Thursday, November 27, 2014

Day 25!!!

May 20, 2008

Today, since my sprout bag sprung a leak, I dug out my Champion Juicer. It worked pretty well! I had to cut up the fruits and veggies much thinner than I was used to (I could just throw big chunks into the blender and the Jack Lelanne's opening was big enough for whole apples!) Also, the motor got very hot with all the juices I made; I had to stop and rest it a few times, and also take some pulp out from over the screen a couple times. But, all in all, it seemed to work well. It did well juicing the spinach, parsley and cilantro, which was my main concern. The Lelanne does not do greens well at all: just spits them out the back. I did run the pulp back through the Champion at the end to get some more juice out of it.

Today I had:

  • 1 qt watermelon juice (juiced with skin and all - organic) with 1 Tbsp cholorphyll
  • 3 quarts GVJ: tomatoes, cuke, celery, carrots, onion, garlic, ginger, yellow pepper, spinach, parsley, cilantro, lemon (drank throughout day...am drinking the last of it right now)
  • 1 qt apple, strawberry, celery, spinach
  • 1/2 quart orange, carrot, ginger, spinach, strawberry with 1/2 quart water and bee pollen
  • Also: coconut oil with honey and spirulina, spirulina and hemp oil in GVJ, avo

Rebounded a bit today to stay warm, didn't go out with D and E to walk dog - too cold. Though I wish I had gotten a walk in. I took a hot bath today and when I got out was light headed and shaky. Juice helped, but I do notice shakiness that I never had before when I'm hungry, which I hope does not continue throughout feast (and I hope I'm not throwing my blood sugar/body off in any way.) It was way worse at beginning. Still had the pain under left rib. Other than that...wow...25 days!

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Day 26...strong cravings to eat

May 21, 2008

I wanted food terribly today. Getting Ani Phyo's book Ani's Raw Food Kitchenfrom our library certainly did not help. I should not do this to myself! But that book looks fantastic, so I put some of my books up on half.com. Hopefully I will sell enough to warrant me purchasing Ani's book!

Another great question:

Congrats on Day 25 - that is so awesome. I gave up on greens in the Jack Ll also - but I have been able to get baby bok choy to go through pretty well. I also have been loving a few asparagus spears mixed with fruits. How would I do greens if I dont have the Champion?

I was blending my greens in my regular Kitchen Aid Blender (I don't have a Vita-Mix) with a bit of water and other veggies such as tomatoes, onion, garlic, etc. Then I would strain the mixture through a Sprout Bag. Alas, my bag, which was a gift, has ripped at the seem. However, Dave found some jam/jelly straining bags at the Kitchen store in the Strip (for Pittsburghers!) - 2 reusable bags for $3.99. I didn't see them, though, and he didn't know if the holes/mesh were too big, so I can't say for sure. I may order some more from the link I put in, I've heard their bags are very good. And it's amazing...even after I juiced carrots, apples, celery, cukes in the Jack Lelanne, I put the pulp into the sprout bag and would literally get CUPS more juice out!

Today's Juices:

  • 1 qt apple, strawberry, mint
  • 2 quarts (drank throughout day) of same green veggie juice, but today all the greens were greens/wild edibles from the garden! (with hemp oil)
  • 1 qt watermelon juice with 1 Tbsp chlorophyll
  • 1 qt orange, carrot, yam, spinach
  • 1/2 quart grapefruit, orange juice with bee pollen
  • coconut oil with honey and spirulina
  • lots of red chai with honey

I also did an enema this morning, and it has helped with that pain under my left ribs. I also went to a Mommy and Me type of yoga class this morning with Ella. I am loving yoga, but I really want to add some walking/running and even lift a little weights. I love working out - it feels so good to me! I just need to get motivated.

I also arranged Ella's books on her shelves by color today: red through purple (and black and whites at ends.) I saw it on someone's blog and it looked fun. It was. I'd take a picture, but she only has a few little shelves and it's not really that dramatic. Also, my computer shuts itself down when I upload new pictures, so I won't do it tonight, but maybe I'll take a few pics to post in upcoming days.

Sunday, November 23, 2014

Day 27's confession

May 22, 2008


My dog Maggie

I'm just so proud of my dog Maggie today! At the end of Ani Phyo's book Ani's Raw Food Kitchen she has pictures of her raw vegan dog with dog treat recipes and dog feeding ideas - including giving the dog the ends cut off veggies (the ends of cukes, etc.) And so I thought about all my pulp...

We've fed Maggie various diets, following various philosophies, cooked veggie, raw meat and veggies, etc, and she doesn't seem to do much better on anything. She's such a great dog...but kind of low energy, itchy ears, and she's getting older. But of course, I would love to feed her healthy foods again (versus the dry dog food.) So I scooped up a big bowl of veggie pulp (no onions, though! Onions are not good for dogs,) but I knew she wouldn't eat it. She is a very picky eater and doesn't even really like dog food (which probably shows good taste on her part, actually). So of course, she did not touch the pulp. I sprinkled nutritional yeast on it, and drizzled olive oil on top, but she still wanted nothing to do with it. Then I thought about cheese - her very favorite foods are beans and cheese - and I grated a bit on top. Of course she ate the cheese, but she continued to gingerly eat around the bowl and eventually she ate nearly the whole bowl of raw veggie pulp! Go Maggie! So now I'm thinking about her diet again....

Today my juices were:

  • water with 1/2 Tbsp msm and lemon
  • 1 qt apple, strawberry, mints from garden with chlorophyll
  • 1 qt butternut squash, tomato, garlic, yellow bell pepper, celery, hemp oil, spinach, cilantro
  • 1/2 qt watermelon juice with chlorophyll
  • 1 quart veggie juice with the squash (as above)
  • juice of 1/2 grapefruit and one orange with bee pollen
  • will have more watermelon and/or veggie juice because I am hungry.)

I am out of coconut oil! I didn't even get my treat today (coconut oil with honey and spirulina.) I have some coming from iherb.com (remember - you can use code MEL526 on your first order and you will get $5-off.)

Also out of yellow bell peppers and avocados.

Today I have a confession. Along with my avocado (which isn't actually on the juice feast), I grated a bit of carrot and chopped a bit of tomato and ate it with lemon juice, salt and dulse. It was a tiny plate, but so filling and satifying. (I was so hungry and had made D and E amazing-looking veggie sandwiches! I should have made my juice first....)

But anyway...I'm still continuing forward. Still counting up my days. All in all I feel I am getting lots of benefits and I'm doing fairly well...so onward.

Added a bit later...

So, after writing the above entry (and trying not to feel bad), I read in Matt Monarch's blog about the book that started his raw journey: Become Younger by Norman Walker (our library doesn't have it! I'll have to try one of those interlibrary loans....) Dr. Walker's keys to vibrant health were:

1. Eating a 100% Raw Food Diet
2. Drinking a Variety of Vegetable Juices Daily
3. Cleansing the Colon Periodically


So, ok...still doing ok. I even did an enema this morning.

Saturday, November 22, 2014

Pulp Ideas - day 28 (week 4!)


May 23, 2008


before (above), and at the end of week 4

starting weight: 182
today's weight: 165 (lost 17 lbs so far!)


I'm sleepy today and it's only 6:45 pm.

I went running this morning (23 minutes) and then to my yoga class, which was nice. Today I drank juice while the family and in-laws ate food from a delicious Thai restaurant, not easy! My juice was intense: most of the greens were wild edibles including garlic mustard, comfrey, plantain, dandelion.... plus chives, arugula, spinach, kale from the garden. I think the garlic-mustard, chives and arugula made it quite sharp (and it was bitter, too, probably from the dandelion greens.)

My juices:

  • pineapple, mints, plantain and comfrey
  • squash, tomato, cuke, celery, garlic and wild edibles + garden greens
  • watermelon juice
  • juice of a young coconut (but then I also ate the very young, pudding-like flesh
  • yam, carrot, celery, ginger, garlic, spinach
  • juice of 1 grapefruit and 3 oranges with water and 1 Tbsp bee pollen

I also took six tablets of spirulina, put hemp oil in my veggie smoothies and had MSM (which I think makes me feel nervous/anxious...I'm going to have to watch that.) Also had roobios red chai with honey.

It's also hard to type right now because the middle finger on my right hand has a painful crack. (That's not meant to be complain-y, I'm just noting a symptom, here.)

And here's a response to another question: what do you do with all that pulp? People wonder about all the pulp generated by juice feasting, so I was thinking about some suggestions of use for it (especially to people who are also eating with juicing.)

  • We have started mixing it into our dog's food. Today I put it in with black beans, nutritional yeast, olive oil and cheese and she ate a good amount. Just be careful not to have onions in it...onions are bad for dogs.
  • compost it. We do this a lot and at least then it goes back to the earth and nourishes the soil we will use for the garden next year.
  • If cooking: put it into muffins, pancakes, cakes, etc. If it's savory (like mine was tonight) I put it into black bean/mung sprout pancakes that I made for the family for dinner (oh, my, did they smell good!)
  • put it into dehydrated flax crackers...yum.
  • When I was eating cooked foods but juicing a lot, I would mix some mayonnaise right into the pulp (mostly carrot and some celery) and this was excellent as a sandwich spread! At the time I used regular mayo, but you could use raw mayo, too. It would make a good sandwich spread, cracker topping or dip.
  • Use it in raw mock tuna salad. Ani Phyo calls for carrot pulp in mock salmon recipes.
  • Use for raw carrot cake - especially good if you've made apple carrot juice! Can use the pulp and mix some raisins and nuts in, with some cinnamon, cloves or other spices...very good.

There are lots of recipes for raw carrot cake and mock tuna salads in raw food prep books, and recipe sites on line, like www.goneraw.com or www.living-foods.com. (The recipes on goneraw seem amazing...I cannot wait to try them when I am eating again.

So...hopefully this is helpful!

And finally...



who is that crazy lady doing a handstand?

:-)

Friday, November 21, 2014

Day 29: Water Fasting


May 24, 2008

my water, next to chive flowers and dandelion

Yesterday evening I sat down with the book Fasting and Eating for Health by Joel Fuhrman, MD(mentioned in David and Katrina's Day 71 video.)

Here is a quote from page 58:

"It is not aging that makes us sick; it is the stresses we place on ourselves that continue their insidious work over the years and eventually cause damage to the body."

After reading through some of the book, I was motivated to do a water fast today! Tomorrow I'll go back to juicing. One day of just water is sufficient for me for now. I'm quite hungry right now...but it's 5 pm and I made it through the day relatively easily (though I did drink a lot of water! Over a gallon, but I didn't keep track so I'm not sure how much exactly.)

I jogged slowly for 20 minutes today, and soaked up as much sun as I could. I have really missed the sun, and have been so cold lately (I'm usually a "hot" sort of person.)

But right now I'm inside, winding down, and it'll probably be an early evening so I can wake up bright and early tomorrow and have some juice!

Thursday, November 20, 2014

Day 30 + Garden pics


May 25, 2008

harvesting comfrey from our garden - to dry

Day 30! For me that is monumental because I am often unable to stick with positive dietary changes for very long. I actually have quite a bit to write, but I am soooo tired. Last night (water fasting), I slept from 6 pm until 9 pm, and then was awake all night! I finally did fall asleep from about 4 am until 7 am, but wow, I am tired.

Today I wasn't into my juices at all. Nothing tasted great to me. I decided to go a week without nightshades (tomatoes and peppers) to see if that helps my joint pain and stiffness (more on this tomorrow). I did juice the last 2 of my tomatoes today, but I made another green juice without tomatoes and it was just yucky. Carrots, celery, beets (orange beets), garlic, lemon, greens....

I also made a quart of watermelon juice and a couple quarts of apple, pineapple, strawberry, mints and greens with chlorophyll. That was more palatable (as was the w'melon juice.)

The final quart was squash, tomato, garlic, greens, celery, lemon...and even that did not thrill me. I didn't drink all the juice for today and I am hungry now. Dave is squeezing me orange juice and adding bee pollen right now.

I'll write more about the tomatoes tomorrow, but now I'll leave you with pictures from our garden:

I never realized that sage flowers look like this:



Here is one section of our garden...see the cilantro in the close row:



Our fig bush (maybe we'll get figs this year!) with our blackberry bush in the background:



the bed of greens - lettuces, spinach, collards, chard:



Look at all the mulberries getting ready to ripen:



Our peach tree's first year for peaches! I hope they get big and ripe:

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Day 31 - first tomato-less day


May 26, 2008

Teeny tiny tomato plant from our garden. Why isn't it growing? Maybe it's saving me from myself...

A day without tomatoes.

After 31 days of juice feasting, I still have quite a lot of joint pain: right ankle, left elbow, low back. Plus stiffness still in the morning as I get up and get going. I do plan to increase the MSM and I've begun to take enzymes now, but I decided to forgo the nightshades for a bit.

Here is what Frederic Patenaude says about tomatoes on pp. 62-63 of Sunfood Cuisine:

"The tomato is the most famous member of the nightshade family....but with all members of the nightshade family, it is wise to not eat too many tomatoes, or at least to not eat them everyday, because of their oxalic acid content.....people suffering from arthritic conditions should avoid foods from the nightshade family completely. This includes eggplant, potatoes, tomatoes and peppers."

And in Juicing for Life,Calbom and Keane say this on pay 52, under osteoarthritis:

"Try eliminating the nightshade family - tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, eggplant and tobacco. If symptoms improve even slightly, continue to avoid these foods."

So, of course, bummer. But, hey, once I am totally healed and free of all pain and conditions, I'm sure eating a tomato or two won't bother me!

Today's juices so far:

  • juice of one orange and 2 apples plus chlorophyll and bee pollen
  • 1 1/2 qt cucumber, celery, apples, orange, and garden baby greens and weeds (kale, collards, lettuce, spinach, lamb's quarters, lemon balm, brocolini.)
  • peppermint tea (from a tea bag) with honey
  • about a quart of butternut squash, celery, sprouts, cilantro, garlic, ginger, lemon with salt, pepper (oops! shoot), kelp, dulse, spirulina and hemp oil.
  • red roobios chai (oh, does that have pepper I wonder? I'll have to check) and honey
  • I'll add the rest tonight or tomorrow, probably some watermelon juice or some beet/carrot/apple...nothing made yet.

Other symptoms I'm having are strong pain (much less today, though) in my left armpit, and left outer ear pain (to the touch.)

Exercise:

I've been doing yoga in the morning for about 3 mornings in a row, now. Just a few minutes of cat/cow, down dog, plank, sun salutes, warrior, twists, squat, and then I end with handstands.

I ran (well...slowly jogged) for 30 minutes today.

So...how long is this feast going to be?


I still haven't decided how long to go for! I made the 30 day mark which was my first goal, because David Rainoshek says on juicefeasting.com that every day after 30 days doing juice feasting you go back 120 days. So, now I've started to go back in time!

The end points I'm deciding between are:

60/61 days, (two months) and then going into a modified feast, with pretty much the same amount of juice but adding a salad or other raw meal here and there (after the prunes and feast breaking, of course.)

92 days: the traditional end. The catch is that my mom will be visiting days 88 - 92. So, we'd drop her off at the airport and I'd come home and eat my prunes. Her visits are go-out-to-eat-every-meal type visits, so it may be nice to still be juicing, so as not to have to deal with temptation at my favorite restaurants.

100 days: because that's a nice round number, and it would end on August 3, and a week later is my birthday.

Possibly going to my birthday (107 days.)

Right now, the 61 or 92 day mark seems right, but, I'm not troubling myself too much about it just yet.

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Day 32 - fruit juices yum, veggie...not so great

May 27, 2008

Cacao Tree at Phipps (surrounded by some kind of brilliant ferns)


Today I haven't been overly excited about my juices. Well, that's not entirely true...the fruit juices have been out of this world!

Juices:

  • 1 quart: pineapple, orange, strawberry, carrot and mint
  • 1 quart: borscht - cabbage (I'm not a big cabbage juice fan, as it turns out. I'm planning to make raw sauerkraut out of the rest - for after my feast), beet, ginger, garlic, scallions, celery, parsley, greens, apple, hemp oil
  • 1 quart watermelon juice
  • 1 quart celery, cuke, apples, cilantro and greens, hemp oil
  • juice of three oranges with water, chlorophyll and bee pollen

I'm still waiting for my coconut oil! I really thought it would arrive today. And - you'll notice - no longer are avocados gracing my menus.

Edit: It's here! I'm eating it now with honey and spirulina. It's so good! Hooray!

It is not good when you notice while making juice that the juicer is smoking! I turned it off and opened it up - my pulp was burning hot! The engine was so heated up by the fiber on the celery and all the greens. So, I assume most of my juice was raw, but some of it certainly was heated above 105 degrees, sadly. Tomorrow Dave will pick up those jelly bags when E and I are at yoga and hopefully they'll work out. Oh, I can also sew the hole of the nut mylk bag closed. Then I can use the blender and squeeze method again for celery and greens. That worked quite nicely.

Here are some more picture of my day at Phipps (where we go so often that the cafe workers come up and ask me what juice I have today!)

close up of the cacao pods growing on the tree - they look like delicata squash:


there is a chocolate exhibit going on now (at Phipps):

Monsieur Mousse is a lucky fellow...imagining, of course, those are all raw ingredients: ;-)



And from the butterfly room:


Side note:

Maggie (our dog) is totally grooving on her new diet! She loves it, we love it, it's awesome. While not all raw, she is now vegetarian and she loves her meals. Tonight I made some white bean/mung bean pancakes for E and D. I left out the onions (substituting garlic, which is supposed to be ok) and so I was able to give her some of those. Also: lentils and rice mixed with chopped raw bean sprouts, yogurt and olive oil. In her earlier meal she had other supplements: nutritional yeast, kelp and egg shell for calcium.