For the past two weeks, I have been consuming nothing but pure fruit and vegetable juices and a few raw almonds here and there. Sound crazy? Radical? Unhealthy? Like the latest "fad"? Read on to find out how juicing has made me a new person. Well, not really, but it sure has made me feel better.
This whole juicing thing started back a few weeks ago when Pete and I watched a documentary called, "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead". You can watch it for free on Hulu. This film documents an Australian man named Joe on his quest to get healthy. He travels the United States juicing and telling people about his mission. As a result of Joe's dramatic transformation, other people end up getting involved in the juice fast and have health transformations of their own. It is a really powerful documentary and it got Pete and I thinking about our health.
At our last check up, we both had higher than desirable cholesterol levels. My weight was also, um, higher than desirable. Now, I have been exercising consistently for a year now. In fact, this week is my year anniversary of being a YMCA member. I love Zumba and lifting weights. Somehow though, with all the exercising and trying to eat right I have not quite managed to get where I need to be health wise. So, when we saw the documentary, Pete and I thought that we should research it some more and give it a try.
We went to the "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead" website and read up on all the details of doing a juice fast. On the website, there are very good recipes and helpful hints on the best juicers to purchase. We bought a basic model Breville juicer. I really like this juicer. It's the most bang for the buck.
I would not recommend doing a juice fast until you speak with your physician. We started our fast with the intent of going for 10 days. Days 1 - 4 really sucked. Like really. Pete realized that he had to modify the juice fast by adding in other small meals throughout the day. I realized just how addicted to food I am. Like seriously, seriously addicted. I was hurting. I had a headache, body aches, chills and a slight fever. I was detoxing from all the crap that I have put in my body over the years. After Day 4, I began to feel so much better. I was having a 16 ounce glass of fresh juice 5 - 6 times a day. My energy levels starting rising, my body starting feeling really strong. No more aches of any kind. Then, I noticed that the weight was sliding off and I got really excited! By Day 10, I had decided to go further with the fast. My last day is tomorrow. I will break my 15 day juice fast at dinner time. By that time, I will have lost 4 inches from around my waist, 10 pounds, and a lot of junky build up from my body. I am sleeping better, my skin looks clearer, my mind is sharper, and I feel really great! Most importantly, I w have learned something crucial about myself. I can have will power around food. Food is not my master.
Now, does this mean that I won't ever have french fries, ice cream or the awesome Lobster BLT that S.C. posted about. Absolutely not. I LOVE food and I WILL eat it! It's just how and when I will eat the foods that are near and dear to my heart (and stomach). Moderation is the key here. It's all about making healthier choices. Like, actually eating vegetables and fruits, instead of just thinking about eating them.
Would I recommend this juice fast lightly? No. It is really tough. Especially when you are cooking and food shopping for monkeys, attending parties with very yummy looking and smelling treats, and all the other food bombardment that occurs here on a daily basis. However, if you are fat, sick and nearly dead, you and your doctor might want to check into this whole juice thing.
Hugs,
Melissa
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