Juiced 2013

vegetables

fruit

Day Two.

I have eight more days of my fruit and vegetable regimen. I use regimen because fast and cleanse imply deprivation and fad and temporary. My intention is to commit long term to eating healthy. I may continue juicing longer, but ten day increments sounds reasonable.

Over a month ago while reading Joanna Goddard's A Cup Of Joe blog, I clicked the link and watched Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead. It's a remarkable film about the body's capability to heal itself.

Like Tupac sang, We gotta make a change...Let's change the way we eat,let's change the way we live
and let's change the way we treat each other. You see the old way wasn't working so it's on us to do
what we gotta do, to survive.

I told my daughter about the film, she watched it that night and started juicing the next day, and has continued juicing and eating non-processed since. She lost ten pounds she really didn't need to lose the last few weeks. She's young and fit, but ever since she was a child has had chronic headache, fatigue, and inflammation of her joints. Doctor after doctor diagnosed auto immune, but could never quite pinpoint the cause or the cure. Fast food made her knees, feet, and hands flare. So did bread and certain meat and animal proteins. So she cut those out. She tried meat alternatives like tofu.  She improved, but still had inflammation flare ups and headaches. Since she began juicing, her headaches are gone, and so is the inflammation.

I'm juicing for many reasons: to lose the weight I've lost and regained over the years - for good, to take responsibility for my health, to create a new way of life for myself and my family.

I waited until this weekend to begin juicing, and other than Day One's detox headache, it's been just fine. But, if I'm going to be completely honest, even though I was warned that the first few days are the most difficult, I am more than a little on edge, as in I'm swearing about the smallest irritations. And, it is a little strange to not use the oven or microwave. After a lifetime of masticating, drinking my meals feels like I'm in a boot camp detox retreat I didn't sign up for.

But, I did sign up for this.

What do I miss? Chips, truffle butter & all butter, chocolate!, chili con queso, coffee, red curry, fried anything, every rind of cheese the world over. Chewing.

There are five juices for each daily meal plan: breakfast, mid-morning, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner. Breakfast is the easiest to prepare, and the sweetest and tastiest of the juices. This morning's delicious juice was made from fresh blackberries, a golden delicious apple, concord grapes, and ginger.

If you're interested in giving this juicing thing a go, I would suggest you follow the Reboot with Joe plan & recipe blog until you feel comfortable with experimenting. My daughter is finding recipes on blogs and YouTube and experimenting with her own recipes. Her almond & fig cookies are delicious.