Deep Thoughts - Day Nine

As many of you already know, my local paper, The Tulsa World, featured an article in the Scene section of this morning's paper about yours truly and juice feasting. I have had many calls, texts and emails, most of which have been genuinely supportive and encouraging. When I was contacted about being interviewed, I had a bit of hesitation, yet I also felt that it might raise awareness and help people consider ways of taking charge of their health that they perhaps hadn't considered. I also hoped that my story could be of encouragement to some who were once proactive in caring for their bodies and maybe have forgotten or lost momentum. I've already heard from a few that they are knocking the dust off their juicer and planning to get back to drinking more fresh juice. YEAH! If you didn't get a paper or if you are outside of Tulsa, you can read the article here.

Now for the heart of today's entry. As I said yesterday, I wanted to share my thoughts regarding the spiritual aspect of fasting. I know, what I'm doing is considered a feast, but I personally look at it as a fast due to the absence of the ritual of dining and enjoying meals as a daily activity. Therefore I am technically in a fasted state of being. As a Christian, the concept of fasting is not new or foreign to me at all. Regardless of your spiritual background, most religious communities consider fasting and prayer/meditation to be a sacred part of their faith practice.

I believe that when we fast for spiritual reasons, we are to be solidly committed by arranging special time each day to be alone with God. This precious time is absolutely crucial in attaining intimate communion with our Creator. During a fast, just as the physical body releases toxins, so it's true of our spirit and emotions because there will be times in which you can feel weak, small, confused, uncertain or irritable. During these times, it is so helpful to just be open and vunerable with God. Allow those doubts, outdated or dysfunctional thought processes and old emotional wounds to surface and receive healing. Meditating on the Divine Presence, reading sacred scriptures or spiritually edifying books, listening to music that is filled with words of grace, gratitude and thanksgiving, these are all ways we can focus on the transformative power of God's Holy Spirit within us.

Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, has a very informative website that is all about the spiritual discipline of fasting. Bill Bright states that his major reason for fasting (and he has done a number of long term, 40+ day fasts) is for personal restoration, and for that of our nation and world. He believes that by prayers of humility, as you fast, you will help bring God's perfect will into this earth and into your own personal situations. He adds that a renewed closeness with God and a greater sensitivity to spiritual things are usually the results of a fast. Although one is not to be disappointed if there is no "mountaintop experience," as some have. Many people who have successfully completed extended fasts tell of feeling a nearness to God that they have never before known, but others who have honestly sought His presence report no particular outward results at all. But in either case, people typically report that God honored their commitment, often times in ways they wouldn't have expected.

So, for me, this time of juice feasting is multi-faceted. It is not just to have a physical cleansing and renewal. It is not just to attain an emotional makeover or simply a means of attaining personal happiness. It goes much deeper.

Sunday's daily juice:
water-MSM-lemon
Passionfruit tea
1 qt. carrot, tangerine, celery & 1 Tbsp. hemp oil
1qt. celery, spinach, purple cabbage, cucumber, garlic, onion, oregano, red bell pepper, basil, radish, lime, cayenne pepper, Himalayan sea salt.
1qt. grapefruit, water, Crystal Manna flakes
1qt. pineapple, cilantro, lime

My Journal - Day Eight

I really enjoy keeping a journal. Although I do record a lot here on my blog, I also keep a little book that is just for me. My latest subject matter has been about the real reason I chose to accept the call to this juice feast. Being clear about the why of it all is important to me. If, in future days, I start to waver or become discouraged for some unforeseen reason, I want to have a resource to go for encouragement and strength. In other words, I don't want to forget why I am doing this.

I've been a believer in the power of fresh juice for many years. I was around 20 years old when I purchased my first Champion juicer. I've gone through multiple periods of juicing and then I lose my thunder and forget about it for long stretches of time. Since I started a raw food diet a couple of years ago, I have been back in a love affair with juicing. After all, freshly extracted fruit and vegetable juice is the richest available food source of vitamins, minerals, and enzymes. I believe juicing is especially helpful in today's world, when a person desperately needs extra nutrients to help the body detoxify the large amount of environmental and dietary toxins to which we've all been exposed. Unfortunately, most people are unable to eat enough raw fruits and vegetables in a day to nourish the body properly. That's why juicing offers a concentration of nutritional power packaged in the best proportions so that you can get benefit from the synergistic effect of all the nutrients working together to deeply nourish your body and enhance your health.

So, back to my original point....I am on this juice feast as a personal journey of healing, regenerating, nourishing, and educating. In just eight days I've seen that participating in the global juice feast is helping to create a better me. And no, I don't see it as restrictive, but rather as an indulgence, in that I am flooding my body with revitalizing and rich nutrients. In just this short time, I'm seeing the benefits when I wake up and look in the mirror every morning and when I step onto the scale. I am also taking this time to pamper myself in a deeply internal way. And these are just the physical reasons. Emotionally, I am aware of a shift and my family can even see a difference in my overall demeanor, which is helpful as it causes them to be even more supportive of my efforts. Spiritually, there are a number of important factors why this feast is meaningful to me, but I shall save that topic for tomorrow, since that will be my Sunday post, it just seems fitting. So before I sign off on day 8...

Saturday's daily juice:
water-MSM-lemon
olive leaf tea & passionfruit tea
1.5 qt. romaine & cantaloupe (this was a real treat!)
1.5 qt. celery, carrot, purple cabbage, cucumber, beet, garlic, radish, onion, spinach, oregano, basil, lemon & a pinch of Celtic sea salt.
2 oz. shot of wheat grass
.5 qt. apple, pear, cucumber, lemon, spinach
1 qt. grapefruit, tangerine, Crystal Manna Flakes

Weekly Weigh In:
Day 1 - 165
Day 8 - 159 (6 lbs. lost)

Week One - Day Seven

This photo was taken by my cell phone today after I came home from grocery shopping. The counter top in my kitchen is overflowing with vibrant, organic goodness and I am trying to keep it all displayed in such a way that would invite a photo shoot at any time. I'm anal like that. Anyway...as much as I generally dislike and become anxious over the Sam's Wholesale Club shopping experience, I decided to go anyway today to see what I could find in the way of organics and I was happy to find a big bag of spinach and a big container of mixed greens, which I happily snatched up at a very good price. I also bought some conventional items like thick skinned fruits....tangerines, grapefruits, cantaloupe and watermelon. Then I looped back around to Whole Foods, which has become my equivalent of Cheers - the place where everyone knows my name, and grabbed more celery, cucumbers and apples.

Today marked a week of juice feasting. I am really marveling at how much easier it is for me than I had anticipated. I am so thankful and I'm just taking each day as it comes and I am choosing to not get too freaked out about anything. So far so good. Within myself, I have become aware of new sense of calm that has settled in. I feel really clear and tranquil. I'm feeling more compassionate and I find that I am slowing down and taking time to be in the present moment much more than ever before. There's no doubt that the inflow of teachings that I have been studying are part of this shift, but I think that the juicing has opening my heart and awareness up so everything feels heightened. If I didn't lose a pound, this clarity and joy would be reason enough to stay the course and complete the full 92 days.

Here's the Daily Juice.....
water-MSM-lemon
Roobios tea
dry brush-shower
colonic
1 qt. cucumber, lemon, sunchoke, apple, beet, beet greens, dandelion greens, swiss chard
4 oz. wheat grass
1.5 qt. celery, radish, green onion, carrot, tomatoes, cucumber, yellow bell pepper, parsley, romaine, mixed greens, garlic, lemon, basil w/ 1 T hemp oil
2 cups Tulsi Passionfruit tea w/ raw wild honey
1.5 qt. grapefruit, tangerine, water, Crystal Manna flakes
1 tsp. coconut butter w/ 1 T bee pollen

Full Disclosure - Day Six

This is how I started out 2008. I haven't posted this picture before because I felt so embarrassed by how I looked in tight fitting clothing (and believe me, this is one of the most flattering shots). On January 1st, when this photo was taken, I weighed in at 176 pounds. I am 5'7 and have a small frame, so this put me at approximately 50 pounds overweight. Hard to believe that a person who was actively embracing a raw food lifestyle could be carrying that load around, but I know I am not alone in this category. 2007 was a difficult year. We lost both of my husbands parents along with 2 other close relatives and there was lots of travel and regular bouts of eating cooked food which included meat, dairy and bread. Food of all kinds have always been a passion for me and in this picture, it shows.

So as the year began, I made the commitment to change several aspects of my life. Having left my profession of 15 years in late December, I was ready and positioned to embark on a journey that would take me in the direction of truly following my heart. There are many areas in which I have charted plans for change and growth, but needless to say, weight loss was a very real goal for me as I started 2008. With my newly empowered mindset, I tweaked my diet nicely and I went to the gym 4 - 5 days/week throughout January and February. Through those two factors alone, I was able to shed 11 pounds by March 1st.

Throughout this time, I started hearing about the global juice feast online, but I hardly gave it any attention. Something that radical wouldn't be anything that would work for me, not with my life and family, I thought. But then some of my closer online acquaintances started talking about it and the next thing I know I am starting to follow a few people's daily juice feasting blogs with fascination. Heidi at Raw Food Real World and Philip of Loving Raw were two of my biggest inspirations. Their juice feasts got me thinking...why not me? If they can embark on this journey and be successful why can't I? Then I downloaded Angela Stokes ebook, A Juice Feaster's Guide, and as I began reading of her experience with a successfully completed 92 day juice feast, something resonated inside me. I think I could really do this.

So, I made my decision on February 20th that I, too, would join in on the global juice feast. I began reading everything I could find. I researched and I educated myself about the pros and cons and I looked at every reason why I should not do it and I found the only thing that could possibly hold me back would be any limitations that I might try to put on myself. And at this season in my life, there are no REAL limitations that would keep me from moving forward with gusto and in full force! Now, here I am, six days in and I have this overwhelming sense of gratitude because I believe that this is the very thing that I need to be doing at this exact time in my life. It's a feeling of deep peace and contentment, like all is right with the world. What more could one ask for?

Before I finish up, here is what my day entailed:
water-MSM-lemon
Rooibos Tea
enema-dry skin brush-manicure-shower
1.5 qt. - cucumber, celery, dandelion greens, kale, red bell pepper, apple, pear, lemon, ginger
1 qt. - carrot, orange (diluted a bit w/ water)
1.5 qt. Liquid Salad (this was a really delicious savory juice & the name says it all)
- green leafy lettuce, purple romaine, radish, celery, carrot, green onion, cucumber,
cherry tomatoes, garlic, lemon, 1/2 tsp. Himalayan sea salt.

Until tomorrow.....

Grateful for Grapefruit - Day Five

This hump day was unusually pleasant and relaxed. After my usual morning water and tea, I did my dry skin brushing and took a shower. I also took the time to do an exfoliation treatment for my face, neck and hands. That felt great and all day I have been marveling at the look and feel of my complexion. Usually, by this time in the winter, things are starting to get a bit alligator-ish. I can tell the juicing and daily hemp and/or coconut oil is beginning to make a subtle difference in just 5 days.

Once the kids were off to school, I finally found the time to settle in with the video podcast from Oprah's Monday night study with Eckhart Tolle. It truly was a momentous occasion. There is just something about Eckhart and Oprah together that really works. It's almost like she is an interpreter of sorts for him. Oprah can take some of his ethereal and difficult to understand concepts and bring them into an understanding for the common man. I found her insights and expansions really helpful in breaking it down. I also thought the Skype for viewers brought a really cool element to the workshop. It really was just what I hoped it would be and I won't miss a week.

Here's what I had today:
1 qt. water w/ MSM & lemon
1 cup nettle leaf tea
1 qt. swiss chard, carrot, cucumber, radish, burdock root, beet, sunchoke, lemon
1 qt. celery, oranges, fennel, basil over ice w/ hemp oil
1 qt. GRAPEFRUITS & oranges w/ Crystal Manna (1 Tbsp.)
1 qt. celery, mint, cucumber, broccoli sprouts, apple, lime

I'm not sure what's up with the grapefruit craving but it seems like nothing satisfies me more completely than grapefruit juice in the early evening. My body is just crying out for it and it has since day 1 of this feast. Perhaps I will research the properties of grapefruit a bit more and see what it is that I might be trying to fulfill with my daily squeeze of this luscious citrus superstar. The thing I wanted to point out is that I am not taking much in the way of supplements. I am going for the tried and true blue green algae buzz with Crystal Manna, but I do intend to order VitaMineral Green as my flakes begin to dwindle. I also have bee pollen in my frig but have forgotten about that important player for the past two days. I'll try to remember to crack that out tomorrow.

I find that I am having a struggle pouring 4 quarts of juice into this body everyday. By the time I've had 3 quarts, it seems like my body is so well nourished and I feel really full. I am honestly not hungry at all. I even flipped through a Bon Appetite today and those perfectly stylized photographs didn't phase my taste buds a bit. I am so happy and relieved that I am not constantly jonesin' for solid food all the time......like I usually am when I am not juice feasting. I am pretty sure this 30 extra pounds I've been carrying is due to the snack and taste factor. It has been so good to have just made up my mind that I am simply not doing that right now. Food is just not an issue and I love it. No distractions and no nagging cravings to satisfy. Viva La Juice!

Again, I want to thank those of you who take the time to read my juicy journal and leave your encouraging comments. It really helps me to stay inspired and gives additional motivation towards my goal. You, dear reader, are appreciated!

Spinach Respect - Day Four

I learned something I didn't know about spinach today. This is only a hunch, but I've decided that juicing two pounds of spinach, along with a selection of other items, may not be the smartest thing to do if you are planning on taking a road trip or anything else that may require you to be any distance from the porcelain throne. Those of us that are juice feasting are working towards a much cleaner system, well.....today, it feels like I got just that. So, other than a wee bit worn out from repeated trips to the smallest room in my house and a rather tender tush, I feel really great. Who needs Cascara Sagrada around here?

Today I made 2+ quarts of spinach, celery, radish, fennel, sunchoke, beet, cucumber, ginger, lime juice. I drank it like a champ and about 30 - 45 minutes later, that's when the action started.

I spent the next few hours questioning myself and trying to figure out what I did wrong, what should I do next, who should I call (yada yada). I then began the thoughts like.....what in the world am I doing? Why am I doing this whole feasting nonsense anyway?? Whoa, slow down, sister! I realized I was starting to get freaky, so I sat down and got centered, meditated, prayed and did some deep breathing. Within a few minutes I began to feel a wave of peace. I could almost feel my stomach muscles relaxing. Once calm and regrouped, I went in and brewed myself a nice cup of Rooibos tea. That seemed to set all things right once again.

Around 7 pm, our neighbor, Candace, and her son, Trey, came over to watch American Idol with us. I tried not to discuss too much about my bathroom drama, but I think I looked extra pale, so she got a nutshell version. I am still not sure what she thinks about me and my whole raw foodist turned into juice feaster persona, but she keeps coming over so I guess it hasn't seemed too bizarre to her. It's not boring over here at least. As everyone settled in with a big salad and macaroni and cheese, I juiced grapefruits and oranges, diluted it with water and added a heaping Tbsp. of Crystal Manna flakes. My tummy seemed to absorb that with extreme contentment and everything has been perfectly normal since.

Who knew juice feasting would be such a ride? For the record, I have NO intention of quiting this. I am fully committed and I'm loving the results that I can already see and feel. I am just really honest and I decided to share my moment because I think that others may have a similar moment at some point along the way too. So today's lesson....next time, light on the the spinach, please.

Pineapple Pleasures - Day Three

I thought for sure that the Live Web Event with Eckhart Tolle and Oprah would be the final highlight to my most marvelous day, but alas, my computer connection proved to be a bit too slow and I was unable to watch the live event this evening. Although temporarily disappointed, I chose not to be too upset and decided to look at it as Eckhart would suggest by simply saying, "It is what it is." I was pleased to read that I will be able to go to her website tomorrow for a complete viewing and it can also be downloaded into my IPod from ITunes. So, it wasn't a loss, just a delay.

The inability to watch the class affords me this time to do the daily blog update and give the highlights of Day 3. As you can tell by the photo of pineapples, I have found new pleasure in this juicy, tropical delight. This morning I juiced a whole pineapple (peeled first and sliced), 2 bunches of cilantro, 1/2 head of celery, 4 limes, 2 apples and I added the water from one baby coconut. It was a Hawaiian luau party in my mouth! The reporter and photographer from the Tulsa World were also here this morning, putting the finishing touches on the upcoming article, so they both got to enjoy a bit of the sweet, green goodness, as well. It is a real joy to share the vibrancy, colors and life of freshly juiced organic fruits and vegetables with others.

Then this afternoon I put together a loaded pitcher full of juiced carrots, celery, cucumber, beet, lemons, kale, apple, burdock root, ginger and jerusalem artichoke. Sounds like it would be too much going on but it was really good. The color was a beautiful poinsettia color. I had about 2 quarts of this and it completely satisfied my palate and any bit of hunger that might have been starting to surface.

Everything else is going so smoothly. I awoke this morning in the the most pleasant mood and that has carried on throughout the day. Even though our weather was cold, sleeting, then snowing, then just plain dreary, I felt great and have experienced tremendous energy and clarity. My eliminations have been consistent but I have a colonic scheduled for tomorrow for good measure. I would like to try to schedule one each week throughout the entirety of the juice feast if finances allow.

So far I haven't been squeezing in much exercise but I know that will change. I have a gym membership, great yoga tapes by Rainbeau Mars, and a rebounder. It is a matter of just gearing up and doing it. I certainly have the strength and energy to move and get my blood flowing and it would be helpful to get some healthy, detoxifying perspiration going. I also love getting outside and briskly walking or hiking on days when the weather is a bit more cooperative.

My sleep has been good, filled with dreams and I awake very rested and ready for the day. I try to be asleep by 11 pm or earlier so I can get those important hours in before 2 am. I read somewhere that the sleep we get from 10 pm - 2 pm are the most crucial rest hours. Since I think of winter as being in hibernation mode, it's not a big challenge for me to get horizontal by a decent time. And with my husband's snoring, I like to be sound asleep before the chain saw starts sawing logs.

Until tomorrow....love to people and thanks to those who are reading!