Juice Fast Day 3 of 60 (100 Day Fully Raw Challenge)

 Juice Fast Day 3 – Thursday, December 29^th

Woke up with really cracked lips; I can feel my breathing is improving as I usually have to use the inhaler through the night – I only used it once – this is progress. My nose is running as soon as I awake – I’m okay with this as it means toxins are leaving my body – Yay!

My goal for today is to again stay on the couch all day. I do have to go to the grocery store to buy more greens and juicy fruits – but other than that, I don’t plan to do much moving around. I will continue to watch youtube videos, and I may do some pleasure reading (I ended up not doing any reading at all).

Starting the Day

Getting up from the couch to pour my first 32oz of water; I am feeling weak.

845AM – 320z water

945 – 32oz warm lemon water

1030 – took a morning shower and I must say I am winded. My body is telling me it needs glucose, so I am about to make a carrot apple orange juice. I am slightly wheezing, but I can tell there is tremendous improvement. I know I will have to do a breathing treatment today, so I’m looking forward to the day when I am free from this bondage (didn’t have to do a breathing treatment).

Also, I carry stress in my right shoulder blade area – and for the last month this spot has been inflamed – after the first day of juicing, the pain substantially diminished.

I had to take the inhaler at 1030 – but I suspect it has a lot to do with the 32oz of warm lemon water I just drank (citrus fruit has high histamines and my leaky gut reacts negatively by causing me to wheeze as an allergic reaction).

1130 – 1 cup of Breathe Deeply tea w/a tad bit of maple syrup.

1pm - 32oz coconut water.

At 2PM I was prepared to head out the door for a produce run when I felt faint and weak – so I poured 32oz of store bought freshly squeezed orange juice to give me the glucose boost I need to complete my errands. [This was a bad idea as the orange juice prompted more wheezing and an overall feeling of “unwellness” – reminded me of my last juice fast when all I drank was orange juice, and I knew nothing about my body’s intolerance for high histamine foods). Moving forward, I am going to do my best to omit orange juice as much as is possible until I am further along in my fast and my gut heals.

Daily Excursion

Shopped for produce – paid attention to sale items. Left the grocery store to go The Vitamin Shoppe to buy more L-glutamine and wheat grass powder; I’d like to have at least one wheat grass shot each day of this fast.

Came back from shopping - made two juices – 1 for my juicing buddy (my 21y.o. daughter) and 1 for me.

·      Hers: 1 stalk celery, 1 pineapple, 1 lime, 2 cucumbers, and 1 green apple

·      Mine: 8 carrots, 2 apples, and 2 cucumbers

After making the juices, I headed to the bathroom for my daily salt water enema – I decided not to do three enemas today.

It’s 5:30PM and I’m sipping on my carrot apple cucumber juice (with ice) while watching Youtube videos on raw foods.

Asthma Observations

Took inhaler twice today (noticed each time was after I had citrus – I really need to eliminate citrus until I am healed)

Healing Protocol

About 7PM made a wheatgrass shot and took L-glutamine. At this stage of my healing, I consider L-glutamine as a medical protocol and not a supplement. I don’t believe in adding supplements to a true juice fast – all my peripheries are part of a leaky gut healing protocol.

Ending the Day

The carrot apple cucumber juice revived me – I feel 100 times better than I did with the orange juice;

Passed out after my juice – the next thing I know it was 11:30PM; I woke up – realized I didn’t have enough juice for the day but was too lazy to juice at midnight, so I settled on 20oz of coconut water filled with ice chips.

[The verb tense changes often because I blog throughout the day then I go back the next morning to revise and add additional comments without always changing the tense of the verbs of the day of my journaling.]

100 Days Raw - Juice Fast - Day 2 of 60

Wednesday, December 28, 2016

Juice Fast Day 2 of 60 (100 days raw food fast)

I woke up today with a teeny tiny headache – just enough to let me know I am fasting, but not enough to disturb my sanity.

Medicine

I remember watching Jason Vale’s Super Juice Me and the participants continued taking their medications during the juicing retreat, so I intend to continue with the leaky gut healing protocol I have been following before juicing: Diatomaceous Earth, probiotics, magnesium glutamate, L-glutamine, Quercetin, inhaler, and allergy meds as needed.

Starting the Day

Since diatomaceous earth has no calories, I started the day with 2tsp added to 16oz of water. I followed this with 32oz of herbal tea (formulated specifically for breathing support) and the juice of one lemon.

Around 9AM, I enjoyed 32oz of coconut water. Since I am doing an enema three times a day, I did take a probiotic . . . I know that breaks the norm of a juice fast, but I want to be safe since I am using an enema so frequently. Raw foodist Markus Rothkranz has a youtube video on enemas, and he asserts the sicker you are you should aim for three enemas daily.  I only completed two by the end of the day as I realized they aren’t encouraging much elimination.

At 11AM, I drank 32oz water. To gauge how often I drink a juice, I allow myself to go to the restroom twice. After two trips to urinate, believe it or not, I’m ready for more liquids – whether or not that’s water or another juice.

At 1PM, I drank 32oz juice: 6 carrots, 2 apples, and 2 oranges.

Mid afternoon, after a quick nap, I sipped on another 32oz of water.

Next – 32oz coconut water; later – 32oz orange juice mixed with a little coconut water.

Evening juice – pineapple – celery – 1 inch ginger – 2 apples – 1 head romaine – 1 lime

I spent the day on the couch watching youtube videos for inspiration. By late night, I settled on a Netflix movie. This did incite a response to snack on something crunchy and salty, but I thought about my healing and overcame my thoughts of sabotage.

Body Responses

·      Cracked lips;

·      Some breathing issues;

·      Some sneezing;

·      Runny nose

Awareness

I am juicing to heal, so I was discouraged that my asthma did flare up without much physical movement. I learned a few months ago that certain foods have histamines – and if you have a leaky gut, chances are your food allergies are related to this problem; some high histamine foods can trigger a response. Well, citrus fruits have high histamines, so after drinking the orange juice, I felt my breathing becoming labored, so I had to take my inhaler. The last time I embarked on a juice fast, I didn’t know anything about histamines, and I feasted on orange juice every day. About day 19, I was really sick, but I attributed it to detox. I’ve trained myself to always listen to my body, so I broke the fast because there was an overwhelming since of “unwellness” I couldn’t explain – I just knew the orange juice was making me sick. Now, I know why. Knowledge is power.

Weight loss

At this point, I am not juicing for weight loss, so I am not using the scale. Once I feel as if my healing is progressing, I may turn my attention to dropping dress sizes. It’s too early in the game for me to care about my size (although I need to drop a few dress sizes); I want to run again without the aid of my inhaler. I want to laugh loudly without triggering a coughing attack. This is more important at this time than losing weight. 

100 Days Raw - Day 1

December 27^th (Tuesday)

Juice Fast Day 1

I want the first 100 days of each new year to be dedicated to a fully raw reset. For 2017, I am getting started early since I am on break, and I don’t have to battle with work and starting a fast. The first 60 days of my raw food reset are dedicated to juice fasting. My goal is to get out of my own way so that my body can focus on healing my autoimmune issues, which means my gut is a mess. I have been vegan for 3.5 years, but a lot of that has included processed foods – mainly potato chips. After the fast, my goal is to continue my journey as a high raw vegan, but to eliminate processed foods.

Another goal I have is to complete a 50 mile run when I am fifty years old (four more years to prepare). If this fast gives me full access to breathing deeply again, I will begin to train by first signing up for a 5k, 10k, 15k, half, and full marathon. To be able to run again without the assistance of an inhaler is my dream.

Here are the juices I had today: (I went to buy produce so I didn’t start drinking until after 12PM.)

• 1.     32oz water with the juice of 1 lemon and 1 lime
• 2.     6 carrots, 1 lime, 2 apples, 1 cantaloupe (32oz)
• 3.     1 stalk celery, 2 cucumbers, 1 head of romaine, 2 apples, 1 lemon (50 oz)
• 4.     16 oz of orange juice mixed with 16 oz of coconut water (32 oz)

During a fast, I aim to consume 1 gallon of water in addition to my juices. I did not meet that goal today. After three days of juicing, I intend to begin sauna therapy by sitting in an infrared sauna for 30 minutes each day to help eliminate toxins.

Enema: I cleansed with three enemas today:

• 1.     Morning – 64oz water with 2 tsp of sea salt
• 2.     Afternoon – 64oz water with 1 tsp of baking soda and a splash of apple cider vinegar
• 3.     Night – 64oz water with 2TB of apple cider vinegar

jlWeightloss: I am avoiding the scale at this time. I can look at my big ol' belly and determine I am not the size I want to be. I will be using clothes to determine my success. If I can fit into a pair of pants I haven't been able to wear for a while, I will be pleased with my progress. I will begin to put on the pants after 21 days of successful juicing. 

To Start Raw or Not - That is the Question!

I hate when I get the urge to jump into a fully raw stint this close to Thanksgiving. Ugh! Not so sure why I think perfection is necessary. Nothing says I can't do raw until the holiday then jump right back in - or what if I have my meal early so I can start my journey. Sigh. I need to get this healing show on the road.

I have no intention at this time in my life to be fully raw for life, but I know it's necessary to undo the damage of four decades of unhealthy living. You couldn't find an unhealthier person. I raised my poor babies on processed junk. I ate processed garbage while I was pregnant with them. I remember days of popcorn and Mountain Dew in college. If ever in my adult life that I ate a vegetable, it was slathered in butter or cheese. I don't know how my body endured such abuse - then I wonder how I attracted abuse in my relationships - heck, I abused my own body. There I was 41 and 238lbs. I shudder to think where I would be now if God had not led me to the life I live now. It's now, however, I have to be patient with my healing journey. Understanding I ain't gon' reverse 4 decades of foolishness overnight - especially when I still include some processed foods in my diet. The last time I survived 105 days fully raw, I did it wrong. I stayed loaded with fats: avocado and nuts, especially. This time I know I have to eat less fat for a deeper cleanse.

My plan is to include a daily green juice for breakfast, a 64oz smoothie for lunch, and a fruit meal for dinner. If I can do this for at least 60 to 90 days, I'll be on my way.

To start or not to start before Thanksgiving - that is my dilemma. I could start. Stop. Then start my count again; I could wait until after Thanksgiving; I could have an early Thanksgiving; or I could skip Thanksgiving this year.

Decisions.

Decisions.

Eat to Love

Get healthy so that you can live a life to bless others. If you think about it - when we're sick - ALL of our attention is on Self. . . it's as if being sick is a form of selfishness. When I have had an asthma attack, you best believe I ain't thinking about nothing but my next breath. When you're having an anxiety attack, not even a drowning baby could bring you out of it - anxiety attacks force you to be consumed with you. Migraines shut you off from the world to thrust you into total darkness - just who? You and the darkness. There's no taking care of anyone when Pain knocks. Think about those painful menstrual cycles. Who can you take care of when cramps clamp down with vice grips? No one. When you're suffering from painful stomach aches - IBS, Crohn's & Ulcerative colitis - getting relief is all you can think about. Sickness steals our focus from spending time with those we love.

Am I preaching to myself? Listen: We don't have the stamina. . . the, the, the wherewithal, if you will, to think about ANYONE else when we are not well. All thoughts point to Me, Myself, and I.

Y'all know I'm telling the truth. To those who have ears to hear, let them hear.

Living healthy is living unselfishly. Living healthy catapults our LOVE to a new level. I don't know about you, but my goal is to live to love. By living, I mean living well. By well, I mean healthy. By healthy, I mean eating plants. By eating plants, I mean eating more raw than cooked.

Since eating plants puts me in the best position to love, I therefore can conclude: Eating plants means I'm eating not only to live, my beautiful friends, but I'm eating to love.

Come with me.

Live unselfishly.

Eat to love.

Plants, y'all. More raw than cooked.

Love y'all!
Lisa

Fight Breast Cancer: Don't Rust!

Let me guess: You prefer a home with a garage or shed so that you can protect the items you value from the elements. If they are exposed to the elements, we all know what happens: They rust.

I'd like to ask that you turn this same love you have for your items inwardly towards your body. If I leave a bicycle exposed to the elements for six months, it will oxidize - better known as rust. How old are you? Are you six months? Of course you aren't. So, I'm pretty sure, you're rusty. :-)

If you leave an aluminum can exposed for a year, it will rust. And of course, we both know you aren't a toddler either. If you're reading this post, I'm positive you've been around for a few decades - probably more. May I be frank? Speaking in terms of something being exposed to the ravages of time and the destruction of the elements, You. Are. OLD!

Where I am going with this?

In honor of anti-breast cancer awareness, I want to empower you with knowledge this month. Each day, I'd like to share something that makes you join the fight against becoming one of the 40K+ women this year who will receive the fateful diagnosis.

Look, whether it be as a result of genes or the environment, our enemy, Cancer, likes to wreak havoc in certain habitats, and you guessed it: A rusty home is an excellent place to thrive. Okay - okay - as humans, we don't call it rust - it's referred to as "oxidative stress." Your common sense is as good as mine, which leads us both to conclude all things age and wither under wear and tear - our bodies are no different.

That's the bad news.

Here's the good news: A diet saturated in antioxidants can help fight the battle against our natural tendency to rust. When you eat, forget about focusing on the silly pleasures of your tongue, which only last for seconds, go deeper - eat with a purpose.

Eat to avoid rust. Eat to live. Eat to thrive. Eat to drive yourself to the grocery store when you're 90. Eat to enjoy sex at 85. Eat to avoid walking with a cane at 76. Eat to take the stairs without becoming breathless. Eat to stay the hell out of the doctor's office every few months getting more pills.

Eat to love - love all those children of your children's children.

Don't you want to hug your great-great-great grands? Well, do something about it. Eat a high fiber - high anti-rusting diet.

We don't need awareness about breast cancer this month. We need an awareness of how to eat to fight it.

There will be no rusting on my watch!

Love y'all!

Lisa