I was thinking today about my family, and the unfortunate health issues they have dealt with over the years... My beloved mother passed away at only 68 from a heart attack. She had smoked for many years but stopped when she was 48 and had a triple bypass. Although she only had good foods in the house for us all, they were not organic (that word wasn't even coined then, I don't believe)... the cigarettes and, I believe, other environmental issues finally took their toll on her health permanently.
My oldest brother, Richard was a stellar example of health: he ran several miles every day to keep in shape for his duties as a Lt. Colonel in the Army Reserves. He wasn't overweight, and led a healthy lifestyle; yet at only 50 years of age, he was struck with leukemia. It was a heartbreak for our family to lose such an amazing man, father, brother and friend.
My father has had Type II diabetes for 40 years, even though he remained active his entire life until just this past year at 80 when he decided to hang up his golf clubs and retire his tennis racket. He had bypass surgery several years ago, and a run-in with colon cancer.
My younger brother, although also active and a relatively healthy eater, was diagnosed with colon cancer a couple of years ago as well.
I've had thyroid issues, and others.
Where did all of this disease come from in a family that was healthy and led active lifestyles by most American standards? I can only speculate, but I truly believe that our immune systems as we've aged, have been compromised and beaten down by all of the chemicals accumulated in our bodies from ingesting pesticides, BPA's, and other junk...without even realizing it!
This is the main reason I am going to juice on, and continue the conversion to mostly organic food for the rest of my life:
Tomorrow morning I'm going to the Lab to have blood drawn to check my lipid and thyroid levels to see how this juice fast has affected them. Obviously, it will take several days until the results are back, but I will post an Epilogue on this blog to let you know how it all went.
I'm not too sure if the change will be dramatic, since it was only a 12 day fast, but I expect to see improvement for sure. I'll let you know :)
My husband and I have decided to buy a grass-fed, organic, hormone-free 1/2 beef, and hope to share the meat and cost with friends or family. I've researched a great CSA in our region, and got the farm contact from them. We are EXCITED...but now we have to buy a refrigerator for the garage (2nd hand, of course). Making changes one step at a time!
I wanted to note that my appetite has actually decreased in the last 3-4 days. I'm only needing about 64oz of juice per day (plus herd tea and water) to feel completely satiated. I'm sure my stomach has "shrunk", and my blood sugar levels are all balanced out by now so that I don't have the cravings to eat as much as at the beginning. I can TOTALLY see how, if I had 50+ pounds to lose, this would be EASY to maintain for 30 + days or so (as the guys did in the film). Do-able.
I'm holding at 9 pounds lost...but I am on the cusp (just a couple of ounces) of 10 pounds. I'm pretty sure I will make that mark by tomorrow, the last day. Ten pounds in 12 days....not bad at all.
Carpe Diem!
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