Lab Results Are In : I'm Now a Die-Hard Flexitarian :D !!

 I just received my blood test results in the mail, and I am ECSTATIC to report that after only a 12-Day Juice Fast my health stats are remarkable !!  I expected to see some improvement overall, but these results are over the top.... great. (Note:  to read my daily blog with tips and insights during my juice fast from Day 1, click here: Karen's Juice Fast Reboot )

          Tested 6 months ago at:         Now:                            Comments:
Cholesterol...........220.......................114 (optimal is <180)....220 was with Meds
Triglycerides........180.......................121 (optimal is 30-150)...with Niacin regimen
LDL.....................98...........................57 (optimal is <100)..this is the BAD cholesterol
HDL.......................36................................38 (Optimal is > 40)...this is the GOOD cholesterol 
VLDL.................................................24 (Optimal is 4-40)
Chol/HDL..........................................3.5 (Optimal is <4.4)
Non-HDL Chol...................................81 (optimal is <130)

My Thyroid Results are:
TSH, 3rd Gen. ..........1.30 (optimal is 0.3-5.0) 
FREE T4...................1.24 (optimal is 0.71-1.76) 

I am in the optimal range of every single category, except my HDL!!! But, my HDL did go up (a good thing), and I didn't exercise as hard as I usually do during the fast (and I know exercise raises HDL).... so I'm ok with that result.  

Basically, I am in optimal health in these areas after only 12 days on the Juice Fast....amazing.  I'm so happy.  I just KNEW that the way I felt had to be measurable and scientifically/physiologically supportable, and here it is: undisputed lab result truth. The juice fast WORKS! I plan to cut my cholesterol meds in half and retest in about 4 months to see if I've maintained these great levels.  I am waiting to hear back from the doctor about my thyroid meds...I know that the results above are great, but I don't know exactly what the numbers mean by way of being able to reduce my medication or not. You don't want to play around with your thyroid.

Now, I simply have to maintain this healthy lifestyle and way of eating: include 24-32 oz of juice every day (and going on a once-a-month 2-5 day juice fast to reboot)...and eat mostly plant based, organic, clean foods, with occasional meat, fish (high quality without hormones, etc.), and even a treat once in a while (like holiday meals, etc.) !

Easy...since I'm already doing that:  it's habit now, and I actually prefer this to "the old" way of eating.

 PRASAD Health bar in Portland

Jake and I went to Powell's bookstore in Portland on our little trip last weekend, and I perused the Healthy Eating section while he was wandering around the Welding/Blacksmithing aisle :). 

I found several guides and cookbooks on a whole new genre of people that embrace a lifestyle of eating exactly the way that I eat now:  FLEXITARIANS.  Maybe this isn't a new term (I guess it was coined about 15 years ago!), but I've never heard it before. 

Anyway, I'm a flexitarian by definition! I think of it simply as "the way we were created to eat"...but hey, it's fun having a categorical name for it so when people ask.....
Here are some things I gleaned from the internet to define and explain the term. 

Flexitarian Defined

Being a vegetarian can now have many names. According to vegetarian information site Veggie Visitors, true vegans do not eat animal products whatsoever, while lacto-ovo vegetarians eat eggs and dairy, and pesce-vegetarians eat fish. Flexitarian is a term for those who eat vegetarian food most of the time but occasionally add meat to their diets. Flexitarians are considered semi-vegetarians (or, part time vegetarians! :D)

Benefits

The main benefit of following a flexitarian plan instead of eating only vegetarian is that you have more options. You won't get bored from eating only beans or tofu as your main source of protein and you won't have to give up your favorite meat dishes. According to green-living website The Daily Green, focusing your diet on fruits and vegetables can help you ward off stroke, heart disease and prostate cancer. Being a vegetarian is also kinder to the environment since it reduces greenhouse gas emissions created in the production of meat products.

I Like This Point The Best:

It's a guideline, not a religion: Your friends are in town, and want to meet at Texas Jack's House of Steak for lunch. Go for it, but just eat just a reasonable amount—about the size of a deck of cards, and switch to vegetarian fare for dinner. Eat as realistically vegetarian as you can at least 2 meals a day, eat small amounts of (really good, organic!) meat at night or only 2-3 times a week, and you'll eventually adapt to eating smaller portions. You could eat nothing but Snickers bars all day and technically be eating vegetarian, but that's not the point—use your meatless meals to inspire your eating lifestyle, not constrain it.

Expert Insight

According to Medical News Today, becoming a flexitarian and reducing your meat intake will in turn increase your lifespan. In fact, vegetarians live an average of 3.6 years longer than meat eaters. A flexitarian diet will also help reduce your cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure. Medical News Today points out that vegetarians tend to weigh less than meat eaters, which keeps them healthier and stronger.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/214136-what-is-the-flexatarian-diet-plan/#ixzz1XUP1pX8t

I wish you rich blessings as you move forward with your quest for good health and well being for yourself and your family...

Carpe Diem!

8 Pounds in 7 days, and I Feel Amazing! Day 8 of 12

I have to admit..I'm anxious to keep this post short (thank goodness for you, right? :D) because this is shopping day and I want to get out the door!  I actually look forward to buying all my produce for the week on Mondays, it's so fun now.  Maybe that's just because it feels so good buying stuff that I'm proud to buy and have no ethical conflict at all about?  I used to pick up a bag or box of something in the store and have an inner dialog that went something like this:
"Ok, this is cheaper...and fast. The boys can make this if I'm not home without destroying the kitchen, and they'll like it at least.  Wow, look at these ingredients...I can't even understand half of these words on the list, well, except SUGAR- Trans Fat- and 'added as a preservative...  hmmm.....oh well, it's cheap and they'll eat it...it will be fine..."

Now i just pick up an Organic apple that was grown in the next county and think, "Man, this is going to taste GREAT!".  Period.

So....another Pro of juicing:  Less mind static  :D .  We all could use that!

My Juice Fast shopping list for today (remember, this is all I'm consuming, plus sharing with my husband... on Saturday when I break my fast, the list will be cut by about 50% since I will only be adding 32 oz of juice to my regular, newly-improved diet after that):

    Found at Farmer's Market (our local fresh produce store...not all organic, but a large part is), and Fred Meyer in their Organic section ...

• Chard -1 bunch (I got my 2 bunches of Kale at the growers market on Saturday already)
• 14 Apples (any variety that's organic and on sale)
• Beets- 2 bunches since they are on sale and store well
• 7 lemons
• Stevia (I'm out)
• Peaches!!  The organic ones on sale at Fred Meyers this week are amazing!
• Grape tomatoes (on sale at Freddy's)
• 5-7 cucumbers (depending on how big each is)
• 2 bunches celery
• any other organic veggies or fruit on sale that looks good today

I still have my 25# bag of organic carrots that I'm using every day, and a ton of Ginger I bought last week ..plus I have tomatoes and squash from my garden, so this is pretty much the list.

I'm also going to buy the healthy stuff my son and husband like, since they are not fasting ;)...but no more crap.  Oh, and I'm going to get a few things to have on hand for when I break the fast (wild caught Alaskan Salmon is on sale at Freddy's today too.. ;)...and I will still stay within my old grocery budget without spending $$ on all the crap I used to buy for sure.

Now....off to the store, with reusable grocery bags in hand (just keepin it green). Does this mean I'm going to have to buy a Prius too?  Nah....

Carpe Diem!

Day 5 of 12...Seven Pounds in 4 Days: I Love My Juice!

I've lost 7 pounds in 4 days...I'm starting my 5th day on the fast today!  I continue to be amazed at how easy this is.  I thought I would be obsessed with eating throughout this time, but, other than the triggers and urges to chew in the first 1-3 days, I have had no issues what so ever.  Now, I've read at the "F,S & ND" website on the forum that some people struggle a bit more in the first 3 days....but virtually no one has had any problems after day three.  I mean, seriously, if you make it to day 4, it is a piece of cake.  Your palate has completely changed (meaning you actually start to crave your green juice), and it's so easy to just grab your container of juice when you feel hungry that there is no heartache in not being able to chew on something.

On evening 3, I admit, I looked at my husband's grilled salmon and wanted a bite...but hey, I get to have that the rest of my life after the fast, so it was not a problem suppressing the urge.   I've been around other family members eating ice cream, french fries, etc. and I don't feel deprived at all; instead I don't even find the other food appealing and I'm just happy that my health is improving by leaps and bounds instead.

I wish someone would do a study on why juicing not only makes you feel physically healthy, but also emotionally stellar.  I mean, I guess it's obvious why since your cells (including neurons) are all singing inside of you once they get the nutrients they finally need through the juice..but the physiology would be really interesting.  I can't remember a time in my life feeling happier or with such a sense of over riding contentment and  positive outlook.  It's kind of uncanny...but not unusual I guess, since many juicers report the same thing.  Hmmm.

I have to admit something: last night I was slicing a peach for my husband, and completely out of habit, slipped a piece in my mouth and ate it!  I know that it's not the end of the world, and I put peaches in my juice all the time, so it's something you are encouraged to consume on the fast....but for the fast-purists out there, I messed up.  And here's the best part: that peach tasted like the most incredible organic peach I had ever dreamed of.  My taste buds were so sensitive to the flavor of raw, healthy produce that I believe my sense of taste is cleaned out too now.  I mean, it was crazy incredible. So incredibly good that I actually ate 3 more slices ! :D  Jake said, "Are you supposed to eat that?".

"No, but hey, it's on my list of foods to juice and I just can't believe how amazing it tastes!  Besides, one or two ( okay, 4) little slices of peach is not going to break my fasting efforts."

So be it.  I am not a purist, and never will be, and that's fine.

I have been proclaiming the wonderful benefits of Juicing for 5 days now, and I thought it would be important to think through the "cons" just so this blog and my opinion can be balanced.  Here is the list I came up with:

The Cons of Juicing:

• It's messy...no matter how you juice, or what machine you use, it's messy.  Pulp and juice find their way onto your clothes (and beet juice really stains), the counter, the floor at times.
• Everyone else you live with will want you to make juice for them (or share YOUR juice) once they try it...so there is a bit more hassle and work that might take place once you start; and it's frustrating when you share your juice "gold" with them, and then they chase it with a chocolate chip cookie!! Seems like a waste.
• Your clothes will fit looser, so you may have to buy new ones. Even on just a 5-day fast, you are going to lose weight; so if you don't want to, you'd have to add in extra foods or maybe high quality fats (like olive oil to your green juice? I have no idea)
• You have to visit the bathroom a lot more...very inconvenient when you are traveling or in the middle of town on errands, etc.
• You may have to put up with friends or family that think you are just going through some health-craze phase, and that this too shall pass.  Naysayers are not fun...neither are people that say, "That's great for you, but I'd never do it."  It's kinda sad, and that's a con.
• You have to take a juicer with you if you plan to leave town in order to truly remain on the fast (this is why I'm doing 12 days...because on day 13, Jake and I are going on a trip to the Portland Art on the Pearl Festival and I didn't want to be juicing then).  For those planning longer fasts, buying 2 juicers (a travel and home juicer) could be spendy.

And, I think that's about it.  For me, the pros outweigh the cons by a landslide...but for others, they may not.

All I know is that this juicing works and is hands-down the best, most delicious, easiest journey for health and weight loss that I have ever experienced.

Little tips I've learned about juicing that are cool:

1. Broccoli Stems (the long trunks under the fluffy part at top) contain a LOT of juice and is sweeter than the florets.  Juicing broccoli is awesome, and in your green juice, it doesn't taste "broccoli-ish"
2. Always juice your cucumber last ... it "washes" out the other produce and pulp left in the juicer.
3. Celestial Seasonings Tiger Spice Cinnamon-y herb tea (with the tiger on the front) is amazing iced with a little stevia in it.
4. "Naked" Juice or other brands that are in the grocery store are NOT a good buy and shouldn't be used for your fast.  It is all pasteurized (which means heated to boiling for a certain amount of time) and all of the live enzymes that are the healthy component in fresh juice are killed.
5.  Freezing your juice to defrost and drink later kills the enzymes too..so don't freeze it.  It will "keep" for 24-48 hours; but always try to drink it as soon as possible since storing diminishes the nutrient quality a little each hour. Conversely, it is totally ok to use frozen fruits in your juice to augment it...the site suggests defrosting it first...but I have tossed in handfuls of frozen blueberries and they come through the juicer with a great creamy texture and make it all cold and yummy.
6. Wrapping celery in foil makes in stay fresh longer.
7. Taking your carrots out of their plastic bag so they can "breathe" in your frig keeps them from going bad
8. Organic produce is hands-down more flavorful and worth every extra cent it costs to purchase up front.  I don't even stress on the prices now...I buy what's on sale, and save a ton on not buying the junk I used to: so, it evens out. Always look for the number "9" as the first number on your produce label..."9" means it is certified Organic.
9. I make it a point to tell my favorite organic farmer at the Grower's Market that I LOVE his produce, and I commend him for working hard to do the right thing for all of us who buy his veggies and fruits.  Usually, others are standing around when I say that, and hopefully they will be encouraged to buy his stuff and not the guy's next to him who uses chemicals to augment growth or kill pests :(.   **I was buying produce from one local farm that has a booth every week that swarms with customers at the Grower's Market...I asked the guy that took the money if they used any pesticides on the farm , and he said "no, but they use fertilizers".  He didn't sound too sure, so I found their farm's website online and sent them an email.  The owner said, "yes, we do use pesticides and herbicides, but ALL according to the directions of the chemical company...so there is not much residue on the produce when it gets to market."  Ummmmmm, no...not going to buy there again.  If you want to know the name of the farm, facebook or email me.
10. So, in response to #8 above, always ask if you don't see the "organic" label on produce....nine times out of ten, even at the Grower's Market, it will have chemicals on it if not labeled or on their Farm Sign, etc.

Have an amazing day!

Day 3 of 12

What a great day it is...I awoke with the sunshine, and then enjoyed the little drizzling of rain we had a bit later on.
I don't remember the last time I felt so rested in all my life.  This juicing thing is amazing.

I weighed myself first thing this morning and I lost 4 pounds in the first 2 days.  That is just an added bonus to the way I feel, though.  I would take health and well being over weight loss any day....but, woohoo, it looks like I don't have to choose since I'm reaping both!

Yesterday, I didn't make enough juice.  On Day 1 I made about 96 oz....which was almost too much.  Then, yesterday I cut back to about 72oz, and that wasn't enough.  At about 8pm last night  I wished I'd had one more 8 oz glass of fruit juice for a "nite cap" to hold me over until breakfast...that would have been just perfect.  So I went to bed with a little hunger thinking I would surely be starved at the crack of dawn....but I wasn't:  I woke up, rested, and astonishingly, not really hungry.  Hmmmm, that was unexpected.

So, this morning I made my juice (back up to 96 oz), and drank about 20 oz.  Yum.  Then I worked out for 30 minutes (dance workout), and felt great.  I think adding the organic vegetable protein powder to the juice is really helping me not feel a slump mid-day, even with the calories I burn working out.

It hit me last night just how long I have known about "juicing" in general, but never embraced it fully until now.  I've also known how important it is to eat tons of fruits and veggies every day, but it's hard to fit all of them in, and I always got discouraged or tired of trying to squeeze them all in each day.   With juice, you just drink a glass a day, and you've got your servings covered! It's so easy...I don't know why it took me so long to "get it".

  My new life motto:  "Once you know better, you've got to DO better" if you want to create a life of personal integrity and health in all areas :spiritually, physically and emotionally.  I've finally made the conscious decision to stop "knowing" and start "doing".

My son and granddaughter

chard

My son came by after work last night and "borrowed" some of my Chard and organic apples to juice at home...that makes me smile :)  I just want everyone I love to benefit from this journey in health with me!  

This is going well.  And, I am so glad. 

Day 1 of 12

Most who know me know that I'm pretty conservative, traditional actually. I've never been a hippie (even though I was raised in Santa Barbara in the 70's), or a crazed activist of any kind. I eat meat, (and plan to continue), and admit to occasionally purchasing fast food in a pinch or for convenience throughout my life.  Heck, my first job at 16 was selling burgers at McDonald's in Goleta, CA, and I voted only Republican for nearly 32 years...that's got to qualify me for something notably American and conservative!

But....after spending a month in Europe eating their beautiful (mostly organic and locally-grown) foods, and watching a couple of eye-opening documentaries on my iPad on the flight back to the US... I've become a convert to a different lifestyle that, already, has changed me in ways I never thought were possible.  I say "different" and not "new, because actually I've just returned to the way I was raised...re-embracing, if you will, the lifestyle of eating foods that are real, honest, and unadulterated with sprays/genetics/hormones, just the way God created them to be.

When I first got back from Europe last month, I stepped right back in to eating and drinking the way I was used to in America- albeit, I ate a little more consciously than before my trip.  I had always considered my eating habits and what I've provided for my family by way of food choices and meals, as being health-focused...with occasional treats. Let's face it, I was a Physical Education & Health major in college with a Dance specialization who knows about good nutrition AND I was raised with a amazing mother who cooked everything from scratch using wholesome ingredients just the way she was taught in her country, Germany.  Not only that, but mom only had one consistent magazine subscription her whole adult life: PREVENTION... a journal of healthy lifestyles, eating organically, cooking wholesome foods, growing great gardens, etc.  We ate plain yogurt sweetened with honey in my house growing up before anyone in the US had ever really even heard of yogurt (hard to believe, I know, now with our 237 varieties and brands of flavored yogurt in stores)! Processed foods were never in our cupboards, and I remember whining to mom to "puuleeeaase by twinkies like all my friend's moms do!"  She never caved, and I'm thankful for her example.

But after decades of being an American, slowly but surely sliding into our culture of convenience, super-sized everything, and the notion that "technology/biochemical advancements are positive and our future as a country", I was not eating/drinking the way I was created to , and I was feeling the results of that.  I've been on two medications now for several years: one for thyroid issues and one to lower cholesterol.  I work out and teach dance regularly, I've eaten relatively well all of my adult life, but I still need these two medications to function well.  Not only that, but up until two months ago, I have had consistent bouts of insomnia: the kind where I would fall asleep really late (finally), and then wake up at almost the same time each night (4am) unable to go back to sleep.  The sleep deprivation thing was the worst.  

In Europe, I slept like a baby and woke up with the sun for the first time in a decade!  I had energy, and a general sense of health that I hadn't had in so long...my digestive system was miraculously transformed in just the 10 days I spent in Munich.  Something was happening, and I had to figure it out.

On the flight home, I watched a movie I had on my iPad, "Vanishing Bees". It documents the massive death of bees...first in Europe about 10 years ago, and recently since about 2007 here in the states.  Bee keepers and farmers who rely on the bees to pollinate their crops have been watching millions of bees die...or stranger yet: fly off from their hives en masse and never return again.  After studies, and observation, it was discovered that pesticides (sprays, and biotechnically-engineered plants and seeds that have pesticides in their DNA) are the cause of the massive bee-death.  When France first discovered this 10 years ago, they banned many pesticides and their application process completely.  They also noticed that the rates of cancer/autism/ADD/ other disease in their farmers and their farmer's children were off-the-charts higher than the regular population.  They tested cord blood of babies at random, and found pesticide residue, etc. there!  Many communities in France now - and across Europe - grow only organically.  A few only offer organic foods in their school lunches for their country's children. 

I learned that here in the states, you can't buy anything in the food supply (unless certified organic) that is not genetically altered or been treated with chemicals.  No wonder we see the incidence of all of the same things France saw ten years ago on the rise here in astronomical proportions:  cancers in younger and younger adults, autism/ADD spectrums/ auto immune diseases that didn't exist 50 years ago/ tumors, etc. 

I never knew this before, but pesticides/herbicides were only "invented" after WWII by the same chemical companies who made mustard gas and war-time herbicides for combat support.  After they lost their military contracts when the war was over...they needed a new way to earn revenue, so they began marketing the idea of spraying crops to help with food production.  And, just like everyone embraced the marketing ploy that cigarettes were healthy for you back then, the farmers back in the late 40's and 50's began buying herbicides/pesticides and spraying crops. They were duped...and so were all of us. The result after 50 years is that America now has chemicals in everything we eat and drink... we are sicker as a nation, but don't even know why.

"Vanishing Bees" was a wake-up call for me.  And then, seemingly at random, I watched another movie that hit it out of the ballpark. It took me from being concerned, worried and questioning, straight into doing something about it for myself and my family ... now.
The movie is,"Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead".  I watched it on the plane (Netflix has it as an instantly-viewable selection), and by the time I got home to Grants Pass I knew my entire way of thinking about food was about to change.  

Here's a trailer from the movie....

And then, it happened.  For the first two days I went right back to eating/drinking the way I had before I left for Europe: healthfully by most standards, but I was still buying and consuming foods from the regular stores and trying to buy cheap rather than quality.  I had my occasional diet soda in the first days back as well.  What happened?? I got sick.  My digestive system rebelled big time.  It was like it was screaming, "Wait a minute...I've been getting great stuff for the past month, and now it's this again?!?!"  I got nauseaus, had headaches, couldn't sleep at night...all within just a day or two of returning to the states and resuming my old ways of eating.  And, I'd heard the same story from a few of the ladies that traveled with me on the first leg of the trip to Europe:  they got sick when they came home and ate the standard US diet and food again too!!!

So, I had my husband watch the movie with me the next day...he was converted instantly as well (and that's saying alot for a former Mountain-Dew drinking, Taco-Bell-imbibing country boy).  We learned that many, if not most, diseases are preventable with the right diet HIGH in micronutrients (nutrients easily gotten by juicing whole organic fruits and veggies that are immediately usable by our cells for metabolism and cleansing). This includes most auto-immune diseases, high blood pressure, heart disease, many cancers, type II diabetes, etc. 

We both decided together that we were going to embrace this knowledge now, and apply it! All I can say is please, take 2 hours and WATCH this movie...it will dramatically alter how you think about your health and your family's health; as well as explain so much that you've always wondered about.  It's funny, engaging, inspirational...and all true, that's the best part.

The day after my husband watched the movie, I bought a juicer at Walmart for $99....my  best investment in years.  I began making "green juice" (which is amazingly refreshing and yummy when you add a little Stevia-a natural sweetener- and lemon) with organic Kale, cucumber, celery, carrots, apples, ginger, and drinking it twice a day.  I ate healthful foods (mostly organic) including meat in addition to the juice.  Just by ADDING the juice and eating "cleaner" (less pesticides, etc), we experienced nothing short of miraculous changes.  I began sleeping through the night here in the states and waking up with the sun!!!  My digestive system is as predictable as a German train schedule now (you have to understand German culture and their train system to truly get that), and I have a general sense of health, energy and well being that I haven't had since I was 20!  

And, it's not just an age-thing...Jake, who is much younger than I... has experienced the same outcomes and is totally sold on the fact that we will be juicing the rest of our lives now.  This is how we were created to eat: clean, healthy foods and nutrients straight from the source...so what stopped us in the past?  A little bit of ignorance (but when you know better, you do better:D), habit, succumbing to US marketing like everyone else...and, money.  I used to think that buying organic foods was SO expensive and I couldn't afford it...ever.  The revelation is that once you start buying good foods, you stop buying the crap...and it's the crap that cost so much.  I haven't bought a 12- pack of diet soda in almost 6 weeks: savings= $5-6/week...I spent that instead on a huge bag of organic carrots to juice that last me 4 weeks.  No more convenience foods:  savings = A TON!!  ... all put toward cleaner foods.  We shop locally at Farmer's Market and the Growers Market now...and get some good deals!  All in all, I spend the same amount of money each week on groceries that I did before this paradigm shift. It's totally do-able.

Why juice?  Simple:  You can drink ALL  5-7 helpings of fruits and vegetables recommended (and essential) by the FDA in one tall glass of incredibly refreshing juice each day.  I could never eat all of the fruits and veggies I put in the juicer to create a 16oz glass of juice...it's WAY too much.  And after one or two a day, who really can stomach another salad or serving of steamed veggies?  This is easy, fun and the best "discovery" we ever made.  I'm so thankful that Joe decided to document his journey from being fat, sick and nearly dead...it has changed us in so many ways.  Like he says, "You go from knowing...to doing".  


Ok, so why a Juice FAST?  Well, after seeing the dramatic changes in my own health and well-being during the past 6 weeks that I've added juice to my daily diet, I want to actually reboot my system for 12 days on just the micronutrients from juicing and then start from scratch in this new era of healthy, organic eating.  Losing a few pounds would be a great perk too (if you want to see the healthy, incredible weight loss possible, it's all in the movie).  

So this is what I'm doing for the next 12 days:
1. Drinking organic juices I make at home (~96 oz a day), Britta-filtered water, and herbal iced tea only
2. Documenting the truth about the 12 days here


Below is the basic recipe for the "Green Juice"....but I add to it at will - that's why the picture of my juice is reddish or even brown...I add red fruits and veggies like strawberries, beets (they make it sweet and do not add a beety-flavor like you think they would), extra carrots, etc. Note: You can interchange virtually any fruits or veggies to your liking. I am also going to drink fruit juice, and a tomato/V-8 style juice I'm going to try just to change it up.  There are great recipes on the "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead" website (google the movie and it will pop up)..and they are all free to see, etc.

With organic produce, all you have to do is rinse it...no need to peel it to put in the juicer : now, how more convenient can that be (the American way) !  Suggestion: Google the "Dirty Dozen" list to find the top 12 foods you should really never buy unless organic because they are loaded with chemicals...Things that have peels (oranges, lemons, etc.) are less necessary to purchase as organic.


Green Juice
5-6 Kale or Chard leaves w/ their stocks (just juice the whole thing!)
1 lemon or lime (peeled, if not organic) 
3-4 stalks of Celery
1/2 cucumber
1 inch length of fresh Ginger (the miracle refreshing ingredient, I tell ya!)
1 huge handful of spinach
1-2 apples


** I always add 1-2 carrots to mine.  If you like it sweeter, add Stevia (natural sweetener), or an extra apple, or 1/2 beet....it may look more brown than green if you add red kale or beets like I do, but it's still considered "green" since it's 80% veggies or more.

Fruit Juice I made this morning (amazing!!!!)
4 peaches
1 apple
ginger
1 carrot


So far (it's 11:30am), I feel fine.  They say to expect a headache maybe, and to be a bit tired the first day or two...and a bit hungry.  But whenever you are hungry, you just drink as much juice as you want, so it doesn't feel like deprivation at all.  I took the advice of the nutritionist on the site that recommends that you ease-in to a juice fast: adding juice and changing your diet slowly leading up to it rather than going straight from being a fast food junkie into juicing.  Obviously, the shock to the system (even though it's good one), may not feel so good that way.
After day 3 it's supposed to be smooth sailing...hunger is curbed, headache (if it comes) leaves; everything is balancing out and toxins are leaving so you feel really great with lots of energy, etc..  


I will tell the truth here...even if it's not all wonderful.  


One thing I know for sure: this is a permanent lifestyle change now. I'm buying only organic for my granddaughter when she eats here, and she loves the juice too...I bought a juicer for my son and daughter-in-law, and my youngest son is eating better now too, since we are.

All in all, I'm looking forward; and am so grateful for the example my mom set for me growing up, my time in Munich which changed my personal vision for the future, and the inspiration the movie "F,S &ND" was for us to DO something.


I'm still not a hippie, I will most likely always eat meat (just grass fed, hormone-free, etc. the way they originally existed on this earth), I will have occasional "treats" of whatever I want just because it's ok (organic chocolate sounds good right now.. Oh, Man, I need a Trader Joe's!!), I still consider myself traditional and conservative but lean a little more toward the middle these days; and, no matter what -I will be juicing the rest of my life. No doubt.

My Juice Today

                                                             Jake and me :)