Modified Juicing...new experience

[Tinacristina]

My husband and I began the journey of juice fasting 9 days ago. We set our own rules to juice only fruits and vegetables and as much as we want throughout the day. We given ourselves 3 meals a week for me and 4 meals a week for him to have whenever there is a need or want for them. We decided we would allow 1 day a week for wine and fun per week.

The first few days of juicing I was miserable and irritable. I won't lie. My husband has juiced much more than I ever had while I was more of advid primitive/Atkins dieter. He drink a big glass of juice and tell me how full he was while I on the other hand couldn't ever get enough and felt hungry all day long. This lasted all week. The weekend sunk up near day 5 and I could actually see that my body was reducing in weight and I felt great until I woke up Friday with this vertigo that through me out of whack....I was down for the weekend and fighting my way to stability. Not sure what that was all about.

Yesterday we started off with Monday and I felt pretty darn good again. I actually manage to have a huge juice in the morning filled with every vegetable and fruit alive and it was heaven. I didn't have another until late in the evening last night. I was so surprised at how much energy I had and stayed full. I could go on and on and on all day and night. This morning I put out my vegetables and fruit and admire all the colors from orange, dark greens, to yellow...I loved what I was doing for myself. Tonight is one of our meals we are going to have because it's my step daughters birthday dinner we are having has a family. I don't know but I don't want to stop drinking my juice to eat what we are making which is a gumbo filled with meat and chicken...I have already decided this morning that I will stick to a dark green salad  tongitht and not eat the other and just move on....why stop a good feeling?

When I watched a video on you tube last night the slim, healthy young woman said it beautifully. When you cook foods, you kill the enzymes, so why put dead food in your mouth, when you can have food that is alive...wow! I never saw food that way but it makes so much sense.

I'm excited about this journey and all the transformations I sense will take place for both my husband and I....Looking forward to it all and reading the post and journals here to learn more.

[Peggy Speir]

Oh, and I wanted to say - I have had the vertigo thing happen to me more than once during a juice feast/cleanse. It passes but freaks me out while it happens. I now know how to handle it when it happens. BUT I have no idea WHY it happens.

I sat in on a talk with an amazing raw food educator last winter and what I took away from it was that the more live fresh foods you consume you are giving your body all the nutrients it needs and removing many of the food stressors (sugar, flour, dairy) that create many mental + physical issues, and you then allow your body to heal and function the way it is supposed to.

BUT be aware that eating raw can also be high in fact - when people start out they tend to eat more nuts and avocados. There are alot of raw foodists who promote eating low fat raw food. I find I need a little bit of nut action in my diet each day.......but not at every meal. I also only consume about a total of 2 avocados a week. BUT I learned what was right for me by experimenting. At first I was eating  alot of nuts and an avocado a day. This actually didn't make me feel great. When I eliminated both of them I also didn't feel so well either (low energy and cravings)....so through trial and error I found the right mix for me.

I don't count calories in or out, or portion foods out - I just ask myself is what I am about to consume serving a purpose in my body's healing. It's not easy - I love bread and sweets, but I have gotten to a place in my life where I can't be so irresponsible to my well being to scarf down a bunch of food that reeks havoc on my being. To be honest, at the age of 46 (almost 47), the weight comes off slowly now despite how clean I eat. BUT it's coming off, and more importantly the aches and pains are subsiding (I have arthritis), I move easier, I sleep better, my skin glows, my hormones have levelled out, I have steady energy, and I feel like I am overall a happier person - more friendly.

Gosh....I ramble LOL.

[Tinacristina]

Thanks Peggy...glad to know I am not alone here.

I have so much to learn when I thought I knew it all...that is, low carb, low fat, etc...when this is just the opposite. I am still trying ot understand this concept and how I am going to lose any weight when I drink these tall glasses filled with veggies and fruit. I see it works for others so it's got to work for me too, right? Anyways, thanks for the comment. Wishing you an awesome day too.

[Peggy Speir]

very cool. Isn't it the best feeling?! The more you stick with it the greater you feel.....I am ALWAYS amazed atthe difference of how I feel between eating SAD and eating raw. It's crazy that I deprived myself of feeling great for so long. We just exist in this state of disfunction when we clog our insides with junk. I'm NOT preaching here, because I for sure have food issues and have a tendancy to go back to eating baked goods for stretches of time....but it's during these periods of time that I am accutely aware of the difference between live foods and cooked foods.

Glad you have a partner in the house doing this with you and that you feel so great! Have an awesome day.