May the Juice Be Ever In Your Favor

Have juicer will travel.  DH has been out of the country for work for a while, and is still gone for a while, so I took an opportunity to go “home,” and hang out with my family.   I stayed with my mama (yes, I’m 3*** years old and still call her “mama.”)  (What?  You thought I was going to TELL you my age?  Silly you.)

I DID take my juicer with me.  It appears to be in a cat crate.......but travels MUCH more quietly than either of my meowers.  

It also just happened to arrive in town (after working in the morning) on the premier date for Hunger Games (no pun intended.)   I am still a little bitter about not being able to have popcorn during my cleanse.  I more than made up for it at the movies.  Oops.  Portion control is NOT my strong suit.    Was a great time with my OMGin sister and her DH (you’ll have to ask her what that stands for in her house), my mama and stepdad, and my cousin who I haven’t seen in a very long time.   Movie was GREAT!!  (No spoilers - other than Katniss has a waistline like Scarlett O’Hara.)

Saturday was a lazy day, but we did venture out in town, ran some errands.  Where my mother told everyone about juicing and told people about my blog.  Was cute to see her excited about it.  If ONLY I could get them on board!!!  I needed some produce, so we headed to the grocery store.  It was fun trying to find cactus (I made Mama ask where it was.)  (My stepdad is a borderline diabetic {skinniest one you’ll ever see} - and I wanted to make him a miracle cactus juice.)  No luck on the cactus.  They were “out” too.  Why does this keep happening!

Now I threw all my necessary produce in the cart, and we bought the rest of what we needed.   My mom thought I had easily put $50 worth of ingredients into the cart, and was SHOCKED when it added up to $12.   I used 1/4 of it while I was in town and brought the rest  home with me.  Bonus!!!

Saturday afternoon, we used the oven and there was something in the oven that made a horrific smell.   With the migraines free to destroy my body every other day, I’ve learned that smells trigger migraines for me.  I have now had 4 (out of 10) from SMELLS.  How am I supposed to combat that????    (More on my migraine issue later)

So Sunday was a no shower, lay around on the couch and hang out with my mama relaxing day due to horrendous smell induced migraine.  SO much better to lay on her couch than alone at home on mine.

Weekend was great and I loved forcing my juices on my parents :)  My stepdad decided after one juice, he will now be healthy.  I told him he would be until his next meal :)

Goooooooooooooo Katniss!!!

Juicing For Health - Fifty Fascinating Facts

I came upon this article about juicing for health and it claimed to tell me 50 Fascinating Facts.  This article has some really helpful facts for sure...Let's see if I can find some fascinating ones ......  The facts and my thoughts below.

Remember, I am not a doctor, I just play one on TV.

1. If you are juicing for health, it is useful to remember that fresh juice starts to lose nutrients as soon as it is made. If you want to retain the full benefit of your effort, drink the juice immediately or as soon as possible.  (True Story)

2. Some juice extractors, such as the centrifugal-ejection type, generate enough heat during operation to do some damage to the delicate structure of the juice. The resultant oxidation destroys nutrients.  (Violent vs. non-violent juicers)

3. Masticating juicers use a more gentle process, preserving more of the valuable nutrients. This also enables you to store the juice for a longer period.  (This is why we have a masticating juicer - 40% more juice and it lasts longer)

4. If you have to store the juice for a while, make sure that the container is airtight, add a few drops of lemon juice, and keep it refrigerated.  (I just use jars that I have saved for making jam late this spring)

5. When juicing for health, a clever gadget named PumpNseal can be used to vacuum seal juice in any jar. Removing the air enables you to store the juice for longer periods without nutrient loss.  (I haven't needed to save juice for more than 12 hours before so I don't have any knowledge of the Pump-N-Seal, other than it sounds like something they give away as a free gift with your prescription of Viagra)

6. In general, masticating juicers offer extra features, such as accessories you can use to mill, grind, puree, to make pasta, and to come up with the most delectable frozen desserts. When juicing for health, these extras will give you a fairly varied repertoire in the kitchen. A raw food diet will become more feasible in the process.  (We have used our masticator to make strawberry/banana sorbet.  I will use it later today to make peanut butter.)

7. If you are concerned about a high noise level, rather choose one of the masticating models.  (The masticating juicer isn't very loud at all.  My friend Suzanne says it sounds like its actually chewing the veggies - hence the masticating name I think!)

8. Remember to remove hard pits from fruit such as peaches. You won't eat these and neither will your juicer! Don't ruin the blades! Apple seeds contain small amounts of cyanide. Be sure to remove these before juicing.  (Hmm.....obviously makes sense, but I haven't been removing the apple seeds.  If I'm dead soon, you'll know why.)

9. Most body-building, leafy greens have strong flavors. Cucumber is a terrific disguise for this, and has the added advantage of containing important nutrients. Maximise the benefit by using one that doesn't need peeling.  (I LOVE adding cucumber - so fresh tasting!)

10. If you are juicing for health, use organic produce as far as possible. Otherwise wash everything thoroughly.  (Some info on using organic and non-organic and how much of the chemicals you may end up with Minimize Chemicals )

11. Often the greatest concentration of nutrients lie just beneath the rind or skin.  (Hey look - a fascinating one!!!)

12. Don't peel carrots, but do remove their greens. Rhubarb greens also need to be removed. There may be a problem with toxicity if you juice these.   

13. Do peel citrus, mango and papaya. These peels are not usable and may even be harmful to you. The skins of oranges and grapefruits contain toxic substances. However, the white, pithy part just below the skin, contains valuable bioflavonoids. Aim to retain as much of this as possible.  (Always just remove the COLOR of the orange, lime, lemon - leave the white pith behind, that's where the good stuff is)  This is what your lemon should look like ------>  

14. Soft fruits such as peaches, melons and strawberries will produce a much thicker juice than harder textured fruit such as apples. Combine the two to improve the results.  (yum)

15. Rather blend banana and papaya. They don't juice well. If you have one of the masticating juicers with added features, you can try these as a frozen dessert. Juicing for health isn't suppose to be a punishment, after all! Enjoy something sweet regularly.  (Frozen bananas are awesome through our juicer)

16. Follow soft fruits with harder textured produce, to facilitate clearing the pulp.  (Learning curve here.  Apples, cucumbers, and oranges get backed up something fierce in the masticators.  Shove a carrot through and/or celery after clears the jam up and gets the remaining juice into the bin.)

17. Juicing leafy greens becomes much easier if you roll the leaves into a little ball, before feeding it into the machine.  (Word)

18. Wheat-grass is exceptionally nutrient-rich, and has a taste strong enough to equal its value! If your juicer can manage it, start with tiny amounts and increase the quantity slowly.  (Because it tastes terrible.)

19. It is claimed that the benefits of drinking wheat grass juice includes cleansing the lymph system, building the red blood cells, removing toxic metals from the cells, nourishing the liver and kidneys, and restoring vitality.  (I want to be vital.)

20. Wheat-grass needs to be consumed in juice form, as the body cannot process the plant fibres.  (K.)

21. Wheat-grass is gluten-free, in spite of its name. Gluten is found only in the seed kernel, and not in the stem and grass leaves of the young plant. It should therefore be safe for individuals with a gluten intolerance.  (Cool)

22. Drink freshly made juice daily and concentrate on using as wide a variety of produce as possible, to ensure that your body receives a bit of all the most beneficial micronutrients.  (I try to make sure people that I'm helping along in their juicing don't get stuck on their "favorite" juice.  There are lots of different combos, and lots of veggies to use to get the most out of juicing.)

23. Your need for expensive supplements in the form of vitamin and mineral tablets, will diminish significantly, if you are juicing for health on a daily basis.  (NICE!!)

24. Many ailments will improve if juice forms a regular part of your diet. For example, cabbage juice is one of the most healing juices in case of ulcers. In this case, use under medical supervision.

25. If you experience water retention, juices such as celery, cucumber, cranberry, and watermelon are extremely helpful.  (On it!!)

26. A general rule is that a pound of produce will give you about a cup of juice.  (And this is my answer when someone says "why can't i just eat the veggies and fruit?"  Because you have to eat a TON to get the benefit of what you're getting out of the juice.  I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who wants to eat 6 stalks of Kale, 2 stalks of celery, a cucumber, an inch of ginger, two apples, and half a lemon twice a day.)

27. One cup of carrot juice is equal to about four cups diced, raw carrots. Carrots are much easier to consume in liquid form. Your body is also able to assimilate them better.  (Good to know)

28. Vegetable juice is a low-calorie snack and contains no fat. Use it as part of a sensible eating plan, and experience the wonderful results.  (Wonderous!)

29. Fresh juices act as a healthy, harmless appetite suppressant, and craving curbed.  

30. Vegetable juice can also help to stabilize blood sugar levels. It has much less sugar than fruit juices and about 50% less calories, yet it will satisfy that sweet tooth every time. Try carrot or a combination of carrot and parsley juice when a craving hits you, and the juice jolt will give it a knock-out before you know it!   (TRUE story)

31. A water fast may leave you feeling drained, while a vegetable juice fast will give you an energy surge. Fasting should always be done under supervision.  (I had SO much energy on my cleanse.  I'm trying to find the right combo of adding it to my regular life to maximize the energy benefit.)

32. If you really don't like the taste of certain vegetables, try juicing these and adding them to some of your favorites. You probably won't even notice the difference in taste, but your body will certainly notice the difference in nutritional value!

33. Your skin may become slightly yellow if you consume large quantities of carrot juice. This effect is harmless and will disappear once you reduce your consumption.

34. Juicing for health is more beneficial if you consume juice that is at room temperature.  (There is a reason for this....but I can't remember what it is....)

35. Ginger gives a bit of a bite to juice. Try it! It has anti-inflammatory properties. Stomach irritations, nausea and motion sickness can be relieved by taking ginger.   (Ginger is a ROCK STAR.  I have it in EVERY juice I make.)

36. The nutrients in the juice you drink, is taken up immediately by all the cells in your body. Your juicer magically transfers the produce into pre-digested food. This means that your body is able to make maximum use of all the enzymes, vitamins and minerals.   (And this is why you juice.  You are creating a juice that your body can absorb and deliver to your cells and blood stream immediately!)

37. Juices help you to maintain the proper PH in your body, which is important in preventing diseases like cancer.  (so what are you waiting for!!!!!!)

38. The phytochemicals in the juice also helps to remove carcinogens from your body.  (BAD carcinogens!!!)

39. The properties in many vegetables, such as cucumber and carrots, will improve your skin, hair, and nails. If you up your intake of fresh juice, expensive beauty treatments may become a thing of the past.  (My skin has been glowing for sure!!)

40. Juicing for health is anti-ageing and puts the spring back in your step.  (Anti-aging?  Sign me up)

41. Children love the sweet taste of carrot juice. It is easy to add other, perhaps detested veggies to the juice, without them noticing it.  (How awesome is it to serve your kids an super healthy after school juice, rather than a pop tart?)

42. Remember that, it you have kids, they may be more willing to try the juice at first if you turn it into a smoothie. Try apple, carrot and grapes or strawberry. Put ice-cubes in a blender, and pour in your juice mixture. Add some frozen yoghurt or sherbert if you want, and blend to the desired thickness.  (OH!!!)

43. A good way to add extra flavor and sweetness to juice, is to use fresh or shredded coconut.  (Or mint leaves :) )

44. You can also add some cranberries if you like the taste. Cranberries have an extremely high antioxidant content. In addition, they may help you to avoid urinary tract infections.  (Haven't done this yet, but want to)

45. Scientists recommend 8 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables to be consumed per day. A substantial portion of the population don't even reach 20% of the ideal. Juicing for health is the easiest way to bring you closer to this goal.  (Again, an answer as to why you don't just eat the veggies.  Because we just DON'T)

46. Although juicing removes some of the fibre, the process allows you to ingest a much more concentrated, easily assimmilated form of enzymes, minerals and vitamins. Just be sure to boost your fibre intake, by eating fibre-rich foods such as cereals and whole grains.

47. It is believed that sugar cane juice has properties that help to prevent tooth decay. In contrast, eating sugar cane often, will result in frequent visits to the dentist.

48. There is also evidence that there may be some wound healing and immune strengthening properties in sugar cane. In addition, the juice has a soothing effect on the digestive system, especially when combined with fresh ginger.

49. Juicing for health isn't a cure-all! If your lifestyle is unhealthy in general, don't expect juicing to magically wipe out the negative effects of all the things you know you probably shouldn't do!  (WORD.  YOU NEED A LIFESTYLE CHANGE TO GO ALONG WITH THE JUICING.  You can't cleanse, and then go back to what you were doing before....)

50. If you are pregnant, planning to get pregnant, nursing or have any illness, you need to get medical advice before starting a juicing for health program. The same rule applies to small children. Some juices are quite potent and may do more than good under certain circumstances.

Juicing-For-Health---Fifty-Fascinating-Facts


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/133608

Et tu, Cacti?

I'm in Search of Puerto Vallarta

Pretty sure I don't have to explain why.

The minute we decided to “juice” our bodies, I told DH - I’M GOING TO MAKE THE GREEN JUICE!   He didn’t reply what you think might be the obvious response, “DUH.”  He’s a smart man, Jennay, and he knows what Green Juice is.

You see, when we vacation in Mexico, which we are wont to do, our resort serves this Green Juice at breakfast.  It makes me happy, this juice.   Two weeks before we leave, I start talking about it.  I love it THAT much.   I have as much as I can while we are there, because I know I won’t be having it anytime soon.  I’ve never had anything like it here at home, not for lack of looking.

So when we decided to juice, I knew I was going to try to recreate my Juice so I could feel like I was on vacation.   Via their online room service menu, I was able to find out what was in the juice, but not HOW much of each was in there.  No problem, I’m a whiz at this juicing business now, and can recreate this juice no problem. (Here she is again - Ms. Humble.)

But I need a cactus leaf (not the cactus fruit). A nopale, if you will.  That is the first ingredient in my Vacation Juice.  Cactus.   I had tried to find a nopale while we were on our fast, but they were out.   (REALLY?  You’re OUT of cacti?)  So I went back the other night to get one or two.  

YAHTZEE!!!  They have some leaves for me.   I select two (with tongs as they are spiny as heck), and get the rest of my produce and head home to experiment.

Hmm....how best to remove spines?  Must youtube.  

While youtubeing my problem, I found out a TON about the benefits of juicing/consuming nopale cactus.   If you have blood sugar issues, this is what you need to be juicing!!!!

Stabilizes Blood sugarNopal cactus contains a large amount of slowly-digestible fiber and tends to slow down the digestion of foods when it is taken just before or with a meal. The cactus has the effect of lowering the Glycemic Index (a measure of how quickly a food raises blood sugar levels) of any foods it is eaten with.

Lowers CholesterolThe fiber and sterols in Nopal bind with a bile salt in the intestines, which helps limit the amount of blood fats (cholesterol and triglycerides) absorbed by the body, thereby lowering blood cholesterol levels.
Scrubs Blood VesselsPlaques are areas of inflammation that form on the walls of the blood vessels, where they trap blood fats that can harden or even block the arteries. Nopal cactus sterols, along with its polyphenols and glycoproteins, serve as antioxidants that help reduce inflammation and keep plaques from forming.
Sweeps the ColonThe insoluble plant fibers in Nopal cactus provide dietary roughage, which make it easier to maintain bowel regularity. Nopal also contains soluble plant fiber, which helps absorb toxins, including carcinogens, as it sweeps the colon clean. (IMPORTANT: This is not the same as Stage 5!!!)
Soothes the StomachNopal contains a high amount of mucilage, which helps balance the pH of the stomach and soothes the stomach lining. Tests have shown that Nopal stimulates the healing of stomach ulcers and reduces stomach inflammation.
Protects the LiverBecause Nopal contains antioxidant flavonoids, it helps neutralize free radicals before they can overtax the liver. It also helps absorb toxins, decreasing the liver's load. By supporting the liver, it frees that organ to balance bodily functions, including the immune system.

AND MOST IMPORTANT!!!

Hangovers and ObesityNopal is sometimes used to help counteract the effects of alcohol consumption. It helps rehydrate the body, soothes the stomach, and improves liver function, thereby preventing the headache, stomach ache and toxic "morning after" feeling. When taken before meals, Nopal's roughage can help create a sensation of fullness that may help prevent overeating and helps stabilize the blood sugar, to ward off hunger. Nopal cactus also contributes calcium and valuable amino acids and other nutrients.

Source: Kimberly Jace, eHow Contributor

So....Cactus!  Get to eating it people.  I feel like if I eat Kale, Cactus and Salmon (and maybe lay off the hummus), I might live forever.

I learned how to clean my little flat buddy, and went to it.  I only got two spines stuck in my hand.  Not bad for my first time.

Come to find out, you don’t so much juice cactus.  Rather, you add the snot that excretes when you smash it through your juicer into your juice.   That explains why my vacation juice has always been a little thick.   I was seriously turned off when the cactus snot started coming out of the Omega.  Drooling out.  Like spit when your husband pins you down and acts like he’s going to drop a droolie loogie on your face but sucks it back up in time.  (What, your DH doesn’t do that to you?  Just your brother when he was 9 and you were 6?  Well, you don’t know what you’re missing.....)

The green drool right there is coming out VERY SLOWLY.


Vacation Juice:

• 3 Oranges
• 4 Celery Stalks
• Big Huge Handful of Parsley
• Three Big Huge Handfuls of Spinach
• 1 Nopale leaf

I know.  I know.  You aren’t supposed to mix fruits and vegetables together (except for apples), but I need my vacation juice......and here it is!  I almost nailed it (don’t be dirty.)

I sit on the couch watching The Voice on my DVR, and enjoy my vacation juice.  I try to ignore the fact that it has rained non-stop all day (to the tune of 1" of rain), and that it is disgusting outside and will be until June, and that I haven’t seen the sun since I was in Mexico in February, and that my DH is gone to a place where it is 80 everyday and sunny, and I try to mentally place myself in that hammock on the beach.  I told you guys a while ago I have a terrible imagination.  BUT my juice was VERY good ;)

*****

UPDATE on the OMGPs.   My last post about pulp, I created some Original Mean Green Patties with my OMG pulp.  I added some ingredients and dehydrated them for about 4.5 hours.  Well, when it was time to check them, my whole kitchen smelled like......pizza?  Yep, that’s pizza.   I think it was the 18 bulbs of garlic I added.  Maybe.  Not sure.    They are pretty flat little cow pie looking discs at this point.   Future patties will not be flattened out so much I think.  Smoosh and learn.    I take a bite, and it is pretty good!   It tastes like it needs to be dipped in marinara sauce.  Which I don’t like and wouldn’t do, but that’s what it feels like I should be doing.  So basically I’m eating fiber and garlic.  YUM!!!!!!!   In all seriousness, I would try them once if you can - just to see if you like them.   I think mine are a little too flat, making them not chewy.  The places where they are fat, they are chewy and better.  I’ll probably try it again.  But only after I try those carrot pulp chewie things.  

Peace Out - I’m going to go buy more Cacti.

Pulp Fiction

We have something we need to discuss.  What to do with the pulp that you’re creating when you juice.  All you have to do is google that phrase, and you will be overrun with suggestions, ideas, and opinions.  No, I’m not telling you to go do that yourself!!  That’s what I’m here for ....I wasted a bunch of time for you so you don’t have to.  See how I am?

What to do with pulp..... You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, saute it. There’s uh... pulp-kabobs, pulp creole, pulp gumbo. Pan fried, deep fried, stir-fried. There's pineapple pulp, lemon pulp, coconut pulp, pepper pulp, pulp soup, pulp stew, pulp salad, pulp and potatoes, pulp burger, pulp sandwich. That- that's about it. 

Not really :)  Well, maybe but I doubt it.  We have not been doing anything with our pulp other than giving it to DH’s captain at work for his chickens.   The captain reports back that the egg production of his chickens has noticeably increased since eating our HUGE bags of pulp (which those birds can devour in less than 10 minutes apparently....little hoggies.)  I would love to say to you “their egg production has DOUBLED!!”  But I can’t because I have no authority or statistics so I’m going with “noticeably increased.”   So it looks like we’ll be getting some eggs in return for our pulp, seeing as how we’re making those birds poop ‘em out more often :)  I have read several times on the interwebs that people feed their pulp to their chickens, and that they have the healthiest birds EVER.  So that's an option if you have cluckers or know someone who does.

DH is out of town for a bit, so he isn’t here to take the pulp to work with him.  HENCE, I will be digging out our big herb garden box, and mixing the pulp in with that soil so it can start composting and getting all nutrified in there.  I will also mix it into the dirt around my plants in the yard so it can start helping them decide to grow for spring.  (They’re trying to but are becoming depressed like their owners because it’s raining so much.  My plants have SAD.  I’ll give them a shot of composted nutrients to try to cheer them up.)   So compost is a where a lot of people's pulp ends up.

I’ve seen people discuss feeding it to their animals, and how much the pets love it.  I wonder if it will give her more energy?

A lot of people use their pulp for baking.  Muffins, breads, etc.  I am not a baker.  Remember, I’m not the pie, cake, cookie eating girl.  We are trying to eat healthier after our juice cleanse, so doing this, when I didn’t do it before, would defeat our purpose.  BUT I think its a fantastic option for the pulp if you DO bake.  (I’m not going to lie and say that I wouldn’t eat your awesome zucchini bread you made with your pulp from juicing.  I would.  I love that crap - it is the exception to my weird no cakepiecookie taste buds.  I just choose not to make it at home because..well, I love that crap.)   I’m throwing in this link here because it sounds yummy - and at the end she talks about turning it into chocolate bread, and although I’m not a fan of chocolate (please don’t stop reading my blog now), I think people might appreciate the versatility of the recipe. (and by versatility, I mean she wrote the words CHOCOLATE BREAD) Use Your Pulp for Zucchini Bread 

If you have a dehydrator, you’re good to go with your pulp options that don’t include baking. (If you don’t have a dehydrator - here’s a link on how to turn your oven into a dehydrator.  No Dehydrator?)  Pulp chips, pulp patties, pulp crackers....lots of recipes out there for these types of things.  You can basically turn your pulp into whatever flavor cracker, chip, etc that you’d like it to be by just adding some spices of your choice and blow drying the crap out of it.  

Today, just for you guys (and since I can’t feed it to the chickens), I am making some Green Patties.  Doesn’t THAT sound appetizing?   I found this video (What To Do With Green Pulp) and followed his instructions (for the most part.)   I started with an OMG, and went from there.   I’m making some Original Mean Green Patties (hereinafter OMGPs.)    

And now we move onto the Pampered Chef tool commercial of my post.  No, PC is not paying me to write this.  (Why the heck not I want to know!??)  

I put my super dry pulp in my 4 cup batter bowl, I added dried basil, sea salt, fresh ground pepper, chili powder, olive oil, fresh parsley that I cut up with my awesome PC salad chopper shears, and added three cloves of garlic with the world's greatest garlic press.  Three??? Yes, 3.  If you’ll remember correctly from previous entries, I love garlic like one of my arms.  I don’t know what I would do without it.

I made sure to mix it ALLL up really well.  The olive oil helped tremendously moosh it all together.  

At this point, it smells good, but looks REALLY gross.  In case you didn't notice.   I then took my large PC cookie scoop (not to be confused with an ice cream scoop), and scooped the OMGPs onto my dehydrator tray.

Then I squashed them out so they were actual patties so I didn't have to change their name.  There are 7 total.  Not just these 4.

And we are dehydrating, People!  (This is where commas are handy and important.  Without the comma, it would appear I that I am Buffalo Bill - We are dehydrating people!!   It puts the lotion on its skin.....)  Sorry, back to dehydrating patties, not people.    Notice my PC cutting board even........

The next thing I want to try with pulp, after I make the OMGPs, will be these chewy critters.  PB Chewies - A Use for Your Carrot Pulp     I think those will be pretty good, and will be a great thing to have on hand.  I don’t have everything I need for those, so I didn’t try those today.  I’ll get back to you.

Now there is an argument of To Use or Not to Use.   If you have a centrifugal juicer (aka A Violent Juicer), you are going to have wetter pulp...(pulp that is more wet??) ....Your pulp will be very moist.  (That sounds better.)  If you have a masticating juicer like we do (aka Slow Juicer), your pulp will be very, very dry.  That in itself may be where the difference lies between using your pulp, and not using it.  Some people feel that the pulp is tasteless, and now nutritionless after juicing, especially with the masticating juicer.  However, the pulp is full of fiber so there is THAT left over whether it’s wet or dry. 

Here is a link to a website where they discuss to use or not to use your pulp.   This person chooses not to and I want you to be able to read for yourself why not.   To Use or Not To Use?    Then on that page, they have a link to another page about the types of juicers, and the result of pesticides in your juice and your pulp if you are not buying organic produce. (Another reason they choose not to use their pulp.)    Agg Chemicals and Pesticides in Your Juice  Good stuff here, people.  Definitely worth a look-see.

After my OMGPs are done getting blown out, I will report my findings to you if  they are at all edible.  If I didn’t have to take an aesthetically pleasing picture of each step for you guys (which if you’ll remember I said I wasn’t going to do....I’m such a sellout), the OMGPs really wouldn’t have taken ANY time at all to prepare and get into the dehydrator.  So cross your juicy fingers (no, that’s not a fat joke), and let’s hope for the best!

(P.S. - I’m feeling a little bit of sinus distress coming on very quickly.  I’ve read on almost ALL of the juicing sites I’ve been on for the last threeish weeks that if you feel that you are getting a cold, that you should immediately start fasting until the symptoms go away.  Yay - spontaneous juice fast.  )

I'll Take Vegetables That Begin with K for $200

Throughout the cleanse and since, we have received some really good questions that I didn’t cover in my blog posts during our journey.  I’d like to take some time and answer them here.  I hope that if you have questions about what we did, you’ll feel free to either ask below in the comments or email me.  I’d be glad to help anyone get started!!

•  Would we do anything different for our cleanse?  In hindsight, we couldn’t have planned it better.  But we really didn’t mean to.  I would definitely suggest looking at your calendar before starting a fast, whether it be a 3 day, 5 day or 10 day.  You need to make sure you’re going to be successful, and that if possible, the first several days you will be at home or mostly at home.

• How was your energy level?  Did you experience weakness?     Two different questions.  I felt an ebb and flow with my energy.  The first two days, I had a lot of energy.  Then a set back.  Then two days of energy, then a set back.  Then five full days of immense energy.   DH had two days of total lethargy, and then never looked back.  I wouldn’t say weakness is the right word.  I was able to go about my daily life, but I didn’t really do anything extra.  I wanted my body to be able to detox uninterrupted.  DH was able to go to work twice for 24 hours (where he doesn’t really get much sleep), and he played a 90 minute hockey game in the middle of the cleanse.  He had plenty of energy, and no weakness to speak of.  Lethargy and weakness are different.

• Did you follow any of the plans listed on the reboot site?   We didn’t really follow a plan, but that is where we decided how long to have our fast last, and what we could and couldn’t consume.  Like the fact we could have herbal tea, and if we were unable to juice, as an option we could eat what we would juice.  We never had to do that, but it was an option for us. Join the Reboot

• Did you just pick the recipes that looked good to you, or did you find a suggested mixing of juices for the day?    Per the reboot website, we knew we were going to need to be drinking at least four 16-20 oz drinks per day.  We started with the Original Mean Green juice from the documentary Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead.  I have that listed on my recipes tab.  I then basically spent a lot of time searching through other blogs, and the reboot site looking for good juice recipes.    I don’t tire easily of the same thing, but DH does.  Our taste buds are different so I needed a variety of savory vs. sweeter drinks.  After a while, you will find that you will know what tastes good together, and you will start to experiment.  But my recipe tab should help you get started, or a google search is fun too!  Try to avoid mixing fruits and vegetables, as our bodies digest them differently.  Therefore, you are slowing down the process of absorption when you mix them together, defeating the purpose of what you’re trying to accomplish.  The only fruit that should be mixed with the vegetables is an apple.Why Not to Combine Fruits and Veggies

• Have we found anything that our juicer couldn’t handle?   Our juicer (the Omega 8005) is a workhorse.  We love it.  It is a masticating juicer so it can handle anything, and performs particularly well with leafy greens.  We have found that squishy veggies/fruit get kind of mucked up in there when you’re using a lot of them, but you can push them through with a carrot or a piece of celery and clear up the backlog.  When juicing a LOT like we have had to do for DH’s shifts (and this was during the cleanse, not day to day now), we had to take the Omega apart really quick and rinse it off then put it back together.  This takes less than a minute because the Omega is awesome that way!  Super easy assembly, disassembly and clean up.  (Omega is not paying me for this paragraph LOL)

• Didn't juicing make you sick?  Most common question!! I personally did not become sick.  DH did not become sick.  Yes, my body was going through the detoxification process, but I was never sick.  Part of that detoxification process we both experienced was some heavy chest tightness (not like a heart attack feeling or anything!!) but within our lungs.  I also had quite a runny nose that same day.

I’d love to hear from anyone with questions I did not cover.  (Don't make me beg.)

The Day After Yesterday

Day 11 - Friday - The Day After


So you eat half a salad and you gain a pound?  Seriously?!  I have said all along, I know I will gain some of the weight back, as I’m sure some of what came off HAD to be water weight.  But I didn’t expect it to be the very next morning after I chewed food for a whole 15 minutes!  Fickle fickle body.

So here I am, the morning after a 10 day cleanse.  I have my breakfast of “The 6" that I talked about yesterday (2 apples, 2 celery stalks, 2 carrots).   Here is a link that talks about the health benefits of this juice specifically.  Benefits of Apple, Carrot & Celery Juice   Super Juice!!!!!   I add my usual large coin of ginger (because I love it, and it has awesome health benefits of its own.  Such as:

Ginger can block the effects of the substance that cause inflammation of the blood vessels in the brain and can lead to migraines, is effective for relieving nausea even in pregnancy, has properties that help in relieving menstrual cramps, has anti-inflammatory properties that can lessen the pain of rheumatoid arthritis, it has a warming action on the upper respiratory tract, so it has been used to treat colds and flu, stimulates digestion and alleviates stomach cramps, has a wholesome effect on the circulatory system as it makes the platelets less sticky and is of great benefit in case of circulatory disorders, it’s cineole content may help contribute to stress relief, and last but not least it is a great mouth freshener. 

(source - www.healthandyoga.com)

Lesson over (for now.)   Since beginning this cleanse/fast/liquification, we have instigated juicing in 5 other households.  There could be others who read this blog (because I’m super rich and famous now), that have started juicing due to my convincing stories, and just haven’t come forward to let me know how I’ve changed their life.  Don’t worry, I’m sure they will.  

Speaking of other households juicing.  I get a text from my OMGin sister today.  It’s full of Love and Affection.  Just like that band Nelson, only with less hair.  Wait, come to think of it, my sister and I actually have a LOT of hair.  Maybe we could be the new female Nelson.  But we’re not twins.  Or super cheesy.

 

Sorry, I was distracted momentarily by the hair.  Back to the loving text.

She loves me!  I’ve changed her life! I’m nothing if not humble, people.   

I am defrosting the chicken from last weekend’s meal that the kids got to eat in front of me where, if you will all remember, I did not hurt them.  Dang right I froze the leftovers!  There was no way I was going to NOT have that as soon as was stomachly possible.  So for my second meal off the juice cleanse, I will have the Frank’s Hot Sauce chicken on salad (instead of a ciabatta bun).  It’s so amazing, I could eat it every single day.

DH is at a meeting this morning.  I am putzing around on the internet, because now I can.  I can go anywhere I want (don’t be dirty.)   Pinterest, I’ve missed you!   I have some darn good recipes pinned on there that I’m excited to make now that we have clean intestines.  I don’t want them to get dirty again.  

I am having coffee for the first time today!  EXCITING!   I am not having very much, as I didn’t have a migraine the entire time I was on the cleanse due to caffeine withdrawal (which shocked me), and I was a bit worried that having it now after 10 days might GIVE me one.  Well, fast forward, it did not.   I can’t wait to go to work on Monday and have Work Coffee.  My favorite!

Medication report.  I’ve been weaning off the medication this whole cleanse under the direction of my doctor (this is important, people!!).  At this point, I have one week left before I’m completely free.  I started at 150 mg a day, and I’m down to 50 mg.  Fingers crossed.  I’m still planning to juice twice a day to continue to flush this out of me.

Any of my minions readers out there juicing?  What makes you want to?  What makes you hesitate?

And I Managed Not to Add Vodka a Single Time!!!

Day 10, Ten, X - Thursday  THE VERY LAST DAY!  WE ACTUALLY DID IT!


It’s the last day!  Since I started in the middle of the day, I get to end in the middle of the day!  2:00 pmish - here I come!

Alarm is going to go off soon, but of course, I’m already awake (hope that continues).  Good thing too because DH calls tells me that he has to work an extra 4 hours this morning.   We are not done with this cleanse technically until 2:00!!   We have dinner plans with my brother-in-law (BIL) tonight, but we need to finish this out.  “What do you want me to do?” he asks.   I think that’s “DH” for,  “Can you bring me some juice?”  So instead of getting up to make my breakfast and lunch, I now need to get up and make my breakfast, and his breakfast, and get to the station, and THEN get to work on time.  My morning just got a little busier than usual.

Thankfully I had done some research earlier in the week for some places around my office that I could go to in a pinch if need be.  Well, guess what- today I’m pinched!   There just happens to be a little shop across the street from my building so I knew I would be fine for my lunch, so I didn’t have to create another 3 liter marathon juice this morning. I could just make the same amount I normally would - and take half to him.  Long story long, I get him his juice, and I get to work on time!  Go me!  However, the time I needed for a shower was replaced by the extra drive time to get the juice to him.   Whatever, don’t look at me like that.  It’s not like I root around in dirt all day long in the hot hot sun.  I can go 36 hours without a shower!

I get to work, and am well aware that today is the last day.  It seems so bizarre.  This juicing thing is so normal for me now.  I’m not hungry really.  It is kind of a relief not to have to talk about what’s for dinner every night.  Tonight?  I already know what I’m having for dinner.   Chinese chicken salad.  Sounds very “safe.”  Sounds like a lot of raw veggies.   We are supposed to break this fast slowly, and I think that’s pretty slow.  And I think you know why I’m concerned about safety.

Stage 5 fear lurks in the back of my head all day long.  Again, why are we stopping?  I don’t see a reason to.  I’m fine the way things are.  I’ll just drink juice for the rest of the month.  Saves us a lot of money anyway.

For lunch I walk across the square and get my $4.75 (!!!!) Apple Carrot Celery juice.  It’s very yummy and I can’t believe this isn’t a combo I have tried.  People, if you’re juicing - it’s the easiest, fastest and BEST juice.  2 apples, 2 celery stalks, 2 carrots.   Makes 12-16 oz depending on the size of your provisions.  Double it, and you have enough for two humans.   I love love LOVE this juice.  (Have had it every morning since Thursday, but of course, I add ginger.)

Fast forward to the end of the day.  I can eat.  DH can eat.   But have we?  Emphatic No.

Dinner is at 6:30.  We meet my BIL there.  I notice the very large distance between our table and the bathroom. We order.  I anticipate the food.  Not because I’m super excited to eat.  I think that’s a misconception people have about this.  I don’t have this overwhelming excitement/relief  to start eating again.  And not just because of Stage 5.   I am not really missing it anymore.  At one point when I wasn’t hungry anymore (day 4-6ish), I still missed eating.  But since Monday or so, I don’t even miss that.  I’m weird.   But also scared of Stage 5.

Here come our Huge Salads.   DH and I have the same thing.  Of course, they put a beautiful slice of cheesy garlic bread on the side of my plate.  Yes, I did have a bite of it.  It tasted good, but it was sooo greasy.  I feel like if anything is going to cause a ruckus, it is going to be this wet bite of grease.  Bleck.   I eat very slowly, listening to every sound my abdomen makes.   I’m participating in the conversations, don’t get me wrong.  Even the parts where my BIL side eyes me and asks, “Everything okay still?”   I feel like a ticking time bomb.  

I end up only eating half my salad, as I was FULL very quickly.  They say that will happen for several days.  Fine with me.  We go back to our place and visit for a while - and .......Stage 5 was completely averted people.  I know you were all hoping for some kind of Dumb and Dumber story, but you’re not going to get one.  And do not think it is lost on me how MUCH you wanted something like that to HAPPEN TO ME.

DH and I discuss at the end of the evening how we feel as though we did something really bad with the eating of the food.   Cheaterpants, the both of us.  Neither DH or I have eaten a single solitary thing we were not supposed to for the entire 10 days (9.5 for DH).   Starting to eat again seemed wrong.  Several days later (yes, still behind on this blog....) I’m still feeling like I shouldn’t be eating.

I thought it might be interesting for some of you to know what it cost for us to do this.   I added up all that we spent on produce.   For a 10 day cleanse, we spent $170.54.  That’s $17.05 per day, $8.53 per person for breakfast, lunch, dinner and a snack every day for 10 days.

I was shocked it was so little.  I knew we hadn’t spent much to get started, but then we were getting quite a bit of produce once we zeroed in on the things we used the most (GREEN APPLES).  Even if you add in the cost of our juicer, it would still only be $37.75 per day, or $18.88 per person.   However, our juicer will last us a pretty long while (has 10 year warranty), so I choose not to add that into the cost, because its still working hard for us every day.

We did it - and we’re still married! 

I didn’t have to buy DH this shirt for his birthday :)

Weight Lost = Me (1 for a total of 9.5!!)   DH (.5 for a total of 12.5)
Detox Symptoms (none)