Day 10

Okay, yeah. I'm breaking the fast. I just can't do it anymore. But I AM proud of myself, I did well my first time out, I think. Tomorrow I'll have some soaked prunes for breakfast, Friday I'll have some fruit, Saturday and Sunday I'll start on the salads again.

I know that once I start eating again, I am going to be MUCH more conscious of what I put in my body. I believe I have learned to appreciate and be grateful for the food I have access to. I know now what it's like to not eat for an extended period of time, and you know what is the best part of all this? I learned that I WON'T die if I don't get the junk I used to crave! Fast food smells like death to me now, it just turns my stomach. I have to admit, I really do miss SOME foods, and I know that I will indulge every now and again, but for the most part, I have learned how to stop mindless eating. THAT, my friend is more than half the battle with me. Before I wouldn't think twice about stuffing down a handful of chocolate, a quarter bag of chips, etc. while I was watching TV or on the computer or whatever. No more of that! I will savor every bite and chew and chew and chew until there is nothing left!

I have NO desire anymore to go back to my old way of eating. Everyone was right! My body now craves good whole food, not junk! I am going to try a mostly vegetarian lifestyle. I am going to try some raw vegan foods and see how I like them. I am going to try new things that I never even considered. I am done with dairy. Milk I can live without, cheese is another issue. That might be a struggle. We shall see what we shall see.

I am so grateful to David, Katrina, Ben, and everyone else who showed me the light. I still can't remember how I stumbled onto juicefeasting.com, which makes me believe that it was nothing less than fate. I had never heard of such a thing before and now that I know I can do it, I know I have a very powerful health tool that I can use again and again, and hopefully for longer and longer stretches of time in the future. But for now, I'm ready for a juicing break. I'm ready to eat again, but this time a WHOLE lot wiser for the wear!!

Here's what was on the menu today:
1 Quart water/msm/lemon
2 Quarts celery/cucumber/bok choy/collard greens/kale/romaine/Chlorella
1 Quart carrot/beet/sweet potato/ginger
1 Quart grapefruit/orange/strawberry/grape (fruit punch!)

Day 9

I was off of work today, I had to go to the hospital and have a small outpatient procedure done. A cervical LEEP, which I found out today stands for loop electrosurgical excision procedure. My PAP test a few weeks back came back abnormal, so basically they had to cauterize these abnormal cells, which were pre-cancerous. So I guess I dodged a major bullet there, huh? I was really worried about having a hospital procedure done while on the juice feast, but everything went great. NO pain, and very little pain throughout the day today as well. Something interesting though, the doctor said that my heart would race a bit after she injected me with the lidocaine, but it stayed at a steady 72 through the whole procedure. She was actually shocked! I wonder if it has anything to do with the fact that I've been so good to my old body lately?

I must admit today, I have been really struggling with the juice feast for about the last 3 days or so. I am really getting sick of juicing and I want to eat something SO badly. I just went out and bought new produce 2 nights ago, so I have decided that I'm going to keep going until I run out and then I'm going to break my fast. It's just getting too hard. I think I did ok for my first time out, and I have heard that it sometimes takes 3 or 4 tries on juice feasting to make it to 30, 60, or 92 days. I will try my VERY VERY best to make it to 14. After that, I am going to start on a program for 2 weeks with my local raw vegan restaurant/market for at-home meals. Like Nutrisystem for vegans. It is a little expensive, but I'm already spending so much on produce, it won't even matter. They give you a box with enough food for 3 days, prepared by their raw vegan chefs. Since I've never tried eating raw before, I really have no idea how to go about it, and I don't really want to exist on just salads. I feel like this will give me a good introduction into the world of raw veganism, and show me the possibilites that are out there. Maybe I'll love it maybe I'll hate it, but I'm willing to give it a try.

So I realized that I have not been posting what juices I've been drinking, so I will from now on. Here is what was on the menu for today:
1 Quart water/msm/lemon
2 Quarts celery/cucumber/bok choy/apple/kale/collard greens/romaine/Chlorella powder
1 Quart carrot/sweet potato/beet
1 Quart pinapple/strawberry

Day 6-8

Okay, so I didn't blog all weekend. I'll try to remember the events as they happened.

Friday night was okay, went to bed pretty early, mostly becuase I was bummed that I couldn't hang out with my friends like I usually do. I also discovered on Friday that I'd have to skip book club this month, my group decided to meet on Sunday at LeCreperie, a Crepe place. NOOOO WAY could I go there and sit and watch everyone else eat. I frickin LOVE CREPES!!! Mostly I just stay away because I don't want to answer questions and have to defend myself.

Saturday, despite going to bed at like 10pm on Friday night, I woke up in the morning sooo tired, so I went back to sleep until like 10am. I guess I needed the sleep, but little did I know that by waiting so long to start juicing, I totally invited in Hell. I got up, did my juicing, enema, skin brushing, shower. By the time I got around to my breakfast juice, it was almost Noon and I was famished. I finished my juice and felt a little better, but pretty soon I started to feel like absolute shit. I mean REALLY felt like shit. Right then and there, I almost quit. Seriously, I was thiiiiis close to hurling open the refrigerator door and stuffing my face with whatever I could get my hands on. I started to cry, as I do when I'm frustrated. THANKFULLY, my husband was there to "talk me off the ledge," so to speak, with one of his famous pep talks. I honestly would not have made it this far without him, he is the best thing that's ever happened to me. (Awwww) I am so looking forward to the day when I have the energy to go out and ride my bike with him again. I am horrible on a bike, but I really want to learn to be better. Mostly, the problem is that we live in the city and I'm terrified of riding when there are cars around.

After I calmed down, I layed down on the couch for a while and had some tea, which made me feel a lot better. This weekend, I decided to crack open the big old watermelon that I had bought with my first produce run. I had 2 quarts of watermelon juice on Saturday and Sunday, in between 2 Quarts of my normal Green Juice morning and evening. It was SOOOO yummy and refreshing! A really nice weekend treat. :) Both Sunday and this morning my urine was bright yellow, so that watermelon really did it's job of flushing the old kidneys!

Saturday afternoon I had my watermelon juice only about an hour after my green juice, since the first one was so late, and then I felt AMAZING!!! I took the pooch for a walk and it was just glorious outside. Springtime is Chicago is so beautiful, especially after months of snow and gray skies. All the trees are budding and flowering, and I was just SO happy!

Sunday was a good day as well, great weather again. I was out a couple of times with the dog, but did not go far from home as I started taking Casara Sagrada on Friday and oooh boy, it is working! I was not eliminating at all besides during enemas previous, and now there is a little movement almost every time I go.... though it seems to still just be green fiber from the juices... C'mon, let's see some poo snakes!!!

Today I totally woke up late.... crap. BUT, I managed to get everything done and still get to work on time.. go me! I am pretty much out of produce, so will be going out tonight after work to re-stock. I will not, however, be buying as much as I did the first time, it almost did not all fit in my kitchen! I'm going to buy less, more often, from now on, also to ensure that I'm not having to throw anything out at the end of the week, like I did last time.

That's all for now, talk to you tomorrow!!

Day 5

Well, this morning I feel AMAZING, but I'm sure that's because yesterday I felt like CRAP! Toward the end of the day, I felt soooo sick! I was so tired, had a massive headache, and just wanted to go to bed. Once I got home and had my dinner juice, I felt a little better. Starting thinking about food like crazy again though. Somebody next door was grilling a steak.... oh boy. I almost jumped out the window. I had some tea w/ ginger and that seemed to help. And my other saving grace... knitting! I just recently taught myself how, and have been working on these little dishcloths with flowers and butterflies on them. They're helping me get used to working with a pattern. They're also helping me immensely in getting my mind off food in the evenings. It seems to only be at night when I'm thinking about food... hmmmm.

So we went to bed super early becuase I was still feeling really tired and crappy, and my husband had a very long and awful day at work yesterday, poor baby. :( This morning, I sprang out of bed at 5:30am again, totally full of energy! I am sure I was releasing toxins yesterday. I am very grateful that I'm feeling so good today, I hope it stays that way! The enema this morning definitley produced some solid matter that had been up there for a while. Yay! We have this joke in our house about "poo snakes" as we call them. Referring to the loooong tubes of mucoid plaque that people have been known to pass during a cleanse. I know it's gross, but I want to see one! That will definitely take some time, I know, and I may not see one during a 30 day cleanse at all. But I remain hopeful. LOL!!!

So, this weekend there are really no set plans in the books. I am continuing to "lay low" on the social front, at least until I feel more confident in my cleanse and feel better about being around food and drink... and smoke. (Not cigarettes) Although up until I started the cleanse, I was sneaking an occaisional cigarette here and there. I have to say I have not thought about, or had a craving for nicotine ONCE. That is awesome.

Mostly the plan is to give the old kitchen a good scrub down. After a week of juicing in the morning, there are green spatters ALL over the cabinets, the counters are totally sticky, and the floor is FILTHY!! Something funny though, it would appear that the dog has been snacking on some of the veggies I've dropped. In the process of our walk last night I noticed that HIS "eliminations" are looking very good, and green! So I guess he's benefitting from Mom's cleanse as well. He LOVES carrots, so I usually toss him a chunk while I'm juicing. Now when he hears the juicer going, he's right at my feet ready for his morning snack! Too cute.....

Day 3-4

Oops, forgot to blog yesterday! I think it was becuase I was feeling SO GREAT!! Yesterday was a wonderful day, I felt so energetic and upbeat, I sprang out of bed at 5:30am, which is virtually unheard of for me. Soared through the day, and when I got home, took the dog for a loooong walk in the beautiful weather!

During the day yesterday, my husband called to tell me that our friends had invited us over for cocktails last night. Uh-oh. Normally, this is one of my favorite things to do, and I love my friends dearly, but I KNEW there was no way I'd be able to resist temptation with drink and smoke surrounding me. I thought about just telling them that I wasn't "feeling well," but then I thought, "I may as well let them in on it." I knew they'd think I was crazy, but I am really feeling like this is the best thing for me, and that explaining myself and my actions to others is not really necessary. So I told them, and my husband explained more when he got there. (I told him to go without me.) From what I heard they were pretty understanding. When I come out of this a 100% healthier and *lighter* person in Mid-May, I hope they understand even more.

Having said that, I discovered that being alone makes things a LOT harder on this program. Last night I was not "hungry" at all, per se, but I could NOT stop thinking about food! One of my favorite shows is Top Chef. I started about the first 30 seconds of it, but immediatley had to turn it off. I started reading a magazine, and I found myself stopping and staring at every food ad. I just miss food! When people are around, I don't think about food at all, I guess because I have something to take my mind off of it. SO I guess in retrospect, maybe it would have been better if I HAD gone over to visit my friends! Oh well, live and learn.

So the fact that I felt so awesome yesterday should have been a BIG red flag that a cleansing crisis was coming on. Sure enough, the alarm went off at 5:30am and I wanted to cry. I was SO TIRED!! Had to drag my butt out of bed and force myself to begin my day. I started making my juices, and just had the worst attitude. My husband got up and immediately asked me what was wrong. I just started spouting off that I was so sick of this, I just want to eat, I'm so tired, why am I doing this, yadda yadda yadda, and then I started to cry! He put his arms around me and reminded me that if this was easy, everyone would do it. He told me that I was doing a wonderful thing for myself, and that he was so proud of me. **ok, now I'm crying again!** I can't express enough how much his support has helped me. I immediatley felt a little better. THEN, I suddenly remembered the cardinal rule of the program. When your body releases toxins, it releases emotional "toxins" as well. OF COURSE! I needed to do my enema. I finished up juicing and went and did my "business." Sure enough, QUITE a bit of elimination this morning. (sorry) I then remembered that David and Katrina recommend that the enema is done first thing in the morning..... I will be making that adjustment tomorrow morning. I am also going to try the coffee enema this weekend. I want to be sure to have lots of uninterrupted time, as I have NO idea how it will affect me. Next week, I think I am going to schedule my first colonic as well.

Anyway, right now I'm feeling MUCH better. We'll see how the rest of the day goes!

Day 2

So far so good! Made it through my first day without incident... well except that I discovered that I have to fight pretty hard to keep my Green Juice down... seems like every time I start to drink it my body wants to send it back up. I'm thinking this maybe has to do with the fact that I have not gotten anything near this kind of concentrated nutrition before. It will probably take me a few days to get used to it.

So yesterday went pretty well, but it seemed like I was kind of all over the place. I was hot, then I was cold, then I was exhausted, then I had a super burst of energy. Just highs and lows all over the place. But the most important thing was is that I wasn't hungry! I was so surprised at how much the juices satisfied me!

The Green Juice is going to be a point of contention with me throughout this fast. I know that it's the most beneficial, but man, is it GROSS! I finally figured out that it wasn't so much the juices that were grossing me out, it was the Spirulina, Chlorella, and Kelp I was putting into it. So, I've decided that only 1 of these things is going into each Green Juice I make. I know it's not ideal, but if it's the only way I'm going to be able to get this stuff down twice a day, I know it's better than nothing. Today my morning juice had 1 TBS. of Spirulina in it, tomorrow it will have 1 TBS. of Chlorella. I really hope this helps. I also added a little bit more apple than usual, and that's making it more palatable as well.

My lunch juice yesterday consisted of Apple, Carrot, Sweet Potato, and Ginger. It was GOOD! The ginger warmed my tummy up and kept me going throughout the afternoon. Around 3pm I had some grapefruit/orange/lemon juice and that was great as well. Really gave me a little pick-me-up for the end of the day.

Today, I made some Carrot/Sweet Potato/Beet/Apple Juice for lunch, with a little bit of ginger. The little bit I tasted was awesome. For the afternoon I made some Pineapple/Orange juice. Mostly pineapple. I LOOOOOVE pineapple, and boy was it hard not to pop one of those juicy chunks into my mouth while I was juicing this morning! But I resisted, and felt pretty proud of myself.

So I've just run into my first snafu.... DAY 2. Gee, I really thought I'd at least make it a week before a conflict popped up. My boss is going to be here next week on Monday and Tuesday, and we're supposed to go out to lunch together. CRAP! I've been pretty adamant about not telling anyone what I'm doing, just to avoid the nay-sayers and people thinking I'm crazy. Now it looks like I'm going to have to spill the beans. There is NO WAY I'm going to be able to go to lunch with them and not eat anything. Even if I just go and drink juice, the temptation is going to kill me. I know myself. So, I'm going to let my trusted co-worker in on my little secret and see what she says. Hopefully, she'll cover for me.

Other than that, everything is running pretty smoothly. Eliminations are not really "happening" as of yet, seems like all I'm passing is green stuff from my juices. I feel really happy and upbeat today. I'm thinking this might mean some kind of cleansing crisis is just around the corner. We'll see, I'm ready for it, BRING IT ON!

Day 1

Ok, so I didn't blog all weekend, but there sure was a LOT going on! Friday "The Beast" arrived, my Vitamix 3600+, which I am VERY happy to report, works like a dream! I did discover that I need to blend in small batches, this morning it tripped the circuit breaker... oops.

I tried it out Friday night to get the hang of it, it's fairly easy but time consuming. Friday night, Saturday night, AND yesterday, I was a bad bad girl. I was out with friends drinking, smoking, you name it. Ideally, I really wanted this past weekend to be a smooth transition for me, but no dice. Oh well, can't change that now. Yesterday we went to the Sox game where I had my beloved Polish dog with grilled onions. SOOOO GOOOOD! By the end of the day, I was pretty much ready to repent for the evil things I did to my body, and so I actually began my Feast last night, with a Green Juice for dinner consisting of:

• Spinach
• Kale
• Collard Greens
• Kelp
• Celery
• Cucumber
• Parsley
• Cilantro
• Chard
• Beet Greens
• Chorella Powder
• Spirulina Powder
• Kelp

Ok, THAT was pretty disgusting. Tasted like pure seaweed and I could barely choke it down. But afterward my whole body started "buzzing," it was weird! I guess my body is NOT used to so many vitamins and nutrients at once! But I told myself, "Don't worry, you'll get used to it!" But I did decide to add some apple to my green juices from now on to make it a little more palatable. After my Green Juice dinner, I decided to do my first enema. Nothing really to report, it was fine. I was able to take in the whole bottle, which make me pretty proud of myself!

Last night, I had a lot of trouble sleeping. I don't know if that was just because I was so excited about starting today, or nervous, or what. I got up at 6am, kind of worried that I wouldn't get everything done in time, but I did. I drank my water/lemon/msm quart while I was getting everything ready, that really is a nice start to the day, gets you nice and hydrated really quickly.

Made 2 Quarts of Green Juice first, using pretty much the same recipe as above, but I added about 1/2 an apple to each quart. That made a LITTLE difference, but it's still pretty gross. I think maybe I need to add a little more apple, or maybe not try to cram SO many different greens in there. Maybe stick to 1 or 2 varieties (?)

..... Jesus, I just had to get up and pee again! I swear I have to pee like every five minutes. But I digress...

After the Green Juices were made, I started on my "Lunch Juice" which consisted of:

• Spinach
• Carrot
• Sweet Potato
• Ginger

Had a little taste of that before I bottled it up, and I'm in for a real treat, it was YUMMY! Then I made some Grapefruit/Orange/Lemon Juice for late afternoon. Hoping it gives me a little pick-me-up, becuase I am REALLY tired right now. After juicing was done, I moved on to my morning enema, which again was pretty uneventful. Seems like all I'm eliminating right now is fiber from the Green Juice! After that, very brief skin brushing and then a shower. Got ready while drinking my Green Juice breakfast, which as I said was slightly better than the one I made last night, but still pretty yucky. I'll have to work on that.

Pretty much right away I started to feel really sick to my stomach. Once I got to work I had some mint tea which made it better. Right now I'm noticing my tongue is already coated. Let the detox begin!

Pre-Cleanse Day 5: My reasons for FEASTING

Today, I would like to blog about the REASONS for deciding to go on this journey, and also how I came about coming to the conclusion that Juice Feasting is the answer for me.

A little bit about my family:

12 years ago, my mother at age 44, was diagnosed with Stage 4 Metasticized Lymphatic Breast Cancer, which at the time of diagnosis had already travelled through her bloodstream and settled into her ENTIRE skeletal system, manifesting itself as Bone Cancer. 16 months later, she passed away after enduring an INSANE amount of treatments. Massive doses of Chemotheraphy, Stem Cell Bone Marrow Transplants, Radiation, you name it. What was left at the time of her passing was not even my Mom anymore, it was a shell of her former self, a withered, broken down, and HIGHLY toxic shell. Unfortunatley, it's been so long since I remember her as "healthy" that I've almost forgotten. The picture of her withering away in the hospital is all I have left.

The worst part about all of this is why her cancer was so advanced at the time of her diagnosis. She had slipped down some stairs and landed right on one of the major "hot spots" of cancer on her pelvic bone. She was in so much pain for so long that finally the doctor ordered a bone scan... and revealed the horrible reality that she was terminally ill. The thing that keeps going over and over in my head, though, is HOW did she let her sickness go that long? She had to have been feeling sick, tired, in pain, etc. prior to her accident. Why didn't she seek treatment at the onset of these symptoms? The answer is the saddest part of this story. It was because she thought she was OLD and FAT, and that's just what happens to you.... WOW. She was 44. Now, she was overweight, and had been ever since she had me. She struggled with this diet or that, my entire life. The problem was that of course she existed on the "SAD" diet, just like most Americans, but the other problem was that every day she got up, went to work, came home, cooked dinner, watched TV and went to bed. EVERY. DAY. I don't believe I ever witnessed my Mom doing any kind of exercise.

Because of this, I have always tried to be active and keep my weight in check. Unfortunately, recently I've found myself falling into the same traps as my Mom, and it scares me to death. In the last few years, I have gained 30lbs pretty steadily. When I'm not active, I gain weight at a pretty rapid rate. This leads to an even bigger lack of energy and motivation, and what results is a vicious cycle of self-hatred, apathy, depression...

As if all this weren't enough, about 8 years ago, my FATHER was diagnosed with colon cancer at age 50. At first they believed that by removing 1/4 of his colon, they would get rid of the cancer entirely. Unfortunately, they discovered that a few of the polyps present has metasticized. He now has uncurable cancer. The cancer cells are constantly circulating through his bloodstream (sound familliar?) and could realistically attack a major organ at any moment. Fortunatley, with the help of some brand new research, he is recieving a new form of Chemotherapy which has kept the cancer at bay, AND leaves him with few, if any, side effects. His quality of life is pretty high right now, so all we can do is pray that he stays that way.

Now, my physiology is definitley more like my father than my mother. THIS is what scares me to death. I know, that if I continue on the path of feeding my body the terrible toxic foods, beverages, and other substances that I have been, I will most surely suffer the same fate. I am sure, at 33 years of age, that I am currently WELL on my way down the same path. That is why I am putting a STOP to it. I am committing myself, mind, body, and soul to a healthier lifestyle, and stopping this degeneration in its tracks.

This Juice Feast is, without a doubt, the BIGGEST challenge that I have taken on in my life. But I know myself, and no changes will be made until my body is FORCED to make these changes. As David of JuiceFeasting.com says, "Your body has to learn to trust you again." It has to trust that I will be feeding it nothing but pure nutrients for an extended period of time. Only then will it begin it's path to cleansing and regeneration. Don't worry, body, I'm not going to let you down this time!!

Pre-Cleanse Day 4: Almost there!

4 more days and counting until I begin my journey to better health! Yesterday, I picked up the Chlorella and Kelp that I needed, plus a dry skin brush from Whole Foods. I tried that puppy out when I got home, and *OUCH*! My skin seems to be a little sensitive to it, but I've read that your skin gets used to it over time and that you actually start to "crave" it! All I know is, I tried it on my arms and legs last night, and I couldn't BELIEVE the powdery substance that was coming off my skin! True, it's still wintery out and I've been exceptionally dry, but it looked like I had dusted talc on myself! I know this practice is really going to help me out in getting rid of those toxins that will be excreted out of my skin. YUCK!

My supplements should be here today, and "The Beast" arrives tomorrow. Can't wait to try it out! Other than that, I am pretty much rearing to go on this, I have everything I need except for the enema kit which I will be picking up from CVS today, now that I know they carry them. Also, as I mentioned before, gotta get to Jo-Ann and pick up some nylon material.

Sunday we've got tickets to the Sox game, so that will be fun! It will be my last "hurrah," so to speak, and my last opportunity for solid food for the next (hopefully) 30 days. 30 days is my goal, but I'm absolutely committed to 2 weeks, at the bare minimum. I am hoping that once I get to that 2 week mark, I'll be really feeling and seeing the benefits, and will be inspired to go the whole 30. My first time out, I'm not going to be unrealistic and commit to 90 Days. If all goes well, I will try 90 days in the Fall perhaps. So about the Sox game. I am already dreaming about the Polish Dog w/ grilled onions that I will savor like it's the last Polish Dog on earth.... MMMMM!!! I will not go overboard, as that will make for a VERY uncomfortable first few days of Juice Feasting, I am sure.

Pre-Cleanse Day 3: SOOOO EXCITED!!

I absolutely can't WAIT to begin this undertaking!! Just found out that "The Beast" aka my Vitamix 3600 will arrive on Friday, and the supplements I ordered will be here tomorrow! Just have to go out this weekend and pick up a few more items... I'm also going to pick up some nylon material from Jo-Ann to make my own nut mylk bags - a little tip I learned from a fellow juice feaster's blog. The real ones are like $9 a piece!

This Sunday, as insane as this is sounding to me now, I will make the trek to Costco and also my "regular" grocery store, Strack & VanTil, to get enough produce to last me until next Friday, 4/18. I plan to get the following:

• 10-15lbs. Leafy Greens (Romaine Lettuce, Spinach, Kale, Parsley, Cilantro, and whatever other leafies I come across)
• 10 Cucumbers
• 10 Heads of Celery
• 5-10lbs. Carrots
• 5 lbs. Sweet Potatoes
• 2-3 lbs. Beets
• 2-3 Whole Pineapples
• 2-3 Cantaloupe
• 2 dozen Oranges
• 2 dozen Apples
• 2 dozen Lemons
• Ginger Root
• Strawberries (?)
• Blueberries (?)

The last two are maybes, depending on how much all this is going to set me back. I've heard from a few sources that the produce necessary to sustain an average adult during a juice fast ends up costing about $150. But of course, that data is entirely dependant on the area of the country and the time of year.... we shall see! I'm ready for whatever!

I wish I could afford all-organic produce, but sources say that as long as it's washed thoroughly and peeled, non-organic produce is still good for you. :)

Until tomorrow, then, when I'll delve into my reasons behind my taking on this enormous challenge!

Pre-Cleanse Day 2: Shopping Spree

So this little "journey" I'm on is turning out to cost me a pretty penny. Not that I can even think about putting price on my health, but gathering all the equipment, supplements, and new and dangerous-looking torture devices (enemas, anyone?) are adding up!

According to David & Katrina on JuiceFeasting.com, the vitamix blender is supposedly the end-all-be-all when it comes to making fresh juices. They say that blending fruits & vegetables to a fine pulp and then straining with a "nut mylk" bag is the best way, particularly for Green juices, to extract the most nutrients. Of course, your typical juicer like the Jack Lalanne power juicer will do the job as well, but if it's possible to do all my juicing in the Vitamix, that's going to have to be it for me until I can afford to have both.

These Vitamix blenders are PRICEY!!! Brand new top of the line models are going for $500-$600. Yikes. I started researching them a little more and lo and behold I discovered that the Vitamix 3600+, a model that was pretty much discontinued in the early 1980's, are still abundant in the marketplace, AND still work like a dream! They just don't make stuff like they used to, do they? Anyway, I was able to find a good sturdy model for sale on Ebay, and got it for the bargain-basement price of $150, $168 with shipping. Now mind you, I have not recieved this beast in the mail as of yet, I'm expecting it any day now. I will include my full review on the item as soon as I test it out. HOPEFULLY it will work as well as the seller says it does. Other reviews I've read on the Vitamix 3600+ say that while it will essentially liquefy a 2x4, the motor is L-O-U-D. I'm not too concerned about this, as the downstair neighbor is, how you say, on my shit list, and therefore not really worthy of my concern....... wow, maybe this juice fast will rid me of some of these toxic thoughts as well.....

In addition to the Vitamix I bought online, I had to buy the wooden tamper and rubber stopper for this model seperately, which I also found online. Total on that with shipping was $19.95. Next, I found the majority of the supplements I needed online, as well, on Vitacost.com. These guys seemed to have the best prices. Scored the following for a total of $70.12.

• 16 oz. MSM Powder
• 16 oz. Spirulina Powder
• 24 fl. oz. Organic Hemp Oil
• 16 oz. Organic Coconut Oil
• 10 oz. Organic Whole Bee Pollen Granules

There are still a few supplements I need to pick up this week, including Chlorella, Vitamineral Green, and Kelp Granules, if I can find them. A few weeks into the cleanse, I'll be picking up some psyllium and bentonite, for some lovely P&B Shakes, which mixed together and drank very quickly, will act as both a "broom" to sweep the colon clean, and also to absorb excess toxins and bind them, for easier elimination. (yum!)

I also need to get an enema kit, a dry skin brush, a tongue scraper, and about a dozen quart size Mason Jars. Whew! I still got a LOT of shopping to do!

Pre-Cleanse Day 1: Mission Statement

So this is my first blog. Actually, it's the first time that I've attempted to start any kind of journal. I guess I always thought journalling or blogging was kind of a self-serving practice. I know that kind of the point, but I've never found it to be that therapeutic to me.

But why now? Well, I am about to undertake what will (hopefully) be a life-changing event. I am sick of not having the energy to keep up with my husband. I am sick of not having the energy to give my dog the exercise he deserves. I am sick of being in pain all the time. I am sick of not having any motivation. I am sick of being fat. I am sick of not being able to wear the clothes I want to. I am sick of feeling like shit about myself. I am sick of feeling like shit. I am sick. And tired.

I need a change. I need a change that will FORCE me to make changes within myself and my relationships with the people I care about. I need a change that is going to kick my ass, drag me through the mud, and dump me on the side of the road to fend for myself. I will not make excuses. I will not look for reasons to quit. I will not cry, whine, cheat, or hide from this anymore. The fact that I need to do something, NOW. I know that if I don't, I will most certainly suffer the same fate as my parents. (more about them later)

I recently discovered the practice of Juice Fasting, or Juice FEASTING, as my new favorite website calls it. It is the practice of taking in ONLY fresh fruit and vegetable juices, teas, water, and supplements for an extended period of time for the purposes of cleansing and healing the body. According to JuiceFeasting.com, the optimum length of time to complete is 92 days, expecially for someone in their 30's like myself who has existed on the SAD (Standard American Diet) for their entire lives. A lifetime of goo & glue; processed carbohydrates, chemicals, pesticides, and animal products. This stuff has been permanently stored in my body, and building at a rapid pace, for the last 33 years. The only way to rid yourself of this impacted and stored toxic waste is to discontinue solid foods so that your body can direct its attention to cleansing and healing, rather than continuous digestion.

I know there are many many people out there who would strongly oppose this kind of undertaking. That is why I'm not telling anyone. The only person who knows about this is my husband, and he's all for it! He himself is in prime physical condition, and maybe even a tad underweight, IMO, so I've convinced him to let me try this on my own first. If I'm sucessful, we will fast together once a year from now on.

I just knew I needed some kind of outlet, like a blog, to get all my thoughts down instead of talking with my friends and/or co-workers. I am sure that SOMEONE will find out eventually, but hopefully that will not be until I'm going strong on my journey.

I encourage anyone reading this who is feeling skeptical to research more on the topic. It's really fascinating. I've provided links to the sites and blogs I frequent on this page. Check them out!