Down 10 pounds. I don't think I have ever lost 10 pounds in one month so to do it in 10 days is unbelievable.
I have increased my castor oil treatments to once a day. I feel like it is making a big difference in how things move in my body.
Juicing Reflection on Day 10
Tonight I attended a surprise birthday party for a good friend of mine. Of all places, the party was held at the Nook in St. Paul (featured on Diners, Drivers and Dives). I was surrounded by food and cake and I was not consumed with the thought of eating them. I was able to enjoy the company of wonderful friends without being distracted by my addiction.
That said, after much thought and consideration on what my natural path doctor said to me, I am reducing my cleanse from 30 days to 15 days. My goal was never to lose weight but to reset my body and heal myself on the inside. I think I am nearly there. My addiction has been severely broken (dare I say gone?). I guess that means just 5 days left to report on.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Day 8 & Day 9
Juicing Reflection on Day 8
The reflection of day 8 will touch on my womanly function so if you don't want to know this much about me, please skip to my day 9 reflection.
For the first time that I can recall, during my monthly cycle, things that normally occur which I have been told are all natural and expected, did not happen. I did not have cravings the days before hand, my cycle was extremely light, it was also very short (three days from beginning to end), I did not retain water, nor did I have the normal tenderness in my chest. I wonder, is this how it is suppose to be? For women who have extreme PMS, could all of it be eliminated through diet?
Juicing Reflection on Day 9
I am now down 9.5 pounds. I have lost nearly a pound a day. I noticed today that my body is not asking for as much nutrition. Maybe the week building up to my monthly cycle required more nutrition because my body was trying to store "energy" in case of pregnancy? I don't know. What I do know is today I have only had lemon water, one juice and coconut water and I seem to be just fine.
On another note, I did want to report that I did not consult with my primary care, kidney or natural path doctors before staring my 30 day juice cleanse. I finally checked in with my natural path doctor the other day. Based on her advice, I think I will need to shorten my fast from 30 days to 15 or 20 days. I guess I've never been one to move slowly on anything. I go all in or I don't go at all. Maybe where my health is concerned I should take a more cautious approach. I'll think on it and decide.
The reflection of day 8 will touch on my womanly function so if you don't want to know this much about me, please skip to my day 9 reflection.
For the first time that I can recall, during my monthly cycle, things that normally occur which I have been told are all natural and expected, did not happen. I did not have cravings the days before hand, my cycle was extremely light, it was also very short (three days from beginning to end), I did not retain water, nor did I have the normal tenderness in my chest. I wonder, is this how it is suppose to be? For women who have extreme PMS, could all of it be eliminated through diet?
Juicing Reflection on Day 9
I am now down 9.5 pounds. I have lost nearly a pound a day. I noticed today that my body is not asking for as much nutrition. Maybe the week building up to my monthly cycle required more nutrition because my body was trying to store "energy" in case of pregnancy? I don't know. What I do know is today I have only had lemon water, one juice and coconut water and I seem to be just fine.
On another note, I did want to report that I did not consult with my primary care, kidney or natural path doctors before staring my 30 day juice cleanse. I finally checked in with my natural path doctor the other day. Based on her advice, I think I will need to shorten my fast from 30 days to 15 or 20 days. I guess I've never been one to move slowly on anything. I go all in or I don't go at all. Maybe where my health is concerned I should take a more cautious approach. I'll think on it and decide.
Monday, May 13, 2013
Day 6 & Day 7
Okay, didn't report on day 6. That's because I was a crazy mess.
Juicing Observation on Day 6
I felt great. Had a ton on energy. No joint pains. No muscle pains. No cravings. Felt awesome so what the heck? Why did I have a crazy, yelling, emotional breakdown on Mother's Day? I went into a crazy rant and emotionally abused my poor husband and two kids. Then, out of no where, my body told me I needed a nap. I didn't feel tired. After napping for two hours I thought all would be fine but it wasn't. I was still crazy. All I could do was apologize.
Juicing Observation on Day 7
I have now lost almost 9 pounds (8.8pounds to be exact). So after having a cruddy day 6 I looked into what could have caused my emotional meltdown. I have been slowly reading Healing the Gerson Way and this morning read a chapter on understanding the healing reaction. In this chapter it states, "The body produces a healing inflammation and releases toxins from the tissues, producing a massive toxic load that has to be eliminated from the liver. The process is sometimes accompanied by a healing fever and even spells of depression and panic." I guess I need to be more diligent about castor oil packs. I also dread saying that I need to start doing coffee enemas to help release the toxins from my liver. I will spare you the details of this process but will let you know the outcome.
Interestingly enough, I still don't know why my body tells me to sleep when I am not tired but what I can say is I have a new found respect for my body and for listening to it. Normally, if I nap during the day, it is difficult for me to fall asleep at bed time. This has not been the case lately. I guess my body needs the extra sleep for all the healing it is trying to do on the inside.
Hoping the crazies go away and stay away.
Juicing Observation on Day 6
I felt great. Had a ton on energy. No joint pains. No muscle pains. No cravings. Felt awesome so what the heck? Why did I have a crazy, yelling, emotional breakdown on Mother's Day? I went into a crazy rant and emotionally abused my poor husband and two kids. Then, out of no where, my body told me I needed a nap. I didn't feel tired. After napping for two hours I thought all would be fine but it wasn't. I was still crazy. All I could do was apologize.
Juicing Observation on Day 7
I have now lost almost 9 pounds (8.8pounds to be exact). So after having a cruddy day 6 I looked into what could have caused my emotional meltdown. I have been slowly reading Healing the Gerson Way and this morning read a chapter on understanding the healing reaction. In this chapter it states, "The body produces a healing inflammation and releases toxins from the tissues, producing a massive toxic load that has to be eliminated from the liver. The process is sometimes accompanied by a healing fever and even spells of depression and panic." I guess I need to be more diligent about castor oil packs. I also dread saying that I need to start doing coffee enemas to help release the toxins from my liver. I will spare you the details of this process but will let you know the outcome.
Interestingly enough, I still don't know why my body tells me to sleep when I am not tired but what I can say is I have a new found respect for my body and for listening to it. Normally, if I nap during the day, it is difficult for me to fall asleep at bed time. This has not been the case lately. I guess my body needs the extra sleep for all the healing it is trying to do on the inside.
Hoping the crazies go away and stay away.
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Day 5
Down a 1/2 pound from yesterday. I did not work out on day 4. Down a total of 7 1/2 pounds.
Juicing Observation on Day 4:
I experienced for the first time in my life what it feels like to eat because my body needs nutrition versus to eat because I am hungry. Until yesterday I didn't even know there was a difference.
Friday evening our family left the house to run errands. I knew that while we were gone I would miss one juicing but thought I could hold out until we got home. As 7:45pm rolled around I could feel my body changing. It's hard to explain the feeling. I didn't feel hunger pains or the need to eat. I just knew that I needed some nutrition.
Within 15 minutes I felt my energy drop. Worse of all, a headache was setting in. Luckily, we were near a Cub Foods. I was able to get my hands on some pure coconut juice. Within minutes of drinking it my headache started to subside and I started to feel better.
Through out this process I never felt hunger pains nor did I have the need to eat food. My brain was sending me a signal for nutrition. So this is how my body is suppose to function? Who knew?
Juicing Observation on Day 4:
I experienced for the first time in my life what it feels like to eat because my body needs nutrition versus to eat because I am hungry. Until yesterday I didn't even know there was a difference.
Friday evening our family left the house to run errands. I knew that while we were gone I would miss one juicing but thought I could hold out until we got home. As 7:45pm rolled around I could feel my body changing. It's hard to explain the feeling. I didn't feel hunger pains or the need to eat. I just knew that I needed some nutrition.
Within 15 minutes I felt my energy drop. Worse of all, a headache was setting in. Luckily, we were near a Cub Foods. I was able to get my hands on some pure coconut juice. Within minutes of drinking it my headache started to subside and I started to feel better.
Through out this process I never felt hunger pains nor did I have the need to eat food. My brain was sending me a signal for nutrition. So this is how my body is suppose to function? Who knew?
Friday, May 10, 2013
Day 4
Lost another pound. After 3 full days of juicing I have lost a total of 7 pounds.
Juicing Observation on day 3:
On the evening of day 3 I attended an event with Kong and Ayden. Yummy finger foods were set up on neat little trays across two tables. Holding Ayden's sketch book for her so that she could help herself to some food I noticed that I did not have the need to eat. I stood next to the food while talking with other guests. Never once did the food cross my mind even though it was directly in my line of vision.
Big deal, right? For me it is.
Last week I was at another event and of course there was food. I was in the company of some really amazing people doing really important work yet all I could think about was eating. I was greeting a friend and offered her some food to which she said, "Oh, thanks but I already ate." It dawned on me that never in my life had I ever voluntarily turned down food. Not even if I was full or had just eaten. (Maybe part culture, part growing up poor...more to come in tomorrow's reflection.)
I look back at my life and realize that if ever food was present, I was compelled, not matter what, to eat. Regardless of how engaged I was in conversation or how amazing the event, food was always on the back of my mind. For all of my adult life, food had been my obsession.
Before I went vegan, I was one of those people that could not get into my car without stopping to buy something to eat (Yes, even if I had just inhaled a meal). It would take every ounce of will power not to pull into a drive through. Once we went vegan the compulsion eased but it never went away 100%. I would acknowledge the compulsion, then convince myself to resist. It is important for me to admit that after I overcame the learning curve of vegan cooking, that's when the weight started to creep back slowly. That's because I never broke the cycle of addiction. (Note: you can gain weight even if you are eating healthy foods that are whole and organic).
I don't know when I started eating to eat. I eat not because I am hungry but because I love, love, love the taste of food. This is probably the reason why I developed in such an awesome cook. I don't love food the way normal people love things like puppies or cats. I love food in a way that consumes me to my core.
This cleanse has cleared my mind. It is allowing me to see things for what they really are. I can feel sad, ashamed and keep it all to myself or I can acknowledge it, learn from it, and move on. I don't wish to be skinny or beautiful. What I do wish for, once I am through juicing, is to be able to say on a regular basis, "Oh, thank you but I already ate." Last night was the first time I didn't think twice about food. I am hopeful.
Juicing Observation on day 3:
On the evening of day 3 I attended an event with Kong and Ayden. Yummy finger foods were set up on neat little trays across two tables. Holding Ayden's sketch book for her so that she could help herself to some food I noticed that I did not have the need to eat. I stood next to the food while talking with other guests. Never once did the food cross my mind even though it was directly in my line of vision.
Big deal, right? For me it is.
Last week I was at another event and of course there was food. I was in the company of some really amazing people doing really important work yet all I could think about was eating. I was greeting a friend and offered her some food to which she said, "Oh, thanks but I already ate." It dawned on me that never in my life had I ever voluntarily turned down food. Not even if I was full or had just eaten. (Maybe part culture, part growing up poor...more to come in tomorrow's reflection.)
I look back at my life and realize that if ever food was present, I was compelled, not matter what, to eat. Regardless of how engaged I was in conversation or how amazing the event, food was always on the back of my mind. For all of my adult life, food had been my obsession.
Before I went vegan, I was one of those people that could not get into my car without stopping to buy something to eat (Yes, even if I had just inhaled a meal). It would take every ounce of will power not to pull into a drive through. Once we went vegan the compulsion eased but it never went away 100%. I would acknowledge the compulsion, then convince myself to resist. It is important for me to admit that after I overcame the learning curve of vegan cooking, that's when the weight started to creep back slowly. That's because I never broke the cycle of addiction. (Note: you can gain weight even if you are eating healthy foods that are whole and organic).
I don't know when I started eating to eat. I eat not because I am hungry but because I love, love, love the taste of food. This is probably the reason why I developed in such an awesome cook. I don't love food the way normal people love things like puppies or cats. I love food in a way that consumes me to my core.
This cleanse has cleared my mind. It is allowing me to see things for what they really are. I can feel sad, ashamed and keep it all to myself or I can acknowledge it, learn from it, and move on. I don't wish to be skinny or beautiful. What I do wish for, once I am through juicing, is to be able to say on a regular basis, "Oh, thank you but I already ate." Last night was the first time I didn't think twice about food. I am hopeful.
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Day 3
I had a minor melt down yesterday. I was supper crabby towards Kong last night. I wasn't feeling hungry, just everything he did bothered me. Not sure what happened.
I lost 2 more pounds. In two days I have lost a total of 6 pounds. I am certain this is not a sustainable rate. That said I feel great, have not had cravings, and have a ton of energy.
I have been asked by a lot of people why I am doing this. Compared to most people I eat a healthy diet and I exercise. It may help if people understood my history.
I developed an autoimmune disease affecting my kidneys when I was just 16. With kidney disease you feel absolutely normal until you go into failure so for many years I lived as if I had no issue.
When I was 29 I became pregnant with Ayden. Though I had no complications with my first pregnancy, my second one was a different story. I was pre-eclamptic, Ayden had issues with her heart, and I delivered prematurely. After the delivery the doctors told me I would go into kidney failure within six months.
I was put on high dosages of perdinsone (steriod), cellcept, and a whole host of other drugs that made me toxic. I became very ill and when I almost lost hope, through God's grace, I found my way to natural healing. I started acupuncture, homeopathic remedies and changed my diet (cut out red meats and processed foods). I started to get better. After two year of natural healing my kidney disease went into remission. A rare case as only 20% of people with my condition go into remission. The doctors attributed it to their medicine but I knew better. I was on to something.
Fast forward 8 years later. I am nearly medication free but I am over weight (clinically obese really) despite a vegan diet and regular exercise. I have a resting heart beat of 45 beats per minute. Based on my physical appearance this was an early sign of heart disease. After putting me through a number of heart tests and making me run on a treadmill, they determined they were wrong. It seemed the low heart beat was a sign of a healthy heart. A medical anomaly really.
So what's the problem? If I am healthy, why am I so grossly over weight?
For many years I asked the question of when I would return to my normal self. I just knew and felt like things had been forever changed in my cells after the medication. Then I met a natural path doctor who confirmed what I had been thinking and explained to me why this is. Ah yes, the universe was finally lining everything up for me.
First and foremost, a diet of meat and white rice for the majority of my child hood was probably what wrecked havoc on my body. Although my family cooked traditional Hmong food, I rarely ate vegetables or fruits. Add on years of working in my family's restaurant drinking coke as my only source of fluid intake and eating high sodium, high MSG food and presto, you have a body that is so thrown out of wack that it no longer knows how to regulate itself.
It's no wonder that I can hit the gym for an hour, practice martial arts for an hour, play tennis for 1.5 hours, and bike 10 miles in a day and still only maintain my weight. It's no wonder that I cut out meats, dairy and processed foods and only lose 20 pounds to come down from being obese to greatly over weight. So what to do? Heal my body at the cellular level. Infuse my body with a concentration of plant nutrients so that my cells heal. Re-teach my body how to do what it is suppose to do.
So far, in the days that I have been juicing, I have noticed that I sweat profusely when I work out. This is a big deal. I rarely broke a sweat for the first 30 years of my life. I kid you not. Your skin is the largest organ you have. If it doesn't function normally, you can't excrete the toxins you build up inside your body.
I don't expect that after the cleanse I will be "cured". I know that this is a life style change. No going back to eating meats, foods high in fat and calories, or foods that are processed. No dairy, no sugar, no glutens. If I want to live life to its fullest I will need to rethink how I look at food.
Resources/Documentaries that helped me move to this way of thinking:
Forks Over Knives
Super Size Me
Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead
Food Inc
Hungry for Change
My MD brother-in-law and sister-in-law (who also went vegan and started juicing) Their story is amazing.
I lost 2 more pounds. In two days I have lost a total of 6 pounds. I am certain this is not a sustainable rate. That said I feel great, have not had cravings, and have a ton of energy.
I have been asked by a lot of people why I am doing this. Compared to most people I eat a healthy diet and I exercise. It may help if people understood my history.
I developed an autoimmune disease affecting my kidneys when I was just 16. With kidney disease you feel absolutely normal until you go into failure so for many years I lived as if I had no issue.
When I was 29 I became pregnant with Ayden. Though I had no complications with my first pregnancy, my second one was a different story. I was pre-eclamptic, Ayden had issues with her heart, and I delivered prematurely. After the delivery the doctors told me I would go into kidney failure within six months.
I was put on high dosages of perdinsone (steriod), cellcept, and a whole host of other drugs that made me toxic. I became very ill and when I almost lost hope, through God's grace, I found my way to natural healing. I started acupuncture, homeopathic remedies and changed my diet (cut out red meats and processed foods). I started to get better. After two year of natural healing my kidney disease went into remission. A rare case as only 20% of people with my condition go into remission. The doctors attributed it to their medicine but I knew better. I was on to something.
Fast forward 8 years later. I am nearly medication free but I am over weight (clinically obese really) despite a vegan diet and regular exercise. I have a resting heart beat of 45 beats per minute. Based on my physical appearance this was an early sign of heart disease. After putting me through a number of heart tests and making me run on a treadmill, they determined they were wrong. It seemed the low heart beat was a sign of a healthy heart. A medical anomaly really.
So what's the problem? If I am healthy, why am I so grossly over weight?
For many years I asked the question of when I would return to my normal self. I just knew and felt like things had been forever changed in my cells after the medication. Then I met a natural path doctor who confirmed what I had been thinking and explained to me why this is. Ah yes, the universe was finally lining everything up for me.
First and foremost, a diet of meat and white rice for the majority of my child hood was probably what wrecked havoc on my body. Although my family cooked traditional Hmong food, I rarely ate vegetables or fruits. Add on years of working in my family's restaurant drinking coke as my only source of fluid intake and eating high sodium, high MSG food and presto, you have a body that is so thrown out of wack that it no longer knows how to regulate itself.
It's no wonder that I can hit the gym for an hour, practice martial arts for an hour, play tennis for 1.5 hours, and bike 10 miles in a day and still only maintain my weight. It's no wonder that I cut out meats, dairy and processed foods and only lose 20 pounds to come down from being obese to greatly over weight. So what to do? Heal my body at the cellular level. Infuse my body with a concentration of plant nutrients so that my cells heal. Re-teach my body how to do what it is suppose to do.
So far, in the days that I have been juicing, I have noticed that I sweat profusely when I work out. This is a big deal. I rarely broke a sweat for the first 30 years of my life. I kid you not. Your skin is the largest organ you have. If it doesn't function normally, you can't excrete the toxins you build up inside your body.
I don't expect that after the cleanse I will be "cured". I know that this is a life style change. No going back to eating meats, foods high in fat and calories, or foods that are processed. No dairy, no sugar, no glutens. If I want to live life to its fullest I will need to rethink how I look at food.
Resources/Documentaries that helped me move to this way of thinking:
Forks Over Knives
Super Size Me
Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead
Food Inc
Hungry for Change
My MD brother-in-law and sister-in-law (who also went vegan and started juicing) Their story is amazing.
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Day 2
Today is day 2 of my juicing journey. I am feeling great.
I have lost 4 pounds in just one day. I only had one small set back last night. I made a green juice that I didn't like. After drinking it, just smelling the lingering odor of the pulped veggies made me sick. I quickly remedied it by juicing a known yummy combination and that did the trick.
I learned today that though I love, love, love eating cucumbers, I hate them juiced. I'll have to find another green recipe. I also learned that to go about this whole juicing journey the right way, I need to incorporate a few other things.
Recommended
I have lost 4 pounds in just one day. I only had one small set back last night. I made a green juice that I didn't like. After drinking it, just smelling the lingering odor of the pulped veggies made me sick. I quickly remedied it by juicing a known yummy combination and that did the trick.
I learned today that though I love, love, love eating cucumbers, I hate them juiced. I'll have to find another green recipe. I also learned that to go about this whole juicing journey the right way, I need to incorporate a few other things.
Recommended
- Drink 4 to 6 juices a day about, 16 to 20oz each at meal times
- Drink at least 64oz water a day
- Before the am meal/juice drink a hot cup of water with lemon cut up in it
- Before bed a cup of hot herbal tea/stevia optional
- No coffee,sodas,tea,sports drinks, milk etc, only herbal tea and coconut water are allowed
- Make sure the juices are 80%veg and 20% fruits
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