Hubby and I have been juicing since last week but really changed everything on Sunday. Don’t get me wrong, we have been doing smoothies every morning and we eat fairly healthy as a whole, but Sunday was a turning point. We started juicing as our main source of nutrition, have eaten very little else, and have been starting to feel the goods and bads along with it. This will not be a glamorous list, but it’s true and if you decide to get into major juicing then these are some things you can expect.
First off let me give it to you straight as far as what is going into our mouths. Every morning we start out with a smoothie, that used to be made with raw milk, now I’ve been using water. I add a banana, kelp, spirulina, dulce, carob and wheat grass powders to it, with a little stevia and blend. I drink this on my way to work and it fills me up. We wake up and juice as well. We juice what we have and right now we have abundance because we wanted to not feel “deprived.” We juice most of these things together: kale, chard, celery, cilantro, parsley, broccoli, carrot, apple, ginger, beet, kiwi, strawberry, pineapple, jicama. We don’t always add everything, the kiwi, pineapple and strawberries are eaten when we want something sweet. Last night I cut up pineapple, kiwi and a banana and it was so good, plus it got rid of that sweet tooth. We have had bone broth soup, I ate the last of some organic crackers I had at work, we’ve snacked on nuts, drank tea, even have peanut butter (all these are mainly organic too)… so we’re not going “crazy” but we are also not eating a whole lot other than juice. We also just got an order of Teeccino in, oh my goodness this stuff is my favorite! We are not drinking raw milk, we aren’t eating much meat in fact I haven’t had any since Saturday, we do plan on eating our eggs, and big huge salads! I think the main thing here is staying off processed foods, processed meats and sugar and increasing juicing and fresh raw veggies and fruits. Ok so that’s the lifestyle, I almost called it a “diet.” It’s not…it’s a lifestyle.
Lets jump right into the positives, well positives so far that is. First off I notice my body is actually wanting the juice. You actually feel it energizing your cells and I think my body likes that. 🙂 When we juice I get a weird giddy energy, I want to drink the juice really badly. Second, I notice higher energy levels. That said, today I don’t feel that as much. There is a certain detox period, that will be covered in the cons section. The energy levels are super high after drinking the juice. Hubby and I spent tons of time outside Saturday, came in and juiced and all of a sudden we were back up cleaning our house. I also feel happier, I don’t know how to describe it, but I do feel a bit “lighter” in the head and heart. My craving for sugar is reduced drastically. I’m a sugar-aholic, Hi I’m Corri and I’m a sugar-aholic. I actually remember a doctor telling me to try to stop eating sugar in high school, I laughed… oh if I would have listened! Anyway, I notice that I am not tempted like I use to be or would be if I went on a “diet.” A patient brought in some thank you caramels yesterday, they stare at me every time I walk in the break room, but I don’t have the urge to grab one like I used to. I mean I can stop the whole positive section with this alone! This is huge, especially for me. I think this can prove that my body is getting all it’s nutrition and it doesn’t have to crave something, because it’s getting all it needs. I am also having very regular bowel movements. I consider this a plus. I am satisfied, I’m not generally hungry, there are some occasions this is not the case but for the most part I’m full.
Now the cons. I’m going to start with the most unpleasant, gas. I don’t know what it is about eating raw food, but when I started looking around at people eating a new raw diet, the big complaint was gas. Yesterday was worse than today, and I suspect it goes away, but maybe grab some lavender oil in some type of spray bottle if you work around others. 🙂 Diarrhea, really do I have to say much more? It’s not horrible, and it didn’t start right away but there is generally a day or two where this might be a time you want to have a bathroom close by. Headaches, I’m starting to get them more. I think it’s from the sugar honestly, but it could be a number of things. See when you go through something like this, there is most certainly a detox period. In the movie Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead, Joe says that he wanted to stay in bed the first two days of his juice fast. You feel a disconnect from the world, but also you are going through some major body changes. Especially if you ate pretty rotten up until the point of the fast. Hubby and I ate pretty well, sure we still enjoyed a treat here and there… but we didn’t live on McDonald’s and Taco Bell before doing this, in fact I can’t remember the last time I’ve even had them (in my 20’s I lived on that junk). If you do, you might want to take a couple of days off and allow your healing to begin, alone. Today I’m hungry. I don’t know what it is, but I am. I am also pretty tired today, again this could be a detox thing as well. So combined with a headache, hunger and the tired I’m a little grumpy. I want to stress A LITTLE, I’m in no way shape or form the type of grumpy I used to be (which is a huge pro). OOPS! I forgot to mention I have a bit of a foggy head by the end of the day, that happened to me yesterday too. And I’m dealing with some body acne, again I’m sure this is detox, this stuff has to get out of my body some way. I guess my skin is taking the brunt of it for now.
I think that getting the right nutrition packed into juice, my body is finally on a path of healing. God‘s way of healing, not some voodoo or some pill. God’s creation is allowing me to become healthy again and I am forever grateful for that. Over all I feel absolutely amazing! I’ve been telling my coworkers all about it, I want everyone to hear about this. I feel renewed, I feel healthy and oddly enough I keep thinking the weight has already dropped off because I just feel lighter. Can’t be a bad thing!
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I’ve had friends talk about it taking a while for their bodies to adjust! Maybe you jumped in a little too enthusiastically, but I think that’s just your way! You do all things heartily…and your body isn’t sure what all this pure food is! I’m sure it will catch up eventually 🙂 Debra
It’s kind of expensive to do it full boar! We mainly are drinking juice two times a day, a quart in the morning and probably about that at night. I am eating, but not a ton. I know once my body gets past the shock the goods will certainly out weigh the bads. I do plan on keeping up the juicing, it just feels so nourishing.
Every one of those detox symptoms sound normal, and I’m sure they will all go away by themselves. I wonder if you put some raw (free-range) eggs in your juice if that would help with hunger and brain fog. ?? My girlfriend just did a 14 day juice fast and she signed up for a free trial at the local gym, just so she could go in and use the sauna every day. She said the daily sweating did wonders for her detox symtoms. Interesting yes?
I’m so glad you’re doing this first, my little guinea pig. I am buying a juicer this week!
I’m really forgetful sometimes but I have been trying to put a raw egg in my smoothie, I did put one this morning… but that’s a great thought. I am going to try to remember that as part of my daily routine. Maybe this whole process will help my memory too! lol
Hubby swears by the sauna. He’s done MMA and he goes to a gym in Portland that has a sauna, he generally only goes to use the sauna. He says the same thing as your friend, the best. He actually wants to get one built in our house, so we can have access to one all the time. Our friend built the one in the gym so… if money permits, we might have one.
I’m happy to be the guinea pig. Do you plan on only juicing or…? Can’t wait to hear you bought a juicer! It gets expensive, that’s the only thing I’m learning. We are working on one income (the economy is rough) so I’m finding we are running low on produce again… and payday is a week away. But the benefits really out weigh the cost, I really do feel better than I have in a long while. 🙂
I haven’t decided yet if I’m doing just juice, or juice and raw foods. I tend to just listen to my body and eat what I feel I need, so I’ll probably adjust as I go.
I have heard that the cost of buying huge amounts of organic fruit and veggies can get expensive. I’ll have to hope that the added expense will be balanced out by the things we won’t have to buy…I’m definately willing to give it a try. Everyone who does it raves about how amazing they feel. That is worth it to me.
Oh yeah it’s totally worth it! 🙂 I ate some meat last night (organic and locally raised) and it was good but… interestingly enough I really did want more juice. My body is telling me good things about this for sure!! I want to hear how it goes for you! Is your sweetie on board too?
He is willing to do this in addition to food. The man needs his meat and potatoes! LOL
Totally understand that one. Meat sounded really good last night but I’m not sure it was the best option for me, just yet. I can’t wait to hear how you guys do and feel! What a fun adventure to start 🙂
I love your account of the detox experience because its honest and real, and exactly how it goes! And also… that weird giddy feeling about seeing a freshly pressed juice? Yep, I get that feeling. My cells are screaming: Make me tingle!!
LOL I’m glad I’m not the only giddy one! I thought it was weird but kind of exciting too. haha. You are right we are giving our cells what they so desperately crave!
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