Naked Juice: Helps you look better Naked!

One of the greatest challenges of the juice fast is juicing on the go.  Whether you work, raise
children, commute, play sports, pole dance, or work as a pole dancer with a 2 hour commute and have two children who play multiple sports...you are busy!  Juicing, admittedly takes a great deal of time and effort. We found Naked juice to be the right fit for us. I credit this wonderful product as one of the options that allowed me to overcome Type II Diabetes.

Initially, Mrs. Avenger and I had to find time away, from our pole dancing day jobs, to retrain our schedules and focus on juicing.  At times, taking our kids to Frisbee soccer underwater chess club, interfered with our desire to stand at the kitchen counter and clean, prep, peel, and juice 1/4th of the contents of our refrigerator.  During the most challenging times we found ourselves wondering, why there are so few fresh juice bars in suburban America. Alas, we found Naked juice, in Starbucks, Convenience stores, just about everywhere....excellent marketing Naked Juice!

With limited available options; we gave Naked juice a try, and were pleasantly surprised.  Because of the quality ingredients we found that half of a regular sized bottle was all we needed to carry us over to the next meal. It worked to stave off any unexpected cravings for... say... Donut encrusted Bacon cheeseburgers.

We felt this was a quality product that gave us the boost we needed while on the road between performances, sports practices, and late night blogging sessions. Every juice we tried was pleasantly flavorful.  I relied on the "Green Machine" for my boost. It offered up a healthy dose of quality greens.  So fellow novice juicers, remember Naked Juice when you are out on the road, and trying to avoid the usual carb infested goodies that we usually rely on!

While we are not recommending these juices for every meal on the juice fast, they are a real asset when they are most needed!We found that keeping a couple of bottles on hand helped carry us through those terrible hours/days between shopping sessions, and on road trips, or on the way home from work. Thank you to Naked Juice, and other companies who offer these types of quality products.  We need more options like these available in convenient locations! 

1 DAY AND A LIFETIME TO GO!

 

Happy Easter

Even the Easter Bunny had time to take a break and join us for a glass of Carrot Juice!  Happy Easter!

Strawberry Rhubarb Delight!

As a child I loved Rhubarb, especially when it was mixed with Strawberry in jams and pies.  This morning I decided to revisit my childhood, and made a strawberry rhubarb juice.  If you like strawberry rhubarb desserts you will find it hard to resist this refreshing juice as a start to your day.

Recipe.  Like most juices it's fairly simple, EXCPET FOR THE CLEANING AND PREP....

4-6 stalks of Rhubarb (More rhubarb = more tart)
1 pint fresh Strawberries (remove the greens if you want juice whole)
1 to 1.5 cups of grapes (I used green grapes. I imagine Concord would be good also)
2 whole apples (I used honey crisp. They are sweet and do well to counter the sour/tart taste of the rhubarb.
1 Banana (don't juice the banana... I've learned the hard way...never juice the banana... oh the horror...

Except for the banana, Juice all of the above ingredients, and blend in the banana.

Fill with ice if you desire, and serve chilled.

This was a first attempt at this recipe. I look forward to your tweaks, and advice on this new favorite!

1 DAY AND A LIFETIME TO GO!

Diabetes Reversed?

1 Day and a Lifetime to Go!  Day 38.  Friends. Last week I reported that I was taken off of my Type II Diabetes Medications.  Nearly 1 Week later, I am happy to report that my blood sugars have remained in the normal, NON-DIABETIC, range of (80-100). I am still conducting a 60 day juice fast and it is going well, with some modifications I will discuss below.  I am NOT eating processed junk. I imagine that my status would turn around very quickly if I were to return to old habits.

Under doctor's orders I have modified my routine a bit.  As of 2 weeks ago I started conducting moderate to heavy work outs at our local gym. I have added in some of the suggestions from Joe Cross's "Fat Sick, and Nearly Dead" reboot programs. I am eating mostly raw, some cooked vegetables for dinner, and for some snacks. If you are wondering about energy levels, they are through the roof! I am weight lifting for 1 to 1 and a half hours, spinning 3 days a week, running a hard core ab routine, and running on a treadmill on non-spin days.  I check my blood sugar regularly, and it has not fallen below normal. But it's important to make sure we have everything we need to ensure maximum success.

Vitamins:  The good doctor recommended that I increase my Vitamin D, and B12 intake during the juice fast.  This was pointed at my Type II diabetes.  He explained that medications for Type II diabetes (Metformin for me) can act as inhibitors to these two vital vitamins!  I would recommend, if you are considering starting a juice fast, that you check with a medical professional to ensure that you have everything you need!  These are vital for energy and weight loss also. This may lead you to wonder, as many do, about protein intake.

Protein.  We will host a discussion about protein intake in a later post, that Mrs. Juice Avenger is working on.  Bottom line.  I asked the doctor about protein intake on a juice fast, and while working out.  The doctor, who knew nothing of juicing explained that, based on the diet I described to him, I have taken in sufficient plant based proteins.  He drew my blood and conducted a test that outlined my overall nutrition, we are still waiting on those results, and will be happy to report the full results when we receive them.

Friends, my message and prayer for you.  Find something that works for you! If it's juicing, or some other lifestyle change go for it full force. If you are struggling with a chronic illness, YOU CAN DEFEAT IT, take if from this normal guy who watched a documentary and changed his life and health!  Change your mindset, and start moving!!!

1 DAY AND A LIFETIME TO GO! 

Choosing the Right Bottle

36 days ago when we started the juice fast we ran into several questions that we had not anticipated.  Today's entry will discuss choosing a storage container/bottle for your juice on the move!  Mrs. Avenger set out on the Internet and in local stores to find a BPA free bottle.  She found the Blender bottle sport mixer and we have both been 100% satisfied. I realize this may sound like an infomercial.  We have no contact with this company or anyone selling this product. This is simply a customer review.

We haven't found many water bottles, or containers, much like this one.  Below are just a few things that we enjoy about these bottles:

• Air Tight seal. These bottles have never leaked. The top screws on securely, and most important the opening seals with perfection.
• reasonable grip. We've used these in the gym and in spin class, and never drop them. The grip is comfortable for tired and sore hands. 
• No flavor retention.  With the juices we were a bit concerned that the contents would take on yesterday's flavor and smell... and we've had some smelly juices.  But, to our delight, we never have to worry about that with these.
• Economically priced! Mrs. Avenger bought ours either at Target or Wal Mart.
• The Blender Ball!  We absolutely love this simplistic solution!  The bottle has a removable ball that blends your shakes, juices, and whatever else you want to blend perfectly. 

 

Overall, These bottles have surpassed our needs for this juicing experience. I've seldom felt the urge to talk so much about a bottle..unless we are talking about Wine...  but that's a story for a different juicing day!  Good luck!  We would be interested to hear of any other bottles that have worked for you! 

 

1 DAY AND A LIFETIME TO GO!!!!!

Diabetes Medications Removed!!

Friends. It is with great satisfaction that I write today's blog entry.  As of 12:00pm this afternoon
(Saturday March 23, 2013) my doctor has removed me from my Type II Diabetes medication! I am medication free! I will take a lower dosage of Metformin for 2 to 3 days and slowly ween my system off of the drugs. Also, my wife just put me in to a size 38 pant, down from size 44!  If I can pull this off in just over 30 days...So can you!

Diabetes Reversed?  I hear a lot of talk about reversing diabetes.  At this point I am not ready to say that it's reversed.  I am still diabetic, I still have to maintain a strict regimen which will include checking my blood sugars regularly. In fact I plan to check more often for the first few weeks.
My goal is to get to a sustained healthy weight, and maintain good health and fitness. I still have a long way to go, and will never live without looking over my shoulder to be sure this completely unnecessary chronic illness isn't lurking in the shadows to catch up with my lazy, oblivious butt ever again.

What comes After the Juice Fast?  Quite a few people have asked me, "so, what comes after the juice fast?" I never really had a great answer, because I didn't quite understand my own personal health goals at the time.  The bottom line is more hard work, discipline, and dedication is what comes after juicing. I had to teach myself that I was not on a diet, but on a journey to take ownership over my own personal health and well-being.

Dieting is for Quitters:  Yes.. I said it.  In my humble opinion, The concept of dieting in America, and across the globe, has crippled many well intentioned people.  In my mind, dieting is finite. There is a beginning and an end.  Once I understood this, I realized what people were really asking me.  "So, when you stop this crazy fad diet, and go back to eating Taco Bell, Burger King, 5 Guys (oh durn that sounds good right now), and Mexican every night...won't you gain all that weight back, and won't your blood sugar be just as high?"  My answer is YES, of course.  This is why I can never go back.  I am not on a diet.  I am missing a major component of the diet.  There was a beginning, but there can be no end! This is where the Juice Avenger motto "1 day and a lifetime to go" comes from."  I will take every day one day at a time and make wise choices every day, leaving some wiggle room. Sure, I will have a burger at the end of my 60 days.  But it will be just one, not one a day, not one a week, just one!  My life can never be the same again. I have diabetes...but I refuse to be diabetic.

I hope that you will stick with me on the rest of this journey, and I hope that many of you will share your experiences here at Juice Avenger.  That's all for now, I'm going to head out and play with the kids.... knowing that if I keep this up we will have much more time together!

1 DAY AND A LIFETIME TO GO!!!!!!

 

Why Do We Drink Hot Water With Lemon?

To Add on to what our Contributor Ms. Amina has shared.  I've been wondering why drinking hot water is so important to many diets, and listed on every juice fast.  I've finally found the answers in an article from Fitlife.tv.com.  This is a great and simple article that shoots straight to the point.  I hope this helps you understand the importance of drinking hot water with lemon every morning before you start your day: I will paste the article below.  But know that it is not my work:     http://fitlife.tv/benefits-warm-water-lemon/ 1 DAY AND A LIFETIME TO GO!!!!!

By Drew Canole:  fitlife.tv

When I wake up every morning, the first thing I drink is warm water and lemon and before I sleep I do the same thing. I recommend this to my clients who go on the Alpha Reset as well. Drinking warm water and lemon has so many benefits and at the same time it makes me feel hydrated. I also drink lemon water first thing in the morning to kick start my digestive system.

The way you start each day is incredibly important. That’s why you should start it with one cup of warm water and half a lemon.

Here are 7 reasons why you should start your day with 1 cup warm water and 1/2 lemon.

1. Immune Booster

Vitamin C is probably one of the easiest and fastest ways to boost your immune system. Lemons are packed with vitamin C. Vitamin C also helps neutralize free radicals that are associated with aging and disease. Vitamin C is great for the skin as well. It helps decrease blemishes and acne. Drinking one cup of warm water and lemon everyday will dramatically decrease acne problems and wrinkles as well.
Since lemons are high in vitamins, toxins, unwanted minerals and other substances are pushed out from the body.
Lemons are also high in potassium. Potassium is especially important because it helps regulate blood pressure and is important for nerve function.
Check out the best immune boosting herbs here <—

2. PH Balance

Drinking warm water and lemon helps you maintain an alkaline state. Even though lemon juice is acidic, it doesn’t create acidity in your body, it’s actually one of the most alkaline foods.
For alkalizing juice recipes click here <—

3. Liver Function

Lemon juice is amazing for liver function. Lemon juice promotes healthy liver function because it strengthens liver enzymes, regulates carbohydrate levels and increases the production of enzymes. Adding lemon juice (1/2 of a lemon) to warm water and drinking it everyday works as a great liver detoxifier.
For juice recipes that are great for your liver click here <—

4. Blood Vessels

Lemons contain vitamin P (bioflavinoids) which prevent internal hemorrhage and thus is another great way to reduce blood pressure.

5. Cleans You Out and Aids in Digestion

Lemon juice like most fresh vegetable juices contain pectin fiber. Pectin fiber is a type of water soluble fiber that helps reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. Another great thing about pectin is that it keeps you feeling full and reduces cravings.

6. Natural Diuretic

Lemon juice and warm water also help increase the rate of urination. This is great because toxins and other harmful substances are pushed out of your body, leaving your body in a alkaline state.

7. Hydration of Lymph System

Warm water and lemon juice supports the immune system by hydrating and replacing fluids lost by your body. When your body is deprived of water, you can definitely feel the side effects, which include: feeling tired, sluggish, decreased immune function, constipation, lack of energy, low/high blood pressure, lack of sleep, lack of mental clarity and feeling stressed just to name a few.
When you have these symptoms it might mean that your adrenals are “fatigued.” Your adrenals function in secreting necessary hormones, regulating stress response, regulating blood pressure and much more. So keep your adrenals happy by staying hydrated.

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1 Day and a Lifetime to Go!

Juicing is expensive. But it does not have to be!

 

Many of our readers have asked; is juicing expensive?  It’s a regular and legitimate concern.  Here we will address the expense of juicing and some hints and suggestions for making economical and flavorful juices.

If you are on day two of your juice fast, and you are contemplating sneaking over to your neighbor’s garden to save some money on the massive amount of produce that you have packed your refrigerator with… You are not alone.  We live in DC, and came close to sneaking over the gates of the White house and raiding First Lady MichelleObama’s private garden. Well, not just close… we just couldn’t get over the gates before secret service attempted to turn us IN TO vegetables.  Desperate times call for desperate measures!!  But wait, we learned how to be smart about our produce shopping, and there is light at the end of the tunnel, I know because  I was close to going into the light before I took charge of my own health.

After watching “Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead,” My wife and I went out to find a juicer, and bought  3 days’ worth of produce.  We quickly retitled the documentary “Skinny, Hungry, and almost broke!”  The juicer was $150.00, and the first batch of groceries set us back over $200.00 that was to last us only 3 days.  We were following recipes for juices online. Many of them called for vegetables we’d never heard of.  We were also amazed at how much food we were supposed to inhale in one sitting, it’s really more than you can imagine.  Truthfully, the whole thing was overwhelming, but we stepped back, sipped our blood red, terrible beet juice and asked ourselves…. WTH?  

Cheaper Shopping Options:  And they do exist!  Our first gem was called Global Food Market, in Woodbridge, Virginia.  Produce was one half the cost of the regular grocery store.  If you have a Global food market, or equivalent you are in for a treat. These markets have huge amounts of produce, and big bundles of fresh herbs.  If not, we recommend Costco, Sam’s Club, or BJ’s etc.  You can buy in bulk and the prices are often much lower.

Fancy Produce = Fancy Poor House:  Many recipes call for large amounts of rare or hard to find produce.  We were new to the scene, and decided to  just take it slow.  We were just figuring out if juicing was right for us, and then it takes a bit of time to get used to the whole thing.  So we decided to slow down, and use familiar, high juice yielding vegetables.  Our favorites are Apples, celery, cucumbers, pears, and carrots. For extra nutrients we add in kale or spinach.  It doesn’t produce much juice, but it’s an easy way to up the value of the juice.  We recommend that you use your imagination, and stick to some of your favorites early on.  However, today a friend told me that they weren’t pleased with the broccoli they had just juiced.  Come on people!  Juice responsibly… not broccoli!  

Rejuice Pulp:  We’ve tried rejuicing our pulp.  This has occasionally worked, but often is not worth the extra time.  I read on one website that a juicer had the same difficulty.  They lined their pulp catcher with a muslin bag, and then squeezed the extra juice out.  According to them it did produce a few more ounces of juice. It may be worth the try.

Bottom Line:  Juicing is an added expense, but if you are like us you dine out regularly, pick up convenience food whenever the urge hits, and spend mindlessly, it will likely balance out in the end.  To us, the biggest expense is the tax  on your time.  Early to rise and juice, and late to prep the next day’s juice day in and day out. It is not easy to make, or easy to clean. Then there’s packing the juice in a leak proof bottle, and finding enough ice to get you through the work day. But we’ve learned first hand that the Gain clearly outweighs the Cost in juicing. These are all just tidbits of information that we did not find when we started one month ago; we hope that you will find something here that will make your start even easier than ours.

1 Day and a Lifetime to Go!  

Which Juicer Is Right For You?

 

 

After watching the documentary “Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead” my wife and I decided to take the leap and start a juice fast/juice cleanse.  We are glad that we did.  But the first step, after shamefully putting away our ice cream bowls, and turning off the documentary, was buying a juicer.  There are so many options available.  Healthformation overload is alive and well in the world of juicing.  You wonder if you can ever get through it all.  But in the words of Justin Bieber, “Never Say Never!”  So, which is the right juicer for you? Should you buy a Masticating or Centrifugal juicer?  What is a Centrifugal juicer?  What is a Masticating Juicer?  We have set out to simplify the process for you, as you begin your journey.

The first step was choosing the right juicer. WOW! There are so many juicers available on the market!  Who knew?  The price range can go from $19 for a simple citrus juicer to $59 on upward of $1,200 for more complicated juicers. For the purposes of a juice cleanse, or juice fast: we focused on Centrifugal vs Masticating. 

Centrifugal:   (No we aren’t talking about juicers made in North Korea or Iran here).   Fruit/vegetables are fed in through a chute.  The chute is usually large enough to accept a small/regular sized apple. At the bottom of the chute is a spinning blade that shreds the contents. Pulp is thrown out of one side into one container, and the juice falls through a strainer at the bottom, and out into your pitcher.  On the plus side, the juice is made extremely quickly. The pulp can be fed back through to extract additional juice and reduce waste.  On the con side, some nutrients are destroyed due to the heat created by the appliance as it is working at a high wattage to juice so quickly.  These juices do not store as long as masticated juices.  We have occasionally made our breakfast and lunch juice the night before, but have found that they become very watery.  The quality clearly breaks down quickly in terms of appearance, taste and nutrition.

Masticating:  This juice machine chews the fruits and vegetables. Produce is fed in through a chute. These chutes are usually much smaller than the centrifugal juicer.  In my opinion, the smaller chute will likely cost you more time.  It is something to consider if time is your main concern.   One to two large, screw looking, devices pull the produce in, chew it up, and then spit out juice on one side, and pulp on the other.  The juice made with this type of juicer does retain some of the fiber of the whole food.  These juicers are very low wattage so the juice is made much more slowly (10-20 minutes).  The benefits of the lower wattage is that there is not enough heat generated by the appliance to destroy any of the nutrients in the food.  Juices made with masticating juicers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 72 hours, even longer for your top end models.   Masticating juicers generally require a little more prep time in cutting the produce that is going to be fed into the juicer.

The ongoing debate:  Centrifugal or Masticating?  It’s impossible to answer this question without first listing out what is important to you. Time, money, lasting juice, ease of cleaning.  I have the Breville, 850 Watt, Centrifugal, Juice Fountain (about $150.00).  What is important to me is time, ease of cleaning, quality lasting juice.  The Breville gives me just about everything I need as a novice juicer, with one exception; the juice is only good for up to 8 hours.  I am an early riser, and I have two small children at home.  If I want to juice for the day I would have to wake around 4am and start juicing.  This would wake my dog, the children, confederate ghosts in our backyard, and perhaps most frighteningly… my wife who does not want to start the day at 4am.  Some of the pricier masticating juicers advertise that the juice can last up to 2 weeks.  But now we are getting in to expensive territory.  

Bottom Line: If you have time and money to spare:  Masticating is the way to go. If you are short on time and most of your money is still tied up in a Bernie Madoff Ponzie scheme… then Centrifugal is the way to go!  Centrifugal is also generally recommended for those of us new to juicing.  Masticating juicers start around $350, so unless you really have money to burn it is probably wise not to invest that much until you are sure you enjoy it and intend to stick with it.   I have briefly summarized the information we sorted through in making a decision.  The one route it is clear you don't want to go is the very low $59 Hamilton Beach end of juicing.   A quick search on Amazon, and you too will find that the difficulty in using and the amount of wet pulp left behind wastes more of your money on produce than you saved on the juicer.   You can find another juice buying guide here.  http://www.rebootwithjoe.com/juicing/juicer-buying-guide/  It was helpful to us in deciding which one to purchase.  They nicely lay out the pros and cons to both types of juicers, though the only brand recommendation made is the Breville. 

 1 Day And A Lifetime to Go!

Black Seed: A Cure for Everything Except DEATH!

What is Black Seed? "Black Seed contains 15 amino acids, proteins, carbohydrates, both fixed oils (84% fatty acids, including linolenic, and oleic), and volatile oils, alkaloids, saponin, and crude fiber, as well as minerals such as calcium, iron, sodium and potassium. There are still many components in Black Seed that haven't been identified. But research is going on around the world." ((cite Amazingherbs.com))

For centuries, the Black Seed herb and oil have been used by millions of people in Asia, Middle East, parts of Europe and Africa to support their health. An aromatic spice, small and similar in size to sesame seed, it has been traditionally used for a variety of conditions and treatments related to respiratory health, stomach and intestinal health, kidney and liver function, circulatory and immune system support, and for general overall well-being. ((cite Amazinghers.com))

I recently learned about Black seed from a very dear Muslim friend. She told me that Black seed was mentioned in the holy Hadith, and that the Prophet Mohammad (Peace be upon him) was quoted as saying  "Use this Black seed, it has a cure for every disease except death".  I conducted a little research and found several articles that described international studies of the black seed.  I focused on the use of Black seed in the treatment of diabetes Mellitus (Type II Diabetes). But there are studies on all sorts of conditions, including Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) a bacterium that causes infections in different parts of the body. It's tougher to treat than most strains of staphylococcus aureus -- or staph -- because it's resistant to some commonly used antibiotics. ((cite Webmd.com)). All of the studies I find confirm what ancient medical professionals asserted. The black seed does have healing properties.

Let me be clear.  I do NOT condemn the use of medication. I do not condone or recommend replacing any Dr. prescribed medications for the treatment of any condition especially for Diabetes. Since January I have been using Black seed in conjunction with Metformin. I've continued to use this seed during my juice fast. Because I am using this and Sage (another known substance to assist in lowering blood sugar), in conjunction with the juice fast I cannot report on the effectiveness of black seed.  I can tell you that my sugar levels have dropped significantly in the last 2 weeks.  I can also report that within a day of beginning my black seed regimen my energy levels increased.

How to take it?  I take 1 teaspoon of black seed a day. You can mix it with honey, spread it on salads, or put it in your tea.  It tastes like strong Cumin, but it isn't terrible.

Where to buy it?  First there are several options.  You can buy black seed oil, black seed string cheese, or whole black seeds.  You can find these products online, or at just about any global market or Halal market. The ones I have currently come from Baraka, a product of Jordan, and are distributed from Dearborn Michigan. www.wellmadefood.com.  All of the products I've linked to were out of convenience for the juiceavenger's readers, there are likely better products available and I do not recommend any specific type. I will say that I prefer the black seeds to black seed oil.  The oil was a bit too...oily... and the taste stayed with me for hours. 

I have begun to use Black seed as a supplement to a new healthy lifestyle. Juiceavenger always appreciates input from readers!  Have you tried black seed? If so, what was your experience?

Day 24!  6 days and a lifetime to go!

Sugar or Satan???

Day 22!!!  As a reforming sugar addict I've read several articles regarding the evils of sugar. They've all lead me to the same conclusion; excessive amounts of sugar are bad for us.  Of course ANY abused substance is detrimental to our health. We all know this. In the end it all boils down to moderation and self control.  We all know that, but for me it sounds much more simple than it is.  Long car drives, good movies, bad day at work, and in goes the soda.  I thought I was doing myself a favor a few years back when I gave up regular for diet soda.  I couldn't have been more mistaken and the results on my health remain evident.  I've attached a layman's article regarding some of the harmful effects of sugar.  I will dig up more resources on the harmful effects of diet soda for a future posting.  8 Days and a lifetime to go!

http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2013-03/9-reasons-avoid-sugar-if-your-life-depended-it

Upcoming Posts and Input

In the coming days I plan to write on: Finding the right juicer for you, Why I think the term "diet" is harmful, and a discussion on Black Seed and Black seed oil.  If anyone has any insight on any of these topics I'd love to hear from you, and share your thoughts on the blog!  Thanks! 

8 Days and a lifetime to go!

Mango Morning Madness

I woke on day 21, The end of week three, with a craving for something sweet. So, I grabbed a bunch of fruit and got to work. In the end I had a delightful pick-me -up. Evidenced by the fact that my wife and 3 year old son loved it!

 

I hope you will enjoy this as much as we did! Wife and son are already asking for this tomorrow.  Here's how we did it:  1 Pear, 1 Lemon (unpeeled), 2 apples,  1 Mango (peeled and cored), and 10 to 12 Strawberries. I'd love to know if you try this, and what you think. Especially any variations you've created! 

Coffee Isn't JUST a Crutch... Oxygen maybe.. but NOT Coffee!

Day 19!  As day 19 draws to a close I find myself reflecting on what I could have done better during the week.  I am happy that I had another 5 pound loss this week.  A few nights I enjoyed a light vegetarian dinner with my family, while juicing during the day. I still had success in the weight loss, and held normal blood sugar levels.  I've basically given up every staple for this experiment.  I gave up coffee for the first 10 days, as part of the Lenten fast that this whole idea stemmed from.  But I'm torn.... should I give it up until the end?

No.. scratch that!  listen up 'merica, I'm NOT giving up coffee!  I enjoy it, and I know there are reports of good health benefits from drinking it and contrary reports of the like. I will however, no longer dump milk and sugar in each cup, and I've limited myself to only good, fresh ground, French pressed snob coffee. Occasionally I will add a teaspoon of Agave Nectar (really good stuff). I have maybe 1 to 2 cups a day, along with about 64 to 72 ounces of water, and 3 to 4 cups of hot water or herbal tea.

I have read that most juice cleanse/reboots ask you to stay away from THE coffee.  Limiting it, or removing it from the diet likely helps your body focus on healing and cleansing.  I am willing to slow the process a little for this one "cheat." 

I'd be interested in some feedback here.  What do you all think? Give up coffee?  Keep it in?  Has anyone done any sort of research or cost benefit analysis of Coffee on a cleanse/fast?  We all have our vices I guess.... But for years I've had several... I'm down to one, and I'm going to fight for this one! I will add a couple of links regarding the pros and cons...

The next entry I will provide a little feedback on buying a good juicer. A friend on Facebook asked about this earlier today, and my wife and I labored over the decision when we started. I will share our thoughts on it soon! 

11 DAYS AND A LIFETIME TO GO! 

http://www.mensfitness.com/nutrition/what-to-drink/6-surprising-health-benefits-of-coffee

Analysis? 
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/19/is-coffee-bad-for-you_n_1895557.html

Today marks day 18 of the juice cleanse/fast.  It's getting surprisingly easier with each passing day.  This week I added in a moderate exercise routine, light weight lifting, and 30 minutes on the treadmill.  I had much more energy than I had expected, and felt pretty good after the exercise.  Blood sugar levels were the lowest to date.  Last night was a bit of a victory.  I went out on the town for guy's night out, and in spite of temptation made it through the night on a virgin bloody Mary.

It would have been uneventful had I not horrified the Thai waitress who was absolutely certain that I was trying to order a "BLOODY VIRGIN."  I assured her I knew I was not in Bangkok, and that I  just wanted an alcohol free tomato cocktail.  Now that I think about it she was likely more horrified by the drink itself.  Overall, it was a good night and this morning no carb or alcohol hangover.  It's a double win!

I have yet to experience many cravings (nachos), for really any extended period of (pretzles) time.  The juices do, in fact satisfy (snickers) most cravings (ice cream).  Seriously though, after two full weeks of this the challenges and temptations are minimal.  This is even more unexpected to me because we still have to prepare "normal meals" for our children.  So the smell of chicken, and Macoroni and Cheese breezes over my nose like a fresh ocean breeze on a warm summer day (someone's had too much snowquestor....but seldom do I get  overwhelming cravings...  The temptation is there, and it is difficult, but any desire to return to the processed junk I have filled my life with, that has lent to my becoming Diabetic and unhealthy is quickly dwindling.  To be honest I'm not at the point yet where I see no future in my love affair with the occasional fast food establishment. But  we (me and the fast food) are secure enough with each other that we are comfortable with entering in to an open relationship with say whole foods. 

What we need in the US are more healthy "fast/convenient food" options.  In a small suburb of any big city it's difficult to find anything other than chain restaraunts.  There aren't many tasty/good/wholesome options out there. Unfortunately the ones that do show up from time to time do not last long, because there simply isn't a sustainable market for them.  That, to me, is one of the biggest challenges of this or any good health plan.  I am tied to the juicer and there aren't many options for when I am out and about with friends or family.  I find that if I prepare something for the road, it helps... but let's be honest...  a cute little bag of carrots or a 5 Guys cheeseburger....  temptation be dammed!

So that's all of the musings for this fine Saturday morning and the beginning of day 18.  The next entry I will discuss coffee!!!!!   12 days and a lifetime to go!

The Juice Avenger's Tear Jerker V8

I am so excited to share this!  Because I am nothing more than a geek at heart.  I've created my own V8ish TYPE juice...well my wife did, but I'm taking credit because she won't touch it to save her life:  It's spicy and dangerous!!!!  Here's what we did:

 

6-8 plum tomatoes, 4 large carrots, 6 radishes, 1/2 yellow onion, about 6 stalks (excluded that handsome stalk in the picture).  A generous handful of flat parsley (about 1 cup), 2 cloves of garlic, and a generous dash each of hot sauce and worsteshire sauce.   Put all of the ingredients (except the sauces) in the juicer, mix in the sauces, and serve over ice (I will anyway) Might want to add a little sea salt/pepper to taste. Enjoy!  

Health-formation overload!!!!

I consider this a normal guy's blog to trying to solve the endless train of health freak pontification that exists to overwhlem or senses. If you are anything like me, you have NO CLUE where to start, what's right/what's wrong, or who to listen to.  I am overwhelmed by the amount of information found through media. Everyone thinks they hold the secret to what is best for us...without ever meeting us or knowing our unique body. Who do we trust?  Certainly not paid broadcasters or salesmen.  My wife and I finally decided to take our personal health into our own hands and take ownership over what we choose to fuel our body with.  Early on in our journey there is one truth that we have found.  The processed junk that we are putting into our bodies is poisoning us and there are hundreds of ways of cleansing our systems and stopping the "poop" train! So what do we do?  I have no idea.  I think the secret is to start somewhere.  To make a small step forward, or in our case, one big step for mankind! As we've begun this journey we are slowly realizing how bad much of what we buy in restaurants and stores is.  We've made the decision to eliminate the processed foods from our diet, for at least 30 days, and afterwards?  Who knows?  I intend to limit fatty protein, increase the amount of vegetables in the diet, and LIMIT the junk... my weakness for soft pretzels, bread, and nachos is kicking me in the head as I write this!  Today marks day 15 of my 30 day juice fast.  I have lost 12 pounds and blood sugars have been great since day two!  15 days and a lifetime to go!