Hospital Room Juice Feast!

I'm doing it! -- sitting in my hospital bed, sipping my juice!

I've loaded and labelled all of my jars into the fridge, and are sipping on my first: celery, cucumber, apple and parsley juice!

I was somewhat concerned of people's reactions here in the hospital being that this is the hub of the medical establishment...yet, as I set out my juices on my window sill (one purple, one green, one purple, etc.), in order to label them with my name on them -- my nurse Dan walked in, asked "Wow, what do we have here?" -- I said I'm on a juice cleanse, and his immediate reaction was "Oh, cool!  I just did the Master Cleanser!"

Since then I've received nothing but curiosity...no judgments.  The dietician on the floor came in, too curious about it all!  So far it's been a positive experience.  In fact the Physician's Assistant I have said she'd be willing to bet money on the fact that she believes my doctor here will be supportive of it.  And the dietician just came in and asked me to write down a few of my juice recipes so she can analyse them with a software program to see the nutrients I'm getting in a day.  Her question was where am I getting my calcium from.  I said, from the greens.  I'm interested to see what the program says!

Besides that, it's been wonderful seeing everyone here again!  It feels like seeing old friends!  I was said to learn that two of my past caregivers here are gone...this was really disappointing.  But I've had them paged, so with luck I'll be able to see them during this visit!

All is well in Ann Arbor...it's very hazy/verging on raining today!  Now I just have to wait for my speech pathology appointment at 3 pm!

Ann Arbor juice fest!

I'm exhausted right now...just flew Victoria to Toronto then Toronto to Detroit, then shuttled to Ann Arbor (about 30 minutes away), dropped my stuff off in the room, grabbed mason jars and called a cab to Seva Restaurant's juice bar.  About an hour and fifteen minutes later I emerged with 10 litres/quarts of juice...mainly organic, taxied back to the hotel and am ready to crash for the night!  It all worked out!

It was so lovely, this morning at 3:30, Paddy was busy juicing me up some juice knowing it would be the only juice I'd have until way, way later!  What a gem!

I must wake at 5:45 tomorrow morning...which my time will be 2:45 am -- yikes!

Nighty-night!

Juice Sponsorship and Luggage Full of Jars!

This morning, my hubbie Paddy, decided to call the owner of the most prolific and abundant juice bars here in Victoria: Re-Bar and asked if there would be the chance for the remaining four juice feasters here in town to get sponsored/supported by them in the rest of our cleanse.  They were totally supportive and gung-ho...and for the next month, all four of us will receive 50% off our juices there!  Yeah!  Thanks, Paddy!

That was first-off, then I started juicing my spinach, lemon, burdock, cilantro, cucumber, orange juice!  Making one for tonight's weekly JuiceLuck, as well.

Then off we went downtown to a Save Our Old Growth Forests rally at the legislature.  There was a good turnout and we were able to form two circles of people around the legislature!  It's always, always inspiring to gather with a group of focussed, like-minded individuals!

Oh, and yes, I did an enema this morning, and dry-skin brushed!  Finally!

I also tackled the effort of packing my bags for Ann Arbor, Michigan tomorrow -- complete with 10 empty mason jars!

Off now for juice!

Sauna-time!

I just came back from the swimming pool, where I visited the sauna!  Aiding with detox, it felt great to see the little sweat beads appearing!  Interestingly enough, I've noticed little red bumps appearing on my legs -- somewhat like heat-rash sores.  My theory is it's directly related to my detoxing and lack of doing an enema recently (I fully planned on doing one over the last few days, yet mornings got really busy and then being really cold during the rest of the day...it seemed really unappealing to be stark naked!) --

Juice consumption today: dangerously low!  I'll be just under 2 litres!  Part of this had to do that I had to run off to the University today to re-register...something that became a tedious, frustrating bureaucratic nightmare!  Oh well.

Tomorrow I must pack, for I leave at the crack-of-dawn Sunday morning.  My young-budding-six-year-capitalist RENTED me her suitcase as I need an extra one to take my 12 masons jars as a carry-on!  I can just picture airport security now!

Day 27! -sun, snow, hail, rain and magic!

In the back of my house it bright, blue skies, with some fluffy white clouds...the front half is grey and ominous (and this isn't a large house by any means!) --  Through the course of my juicing this morning, I looked up through the kitchen window and big, substantial flakes of snow were falling (but not sticking!) -- then a few minutes later it would be sunny, then hail...it was a rollercoaster, but nonetheless provided great visuals with the sound of my purring Samson!

Today was spinach, cucumber, celery, parsley, burdock (good for the liver!), apple and orange juices!

Tonight Paddy and Simi are taking me out for dinner once again.  Off to Re-Bar we go...a perfect place!  Lavish juice bar full of everything you could imagine, plus a place of great food for the two of them!  What a special treat!

Today was a day of re-registering Simi for gymnastics (after an unfortunate quitting of them yesterday followed by torrential regret!), trying to inquire about possible magicians for Simi's birthday party (having to scrape my jaw from the floor at the price tag!), and trying to argue with inanimate computers while I try to re-register for school.  Forms, forms, forms, links, links, links.  There is a summer applied theatre intensive I want to sign up for!

I'm just about to run off to get Simi from school -- having made her a delicious (looking!) fruit-filled rice-pudding!

Juice, tea and a massage! Sumptuous!

It's Spring...it's bright, flowers are out...but so is the chilly, brisk air!

Today was the end of Spring Break for Simi, so reluctantly she returned to school this morning, in a not-so-thrilled-grade-one-fashion!  After dropping her off I headed for the bus stop, with a juice in my backpack, as I had a 10 am massage appointment with Gail Dunn of Little Fern Massage Works.  Arriving early, I settled into a couch at the Cornerstone Café, ordered a tea and unscrewed my mason jar!

I had a lovely massage...felt as if I was floating on air when leaving, and then took the bus home!  I have no desire to juice today -- largely due to the fact that I didn't juice in the morning-time.  Right now it's feeling like an ordeal, followed by a heck of a lot of clean-up!  So, I'm figuring that since I need to go downtown this afternoon for Simi's gymnastics, I'll pop on over to Re-Bar or Green Cuisine and have 'em fill me up!

One thing I haven't done in over a week is to do an enema.  This is largely due to the fact that I was travelling and I felt it wasn't fitting for the airport security check-people, or my friend's wee humble abode.  I think I just fell out of practice.  My moods haven't been fragile, but my face seems to be breaking out a bit more (there has been a noticeable improvement over the course of the feast!), this is also due I'm sure to the fact that my moon is imminent.

My juice consumption has taken a nose-dive.  I got so used to consuming less in Berkeley, that my amount I take in has decreased.  I used to be happy if I had three litres.  I'm lucky if I attain that these days.

Another noticeable factor has been feeling cold.  With the Wilson's Disease feeling cold already comes with it now with the juice feast on top of it, I'm just like a portable iceberg.  I've got the furnace on right now (which I hate using due to its use of oil), plus my winter coat on.  I'm thinking of heading to the sauna later!

I found good news on the other end of the phone line yesterday.  As I'll be heading back to the University of Michigan Hospital on Sunday, I've been curious as to where I'd get my juice from.  I already tried to see if there were any Global Juice Feasters in the area who I could hire to make me juice, with no luck.  I called Whole Foods, no luck.  I was told to check out Seva, a vegetarian restaurant there, yes not only do they have a juice bar, they are also open until 9 pm on Sunday night, which means I'll be able to get there after I fly into Detroit, and get shuttled to my hotel!  Hooray for things working out!

Day 25!

Today somehow sounds like a milestone...a grand accomplishment: 25!!!  But really, it does not feel much different than the other days!  I really am in a rhythm of juicing, am not getting hungry, and have no problems beings around food (the occasional outside bar-b-que wrestles up some old cravings for grilled burgers or steaks -- but all in all, I'm loving juicing!

Today's juicing was postponed somewhat by the fact that I had to have blood work done this morning (had to be fasting), and then after could take my pill...and then after more waiting: juice!

I created juice today with the following ingredients: young coconut water, blueberries, golden beets, spinach, cucumber, celery and oranges! I'm now finding the young coconut far too sweet, and therefore was trying to mask it's taste!

Sun-shiny trip to the Sea!

What a beautiful morning greeted me this morning which arrived on the heels of a powerful wind and rainstorm last night, shaking it all up!

We all felt inspired to hit the ocean!  After first juicing (spinach, yellow baby carrots, cucumber, celery, and apples), we headed out.  Our destination: East Sooke Park.  With my packed juice, and Simi and Paddy's packed sandwiches and Easter chocolates, off we went.  About an hour drive's away and we arrived at the Aylard Farm end of the park.  We rolled up a picnic blanket, and headed down to the ocean.  The sun was glistening, dogs and kids were frolicking about, and there were tidepools to explore.  It was a fun day!

A chocolate-free, juice-filled Easter!

Happy Easter on this Day 23 of the Global Juice Feast!

Yesterday evening the Victoria group had their weekly JuiceLuck!  Though our numbers are dwindling, many people cutting off at the 10-day mark, there were four of us: Ayrie, Constanze, Robin, plus myself.  Ayrie documented the evening again, and the video is posted on the www.globaljuicefeast.com website.  It's worth taking a gander at!

I brought a juice of pineapple, carrot, swiss chard, celery and cucumber.  It was quite smooth and refreshing! (Pineapples are in-season tropically -- and on sale!)  There were a couple other juices that were tasty, too: tangerine and carrot was one and the other was a raspberry, tomato concoction with greens!  Surprising and intriguing!

I am still really driven to complete the entire 92-day feast!  Though I'm finding the juices full of nutritional reward...making me not feeling that I'm missing any key nutrients.  A lot of people immediately question what they regard as my lack of protein intake...without knowing that leafy greens are rich in protein!

People have been commenting on noticing a real shift in me -- clarity seeping through the cracks!

Well, Spring is the air! A welcome! Blossoms, and veggie starts abound!

Slim pickings!

Well, I'm just back from my Thursday to Monday adventure in Berkeley, California!  Ahead of time, my friend mentioned that that there was a Juice Co-op -- I was excited and was salivating in anticipation!  I packed my mason jars and headed down...boy was I further from the truth of what I expected!  There were three choices: carrot, orange or grapefruit.  I couldn't believe it!  I got 4 litres of carrot/orange juice -- which turned out not to be that great because of the commercial produce!  Needless to say, my juice consumption went way down for the weekend...I just couldn't stomach them.  Another friend directed me towards Café Gratitude -- the well-known raw restaurant.  I salivated over the food and desserts I saw being produced.  Strangely enough, the juice had been juiced previously in the day...and they just added whatever quantity necessary from each pre-done jar.  Here, I ended up having trouble with one of my juices -- it had ginger listed as an ingredient...well, it was so strong...as if three times as much was added that it was nearly undrinkable (and I like ginger!) --  So, Berkeley was a weekend of weightloss, and very few greens!  The workshop I went down for was terrific, however!

On my flight I got a wee bit sick, and I was tickled pink to have Paddy greet me at home with a litre of orange juice!  He managed to just dodge the tendonitis!

So, it's Spring Break now!  And Simi and I decided to head to Vancouver to hit Science World!  Before doing this, I needed one major mishap, by breaking one of my green juices in my backpack, and having a litre spilling all through my backpack and all over the floor of Mountain Equipment Coop!  It was such a disaster that I had to end up buying another wee day pack!

So, this morning were in Van!  My friend Brooke had already picked my up a menu from Juicy Lucy's outlined my fruit and veggie choices!  Terrific!  I loaded up and then set-off for a day of being scientized....being in Science World for over 5 hours!  Our plan is to head for more juice tomorrow -- Yea! Commercial Drive!

Out for dinner!

It's Day 12 today!  I'm feeling great.  

I've drunk a whole litre by 9:30 this morning (romaine, apple, orange), since I had two litres left from yesterday since Paddy and Simi took my out for dinner!!!  They took me to Re-Bar, which has a full juice bar, as well as a restaurant.  I drank a litre of juice there, making it a 3 litre juice day again...one carrot, beet, apple, ginger and the other a delicious desert drink: Orange and Strawberry!

Today is a day for packing!  Tomorrow I fly down to Berkeley, California -- one of the original hotbeds of consciousness, awareness and awakening.  When I was last there, about 5 years ago, the three of us spent a month living there.  The Berkeley-bubble (since it's quite small and surrounded by mean cities on either side: Oakland and Richmond) is a just an illuminated beacon, infused with fabulous energy.  Sadly, the famed Peoples' Park, of note from the 60's now is a homeless hang-out.  Needless to say, I'm heading down for a weekend Action Theater workshop.  I am so thrilled, and in many ways I attribute my getting better so quickly over the past few months to the fact that I had this to look forward to.  I fly down Thursday, and return Monday.  Short and sweet!  I'm going to pack my mason jars, and will scout out the Juice Bar Collective I was told about!

My blogging will drop off for the next few days, but when I return I'll have stories to tell of juicing on the road and workshopping!

Day 11!

Its Day 11!  Right now I just finished sipping on a pineapple, spinach, mint and beet juice...and have just started another of the same minus the beet! Delicious!  I've broken out of the pond sludge phase -- thank gawd!

I kept hearing that around Day 10, there is an infusion of energy you usually get, after the major detoxing phase is over (you detox continually throughout the process, but the first week is the the real one shaking it up).  Well, they were right!  Day 10 was amazing for me, partially because I was finally able to drink 4 full litres of juice!  I was bursting with energy, all the way until bed time at about 10:30!

One thing I've fallen behind on, just because circumstances have played out as such is enemas!  I will absolutely do one today, but that means I missed the last two days.  Interestingly enough, I had a small Bm this morning that was solid.  It was a surprise...possibly do to my inclusion of green powder yesterday?!

So, now it's afternoon, and since I went and read with Simi's class this morning, I did not get my morning juicing in.  I managed to return and juice two litres, but now I'll set to work to juice another two for the evening! 

Juice Fast or Juice Feast?!

It is stressed repeatedly: the importance of getting 4 litres of juice in per day.  This element can determine the difference between fasting and feasting.  Due to medication requirements -- an hour-and-a-half clear of anything besides water on either side of a dose...this wipes out a whole chunk of the afternoon for available sipping.  Juggling these two balls has meant that I have been veering towards fasting, as opposed to feasting, usually consuming only 1 litre by noonish.  Drinking three litres per day feels triumphant for me -- and yet, I feel I am denying myself somewhat.  I want to shed the evening yawns and tiredness...I want to feel as I did through the first couple evenings -- jubilantly, boyant.

However, totally I'm thrilled with myself!  Today, by 1 o'clock, I'd already drunk 2 litres, had a tablespoon of Vitamineral Green -- and went for a "back treatment", courtesy of my friend Brooke.  Exfoliant and an algae mask applied to my back...that's got to have gotten rid of some impurities!

Clarity has also been a noticible benefit of this cleanse -- cognitively, mentally and most especially spiritually!  It was really interesting that today's topic on the Juice Feast was Chlorophyll -- and it was mentioned how much the organ with the most chlorophyll in our bodies is the heart, and linked to that isn't it amazing that our heart chakra is green coloured!  I have been feeling a tremendous feeling of love, understanding and an overall softening!  It's been lovely...

Day 9! and a video-conference!

Happy Sunday wishes to everyone!  Today it has clouded over a bit...but this did not interfere with my lazy morning!

First...I'll talk about the Victoria JuiceLuck which happened last night!  It was fabulous, funny, and filled-with-fruit-and veggies!  There were about 15 of us there...some what we called "juice groupies", not on the full-on feast.  We amassed our our juices, with my favourite being a creation by Robyn: orange, apple, and chai spices.  It tasted like apple cider!

 We joked around -- talked of enemas, amounts of juice we're consuming, our respective weight losses (mine seems to be about 1 pound a day!), new juice tidbits discovered, and the always constant juice recipes!  Everyone was just glowing -- radiant!  People were over the cleansing reaction hump for the most part, too!

The highlight of the night for me was when Ayrie hooked us up with a video-conference with David and Katrina Rainoshek down in Patagonia, Arizona -- juice-feasting central!  We were able to to do a Q & A session with them, with some interesting questions being asked and answered.  I discovered that cilantro is great for aiding with the extraction of heavy metals, which will be beneficial to me.  Hezzie also raised a question about how to maintain weight, since she had no weight to loose to begin with, and has lost upwards to 10 pounds already.  It has been totally invaluable having them as resources!

Of course, amongst ourselves, the staggering cost of this feast came up!  It more than puts a dent in the ol' pocket book...it rips it apart!  I easily drop $100 each trip to the store -- and this isn't one trip per week...no, no...far more! Yowzers!

i jokingly mentioned to David and Katrina that I'm experiencing juicing nightmares -- relaying my recurring cracker dream.  Katrina explained that it too, is a form of detoxing: our cells carry memories, and their process of detoxing can lead to mental images/thoughts resurfacing.

I've discovered that there are two things I don't like juicing with: grapefruit (though like eating them), and kale (though it's one of my very favourite foods for salads, stir-frys, etc. -- juiced it is so potent, almost black in colour) --

I've got some photos to share from last night's festivities!

Day 8! and crates of oranges!

What a beautifully, sensational day!  So gorgeous is it in fact that Simi and I started turning soil for a wee veggie garden space.  Nothing like inspiration!

This morning started with a run into Thrifty's -- two 20 pound boxes of oranges plus a bunch of heads of spinach!  I finally discovered a palatable green drink: spinach, cucumber/celery, lemon, orange.  A clean tasting drink!

Came home, juiced up a storm -- preparing one litre for tonight's JuiceLuck! and then headed downtown, since I wanted to print up a t-shirt in honour of the feast.  I had one printed that reads ALL JUICY -- I'll unveil it at the gathering tonight!

Yesterday's one litre of orange juice was amazingly invigorating...and thus the 50 pounds or so I have in my kitchen!

Oh! and on a fun note, we ran into fellow juice-feaster Zev today downtown -- he did a week-long feast -- and he was sprinting down the sidewalk, saying he had more energy than he could conceive of at the moment -- figuring that today his day back on solids, must have meant that his food now was being assimilated thoroughly!  So, that was a bright light on this road!

Now, off to turn soil...

DAY SEVEN! Yahoo! ONE WEEK!

I've done it!  -- reached the one-week mark!

I'm feeling great!  Went to sleep feeling tired again last night.  I came about an inch away from finishing my green drink!  It wasn't settling well.  The smell of the red bell pepper was nearly enough to turn my stomach.  I stopped before it had a chance to!  Water was what I self-prescribed for my last hour of awake time!

On a side note...I'm going to try to dye a shirt or some item with red bell pepper juice one day -- a totally brilliant, vibrant, alive colour.  It can truly be described as 'hot-red'!

I really started craving orange juice...and much to my delight, Paddy came back from the store with an entire box of organic oranges for me last night!  (Note: organic navel oranges are on a case-lot sale at Thrifty's this week!) --

This morning that's what I set out to make -- mounds and mounds of orange juice!  It took about half of my box to make about a litre-and-a-half!  I am keeping one litre straight orange - and the rest I combined with spinach and cucumber.

I am delighted to have shed some weight -- about a pound a day!  This in itself makes me feel lighter and better.  I've been closely monitoring the rate of my shaking since if this feast turns out to be having a negative effect on my healing, I'll stop.  But, no symptoms seem to be worsening.  My skin is clearing up!  Which is wonderful since I have a wonderful mix of veering-on-oily skin and dry, dry skin (caused by the Wilson's).

So, I'm still pumped and energized!  Eagerly awaiting tomorrow's JuiceLuck, along with many others, and convinced I could do this for the whole time!  I've been cooking dinners, preparing lunches, making breakfasts....none of it has bothered me!  The only hankering I get is for LaBoulange French Bread and Simi's bag of organic, dried mango!  All in good time!  I'm already musing about what my eating habits will be post-feast.  Though I will incorporate a lot more raw elements into my meals (bring on the heaping salads!), I'm not inclined to go all raw!  This is for several reasons: nuts and avacadoes are no-no's on my list of foods (high in copper!) -- and both are staples to a raw diet; and as my friend Anna pointed out there has been no culture in the past that has ever been all raw.  It is a modern phenomenon!  Perhaps a necessary one, but.....  One thing I've decided is that I'll return to being vegetarian.  No more justifying my meat consumption with: 'Well, the Dalai Lama's not vegetarian!'

Lastly, it was such a joy this morning to have Simi dash into her room and return with a sheet on which she'd written Day 7 -- Wow Mum! 

Almost a Week! and some realizations!

It's Day 6, 12:30 pm and I've just finished juicing for the day!  Today my schedule was a bit different, as I went to Simi's class this morning to help the little guys with their French reading.   I had saved a juice from yesterday in anticipation of not being able to juice in the morning and had some of that!  Learning that it is best to start the morning off with a nutrient-dense green drink, I drank only a little, with reluctance, as that juice I'd made was a bit more sludge-like and unappealing.

I woke up yesterday vibrant and full of life, but had to force myself to drink 2 litres of juice (the minimum is 4 litres!) -- the first was my liquid salsa, the second was straight watermelon.  I'm going to have to find good watermelon combos, as on its own it's a bit too sweet to say the least!  I went for an hour walk during the day as well.  By the time evening came, I was exhausted!  I could barely stay awake for American Idol!

I went to sleep but I'm wondering what the stars are doing right now, because Simi and I both woke with nightmares.  Her's about a sadistic teddy bear, mine about accidentally munching on a left-over cracker scooped from Simi's plate!  I was horrified at myself, bummed, and upset.  My reaction really demonstrated my commitment to this cleanse!

Another surprising thing has been my jaw joint (is that the TMJ?) was aching/stiff/sore yesterday and a bit the day before -- my only thought is the lack of chewing is causing this?!?!  Even though I do chew my juices to initiate the first steps of digestive mouth saliva.

So, yesterday I really learned the importance of drinking enough juice!

Another interesting observation, is that I've been waking up dehydrated...in need of a bunch of water.  This has surprised me, considering the amount of liquid I'm usually ingesting.  It's been a good reminder to keep the drinking water factor up!

So today when I returned home at about 10:30 this morning, I surprisingly wasn't all gung-ho about grabbing my juicer.  I puttered for a few moments -- checked messages, answered e-mails, and played Scrabble on-line.  Knowing that I couldn't deny myself sustenance, I set to it.  One thing I was darn sure of was that I was going to juice an entire pineapple for sweetness and sludge-lightner!  And that's what I did!  For the first time during this feast I juiced a red bell pepper -- produced a lot of juice, plus one of the most vibrant colours I've ever seen!  I also juiced kale for the first time.  Kale is one of my favourite greens -- good old relaible, year-round kale!  I discovered though that it is very potent when juiced!

Today I got a phone call from my fellow juice feaster Glenn, checking in with me on this Day 6 -- and we compared our different states in the feast.  He claimed having a lot of cleansing reactions.  My only reaction besides Day 1, was last night's sluggishness...I brought that on myself though.  Even now I can fee vibrancy returning to my core, as I regenerate, and refuel with juice!

The one person who has been a crucial, vital supporter of me doing this is Paddy -- without him this would not of been possible.  Thank you for you gentle encouragement, and not to forget your generous financial help!  I love you Paddy!