NEW YEAR'S GLOBAL JUICE FEAST!!!

So the ever-inspiring David Rainoshek and the his equally so glowingly-pregnant wife Katrina Rainoshek are spearheading a New Year's Global Juice Feast for the month of January!

I was already planning on doing a feast for a week - I don't think I could a) afford to go longer, or b) could tolerate the cold. There is still snow everywhere! Unheard of in these parts!

I had a lovely Solstice and Christmas and Hanukkah - doing them all in grand inclusive melting-pot style! Simi and Paddy delighted me with a whopping gift-certificate to Café Bliss - raw galore! raw delights! raw yum!

It was so sweet Christmas dinner - which was a a sit-down affair with family and friends for 10 - had turnkey, ham and salmon -- and then there was devine raw spinach salad, and one friend made me a lovely raw dip, and the other made raw cranberry sauce for the feast! I've got such wonderful friends!

So as the New Year hits...I will be posting my daily feast impressions and doings!

Warm Juice!

It's cold! And the appeal of cold juice just diminished!

However, in keeping with the raw food ideal of less than a 115 F degrees heat, I've been heating water in the kettle and adding it to my juices! Delicious winter comfort drink!

David and Katrina are kicking off a one-month Global Juice Feast starting January 1st 2009 -

I can't afford to do the full thing, I don't think -

but I am keen to do at least a week!

We'll see -

but now off for some liquid warmth!

Bronwyn

Snow, Moon, Tree, Lights!

It SNOWED! About 5 inches of white everywhere! I just loved the hush of the streets - punctuated by the sounds of kids laughter! Sheer delight!

I am excited and relieved...I started my moon cycle for the first time since going raw -- I would have occasional drops of blood but no flow - no my body seems to be telling me okay, I get it - you're raw, and has settles into the rhythm of my lifestyle and eating choices!

Last night after returning from Pender Island, we set up our Christmas Tree -- something I love to do - since our tree ornaments are filled with stories -- I have my first ornament ever bought for me by my grandmother, and my daughter has her first ornament bought by her as well, this time it being her great-grandmother - decorations I made when I was little - everyone has a story! We equally light the menorah during Hanukah - to remember my Jewish roots as well! Plus, Solstice is a great celebration too!

And our Christmas lights are up too!

And I was just awarded an A+ in my Design Aesthetics course...apparently the highest grade my teacher has ever awarded anyone in this class since she's been teaching it over the years!

Good times!

Juice Feasting Green Room!

A photo of me...just a few weeks back...holding the newest member of our Lasqueti land co-op: Basha! I include this photo as I have started adding in on some of the Juice Feasting Green Room's discussion forums -- and have told JFers that they can follow my journey over 108 days through this blog. There are other fabulous documentating-style blogs of Juice Feasts out there - peruse and find your favourites. Raw "guru" Angela Stokes also wrote an e-book on her 92 day juice journey, whch can be purchased from www.rawreform.com - it's a good read too.
So this photo is included to illustrate how I am doing now! Questions have been asked of me regarding did I keep the weight off, etc. --

The answer to that is I dropped 48 pounds over the juice feast, once I transitioned to solids (predominantly salads, olives, fruits) I continued to lose -- in the height of the summer I was 96 pounds - and starting to ring some alarm bells for people - some saying I was getting a bit skeletal. I felt great, but do realize that I was perhaps about 4 pounds or 5 under what would have been best. I have traditionally been a heavy set person, and so I enjoyed the ease and fluidity of the lack of weight. I felt like a whole new person post JF - from a cellular level out and up.

Now it's December, and through the Fall I would vary between the 96 and 100 pounds -- I expected I would have put more on, but no. Now in December, I'm up to 110 roughly. People say I look great...but my optimum comfort and lightness of being resides a little less - about 5 pounds less. Did three days on smoothies - but ended up making up for loss of solids and the subsequent days ate much more!

Today I'm really into spinach salads, with my freshly made organic purple cabbage w/garlic and cumin infused sauerkraut (natural source of B12 and awesome digestive enzymes), and some raisins...and a dressing of raw apple cider vinegar (omega is the best brand - with mother), olive oil, high quality course salt, pepper, unpasturized brown rice miso -- lovely, simple.

Juicing more again too.

Am adding a sprouted brown rice protein powder to some of my smoothies too.

Just made great Carob Almond Bars for a cookie exchange I went to - mine being the only raw ones:

1 c. sunflower seeds
1 c. raisins
2 T. raw honey
2 T. carob powder
1 c. almond butter
1/2 c. sesame seeds (optional)

In food processor, chop all seeds/nuts. Add remainder of ingredients to make smooth thick paste. Roll into 1" balls, roll in finely shredded coconut.

Makes 2 dozen

*** note from Michelle: the sesame seeds are optional, but I suggest using them --- makes the texture like a Nestle Crunch Bar

- from Wholistic Life Center
Please note I tried making these at first in my Blendtec blender - food processor is the key!


The following are some shots of me over the course of my feast:

DAY 2:



2 or 3 weeks in:


DAY 24:



IN HOSPITAL ABOUT ONE MONTH IN:


All of a sudden there were uploading errors -- but I'll continue when able to do 1 week post feast, 2 weeks, etc.


Cheers, Bronwyn

Café Bliss Video! - with Simi and I in it, sipping a smoothie -- check it out!

Check out the video made for Café Bliss - our beloved Victoria raw food café -- Hezi, Katrina's sister and my fellow juicelucker Ayrie's daughter!

Enjoy!

Fabulous copper results in!

So what is that a photo of?!?!

YES...copper pennies!

I have been quite concerned that I may have spiked my copper levels out of range with my nut and avacado consumption -- but no!
Sweet news -- my copper levels (as tested accurately by the lab of the University of Michigan -- came back within normal range...and not only that, on the lower end of the acceptable range!

So I have not been silently poisoning myself!

Yay rawness!

2 days all liquid!

So - that day I just wrote about (yesterday) of craving juice - did so, but had a miso soup in the evening - wanting warm, but still to remain with the liquid -

and today, a day of smoothies and miso soup!

tomorrow?!

who knows...

start w/ smoothie - possibly transition to a salad!

and today was my last day of school! great day brought simi with me! --

but yesterday, I backed into a BMW sportscar - yikes! and just before Christmas!