Maintaining the Lifestyle After Your Detox

If you've recently completed a detox, you're probably aware of your nice shiny new body and want to make sure you keep it that way.  How can you do that - especially with the holidays upon us?

While you were detoxing you were probably bombarded with all sorts of “temptations” and saying to yourself “I can’t wait until I can have….” Now that you’ve done all this work do you still want to have whatever it was you thought you were missing?  I always recommend you ask yourself these questions before you “indulge”.  Do I really want this or am I just eating it because I can?  What will this do in my body once I eat it?  Why do I want this?  Will eating this help me to reach my goal? 

Maintaining a lifestyle that you just created can be very difficult in a society in which all social activity revolves around food.  We use food to celebrate, meet people, and to socialize.  The most common thing to do over the holidays is to visit with friends and family over a meal or appetizers.  A lot of business activities involve lunches, breakfast, dinners, and cocktail receptions.  Not to mention the lunches, potlucks, etc… because of  marriages, births, divorces, retirements, and promotions.  I haven’t even gotten into the church socials, the school functions, and girls or boys night out. 

So how do you walk through this maze and stay on track with what you want for yourself? 

Well there are always choices to be made and you always have free will, unless of course you are at a plated function.  Hopefully, while you were detoxing you were able to develop tools to help you through this period.  If not, this is something that I go really into with my individualized nutritional coaching program.  For now, let me give you some examples of how you can handle certain situations.

If you are the hostess or if you are going to a potluck then make at least one healthy dish that you will enjoy.  You may find that often people will gravitate towards your dish before they will try something else.  Many people want to eat healthy they just often don’t know where to start.

When dining out you can always find something on the menu that can work for you. Also never be embarrassed or feel like you are creating a problem by asking the server to either leave an item off and provide you with more of another item and to ask if it can be prepared differently. For example you see a fish you would like to try that is in a batter, fried and it comes with French fries and cole slaw.  You might ask if you can have the fish grilled or broiled with out the batter and instead of French fries you would like to have some steamed broccoli or another vegetable on the menu and a side salad instead of cole slaw.  You just saved yourself around 300 calories and it’s a lot healthier for you.  Also chefs love to be creative and they are more than willing to accommodate people when it comes to dining preferences. 

If you absolutely have to have something that is fast food then go for the salad that is being served.  Anything else is just not a healthy option, it is going to provide you a lot of calories with no real nutritional value.  Again this is something that I go into great detail in my nutritional program. 

One final tip is if you are unsure of a situation that you may be going into - then you might want to eat something before you go.  By going ahead and having something that you know is healthy for you accomplishes a couple of things.  First of all you will not be hungry and therefore will not be tempted to eat anything.  Secondly, because you won’t be focusing on trying to eat something then you can spend more time developing more personal connections with the people that you are interacting with.

For those of you have completed a detoxification or cleanse program during this period I offer you much congratulations on your accomplishments.  Keep up the great work and if you want to stay connected and on track please know that I am here to support you!

I hope that you have enjoyed this series on detoxification and cleansing.  Stay tuned for my next series that will be on Fitness.

Coming Off Your Detox

You’ve finished your detox, now what?  The type and length of program you completed will determine the best way to come off a detox without any major upsets to your system.   

Basically if you have been doing a detox or cleanse that involves all liquids you want to slowly introduce solid food back into the body. You want to start out with your softer and juicier foods such as watermelon, cantaloupe, tomatoes without seeds, smoothies, or something similar for a couple of days, then move into foods that are little more bulkier like cucumber, sprouts, baby lettuces, for a couple days and then adding in other foods slowly.

If you’ve not been doing liquids but have eliminated food groups slowly add in a food group every couple of days.  Look for any signs of discomfort such as headache, upset stomach, dizziness, swelling, muscle soreness, and fatigue that might occur.  This could be an indication of sensitivity to a certain food.  If this occurs, go back to eating more simply and then try again. 

If you want to maintain the great work that you’ve done you want to try to not go back to the way you had been eating before and begin to make some lifestyle changes.  This is something that we work with and discuss in my SAD2FAB program.  It can be hard to do this but I will give you some basic tips. 

Enhancing your Detox

You might be wondering how to get the best out of your detoxification program.  There are many different ways to do this that involve supporting the three biggest organs in the body that are associated with detoxification.  These three organs are the skin, intestines, and kidneys. 

Our skin is the biggest system in the body.  When the intestines and the kidneys can’t handle how quickly the body is detoxing then you may see toxins coming out through the skin. This may manifest in something like more sweating, foul sweating or with outbreaks such as acne.  Two of the best ways to support the skin is through dry brushing and by doing a sauna.  Dry brushing involves using a natural bristle stiff brush to gently brush the skin in a circular motion always towards the heart.  Dry brushing not only helps to remove any dead skin cells but it also moves toxins into the lymphatic system to be eliminated.  A sauna can of course induce sweating which also helps to remove toxins from the body. 

The intestines are also one of the largest organs used to detoxify and eliminate toxins.  Everything gets dumped in to the intestines to be eliminated.  When the intestines can not eliminate the toxins fast, they maybe re-absorbed back into the body.  You want to make sure before you embark on any detoxification program that your intestines are working fully.  Many people don’t realize that it is normal to have three bowel movements per day, usually one after each meal. 

If you find that you are constipated there are many teas such as Senna tea, Smooth Move tea and others that can help to move the colon.  You can also do a colonic (also called colon hydrotherapy) or an enema.  Both of these are excellent ways to ensure that you are clearing the intestines and any built up mucoid plaque that has accumulated on the walls of the intestine. 

Other things that you can do to enhance your detox are; light gentle exercise such as walking, yoga, bicycle riding, or swimming.  You might also consider massage.  All of these activities help to move toxins into the lymphatic system and out of the body.  In addition, acupuncture is a great modality to support the body physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Finally there are several detox teas that contain herbs such as dandelion that can help to detoxify the liver and enhance the cleansing process.  Other herbal teas such as peppermint, chamomile, or ginger are nice to enjoy if you are having any tummy discomfort. 

Detox Symptoms Will Pass

So you've made your choice on what type of program you're doing and you're ready to start.  Or you're thinking this is something you're interested in but wondering how you're going to feel.  Can I still go to work?  Do I need to hang close to a bathroom?  All of these are excellent questions and I am going to answer them to the best of my ability without going into a lot of detail. 
Your detoxification symptoms are going to be unique to you.  This is based on not only what type of program that you have chosen but also on what your lifestyle has been, your past food choices, and any preparatory work that you did leading up to the detoxification such as eliminating caffeine. 

Your symptoms may start immediately or once you're in the program for a few days - or even a few weeks into it. You may have various symptoms at different points during your detox.  If is also entirely possible not to have any symptoms at all.

The duration of symptoms you experience will depend on your medical history, lifestyle, and what type of detox you are doing.  Many common symptoms of a detox include fatigue, headaches and unfamiliar tastes in the mouth.  Some also see skin outbreaks and old injuries that hurt or ache as the body releases the toxins.  I had someone in one of my programs tell me she had broken her wrist as a child and during the first week of the detox her wrist hurt. 

You may also notice some strange smells from your body.  I had a lady that had undergone chemotherapy treatment several years before the detox program.  During the program she stated she could smell the chemotherapy coming out of her.  She also had symptoms from when she underwent chemotherapy such as fatigue.  These symptoms lasted over 2/3^rd’s of the time she was on her detox but felt fantastic once the symptoms had gone away. 

Other physical symptoms may include constipation, diarrhea, or gastric discomfort.  Sinus congestion, sinus discomfort, sore throats, hoarseness or flu like symptoms may also be experienced during a detox.  In addition to physical symptoms there may also be emotional symptoms.  This is due in part because our body stores everything at a cellular level.  The cells remember whether we want to or not.  If we have undergone some sort of a trauma (whether that be physical or emotional), even if we have resolved and found peace with that trauma, it is still stored in our cellular memory.  Sometimes doing a detoxification program may bring up some emotions.  These emotions may be sadness, anger, joy, or intense grief.  Whatever that emotion is it can often be surprising when someone has this happen.  It is important to recognize it for what it is, accept it, and know that it will pass. 

Remember, all of these symptoms are simply part of your body's way of "letting go".

With so many detox programs, how do you choose what's right for you?

There are many different types and ways of doing a detoxification program. I don’t really want to spend a lot of time going into a lot of detail about each of these. Instead I’m going to briefly describe them. If anyone has questions about any of these or any other type of cleanse, please comment and I will be sure to get back to you.

Many of you have heard of various types of programs for detoxification. There are colon cleanses, liver cleanses, gallbladder cleanse, Candida cleanses, and parasite cleanses. Many of these involve tablets, pills, and/or herbs. There are usually no dietary suggestions to go along with most of these types of programs.

Another type of detoxification is to use liquids only such as a juice feast, fasting with water or some other type of liquid, and using meal replacement shakes. All of these involve no food for a certain period of time. Then gradually adding food back in when you have completed the fast or feast.

The final and most gentle way to detoxify is by using your food choices to detoxify. This may involve eliminating animal products, caffeine, sugar, alcohol, certain grains, or other food categories that could be creating inflammation in the body. In can also include transitioning into a raw food lifestyle which is eating mainly fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds.

Most people when doing a detox also start to incorporate more local, organic, chemical and hormone free products into the diet. Using foods that are either organic, or locally grown without chemicals and that are not processed (come in a box or a can) can greatly enhance the benefits and help to detoxify the body.

As I’ve already discussed my personal favorite and the way I cleanse is to do a juicefeast. This is different than a fast as I’m drinking 1 gallon of freshly juiced vegetables and fruits daily. Most of them are green vegetable juices.

The 21 day program, mentioned before, is in my experience the most successful in restarting the body with out any deprivation of food. It is a gentle program that does not create a lot of side effects and it sets you up for creating a healthy lifestyle around food and the choices you make. I use this program for those wishing to jumpstart into a healthy more whole food based lifestyle in my SAD2FAB program.

All of these types of cleanses may create results; however, they are generally not long lasting. If you’ve eliminated food all together and weight loss was your goal you will more than likely gain back at least 5 lbs. The key to doing a successful detoxification program is to develop and maintain a lifestyle that will support the work you jut completed. This can be hard in a society that bases social activity on food and I will discuss this more in-depth later.

How often should you detox?

So I’m often asked the question how often should I do a detoxification program. The answer to this question is as varied as the many different types of detoxification programs and cleanses that are available. I believe that in deciding how often you should do a detox should be based on your individual choice and lifestyle. It should also be based on what your health goals are and whether or not you do a “mini detox” at other times. Many people choose to detox once or twice a year for a lengthy period of time, others may choose to do a short detox such as one to three days of juicing, water fasting, or the very popular master cleanse either once a week, once a month, or once every couple of months. Some also choose some sort of program if they’ve recently undergone a major change to their body.
My personal belief is that it is good to do a detoxification program at least twice per year. However, it doesn’t matter what length of time or how often you decide to do a detoxification program; you are still reaping great benefits from doing so.  The bottom line is to simply listen to your body and remember  - I'll be here to answer any questions that come your way! 

Next week I'll talk about the different types of detox programs available...stay tuned!

Raw Food Rehab's RAW BALANCE starts October 1st!

Benefits of a Detoxification Program

The benefits of doing a detoxification or what I like to also call a restart or reset to the body is that you are first of all giving your body a rest from all of the work that it has been doing to keep the body able to perform. Other benefits that can be seen are going to be based on the type of program that you choose the length of the program, and whether or not you are following a nutrition plan that has eliminated any foods that may or may not be causing problems in the body.

In my practice and in my personal experience I’ve probably done just about every detoxification program out there. I’ve completed and lead programs where I’ve not felt any differently some that ended with me feeling fantastic. A couple of years ago I did a 92 day juicefeast. During this program I totally reset my metabolism, I lost weight and kept most of it off, my skin became clearer and more supple, some of my fine lines that are starting to come out went away, my eyes were brighter, my mind clearer, and my energy was better than it was when I was in my 20’s. Juicing has quickly become my favorite way of detoxifying and I use it regularly to reset and recharge. I also coach people who wish to do juicing as a way to reset their system.

During the past five years, I’ve led over 50 people either individually or in a group through a 21 day purification program. Some of the benefits these participants have received include improved mental clarity, improved libido, less headaches, and their sleep has improved. I’ve also had people lose between five and twenty- two pounds of weight, reverse health issues, come off of prescription medications, improve their sleep, resolve digestive issues, resolve fertility issues, and find out they had allergies to some foods that may have been causing them problems.

So you see there are many benefits to doing a detoxification program.

So why detox?

If our bodies were in optimal condition, we ate only unprocessed foods, and we’re exposed to thousands of toxins in the environment every day, we’d be in pretty good shape of handling daily cleansing; but that’s not the world we live in today.

There are over 80,000 synthetic chemicals registered in the United States alone. We are breathing, bathing, applying, and ingesting these chemicals daily. They are found in the food supply through the pesticides and herbicides that are put on the food crops, the genetic modification of the food supply and the preservatives, artificial flavorings and colorings in packaged and processed foods and drinks. They are also found in cosmetics, perfumes, colognes, aftershave, soaps, cleaning supplies, paint, new carpet, and new furniture. These chemicals are in the prescriptions and most nutritional supplements that we are taking. And finally they are in our water and our air supply (think pollution).

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported that there are hundreds of these chemicals present in our bodies. I believe I read somewhere that we are holding approximately 15 pounds of toxins in our bodies that are not related to the natural metabolic processes that take place daily.

In addition research has also shown that these chemicals can interrupt our immune system creating stuffy head, allergies, and other autoimmune diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis, Lupus, and Fibromyalgia. They also interrupt the endocrine and reproductive systems which can lead to hormonal imbalances, diabetes, thyroid imbalances, fertility, and low libido. They can create digestion and other gastrointestinal problems, food cravings, weight gain, and reduced mental clarity.

Curious to know the amount of toxins your body is currently processing and if you have a high toxic load? Visit my website http://www.debifarley.com/ to take a free TOXICITY test!

5 Week Detox Workshop Starts September 29th
(Hurry registration closes September 21st)

Traditional Chinese Medicine’s “take” on detox programs

Traditionally Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has used herbs, herbal teas, cupping, gua sha (also known as scraping), and plum blossom needles to clear the “devil toxins” from the body. Devil toxins are what we call heat, cold, parasites, damp, fire, and food toxins. This was mostly performed during seasonal changes when toxins such as heat or fire may have built up and caused problems as constipation, headache, dry eyes, and irritability. By using herbs, herbal teas, food, and one or more of the methods mentioned above toxins get cleared and balance and harmony are restored for the next season.
From a Western Medicine viewpoint, many practitioners believe the body has the ability to perform this function on its own. I partially agree with this. Under normal conditions our bodies attempt to process and eliminate toxins at a “normal rate”. However, when the system gets clogged (ie…constipation) then toxins aren’t effectively eliminated. This is when I believe much illness manifests in the body. With the right detox program, our organs are simply better equipped to rid toxins. Detoxification serves as a support to the liver, kidneys, large intestine, skin, and lymphatic system.

Now, keep in mind 3,000 years ago the body was much better equiped to rid toxins. But not today. Why? Read my post tomorrow to find out...

5 Week Detox Workshop Starts September 29th
(Hurry registration closes September 21st

Fall is a great time to get back on track

Many of us have been out of our normal routines with vacations, cookouts, kids at home, and lots of great activities.  With the start of fall, kids are back in school, regular routines are beginning to resurface and you can FINALLY refocus on healthy habits and better food choices - right?  Well, if you need a little support in that area, doing a fall detox is a great start.  By doing a detoxification program with a certified detox specialist, you're "powering up" your body to properly clear summer heat, shed unwanted pounds, improve your sleep, digestion, emotional health and overall wellbeing.  When you change your food habits, your life will change with it. 

Find out how Traditional Chinese Medicine as well as Western Medicine view detox programs in my next blog (this Friday).

If you're ready to get on board with a fall detox now....
5 Week Detox Starts September 29th (deadline to register is September 21st)

Back on Line

Hi everyone

I hope everyone has had a nice summer. My sincere apologies for abandoning you during this time frame. I've been very busy planning new programs and learning more great information to share with you.

One of the things I would like to share with you today is a trip that I recently took to Palmyra Wisconsin. You might ask why would I go there? As you may or may not know I carry the Standard Process and Mediherb lines of nutritional supplements. I had the high honor along with 99 other acupuncturists to be invited for a visit to the farm and the factory as well as to attend a weekend seminar. I must tell you I was absolutely blown away by what I saw. I was already familiar with the fact that Standard Process grows most of their own ingredients to go into their nutritional supplements on a certified organic farm. I also knew they had very high quality control and manufacturing standards but to see that all in person was amazing. I bring this up not as a selling tool for Standard Process but to give you some insight as to what prompted my upcoming series of posts on Detoxification.

At the end of September I will be starting my Fall Detoxification class which follows the Standard Process Purification Program. I felt this would be a great opportunity to inform everyone as to my thoughts on detoxification. What is the TCM belief, why do we need to detox, how often, the different kinds of detoxes, detox symptoms, and how to avoid or reduce detox symptoms. I will also discuss other things that can help with your detox such as dry skin brushing, enemas, colonics, sauna's, herbal teas, etc..

So stay tuned and let me know if you have any questions about detoxification that you would like to have answered.

Where's the Protein??

As a person who eats a high raw food diet and especially when I am juicing, the most frequent question I am asked is where do you get your protein? I want to address this in the post today and I think you might be quite surprised at the answer!

First let me begin by explaining exactly what the term protein means. Protein is one of the 3 major food groups essential for growth and health. Protein provides the building blocks of our body, is vital for energy, and is very much needed to make hormones, enzymes, tissues, and antibodies. Protein is basically made up of amino acids. All foods contain amino acids. Our body makes all of these amino acids but a few. The few that we do not make are considered essential and must be obtained from what is traditionally considered a "complete" source such as meat, eggs, and fish. Other sources such as grains, nuts, seeds, and dark leafy greens are considered "incomplete"proteins because they do not contain all the amino acids needed in the body. So it seems as if we can only get the proper amount of protein that we need from animal products, correct?? No this is not correct!

By eating a variety of whole, natural, unprocessed foods your body can get the daily amount of protein that it needs and thrive. There are numerous vegan and raw triathletes, athletes, and body builders out there that are using what nature gave us to feed their bodies. In fact Americans tend to overeat in the protein department consuming 2 - 3 times higher than the recommended daily allowances. Too much protein can cause lots of health issues such as constipation, sweet cravings, low energy, and weight gain. Too little protein can also cause lots of health issues such as sugar and sweet cravings, fatigue, weight loss, and poor skin color.

Now allow me tell you about one of nature's most best kept secrets, the most important food group our body needs, and the most overlooked in the entire American diet. Can you guess what it is?? It is dark leafy greens!!!

So now you might ask what are dark leafy greens? These are things such as broccoli, bok choy, napa cabbage, savoy cabbage, kale, collards, watercress, mustard greens, broccoli rabe aka brocolini and rapini, dandelion, mesclun, green cabbage, arugula, endive, chicory, lettuces, spinach, swiss chard, beet greens, turnip greens, and wild greens. I believe as others that this should be a whole separate food group because of their importance.

Dark leafy greens are nutritional powerhouses as they are very high in calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorous, zinc, and Vitamins A, C, E, and K. They are chock full of fiber, folic acid, chlorophyll, and many other micronutrients and phytochemicals. Not to mention that they also may often contain more absorbable "protein" than animal sources.

Victoria Boutenko has done a lot of major research in her book Green For Life. In her research she found that eating a wide variety of dark leafy greens provides all the essential amino acids that we need. In addition T. Colin Campbell in his book the China Study also refers to the abundant amount of essential amino acids in greens. Both sources report that the body completely absorbs all of these amino acids better than they do the amino acids found in the traditional animal sources. So contrary to the traditional belief, dark leafy greens contain plenty of protein and our bodies can process it more efficiently. But here's the kicker, you do need to eat these in large amounts and with variety. How can anyone eat 1 - 2 lbs of dark leafy greens a day? Simple, juices containing lots of dark leafy greens and/or drinking a green smoothie every day.

What are Green Smoothies? A green smoothie is a blend of organic fruit and green leafy vegetables. Most people start with 60% fruit and 40 % greens. Place your fruit and vegetables into a blender with 2 cups of pure water and blend until smooth. You will have a quick, nutritious drink that can be used as a meal replacement or a nice refreshing beverage.

Green smoothies usually have a bright green color and taste great!! I personally try to have at least one per day. When I do I have more energy, my skin is smoother, my sleep is better, and I feel fabulous. I've listed one of my favorite green smoothie recipes here.

Green Smoothie Recipe:

Mango Heaven
1 1/2 c frozen mango or 1 large or 2 small fresh mangos
2 really ripe bananas (brown spots)
2 handfuls of spinach
1 T cinnamon
2 cups of purified water, spring water, or coconut water

If using a high speed blender such as a Vita Mix place all ingredients in blender and blend for about 1 minute. If using another blender it is suggested that you chop the spinach first and then mix the spinach and water of choice for a few seconds before adding the fruit. This will give you a smoother consistency. Makes approx. 1 quart. Remember, you can pretty much mix any combination of fruit and green together sticking to the 60% fruit and 40% green. You might find after awhile that becomes too sweet and reverse it.

Drinking one quart of green smoothie a day can help to provide much needed minerals to the body which are necessary for bone growth, blood purification, and other functions in our body. Other benefits include helping to prevent cancer, regulating blood sugar, weight loss, improving digestion, strengthening of the immune system, clearing up congestion, and eliminating sugar cravings. They are tasty, easy and quick to make and clean up from and what a great way to start the day. Better than a bagel and coffee. They also are a great afternoon snack at 3:00 pm when you are getting that after lunch crash!
Are you ready to get your green on? What kind of green smoothie will you make? Let us know if you do and how you feel after one week of consuming green smoothies daily!!

JuiceFeast Day 21

Today is day 21 of my 92 day JuiceFeast!! Some of you have been asking how are things going, what am I feeling, how's the media fast going, etc... So I wanted to answer those questions for you.

As I've mentioned before this is my 2nd 92 day juice feast. What I have really paid attention to the last couple of days is that in some ways this one is a little harder than the last one. As someone pointed out to me the novelty is no longer there. I know what to expect this time around. What I've struggled with is that I have wanted to try some new raw food recipes that sound really delicious. So it's been very hard to kind of restrain myself from that. So when I see them I just go have a juice or eat my bee pollen and I'm good. Other than that it has been very easy for me.

I also reflected back on my first two weeks as to how I felt and what I experienced. The first week I had some trouble sleeping around day 4 or 5. I kept waking up, having some really vivid dreams, and I would wake up early. I felt rested and had plenty of energy throughout the day but I was ready for bed early! I also spent a couple of days that first weekend really not doing much, I slept 10 hours one day!! And those of you that know me, know that doesn't ever happen. But after that first weekend sleep and energy leveled out. I also felt like I was detoxing on a deeper level than I did the first time. I did have a day that first weekend in which I felt weepy all day. Also between day 4 and day 9 I felt like I had a very short tolerance level for ignorance, stupid actions, and absolutely no patience with anything or anybody. Thankfully that all leveled out quickly. As I ended week 2 and weighed myself I had lost a total of 9.5 lbs. As I said that is not the intention of this feast but it is definitely an added bonus!!!

Now for the media fast! That has been quit an eye opener. I notice that I am no longer involved in any of the daily drama associated around the propaganda that we are often fed. Which is the viewpoint of a particular person on any given day of any news events. I'm not being bombarded by advertisements for any medications for any disease I might have, told what miracle weight loss supplement is out there, or to buy food that I wouldn't eat anyway or that is going to cause be to have bad health. Although I do have to admit that sometimes those commercials would trigger cravings, like pizza ! I feel like I'm in my own little world where there is nothing but peace, great health, and good weather. No tragedies or drama. While I know that isn't true it has certainly made me feel much lighter and better than when I watch this stuff. I'm also getting all sorts of projects done around the house, I'm reading more, and I'm spending more time outside and in my garden. It's been very relaxing, peaceful, and productive to be unplugged. I would like to challenge you to try for one weekend and see how you feel. Don't watch any TV, get online on facebook, browse the internet, or anything like that for three days. Notice how your sleep is, what your mood is like, what you discover and let me know through your comments.

Why is it a JuiceFeast?

In my last post I mentioned that I was doing my 2nd 92 day Juicefeast and why. What I did not mention was what exactly is a juicefeast. I wanted to take a little bit of time to explain what it is I'm doing and the protocol I'm following. My main resource is a wonderful website put together by David Rainoshek called http://www.juicefeasting.com/. This website has tons of free information on a juicefeast, length of time, how to come off a juicefeast, how to make juices, etc... You can also buy a membership to do a juicefeast and get coaching. If you choose this option there is even more scientifically based material that is available. So how does this work? I begin my day with a quart of water containing the juice of one lemon and MSM. I drink this while I actually make 4 quarts of fresh, revitalizing, nourishing juice. This is why this is a feast and not a fast. I'm juicing 10 - 12 lbs. of produce daily. One quart is usually fruit based while the other 3 quarts are lots of fresh greens and vegetables. Occassionally I may add an apple in there. It usually takes me between 1 1/2 - 2 hours to completely make my juice, clean up the equipment, and clean up the kitchen. Then I'm done in the kitchen for the day. I will then drink a quart of juice every 3 - 4 hours just as if I was having a meal. Some of my juices may contain superfoods such as maca or a good quality greens mix containing algaes and chlorella. I also will often drink the water from a fresh young Thai coconut. A JuiceFeast can last anywhere from 1 day to 92 days and as I have previously stated can be very beneficial to the body. When you are doing a juicefeast you are basically letting your digestion system rest. This happens because for food to be digested and used in the body it has to be broken down and what can be used separated from what can't be used. With juice there is no pulp or fiber to digest therefore, the nutrients are absorbed effortlessly. This allows the body to then kind of give itself a tune up. The body continues all the metabolic, catabolic, and other functions but at a much more efficient rate and effectiveness. The body can then kind of scan to see what is there that doesn't belong and it gets swept away into the intestines and eliminated. An additional benefit is that with the amount of greens that you are juicing the body becomes more alkaline. You might ask what does this mean for me? The Standard American Diet is a highly acidic diet with all the refined carbohydrates, preservatives, food additives, etc. When one eats a diet consistent of these types of products it can increase inflammation, pain, and disease in the body. In fact many degenerative diseases and illness can be linked to poor diet. Dark leafy greens in particular help to make the body more alkaline. Therefore it is possible to see a reduction in joint pain, back pain, allergy symptoms, cysts, tumors, nodules, etc. Skin becomes more youthful, vibrant, and flexible. In addition to weight loss, there are many more benefits of doing a juicefeast. Also during a JuiceFeast gentle exercise/movement is encourage such as yoga, rebounding, and walking. It is important if feasting for a long time to not try to do any strength training because you don't want the energy of the body to go into building. It is resting, cleaning, and rejuvenating itself. The most important thing to remember after doing a juicefeast is in order to maintain the benefits you have to nourish your body with healthy whole foods on a daily basis. A diet high in raw foods helps to do this.

I believe this covers the why's, what's, and how's of the juicefeast. Feel free to leave questions and comments. I am also available for any juice coaching if you decide you would like to add more juice to you life!

Juice Feasting

As some of you may or may not know I decided to do a 92 day Juice Feast starting on April 1. My reasons for doing the juice feast are varied and I would like to share them with you.

First of all I did my first 92 Day Juice Feast in September 2009 not only because I had always wanted to but to support a friend of mine with bladder cancer. I will talk about her journey in another post. My goal during that feast was to clear my body of toxins and to reset my body both spiritually, mentally, and physically. It was such an amazing journey that I talked about doing another feast all of 2010 but because of my social and work schedule it was very difficult to carve out the time. So I started out 2011 thinking I would do another one either this Spring or Summer and after finding that I could no longer train for the triathlons here I am!!

My biggest reason for being here is very difficult to say but it is the reality of the situation. This past fall I found myself in several social situations in which I chose to eat cooked food rather than be uncomfortable or cause discomfort by speaking up about my Raw Food Lifestyle. I started out with very healthy choices and made conscious decisions about how I was choosing to fuel my body. However, the cooked food did end up triggering something that lead to making not so healthy choices. I even made choices that I knew would affect my health and cause discomfort but I did it anyway.

When January rolled around I decided that it was time for me to take back control and went back to my 100% raw diet. However, I found that I was having cravings and would often go out to dinner and find it very hard to stay raw. I did do better on the unhealthy choices. Therefore, my goals this time around are very similar to what they were in 2009. I want to reset my body so that I can maintain my raw lifestyle as I know that I feel so much better when I am eating like this.

I am also planning on taking this time to dig deep and look at what I truly want over the next few decades, what that looks like, and then laying the ground work for that to happen. To assist in that I'm also taking a media break. I have decided that I will not watch TV unless it is something highly educational, work related, exercise related, or spiritual. Today is my 4th day on this journey and my TV has only been on twice. That was to watch the semifinal NCAA games with VCU and Kentucky and to watch the DVD on how to use my juicer. It has been really kind of amazing how I don't think about what is happening around me and that I feel more positive and up beat, better about myself and my life because I'm not hearing all the gloom and doom of war, the advertisements that tell us we are not skinny enough, pretty enough, or young enough. Not that any of that ever bothered me anyway but on a subconscious level it does get in there whether we realize it or not. I am also not using my computer unless it is for work purposes.

I will be spending a lot of time over the next few months talking about my journey. I invite you to stay tuned as I provide you with information about juice feasting, what that is, the benefits of a juice feast, and to answer the biggest question of all "why is it a juice feast?" I will also go more in-depth about a couple of things that I mentioned earlier; media influence on our daily lives from an emotional standpoint, food triggers and cravings and the cause of these and many more topics.

Any thoughts, questions, or comments please feel free to post.

The Agony of Defeat or Act of Wisdom

As much as I hate to admit it I have decided to not continue with my triathlon training. It appears as if my body is not made to run in any form or fashion. About a month ago I did too much too soon and ended up with the beginning of shin splints. This in turn led to starting to have problems with my ankles. It appears as if the shin splints are healing but I'm still having trouble with my ankles. I've tried a little jog here and there and it just isn't happening as I can feel the shins screaming at me to stop. So.... where does that leave me with exercise.

I am not defeated and I do not feel bad about giving up. I gave the training 100% + and I feel great about what I was able to accomplish. So my back up plan is to get back to 1 - 2 days a week of yoga, some daily strength training, and at least a 30 minute walk every day. I will also incorporate a bike ride each week. I hope to throw in some swimming in the summer as I rediscovered my passion for swimming. I also hope to do some hiking and maybe kayaking with friends as well. Will keep you updated on all of this as it progresses.

What I would really like to point out is how important it is to listen to your body, honor yourself and accomplishments and don't worry about competing with anyone. As humans we will keep pushing ourselves to either prove something to ourselves or to someone else. What or where does that leave us? A very hurt and/or broken body. In my practice I see the results of what happens when people push their bodies too far and don't listen to them. They will end up with surgery, joint replacements, or chronic pain and often seek my services to help alleviate this pain and discomfort. It's important to listen to our bodies and know when something isn't working for us and find an alternative to that activity. It really isn't the agony of defeat it is an act of wisdom.

I leave you with these questions is my form of exercise hurting my body and what can I do to continue my exercise that will not be as stressful to my body?

Plan to Get My Butt Moving!!!

Welcome to my blog!! Today I am sharing my plan to get my butt moving!! I have decided that this year is the year that I come up with a plan for daily activity, movement, or exercise. Whatever you choose to call it. To help with my plan I have joined the Tri-Girl Triathlon Training Team and am training to do a Sprint Triathlon in May. I chose this method for many reasons. The number one reason is training does not happen in a gym. So last week was my first official week of training and it went really well. It started out on Thursday with running at 6:00 am. I ran/walked around 2 3/4 miles. On Saturday it was the Brick, bike then run. I biked approximately 9.2 miles and then ran/walked around 1.3 miles. Sunday was an hour swim which was a bit of an eye opening experience. This week there was no run on Thursday due to me oversleeping and today I did the brick workout. However, I have done too much too fast and I have now injured my shins and need to nurse them back to health before starting out again. I'm limiting my next two weeks to the bike, swimming, and I will go to the gym and use the elliptical machine to keep my cardio activity up. I would like to share with you why I feel exercise is so important. Exercise is one of the seven limbs of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Exercise has many benefits besides the obvious of helping us to lose weight. Exercise helps to build the immune system and therefore helps to reduce the risk of infections and illnesses. Exercise helps to build the cardiovascular system through increasing our oxygen capacity, reducing cholesterol, and reducing arterial inflammation. Exercise that involves heavy impact such as running or walking also helps to increase bone density which is extremely important for women. Exercise also helps to stabilize blood sugar, helps to regulate hormones and most important of all helps us to build more brain cells. Do you exercise? How do you feel when you exercise? Please feel free to share your experience.