Friday, February 5, 2010

January Juice Feast

A week long juice fast was a great way to start off the New Year!
A juice feast was a way for me to renew my energy for 2010 by detoxing my body, eliminating poisons, and balancing body chemistry.
I LOVE the light feeling I have after a fast, my senses are sharper, food tastes better, energy increases, it is easier to focus and the little things that clutter the mind and heart are cleared away.
Juice fasting when done right, nourishes your body with high quality nutrients from organically grown sources, can be a wonderful benefit to a persons health.
Living-food juices are loaded with minerals, vitamins, proteins, carbohydrates, chlorophyll, flavonoids, phytochemicals, purified water, antioxidants, and live enzymes that are assimilated directly into the body, neutralize acidic conditions in the body, re-establish alkaline reserves, release toxins, remove dead and dying cells so they better absorb nutrients, regulate blood sugar levels, lower cholesterol levels, cleanse and heal, boost the immune system, balance metabolism, prevent degenerative diseases, and rebuild health.

During the fast I had two wonderful ladies join me!
On our journey we followed a daily schedule and tried to take time to love ourselves.
Some of my favorite juice combinations were:

Green Lemonade:
1 head romaine lettuce or celery
5 to 6 stalks kale (any type)
1 to 2 apples for sweetness
1 lemon
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh ginger (optional)

Michelle's Morning Sunshine:
1 orange
1 grapefruit
1 lime
1 beet
1 apple
Enzyme Boost (optional): 1 cup pineapple

Green Goddess:
1 bunch kale
1 bunch cilantro
1 to 2 apples
1 lemon
1 to 2 teaspoons ginger (optional)

The Great Eliminator
1  beet
1 cucumber
1/2 to 1 head romaine lettuce
10 medium carrots
1 inch fresh ginger


 
A Week long juice fasting or feasting journey includes 3 stages: 
1) body reorientation -- changes pH towards alkaline, stomach and digestive tracts are cleansed, weight loss, hunger, headaches, light headedness and frequent urination. 
2) Liver purges itself of poisons -- elimination of chemical and toxic overloads, nausea, exhaustion, muscle aches, nervousness, flu-like symptoms, coated tongue, bad breath, skin eruptions and trembling. 
3) Deep tissue cleansing -- blood toxins are removed, cellular ash and debris are flushed from kidneys, bursts of energy, a gradual increase in feelings of well-being, organ detoxification and regeneration, swings from euphoria to stress and irritability and improved self-esteem.


Honestly, I didn't occur to me to weigh myself before or after the fast because I was fasting for mental clarity and balance.

Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish. ~John Quincy Adams

I will be leading another juice feast March.  If you are interested and live in the Flathead Valley, please email me at berryblissful@gmail.com by February 25th. Thank you!

Everything is material for the seed of happiness, if you look into it with inquisitiveness and curiosity. The future is completely open, and we are writing it moment to moment. There always is the potential to create an environment of blame -- or one that is conductive to loving kindness. ~Pema Chodron

I love you!
xoxoxo
Michelle



4 comments:

  1. Thank you for these recipes, I've been needing some new flavor ideas for my green juices/smoothies. The pictures are beautiful!

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  2. Thank you Tess!

    What's your favorite juice? :)

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  3. Awesome! And those juices look so beautiful!

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  4. Thank you Rosie! I hope you have a wonderful day! xo

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