Day 4 Juice Feast -- What I'm Doing Differently (pt. 1)

The first Juice Feast was a challenging experience and despite the ups and downs I knew I wanted to repeat the experience.  Juicing often goes in and out of vogue, however popularity is not one of those things I concern myself with.  I wanted to do a second JF because I want to master the process (the discipline of a long term liquid diet), to gain further awareness and to stretch my limits.  I have come to look at my life as one big day of school. If I'm not learning or experimenting, my life feels blah. What I am doing may seem extreme to others but that's not the whole picture of my life. To name a few unsuccessful experiments: I have pages and pages of immunizations that have gone in my body, I smoked for many years and I had an unbelievable Dr. Pepper habit. My body has paid the price for these choices. Now, I'm seeking to experiment in new ways--what happens if I put my health and well being first?

Life for me is often about successive improvements. So after my first JF it stands to reason I'm trying to do it better this time around. What am I doing differently on the second JF?

• Using probiotics with most juices. Okay, here is going to be one of those gross and embarrassing things I mentioned would be forthcoming. When I did a 3 Day Green Juice Feast On one day I regularly took powdered probiotics and enzymes with each juice.  I also did a coffee enema that morning. I released some brown sludge (think spent motor oil, but brown) and then this 9 inch or so piece of slime came out with 3 little cocoons spaced out a few inches apart. It was painless physically to release it but to see that it had come out of my body grossed me out. I get a little squeamish thinking about those things in my body.
• More green juices. Either I really didn't know how to make green juices that I liked or my body was not cooperating with me. I drank entirely too many fruit juices throughout the first JF. I've learned to use more lemons and add ginger (this seems to make any juice taste good) to each juice. On this JF I am adding liquid probiotics to each green juice as well.
• Relax. I am a lot more relaxed about this JF. I am gentle and loving with myself and my juices. Before it felt like I had taken a giant leap and I was unsure if a safety net was secured below me. I prepared for months in advance for the first JF but preparation does not substitute for experience. I think one of the best things I did to prepare for this JF was to set weekly challenges for myself so new health practices were already familiar to me. Also the mini fasts and feasts were very helpful as well as learning to break a fast more gently. I am more confident in my abilities to manage this process.

There's more I'm doing but hey it's a beautiful day outside here so it's time to go and get some sunshine!

Another Short Fast

My previous modified fast lasted close to, if not 4 full days. It was slightly uncomfortable. It appears I have stretched my stomach for my cravings to eat troubled me the most. However around the 3 day mark those cravings disappeared and I began to enjoy the fast. I was completely exhausted and mostly rested to the point of light reading and watching movies. I watched the entire season of Out of the Wild: Venezuela. I enjoy group dynamics under extreme situations--for it shows me the truth of human nature. Plus, I had seen the previous season featuring Alaska and I knew the people would be fasting more rigorously than I was. In fact they go hungry for days and exert themselves to the breaking point. I merely laid on my couch and let me body heal itself.

Credit

I am in round two of another modified fast. This one is for 3 days over a long weekend. It's much easier this time. One thing which I have added and will continue to use on my full-fledged Juice Feast is incorporating probiotics.

I am not a follower of the Body Ecology Diet but I have learned a lot from its principles. The main thing I have incorporated is the strategic use of probiotics.  In my juices I am adding a dose of Cocobiotic and in grapefruit juice I am adding a scoop of Vitality SuperGreen. In the last modified fast I regularly took MRM Digest-All digestive enzymes with my juices. I had success with it, but I have to be careful as my constitution can be revved up from a hot coal to a bonfire and into intense healing and a desire to return to solid food right quickly.

The most important thing in this light, modified fasting is allowing my body down time. It truly is with gratitude that I thank my body with its infinite wisdom to heal itself.  I intend to prepare myself for the Juice Feast with as many short fasts as I can. As I mentioned before I want to master the art of breaking the fast. At present all I can say is I have a lot of learning and experimenting to do.