5 Reasons To Take A Detox Bath

Why A Detox Bath?

1. To remove toxins.

Everyone is toxic to some degree. Toxins are in the air, in our water & in our genetically modified foods. They are in the products we put on our bodies & even in the clothes we wear. There is no avoiding toxins in the world we live in. Even before you leave the house in the morning, you have been exposed to numerous toxins. The chemicals in your shampoo and soaps, your moisturizer, your makeup, your toothpaste…even the water that comes out of your shower head. If you ate fruit & yogurt for breakfast –though healthy–the fruit contains pesticides and the yogurt (unless organic) can have toxins in it.

Dr. Oz just did a show showing that toxins from plastics are in almost everyone of us in the form of phthalates. Our foods that come wrapped in plastic or in plastic containers, especially if they are high fat, absorb phthalates and then get into our system. The plastic bags we use in our kid’s lunches have phthalates in them. It seems it is almost inescapable…and phthalates are just one toxin that affects our bodies in negative ways.

Another toxin that most people are exposed to is PCB’s in the lining of food cans. Did you know that there are also PCB’s on receipts? It is used to prevent the color on paper from running or bleeding. I don’t know about you, but I am not in the habit of washing my hands after touching receipts–who knew we needed to? There are numerous chemicals in cleaners that we use, paint we use in our homes, fertilizers we use on our yards — the list goes on and on. Toxins are unavoidable in the modern world.

One can educate themselves and take steps to avoid many toxins, but in reading the above you can see that it is impossible to avoid them all together.

The liver is responsible for dealing with toxins once they get into our bodies. It converts them which makes it possible to eliminate them via our digestive system. That which is not eliminated in this way is eliminated through our skin in the form of sweat.

I can’t tell you the number of times I read in health books that deal with cancer that if you have cancer, your liver is not functioning correctly. Believe me, we want our livers to stay healthy and functioning, but often instead, they are taxed by an overload of toxins.

2. To give the body a nice dose of magnesium

Magnesium is an essential mineral for staying healthy is often overlooked and under utilized. Although you can get magnesium through food – almonds, wheat germ, fish, green leafy vegetables – it is not easy to meet your daily needs through food alone.

Detox baths are made with epsom salts which is magnesium sulfate. Magnesium sulfate helps draw out toxins, and has numerous benefits all on it own.

Magnesium is an essential mineral required for more that 300 biochemical reactions in the body including transmission of nerve impulses, regulation of body temperature, forming healthy bones & teeth, & energy production. It helps absorb calcium and keeps osteoporosis at bay. It brings relief from symptoms of menopause and PMS & minimizes the risk of premature labor — which I experienced first hand when it was given to me intravenously when I went into premature labor with my oldest.

Magnesium helps with insomnia, migraines, kidney stones, gall stones, & in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. It regulates blood pressure and helps in the treatment of diabetes.

Magnesium is also plays a very important role in mental health. It helps with panic attacks, stress, anxiety, and agitation. It reduces the severity of symptoms and helps reduce the rate of reoccurrence. This reason alone moves magnesium to the top of my priority list!

Signs that one is deficient in magnesium include fatigue, headaches, insomnia, muscle pain, muscle cramps/spasms & problems with mental health.

Magnesium is absorbed through the skin, and my 2 favorite ways of getting it is through Ancient Minerals Magnesium Oil spray and epsom salt baths!

3. It is a great way to spend some time taking care of yourself

I live in the midwest. We have been experiencing the most amazing fall weather, but this week the temperature is supposed to drop and get quite cold. One reason I am looking forward to the cold weather of winter is so that I can get back to my detox baths. Due to some medication that I am on to prevent cancer recurrence, I have regular hot flashes. They were pretty severe during the summer, and the last thing I wanted to do was get into a hot bath. Now that the weather is cooler, I am excited to get back into the habit of detox baths.

There is something about locking yourself in a bathroom — especially if you are a Mom– and getting into a hot bath for a few minutes of quiet. Detox baths require at least 20 minutes, and I cannot tell you how rewarding just a few minutes of stillness and quiet is! I usually use my bluetooth Moxie, and either listen to a podcast or some calming music.

4. It is incredibly relaxing & make for a great night’s sleep

I recommend taking your detox bath in the evening before bed. They are incredibly relaxing and can make you feel quite sleepy, sometimes even weak. The first time I took a detox bath it was shortly after finishing chemo and radiation, and I was full of toxins. I got quite light-headed and nauseous after my bath & felt like I had the flu. It passed once I drank water and rested for about 30 minutes and my body temperature came down. I’ve read this is a normal response from someone who is quite toxic. Every time I took a detox bath this reaction became less and less, until now I just feel very relaxed and good after a detox bath. I tell you this so you are not surprised if you feel icky after your first detox bath. It won’t last, and you will know that you are very much benefitting from the detox.

5. It helps soothe muscle and joint aches and pains.

The same cancer medication I talked about earlier has a side affect of joint pain. I cannot tell you how relieving detox baths are to my aching joints. It is drastic. I step into the bath in pain and step out of the bath pain free. It surprises me every time! It has an anti-inflammatory effect that works very quickly!

Who Should Detoxify?

Really, anyone and everyone–unless pregnant or have high blood pressure or heart disease. If you are in bad health, make sure you ask your doctor before taking a detox bath.

How To Take A Detox Bath:

1. Fill tub with quite hot water. Expect to sweat!

2. Grab a glass of filtered water to have close by. Stay hydrated during and after the bath. Light a few candles for ambience while the bath is filling up.

3. Add 2 cups of epsom salts to a standard bathtub full of water.

4. Add 1 cup of baking soda, which neutralizes chemicals like chlorine in the bath water. It also helps the body absorb minerals and leaves the skin quite soft.

5. Add 5-10 drops of essential oils. This step is optional, but it sure makes the bath smell great! I love lavender. I have also used tea tree oil and eucalyptus oil for extra detoxification and to wake up the senses and clear sinuses.

6. Switch all ingredients together in tub and soak for at least 20 minutes, working your way up to the ideal 40 minutes.

7. Expect to sweat! You should start sweating within the first few minutes. Remember to drink that water!

8. Get out of the tub slowly. You might be light-headed so take it easy.

Detox Bath Recipe

1 bathtub full of hot water

2 cups epsom salts

1 cup baking soda

Optional Ingredients:

5-10 drops essential oils (optional) (lavender, tea tree, lemon or eucalyptus all works well)

1 Tablespoon ground ginger

Add all ingredients to the tub. Swish & soak for at least 20 minutes up to 40 minutes. Don’t forget to hydrate by drinking water!

Make It In Bulk

I love to mix up a big batch & store it in this large glass container. I mix the salt & baking soda together-the above recipe x 5, and it sits on my bathroom floor looking all cute with a this 6 oz. silver scoop. I then scoop about 3 scoops into the bath and then add my essential oils. It is a great reminder to take my detox baths, & would make a great homemade Christmas gift.

Tips:

~If you want to extend the detox, wrap in a towel or fluffy robe and keep on sweating!

~Don’t let your hair touch the water–it would be too drying.

~This detox bath is great for colds and flu. Eucalyptus is especially great for opening nasal passages. Also good for colds and illness — add 1 tablespoon of ground ginger to the tub. Ginger increases heat levels and makes you sweat even more profusely.

~Don’t use harsh soaps or lotions after a detox bath. The pores are wide open so treat them kindly.

~Before this bath, use a loofah or dry brush your skin to stimulate the lymphatic system. This will aid in the release of toxins. Use long, sweeping motions toward the heart. I talk more about dry brushing here.

~Use coconut oil as a non-toxic after bath moisturizer.

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Have you ever taken a detox bath? What was your experience?

Are you a skeptic? Maybe this article on Dr. Oz will help.

DISCLOSURE: Not intended for the treatment or prevention of disease, nor as a substitute for medical treatment, nor as an alternative to medical advice. Use of recommendations is at the choice and risk of the reader. New Nostalgia may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this website.

Drinks/ Healthy Eating/ How-Tos/ RECIPES

A Delicious, Simple 3 Day Cleanse

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Kaeng Raeng for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed this cleanse. Kaeng Raeng is the first cleanse I have done that I KNOW I will use again & again. I’d like use it at least twice a year, if not every 3 months.

What is Kaeng Raeng? It is an all natural, vegan, gluten-free meal replacement cleanse program. Kaeng Raeng in Thai means “be healthy, be strong.” Despite it’s Thai name, Kaeng Raeng is 100% made in the USA.

Why I loved it?

1. It is truly all natural. All natural REALLY means all natural with Kaeng Raeng. All of the ingredients in Kaeng Raeng shakes are familiar and easy to pronounce and all come from the earth, including vitamins which are derived from fruits and plants. There is nothing in these shakes that is made in a lab. There are no fillers, chemicals or preservatives.

2. It is made from real, fruit. Not fruit flavors. The fruit is picked and freeze-dried for preservation, then ground to a powder form. The fruit is purchased locally in California which keeps a low-carbon footprint and keeps costs low. The farmers Kaeng Raeng work with grow their fruit organically. I love that there is no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives.

3. Fiber from plants The fiber in Kaeng Raeng is made from indigestible vegetable seed, safe for daily use. Fiber is great in a meal replacement shake because it fills you up without adding additional calories. It also keeps blood sugar levels stable. This was huge for me, as I have had problems in the past with juice cleanses bringing on low blood sugar issues. I did great on this cleanse and never felt weak or light-headed. It was actually the opposite. I felt strong, full and energized.

4. Protein from plants Kaeng Raeng uses pea protein, my personal favorite type of protein. This pea protein is non-gmo. That makes me happy!

5. Vitamins from plants Most of the vitamins in Kaeng Raeng come from fruit, but they also add 100%natural vitamins that come from guava, lemon, sesbania, alma, and basil. I had to look a few of those up to even know what they were! Most companies use vitamins that are synthetic and cheap to produce, which has been a very frustrating thing for me when searching for cleanses.

6. Probiotics I was happy enough with this shake knowing it had plant protein, plant fiber and vitamins, but the added benefit of probiotics pleasantly surprised me. They really thought of everything and made the cleansing process convenient, safe and as beneficial as possible. Probiotics are friendly bacteria that help to regulate and speed up digestion through the intestines and colon. Kaeng Raeng uses only non-dairy derived probiotic cultures.

7. It is not a fast. You are allowed to eat as many raw fruits and veggies as you want. I loved this. So often with cleanses there are such strict rules involved that you feel set up for failure. I also personally get really bored with just one type of texture for long periods of time, so I really loved that this cleanse allows for food. I love plant food and found ways to manipulate plant food to provide all of the variety of texture my palate desired.

8. Adequate calories Each serving has fewer than 230 calories. The recommended amount of servings to consume is 3 a day, which would provide 100% of your daily vitamin needs, including protein. I personally could only consume 2 shakes a day, as they are incredibly filling, but I know I got enough nutrition each day as I also ate plenty of raw fruits and veggies. I feel like this is the healthiest way to cleanse, as it is low-calorie, but not restrictive. There are different levels of cleansing, and I used the 3 day beginner cleanse. You can take this quiz to know what level is good for you.

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So why do I think cleansing is an important thing to do occasionally?

Removes Toxins–toxins come in all forms, from chemicals in the foods we eat, medication, the environment, products we put on our body..especially women who use lots of beauty products.

From the Kaeng Raeng Website:

Your body can consume all natural ingredients easily, healthfully separating fiber and nutrients, and passing waste through your colon cleanly. When you consume additives, chemicals, toxins, and other processed foods, your digestive system cannot properly separate the healthy from the non healthy components of the food. Many times, these toxins will not pass through your colon properly, sometimes building up over days, weeks, months, or years. Kaeng Raeng works to “flush” all of those toxins by using all natural fibers and water to help eliminate that colon build up. Further, Kaeng Raeng is a restricted diet whereby you are abstaining from cooked, processed, heavily sugary or salted foods. By removing these foods from your diet, even for a short period of time, your body will naturally release toxic build up through the digestive system and skin. While challenging at first, your body will adapt to the raw vegan diet. During any cleanse, it is imperative to drink plenty of water to ensure a smooth cleanse. Never drink a cleanse product that has artificial ingredients as these counteract the benefits of detoxing.

Beauty from the inside out–cleansing reduces bloating, clears skin & makes it glow, even gives hair a healthy shine.

Jumpstart weigh loss— when properly conducted, cleansing can really help with weight loss. I am on cancer meds that put me into a chemical menopause, and one of the side effects of this is an extra 15 lbs. No matter how healthy I eat, my scale has not budged for months, until this cleanse that is! In 3 days on Kaeng Raeng, I lost 4 pounds. The waist of my jeans are comfortable again and I am so happy about that! Kaeng Raeng is not recommended as way to lose weight quickly, but weight loss is great added benefit.

Reduce sugar cravings –this is a huge reason I do cleansing, and a side effect of cleansing that is most noticeable for me. Right before I started this cleanse, I was on a weekend soccer tournament road trip with my Todd and Avery. I love to snack while traveling and we did our share on this little getaway. I came home with the worse sugar cravings after indulging all weekend. Now that I am finished with day 3 of my cleanse, the cravings are gone. They actually were gone by day 2, replaced with cravings for plant foods.

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Here is how my cleanse went:

Food day 1:

‘Daybreak’ shake

Black Coffee

Raw green beans (afternoon snack)

Raw Almonds (evening snack)

‘Into the Blue’ shake

I started with Daybreak shake, which is their mango/peach/pineapple shake. I mixed it with almond milk and water. When I took my first taste, I felt like I tasted vitamins. I dumped the mixture into my blender and added 1/2 banana and a handful of frozen mango chunks. Mmmmm….now we are talking. That made it delicious. Kaeng Raeng site has more Recipes if you want some more ideas of fun things to add to their shakes, but I kept things pretty simple during my cleanse.

I kept drinking coffee during my cleanse. I kept it to one cup a day and drank it black. No lattes! Kaeng Raeng website recommends no coffee, but if a must have they say to keep it to one cup a day. I didn’t want to deal with a caffeine headache, and I figured coffee beans are plants…ha! Do you like how I find a way to keep my coffee? My coffee beans were organic and I highly recommend if you do keep drinking coffee keep it to one cup a day and NO CREAMER or SUGAR. Keep things pure.

I was super surprised at how filling the shake was. I passed lunch and still was sipping on my shake. It makes 24-36 oz depending on how much liquid and frozen fruit you add, so that took me awhile to drink. They also advise you to keep your water intake up to keep constipation at bay, which could be an issue due to all the fiber in the shakes. It was not for me, as long as I kept drinking water. Needless to say, it is a lot of drinking. I did not feel hungry until around 1 in the afternoon, and even then I was not really hungry, just in the mood to crunch on something. I ate some raw green beans. I did sprinkle them with a bit of seasoning salt.

I made ‘Into The Blue’ shake for dinner. It is their blueberry/banana shake. I added a handful of frozen blueberries and it was yummy. I drank it at dinner time and again felt full. I had a handful of raw nuts before bed.

Food day 2:

‘Joyful’ shake

Black Coffee

Raw Kale Salad

‘Into the Blue’ Shake

Red pepper slices

Cucumber slices

Yellow Squash / Tomato Sauce

Almonds

I woke up with a bit of a headache. This is pretty typical when detoxing. You may have some physical symptoms the first day or two, headache, body ache or stomach ache…depending on how toxic your body is. This is called the Herxheimer Reaction, which explains why sometimes a healing crisis occurs, where you feel worse before you feel better. Mine was very small and passed the minute I got some shake in my belly.

I made the ‘Joyful’ shake for breakfast, which is their strawberry/raspberry/pineapple shake. I added 1/2 frozen banana and a handful of frozen strawberries. This one is my favorite. It was really enjoyable and sweet.

My local coop has a deli that makes a great raw kale salad so I had about 1/2 cup of this for lunch. Again, I was not really hungry, just wanted something to munch on. Late afternoon I made the ‘Into the Blue’ shake. I was still sipping on it during dinner. I made my family spaghetti. I used my spiralizer to make raw yellow squash noodles, put some tomato sauce on them and they were delish!

Before bed I had a handful of raw almonds, some red pepper slices, and some cucumber slices. My digestive system got moving this day. It was regular but impressive. There is no laxative effect with this cleanse. That is all I will say about that!

Food day 3:

Black Coffee

‘Daybreak’ shake

Yellow Squash / Tomato Sauce

Raw almonds & sunflower seeds

‘Joyful’ shake

BIG raw salad

Confession: A slice of pizza

Day 3 started out with the ‘Daybreak’ shake. This time I decided to use less liquid. 24 oz instead of 36. It made the shake thicker and I liked it better as it was easier to drink quickly. I added 1/2 frozen banana and blended it.

For lunch I had leftover spiralized yellow squash, and followed it with an afternoon snack of raw sunflower seeds.

For dinner, I made the ‘Joyful’ strawberry shake with 1/2 banana and some frozen mango. I drank over half of this, made myself a large green salad topped with lemon juice and hummus,

then…confession time….I ended my dinner with a slice of pizza. I know, I know…not the best way to end the cleanse, but it was family night and I just couldn’t resist. I did not allow myself to eat the pizza until I had my shake and green salad, which kept me from gorging on pizza. I recommend eating pizza on a full stomach, as a small piece is fulfilling and delicious!

It is recommended to ease off the cleanse slowly. Eating pizza like I did is not the best idea, although it did not make me feel sick. I do think it would have been better for my body to start slow with some cooked vegetables and grains.

I’m excited to have 3 packets left of shakes since I could only fit in 2 a day instead of 3. I will continue this great cleanse for 3 more days, having a shake for breakfast, a raw plant meal for lunch and a sensible plant-based dinner. No sugar or processed foods. No meat or dairy. No alcohol.

If you can’t tell already, I am super happy with this cleanse. My skin looks glowy and clear, my jeans fit, my stomach is not bloated, and my digestion is great. I don’t have any sugar cravings and I’m craving healthful plant foods. I never was hungry and other than the headache and a bit low energy on day one, I felt amazing the rest of the time. I loved knowing I was getting all the protein, fiber and vitamins I needed, and it has really motivated me to continue to take great care of my body and be conscious of what I put in it.

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GIVEAWAY

What about you? Have you ever done a cleanse? What did you like about it? What did you not like about it? Would you consider Kaeng Raeng cleanse for your next cleanse? Leave a comment and tell me why YOU want to try a vegan cleanse and it will automatically enter you in our Kaeng Raeng 3-Day Beginner program giveaway. For an optional entry, like Kaeng Raeng on Facebook

If you don’t want to wait, you can purchase Kaeng Raeng on Amazon, at www.kaengraeng.com, and Select Whole Foods Markets. Users can leave a review with their experience on Amazon.com and receive a coupon for 15% off their next order atwww.kaengraeng.com.

Can’t wait? use code: NewNostalgia15 {Exp. 6/20/14}

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*IMPORTANT

•Due to the calorie constricted nature of the cleanse, I do not recommend KR for pregnant women or women who are nursing. There is nothing in KR that will harm a pregnant woman or her baby, so it is fine to be used as a meal replacement. However, as a cleanse program, it is calorie constricted and not recommended for pregnant women or nursing moms.

•Kaeng Raeng is not intended for children.

Drinks/ RECIPES

Detox Green Smoothie – So Fresh & Clean Tasting!

Detox green smoothie in mason jar with orange straw

At the beginning of the year, one of my New Year’s goals was to eat dark leafy greens everyday. I’ve done a pretty good job, but needed to find a new green smoothie recipe to mix things up a bit. This Detox Green Smoothie is my new favorite. It tastes so fresh, and the ingredients are so very good for the body. I’ve see a glow in my skin and my digestion is amazing {sheepish grin} when I drink this daily.

Another new favorite of mine is Trader Joe’s Frozen Kale. I love that if I have used all my fresh leafy greens up in salads or by making my favorite kale chips, that there is an option for my green smoothies sitting in my freezer. Now I am never out of leafy greens so I have no excuse to not eat them everyday!

Other uses for frozen kale?

~Toss into soups (great in Minestrone)
~Put a bit into an omelet
~Use to add great nutrition to casseroles.

Detox Green Smoothie

1-1 1/2 cups frozen kale (can use fresh, too, just take stem off if fresh)

1/2 cup cucumber

1 cup frozen mango

1 green apple, cored

juice of 1 lime

1/2 inch piece peeled ginger

1-2 cups water (can use coconut water)

A high speed blender works best to get the most creamy smoothie. Add all ingredients to the blender. Start with one cup of water and blend. Add more water until desired consistency. You know the consistency is right when you see a vortex in the middle of blender.

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A Little Bit About Blenders

Professional Grade High Speed Blender

Some of the best money I have ever spent!

Vitamix Professional Blender and accessories

Vitamix Professional Series 750

This is the model I have. I drooled over it for a couple of years!

It was a splurge, but worth EVERY penny. I use it 2-3 times a day.

It makes crushed ice in seconds. It takes almonds to almond butter in seconds. It makes the best raspberry fruit purees for pancakes and ice cream–obliterates all those little seeds into smooth puree heaven! We are eating 3 times the amount of fruits and veggies since purchasing this amazing blender, which I know is keeping us out of the doctors’ office and away from those expensive co-pays, so in my mind it has paid itself off.

Ninja Mega Kitchen Blender and accessories.

Ninja Mega Kitchen System

I’ve never used one, but have heard good things about them. They are not professional grade like the Vitamix, but the price is much easier to swallow and they are powerful.

{my old Oster on the left, my New Vitamix on the right}

Oster

I had one of these for years and it does the job. You can’t beat the price, and for smoothies, it works, although you have to blend much longer. You will still have chia and raspberry seeds in your smoothies, but if you don’t mind the extra texture, this one will do. If you have had a high speed blender, you will not be happy with this one. If you are looking for something to get by until you can get a high speed blender, and to just get those smoothies in you, this will do just fine.

Drinks/ RECIPES

The End Of My Juice Cleanse Day 4 & Day 5

Day 4

Well, I have to say, I AM SO GLAD I DID THIS! I will write more another time about a few of the reasons why, but one of the main reason is that I feel like it “reset” my tastebuds. Fresh, raw fruits and vegetables taste AMAZING to me right now. I have no coffee cravings. I have no sugar cravings. I don’t even have bread cravings, which is huge for me.

I like how regular juicing makes me feel, and I needed reminded of this. I am now very motivated to keep juicing at least a few times a week, not as a substitute for food, but as a supplement. On the days I do not juice, I will drink my green smoothie.

Ending the fast should be taken slow. I was not very good at this. You see, it was my daughters birthday on day 4, so I did ok for breakfast and lunch, then came cake time..but we will get to that.

Breakfast-

~Banana, Mango, Strawberry Smoothie w/ chia seeds

~drank 16 oz lemon water

1 frozen banana

1 cup frozen mango chunks

1 cup frozen strawberries

2 tablespoons chia seeds

put all in blender with enough water to make it blend

This was yummy. I usually add greens to my smoothies, but I was making this to share with my birthday girl, and I wanted it to be pink. It was delicious. The added chia seeds make it very filling.

Lunch

Spinach Salad

Brown Rice

I used my awesome mandolin slicer to slice the veggies. I sprinkled it with pumpkin seeds and almonds for some crunch. The brown rice is from Trader Joes, they sell already made, organic frozen brown rice. So easy! This salad tasted really good. It was crazy how simple sliced vegetables tasted so yummy to me, and I was eating them as eagerly as I would eat other foods. That was new. I love veggies, but I REALLY loved this plate of veggies. Usually I would want some type of sauce on my rice. Not this time. I wanted it just plain, the nuttiness of the rice really came through. Again, I felt like my palate had been cleaned and I can actually taste and appreciate real foods in their natural state.

Afternoon Snack

Oh yea…would you look at THAT! That, my friends, is vegan Mexican Chocolate Cake from my local health food store. I live just a block away from this store and this cake is often calling to me. I had no time to bake a birthday cake for my girl, so I ran to the store and bought a few pieces of this cake just minutes before my birthday girl was supposed to be home. I stuck in some Hershey bar squares (not vegan) to make it festive, and put it on a platter. I added some pastries. My daughter loved it.

Although I don’t feel sugar cravings, that doesn’t mean I didn’t want some cake when it was right in front of me! I had some, and didn’t feel to well after. It just felt heavy.

Dinner

Dinner was tricky. My birthday girl decided that, instead of a big birthday party, she wanted to invite one friend to the mall to shop with her. I loved that idea, we have done it before and it is SO much easier than having a party! They had great fun. They shopped, used the dollar massage chairs, rode the carousel, took pictures in picture booth, had manicures, ate at the food court, got a cookie and ended the night with frozen yogurt sundaes. I loved that all this fun was in one place, and I had much fun watching them have fun!

There was not very many choices for a decent dinner at the mall food court. I went to the Italian place and asked if they could make me pasta & tomato sauce with no cheese. They were happy to. I also had some of their roasted potatoes and a Caesar salad. I didn’t care for the dressing, I barely dipped the pieces in. It was just too salty for my taste, and full of junk. The rest of the meal tasted great! I was happy.

I didn’t do yogurt sundaes with the girls, but I did get a cookie. Again, it tasted good but set heavy. I think it was too soon to be eating sweets!!

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Day 5

Day 5 was not so good food wise! Started out ok, but the way I ended the night. Blech. I felt so yuck.

I will make this quick. I had a ladies brunch that Saturday morning. I had my first cup of coffee in a week. It was good, but the addiction seems gone. I kinda miss how GOOOOOD it used to be! 🙂 There was fruit and pastries. I had fruit and a few bites of a scone. I preferred the fruit. So interesting.

Lunch-took my two older girls out to lunch and a movie. We ate at noodles and company, I had the Bangkok Curry Noodles, no chicken, no mushrooms extra broccoli, and a nice green side salad. It was yum and full of color! Then we went to a cafe. They had gelato and I had coffee.

Dinner-Family night. Ordered pizza. I took off the cheese, but it was Pizza Hut pan pizza and it was THICK and greasy! I also had a couple bread sticks. It was just too much greasy bread. Blech.

I miss my juice!! Who woulda’ thunk it?

Drinks/ RECIPES

Juice Cleanse Day 3-Happy!

Today I woke up, and felt really good. I checked my blood sugar level and it was normal. I decided to carry on and have juice for breakfast and lunch, then eat dinner.

I drank my typical 16 oz. of lemon water right when I got up.

Then I had the Mean Green for breakfast. It filled me up and I felt great!

The Mean Green

6 Kale Leaves

1 Cucumber

2 Green Apples

4 Celery

1/2 Lemon

1 Ginger Root (thumb size)

My lunch juice was AWESOME! It is called The Sunset Blend I think it is one of my favorites so far, which is funny because when I saw the recipe I was nervous about how it would taste. I was so surprised and happy, it is a great juice.

The Sunset Blend

1 large Sweet Potato

1 medium Carrot

1 Red Bell Pepper

2 Red Beets

2 Golden Delicious Apples

1 Orange, optional

After my lunch juice, my energy soared. It was crazy! I really was in disbelief and couldn’t believe the difference of how I felt compared to the night before when my blood sugar was too low. It was strange that other than 1 orange and a piece of toast eaten the night before to help with my blood sugar, (see Juice Cleanse Day 2), I didn’t need food to even me out like I thought. I thought I would wake up and need a hearty bowl of oatmeal. It was not the case. I was not hungry or weak. I felt amazing. So surprised!

I used my crazy energy to clean my kitchen. I had motivation to clean out areas that I had put off for awhile, and as I cleaned I realized that I had major clarity of thought. Another thing that is hard to explain. My brain just felt clear and crisp.

Late afternoon, I started getting hungry for the first time all day and feeling a little energy slump. I made Tomatoes On Toast and it was a great snack! I went very light on the olive oil.

While I was making dinner, I decided to do a bunch of juicing on produce that I was afraid would go bad before I could use it. Adding food to this cleanse meant less juicing, and I did not want my produce to go to waste. I cut up broccoli to steam for dinner, and used the stalks for juicing. Broccoli stalk juice is not very appealing, but when added to a juice with other flavors it mellows out. I also juiced a bunch of swiss chard that was looking a little sad and limpy in my refrigerator. It made the most beautiful deep green juice!

I decided to experiment and pour both the broccoli stalk juice and swiss chard juice into ice cube trays. My theory is that if frozen, it will retain most of its nutrients. I will research more, but it was either that or let it go to waste. I am hoping to use them in green smoothies and even when making vegetable soup.

I will let you know what I find out and how it goes.

Dinner was simple whole wheat pasta with homemade tomato sauce, steamed broccoli, and a big spinach salad. I knew a heavier pasta and the steamed broccoli was a gamble on a digestive system that had a break for 2 days, and I wondered if I would feel sick. I didn’t. I felt a little too full, I ate too much, but comfortable.

Herbal tea before bed, and of course, drank water all day long.

I loved that I didn’t feel hungry all day. I loved my energy. There are other good things I am noticing but I will save that for another post!

Drinks/ RECIPES

Juice Cleanse Day 2- Fail or Lessons Learned

Day 2 was interesting.

It started out great. I knew I had energy before I was even vertical. My eyes popped open at 7:00 a.m. and I turned to my husband and said “I’m awake! Like REALLY awake!” It was weird to open my eyes and instantly feel awake and like getting up. Is this how you morning people feel? Jealous.

I started the day out with my typical lemon water. 16 oz.

For breakfast, I decided to skip the lighter breakfast juice options drinks and go right to the Mean Green.
It tasted good and I felt full.

The Mean Green

6 Kale Leaves

1 Cucumber

2 Green Apples

4 Celery

1/2 Lemon

1 Ginger Root (thumb size)

No headache from lack of coffee. The only ache or pain I had was slight headache on day 1 that lasted about 30 minutes. No big deal. I’ve been thankful, lots of people going through detox report headaches.

Mid morning, I started craving savory. Most of these juices have apples in them which make them more sweet. The thought of anything sweet was not appealing. I wanted a juice that tasted like a savory meal. I went through my recipes and found one that was called Bruchetta. I love Bruchetta, so off to the store to buy tomatoes and basil. Tomatoes was about the only vegetable that I didn’t buy (of course).

The Bruchetta

2 Roma Tomatoes

1-2 Cloves Garlic

20 leaves Basil

I made the Bruchetta. It didn’t make much juice, but it did hit the spot for my savor craving. I put ice in it, but after tasting it strained out the ice. I wanted it room temp. Actually, I wanted it hot like soup broth, but the rule is nothing over 104 degrees (kills nutrients?) and I didn’t want to take the time to check my soups temperature, so I drank it a bit chilled.

As the afternoon wore on, I started feeling tired, weak and hungry.

It got worse and worse around dinner time. I found myself craving foods I have not wanted in forever! I’m sure it didn’t help that I made lasagna for my family. I found myself staring at the noodles and wondered if licking the sauce off of them would count as ‘vegetable juice.’ I might or might not have stuck my finger in the sauce for a quick taste. Shhh.

My choice of juice for dinner was Beet Rejuvenator. I really used to hate beets, but the more I eat them, the more my palate adjusts. This juice was really quite good. It surprised me. The carrots help sweeten and ginger and lemon always add a great flavor. Cucumber mellows everything out.

The Beet Rejuvenator

3-4 Carrots

1 Cucumber

1/2 Lemon

1 Ginger Root (1 inch piece)

1/2 Beet Root(including stem and 1-2 leaves)

Night wore on and the hunger was not bad, but the cravings were. Hard to explain. I didn’t feel good at all. I wanted going to go for a night time run but there was no way my body would. I made some hot herbal tea and started reading up on side effects of juice fasting and yes, there are some, but the ones I was having were making me a little nervous. They seemed extreme. I was shaky, craving weird food, dizzy, and my brain felt cloudy. Foggy.

I told my husband I didn’t feel right. I stood up and instantly had to put my head between my legs. I felt like I was going to pass out. I immediately knew it was a blood sugar issue. I’ve always have had suspicions that I might be prone to hypoglycemia.

My husband asked me a question and I pretty much bit his head off. It was a good thing the kids were in bed at this time, or they may be headless, too. Right after my bite, I said, “something is wrong, I need to check my blood sugar. ” We have a kit in the house for my youngest, who was diagnosed with Diabetes but then the diagnosis was withdrawn (that’s another post, super awesome miracle), so we have a kit on hand.

Normal blood sugar for me is over 100. You are considered Hypoglycemic if you are under 70. It effects brain function if it goes under 50. I was at 68.

I immediately went to the kitchen, and cut up an orange. It was delicious. I also had a dry piece of toast, I wanted crackers, but we were out. I immediately felt better.

I checked my levels today and they are normal. Yay!

I am going to continue on with this, but I’m adding food. I will still get at least 2 fresh juices in each day, striving for 3, and eat very clean for my meals. I still feel like it is a cleanse, and at the Reboot site they have options for juice cleanses with food, so I don’t feel like this is a big fail. I will listen to my body and eat accordingly– unless it tells me to have a steak and a snickers bar.

While on message boards, I read something interesting that made a whole lot of sense to me. Here is the conversation:

Hey guys, a mild caution. Fasting is not for everyone. Most Americans will benefit, but not all. Fasts are good for people that have too much congestion, which most Americans have. But, if you are deficient of energy, pale tongue, a weak pulse, a fast can make you more deficient, and thus a bad thing. I have a friend who put a man on a fast, and his results were like this guys. The man was so impressed he sent his wife in to him. He thought why not? So he put her on the same fast and it almost killed her. She was weak, he was strong. She was deficient, he was excess. People who are weak, or deficient should not fast unless it is very carefully designed for them.

I’m not sure if my issues were I am small and have no extra weight on me, if my body was losing weight to quickly, (4 pounds in 2 days) or if I was already prone to hypoglycemia and my body just can’t handle juice only. It could also be that I didn’t drink enough juice, I just couldn’t fit in 5 a day, only 3. Most people don’t have an issue with this.

If you visit the Facebook page at Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead, there are people who THRIVE on long term juice fasts. There are real life stories of all types of weight loss and diseases that are being treated with juice! It seems especially useful for auto-immune disease.

I am still a huge fan of juicing and don’t want to discourage anyone from trying it. If you want encouragement, just visit their facebook page. The stories are amazingly inspirational.

I felt AWESOME the first day 1/2, and when I juiced through my cancer treatment ( I had one a day) it really kept me from getting too sick and I felt way better on those days, so I am excited to find the happy balance for me and my body. I am relieved I can experiment with grains, fruits and vegetables while on this cleanse. I will continue to juice and use up all the amazing produce in my refrigerator, eating as much as I can raw, but I will be also be adding some cooked food to my cleanse.

I will continue to post what I eat and how it makes me feel throughout the rest of this week.

Lessons learned?

~Pure juice fasting is great for a lot of people, but not for everyone.
~Listen to my body
~You can still have a successful cleanse by juicing and keeping diet clean
~There is a reason there are several “reboot” plans to choose from
~Food rocks! (but so does juice, especially Mean Green Juice!)

Drinks/ RECIPES

Juice Cleanse Day 1

Well, day one was easy. Much easier than I thought it would be. I had a slight headache for about 30 minutes in the morning. Probably lack of coffee. I experienced normal hunger right at meal times, until I drank my juice. The juice really filled me up, which surprised me, so much so, that I could not fit in the 2 juices that one should drink in between the breakfast, lunch and dinner time juices.

Breakfast:

The Carrot, Apple, Ginger

3 Organic Carrots

2 Organic Apples

1 Piece Ginger 1″

I threw a meal into the crockpot for my family, and when serving them I did struggle with wanting some of their brown rice, but not too bad. The only time I found myself really wanting to eat was late at night, after the kids went to bed. I usually eat something before bed so this is probably why. I made myself herbal tea and it actually took away my hunger feeling, which also surprised me.

My energy level was INSANE all day. I didn’t expect that. I have had friends tell me they get moody the first couple days. There are 2 reasons why I think it has been easier on me. The first is my diet was really good before starting the cleanse, eating mostly plant food. The second reason I will get to later, maybe..

As far as my elimination system, (yes I’m going to go there because I was curious myself as to how a juice cleanse would affect this), it was normal. Well, kinda. My kidneys got quite a workout having so much fluid in one day, so I found myself going more often, but nothing crazy with digestion/elimination. {blushing}

Lunch

The Mean Green

6 Kale Leaves

1 Cucumber

2 Green Apples

4 Celery

1/2 Lemon

1 Ginger Root (thumb size)

I exercised like normal, actually more than normal. I ran twice, once in the morning but that was cut short due to my turn to carpool! I ran again in the evening, only a short 20 minutes, in the rain. My ears almost froze off.

I lost 2 pounds in one day, and weight is not something I want to lose, so adding food back by day 4 is pretty much a no choice for me.

It was not too time consuming. Making a juice a rinsing my juicer takes me no longer that making a sandwich and putting everything away, so time wise it is no big deal. Actually, it makes life easier, not preparing food!

I use the Breville Compact Juice Fountain and I love it!

I am following a super easy juice plan. It is called Reboot. You must check it out if this interests you at all. It is an amazing site made by Joe Cross, the maker of the movie “Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead. There are 5 different of levels of juice cleanses. I am still not sure which one I am going to end up doing. I know for sure that I am doing a 3 day juice only (or long weekend) cleanse, and I am thinking it will turn into one of their other choices, up to a week.

Dinner

The Tangy Cabbage

2 Pears

2 Apples

2 Wedges Cabbage

2 Carrots

1 Lemon

1 Lime

This tasted like a super tangy limeade. I used 4 apples because I was out of pears. The apples made it sweet. My girls tasted this one and begged for more. It was really good, but was more of a snack than dinner. I wanted savory.

I ended the evening with some herbal tea. Day 1 down–not so bad!

To read my post called “Why A Juice Cleanse?” Click here.

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