3 Day Juice Cleanse - Day 2

Since this is a short cleanse, this is going to be a short entry. I feel better already. I woke up feeling lighter, energetic and not anxious at all.

Day 2:
32oz Juice: Kale, Carrots, Apples, Oranges, Ginger, Celery, Cucumber 

I made a big batch for the day again. I know that the juice loses nutrients if it sits, but making it as needed it is not an option in my day of juggling work and a baby. Anyway, I had energy all day, I was a bit hungry mid day again, but it was curbed by 2 glasses of juice. I am down 2 lbs and feeling fantastic. My skin even looks brighter. It's amazing what a little juice can do. I am also sleeping, which is more than I can say for a week ago! Oh what a relief! It really isn't that hard either. The hardest part is my husbands desire to eat the most desirable foods these past couple of days. WILL POWER!

On the final day I plan to treat myself to a sashimi dinner, a nice light way to introduce food back into my diet.

3 Day Juice Cleanse - Day 1

Lately, I have been challenging the norm of the typical American diet. I eat healthy. Let me rephrase that, I eat healthy in terms of what I was taught to believe is healthy. The general belief in America (which we are taught as early as kindergarten) is to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner all based around the food pyramid. Okay, it's logical to a certain extent, but why if I am following those guidelines do I feel anxious, sluggish, irritable etc. I started to pay closer attention to the symptoms and found that they came after meals.  I wanted to start fresh and flush my body of what is perceived to be healthy with a juice cleanse of fresh fruits and vegetables that I know make me feel great. After the cleanse, I plan on selectively adding foods back into my diet in order to more easily detect foods that may be working against my body instead of with my body.

Day 1
Food: I made a 32oz batch to last me the whole day:
4 bushels of Kale, A little Ginger, 3 stalks of Celery, Four Apples, One Cucumber, One Pineapple

Reflection: It was easier than I thought it would be. I even passed up a hearty Italian meal from one of my favorite restaurants for dinner. I did find myself hungry around lunch time, but it only lasted a few minutes. I guzzled a glass of my juice and felt fine again. My mind has also settled, I don't feel very anxious and my energy level is average.  I am also not tired.  Only two days left!  

Baby Toys, Overrated?

The baby toy industry is cleaning up. There are noise makers, plastic keys, stuffed animals, teething toys, rubber duckies, etc. I have baskets filled, I know. Luna is only 10 months and has more toys than FAO Schwarz! Okay, so not that many, but a lot. I can only imagine how many more she will collect with her first birthday coming up! My low patients for clutter is already designating places for her new toys!

Anyway, I am sure most parent can relate, no matter how many cool new toys your little one has it is always the unexpected that catches and holds a babies attention. Luna's favorite toys are the hamper, an empty water bottle, straws, my camera case, any iPhone, and our vacuum.  I think we need to rethink this whole toy industry :)

Numb-Founded

I overheard a conversation between a guy and a girl the other day. The one was about ready to drink a bottled beverage when the other took it out of her hands and started reading the label. He said, "Do you know what is in this? Some of these ingredients have been closely linked to cancer. This could kill you!" She shrugged her shoulders, took it out of his hands and started to drink it.

Have we really become that numb as a society? We can blame the large companies who put these things on the market, but what ever happened to our instinct for survival? We know things are bad for us, yet we indulge anyway. Cigarettes are a great example , the package even says "may cause cancer". They have killed so many people, yet so many millions still smoke. 

We only care when it is too late. We regret the bad decisions in a hospital bed, up until that point we glaze over and only hear what we want to. We aren't invincible.  The decisions we make today will effect us and others for a lifetime. What will it take to wake up our numb society and regain that instinct for survival? 

Personal responsibility. 

I Deserve It

We have become an "I deserve it" generation. Whether we know it or not, in the last 70 years we have lost the concept of living within our means and instead have become slaves of debt. The norm for my generation includes a mortgage, student loans, car payment and a minimum of one or two credit cards. Buying something when you have the money for it is a thing of the past. The average household owes well over $15k and that doesn't include home mortgages. Before there were loans and credit cards people actually saved up for their homes, bought their cars with cash and didn't have EVERYTHING they wanted (new iPhone, latest Nike's etc.), but they still survived.  Ask yourself this; is it that the cost of everything is so high that we need a loan to afford the things that we need/want or is it that we feel that we are entitled to have the things we can't afford? 

Debt has become a norm in America, ask the US government.  It is a very hard culture to crack and I only see it getting worse unless everyone starts taking personal responsibility and living out of the norm.  I passed a billboard the other day that said "Get Engaged...for only $129 a month".  Really? It was an advertisement for engagement rings.  What a way to start a marriage.  The "I deserve it" equals "over-extended", its no wonder that America has such high cases of anxiety, depression, divorce etc, etc.  Stop and think about it, where would you be if you never took out a loan (yes a mortgage, car and student loans count) or never signed up for a credit card.  What wouldn't you have and would you be able to survive? For most of us that is a hard question because we can't remember back that far. Try this one, how much money have you paid in interest on these loans in the past five years and what better things could you have done with that money? 

Dave Ramsey of Financial Peace has some great advise on how to obtain a debt free lifestyle. As Craig Groeschel from LifeChurch puts it "say no for a little, so you can say yes forever".  It is truly a freeing experience when you are not a "slave to the lender".   

Beautiful Fields of Corn

Have you ever driven through the country during the summer months and taken notice to the beautiful fields of corn rhythmically waving in the breeze?  They stand as a symbol to me of a simple and hard working lifestyle.  They always take me a step back from the hustle and bustle of every day life separating me from the technology that powers our fast paced society.  I enjoy the calming effects as I drive by and spend a few seconds in pure inner peace.  I never really thought any further about the fields until recently.

Why are there so many corn fields? Most of the corn fields alternated with soy bean fields, who needs that many soy beans?  This is where the peace and tranquility takes a screeching stop and is run over by big business, yet again. Corn and soy are both inexpensive crops and are now staple ingredients in almost all processed foods.  If you don't believe it, just look at the label.  There is usually some sort of corn or soy derivative listed.  Ahh yes, that is why we need all of these beautiful fields of corn and soy.

Okay, why is this so bad? First of all, the hard working farmers that are producing these crops are basically owned by big business, it is a catch 22. If they don't sell out to big business than they have a hard time surviving in the market monopolized by corporations, but if they do sell out they are practically indentured servants.  It is really disheartening what is happening to our farming society.  Big corporations usually dictate the who, what, when, where and how to grow their crop.  If they don't follow their strict guidelines, including using their GE seeds (See my article about GMO's), they risk losing their only customer and in turn their livelihood.  The documentary Food, Inc. can give you more incite to this if you are interested. 

Corn also has a very high Omega 6 to Omega 3 ratio. A healthy diet should have a ration as close to 5:1 Omega 6 to 3 as possible, or lower.  Corn has a ratio of above 40:1. A ratio this lopsided is linked to many diseases including heart disease and diabetes.  Now, eating one ear of corn for dinner is one thing, but now imagine all of the other places that you are ingesting this high ratio of Omega 6 to 3's.  No wonder America has so many health problems. 

Bottom line, support your local farmers by buying local, it might cost a little more, but it is worth it.  Also, start reading labels.  Play it safe and avoid products that contain corn or soy additives so that your health does not suffer.  It takes time and adjustment at first, but eventually it becomes human nature. 

The Relearning Process

We are our parents children. We are raised by them, led by them and most of us inevitably become them.  It only makes sense.  This is how we are conditioned. Growing up, what comes in is usually filtered and tweaked through their perception of reality and what they think is in our best interest.  Their perception of reality soon becomes our perception of reality in one way or another.  For example, I was raised on no fat/low fat labels and college after high school. Junk food could only be found hidden under my bed and Nintendo was not necessary when you have nature.  Seatbelts were an accessory and breakfast was a necessity.  Being 'on time' meant 30 minutes late and bike/riding helmets were exempt.     

Our thoughts and lifestyles are also shaped by society.  "First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes baby in a baby carriage." Do you remember that rhyme? I am not saying it is bad by any means, but just to provoke some thought ask yourself these questions; "Why is blue associated with boys and pink with girls?" "Why are the majority of American's indebted to someone?" Yes, a mortgage or car loan count.  "Why must we wear shoes, or clothes for that matter?" 40hr work week. Need I say more? "How about health insurance, car insurance, life insurance, home insurance etc." And the list goes on.

Only out of mere curiosity and the desire to explore, I have come to a point where I would like to learn things on my own terms and make my own perception of reality, this is what I call "The Relearning Process".