Last Day of Fast

It is Day 10 of the 10 Day Juice Fast.  I am ready for it to end because I have been tired though not hungry.  I could continue, but this has been a good 10 days, and before I eat sold food (fruit) I will have completed nearly 11 days of fruit and vegetable juice fasting.

Still feeling a pleasant bliss, yet not motivated to engage in worldly business.  I have completed the tasks that needed to be completed today.  Luckily they were not too hard or time consuming.  The tiredness, both physical and mental, is a reason to return to a more broad and inclusive diet, i.e., one including good fat content, a bit higher protein, and more fiber.

Other than that my health has been good.  I sleep well at night, albeit less hours than I had been used to pre-fast.  Could that be why I am tired?  My nails are growing more quickly than usual.  Small cuts heal quickly.  I am calm and relaxed.  I feel a greater sense of compassion than usual.

For me, a fast once in a while is a good way to cleanse the system and return to food with more respect and enjoyment.  I do not expect to do a fast again this year.  Personally, I think it is nice to do this sort of thing when you are not under stress or working every day.  Others may be of differing opinion.

Tomorrow I will have some melon for lunch.  Watermelon or cantaloupe -- I have not yet decided.  Perhaps more melon for dinner.  If not, then a mixed vegetable juice which includes some leafy greens.  Post-fast day 2 and 3 I will have mixed vegetable juice for breakfast,  melon for lunch, and salad, with a little raw oil or avocado for dinner.  Day 4 the same, but 2 salads, instead of 1 throughout the day, plus gradually adding some nuts and seeds daily.  As you can see, this is a diet of predominately vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds.  The food is raw, as is the oil.  It is is simple and does not require much preparation or cleanup.  Cleaning the vegetables and juicer is often the most time consuming part of the meal.

I learned a lot from the people participating in the fast.  We communicated online daily.  Questions were asked and answered.  Comments and observations were posted by those who wished to do so.  If you have been following my blog, you know I quit coffee 2 months ago.  Within 4 days of quitting coffee I quit tea, and have been caffeine-free since then.   At that time I also ate raw food for 7 days straight.  I had been consuming about 80% raw food prior to that, but never went 100% raw for more than a few days at a time.  The 7 Day Raw Food Challenge program I followed gave me the info I needed to be more satisfied with raw food and clarified the quantities that one could eat -- probably more than you think!  If you want to check out the 7 Day Raw Food Challenge or 10 Day Juice Fast I participated in, get info on raw vegan food, other health topics, of just download a FREE Juice and Smoothie Recipe eBook, link to this site.  There are also hundreds of short videos on a variety of raw food and health topics on the site:
http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?af=1383344

Be well and happy,
Southwest Desert Blogger  
C. (c) 2011                           P.S.  To support this blog, use discount code WAL660 for $5 off first purchase at www.iherb.com .  They sell nutritional supplements, raw supplements (Garden of Life), raw and organic food such as tahini, coconut oils, energy bars, goji, etc., herbs, teas, organic and natural shampoos, conditioners, skin creams and lotions, cosmetics, dry skin brushes, Madre Labs acai and Cafeceps, organic soaps, raw organic cacao, organic raw chia seed, hemp seed, seaweed, nuts, kelp noodles, oils, homeopathics, organic pet food, etc. at discounts.  Currently, they ship free for US orders of $20 or more.  They also ship internationally.  Just enter code WAL660 at check out.    Plus, there are helpful product reviews.   And more free:  iherb offers a variety of FREE PRODUCTS to sample, so be sure to select one with your order. www.iherb.com .  Thanks.

Juice Fast: One More Day

Today is the 9th day of the 10 Day Juice Fast.  Honestly, I like the raw food better than the juice fast although, of course, the juice fast is raw because the juices are made with my juicer.  My mental energy is not as focused as I would like it to be.  I realize there are fasting groups doing 30 and 92 day fasts.  I cannot imagine functioning in the work-a-day world on a fast that long.  Perhaps the body and mind adjusts to the fast in the long run.

Physically I feel fine.  But, mentally I am in a relaxed zone that is not very grounded.  I get things done, but would not want to have a challenging day.  It is pleasant though.  Maybe this is how people operated before there were highways, deadlines, and the general stresses we live with these days.

I would also like to comment on the number of amateur faster videos online.  Clearly, many of them are first timers who aren't even using their juicers properly.  They apparently have not read the instructions that come with the juicer.  While it is admirable that someone is trying the discipline if a fast, some of them are hardly qualified to give advice, let alone run a juicer and camera at the same time.  Some of the online video advice contradicts other video advice.  Just do your research and do not take any one source for gospel.

Perhaps my favorite video of someone using his juicer is not a faster, but the proud owner of one of the new, state of the art juicers. Almost all you can see is his back, which is facing the camera as he feeds the juicer.  You cannot see the juicer, his hands, or the produce he is feeding into the juicer.  Why did he post this?  Then, he also posted a video where he apologizes for the first video and makes another marginal, irritating video of juicing.  Don't discount all juicer videos.  Some are excellent and instructive.
Some are amusing.  Some are junk.

Then there are the before and after videos of fasters.  I am told some of the before and after photos are photo shopped.  It is a reasonable assumption.  Who knows?   I don't have before and after photos for you.  I did not take any.  I do not lose much weight on a fast.  I have been told about 10 percent of fasters do not lose weight.  I do, however, feel lighter -- and not just lightheaded.  Obviously, there is less food in the digestive tract, thus the lightness.  The pants feel a bit looser.  The ring I usually wear feels loser.  I went for a hike the other day and my shoes felt looser!  That surprised me.

For me it will be back to the high raw diet after the fast; i.e., mostly raw food and raw juices.  If you want to learn more about the 10 day juice fast, the 7 day raw food challenge, or just want a free eBook with vegan juice and smoothie recipes and informative blog /videos (recommended by Southwest Desert Blogger) link to:
http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?af=1383344

Fast approaching the end of the fast,
Southwest Desert Blogger
C. (c)2011

Juice Fast Day 7

It is a very pleasant night in the Desert Southwest.  Temperature is a delightful 70 degrees (F) and there is a gentle rain.  This is the seventh day of the Juice Fast and it is going well.  I experienced some tiredness over the weekend so I took it easy.  My energy was variable this morning but leveled off nicely as the day wore on.  Still, I have been taking it easy.

I have been consuming an average of 14 cups of fresh juice per day, plus more than a liter of water.  Sounds like a lot, but it is about the right amount to maintain consistent energy throughout the day.
I juiced some perfectly sweet watermelon and cantaloupe with hearts of celery.  I juiced all sorts of vegetables including carrots, cucumbers, beets, spinach, chard, bok choy, cabbage, and sweet red bell pepper.  I harvested and juiced local prickly pear fruit (see previous blogs). I added an orange to my vegetable juice mix and it was quite good (or perhaps I am just hungry).  One evening I added a garlic clove and basil leaf to my vegetable juice.  I have been giving my 16 year old juicer quite a workout.

I notice fleeting periods of relaxed bliss.  My sense of sight seems heightened.  I nails are growing more quickly than usual.  I choose to remain somewhat detached from the cares of the world.

Yesterday I started thinking about food.  I thought of some nori sushi I made a while ago with cucumber, carrot, and avocado filling and ginger soy sauce.  Was I craving the minerals in the seaweed?  The fat in the avocado?  The salt in the soy sauce?  The thought passed as did the thought of fresh bread and butter.  More time has been spent thinking I need a new juicer.  Technology has advanced in the past 16 years.  I want a quieter machine with better yield, drier pulp, yet easy to clean.  I have been trying to figure out the payback time based on the price of the new juicer and the amount of money I will save on fresh produce if the juicer gets better yield.  Does this remind you of a school math problem where X = the amount of money saved per pound of greens, y = the amount of money saved per pound of carrots, and Z = the amount of money saved per pound of celery juiced in the new juicer?  The problem is X, Y, and Z are unknown numbers.

I almost forgot to tell you, I also had the juice of two baby coconuts -- a rare treat.  It was ambrosia.
If you would like to get a FREE Juice and Smoothie Recipes e-Book go to http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?af=1383344.

Ending one full week of the 10 Day Juice Fast,
Southwest Desert Blogger
C. (c) 2011                     P.S.  To support this blog, use discount code WAL660 for $5 off first purchase at www.iherb.com .  They sell nutritional supplements, raw supplements (Garden of Life), raw and organic food such as tahini, coconut oils, energy bars, goji, etc., herbs, teas, organic and natural shampoos, conditioners, skin creams and lotions, cosmetics, dry skin brushes, Madre Labs acai and Cafeceps, organic soaps, raw organic cacao, organic raw chia seed, hemp seed, seaweed, nuts, kelp noodles, oils, homeopathics, organic pet food, etc. at discounts.  Currently, they ship free for US orders of $20 or more.  They also ship internationally.  Just enter code WAL660 at check out.    Plus, there are helpful product reviews.   And more free:  iherb offers a variety of FREE PRODUCTS to sample, so be sure to select one with your order. www.iherb.com .  Thanks.

Prickly Pear Fruit and Juice Pictures

 I made another batch of prickly pear juice.  The pix came out this time.  The story in pictures:

A sample of the harvest with one fruit cut in half.  Notice the seeds.  The spots on the fruit are clusters of tiny, very fine needles.  I got a few in my fingers, but overall I was graceful.




I cut the fruit in half carefully using a small knife to stabilize the fruit while cutting with another knife.




Then I scooped the flesh out with a teaspoon.  It was the consistency of raspberry jam.  Please scroll down to see the fruit after the red flesh has been removed. 

This is the fruit of the prickly pear in a bowl, lined with a nylon mesh paint strainer bag.  I grabbed the bag and squeezed out the juice.

It was like milking a cow except that nearly a cup of hard, pinhead size seeds remained in the bag.

Prickly pear juice with camera flash that created the purple corona.

  You've seen the juice in the previous blog, but here it is again.  And it was just as good the second time!
On day 3 of the juice fast* and feeling fine,
your Southwest Desert Blogger
*Get a FREE e-book of juice and smoothie recipes, and 10 day juice fast info at this link:  
http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?af=1383344
Also, scroll down and see my slide show. 

C. (c)2011

Prickly Pear Juice

I finally went out and harvested about 2 dozen prickly pear fruit.  They are sometimes called "tuna" -- think chicken of the desert.  They were from several prickly pear cacti.  Some were large and plump; some were smaller and less juicy.  I documented the event, from the harvest fruit, the cutting and removing the seedy pulp, to straining it in a paint strainer, to the juice.  The photos did not come out.  Did I have the memory stick in backwards or what? 

My prickly pear fruit varied in size from about an inch to an inch and a quarter in length.  They have very fine, tiny needles on the surface.  I think the commercially available varieties are larger and do not have the needles.  I harvested them with a pliers, yet still got some needles in my finger tips.  I rinsed them with water and found the best way to handle them was to stab each one with a paring knife, put it on the cutting board covered with wax paper, cut it in half, and scoop out the ruby red pulp with a spoon while using the knife to stabilize the fruit.  I had already covered a bowl with a paint strainer bag.  You could use a strainer or nut milk bag.  The wild prickly pear fruit are dense with seeds the size of a pinhead.  Squeezing the juicy red seedy pulp through a paint strainer bag worked very well.

Prickly Pear Juice in a bowl (with flash reflection) -- the true color is the center red

I expected the juice to be tart because commercial prickly pear fruit products generally have sweetener added.  However, I was pleasantly surprised to find the juice very pleasing.  Not too sweet, yet easily drinkable.  The color is outstanding.  I went back to my bowl of juice to get a photo so you can see the color.  Then I finished the juice.  It tastes similar to watermelon juice.

A few notes regarding clean up:  I suspect this juice could stain so be careful.  I rinsed my utensils, cutting board, sink and counter area right after this project.  I covered the cutting board with waxed paper to prevent the cactus needles from lodging in the board or just going astray.  I did not put the remaining pulp in the paint strainer bag down the drain because it was almost 100 percent seeds.  The seeds are hard and there were about 3/4 cup of them -- hundreds of seeds!  I did not want them clogging the drain.  When you see the number of seeds in these fruits, you understand why the prickly pear is so prolific.

Close up of Prickly Pear Pads, flower, and unripe fruit (lower left).  The fruit will turn red but the spines (needles) remain.  The yellow dots on the fruit are clumps of tiny needles that make the fruit difficult to handle! 

If you try this at home, using wild prickly pear, I suggest protecting your hands and arms if you are not used to handling cactus.  This is not a beginner project for amateurs.  See the above photo of a wild Prickly Pear cactus.  In my area these plants average 4 feet tall and they are sharp!

Enjoying the local fruit,
Southwest Desert Blogger on Day 1 of the 10 Day Juice Fast
Get a FREE e-book of juices and smoothies, and 10 day juice fast info at this link:  
http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?af=1383344
C. (c)2011

Juice Fast

Three Pounds of Little Organic Apples

It is still hot and somewhat humid in the Southwest Desert.  It is just shy of 100 degrees (F.) and just over 50% humidity.  Everyone is getting tired of the summer heat and ready for it to cool.  I haven't felt like eating much so I decided to do a 10 day Juice Fast.  The juice fast or feast includes as much juice as one needs.  The average expected consumption is 12 to 16 cups of fruit and vegetable juices per day, as desired.  Sounds like a lot.  You can get the idea from the FREE e-book of juices and smoothies at   http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?af=1383344 .  That site also has info about the 10 day juice fast.  I will keep you posted as I progress with the fast.

So far I have purchased a watermelon, a pound of mixed baby greens, 2 bok choy leaves (because I am not sure I like bok choy in juice), 3 bunches celery, 1 cucumber, 1 half head green cabbage, 5 pounds carrots, 1 very large beet, 3 pounds little red apples (the photos above), 2 oranges, 6 little kiwi, 1 lime and a bunch of little lemons.  Most of that is organic.  We will see how long that lasts.  I estimate 2 to 3 days.

If you follow my blog you know I grow basil.  It is still looking good.  I cover the plant that is in full afternoon southwest desert sun to prevent it from burning.  On shady days and at night I uncover it.  I am told I can add a leaf or 2 to a pint of vegetable juice.  It seems to lend itself to tomato based juice.  I am cautioned not to add too much basil.  Perhaps some garlic or onion with that tomato basil juice.  Almost a liquid pizza sans cheese.

I may get brave and add some kale to juice this week.  I don't like kale.  I don't understand the allure of kale.  I fear even one kale leaf will destroy a perfectly good juice.  But I also remember that I used to fear green smoothies and they are quite good.  I can even load more than the suggested amount of baby spinach into a smoothie and like it.  See some of my July posts for my green smoothie adventures and yesterday's blog post for my secret smoothie ingredients.  Also, do download the free e-book from the link in the earlier part of this post.

Finally, what juicer do I use?  It is a Juiceman Jr. that is over 16 years old and still going.  It is fussy with greens, but I have learned to do all I can with it.  I have looked at the new fangled juicers and may treat myself to one someday.  For now, the old tried and true Juiceman Jr. will be with me through the next 10 days of over 100 cups of juice. 

Off we go on a juicy adventure,
your Southwest Desert Blogger
C. (c)2011
 P.S.  Let me gift you a code for $5 off any purchase at www.iherb.com .  They sell nutritional supplements, raw supplements, raw and organic food such as tahini, coconut oils, energy bars, goji, etc., herbs, teas, organic and natural shampoos, conditioners, skin creams and lotions, cosmetics, dry skin brushes, Madre Labs acai and Cafeceps, soaps such as Dr. Bronner's Castile, raw cacao, organic chia seed, hemp seed, seaweed, nuts, seaweed noodles, oils, homeopathics, organic pet food, etc. at discounts.  Currently, they ship free for orders of $20 or more.  They also ship internationally.  Just enter code WAL660 at check out.    Plus, there are helpful product reviews.   And more free:  iherb offers a variety of FREE PRODUCTS to sample, so be sure to select one with your order.  I think you will find iherb prices lower than your local store.  It is interesting to browse www.iherb.com so check it out.

More Raw

I have been high-raw, i.e., eating over 80 percent raw food, most days 100 percent raw vegan, (but who knows if the nuts are really raw?) for over 40 days.  I have not had coffee for 45 days.  It has been (prepare yourself for a cliche phrase) life changing.  I am surprised at how much I like it and how easy it is.  The greatest challenge, thus far, is social dining.  Despite this, the rewards are great.

My sleep has improved.  Cuts heal faster.  My mood is more upbeat.  I get going in the morning without the two-plus cups of coffee I used to require.  No coffee to grind.  No coffee maker to clean.  No coffee to buy.  I drink a quart of water in the morning (it is dry here in the Southwest Desert) and add juice of a half lemon or lime.  Then I juice a quart of vegetable juice.  I drink one or two pints, whatever I desire.  If I only drink one pint, I save the other in the fridge for later.  If I am still hungry I have some fruit or a salad.  Yes, a salad for breakfast -- or lunch.  And I mean a vegetable salad, although sometimes I add a bit of apple, peach, or nectarine. If the salad is not sufficient, I have some nuts or seeds afterwards.  Be careful not to go nuts with the nuts.  Unless you are breaking them out of their shells, they are too easy to eat.

I generally save my smoothie for lunch or afternoon.  I have been making my smoothies with frozen fruit and greens -- green smoothie.  I freeze fresh fruit, peeled if necessary and cut into pieces, when it is sweet and on sale.  The frozen fruit makes the smoothie almost like a sherbert and I eat it with a spoon.  It is cooling, tasty, thick, convenient, fast, easy, and healthy.  No added sugar.  No added fat. No animals, animal parts, or animal by-products in the blender. Trust me, I never wanted a green smoothie until I tried one during the 7 Day Raw Food Challenge.  Look for my previous posts Is Your Drink Green?, Got Greens?, and other posts from late July for my green smoothie recipes, thoughts, and observations during my raw genesis.  Also link to http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?af=1383344 for a FREE easy juice and smoothie recipe e-Book, other easy raw recipes, videos, and info about the 7 Day Raw Food Challenge I completed.

Let me give you a secret ingredient I add to my banana spinach smoothie --- cinnamon.  It adds a new taste and the health giving properties of cinnamon.  I also add 4 to 6 ice cubes because my blender can grind them.  Note that I do not have one of those super-duper  $400 blenders.  Just something better than the old, bottom-of-the-line $15 model I used to have, for years, until the plastic handle broke off the (what is it called?) blender pitcher (?).  To recap:  the secret ingredients are cinnamon and ice cubes.  ;-)

I go to a naturopathic doctor.  After I stopped coffee for several weeks, a noon time slump in energy that would have been boosted by caffeine became pronounced.  The doctor found that my pineal gland was weak.  This has been corrected and my energy is quite sufficient to get through the day and evening.  Had it not been for quitting coffee, I would never have known that my pineal, a master gland, was weak.
I was advised it is OK for me to take vitamin B12.  The naturopath I go to has been a vegetarian since the 1960s!  He takes some B12.  He works long days, sometimes over 12 hours, and goes to the gym to work out during lunch.  We need more role models who practice what they preach and don't do too much preaching.  Also, it is good to have a practitioner you trust who can intelligently support you when you change your diet.  You want to be sure you are getting all your nutritional needs met.

In a previous post I promised to print some quotes from a book I read, Blatant Raw Foodist Propaganda! or Sell Your Stove to the Junkman and Feel Great!  Here it is:
    Most people live on an omnivorous diet -- that is, anything that is possible to chew up and swallow      and live long enough to tell about it, they will eat.  But, for one reason or another, many people decide to adopt some restrictions...The great value of the raw food diet is its transformative value. To a great extent, when you take up the raw food diet, you become a new and different and better person.  You don't just stay the same old person, only a little healthier.  You become, to a great extent, a new being, with new interests, a new philosophy and outlook on life, new goals and desires...Such transformations of course are impossible to imagine before you have experienced them.  The raw foods diet doesn't so much "improve you" as "replace you" with somebody better!  -- Joe Alexander c.1990

Wow.  Lofty words Joe.  I could stand to be replaced with somebody better.

I am new and improved, or replaced...,
Southwest Desert Blogger
C. (c)2011






 

 

Dry Monsoon

Temperatures have been hovering around 110 degrees in the afternoons.  We are trying to have a monsoon but it has been a dry year.  The clouds rolled in this afternoon.  The sky got darker.  The wind kicked up and was gusting vigorously.  A few drops fell but the wind dried them quickly.  Then the rainbow formed.  For a while, there was a double rainbow, but the outer second rainbow was faint.  I stood out in the gusting wind, and the few sprinkles of rain the wind blew in, to watch the rainbow.  The sky turned red.  It was almost biblical.  The red sky was within the rainbow.  That passed.  The show went on for the better part of an hour. 

The dog was a bit nervous about the wind.  He couldn't understand why I was standing in the rain, what little there was of it.  Rain is so rare here we sometimes stand in the rain just to experience and enjoy it.  The box turtle came out for the rain, as she does.  The gusty wind blew away the monsoon insects.  It was a perfect time, although we could use some more rain.

Hope you see a rainbow.
Sincerely,
Southwest Desert Blogger
C. c(2011)

Mercury Retrograde

I see a note on my calendar that says "Merc Retro."  This is my shorthand for Mercury Retrograde.  It is an astrological term that refers to the illusion that the planet Mercury is going backwards, instead of forward in it's orbit.  Actually, I believe the Earth is just passing Mercury; thus, there is the illusion of Mercury going backwards.  This typically happens three or four times a year.

In astrology Mercury may be associated with communications and transportation.  Mercury retrograde may be a negative indicator for issues relating to communication and transportation.  For example, negotiations may not go smoothly, communications may be delayed, the check in the mail may be lost, there may be misunderstandings, etc.  Your flight may be delayed, but that could happen any day.  Some astrologers suggest you not sign contracts if you can avoid it during Mercury retrograde.  On the other hand, things that were previously lost or delayed may show up now to be completed.  For example, a lost object may be found, or an unfinished project may surface for completion.  Some say it is a good time to clean out closets.  Hint.

Mercury retrograde ends August 26 this year.  I don't know whether all this astrology stuff is the real deal or just a bunch of bull (sorry Taurus), but I plan to play it safe.

Going to clean out a closet,
I AM Southwest Desert Blogger
C. (c)2011 

Got Higher Prices?

I generally make one weekly shopping trip to the member discount warehouse I lovingly refer to as "Costlo" (costs low?).  I get my 10 pounds of organic carrots, a pound or two of organic spinach, a pound of lettuce, and maybe some bananas.  I might pick up something seasonally available, especially if it is organic.  I might occasionally make an impulse purchase or get something useful if it is on sale.

This week I noticed that the price of my bag of carrots increased 5 percent.  It is still a good deal, but I know the price went up either earlier this year or late last year.  I cannot say that all goods have increased across the board, but certainly, some of them have.  I believe my bag of coffee beans went up 10 percent over the past year.  I quit coffee so this is no longer an issue for me.  I no longer follow the price of coffee.  Seems the price of bread has gone up over the past few years and the quality has gone down.  I quit buying bread.  I quit chips -- potato, corn, pita.  But, I still eat vegetables.

Seems the price of cabbage has gone up.  Luckily I don't eat much cabbage.  I could give up carrots,  or . . . I can cut food costs by fasting.  If I fast one day every 10 days, it should cut my food costs 10 percent.  I wonder what that would do for me?  I have read that Patricia Bragg fasts one day a week, as did Paul Bragg.  That would cut food costs by 14 percent.  *Note: This is not medical advice, nor is it intended as such.  *Please do not try this without consulting your health care professional first.  I am just considering what others say they have done for health purposes and pointing to the economic impact of such behavior.  Apparently, the Braggs believe that their protocol has been (Paul is deceased) / is (Patricia is still alive as of this writing) healthy for them. 

I like food.  I have lost 30 pounds this year and my food bill is not lower than it was a year ago.  Interestingly, several folks have noticed that raw food consisting of vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds, costs more than other food, such as canned food or foods processed in some ways.  Granted, some processed foods are expensive such as gourmet frozen foods, deli prepared foods, and even processed raw food, i.e, food processed or "cooked" at low temperatures such as "raw" crackers.  (The exact temperature at which a food is still "raw" varies per source.  Some say as low as 104 degrees; some say higher.  The consensus seems to be that the temperature should be below the temperature that kills enzymes.  This begs the question: Do all food enzymes die at the same temperature?)

Back to fasting, let's see . . . How long would I have to fast, one day a week, to afford a new pair of running shoes?
Still wearing the same old shoes,
Southwest Desert Blogger
C. (c)2011