HEALTH Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead- Day 1

It may not be papaya that you are allergic to but the preservative or stabilizer that is put on the fruit......I would try fresh papaya when you visit a tropical region to see if you are allergic or not to fresh picked organic papaya. Have a benadryl ready though.

Day 3 of juice fast: cravings are just about gone. It is more of intellectual cravings (it is strange not to eat- especially foods I love) rather than physical cravings. I bought some treats at a bake sale today and brought them home to my kids- didn't even have a crumb. The headache I have been fighting since I gave up sugar and splenda is almost gone too.

I am growing as much of the produce as I can- we have a large orchard of apples that will be coming in later this summer. I have tons of lettuce and spinach ready to harvest now- kale and chard coming in soon- carrots too. The pulp is going straight to the chickens so not a total waste.

I think the reason that some people don't do well on it is if they eat mostly fruit juices. I am trying to make sure I avoid that but still need to move further in that direction (more veggies/less fruit). I am not expecting juicing to do anything but jolt me in the right direction. My husband is so overweight that his doctor has encouraged bypass surgery. I feel that juicing only for 10 days or so, and then adding small vegetable/fruit/protein dishes in (no wheat/sugar/etc) will do the same effect as a bypass without the permanence and the irreversible complications.

Someday, when my husband and I finally make it to Hawaii, I will try some fresh papaya

Amy

I wanted to bump this thread. After watching this inspiring film, I thought it was worth seeing for others that might have missed it.
I think a juicer is in my future

I have completed 5 days (now on day 6): Headache is gone, I feel completely normal, if not better. I am down 5 lbs since I started juicing (15 lbs since I started making changes a few months ago). I have no cravings at all. I have passed up cupcakes, cookies, lattes, BBQ, etc.

My husband is starting day 3. He is very anti-vegetable and pro beer and pizza. He is about 100lbs overweight and has terrible eczema that eats away his hands (no contact allergies that we have ever found). He lost about 8 lbs in the week before with me making all kinds of changes and not buying pop or junk food. He started the juicing on Saturday morning and has lost 5 additional pounds in 2 days. His borderline diabetes is doing great with fasting blood sugars of 119 and 120. He says he is surprised that he feels ok (we expected to feel terrible) even working around the farm. He drinks juice when he is hungry and has been drinking tons of water to prevent a gout attack. He actually has decided that he would like to continue the juicing every day at work long term because then he won't have to worry about finding something healthy to eat at work. So after the 10 days we plan on going back to mostly juicing and some small healthy meals until at goal weight.

Our spinach patch in the garden is decimated - I need to plant much more!

Amy

ainitfunny said:

The prohibitive COST of fresh fruits and vegetables nowadays, (what we used to pay per pound for MEAT,, POULTRY AND FISH not long ago) seems a significant drawback to home juicing. If you can't garden, it could, for many people be a deal breaker to all this healthy fresh food, and juicing stuff. Two bucks a small glass for $2+ a pound tomato juice is out of a lot of people's budget. And unless you shop DAILY you will end up throwing away a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables that go bad so fast nowadays.

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I cut my grocery bill in Half by eating Plant Strong. I eat fresh fruits, veggies, whole grains and beans. No oil, no dairy, no meats. And there are lots of frozen options that stay well longer than a week and have no added preservatives, salt or sugar to them. You just need to read labels and be a wise shopper. But it can be done on a budget.

DH has been doing a slightly different version of Dr. Oz's juice recipe that uses a lot of spinach. He loves it. We make up a batch in our Ninja blender and end up with almost a gallon that last about 4 or 5 days. Check out Dr. Oz's recipes and add or delete as your taste dictates. The only thing we don't like is the ginger, too peppery. Also, we don't use too much mint leaves, only about 3 or 4, it's a little overpowering and kale makes it a little too grainy. We add pineapple, apples, o.j., bananas, celery, carrots, spinach, kale, mint, yogurt, coconut milk, blueberries, cucumbers, lemons, limes, sometimes, strawberries, raspberries, black berries.

bethshaya said:

I cut my grocery bill in Half by eating Plant Strong. I eat fresh fruits, veggies, whole grains and beans. No oil, no dairy, no meats. And there are lots of frozen options that stay well longer than a week and have no added preservatives, salt or sugar to them. You just need to read labels and be a wise shopper. But it can be done on a budget.

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Good for you! I also eat "plant strong." Keep in mind, though, that eating strictly raw plants will give you great health benefits and results in the short term, but will be just as detrimental as eating fast food if you keep up this strict regimen long term. Humans are omnivores, and we were not created to live on raw plants only. Completely eliminating meats (amino acids and proteins), oils, legumes and essential fats will put you back down into a spiral of ill-feeling and bad health. Cooked foods and oils are absolutely necessary -- there's a reason why humans began using fire to cook. This is to be short-term only! Our brains are too large and cannot sustain itself on the calories eaten only from raw plants.

Good luck to you.

Oh, it isnt raw Jubilee. It is just no junk. It also includes whole grains, legumes. But it does eliminate oils, which are mistakenly thought of as "healthy". Essential fats can be found in vegetables and legumes. Whole foods. But dishes can be cooked. I use the website for lots of ideas for recipes.




Had a lasagna from sweet potatoes, wheat pasta lasagna noodles, onions, celery, mushrooms, peppers, tofu, tomatoes and a toasted cashew crumble top last night.


For lunch I had a Black Bean and Brown Rice Extravangaza.

Great thread. I support it. But give up even olive oil? My oh my. I am trying to get my Janine friend back from Israel. She is completely into this.
I have been a vegetarina since the 8th grade, 50+ years ago.

Update: Day 10 completed. I finished 10 days (my goal) and am down 7 lbs. My husband is down 10 lbs and is just starting day 8. He says he feels no need for coffee anymore (this is completely shocking!). We are going camping this weekend and juicing through the weekend (I will be slightly modified because I am done).

After this we plan to go back on juice, whole fruits and vegetables, olive oil, and lean meats for a while. I am going very much limit dairy, sugar, and wheat/grains.

Amy

amysgarden said:

So I watched the documentary "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead." It is a documentary about transformation through juicing. I have grown up a fast food child and regularly have eaten crap. I have also eaten pretty healthy with homegrown fruits, vegetables, and meat.

Over the last few years my weight has ballooned up, my lipids are high, and I am tired and feel like crap overall. When I watched the video, I was stunned at the changes - Sure I could excuse the weight loss (maybe they didn't drink enough calories)- but the changes in their cholesterol, and the elimination of medications and the changes in their energy level were inspiring.

The concept is to reset or reboot your lifestyle by juicing for a period of time, and after that, to continue that by adding juicing to your diet.

So, I (50lbs overweight) started today. My husband (100+lbs overweight) starts on Friday. Our goal is 10 days each and break the addiction to sugar, pop, artificial sweeteners, caffeine, wheat, grains, and other crappy food. Any weight loss in the initial part is a bonus, I expect the real weight loss to come after I break my cravings.

Also, I have a scheduled blood draw for my cholesterol in 2 months so it will be interesting to see the changes. My doc is so excited by my change in behavior and thinking.

I spent the last 45 or so days working on breaking old habits- stopping for fast food after work, eating chips from the bag at my bedside, dessert every night, stopping splenda, etc. I also worked on increasing good habits- walking more, taking hikes for fun, etc. I have lost about 10lbs from that alone. That change in mindset is what led me to this ability to make such a radical step. It also helped that I have bought very little crap food in the last month and so I don't have tempting food in every cupboard.

Has anyone else ever done a juice fast?

Amy

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In 2001 I did a 40-day juice fast (vegetable and fruit juices only) during which I lost 30 lbs and felt great except for the first three days when I was eliminationg toxins. I would never do it again unless I included plenty of protein. I lost muscle mass including heart muscle and developed atrial fibrillation. I could have died. I don't recommend a juice fast for more then three days. Juicing is fine in combination with a balanced diet and exercise so long as you don't overdo it on the fruits and spike your blood sugar.

Here's something the Fat,sick, and nearly dead website has to say about protein:
(go here for the full article):
http://www.rebootwithjoe.com/protein-the-reboot-setting-the-record-straight/

"Many vegetables have some but not all 9 amino acids and are called, “incomplete” proteins. There are, however, many excellent plant-based foods that are complete proteins."

and

"The goal is to consume a wide variety of plants day to day to naturally match up incomplete proteins over the course of a few days, to create complete proteins. This will provide all the necessary building blocks in a timely fashion for the body to work with."

and

"Clinically speaking, it is highly unlikely a healthy person will develop a protein deficiency in the time frame of the posted Reboot programs (5-15 days).

Green juices in particular are rather rich in protein, making them a cornerstone of any Reboot program. The amount of vegetables eaten during the Reboot for those who are eating + juicing, helps bump up the amount of protein an individual will consume in a day during their program.

Can I add protein powders during a Reboot?
If you feel you need more protein it is OK to include protein rich additives in your juice, as desired. It may not be necessary, but the Reboot is meant to be deeply personal and we support everyone’s choices when it comes to creating what works best.

Examples of situations where you may wish to add more protein to your juices include:
-Frequent or intense exercise
-Diabetes, pre-diabetes, insulin resistance, PCOS or other blood sugar regulation needs
-Hunger control issues that persist well into the Reboot, after increasing the amounts of juice and water consumed

Ideas for Reboot friendly additives to juice
-Chia seeds
-Hemp seed powder
-Ground flax seeds
-Spirulina
-Pea protein powder

I’m concerned about losing muscle mass during my Reboot.
Consuming protein rich vegetables and juices can help to maintain muscle mass while you are Rebooting. Walking and doing light weights can also help to preserve muscle mass. Juice and plant foods provide a big boost of nutrient dense meals and snacks so that overall nourishment is generally maintained during your Reboot. Not everyone loses a lot of muscle, even with a large amount of body weight lost during their Reboot. For example, Joe’s 100 pound weight loss during his 60 day reboot we saw in Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead, was 70% body fat and 30% muscle."

So, it seems that in order to preserve muscle, you need to juice with lots of protein rich veggies like kale (green juices) and less fruit based juices or add some protein powder or another extra source of protein for those that might have a greater need.

you guys are doing great! the wife and I juice just kind of for fun but it is a process that you have to plan out with having enough produce and not going broke buying all the stuff... whcih is why our juicer is usually only out in late summer. Im a big fan of adding a lime to almost any of the recipes for the flavor it gives. Keep it up!

bethshaya said:

Oh, it isnt raw Jubilee. It is just no junk. It also includes whole grains, legumes. But it does eliminate oils, which are mistakenly thought of as "healthy". Essential fats can be found in vegetables and legumes. Whole foods. But dishes can be cooked.

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Yes -- correct, if you're eating nuts and seeds, olives and avocados, then you're getting enough fats. But if you're relying only on vegetables and legumes, it's not enough. My ex's aunt was absolutely meticulous about not eating any oils or fats. She literally ate salads, rice, beans and had lemon juice or vinegar on her salads. No one saw a smidgen of fat ever touch her lips.

She had a massive stroke in her late 50s, and everyone was in total shock. All of her friends and family said, "But she never ate an ounce of fat!" Her doctor said that was the problem. Her veins and arteries were no longer pliable and soft -- they became hard and rigid. A human needs the right balance of Omega 3s and Omega 6 oils to be cardiovascularly healthy. Unless you're eating a ton of non-GMO soy and tofu, you're just not getting enough of that via veggies and legumes. The best sources of Omega 3 are nuts, seeds, fish and grass-fed beef.

I think it's awesome that you're such a clean eater. I just want to caution that eliminating fats to a severe degree can be just as harmful as eating too much. This aunt of my ex's also had the driest hair and skin, and had no dewy glow or elasticity to her skin tone. You could tell that she wasn't getting enough fats.

Amy, I am NOT "juicing" but EVEN THOUGH I DID't believe that it was MY problem, I DID TAKE YOUR ADVICE and cut out ALL the splenda and sweet and low i was using (THREE packs splenda in a big mug of tea and TWO packs sweet and low in a big mug of coffee, five times a day )

SInce I quit that 5 days ago,and started using a level teaspoon of sugar instead, my blood sugars have gone down a hundred points and the chronic diarrhea is slowly going away!

I sure miss "sweet" coffee and tea though. I cannot even taste a full teaspoon of sugar in a big mug of tea or coffee!

Congratulations on finishing your reboot Amy! We just got a new Breville juicer and man that thing is a gem compared to the dinosaur we had been using. Another friend of mine just bought an Omega juicer, one of the $350 models. Quietest juicer I have ever heard! Too rich for my pocketbook at the moment so we settled on the Breville.

Sherry in Ga

To maintain muscle mass, people would probably recommend a good whey protein. I have some, but haven't used it yet. I specifically want my husband to use it, since I can tell he is losing muscle due to aging.

Kittykits in addition to using the whey protein to build muscle, he is going to have to lift weights. Whey protein is not going to just build it for him My basic juice recipe is one apple, one stick of celery, 2-3 carrots, ginger, lime and 2-3 kale leaves. I also throw in some pineapple if I happen to have any. As for berries, I prefer to just eat them by the handfuls

Sherry in GA