My 3 day juice fast

I was very excited to try doing a juice fast. I have met several people who have done extended (7 days and more) juice fasts who have spoken to me about how amazing they felt-The clarity, the energy, the flat stomach. They all swear by them.

I have also been doing some research into the benefits of fasting and that we humans are designed to go through periods of fasting. It gives our digestive system a break so it can repair and heal and the latest study I read was about how your whole immune system can be rebuilt after fasting for just 3 days.

I love trying new things and experimenting on myself when it comes to health. I never feel comfortable recommending anything to my clients unless it is something I personally have tried. So I thought it cant hurt, I may as well give it a go. Worst case scenario I waste 3 days and maybe lose some weight.

After a big vegetable shop (my organic grocer sure did love me this week), and convincing my mum to join me on the adventure I was ready to begin.

Each day consisted of 5 juices. I had a template I was following but really just made up my own combos using the template as a guide. I also made sure to drink plenty of water and herbal teas. Lets just say I couldn’t venture too fat from the toilet for the 3 days. Lucky I chose a week where I didn’t have too much on.

The daily routine:

7.30am Glass of warm water with the juice of ½ lemon

8am breakfast juice

9am Green tea

10.30am morning tea juice

1pm Lunch juice

2pm Green tea

3.30pm afternoon tea juice

6.30pm Dinner juice

8pm Chamomile tea

To be honest it wasn’t as hard as I expected. After reading several blogs where people found it very challenging I was expecting the worst. I didn’t suffer from any extreme symptoms. My head was a bit groggy, especially the first day but it never developed into a headache. The second and third day I did have a bit of a stomach-ache but it certainly wasn’t present the whole time. I felt a bit hungry at times but the juices were so big and I felt so full of fluid that the hunger was short lived. I also expected to not sleep very well as in the past I have never slept well on an empty stomach but I was feeling quite exhausted and really had no trouble in the sleeping department. The chamomile tea and Epsom salt baths I was having before dinner probably aided too.

I think I felt the best on the second day, which may have been because I was busy and distracted that day. I felt quite energetic and positive. The third day I was feeling a little irritable but certainly not as bad as I expected.

What I found the most challenging was my thoughts. The fact that I couldn’t eat food meant that I was constantly thinking about it. Although I wasn’t that hungry, food was always on my mind. It certainly didn’t help that my husband decided to enjoy food that we don’t normally have at home and bring home a pizza for dinner. I think the mind games we play with ourselves are always our biggest challenges.

The other challenge was all the preparation. It took about half an hour to cut the veggies, make the juices and wash the juicer. Doing this 5 times a day became a bit tedious. By the third day I had simply had enough of the juicing!

I didn’t quite experience the huge positive effects others had spoken to me about but I think 3 days probably wasn’t long enough to really feel light, free and clear. It was just long enough to give my body a nice break and recharge. It will be interesting to see how I feel over the next few days but today I still feel a bit tired. I definitely do feel lighter in my stomach (I lost about 1.5kgs) and not as foggy in the head. I am truly glad I gave it a go, especially since it is spring. A little internal spring-cleaning J. I could see myself doing it again and possibly for even longer next time!

I certainly do advocate doing some for of detoxification at least once a year and think spring is the perfect time. The juice fast is just one of many ways to aid the body’s natural detoxification pathway which is so important in our society where we are constantly bombarded with toxins and pollutants.

If you would like more information on what type of detoxification might be best for you feel free to contact me.

I would also love to hear your juice fasting experiences!

Guilt and gluten free banana bread

Healthy Banana Bread

Ingredients:

 

• 3 ripe bananas

• 3 eggs

• ½ cup coconut oil

• ½ teaspoon bicarb of soda

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 tablespoon cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon stevia

• 1 cup almond meal

• 1 cup coconut flour

Pre heat oven to 180 degrees and grease a loaf pan.

In a blender/thermomix or electric mixer mash up bananas. Add cinnamon, bicarb of soda and stevia. Add in coconut oil and eggs and mix until well combines.

Add coconut flour, almond meal and baking powder until folded in and batter is smooth.

Pour batter into baking pan and bake for 55 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

Spread with honey or maple syrup for extra sweetness, top with almond butter or regular butter or enjoy as is.

Spring cleaning the mind, body and spirit.

 
So what is the meaning of spring?

Spring is a time of transition. It is a time where we throw out the old and to make space for the new. Goodbye cold miserable winter and hello warmer days, bluer skies and sunshine.

It is the time of year when most animals give birth to their young, and sometimes a time of year when there can be a few deaths; letting go of the old to allow space for the new.

It is also an important time for reflection and letting go of any thoughts or beliefs that may no longer be serving us. This allows space for new thoughts, ideas and projects to begin.

This out with the old and in with the new is something to consider in all aspects of our lives.

We often think of spring-cleaning as a time to go through our house or cupboards and throw out (or donate) those clothes that we haven’t worn in years. This is however; is just one example of the type of cleaning out we should be doing during spring. This un-cluttering of our lives can be extremely therapeutic.

In terms of our thoughts/emotions it s very healthy to clean these out too as unhealthy emotions such as sadness, anger and resentment can negatively impact our physical health if not released. I always find crying, talking to someone or journaling the best ways to get emotions out of the system. According to the philosophy of Jin Shin Jyutsu, simply holding each finger like a hot dog for 5 minute each day helps to release any pent up emotions and relating physical conditions.

Your physical body also requires a spring clean at least once a year!

A detoxification program aiding your organs of elimination is something I make sure I do at least once a year. It is so important to give the body some help eliminating all the nasty toxins and chemicals we are constantly consuming, inhaling and getting through our skin. A few tips for helping your body in its natural detoxification pathways are:

·      Keep hydrated (drink at least 8 cups of water per day)

·      Start each day with a glass of warm water and the juice of half a lemon or 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

·      Take chlorophyll

·      Use a Milk Thistle supplement

Detoxing the lungs is something we are doing everyday simply by breathing. However, as many of us do not breath to the full capacity of out lungs there is old, stale air stagnating at the bottom. Every day we should be practicing deep breathing to aid with relaxation, optimising the amount of oxygen travelling around our bodies as well as to expel all that stale air we no longer need. Spring is the perfect time to get into the habit of deep breathing. ­

Our lymph (an important part of our immune system) can also become congested so another great way to spring clean the body is by getting a massage. This is a luxury most of us love so it shouldn’t be too hard to convince you to go treat yourself! Massage helps to stimulate lymph flow and boost the immune system. Dry brushing is another technique you can try. It not only stimulates lymph flow but it also removes dead skin making way for new fresh skin cells. This will leave you feeling refreshed and beautiful from the inside out.

The oral cavity is another area where bad bacteria and toxins can build up. Oil pulling helps to draw out toxins from the oral cavity reducing dental issues as it helps to remove any nasty bacteria. Simply swish 1 tablespoon of coconut oil around in your mouth for 10-20 minutes first thing each morning to experience these wonderful effects. It will also help reduce bad breath and naturally whiten the teeth too.

All these techniques will leave you feeling lighter, fresher, happier, more energised and ready for summer!

 

Are You Friends With Your Liver Vlog

There is SOOOOO much information flying around the health arena at the moment from different types of diets, supplements and in detoxing!

So why should we consider being kind to our liver?

Have any questions about the process involved? Hit me up with a comment below or email me direct.

Dionne