I am hyper aware of every little thing going on in my body. I am checking for aches and pains and energy drains more than usual while juicing and vegging it up. I have been very aware of my body for many years now – I mean since I took my health into my hands nearly eighteen years ago. Your body will tell you so much. Learning to listen to it, then to follow it, is an ongoing lesson.
The last two days are better than certainly the first three were. I write this on day six. Now, to be clear, I am not just juicing these ten days. I decided to do a combination of fruit and veggie smoothies (made with water) and juices with a little help from a small salad or piece of fruit when energy dips low. I did this for two reasons, one is economic. As a small business owner and solo-preneur, business is up and down all the time. Right before our planned fast, I lost all three steady private chef clients for different reasons and thus my income. We know vegetables are more expensive than say, MacDonalds (and I can’t tell you how sad and frustrated that makes me but that’s another blog.) So, I wanted to cut down on costs and see how I do stacked up against my sisters and their experiences. I also wanted to show others how you can do a veggie fast on a shoestring budget. I want this to be accessible to as many people as possible (numbers provided at the end of the ten days). If I can do it, having lost my income, so can you!
The other reason I did the juice and veggie fast this way is I know my digestive system and crash diets and fasts. This is not my first one. It is my first one in a couple of years so I knew that I do best if I give my digestive tract something to break down. I am extremely sensitive and I know I have certain constraints. When ever I have done something radical like this, I have had lots of detox reactions. This time was no different. But, it is better than any other fast/diet I have ever tried (next to blood type dieting by Dr. Peter D’Adamo but that’s a daily diet for life kind of thing).
So, as I listen to my body these last couple of days, I have been getting a little light headed and feel some exhaustion in my muscles especially as I climb stairs. Today, I decided to take a B Complex supplement to see if that helped and it did. I feel more energetic this afternoon. My memory is better. I am remembering to do things I am supposed to do and remembering things I memorize like numbers. I used to be near savant level with remembering numbers. Remembering my parents credit card number in college was especially dangerous! For them anyway . . .
My hips, neck and knees are creaky and a bit stiff. I notice them more in the morning as I get out of bed. The night sweats have diminished over the last six days and so have the hot flashes. One noticeable thing is I am more quick to tire out and have not felt like hiking. That’s unlike me as I love to do it and Griffith Park is my back yard.
I realize this sounds like I am suffering but the truth is I am not. I am really enjoying the benefits of mental clarity, less hot flashes, weight loss (five pounds),no bloating, limited gas, and feeling great about what I am putting into my body. Unlike Joe Cross, I don’t have any serious illnesses. I am not on any prescription medications, I am not obese and I have been eating intentionally for my health for the last two decades. I feel like, all in all, I am doing great for a sensitive girl who just wants natural hormone balancing. I press on. Day seven, here I come!
For more on living a Delicious And Healthy Life, see www.DeliciousAndHealthy.com