Wednesday, February 13, 2013

JUICE ON


I am posting this as I got some HATE comments from bloggers for talking about the juicing and not giving you enough information....Of course they did not sign them......but it was a shock....so I am posting a letter my ELF buddy and I sent to some friends here that wanted some INFORMATION.  

This is our story...


So many of you have emailed Terri and me about juicing. This is going to be my story and Terri may add a few things. She is busy getting ready for the Junior League show. I am almost scared to tell you what I know because if you know me well, you will find this very hard to believe.

After tree season and take down, Terri and I had both been battling upper respiratory infections, feeling generally YUK, no energy, and both needed to drop some weight...AND get our blood pressure down. I think we both realized we are not 30 anymore and just because we can work 12 hours a day our bodies were beginning to rebel.

So on a Sunday, a month ago, she told me she was going on a fruit and vegetable juice fast. (Number 1) I don't like fruits and vegetables, hardly know an apple from an orange and sure did not know what kale was (number 2) At church when they would ask people to raise their hands if they would commit to fast for someone sick, I would slip out to the bathroom, as I did not want to lie, I could not FAST. (just being honest) But she said "please do it with me" and "let's get healthy"!

So she started on a Sunday and I started on a Monday four weeks ago. I told one person. Mainly because I figured I would be off by Wednesday. My first questions were "do I have to give up coffee and diet coke"? She said just do what you can, she was going to drink 1 cup of coffee ....So that was my plan. Let me insert I have had a Diet Coke everyday for the last 25 or 30 years. Not 4 or 5 but at least one. And coffee was just a given. So there was no plans to give that up.

This is absolutely essential...GET A GOOD JUICER....I tried the cheap one and you will not juice long. I got the one the website we refer to often, suggested. But there are other good ones. Terri has a Sharper Image. Breville is the brand on the Reboot with Joe website and the one I bought from Best Buy. They have several models to pick from.

The produce part of the grocery store was only something I passed as on my way to cheese and crackers. I doubt Terri had ever seen me eat a vegetable other than a baked potato and we are together a lot. I really doubt if she has ever seen me eat a piece of fruit. She has seen me drink a lot of coffee, eat a lot of chicken salad, bread, cheese, crackers, potato soup, drink a lot of energy drinks, ...you get the picture...So no one is more surprised this worked for me than her. (Insert by Terri - yes, it's a miracle)

I started off saying I would do it three days and take a day off and then three more days..and that is what I did. The fourth day I went to one of my favorite places and ate my favorite meal and called her from the parking lot and told her I could only eat half my food and it was just OK....I needed some juice. I thought that must be a fluke so I juiced for three more days and then went to my second favorite place, Cush's for my much loved chicken salad. I ate two bites of half a sandwich. Now I am scared. What if I don't like food anymore? Then I just decided to juice and see how long I could....I would eat some nuts thru the day..but I was not interested in an apple...I wanted, no I craved juice. Now please don't laugh...You all know I don't cook, but it was so therapeutic to chop the fruit and vegetables. My fridge looked like the Farmers Market...I would call Terri from the grocery store talking low and ask her what a certain thing looked like. And ginger root..."Terri, Where is it in the store?" and then I saw it....and it was so ugly.

I listed a website below that answers all the questions you could possible have and we have referred to it often. Then I would be messaging Terri with a new discovery. We have been walking several miles a couple of times of week and all we talk about is how we feel different...Not THIN, but less THICK. or "What if we have not lost a pound"? or the best one was "look at my bra....its missing two oranges", then "I could move my bra over two notches"! I had this one friend that saw me once a week and every Monday she would say "You have lost weight"! Then my clothes were getting lose..Here is the clincher. I was never hungry...well maybe a few times and my stomach never growled and I was putting more fruits and vegetables in my body than they had had in 25 years. Energy was back. I really felt and feel like I had been "rebooted"! And no you do not stay in the bathroom all day, but I have peed my brains out. Terri was a little more rigid than me but she kept telling me to do it my way...That's what I would tell you. In 30 days, I had 7 meals...Besides that I juiced all day. I could not get enough. After two weeks I went to an already scheduled doctors app. He was so impressed that he took me off 1 blood pressure med...High blood pressure runs in my family, especially in women. Last night I took mine and it was 115/72. And guess what...I have not had nor wanted one DIET COKE. They are in the fridge, I just do not want one.

Last week Jack was in the hospital for 4 days....Stress and Panic...What would I do...I should have never worried ..Terri juiced for me everyday and either put it in my fridge or brought it to the hospital. That's a friend...We had not been at the ER an hour when here she came with two full jars of juice and I was never so glad to see her.

About Thurs of last week I realized I had not had a cup of coffee all week...Hospital coffee is so gross...and when I got home I just would wake up wanting juice. Strange and I cannot explain it.

I love making up recipes...The things my fridge is filled with and what I have juiced so far are celery, carrots, kale, ginger root, kale, pineapple, grapes, blueberries, strawberries, pears, tons of cucumbers,parsley. every kind of apple, every kind of orange, tangerines, honeydew melons, peaches, spinach, kiwi, blackberries, cabbage, purple lettuce, raspberries, lemons, limes, and mangos. I probably have left some out. ALWAYS OVER CRUSHED ICE.

If you watch this movie below on Netflix you will really consider this....

During this time neither of us had weighed...We were just going by what we weighed at our last doctors app (my doctor did not make me weigh when I had just started the juice) so for both of us it had been six months...For me I knew I had gained even more. I had gradually put on 25 pounds in 2 years. Jacks stroke 2 years ago and then when Amanda's family moved to Katy last July , I probably gained 15 pounds in a few weeks just so depressed I could not function. I had no motivation..I was doing good to get up everyday. I met Mr. Depression like I had never known. To be really honest I saw a counselor for the first time in my life. So every part of my body needed a REBOOT.

It has now been a month for both of us. Terri went to the doctor yesterday and had lost 14 pounds. I woke up this morning and decided it was time to at least look at the scales. I much prefer going by my clothes...but was happy to see I had lost 11.5 pounds.
I don't call this a diet. For the first time ever I am not afraid to go out of town, to go out to eat, to go to a birthday party, (that was always my thought on diets) because the juice will be there as soon as I get home. Jack even loves it and drinks a big glass every night.

Terri knows a lot more of the technical stuff about why this is working. We will be glad to answer any questions or ask Terri's daughter in law, as Olga has been juicing for a year. She is also 35 years younger than us and weighs 120. Olga lost about 40 lbs. and still juices and eats healthy to maintain her weight.
The web sites below have taught me everything I know plus you can also get a juice recipe in your email everyday. We have also found out that a lot of people have been juicing for a long time. This is not new.

I keep thinking I am going to wake up and crave food again. In the last month all I have really craved is juice..Me drinking kale and celery makes even me laugh.

Now a word from Terri

I never imagined juicing would be for Teresa, but I must say I'm thrilled she jumped on board with me. And she hates veggies - that is before she started juicing.

Juicing on any level whether a fast, just for breakfast or any meal will give you so many wonderful benefits. The reason for the suggested fast is to allow your intestinal tract to rest from digesting solid food and to detox. Juice absorbs into your cells within 15 minutes whereas food after being cooked, chewed and digesting does not give you the same powerful nutritional benefit. The other reason to juice is you can't possible consume the volume of raw foods to get as much as you would by juicing them.

I suggest watching "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead" by Joe Cross. You can watch it on Netflix, or go to this website for more info on it. http://www.fatsickandnearlydead.com/
Another great film is "Hungry for Change" also on Netflix.http://www.hungryforchange.tv/ You will be shocked to find out what our processed foods and animal products do to our health.
Watch "Food Matters".http://www.foodmatters.tv/
Another great book and film is "Forks Over Knives" how to eat a more plant based diet for health.http://www.forksoverknives.com

For me I was inspired to juice and eat healthy because I watched these documentaries and read as much as I could get my hands on. Once I understood the science of food and how it affects my body I knew I had to change.

I recommend you spend at least a week preparing to juice. Watch the videos, read the blogs, shop for your juicer and supplies (no food yet). You will be more successful if you are prepared. Most every question you will have is there.

Besides your juicer you will need glass canning jars or glass containers to store your juice. DO NOT USE PLASTIC. A citrus peeler is helpful. It works best to begin juicing when you have a couple of days to spend on it maybe a weekend. I'm preparing juice every other day making enough to last. You will find what works best for you. Juice can last about 48 hours or longer in the refrigerator.

Juice the rainbow - vary your recipes, but keep the ratio 80% veg to 20% fruit. There are thousands of recipes.
So now you just have to do it. Get ready for healthy results - lower blood pressure, reduced cholesterol, stable blood sugar, glowing skin, more energy, a great sense of clarity and well being.

More useful sites:
https://www.facebook.com/#!/VegetableJuicing
http://shop.jointhereboot.com/fat-sick-nearly-dead-dvd-p/fsd_dvd.htm
http://dishondesigngal.com/juicing-101-everything-you-probably-want-to-know-and-then-some/
Breville Juice Fountain Plus, Model # JE98XL at Best Buy Breville Juice Fountain Plus, Model # JE98XL

8 comments:

Brenda said...

Thanks for sharing. I think I missed the website that will give me more information about juicing. Can you give me the link? Are you spending more money on groceries? How much juice are you drinking a day? Sorry for more questions:)

Theresa said...

Sounds like it is really working Teresa! Keep up the good work! I am going to read some of these links!

Happy Valentine's Day!!! HUGS!

Mollye said...

Hi Teresa, I enjoyed your post on many levels but especially the part about diet Coke. I was also in the hospital last weekend because of stress induced elevated blood pressure and one of the things my husband and I decided to do after reading another article on artificial sweetners is to give up Diet Coke. WOW it has only been 4 days but we both are feeling more healthy. I plan to learn more about juicing as it is something my oldest daughter swears by too. Happy day of love, Mollye (another Shreveport blogger)

debi said...

I'm excited for you and excited to check this out! Loved the bra missing oranges LOL

Life is short let's feel good!!!

Hugs!

nancygrayce said...

I have some friends who juice and have recommended it for a while now, but I didn't t think it was for me....I'm curious to try it now....

I am shocked at people who leave hateful messages, so sorry for that!

Brandi said...

Awesome!!!!! Great job!!!!!! Love this post!!

Terra said...

Oh Theresa, the ingredients you use make the juice sound delicious and healthy too. I like fresh fruit and vegetables and am not interested in juicing at this time but it sounds fabulous for you. Well done girl friend.

Chris H said...

I'm glad you are doing well.
Someone mentioned Diet coke and my 'ears' pricked up.
I am addicted to the stuff. It's all I drink.
About 1.5 litres a day! If I don't drink it I get migraine headaches. *sigh*