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

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BOY and SOME RANDOM

I am just a Random blogger. 
I think in  Random. 
I speak in Random.                   
So I blog in Random. 

First off, today is my boys birthday.  He is too OLD, which makes me a lot older.  And yet I remember vividly everything that happened on that day 39 years ago.  How does that work?  I can't remember a phone number five seconds.  Greg and his family spent the weekend in Katy with Amanda and her family.  I was so sad not to be there, but here are a few snapshots. 

CUTE COUSINS


SUPER COUSINS

Parker and Austin at Dave and Busters

GRAY and GREG


I got permission to show you this next picture. I think I told you Parker has his first girlfriend. But none of us had seen her. This has been going on for several months and we were all wanting to see her. Last week I get a text of the two of them....She is a doll..I am hoping to meet her soon.
PARKER and GRACIE

TWO BEAUTIFUL GALS


I am so proud of Greg and the man he has become.  He is the hardest worker, most loving husband, SUPER DAD, most fun Uncle, biggest giver, (you cannot out give this boy), and he loves his Mom and Dad. 
So today I CELEBRATE MY BOY!


Moving on!  Jack is home from the hospital after a 4 day stay.  It turned out that he just needed a little medicine tune up.  He gave us a huge scare.  It has been 28 months since his stroke so I guess one hospital stay is not bad.  He had an upper respiratory infection along with some other things. I am so glad to have him home.  There is something about the hospital that just wears you out. 


A little update on the JUICING.  I got so many emails about it, wanting to know more.  I am almost afraid to talk about it.  Today is a month.  I don't want to say to much,
BUT IT IS WORKING!!!!!  I feel better, my clothes are loose, my rings are falling off, people that don't know what I am doing are staring to say, "You have lost weight"!  I have moved my bra snap over two notches, but I HAVE NOT WEIGHED.  My blood pressure has been so low...I have been taking it every night, just because I cannot believe it.  The last two nights its been 115/76.  So I know I am doing something good for my body.  And for the first time ever I am not "scared of the diet"!  I am not afraid of going off, going out of town, eating out..IT has just become a new way of life.  I CRAVE the JUICE.  I have not had a diet coke since I have been on it and had no desire.  Now I am juicing all through the day and eating a meal of whatever sounds good.  I just don't have the appetite to eat very much.  I don't understand it.  I have not wanted sweets at all.  And that is so not me.. 
So its a mystery.  My stomach has never growled and I am not hungry.  Some of you may no more about juicing and can explain it to me. 

 
An update on Crew...He is better but continues to fight one infection after another.  So keep him on your prayer list.  His sweet Mom stays exhausted. 

If you are one of those waiting on a card box, they are coming soon. 
They are packed and ready to mail.  I just cannot seem to get to the Post Office.




 
happy valentine day to all my blog friends
with love,
teresa