Day One

Breakfast was the Roots and Fruits Juice. 

I headed to the doctor and was diagnosed with Bronchitis. I was resistant to being prescribed antibiotics but knew that if I didn't take care of it now, that I would end up with Pneumonia which has happened to me in the past. I realized that with the juice that I was off to a healthy start so was a good patient and have agreed to take the medication for 10 days. 

My doctor was impressed and congratulated me. I had chosen to go the juicing route. She is a firm believer of the Hunter and Gatherer diet.  Processed foods contribute nothing to the general well or health of the individual. I have committed to full blood work in three months time to see the results and to review it with her. 

Lunch was Green Carrot and Ginger Juice.  I decided to experiment and made one serving of the Beet-ini. which was fun, i drank half of the serving but within less then an hour I had a reaction that lasted throughout the day. it was definitely cleansing my body! I didn't have fresh mint which would give it a more cleaner taste and it was quite thick in consistency. 

The Beet-tini

Benefits of the Beet

• It contains sodium, phosphorus, calcium, sulphur, chlorine, iodine, iron, copper, vitamins B1, B2, C. 
• The juice is rich in easily digestible carbohydrates, but low in calories. 
• The protien factors or amino acids are good in both quality and qauntity. Rich in alkaline elecments, potassium, calcium, magnesium and iron. 
• Beet juice is rich in sodium, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, sulphur, chlorine, iodine, iron, copper, vitamins B1, B2, C 

• Beet juice in combination with carrot or cucumber is on the finest cleansers for the kidneys and gall bladder.  

Green Carrot Ginger Juice

Joe Cross's documentary has inspired me. When you are inspired, you share your excitement with others and you never know who you might convert.. Such was this case.. 

I had casually mentioned to my room mate about juicing and four days ago a new Big Boss juicer sat on the kitchen counter. The receipt for $60.00 waiting to be reimbursed. I had to laugh at the silly name and was curious to see if it could do the job that a Breville Juicer could. The Breville, priced at over $200 was something that I would aspire to at this point. 

http://www.amazon.com/Big-Boss-700-Watt-Juicer-Black/dp/B004FLK0IW

The machine sat in its box and I wasn't well enough to get the fresh produce I needed so the next night I went onto www.rebootwithjoe.com that I found the perfect recipe for the flu virus I was battling. I made a shopping list and once again, with encouragement.. the room mate went off to pick up the ingredients. Kale, Cucumber, Carrots, Fresh Ginger, Apples as well as Oranges, Spinach, Beets and Celery. 

My juice of choice, Green Carrot Ginger Juice promised to pack a punch by building my immunity. Essential minerals; Magnesium, Calcium, and Manganese. Vitamin B6. Beneficial in balancing blood sugars, soothing an upset stomach, and preventing muscle soreness. 

I was ready to begin! 

Juicing Tips

• Thoroughly wash all vegetables to remove any dirt or pesticides. Buying Organic will prevent issues such as pesticides and encourage maximum micro nutrients. 
• Remove any blemishes or dark spots. Fresh is always best and will provide you with the most nutritious juice! 
• Cut fruit in halves. Break other vegetables in sizes large enough to fit into juicer feed tube.   
•  Turn on juicer for 10 seconds before feeding vegetables into the chute. This will prevent the juicer from stalling. 
• Make sure to have container under spout to collect juice and monitor levels of juice to prevent spillage. 
• Roll leafy vegetables such as Kale into a ball and alternate with other vegetables to ease juice extraction and blend juice. 
• Serve and enjoy immediately. If you must, juice can be stored in a sealed glass Mason type jar in the fridge and be kept up to 2 days. 

Served with Ice. 

Cleanup Tips

•  Remove pulp from machine. Can be used for the compost or baked goods. I haven't gone that far, I toss mine into the garbage. 
• Disassemble all parts, rinse and clean immediately. Trust me, its much easier to do as soon as you are finished. Once produce fibers start to harden, you're not going to enjoy cleanup! 
• Tiny parts in the mesh can grow bacteria so for healthy juicing and for the life of your machine, take the time to clean and maintain your juicer with all its parts.  

Fresh fruits and vegetables taste nothing like the over processed, frozen or canned ones. I could taste each flavor and a bit more ginger was to my liking. I drank my juice, rested and tomorrow, I had a scheduled doctor's appointment because I saw no improvement with my worsening cough, sinuses and fatigue. I was curious to hear her thoughts on what was happening and I wanted to hear her opinion on juicing....

Rebooting My Life

A week ago, I was given a video to watch by a friend who is currently on a weight loss journey to better health. It was called,  Fat Sick and Nearly Dead. It is a documentary of Joe Cross, an Australian who was on a quest for better health by losing weight, eliminating his medications and dealing with a debilitating disease as he traveled the U.S., his story and inspired Phil, a trucker to lose weight through juicing.

I'm open minded enough to give it a watch and have watched plenty of videos including Food Matters, Supersize Me, Food Inc. and most recently Hungry for Change.  Watch the trailer here http://youtu.be/x9SGWcZwk7c

Fat Sick and Nearly Dead by Joe Cross. 

What impressed me most about this documentary was that it wasn't all soap box and preachy. His thoughts, ideas and logic was something that was easy to.. digest. One of the most simplistic scenes in the movie that resonated with me happened with the idea that as a child you would injure your body and the body's ability to heal itself. In today's society, we are quick to self medicate or see a doctor instead of supplying our body with a wealth of nutrients to basically reset, repair or as a computer does.. reboot!


The idea of juicing appeals to me because it involves no cooking, minimal prep, natural ingredients, no preservatives and improved health. Who doesn't want more energy, better sleep, clear skin, weight loss, and the potential to stop taking prescribed medications?

In December, I was overworked and stressed from a busy Christmas season in retail. On Christmas Day, I was so sick that I could only eat turkey soup and my three 3 day Christmas break that I had been looking forward to was spent in bed with the flu. During that time, I also had emergency dental surgery so in all ways I was very ill. I was tired, sick and not in a happy place. Finally, after all my body had been through, I was starting to feel more like myself.


Then, on the continued path of eating poorly and not getting enough sleep as well as constant contact with the viruses that are circulating, I got hit again. Out of frustration, I went to the doctor instead of medicating from the drugstore. My doctor, was unavailable so I settled for a medi center. There, I was given a prescription and told to get rest.

While resting, I sat down and took the time to watch the video. Juicing is something I want to incorporate into my life. Will I do it for 60 days? No.What I do know is that it is a great way to get me back to optimal health and supplement as well as inspire me to improve my current eating.

I will blog my journey to great health...