Spring Cleaning: Is a 10-day Juice Fast for You?
By Maribeth Abrams, MS, CNC
freshed, while removing toxins from your body and serving as inspiration to adopt a healthier lifestyle.
Y A 10-day juice fast is exactly as its name implies, which means that for ten days, the
only “food” you consume is fresh fruit and vegetable juice made in your home. Adjusting to the fast usually takes a few days. But once this adjustment period ends, you will likely have adequate energy needs to accomplish all of your usual activities such as working, caring for kids and even exercise. Like vacuuming, dusting and clearing out clutter, a 10-day juice fast can bring chal-
lenges. The trick is to know what to expect and to be guided by a practitioner with juice fast experience. Results can be highly rewarding and frequently include clear mental acuity and a decrease or disappearance in bloating, feelings of heaviness, and digestive problems, plus a few pounds lost, to boot. Simply stated, it can feel really good.
If you feel lethargic and heavy or are ready for an overall clean-up, you may benefit from a 10-Day Juice Fast. It that sounds like you, then here are a few things to consider:
• During the first few days of the fast, your body is adjusting to the liquid diet and you may feel hungry or particularly challenged by the sights and smells of food. Most people feel significantly better by the third or fourth day. If you fast for only a day or two, then you will probably miss out on the positive feelings that usually occur after the first few days of adjust- ment. • The three days leading up to the 10-Day Fast and the three days immediately following the 10-Day Fast are just as important as the fasting days themselves. Following your practitioner’s guidelines regarding these time frames is important to minimize potential detoxification symptoms and to better ensure a healthy diet following the fast. • Some people notice that during the fast, they experience a natural desire to let go of un- healthy or unproductive situations in their lives, and this can ultimately result in a cleanse of more than just the physical nature. Completing a 10-day juice fast is an amazing accomplishment, and many people say
afterwards that they look forward to doing it again in the future. While I don’t recommend the fast as an alternative to establishing long-term healthy habits, I do suggest that it can be a beneficial component of healthy living for many people. Some juices are made with mostly vegetables, and others contain mostly fruit. It’s fun to
be creative and discover combinations that you like, but sometimes following a recipe is a good way to get started. One of the important points when juicing is to incorporate as many greens into the juices as possible, and another is to not overdo the fruit. The trick is to add just enough sweetness to make greens palatable. Note: These recipes are to be made in a juicer rather than blender.
32 Natural Nutmeg April 2012
ou know that nice, clean feeling that comes from cleaning out the cobwebs and open- ing the windows to allow fresh, spring air to fill your home? Well, a 10-Day Juice Fast is kind of like that for your body. It’s a powerful way to feel light, clean, pure and re-
Lime Chard Here, apples and carrots create a tasty
base while limes impart a surprising burst of flavor.
1 dozen large carrots 1 whole bunch red chard (stems and leaves) 3 red apples, cored 2 limes, peeled Juice all of the ingredients. Stir well and enjoy. Makes about 1 quart
Bloody Mary
You won’t find any vodka here, but celery stands in for salt while scallions, jalapeno and even fresh horseradish give this tomato-based concoction quite a kick.
6 medium tomatoes 1 whole bunch celery (base and stems) 2 leaves kale ½ bunch cilantro 3 scallions 1-inch piece fresh horseradish 1 lemon, peeled ½ jalapeno, optional Juice all of the ingredients. Stir well and enjoy. Makes about 1 quart
Blueberry Supreme
Elegant and worthy of being served in a wine glass, this dark-hued juice imparts heavenly flavor.
3 cups blueberries 1 bag pre-washed spinach 3 Granny Smith apples, cored 1 medium cucumber Juice all of the ingredients. Stir well and enjoy. Makes about 1 quart
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52