Herbal Juices

Taken from the book "Healing with Herbal Juices" by Siegfried Gursche

The following is a brief list of the juices which are particularly effective for specific complaints.

• Asthma - Thyme Juice (croupy coughs), Onion Juice (good for colds and mucus in the upper respiratory tract)
  
• Anemia - Spinach Juice (contains iron, plus specific vitamins and elements for building blood cells)
  
• Arthritis - Celery Juice, Horseradish Juice (both have diuretic properties work through the kidneys)
• Back Pain (lower) - Celery Juice (diuretic relieves pressure on muscles)
• Bladder Catarrah - Parsley Juice (stimulates kidney functions)
  
• Blood Pressure (high) - Garlic Juice (lowers blood pressure)
  
• Blood Purification - Dandelion Juice ((mobilizes toxins)
  
• Hot Flashes - Sage Juice
• Fever - Red Beet Juice (strengthens the immune system)
• Gall Bladder Complaints - Dandelion (inhibits gallstone formation)
• Gum Infection - Sage Juice (used as a mouthwash, disinfects)
• Headaches - Parsley Juice (affects blood vessles)
• Heartburn - Potato Juice (lowers the activity of the stomach glands)
• Laxative - Saurkraut Juice (normalizes intestinal flora, stmulates peristaltic movement)

For optimum utilization by the body, take the juice one quarter of an hour before meals or at least five minutes prior to any food consumption.

According to Siegfried Gursche most of these juices take 3 days for you to start noticing their effects.

Day 89

I've been feeling more and more like staying away from my computer lately - which doesn't work out well for someone who depends on a computer for her livelihood. I'm looking forward to my 3 weeks off. I can't believe I'm here only 3 more days to go.

A short run down of what the feast has done for me...
• My allergies are under control (and I'm now convinced most of the issues I was dealing with stemmed from the food choices I was making)
• I've released 27lbs
• I feel more grounded
• My creative fire is in overdrive
• I find I'm more present in my life (enjoying the moments more)
• I feel healthy and on most days energetic
• I know a lot more about how my body works and responds to stress, food & environment
• I've learned a lot about nutrition and health - and am deeply inspired to learn more and share with others what I"m finding out.
• I feel in control of my body again - I didn't feel that way for a long time after I was diagnosed with Hashimotos - my weight went up, my emotions and energy levels were all over the place, I didn't know what to do to feel normal again. Eating a raw food diet and following a TCM regime of Herbs really helped but, I still had issues - weight, fear that the problem would resurface, energy highs and lows.
• I've been experiencing Synchronicity (not just a raw food/juice hype - it is true!) - divine guidance call it what you will - it is happening.

I found a really interesting New York Times article today by Michael Pollan (author of the Omnivore's Dilemma ) titled "Unhappy Meals" - worth a read.

"Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.
That, more or less, is the short answer to the supposedly incredibly complicated and confusing question of what we humans should eat in order to be maximally healthy. I hate to give away the game right here at the beginning of a long essay, and I confess that I'm tempted to complicate matters in the interest of keeping things going for a few thousand more words..."

Here is the link to the article
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/28/health/28iht-web.0128foodMAGAZINE.4372043.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1

Doshas (Constitutional Types)

According to Ayurvedic (Indian) belief there are five elements - air, earth, fire and water. These elements make up everything in the universe including the human body. The elements come together to create three different constitutional types, or DOSHAs, known as Vata (airy), Pitta (fiery), and Kapha (earthy/watery).

It is thought that knowing your type can help you to understand what types of foods, and lifestyle habits can support your health or cause imbalances in the body.

Most people are a combination of types. The best way to find out what type you are is to visit an Ayurvedic doctor who will give you an exam and check your pulse. There are also several tests on the internet that will help give you clues as to what your type may be. 

Today I've been busy reading up on Doshas. Dr. Gabriel Cousens talks about Dual Dosha Constitutions in his book "Conscious Eating". Dr. Cousens believes that small imbalances in the dosha system can "create the seeds for the growth of future disease". What I am interested in about this belief system and what Dr. Cousens has to say about it is that by knowing your Dosha (mind/body type) you are equiped with information that helps make disease prevention and treatment considerably more specific to each individual. He says "Simply eating the foods that balance our Doshas can exert an astonishing positive influence on every aspect of our lives. Eating what is specifically best for ourselves, and not trying to fit into any external, generalized dietary concepts, is a major step in developing an individualized diet." I'm especially interested in what Dr. Cousins has to say about all this as he is a raw foodist and has adapted the Ayurvedic Dosha food suggestions to a raw/vegetarian foods diet. Also he makes comments on changing your diet for the seasons to help balance out your Doshas as the seasons change. Very interesting! 

Here are some of his basic comments on each type...

Vata: Eat small regular meals 3 times a day plus snacks. Blended soups are good (Vatas have problems breaking down leafy greens), Vatas are dry so foods that have moisture are better, Vatas may eat the full range of vegetables and salads particularly if they are combined with high-oil content foods, such as avacado or soaked nuts and seeds. Blending creates more water which is good. Vegetables that help balance a Vata are asparagus, beets, carrots, celery, cucumber, garlic green beans, okra, parsnips, radishes, turnips, sweet potatoes, zucchini. Sweet fruits are blanancing to. Mangoes and green grapes are excellent for vatas. Nuts and seeds are better taken as butters and milks since Vatas have poor digestive systems

Kapha: Raw food can tone up the digestive power of Kapha. Raw food produces less mucus (Kaphas have a lot of mucus and water), they should avoid fried, fatty oily foods. 2 main meals a day separated by at least six hours and avoid snacking, Kaphas have a slow metabolism and it is difficult for them to digest their foods, sweet, sour and salty foods unblanance kaphas, vegetables and leafy greens are good. they should eat warming spices to burn off mucus and stimulate metabolism. Pears & Apples are good fruits for Kaphas to eat. Grains aren't good for Kaphas because they are heavy and mucus producing. All raw, sprouted and soaked grains are acceptable. 

Pitta: A bland vegetarian/raw diet is best for the Pitta. It is best for Pittas to avoid caffeine, alchohol and all flesh foods. Foods that are sour also bother the Pitta (such as pickles or yogurt). Leafy green vegetables are very good. Foods that are sweet tasting are also balancing (except honey and molassas), Carrots and Beets are balancing. Pittas do best eating fruits and vegetables. They should avoid salty, pungent and sour tastes. They have fast metabolisms so 3 meals a day seperated by 4 hours is good.

A Dosha type quiz (lots all over the net - I did quite a few and came up Kapha-Vata for most) http://www.whatsyourdosha.com/index.php

Day 85

I'm counting down the days. I feel it is time to stop but, I told myself 92 days so 92 days it will be. I've been craving solid food for about a week now. No weight loss (or gain) for two weeks - I think this may be due to work/home stress more than anything else. I'm really seeing how much stress affects my body and working to change some of the things in my life that seem to be causing it. I'm looking forward to my vacation. I feel like I need some space and time to centre myself while I come off my juice feast. I keep thinking of the Jimmy Buffet song "Changes in latitude changes in attitude." - I know leaving my routine/home while I do this will be a challenge but, I think in the end it will be a good break and a chance to take my resolve out for a test drive.

Day 79 Juice Feast - Spicy Pizza Cracker Recipe

I'm feeling really good today. My brain is buzzing with a million projects I want to start. I had a woman laugh this weekend when I told her what I've been up to - she said "You don't do things by half measures do you?" - I was telling her that I'm juice feasting, meditating and trying to "wake up" on a personal level. I decided to take her comment as a compliment.

I'm so glad I decided to make meditating, practicing yoga and self examination a large part of my plan during this feast. Having these other things to focus on has really helped me through some difficult times. Life becomes very interesting when snacking/food isn't an option when you are bored, frustrated or need to be comforted. Physical detoxing I expected. It wasn't until 14 days or so into the feast that I was introduced to the idea of emotional detoxing. Having to face the lies I was telling myself about why, when and what I was choosing to eat has been eye opening.

In this last stage I'm starting to realize I'll never view food the same way again. I've been reading "Diet for a new America" this past week because I was thinking about what Anthony Robbins says about associating massive pain to a behavior you want to change. I think the book is working - I've been crying/angry through large parts of it. The "Omnivor's Dilema" is next... I feel like Alice in Wonderland -I've passed into this amazing new world - I hope things stay this vibrant and alive for me when I start to eat solid foods again fingers xed...

I'm still playing with my new dehydrator. I made what smells like pizza in it last night. I'm calling them Spicy Pizza Crackers (I'll try to post a photo in a day or two). My taste testers say they are really good (very spicy).

Spicy Pizza Crackers

• 4c corn (frozen seems to work better than fresh) thawed
• 1 jalapeno pepper (I like things spicy you may want to use 1/2 a pepper if you prefer a milder taste)
• 1 purple onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 large red pepper
• 2T ground flax seeds (I use my coffee grinder)

Chop onion and red pepper roughly and mix with remaining ingredients in a food processor till well mixed but still slightly chunky. Pour onto teflex sheets and spread out to .5" thickness score lightly with a spatula. Set dehyrator to 105 for 16 hours. Peel off teflex gently and return to deyhdrator on screens for 8-12 more hours.

Day 77

I haven't posted about my feast in a few days because I'm experiencing some anxiety over ending it. I know I still have 15 days to go but, always looking ahead I'm worried I'm not prepared for the next step. I realise that coming off this feast in a healthy way is in many ways just as important if not more so than the feast itself. I plan to take a full month to fully transition back to solid foods because I think it will take me that long to establish the new healthy eating patterns I hope to adopt. I broke it down and think I will do 8 days of each of the 3 steps that David suggests for coming off of the feast (instead of 6 days in total) - just because I think knowing myself that I'll need to go more slowly so I can stay in control.... sooo here is my plan

• 8 days juice and prunes + soak water
  
• 8 days green smoothies/juice juicy fruits
  
• 8 days green smoothies/juice juicy fruits, olives and salads
  

On a positive note I opened my excalibur yesterday and decided to try making yam crisps as a first project - My apartment smells wonderful but, I'm staying strong - I can try them soon enough. 

I've made 2 types and had a friend tell me what she thought (the verdict was delicious!)

here are the recipes

Curry Crisps

• 2 large sweet potatoes
  
• 6T sesame oil
  
• 1 lime
  
• 1t sea salt
  
• 2T curry powder
  
• 6T apple cider vinegar

Cut potatoes with mandoline slicer place into a bowl and toss with remaining ingredients until fully coated. 

Line dehydrator sheets with teflex and place sweet potato slices on (can over lap) 

Dehydrate 3hrs at 108F then flip onto mesh screens and dehydrate until crispy ( I let mine go over night).

Hot & Spicy Crisps

• 2 large sweet potatoes
  
• 6T olive oil (enough to just coat the slices so the other flavours will stick)
• 1t sea salt
  
• Hot Sauce (to taste)
• 6T apple CV

Cut potatoes with mandoline slicer place into a bowl and toss with remaining ingredients until fully coated. 

Line dehydrator sheets with teflex and place sweet potato slices on (can over lap) 

Dehydrate 3hrs at 108F then flip onto mesh screens and dehydrate until crispy ( I let mine go over night).

Cooked Foods

So what happens when you cook food?
Why might a diet high in raw foods be better?

1. When food is cooked above 117 degrees F for three minutes or longer, nutritional damage takes place.
2. Proteins begin coagulating and delaminating - leading to deficiency of some essential amino acids
3. Carbohydrates caramelize: overly heated fats generate numerous carcinogens including acrolein, nitrosamines, hydrocarbons, and benzopyrene (one of the most potent cancer-causing agents known)
   
4. Cooked proteins are readily putrefied by bacteria in the digestive tract and give rise to some very potent poisons such as ptomaine's, leukomaines, mercaptans, indoles, skatoles, ammonias, hydrogen sulfide, putrescine, cadaverine and more. These are absorbed into the blood and cause myriad's of disease conditions
5. Minerals quickly lose their organic context and are returned to their native state as they occur in soil, sea water, rocks, metals and so on. In such a state they are unusable and the body often shunts them aside where they may combine with saturated fats and cholesterol in the circulatory system, thus clogging it up with their cement-like plaque. Over 90% of Americans have plaque in their arteries!
6. Natural fibers break down: cellulose is completely changed from its natural condition: it loses its ability to sweep the alimentary canal clean, 30% to 50% of vitamins and minerals are destroyed,
7. 100% of enzymes are damaged: the body's enzyme potential is depleted which drains energy needed to maintain and repair tissue and organ systems, thereby shortening our life span
8. Pesticides are restructured into even more toxic compounds
9. Valuable oxygen is lost: free radicals are produced
10. Cooked food pathogens enervate the immune system
11. Heat degenerates nucleic acids and chlorophyll
12. Cooked foods not only take longer to digest but often prove to be indigestible and unassailable as in the case of heated proteins. Cooked foods quickly ferment and putrefy in the intestinal tract while living foods are almost totally absorbed before they're oxidized enough for yeast and bacterial ferments and putrefaction.

As temperature rises, each of these damaging events reduces the availability of individual nutrients. Modern food processing not only strips away natural anti-cancer agents, but searing heat forms potent cancer-producing chemicals in the process. Alien food substances are created that the body cannot metabolize.

Sources: JuiceFeasting.com & living-foods.com

Day 73

I decided to water fast this past Saturday and it went really well. No headaches or nausea just a little tired which was expected so I spent the day reading and lounging about. I've been taking the Intestinal Parisite Formula that was reccomended since day 65 and not to get into the disgusting details but... today there was a worm ewwww! I was feeling really grumpy and like something was going on starting Monday - I thought it might be because of the water fast the day before. Yesterday I was exhausted and went to bed around seven - still feeling grumpy and fighting off a headache. Then today the worm (and yes I'm 99% sure that is what it was). I know I should be feeling happy that it is out of my body but, I'm feeling a little more disturbed by the whole thing than thankful at this point. I'm sure I'll get there but, at this point eww is the best I can do.

Full Moon In Scorpio - Truth or Dare

Full moon in Scorpio today (also known as the truth or dare moon) - a time to face your fears and tell the truth. With this moon we look at the not so nice aspects of our personalities in order to bring them into the light - with the intent of releasing old attachments to pain and taking responsibility for our own future. It is also a time to honour the transformative power of truth-telling. During this full moon put into action by some sort of ritual the goals you set during the Taurus moon - have a look - be honest and make sure that your goals serve your highest good. Since this full moon lands on a water sign releasing your intents near water (lake/river/ocean) is a good idea, name your fears in front of a trusted friend(s) in order to set them free or write them down on a piece of paper rip it up and flush it down the toilet if you don't live near a body of water.

Day 68

I'm feeling so positive and full of energy. I don't know if it is juicing or Holosync (using around 9 days now) probably a bit of both. I find more and more that I'm living in the moment which is exactly what I've been hoping for. I'm still experiencing frustrating moments but, I seem to be dealing with them better.

I'll be finishing the feast June 1 and have decided to go to my parents farm June 3 until the end of the month while I transition back to solid foods. Things just seemed to fall into place that I should go in June. I've decided to look at this trip as an opportunity to be surrounded by moral support and to test my resolve in social situations.

I've been a bit of a hermit for the past few months totally focused on my Juice Feast - spending every spare moment I have educating myself about nutrition and health. I had a friend yesterday who told me to think cocoons and butterflies because saying I've been a hermit seems negative and cocoon implies change/growth and healing - which was the perfect thought because one of my biggest challenges has been to heal my thyroid (the butterfly shaped gland :) - My plan has been to celebrate the end of my feast with the purchase of a vitamix on day 92 but now I'm thinking I may need a little butterfly charm as well too remind me of why I am doing this and who I'm becoming.

:)

My beautiful friend...

My amazing talented friend Sattva wrote this beautiful song - her friend put it to music and made a video...

Reciprocity
(Strangers No More)

It s nice to hear you talk to me,
in tones of reciprocity.
Let us connect in honesty,
as we learn to love.

Its nice of you to come on by,
please come and hug me, dont be shy -
Ill stay with you as one well lie,
and gaze upon the moon

While you rest and wait in here,
let us not succumb to fear
lend me instead your listening ear,
to Truth we will connect.

And as we sit side by side,
and on the path of life we ride,
our spirits in God forever abide
so let us remember this.

And if we talk of spiritual things,
of all the gifts this dear life brings,
well let our souls and bodies sing,
and dance and sway tonight.

These are the precious, glorious times,
like dance and songs and fairy rhymes;
when we see, no longer blind
our hearts are open and pure.

In this way our souls endure,
for love becomes the shadows cure
and in Gods love we rest for sure,
as one we merge, as one.

Oh, when the night has come undone,
again we see the rising sun;
remember the closeness and the fun
till next I see your smile.

So goodbye, goodbye, for now we part,
but never so within the heart;
we have made a loving start
let us learn to love.

Chicken a la Carte

View this movie at cultureunplugged.com

Day 66 - Love and Fear

Day 66 feeling fantastic and I'm no longer afraid to think about the end of my feast.

For the longest time it has been - one day at a time - for me. I never wanted to think or talk about when I was planning on ending the feast or what that was going to look like. Now in the final stretch I'm left thinking - It's almost over! - I need a plan - am I ready?

I've been told that it is a good idea to take a full month to totally transition off the feast. So I'm thinking no bananas, avocados or nuts for the month of June just wonderful delicous crunchy salad greens and veggies after my week of juice/prunes and smoothies... And here it goes I'm going to put it down I'm going for the full 92 days :) June 1 here I come!

Day 64 - Rebuilding - Planning

I ran across an article by Matt Monarch today about gaining weight after a long term juice feast. After I got past thinking "great - this isn't what I needed to hear" I refocused on all the positive things that have been happening because I made the choice to do this. He does have many positive things to say about Juice Feasting but, the overall tone of the article may give some people pause so I decided not to repost it here. Ultimately reading the article was a good thing as it served to remind me just how important it is to have a solid food plan for the future and that I need to go back to the gym on a more regular basis so I can get my metabolism back up. For me this feast has been and continues to be an amazing experience. So I guess at this stage I need to start doing some research about how I'm going to successfully transition back to solid foods post feast.
If you are interested you can read the article here
www.rawspirit.org/juicefeasting.html

Juice Feasting the Basics

I've had a few people ask me what the "basic rules" of juice feasting are - as I understand them they are as follows...

• Drink a minimum of 4 quarts of fresh, raw (organic if possible) vegetable and fruit juice daily - that is12-20 pounds of fresh fruit and veg a day.
  
• 2lbs of green leafy vegetables and one head of celery daily (this is part of the 4 quarts not in addition to). Celery is important because it is very hydrating and alkalyzing. It is full of organic sodium and minerals.
  
• The idea is to re-mineralize, and alkalyze the leafy greens will help you do this (that is why it is important to consume more greens than fruit). Leafy greens will also supply you with protein.
  
• Some of the supplements suggested are Vitamineral Green, spirulina/chlorella, bee pollen granules, and 1-2 Tablespoons of high-Omega-3 content oils, I've talked with quite a few feasters who feel these are a great compliment to juice feasting but, not absolutely necessary. - I take them.
  
• As I've mentioned before daily enemas are suggested to help your body eliminate wastes more efficiently.
  
• Why not green smoothies? What about fiber? This is what David Rain has to say on the subject "Normaly, fiber is great for moving things through the intestinal tract and colon and an appropriate pace, but when the body must separate out juice from fiber, there is an energy expenditure there that is significant. One of our main aims in the Juice Feast is to reduce this burden as much as possible – give the body a vacation from solid food – so that the saved energy can be transferred to cleansing processes.
  
  The reason that fasting works is that you are giving your body physiological rest from digesting food. This rest allows the body to go about the process of "housecleaning" with the energy saved from the usual act of digestion. Juice Feasting works with the same principle. When you remove the fiber from your produce and drink plant juices, you give the body physiological rest. This principle is also known as "Physiological Compensation." My colleague John Rose writes about Herbert Shelton's explanation of this principle:
  
  Physiological Compensation - "Energy saved in one department may be expended in another." When we give our bodies a "solid food vacation" by only drinking freshly made fruit and vegetable juices, the energy that would have been used to convert the solid food into liquid is then redirected or re-channeled to the elimination cycle. Even though no solid food is going in, there will be massive amounts of uneliminated waste matter coming out of our intestines. Once our colon, which is our major channel of elimination, begins to free itself from its toxic load, then every cell in our bodies will start dumping out its accumulated waste matter into our system to be eliminated."

By drinking only juice, the body gets a break from digesting food. This energy can then be used instead to cleanse the body of old matter and ultimately rebuilt itself. David Rain, believes that most people need 92 days to fully cleanse, and overcome any health challenges. He believes the body goes back in time about 120 days for each day you are on the feast.

For more follow my link to the Juice Feasting website.