Fit Fare

“So many good things are happening for me during this juice feast, it is very exciting. I truly love my life and more important, I love myself.” - Melissa Gilbert, of Love Raw Life, Day 64

Juice Feasting is spreading through the raw foods community at a fever pitch. My fellow bloggers and juice feasters were gracious enough to share their “juicy” experiences.

Santi, Individualized Superfood Juice Feast, Day 44
Kelly, Raw in Montana, Day 42
Neens, Power of Raw, Day 38
Jack and Jill completed their feast at Day 32
Philip, Loving Raw, Day 17

When did you first hear about juice feasting?
Melissa: It has been awhile already, I think it was when my friend Angela Stokes was doing her 92 day juice feast. I have always fasted on a regular basis, but I have not personally done a juice feast. It is much easier than a fast. I am enjoying the process.

Santi: I first heard about juice feasting through a friend, Jimmy Braskett, who had decided to do a juice feast with his friend, Angela Stokes. So, the three of us juice feasted at the same time in 2006/2007. The concept of juice feasting was further reinforced for me during the time in which I was living with David and Katrina Rainoshek (of juicefeasting.com). It was wonderful experience to be in the energy of those two, who are radiant and beautiful lights.

Neens: I came across juicefeasting.com on Angela Stokes’ blog Raw Reform in November last year. It didn’t take long before I decided this was something I wanted to do as well, and I started my feast on 31 December 2007.

Jack and Jill: We’ve done long fasts before (Jill: 30 days, Jack: 54 days) but we discovered “feasting” from the News Target website.

Philip: I saw Angela Stoke’s video on rawreform a while back before I met her.

Author’s note: Angela Stokes put juice feasting on the map when she blogged about her Juice feasting experiences in 2006-2007 and produced an eight-minute video eating her first solid, a soaked prune.

How long do you plan on juice feasting?
Melissa: Officially I will be feasting for 92 days. I may take it a little longer. I will make that decision when I get to the 92 day mark. I always listen to what my body has to tell me and if says stop then I will, but if it wants more then I will do that too. My 92 days are up in the month of March, when typically I would begin a fast. It is the perfect time of year for feasting or fasting.

Santi: I plan on juice feasting for as long as my body tells me to. This could be anywhere from 60-92 days.

Kelly: 60 days. I was full on Juice Feasting for the first 30 days, then modified Juice Feast for the last 30 days (which is simply still the fresh juices, while adding green smoothies and green blended soups). Initially, I thought 60-92 days, but since I have no illness and have already attained the lowest weight I want to go, David Rainoshek has coached me to choose this program I stated above.

Neens: I’m hoping to go all 92 days, but I am taking it one day at the time to avoid putting any pressure on myself - that way I can’t “fail”!

Jack and Jill: We are staying very open about this. As long as it feels good and right, we are going to try to stay with it. We aspire to going all the way (92 days), but will stop sooner if that makes sense to us.

Philip: 92 days

What do you hope to accomplish by juice feasting?
Melissa: The best, healthiest me possible. I am concentrating on healing my body and also taking myself to a higher level of spirituality during this feast.

Santi: This time I am doing it for a very specific reason, which is to assist Gabriel Cousens in generating an individualized juice feasting protocol for the Tree of Life Rejuvenation Center. What I am doing is called “individualized Superfood Juice Feasting”. What this means is that I have determined both my metabolic type as well as my unique constitution, as outlined specifically in the book, “Conscious Eating” by Gabriel Cousens. I am then taking specific supplements and juice intake based on this information.

Kelly: I have several goals…to cleanse my body to prepare for pregnancy in the next few years, to cleanse heavy metals out of my body as I just had all the mercury removed from my dentistry, to move into raw foods in a
very healthy and appropriate way, to move away from addictive
food and social patterns such as tortilla chips, popcorn and eating simply because others are. Last, but certainly not least, I am Juice Feasting for spiritual clarity and enlightened intuition, which has been a wonderful gift on my journey thus far!

Neens: I want to detox on as deep a level as possible, and lose excess weight. I’m also hoping that after three months on fresh juices the cravings for cooked food will have disappeared entirely, making it easier to stay 100% raw. I am already noticing that my tastebuds are changing… store-bought juice tastes awful to me now!

Jack and Jill: The primary goal is deep cleaning. For Jill, who is an artist, there has been a history of work with toxic substances and some fear about what poisons are lurking in body tissues. For Jack, the main goal is to lose weight, which is really just part and parcel of feeling more healthy. We would both like to fast for long enough to clear out some of the cravings for cooked and unhealthy food.

Philip: Weight loss, cleaner body, vibrant skin and eyes, additional clarity, new place spiritually, breaking overeating habits.

What are some of the challenges that you are encountering with your juice feast?
Melissa: Humm, Not really anything that is major. My husband is helping to prepare raw dishes for himself and Alex (with my help), so that is a big thing for me, not having to prepare any meals, which sometimes that can be hard for me. I like to feed my men. I went through a one week period that I was detoxing pretty heavily and that was a challenge as far as being the mom and tending to Alex, but I got over it and all is well.

Melissa also runs the blog Raw Baby Alex, which documents feeding her toddler an all-raw vegan diet.

Santi: Making time for a morning enema each day, staying warm at times (ginger and cayenne help a lot in a warm to the touch “soup”)

Kelly: The mental challenges have really been the only real challenges. I have gone through two major mental challenges-the first being day two and three when I questioned myself if this was really the appropriate time and part of my psyche tried to talk me into waiting until March for the Global Juice Feast! Another time was around day 13 and 14
when my mother-in-law broke her Juice Feast and two weeks was feeling like quite an accomplishment. Luckily, my routine was established by then and I just kept making my juices and sticking to the program.

Neens: In my case, it’s getting enough juice in. I’m not very good at juicing in the morning, so now I try to do it in the evening instead. It seems to work! I’m also really craving spicy foods!

Jack and Jill: Cravings, but they have faded a lot. For Jack, the most irritating thing has been relinquishing a morning routine of music practice and meditation before work
in order to make the juice.

Philip: Making one gallon of juice takes a long time!

What are some of the benefits that you are experiencing thus far in your feast?
Melissa: Wow, there are many. I feel much lighter as a human (I know everyone says this) but it is true, I am lighter in weight and I am lighter spiritually as well. I feel better than I have ever felt before. My mind is clear, My ability to concentrate has become greater. I can meditate for longer periods of time. I get all my work completed in a timely manner, I am so much more organized in my home and business. My intuition has become greater.

Santi: Tremendous energy, mental clarity, weight loss, it’s an all-inclusive transformational process if you allow it to be!

Kelly: I am really enjoying the meditative space I find myself in. Even in the midst of a mental struggle or when old habits and smells arouse me, I feel like I am observing the processes in myself rather than being emotionally engaged. My mind and skin are clear, my physical body is slim, strong and sexy and I have all the energy to work, exercise and tend to all of life’s joys! I have also been engaged by an amazing community via the internet of fellow Juice Feasters and raw foodies which is really fun and very inspiring!

Neens: Inchloss! Major inchloss… My jeans that were tight just a month ago are now falling off me! Also my Candida really seems to be clearing up, and I keep getting complements on my skin - people say I glow! I’ve also noticed that I’m more flexible these days, I’m guessing that is thanks to the MSM.

MSM, Methylsulfonylmethanem, is a sulfur compound that helps to rebuild tissue, increases flexibility and supports the joints, nails, hair, and skin.

Jack and Jill: Feelings of lightness and clarity. We are both glowing and looking younger than we have in years. Also, feeling really fresh and healthy, not phlegmy, not sluggish, not moody.

Philip: New levels of thinking already, great energy. Clarity of mind, able to multitask projects easier, higher levels of thinking… thinking in new creative ways I hadn’t thought before, feeling more at peace and in the moment.

What’s your favorite juice combination?
Melissa: It always has been and always will be Green apple, Parsley juice. It is the best ever! Two large bunches of parsley and four green apples. Try it! Second favorite, 1 head of celery, 1 cucumber, ½ bunch of collards, 4 carrots, ½ inch ginger root and 1 large handful of spinach.

Santi: Favorite juices are going to have to come from last year’s endeavor as this one is all green juice, which I love, but I definitely have some not so “phase 1″ favorites:
-beet, apple, ginger
-apple, grape, mint
-carrot, romaine, spinach

Kelly: My mainstay is celery, cucumber, chard, pink lady apple, sprouts and ginger. My favorite tasting juice is actually grapefruit, garlic, ginger, but I realize that it
feels good in my body only in moderation.

Neens: Uhm, watermelon… Not technically a combination, I guess! My second favourite is coconut water, In third place; pineapple with lots and lots of spinach!

Jack and Jill: Kale, romaine, apple, lime, ginger. We have one of these every day.

Philip: Beet, pineapple, pear, ginger… my fav!

As of today I am on Day 69 of my Juice Feast. My final progress report will run Feb. 21. You can keep track of my daily progress during this juice feast at Inspiration:Life.