I Bought a Juicer: Monday

Today is the day I do the impossible.  My oven will not be used to cook food for three days and I will ingest nothing solid.  I am entering the realm of kicks, fads, and crazes.  Oh yes, the juice detox.

Now, I'm a pretty healthy girl.  I eat a lot of fruit and veggies, and I limit my intake of meat and dairy.  I'm active, I hike and hit up the gym on a regular basis.  I'm happy with the way I look.  So, why the detox?  Well, for the same reason we go on vacations.  Okay, a detox is not exactly a day at the beach, but it IS a great escape for your body.  I eat a lot of things during the week that definitely wouldn't count as 'healthy' (...like those mini chocolate bundt cakes from Trader Joe's).  I want to accomplish something, educate and test myself.  I want to flush all the crud lurking inside me, and after the three days are up I want to start from scratch.  I want to change my relationship with food and have a more intimate understanding of how food makes me feel and helps me function. 

I'm going to take the same approach I used before getting my tattoo.  I knew for a long time that I wanted a tattoo, but I waited a year before actually going through with it.  I took time getting used to the idea that I would have permanent ink on my body and I spent many hours developing the perfect design.  I eventually felt really good about my decision and went for it and I've never had any regrets.

Okay, a juice detox is nothing like getting a tattoo - but they are both extreme and you should take the same steps before beginning.  I have wanted to try a detox for a long time but I lacked the information, the tools, and the willpower - three things you need before messing with your daily food-routine.

Today, I possess two out of the three essential things needed to begin.  I have done a lot of research on the subject of detoxing.  The more I read the more I wanted to do one.  So a few days ago I went ahead and dished out $150 on a top of the line Breville juicer.  Yes it's expensive, but I don't want a machine that's going to make my life a living hell.  The thing about juicing is you need time and discipline in order to do it.  It takes long enough to actually make your juice and I don't want to spend all day cleaning up a big juicy mess.  Enter Breville!  I read all the user reviews for dozens of models and it turns out this is one of the best juicers out there.  Plus, it was on sale.

I spent the better part of last week scouring the internet for some good detox plans and recipes.  I found a few but rather than strictly follow only one, I'm going to combine a few of my favorites while maintaining the popular suggestion of the 70:30 vegetable to fruit ratio.  I especially liked what this website had to say and 4outof7 food, gardening, housing and thriving's Facebook page has been my biggest inspiration.

Many plans have you only juicing but I like the idea of incorporating the fiber from those fruits and veggies so will also use my trusty Hamilton-Beach blender.  The types of fruit and veggies you use should have special detoxifying properties.  You're going to want to incorporate fruits like mangoes, bananas, green apples, melons, berries, cucumbers, tomatoes, lemons and limes; veggies like celery, carrots, chard, kale and other greens; roots like beets, celeriac, ginger and turmeric; coconut, olive and avocado oils, and nuts and seeds like almonds and flax.  All of these foods exhibit other benefits in addition to helping expel toxins from your body.  For example, cantaloupe, cucumber, berries and avocado have fantastic anti-aging properties.  Kale, tomatoes, avocado and zucchini help fight diabetes.  Citrus fruits, garlic, onion, soybeans, berries, and cabbage are excellent anti-cancer foods.  Coconut and olive oil, nuts and flax seeds provide excellent sources of fat and fiber while on your detox kick.  

Now, you can expect a few negative things whilst participating in your detox.  Basically, a detox is just that - removing the toxins in your body.  Typically you give up coffee, alcohol, refined sugars, and any processed foods.  You may experience headaches and dizziness (from the lack of caffeine), nausea (perhaps due to changing up your routine and probably depends on your general diet), and diarrhea (from the lack of solid food).  Fun!  If you're overweight or have any health conditions you should consult a doctor (who's down with the homeopathy) before starting.

Okay, the good news is that after day-1 you should experience increased energy, mental clarity and an overall feeling of wellness.

Alright, juicing machines - check!  Background reading and detox plan - check!  Willpower?  Alright, I'm realistic and I know that this is going to be really hard.  Especially because I'm a monster when it comes to late-night nibbling.  Where I lack willpower I hope to gain strength by writing about this experience.  Actually, going out and shopping for all the ingredients got me really excited.  Filling my cart with fruits and veggies all the colors of the rainbow was thrilling!  By the end I had spent around $80 which will definitely last me the week.  That's not just fruits and veggies, but includes other foods I'll need later this week when I start eating normally again.

Well, I'm starving so I'm going to begin blending my first smoothie.  Start your engines!


Monday

Breakfast:  1 cup of tea prior to juice (I'm doing Yerba Mate!) with 2 tsp lemon juice.  Drink this followed by a glass of water prior to downing your shake:

• 1 cup almond milk (I used Almond Breeze)
• 1 cup raspberries (I used TJ's organic frozen)
• 1 ripe banana (organic!)
• 1 cup spinach (fresh TJ's organic)
• 1 tbsp flax seeds
• 1 tbsp nut butter (...TJ's crunchy peanut butter)

Blend! 

Here are a few tips before you start.  (1) Keep it as organic as possible; (2) flax seeds can be a bit of a pain so if you have a mortar and pestle you can grind them up and add them to your shake.  Smashing them with a rolling pin on a cutting board works too, it's just a tad messy; and (3) give yourself enough time in the morning while doing a detox.  I have today off so thought it was a good time to begin.  This way I can work out all the kinks and determine how much time I actually need to prepare my meals.  Minus the writing time, the actual time it took to whip up my tea and shake was only ten minutes.  The time needed to enjoy your shakes and juices is up to you.  You can pack them up and bring 'em with you to work, or spend the morning reading or catching up on current events while sipping your shake.

Personally, I'm enjoying mine while doing a NY Times crossword puzzle!


See you at lunch...