100% raw or nothing

I love life lessons

It's been some days now since I decided to end my 92 day juice feast on day 22.

I felt completely bored and non inspired. The thought of celery juice passing my lips one more time was turning my stomach. So I honoured these feelings. That didn't mean going back to cooked food, just incorporating raw 'food' back into each day - or so I thought...

This worked well for a few days. And then I just had to have rice. Unfortunately rice is one of those things that I could live the rest of my life on, along with breads and pasta. I've never been a sweets girl, my size is from a high carb life of breads and rice. On the next day I made a cooked vegetable soup - it was yummy and just as I remembered it (it's still so cold here in Australia and I'm craving warm food).

And then I woke up this morning and the day hit me - I'm bloated, have stomachache, backache, fuzzy head, unhappy and generally have no interest in life. What a massive change in my energy and emotional levels.

I think this was my lesson.

I've questioned being raw, and really questioned the juicing. Or has everyone elses questioniong just got the better of me?

This little trip off the path has only reinforced to me how important a raw lifestyle is. I just don't like the way I feel on cooked food anymore. If I hadn't of done this I would be living raw but not truly loving and believing in raw.


So today all I feel like is juice - ironic really ! I have my 4 Raw Divas green smoothie jugs - 2 filled with filtered water, 1 with celery, apple and ginger and 1 with carrot, zucchini and orange juice. My heart is singing again!

You know how sometimes in life you find you're drawn to a way of eating that becomes a life choice. That gradual movement to vegetarian, vegan and then raw vegan for some. Well I've come to know that raw and juicing is always going to be a huge part of my life (100%? I'm not sure but I hope so). I may 'jump the fence' on the way as Super Nutrient Gal said so well, but being raw and juicing is who I am now. And I LOVE it !

Day 22

Honour this ...


The past few days have been an internal rollercoaster ....

"you've achieved so much, it's time to stop"
"you can't give up now - you'd be failing AGAIN"
it's not a failure, you know it's not!"
"it's ok to finish this part of your journey - to honour your thoughts and feelings, to know you've achieved great things and to move onto the next exhilarating part of your life - RAW VEGAN!"

As you can tell - me, myself and I have many a lengthy conversation with each other on a regular basis.

when I first started out on the raw vegan path a few months back I could see and feel the benefits almost immediately but that didn't stop the cravings for cooked vegan food and especially those yummy gourmet pizzas that I made every Friday night (the universe has come to my rescue like it always does and I came across this wonderful raw pizza recipe!)

But...

I haven't failed at the juice fast - what has come from it besides dramatic weight loss, clear skin, energy, happiness and hair that doesn't fall out anymore is a real appreciation of food in it's most magickal state - raw and fresh, full of life force and vitality.

I now look at raw as not a 'have to do for my health' but as a true and real pleasure and passion. That's what 3 weeks of juicing has done for me and I'm truly grateful.

You're body knows when it's ready for something. Sometimes it's hard to tell if it's your true self talking or that inconvenient ego that pops it's unwanted head up.

It's time for me to honour myself with love in my heart, feeling no fear or guilt.


And so here I am filled with hope of a brand new day (and I'll continue have green juices each day - really !)

Day 17

It could be time ...

I've been reading a fabulous book called 'Juice fasting & detoxification' by Steve Meyerowitz.



Full of some very interesting facts, and answers a lot of questions a juice faster most probably has at one time or another.

It also provides many of the answers to those questions constantly asked by confused family and friends.

What has made me stop and think though are the signs that let you know when you're ready to break your fast. I've been feeling a few of them all day. I don't know whether the rumbling stomach, constantly wanting to chew something and cravings for raw salad are just that, signs that it's time, or a just a natural process of extended juicing that will eventually pass and then come and test me again. Up to this point chewing and food just haven't crossed my mind.

I'm really not ready to give up yet, although it's not giving up really. I've had 17 days or the most fantastic juices and my new Oscar vital 900 is dream.

Angela Stokes did her 92 day juice feast in Costa Rica where fruits and vegetables and coconut water was in huge supply and only a few dollars a day to buy. She also did it through the warmer weather. I'm unfortunately juicing through winter (which has had it's challenges). I've found fresh organic produce and the young coconuts are quite expensive to buy.

Is this enough for me to break my fast, to be so thankful for what I've achieved and not think of what I haven't? I've lost a lot of weight, feel so full of energy and sleeping better than I have in years. But truthfully I'm a little scared to go back to food in case I loose this feeling of euphoria.

I would be going back to raw food though, this I don't think I could ever change now - the benefits are just too great. And I'd continue to have green juice every day.

So this is my dilemma. I'll just have to see what tomorrow brings ...

Day 16

It's here - sooooo excited !!!

Just as I was becoming disheartened with juicing ...

So much was being wasting with my Breville juicer and I wasn't able to do spinach (which I love) and wheatgrass. My options were becoming limited and my food bill getting higher. For the past week I've only been having 1-2 litres of green juice each day because of the volume of fruit and veg needed. I must admit I'm just not hungry and have lost 26lbs so far, which feels great.

And there she was like a ray of sunshine 'Faerie Bernie' my gorgeous Australia Post courier!

I just couldn't hold my excitement any longer - she'd delivered Oscar to me.



As quick as a flash and with a wave of my wand I set out to create the most wonderful juice - with spinach - it's all I've wanted for days. I used 1 pear, 1 apple and 2 cups of spinach.



~Just scrumptious ~



Normally the pear and the apple alone (as I couldn't juice spinach before) would yield approx 150ml. BUT my gorgeous Oscar gave me a gigantic 450ml. Not counting the spinach I'm able to get at least 40% more juice. How fantastic is that!

Juicing from now on is going to be a wonderful adventure - I can feel it in my faerie wings ...

Day 15

I love finishing projects!

I finished my sleeveless vest - YEAH!
Made with Noro's Iro. I love the fact that its handspun not machine spun.
It's so warm and cosy - like getting a big hug from someone you love x
And today was a day I needed a big hug ...

Days 13 & 14

Day 92 seems so far away

I've been keeping myself really busy with knitting projects - I have 3 going at the same time. I've just started a v-neck short sleeve vest. Instead of the chunky aran wool I'm double stranding some gorgeous sage coloured organic cotton. It feels fantastic and I can't wait to put it on.



I need to take my mind off the fact that the rain is pouring down, the wind is howling and I just want to eat, something, anything ....

If I'd of thought about it more instead of just jumping in with my eyes shut (like I usually do) I might have realised that Spring/Summer was the best time to do a juice feast.

My new Excalibur dehydrator is sat all forlorn in the corner begging me to make something yummy. A raw pizza, biscuits, sprouted wraps .... I never thought I'd crave a baby spinach salad with marinated red onions, avocado & freshly ground black pepper as much as I am right now. I going to have to stop reading my raw food blogs for a little while me thinks !

Day 12

Treasure trove!

It was a feast for the senses at the market today. I just love all the fresh organic fruit and veggies. Sometimes I just stand and stare not knowing where to start - ya just wanna dive in!

I went to my new juice bar and got a huge green apple, pineapple and mega celery cup of juice - it was delicious .....