Saturday, September 1, 2012

Gradual Wind Down to Juice Fast

I did not think of the option to gradually get into the Juice Fast. I did it at first because I had a pantry full of food and did not want to waste it.  I am not going back to my prior way of eating, so the food that I had would not be used again.  What was at first a economical decision turned out to be the best for me.  I have written before of the panic I felt when I finally got rid of all of my meat.  Now, as other things are winding down, I don't feel the anxiety. 

When I am out and about the community, there is so much to eat here in Portland, Oregon that is gluten free in comparison to other places. I am surprised that I spend my time looking for something to eat that would fall within my juicing guidelines.  Yesterday, I was at the Grocery Outlet and looked for some juice to drink in small containers and found a V-8 juice blend that was also fizzy.  It was a combination of fruit and vegetables without added sugar and it was surprisingly good.  It also satisfied my hunger.  I also bought a large carton of coconut milk and almond milk.  I have never tried them before.  Later at home I had a glass of coconut milk.  It seemed rich but bland.  I put a packet of stevia in and it tasted like a Dairy Queen vanilla shake.  I bought the two milks because the price was about one third of the normal price.  Last night as I was going to bed, I discovered I was very hungry.  I can't sleep when I am hungry and had a glass of coconut milk and that did it.

I slept well last night and I am glad I also took my vitamin pills. I also attributed to being able to buy some organic produce at Grocery Outlet for a much smaller price than the other stores I go to.  Organic is expensive but worth it for me.  I think it means that I will live longer if I eat organic than if I don't.  I got some very good prices on watermelon which is very nice to juice and oranges.  When the skin is thick such as citrus fruit, it does not matter if the fruit is organic since the pesticides can not get through the skin.  It is different for other fruits as apples.  That is why it is a very good idea to buy organic apples and they are handy for juicing.  In juicing it is important to drink vegetables but they taste better if some fruit is added.  I drank a juice of some watermelon and carrots yesterday that was very tasty.  I liked one also that was just watermelon and one lime (peeled).

I had a dream that I recorded a few years ago that I would be staying at my aunt's house in Grants Pass, OR in order to get my health on line.  I stayed for a year.  I remember I asked my aunt if it would be alright if I stay at her house for this reason.  She said yes.  Now, I feel as if I am living that dream. When I look out of my home here in Portland, I think often of my time spent as a child in Grants Pass with my aunt and uncle.  I had a dream about going to Korea that turned out to be correct as well.  There have been plenty of dreams that I have that turned out to be correct.  My oldest son, calls this magical thinking.  I call it enjoying one's life and not questioning the spiritual gifts one gets from time to time.

I have lost seven pounds since the start of this which is not changing all that much.  I did not expect to lose anything until I do the fast itself.  What I did get in return is the ability to walk up and down stairs without pain.  I feel so much better and when I am down which happens, it is not bad as it used to be.  I am continuing to read and write which are joys to me,  I take trips to explore my surroundings with the seniors from a center not far from me.  I visited a Trappist Monastery the other day which was very interesting as I am a fan of the Trappist monk, Thomas Merton.  I have read several books and poems of his.  I read "The Seven Story Mountain" as a teenager.

To me, this has proved to be an exciting part of my life.  Portland is a lot of fun from riding the sky tram from the VA Hospital to listening to music concerts in the many farmers' markets around the city.  It is very beautiful here too.  I am getting up in years, so I was astonished that the adventure continues.   

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