Adventures in Juice Fasting

I've always been a huge advocate of fasting.  Fasting is basically the opposite of everything society tells us to do.  Corporate media and every advertisement tells us to constantly consume.  So much so, that much of our self-worth is derived from the amount of, quality and variety of our consumption.  But who benefits?  Obesity is at an all-time high, as is depression and prescription drug dependency.  Fasting allows the body to cleanse itself of the toxins that have accumulated over the years and divert energy normally used for digestion to healing and repairing damaged organs.

While I would usually fast at least once a year for around 2 weeks, the stress of moving, pregnancy, exclusive breastfeeding and returning to work put a damper on my fasting plans.  But after we moved back to Boston I started feeling very overwhelmed with my responsibilities as a new mom, frustrated with my bad habits, and a bit depressed over my lack of freedom from my son.

I was starting to feel guilty about my state of mind, so I sought out the help of my trusted acupuncturist. I've been seeing my acupuncturist, Dan Dan, for the past 3 years and she has helped me with dance injuries, allergies, ear infections and insomnia. She agreed that all of the stress was taking its toll on my body and spirit.  Then she reminded me of the healing powers of fasting.

Fasting is NOT something to be entered into lightly, so after much research and discussion with Dan Dan, I decided it would be safe to do a short, 5 day juice fast while still exclusively breastfeeding my son.  Juice fasting gives your body all of the nutrients it needs and pure pressed juices take little to no energy for your body to process.  The detoxification is also less intense than with water fasting, so I would still have enough energy to take care of the baby.

This is my adventure....

Day 1:

10:00 am:  Carrot/Orange Juice

12:00 pm:  Taught Baby and Me Class

1:00 pm:   Apple, Carrot, Kale, Ginger Juice

3:00 pm:   Peppermint Iced Tead

5:30 pm:   Kale, Broccoli, Celery, Ginger, Garlic Juice

6:00 pm:   Nap

8:00 pm:   Kombucha (fermented tea)

8:30 pm:   Light Yoga Session (30 mins)

9:00 pm:   Peach Tea

Side Effects:  head aching, easily upset, pressure on sinuses, frequent urination, sleepy, kidney pain, back pain, groggy

Improvements:  None

Day 2

10:00 am:  Grapefruit Juice

12:45 pm:  Carrot, Kale, Collards, Garlic Juice

2:00 pm:  Nap

4:30 pm:  Kale, Broccoli, Celery, Ginger, Garlic Juice

5:30 pm:  Carrot Juice

6:00 pm:  Yoga Session (1 hr)

7:30 pm:  Ginger, Lemon, Water

9:00 pm:  Hibiscus Tea

Side Effects:  headache, sleepy, slight kidney pain, back pain, bad breath, sleepy

Improvements:  less headache and kidney pain, more mental clarity

Day 3:

10:00 am:  Apple, Carrot, Orange, Mango Juice

10:30 am:  Hibiscus/Mint Iced Tea

12:30 pm:  Apple, Celery, Beet, Garlic, Ginger, Kale Juice

3:00 pm:  Kombucha

5:30 pm:  Kale, Broccoli, Celery, Ginger, Garlic Juice

6:30 pm:  Belly Dance Class (45 mins)

7:00 pm:  Ginger, Lemon Water

9:30 pm:  Rooibus Tea

Side Effects:    headache, sleepy, slight kidney pain, back pain, bad breath

Improvements:  even less headache and kidney pain, more mental clarity, more energy

Day 4:

10:00 am:  Hibiscus Iced Tea

11:30 am:  Superfood Smoothie

2:00 pm:  Celery, Beet, Garlic, Ginger, Kale Juice

5:00 pm:  Kombucha

6:00 pm:  Belly Dance Class (45 mins)
7:30 pm:  Ginger, Lemon Water

Side Effects:  sore arms and legs, lower abdominal pain, no appitite

Improvements:  not thinking about solid food,  no headache or kidney pain, more energy


*Notes:  I hardly slept at all tonight because of labor-like pains in my uterus and ovaries.  While I've had period-like pain when fasting before, I'm guessing that I didn't give myself enough time to heal after my son's birth.


Day 5

7:30 am:  Superfood Smoothie

12:00 pm:  Carrot, Celery, Beet, Garlic, Ginger, Kale Juice

5:00 pm:  Kombucha
6:00 pm: Nap

7:00 pm:  Light Yoga Session (20 mins)
8:30 pm:  Ginger, Lemon Water

Side Effects: headache, very groggy, lower abdominal pain, pressure on sinuses, easily irritated, chills, no appetite
Improvements:  all side effects were gone by around 4:00 pm


The next day I gently broke my fast by drinking only juice and water and only eating raw salads.

Right now I'm feeling much better and enlightened by the healing I experienced on the fourth night.  I'll discuss my improvements in greater detail after my acupuncturist appointment tomorrow! 

Does Breastfeeding Give You Saggy Boobs?



Pablo Picasso
Girl Before a Mirror

We've all heard the horror stories.  Rumor has it, breastfeeding turns our sexy, once perky breasts into long, deflated balloons.   It's not fair.  Nature endows us with nice big boobs to compensate for our not-so-nice big everything else.  And our reward for 9 months of toil and sacrifice?  More sacrifice?  Nature can't be that cruel.  Lucky for us, recent studies have shown that breastfeeding has no negative effect on your breasts.  Now you really have no excuse, mama!


One recent study performed by University of Kentucky plastic surgeon, Brian Rinker, found the main factors that did affect sagging were age, smoking habits, and number of pregnancies.  Smoking breaks down a protein in the skin called elastin, which supports the breasts.  And the hormones produced during pregnancy take a much harder toil on your body than breastfeeding.


So why are so many moms still NOT breastfeeding?


There are many women out there that simply can't, no matter how much they try or want to.  Mothers with HIV, Hepatitis, and those taking certain medications must refrain from breastfeeding.  Hospitals sometimes give babies formula without asking anyone, then the baby rejects the mother's milk.  You MUST let doctors and nurses know that you intend to breastfeed, and don't feel bad about reminding them again and again.


Some women don't produce enough milk, or any at all.  Being a new mom is stressful and the lack of sleep and the stress of a constantly crying baby can have a huge effect on your milk-producing capabilities.  If you can't breastfeed, I encourage you to first, find a good lactation consultant to help you with your options, then look into human milk banks (I know it may seem weird) and see what you think: http://www.hmbana.org/.

Luis de Morales
Virgen de la Leche

Now for all you mamas who CAN but DON'T want to breastfeed, check the facts!  The costs of breastfeeding your baby could never outweigh the benefits.  It is undeniably the best source of nutrition for your baby.  Breastfed babies are 75% less likely to suffer a serious illness in the first year, and they also have drastically reduced incidences of ear infections, allergies, pneumonia, and asthma during their first year and beyond.  Breast milk also contains the mother's antibodies that help protect against polio, mumps, encephalitis and the flu.

If the health benefits for your baby aren't reason enough, then do it for the convenience!  Breastfeeding is cheap, hygienic, and requires no planning.  No need for bottles, bottle sterilizers, bottle heaters, purified water, and extra nipples.  Breast milk comes out the perfect temperature, from the perfect source, and once you and your cutie master the art, it's no work at all!  Did I mention that your breast milk is free?  And there aren't a lot of things out there for free!



So what's in it for you, mama?  Breastfeeding provides you with  just as many benefits!  First of all, it's the only magic weight loss plan that works  with no diet and exercise!  You're actually supposed to eat 300 more calories a day when lactating (but don't blame breastfeeding if you're not dropping weight when you're still eating ice cream and cheeseburgers).  Breastfeeding moms also have a significantly reduced chance of getting breast cancer, and the hormones produced while breastfeeding help with the side effects of post-partum depression.

Also, it feels good (over time).  Of course it's going to hurt at first, but the endorphins produced during feeding not only help shrink your uterus back to pre-pregnancy size, but they help you bond with your little one.  It's also the same hormone that releases whenever women see a good clothing sale!

So everyone agrees, it's better to breastfeed your baby.  However, it is a commitment and does require work, research, and a lot of patience.  I was totally freaked out about breastfeeding the entire time I was pregnant.  But once Waylon was born, I saw how natural and rewarding it could be.  No Pretty Mama should miss out on this experience!


Here are some great resources:

http://www.breastfeeding.com/

http://www.llli.org/

http://www.babycenter.com/