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! 

You (and Your Baby) Are What You Eat

Pretty mamas want the best for their  little ones. We spend hours reading about the best way to raise and care for them. So why are so many good babies fed such bad shit??

Buy Organic!  It’s a fact, organic food is better for your baby than mass-produced, genetically modified, pesticide-ridden factory food.  That’s why it costs more!  You may say you can’t afford to buy organic, but can you really afford to not?  According to organic.com, “Before a mother first nurses her newborn, the toxic risk from pesticides has already begun. Studies show that infants are exposed to hundreds of harmful chemicals in utero. In fact, our nation is now reaping the results of four generations of exposure to agricultural and industrial chemicals, whose safety was deemed on adult tolerance levels, not on children’s.” And the National Academy of Science says neurologic and behavioral effects may result from low-level exposure to pesticides. But don’t take it from me, Pretty Mamas do their own research.  You’ll find numerous studies show that pesticides can adversely affect the nervous system, increase the risk of cancer, and decrease fertility. 

If money is an issue, look into co-ops, local farmers markets, and coupon books for health food stores. Look at your budget and cut out the crap! Do you really need another shade of eyeshadow? And don’t get me started on why you shouldn’t be drinking fancy five dollar frozen coffees in the first place! Is that new shirt more important than the health of your family? Pretty Mamas prioritize!


Don’t eat fast food! I would think that the reasons are obvious, but if you want to ignore the well-documented health risks, then google how often McDonald’s has been fined and sued for breaking child labor laws. Is a Big Mac really worth exploiting a child, mama?  The fast food industry is a leading cause of obesity, the job loss of thousands of small farmers, and the gross side-effects of genetic engineering. And if that’s not enough to make you put down the french fries, read the horrifying ingredients in fast food and tell me you’d want to feed that to your baby. Visit: http://www.fastfoodingredients.com/


And finally, STOP EATING MEAT! And any other animal products for that matter. But if you need to take it slowly, at least stop eating meat. It is destructive to your health, destructive to the environment, and destructive to the animal, especially given the cruel practices of meat production. For more reasons to indulge in an animal-free diet, visit: www.vegansociety.com or www.peta.com


There is nothing prettier than a mama who takes responsibility for her family, her world and all the creatures in it. Start your baby off right by feeding her produce and meals that are farmed and prepared with love and compassion.

Cute Baby Stuff = Pretty Mama Money Wasters

Hey again Pretty Mamas!

As a new Mama, it may seem exciting to go out and buy one of every cute thing on the baby market.  But after the baby buying buzz wears off, the ensuing clutter (and credit) crash may have you regretting that buying binge.  Pretty Mamas live within their means and try never to be wasteful.  So here is a list of things Pretty Mamas don’t need to raise a happy, healthy baby…..

1. Hooded Towels and Baby Bathrobes – After a bath your baby is going to be very chilly  and if he’s anything like mine, really pissed that you’re the splashy fun-time party pooper.  But your baby will warm and cheer up once you get her dried off and put in a comfy onesie. A regular towel does the job just as well as those fancy hooded towels and baby bathrobes.

2. Wardrobe of Clothes in Newborn Size – Seriously, your little one is only going to be able to wear this stuff for 1 week, maybe 2, if at all! You only need one or two packs of white organic onesies, maybe 2 pairs of comfy pants, and socks.

3. Any Baby Clothes over $5 – Pretty Mamas have good karma, so you probably know that all of your girlfriends with kids are already trying to give you 2 years worth of baby hand-me-downs. Take them and be grateful! Even if they aren’t your style because the kid is seriously going to go through 3 outfits a day between poop, spit-up, drool, and you spilling stuff on them. And if you insist on dressing your 1 month old in fancy plaid pants and jean jackets (I am guilty), then DO NOT spend more than $5. Anything found at a fancy baby boutique can be purchased a fraction of the price at TJ Max, Craigslist, or a yardsale.

4. Baby Shoes - Do I really need to explain?

5. Baby Toys - Again, people will be begging you to take their baby swings, baby bouncers, high chairs, and those annoying toys that light up and play music.

Hot Mamas save their money for good organic veggies, records, tea, and Mama and Baby Yoga Classes. In the long-term, start thinking about college funds and vacations, too.  And remember any place that you can interact with other Pretty Mamas, you will find someone whose baby is a size larger than yours and a baby a size smaller. If you just keep up the hand-me-down tradition, you may never have to buy anything else for your baby!

Earth Mama Angel Baby

One of the first gifts I received after announcing my pregnancy was a huge basket from Earth Mama Angel Baby Organics. I was so excited because all of their products are 100% toxin-free, cruelty-free, vegan, and free from all artificial preservatives, fragrances and dyes (although they did send BellyBars in the gift basket, which are NOT vegan, but I see they are no longer doing that, so we’ll let it slide).


So far I’ve loved everything, except the milkmaid tea, and here are a few of their products that I can’t live without:


Angel Baby Bottom Balm- The BEST diaper rash cream that not only smells amazing, but isn’t clumpy and pasty like the other creams I’ve used. You can also use it on bug bites, scrapes, chicken pox, razor burn, dry patches, minor rashes, and burns.


Natural Stretch Oil- I went through 3 bottles of this stuff when I was pregnant, and still use it everyday. Of the 8 stretch-mark prevention products I tried, this one wins hands down. It’s light and quickly absorbs into your skin. The ingredients are so natural that you can use it for perineal massages and I even use it on my face.


Organic Heartburn Tea- I don’t know about you, but the worst part of my pregnancy was the heartburn! I drank at least 3 cups of this tea everyday and it provided great relief. I still warm up a cup after spicy food or too much red wine. Delicious!


Breastfeeding Essentials Bundle- Any mama that plans to breastfeed (which I strongly encourage) should invest in this bundle of goodies. The Booby Tubes are gel-free compresses that can be used cold for engorgment, or heated up to help with milk let down. They were a lifesaver that fist week I was trying to establish breastfeeding. I give all credit to the Natural Nipple Butter for preventing sores and cracks, and you don’t even have to wash it off before breastfeeding. I complained earlier that the Milkmaid Tea was super gross, but I do believe it helps keep up milk production when you’re stressed and sleep deprived…..and it’s just cheaper to get the bundle instead of individual items.

Also try:

Happy Mama Spray

Earth Mama Body Butter

Earth Mama Bottom Balm and Spray

Angel Baby Lotion

Angel Baby Shampoo and Bodywash

Visit: http://www.earthmamaangelbaby.com/