On the 31st of January (day 19 of my Juice Fast (my reboot)), I had blood work done. With that blood draw they checked my sodium, potassium, CO2, Glocose, Calcium, Protein, Cholesterol, Triglycerides, HDL Cholesterol, and LDL Cholesterol, among other things.
On February 4th, I received my results:
**Drum Roll**
After juicing for only 19 days:
Test name Result Normal (reference) Range
Sodium: 137 136 - 144
Potassium: 3.9 3.6 - 5.1
Protein: 6.7 6.1 - 7.9
Cholesterol: 127 0 - 200
HDL: 49 40 - 60
(Good) Cholesterol
LDL: 66 0 - 100
(Bad) Cholesterol
Triglycerides: 57 0 - 150
Calcium: 9.6 8.9 - 10.3
Alkaline: 59 32 - 91
Glocose: 75 74 - 118
After seeing the above lab results and the rest of the two pages of results my Doctor gave me the "Green Light" to keep juicing and to continue what I've been doing. He also mentioned that with my numbers looking as great as they do, that I have no risk of stroke, heart problems, etc... He said the normal range for LDL (Bad) Cholesterol is 0 - 100 however, with these results he'd make the range 0 - 160 for me. In addition to that he said that I brought my Good Cholesterol up 30 points! This was since the last time I had lab work done!
UPDATE for Mobile Device Users (all others can see the tracker at the top of the page):
My Progress: 31.2 Pounds Lost in 24 Days!
Hello,Jonathan and congratulations in your juicing journey.I too, have been trying to start a 40 day juice fast to hone my eating habits ,but truth is, I'm afraid is not going to be safe,or that withdrawal symptoms would take the better of me. Do you have any tips or can suggest a specific regimen you found helpful?
ReplyDeleteAny info would be highly appreciated
Marcela
Marcela,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the congratulations. You said you have been "trying to start a 40 day fast..." Honestly, I didn't have an exact day in mind as of how many days I would solely do a juice fast. I just knew I wanted to lose weight and get healthier. I was concerned about my arteries and wanted to clean them out and I wanted to feel more alive, not sluggish. Once I commenced, I was hooked! I'm still not sure how long I will be on the fast for. I'm asked if I "miss chewing" that's a null point with me, as I know that I can chew my food anytime I want. No one is restricting me or telling me I am unable to do so.
With that said, I'm not a Doctor by any means, but I saw my Doctor and went over things that might have been a concern and got the green light of approval. These tips are all my opinion and this works for me. Everyone is different.
First off, I'd say setting a 40 day juice fast is probably going to be daunting, mentally if you are concerned about numbers. I believed from watching Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead that I believed if those two guys could do it, I would do it too. A lot of people say the first 2 to 4 days are the worst. Once they get beyond that, they tend to feel the energy come back. My suggestion, start your fast over a 3 day weekend or when you know you have time to just lay in bed IF there is an issue. The 'issue' that most people have are the withdrawals, the detoxing. Imagine being an alcoholic and going cold turkey. Even though alcohol isn't the best, a body that is used to getting it, will crave it. Since everyone is different, there is no set in stone way that you or the person next door might feel when they go through this change.
For me, a slight headache developed on day two. It was there all day before finally going away. That was it. No desire to lay in bed. No yucky feeling... but then again, I don't drink. I am not a big soda or candy person. Caffeine has never played a big roll in my life. I'm not a huge fan of danishes and desserts. Don't get me wrong, I love food... I love the unique flavors and if I'm going to have a dessert, I'm going to rock it and make it (or order an) AMAZING dessert! No sense going skimpy there. Costco cake is cost effective, but not what I think about when I want to savor something sweet.
With that said, had I had all of the above in my life, or if my morning coffee was something that I "had" to have, I might have had a more difficult time with the detoxing. Each person is different.
I believe doing a juice reboot is 90% mental... maybe more. The health benefits, the energy afterwards and the way my body feels now, makes it worth while! I feel more energized today than I have in years! I feel like I'm 25 (or younger) again! I'm able to pick up, spin around and play with my kids like never before. The other day we were in line for Mater's Tractor ride at Disneyland and I spent the entire time (about 30 to 45 minutes) picking up kids, laughing spinning them, playing, chasing them, tickling them, sometimes one other times both at the same time and I felt like I had tons of energy and was ready for more!
What you juice is a huge factor too. That morning I used one of the recipes out of the Breville juice book, but then I added a sweet potato to it... why? I learned that sweet potatoes add a valuable starch and my energy is sustained a lot longer when I add one to my juice.
If you are afraid about juicing being safe, I'd go see a Doctor, a little visit may set your mind at ease or head on over to www.rebootwithjoe.com and check out all of Joe Cross' tips and the forums over there. A lot of tips and people are there.
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ReplyDeleteI have heard of a lot of people that start with one juice or two juices a day and they baby into it. That is perfectly fine. One step at a time and having success is MUCH better than trying to go all out and then give up! <-- That is my opinion. But not what I did. I'm an all or nothing kind of a guy. When I did this, I committed and I knew I was going to go cold turkey and JUST juice. Each person is different but, going one step at a time has its rewards for sure. My wife has liked several of my juices and has absolutely despised others that I made. I have since learned to slow down, write things down. Juice things one at a time. Taste them and then add more. Kind of like adding spices to a stew or a family recipe. A recipe can be ruined if you just toss everything in. Taste as you go, and you'll probably enjoy more.
For fruity juices, pink lady and Fuji apples add a nice touch if something is to bland. For more vegetable based juices, I've found jicamas and parsnip to add a sweetness without adding the 'fruit' flavor that may not mesh to well with the vegetables. Also, don't just (in my opinion) juice just one juice, Have variety. Most people don't just eat the same thing day in and day out. Your juice fast shouldn't be that way either. I like variety. I'll juice something to add substance, nutrients and even give me an energy boost throughout the day, depending on how I feel. If I want a treat, I pull out some pears, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and maybe some apples. Or just a few of those. It all depends. And when people say be careful of all those sugars. Just know that a soda, candy bar, coffee with sugar in it, etc... all will raise your sugar level too. The BIGGEST difference, the sugar found in the fruits is real... it has the nutrients and vitamins still intact. It hasn't been stripped and bleached. Take your sugar naturally to get the biggest bang out of it nutritionally speaking. Moderation helps... so I don't advise just juicing fruit day in and day out. But don't just do the same dull recipe each day, 3 to 5 times a day either.
Other tips... get the best juicer that you can comfortably afford. Also, maybe see if a neighbor, a grandparent, a friend or someone has one that you can barrow. I used my neighbors until mine came in. This can allow you an opportunity to see how you like it. Another tip... start slow. Don't just grab kale and juice it thinking you'll like it. I started with a mixture of vegetables and apples. Apples are great to add to just about anything (fuji for sure) when a juice is bitter and needs sweetened up. A lot of people like granny smith's. I don't. I think they are bitter and adding bitter to bitter just equals move bitterness (in my opinion).
I get long winded... I think this is quite long. Theve's my two cents. Hope I was able to answer your questions.
Best of luck on your juicing! Feel free to stop by and ask any other questions. :)
-Johnathan