December 2012 - Monthly fasting thread, join any time of the month!

[Aleesha Sattva]

PLEASE... feel free to join this thread any time ... we loooove having new friends to fast with!!!

Here's are the 'rules' of this thread:

Please do not discuss specific food. Feel free to share "My hubby was eating and it was hard for me." Please don't share "My hubby was eating X, Y and Z..."

The reason we do this is so no one ends up getting a craving from a fasting thread. As a faster we can choose to click on a thread which discusses food but we need the safety within this thread to know food is not discussed. Juices are shared, M/C is shared, green smoothie recipes are shared... but not 'chewable' food.

Please join us... by listening to our theme song (http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=2539741). We all come together... from around the world to fast together and support each other. Please join us!

There is a great deal of info in this stickie (http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/showthread.php?t=62026). Please take a moment to read it.

And here is a thread (http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/showthread.php?t=61603) where we share our favourite recipes. If you haven't contributed yours, please do!

Here's my commitment:

I'm here to fast. I'm not here to eat. I will fast until I choose to stop but I will NOT stop my fast on a bad day, at night or today. I can choose to break my fast tomorrow in the morning but not today.

I'm here to gain health.
I'm here to gift my body the time and energy to bring my body to a state of health.
I'm here to release - whatever needs to be released. Physical, emotional, conscious or unconscious out-moded things... I'm here to release them all.
I'm here to bring a greater depth to my spirituality.
I'm here to support myself, my super amazing husband Parz, and anyone here who wants support.
I am here to continue to be mindful - focusing on this moment and not anticipating the next one.
I am here to share my experience and gain knowledge from what others share.
I'm here to feel whole. I'm here to give my beautiful, cherished body a break from digesting food!!!

This is the "Fellowship of the Fasters" - unlike the LOTRs fellowship of nine, we are a fellowship of many. We welcome newcomers daily and embrace everyone no matter what they are fasting on or their personal beliefs.

Yes you can prefer green juices to fruit. Yes you can use agave instead of maple syrup or raw honey. Yes you can juice in your Vita-Mix and use a nut mylk bag to extract your juices.

We don't care how you fast... we want to support you... and in turn, we ourselves get supported... so please... join us!!!

Come on everyone.. join in the fun and grab your Elf, Dwarf, Hobbit or Human names for our "Fellowship of the Fasters"... you just make them up, it isn't from the book/movie. (if you want to participate) and put it in your signature line!

Ever wonder how the Fellowship began?

Back when I first began fasting there were the Fasting Bandits. This was a group of amazing people who fasted together all the time. The 'theme' was a convoy of truckers. I was the water tanker! :throwhearts: Over time the Fasting Bandits moved on with their lives and weren't around much at all. A few of the members are still here... but seldom fasting anymore.

I was missing the camaraderie of the FB and was always hoping to find a new group to fast with, find support with and to support myself. The Fellowship of Fasters began because Cathy and I watch the movie Lord of the Rings a LOT and we fast together a LOT as well. We began speaking to each other as though we were Golum - and our juice was our precious.

And then the Fellowship of Fasters was born!

So to be a member... you simply need to choose a name, put it in your signature line and love fasting. You can become a life-time member or one for a short time... it's up to you.

I'm here for the long haul. My water tanker is here beside me - because I'll always be a Fasting Bandit... but now my precious walks beside on a slower path than the truckers... enjoying the grass at my feet and the flowers growing out of the cracks and crevices in the rocks around me.

[Aleesha Sattva]

okay november's thread is really slow... so i'm going to move over here and post instead. we'll get this party started even if it's just Parz and I drinking the nectar of the Gods. mmmmmmmm beautiful water, freshly made juices... ahhhhh I love our life!!!

[imaquillen]

I'm here! Day 8 for me and things are getting easier. I realized I was struggling with being hungry because of the time of month. Made some fennel juice last night that is really good and then I made some that's not quite as good but still edible. Hope everyone is doing good.

[Garlic]

I want to try a juice fast but I'm apprehensive about it.
I have done a 10 day Master Cleanse, 19 times.
but for some reason feel that with juice fasting, I will feel hungry and not stay satisfied, the way that taking the maple syrup in the MC makes me feel.
and I guess I feel like the juicing enough organic fruits and veggies to stay satisfied would cost a small fortune each day.

I'm starting a 10 day master cleanse tomorrow but would like to switch over to a juice fast mid-way, if I can get a comfortable feeling about it.

talk to me, people!!
:)
HELP!!!

[Gianni]

Garlic - Good luck on your fast.

When I juice fast, I base my juices on among one of three foods: either oranges (usually pure), apples, or carrots, all of which are relatively affordable. I drink as much fresh fruit and vegetable juice as I desire in order to stay satisfied.

I usually add fresh lime juice when I make apple juice to stop it from turning brown and so that it stays fresh longer. Ginger also combines well with apples as does pineapple juice (try 3 parts apples to 1 part pineapple plus ginger and lime).

I'm not a big fan of Carrot juice by itself, but I find I like it when cut with zucchini juice. Add in some spinach leaves, celery, or leafy greens like Kale, Collards, etc. and you've got a nutritious juice.

[Garlic]

thanks Gianni!!
how many glasses of juice do you have a day when you are fasting?
are you fasting now?
Lulu

[Gianni]

No, I'm not fasting right now although I am planning on doing a 14 day juice fast starting next Saturday.

When fasting, I usually drink about a liter of juice (2 large glasses) around 4 times throughout the day. So about a gallon a day. Sometimes a bit more, sometimes a bit less.

[imaquillen]

I'm still here and still fasting, on my own it looks like. Got a bit sick to my stomach this morning after drinking some tea, but it passed. Just ordered a new excalibur for our place here in SC and can't wait to start using it to get some staples in my pantry! For some reason I really like to dehydrate and stock up while I'm fasting. Maybe for the thought of eating all those goodies afterwards. Today is day 12, I think. Hope everyone is having a great holiday season so far!

[Gianni]

Amber, good job on your fast. Keep it up! :)

[imaquillen]

Day 14 and still plugging along. Things have leveled out, thankfully. Used up almost everything in juice today so it's a good thing I'm going shopping tomorrow. I have 2 finals left and this college quarter will be over....and I'm so ready for it to be over! Hoping my honey comes home soon from his job, this time he'll be home for 3-4 months before leaving again and I can't wait, he's been gone about 6 months. :(

[Gianni]

Day 14 and still plugging along....Used up almost everything in juice today so it's a good thing I'm going shopping tomorrow.
Congrats on 14! What good things are you juicing?

I'm just starting my juice fast today. I made the mistake of eating a large meal very late last night because I had some food that otherwise would have gone to waste now that my fast is starting today. Woke up feeling tired and nauseous, but on the positive side, at least I don't have much of an appetite today. Had only water this morning and then had a liter of OJ as a late lunch.

[imaquillen]

My last juice was kiwi and pears, very yummy. I think a have a few pears left and I have some tangerines so I can at least make juice tomorrow. Didn't make it out today so maybe tomorrow I'll go shopping. I've been drinking a large cup of miso broth for a few days now cause I've been getting cold, a sure sign my fast is taking effect. Good luck with your fast Gianni!

[Gianni]

Pears, Kiwis, and Tangerines. Sounds delicious!

It's day 2, and what a difference a day makes. Woke up feeling very good this morning. Took the dog for short walk, then picked some acerolas from our tree, and juiced them with a bit of water. The taste was a little sour so I opened a coconut and mixed the two juices.

[MysticTree]

Fasting today and I hope for most of the week. I need to be in that strong place that fasting affords for the works Christmas do on Saturday.
I have not been very raw the past week so it will help get me back on track for that too.

[Gianni]

Enjoy your fast, Mystic.

If anyone is interested, I found this juice from Dr. William Harris' site (http://www.vegsource.com/harris/recipes.htm):

V-4 Juice (Bill Harris)
2 raw tomatoes
4 large raw carrots
3 stalks raw celery
1 bunch fresh parsley
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp Kal brewer's yeast flakes (Red Star Nutritional Yeast with B12)

Run the above ingredients through the juicer of your choice. Drink. Having drunk, note the nutrition box below. Fresh vegetable juice is helpful in losing weight, since RDAs (Recommended Daily Allowances) are always reached before Calorie requirements are met.

[Gianni]

I modified Bill Harris' V4 juice a bit:

Gianni's V6 juice
4 large carrots
250g of cherry tomatoes (picked these from the garden, not exactly sure about the weight but it's thereabouts)
2 stalks of celery
1 small zucchini
1 handful of fresh spinach
¼ red bell pepper
1 small clove of garlic

This juice has a nice spicy flavor to it.

I left out the Red Star yeast because it's not available here, but feel free to add it in if you like. Bill Harris puts it in almost everything he makes because it is supplemented with B12 and that way he makes sure he isn't deficient in it.

[imaquillen]

I'm thinking about ending my fast this Friday, but I'll wait and see how I feel then. Things are going good but, like MysticTree I want to be entrenched in raw eating before the holidays. My dehydrator came yesterday :dance: and I made kale chips already. I will be making some banana bread tonight and gonna look for more to put in the D so it's not running at half capacity. I'm gonna get all stocked up on basics before I go back to WA for a month or so but that will mean I have food to come back to. Glad to see everyone is doing good.

[Gianni]

Imaquillen, it sounds like your fast is going well. Congrats! How many days is that now?

As to fasting before the holidays, I like the idea of being a little slimmer going into Christmas, especially when I meet relatives who haven't seen me for a while.

[imaquillen]

Gianni, today is day 19 for me so Friday will be 21 days. That gives me a bit of time to ease back into eating and I can get started on making some food for the holidays and being able to taste them. And it's looking like my honey may jsut make it home before Christmas, but we'll have to see....you can never tell with his job. He does not eat raw much and when he comes home he's having gastric bypass surgery so we'll be fasting quite a bit at that time.

[imaquillen]

Yesterday was the last day of my fast, 21 days. Wishing good luck to anyone continuing and Happy Holidays to all!

[janem]

Great job to the both of you! Amber WTG!! 21 days is quite an accomplishment! How do you feel now?
Gianni - must be wonderful to live in Brazil and have fruit trees! Keep up the great work - it funny - when one is not fasting how good a fast sounds!!

[Gianni]

@Imaquillen - 21 days fasting is a great accomplishment. Bravo! :woot:

@Janem - Yes, it is really enjoyable to eat or juice fruit off of your own trees. Just wish we had more because the few fruit trees we have don't give too much fruit. The problem is that ants and other pests attack the leaves, flowers, seedlings, etc. and it is hard to grow things here unless you use pesticides. However, we do manage to get great tasting bananas some times during the year. Those are easy to grow.

Our acerola tree gives fruit once or twice a year, but it's only a short period for a couple of weeks when the tree is full of fruit.

http://i.imgur.com/Zt8eF.jpg
Acerola Juice

[Gianni]

Yesterday, I broke my juice fast after having completed a full 14 days on nothing but juice. It was more of a juice feast actually with most days consisting of something like 5½ liters of watermelon juice (with a bit of lime juice added in) and about 1 liter or so of vegetable juice consisting of Carrots, tomatoes, celery, spinach and/or parsley, zucchini, bell pepper, garlic.

Once in a while I would make orange juice or apple-pineapple-lime-ginger juice, but watermelon juice was the staple this time because it is now in season here, it is relatively cheap, and it's quick to make lots of juice by blending it, straining it, adding a little lime juice. You can freeze some of what you won't be drinking right away as well.

So yeah, 6 to 7 liters a day of mostly sweet fruit juice, and I still managed to drop 5 kg (11 pounds) in two weeks although 2 of those kilos (4.4 lbs) were lost after one day and were mostly due to my intestines emptying out and due to a loss of water weight from eating no salt. Undoubtedly I will put back on a couple of kilos over the next several days as I start eating solid foods again and start using salt again, albeit in limited quantity.

Energy levels were great throughout my juice feast. I would take daily brisk long walks and two or three times a week I would jog a couple of miles. Also, my sleep was more profound and refreshing.

If anyone else is fasting this time of year, I wish you the best of success this holiday season. :excited: