detox your body with brooke's green juice

I am a vegan. I do not consume chocolate that has been heat-processed or that contains dairy or cane sugar. But I do eat raw vegan chocolate and have been satisfying my taste buds with this since Easter. Yes, I tend to get so excited about this kind of food that I go on huge online shopping sprees and regularly order online at lovingearth.net, which is where I bulk order my favourite things, such as kale chips, superfoods, raw nuts and raw chocolate. It's always a good day when those orders arrive at my front door!

Anyway, the thing is, I've gone a little overboard! And when my body is screaming out for a rest I like to do a juice fast. This concept was first brought to my attention through the documentary Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead, a Joe Cross film. Under the care of Dr Joel Fuhrman, Joe Cross embarks on a 60-day juice fast, and later the adoption of a plant-based diet, in order to regain his health and heal from an autoimmune disease. Joe Cross' reboot juices can now be purchased from Woolworths and you can follow his awesome reboot plans at www.rebootwithjoe.com. I myself first embarked on a therapeutic fast in August 2012 at the Hopewood Health Retreat for a period of 7 days. That's right, one whole week without food! 

Fasting is one of the best things you can do for your health as it gives your body physiological rest. It is important to understand that fasting is not starvation as your body is being fuelled by your reserves during a water or juice fast. And hear me when I say that it is recommended to only juice fast for 5 days without any medical supervision. So why do it then? *In the words of Dr Joel Fuhrman: "Fasting stops the continual work of the digestive tract, whose activity can drain the body of energy and divert the healing processes." The energy my body uses to digest and eliminate food is directed towards helping my body self-heal during a fast. Only I am the steward of my body and sometimes it takes an extreme measure to see extreme results.

There is so much more I could write about this topic, but for now, I encourage you to look into it more if it sparks your interest. Or, you could simply add a nutrient-rich green juice into your diet and see if you don't feel a difference. As a result of drinking juices and eating a plant-based diet I've noticed that my skin is clearer, my hair is shinier, my nails are stronger. Everyday, I am feeling healthier. One day, by God's grace, I will be able to say I have fully recovered from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; I know this as I am already seeing the fruit of this way of living in my life.

brooke's green juice

1 cup spinach (substitute: kale, parsley)
1 medium apple
1 celery stalk
1/2 cucumber
1/2 lemon, peeled

Pass the ingredients through a juicer or blend the ingredients along with 1/4 cup of water, preferably filtered, and strain through a nut milk bag, cheesecloth or a stocking. Serve with ice and drink immediately, or within 15-30 minutes in order to ensure the maximum retention of enzymes. Enjoy!

*If you are interested in learning about water and juice fasting more seriously I highly recommend the book Fasting and Eating for Health by Joel Fuhrman, M.D.

Too many bliss balls = Brooke needs to detox!