Can I just say that the questions you guys have for this Juice/Smoothie Challenge are amazing! I'm glad that you all are asking them, because there is at least one other person out there who may have the same questions you have, so this way, it helps us to gear ourselves to better serve you in this Challenge.
This blog post is dedicated to those of you who have posed certain specific questions that may have come up during your steps of preparing for or thinking about joining us for this Juice/Smoothie Challenge...
- How much water should I drink?
- According to the Mayo Clinic, "Water makes up about 60% of your body weight." You need water in order to function as a normal and healthy individual. Many of you may have heard the old saying that you should have at least 64 ounces of water per day. That saying was based off of the average body weight of an adult woman being around 130 lbs...and its true, if you're about 130lbs. However, I typically remind people if water makes up 60% of their body weight, then they should at least be drinking AT LEAST half of their body weight in ounces of water. For example, if you are 100lbs, you should be drinking AT LEAST 50 ounces of water daily. (This recommendation is if you do a Juice/Smoothie Challenge or not.) Now obviously, you may need to modify and drink more depending on the climate of where you live, how active you are, etc. If you work out daily, your water intake should be a little more than half of your weight in ounces, because you need to put back what you sweat out.
- I have low iron/anemia, will it get worse with the Juice/Smoothie Challenge?
- I can't make a call on this one...as I'm not a medical professional, please see non-medical professional blurb below...However, I can say as someone who had iron deficiency as well as anemia issues prior to implementing an 80% raw food diet into my lifestyle, I no longer have any of those issues now. (Please also read the question and answer below for more useful information on this topic.)
- How will I get protein, iron and the complex B vitamins that I can only get from meat and dairy?
- This question comes up a lot! This is perfectly understandable. I had the same concerns the first time I did a challenge like this. Here's what my research and self test study provides:
- Whole live raw foods provide everything you need. PERIOD! It really is that simple. You get all the protein, complex b vitamins and iron you need. Now does this mean that some will not ever have low iron, protein or low complex b nutrients? NO it does not. There could be a plethora of reasons for that (i.e., pre-existing medical conditions, absorbancy rate in the body, digestive issues, etc...) But the majority of people who maintain pure raw diets, without interference from processed or cooked foods, feel the optimal value from the raw foods.
- Most concerns about the iron, complex b vitamins and protein come from being told that we won't get the same amounts from plants that we do from meat. This is partly true. If you COOK your raw foods, then you are cooking the nutritional value out from the foods. So in this instance, it is true, you won't get as much iron, protein or complex b vitamins from them...why? Because you've just cooked them all out! But, if you eat them raw, you're not only getting as much protein, iron and complex b vitamins from plants as you would meat...you're actually getting more!
- Secret Tip: Do NOT always cut your greens with high acidic fruits to "sweeten" your juice or smoothies...why? Doing so cuts your Complex B's! Ever meat a raw foodist, vegan or vegetarian and they tell you their doctor made them go back to eating meat and/or dairy? Well there could be a few reasons for that, but for now we're going to focus on the constant mixing of fruits with vegetables. Many people don't realize doing so makes the acid eat through the plants and vegetables cutting the complex B vitamins. I'll go into a detailed post about this tomorrow. So stay tuned... (P.S., if you have to cut your foods to sweeten them, try banana's, carrots, apples, dates, honey, raw blue agave...these things don't cut the complex B vitamins.)
- Should I take any vitamins and/or supplements? Now of course, I have to give you the "non-medical professional" disclosure to this question...please see below. While I am not a medical professional, I can share with you what I am doing and remind you of some "common sense" measures to take while doing this Juice/Smoothie Challenge.
- Go and visit your doctor. Get a full physical and follow your medical professionals advice about your health and if they say you should do this juice/smoothie challenge then read the following bullet points in this section...
- While I cannot and will not tell you what vitamins or supplements you should take, I will say this:
- If you currently take vitamins and supplements, why stop?
- If you are currently on prescribed medications...definitely don't stop unless your doctor tells you to!
- I currently take a vegan multivitamin, and will continue to do so throughout the course of this 60 day Juice/Smoothie Challenge.
- I will also take a Chlorella tablet daily and periodically add Spirulina to my smoothies, as I currently do. Both Chlorella and Spirulina should be added to everyone's diet, in my personal opinion, just because of the benefits. Both Chlorella and Spirulina are used for:
- Poor digestion and assimilation (these micro-algae are easy to digest and absorb)
- Poor vitality and anemia
- Individuals who consumer large quantities of animal protein (the micro-algae protein, in contrast, is easier to digest and offers a far healthier balance of minerals)
- Protects the kidneys and liver
- Weight control
- People who engage in physical exercise and / or strength training
- People with low energy levels (feeling depleted, exhausted, etc.)
- Chlorella and spirulina have been shown to be effective in treating and even reversing the following conditions:
- Cancers (all types)
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- Hypoglycemia
- Arthritis
- Depression
- Severe liver damage and liver disorders
- Intestinal ulcers
- Hemorrhoids
- Asthma
- High blood pressure
- Constipation
- Bleeding gums
- Infections
- Inflammation of joints and tissues
- Body odor / breath odor
- Various degenerative diseases
- Essential fatty acid deficiencies
- Mineral deficiencies (magnesium is a common deficiency)
- Last but certainly not least the level of B-vitamins in Chlorella and Spirulina are outrageous! So anyone worried about b-12 or any complex b's being lost from loss of meat, dairy...have no fear...what you don't get from fruit and veggies, you'll get from adding these supplements to your diet.
- Another supplement I will take daily is Methyl Sulfonyl Methane (MSM). MSM is a supplement that is used for so many things. Being active, it helps with joint recovery a great deal. I am recovering from a sports injury and let me just say, I wouldn't know what I would do without MSM. TLC states, "Sulfur seems to be important in the strength and maintenance of joint tissue, especially cartilage. Since sulfur is a significant component of MSM, one possible benefit of MSM is in the treatment of joint problems such as sports injuries, osteoarthritis and tendinitis." A few other benefits of MSM:
- Helps our bodies absorb nutrients
- Increases oxygen availability to the body
- Increases energy
- Helps the body eliminate toxins including lactid acid build up from strenuous exercise and long hours of work
- Helps relieve muscular aches and pains
- Helps reduce inflammation due to injury or inflammatory diseases such as arthritis
- The last supplement I will take for the first 30 days only is what I call the Psyllium/Bentonite elixer.
- How to make the Psyllium/Bentonie Elixer:
- 1 tsp of "Great Plains Bentonite Detox"
- 1 tsp of "Psyllium Husks Powder"
- 1 cup of water.
- Make sure its blended well.
- Then make sure you drink it fast, because this is NOT a tasty elixer, and it's probably the most bland drink you'll ever have in your life. But the benefits of this elixer is so amazing. It cleanses mucus forming toxic waste from the colon. Doing a Juice/Smoothie Challenge, you have to know you're detoxing your body. I don't care if you're a raw foodist or if you eat meat, a detox is a detox and those toxins are going somewhere...this elixer helps removes the toxins from your body. I'll drink a small glass full every night (before bed) for the first 30 days.
P.S., I'm not an affiliate with any of the links that I've posted. And I get absolutely no referral fees for you shopping there. However, I wanted to post them for (a) you to see the picture of some of these supplements, (b) receive more general information to read about them on your own and to start doing your own research about what you're putting into your body and (c) if you do decide to get any of these, its where I buy them and its the most inexpensive prices for these items that I've seen.
Lastly, please keep the questions and comments coming! I love them and it makes me think! If I don't have the answer, you're forcing me to research them for you. So please keep the questions coming. If you don't want to post your question/concern publicly, please feel free to email it to me and I'll research the answer and blog about it. (uum of course...no names/entities would ever be used, only the question asked...why would I share it? Because there might be one other person out there with the exact same concern or issue and your question inadvertently help someone else too.)
Until tomorrow... au revoir! XOXO
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References:
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Related Posts:
5 Steps To Making Juice Without A Juicer
Tips for Starting a Juice/Smoothie Challenge
Juice/Smoothie Challenge: Raw Week Prep Day 1
Tips for Starting a Juice/Smoothie Challenge
Juice/Smoothie Challenge: Raw Week Prep Day 1
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