In my almost forty years on the planet, I have seen many eating and dieting trends come and go. No fat, low fat, high protein, no carbohydrates, raw, only cauliflower soup.… You name it, and people have tried it! However, what remains consistently recommended by leading doctors of every persuasion is that we need to eat fewer processed foods, more fruits and vegetables, and more foods in their natural state. Period.
I have been vegan for almost seven years and was vegetarian for twenty years before that. I ate pretty healthily, but I have a confession to make: Since becoming a mom almost ten years ago, I have gotten in the habit of grabbing a handful of chips or pretzels or cookies here and there. Well, the “here and there” had lodged itself literally here and there, mainly around my hips and belly. This Mama had accumulated a little bit too much “here and there” … here and there.
This past year, I heard about juicing as a way of life, and honestly, it sounded weird, even though it held the possibility of helping me get rid of my “here and there,” among other benefits. When I heard about Daily Greens through its founder, Shauna, her story really inspired me. I could relate to her perspective as a young mom who wanted to improve her health and designed these juices from that desire, but her experience battling cancer was really what touched me. I felt empowered because of her dedication and her motivation not only for her health, but for the health of others.
I had some concerns about attempting a juice cleanse despite all of my optimistic posturing. Although I never considered myself to have an unhealthy relationship with food, as I prepared to start the cleanse, I started to feel a sense of panic and impending doom. I felt like food was being taken away from me forever (even though that makes no logical sense!). Thankfully, I was able to acknowledge that these kinds of fears and this kind of panic were things that I could cleanse as well.
To make a four-day-juice-cleanse-story short, the juices tasted good enough that I didn’t feel like I was being punished by drinking them. I snacked on raw stuff like fruits and veggies throughout the day. I simply wasn’t hungry or grumpy at all. I felt full of energy. Simple foods started tasting really good to me, and that hasn’t gone away even months after I’ve finished the cleanse.
I felt so good after my four-day cleanse that I kept going. I ended up eating raw for nine whole days, with one or two juices a day. I lost weight off my hips and tummy and can fit into my old jeans again!
I took a chance and was inspired enough to commit to disciplining my eating for four days. It transformed my palate, made my body healthier, and put me back in control of my eating and my relationship with food.
If that’s trendy, count me in.
—Mayim Bialik