Welcome to Pure Jeevan's "Juice-a-Day Jamboree"! You're probably wondering, "What IS Pure Jeevan's Juice-a-Day Jamboree, anyway " Well, it's simple: It's an ongoing, informal, loosely organized "event" centered around juicing. Think of it as an interim step between (1) any kind of diet or lifestyle, from SAD to full-on raw, that does not include much regular juice, and (2) an all out juice feast where that's ALL you'd consume for a period of time. Basically, we're saying, "Let's just make this simple and accessible for everyone. Let's just make a goal to simply drink more fresh juice!"
Wendi and I have been thinking a lot about incorporating more juicing into our lives lately (which is something we've done off and on over the years but never stuck with long-term). One thing holding us back from doing it more often is the time requirement. When we juice, it usually takes a half hour or so from start to finish. I know it doesn't seem that complicated, but I suppose it's just the whole process of setting up the juicer, washing and peeling the produce, juicing it, setting the juice aside while we clean the juicer, doling out the juice into glasses, cleaning up the mini-mess that makes, and then sitting down to actually enjoy the juice.
However, we both intuitively felt that we needed to be juicing more (we both feel flooded with energy during the day each time we juice). So, we wondered how we could add more juicing into our diets without it becoming a big deal. Then Wendi came up with an idea that seemed like a real winner: Instead of starting from scratch every day, maybe we could pre-wash and pre-sort our fruits & veggies on the weekend so that, during the week, all we need to do is grab a bag of prepared produce and go immediately to the juicing phase. If we decided to do this once a day, we could make it part of our daily routine.
We didn't take action with that idea for a while, and almost forgot about it. But then Wendi was reading Penni's blog and was reinspired to get our own juicing regimen started. Penni is an experienced juice feaster who chronicled her 92-day feast last year and is very inspiring. (A juice feast or fast is a period during which you consume ONLY fresh juices for a span of time.) Penni has currently challenged herself again (read her Juicing Couture post) and many individuals are joining her in the challenge -- including us!
To make it more fun and motivational for us and our readers, we have decided to create a fun event out of it. So, the message of our Juice-a-Day Jamboree event is easy: Incorporate more fresh juice into your life, at least once a day if you can. This isn't a juice feast or fast. It's just a small, ongoing "challenge" to prepare yourself some juice every day and see how you feel as a result. No rules, no time limits, no pressure. Just some delicious juice to nourish your system. (In the future, we may desire to do a full juice feast. But currently, a more simple juice goal fits better into our lifestyle.)
If you want to have a little more fun with it, grab one of the following sidebar buttons ...
... add it to your blog and link it here to this page -- http://purejeevan.com/blog/p=876 -- to let others know what you're doing. This way, you can encourage others to incorporate more fresh, health-giving juice into their daily lives. And you'll also remind yourself of your Juice-a-Day goal. Don't forget to come back to this page periodically and leave a comment to let us and everyone else know how you're doing! We look forward to sharing our Juice-a-Day journey with you. We're starting today. How about you !
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We'll be posting periodic updates about our Juice-a-Day Jamboree experiences, below, and look forward to hearing from you about your Jamboree experiences!
Original Comments
Below, we have included the original comments from this blog post. Additional comments may be made via Facebook, below.
On March 1, 2009, wrote:
We've decided to keep our juices simple, so we're following a recipe that Wendi created for a raw food retreat she organized last year. The juice includes carrots, apples, and celery. To the juice, Wendi and I squeeze in some fresh lemon juice. We do this separate for two reasons: 1) KDcat doesn't like the juice with the added lemon, and 2) we use the pulp for our dog, Julia, and citrus isn't good for her.
We started our day with the juice and, as always, we have a surge of energy that isn't always there in the morning after breakfast!
On March 1, 2009, wrote:
I've been juicing every morning for months now, and it absolutely rocks! Especially now that we have a new juicer, which cuts prep time down by about seven minutes or so.
I like a dark green juice with grapefruit in it. So bitter. So good.
On March 1, 2009, wrote:
I've been starting my day lately with apple, orange, celery and carrot juice.
Before that, I'd been drinking carrot, orange, parsley and cilantro.
I love juicing!
~ Melissa
On March 1, 2009, wrote:
just had a mason jar full of green love for dinner!
I try to do a quart a day, this is a great way to keep me going too.
Love the prewashed veggie pak idea.. I think Kris Carr does it too.
love deb
On March 1, 2009, wrote:
I have been juicing every am for 24 years or so...Gary Null was my inspiration. And, my secret to making it easier has been to lay out 14 paper towels on my countertop and lay dandelion, swiss chard, cabbage, ginger, cucumber, celery, beets, and carrots on the paper towel. Then I put each serving in a plastic bag, the paper towel keeping moisture at bay for the entire week. Lately I have been adding rejeuvelac, and various powders and tinctures from elements for life. Since the superfood additions, I have ceased using vitamins!
I actually start my day with psyllium fiber, 20 minutes later vit C with lemon juice. Then I work out either running or biking for one hour and juice afterwards.
No one thinks I am my age or that I have grown children. And I have bounced back after each of my pregnancies, rarely get the common cold. And whether I have been raw, vegan, or eaten fish sparingly, juicing has consistently been in my life and the source of my good health!
On March 2, 2009, wrote:
I am so excited!!! I juice every morning. . .usually a green leafy based juice with apple to add a touch of sweetness. Sometimes for a treat I do carrot, apple, ginger juice! Oh yea, I add a heaping teaspoon of Spirulina to my green juice and mix it in my mini blender! Just a thought if anyone wants to give that a whirl!
On March 2, 2009, wrote:
I'm so delighted that you all are heading up the Juice-a-Day Jamboree! I am such a believer in adding juice into one's daily diet...it's just a great way to get nutrition directly into the body. This winter has been a challenge to me and I think March is a great time to get back into the game with a March juice cleanse.
Blessings to you and I'm raising my Mason jar to Pure Jeevan!
XOXO.....Penni
On March 2, 2009, wrote:
That is soo great that you are juicing every day!! I have been doing it for a year now and LOVE it!! I use the same receipe as you guys. That is tooo cool!! I have a question for you guys since you just came back from a trip to Florida. I have not been on a SUNNY vacation since I have gone raw about 2 years ago. My question to you is...............what did you use for sunscreen ?? I used to slab on the SPF 15/30 on my face and body and cannot use these anymore, since I have been reading they now actually have been shown to cause cancer!! But..............I also cannot imagine not using anything because I will definitely burn. I have olive skin so I do not burn too easily, but I will surely burn in Florida. Just wondering if you guys have anything that you used when you were in sunny Florida ??
Thanks for any help on this that you could give.
XOXO
Samantha Cook
On March 2, 2009, wrote:
Wendi's Juice-a-Day Jamboree Update:
Yesterday I was filled with lots of energy after our morning juice. That's something that I've always loved about juice--it's instant fuel. One other thing that I've always noticed about juicing: my tummy feels extra flat when I drink fresh juice. :-)
Today we woke up too late (stayed up too late working on projects and watching a movie with KDcat). So, there was no time for juice before Jim went to work. I ate two oranges for breakfast and was super tired. For lunch, I made fresh juice and drank it before eating a sandwich (Love Force bread, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, sweet pepper, tiny bit of leftover nut dip). Well, I am now feeling the energy from the juice! I have to admit that I prefer to start my day, first thing, with the juice. It's a great way to jump right into projects fueled with lots of vibrant energy!
How's everyone else doing with your Juice-a-Day Jamboree !
Lots of love to all o f you,
Wendi
XOXOXO
On March 2, 2009, wrote:
Samantha, the sun wasn't super hot while we were there, so we didn't have a problem with burning. I've heard coconut oil is good to use as a sunscreen, but to me it seems like it would cause a burn rather than avoid one. ;-)
I hope you find yourself in a warm, sunny location soon!
Lots of love to you,
Wendi
XOXOXO
On March 2, 2009, wrote:
Dave,
I think Jim would love the grapefruit with dark greens in it. I, however,
wouldn't be able to tolerate it. For some reason my body just doesn't like
bitter things. :-P
Congrats on juicing for a few months! What changes have you noticed
Lots of love to you,
Wendi
XOXOXO
On March 2, 2009, wrote:
I love starting the day with juice. This morning we weren't able to start
with it and it really makes a difference in my energy level. How have you
been feeling since you've been starting your days with juice, Melissa
Lots of love to you,
Wendi
XOXOXO
On March 2, 2009, wrote:
I love how you called your juice green love, Deb! :-) We aren't doing a
quart a day, but we are just starting out on this Juice-a-Day Jamboree
goal. We'll work up to more, I'm sure!
Lots of love to you,
Wendi
XOXOXO
On March 2, 2009, wrote:
I love my juice! I guess I am so used to doing a qt, I look up and bam, it's full and soon my mason jar is too! If I do fall short, I add a touch of coconut water to it, tastes fab!
love you two juicy kids
deb
On March 2, 2009, wrote:
Ooh! I can see how adding coconut water would taste amazing!!
*blows kisses*
On March 2, 2009, wrote:
Wow, Lori! That's fantastic! Do you have a blog where you write about your
diet? If so, I'd love to check it out (and see some pics, too!).
Thanks for sharing! It looks like you are juicing some incredibly
nutritious foods for your body!!
Lots of love to you,
Wendi
XOXOXO
On March 2, 2009, wrote:
Shawna,
I'll mention the spirulina to Jim. I don't like the taste of it, but he
loves the stuff. I bet he'd love to add some to his morning juice!
That's so awesome that you've been juicing every morning. What kinds of
things have you noticed, if anything, since you've been juicing
Lots of love to you,
Wendi
XOXOXO
On March 2, 2009, wrote:
You, darling Penni, are always a bright inspiration! You literally glow in
your photos, especially when you've been juicing! I look forward to
following your March juice cleanse!
Lots of love to you,
Wendi
XOXOXO
On March 2, 2009, wrote:
Samantha,
Have you noticed any changes in your health, since you've been juicing
every day for a year? I'd love to hear if things have changed for you in
any way. Have you been doing the same juice every day over the year
Lots of love to you,
Wendi
XOXOXO
On March 2, 2009, wrote:
Wendi and Jim, what a great idea. I already juice wheatgrass everyday, so why not, since I already have the juicer working!
I'm going to try carrot, apple and ginger. That sounded like a great combination. Do you know if this would be an improper combination, or maybe that wouldn't matter to you. I also noticed that my local Costco has big bags of organice carrots and organic apples now so I can juice with a discount!
On March 2, 2009, wrote:
That's great, Louis!! I'd love to hear if adding more juice to your usual
wheatgrass juice in the morning makes any positive changes in your body
for you!
I think carrrot, apple, and ginger are great together. I like to add lemon
to that mixture, too. :-)
That's a bonus finding organic produce at a great price!
Lots of love to you,
Wendi
XOXOXO
On March 2, 2009, wrote:
Wendi, any thoughts on adding the juice to my wheatgrass juice
I have always kept my wheatgrass separate from my smoothie in the morning. I get a little bit of a wheatgrass high from it and wouldn't want to ruin that.
On March 2, 2009, wrote:
Wendi,
It took me time to develop a taste for Spirulina! I think that comes for some folks, but not for other folks. . .just like any flavor!
The biggest change I've noticed since I began juicing is energy and joy in the morning. I truely look forward to the entire process!!!! As I wash the fruit and veggies I am about to juice, I try to be in the moment. . .I marvel at the healing and nourishment I am about to recieve. . .after juicing, as I clean my mini-mess, I try to be mindful and thankful. . . I feel my cells dancing in jubilation. . . celebrating the juice-a-day-jamboree! I can honestly say, I feel sad if I miss a day of fresh morning juice.
Let me also say, my eczema has lessened as have my sinus troubles. It's just amazing!
XOXO
Shawna
Best wishes to all those beginning the juice-a-day jamboree!
On March 2, 2009, wrote:
Lois,
If you are getting a high from it straight, you might lose that--since it
will be diluted with the other juices you'd be adding. The most I can say
is try it to see. :-)
As for taste, well, I'm not a big fan of wheatgrass so I'd probably do the
shot separate so I could enjoy the other juice. *giggles* Jim would
probably mix them, since he loves green juices.
Lots of love to you,
Wendi
XOXOXO
On March 2, 2009, wrote:
I should have a blog, but don't yet. I have written a true and inspirational spiritual tale about my youngest child, now 18. You can see a picture of me at lorigershon.com, the website for my book.
I work as an occupational therapist doing homecare, am a bit of a square peg in a round hole. I am considering either traditional or distance learning to be a naturopath for my second act. That, and forming a non-profit to help kids with more severe learning disabilities transition to work or secondary education.
On March 3, 2009, wrote:
UPDATE:
Another morning where we were too tired to make the juice first thing in the morning. Tonight I WILL go to bed at a reasonable hour. When I'm too tired to get up early, it throws my whole day off. I'm much more productive when I start my day first thing in the morning (especially if I have a fresh juice first thing!).
So, we'll have a fresh juice right before we eat lunch--the same as we did yesterday. And, I'm going to try harder to give my body the rest it needs so I can wake up to a morning with fresh juice tomorrow!
How is everyone else doing with your juice goal
Lots of love to you,
Wendi
XOXOXO
On March 3, 2009, wrote:
Shawna,
Congrats on lessening your eczema and sinus problems! Also, congrats on
learning to like the taste of spirulina!! I dislike it so much that I
don't know if I can ever learn to enjoy it! :-P
I love how you start your day with the juice--that's beautiful!
Lots of love to you,
Wendi
XOXOXO
On March 5, 2009, wrote:
UPDATE:
Finally started the day with a juice and I have the energy to prove it. I am more focused, or something, when I start the day with juice (rather than have it later in the day).
XOXOXO
On March 8, 2009, wrote:
UPDATE:
We're loving this Juice-a-Day Jamboree! Until today, we've been sticking with the same carrot, apple, celery recipe. But this morning, Jim blended up some kale in the Vitamix with a little bit of water, then strained that througha nutmilk bag. Then we added a bit of kale juice into our daily juice recipe. (Well, for Jim and I. KDcat likes hers without greens.) It tasted noticeably more "green," but we liked it! I added a lot of lemon to mine for some additional palatability.
XOXOXO
On March 10, 2009, wrote:
UPDATE:
Yesterday morning we didn't have enough time to make our regular morning juice. But, I was kind of bummed out because when I start my day with juice I have SOOOO much more energy. So, I had a brilliant idea! I don't have to make my usual juice--I can simply juice ONE thing: oranges! So, we started our day with fresh orange juice and it was wonderful!
XOXOXO
On March 12, 2009, wrote:
UPDATE:
Today's update is a separate blog post: http://purejeevan.com/blog/p=919
How are the rest of you doing? :-)
XOXOXO
On March 16, 2009, wrote:
UPDATE:
We juiced plain cucumber and celery the other day and I didn't care for it at all. :-( I squeezed a bit of lemon into it, but it still wasn't all that great. I drank it, but I'll not be making that combination again. :-)
Today I made plain apple juice and even doing just apples gave me the energy burst that the multiple ingredient juices give to me!
XOXOXO
On March 17, 2009, wrote:
UPDATE:
I'm starting to dislike carrots--not just in my juice, but in my meals, as well. I went through a stage after KDcat was born when I couldn't stand raw carrots---the smell of them almost burned my nostrils, or something. They are seeming too strong to me, again, so I'm going to start cutting back on them.
I'm loving cauliflower these days, but I think it wouldn't taste all that great as a juice. :-P
XOXOXO
On March 18, 2009, wrote:
My favorite lately has been 1 bunch of celery, 3 carrots, 1/2 a lemon, parsley, dandelion greens, 1/2 of a large cucumber. So yummy, and definitely no unpalatable "green" taste at all, thanks to the lemon and carrots!
I try to juice every day (and always feel better when I start the morning off with fresh juice), but I don't always have time as I work 40 hours a week and commute 20 hours a week (plus time at the gym and commuting to the gym). Hopefully, when I move closer to my job, I'll have more time to juice!
On March 21, 2009, wrote:
Sara,
That sounds like a really healthy juice you've been drinking!!
Congratulations!
Remember that your health is more important than anything else--you are
worth that time you spend taking care of yourself (through juicing or
whatever else you choose). :-) I hope you can find a place closer to your
job very soon!
Lots of love to you,
Wendi
XOXOXO
On March 21, 2009, wrote:
UPDATE:
We're out of apples and oranges, so we haven't juiced in two days. I definitely feel a difference--there's less energy/uplifted feeling when we don't juice. We'll have to pick up some apples today!
XOXOXO
On March 24, 2009, wrote:
UPDATE:
We have not been juicing. :-( We're out of oranges and apples and really need to make a trip to the grocery store very soon! I'm not as energy-filled as I am when I start my day with a fresh juice.
XOXOXO
On March 25, 2009, wrote:
UPDATE:
Still haven't gone shopping--have been eating things that are left in the house. We've hit the bottom, however, and I don't think we can make it another day without shopping. So, soon we'll be back to juicing! I miss the surge of focused energy that comes after juicing!
XOXOXO
On March 26, 2009, wrote:
UPDATE:
Went to pick up some fresh produce today! Yay! While at the food co-op, I ordered a fresh juice (carrot, celery, apple, lemon). YUM!
XOXOXO
On March 30, 2009, wrote:
UPDATE:
Well, once we got out of the habit of making morning juice, we kind of forgot about making them again. When we did our grocery shopping, however, we made sure to pick up enough apples, carrots, celery, and oranges to begin making morning juices again. Now we just have to get back into the routine of actually making them!
Having the juice every day, especially in the morning, really gives me such an energy boost! *Makes a note to self to remember to make the juice tomorrow morning.*
On April 8, 2009, wrote:
UPDATE: We haven't been juicing. I have gone low sugar for a while, to see how I feel with less fruit sugars (just experimenting with my diet to see what this change brings).
So, I am looking for nonsweet juice recipes--no carrots or fruits (except for nonsweet fruits like tomato and cucumber). If you have any recommendations, please share them. :-)
XOXOXO
On April 20, 2009, wrote:
UPDATE: There has been no juicing going on around here. We put the juicer away to make the countertop look bigger when someone was coming to view our home (it's for sale) and with the juicer out of sight, I have to admit I forget about making juice.
XOXOXO