The night before the NYC Half Marathon, I enjoyed a delicious pasta dinner at Serafina with some bloggers I love – Lindsay , Katherine and Leslie ! This was my first time meeting Leslie and I was so excited. My friend Melissa, a blog reader who I trained with for the half also came to din.

I kept it simple and healthy at dinner by ordering the Whole Wheat Penne dish and I requested it be served without garlic. Garlic taste can stay in the mouth for an entire day no matter how many times I brush my teeth, and I needed perfect mouth conditions for the race.

I had a hard time falling asleep that night, as expected. But I woke up before my 5:30 am alarm time and my first thought was “It’s half marathon day!” A few seconds later, I had another thought: “It’s my birthday!”

I got up and took a shower. I’ve never showered before a race, but I read in Runner’s World that a warm shower will loosen up the muscles. Anything that could help me run stronger and prevent pain sounds good to me.

I got dressed in my brand new Lululemon outfit, my new Bondi Band headband that I bought at the expo, my knee sleeves, compression sleeves and birthday crown.

Happy birthday to me!

Since it was going to be cold before the race started, Melissa and I bought matching I <3 NY sweatshirts. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to see Melissa before the race to take a picture together. I had a little fun on mine with some fabric markers I bought when I was going to make a race shirt that said “wish me a happy birthday”, that I decided not to wear.

Melissa and me at the expo:

I packed up my Spibelt and put that on, and I drank my Organic Avenue green juice, stretched and pinned on my race number. Then I was out the door and in a taxi headed for Central Park.

I found my section for bag check and there was no line, it all went quickly and easily. I walked into the park and waited on a very long line for a portapotty and then headed over to my corral. I started at the start line and walked past corral after corral. After corral. After corral. How far back was I?? I kept walking and walking. Eventually I spotted a corral that had a lot of room, and even though it was a couple of corrals before my designated one, I went in. I knew I could run between a 10 and 11 minute mile and decided there was no reason to be all the way in the very back.

While I was waiting, I got a BBM from Leslie and told her where I was. I loved being able to have my phone with me thanks to my Spibelt! She made her way alllll the way back to me from her much closer-to-the-start corral and we talked and took a picture.

I loved passing the time before the race with Leslie. When she had to go back to her own corral, I turned around and there was Catherine – my Core Fusion health counselor and teacher! She was in the same corral with me! It was so nice seeing her.

As I waited for the race to start, I looked to my left and noticed a row of portapottys right next to me with NO line. I decided to take advantage of this sign from above and use one. So glad I did! I still had plenty of time before the race started.

I was getting a little upset because no one seemed to care that it was my birthday. I was wearing the crown and lots of people saw me on the portapotty lines, in the corrals, and no one said a word. Finally, someone wished me a happy birthday. And then someone else told me it was her birthday too. I felt a little better about my ridiculous crown once it was acknowledged.

And then the race started and so began the 15 minute walk to the start. You heard me right. I started the race exactly 15 minutes after it officially started according to the digital clock at the start line. Crazy! There was one small problem. During the walk to the start. . . my body decided another portapotty trip needed to happen. Why do I have to pee SO MUCH when I am nervous? This has happened before. I drink the exact same thing before training runs and races, yet I only have this issue during races and other events that make me nervous or anxious. Is this my body’s fight or flight defense? Because if it is, it’s stupid.

I was so excited to start the race, I wasn’t about to try and find a portapotty. I was no longer near the ones by my corral. I decided to just start running and hope it was all in my head. I turned my music on and I was off!

Loved the spectators in the park cheering as I started. Woo hoo! I did cry a little bit as I crossed the start. Who cries at the start??! When did I become so emotional? I quickly tossed my sexy sweatshirt to someone on the side and got into my music. The weather was gorgeous, the conditions were all ideal except for that nagging pressure on my bladder. Ugh! I avoided water stations. Every time I passed portapotties, there were long lines. Dashing in and out is one thing, but I was not about to start waiting on lines! I worked too hard for this race. So I kept running. At each mile clock, I saw that my time had moved by exactly 10 minutes. 10 minute miles, yay! That made me happy, although I tried not to focus on the time and remind myself I would still come in under my goal if I started running slower.

When I crossed over the 5K time tracker thing my face broke into a big smile – I knew that pretty soon, all the people who signed up for email alerts would get an email with my first time! As it turned out, they started sending my results after 10K, but I didn’t know that at the time.

The full loop of Central Park is 6 miles, which means that shortly before mile 6 I was by the part where the race started. By then I had been running for an hour while having to pee and I was not comfortable. So at that spot I saw the long row of portapotties for use before the race and since there were so many, there was no line. This was my opportunity! While running, I yanked down my Spibelt and lifted up my shirt. I was not wasting ANY time in there!

I used the bathroom and ran out and was back in the race. I was upset that I lost some time, but I tried to accept that these things happen and you can’t always control them. And above all – I felt SO MUCH BETTER. What a relief!

And then I saw Catherine again! I started screaming her name and ran over to her. How funny to run into her mid-race. I separated from her shortly after saying hi to make my way over to the water station. Now I was ready to drink!

I took Gatorade by accident, but I liked it. I ended up switching between water and Gatorade at most stations after that.

I crossed the 10K mark in 1:05, which is only 2 minutes slower than my 10K race PR of 1:03, so it doesn’t look like my bathroom stop hurt too much!

I was still feeling really great at this time, too. Even with the bladder discomfort, the first 6 miles went very easily for me. I never thought a day would come where I’d utter those words! But yes, 6 miles – NOT BAD!

After we passed 7 miles I got excited because it was my last mile in the park. Everyone told me how great it is when you can finally leave the park and run down 7th Avenue. Mile 7 felt so long! I just wanted to get to the next leg of the race and every time I thought I was close I would recognize something around me that showed me just how far from the 7th Avenue exit I actually was. I ate a shot block.  I also started feeling some minor chafing. I had never experienced this before, but my left arm rubbing against the side of my back was creating some uncomfortable friction. I passed some people handing out sticks of vaseline a few miles back but didn’t see any more. Now I know for next time!

Finally I got to Mile 8 and smiled as I left the park.I paused the music on my iPod since I heard I’d want to hear all the people cheering for the runners. And then . . . nothing. There were very few spectators along the sides of 7th Ave and it was very quiet. After a minute I put my music back on because it was boring.

I looked at the spectators I did see, but none of them shouted Happy Birthday as I’d hoped. Oh well!

There were a couple of bands on 7th Ave, so I would pause my music to hear them, which was nice. There was a cheerleading team, but they were facing AWAY from the runners and cheering for people watching them on the sidewalk. Wtf?

I know everyone says running through Times Square is the most amazing part of the race, but I don’t know. I found it kind of blah. I think this was a combination of there being so few spectators and the fact that the runners were able to spread out on 7th Ave and I felt like there were no runners around me except for the slow stragglers at the back. Of course I was not a straggler in the back, but it did feel that way.

Can you spot me?

We turned onto 42nd street and that was pretty dead too. And by this point I was really starting to struggle. My knees were both hurting, my old familiar sharp pain on the outside of the knees. My quads were hurting too and felt very heavy. I ate another shot block. I thought maybe if my energy improved the pain in my knees wouldn’t be so bad. Blah. Running, running. Going through the motions. Mile 9, hello.

I crossed the 15K tracker and again thought of the people getting emails about me who actually cared, which did help push me through. It was like having virtual fans.

Onto the West Side Highway. There was a band playing so I paused my iPod to hear them and then when I pressed play, I lost my playlist! I somehow moved from Half Marathon playlist to Florence + the Machine album. How did that happen? I pressed a couple buttons without looking and somehow was able to get back to my race playlist. I did lose my place though and had to start over.

I didn’t let this little snag get me down. I loved my songs in the beginning and it was actually pretty awesome to hear them again! I put my least favorites towards the end of the playlist anyway.

Here was my full playlist:

I didn’t get to hear any songs from the Heaven on. Once I restarted, I simply skipped over songs I didn’t think would pump me up enough at this point in the race. But I LOVED the songs I got to hear twice (cough, I’d Rather, couch) and the song I ended the race to (Bounce That — Girl Talk).

Mile 10. Just 5K left. My first race was a 5K. But during my first race I didn’t have this pain in my knees and heaviness in my legs. I was running but I was going so slowly. There was a woman in a white top and she was walking. And I could NOT pass her. For a long time, she was walking, I was running, I could not pass her.

That took a little out of my confidence.

At this point, I just wanted to be finished. I knew I would finish, but I decided to let go of any plans on meeting my time goal (more on that later). I was barely moving, I was in pain, I was feeling pretty crappy and I knew I would not finish strong, but I would finish. This was the longest mile of my life. Both my knees hurt. My quads hurt. No one was wishing my happy birthday. FInally, Mile 11. Just 2 miles left. What’s 2 miles? It’s an easy 20 minute run. I could do this. I was still struggling though. It took me over half a mile to realize I was PDRing, 11 being the longest I’d ran while training. Woo. Hoo. Yeah.

The mile 12 marker was nowhere in sight and I was getting frustrated. I finally saw mile 12 in the distance and felt relieved. Finally, I made it to mile 12. Shortly after, I looked to my left and THERE WAS SARA!!!! My friend Sara, who just started a really great blog about restaurants in Manhattan, was cheering for me! I screamed. Seriously, I just screamed, not caring what the other runners around me thought. I was so happy to see my friend!!! I waved at Sara and she took a couple photos of me. You can’t see me in the first picture she took because I’m behind a huge guy (I don’t remember him being there at all), but Sara did manage to get this awesome picture of me that I am obsessed with and stare at all day long at my desk at work:

Yayyyy! You can’t tell I was struggling at all, right? Neither could Sara. She thought I looked strong and happy. Well, it is crazy how mental running is, because as soon as I saw Sara, my struggles ended and I WAS happy. I felt amazing! The pain in my knees didn’t seem so bad and I was able to speed up. I had a new burst of energy and I ran faster and stronger. I cried a teeny bit and smiled while I ran. 800 meters to go. I got this! 400 meters to go. Well I just did 400 since that last sign, so I could do that again! I ran and ran. I saw the finish line and I guess my body was too beat to sprint, but I kept running strong and crossed the finish line with my arms in the air and tears in my eyes. Okay, I lied. Full on sobs. What is wrong with me!!!

I was so overwhelmed with emotion and so happy and I just finished the NYC Half Marathon, my first half marathon!

I cried some more and then waited on line to have my picture taken, since I was wearing a crown and all! And now that I see the picture, I understand why no one wished me a happy birthday — no one saw the crown! It got pushed back!

I had a secret time goal of 2:20. After my bathroom stop I knew it would be harder but still possible. After my difficult miles 9-12 and not being able to pass a walker, I decided to let go of my time goal and just enjoy myself.

So what was my time?

2:18:53!!!!

I still beat my goal!!! I signed up for my own tracking emails so I knew my time as soon as I checked my phone after the race. I am so so so so SO happy with my time!!!! That averages to 10:37 miles, which is really awesome.

I picked up my baggage (easy smooth process!) and saw Leslie right away! Leslie PRd and qualified for a special corral in the Chicago Marathon from this race!

Then I went to find my best friend and I ran into my good friend Jackie (from the following: Jewish day camp, high school, grad school and old job) and then I ran into Katie! I saw so many people I knew randomly!

I know this post has been about me, but I actually ran the race for charity. And if it wasn’t for all of you, I wouldn’t have even had the opportunity to run the NYC Half Marathon. I cannot thank you enough. Your generosity, support and willingness to help me run a charity auction to fundraise for Think Pink Rocks was beyond what I ever could have expected. I raised $1,671 for Think Pink Rocks, and the money goes to breast cancer research and prevention. My mom is a breast cancer survivor, so this charity was important to me and I am so honored to have run for this amazing cause.

Cool shirt, right?

My best friend and I went to brunch at Landmarc where I ordered my favorite food, french toast. This french toast was special and came inside a hard french toast bread shell. Then I went home and enjoyed my post long-run 2 hour deepest nap ever. Also, I worked. People don’t talk much about post half marathon pain by the way. My quads were burning for days. I could barely walk. Subway stairs were brutal. Trying to sit down was unbearable. You never really think about the muscles you use while trying to sit but wow do we use muscle! My knees were also bothering me. After two yoga classes and some ice, I am doing much better! It took a few days though. Also, my toe situation is pretty gross and very black. Will discuss in a future post.

Just like that, I ran 13.1 miles. Last year I was running maybe 20 minutes and now I am running over 2 hours and feeling great. I LOVE RUNNING! It is so amazing because anyone can improve.

My next half marathon is the 13.1 Marathon NY in my hometown of Flushing, Queens on Saturday, April 3. As I said, I try not to make time goals . . . but if all goes well with the bladder, I think I can beat my time. I am so excited!

March 21, 2010 was the most rewarding birthday I could have ever imagined! Welcome to my 27th year!

That’s just a word the boy invented. It can mean everything and nothing; anything and all things. Right now, it perfectly describes my mood. Bushplurpie.

I feel bad that I haven’t been at the blog since Tuesday, but then I remember that I wrote a lot more than usual (these days) last week and I feel a bit better. So I’ll give you some updates and maybe then you will understand why I am feeling so bushplurpied.

Yes, my stomach felt better while fasting for a week with Organic Avenue. No, the bliss did not last. Once I started eating food again, the pain and discomfort came back so quickly I had to wonder if it was ever gone. Of course, it was gone, but it is now back as if last week never happened. I also went to see the surgeon this week. After spending a long time discussing my situation and options with him and putting a lot of thought into my situation and what he told me, I am heavily leaning towards having surgery. In fact, once I said those words out loud I knew it is the right thing for me. I felt relief once I accepted something I was previously unwilling to accept, so sure was I that surgery was not something I was willing to do.

After all, what if the newest medicine comes out that is the answer to all my problems?

However, now I learned that such a medication is not even in the pipeline. In fact, the only approved medicine for my condition (which I have tried multiple times for months) was recently taken OFF the market — for not working and for causing terrible side effects. And while I have been trying more non-traditional techniques lately, nothing seems to be helping much; although some things do help me get through the week and make major improvements on my day to day life, they are too expensive and time consuming to keep up with for the rest of my life. It just isn’t possible — and I still don’t even feel so great anyway with them.

I didn’t make any definite decisions yet. A few things have to happen first:

• The surgeon has to receive and then review various x-ray films from 4 different hospitals/offices — once he does this, he will call me and tell me if he still thinks surgery is my best answer. I have a strong feeling he will.
• Visit two new gastroenterologists for 6th and 7th opinions — one is in NY and one is in Boston, which will require some travel. If they both agree . . .

Then and only then will I say for sure I am going to have surgery and start figuring out the best time for me to do this. I used to think the idea of this surgery was crazy, but after talking to the surgeon and thinking about what the rest of my life would be like if I didn’t — what a pregnancy in my future would be like — I just know this is something that might really help me. And right now, nothing else is.

And. The surgeon told me that after the surgery, once I recover . . . I will be able to eat ANYTHING I WANT. That’s right — anything. Even oatmeal (oh how I miss thee). Even salad. Even Ezekiel bread. Even Larabars.

All the foods I love and miss. I used to eat oatmeal every day and then when my illness started that was one of the first things that I realized had to go. And then I started reading blogs and seeing just how incredible oatmeal can be. And I have yet to try one of these amazing creations. I really, really want to. I want to be able to eat whatever looks good, whatever is healthy, without saying “I can’t eat this because of my stomach.” I miss brown rice and whole grains. I miss salads for lunch. I despise having to order sandwiches “without lettuce” or “without sprouts.”

And I touched upon pregnancy before. Without getting into too much detail, if I were to become pregnant (NOT happening yet, I promise!) it could cause a lot of problems for me the way my body is right now. After surgery, however, it shouldn’t cause any. The doctor thinks there is a 95% chance I will feel completely better after surgery. He also thinks it is my only chance at improving my quality of life. Of course, this still has to be confirmed once he reviews my x-rays.

Anyway, these are my thoughts. They are out there. I was considering not mentioning this until I decided for sure, but I like hearing your thoughts and I like putting this in writing so I can one day look back and have my entire thought process written out. I also hope to turn my medical experience into a longer writing piece at some point, and I really don’t see myself writing this all out just to save on my computer. If I take this time to write, I like it to have a purpose and be read.

Feel free to email me if you want to know more about my condition and the surgery.

Speaking of eating foods, even though my stomach has a tough time with any vegetables, even cooked, I have been eating cooked veggies more often. Even though I don’t feel so well after, vegetables are seriously the only food I crave these days. Especially now that I made the decision to be a vegetarian — a decision I smile every time I think about. I am just so happy I acknowledged something that had been bothering me and I feel such relief after announcing it on the blog. So I need to eat something, right? And that something has been veggies. Lots of veggies. With some pain on the side. Seriously, every time I eat a vegetable based meal, I feel extreme discomfort, fullness (for a small amount of food) and pain after. But come time for my next meal, vegetables are all I want to eat. And then I feel awful. And the seasons, they go round and round and the painted ponies go up and down. And so on.

I could eat vegetables without pain once I have surgery. I want that.

Just some quick photos of some veggieful meals:

Blended salad (NOT vomit):

That was raw, and very hard on my stomach. I was testing this out the day after the fast ended to see how I did. This contained red pepper, tomato, avocado and mixed organic baby greens. The next day I made a steamed version that included butternut squash and no tomato and was slightly easier to tolerate. Uncomfortable yet delicious.

My new favorite creation: Eggplant and cashews roasted in EV coconut oil (EVCO?):

And my favorite dessert ever, Gena’s banana soft serve. I have been making this almost every day. Perfect dessert. I plan to mke her almond milk soon and blend it in here as well. It tastes extra good with crumbled up things, such as the Back to Nature Honey Graham Sticks the boy bought, or the crumbs at the bottom of his Cascadian Farms Oats and Honey Granola cereal. I also added some soaked cashews one night and it was amazing. But it is also perfect plain.

Punky Brewster enjoyed it too.

Before my writing class on Wednesday I stopped at Organic Avenue, my weekly pre-writing class dinner destination for the upcoming weeks. I love their food! Although by the time I get there, they don’t have much left. I was sad that there were no mint chip smoothies. The good news is that I can call ahead and tell them what to hold aside for me, which I will definitely do next time!

This week, I got a really great pesto “pasta” (spiralized vegetables), the most incredible chocolate mousse (this is the real stuff kids, no added sugars — and it tasted better than any I have had, with no chemically after taste. Everyone in my writing class was jealous) and a Green Mylk for the next day — I believe it was spinach, celery, cucumber (?), almond mylk and cinnamon. And it was pure heaven. Best green juice ever, obviously. I want that every week too. The problem with wanting all this great stuff every week is the cost. And it is not cheap. But, you get what you pay for and one time a week I pay for the good stuff. Wish I could have it more.

Since this is a bushplurpied mish mosh of a post, I want to also note that I ran 5 miles last Sunday in gorgeous but cool weather and I felt amazing! My knee did start hurting at the very end and the pain got bad, but I iced as soon as I got home and all was good. But I know now that I CAN run 5 miles! I am very excited for my 5 mile race on October 25. I have another 5 mile training run scheduled for Sunday but the forecast isn’t looking so good. The weather here has been so awful that I even used the treadmill already for  2 mile run. I wanted to cry from the boredom. And I might have to do 5 treadmiles on Sunday. Aaahh. Maybe my attitude about it will be better by then. And I just got my new Zensah compression leg sleeves today. I am excited to try them out and review them for you after reading such great things about them. Photo below from Zensah.com. Mine are beige.

In other eksusis news, I love having a rebounder! Thursday night is a big TV night as you probably know, and I watched the entire episode of Community and half of Parks & Recreation while rebounding! It was so easy and perfect; I felt so much better about watching TV than I would have if I was sprawled out on the couch. I did a bunch of moves I learned in all the rebounding classes I used to take plus some others that I made up. I also picked up my 2 lb weights and did some arm moves that wouldn’t bother my shoulder. I never do arms on my own, so the trampoline is a good way to get them in! I was thinking I’d have the boy take a picture of me on it so I can show you all. Mine looks like this, but I don’t keep the arm thing on it:

I do plan to start going to Core Fusion regularly after my 5 mile race is over. My schedule lately has been so packed that I usually don’t have time to go, and when I do have time I get worried about hurting my knee before the race. So I decided to just not worry about it and start to go more often after the race — especially since my running outdoors days are almost over and I will need to move my workouts indoors. Core Fusion is perfect for that — and I just so happen to have 25 classes I need to use up!

Camera help needed! I must have done something to my Canon settings. When I take photos of food on macro they come out great. But when I try to take a picture of anything else, especially people, it is ALWAYS blurry. That switch on top that moves it from 3 modes — video, and 2 others. I think the 2 others are wrong. Can anyone help?? What should it be defaulted on?

And these, my friends, are all the reasons I feel so much bushplurpie. Thanks for listening to me through this long winded post. Now enjoy Michael Pollan’s awesome compilation of food rules. Can this man do any wrong?

Edited to add: Also read this – The 18 Worst Packaged Food Lies

Note: I wrote this post midday Wednesday but am first getting around to posting it Thursday morning. I will write a Thursday post that picks up where this one left off.

Click here for recaps from Day 1 and Day 2.

Hello from Day 3 of the Organic Avenue 5 day LOVEdeep. The day that would have been the last day had Organic Avenue not convinced me that 5 days would be much, much more beneficial to me. And then offered me a discount on said beneficialness.

Yesterday did go much better than Monday. Part of the reason was that I was working from home, so I didn’t have as many external cues taunting me – no people carrying food, no office lunchtime smells, no counting the hours until I leave with such intense boredom the only thing that could possibly pass the time is food…

So, yeah. Much better yesterday. I even drank more juice! I drank about ¾ of the Masters Tonic yesterday. The cucumber basil soup was out of this world delicious. I finished almost all of it. And while I felt okay, I did have a tiny bite of bread. Out of habit. A habit I established on Monday. I really hope I am not completely messing this all up…

Both nights so far, the soup ended up being my last juice. Really, it is supposed to be the fifth. The first day was all screwy for me, as you know, and yesterday I had to change the order around to accommodate my dentist appointment. I didn’t want to arrive at the dentist with green teeth, and I didn’t want to stain my new filling green after, so I waited to have the chlorophyll elixir and also drank the Veg 8 earlier than advised as a way to avoid the master tonic. I really hate lemon/sour.

I felt fine and once again, slept deeply. If you are ever craving a deep, long sleep, I recommend juicing the entire day. Seriously amazing sleeps as a result. I had not an ounce of energy left, all I wanted was bed.

The only juice I did not drink yesterday was the coconut water. I want to like it, I really do. I just can’t stand it though. I gave that one away. I wish, oh how I wish that the last drink was a nut milk instead of the coconut water. I just emailed Organic Avenue to find out if it is possible to replace this last juice with something different. And guess what? They said that going forward (ie, the final 2 days) they will replace the coconut water with their almond mylk! PERFECT! I am mad at myself that I didn’t think to ask them this yesterday! I might just stop in there and buy one later though . . .

Waking up this morning was hard. But I woke up a little early to make sure I had all my medical records in order so I could get them uploaded to the computer. Ah, technology! I am seeing the surgeon on Monday, so I need to have everything as organized as possible.

Next week is Spa Week. I have an appointment for a $50 deep tissue massage. A much needed deep tissue massage, as my entire body has been hurting for awhile now. Especially my feet and back. I blame the back on the boy’s computer chair which is not so much as a computer chair as it is a dining room chair. Dining room chair + working from home more often = ouchie back. A new chair and a deep tissue massage should resolve this all.

Today’s menu is as follows:

• LOVE DEEP #1. (approx. 8/9am) Chlorophyll Elixir FYI: Chlorophyll can cleanse the body, fight infection, help heal wounds, and promote the health of the circulatory, digestive, immune, and detoxification systems. It also contains components that are nearly identical to hemoglobin, therefore increasing red blood cell count. (read article)
• LOVE DEEP #2. (9/10am) Fresh Pressed Green Apple Juice with Alkalized Water FYI: Apples have WHOLE-BODY HEALTH BENEFITS: Lowers blood cholesterol, improved bowel function, reduced risk of stroke, prostate cancer, type II diabetes and asthma. (read article)
• LOVE DEEP #3. (11/12pm) Young Love: (Cucumber, spinach, celery) FYI: Cucumbers are rich in silicon and sulphur, making it an excellent hair growth aid. (read article)
• LOVE DEEP #4. (1/2pm) Master Tonic: (Lemon, Purified Water, Yacon, Cayenne) FYI: Lemon water is a good morning drink to start the process of removing impure chi in the body and cleansing the digestive system. It relieves symptoms of indigestion such as heartburn, bloating and belching. Lemons also control constipation and diarrhea by eliminating waste more efficiently. (read article)
• LOVE DEEP #5. (3/4pm) Carrot Ginger Soup: ( Carrots, orange juice, shallots, coconut, agave, miso, cumin, water) FYI: Carrots are an excellent source of antioxidant compounds, and the richest vegetable source of the pro-vitamin A carotenes. Carrots’ antioxidant compounds help protect against cardiovascular disease and cancer and also promote good vision, especially night vision. (read article)
• LOVE DEEP #6. (5/6pm) Fresh Pressed Veg 8* (Swiss chard, spinach, kale, cucumber, celery, romaine, carrot, tomato, green apple, lemon, lime) FYI: Spinach is loaded with energy-promoting iron and folate, a B vitamin that prevents neural-tube defects in the fetus. It is also important in red blood cell formation, protein metabolism, growth and cell division. The leafy green is also one of the best sources of lutein, an antioxidant that benefits eye, skin and cardiovascular health. (read article)
• LOVE DEEP #7: (7/8pm) Thai Coconut Water FYI: Coconut: promotes heart health, promotes weight loss, supports immune system health, supports a healthy metabolism, provides an immediate energy source, helps keep skin healthy and youthful looking, supports the proper functioning of the thyroid gland. (read article)

*Dori’s note: I had Almond Mylk in place of Thai Coconut Water

I smartly drank the chlorophyll at home before coming to work today so I could brush and floss away the evidence. I was pretty hungry when I arrived at work and the apple juice was perfect! By far my favorite of the fruit juices so far. Once again I loved the young love (cucumber, celery, spinach). I am up to the master tonic now and trying to get it down.

I realized that I did something stupid without thinking this morning. Before leaving for work, I took the coconut water out of the case and left it at home. As much as I don’t like it, I am going to be in my 3 hour writing class from 7-10 and I will be going crazy!

I am very excited for today’s carrot ginger soup. There is still quite a bit of time until I can dig into it though… I have to say, this is getting harder. Yes, there are only 2 days left after today. After today I will be more than halfway through. But I really, really, really miss food. And breaking the fast doesn’t mean eating french toast either. It means sticking to a mostly liquid diet for days. This fast is a commitment that exceeds 5 days. But I do believe it will lead to something much better.

I am concerned because I am going through the juices must faster today than I have been. I am nervous about sitting in class for 3 hours while other students eat. I hope no one brings anything to share because honestly, I can’t say I could resist it.

When I think of upcoming days/events, my thoughts always go to “At that time, I can eat  food again!” Next week’s work event? Can eat! The Seattles at the end of October? I can eat! Time is divided between days I can and can’t eat. Crazy. I’m ready to be done.

2 days left. I can do 2 days, what is 2 days? I did BPC for 3 days! 2 days is less than 3 days. Right? Yes. I can do this.

Read about Day 1 here.

Well, now I see why they call it Veg 8. It tastes like a better version of V8. Although I generally don’t prefer tomato in my juices, in this case it seems to mask the taste of the romaine. Always a good thing.

Day 2 is upon me and I will now grace you with the menu:

• LOVE DEEP #1. (approx. 8/9am) Chlorophyll Elixir FYI: An interesting benefit of chlorophyll is its amazing healing effect on cells such as skin and the intestine. Chlorophyll, taken internally, topically or injected, has shown no toxicity what so ever. This means that it can be used virtually anywhere in treating the body. (read article)
• LOVE DEEP #2. (9/10am) Fresh Pressed Grapefruit Juice: FYI: It is well established that citrus and citrus products are a rich source of vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber (non-starch polysaccharides) that are essential for normal growth and development and overall nutritional well-being. However, it is now beginning to be appreciated that these and other biologically active, non-nutrient compounds found in citrus and other plants (phytochemicals) can also help to reduce the risk of many chronic diseases.(read article)
• LOVE DEEP #3. (11/12pm) Fresh Pressed Young Love: (Spinach, cucumber, celery) FYI: Due to its high content of minerals, vitamins, pigments and phytonutrients, spinach supports healthy eye function and can prevent age-related macular degeneration. (read article)
• LOVE DEEP #4. (1/2pm) Masters Tonic: (Lemon, Purified Water, Yacon, Cayenne)
• FYI: Lemon water is a good morning drink to start the process of removing impure chi in the body and cleansing the digestive system. It relieves symptoms of indigestion such as heartburn, bloating and belching. Controls constipation and diarrhea by eliminating waste more efficiently.
• (read article)
• LOVE DEEP #5: (3/4pm) Cucumber Basil Soup (coconut meat and water, cucumber juice, avocado, garlic, basil, sea salt) FYI: Cucumber has a cleansing action within the body by removing accumulated pockets of old waste material and chemical toxins. It might help in the treatment of arthritis since it helps eliminate uric acid. Its liquid has the reputation of being a rejuvenator and makes us feel and look young. (read article)
• LOVE DEEP #6. (5/6pm) Veg 8* (Swiss chard, spinach, kale, cucumber, celery, romaine, carrot, tomato, green apple, lemon, lime) FYI: Celery contains coumarins, phytochemical compounds that have shown to be effective in cancer prevention, as well as in elevating the activity of specific white blood cells. Coumarins also lower blood pressure and reduce migraines. (read article)
• LOVE DEEP #7: (7/8pm) Coconut Water FYI:Coconut: promotes heart health, promotes weight loss, supports immune system health, supports a healthy metabolism, provides an immediate energy source, helps keep skin healthy and youthful looking, supports the proper functioning of the thyroid gland. (read article)

I really like how they vary the menu a little. I am excited to see what tomorrow will bring.

So I left you last night while I was eating my soup. I never did finish the soup. Or Veg 8. Or Coconut Water. Or Masters Tonic. It was past 9:00 and honestly, I wasn’t feeling so hot. I could barely move from the couch. The prospect of bringing the day’s bottles down to the doorman to return to Organic Avenue was more than I could handle. I couldn’t even stand up, let alone make a trip downstairs. The boy said I looked very ill; ghostly. I was crashing. I knew I wanted to run this morning, but how could I if this is how I felt? And I wanted food. And I yelled at the boy for not talking me out of doing a 5 day juice fast. What was he thinking, letting me get involved in this?!

The boy had ordered a salad for dinner and it came with a very little roll. I knew what needed to be done.

Sorry to all of you who were cheering me on. I am human. I took a bite from the roll and it was like heaven on earth. Almost immediately I got some strength back and was able to get up to start packing up the bottles. I’m not sure why I never had this issue with Blueprint Cleanse, but I suspect it had a lot to do with the mental aspect. That one was 3 days. Practically nothing! But the prospect of 5 days, of 4 MORE days of this. More than I could handle. I also suspect it had to do with the deliciously satisfying cashew milk that served as both treat and nourishment at the end of the day. Looking forward to and drinking that milk got me through it. Now, I contemplated quitting. I even started composing emails to Organic Avenue to inform them of my decision not to continue the juice fast.

And then I had another bite of bread. And I felt stronger yet again, and it was such a small piece of bread but it made such a huge improvement in my condition and attitude. I decided I could do this. I was not going to quit. The boy made a great point to me. He said, “why do you need to do this 100%? Why can’t you do 80%? Isn’t that still good? Who says one little piece of bread undermines all the hard work you put in today?” And then he asked, “Is following this perfectly worth how you were just feeling?”

The answer, of course, is no. Although there are some people who would disagree. But the boy was right. Why did I feel like if I let a morsel of food pass through my lips during these 5 days, it meant automatic failure. That is ridiculous! I was setting myself up to fail.

But it is impossible to hold ourselves to standards of perfection. Always remember that. All we can do is our best.

That got me through the rest of the night, and I slept deeply and well (I noticed the same thing from BPC). This morning I woke up feeling great. I recalibrated my Polar on a track and then I went on a much more accurate 2 mile run! And I was back on the juices! A minor setback was not going to toss this entire week down the drain.

I started with a grapefruit juice which wasn’t bad at all, although it took me a long time (read: 4 hours) to finish. I once again loved the Young Love – cucumber, spinach, celery juice. That one I drank quickly because it was just so delicious. And I waited until the afternoon to attempt the chlorophyll again, since I had a filling put in this morning and was concerned about the greens mixing with my gums! I also sipped it through a straw to lessen the impact to my mouth.

Now I am drinking the Veg 8. It is going slowly, but it is going. I am VERY excited for the cucumber basil soup, with coconut meat. Mmmmm. I don’t care for coconut water though, but I found someone willing eager to take it off my hands. And while my stomach is still bloated, it does not hurt.

Only 3 more days. 3 more days. I can do this. Even if it means having another small roll tonight. 3 more days. I can do this.

And what are you waiting for? Just one week left to take my survey for a chance to win a Physique 57 or Core Fusion DVD!

This morning was the first of my Organic Avenue five dayLOVEdeep and I have to say, the timing could not have been better. My stomach started hurting yesterday after breakfast and the discomfort hit me so hard I had to just go to sleep. When I woke up 2 hours later, I was feeling a little better but definitely not 100%.

This morning I woke up early feeling so uncomfortable, so much pain, that I didn’t know what to do. I felt like tiny Ringo Starr in Shining Time Station was standing inside my stomach practicing the opening chords of A Hard Day’s Night.

At that moment, I knew without a doubt that I made the right decision to lay off the foods for 5 entire days. Food causes a tiny drum player to practice his art in my belly. Food – at least right now – is not my friend.

When the boy opened the door, the case of juice was sitting right outside. How nice! I thought I would have to go downstairs to get it. The sight of the juice excited me out of my Beatle-induced lethargy, and I jumped out of bed to examine the contents.

I had received a menu via email last night, so I knew what was coming my way. My menu for today was as follows:

• LOVE deep #1. (approx. 8/9am) Chlorophyll Elixir: FYI: Chlorophyll is what absorbs energy from the sun to facilitate photosynthesis in plants. Chlorophyll to plants is like blood to humans. It is important in many plant metabolic functions such as growth and respiration. (read article)
• LOVE deep #2. (9/10am) Fresh Pressed Pear Juice: FYI:Pears are one of the most fiber-rich fruits available, weighing in at 5.1g of fiber per serving, which increases satiety and promotes health. They also contain potassium and vitamins B and C, which help regulate blood pressure and may reduce the risk of high blood pressure or stroke. (read article)
• LOVE deep #3. (11/12pm) Fresh Pressed Young Love: (Cucumber, spinach, celery) Cucumbers are a natural diuretic and can support the health of the liver and pancreas. (read article)
• LOVE deep #4. (1/2pm) Masters Tonic: (Lemon/Lime, Purified Water, Yacon, Cayenne)
  FYI: Lemon water helps unblock stagnant and clogged chi in the body. Chi needs to flow effortlessly and harmoniously if the body is to be in a healthy state. Lemon water is a good morning drink to start the process of removing impure chi in the body.
  (read article)
• LOVE deep #5. (3/4pm) Raw Green Soup: (Cucumber, onion, avocado, lemon, garlic, cilantro, parsley, cayenne) FYI: The mild acids that fruits (such as avocado) contain dissolve unwholesome substances, cleanse tissues, and stimulate metabolism in the human body. (source: The Hippocrates Diet, Ann Wigmore)
• LOVE deep #6. (5/6pm) Fresh Pressed Veg 8*: (Swiss chard, spinach, kale, cucumber, celery, romaine, carrot, tomato, green apple, lemon, lime) FYI: Kale’s sulfur-containing phytonutrients prevent cancer, several researchers point to the ability of its glucosinolates and cysteine sulfoxides to activate detoxifying enzymes in the liver that help neutralize potentially carcinogenic substances. (These detoxifying enzymes include quinone reductases and glutathione-S-transferases).
• LOVE deep #7. (7/8pm) Coconut Water FYI: Because the short-and medium-chain fatty acids of extra virgin coconut oil and coconut milk are easily and quickly assimilated by the body, they are not stored as fat in the body like the long chain triglycerides of animal products. Studies have shown that populations in Polynesia and Sri Lanka, where coconuts are a diet staple, do not suffer from high serum cholesterol or high rates of heart disease. (read article)

Lots of great information here!

I couldn’t stomach anything at the moment, so I brought all the juices to work with me with the exception of #7, which I left at home for my evening meal.

On my way into work, I walked past someone with food in her hands. I hated her. “Doesn’t she know how good she has it,” I thought. “Being able to eat whenever she wants and not feel sick?” Sorry. I was feeling a bit bitter. And hungry.

When I got to my desk, I started with #1, the chlorophyll elixir. It came in a tiny glass bottle and I was not sure if I was supposed to take it as a shot, mix it with water, drink it slowly? I decided to take a sip and determine the appropriate next step. I braced myself and put the little bottle to my lips. I took a sip . . . and I was pleasantly surprised! Chlorophyll tastes like seaweed salad! Yum!

I drank it slowly, had some water that accompanied it in an icy water bottle, and headed to the bathroom. Thank G-d I didn’t stop and talk to anyone on the way. What Organic Avenue doesn’t warn you is that chlorophyll turns your lips, tongue, teeth and in between the teeth a dark, murky green.

I am so relieved that I saw myself in the bathroom mirror before anyone else did, because I had no idea! I would have brought a toothbrush, toothpaste and floss had I known! I got to work with a wet paper towel and did the best I could. There are still some slivers of green in between teeth that I need floss for. Gross. I decided that tomorrow morning, I will not be drinking the chlorophyll first, as recommended, being that I have a dentist appointment at 10 am. I did buy emergency floss before meeting up with Melissa for a fitness class.

Once the mess was taken care of, I got started on juice #2 – fresh pressed pear juice. Sounds yum, right! And I love pears. But it wasn’t as great as it sounds. It took me a long time to drink this one, but I might have just been full from the chlorophyll or still having stomach aches from last night. At the same time, I also searched far and wide on my floor for a working water cooler. I was freezing from these cold juices and wanted some hot herbal tea. The combination of the tea and the juice likely filled me up quickly as well.

When 12:00 hit, I was reminded of something I learned during Blueprint Cleanse – just because it is “lunchtime” does not mean you have to eat. Eat when you are hungry, not when the clock tells you it’s time. I was not hungry at all and even though the clock said lunch, my body did not crave food as it usually does at this time.

# 3 on the list was fresh pressed cucumber, spinach, celery. LOVED IT. It tastes just like the juices I make at home each morning. I hate celery in real life, but hidden away in a juice is fine by me. The cucumber – which I love – had the dominant flavor. This juice went down nicely and easily. If only I could say the same for the next one…

WHY IS EVERYONE ON TWITTER TALKING ABOUT FOOD‽

Juice # 4 was the ever popular masters tonic. Think Master Cleanse. BPC had this on their menu as well and I was never once able to finish it. One time I didn’t even start it. Unfortunately, the same will be the case this time around. As much as I want to drink this lemon cayenne blend, as much as I know it is good for me, I simply cannot finish it and retain the glorious feeling of not being nauseous.

I was also starting to seriously miss chewing. I knew this would happen. It sucks.

All throughout the day I just kept telling myself, “Today is almost over, only 4 days left. One day down, just 4 days left. 4 days is nothing, it goes so quickly. After tomorrow, it will only be 3 days left.”

The strange thing is that I am not hungry. I feel nourished and full, but I miss and crave actual food. That is the hardest part of this. Not hunger, but wanting to eat. I think I will be strong enough to make it through this week. I hope. It is not easy but when I think of quitting I remind myself that I am doing this for my health. I am doing this to try and feel better.

And when that doesn’t work, a quick glance at my pregnant-looking tum usually does the trick. This is for my health. I want to feel good after this week is over. I want to feel good for a long time. I want to eat cleaner and improve my health and maybe, hopefully, be able to eat salad and oatmeal again one day.

I want to not be sick. I want to be able to make plans. I want to not cancel on people, I want to attend weddings, I want to have vacations and I want to wear clothes to work without feeling a sense of dread at wearing clothes.

Juice #5 is a really delicious raw green soup. I am loving it.

It is already 9:00 pm and I don’t plan to keep drinking much more, so I’m not sure if I will try #6, Fresh Pressed 8 and #7 coconut water. Just goes to show you that I haven’t been starving. I’m generally not a fan of coconut water, so there is no love lost. I am curious about Fresh Pressed 8 though. Maybe I will substitute today’s for tomorrow’s lemonade.

Speaking of tomorrow — the menu just arrived in my inbox. Tomorrow’s menu has lots of new facts for you. I love how the menu varies a little each day! It makes this so much less monotonous. I’ll go over tomorrow’s juices in the evening, but let’s just say I am VERY excited for the soup.

Be back tomorrow with another recap. For now, take my survey so you can win a Physique 57 or Core Fusion DVD!