Raw Food and Juicing Cleanse

I am currently in the middle of a juicing cleanse, and I am feeling great after a slump in energy and attitude yesterday. I began changing my diet last week, consuming a large amount of raw foods, and not going out to eat. On Friday I began eating only raw, live foods, which believe me was not at all what you would call squirrel food. We had crackers and spreads and dips and kimchee and a fat salad. Saturday for breakfast we ate soaked oat groats blended with dates, banana, and ginger, and a large fruit bowl. For lunch it was spring rolls, veggies wrapped in collard greens and smothered in the most delicious almond butter sauce, and dipped in a pineapple red pepper flake sauce (recipes to follow). Another one of my favorite dishes was baby portobello mushrooms, marinated and stuffed with pesto, then put in the dehydrator for an hour. For breakfast on Sunday we had crepes- with an incredible coconut sauce.

Dinner on Sunday was liquid, and since then I have been drinking 3 different juices a day followed by an evening smoothie treat.

A nurse came by to give us a check-up. She was concerned about my low blood pressure: 74/59. I have known for a few years now that I have low blood pressure but that was the lowest I've ever had. She asked if I felt tired and I told her that I'm tired almost every day, sometimes I feel too tired to stand, but I just push through it. So she thinks I may be anemic and (she is vegan) recommended blackstrap molasses to raise my iron levels. I searched through my herb bible- Gail Faith Edwards' Opening Our Wild Hearts to the Healing Herbs- to search for herbs that are good for anemia. Her book has an awesome index and I easily found what I was looking for. I decided to go to her website www.blessedmaineherbs.com and was pleased to see that it had been redesigned and was now easily navigable. She offers TONS of information, like articles on building healthy heart and bones, herbs for women, herbs for mind and spirit, etc.

I found her Mama Roots Iron Tonic- blood building, iron-rich, building strength and vitality for those who are easily fatigued. For $22 this tincture contains yellow dock, dandelion and nettle.
The cleanse also consists of dry brushing your skin to scrub away the toxins, getting sunshine, rebounding exercises to help clear the lymph nodes, saunas, yoga, and plenty of good spring water. (see my post What the Doctor Ordered)