Juicing has been used for years to rid the body of toxins, promote physical well-being and encourage mental clarity. Since 95% of vitamins come from the juice of fruits and vegetables, no amount of synthetic medicines or supplements can ever match the power of the healing properties in leafy green vegetables and fruits.
When I heard my friend, Holly’s story then I was really convinced of these healing powers firsthand. She had been a vibrant athlete who found herself stricken with an at first undiagnosed disease which took a terrible toll on her body. Only through juicing did she find a way to heal herself of this disease.
Here is her story….
“I started martial arts at the age of twelve, and have remained in it to this day. I have practiced seven different styles, achieving a black belt in Taekwondo and also Choy Lay Fut Kung Fu. Aside from hiking, biking and rock climbing, I played rugby in college, and also for the Berkeley All-Blues.
Up until 2002, I was always super fit and healthy, or so I thought. In July of 2002, I developed a relatively rare auto-immune disorder called Mixed Connective Tissue Disorder or MCTD. My life as I knew it was over. This illness has every nastiness one could imagine. I developed chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, Reynaud’s syndrome, scleroderma, trigeminal neuralgia, facial numbness, acid reflux, difficulty swallowing and loss of motility and digestive capabilities. My life was filled with one misery after another, and it seemed each day brought a new type of pain or suffering. My brain was in a fog, and I couldn’t distance myself enough from my misery to formulate a healing plan. I took many harsh western drugs. Methotrexate, prednisone, morphine, and neurontin, to name a few.
I felt my body wasting away and my life energy leaving. Realizing that the Western drugs were only speeding my descent I discarded them in 2004, but I continued to spiral downwards. In 2005, I was at a lifetime low, the epitome of misery, and I came within a hair’s breadth to ending it all.
Holly – Before, During & After her illness
In trying to end my life, I had to give up, completely. In that moment of letting go, I opened myself to receive guidance. I realized I wasn’t finished with this life yet, and I wanted to stay. My guidance revealed the universal truth that led me to know I could change things. I took responsibility for creating my life as it was, and resolved to manifest a new one. I embarked on an inner journey of exploration in order to change my outer journey.
There wasn’t much left of my physical body, I had gone from 148 lbs. of solid muscle, to 115 lbs. of skin and bones. I couldn’t digest solid food, but knew I needed intense nutrition, lots of it, and fast. I consulted with a nutritionist and put together a juicing program, along with protein shakes. For an entire year, I stayed on my super nutritious liquid diet, drinking 48 to 64 oz. of my juice every day.
I noticed improvements in pain, inflammation, and energy within days of starting. When I was strong enough I added my herbal formulas back into my wellness program. I opened myself to receiving help from people, experiences, and from spirit. I discovered treasures of healing: a useful tip overheard; watching someone accomplish a task; a line in a song; a book reread that I had forgotten about; a workshop that inspired. If what I learned helped me, I kept it, if it didn’t, I moved on. Slowly, inch by inch, I made progress. It was hard work, and sometimes it seemed as if I moved backwards. I learned to be grateful for all the little miracles, celebrating my successes. All the while, I did not let anyone tell me I could not be well again. I held tenaciously to visions of my own wellness, constantly creating positive affirmations and working to surround myself with positive inspirational objects.
Now, there is not a trace of chronic fatigue, or fibromyalgia, I have full use of my hands, having beaten back the scleroderma. My acid reflux is gone and I can eat and digest solid food once more. There were so many things that came into my life to help me become well, and each one was indispensable. But, I absolutely would not be alive right now, if I had not started drinking my ‘Juice of Life’ as I have fondly named it. It contains a cornucopia of vegetables and fruits, more servings in one glass than most people get in a month. I continue to drink it almost every day, and will continue to do so, happily for the rest of my now healthy life.
It contains a combination of the following organic fruits and vegetables: Carrots, red beets, beet greens, cucumber, parsley, spinach, celery, chard, kale, dandelion greens, zucchini, broccoli, yams, green peppers, red/orange peppers, red cabbage, green cabbage, apples, pears, kiwis, and either cantaloupe, honeydew, or blueberries depending upon availability.
I happily talk about my ‘Juice of Life’ to friends, or anyone who is curious, and now unexpectedly, I have several people who wanted in on my juice. They started buying it from me on a weekly basis, and are hooked on the ‘Juice of Life’. My clients have told me that their energy has improved dramatically, their diets have improved because of reduced sugar cravings, they feel more mental clarity and focus, and continue to see positive changes in their well being on a weekly basis.”
Where you can buy juice:
The Can Can Cleanse – San Francisco
Living Greens – San Francisco
Need more ideas for Cooking Healthy Meals, then check out: The Healthy Urban Kitchen Cookbook The Healthy Urban Kitchen is a simple, step by step system for shopping, cooking and eating the world’s healthiest foods. It was created for busy people who want to improve health, have more energy, and prevent disease.
