Exclusive interview between Juicing-for-Health.com
and Pet Parent, Nadine M. Rosin,
who successfully completed a 92-day juice feasting.
I had the privilege of “meeting” an amazing lady who recently (August 2010) completed a 92-day juice feasting which she had customized for herself. She had inspired me so much that I want to go on an extended juice feast myself. But before I did that, I was intrigued to get inside her mind, thus I requested to interview her. This is our exchange and I believe it will inspire many others who wish to improve their health by embarking on a similar juice feasting.
Briefly, the difference between a juice FAST and a juice FEAST is that a juice FAST may be just fasting with probably about 2 liters (about 2 US quarts) of juices or less a day. Whereas a juice FEAST is to load the body with a bigger volume of healing and nourishing juices (mostly green juices) up to about 4 litres (about 4 US quarts) a day, and for an extended period.
Q: Please introduce yourself, what do you do for a living?
I wear many hats. The one I’m most proud of is being the author of “The Healing Art of Pet Parenthood” which is the story of how I helped my 8-year old dog heal from cancer with a totally holistic protocol (she thrived cancer-free for an additional 11 years to the age of 19.)
Q: Have you done similar fasts before this?
I have done several short juice fasts and intestinal cleanses throughout my life (I’m 55).
Q: What motivated you to continue and complete the 92-day fast?
Nadine M. Rosin is a certified holistic pets/toxic-free living consultant, pet bereavement facilitator, speaker, and author of The Healing Art of Pet Parenthood: A true story about the human-animal bond, healing canine cancer naturally, and an empowering new take on the grieving process when a beloved animal passes away.
I have done several short juice fasts and intestinal cleanses throughout my life (I’m 55).
Q: What inspired you to start the 92-day juice feast?
I was inspired by videos of Dave the Raw Food Trucker on YouTube. They were the impetus for my finding David Rainoshek’s site www.JuiceFeasting.com which is the protocol I used as a general guideline for my own personally created fast.
Q: Were you personally facing some health issues that you were hoping this fast would help address?
Yes. I did the fast for both physical and emotional reasons. I know that the body is a self-healing creation when it is cleansed and supported through diet and environment.
I had just come through an extremely stressful year and wanted to do something to counteract the ill-effects from all that stress. Rather than waiting to find a lump or get a diagnosis, I asked myself, what would I do if I found out I had cancer or some other degenerative disease? Answer: an involved green juice fast. So why wait, I thought? Let’s do some prevention here!
Q: What motivated you to continue and complete the 92-day fast?
The first 4 days were the toughest, so after that, it didn’t make sense to quit. I kept a note on my kitchen wall that said:
“You can DO this! You are cleaning every cell and organ in your body! The struggle is temporary. You will feel SO much better!”
Q: What were some of the challenges you faced during the 92 days?
Not turning to food for emotional numbing or relief when stressors from work or my personal life arose. What I did instead, was watch a lot of foodie videos on YouTube while drinking my juice. Yes, I’m talking food porn! (lol).
When I first told people that, they immediately thought that that would NEVER work for them. Before I experienced it myself, I would have absolutely agreed. BUT, now I know differently! Food has always been my drug of choice. When I had done other fasts, trying to stay away from food, photos of food, aromas, etc. made me instead, think about it ALL the time, feel terribly deprived and eventually end the fast.
THIS time, I did the opposite and indulged my eyes and ears and, lo and behold, all feelings of deprivation subsided! Perhaps it had something to do with tricking my belly into thinking it was full from the food on the video I just watched instead of the juice I just drank.
What I really learned about myself from this fast, was that my food cravings were all happening in my head, not my body. I could watch Guy Fieri eat a cheeseburger while I sat drinking green juice, and when we both were finished, I felt great. Crazy! But I swear, it worked!
Q: Were there days that you felt like ending the fast? If so, can you share with us what happened?
Of course! But because one must break a fast slowly and carefully so as not to cause any serious damage to the organs and digestive system, there really is no such thing as just ending the fast. Ending the fast is a process (about 7 days if one has fasted over 2 weeks) so that was the built-in safety that prevented me from just quitting.
However, I also listened to my body. I got in touch with the difference between what my body wanted and what my mind wanted. The body just wants nutrition, which is fully available from green juice (especially amino acids which the body uses to make proteins – an easier process than having to first spend 6-8 hours breaking meat down into usable amino acids which it can then turn into protein).
The reason for the length of 92 days has to do with giving the body enough time to fully regenerate and heal on every level.
Q: Did you experience any healing reactions? If so, can you please tell us about it?
Yes, the typical: headache, queasy stomach, intense fatigue, acne, dry skin, as toxins were being released.
Q: What are some of the physical changes you experienced at the end of the fast?
My skin looks healthier, my eyesight has improved, I’m sleeping better and I lost the 60-pound gift that menopause gave me a couple of years ago.
Q: What were your friends’ reaction when they heard you were going on the extended fast?
My vegan, raw, and holistic health conscious friends were all very supportive and excited. All my other friends were varying degrees of judgmental, wary, skeptical, etc.
Q: Did you have to turn down lunch/dinner/party invites during this time?
I did not turn down any food or social engagements around food. I just brought my raw, green juice with me, or drank herbal tea.
Q: What was your feeling at the end of the 92-day fast?
Ready to chew and pleased that I accomplished my goal!
Q: What are your plans beyond 92 days?
I’m trying a macrobiotic diet for at least a month to see how that makes me feel.
Q: What juicer do you use and why?
I use both an Omega masticating juicer and a Breville Juice Fountain Elite. When I have all the time in the world, I use the Omega because the juice is less oxidized and has more enzymes. When I have less time, I use the low speed on the Breville and store my juice in single serving glass mason jars so there’s little air/oxidation as it’s being stored. I always juice one day’s worth of juice every morning.
Q: Can you please describe the program that you follow?
It was very personal to my own needs and issues, but there is tons of free, good information on the JuiceFeasting.com website for everyone. You can also pay for counseling and support there if you want/need it. I didn’t. I just read everything and followed the instructions on the site with my own adjustments for me.
Q: What were some of the common ingredients used in the program?
My favorite juice combination turned out to be: Red Delicious apple, cucumber, parsley, spinach, lemon.
Q: In your opinion, do you think anyone could do the program? Why or why not?
In my opinion, no one should go directly from a SAD (standard American diet) to this program. Instead, I would encourage people to consider eliminating and replacing things like dairy products, sugar, caffeine, and animal products for several months before moving to the next phase of detoxifying their body.
I know from having worked for Dr. Rich Anderson (Arise & Shine intestinal cleansing) that cleansing too fast or too dramatically can cause serious damage, not to mention intense discomfort.
That said, I believe working towards this goal is the most loving thing you can do for yourself and your family.
Most of us have been brainwashed for years by the pharmaceutical companies and the dairy and meat associations into thinking vibrant health isn’t even an option. That is a lie born out of and based on money. When we continue to eat unnatural, refined and processed foods (which is most everything other than fresh fruit, vegetables, whole grains, raw nuts and seeds), pastas, breads, sugar, foods full of hormones, antibiotics, and pesticides, our bodies start losing the battle to self heal and maintain health. Eventually, they are so overburdened, they lose the war and things like cancer begin developing and taking over.
The sicker we get, the higher the profits for the drug companies. It’s a vicious cycle and most of us are the ones trapped and clueless in it while suffering the ill health on top of it. Food can be your disease or be your medicine, but you must do the research and make the choice to take control of your own life.
I prepared for this fast by doing many months of green smoothies (see www.RawFamily.com) and 80% raw food. I also did a 19-day green juice fast last winter. Prior to that, my diet wasn’t terribly strict, but was far cleaner than a standard diet. I haven’t had soda or coffee for decades, would only buy organic animal products, used whole grains, and the little bit of dairy I consumed was always BST-free. (Bovine Somatotropin: synthesized growth hormones injected into cows for more milk production.)
Q: What is your best advice for anyone intending to do an extended juice fast/feast like this?
If you’re a food addict like me, at mealtimes, try drinking your juice and water while watching Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives on YouTube. You will be amazed at how it actually satisfies and gives you that “food fix” (plus Guy Fieri is a real cutie!).
Also, keep a daily journal – mine included the date, my current weight, exactly what kind of juice I made, how much water I drank, cleansing reactions both physical and emotional, stresses of the day, insights, positive observations and improvements.
Appreciation: I hope this has been helpful to your readers, Sara. Thank you for your interest and all the support you and your site gave me during this fast. I wish great happiness and health to all! Many blessings back your way!
Nadine M. Rosin is a certified holistic pets/toxic-free living consultant, pet bereavement facilitator, speaker, and author of The Healing Art of Pet Parenthood: A true story about the human-animal bond, healing canine cancer naturally, and an empowering new take on the grieving process when a beloved animal passes away.
Nadine has been a student and researcher of alternative healing for over thirty-five years, a holistic bodywork practitioner since 1996 and a nondenominational wedding and bereavement minister since 1998.
She is also a gallery-signed artist; her commissioned works include four paintings for the University of Arizona. Above all, she considers her most rewarding experience to be that of pet parent. For more information on the book, speaking engagements, and one-on-one phone consultations with Nadine, please go to: www.TheHealingArtOfPetParenthood.com.
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