Last week I had the good fortune of seeing the movie Super Juice Me. I’ve often thought of doing a juice cleanse, but veered away because it seemed like an arduous exercise in denial and self-punishment. I don’t really know why I had that impression, but when I started to think about all the things I had to do without, my mind would spiral in circles.

Circles that never end up in the juicing corral.

The movie follows a group of people through twenty-eight days of juicing. Each one arrives with a laundry list of issues and, in one case, an entire suitcase full of prescription drugs. Literally, he had a whole bag devoted to his prescription medication.

The results at the end were inspiring and impressive.

As I watched, I realized that I am actually quite frustrated with a few things about my own health. Although I definitely feel better than a couple years ago, there are things lurking in the background like static noise on the radio. The achy joints. The excruciating pinched nerve running down my right hip. The less than glowing skin. The anxious monkey mind that derails my creativity.

These kinds of things were alleviated after twenty-eight days of pure juicing nutrition. My son has been experiencing some stomach issues, so we decided it would be fun to give it a try together.

I honestly believe most of these things are residue from four years ago. I met a doctor recently who explained how the hormones of stress can leave a devastating footprint of inflammation in the body that wreaks havoc long after a traumatic event is over. She went on to say that the medical community is only just beginning to scratch the surface of the long term effects that trauma has on our bodies. One has to be a bit of a detective and go hunting on a cellular level for clues to our ailments.

For the sake of good health, we need to follow the trail wherever it leads.

I removed the obvious offenders in my diet like gluten, dairy and caffeine, which has helped, but I still don’t feel as good as I’d like too. I recently made a commitment to longer-term chiropractic care, because I usually go for a few times when I’m in pain and then stop when things seem better.

And then, of course, the pain returns.

I know daily stress has a big role in some of these issues, but it isn’t going away anytime soon, so I am experimenting with dramatically reducing environmental toxins in my diet by embarking on this juicing adventure in the hope that it will give my body a much needed boost. Plus, I read two lines in Dr. Joe Dispenza’s new book, You Are the Placebo, that really caught my attention:

“…whether or not you believe that the stress in your life is justified or valid, the effect of that stress on the body is never advantageous or health enhancing.”

And then this:

“As we keep making stress hormones, we create a host of highly addictive negative emotions, including anger, hostility, aggression, competition, hatred, frustration, fear, anxiety, jealousy, insecurity, guilt, shame, sadness, depression, hopelessness, and powerlessness, just to name a few. When we focus on thoughts about bitter past memories or imagined dreadful futures to the exclusion of everything else, we prevent the body from regaining homeostasis.”

I suppose I am juicing to regain homeostasis.

Here is what I can tell you from the vantage point of Day One. I thankfully have the equipment necessary — juicer and blender — so I spent the last couple of days collecting all the fruits and vegetables. My refrigerator is overflowing and resembles a gorgeous colorful painting inside. The shopping was actually quite a fun task and, compared to normal grocery bills, inexpensive.

I bought the SuperJuiceMe App which is a great tool because there are videos explaining how to make each recipe as well as some coaching if your willpower starts to wane. Believe it or not, there is a science to juicing. Jason Vale is quite entertaining and a fountain of information. I am astounded at how beautiful and delicious the juices turn out to be. Nothing like the dull drudgery of previous cleanses I have attempted.

In the past I have been known to start things like this and not follow through, but having committed to my son, tweeted my intentions on Twitter this morning and now written about it here, I believe I am now accountable, or I will look really silly.

If you are interested, watch the movie and join me in this adventure! I’d love to have some company.

Sending juicing love,

-db

Who is Dianna Bonny?

Hi, my name is Dianna Bonny. It’s my mission to candidly share my journey with you. For me, it’s all about the healing: to create a radiant healing energy for others who have befallen a similar fate. Together, we can forge beautiful lives of belonging and connection. Thanks for joining me today! I look forward to hearing from you.