Day 7: Off to a good start

I started the actual juice fast yesterday, and it was tough.  I felt hungry and irritable during the first half of the day but better by the end.  I decided to eat an egg and some of my hubby's lentil soup, and felt much better.  Definitely craving protein!!  I'm supposed to add a scoop of protein powder but forgot, so that may have been the reason for the cravings and crabbiness.  I've thought about going vegetarian and can definitely attest to how much better I feel eating a plant-based diet the last week--even my back is better (but maybe that's due to losing 9 pounds? Less pressure on my back?)--and I'm beginning to read more about the abhorrent manner that animals are taken care of on farms.  California finally phased in a law to prohibit cages so small that animals can't lay down or turn around.  It took 5 years to phase it in.  Why so long and why would it even be needed?  How can anyone decide that inhumane conditions are acceptable for a living being?  I don't get it.  I do need protein, though, as yesterday clearly pointed out.  I may go vegetarian or buy meat from locations that treat their animals humanely (anyone see Portlandia where they go visit the farm to make sure their animals are treated well and end up staying for 5 years at the "compound"? That would be me).  Not eating animals wouldn't be enough though; it feels like it would be more helpful to insist on better conditions as a consumer.  Something to think about.

Today is the second day of the complete juice fast.  So far I feel fine.  The kids are back to school so it's just me and my juicer hanging out.  I don't go back to teaching for two more weeks, so my plan to is focus completely on my health the next two weeks and then figure out shortcuts for when I go back to work.  I'm at Sprouts everyday for cucumbers, kale, and apples, so I'm not sure I'm saving any money, but it's not going towards Starbucks, so I probably am.  Randy cooked the last few days while he was off, but I'm going to have to learn to juggle cooking food for others and my juicing.  The girls are slowly trying the juices and even took one to school with them today.  They see how happy I am, how radiant my skin is becoming, and they're willing to give it a try.  That's all I can ask.