Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to everyone!

I hope you are all enjoying your day. Dave and I were hoping to get out in the garden to do more planting and weeding, but if you live in Pittsburgh you know that didn't happen (hail, thunder, lightening, rain.)

But we are definitely enjoying the day!

My mother's day juice was delicious: a huge bunch of lemon balm and three types of mint from the garden with apples and strawberries - yum!

Cheers!

Wellness Wednesday - Fresh Juices

So, many of you know that I am embarking on a juice feast, which means I am feasting (not fasting!) on the juices of fruits and veggies and lots and lots of greens and nothing else. Why? Well, I did put lots of the personal reasons in the blog Melissa's Juice Journal, but mainly so the body can rehydrate, alkalize, cleanse and rebuild.

At first I thought I'd mainly be drinking carrot, apple, beet juice, which was my favorite juice. But now...that's way too sweet for me. Right now I am drinking Tabouli Juice: tomatoes, cucumbers, celery, carrot, orange bell pepper, onion, garlic, lemon, mint, parsley and greens. It's only day 12 and my tastes have changed that much!

One question that sometimes comes up is: how do you get enough protein?

Here is the answer given by David and Katrina Rainoshek, of www.juicefeasting.com: (I put in bold the main things I am using for protein)

"Protein is made from amino acids as building blocks, and amino acids are in everything. Our best protein sources on the Juice Feast are: the 2 lbs of leafy greens which are approximately 30 percent protein; Blue-Green Algaes such as Chlorella, E3Live AFA, and Spirulina (65% protein); Green Superfood Powder Concentrates such as Vitamineral Green and Pure Synergy; and bee pollen. The World Health Organization estimates that we need around 35 grams of protein each day, and we meet or exceed these protein requirements on a Juice Feast. In fact, I (David) have done weight training and muscle building while Juice Feasting, which would have been impossible with any lack of protein. John Rose, my mentor, has done this for years during long Juice Feasts. Finally, It is commonly known among the world of Plant-Based eaters that if you are consuming enough calories in a day, it is impossible to be protein deficient."

Bee pollen is actually really interesting...Paul Pitchford wrote about it in Healing With Whole Foods, and I actually quoted it in my blog on Day 1, April 26.

I've been keeping track of my juices in the blog, and there are links to other people's juice journeys as well.

Captain Vegetable!

Since our newsletter (which went out yesterday) had an article about Acupuncture and the Treatment of Allergies, I figured we'd do something a bit different today. If you don't get out newsletter but would like to be added to the email list, you'll find a subscription box on the right side of this blog (below "About Birch Center"), or visit our website at www.BirchCenter.com, and you'll find the subscription box there as well.)

Today, to celebrate the long promised link to my juicing blog (Day 11!), I present to you Captain Vegetable! From Sesame Street. Maybe you remember this from when you were little? I do.

Enjoy!

Gift for You

Many of you know that when we recommend supplements, oils (flax, hemp), emergen-C, green drinks, herbs, remedies, - and organic raw cacao (chocolate) and maca for the raw foodies out there, - we often also recommend iherb.com. They have the best prices I have seen, and great shipping (free for orders over $60 and only $4 flat fee under that.)

Recently I ordered supplements from them for my current juice feast (I'm still working the on the blog...will post the link soon, I promise!) and they gave me this referral code to share with you: MEL526.

If you decide to order from them, you will get $5-off your first order using that code.

Enjoy!

Happy May Day! Thankful Thursday

Today is May Day! Happy May to everyone. Here is a picture from the Bryn Mawr (my alma mater) website of their May Day celebration...dancing around the may pole.

It's also Thankful Thursday. I have been enjoying keeping my gratitude journal. I really like putting a pen to paper as well as writing on the computer. There's a difference somehow, and I feel I can tap in more deeply.

Today I am thankful for the rain (for the garden!). Also for our marvelous garden, which is sprouting so nicely. I am also grateful that it didn't frost or snow a couple nights ago!

I am so grateful for our wonderful practice and clients. I love that we are able to help so many people feel so much better using traditional Chinese medicine.

Finally,I am thankful to be juice feasting! Today (Day 6) I am starting to shake off that tired groggy feeling that I've had the past five days, and I'm starting to feel more energetic. I slept all the way through the night last night (something that has only happened a few times, even since childhood.) I am keeping a written journal about it, but I also plan to post a day by day journal online, and when I do I'll be sure to provide the link.

Have a wonderful day!