I Feel Good! I Knew That I Would!

    Wow, this is day two of no smoking... I quit smoking cigarettes! This year, I hadn't made a resolution... I wanted to see where this year was going to take me. And I can tell, this is going to be my healthiest year yet! A favorite quote of mine by Mark Twain " Quitting smoking is easy, I've done it hundreds of times." and he is so right.. it's easy to quit when you are motivated to do so. But habits are habits and when you rely on something to relieve your stress, like cigarettes, when the stressor or trigger returns, so does the habit. Well, this time is for real. And its never been easier to quit. I'm so focused on my health right now and I know if I light that cig, it's going to make me feel really icky. For those who do smoke, you know how when you don't get to smoke for a while it makes you dizzy when you do get to smoke again? Well not only do I get the spins but I get nauseous, have difficulty breathing, and I feel my body trying harder to operate.
    Smoking tobacco was once a very sacred experience with spiritual ceremonies with peyote and ritual pipes. Now there are many toxins in modern cigarettes and has become a product of consumerism. If you feel fine when you smoke cigarettes, by all means, if you feel no reason to quit then you don't need to. But this is a personal experience and I, personally, can no longer smoke. This is a new chapter in my life, an important one. So in honor of my health, I am also starting a liquid fast. I challenge myself to three days of pure, 100% kosher liquids!
    A liquid fast will usually consist of a lot of water, some kind of broth, and juicing. I recently got in to Shakeology so That will be my breakfast each morning with coconut milk. Then for lunch I will make a special juice concoction and dinner will be my home made bone broth. Teas and water throughout the day when my body needs it. This is for cleansing and restoring balance within my body. I hope three days will be a good start. I would love to extend the fast longer if possible, but I feel comfortable with three days. Adding turmeric, ginger, spirulina and ginseng to the juice cocktails will aid in detoxing and healing my innards.
    Bone broth is especially good for the gut. Bone broth contains collagen which will heal any tears or rips in the intestines, which is actually quite common in current society due to poor diets! So Im giving this a shot. I feel very confident about it... what ever spirits are working with me right now are really giving me a confidence boost to my choices... particularly the choices I make to enlighten my quality of life. This is really happening and it needs to happen!
    Each day I will share how I am doing on my fast and what juice cocktail recipes I did for the day. My hubby got me a juicer for Christmas, so he gets some credit for making this possible for me. Thank you sweetie!!!
    So tonight I take my baby boy to Whole Foods market to pick up the ingredients I need for the following days to come. OH my GOSH I am just buzzing! My body is so asking for this cleanse, and I am ready and happy to comply. It's been quite some time since I felt so in tune with my body and my needs, this really feels great! Let me share the bone broth recipe, its super easy.
    Some super markets with a fresh meat section will hold on to the bones taken from meats they sell. Whole Foods being one of them. You can also ask your local butcher or if you are lucky enough to have a local farm, ask if they have any clean bones they can donate to the bone broth cause ;) Beef, chicken and pork are all acceptable for making broth, but I believe they all will have some different attributes and nutrients. Just a fun fact, may be worth looking in to. Here goes...

•     3.5 Lbs of beef bones
•     two medium size carrots, chopped
•     one medium size onion, chopped
•     two celery stalks, chopped
•     7 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
•     water

    Put all vegetables in the bottom of a crock pot, put bones on top. Fill until covered with water. Cook on high for 8-10 hours, so that will be an over night gig for me. You can also add some savory herbs like rosemary, thyme, oregano, bay, black pepper, etc. for added flavor and healing properties! The more I talk about it the more excited I get!
    I also found a really great technique for saving bone broth in the freezer. Bone broth is a great medium for bacteria growth so it will only stay fresh for about 3 days in the fridge. One lady took what would be used in a few days time and put in a covered dish in the refrigerator. For the rest, she used silicone baking cups to put the cooled, left over broth in, set it on a baking sheet and set it in the freezer. Once frozen about 6 hours later, place in a large plastic bag or preferred container and, voila, you now have frozen serving sizes ready to thaw and drink for immune support or just a pick me up if you need a little boost to your nutrient intake. RIGHT ON! That is some groovy stuff!