Day 26 and 27 completed...

Greetings Sports Fans...

Yes, day 26 and 27 completed. Three days from thirty and thirteen days from the end of the fast. I feel wonderful!!!! Clear, sharp and focused and ready for some soup!!!! Actually, I may go beyond the 40 days until it starts to turn warm... haven't decided on that yet...

So just got back from a little evening of getting some vegetables to juice. Grabbed some more watercress and spinach... love those juices...

Have been re-hydrating my system during the fast with mineral and alkaline waters. When buying alkaline water, look for a pH of no lower than 7. The higher the pH, the better the alkalinity. Icelandic and Fiji waters are very good.

I want to also again talk to you about a wonderful juice-even though it is out of season with now, you can still get this fantastic fruit from some stores and the juice is extraordinary. What is this juice? It is Cantaloupe juice. Make certain that you choose a cantaloupe that is aromatic to the smell before it is cut... the more aromatic, the sweeter it will be. Cantaloupe juice is creamy and sweet and aromatic-three factors that you look for in any juice, but something about this wonderful juice just stands about from all the others. I wrote about the health benefits of this great fruit so I wont' repeat those but grab a few today or tomorrow. Or today and tomorrow...

All the best always,

Yoel

Day 25... 15 days left..

Hello Sports fans,

Sorry for the short blog last night, but I got in late from a gig and had an early class this morning, so hopefully this will fill the empty spaces of yesterdays blog...

Have you ever juiced spinach? Of all the greens that I juice, spinach has to be the most pleasant tasting. And it has wonderful health benefits also...

1. Spinach contains choline and inositol, the substances that help to prevent atherosclerosis or thickening and hardening of arteries.
2. Spinach and alfalfa help stabilize blood sugar among diabetics. Make a drink by getting several handful of spinach, add 3 cups of water. Place over low heat for one hour. Then strain. Take ½ cup twice a day. Spinach and alfalfa may be served as part of the meal.
3. Spinach is loaded with flavonoid that functions as antioxidant and anti-cancer agent.
4. Spinach contains carotenoid that help fights cancer.
5. Spinach is a rich source of Vitamins C and A
6. Spinach is an anti-aging vegetable.
7. Spinach is a good source of Vitamin K, which aids in the formation of the blood substance required for clotting of blood.

Spinach is also helpful in the following cases ; Anemia, Tumors, Constipation, Insomnia, Obesity, Neuritis (inflammation of nerves), Nerve exhaustion, High blood pressure, Bronchitis, Colon cancer, Prostate cancer, Breast cancer, Osteoporosis, Dyspepsia (chronic indigestion), Also helps ailment of the kidneys, bladder and liver.

Enjoy.

All the best always,

Yoel

Day 24

A very quick connect tonight/this morning. On my way to sleep. Have a full teaching schedule tomorrow but today was a wonderful day... will give you more gems of knowledge tomorrow... Nighty Night...

Day 23 (17 days left... but who is counting?)

Greetings Sports fans,

I'm counting-thats who!!!! To those of you that know me, you already know that I am a musician/producer/arranger so the picture should come as no surprise. To everyone else-hi. This is what I look like.

So today is day 23. Just like every other day my regimen is pretty simple. But today I added something to my morning smoothie: Hemp Oil. Since I am now on the down side of 40 days I am adding a tablespoon a day of Hemp Oil to my morning regimen. So what are the benefits of Hemp Oil?

Hemp oil benefits are plentiful and are raising quite a stir in the medical community. Although the farming of hemp is still a controversial subject because of the legal implications, there is no denying that hemp oil delivers a health punch to any regime.

However, even with hemp's rising stardom on the health food market, much of Western society still continue to consume large amounts of saturated and hydrogenated fats daily. We are a nation plagued with obesity and poor health, yet many are still not taking advantage of the many alternatives available on the market today.

With just a few simple changes to your daily food intake can add years to your life. Following a healthy regime does not have to be hard nor complicated, it just needs to be balanced with the right ingredients.

Hemp oil is one of those such ingredients. Hemp oil is pressed from the seeds of the cannabis sativa plant and the most common misconception is that it contains THC, the high produced by it's illegal counterpart. However, this is not so. In fact, smoking an entire field of hemp would most likely deliver an upset stomach rather than produce a high.

Hemp seed and oil products are legitimate super foods that are chock full of goodness. At a glance, hemp oil benefits include the important essential fatty acids and amino acids that the body needs to be healthy. It can help prevent heart disease, high blood pressurehigh cholesterol, cancer, arthritis and much more. It also promotes healthy brain development and provides hair and skin with much needed nutrients.

Consuming omega 3 and omega fatty acids have also been proven to be an effective anti-inflammatory which aids those who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis Ideally, one should consume the right dosage of omegas to get the full benefits. Most Americans consume too much omega 6 which can have negative effects but by incorporating foods that offer the right balance of omegas, your health improves dramatically. Hemp seed oil provides an excellent ratio of 3 to 1 which is recommended by the World Health Organization.

So go and grab some Hemp oil. It is good and good for you...

All the best always,

Yoel

Day 22... 18 days left

Greetings Sports Fans,

Hope that all is well out there in the cold climes of Atlanta and anywhere else you might be reading from. Well, day 22 is completed.

This morning I got up with an itchy nose and sneezing. I could not figure out why until later when I ran across a note my son had left on Facebook. He was over here yesterday and apparently my grand daughters transferred a cold to him and in turn I became the recipient of some of its residuals. Glad I have been using Cayenne in my juicing...I made a wonderful vegetable juice today... I used about four medium tomatoes, one stalk of celery, one half of a red bell pepper, and a full bunch of watercress. Watercress is an amazing leaf vegetable. If you are not familiar with its health benefits, read on...

Watercress is among the most highly nutritious vegetable, many of the great herbalists wrote of the revitalizing power of watercress. The health benefits of watercress are attributed to its nutrient content. Watercress is an excellent source of vitamins B1, B2, B6, C, E, manganese, and carotenes. It also a good source of calcium, fiber, iron and copper. Watercress livens up raw salad and it also makes a valuable juice. Watercress juice is a green juice and must not be consumed alone. It also tastes bitter and is much easier to swallow if mixed with carrot, potato, and a little parsley or carrot, spinach, and turnip leaves. For optimal health benefits, eat watercress raw and as fresh as possible.

Health Benefits:

• Watercress contains anticancer properties.
• Watercress helps protect the eyes because it contains a high level of two carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin.
• Watercress helps to normalize cholesterol and blood pressure.
• Watercress increases sexual energy and enhances fertility.
• Watercress can help improved memory, mental function and to retard ageing.
• Watercress is a powerful cleanser of the body, especially the bloodstream.
• Watercress can help increase production of breast milk.

watercress salad

• Watercress is low in calories and high in potassium which is valued for weight loss, as its diuretic action draws excess fluid down and out of the body.
• Watercress helps improve digestion by regulating the flow of bile.
• Watercress is valued for clearing and improving the complexion.
• The chlorophyll-rich leaves are chewed to absorb breath odors.
• Chewing raw watercress leaves can cure bleeding gums.
• Watercress leaves are used as a poultice for the relief of enlarged prostate gland. The poultice can also treat swollen feet and sprained ankles.
• Watercress is a good source of iodine, which is important to the function of the thyroid gland.
• Watercress is rich calcium which can strengthen the bones and teeth

Enjoy a great watercress salad today. Just combine watercress, mushrooms, shallots,cherry tomatoes with olive oil, berberi spice (or cayenne) and a little agave nectar and raisins. Wonderful!!!!! Enjoy

Day 21 Completed

So Sports Fans,

Day 21 finds me loving life and joyous that there are only 19 more days to go. The thought of vegan lasagna has indeed become the Holy Grail for me...

I am joking. Eventually I will get back to eating such foods, and when I do, vegan lasagna will definitely be one of the entrees that I will prepare.

Have you ever juiced a cantaloupe? It has to be one of the most heavenly drinks on the planet. Especially if the cantaloupe is sweet and aromatic, the experience will be intoxicating.

Cantaloupe is a great source of Vitamin A, which is important for vision and skin health. It is also chock-full of Vitamin C, a well-known antioxidant. In fact, one cup of cantaloupe contains slightly more than 100% of the daily recommended intake for both vitamins. These melons are also a good source of potassium. Even though they are out of season right now in the Southeast, I still have one or two during this time until summer when the best ones arrive. Enjoy this creamy sweet delight as soon as you have an opportunity. That is all for now. All the best always, Yoel

Day 20 Half way there...

Greetings Sports Fans,

Well day 20 is over and done. I am not certain how much weight I have lost because I do not really want to know. But I know that I can put on my pants without unbuckling or unzipping them. And I have to have a belt to keep them on... (and the gut is gone... what little there was...)

So today I want to talk about the benefits of molasses.

Blackstrap molasses possesses a distinct bittersweet flavor and is commonly used in baking, specifically gingerbread and other cakes and cookies. It can also be added to baked beans, or to a marinade for various meats. But if you wish to receive the health benefits of blackstrap molasses without having to add it to other foods, than a simple spoonful each day delivers a powerful combination of essential vitamins and minerals.

Blackstrap molasses is highest in manganese and copper. Manganese helps protect the body from free radicals and can increase energy. Health benefits derived from copper also serve to rid the body of harmful free radicals, and helps with the healthy development of skin and bones, along with calcium and magnesium. The combination of calcium and magnesium, also present in significant amounts in blackstrap molasses, can help strengthen bones and teeth if consumed often by adolescents.

So enjoy some molasses... in your fruit or vegetable juice or smoothie. It is good and good for you.

Day 19 Completed

Greetings Sports Fans,

Well as we say goodbye to day 19 and good morning to day 20 I can barely believe that the half way through this fast is here this quickly. Time really does fly when you are having fun...

So I am juicing all of the juices that I am drinking during this fast. Is juicing more beneficial than drinking already prepared juices from the store?

How healthy is fresh juice? To get to the heart of why fresh juice is good for you, it’s important to note that cooking can cause the loss of up to 97% of water-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. Therefore, fresh juice from raw fruits and vegetables provides you with more vitamins and minerals, as well as protein, carbohydrates, and essential fatty acids that can be absorbed quickly and efficiently.

Fresh juice also contains necessary enzymes, and pigments such as carotenes, chlorophyll, and flavonoids. In addition, juicing helps jump-start your body's digestive process and enables quick absorption of high-quality nutrition, which can result in increased energy.

So whether you are fasting or just enjoy fresh juices I encourage you to drink up and enjoy...

Until tomorrow,

All the best always,

Yoel

Day 17 and 18 Completed

Greetings sports fans,

You thought I fell off the wagon? Right? No. Didn't happen. Did not get to enter a blog last night because I was "gigging over at Churchill Grounds a jazz club in downtown Atlanta adjacent to the Fox Theater. I am there most Thursday nights playing with the group Pure Soundz. So you will get a "double" blog tonight... I guess...

I was in the produce store where I shop weekly and came across some Papaya. These are not the gigantic ones that you see in supermarkets, but the smaller, sweeter ones. I made certain to grab a few since they were I think 3 for 1.00.

Papaya is a wonderful fruit. Originally from southern Mexico and neighbouring countries, the papaya plant is now cultivated in most tropical countries. Christopher Columbus reportedly called it "the fruit of the angels" and not without reason! Papayas are rich sources of antioxidant nutrients, minerals and fibre.

The fruit, as well as the other parts of the papaya tree, contains papain, an enzyme that helps digest proteins. This enzyme, which is used to treat sports injuries, other causes of trauma, and allergies, is especially concentrated in the fruit when it is unripe. Papain is extracted to make digestive enzyme dietary supplements and is also used as an ingredient in some chewing gums.

Papaya contains arginine which is known to be essential for male fertility and also carpain, an enzyme thought to be good for the heart. Fibrin also occurs and this substance is not commonly found in the plant kingdom; in man it forms part of the blood clotting process. The papaya is an excellent source of vitamin C, with 82mg per 100g (4oz), and is rich in carotene. After treatment with antibiotics the use of papaya juice will quickly assist the restoration of the normal bacteria in the gut which will have been destroyed by the treatment. Papaya is good for many digestive disorders and is excellent for improving poor digestion. It has also been recommended as part of the treatment for cancer.

So papaya is a wonderful juice to drink during fasts. And has fantastic health benefits...

Enjoy!

All the best always,

Yoel

Day 16

Greetings sports fans. I know this is a late entry, but have been recording today and tonight and just got off the phone with a friend. So here we are...

Modified my juice regimen today with some papaya juice... wonderful....

Today I did something that was definitely a first for me-I cooked for the first time during a fast. I really thought that I gonna be uncomfortable because of the smell of food but it was quite the contrary. I made some vegan pasta for one of the artists I was recording with who was hungry.I was just glad that they found it enjoyable since i had no idea what it tasted like myself...

Not much to talk about tonight. Will give you a more extensive blog tomorrow same bat time same bat channel.....

Day 15 Wicked cold today...

Well sports fans rolling right along here. As I sit here sipping on some water, I can hardly believe 15 days has passed so quickly. I am listening to the new Sade CD. It is beautiful. I love when an artist grows with their music...

I know it is boring, but today was pretty much the same as yesterday with regard to what I had to drink. But that is the realm of fasting. There is a lot going on, but more on a non-verbal/non-physical level. There are wonderful things you experience when you are fasting that you cannot experience any other time.

I would like to talk to you about two things tonight: Irish Moss and Blood Oranges.

Irish Moss, because it is a seaweed, contains Iodine, many vitamins and minerals.

It is an excellent tonic, good for all lung problems

and especially useful for the thyroid when it is under productive (hypothyroid).

Irish Moss is said to be very good for tuberculosis, bronchitis and intestinal problems.

It is used sometimes in dietary uses

as a gel or a thickening agent. In medical uses it forms a

gel or viscous solution internally which coats the

gastrointestinal tract which makes it an excellent applications

for ulcers. It also seems to inhibit the release or

formation of stomach acids which is also somewhat

healing for gastric or duodenal ulcers. Irish moss can

sometimes be added to the regimen when you are trying

to purge gastrointestinal parasites as it, like Slippery

Elm, makes the tract very slippery and causes the

parasites to pass very easily.

Also, Irish Moss is said to have 15 of the 18 essential nutrients necessary to support human life.

It makes a great addition to smoothies, in addition to its health benefits as it is a great thickening agent.

The Blood Orange is an amazing little citrus fruit. It is slightly less acidic than other oranges, and contains a lot more C and Potassium than other types of oranges. Even though they are small in size, they are great for juicing and the juice has a rich, sweet,slightly tart flavor. In all my years of doing 40 day fasts, this is the first year I have juiced blood oranges. They are wonderful...

Well, I hope this has helped you in some way. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me...

All the best always,

Yoel

Day 14

Hi There,

Okay so I know some of you have been waiting on the day 14 blog with bated breath. Of course, you know I know that is not actually true, but anyway...

I was talking to a friend of mine today about Agave Nectar. Agave is a great honey-like sweetener that is natural (it comes from the Agave Cactus) like honey and sugar, but unlike those sweeteners does not cause problems related to diabetes. So this great sweetener is excellent for diabetics and is a great substitute for sugar. I use it in many recipes, even my famous Kale Salad (we will talk about this one day after the fast is over) and the smoothies I drink during my fast also have Agave Nectar. Agave is also great for breads, cakes, and many other dishes...

Okay. So what was my regimen today? Smoothie in the morning. Apple Juice with Ginger in the afternoon. Water and tomato juice to finish off the evening. (All the fruits and vegetables are juiced here at home.)

So, will see you tomorrow...

Moving Right Along...Day 13

Greetings everyone. Day thirteen and I am moving right along. Started this morning with a smoothie and later on in the day had some orange juice and a few glasses of water. Also had a tomato,bell pepper and celery juice with lemon and cayenne...

You know, when you are fasting, every little thing triggers some thought of food. I got to thinking about pasta today. There are two ways I make pasta sauces: one without faux meat and one with. Both are very good.

When I make the one with faux meat, I use Fantastic Foods Sloppy Joe mix. It really looks and tastes like hamburger. (I guess; it has been years since I have eaten any) but it does have the consistency of meat.

When I do not use faux meat, I usually put mushrooms in a food processor with onions and garlic. Then I saute them until they are brown(er) and add al the other veggies and tomato sauce, tomato paste and herbs.

As far as what types of pasta, I use everything from Macaroni to Farfalle. After draining the pasta. I usually throw it in and mix it with the sauce. (I know. Sorta country, but what can I say? That is where I am from...)

Also, from time to time, I do splash a little Port Wine in the sauce to give it just a little more ummph. Oh yeah...

By the way, if you would like the recipe for my pasta, let me know. Until next time...

Choices

Choices... this is what I was going to write about to begin with. But there are so many needs to be addressed, I will just start with one-one we can all relate to: food.

After seeing many movies on the subject of food, wellness and disease and all the other subjects that are associated with it, I-one man among many has decided to let you know how I eat-from day to day and from week to week in the hope that some may benefit, while others may choose not to, and will find a greater being living inside themselves-one greater than they could have ever imagined. This blog is not to convince you to convert to a way of living. It is just a blog to tell you what choices I have made. The rest is up to you my readers. For we have all been given the gift of choice-in addition to many other wonderful gifts...

As I begin to write you this blog, I am at the completion of the eleventh day of a forty day fast with no food: only water and juices...

Fasting may not interest many of you who are avid lovers of cuisine and cooking, but it is a great way to rest your body and prepare it to enjoy an even greater sensitivity of taste, smell, touch, sight and sound for we have a total sensory experience when we nourish ourselves with food...

So the liquids of my food preparation are (I think) a good place to start.

What I am Drinking While I am Fasting

I am drinking smoothies (usually one a day) fresh squeezed fruit and vegetable juices. (as many as I feel I need in a day-usually five or six a day and at least seven to eight glasses of water.

The juices I am drinking during this time are simple to prepare and don't take long to consume, and I consume them within a few minutes after they are prepared.

I have a juicer...(nothing fancy); a blender and a citrus juicer. These are my friends for forty days.

So you might ask, "How are you able to keep focused for forty days?" Well, after day three or four I get an incredible calmness and sense of peace that comes over me. And I just feel great.

There is a certain level of calmness that not only keeps me focused but also lets me observe and calm my ego (desire for food, etc.)

So does the smell of food bother me? No, not at all. In fact I enjoy the smell of food more when I am fasting. Sometimes the smells of food conjure the memories of an enjoyable eating experience of times past. Just sitting and relishing the moment of such a time can be intensely gratifying.

Day 12

I did not say specifically what type of juice I had yesterday. So I will let you know what I had today.

This morning I started out with a smoothie consisting of a banana, half an avocado, almond milk, fresh squeezed (but I froze it for texture) orange juice. I also added Spirulina, Irish Moss and cinnamon.

Later on in the day I had tomato, bell pepper, and celery juice with a little cayenne and lemon added. That was followed a few hours later by a few glasses of water. This evening I had some fresh squeezed Blood Orange juice and am sipping water as I am typing this. After this will be bedtime. Note: Your regime does not have to be this austere. And tomorrow, may not be as austere as it was today for me. If you so desire you can drink as much juice as you want or feel you need.

I did stop by a vegan recipe website and look at some great ideas for vegan meals. One that caught my eye right away was the Vegan Macaroni Salad which with the exception of vegan mayonnaise looks very much like any other Macaroni Salad recipe. There was also a great recipe for baked Tofu that at some point a few months after the fast is over I am going to have to give a try...

And I promise you that I will let you know when I do and how I prepare it... That is all for today...