Project 365: i <3 Juju (Day 57)

A detoxifying and cleansing Sunday for me with Juju Cleanse!

Food Trip: Juju Cleanse

02.26.12

After weeks and weeks of eating and sampling foods (see my many food trip entries), I decided to give my tummy a break and try the Juju Cleanse which bloggers around the Philippines have been writing about.

I heard about this from my officemates who were all trying it and I found myself checking out their website to see what the fuss was all about.

Juju Cleanse is a no fuss, all benefits approach to juice fasting. It is made up of six specially concocted drinks filled with vitamins and minerals that help flush out toxins from our body. The Juju Cleanse program is designed to give your body a break, so that it can focus on digesting nutrients and flushing out the junk. It also promotes alkalinity in the body to reduce the foothold of the nasties.

I looked around their website and set a targeted date. I had to do it on a Sunday, which was the most convenient time for me since I don’t usually do much on Sundays.

PRE-JUJU PREPS

I fixed my order last Thursday for pick-up this Saturday. I opted to do their 1 Day Level 2 program.

The level 2 program is designed for those that are ready for a more intense program than what the Level One offers, this cleanse provides you with more potent, alkaline-rich (translation: green) cleanses, encouraging a more effective cleansing and detoxification process.

I was nervous about ordering but Kat Azanza of Juju Cleanse was very acommodating via text and the ordering process was done smoothly and hassle free.

On Saturday, after Shawn’s baptism, I picked up my bag of Juju Cleanses from their pick-up point in Valle Verde 4, Pasig City, which was on the way home.

The juices came in a nifty packaging that was good for storage, keeping cool and toting around if you happen to not be at home for the day.

There are six bottles inside all labeled according the sequence you shall drink it. There was also a pack of mint tea leaves and instructions on the cleanse. Then it was off to bed for rest.

JUJU-MENT DAY

Sunday dawned bright and early as I woke up on my usual time of 6am. I snoozed for an hour, and got up to make myself a cup of mint tea from the leaves that came with the pack to start the day.

The instructions said to start at 7.30am, but I opted to go 30 minutes later to acommodate the mass schedule.

8.00am: BOTTLE #1: The Green Bomb

This elixir of assorted green veggies loads you up with important nutrients and enzymes that our bodies desperately need to keep alive and well down to the cellular level.

Ingredients: Celery, Cucumber, Coconut Water, Malunggay, Pineapple, Romaine Lettuce, Spinach

Verdict: The term “green bomb” is no joke. It was like drinking grass but with a weird after taste. It took me almost twenty minutes to finish the entire thing and I shuddered to think that I had to finish off 3 more.

10.30am: BOTTLE #2: RED GIANT

Rich in alkaline elements that aid in cleansing and elimination, this potent potion of beets, pineapple, carrots, and ginger is as healthy as it is delicious

Ingredients: Beets, Carrots, Ginger, Pineapple

Verdict: I took this after mass, which ends at 10.30am. Don’t let its bright red color fool you that its a sweet juice like Strawberry Kool-Aid. The juice is more bearable that the Green Bomb as it had more of the pineapple in it, and the kick from the ginger and beets in it.

1pm: BOTTLE #3: GREEN BOMB

Verdict: I took a nap beforehand to help me fight my hunger pains. But I wasn’t looking forward to consuming another bottle of this stuff. It was much more bearable after the Red Giant.

3.30pm BOTTLE #4: ALKAZEST

This vitamin and anti-oxidant rich mix of grapefruit, pineapple, and coconut juices is a refreshing mid-afternoon picker upper.

It is designed to replenish your electrolytes and boost your energy levels to help get you through the rest of the day.

Ingredients: Coconut Water, Grapefruit, Pineapple

VERDICT: To keep me occupied, I went to the grocery to do my shopping for the week (for my food to bring to the office). BAD IDEA. I was so tempted with all the food in the stores that I was literally salivating. Good thing I brought water to keep me from giving in to temptation. After going home, I opened my bottle and I was in for a treat! I liked this one the best because it was more fruit than veggies, an instant perk in the middle of the cleanse.

6.00pm: BOTTLE #5: THE GREEN BOMB

VERDICT: I spent most of the afternoon lazing around and answering to some clients beforehand. On my third bottle, I downed the drink faster (in 4 big gulps) in order not to be too preoccupied with taste.

8;30pm: BOTTLE #6: SALABA’T LEMON

This potent ginger tonic i an excellent expectorant, providing relief for those with respiratory problems.

It helps improve circulation and stimulates your digestive system as well.

Ingredients: Ginger, Honey, Lemon

VERDICT: Finally, I’m on my final bottle! This one the Juju version of the ginger tea usually used for sore throat and cough. I like this one as it was sour with a big kick of ginger when you swallow. It actually feels warm when you drink it.

OVER-ALL:

The Juju Cleanse was very interesting to say at least and not really for the faint hearted. It helped a lot that it came in very colorful bottles and at a price that will make you think twice about skipping it.

I actually experienced a lot of hunger pangs (and severe temptations) and I can feel my tummy roll with hunger during in between drinks. It was slightly bearable and I usually down it with water. But it didn’t take away the longing to eat when I look at the cheescake ice cream in the fridge or smell the fried chicken for dinner.

I was actually happy I did it on a weekend since I found myself going to the bathroom so many times and I was really cranky and my patience short because of it. And I was a little sloshy due to too much liquid in me.

It was quite an experience and I’m glad I’ve tried it. I now like to think my insides are cleaner. I am pondering on the three day cleanse but its something I wouldn’t be trying out soon. I am not prepared yet for three days of this since I barely survived one day.

As for a repeat, maybe one a quarter for me would do the trick.

For orders, you can visit their website, or email them at info@juju.com.ph

Date A Girl Who Travels

Inspired by Date A Girl Who Reads by Rosemarie Urquico, Alcah, the Solitary Wanderer,  answers back with her own version called, Date a Girl Who Travels:

Date a girl who travels. Make her feel safe, warm, and secure. Make her believe that no matter where she goes, and however long she’s gone, you’ll always be there for her, the one that she can call home.

 

Find a girl who travels. Date her, love her, and marry her, and your world will never be the same again.

A Baptism for Shawn Jayden H. Lim

02.25.12

Baptism, for Christians, is the first sacrament and is the rite of admission into the Christian world. Living in a predominantly Catholic nation, Baptism is a usually a joyous celebration by the family. In Catholic practice, children are usually baptized early in life (from newborn to one year of age) and is usually done to welcome and introduce the baby formally to relatives and friends.

I attended the baptism of Shawn Jayden H. Lim, the son of my friends Leinee Herrera and Sherwin Lim, and stood as godmother to the baby.

Hello Shawn!

The ceremony was held in Our Lady of Mount Carmel Shrine in New Manila at a little room away from the Church. I will not go into detail as what goes on in a baptismal ceremony, but here are some highlights:

Usually the baptismal rite is composed of some prayers, the priest pouring Holy Water on the child’s head and anointing him with Holy Oil. A white garment is placed on the child, while the godparents hold candles and together renounce our faith.

Congratulations and welcome, Shawn!

Shawn and his godfathers

Shawn and his godmothers

After the ceremony, we all proceeded to the Lim residence to celebrate with the rest of the family and friends.

Baptisms have come a long way from our time where a simple meal is just prepared. Now its one big party and sometimes, the families opt to have themes and beautifully decorated tables.

Leinee and her family did a wonderful job in decorating the place and providing a beautiful dessert table for the guests.

Delicious food courtesy of the Lims

Cakes and Cupcakes for godparents c/o Swell Sweets

Blue Cake pops and Macarons home made by Leinee herself

It was simply a delicious treat and I am truly honored to be part of this little boy’s life.

Food Trip: Happy Lemon’s Cocoa with Rock Salt and Cheese

02.24.12

I have already written in my former blog a write-up on Happy Lemon shortly after it first opened in 2010 in Promenade, Greenhills. Since then, they have expanded their store to different malls, one of them being Eastwood Mall, where we had our drinks after our dinner at Kogi Bulgogi.

If in my last blog entry, I raved about the Lemon Yakult Mousse Spin, this time, I will share my ultimate favorite drink from Happy Lemon – Cocoa with Rock Salt and Cheese.

I now order it with black pearls as a variation to this drink. This drink is served with a glass of cocoa with ice and topped with their special concoction called rock salt and cheese – a creamy/sweet/salty topping that completes the drink. This drink is usually taken by being sipped, but since I have pearls, I opt for the straw.

This drink is comparable to a yummy kids chocolate drink that just brings out the child in you. Its a comfort drink at its best and an alternative for me if I don’t feel like drinking milk tea. The rock salt and cheese on top can be its own food group 🙂

Happy everyday again at Happy Lemon!