Needing My Summer Cleanse

English

Back in the summer, I committed to Qi Juices' three-day cleanse. I wrote a diary of those three days back then, and family craziness, summer commitments and other daily details took over and I could not publish it. It has been sitting in my drafts since!

A few days ago, I was talking to a friend about how, since Christmas, I have been eating chocolate on a daily basis and in unbelievably sickening quantities. Nothing can stop me! Not only have I put on all the weight I was so happy I had finally gotten rid off before the holidays but I am feeling miserable all the time. Which is leading to more senseless eating! The same old nasty vicious circle we  know all too well.

And then it happened. Only a few seconds ago. I was eating an entire bag of m&m's while talking on the phone and although I was feeling nauseous and full, I just would not stop. I realized, with every handful I grabbed, I was actually waiting for that damn bag to be empty! I was not about to stop, even if it would make me sick!

And so I did stop. Thankfully, and to keep a shred of dignity, there still are a bunch of m&m's inside that bag, as a reminder that I can stop if I really want to. I am not hopeless and I am not an addict. I can control the food I eat and most importantly, I decide how much I eat of it.

And so I just remembered Qi Juices.

I really wish I could give them a call right now, and set me up for a good, fresh, restart. Cleaning out all the toxins and setting up some healthy habits, like, right now.

But I am in Dubai and I will have to find some alternatives. But in the meantime, and just for this revelation, I felt like I owed them my follow up article. People deserve to know why I miss Qi Juices right now.

So here you have it:

My Cleanse Diary

A few weeks ago, I was invited to meet Leila and Hana, two brilliant entrepreneurs who introduced us to Qi Juices, their brand new venture and one of a kind concept in Lebanon.

Lovely ladies and fun morning aside, I decided to commit to a cleanse before I head back to Dubai. 

But the summer is always packed with events and social commitments that usually involve not so healthy foods and drinks, and which unfortunately cannot be avoided: four weddings in total (no-no, no funeral, thank God), three in July only and just one completed so far! 

Excuses, excuses?

With hubby joining us second week of August, my me-time is looking slim. We have kids activities, a concert and a trip to Turkey lined up  and I must do the cleanse before that or I will have to drop the idea altogether as I am back in Dubai on August 31st.

Excuses, excuses?

Now that I am in Ehden, scheduling three days should not be this difficult but it is! I have so many things to finish around the house: we are moving in an empty apartment, a garden that looks like a construction site and working crews walking in and out from the early morning every day.

Excuses, excuses?

I do not know if all that counts as valid arguments but I do know, anyone can make a case when it comes to "time". So I decided, that is it. I am doing the cleanse now. My parents are in Beirut for a couple of days, so they can bring Qi's goodies with them and I will have to commit to these three days as I have no way of storing the juices for a longer time (no additives, no preservatives). 

And to make things ever more fun or just to save a little bit of my sanity when everyone is eating delicious homemade kebbe and I am sipping my green one, I have decided to write a diary to keep me busy. 

So here you go. 

Let's cleanse together ;)

DAY 1:  Wed Jul 24, 2013

13:00 

As I have a wedding this Friday, I have decided today would be my first day. That way I can be done before the weekend. Qi were kind enough to press the juices all fresh this morning but still, and even though this day will start in the afternoon, I would rather not postpone and stretch the storage. So I have been fasting, and waiting. My parents are about to leave Beirut now and they should be in Ehden in about two hours, maybe more because traffic could be an issue today. Hopefully, I can start my day at around 4pm. I am not hungry at the moment and I have been drinking some water, which I usually hate and forget. But so far, so good. I guess having work done around the house and construction workers in my garden since 7am is a a good distraction and keeps my mind off hunger. As soon as I receive my goodies, I will snap a photo for your eyes only. 

13:30

My parents met with Qi's driver on the way out of Beirut and they now have my very own cooler with them in the car. Things just got serious, people! Traffic has been confirmed and they may take a while to reach Ehden but I think I can still do the 4pm start. Going to drink some water now, as I have not done so in a couple of hours.

13:50

Qi mentioned they were all about support and follow up. When we commit to the cleanse, they commit to us. And it has started: I just got a text from Leila confirming everything. Love them!

14:40

Hunger is starting to sink in! Waking up early in the morning is not that awesome! Mid-day feels like the end of the day! And yes, that's three exclamation marks in a row but I feel like an exclamation myself. Well, anyway, after all this wait, it would be the silliest thing to ruin everything so here I am, babbling on this diary to avoid temptation. Is it working? Yes in the sense that it is keeping my fingers busy on this keyboard; but it definitely is not a coupe-faim! ;) I think I have another hour to kill and then I can have my first juice. Also, I am waiting for my dad to get here so I can take the car. I have got some errands that should keep me occupied enough. Yes, I am typing my afternoon plans here now. This has officially moved from diary to planner. Anything that will keep me busy. 

15:30

Starting to count the minutes now. Ok, just so we are clear and I do not freak you out, this is not how the cleanse will feel (this is probably how all my friends fasting this Ramadan have felt on day 1 and I appreciate their efforts and dedication). This is just me being stubborn and keen on starting the cleanse today, and thus having to fast until the juices are in town. Thank you for understanding ;) Once I have my first juice and quick-start the cleanse, I will let you know what sort of new insanity liquid food does to my brain. Right now, no-food food is not so great.

15:40

Just phoned mom and she said they need another 15 minutes to get here. In mommy-language, that probably means about half and hour. Yes, we all are very Lebanese with the clock in the family. Looking at my kids now and all I can see are a roasted chicken and a gigantic Tom-and-Jerry ham. 

16:00

JUICES HAVE ARRIVED! 

First sip NOW! Green has never tasted so good! ;)

18:45

So the fact I was not here nagging for almost three hours is a good sign, right? Juice number 2 is also green. I am not a fan of green stuff juiced ;) Well it is not bad but it is not my favorite. I cannot wait to get to the carrot though (tasted it at the press event and loved it). I will not lie, I have a slight headache. Not the unbearable kind, but still. Also, I think I am slowly becoming nasty. I am known to be a "B" when I am hungry and of course, this will undeniably transpire in the next few days. I almost hit my mom in the face just now. No no, do not worry, I stopped myself just in time. I think I need to sleep this cleanse through. 

20:25

Headache is getting worse so I just took some paracetamol, hoping it will make things a little easier. Actually I do not think that I am hungry as much as I miss chewing something. I just want to eat because it is more of a habit rather than a need. I will not pretend like I am not hungry but it is certainly not like I am starving and I can definitely do without food right now. But the fact that my intake is only in liquid form, I feel like I "should" be eating something. You cannot imagine how many times I went to the kitchen, with the unconscious intend of grabbing something to eat. As I served the kids their dinner, as I unpacked the groceries, as I opened the fridge to... Well just open the fridge because it is the worst damn habit ever!

21:18

I just realized what this is reminding of. Brace yourself because it is not going to be pretty. Holding that bottle and feeling like I must drink it all while not being allowed any food is exactly the same situation as when I had to undergo a colonoscopy following my pregnancy and ended up having to drink two liters of horrible colon "cleaning" formula. Yikes, I know. No, wait, I am not saying the juices taste bad, but this whole situation and its requirements reminded me of that experience. Bad analogy. Ok. Scratch that. I have been up since 7am and it is now 9:30pm and I have not had any food since. My crankiness might be to blame for this entire entry, so forgive me.

Throw-back to my very first Qi encounter :)

DAY 2:  Thu Jul 25, 2013

09:00 

Surprising turn of events: the kids' entire sleeping schedule is upside down since we came to Ehden, they now nap longer during the day (Mia has not napped since she was 18 months!) which means that for whatever reason, they are waking up at night now, and it did not fail yesterday; we were all up at 3am. Well that is not what is surprising, what was shocking to foodaddict-me was that I was not hungry! I stayed up for over two hours and I did not feel any hunger! And this morning as well. I woke up and was fine. I never have breakfast anyway, but I assumed I would wake up, starving this morning. Well, no. I'm absolutely fine. I will be on the move today, all day. I have to go buy stuff for the house for the electric crew to be able to complete their work so I doubt I will be able to write another entry before 3 or 4pm. I also think this moving around will be helpful in keeping me busy. I will let you know later today ;)

17:20

So here I am. Back from my errands. Surprisingly, not hungry at all. Still not liking the green juices that much but I am loving my Carrot Boost so I guess, I will survive!

18:17

I just had a couple of cucumbers (allowed as per Qi's cleanse rules) because the headache is starting again and I wanted to fool my system into thinking solid foods are in. Whatever that means. 

23:15

I am feeling a little nauseous tonight so I did not feel like I could drink the evening bottles. But I am not certain this has to do with the cleanse itself because today I had to spend my morning and early afternoon in the heat of Zgharta and Tripoli before going back up to Ehden where it was getting chiller. So I might be getting a little sick.

DAY 3:  Fri Jul 26, 2013

23:30

Looking back at this diary, I think the whole structure of it projects a clear visual of what the cleanse feels like overall. The first day, I was writing every couple of hours. Then the next day, I only needed a few entries to keep me distracted a little but mostly just to record what was happening. Today, I haven;t felt the need to keep busy. The third day is almost over and I am absolutely fine. No hunger. No freak outs. Just a little worried I might go back to bad habits when this is all over and the rules I put on myself are less rigid. Oh well, we'll see. I managed to "be nice" at the wedding so it is a good sign. Have a great night and tomorrow, I'll wrap up this whole experience.

DAY 4:  Sat Jul 27, 2013 - WRAP UP

I'm so pleased to report that a cleanse does not at all equal to famine! Yes, the first day was difficult but I think it was just because I found it difficult to shake the habit of grabbing a bite. It was not really hunger but the feeling that I "should" be chewing something. This is exactly what I was missing rather than food itself. I was surprisingly full with the juices (and sometimes I did not even finish all the bottle) and I think this sort of break is definitely doable and maybe even a necessity from time to time. I know I eat to pass time (the worst kind of eating) or to feel better (the saddest kind of eating) and I know I could stay all day without having any food at all (had to do it, unintentionally a few times at work). But the difference between fasting completely and drinking healthy juices is that my energy levels were still up. Yes, I did have some headaches, which was to be expected. I had been warned. But still, I was not in a state of horrifying suffering, dying to have a bite of anything! 

Following the cleanse, I think I would feel guilty indulging in crappy foods. My body feels good and healthy (even if it is not in actuality but still, this feeling is amazing). It is also incredibly empowering to know I have the will to go through a cleanse is I ever decide to. 

Now I also know it will be a real challenge not to fall back in old, unhealthy habits. But at least, even if I do, I also do know I have the willpower to end it and make a conscious decision to take a better path. 

***

FAST FORWARD TO FEBRUARY 2, 2014 (present time)

I miss Qi Juices to say the least.

Reading through that diary just made me realize I could have used them right now. But it also reminded me it was all in me. My willpower. And I can definitely do it again. I certainly do not have the knowledge, patience or time to press my own juices (I can hardly find a moment to shower) but at least, I can make that conscious decision again to cut the crap and grow up! I am in charge of what I eat and I need to remind myself of that. All the time. 

Leila and Hana, if you're reading, this would have been a time when I would have needed your advice and encouragement. I'm sorry for not having written earlier and you definitely deserve all the exposure and support in the world. Thank you for the cleanse. But mostly, thank you for the valuable lessons this experience has told me. As you can see, I am still using them now, maybe more than ever!

Looking forward to more of Qi Juices  when I swing by Lebanon!


If you're interested in how I met Qi, click here ;)

Useful Bookmarks:

• Visit Qi Juices official website
• Join Qi Juices on Facebook
• Follow Qi Juices on Twitter
• Enjoy Qi Juices on Instagram
• Email Qi Juices
• Call Qi Juices: +961 (0)1 427 704

   

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Qi is the juice!

English

When I first heard of Qi Juice on Facebook, I thought "oh great, just what Lebanon needs; another weight-loss craze that promises to transform anorexic fantasies into healthy optimal weights" and which usually and typically end up being nothing more than bait and switch for women longing to weigh and look like unrealistically airbrushed supermodels. 

And since 'Tis The (Bikini) Season, naturally, I was intrigued (because who doesn't want to look like a airbrushed supermodel, right?)

Original Photo: Qi Juices

But when I reached the beautiful old Ashrafieh neighborhood where Qi is based, I had to leave my high horse at the door because as I met founders Hana Alireza and Leila Fakih Nashabe, I immediately realized these ladies are not your typical quick-buck scammers. Far from it, both are highly educated women with degrees from prestigious universities under their belts and a proven track record in entrepreneurship. 

Furthermore and as would be expected from any true professional, they did not simply copy a business concept from abroad but instead made sure they gathered other talents to offer a comprehensive and successful experience by enlisting the guidance of nutrition consultant and juice cleansing expert, Natasha Henry who has been running smilar practices for years in the US and worldwide and has the following to say "After conducting numerous raw-food cleanses, green-juice fasts, liver flushes and other detoxification protocols (...) over a  number of years, I can confidently say that this preventive approach really works". Henry is also in charge of creating the various juices recipes in order to ensure each provides maximum nutrition and detox value.

So when they invited a number of journalists and bloggers to visit their "Qitchen" as they like to call it and try their freshly cold-pressed juices while learning more about the program, I was delighted to join in!

THE QiTCHEN COLD-PRESSED JUICE EVENT

The "Qitchen" is located in a nice Ashrafieh neighborhood in Beirut that seems to have grown to love Qi as when I enquired about them, their neighbor told me "They are in that street, to the left, let me walk you. You've never been? The shop is lovely!"

Good start, wouldn't you agree? It can only mean positive things when your neighbors like you!

Photos: R. Abouzeid

A beautiful "summery" greeting space was set-up on the sidewalk with green parasols and a juice tasting station. All the guests gathered there for a warm and friendly chat over juice shots. It was indeed lovely and both Hana and Leila were pleasant, welcoming hosts. It felt like they were inviting us to visit their home rather than a business. No wonder the neighbors find them "lovely". Another one passed by during the tasting, and she was promptly invited to join in. Small businesses with a soul are the best kind!

A friendly neighbor passes by and is invited to a taste of Carrot!
Photo: R. Abouzeid

We had a nice chat outside while we discussed and enjoyed Qi Juices before we were invited to visit the now famous "Qitchen". 

Photos: R. Abouzeid

The minute you walk in, you can immediately understand the kind of people Leila and Hana are. The main door leads to their office where desks are located in an open, personalized and super organized space, that is surprisingly small when it is compared to what would be expected from an owner or CEO. No arrogance, no coldness. Just a humble, "human" space from which you can see the "Qitchen" through a glass window and door. 

Photos: R. Abouzeid

That would be the heart of the locale. It is a fairly big space and I guess choosing a location in an old neighborhood gives you one major advantage: high ceilings. They are just brilliant! And unlike usually claustrophobic, dark factories, wide windows allow for sunlight and basically, happy, smiley staff! 

Photos: R. Abouzeid

The work stations are spacious and offer enough room to work comfortably.

And most importably, you can feel the cleanliness. You do not just see, smell or touch it. It is an overall feeling there. The spotless white walls and bright stainless steel work stations and refrigerators just shine thanks to the hard work of the staff that are constantly making sure the space remains immaculate.

Photos: R. Abouzeid

Every batch is pressed, stored in jars and immediately placed in refrigerators.
Photos: R. Abouzeid

After giving us the tour and introducing Qi Juices in detail, Leila and Hana disclosed a fantastic surprise: anyone interested was welcome to concoct their own juice recipe, make it and taste it. Needless to say we had a blast and the ladies that gave it a try actually came up with yummy recipes! So much fun!

Photos: R. Abouzeid

Photos: R. Abouzeid

Photos: R. Abouzeid

But let us be honest, fun is good but it does not guarantee quality or health, right? So how about we go through the main questions that we were all eager to ask?

The press kit and giveaways
Photos: R. Abouzeid

THE WEIGHT QUESTION

The first question that was on everyone's mind this swimsuit season was, naturally, "is juice cleansing a weight-loss diet?"

Ah, yes, the eternal existential booby trap.

But at Qi, there is no BS in anything. Just as the main ingredients are all guaranteed to be fresh and organic, so is the marketing. The answer was straightforward and utterly honest: "No". 

Of course, when you undertake a cleanse, you may loose some weight but Qi Juices do not claim to offer a weight-loss diet and whatever decreases you may notice will most probably be water losses. The importance of cleansing lies in a fresh start for your body. When you undergo detox, you clean yourself from the inside-out helping you take that step towards healthier lifestyles. 

Photos: R. Abouzeid

"Some follow juice cleanses to lose weight but we like to promote it as part of a holistic shift to a healthier lifestyle and getting into better shape, inside out" explains Leila.

Following the cleanse, and after your body has adapted to cleaner intakes, all the while getting rid of all toxins, you will find it harder to go back to junk. Simply, you may still eat unhealthy but when you do, you will immediately feel uneasy. And it is not only remorse and your conscience raising a huge red flag. It is also because your body will find it harder to digest junk.

Environmental Pollutants Vs. Green Magic
Photos: R. Abouzeid

And because during the cleanse you will have to let go of poisonous substances like alcohol or tobacco,  as well as less obvious dangers such as processed and genetically modified foods (which by the way are not labeled as such in our parts of the world), it is the perfect new beginning.

By changing fundamental habits and acquiring new healthier ones, weight-loss will no longer be an issue. After all, shouldn't health be the primary goal? Weight will undeniably follow when healthy lifestyle choices are adopted. 

THE ORGANIC QUESTION

How about this "organic" label which has become the forefront of one of the fastest-growing... Marketing gimmicks? You thought I was going to say "industry", didn't you? We all know "organic" is very in style nowadays, almost as much as the fact that in Lebanon, trustworthy sources are scarce. 

Qi Juices guarantee that their ingredients all come from organic sources which are regularly audited. In fact, at any time, an inspector might come in the "Qitchen", take samples of ingredients and/or juices and send them for analysis. Should any result come back positive for chemicals, all the production will be halted until an investigation is launched, the contaminated sources are identified and proper measures are taken. 

Photos: R. Abouzeid

There are currently three suppliers in Lebanon with which Qi Juices collaborate: Biomass, Biobox (Facebook) and Healthy Basket (Facebook), all approved by international and local quality assurance organizations.

THE HEALTH QUESTION

Now of course, any ingredient, no matter how "clean" they may be, can easily be contaminated or simply turned into a health hazard. That is why "organic" does not necessarily mean healthy. Organic foods can be cooked into unhealthy meals, obviously.

So in order to ensure all the nutrients in their veggies and fruits are well preserved, all Qi juices are cold-pressed. The ladies explained to us that it has been proven through simple lab analysis and comparison that juices we find in regular shops on the street and which are supposedly fresh and healthy do not contain as much nutritional value because they are not cold-pressed. 

The equipment used at Qi has been carefully chosen to secure maximum health value in each juice bottle. 

Photos: R. Abouzeid

Also, and this is not of small importance, since all locally-grown ingredients are seasonal (juices recipes vary depending on the seasons and the available fruits and vegetables that grow naturally during that specific time) the body will absorb a wide array of nutrients which can only be achieved through a diverse diet. 

My children's pediatrician always tells me that each fruit and vegetable contains a treasure. Why would we decide to disregard one while we know the others do not contain that same valuable nourishment? Variety is key.

Agriculture in plastic tents may allow for fruits and vegetables to be available all year long but that would be a loss to our organisms. Nature has offered us a large spectrum of choices to be enjoyed each in their own time. By doing so, we allow our bodies to take in all the nutrients available out there, during their respective season, and without any chemical contamination (which would otherwise lessen nutrients and raise health dangers).

Photos: R. Abouzeid

Finally, the juices are "completely vegan, dairy and gluten-free, and do not contain any additives or preservatives". 

THE CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

I have always been a fervent fan of fair trade and businesses that support local industries. The locally-grown agriculture sector is the lifeblood of a large population in Lebanon and it is a must for entrepreneurs not to get overzealous about importing produces from abroad under the pretense that they are of better quality. Flying in and storing these products alone sheds a doubt on how healthy these foods will be/remain. 

However, instilling some sense of community, citizenship and corporate conscience is definitely as important as making profits. 

And this goes in line with Qi's philosophy. After all, healthy habits that apply to individuals should also apply to society as whole. You cannot pretend to better a person's quality of life and ignore the community. The community is made of these individuals and for better quality of life for us individually, we need better societies for us all. 

Impacting on other businesses and communities positively is a duty and a responsibility and I was happy to see Qi understands and lives by that philosophy. It is like I said before, and I can only commend them for that ethic: there is indeed no BS in every aspect of their business. 

Photos: R. Abouzeid

THE Qi CLEANSE PROGRAM 

The cleanse is a one to five days program "designed to rest your digestive system and deliver a powerful boost of nutrition to your body". 

It is already hard enough to commit to such a diet so to make things easier on their customers, Qi takes care of everything, including home delivery, no matter where you are in Lebanon. No hassle, no stressful traffic rides to get to the shop and get the juices, no worries. They will come to you while "you can just focus on feeling better from the inside out". 

All you have to do is make a phone call and get on with the program!

The delicious shots I tasted at THE QiTCHEN COLD-PRESSED JUICE EVENT
Photos: R. Abouzeid

A menu of juices is prepared for each day, varying the tastes but also the benefits of each intake. Each recipe is designed to fit the hour of the day and energy needs at that specific time (morning start-ups are different from the last evening juice) .

"The body's digestion of processed food alone requires a lot of energy. Additionally, the body must contend with high levels of pollution found in the air, water and food supplies, as well as toxicity from medical drugs and increased exposure to radiation". 

"Going on a juice cleanse is a natural, safe and convenient way to give your organs a much-needed break, and supply your body with the vital nutrients it needs to function best".

So why don't you take a well-deserved break too? 

I know I will definitely schedule a detox this summer before I return to hectic Dubai ;)

Photos: R. Abouzeid

THE LADIES BEHIND THE Qi

Hana Alireza

"Creative, entrepreneurial and eternally optimistic, Hana is the one who came up with the idea."

• Education: Archaeology degrees from Brown University and Oxford University
• Notable previous achievements: Co-founder of Bayt.com and The Brave Heart Fund. Also consulted on the renovation of the AUB Archaeological Museum and served on its Executive Committee for six years. 

Leila Fakih Nashabe

"Energetic, positive and a gifted problem solver, Leila has an amazing way of getting things done."

• Education: Political Science degree from the American University of Beirut, MBA from Strathclyde University
• Notable previous achievements: Corporate education at HP in Dubai for seven years where she increased consumer business by 60% followed by two years as Business Development Manager for UAE's Canvas Magazine and another two years creating the marketing department for furniture designer Nada Debs in Lebanon.

THE QiTCHEN COLD-PRESSED JUICE EVENT
Photo: Qi Juices

The juice I ended up taking home :)
Photos: R. Abouzeid

If you are interested in learning more about healthier lifestyles, try to watch "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead". The film is available on YouTube. Thanks for the tip Qi! ;)
Here's a sneak peak at the trailer:

Useful Bookmarks:

• Visit Qi Juices official website
• Join Qi Juices on Facebook
• Follow Qi Juices on Twitter
• Enjoy Qi Juices on Instagram
• Email Qi Juices
• Call Qi Juices: +961 (0)1 427 704

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