Stuff they don't tell you (warning: poop talk)

There are a lot of places to get a lot of information about juicing, from user forums to youtube videos to books and blogs of all kinds. To be fair, most of what you'll read is pretty solid, but I've noticed there's some data that's consistently left out. I say "data" but I mean more along the lines of "helpful tips and some common sense." Here's what I've discovered from juicing that nobody told me:

- Everyone's experience is different. Joe and Phil from Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead both had very realistic, predictable experiences with juicing... but your experience will not be like theirs (nor were theirs like each other's). You'll feel different than other people do (for better or worse). You'll lose weight at a different rate than other people do. It will affect you differently. Don't expect anything other than a gradual improvement of health overall. You can't be sure how you'll experience it until you do it.

- The other thing about Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead that needs mentioning: Both Joe and Phil were exercising constantly during their fast. To the movie's credit, they did attempt to depict this, but I feel they failed to give it the weight it deserved. I can see how people would walk away from that movie thinking "I want to lose nine bowling balls' worth of weight, and juicing is the way to do it" without realizing that also includes a lot of exercise. It's actually a very realistic goal, but you need both those factors for the maximum effect.

- Not everything is delicious. Some juice gurus post Youtube videos of themselves drinking their potions and making "mmmmm mmmm" noises, and it gives the impression that everything is yummy. It really isn't. Obviously, this is a matter of personal taste... but I don't find a juice with cabbage and broccoli in it to be all that yummy. There will be certain combinations you like more than others. The only juice I ever made that was downright disgusting was when I juiced an onion (never do that). All of it is at least palatable (and most of it is delicious). But when juice evangelists tell you a kale/turnip/brussel sprout smoothie is as yummy as a chocolate milkshake... they're either mentally ill or they're lying.

- All fruit and veg are good for you, but excesses can be harmful. Don't treat it like a free-for-all. Mainly: Sugar is a concern. The amount of sugar you take in from juicing a lot of fruits and drinking them down is ridiculously high. It's not refined sugar or high fructose corn syrup, so it's not bad for you in the same way as chugging back a Coke would be, but it can cause your blood sugar to spike. Use some care when juicing a lot of fruit. And make sure you're ingesting more leafy greens than fruit.

- You should aim for four parts vegetable, one part fruit. And try to only use apple if you're combining fruit with vegetable. Don't mix other vegetables and fruits. It's not dangerous, per se, but your stomach uses different enzymes to deal with fruits than it does with vegetables. Apples are the only fruit that cross over without giving you gas. You'll be putting unnecessary strain on your digestion.

- Nobody is going to really be blunt and tell you about how bad your farts and poop will smell for a while, so I will: For me, the farting tapered off (probably just my body adjusting), but the difference was shocking. The poop has a completely different composition. It's not weird, but the smell is quite different. Yes, obviously it's indelicate to discuss this but it's one of the details they don't talk about. And I suspect for some people it could have impact on their lives, and for others with a delicate gastrointestinal system it may even be painful (some people I know have said they had some mild pain in the early stages of their fast). All I'm saying is: What comes out your poop chute is gonna change... and that's part of the process, so be prepared for it. One additional thing: There is no consensus on whether poop should float or sink, even among experts. Yeah, everyone's going to say "scientific fact says this" but you can be sure someone else is showing data to prove the exact opposite. I think if you pay attention to your body for things like excess gas, cramps, diarrhea, consult your doctor and follow his/her instructions, and don't eat something stupid... you probably don't need to concern yourself with the buoyancy of your poop.

Not that you were concerned.