My life revolves around food. It seems like everything I do, whether it’s working around my Bikram yoga schedule or going to work, I plan for what and when to eat meals and snacks constantly. In fact I have a gigantic lunch-box from Thirty-One that I pack all my food into when I go to work. It’s a little overkill, but that’s what I do. I never want to be so hungry that I am reaching for something that I shouldn’t be. After the planning, then there’s finding time to re-heat, sit down and eat it all. Microwave, toaster oven, forks, knives, spoons, plates, bowls, table, chair, etc. So one day after leaving for work with my lunch-box and another bag full of snacks I thought, “What if my world didn’t revolve around eating?” At least for a few days anyway. I’m too in love with food to go cold turkey for long lol.
A few years ago I decided to try juicing. During a juice fast, you literally drink nothing but freshly juiced fruits and veggies, as well as plenty of water and detox tea. With all the juice made in the morning, I would be free to go about my day not having to think about making, heating up or buying my next meal. No microwaves, toaster ovens, forks, knives, spoons, plates, bowls, etc. In a sense, it would be a mental break from thinking about what to eat for the next few days. The health benefits are really amazing if you can deal with the fact that you are not consuming solid food and/or chewing for the duration of the fast. Unfortunately, like many do, I went about it the wrong way: no mental or physical preparation and definitely not enough juice to sustain me throughout the day. I also chose to try and start the fast while working an overnight shift (which is not my normal shift). Around 1am, I had a headache with nausea that was so intense, I wanted to share the emesis basin with my patients as I pushed them down the hallway. It was awful. Sadly, I broke my fast with saltine crackers. The headache went away within 15 minutes.
So this time around, I did a little research. I learned all about what to do leading up to the fast, during the fast and how to break it safely. I prepared myself mentally and physically. I made sure I knew the ins and outs so that I wouldn’t be surprised about anything that happened. I had everything figured out. The funny thing is that as soon as you think you know everything about something, you learn afterwards that you never really knew much of anything to begin with. The preparation was a great step, however this 3 day fast taught me so much more about my mind, spirit and body than I ever thought possible. I perservered day by day, gaining an amazing experience that I will not soon forget.
Why Do a Juice Fast?
Not only does juicing simplify your life during a fast, it has amazing health benefits. Even though most of the time we may eat pretty healthy, there are still the occasions (sometimes weekly) where we put bad stuff in our bodies. I am just as guilty of this. Juicing helps to heal the body by flushing toxins out and let the digestive system rest for a few days. While the liver and kidneys detox our bodies daily, this gives an added boost to cleansing. It is a great way to easily absorb vitamins into your system quickly and after the first day gives you an amazing amount of energy and clarity. If you have food allergies, this is a great reset button. Juicing allows you to introduce foods back into the diet slowly so you can see how they affect your body.
Warnings
Although a 3 day juice fast isn’t likely going to harm anyone, if you have any health issues, you should always consult a doctor first. Diabetics should take caution because these juices contain natural fruit that can alter your blood sugar. Juicing for too long may lead to loss of lean muscle mass as you start to lose weight. For this reason, I do not recommend doing more than a 3 day fast, especially if you are already thin. If you decide to keep going, make sure you are under the care of a physician so that they can monitor your health throughout the process. Diarrhea, lightheadedness, vomiting and syncope are signs that your body is not handling the fast well and you should consider breaking it at this point. Headaches are perfectly normal.
What I learned:
- God made my body to be much stronger than I gave it credit. I had the strength to push through, even when I was challenged to quit. During the tough times, I prayed. This process definitely strengthened my relationship and trust in Christ.
- I had some digestive issues that I never even knew about! I don’t think I would’ve known had I not done the fast either. Waking up the second day with red urine really freaked me out, but I had what is called beeturia. It is defined as pink or red urine after the ingestion of beets and affects about 10-14% of the population. This can signal that the digestive system is not functioning and/or absorbing properly. This makes complete sense as I had recently been experiencing bloating after meals and I wasn’t very regular. I started taking a probiotic to aid in digestion. Within a few days I was feeling much better, and after testing with beet juice, no more beeturia. It can also be a symptom that you may have an iron deficiency. Click HERE to check out what beeturia can mean for you.
- While I was detoxing physically, I also started to detox emotionally. Not in a “cry your eyes out” sort of way, but in a confident “tell it like it is” way. I was able to speak the honest truth, politely, to many people about stuff that makes me bruise easily on the inside. I tend to hold things in when they bother me and create barriers to protect from further harm. This just traps the bad feelings in and means that one day I am going to have to deal with them again and again and again until I deal with the issue. I think the only way you can detox completely is to get rid those barriers that help hold on to toxic stuff, whether physical or mental. It was a truly freeing experience. Again, prayer was a big key in this step.
- I have a snack time “bewitching hour”. It is usually around 4pm-5pm. I was never hungry, but felt like eating just because I wanted to. This was good to know because I can now decipher the difference between true hunger and eating out of boredom. I never knew that it was the same cycle daily. You’d think this would be easy to tell on an everyday basis, but there is a strange understanding and clarity that comes with juicing. On the flip side, I get hungry around 1pm. Really hungry. It’s funny how you can learn so much about what your body really needs when you take food out of the equation.
- I was amazed at how easy it was to “have a meal.” I didn’t have to sit down, heat anything up, spend a lot of time cutting and spooning things into my mouth, etc. I could grab a freshly made juice, shake it up and go. It was great!
- Your body really will accept what you give it to eat. Those cravings are all in my head. It is possible to eat something healthy while craving something else and your body will live on to see another day lol!
- The only time I truly wanted to eat (other than the bewitching hour) was if someone had something I wanted. And I wanted it only because I knew I couldn’t have it. Childish yes, but it was the truth. I had several of these instances come up and I was able to recognize the feelings and let them go. Juicing brings out all sorts of strange feelings locked inside. You have to decide which ones to keep and which ones to let go of. Ultimately, it can help shape you into the person you want to be and get rid of the things that are holding you back.
Here is a juice diary that I recorded during my 3 day fast. It gives an idea of what you might experience as you go through each day.
Juice diary
I love Juice. This is going to be easy! Right?!?
Day 1
9:30 AM- I planned to get up at 6 AM this morning, but I overslept so around 8 o’clock I rolled out of bed to make my juice. Plan on giving yourself about an hour and a half the first day, because you need to prep all of your fruits and veggies for the next few days. Everything so far so good. I made my tea and I’m drinking that while I’m working on the rest of my stuff. Grilling chicken and cooking black beans for the next few days for hubby before food cravings kick in.
12:30pm- I’m really cold and just want to snuggle in bed. No food cravings though
5pm- Feeling like I need food even though I’m not hungry. Having a little trouble completely concentrating on conversations. Want to snack on something crunchy like pretzels.
9pm-headache setting in…going to bed to sleep this part off
Day 2
7:30am- Woke up feeling much better, but my back is very sore. Toxins are working their way out!!
8am- had breakfast and tea. So far so good. Feeling pretty good except for the little but of soreness and my upper back is itchy. I’m still really cold.
1pm - My face goes numb. Probably because I let myself get too hungry. Felt much better after juice. On an emotional note, I find myself being extremely honest. I am expressing things that I wouldn’t normally say outloud but instead repress deep feelings about. Maybe these emotional toxins need to come up with the physical ones. This really is a complete detox for me.
3:30pm- Decided to torture myself and go get groceries for next week. Drank a green juice before I went. Wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. However, I gazed longer than usual at the sushi as I passed by the seafood dept…
5pm- Much more energy and less brain fog. My dad pointed out that I looked like I was on speed today compared to yesterday at the same time. A little hungry but I’m drinking a green juice and the hunger seems to be dissipating. My waist must be shrinking a little because I was asked if I had my chest enhanced lol.
8pm- Feeling a little nauseated. Think I drank my cashew milk too fast. Had some lemon water with fresh mint and feeling better. No headache tonight! Woohoo!! Still cold. Reeeeeaaaallly cold.
9:45pm- Have lots of energy and feel wide awake!!
Day 3
7am- Woke up feeling awake!! Praise The Lord!!! That doesn’t happen very often. I have more energy today than I have so far ever in mornings. Went to the bathroom and urine was red {insert me shrieking and running to my computer for an explanation}. While I knew beets could turn your stool red (and they did) I didn’t know they could turn urine red too. It’s a phenomenon called beeturia. This may also be a sign of bad digestion and I may need to take a probiotic when I’m done to help my body with digestion for better absorption. Check out this site for details about beeturia and what is could mean. Learning lots about myself in this fast. I have a strange whitish coating on my tongue and a funny taste in my mouth, so more toxins are working their way out. Not quite as much back pain though. My abdominal muscles and ribs are sore today. My face has a strange glow to it this morning as well. And…added bonus…my stomach is completely flat!!
8:30am- On the way to work and drinking breakfast juice. What a beautiful morning it is!! I feel happy and energized.
9:30am- Might be TMI, but I had my first normal BM in weeks. Things are looking very good today.
11am- starting to smell the food cooking from the cafeteria. I don’t even like their food most of the time. Starting to crave a hamburger. Uh oh. I think I’ll drink a green juice now…
11:30- Green juice helped a little. I’m still smelling the food but the cravings aren’t as intense.
5pm- So this time of the day seems to be my bewitching hour. I started having strange cravings for fried foods, fried okra, fried chicken, etc. And cuban pork. Weird. On a good note, I walked by what smelled like McDonald’s French fries and was repulsed. I usually am, but glad to know my body still knows better even when it hasn’t had solid food in almost 3 days. I sometimes feel like I’ve gone far enough, but i know the mental and physical benefits of sticking it out will outweigh whatever food i stuff in my mouth at this point. I think I’ll do another juice and see what happens… and pray!!
5:15-Had a green juice. Cravings are gone. That was fast! I love how my body is adapting to what I am giving it vs what it demands.
7pm - The closer I come to an end, the harder the struggle is right around the time to drink another juice comes up. Work has been a great distraction, but the slow moments make my mind wander to the fact that tomorrow I’ll be back to solid foods and eating meals with people again. I think this is something I struggle with in general though….focusing so much on the future that I don’t see the beauty of what is happening at the moment. Another emotional breakthrough. Learning so so so much about myself both physically and emotionally. Side note: this cashew milk is tasty!!
10pm- I feel like it is the day before Christmas! I’m so excited I get to eat solid food tomorrow!! I’m not hungry, and I’m glad I have gone this far, but ready to get back to chewing lol. I find that most of the reason I want to eat solid foods isn’t because I am hungry…it is because I can’t have it. It’s like a childish inner self rises up in you and wants to be like all the other kids. It is something to acknowledge and then let go. I am not a child, I am an adult. I can do this.
Day 4
8am- woke up thinking I would be ready to run in the kitchen to eat something but I am actually in no hurry to eat this morning. Kinda sad now that the fast is over. I guess I could continue it, but I only planned portions for a 3 day fast. This will be interesting to see how I do with a solid breakfast.
9am- Ate my first breakfast which consisted of soft foods with some of my breakfast juice. Have a little congestion after eating food. Either more stuff is working its way out or I have a sensitivity to something I ate. It’s amazing how clear I was on the juice fast…no congestion. I will have to do this again sometime..maybe in the fall. What a great experience this was to learn more about my mind and body!!
Where do I even begin?
Juice fasting can reap amazing rewards, but is something that requires a little preparation so that you won’t have to focus on the tiny details so much when the time comes to fast. Here is a cheat sheet to make your juicing experience easy and stress free:
Ingredients
- 8 juice containers (enough to hold 14-16 oz juice) and 1 - (1) liter container
- 3 oranges
- 3-6 Bananas
- 2 pineapples
- 3 bags organic carrots (roughly 18 carrots)
- 7 red apples
- 2 beets (with beet greens attached)
- 9 green apples
- 3 bags spinach
- 6 cucumbers
- 3 bunches celery
- 9 lemons
- large piece of ginger root
- Yogi Detox Tea
- 3 gallons Distilled water
- 2 cups raw cashews
- Maple syrup
- Natural Vanilla
- Nut Milk bag or Cheesecloth
- Juicer
- Blender
- Raw Honey (optional)
- Empty grocery bags
Instructions
- 1) Pick the dates that you want to fast at least 2 weeks before you decide to go through with it. Try to pick days where you won't have too many things to do. If you have to work, make sure the first day or two are days that you are off. This will give you time to mentally prepare and plan. Remember, this isn't a something that you should plan one day and do the next. It requires a little time to put it together correctly.
- 2) Plan out meals for your family while you are fasting. This will eliminate possible whining and nagging.
- 3) Make a grocery list. If you choose not to use the juices in this fast, choose which juices you want to drink and make a list with all the ingredients.
- 4) Get juice containers that will hold at least 12 ounces. I saved old juice "Naked Juice" containers from the grocery story and cleaned them well after I drank the juice that was packaged. They clean well, are BPA free and made from recycled material.
- 1) Start incorporating more fruits and veggies into your daily meals.
- 2) Replace one or two meals daily with a smoothie
- 3) Decrease your meal portions, but increase your frequency of eating (which is a good rule of thumb for everyday eating). For example, if you eat 3 times a day, increase it to 5. Breakfast, Morning snack, Lunch, Afternoon Snack and Dinner is a good plan.
- 4) Let your family know that you will be doing the fast this week. Don't announce it to the world though. Juice fasting is an individual experience that should be experienced as cush: individually. It is about finding strength in yourself from God to complete a challenging life event. However, it is a good idea to let people living in your house know so that they can help hold you accountable. A family support system makes a fast much easier to do. If you live alone, find a friend that can hold you accountable. If one person knows, you are less likely to break the fast if you hit a weak moment.
- 1) Buy produce (organic if possible), clean it all well to remove any dirt and separate it into 3 different bags. Make sure to clean the outsides of the citrus fruit with a scrub brush and Veggie wash. Bag number ONE should contain 3 red apples, 1 orange, 5 carrots, 1 beet, 3 green apples, 1 bag spinach, 2 cucumbers, 1 bunch celery, and 2 lemons. Bag number TWO should contain 1 red apple, 2 carrots, 3 green apples, 1 bag spinach, 2 cucumbers, 1 bunch celery, and 2 lemons. Bag number THREE should contain 3 apples, 1 orange, 5 carrots, 1 beet, 3 green apples, 1 bag spinach, 2 cucumbers, 1 bunch celery, and 2 lemons. Label them 1, 2 and 3. Do not cut any produce or open spinach bags to keep things as fresh as possible. For things that cannot be separated yet (i.e. Ginger, pineapple) set aside until the morning of juicing.
- 2) It is recommended to clean out your digestive system before beginning a fast because the juicing process removes a lot of the fiber that helps you go number 2. You don't want to detox and be full of old poo. Gross. I am not one that fancies an enema, so I chose to make a natural laxative instead. Mix 1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice with 1/2 cup olive oil. Stir well and slurp down. It's actually not as bad as it sounds. Like a really rich flavored orange juice.
- 3) Hydrate Hydrate Hydrate! Make sure you drink plenty of water to flush out your digestive system after the orange-oil laxative.
- 4) Soak Cashews in distilled water to make cashew milk the next day.
- 5) Make sure Juice Containers are clean, dry and ready to use.
- 1) Grab Day ONE produce out of the refrigerator. Assemble Juicer and place an empty plastic grocery bag in the pulp container for easy cleanup. Cut ginger into 3 pieces. Take one piece and peel. Divide peeled piece into 3 pieces. Put each remaining piece into a ziplock bag and put one in Day TWO and one in Day THREE. Slice top and bottom off the pineapple and remove rough outer shell. Divide into thirds. Take one third and place it in a ziplock bag and place in Day THREE. Take one of the thirds and divide it in half. Place one half in a ziplock bag and put in Day TWO. Set the other half aside. Cut beet in half ( including the beet greens). Peel one half of the beet bulb with a vegetable peeler removing the earthy skin. Place the other half in a ziplock bag and place in bag TWO. Peel Orange and Lemons. Quarter apples. Cut carrots in half. Cut the base off celery bunch and discard. Slice celery into thirds. Cut cucumbers in half. Rinse Spinach well and drain water. Drain and rinse cashews. Place in blender and fill with distilled water to the top measuring line (about 6 cups). Add 2 tbsp maple syrup and 1 tsp vanilla. Blend for 2 minutes. Drain through a fine sieve strainer over a bowl to catch the milk. Discard cashew pulp. Strain milk one more time through a nut milk bag or a double thick layer of cheesecloth. Divide the milk into 3 juice containers. Place in the refrigerator. Fill a 1 liter container up with distilled water. Add a sliced lemon to this container of water. Make any food that your family will need for the next few days THIS MORNING. If you try cooking too late in the day, it will really test your patience. Time to make the juice!
- Juice 3 red apples, 1 orange, 3 carrots, 1/3 pineapple. Separate into 2 juice containers. When ready to drink, put in a magic bullet or drink blender and add peeled banana. Blend until Smooth. Put in a wine glass for a dramatic elegant touch. You will have an extra breakfast juice ready for tomorrow morning.
- 2)Rinse and clean juicer before moving on to the next juice. No need to clean out pulp bag.
- 1) Juice half beet and beet greens, 1 apple, 2 carrots, remaining 1/2 of the 1/3 piece pineapple, 1 of the 3 pieces of ginger. Place in juice container and into the fridge.
- 2)Rinse and clean juicer before moving on to the next juice. No need to clean out pulp bag.
- 1) Juice 3 green apples, 2 cucumbers, 2 lemons, bag of spinach, 1 bunch celery, and remaining 2 of the 3 pieces of ginger. Juice the celery and the spinach together to get the most juice out of the spinach. You may need to pour juice into a larger container or bowl as your juice collection container could overflow. This recipe makes 3 batches of green juice. Mix all the green juice together in a larger container and divide into 3 juice containers. Place in the fridge until time to drink.
- 2) Rinse and clean juicer. Throw out pulp bag and rinse pulp reservoir. Place on a drying rack to air-dry.
- Drink all juices about 2-3 hours apart as you can handle it. Some may have to be done closer together and some farther apart. Drink the juices in this order: (1) Breakfast Juice, (2) Green Juice, (3) Lunch Juice, (4) Green Juice, (5) Green Juice, (6) Cashew Milk. Make sure to drink lemon water and detox tea in between juicing.
- 1) Grab Day TWO produce out of the refrigerator. Assemble Juicer and place an empty plastic grocery bag in the pulp container for easy cleanup. Peel ginger. Divide peeled piece into 3 pieces. Peel one half of the remaining beet bulb with a vegetable peeler removing the earthy skin. Peel Lemons. Quarter apples. Cut carrots in half. Cut the base off celery bunch and discard. Slice celery into thirds. Cut cucumbers in half. Rinse Spinach well and drain water. Fill a 1 liter container up with distilled water. Add a sliced lemon to this container of water. Time to make the juice!
- No Need to make Breakfast Juice. Drink Container left over from yesterday's juicing. When ready to drink, put in a magic bullet or drink blender and add peeled banana. Blend until Smooth. Enjoy!
- 1) Juice half beet and beet greens, 1 apple, 2 carrots, remaining 1/2 of the 1/3 piece pineapple, 1 of the 3 pieces of ginger. Place in juice container and into the fridge.
- 2) Rinse and clean juicer before moving on to the next juice. No need to clean out pulp bag.
- 1) Juice 3 green apples, 2 cucumbers, 2 lemons, bag of spinach, 1 bunch celery, and remaining 2 of the 3 pieces of ginger. Juice the celery and the spinach together to get the most juice out of the spinach. You may need to pour juice into a larger container or bowl as your juice collection container could overflow. This recipe makes 3 batches of green juice. Mix all the green juice together in a larger container and divide into 3 juice containers. Place in the fridge until time to drink.
- 2) Rinse and clean juicer. Throw out pulp bag and rinse pulp reservoir. Place on a drying rack to air-dry.
- Drink all juices about 2-3 hours apart as you can handle it. Some may have to be done closer together and some farther apart. Drink the juices in this order: (1) Breakfast Juice, (2) Green Juice, (3) Lunch Juice, (4) Green Juice, (5) Green Juice, (6) Cashew Milk. Make sure to drink lemon water and detox tea in between juicing.
- 1) Grab Day THREE produce out of the refrigerator. Assemble Juicer and place an empty plastic grocery bag in the pulp container for easy cleanup. Peel ginger. Divide peeled piece into 3 pieces. Slice top and bottom off the remaining pineapple and remove rough outer shell. Divide into thirds. Take one of the thirds and divide it in half. Set one of the halves of the third aside as well as one of the thirds. Place all remaining pineapple in a container to eat tomorrow. Cut beet in half ( including the beet greens). Peel one half of the beet bulb with a vegetable peeler removing the earthy skin. Place the other half in a ziplock bag to juice tomorrow if desired. Peel Orange and Lemons. Quarter apples. Cut carrots in half. Cut the base off celery bunch and discard. Slice celery into thirds. Cut cucumbers in half. Rinse Spinach well and drain water. Fill a 1 liter container up with distilled water. Add a sliced lemon to this container of water. Time to make the juice!
- 1) Juice 3 red apples, 1 orange, 3 carrots, 1/3 pineapple. Separate into 2 juice containers. When ready to drink, put in a magic bullet or drink blender and add peeled banana. Blend until Smooth. Put in a wine glass for a dramatic elegant touch. You will have an extra breakfast juice ready for tomorrow morning to go with a solid food.
- 2) Rinse and clean juicer before moving on to the next juice. No need to clean out pulp bag.
- 1) Juice half beet and beet greens, 1 apple, 2 carrots, remaining 1/2 of the 1/3 piece pineapple, 1 of the 3 pieces of ginger. Place in juice container and into the fridge.
- 2) Rinse and clean juicer before moving on to the next juice. No need to clean out pulp bag.
- 1) Juice 3 green apples, 2 cucumbers, 2 lemons, bag of spinach, 1 bunch celery, and remaining 2 of the 3 pieces of ginger. Juice the celery and the spinach together to get the most juice out of the spinach. You may need to pour juice into a larger container or bowl as your juice collection container could overflow. This recipe makes 3 batches of green juice. Mix all the green juice together in a larger container and divide into 3 juice containers. Place in the fridge until time to drink.
- 2) Rinse and clean juicer. Throw out pulp bag and rinse pulp reservoir. Place on top rack of the dishwasher to sterilize if ok with manufacturer's instructions.
- 1) Drink all juices about 2-3 hours apart as you can handle it. Some may have to be done closer together and some farther apart. Drink the juices in this order: (1) Breakfast Juice, (2) Green Juice, (3) Lunch Juice, (4) Green Juice,(5) Green Juice, (6) Cashew Milk. Make sure to drink lemon water and detox tea in between juicing.
- 1) Start out in the morning with breakfast juice and something soft, but solid, like a piece of fruit. Slowly start integrating more solid foods back into your diet. If you have allergies, introduce one food at a time so you can determine how each food makes you feel. It is not recommended to introduce meat or beans on the first day. Stick to fruits and veggies if possible.
- Juice Fast Tips
- 1) If you are going out for the day, make a note to take your juice with you in a cooler with ice packs. You don't want to let yourself get hungry.
- 2) After drinking juice, rinse out juice containers well. Clean them with soap and water and place open side down on a drying rack to air-dry when you get home.
- 3) Make sure to peel all citrus, beet bulbs and ginger before use.
- 4) You will have 6 drinks throughout the day. If this is not enough, make sure to double one or two of the juices so that you are full throughout the day. Only drink enough juice to fill you up. Don't feel like you have to drink it because it is there.
- 5) In between juicing, drink plenty of water and detox tea. You can add raw honey if necessary.
- 6) Drink all juices within 2 days. They are not pasteurized and can grow bacteria if left for too long. The vitamins start to diminish by this point as well. Try to drink all the juice within 24 hours if possible for maximum benefit.
- 7) If you absolutely cannot continue drinking juice, try adding in one meal of veggies, or some veggie broth. Many times this is mental, and you can trick your mind by feeding it something warm or chewing, even if it is still vegetables.
- 8) If you still feel hungry after juices, try blending a banana in with some of them. This will help fill you up a little longer.
- 9) Make sure you drink at least 1 liter of water each day. Drink the distilled water (or filtered water at home). Do not drink tap water as it may contain toxins.
- 10) Light exercise is fine while you are fasting, but don't overdo it. Light exercise actually helps increase your energy level. Strenuous activity may make you feel extremely tired.
- 11) Maybe a 3 day fast is too long? Start out with a one or two day fast. Any detox is better than none.
A juice fast is definitely not for everyone, but at this stage of my life, it was perfect for me. I am so thrilled with the results of this process. I learned it is not something you can do with someone else and receive the full benefits. This has to be done alone with you and God to find your true potential. I hope my experience inspires you to try this one day.
Happy Juice Fasting!
Xoxo,
Tiffany
Here is how I wrap my food so I can prevent disgusting ice crystals from ruining my day:
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