Sunday, April 11, 2010

An Attempt to De-Slug

Operating under the theory that there are no coincidences, I decided to try a 7 day food-based cleanse when I saw it on my friend Stacey Shipman's blog. Visit Stacey's site to watch an interview with Kat Ogar, and then check out her site.

The basic gist of it is that for the first 2 days you just eat fruits and veggies, on day 3 you add grains, then day 6 you add nuts and oils, sprouted grain breads and nut butters. Days 7 and 8 you ease back into a healthy, normal diet.

A few things. I wish the program started on a Friday so that you had the whole weekend to adjust to the beginning stages of this. If you have the luxury of not having outside-the-home responsibilities during this time, I think it's probably easier to do. I can't really say to my clients "sorry I messed up your case, I was doing a cleanse." But, I will just watch to make sure I'm getting around 1000-1200 cals per day and there is probably enough stuff stored in my body that my brain won't fall apart in a few days. I think if I do it again, maybe at the beginning of summer, I would start on a Friday. I discovered this right before it started so there wasn't a lot of time to plan. And in the summer there will be a bounty of local veggies!

Also, I've decided that maple syrup is a vegetable, and will be having a little in my yogi tea. So yummy and spicy and delicious and cleansing for the body, as well. No, not that type of cleansing, just your organs and your blood and things. The maple syrup is from the trees near my dad's house, so that's the other reason I'm letting it in. I know the trees it came from.

Also, I'm not doing 100% raw fruits and veggies. I don't happen to believe that raw food is superior, and I think I wouldn't stick to the cleanse because I'd run out of things I can eat raw. So, I stewed some apples and strawberries with a little of the yogi tea for breakfast, and will probably roast some veggies for dinner, and have a combo of raw fruits and veggies for lunch. The stewed fruits are quite good, and as I poured out some of the juice to save it I thought "ooh, I can use this as dressing on my salad."

I am on day 2 of no coffee. A huge change for me. But the yogi tea satisfies my need for something warm in the morning and something to sip during my morning routine, and I so far don't miss the coffee at all. No headaches or anything like that.

Today will involve prepping the pineapple and various vegetables so that they are ready when I want to eat them. And checking out some recipes.

I tried to go to a class on Ayurveda and yoga yesterday, but it was canceled, which bummed me out. I have been wanting to learn more about Ayurveda for a long time and haven't really found any practitioners or classes around here.

I did a yin yoga class on Friday night at a studio. It was heavenly. And hard. But I slept like a rock that night. There are 2 possible yoga classes today, at 10:15 or 4pm. I may head to the 10:15. I'm going to do at least 20 minutes of yoga per day.

And it's my birthday. I'm 38. What better way to turn 38 than by being mindful of what is going in my body!

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