It is difficult to explain how I feel during this cleanse, because I don't feel hungry, but also don't feel full. Last night I was reading Judith Lasater's "Living Your Yoga" and I found the word. The chapter I was reading was about greed, and she said, "A friend once translated a Chinese expression for me. 'Have you eaten to contentment?' This seems a powerful orientation to satiating hunger, be it for food or anything else. It calls on us to shift our focus from filling an emptiness to experiencing contentment." Hence, not being greedy with food, just because it is constantly readily available to us.
When we are experiencing contentment (or any emotion for that matter) we have no choice but to live in the moment. There is no way to be laughing or crying without actually being in the present moment. When Lasater mentions "filling an emptiness" with food, that emptiness could be actual hunger, or it could also be filling an emotional emptiness or eating out of boredom or habit. Eating can be a way to fill our time, our bad day, our empty heart, our unhappiness with ourselves. But the irony is, when we do eat this way, it only results in feeling even worse afterward.
Michael Pollan published a great little book called, "Food Rules," in which he lays out 64 rules of eating to be healthy and happy. One of the rules that I think is important is, "Pay More, Eat Less." Good, fresh food is expensive. But by changing the types of food that you eat (less meat, more vegetables and fruits), and not eating as much, it is possible to spend about the same amount, and still buy organic. Pollan says that eating less has repeatedly been shown to slow aging in animals, and many researchers believe it offers the single strongest link between diet and cancer prevention. "We eat much more than our bodies need to be healthy, and the excess wreaks havoc - and not just on our weight."
Here are a few more of his food rules that are my favorites:
- Avoid food products containing ingredients that a third grader cannot pronounce. (e.g. ethoxylated diglycerides, calcium propionate, xanthan gum).
- Don't eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn't recognize as food.
- Don't ingest foods made in places where everyone is required to wear a surgical cap.
- It's not food if it arrived through the window of your car.
- Don't eat breakfast cereals that change the color of your milk.
- Buy smaller plates and glasses.
- Do all your eating at a table.
- Break the rules once in a while.
So enjoy the contentment of living in the moment while you eat. Having liquid meals for two meals a day during this cleanse, makes you ENJOY the one meal of solid food. Lunch is heavenly. And contentment many times happens automatically when we have a delicious meal - taking the first bite and saying, "Mmmmm" and just lingering on the flavors and texture. My grandfather used to say when I was little and wanting more dessert, "What, did you forget what it tastes like?" The first bite is always the best. The key is to simultaneously enjoy your food, and also be able to recognize when the feeling of contentment is approaching. Remember, you can always eat the rest for lunch tomorrow.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Day sixteen: cheating (!) and getting tired of smoothies
Yes, I cheated this week. On two different occasions, I was working remotely at a coffee shop, and I ordered decaf coffee AND put milk in it. To make matters worse, the coffee shop did sell tea - even herbal tea. But the coffee tasted pretty damn good.
The way that I found out about The Clean Program was from an Outside Magazine article, published December 2010. The issue was about giving things up and becoming healthier. The article about Clean was written by a guy in his late-30's who was really cynical (and hilarious) and wanted to try this cleanse to see what all of the hype was about. He was a doubter, and of course, he was totally sold on the program by the end of the three weeks. It was so convincing, that we tried it. But at one point in about the middle of the cleanse he goes out to dinner and has fish tacos and a few beers with friends. He then calls Dr. Junger to see how much damage he has done. Dr. Junger tells him, "Well, let me put it this way. If you're trying to tidy up a room, and it is nice a clean, but then someone sprays lard all over the walls, that is going to do some damage. But you'll eventually be able to clean it up."
I think I cheated because I am getting bored. I knew before I started that I wasn't a big fan of the soups on the cleanse. We had made a few of them last year when we did this, and none were as satisfying and delicious as the smoothies. And juice just doesn't have enough body to be something to look forward to as "dinner". So, for the past week or so we have been making smoothies for both breakfast AND dinner. And that can be very, very boring.
Another issue is laziness. After making a fairly complicated lunch, I really don't feel like getting the pots and pans and mixer out to make a complicated soup (because only the complicated ones are tasty). It's much easier to throw some ingredients into the blender and press mix. In addition, you know that you are getting some good nutrients with all of the many ingredients that you can add: fruit, flax seeds, chia seeds, nuts, hemp protein, almond milk, coconut milk, avocado, spinach, brown rice syrup, dates, currants, almond butter, cocoa... the possibilities are endless. And the best part of making a smoothie? The Vitamix blender. That thing is amazing, but I guess it should be for how much it costs. We are borrowing ours from a friend, and I am going to go through withdrawl when we return it. I think we are going to have to make the investment.
But I think I am tired of all of the smoothie options, and I am acting out as a result. Maybe tonight for dinner I'll just have some sushi, beer, and sake. That sounds great. Then I'll finish it off with cake and ice cream. Yum. That would spray some serious lard on my internal, clean room.
I do plan to make it to day 21 of this cleanse, but I might need just one more cup of decaf to get me there.
The way that I found out about The Clean Program was from an Outside Magazine article, published December 2010. The issue was about giving things up and becoming healthier. The article about Clean was written by a guy in his late-30's who was really cynical (and hilarious) and wanted to try this cleanse to see what all of the hype was about. He was a doubter, and of course, he was totally sold on the program by the end of the three weeks. It was so convincing, that we tried it. But at one point in about the middle of the cleanse he goes out to dinner and has fish tacos and a few beers with friends. He then calls Dr. Junger to see how much damage he has done. Dr. Junger tells him, "Well, let me put it this way. If you're trying to tidy up a room, and it is nice a clean, but then someone sprays lard all over the walls, that is going to do some damage. But you'll eventually be able to clean it up."
I think I cheated because I am getting bored. I knew before I started that I wasn't a big fan of the soups on the cleanse. We had made a few of them last year when we did this, and none were as satisfying and delicious as the smoothies. And juice just doesn't have enough body to be something to look forward to as "dinner". So, for the past week or so we have been making smoothies for both breakfast AND dinner. And that can be very, very boring.
Another issue is laziness. After making a fairly complicated lunch, I really don't feel like getting the pots and pans and mixer out to make a complicated soup (because only the complicated ones are tasty). It's much easier to throw some ingredients into the blender and press mix. In addition, you know that you are getting some good nutrients with all of the many ingredients that you can add: fruit, flax seeds, chia seeds, nuts, hemp protein, almond milk, coconut milk, avocado, spinach, brown rice syrup, dates, currants, almond butter, cocoa... the possibilities are endless. And the best part of making a smoothie? The Vitamix blender. That thing is amazing, but I guess it should be for how much it costs. We are borrowing ours from a friend, and I am going to go through withdrawl when we return it. I think we are going to have to make the investment.
But I think I am tired of all of the smoothie options, and I am acting out as a result. Maybe tonight for dinner I'll just have some sushi, beer, and sake. That sounds great. Then I'll finish it off with cake and ice cream. Yum. That would spray some serious lard on my internal, clean room.
I do plan to make it to day 21 of this cleanse, but I might need just one more cup of decaf to get me there.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Day fourteen: anti social aspects of cleaning
It is fairly to easy to do a cleanse if you are either an excellent planner and always remember to bring all of your food with you, or if you just don't leave the house much. Finding three weeks where you don't have much planned can be challenging. Parties, celebrations and big dinners can be trying when you want to stay loyal to the plan.
The first time I went out to dinner on the cleanse with a group of women, after ordering mineral water and herbal tea, my friends thought I was surely pregnant. Why else would you restrict yourself so much? And then ordering food had it's own ordeals. It is challenging to ask about if a fish is wild caught or a meat organic, without being so annoying that you end up with spit in your food. "Oh, she wants wild caught fish cooked in only olive oil? Let's see how she likes this!"
And then there is the aspect of telling people (who ask) that you are doing a cleanse, and them nodding their heads and secretly thinking that you are a total freak. "Mmmm Hmmm, okay, sure... sounds really horrible, but good luck with that." The time period of, "after the cleanse" becomes an exciting time when you begin to make plans with friends, and you look at the calendar longingly.
But another way to look at the experience is to live life as normally as possible during the cleanse, because that puts in place an easy way to keep up this sort of lifestyle after the three weeks are over. Of course, the three weeks of cleansing are challenging, but the lessons learned about your body and your diet during the process are very eye-opening. When you feel great, and you know what you need to eat and drink to feel this way, then why not keep it going? "Nothing tastes as good as feeling good feels."
So even though you are cleansing, you can still have fun... to a certain degree. Pick up that smoothie or juice and bottoms up! Here's to sleeping well and feeling clear and healthy.
Cheers.
The first time I went out to dinner on the cleanse with a group of women, after ordering mineral water and herbal tea, my friends thought I was surely pregnant. Why else would you restrict yourself so much? And then ordering food had it's own ordeals. It is challenging to ask about if a fish is wild caught or a meat organic, without being so annoying that you end up with spit in your food. "Oh, she wants wild caught fish cooked in only olive oil? Let's see how she likes this!"
And then there is the aspect of telling people (who ask) that you are doing a cleanse, and them nodding their heads and secretly thinking that you are a total freak. "Mmmm Hmmm, okay, sure... sounds really horrible, but good luck with that." The time period of, "after the cleanse" becomes an exciting time when you begin to make plans with friends, and you look at the calendar longingly.
But another way to look at the experience is to live life as normally as possible during the cleanse, because that puts in place an easy way to keep up this sort of lifestyle after the three weeks are over. Of course, the three weeks of cleansing are challenging, but the lessons learned about your body and your diet during the process are very eye-opening. When you feel great, and you know what you need to eat and drink to feel this way, then why not keep it going? "Nothing tastes as good as feeling good feels."
So even though you are cleansing, you can still have fun... to a certain degree. Pick up that smoothie or juice and bottoms up! Here's to sleeping well and feeling clear and healthy.
Cheers.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Day twelve: mucus and fat
Don't those two words make you hungry? Ha!
I never have known why, but nearly every morning of my life, I have had a runny nose. Since about day three of the cleanse, I haven't had one. If you have read the section in the Clean book on mucus and puffiness (starts on page 66) I now realize why. My body was trying to detoxify in the evenings, and mucus is one way that toxins or irritants exit your body.
Have you ever had a day or night when you ate and drank things that you knew were bad for you? The next day you might feel puffy and sluggish with circles under your eyes. This is your body's way of trying to deal with all of the irritants. Puffiness and mucus are related - puffiness is mucus trapped deep inside of your body. If you habitually treat your body poorly, you might feel this puffiness as bloating around your entire body in the form of extra pounds that you just can't lose, no matter what you do. Dr. Junger: "When you eat sparingly, take in nutrients that promote detoxification, and start exercising, you 'de-puff.' Not surprisingly, a sense of clarity and lightness return to the body and mind."
In other words, you shed a layer of mucus. I have most certainly felt myself "de-puff." And with this physical transformation comes a mental one. Patience, calm and happiness are more readily available than they were before.
I have also talked to some of you about the large amount of fat that is allowed in the cleanse. Coconut milk, avocado, nuts and lots of olive oil are just a few examples. I emailed The Clean Program about that, and this is what Jessi, the health coach, told me:
"Good quality fats like avocados and coconut oil are great to incorporate, helping to metabolize fats and storing as energy in the body rather than fat- and keeping nuts to a minimum is often helpful for weight loss. Of course, the right amount of fat for everyone will be different, so you can do some experimenting to see what a good amount is for you. Keep moving-at least 20 minutes a day of stretching, dancing, walking, anything to move your body around-it doesn't have to be super intense- just get that lymph flowing and muscles active so you can burn more fat and amp up sluggish blood!"
So those of you who are cleansing, eat your healthy fats and get your body moving to release that mucus! Isn't that a lovely thought?
Namaste.
I never have known why, but nearly every morning of my life, I have had a runny nose. Since about day three of the cleanse, I haven't had one. If you have read the section in the Clean book on mucus and puffiness (starts on page 66) I now realize why. My body was trying to detoxify in the evenings, and mucus is one way that toxins or irritants exit your body.
Have you ever had a day or night when you ate and drank things that you knew were bad for you? The next day you might feel puffy and sluggish with circles under your eyes. This is your body's way of trying to deal with all of the irritants. Puffiness and mucus are related - puffiness is mucus trapped deep inside of your body. If you habitually treat your body poorly, you might feel this puffiness as bloating around your entire body in the form of extra pounds that you just can't lose, no matter what you do. Dr. Junger: "When you eat sparingly, take in nutrients that promote detoxification, and start exercising, you 'de-puff.' Not surprisingly, a sense of clarity and lightness return to the body and mind."
In other words, you shed a layer of mucus. I have most certainly felt myself "de-puff." And with this physical transformation comes a mental one. Patience, calm and happiness are more readily available than they were before.
I have also talked to some of you about the large amount of fat that is allowed in the cleanse. Coconut milk, avocado, nuts and lots of olive oil are just a few examples. I emailed The Clean Program about that, and this is what Jessi, the health coach, told me:
"Good quality fats like avocados and coconut oil are great to incorporate, helping to metabolize fats and storing as energy in the body rather than fat- and keeping nuts to a minimum is often helpful for weight loss. Of course, the right amount of fat for everyone will be different, so you can do some experimenting to see what a good amount is for you. Keep moving-at least 20 minutes a day of stretching, dancing, walking, anything to move your body around-it doesn't have to be super intense- just get that lymph flowing and muscles active so you can burn more fat and amp up sluggish blood!"
So those of you who are cleansing, eat your healthy fats and get your body moving to release that mucus! Isn't that a lovely thought?
Namaste.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Day nine: noticing positive changes (and a sinful smoothie recipe)
I am starting to notice positive changes from the cleanse. First off, I have lost four pounds. It's the weight that has been hanging around since I gave birth to my first child, and the best part about losing it is that I lost it while feeling pretty good and eating yummy food. I also notice that my skin looks better. I was having issues with consistent, annoying acne before the cleanse (I can guess that it was coffee and chocolate) and now those problems are gone. I have also noticed that I am more productive. I have a clear focus when I begin a project, and I actually see it through (if I have the time).
And the best part of doing this cleanse is the sleep. Once my head hits the pillow, I am out, and I don't wake up until morning. Let me repeat that - I don't wake up at all in the middle of the night! I know, amazing, right? In the morning I wake up around the time when my alarm is supposed to go off, and I feel completely refreshed and awake. I know that sounds a little too good to be true, but if anyone has insomnia or sleep problems, I highly recommend trying this, because it could be your eating/drinking patterns that are causing it.
If you are noticing some positive changes in your life, please share them with others, either here or in person. Maybe it will get some people to try the cleanse who aren't sure yet if they want to start.
And lastly, I made a great smoothie tonight. We ate it with a spoon. Here is the recipe.
Raspberry Chocolate Mousse:
1 avocado
1 cup raspberries
1 tbsp . organic cocoa
2 tbsp. brown rice syrup (or agave)
1/4 c. coconut milk
almond milk - enough to mix it all up
And the best part of doing this cleanse is the sleep. Once my head hits the pillow, I am out, and I don't wake up until morning. Let me repeat that - I don't wake up at all in the middle of the night! I know, amazing, right? In the morning I wake up around the time when my alarm is supposed to go off, and I feel completely refreshed and awake. I know that sounds a little too good to be true, but if anyone has insomnia or sleep problems, I highly recommend trying this, because it could be your eating/drinking patterns that are causing it.
If you are noticing some positive changes in your life, please share them with others, either here or in person. Maybe it will get some people to try the cleanse who aren't sure yet if they want to start.
And lastly, I made a great smoothie tonight. We ate it with a spoon. Here is the recipe.
Raspberry Chocolate Mousse:
1 avocado
1 cup raspberries
1 tbsp . organic cocoa
2 tbsp. brown rice syrup (or agave)
1/4 c. coconut milk
almond milk - enough to mix it all up
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Quantum Detoxification: Cleaning the Mind
One of my goals on the cleanse was to wake up each morning and do some light yoga and meditate. I haven't done it once during the past week, and tonight I came across the section of the Clean book with this post's title (page 178), and I have renewed my dedication to start this tomorrow.
Cleansing the mind is a critical component to cleansing your entire self. The connection between the body and mind are undeniable, and thoughts and emotions can be just as toxic as the things that we choose put in our body and on our skin. As Dr. Junger says, "Stressful thoughts find a pathway to the weakest part of your body and begin to disrupt functioning." When making the decision to do a cleanse, you are acknowledging that your body is not currently in a healthy condition. When we think about our bad habits, many times they are connected to our emotional or mental state. Commonly we don't treat our bodies well when we are stressed, sad or angry. Maybe some chose to do this cleanse because their minds or hearts were feeling a bit toxic, and this is a great way to start the process of clearing out fear, blame, sadness, frustration, anger, and any other negative emotion that we commonly store in our bodies.
During this time when we are noticing what we are eating and drinking, and aware of how we are feeling as a result, it opens up a door to cleaning our minds as well. An easy way to start a positive cycle is to realize that many of the things that we experience each day are beyond our control. We can't control what sort of moods our loved ones and friends are going to be in, we can't control if we are stuck in traffic, we can't control if our alarm clock didn't go off. However, we can control how we react to those circumstances. We have a series of choices each day, that we are making at each moment, and we choose how we are going to respond to our experiences.
It helps to stay centered if we start the day off with a positive outlook, in gratitude for all that we have. An easy way to do this is to meditate in the early morning. Five-ten minutes sitting quietly and repeating a mantra in your mind (Om, Peace, Patience, Love - any word that connects best with you) starts the day off calmly. If you don't meditate, maybe a prayer, and if that's not for you, it could be simply sending love and healing thoughts to someone who needs them.
So I am going to set my alarm earlier tomorrow so that I can start my day off right. But if my alarm doesn't go off, I will hopefully react in a peaceful manner. We shall see.
What are you doing to add to your body's cleanse? Skin brushing? Massage? Journaling? There is an entire list of suggestions on pages 188-189. Share some of your good experiences here!
Cleansing the mind is a critical component to cleansing your entire self. The connection between the body and mind are undeniable, and thoughts and emotions can be just as toxic as the things that we choose put in our body and on our skin. As Dr. Junger says, "Stressful thoughts find a pathway to the weakest part of your body and begin to disrupt functioning." When making the decision to do a cleanse, you are acknowledging that your body is not currently in a healthy condition. When we think about our bad habits, many times they are connected to our emotional or mental state. Commonly we don't treat our bodies well when we are stressed, sad or angry. Maybe some chose to do this cleanse because their minds or hearts were feeling a bit toxic, and this is a great way to start the process of clearing out fear, blame, sadness, frustration, anger, and any other negative emotion that we commonly store in our bodies.
During this time when we are noticing what we are eating and drinking, and aware of how we are feeling as a result, it opens up a door to cleaning our minds as well. An easy way to start a positive cycle is to realize that many of the things that we experience each day are beyond our control. We can't control what sort of moods our loved ones and friends are going to be in, we can't control if we are stuck in traffic, we can't control if our alarm clock didn't go off. However, we can control how we react to those circumstances. We have a series of choices each day, that we are making at each moment, and we choose how we are going to respond to our experiences.
It helps to stay centered if we start the day off with a positive outlook, in gratitude for all that we have. An easy way to do this is to meditate in the early morning. Five-ten minutes sitting quietly and repeating a mantra in your mind (Om, Peace, Patience, Love - any word that connects best with you) starts the day off calmly. If you don't meditate, maybe a prayer, and if that's not for you, it could be simply sending love and healing thoughts to someone who needs them.
So I am going to set my alarm earlier tomorrow so that I can start my day off right. But if my alarm doesn't go off, I will hopefully react in a peaceful manner. We shall see.
What are you doing to add to your body's cleanse? Skin brushing? Massage? Journaling? There is an entire list of suggestions on pages 188-189. Share some of your good experiences here!
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Day six: make it your own cleanse
We had a relaxing, restorative, and detoxing yoga class tonight, closing with meditation around a candle. Conversation afterwards turned to recipe recommendations, energy levels, and general body changes. No one had any issues with hunger, even those who were not snacking during the day. There were a few headaches, possibly because of caffeine withdrawl, but generally those went away by day three.
For those of you who may not have started yet, after reading the Clean book, sometimes the thought of taking all the supplements and making all of the recipes, along with still living your busy life, can seem overwhelming. But it is important to take a step back and just do as much as you can.
For instance, the book gives recipes to make your own almond milk and coconut milk, which many people might choose to do. I would go insane if I tried to spend the time to do that, so I buy them at the store. You can take it to whatever level you feel is healthiest for your body and mind (sanity). I was drinking a La Croix sparkling water the other day and Matt did a quick search online to find that it was not allowed by the Clean Program because the carbonation was added to the water, and wasn't natural. But I'm still drinking La Croix daily. I know I'm rebel, right? But seriously, added carbonation didn't bother me, but the amount of meat and fish that are allowed on the cleanse do bother my body, and I am trying to minimize those because I don't feel that I processes them as well as the vegan foods.
The point is to find the balance that is right for your body, and go with it. As you experiment with the recipes you'll find certain things that really agree with your body. Take those ingredients and feel the empowerment of possibly creating a meal on your own with some of your favorite foods. Once you make a few things, you get the idea of what is allowed and what is not. Be creative, and of course avoid the stress of overdoing it.
For those of you who are getting close to the end of week 1, go get a massage! You can reward yourself, and t is a really good way to work toxins out of your body.
If anyone has some particularly delicious recipes that they have tried, please post here or on the FB page: Morgantown Clean Program.
For those of you who may not have started yet, after reading the Clean book, sometimes the thought of taking all the supplements and making all of the recipes, along with still living your busy life, can seem overwhelming. But it is important to take a step back and just do as much as you can.
For instance, the book gives recipes to make your own almond milk and coconut milk, which many people might choose to do. I would go insane if I tried to spend the time to do that, so I buy them at the store. You can take it to whatever level you feel is healthiest for your body and mind (sanity). I was drinking a La Croix sparkling water the other day and Matt did a quick search online to find that it was not allowed by the Clean Program because the carbonation was added to the water, and wasn't natural. But I'm still drinking La Croix daily. I know I'm rebel, right? But seriously, added carbonation didn't bother me, but the amount of meat and fish that are allowed on the cleanse do bother my body, and I am trying to minimize those because I don't feel that I processes them as well as the vegan foods.
The point is to find the balance that is right for your body, and go with it. As you experiment with the recipes you'll find certain things that really agree with your body. Take those ingredients and feel the empowerment of possibly creating a meal on your own with some of your favorite foods. Once you make a few things, you get the idea of what is allowed and what is not. Be creative, and of course avoid the stress of overdoing it.
For those of you who are getting close to the end of week 1, go get a massage! You can reward yourself, and t is a really good way to work toxins out of your body.
If anyone has some particularly delicious recipes that they have tried, please post here or on the FB page: Morgantown Clean Program.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Day five: goop, chia seeds and olive oil
I could be one of the only people doing this cleanse that did NOT know that Gwyneth Paltrow is doing the cleanse at the same time. I swear I didn't copy her, but now I feel sort of like when Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt named their child Pax after we named our son Paxon, and soon afterwards when I would say "Pax" in public I would realize that there were some people who probably thought I was huge Brangelina fan.
But the timing could not be better for this because Gwenyth's website, Goop, has some amazing recipes on it, and all of you should check them out (thank you to Stacey who gave me this tip today). Here is the link, and there the two newsletters to look at are: "Healthy Recipes" and "The Goop Cleanse". I am looking forward to trying some.
http://goop.com/category/make
There are many things that I didn't try to do on the first cleanse because I was simply overwhelmed by the entire life changing experience. But this time I decided to try some of the supplements. I am taking probiotics, and also found chia seeds today at Mountain People's co-op as a fiber supplement. I haven't eaten them before, so I researched them online, and they are amazing! Basically, they are flax seeds, but better. If you haven't added these to your smoothies yet, you should.
Then last night I thought that I might try to eat the recommended two tablespoons of olive oil before bed, which is also supposed to aid in the detoxification process. I had eaten soup around 5:30 PM, and then took the olive oil around 9:30 PM, and followed it by a glass of lemon water. My stomach did not like digesting the oil without anything else in it. I'm not sure how it is supposed to work, but it didn't work well for me. It is sufficient to say, I'm not going to be taking the olive oil again.
This morning Matt made a baked apple smoothie and it was warm and delicious. It takes a little bit of time because you cook the apples, but it's worth it. However, he thought three apples would be enough for two people, and we could have used four. The link for the recipes that he found online (including baked apple) is:
https://docs.google.com/#folders/0B_mXq-kRc9s6OTRmZDgxYWEtZWQwYi00MzZjLTkwOGQtOTNjOWVlOTUwOTNj
Lunch was the Tri-Salad Platter from the book, and it was fantastic (I think one of the best ones in the book), and dinner was a berry smoothie. It was sort of odd, but I didn't think I wanted to eat dinner tonight, but finally got hungry around 7:00.
By the way, the Warm and Easy Butternut Squash soup in the book is one of my favorites. But only make if you are a fan of butternut squash - Matt doesn't like it at all.
But the timing could not be better for this because Gwenyth's website, Goop, has some amazing recipes on it, and all of you should check them out (thank you to Stacey who gave me this tip today). Here is the link, and there the two newsletters to look at are: "Healthy Recipes" and "The Goop Cleanse". I am looking forward to trying some.
http://goop.com/category/make
There are many things that I didn't try to do on the first cleanse because I was simply overwhelmed by the entire life changing experience. But this time I decided to try some of the supplements. I am taking probiotics, and also found chia seeds today at Mountain People's co-op as a fiber supplement. I haven't eaten them before, so I researched them online, and they are amazing! Basically, they are flax seeds, but better. If you haven't added these to your smoothies yet, you should.
Then last night I thought that I might try to eat the recommended two tablespoons of olive oil before bed, which is also supposed to aid in the detoxification process. I had eaten soup around 5:30 PM, and then took the olive oil around 9:30 PM, and followed it by a glass of lemon water. My stomach did not like digesting the oil without anything else in it. I'm not sure how it is supposed to work, but it didn't work well for me. It is sufficient to say, I'm not going to be taking the olive oil again.
This morning Matt made a baked apple smoothie and it was warm and delicious. It takes a little bit of time because you cook the apples, but it's worth it. However, he thought three apples would be enough for two people, and we could have used four. The link for the recipes that he found online (including baked apple) is:
https://docs.google.com/#folders/0B_mXq-kRc9s6OTRmZDgxYWEtZWQwYi00MzZjLTkwOGQtOTNjOWVlOTUwOTNj
Lunch was the Tri-Salad Platter from the book, and it was fantastic (I think one of the best ones in the book), and dinner was a berry smoothie. It was sort of odd, but I didn't think I wanted to eat dinner tonight, but finally got hungry around 7:00.
By the way, the Warm and Easy Butternut Squash soup in the book is one of my favorites. But only make if you are a fan of butternut squash - Matt doesn't like it at all.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Day four: hello, stomach.
I think that my body has begun to adjust to the rhythm of having lunch as my main meal. I am not hungry between meals, and feel satisfied throughout the day. Before this started, I had basically stopped communication with my stomach, thereby not even knowing if I was hungry or not when I would eat. It is nice to have my mind back in touch with my hunger.
Through this process I have also realized how much habitual eating I normally do. In the past, I wouldn't snack because I was hungry - I would snack because it was in front of me. My worst time was preparing meals for the family, or just for my sons. Not only would I snack on what I was going to serve them, but when they were done, if they had not cleaned their plate, I would. Of course, my sons are not doing the cleanse, so I am still preparing three meals a day for them, and I keenly notice how many times I want to take a bite of what they are having. Tonight my son wanted to have a piece of his birthday cake for dessert, and it was almost torture to not pick up the crumbs that were falling to the side and pop them in my mouth. Before tonight, I don't know if I have ever rinsed cake off of my fingers without licking them first!
Of course that shows lack or restraint, weakness and minimal mental focus (how had I not really noticed how bad this habit was before?) And of course, right now, I could snack all day, but the point is that I don't want to. Now on the fourth day of the cleanse I have finally stopped lingering by the pantry looking at possible snacks - when I know full well that I am not in the least bit hungry. Eating should be an enjoyable, mindful experience - hence, the slow food movement. We should eat nutritious AND delicious food, and chew slowly and enjoy, and discover what it feels like to be full enough to stop. I was so off of the path of doing that, it really took this cleanse to wake up and meet my stomach again.
Speaking of digestion, there have also been some questions about supplements on The Clean Program, to aid in detoxification. I sent a message to The Clean Program specialists, and this is what they sent back:
Today I felt great all day. I think my lack of energy yesterday was because of the juice in the morning. Although, I would try juice at night in the future. Morning was a berry smoothie with almond butter, cocoa, spinach, and almond milk, lunch was The Big Green Salad in the book and it was DELICIOUS. Matt put chicken on his, I put lots of almonds on mine. Dinner was butternut squash bisque. I am going to start doing the 2 tbsp. olive oil before bed and see how that goes.
Cheers!
Through this process I have also realized how much habitual eating I normally do. In the past, I wouldn't snack because I was hungry - I would snack because it was in front of me. My worst time was preparing meals for the family, or just for my sons. Not only would I snack on what I was going to serve them, but when they were done, if they had not cleaned their plate, I would. Of course, my sons are not doing the cleanse, so I am still preparing three meals a day for them, and I keenly notice how many times I want to take a bite of what they are having. Tonight my son wanted to have a piece of his birthday cake for dessert, and it was almost torture to not pick up the crumbs that were falling to the side and pop them in my mouth. Before tonight, I don't know if I have ever rinsed cake off of my fingers without licking them first!
Of course that shows lack or restraint, weakness and minimal mental focus (how had I not really noticed how bad this habit was before?) And of course, right now, I could snack all day, but the point is that I don't want to. Now on the fourth day of the cleanse I have finally stopped lingering by the pantry looking at possible snacks - when I know full well that I am not in the least bit hungry. Eating should be an enjoyable, mindful experience - hence, the slow food movement. We should eat nutritious AND delicious food, and chew slowly and enjoy, and discover what it feels like to be full enough to stop. I was so off of the path of doing that, it really took this cleanse to wake up and meet my stomach again.
Speaking of digestion, there have also been some questions about supplements on The Clean Program, to aid in detoxification. I sent a message to The Clean Program specialists, and this is what they sent back:
Probiotic: Make sure it has at least 40 billion cell count per serving. You can take several if necessary
Fiber: A good natural flax fiber or vegetable fiber products. Example is Ground Flax Powder. Soaked chia seeds are also a good option. Will be available at your natural food store.
Antimicrobial: Concentrated Oil of Oregano, A clove of garlic can be eaten daily raw. Buy at health food store.
Olive Oil: Take two tablespoons before bed every night and follow with water and lemon. Buy at health food store
Liver Support: Milk Thistle (sylimarin), N Acetyl cysteine, Dandelion Root and Wormwood Leaf. You can buy them from mountainroseherbs.com
Digestive Enzymes
Today I felt great all day. I think my lack of energy yesterday was because of the juice in the morning. Although, I would try juice at night in the future. Morning was a berry smoothie with almond butter, cocoa, spinach, and almond milk, lunch was The Big Green Salad in the book and it was DELICIOUS. Matt put chicken on his, I put lots of almonds on mine. Dinner was butternut squash bisque. I am going to start doing the 2 tbsp. olive oil before bed and see how that goes.
Cheers!
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Day three: fatigue and some additional recipes
The best aspect of using my juicer is that my sons always want me to make them juice. Even though it is really healthy for them, it's also loaded with natural sugars. But I figure the good outweighs the bad. After I made them an apple juice and a grape juice, I decided to try to have juice for breakfast this morning. The last time I did Clean I never had juice for any of the meals, because I thought that it would not be substantial enough. Today I wanted to try it out to see how it would be. I made a full glass of juice: apples, celery, cucumber, lemon, ginger root, carrot, and spinach. It was filling and delicious. I decided to test the juice even further by trying to go for a run this morning. I felt really good during the first half of the run, then began to fatigue a little during the second half, but still, I was shocked that I could run at all.
Then in the afternoon I paid the price. Right after our big lunch of chicken, grilled veggies and quinoa I started fading fast. I was reading books to the boys and completely falling asleep in the middle of sentences. I haven't napped for... well, a long time, and I could not stop myself from going to sleep. After an hour I felt fine, and when I woke up I ate a snack and felt much better. I had a Lara Bar, which is a great option if you are out and about and are dying for a snack. The ingredients are very basic - mine was simply: dates and cashews.
Dinner was the butternut squash bisque and it was good, but I added some pepper and cayenne. In general, I feel that the recipes in the book need to be spiced up a bit. Matt found a website that has more clean recipes, and if anyone is interested, here it is:
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&sqi=2&ved=0CCgQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcleanprogram.com%2Ffiles%2Fclean-program-recipes.pdf&ei=Q3kTT7PQGqTk0QHtt_yJAw&usg=AFQjCNETLog4j1IvJrSQfpApgHGEZqaKSw&sig2=U7cq8PtSt_816xhfKGSHxw
Also, I wanted to answer some questions that people have asked about eating:
- It says in the book that you should eat food 24 hours or less after you prepare it, but if you are busy, just do what you can.
- I do not make my own almond milk and coconut water. I just buy it at the store (make sure the almond milk is unsweetened).
- The best place to get raw nuts (almonds, cashews, walnuts) is Mountain People's co-op. They also have bulk almond butter and bulk quinoa.
- Agave nectar can be found in the natural section of the grocery store.
- For the shakes, I buy all organic frozen fruit.
- If you are using lemons in your water, really try to get organic lemons. If you can't get organic, then peel the outside layer of your lemon before you drop it in your water because non-organic lemons have a lot of pesticides on them.
Then in the afternoon I paid the price. Right after our big lunch of chicken, grilled veggies and quinoa I started fading fast. I was reading books to the boys and completely falling asleep in the middle of sentences. I haven't napped for... well, a long time, and I could not stop myself from going to sleep. After an hour I felt fine, and when I woke up I ate a snack and felt much better. I had a Lara Bar, which is a great option if you are out and about and are dying for a snack. The ingredients are very basic - mine was simply: dates and cashews.
Dinner was the butternut squash bisque and it was good, but I added some pepper and cayenne. In general, I feel that the recipes in the book need to be spiced up a bit. Matt found a website that has more clean recipes, and if anyone is interested, here it is:
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&sqi=2&ved=0CCgQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcleanprogram.com%2Ffiles%2Fclean-program-recipes.pdf&ei=Q3kTT7PQGqTk0QHtt_yJAw&usg=AFQjCNETLog4j1IvJrSQfpApgHGEZqaKSw&sig2=U7cq8PtSt_816xhfKGSHxw
Also, I wanted to answer some questions that people have asked about eating:
- It says in the book that you should eat food 24 hours or less after you prepare it, but if you are busy, just do what you can.
- I do not make my own almond milk and coconut water. I just buy it at the store (make sure the almond milk is unsweetened).
- The best place to get raw nuts (almonds, cashews, walnuts) is Mountain People's co-op. They also have bulk almond butter and bulk quinoa.
- Agave nectar can be found in the natural section of the grocery store.
- For the shakes, I buy all organic frozen fruit.
- If you are using lemons in your water, really try to get organic lemons. If you can't get organic, then peel the outside layer of your lemon before you drop it in your water because non-organic lemons have a lot of pesticides on them.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Day two: emotional eating
Today went well - morning was a smoothie with lettuce, blueberries, raspberries, cashews, a little coconut milk, 1/4 avocado, cinnamon, and almond milk. I'm not going with the actual recipes with the smoothies - just using allowed ingredients. Lunch was the salmon with broccoli rabe and quinoa, but I couldn't find broccoli rabe at the store so just used broccoli. It was great - we put some salt, pepper and a little tamari on the salmon before searing.
Evening was more difficult because we got home at 6 PM and I was STARVING so I ate some bites from the quinoa and also a couple of crackers and hummus (Matt was raising his eyebrows saying that I was cheating bc you shouldn't eat solid food at night but I darn it I was hungry), and then I couldn't find the Clean book to make my soup (!!!) so I just made a smoothie. This one was better than the morning one: blueberries, raspberries, almond butter, cocoa, a little agave nectar, flax seed oil and almond milk. It was a slightly sinful, and I was debating if it was truly allowed, but it tasted divine. My son asked me for some of my smoothie and I had to explain to him that he could NOT have any because this was my dinner and I was HUNGRY but I would make him another one in a minute.
Which brings me to the topic of emotional eating. The cleanse experience has allow me to rekindle a relationship with my body and food. We all have a "relationship" with food, whether we eat a lot of junk food, or are a strict vegan, we still have our own issues with what we eat, when we eat it, guilt, happiness, frustration, etc. By doing this cleanse, I have more free time. It's not because I don't make three meals a day, because I am still making meals for my sons. It's because I don't have to think about when I am going to eat, what I am going to eat, if I should eat, if I am hungry or not, etc. I know what I am going to have for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and when I am going to eat those meals. It is freeing, and also sort of frightening, because I had no idea how much time I spent stopping for a coffee somewhere, making a snack, standing in the pantry debating if I was hungry, etc.
By changing my eating patterns, it is also easier to truly feel when I am hungry, and when I am not. Part of hunger is thinking that you might be hungry - for instance I had a shake for dinner - I should be hungry now! But if you truly listen to your body, your realize that being hungry is not the same thing as not being full. We are so used to eating until we just can't eat any more, and it is much better for our bodies to stop before we are full. But it's hard to do when there is a delicious plate of food in front of you... much easier to do with a smoothie. Ha! By the way, I am completely satisfied and not the least bit hungry right now (honestly).
I am already feeling the happiness that comes along with this experience. I am seeing more clearly and am living more in the present moment. Caffeine, processed sugar and alcohol put me in a haze. As much as I love them, I think I might love being without them a little bit better. The haze lifts, and you find a sense of peace and serenity.
Now how many days until I can have them again? Hahaha....
Evening was more difficult because we got home at 6 PM and I was STARVING so I ate some bites from the quinoa and also a couple of crackers and hummus (Matt was raising his eyebrows saying that I was cheating bc you shouldn't eat solid food at night but I darn it I was hungry), and then I couldn't find the Clean book to make my soup (!!!) so I just made a smoothie. This one was better than the morning one: blueberries, raspberries, almond butter, cocoa, a little agave nectar, flax seed oil and almond milk. It was a slightly sinful, and I was debating if it was truly allowed, but it tasted divine. My son asked me for some of my smoothie and I had to explain to him that he could NOT have any because this was my dinner and I was HUNGRY but I would make him another one in a minute.
Which brings me to the topic of emotional eating. The cleanse experience has allow me to rekindle a relationship with my body and food. We all have a "relationship" with food, whether we eat a lot of junk food, or are a strict vegan, we still have our own issues with what we eat, when we eat it, guilt, happiness, frustration, etc. By doing this cleanse, I have more free time. It's not because I don't make three meals a day, because I am still making meals for my sons. It's because I don't have to think about when I am going to eat, what I am going to eat, if I should eat, if I am hungry or not, etc. I know what I am going to have for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and when I am going to eat those meals. It is freeing, and also sort of frightening, because I had no idea how much time I spent stopping for a coffee somewhere, making a snack, standing in the pantry debating if I was hungry, etc.
By changing my eating patterns, it is also easier to truly feel when I am hungry, and when I am not. Part of hunger is thinking that you might be hungry - for instance I had a shake for dinner - I should be hungry now! But if you truly listen to your body, your realize that being hungry is not the same thing as not being full. We are so used to eating until we just can't eat any more, and it is much better for our bodies to stop before we are full. But it's hard to do when there is a delicious plate of food in front of you... much easier to do with a smoothie. Ha! By the way, I am completely satisfied and not the least bit hungry right now (honestly).
I am already feeling the happiness that comes along with this experience. I am seeing more clearly and am living more in the present moment. Caffeine, processed sugar and alcohol put me in a haze. As much as I love them, I think I might love being without them a little bit better. The haze lifts, and you find a sense of peace and serenity.
Now how many days until I can have them again? Hahaha....
Friday, January 13, 2012
Starting the cleanse: Day One
If anyone is still on the fence about whether or not to join the Cleanse, do it! You can start any time, and the cleanse is recommended for 21 days... but even a few days is a good break for your body. It's a great way to start 2012, and as Dr. Junger says, "Nothing tastes as good as feeling good feels."
If you are on the cleanse, feel free to comment here or on the FB page: Morgantown Clean Program
This morning I woke up and made lunch for me and Matt, just so the cooking would be out of the way. Quinoa salad with chicken and mixed greens - it was delicious. Definitely try this recipe if you are on the cleanse and haven't had it yet. Breakfast was a berry smoothie and I have to say that I was starving by the time lunch rolled around. I had my one "allowed" cup of green tea, and that helped a little. Things were fine after lunch, then around 1:00 I started feeling really tired. I tried tea, lemon water, coconut water, almond milk - nothing was helping. So at 3:00 I had a snack of Annie's Gone crackers and hummus (recipe in book) and almond butter. That was perfect. I didn't need anything else until dinner, where we had the zucchini and basil soup. It was just okay. I don't think I'll be making that one again. However... suprisingly after the soup I was not hungry at all, and still do not feel hungry and it's 9:30 PM. I am hoping this is a sign that my body is adjusting to less food at night, and that tomorrow will be even easier.
I had my doubts about starting the cleanse right before a long weekend, but I think it is a good thing because there really is never a good time to start a cleanse... and I will have a lot of time to get used to cooking and eating a big lunch without having to negotiate around a weekly schedule of school, activities, etc.
If you are on the cleanse, feel free to comment here or on the FB page: Morgantown Clean Program
This morning I woke up and made lunch for me and Matt, just so the cooking would be out of the way. Quinoa salad with chicken and mixed greens - it was delicious. Definitely try this recipe if you are on the cleanse and haven't had it yet. Breakfast was a berry smoothie and I have to say that I was starving by the time lunch rolled around. I had my one "allowed" cup of green tea, and that helped a little. Things were fine after lunch, then around 1:00 I started feeling really tired. I tried tea, lemon water, coconut water, almond milk - nothing was helping. So at 3:00 I had a snack of Annie's Gone crackers and hummus (recipe in book) and almond butter. That was perfect. I didn't need anything else until dinner, where we had the zucchini and basil soup. It was just okay. I don't think I'll be making that one again. However... suprisingly after the soup I was not hungry at all, and still do not feel hungry and it's 9:30 PM. I am hoping this is a sign that my body is adjusting to less food at night, and that tomorrow will be even easier.
I had my doubts about starting the cleanse right before a long weekend, but I think it is a good thing because there really is never a good time to start a cleanse... and I will have a lot of time to get used to cooking and eating a big lunch without having to negotiate around a weekly schedule of school, activities, etc.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
First Yoga Class and Group Meeting
Tonight's yoga class and group meeting were really wonderful, and thank you to all who attended! It is going to be an exciting experience to touch base weekly and be able to discuss our experiences. We are all starting the cleanse at different times: some tomorrow, some Friday (me!) and others next week.
Our yoga practice tonight was energetic, with a lot of dynamic warming up of the body, then exploring standing poses, twists, and eventually getting into the hips and side body. Of course I was running behind, so we did not get to have time for meditation but I promise we will have a nice meditation practice next week.
During Clean discussion, we talked about the following issues:
- where to buy certain foods, and mostly the answers were in the natural food section of the grocery store or at Mountain People's Co-op
- are you allowed to snack? The answer is yes, if your goal is not weight loss. The answer is no, if you would like to maximize the effects of the cleanse (and if you don't mind shedding a few pounds).
- we talked about focusing on those most difficult times during the day (your snacking times) and finding something to do to distract your mind at that time of day. Give yourself a pedicure, take a bath, find a really good book, etc. Keep busy when you start to get hungry.
- what are some ways to curb hunger? Water with lemon, herbal tea, coconut water, small snacks (raw almonds, hummus with veggies) teaspoon of apple cider vinegar.
- make sure that you stay well hydrated so that all of the toxins can release. Take a mild laxative or fiber supplement if you need to.
- try to have a morning ritual that includes things like: body scrubbing, then applying oil (coconut or olive) to skin then taking warm shower, tongue scraping, neti-potting, meditation, a short yoga practice.
- get a weekly massage if you are able
If you try recipes that you really enjoy, please post to this blog or the FB Page - Morgantown Clean Program:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Morgantown-Clean-Program/222067931210370
Peace,
Adrian
Our yoga practice tonight was energetic, with a lot of dynamic warming up of the body, then exploring standing poses, twists, and eventually getting into the hips and side body. Of course I was running behind, so we did not get to have time for meditation but I promise we will have a nice meditation practice next week.
During Clean discussion, we talked about the following issues:
- where to buy certain foods, and mostly the answers were in the natural food section of the grocery store or at Mountain People's Co-op
- are you allowed to snack? The answer is yes, if your goal is not weight loss. The answer is no, if you would like to maximize the effects of the cleanse (and if you don't mind shedding a few pounds).
- we talked about focusing on those most difficult times during the day (your snacking times) and finding something to do to distract your mind at that time of day. Give yourself a pedicure, take a bath, find a really good book, etc. Keep busy when you start to get hungry.
- what are some ways to curb hunger? Water with lemon, herbal tea, coconut water, small snacks (raw almonds, hummus with veggies) teaspoon of apple cider vinegar.
- make sure that you stay well hydrated so that all of the toxins can release. Take a mild laxative or fiber supplement if you need to.
- try to have a morning ritual that includes things like: body scrubbing, then applying oil (coconut or olive) to skin then taking warm shower, tongue scraping, neti-potting, meditation, a short yoga practice.
- get a weekly massage if you are able
If you try recipes that you really enjoy, please post to this blog or the FB Page - Morgantown Clean Program:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Morgantown-Clean-Program/222067931210370
Peace,
Adrian
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Details for those who want to join the group.
The Clean Program: http://www.cleanprogram.com/
The Book: Clean, by Dr. Junger
This can be a one, two or three week cleanse. Start and end dates are whenever you like, this group has been created to have weekly yoga classes ($10 per class), along with a discussion group afterwards about the cleansing experience (free).
If you do not live in Morgantown, WV, and still want to join our group, we welcome you! Please send this information along to anyone else you think may be interested.
The Book: Clean, by Dr. Junger
This can be a one, two or three week cleanse. Start and end dates are whenever you like, this group has been created to have weekly yoga classes ($10 per class), along with a discussion group afterwards about the cleansing experience (free).
If you do not live in Morgantown, WV, and still want to join our group, we welcome you! Please send this information along to anyone else you think may be interested.
Welcome to your cleansing journey!
Tomorrow is our first Wednesday night yoga class and support/discussion group about the clean program:
January 11, 7 PM at Body in Balance Yoga Studio in Star City.
If you cannot attend, please feel free to post questions and comments here. I hope this can be a place where we can share ideas and give one another support and suggestions. Some people have already started the cleanse, and others don't plan to start until next week. I plan to begin on Friday, but those of you who have already started, please feel free to comment!
Suggestions for comments:
- Recipes that you tried and really liked
- Snacks that are easy to eat and helpful
- Ways to get through difficult times during the day and stay focused
I look forward to seeing many of you tomorrow.
Peace,
Adrian
January 11, 7 PM at Body in Balance Yoga Studio in Star City.
If you cannot attend, please feel free to post questions and comments here. I hope this can be a place where we can share ideas and give one another support and suggestions. Some people have already started the cleanse, and others don't plan to start until next week. I plan to begin on Friday, but those of you who have already started, please feel free to comment!
Suggestions for comments:
- Recipes that you tried and really liked
- Snacks that are easy to eat and helpful
- Ways to get through difficult times during the day and stay focused
I look forward to seeing many of you tomorrow.
Peace,
Adrian
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