this is it...

down to the last day, feeling fulfilled having a new found sense of self control. when we overcome mental and physical cravings, habits, and routines...each and every time...we gain more power to ward off temptation when it comes a knockin'.

there is a great sense of satisfaction, as well, feeling like we have given our bodies the chance to detox and rebuild. good, clean, fun! although you may have suffered the scoffs and abusive slurs as i did from those that just don't understand what the hell it is i'm trying to do now, it seems all worth it to feel a little lighter and a little freer...and in all reality, that much better than everyone who sneered in our direction;)

i hope during this cleanse you were able to explore options in all different types of foods to add to your repertoire and recipe list. i myself have become a little more confident in the kitchen, which is a remarkable feat. now i just need someone who will come forth willing to do the dishes.

so, as i mentioned before....adding one thing that you took out at a time might be a good way to head back into the real world. so let's say dairy, to start, for two days, then maybe add back gluten for two days. this way you can give yourself ample time to decide if your body reacts adversely or not. you may notice a drop in energy, for instance, or issues with your stomach, headaches, or whatever. just be mindful, because it may be worth it to investigate a little further.

i for one think i'm done with sugar. i have found so many delicious alternatives that i think it might be worth it just to avoid. caffiene as well. i have my green tea, which has a small amount, but that's it. i can feel my body crash so hard after the high that for me it doesn't seem worth it. plus, paying $8 for an organic vegan agave sweetened chocolate bar helps to ration it a little more sparingly.

find your own balance, however, i do not recommend you using a cleanse as a morning after pill... excusing everything that we just worked so hard to reduce. i agree a mini cleanse after a party or a holiday, is totally a great way to replenish, yet i don't want you to think you can go back to all your old habits now that you have this fancy cleanse thing in your bag o' tricks. as we all know binging and purging doesn't do a body good, so megatoxing just to detox would be on that same level as tracy gold.

day 14 is tomorrow and two full weeks of cleansing will be behind us. some cleanses, as we've read, go for another whole week. at this point, after all you've gained thus far, i think it wouldn't be that hard. i'm actually going on vacation, so i will not be putting forth such a valiant effort, but if you'd like to, your body will only reap more of the benefits. and, you can proudly join the ranks of oprah and gwenyth and all the greats;)

i will have web access on vacation, so don't be shy. hit me up and let me know how you're doing. i am curious to here your reactions coming off the cleanse and seeing how you feel.

congratulations! you made it. high fives all around!

taking a bath...

so, i followed my own instructions and decided to take a bath last night.  i figured i was due for some relaxing given that it had been a while, well really only a couple of weeks ago i was kicking my feet up eating and drinking everything in sight, maxin' and relaxin', but you know what i mean.  i needed it damnit, and even more so with a better set of intentions.

i drew my bath, used my oatmeal bath blend by Avena, which is delightful i must add, walked out of my bathroom to grab a candle, only to turn around to find a giant cockroach dangling from my bath curtain seemingly excited to  have been invited to the pool party.  no longer relaxed, i ran around the room in circles trying to figure out what the hell to do with the giant thing.  i have never seen a critter in my apartment, except for the one lone millipede in my bath tub this summer, and the single curious fruit fly who was obviously lost because there wasn't any fruit to be had.

not wanting to squoosh the giant thing, i darted to the kitchen to find something to capture it in.  thankfully i only own cheap tupperware and decided that was an appropriate instrument for the hunt.  with base and lid in hand, i sloothed around the corner to find the uninvited guest in the same spot.  with my girly-ness at its max, i pounced in, with an inner shriek i can only produce when bugs are involved, and captured the nasty thing.  i closed the lid tightly at all four corners and felt the thing jumping around inside.  nasty!

i ran around in circles at least twice, before i grabbed my keys, thank god, and ran out the door.  i already locked myself out once this winter when my bush was on fire (whole nother story entirely), it was a house plant really, but being a creative it is always more fun to embellish...especially with a biblical reference that can play more than one way.

anyway, so i'm outside in bare feet and a tank top...because i was on my way to taking a relaxing bath, remember?  i shake the thing all the way to the corner of the tupperware and open the lid over the patch greens i have in the treebox in front of my apartment.  it was quite the buddhist thing to do, but in all reality...i'm really not that buddhist.  i just don't like to squish big, giant things.

so, with water still running, i hurray back inside, tossing the tupperware into the recycle bin on my way in the door, cuz there ain't no amount of soap that will disinfect that sucker.

if you can believe it, after all that, i took a deep breath, grabbed my candle and my new book and plunged into the tub.  i read about 20 pages with only a few distracting thoughts about where my friend had entered the apartment and if i was bathing in the path he had walked through to get to the curtain.

but for the most part, i did it, i relaxed, and it felt amazing.  i would say it lasted long into the evening, but that would be a lie because for the rest of the night i felt like my apartment was crawling with critters.  yet, for those 20 minutes or so and a few thereafter, i indulged, and it was great.

i hope you have found time to relax this week and de-stress a bit.  my even bigger hope is that it is a little better than my my experience.  if you haven't had the chance yet to indulge, my last hope is that i've inspired you to do so;)

i found this website for some cleansing cocktails to add to your mix.

http://livelighter.org/detox-drink-recipes/

-adding lemon to your water or lime also has an enhanced cleansing effect.  cheap and easy.

also, our recent saturday night co-host and guest star on glee has been caught doing a post holiday cleanse....her site goop, has quite a bit to say about cleanses.  here is gwenyth paltrow on one of her cleanses, as she does multiple times a year.

http://goop.com/newsletter/111/en/

day 10!!  kick your fee up!

over the hump....

i'm glad to hear that some of you went out this weekend successfully dodging the non-cleansing sweet fruits dangling in front of your nose. i actually found it a lot easier than i thought i would as i turned down drinks and even sips at our anual work christmas party. i found that i was just as fun and just as charming as i always am, and i didn't even feel like crap the next day;)

don't get me wrong, there will be a day when i forget about my cleansing pursuits and go right back to indulging in delicious toxins, but in the meantime i am grateful to have found a relief from what i presumed would be a difficult situation. it made me realize that it may not be necessary to indulge every time i go out, and maybe letting someone else be the "life of the party" for a change isn't so bad;)

so, i have been reading tons of cleansing sites who all talk about the benefits of doing this kinda thing twice a year, or more. unfortunately, this isn't the "one and done" fix that we might hope. the sites also talked about doing mini cleanses, which i liked. maybe the day or two after a big party of crazy food and inappropriate consumption of adult beverages, would be a great time to detox and let the liver recoup.

this is my second cleanse and i would have to say that for some reason it has been harder in some senses this time. i think because it is winter and all i want to do is eat bread and drink beer. i will say that both times, even this time stubbornly, i have gotten great satisfaction in overcoming cravings, habits, and mental comforts/addictions.

here we are, at week 2 and since i haven't heard otherwise, going strong! one thing i read that i wanted to share is the importance of the mental detox as well. stress and guilt, to name two, are emotions that secrete chemicals that, as you might imagine, can be considered toxic as well. try in this second week to reduce stress and let go of any negative mental chatter that plays constant on the mental ticker tape. set aside some time for yourself to relax, read a book, take a yoga class, get a message, whatever. treat yourself, i am very good in this department, btw;) since you are not treating yourself with pizza, dessert, or happy hour....you deserve a lil' something', so here's my permission....have at it.

day 8;) - enjoy!

some more delicious recipes....

the carrot fennel soup meets the cleanse standards;)

i love this website. i know one of the health coaches and he is all about good, clean & delicious.

http://www.baltimorehealthcoach.com/Coach/BLOG/index.cfm?proAppName=Coach

water and whole foods...

day 4 and counting....

water is said to be the best thing to put into your body during a cleanse, or any other time for that matter, really. water is extremely underated, here's why...

we should try to drink two quarts of plain water a day to assist our kidneys in cleaning the toxins out of our blood. water also helps remove waste from the cells and aids fat metabolism. It keeps our brain functioning properly and lubricates and flushes our system. And, water is important for transporting nutrients and waste, regulating our body temp., and helping our tissues stay healthy and strong.

fresh, whole foods. eating lots of fresh, raw salads is like sending scrub brushes through your digestive system clearing away old, undigested food, dead tissues, and mucus. yum.

integrating brown rice, quinoa, steamed or sauteed veggies, buckwheat pancakes with rice milk, and lots of fruits or fruit smoothies will help diversify things on your cleanse while aiding in eliminating all the delicious toxins.

also,...

rice cakes with nut butter n berries (my personal fave)

hearty soups made with beans and veggies

hot cereals with nuts and agave

sweet potatoes (another fave)....i like to slice mine into chips, drizzle a little olive oil and bake

avocados, any way you have them are awesome. you can throw them into a smoothie to meaten it up, or you can make a salad with diced cucumbers, tomato, lemon and olive oil ;)

k. hope those ideas help.

here's to good clean eating!!

but why...?

some more obvious than others, but i think it is important to know why we are eliminating each item.....here is the short version.

sugar:  by removing sugar from your diet for as long as you're willing, you break the cycle of sugar addiction, resensitizing your glycogen receptors so that you get more energy from less food, eliminating the craving for sugar.  you will also feel energized in a more consistent way, without the ups and downs inherent in sugar dependency.

besides sugar turns into glucose in your blood, when the glucose becomes too high your body produces insulin....the more sugar you consume, the more insulin you must produce.  insulin stores the glucose in your liver and muscles, and when that limited storage space is full, insulin will help turn the sugar energy into fat for you.  how sweet;)

those that don't mind fat should also be reminded that inflammation is common in all the cells insulin comes in contact with, breaking down the cells which assists in aging and opening the floodgates for inflammatory conditions associated with it, including cancer and other degenerative illnesses.  awesome.

alcohol: once consumed, alcohol is converted into glucose, or blood sugar, and causes many of the same physical problems as sugar consumption.  alcohol also plays a major role with your liver function as you may well know, but it also has an affect on the chemicals in the brain, as you might well imagine.  thankfully our bodies are amazing restorative creatures, so each day abstaining from alcohol helps to rebuild the balance within the body affected by the consumption of alcohol. 

caffeine:  the consumption of caffeine leads to symptoms not limited to but including, anxiety, sleep disorders, & eating disorders.  it is the world's most popular psychoactive drug as caffeine stimulates the central nervous system by tricking the brain into ordering the release of excess adrenaline.  this excess adrenaline in your body builds up in your muscles creating body tension, headaches, and muscle spasms.  over time the adrenal glands may become depleted and weak, resulting in increased feelings of exhaustion, which may cause you to need more and more caffeine to feel awake or normal.

giving up caffeine for your cleanse will give your body a chance to replenish and restore your adrenal glands.  this offers them the opportunity to keep you balanced on their own.  maybe helping you find that you need a lot less caffeine in the future, or maybe even none at all.

gluten:  gluten, a protein found in many foods, including wheat, barley, rye, and malt, is the most common irritant of the small intestine.  for most people, even tony soprano, consumption of gluten can cause the immune system to attack the small intestine through inflammation, leading to gas, diarrhea, skin rashes, and may prevent the absorption of vital nutrients and vitamins, which could lead to depression and exhaustion.  with the small intestine too inflamed to absorb nourishment, a gluten heavy diet may contribute to osteoporosis, anemia, and vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

gluten has also been linked to several studies surrounding autism as undigested gluten has the ability to attach itself to the opiate receptors of the brain, mimicking the effect of a morphine high.  in some of us, that may be the feeling of relaxation we get after consuming bread, pasta, and beer.

abstaining from gluten for your cleanse will give your small intestine some time to soothe and heal itself, reestablishing its efficient absorption of nutrients.  you may even feel more energized, alert, and nourished.  hooray!

animal products:  dairy, for starters, is full of lactose, a commonly indigestible allergen.  refraining from milk products during your cleanse will give your body a break from inflammation you may be incurring from lactose. 

casein, the protein found in dairy can be difficult to digest and can cause sleepiness and the feeling of heaviness, all while stimulating a craving for more once the effect has worn off because it, too, acts like a drug in the brain.  casein is a binding agent used in soups, protein powders, cereal, infant formula, energy bars, salad dressings, vegetarian meats, glues, protective coatings, plastics and fabrics.  casein does a great job of acting like glue in the body, stimulating the production of mucus, binding to it making it thicker and more troublesome.  yikes.

dairy is also polluted by the industrial processing of cows, including antibiotics, hormones, and unnatural feed.  also, for those reasons, there are several arguments about the potential damage to your health of eating meat and the possibility of it outweighing the benefits.  even fish carry the pollutants of their home in their omega 3's.  it seems also the larger the fish, the higher levels of mercury.

so...that said, taking a break from all animal products will allow your body the time to eliminate any casein gumming up your system, your reducing any inflammation which you may have from lactose, you're giving your body a break from industrial pollutants and letting your body recover from free-radical damage associated with the ingestion of meat-related carcinogens.  yes, please.

sheesh.

i hope that didn't just make you wanna jump of the edge of the kitchen table.  i just thought you should know the basics.  and, believe me...there's more where that came from.  without feeling frustrated or defeated, because you were looking forward to going back to all that "good stuff".  focus on all the delicious things that we are able to eat on this cleanse and how we are able to remain just as satisfied with our seemingly limited options.

remember, anything is ok in limited dosages and just be grateful that our body is so brilliant as to regenerate itself as quickly and easily as it does.

one suggestion, now that you know the basics of how each of the items we've taken out effects the body, at the end of our two weeks, slowly add back in each ingredient....giving yourself two days to see how you feel.  you might be surprised what your body tells you.

day 2: happy restoration! 

oprah does a 21 day cleanse....here's what she eats

it would be nice if someone made all of our food, like oprah who has the benefit of being well fed all day long with a snap of her fingers.

still, looking at her blog, like anybody else....she struggled with opting out of some of her favorite things, however she remained well satisfied with a set of diverse meal plans along the way.

http://www.oprah.com/food/Oprahs-21-Day-Cleanse-Menu-Plans

Following the cleanse doesn't mean you have to starve. From king oyster mushrooms to a heaping Buddha bowl, there's plenty of food that's okay to eat. Use these menu plans from Chef Tal Ronnen to get meal ideas and see what Oprah's eating during her 21 days.


Menu Plan 1
Breakfast: Tofu Scramble
Lunch: Tempeh tuna salad over field greens
Dinner: Kale avocado salad and King oyster mushrooms with pistachio purée

Menu Plan 2
Breakfast: Wheat-free pancakes (made with Bob's Red Mill mix) and Gardenburger soy sausage
Lunch: Buddha bowl (made with oven-baked tofu, kale and brown rice)
Dinner: Caesar salad with Homemade Caesar Dressing and Tempeh Scallopini with Madeira Peppercorn Sauce

Menu Plan 3
Breakfast: "Cheesy" corn grits with tomato compote
Lunch: Scampi-style Tofu Wrap
Dinner: Artichoke and Oyster Mushroom Rockefeller with side salad and corn chowder

Menu Plan 4
Breakfast: Steel-cut oatmeal with cranberries and almonds
Lunch: Zucchini "fettuccini" with Raw Alfredo Sauce
Dinner: Quinoa salad with roasted corn, sweet potatoes, avocado and roasted tomatillo dressing

Menu Plan 5
Breakfast: Strawberry-rhubarb wheat-free crepes
Lunch: Mezze plate (white-bean hummus, millet tabouli, balsamic fig compote, marinated olives and almond-rosemary crackers)
Dinner: Celery root soup and Tempeh Creole over grilled corn cakes

Menu Plan 6
Breakfast: Egg-less quiche, arugula and artichoke hearts
Lunch: Beetroot ravioli with fresh cucumber and fennel salad
Dinner: Spring asparagus soup and Cajun-Seared Portobello Fillets with Avocado Cream

Menu Plan 7
Breakfast: Fruit and Soy Yogurt Parfait
Lunch: Roasted tomato, grilled onion and sweet garlic aioli quesadillas with jicama slaw
Dinner: Vegetable strata with cilantro-lemon pesto and Black Bean Cakes with Lime-Peppered "Mayo"

Menu Plan 8
Breakfast: Steel-cut oatmeal with raisins, walnuts and agave nectar
Lunch: Assorted vegetable sushi plate
Dinner: Tempeh marsala with a spring salad


as for me, because i just don't get that fancy in the kitchen. i'm making a big pot of soup with tons of veggies. it has brown rice and only a 1/4 cup or so of rice pasta.

get creative so you feel sufficiently satisfied, if it's just too hard to think.....veggies and hummus or veggies and guac....you can't go wrong.

day 1 ;)