I've moved my blog to WP: idefiningi.wordpress.com
August 12, 2010
cleanse (n., v.)
Today's word is cleanse, in verbal and nominal sense.
Why?
Because, today I finished a 10 day cleanse that cleansed my body!
Now, I guess the point of a blog would be to carry you step-by-step through this dietary decision I undertook; however, I didn't want to bore you with such things, like (here we go!):
"Today I really crave Tortellini Alfredo. However, as it's my first day, I'm going to refuse to be tempted and stick with my organic quinoa!"
or
"It's day five, and I'm doing fine! Dried apricots are my new best friend."
or
"I was really good today (day six, world!) and declined a pint of beer at a bowling alley. Instead, I ordered herbal tea (the cool, I-don't-give-a-shit dude at the counter had a hard time figuring out which tea was decaf)."
While all the above are true, and I did, to an effect, bore you with a Cleanser's Rant, I merely wanted to sum up my week quickly without the need for entirely new posts. This is because THIS post is what's MOST important! TODAY, I FINISHED MY 10-DAY DETOX!
Now, want me to reveal to you my regimen?
It goes something like this:
1. Go to London Drugs (Shopper's didn't do it for me this time around; they only had Hoodia - eek!)
2. Find the aisle with the herbal supplements and/or Vitamin C and the like.
3. Choose a holistic-type of "colon cleanse" or "detox" option or something along those neutral-sounding lines. (No "SUPER CLEANSE NOW" with some busty Carmen Electra look-alike on the box). Usually, one bottle will contain Milk Thistle, the other, a mixture of Chlorella, Spirulina, and Psyllium husk. These will help to keep you regular and encourage toxin elimination and cleansing of the liver. You can also get Metamucil instead of the second bottle and take a teaspoon a day with 1-2 cups of water, then increase it to two teaspoons after day 4/or when you feel ready.
3. Follow my detox mantra/slogan. (I'd patent this if I knew how!)
NO SWEET (no sugary food!)
NO MEAT (no meat or fish or poultry)
NO WHEAT (no gluten; even if it looks healthy- i.e. 983-grain bagels)
NO STREET (no processed food, no alcohol, no Starbucks!)
NO TEET (no dairy! try not to even drink Soy milk)
It's cute, eh? It totally makes the detox feel less intimidating.
4. Drink 3 litres of water a day, (more if you're exercising), and slip some lemon juice in there; it actually makes the water more alkaline, which, in turn, makes your tummy less acidic, allowing it to absorb nutrients better. Plus, it's even more tasty with a hint of honey added!
5. Don't starve yourself. You should never feel very hungry, either. The foods you intake will keep a low GI (blood sugar levels won't fluctuate as much) so you probably won't feel cravings. As a result, you'll be able to tell better when you're actually hungry - and when you're full (so you won't over eat in one sitting).
My favourite foods that I actually DID allow myself to eat were:
> organic oatmeal. Great for breakfast, because you will wake up hungry (it is a breaking of a fast after all!) and it really sticks to your stomach! Get the non-instant kind.
> quinoa. Full of protein, tastes like couscous, and has no gluten! A magical grain!
> dried apricots!
> brazil nuts. I read that these are super necessary because they have Selenium, which is a chemical needed for proper cellular function that may be depleted while on a cleanse. DO NOT, HOWEVER, EAT MORE THAN 25 A DAY. THIS IS NOT A SNACKING FOOD. It's high in calories and Selenium can be dangerous if ingested in large amounts.
> salad, salad, salad, salad. No dressing, but, olives and a bit of olive oil were my saviours! Zhatar is also a really great middle eastern herb to sprinkle on top. I also like to throw some goji berries in for an extra (flavour and antioxidant) kick.
> fruit, fruit, fruit! Can't get enough. Cleanses are much easier in the summer because of the variety of AWESOME FRUIT available: plums, nectarines, bananas, watermelon, cantaloupe, grapes, cherries, blueberries, strawberries, apricots, peaches, apples. MUNCH MUNCH MUNCH!
> snap peas: They're sweet, but also a very nutritious vegetable high in Vit A and fibre. Crunchy and juicy, they make a perfect snack.
> Green tea. Only on the 1st or 2nd day. (Will help to get rid of headaches from coffee withdrawal). From then on, I go coo-coo for Bengal Spice tea (by Celestial Seasonings) - it's naturally sweet.
As you can see, there's plenty there to eat. What I found most amazing was, for one, I realized how full "real" (low GI) food made me feel, and as a result, I was very sensitive to when and how hungry I was; and two, I realized how much fun can be had without always having a beer in hand or drinking that random single margarita - social nights are equally fun!
My conclusion: I feel much cleaner after cleansing myself with this cleanse.
Now, let's party!
Ha. Naw. But really. I feel as though I've reset my system and got it back into balance. It's been a tough 10 days, in some respects, and I think it's good to retain a bit of that detox philosophy day to day. You can treat yourself, eat gluten and such if you do it in moderation - and don't emphasize the "I'm treating myself" too much. Instead, just listen to your body. Usually, when I spend an extended period of time not taking care of my body, I tend to feel it; once I start taking care of myself, my nails get bendy, my skin begins to glisten, and I feel more energetic.
I suggest you guys all give this thing a try. You can go as far as you want with it, taking all my advice, or just working some suggestions in there. But please, don't take it too far. I'm personally very against all those fad diets that pose as detoxes.
Four gallons of cabbage soup or only tea can't be good for you. What's nice about my detox is that even when it's over, I'm still reminded of small adjustments I can make to improve my everyday diet, long-term.
Why?
Because, today I finished a 10 day cleanse that cleansed my body!
Now, I guess the point of a blog would be to carry you step-by-step through this dietary decision I undertook; however, I didn't want to bore you with such things, like (here we go!):
"Today I really crave Tortellini Alfredo. However, as it's my first day, I'm going to refuse to be tempted and stick with my organic quinoa!"
or
"It's day five, and I'm doing fine! Dried apricots are my new best friend."
or
"I was really good today (day six, world!) and declined a pint of beer at a bowling alley. Instead, I ordered herbal tea (the cool, I-don't-give-a-shit dude at the counter had a hard time figuring out which tea was decaf)."
While all the above are true, and I did, to an effect, bore you with a Cleanser's Rant, I merely wanted to sum up my week quickly without the need for entirely new posts. This is because THIS post is what's MOST important! TODAY, I FINISHED MY 10-DAY DETOX!
Now, want me to reveal to you my regimen?
It goes something like this:
1. Go to London Drugs (Shopper's didn't do it for me this time around; they only had Hoodia - eek!)
2. Find the aisle with the herbal supplements and/or Vitamin C and the like.
3. Choose a holistic-type of "colon cleanse" or "detox" option or something along those neutral-sounding lines. (No "SUPER CLEANSE NOW" with some busty Carmen Electra look-alike on the box). Usually, one bottle will contain Milk Thistle, the other, a mixture of Chlorella, Spirulina, and Psyllium husk. These will help to keep you regular and encourage toxin elimination and cleansing of the liver. You can also get Metamucil instead of the second bottle and take a teaspoon a day with 1-2 cups of water, then increase it to two teaspoons after day 4/or when you feel ready.
3. Follow my detox mantra/slogan. (I'd patent this if I knew how!)
NO SWEET (no sugary food!)
NO MEAT (no meat or fish or poultry)
NO WHEAT (no gluten; even if it looks healthy- i.e. 983-grain bagels)
NO STREET (no processed food, no alcohol, no Starbucks!)
NO TEET (no dairy! try not to even drink Soy milk)
It's cute, eh? It totally makes the detox feel less intimidating.
4. Drink 3 litres of water a day, (more if you're exercising), and slip some lemon juice in there; it actually makes the water more alkaline, which, in turn, makes your tummy less acidic, allowing it to absorb nutrients better. Plus, it's even more tasty with a hint of honey added!
5. Don't starve yourself. You should never feel very hungry, either. The foods you intake will keep a low GI (blood sugar levels won't fluctuate as much) so you probably won't feel cravings. As a result, you'll be able to tell better when you're actually hungry - and when you're full (so you won't over eat in one sitting).
My favourite foods that I actually DID allow myself to eat were:
> organic oatmeal. Great for breakfast, because you will wake up hungry (it is a breaking of a fast after all!) and it really sticks to your stomach! Get the non-instant kind.
> quinoa. Full of protein, tastes like couscous, and has no gluten! A magical grain!
> dried apricots!
> brazil nuts. I read that these are super necessary because they have Selenium, which is a chemical needed for proper cellular function that may be depleted while on a cleanse. DO NOT, HOWEVER, EAT MORE THAN 25 A DAY. THIS IS NOT A SNACKING FOOD. It's high in calories and Selenium can be dangerous if ingested in large amounts.
> salad, salad, salad, salad. No dressing, but, olives and a bit of olive oil were my saviours! Zhatar is also a really great middle eastern herb to sprinkle on top. I also like to throw some goji berries in for an extra (flavour and antioxidant) kick.
> fruit, fruit, fruit! Can't get enough. Cleanses are much easier in the summer because of the variety of AWESOME FRUIT available: plums, nectarines, bananas, watermelon, cantaloupe, grapes, cherries, blueberries, strawberries, apricots, peaches, apples. MUNCH MUNCH MUNCH!
> snap peas: They're sweet, but also a very nutritious vegetable high in Vit A and fibre. Crunchy and juicy, they make a perfect snack.
> Green tea. Only on the 1st or 2nd day. (Will help to get rid of headaches from coffee withdrawal). From then on, I go coo-coo for Bengal Spice tea (by Celestial Seasonings) - it's naturally sweet.
As you can see, there's plenty there to eat. What I found most amazing was, for one, I realized how full "real" (low GI) food made me feel, and as a result, I was very sensitive to when and how hungry I was; and two, I realized how much fun can be had without always having a beer in hand or drinking that random single margarita - social nights are equally fun!
My conclusion: I feel much cleaner after cleansing myself with this cleanse.
Now, let's party!
Ha. Naw. But really. I feel as though I've reset my system and got it back into balance. It's been a tough 10 days, in some respects, and I think it's good to retain a bit of that detox philosophy day to day. You can treat yourself, eat gluten and such if you do it in moderation - and don't emphasize the "I'm treating myself" too much. Instead, just listen to your body. Usually, when I spend an extended period of time not taking care of my body, I tend to feel it; once I start taking care of myself, my nails get bendy, my skin begins to glisten, and I feel more energetic.
I suggest you guys all give this thing a try. You can go as far as you want with it, taking all my advice, or just working some suggestions in there. But please, don't take it too far. I'm personally very against all those fad diets that pose as detoxes.
Four gallons of cabbage soup or only tea can't be good for you. What's nice about my detox is that even when it's over, I'm still reminded of small adjustments I can make to improve my everyday diet, long-term.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
HAHAHA, loved the "983-grain bagel" comment, haha...
ReplyDeleteAs for copyrighting something, it is really quite simple. As soon as you write something, it becomes your intellectual property and thereby, it is copyrighted by you. Most people, however, just to make themselves feel safe and to add some dating for the system, all you would do is write: © 2010 Visnja Milidragovic.
There, it would be completely copyrighted after that. =)