Summer Cleanse and Detox

The start of summer for me meant cleanse and detox time! I was in a bad eating rut where I was going for quick snacks and most of the time that meant something that was not a great choice for me. I was beginning to feel tired and heavy and just not my best. My acupuncturist, Devon recommended a cleanse. http://www.thorne.com/Products/Endocrine-Support/Metabolic_Support/prd~SP640.jsp
In this cleanse you eliminate from your diet wheat, gluten, soy, dairy, corn and its products, peanuts, sugar, caffeine, alcohol, and meat and legumes for a period. The thought behind this is to give your liver a break from all the allergens that can cause an immune reaction that leads to inflammation in the body. I know..it seems like there is nothing left to eat. Not true! You supplement with the rice protein shakes throughout the 3 week period. The cleanse comes with recipes and some menu suggestions so you do have some ideas. For me this has meant, lots of fresh fruits and veggies, salads and brown rice! I tried some of the recipes and found them to be pretty good.
What I found interesting was my reaction to this whole thing. Week one was hard. I craved sugar and wanted to bake cookies all day long. I was not hungry but I found that I wanted sugar anyway. Interesting how the mind works. Physically I felt great. Eating so much fresh and raw foods was so nourishing. I slept better and had so much energy. By the end of week 1 the cravings were gone.

Week 2 was a breeze. No cravings and I felt so good. I was full faster with the fresh food and I found that I craved the fruit and that was satisfying. I even did a 54 mile bike ride (1st one in 2 years) and felt I had more energy than before when I was trained to ride that far.

This is the start to week 3 and I am not even anxious to return to eating all the foods I have had to stay away from. Thank God I live in Portland. The Blossoming Lotus, Prasad and the Yummy Tummy Kitchen, which all offer raw, vegan food have provided me with treats from time to time to allow me to eat in luxury and not have to cook. This has been a good mental practice for me I think. I would have been easy to tell myself one week was enough and that it was not practical to try to sustain this diet for three weeks. So far, I am making it and I am glad I tried this. I am not sure if my liver is cleansed or if I reduced any inflammation but I feel better, I am eating better and I guess overall I am a better reflection of the me inside! :)