Ready to get Clean!

This summer has been a ride...

With the drinking (and hangovers that keep getting worse), eating out, and never ending stomach issues, I think my body needs a break.

About a month ago I ran across a book called "Clean". The author, Alejandro Junger, discusses why it's important for us to detox our bodies, and how to go about it without derailing our busy lives. It completely fascinated me, and although I've done cleanses before, this one seemed to be way legit. He's an M.D., so I feel comfortable knowing that he went through med school and still believes that this is the way to go. It definitely takes a more mainstream approach to the idea of fasting.

I'll be deviating from his cleanse just a bit, but you can find out more about his program here:



After talking to my natropath, I've come to the conclusion that although my stomach is improving quite a bit, eating a ton of raw veggies may not be ideal for my healing process. So instead of eating a solid meal at lunch, I'll be eating smoothies, blended soups and juices throughout the day. I feel confident that with this cleanse and the homeopathic supplements I'm taking, I'm on the right path to full healing.

I'm going to be giving a day to day account of my progress on my other blog, including recipes for the smoothies and juices I create. I'm hoping to also post some of those recipes here, but the other blog is the best place to follow me on my journey. Also, I'd definitely recommend checking out Dr. Junger's book, it's really interesting stuff, and it appeals to a wide audience in that it definitely applies to everyone.

Stay tuned, I'll be all clean before you know it!

Day 4

Day 4...what can I say. It's been bittersweet.

I woke up feeling like a truck hit me, thankfully, my breakfast made that go away pretty fast. But needless to say, I didn't get up and work out this morning.

I spent a little time laying in the sun and let me tell you, the whole clarity of mind thing that this detox is supposed to cause definitely kicked in today. I was laying there in the sun and all I could think about was new ideas for my blog and my potential career. I actually got a lot accomplished sitting out there and thinking. Called two potential summer employers (unfortunately haven't heard back) and started making steps towards making this a video blog!! I won't give too many details yet, but this blog has to go somewhere and it's finally becoming clear to me what I need to do.

Unfortunately, I couldn't last out there too long cause the sun totally drains me, so I came in and did my castor oil and rested while watching (what else?) The Biggest Loser. That show motivated me to get my hiney off the couch :)

I was still too tired to exercise, so I searched the room I share with my friend Kami to see if she had any books I could read. The only one I found that wasn't school related was Chicken Soup For The Soul Living Your Dreams. I started reading it and wow, it was like the book was sent straight from God. It had so much great info about achieving success, and I got way into it. So that's definitely my book of the moment, I'm so glad I found it!

I made a bomb salad for dinner, chard, spinach, red bell pepper, cucumber, strawberries, and minced garlic. I needed that garlic flavor today. I'm so sick of bland food.

The reason I say this day was bittersweet is because I was so motivated to pursue my goals, and I didn't have the energy to do it. At least I wrote a lot of great things down, and I'll start on that path next week!

As for tonight? I was going to go out to Playhouse in Hollywood with my roommate, but, as you could probably guess, I'm in no mood to go to a club. So I'm off to do my Maundy Thursday meditation and listen to Marc David's podcast on Nutritional Consciousness. Is it weird that I'm excited about that?

Till tomorrow, Live Free.

Spring Cleansing Day 3

Ughhh woke up this morning so tired again. To be expected I guess. I felt way more energized after having a grapefruit sprinkled with cinnamom (soooo good!)

Work today flew by. Anna and I had a ton to work on, plus I got to watch Biggest Loser during my downtime. I'm so hooked on that show. I drank a bunch of water and tea all morning, so when lunchtime came around I actually wasn't starving. And after my apple, carrots, snap peas and mango slices I was actually pretty full! This detox is so weird...I didn't think I'd make it this far without feeling like death. I did have a stomachache last night, I at least I know its working!

I had vegetable broth, half a papaya (which wasn't nearly as good as I was expecting) and a chard, spinach, cucumber and strawberry salad for dinner, plus some detox tea. I was stuffed, which shocks me. The upside is I was able to walk on the treadmill for a half hour without feeling tired. But I still feel really full. Strange...

I'm halfway through the detox, and I can't believe I've done so well! I'm hopefully going to be feeling like a new person by next week, I'm so sick of feeling crappy!

Wish me luck, and Live Free!

Spring Cleansing Days 1&2

So, as promised, I'm writing about my detoxing experience this week. Let me explain a little bit about where I'm coming from.

I first read about detoxing in "Skinny Bitch" and I was automatically intrigued. You can do a water fast, a juice fast, or a raw fruits and veggies fast. Starting out, I didn't want to go too extreme, so I started researching raw fasts. Basically, you only eat organic, uncooked fruits and vegetables for a period of time. I decided to match my detox up with Holy Week (the week leading up to Easter), because detoxing is supposed to be a mind clearing and spiritual experience. My physical reason for doing it is that I need to flush my system out and rid myself of all the junk I've put into my body that I'm allergic to.

I started the detox yesterday with grapefruit for breakfast. I thought I'd be absolutely starving a short time later, but I actually wasn't! That grapefruit actually held me over longer than cereal does! All morning I had plenty of energy, I was so surprised because I'd read the first days of the detox are rough. For lunch, I had carrots, snap peas, an apple, and strawberries. Again, I had energy all afternoon, though it did start waning towards the end of my work day. For dinner, I had a cup of vegetable broth, a pear, a bunch of broccoli, blueberries and sliced cucumber. I also drank some detox tea after dinner to help the process along. I was definitely tired by that point, I'm sure as a combination from my weekend in San Francisco and the new eating pattern.

This morning I meant to get up early and work out, but I woke up with no energy so I skipped it, probably for the best. I had cantaloupe and strawberries for breakfast. I was definitely tired all day at work today. Luckily, I never really got the headaches that I'd been reading about. For lunch I had an apple, carrots and snap peas again. Its amazing how filling fruits and vegetables are! I never even realized that before, probably because I've never eaten enough fruits and vegetables. I started to get a bloated stomachache around dinner time, so I know the detoxing is finally starting. I'm so happy to be getting rid of those toxins! For dinner, I had a pear, a red bell pepper, and broccoli, and I even treated myself to "dessert": cantaloupe chunks, strawberries and grapes. Wow that sounds lame hahaha.

Overall though I feel pretty good about what I'm doing. I thought I'd be starving all the time, but I'm actually realizing that fruits and vegetables can totally fill you up, and I actually find myself eating less. I'm excited to see how this will affect me once I start eating real food again! I'm hoping it will noticeably lessen my food allergy symptoms. We'll see though.

Stay tuned, and Live Free!