Good day and welcome to day 2. Things went well today. A little churning inside but things are moving in the right direction, if you catch my drift. The point of doing a cleanse or detox is to move things that shouldn't be in the body, out of the body. I wanted to highlight the main herbal product I am using for the first week to support and open the detox pathways in the body.
SP Cleanse from Standard Process is an impressive list of herbs formulated to support the emunctories (elimination organs). Here are the ingredients:
Juniper berry powder (Juniperus communis), red clover (flower) powder (Trifolium pratense), collinsonia (root) powder, apple pectin, burdock (root) powder (Arctium lappa), barley (grass) powder, dandelion (leaf) (Taraxacum officinale), Spanish black radish (root), Oregon grape (root) powder (Berberis aquifolium), cayenne pepper powder (Capsicum annuum), fenugreek (seed) powder, choline bitartrate, inositol, globe artichoke (leaf) (Cynara scolymus), fennel (seed), oat flour, dried beet (leaf) juice, beet (root) powder, milk thistle (Silybum marianum) (80% silymarins), Tillandsia usneoides, carrot (root) powder, broccoli (whole plant) powder, and kale (whole plant) powder.
"The phytonutrients from these multiple ingredients help the body eliminate toxins that originate in the environment, as well as metabolic toxins that are given off internally. The vitamin complexes, minerals, and phytonutrients in SP Cleanse support the body's internal waste-removal systems to encourage healthy kidney function, help purify the blood, support lymphatic system function, promote efficient gastrointestinal elimination, and maintain healthy liver detoxification function."
I will consume 150 capsules of this over the first seven days. Then the diet and protein/nutrient shakes continue for the duration of the program. Why go through all this trouble?
Obviously the "carrot" for some is guaranteed weight loss, lowering BP without drugs, or maybe giving that statin drug the boot. These are all worthy motivators, but for me none of these are why I'm doing it. I weigh the same as I did as a sophomore in high school, I have low blood pressure and my cholesterol level is ........ I actually don't know but 5 years ago it was normal (by the way, cholesterol level is a red herring).
My motivation is the same as it was ten years ago when I buried my father after he succumbed to pancreatic cancer. I decided I can either live in denial or fear, or be proactive in caring for myself and others. To that end I've encouraged my patients to seek a healthy path. Inevitably we all live in a world that exposes us to increasing levels of toxins, those from without and those we make inside just by being alive.
I battle the same forces as everyone else, the desire for easy pleasure- quick unhealthy food, while not exercising (though I do find some types enjoyable if I'd just make the time) and not getting enough sleep. Anyway, so since grad school I've certainly amassed additional strains on my body that can be helped by a purification process. Just like fasting regimes or retreats, the idea is to clean the inside of the body (physically, mind and spirit). Satiety mechanisms are reset, habits are broken, new ones are made and I am reminded of the supreme responsibility I have in my own health. Not my genes, not my parents, not MacDonald's, not fate, not my victim status.
So back to today. To hasten the GI tract I added beet to my smoothie at lunch and it did the trick. I had some vegetable stew and apple. Then dinner was vegetable korma, lentils, and brown rice. Sound boring? Not when it's made with fresh homemade ghee (google it), fresh ground spices for the curry, coconut milk and sea salt. Since I couldn't eat the homemade pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting that Jill made, I'm hunkering for my banana chocolate pudding....
Mashed banana
1 heaping tablespoon of ground flax seed
1/4 tsp of stevia powder
dash of cinnamon
1 tbsp of carob powder (OK, I'm out, so I used organic unsweetened cocoa powder)
enough liquid to mix it into a delicious gelatinous dessert
Oh, and topped with shredded coconut.
Tomorrow it's time to take the detox diet to work. Wish me luck.
Posts
4 comments:
Good luck Doc!
Here we are on day 2 and it has definitely gone better than day 1 which might actually be odd. Usually, from what I've read from other blogs and past experiences, day 2 is one of the worst days. My hubby, however, has had the usual day 2 symptoms of headache and lethargy. His BM visits to the bathroom have been less than day 1 and I still haven't had one but will be trying out some beets to 'break things loose'. However, I have energy today and am in a better mood.
The temptations were even easier today. Forgot to mention that we started our first day of detox at an apple press party where everyone was to bring a dish to share. It was hard to feed our two year old this wonderful smelling food all the while salivating and sucking on our smoothie. We didn't put ourselves in a tempting situation today.
Dinner was so satisfying. We could have this every night but you have to shake things up so you are getting a variety.
Breakfast - Smoothie with blueberries, pears, bananas and powders.
Lunch - 1 Carrot and 1/4 c. sunflower seeds
Dinner - Brown rice pasta (2oz) topped with garden spaghetti sauce and side of seasoned asparagus.
Dessert - 1/3c. Vegan Carob chips which I tried to melt to make Dr. G's Klingon Pudding since there was no carob powder in the house. Well, the chips don't melt well so don't try it. I ate the globule with 3/4 of a nice big Honey Crisp apple and 30oz of water and went to bed feeling stuffed.
Note to self, drink water earlier in day not right before bed.
I just couldn't stomach a second smoothie today. Not sure how to remedy this problem. Will try to work on it tomorrow. I am just not hungry enough in the afternoons. Wonder if I can double smoothie it in the morning?
Garden Spaghetti Sauce
4c. homemade tomato sauce, 1c. green pepper, 1c. zucchini, 1c. tomato chunks, 1/4 c. fresh basil, 1Tb oregano, 4 tablespoons Olive oil - separated, 1/3 c. diced onions, 3 cloves minced garlic, salt and pepper to taste.
Saute onions and garlic in 2T olive oil for 5 minutes, add tomato sauce, rest of olive oil, herbs and rest of veggies omitting the tomato chunks. Saute in tomato sauce for 10 minutes on medium to warm through. Toss in fresh tomato chunks before serving.
Seasoned Asparagus
2T olive oil
2T wheat-free soy sauce
Spread olive oil on cookie sheet and roll asparagus in olive oil and drizzle soy sauce on top. Bake in oven on low broil for about 8-10 min to crisp tender.
Great recipe! I am going to pick up some asparagus. I've got a spaghetti squash I'm going to use that sauce on.
OK Miss No-Cheating, was there any added sugar in the carob chips??? Ha ha.
I felt better day 2 myself. So far today feeling good. I got more sleep last night. I'm sure that helped.
Well okay, there may have been some added sugar. I can't remember as I purchased them so long ago from the bulk bins. Will have to check when we shop again.
I checked for Chia seeds at Fred Meyer in bulk section. No luck. Where do you buy yours?
I've ordered chia through mountainroseherbs.com. Seems to have the best price and I think it was organic. I will be placing another arder with them soon. You might check them for carob powder as well, though NOW foods might be a little cheaper.
Post a Comment