21 Day Detox......Day 9 - 10

What day is it? I've lost track. Actually this is an exciting time in this detox program. Today is the day I can begin to eat animal protein again. It's not anything goes, however, choices include what I call lean and clean meats: wild cold-water fish, poultry, and grass-fed or wild sources of red meat such as bison, beef, lamb, and game. It should be kept to one serving per day and leaner cuts. It's also essential it is "clean" meaning it was raised without chemicals, hormones, antibiotics, and any number of unnatural techniques. In other words, it's not what you'd pick up on sale at a typical grocery store. The reasons for being choosy should be obvious; this is a detox.

Whether you are on a detox or not you'd be wise to be choosy as well. I'd recommend the documentary, Food Inc. if you haven't explored the issues surrounding industrial food production in this country. Or you can just pretend that your food is just fine and ignore the escalating problems like obesity and cancer.

Meat should cost more. Because we need to eat less. As I've said before elsewhere, I don't even bother eating animal products unless I can find and afford "real food." The proof is in the data. The nutritional content and toxic residue levels between say free-ranged organically produced meats and conventional is like night and day. One is wholesome, the other is disease promoting. Which would you choose? For you children?

Hallows eve has come and gone. I made it through with just a sampling of chile with meat of unknown origin. I am truly not tempted by candy. Even as a kid I was particular. I especially disliked the hard candy. I liked the candy bars of course. Later I started to prefer the nutty stuff. Ten years ago when I had a major nutritional awaking and began to eliminate unhealthy foods from my diet, I noticed how heightened my sense of taste and smell became. Desserts became too sweet and many prepared dishes were too salty. It's very difficult to eat out and not find the food disagreeable. This isn't completely a mind game. It takes some thought process to preconceive what that treat will taste like and ultimately yield for my being. After a while I was able to look at a bakery cake and immediately not see anything desirable in it. But I do eat cake, as long as it's wholesome. Just not at the moment.

I was pondering recently the quandary of sugar. With all the dietary advice I give, I think that regarding sugar is the most important and difficult for most of us to follow. It's especially difficult because it's everywhere (and stimulates the pleasure centers of the brain). I'm especially disturbed by how it's used to seduce kids into the habit, typically first by parents. Am I the only one who thinks it's abusive to give a one-year-old a plate of sugar in the guise of a birthday delight. There is no doubt that sugar is a drug-like substance. It's destructive power is just slower than cocaine. I guess that's why we have to start so young. Otherwise, they'll miss out on some of the fun. You know, the obese child with elevated lipids, insulin, and heart disease. Lot's of fun.

So........ that's another benefit of the detox diet, it provides a reset of your senses so that you can begin to really taste real food again. And break addictions, at least for a time and hopefully you will begin to really feed and heal yourself.

Next time I hope to talk about another benefit of this program: finding hidden food allergies or sensitivities.