After seven days....

... I have lost 5.8 pounds. My clothes fit better. I don’t feel so bloated, and losing a bit of weight puts some bounce in your steps!

... I have an increased sense of smell and taste, so I know that my body is healing.

... the bags that appear under my eyes from lack of sleep are a thing of the past.

... I have more energy in the evenings. I am starting to sleep really well through the night.

... I don’t seem to have the same food cravings for the chocolate, potato chips or ice cream that I used to. I am hoping that this one stays away! They are my three problem foods, you know, the ones where you start, and you just can’t stop, until you feel sick to your stomach!

My first week has been really, really great! I feel good about myself, physically and mentally. Still waiting for this increased mental clarity though. Will it be one of those things that I notice, or will it just happen that my brain will function so clearly, that I can’t remember it being any other way?

I have started my 7-day detox. Day one consists of a day of fasting, from 6:00 the night before until 6:00 tonight. At that time, I can have a mono-fruit meal, which means, as much of one fruit as my little heart desires. Not sure what I am going to have yet. Wonder if I will still detox this week?

Last night for dinner, my salad was topped with a very simple olive oil and apple cider vinegar recipe from "Livng on Live Food". I couldn't believe how good it was. My search for a great salad dressing is over! Can't wait to try more recipes (after the detox, of course).

I have met a "raw-buddy" on The Raw Divas. She starts her detox day today too, and I am excited to have her as a buddy. I don’t know of any other person, personally, who is on this raw-lifestyle. To have someone that I can check-in with, share the ups and downs, take strength from and enjoy the ride on a daily basis with is pretty great! She lives in Jackson, MS, and is starting her detox on her Thanksgiving. I wish her the best of luck. I know that she will get through the day, and be proud to tell me all about her successes tomorrow.

It is a snowy, blowy day here in Ontario. Schools have been closed. I began to wonder about me missing "warm food" in the winter to keep me warm. I have heard mention of this on other raw sites, but it is not something that I ever considered. I think that warm, cooked food has become such a part of the normal daily life, that I am unsure how my body will respond to cold foods over the winter. A warm cooked meal has always been the norm for dinner everyday, even in the summer months. I have noticed that in the summer, when it is really, really hot, my body doesn’t want hot food. I love having a salad on these days. Will my body miss the warm food in the winter? Something to ponder on this blustery day...