Spring is in the air!

There is something about that first warm breeze in the air. This past weekend I had my clothes on the line and began raking the lawn and cleaning the gardens. I remember thinking when I was younger that it was a funny thing to "spring clean", but I think that maybe there is something inherent about it.

Even though the air has a slight chill, I am the first one to open my windows and throw caution to the wind.... something about the long cold winter being gone and new sunny warm days ahead.

I think there is something about wanting to clean and renew both inside and out, both our surroundings and our selves. This year I have opted for the "Master Cleanse". Last year around this time it was the "Global Juice Feast" (or at least a mini version of it).

I am starting today, with lemons in my system and spring in the air and a new bounce to my step, a good cleaning from the inside out is exactly where I need to be right now.

I enjoyed my tea last night, I had my first glass of lemonade today. I was surprised at how good it tasted, and even more surprised at the fact that it was satisfying (hmm, lets see if I still think it is satisfying on day three when I am starving) :o)

The kids have gone to their fathers for the next five days (spring break); therefore, by the time they get home (hopefully) I will have the first five days under my belt.... I think that by the time they get home, my kitchen cupboards may be detoxed too, they might not like that too much :o)

Happy Spring Cleaning!

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...

Day Five: The light at the end of the tunnel!

Detoxing is a funny thing. Even though I felt like crap yesterday, I still felt good at the same time. I can see the benefits of the detox, together with the symptoms. It is a really hard thing to explain. I actually had a craving for an apple yesterday! Don’t think that I have ever had a craving for an apple in my entire life. The thought of that late day chocolate bar or bag of chips seems to be a thing of the past. I even passed up the home-made chocolate chip cookies and muffins the girls made this weekend in exchange for a piece of fruit. I didn’t sleep too well last night, so I am still tired, but I don’t have the tell-tale bags under my eyes that I normally get with a tossing and turning. I have lost 3 pounds already!

Kristen had a friend over for dinner last night. As I was laying in bed, after serving them dinner, I heard Kristen say to her, "my mom gets all her veggies from the farmers market!" That put a smile on my face. Turns out that her friend loved the salad that we had for dinner last night so much, she asked if she could take some for her lunch at school today. Maybe I will change the world for 5 +1. But joking aside, it is nice to see the positive effects filter down through my children.

Will I get enough protein on a raw diet? Did some research online on this today, and it seems that there is more edible protein in 1 gram of pumpkin seeds than there is in 1 gram of a sirloin steak; 1 gram of almonds has more protein than the same amount of pork chop. Also, another article I read, stated that even if you are a meat eater, you should choose plant-based protein as half of your protein intake per day. This is because the protein in plant-based foods are low in fat, contain no cholesterol and supply dietary fiber. So, together with the fruits and veggies, it is important to increase the nuts, seeds, beans, peas and sprouts to make sure that I get enough protein in my diet daily. This shouldn’t be too much of problem, all these make really good additions to a salad! Also, can’t wait to try the raw ice-cream recipe from Raw Food Right Now, who would have thought you can get your protein from ice-cream?

It is a really good feeling to be on day five. I feel as though I have past the hurdle, and I have made it "over the hump". The thought of "cheating" at this point is a negative thought. I have come too far to go backwards now, and that is a good feeling. I must admit, in the beginning it was "oh, what will a few chips hurt... better a bit raw than not at all". Those "cheating" feelings are completely gone.

I am enjoying the daily support emails that I am receiving from The Raw Divas. They are great, and it is really important to have the support along the way. I also enjoy their "Health in High Heels" newsletter that is published every thursday.

Today I received my "Living on Live Food" book and dvd that I ordered from Alissa Cohen (boy that was fast). Can't wait to sit down tonight, with a big glass of lemon-water and start reading! Life is good!

Day Four: Definitely Detoxing!

Yesterday was a good day. I soaked in the tub, checked out my local natural food store, not a bad day at all. My headache went away by mid-afternoon, and I had a nice relaxing night with the kids.

Today was another story, actually woke up with an awful sinus headache. Nothing seemed to take it away. Most of the day I didn’t have much of an appetite. I had a fruit-salad smoothie for lunch (nick-named yesterday, from the left-over breakfasts). The girls love the smoothies too, so made four this morning. By the time dinner came, my detox symptoms were so bad; the thought of food did nothing for me. I made dinner for the kids and then went to bed for a few hours.

I really didn’t expect my detox symptoms to be so bad, and I really hope they don’t stay around too long. I’m not a coffee drinker and I don’t use salt on my food. I have to admit, though, that I am a big chocolate/sugar addict.

It is important to understand the detox process during this flu-like feeling; otherwise, you may be tempted by that pasta dinner. My body is “cleaning house”, the higher-quality food that I am introducing into my body is being stored, while the lower-quality tissue and toxins are being discarded. As they are being discarded, they are making their way through my blood stream before being released. This is what causes the detox-symptoms. Although I feel bad, it is a good thing; and although the pasta dinner would lessen the detox, it would only delay the inevitable, or halt the process.

On a good note, Chris came home from Winnipeg today. That made my day wonderful, despite the headache. I picked him up at the airport, and we had a really nice afternoon together before he had to leave to go home. He makes me happy, the thought of him makes me smile and I am glad he is in my life.

Ironically, the kids are watching “Super Size Me” on television. Think it is going to be an early night for me.

Day Three: Detox?!?

They say that day number three is the hardest hurdle to get over with any major change to the system. It is a major hurdle because your system is in the stages of "detoxing", removing the bad stuff, or toxic substances from your system. Your body will eliminate meat, food additives, coffee, tea, salt, pepper, and dare I say chocolate from your system, as well as a lot of other things! Detoxing symptoms can range from a variety of things from very minor, to very major. Detoxing is a good thing. If these "toxins" are left in the body, they will eventually surface in one form or another, so it is a positive thing to eliminate them now, even though it might not be a pleasant thing.

It is important to 'baby' yourself on day three (at least that is my theory, and I'm sticking to it!). It works out well that today is saturday, I can relax, have a bath, or even an afternoon nap if I feel like it.

Today is great so far! Beginning to feel some of the benefits already. I have more energy, and my pants feel more comfortable. It is nice not to have the "I'm so full" feeling after every meal. Instead, it is a nice satisfied feeling.

When I make a salad for dinner, I tend to make a very LARGE one. My biggest downfall is afterwork, I am STARVING! So, when I get home, and am making dinner, I tend to munch! I have found over the last few days, if I have a nice big salad to come home to, already prepared, it makes the munching, and making dinner a lot easier.

Also, this morning, I hit the ground running (so to speak, no, not exercising!) I ran straight into the kitchen and whipped up some old favorites because I know that today, being around the house, will be a challenge. I made a nice big batch of my favorite guacamole to help get me through the day. I also washed and prepared all my veggies and fruit that I got from the farmers market this week. Speaking of the farmers market, I was told that you cannot put apples and pears together. That is a funny thing! Supposedly the apples go bad if they are together with the pears. Never heard of that before. Too bad my grandma wasn't around, she surely would have known that. So, I have to make a separate fruit bowl for the pears, which isn't so bad, I currently have a separate bowl for the grapes too! Boy isn't my kitchen gonna look cute with all this fresh fruit hanging around!

For breakfast, I tossed the left-over fruit salad from yesterday (strawberries, grapes, raspberries and pineapple) into a blender, added a banana and some water and ice, and voila, I had a really yummy fast, easy, no-waste breakfast. I have to say, I am impressed with how full I feel right now. It is a cold, snowy day in Ontario, and I am enjoying a nice smoothie! Life is good.

So back to the kitchen for me, and a nice easy, simple day around the house.

And I forgot to mention.... I am really proud of me! That is a really good feeling!