The Next Chapter in My Health Journey
It’s That Time again! And My Health Journey continues with the next chapter in my ongoing pursuit of New Year’s Resolutions.
That Time Again: Master Cleanse
About 9 months ago I did my first cleanse. Having heard about cleansing, knowing friends that had done cleanses and after researching the different kinds of cleanses, I had decided to do the Master Cleanse. For ten days, I did a salt water flush every morning and drank a lemonade concoction made from fresh squeezed lemons, grade B maple syrup, filtered water and cayenne pepper. I found it to be a very positive experience. Not only did I feel great, I had tons of energy. I found that I developed a greater appreciation for food and for feeding my body healthier foods. Afterwards, my body was much quicker to respond when I had eaten ‘not-so-healthy’ foods… giving me immediate feedback, like puffy eyes, so I could learn and make better choices.
Eating healthy has been a journey and a slow evolution for me. Most of my adult life, like most people, I believed I was eating ‘healthy.’ I wasn’t eating at fast food restaurants (very often), I ate cereal or a granola bar for breakfast, my lunches were leftovers or a lunch meat sandwich on wheat bread (I was proud to be buying and feeding my kids wheat bread as we were told it was so much better than white), and for dinner, I would throw together a meat (usually chicken), a veggie, and something like rice or potatoes au gratin from a box. Doesn’t sound so bad, right?
Wrong! You and I have been seduced via commercials, marketing and the ensuing social norms. Food manufacturers, just like most businesses, operate on a profit motivation which often takes precedence over the health of our bodies. ‘Real’ foods (the kind our bodies are built to digest) are being replaced by lab creations that are cheap to produce, have longer shelf life, and are laced with ingredients that cause us to crave more. Lab creation ingredients are used in packaged food items only after multiple taste tests have been done to ensure our tongue and senses can be fooled by their taste, texture and attributes.
But we might as well be eating cardboard because these ingredients are completely void of the nutrients our bodies need for a balanced health and energy. Then add to the problem that our bodies don’t break down these lab creations the same way it does ‘real’ food… the preservatives truly ‘preserve’ them from breaking down… in the environment and in our bodies. Much of the ever growing obesity problem is our bodies’ reaction to lab created foods, preservatives and the craving causing chemicals.
As much as I was learning along the way, I wasn’t ready to get serious about putting it into action until early 2011. Over the year, we stopped going to fast food restaurants (as much), I started to buy some organic produce, I bought a vegetarian cookbook just so I could make a few meals a week that were vegetable based instead of meat based “Saving Dinner, The Vegetarian Way”, I started to drink fresh squeezed lemon water most mornings (an Ayurvedic ancient healing tradition), and I joined the Body By Vi 90 Day Challenge, drinking a healthy protein shake/smoothie every morning and bumping up my exercise. My health mission went to the next level in early 2012 after watching “Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead”. I got my first juicer after researching the heck out of them via YouTube Channels like Rawfoods. And by April I was ready to do the Master Cleanse.
After another year of observing, researching, learning and offering mental training and hypnosis to weight loss clients, I am ready to implement still more. One area I gained insight on, is Free Radical Damage/Oxidative Stress and their major contribution to illness and aging. This is what we attempt to fight off by eating Antioxidants. But the level of fighting of Free Radicals by Antioxidants is minimal (1:1 ratio) compared to what science has proven one simple natural supplement can accomplish (1:1,000,000/second ratio) (www.abcliveit.com/site/ABC_Primetime_Report.html). I began taking Protandim.
Onward into 2013
In order to have a somewhat clean slate, I am starting the year with a 10 day Master Cleanse. Then, depending on how things go, I intend to do a 10 day Juicing Reboot based on recommendations from “Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead”.
Cleansing is a great way to give our bodies an opportunity to clear out the toxins, get rid of some of that stubborn fat (that is storing the toxins), and to go to work on cell maintenance and healing. If you have health concerns be sure to consult with your physician before starting a cleanse. I also suggest you have a plan and are prepared to eat healthier after the cleanse. I plan to implement changes based off Dr. Weil’s and Dr. Fuhrman’s experiences.
Welcome to My Health Journey a continuation of New Year’s Health Resolutions…
