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Okay, so I've been thinking about doing a cleanse. I know... eeewww...
There's a whole lot of talk about decluttering on the blogosphere right now. Daily Goddess has a whole list of stuff to clear the "funk" in life. And then Ophelia Rising is talking about going vegetarian... or possibly fish-etarian. There's a lot to be said about your insides affecting your life. And it's a whole lot more than to just lose a couple of pounds.
The thing is, when you need to clear your mind, decluttering your body is just like cleaning up your desk or clearing out a messy closet. Well, metaphorically, anyway. Our bodies can hold on to a lot of junk that can affect our internal balance. And I am pretty sure if you have two pounds of steak trapped in your belly, you're mind is probably a bit foggy and you're not going to be thinking straight.
I used to have a monthly regimen. I used the 48-Hour cleanse, also known as the Hollywood Diet. I was sold on it when I heard that it was delivered every week to several stars of Friends. (What can I say... I was a lemming when it came to Friends.) It's not a good long-term weight loss solution (which is how it's marketed), but it's great for ridding the body of toxins.
But now there's something serious...
Dooce is talking about that new Oprah cleanse inspired by the book, Quantum Wellness. It's all popular and looks down at all the other cleansing routines and sneers, "My intestines are sooo much cuter than yours." The problem is, you have to pretty much give up everything! You can not have:
* Animal Products
* Gluten
* Sugar
* Caffeine
* Alcohol
You CAN, however, have potatoes and onions, which is the only reason I looked at it again before Re-Re-Thinking it.
Okay, I could walk away from meat for a little while. Even my Ribeyes with Morton's Montreal Seasoning. Mmmm… But it says “animal products.” Does that mean eggs, too? I just love hard boiled eggs as a snack. I think I might be able to abstain from gluten if I shop at Trader Joe's. They have a list of gluten-free items and their corresponding aisle numbers... no problem. Alcohol… that just gets me into trouble anyway. But then we get to sugar and caffeine.
Oh Boy...
I have to admit… every night, I have some sweetness as I watch Law & Order or read my latest book. And every morning, I stumble down to the kitchen for two pods of dark roast with a splash of Vanilla Creamer. Makes Mama a better woman! So essentially, I'm saying that I don't think I want to give up those two nice-nice treats. But 48-Hours of detox and whole fresh eating? That I can do.
I really should take a look at this 21 Day challenge thing. It would be good for my whole wellness. However, it would take some planning. I couldn't start before the Fourth of July because Shoog's got the winning Deviled Eggs this year. (Watch out Sistah Steph!) And then I'll be at BlogHer in San Francisco on the 18th and 19th. You don't NOT eat in The City. It's Mangia, Baby! Mangia! So that takes me to the beginning of August, which is when I'll be attending my Twenty Year High School Reunion. I suppose a Vodka Martini would fall under the potatoes and onions, but it's alcohol, so that's out. Hmmm...
This cleanse isn't looking like it's going to get inked in anywhere, does it?
Darn.
...
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Give Up Caffeine AND Sugar?
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12 comments:
Have given up caffeine twice now - neither time was a good time. I weened slowly - mixing decaf into my regular each morning, and upping the mix every few days. It was still horrible. So horrible, in fact, that I'm going to try to stay off of it this time. Oh, the headaches. But if you're only off of it for 2 days, all you get is the headaches.
As for sugar? I can go with the giving up of processed sugar. Just give me a piece of fresh fruit here and there to curb the sweet craving.
I don't drink caffeine but I don't think I could function without any sugar.
Yeah, I know ppl who cleanse. Much respect to them. But I ain't gonna do it. No booze? No SUGAR????? Heeeeeelllll no. Again, much respect to those who do but... I dunno. I'm a mom. I'm tired. I drink water during the day if I'm lucky and eat maybe a bowl of cereal or a sandwich on the go... When they get to bed, I spoil me. Chocolate after dinner (we're having burgers tonight... what? Not so cleanse-worthy, huh...) and a glass of wine or five. No, just two... really. Anyway, in theory, I think its a FANTASTIC idea but totally sucks in practice.
BTW, where I went to college, there was a cookie place that DELIVERED hot piping cookies at all hours and it was called "Sugar Jones". And certain college folks used to jones for sugar jones when they weren't exactly - ahem - cleansed so to speak! Good times and great cookies.
Love yer blog. :)
Interesting post, especially from a woman named Sugar. :-) My "vice" of choice is Mountain Dew, which as we all know is LOADED UP with sugar and caffeine. I quit it twice (with each pregnancy), and resumed it twice. I'm a Dew junkie and I admit it.
I like the "idea" of doing a cleanse..... just like I like the "idea" of going into my gym, as I zoom right past in my car.
:-)
LOL.
The fact is, I like to eat good food, drink good wine and ENJOY food and drink. So, at least at this point in my life, I'm not a candidate for a cleanse.
But I GREATLY ADMIRE those who have the willpower to do it and I'm sure their intestines are WAY cuter than mine. :-)
because i am diabetic and have high cholesterol i have taken the big (to me) step of going Vegan. NO ANIMAL PRODUCTS. I have 2 cheats: I like to nibble parmesiano reggiano cheese and I eat Morningstar Grillers and Sausages because the Vegan alternative was too disgusting. I'm giving myself permission to have a big old ribeye steak, but I haven't wanted it yet. I'm doing better and that makes me happy.
The book I took this from was "How to Reverse Diabetes" or something like that and he recommends going cold turkey (ha-ha). I have with the exceptions above and it's helped me feel lighter and reduced my blood sugar. Won't know about cholesterol for a couple of months.
Good luck to you. You might check into ayurvedic medicine just for another POV on how to eat "clean".
I am doing an apple cleanse right now! All you can eat are peeled apples for three days....as many as you want. They cleanse the skin. You end it with two tablespoons of olive oil and 8 ounces pure grape juice. I can't remember now why, I do it occasionally when I am feeling blah...which I have been with my body lately.
I know, I sound crazy, but I go on cleanses all the time, usually only 24 hours though, it's hard to make it longer.
I never drank coffee because of my religious background, my sister however, makes a beautiful morning cup, smelling so good and waking us both up. She's made me some good cups and I have liked them, but then I see her going through the desire to cleanse and give it up and fight the headaches and I think....hmmm, I have enough food addictions and things I love, should I add coffee to the mix? I haven't dared to yet.
But Sugar....don't get me started on sugar!
Oh, the cleanse. I think they're so hard. I can't even do a day or two. I don't eat meat, but I do everything else. I would love to do that cleanse though - and how perfect would it be to do before your reunion? But inking it in? A WHOLE 'nother deal....
Kia ora Sugar,
I do believe in the healthy approach, and try to be very aware of what I put in my body, and to be aware of the need for physical fitness. How else can I venture into the mountains?
Yet to be sure, I love a good cup of coffee, or over here in the southern hemisphere, even a cup of milky sugary tea. I love a fine wee dram of nice whiskey as well. The best cleansing I know is to just walk in nature until you not only enjoy but sweat and let those endomorphins kick in and release all the gathered toxins. Tika waiamrie! Good luck - translation.
Rangimarie,
Robb
I didn't have any coffee yesterday. What a disaster! I could barely open my eyes all day! I have too much to do in life to live without a little extra oomph!
Thanks to everyone for your comments and good luck to those of you on your new eating lifestyles. In reading over the "menu" for this Quantum Wellness, it really just sounds like a macrobiotic lifestyle, which I had done up in Northern California (of course) while still enjoying an occassional steak and glass of wine. And getting out into the mountains to work up a sweat as Robb suggests. I think that is the much better route for me.
Plus, I'm making an effort to cut back on the sugar in the evenings. No need to run an extra mile just for a cookie!
THAT's how I got the nickname, by the way... I'm a bit of a sugar-freak. The fact that I married into the Jones name as in "jonesin'" is just a little cosmic humor I suppose. ;)
I love Oprah as much as the next person, but I feel like she's been attaching herself to a lot of, well, I'll say it, idiotic things lately...like The Secret...I mean, come on! Really? If my kid got a new Dora related toy every time she thought really hard about it, I'd have a house filled up w/ Dora Sanford & Son style.
Anyway, I don't really believe in the whole cleansing thing. My pre-baby life was all about drinking, smoking, and eating lots of crap covered in salt and sauces. When I was pregnant, I ate healthier than ever, took vitamins, did yoga. I drank so much water and vegetable juice and ate more fruit than you could imagine. Certainly a cleansing for my body and I didn't feel any different than I did before the healthy living.
They say it takes 3 years of not smoking to clear out your lungs. Well, if you go back to smoking after those 3 years, did it really matter that you cleared your lungs out for three? I can't imagine a month of "cleansing" is going to make a difference in the big scheme of things.
Just live and be happy.
Naomi, you make me laugh. While I do feel better after a cleanse, most of the time I just have my big Italian grandfather's words running through my head..
"Eating healthy doesn't make you live longer, it just seems like it."
Oh yeah, I was considering that for a while, and like you, I couldn't find a place for it on my calendar. Hmmm... wonder why? Just wait it out, you'll get over it!
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