Sunday, January 27, 2013

28 day detox report: #5

For the past 3 days I've been doing the true purifying diet: liver flush in the morning, fasting on liquids until lunch, then fruit and veg during the afternoon/evening. Since I had evening shifts each day it went something like this: a fruit salad during report at the start of the shift; leftovers from lunch and a fruit smoothie during my dinner break; carrot sticks, sweet pepper slices, sweet cherry tomatoes and black grapes on the way home; and soaked dried fruits (prunes, apricots and figs) before going to bed around midnight.  

One thing I have discovered through fasting and restricting my diet, is an enhanced enjoyment of food. I love fruit and vegetables, and I look forward to cheese, yogurt, milk in my tea, and coffee before the night shifts next week. I'm also looking forward to fish, meat and chocolate in the more distant future.

The end is in sight. Only one more week to go. During this week I return to a vegetarian diet that includes dairy and eggs. I will continue the exercise regime and skin care regime of the past 3 weeks. My focus for the week will be an evaluation of the whole detox. What aspects of diet and  skin care do I want to carry over into my regular life? What about the decluttering, the organizing of my goals and inner life? What about exercise? 


Thursday, January 24, 2013

28 day detox report: #4

This week I am doing the purifying diet of Dr Stone, known for Polarity Therapy. You start the day with Liver Flush juice, followed by peppermint tea. Then only liquids until lunch, after which you can eat anything except: caffeine, alkohol, sugar, fried foods, meat, fish, eggs, dairy and starches. "What does that leave?" a colleague at work wondered when I was telling him about the diet. Amazingly it leaves quite a lot: baked sweet potatoes, grilled vegetables with olive oil, soy sauce and toasted sesame seeds. Root salad of grated raw red beet, carrot and apple, with lemon juice, raisins, walnuts, pomogranite seeds and lemon balm leaf. Fruit salad. Vegetable snacks. Soaked dried fruit snacks. Fresh fruit snacks.  Green smoothies, fruit smoothie with coconut milk... Sounds yummy doesn't it? doesn't it? - it is!

I also added 2 days of liquids only fasting: Monday and Thursday. Not clear liquids though, I allowed myself a green smoothie and a fruit smoothie each, in addition to the herb teas and veggie + apple juice. Surprisingly I have not been particularly hungry on these fasting days. I have a bit of a headache, and feel a little lethargic. Not really up for a lot of strenuous activity. However on both days I walked the dog, did yoga, did some house cleaning, went shopping and today I also went swimming. In today's hot tub on the roof experience I come out onto the roof, into minus 7 degrees C, feeling the ice cold air on my wet skin. Then deliberatly step into the bubbling hot tub, and stretch out in the water, under a clear blue sky, finding the position that will let the sun shine onto my face. Bliss!

Tuesday and Wednesday I worked during the day, so skipped the liver flush, and just had hot water with a lemon squeezed into it. And obviously had breakfast (fruit salad). This weekend, when I'm working the evening shift I will try to follow the purifying diet properly. Also missed both yoga and meditation the past 2 days. They were on my plan for the day, but as usual, once I've had dinner I sort of peter out. I don't know if it's because of getting up at 5 or that I am more of a morning person than an evening person, but it happens to me every time I have a day shift. Once I'm home and dinner is cooked and eaten I just deflate and am worthless for the rest of the day. 



Sunday, January 20, 2013

28 day detox report #3


For those of you who are bored out of their minds by these detox posts, hang in there, in two weeks it'll be over. I've arrived at the end of week two. Half way through the detox program, the most intense week is the one to come. 

This week went pretty well, though after a week on a vegan diet, I am wondering how my vegan daughter has held out for nigh on 2 years! I crave cheese, butter, milk in my tea. Husband is also tired of the vegetarian and vegan fare and threatened a revolt if he didn't get any meat. So this weekend we're having pasta with veggie sauce and grated root salad and while I'm making him fried chicken and steak on the side. 

I had a diet blip this week as well. On Wednesday, while I was on my way to swimming, I got a call from work asking me to come in for the night shift instead of Thursday’s day shift. So I had a coffee before work, thus imbibing 3 forbidden substances in one fell swoop: caffeine, dairy and sugar. However I rationalized it as being for therapeutic purposes, and really, I discovered last summer that I need caffeine to function on the night shift. I had a great night though. Was wide awake for the entire 10 hours. It makes me wonder if I shouldn't restrict my caffeine intake a bit more when this detox is over. For example limiting it to just before work. 

Liver Flush. I introduced it this week, and it is nasty stuff! There are various versions of the  recipe. For the one I am using you squeeze a lemon. Add 3 Tbsp of olive oil, 3 crushed cloves of garlic, and a crushed piece of ginger (about the size of a large garlic clove), blend and drink. You can also squeeze the juice of 1-2 oranges in addition. It makes it marginally more palatable, but there is a lot more of it to get down. I still haven't decided if I prefer it with or without an orange. The first time I took liver flush juice I felt nausous after breakfast so I decided to do some research on it. Turns out you're supposed to follow it with peppermint tea and not eat for at least an hour after. Once I followed those principles, I was fine. 

Exercise: I have been to indoor cycling twice, and to swimming once. Did 12 laps this time - making progress. Once again I had the rooftop hot tub to myself, this time feeling the snow flakes falling onto my face as I luxuriated in the bubbles. New for this week is that I am exploring yoga, starting today with the help of a dvd I got from my youngest daughter. It seems to be made up of several short sessions, and I look forward to working my way through it. 

Not doing as well as I would like as far as getting my life organized. I have managed to meditate every day. Studying greek and dog training has fallen by the wayside. My desk is a mess - again. I haven't gone through any closets. However I have cleaned the bathroom and kitchen more thouroughly than usual, and today we hung pictures. About time too. We've been living here for more than a year, and hadn't hung any pictures until now!. The thing is though, as I limit my diet more and more, I'm finding it harder to be equally strict with how I spend my time. Something has to give! And so I have ended up watching Lord of the Rings, and listening to Game of Thrones, book 5 - which probably explains my lack of studying. 

This coming week will be the most stringent. I plan to follow the purifying diet ( http://www.body-expressions.com/newsletters/newsletter/2565078/24912.htm ) instead of a raw foods diet during this week. Somehow raw foods didn't seem quite compatible with the bitter cold of January. The purifying diet allows baked, grilled and steamed food. Only now starches, such as grains, pulses, corn or potatoes. Two days I plan to do a liquids only fast, within the restrictions of the purifying diet. I have a spa treatment planned on Monday, and swimming on Thursday, and on the weekend I want to continue with yoga. 

Sunday, January 13, 2013

28 day detox report #2

Detoxing while working actually went okay. I pretty much do all the juices in the morning (I had evening shifts), then drink the 2 liters of water during the comute to and from and during the work day. Giving up sugar (candy, cake etc) hasn't been difficult, even though it is available at work as a compliment to how hard we are working.  What I really find myself craving is caffeine. I just feel so tired and slow - a "pick me up" before work would do wonders, but I remain strong. 
A bit of a challenge was when we went out to eat on Saturday. The restaurant had little in the way of vegetarian options. Unfortunatly I had already ordered miso soup (which was delicious) and fried noodles with vegetables, this last was made with a fish sauce, before I realized that I could have done vegetarian sushi for the main dish. It was such a cold day, that I didn't think of the sushi alternative before it was too late, though the hot miso soup would have been fine with it. During the movie, though I was fine eating almonds and dried fruit while husband had chocolate covered popcorn. It is interesting to observe my own feelings during this cleanse. 

Exercising became a bit difficult on workdays. I started out okay with a 30 minute Pilates gymball session in the morning before my first shift, but when by the second and third morning after getting up an hour and a half later and still not getting enough sleep (I don't get to bed until 00:30 after evening shifts), I just totally forgot about exercising. The prescribed hourly stretch during the workday is also proving difficult. There is just no way to fit it in during our hectic work days. I was able to manage about twice each day, and I do notice when I stretch, how tense I really am. However over the weekend I was back to the gym, once for cycling and once for a pilates class. 

Friday I tried a salt rub before my shower. What it is, is you rub salt into your skin, ideally before a bath, though as I mentioned before, we have no bathtub. I thought it would dry out the skin, but I found the skin to be exeptionally soft and smooth after that shower. 

Denying myself favorite foods is one thing. Denying myself novels, audio books etc is another and more difficult exercise. By Sunday I was so tired of being organized and structured that I allowed myself a day of indulgence. I watched "the Two Towers" instead of the housework I had planned. Well, maybe one needs to just relax sometimes too. 

Next week I intensify the detox by giving up eggs and dairy, and adding the liver flush. 

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

28 Day Detox report #1

I started the 28 day detox program as planned on Monday.
 Why detox in January, one might ask. 

  1. I hope for a slimming effect
  2. It seems a good time of year to "reformat" various aspects of life, to take a step away, reflect, try out some things with an eye to developing them into habits if I like them. 
This program is very comprehensive as it targets both body and mind. 

So I started on monday by giving up caffeine, chocolate, black and green tea, sugar, refined grains, meat and fish. 
A lemon squeezed into a mug of hot water with honey replaces my morning coffee. 
Ginger tea replaces my evening cocao. Herb teas replace black and green tea during the day. Otherwise I eat pretty much as before, though vegetarian obviously - we never eat much meat anyway, so it's no hardship. I continue to make a green smoothie every morning and have added a glass of vegetable juice each afternoon. Helios makes a delicious organic vegetable juice containing primarily redbeet, carrot and sellery, but flavored with acerola and lemon juice. It is quite lovely!

The only part of the bathing regime that I can follow is skin brushing morning and evening. I bought myself a brush for this purpose. It's supposed to stimulate the lymph system, and is actually quite nice, making the skin feel all warm, tingly and alive. I've also started doing an aromatherapy steam before bedtime.  Since I don't have a bathtub, and thus can't do all the various baths I have decided to go to the pool once a week for swimming, hot tub and sauna. I went yesterday. First I bought myself a new swimsuit, and a clipp card. I am a weak swimmer and have never tried to swim for exercise. This time I headed straight to the lap pool, and did 8 laps, 2 in breast stroke, 2 crawl, 2 side stroke and 2 back stroke. I had to rest at the end of each lap to catch my breath. Honestly, I had no idea that swimming was so strenuous. Afterward the muscles ached in my arms, legs and back! 
After swimming I lay in the hot tub on the roof. It was wonderful to lie there, being gently massaged by the bubbles, while watching birds fly by overhead. I ended my pool visit with 10 minutes - all I can stand - in the sauna, before showering and rubbing massage oil into my skin. The Weleda calendula massage oil has such a fresh sitrusy smell!

So I've mentioned swimming as part of the exercise regime. I start the day with the sun salutation, a yoga exercise. Besides swimming once a week, I've been doing pilates, and on the weekend I'll probably go to the gym for cycling. Regular exercise is part of the program, and I haven't exercised since November. 

Then there is the mind detox part. I am trying to organize my day, with the help of Google Calendar. Making time for daily meditation. Starting to practice mindfullness. I wasn't aware that I was multitasking so much. I listen to audio books or the radio while driving, doing housework or walking the dog. I read while eating. Always I seem to have half my mind on other things than what I am actually about. So during this program I have put away my novels and audio books and will try to practice mindfullness, at least in some situations.

For the next few days I am working and so will have to adjust the detox program to my work schedule. Hope it works out. 


Thursday, January 3, 2013

Flying start


The new year is beginning to reveal itself. I had such a great first day. Started on all of my resolutions: did some pilates, learned som Greek, listened to a dog training video, did my meditations, made New Years Dinner etc. Then, yesterday I had my first day at work. A day shift. 2 travellers and 2 new nurses had their first day – Welcome to the Madhouse! We were shorthanded, only 8 or 9 nurses on the floor, as 3 were out sick and a fourth went home early, also sick. So instead of the usual teams, four of us were teamed up with the new arrivals pluss I had my student. One of the aides came in even though she was sick to order supplies, and then go home and back to bed. She was still there by end of shift. Our supplies were in a state of chaos after the Christmas Holiday and we had run out of everything. There were 20 patients in the ER when the shift began at 7:30. By 9 am there were 30, by 1 pm 50, at 2 pm there were 60 patients.

How can one day exhaust me so much! I was a wreck when I came home. Unable to enjoy our visit with our neighbor and Husbands closest coworker to whom we were invited for supper. And now, I wonder if I will be able to enjoy my day off. When I awoke this morning, I just wanted to turn over and go back to sleep.

I did drag myself out of bed at 6:45. When I went out with Lucy to get the paper at 8 am, I found that it had snowed in the night. A soft white layer to soften and brighten the night. Our house looked so cozy as I wandered back up the driveway, with the christmas tree and star still glowing in the windows, smoke rising from the chimney. Perhaps I will be able to take hold of the day after all. 

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

...the New Year it is Enteréd!

(the title refers to the same song as in the last post).

It was too foggy last night to see the fireworks, though we could hear the bangs and pops all around as 2013 was greeted. Lucy crawled under the bed. When all was quiet I reached under, grabbed her by the scruff and pulled her back out, upon which she curled up in her dog bed and slept the rest of the night. Silly dog!
This first day of the New Year the clouds have gone, the sky is clear and bright!

New Years Resolutions, that is what this post is supposed to be about. 
My primary resolution is to be a better correspondent - by phone, skype and email. Since the internet keeping in touch with loved ones has become so much cheaper and simpler and yet I become more and more lazy. Back in the day I used to correspond regularly with about 30 different friends and family members, writing a letter every day. Since starting to work outside the home, my correspondance has shriveled up. THAT HAS GOT TO CHANGE!

My agility goal for 2013 is to run at least one fault-free course. Other goals for Lucy are to be able to recall her from anything so that she can run loose around the farm, and to take her on her first plane trip. 

My health goal is in January to do a 28 day detox. The program I will be following is comprehensive in that it is aimed at detoxing not only the body but also the mind. The body detox targets not only on the liver and kidneys through diet, but the lungs, lymph and skin as well through breathing exercises, skin brushing, baths, massage, and body wraps that promote sweating. This detox plan also focuses on the mind, through reflection, meditation, mindfullness, and decluttering of ones living and work space. Exercise is also a vital part of the plan, in the form of yoga, pilates, aerobic exercise etc. Exercise not only promotes the body's detox by getting the blood moving, it also promotes the detox of the mind. 

Since we are buying a house in Crete another resolution for 2013 is to learn Greek. 

So it looks like I have got my work cut out for me: correspondance, dog training, detox and Greek.