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.