Getting Ready for A Cleanse

Top of Mt. Mansfield, 10/8/11

But first, here we are, on top of Mt. Mansfield last weekend.  What a great day, what a great hike.  Roundtrip it is a 6.6 mile hike.  The boys had no trouble at all.  It's not that I had trouble, but I was pretty sore the next day, and they all got a good laugh at me as I took the stairs one at a time and diagonally!  We went with friends who have two boys the same ages as ours, and all the boys really showed off their agility and stamina.  I showed off my ability to laugh at myself.

So, it's been a long time since I've spent any time on this blog.  I feel ready to have a go at it once again, as I have some exciting and scary stuff (scary good) going on.

Tomorrow is day one of my 21 day CLEAN!  If you have ever thought about getting all of the toxins and other "stuff" out of your body, you may want to try it.  I bought the book, CLEAN by Dr. Alejandro Junger, about a week or so ago, after a friend recommended it.  This past week, I have been reading and getting ready to dive into the entire "detox diet" by eliminating some of my favorite comfort foods, get ready: coffee, wine, ice cream......be gone.

I've been without coffee, wine and ice cream for 9 days.  Yes, it is true, I have taken a big old break from my beloved coffee, which has been painful.  Not in an emotional way, but in a very physical one.  I had a terrible headache for three days, and I was a bit of a grump.  It felt a bit counterproductive to be popping Tylenol and Aleve to get rid of the headache which I had because I gave up coffee to do a detox diet.  But, after three days, the headache really went away.  Hot water and lemon now start my day.  And sometimes my afternoon needs a bit of hot comfort as well.

I do admit to having about 1/2 a glass of red wine after the hike last Sunday, and a bit of Americone Dream as well, but other than that, it has been a good week of cleaning up the diet.

And I feel really good.  I can't see huge changes, but I do notice the morning puffiness around my eyes is almost gone.  I didn't expect that.  And I think that the knowledge that I am in control of what I am putting in my mouth has been powerful.  I was stunned and appalled at how unwell I felt without coffee.  I am not one to be controlled by anyone, so coffee be gone!

So today I went to the health food store and loaded up on all my ingredients for the next 4 days, getting ready for my two smoothies and one lunchtime meal.  I had to ask for help at the service desk as I had never bought spirulina, cardamon, or probiotics before.  I actually didn't end up buying the probiotics, I plan to order them from the CLEAN website, as I will know I am getting what I need that way.

I plan on blogging through the entire process to help keep my in check, and to be able to look back and see how it all went.  My day one is going to be a busy one, as we are planning another big hike, although the weather isn't going to be quite a lovely as last week.  That is what fall in Vermont is all about, the ups and downs of temperature, the coming of winter.  It excites us!  I thought I saw a snowflake today.  

There are some more exciting things going on, and I will share them over the next few days or weeks, as I feel inspired.  I did make an interesting new smoothie today, which will be my breakfast tomorrow.  It is the Berry Smoothie with Coconut Milk and Cinnamon.  Thick, and filling. 

See you for day one tomorrow.