21 Day Cleanse worth the effort (Part 4.)
Friday, October 23, 2009 at 05:46PM On Tuesday, June 23rd, I completed the Nutritional Cleanse outlined in Kathy Frestons book, The Quantum Wellness Cleanse. For 21 days I consumed no Sugar, Caffeine, Alcohol, Gluten, or Animal Products.
The first week was really rough. Most of the people who joined me in this endeavor didn’t have nearly as strong a reaction but I experienced headaches, debilitating allergy symptoms, and high levels of irritability. However, my feeling like I was detoxing from drugs gave me motivation to continue because I figured my body was even more dependent, on certain foods and chemicals, than I had ever imagined and that bothered me.
In the first column of this series, I listed the reasoning behind such a Cleanse and the possible benefits one could expect to achieve. Now, having finished, and gaining a more complete understanding, I’ve expanded that list.
1. Detoxify – We consume vast quantities of chemicals in our diets – pesticides, insecticides, additives, preservatives, steroids, hormones, not to mention, caffeine, alcohol, and sugar. It’s unrealistic to think we can avoid these things altogether, but why not give our poor bodies a chance to clean out?
2. Re-boot – Our bodies are like complex machines or factories that have to work around the clock, 24/7/365, to sustain us and meet the needs of our demanding lives. In order to make ‘repairs’ we need to periodically shut the system down. Only then can it catch up on the huge backlog of problems that may have developed – things like chronic fatigue, headaches, poor sleep, digestive problems, etc.
3. Education – It’s true that when we stop learning, we stop growing. During The Cleanse, I became aware of how foods affect my moods, energy levels, and performance (both mental and physical). I read more about nutrition and re-searched the effects that certain foods and chemicals have on our bodies and minds. I explored meditation, revamped my exercise routines and gained new perspective into how I run my business. I was able to do all of this because I felt better and had more energy.
4. Better cook – ‘Necessity is the mother of invention’ – right? If you don’t have to learn to cook things other than chicken, pasta, and burgers you probably wont. The Cleanse offers a unique opportunity for you to become a better chef – to prepare foods that are super nutritious, easy to make, and delicious!
5. Lose weight – If your goal is to lose weight, this is a great way to begin making nutritional changes that can aid in long-term control. Many people find they lose 6 to 10 lbs. on this particular Cleanse and are motivated to continue.
6. Save money – Certain healthy foods are expensive, but by temporarily eliminating and later reducing things like meat, chicken, eggs, and milk you’ll save money in the long run. My typical breakfast was oatmeal with a banana and cost me less than thirty cents.
7. Feel better – This, for me, was the biggest and best result of The Cleanse. I slept better, had more, evenly sustained energy throughout the day, had a better attitude and perspective, and just felt better across the board.
8. Look better – I have a dear friend and client named, Patsy, who has repeatedly told me that I look better since completing the Cleanse – more rested, brighter, clearer eyes, less lines in my face, etc. And she’s not the only one…
9. Permanent life style change - When the cleanse is complete you can re-introduce certain, select foods slowly and more consciously or, because you feel so much better, decide to eliminate certain foods or chemicals, like sugar, caffeine or red meat all together.
10. Superior Long-term health – During the Cleanse I had many discussions with other health practitioners, (doctors, nutritionists, trainers, etc.) about chemical build up and toxicity being the chief cause of inflammation in the body. Many deceases are caused by inflammation so by doing a Cleanse like this once a year you could significantly reduce your risk of serious illness.
Over all, I have to say that this was a great experience. Was it challenging? Definitely! But aren’t all things that have a potential to make us better, healthier people, challenging? I felt great, for the last two weeks of the Cleanse, and so did my Partner in Crime, Roger, who reports the same positive effects in addition to losing seven pounds.
For breakfast, on Tuesday morning, I had two eggs, with asparagus, tomato and a bit of cheese on a multi grain bagel. It was delicious and although my body seemed to struggle to digest a heavier meal after so many days of grains and vegetables, I have no doubt that a certain amount of animal protein fits well into my active life style and is perfectly healthy. I do intend on staying off of caffeine and refined sugar, permanently. These substances just set me on a roller coaster ride through out the day and I invariably need more and more just to make it through. What kind of a life is that?
If you’re feeling motivated to try the Cleanse, keep in mind that you don’t have to eliminate all five things at once. Give up one or two on the list for one week and see how you feel. It wont be easy but I think you’ll be happy you took the challenge.
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Cleanse, Nutritional cleanse in Nutrition