I recently completed a thirty day cleanse and people are curious, here are the most FAQs:
How I feel? I feel fine.
Do I feel different? No, why do I look different?
Do I feel more energetic? No, any more energetic, people will think I'm on drugs.
Did I lose weight? A few pounds, my skinny jeans feel comfortable.
Would I do it again? Yes, anyone care to join me?
What did I miss most? I don't know that I missed any one thing, maybe wine and cheese with our friends, more the social aspect... but I was too busy trying new things to think about it.
What did I get out of it? I liked the pause from everything I've become accustomed to (read "became lazy"). I liked discovering or rediscovering the multitude of foodstuff; almond & soy milk, herbal tea, nuts, the dizzying array of beans & grains and fruits & veggies in their various forms.
I discovered that I am NOT the vegan or vegetarian diet type. I like the idea of moderation on most things and maximization of grains, fruit & veggies. All this talk about food is making me hungry... here's what sustained me for my 30 day "pause", as I eliminated and reintroduced, wheat, dairy, meat, caffeine & alcohol.
Beverages
During the first fourteen days of the cleanse, I used internal cleansing pills, there were 5 in the morning and 5 in the evening... so I drank a lot of water.
I also enjoyed smoothies, it's quick and easy and almost a meal... add any frozen fruit or combinations of fruit, a banana, and a splash of juice, give it a whirl in your blender, and you have a meal in a glass.
I also drank a lot of tea... herbal teas, chamomile, orange and ginger, mint, and...
Beverages
During the first fourteen days of the cleanse, I used internal cleansing pills, there were 5 in the morning and 5 in the evening... so I drank a lot of water.
I also enjoyed smoothies, it's quick and easy and almost a meal... add any frozen fruit or combinations of fruit, a banana, and a splash of juice, give it a whirl in your blender, and you have a meal in a glass.
I also drank a lot of tea... herbal teas, chamomile, orange and ginger, mint, and...
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| Jasmine tea at Typhoon |
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| Vanilla rooibos tea with steamed soy at St Honore |
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| I like this one in the afternoon |
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| This is a great morning tea |
January in the Northwest calls for hot cereal and I could have eaten it daily, either oatmeal or combination of grains and topped with fruits (fresh or dried) & nuts, a touch of maple syrup, and some almond milk. When I wasn't eating hot cereal, it was fruit with granola or cold cereals like raisin bran or oat "o"s, changing it up makes it fun...
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| A typical breakfast, Bob's Red Mill quick cooking oats or whole grain high fiber hot cereal with flaxseed or McCann's Irish steel cut oats |
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| At Bill's restaurant in CA, a favorite breakfast spot, my usual eggs benedict was replaced by satisfying fruit and nut loaded bowl of oatmeal |
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| Keeping cut up fruit at the ready for snacking made it easier to reach for it. |
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| Whole wheat buttermilk waffles with fruit |
Snacks
I've never been a snacker, unless you consider a late afternoon Starbucks nonfat, no foam, one raw sugar latte a snack, so eliminating coffee for 30 days made me reconsider the national past time, snacking. I found some great "bars" and Trader Joe's fruit leather with fiber to be a healthy replacement for a pick me up.
I've never been a snacker, unless you consider a late afternoon Starbucks nonfat, no foam, one raw sugar latte a snack, so eliminating coffee for 30 days made me reconsider the national past time, snacking. I found some great "bars" and Trader Joe's fruit leather with fiber to be a healthy replacement for a pick me up.
I also started experimenting with my cookie recipes by replacing white flour with whole wheat and oat flour (just put the oats in the food processor until it's "milled" down to a flour consistency) and adding dried fruit and nuts (this keeps kids and husbands away from YOUR snack, but that was not my motivation, I swear).
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| A chocolate chip cookie with whole wheat flour, oats, apple sauce, walnuts, dried cranberries, blueberries and white & red raisins |
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| Cookie bars: bottom layer whole wheat and oat cookie dough, a layer of melted chocolate, topped with granola, nuts and dried fruit |
I really love soups and it's my "go to" staple for lunch or dinner especially when the weather lingers around 32 degrees, which didn't change during my cleanse, only what was in the soup.
I enjoyed rice bowls, consisting of different rice and layers of stir fried cabbages, mushrooms, mung beans, shredded carrots, and peppers all tossed with sesame oil and chili paste and/or sirracha sauce, a make shift "bi-bim-bap" with a hot bowl of miso soup topped with scallions and tofu.
Chipotle Grill... their veggie bowls are fabulous, a layer of beans, rice, corn salsa, picco de gallo, hot sauce, guac, lettuce... what more can anyone ask for...
But variety is the spice of life...
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| Sweet and Simple - PB and Honey Sandwich on Dave's Killer Bread (15 varieties) |
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| Trader Joe's hummus quartet with my chipotle sauce & veggies |
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| Black bean corn salsa taco |
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| White bean veggie soup |
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| Zucchini ribbons atop crimini mushroom & marinara sauce |
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| Veggie nori maki at Sushi Train |
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| Veggie Curry Soup at Higgins |
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| Quinoa with dried fruit and nuts with fruit juice vinaigrette atop mangoes and arugula |
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| Roasted butternut squash soup with curry spices |
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| Lentil and kale soup |
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| A whole lotta beans (17 bean) and barley chili |
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| Coucous with pine nuts, pan seared portabella mushroom with balsamic glaze, roasted brussel sprouts with caramelized onions |
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| Veggie omelet at St. Honore |
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| Brown jasmine rice with veggie stir fry at Typhoon |
