Walking the Walk: Day 4 of my Detox!

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As a practitioner of Chinese Medicine, balance is my pervasive goal for my patients, but it is also MY personal goal, and since I try to take my own advice, I am doing a cleansing detox to transition for the equinox as summer ends and fall begins.

Why am I detoxing and how am i doing it are the most common questions I am asked. Why detox? Let me count the ways…

There are the physical reasons, like the fact that I am lowering my intake of toxins so my digestive organs can take a break, including my overtaxed liver.  In so doing, i am also cleansing my intestines, moving my lymph (as the body’s processing is accelerated, more things move including the blood as the body flushes out, and I also do dry brushing to specifically help circulate and move the lymph).

That is one level of the physical part, but as it turns out the cleanse has also all but eliminated the pain from my recent wrist/hand injury.  I have been receiving treatment (acupuncture, chiropractic and therapeutic massage), which all aided to reduce the pain down to a dull roar, but virtually ended with the detoxing).

Last of the benefits from a physical perspective is that I have received so many compliments about my skin glowing and how it has reduced puffiness below my eyes,  and  I have already lost weight, which of course are all desirable results!

On the mental level the detox has provided me with extra energy, increased concentration although I must admit that on the negative side, I do feel a bit more easily irritated, probably due to the extreme restriction of the diet, but hey, no one said a detox is easy.

On that note, let’s discuss what type of detox I am doing.  I looked into several of the naturopathic-quality protein supplements and detox programs and decided, on the recommendation of a friend, to try Ka Formula’s 10 day program. Theirs was a little more expensive but I liked their ingredients,  it was quick, simple, and my friend had good results and found it easy to stick with, as did many of her clients. They also include fiber and greens supplemental capsules to take with the twice daily smoothies you make with their protein powder.  But like most cleanses, it is what you AVOID more than what you take in that matters, although I find the protein powder smoothies helps me so I’m never hungry and feel good.

So, here’s the fun part: what I can and can’t eat/drink.  All the usual suspects to avoid are on the short list: dairy, alcohol, caffeine (except green tea 3 times max/day) sugar, processed anything, fats (with the exception of a little olive oil and 1 avocado/day), night shades (tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, peppers), breads, crackers, pastas, meats/poultry/fish, sodas, and all canned or processed foods.  And THAT’s the SHORT list!  This diet goes beyond and for the first 5 days allows none of the above nor the following: nuts, soy, eggs, corn, bananas (high sugar content), citrus except lemon, dried fruits, grains (wheat, oat, barley, white rice).

What is left from this list to consume may be a logical question.  On the “Do” list is: organic vegetables and fruits at a 2 to 1 ratio of veggies to fruit per meal. The first 5 days are restricted to veggies and fruits, 1 cup of quinoa/day (a grain that happens to be a protein),  limit of 1 per day avocado and yam. Since they are so nice, they allow you a treat of 1 square of dark chocolate (at least 70% cacao) daily.  You start your day with warm lemon water (which has an alkalizing effect) , a fruit smoothie for breakfast with the green/fiber caps, all the veggies you can eat for lunch (preferably steamed and you can go wild and add olive oil, lemon and sea salt and pepper to spice things up (-: ). Late afternoon smoothie  w/ supplementary caps (I take mine at 3), green tea and a square of chocolate around 4:30, and again, go wild with veggies and quinoa for dinner and voila!

So I have now completed day 4., and I must admit, I feel pretty good!  Surprisingly I do not crave anything and since I am working and having to cook for my kids when I come home, I feel maybe a little tired and bored with the food limitations, but otherwise, I’m not feeling restricted like a diet.  If I had more time to follow some of the “chef’s recipes that come in the accompanying brochure, like “Risotto-style Quinoa with mushroom and Truffle Oil”, maybe I could stay on this all year, but then again, I doubt it….

To Note: I have lost 2 lbs so far, have had no “withdrawl” symptoms or headaches and no cravings.  Tomorrow is day 5 and I don’t work so maybe I will have time to make something yummy. Friday, day 6, I can start eating non-farmed, coldwater fish (the least toxic varieties like  wild salmon, anchovies, sardines, sole and scallops.) I look forward to consuming the smoothies since they are tasty and filling.  I drink tons of water since it helps things move, and I do a dry brushing daily to move the lymph.

I will write again after I complete the 10day period, but the diet doesn’t necessarily “end” there since it is beneficial to add things slowly back to see if any of them trigger allergic reactions or sensitivities.  If they don’t  and you can manage them in moderation, then you have a good base-line from which to plan your diet for the winter months that come.  If you do notice adverse reactions when you add back certain food triggers, then it’s a good idea to banish them forever, for these are often the culprits which create inflammation and ultimately can lead to chronic disease.

More on the benefits of my detox later, so stay tuned!

Regards,

Kay Fields, Licensed Acupuncturist

www.kayfields.com

503-295-7600

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