Detox Day 1 - here we go!

I admit – it has been a while since I’ve done a formal cleanse. As a naturopath I try to maintain a very balanced diet for my family, and the last few years I’ve been either pregnant or nursing (not an ideal candidate for a cleanse). That being said, I recommend cleanses on a regular basis to my patients, and it’s time that I did one as well. This is a great time to do one since the holidays did see an over-abundance of ‘not so great’ foods, and it’s a great way to get back on track.
My husband is right on board with it, so we’re tackling it together AND a handful of our friends came right on board when they heard what we were doing. This is the best situation for anyone on detox – having a support group doing it with you!
So we’re doing the 2 week Mediclear program, which is a very user-friendly program. It’s dairy/wheat/gluten/caffeine/sugar-free. Basically, a wonderfully whole-foods diet with the elimination of many allergenic foods. Yes, we will all feel miserable in the first 3-4 days (detox reactions such as headaches, foggy-head, irritability, lethargic), but a few days in and we’ll start to reap the rewards!
This cleanse is different than others for me in that I’m going to do my best to share my experience in this blog. It will provide others with support during their own cleanse, and it will take you inside the day to day life of someone doing a cleanse.
For me, the hardest part of doing a cleanse is giving up my morning coffee. This is my ‘luxury’ and something that is not so much a ‘pick me up’ but rather an emotional experience. I relate my coffee to the ‘calm before the storm’…a moment of stillness for myself before I get on with my day. I’m sure you all have those things in your diets as well. SO, remove the temptation. I put away my coffee machine and accessories last night. Out of sight, out of mind I will be replacing my morning coffee with a Mediclear Shake, followed by breakfast and a green tea to help with caffeine with-drawl.
Today Breakfast was a bowl of oatmeal (cooked stove-top with whole oats, water, raisins) and some almond milk in it. I added a drizzle of maple-syrup because this early in the cleanse I still crave a little sweetness. I sprinkled some chia seeds on it for added fiber.
After my shake and green tea, I actually didn’t miss my coffee.
Lunch – I was quite prepared for this meal because the kids side-tracked me, but after eating a small handful of raw almonds I felt fine enough to cook my lunch and feel starving. I made a big batch of brown rice in my rice steamer before I left for the grocery store in the morning, so this was already prepped. I diced one large sweet potato, drizzled in olive oil and baked it for 25min at 425 in my toaster oven. I used half my brown rice (saved the rest for tomorrow), added my sweet potato, added 2 tbsp of coconut oil, 2 cloves crushed garlic, a few spoons of tamari (like soy sauce), one can of chick peas, and one red pepper diced. Mix it all up and season to taste. I served it on a bed of organic baby spinach with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. It was DELICIOUS! This is the type of meal you may need to prepare in advance because the rice and potato took a little while to cook.
I had a few black berries and strawberries after lunch, again a luxury you can treat yourself to during a cleanse! And then another cup of green tea. Feeling amazing at this point – energy is really good despite my missing my coffee this morning!
At the grocery store this morning I picked up a few things to make this week easier. The health food section at zehrs is awesome, and I was able to find brown rice tortillas, Nature’s Path organic Gluten-free Millet & Rice flakes (for a good breakfast alternative), and 2 varieties of rice crackers (read the ingredients to make sure they don’t contain wheat). I also bought lots of treat fruit like black berries, strawberries, mangoes and organic apples. Lots of veggies of course – broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, brussel sprouts, asparagus etc. and of course several cans of chickpeas, black beans and white kidney beans. They will be my protein in various rice or quinoa dishes, and I will also make them into hummus as a nice snack with my rice crackers or veggies!
Dinner – I had a big salad at my mom’s house, and then the same meal as lunch at home. I was actually pretty stuffed by the last meal. Before bed I will have a chamomile tea. I think this was one of the best detox day 1’s that I’ve ever had. I think that keeping busy is key (I didn’t watch tv or lounge around), and getting lots of sleep helps you not mistake fatigue for hunger. Last night I went to be at 9:30, tonight it may be 9pm!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor & Clinic Director
Vitality for Life Health Center
www.vitalityforlife.ca

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor, Clinic Director
info@vitalityforlife.ca
www.vitalityforlife.ca
Twitter: @NaturoDoctor
We're On Facebook!