Not sleeping well, a stalled workout program and general malaise helped me decide to go on a detox cleanse for 6 days a few weeks ago. I did my homework and decided that a raw food plan was the best approach for me. I actually followed a program that included only "green smoothies" that I could make myself...no powders, pills or potions to purchase...just good, wholesome, organic fruits and vegetables that come from the earth. I wanted to share with everyone a little bit about my experience...
Before I started the cleanse, I had a few concerns. Would I be hungry all week? Would I spend a lot of time in the restroom? Would I feel nauseous? Would I feel better? Would I have more energy? WOuld it be challenging to maintain for a week? The only way I would find the answers to my questions was to jump in feet first, and that's exactly what I did.
The green smoothies were easy to make and actually quite tasty. You might be wondering why they're called "green" smoothies. Well, to put it simply, it's because they're green in color. You start by blending some raw greens in water. The greens can be any type of edible greens...spinach, kale, romaine, dandelion, etc. Then, once you've blended the greens and water very well, you add in apples...lots of apples. In fact, the program recommends 8 pounds of apples a day! I don't think I quite made it to 8 pounds, but I came close. Depending on my mood, I would also throw in a handful of berries and a banana. I had 4 of these smoothies each day for 6 days (plus, about a gallon of water each day).
You might be wondering why anyone would want to blend greens in with a fruit smoothie. Well, the concept is simple. Greens contain a lot of nutrients and minerals...and a lot of fiber. In order for our bodies to get to the nutrients and minerals, we need to get through the fiber first. Some greens are more fibrous than others. If we chewed greens for a very long time, we would be able to access all of these nutrients. but, we're not cows and we don't "chew the cud" for hours on end. So, the next best method of opening up all of those cells that contain the nutrients by blending them first.
If you've ever tried to eat 8 pounds of apples in a day, you know that there is no way to be hungry eating this much food. If anyone has ever eaten 8 pounds of apples a day and STILL been hungry, I'd like to meet them! I never felt nauseous, but I did spend a little more time visiting the restroom than usual. But, since you're cleansing, that is expected.
The first two days were fine...nothing unusual. By day 3, I was craving a different texture...something crunchy. I wasn't hungry,though. Day 4 and 5, I was excited to be nearing the end of my cleanse. And, day 6 was very easy. In fact, I had my last green smoothie and didn't even realize it was my last one until I got ready to eat dinner. Of course, you have to ease back into eating regular food.
By the end of the cleanse, I had released 7 pounds of weight (this was partially water weight), was sleeping like a baby, and had more energy than usual! It was really a great experience. Sicne the cleanse, I have been craving the green smoothies, so I've decided to incorporate them into my daily eating plan. This past week, I ha green smoothies for the first two meals of the day, and then a "regular" meal for dinner. I've been extremely pleased witht he results of the cleanse and plan on doing it again, perhaps in the fall. Just like we do spring cleaning in our homes, it's a good idea to do some cleaning of our bodies from time to time. Our bodies work very hard digesting all of the processed foods we've become accustomed to eating. This is an opportunity to allow our bodies to heal and "reset."
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