Ihatewheatgrassjuice's Blog

I have stated these words today a few times to people in my life after I told them what I’ve been up to  this month:

“I would be a fool to go back and eat the way I was before the detox “. Ok…but I am adding  the wiggle room clause : that once March arrives and if on a weekend I want to eat something– anything I want, I can. I make the conscious choice to do so and I will take responsibility for the after effects.( Low energy, foggy head, irritability etc.)  My plan is not to “cheat” back to back days  but if there is an offer on the table ( so to speak) for something I think I would enjoy, I will!

People love to share food and I don’t want to deny myself or them the pleasure in offering or especially making it for me. I have written before in a previous post  that Food does not have to = fun, nor does it have to = love…but often there is such love put into the creation and  I want to feel free to enjoy this dimension. ( looking for a better word here)

This concern  presented itself today when I visited my Mom, who had just made a soup I had to pass on because it contained milk, then at  my brother’s who offered me a fine glass of wine with dinner, and an hour ago when my neighbour came over with a strawberry rhubarb pie.

Continue to feel really clear and committed though, and can’t say that I felt deprived when I declined their offers.  Trying not to make my dietary choices  the focus of conversation.  People love to ask though!

Started around 4:30 in the afternoon. Looking for carbs and crunchy ones at that. At work I always have a stash of nuts or MARY’s crackers ( non-gluten) and I am sad to say I ate about 20. When I came home late for dinner with nothing prepared I made a rice pasta with peas, green onions some basil I had in the freezer and ate a huge portion of an  unsatisfying pasta dish ( typically I would have feta and parmesean or real pesto ) . I over ate and after dinner my cravings came in loud in clear: with sweet. I began to eat a handful of organic raisins  ( concentrated sugar) and this led to another.

So what went wrong here?  Hormones? Lack of preparation, or not enough calories in the middle of the day or perhaps….low laying anxiety?

My hunch is that it was all of the above.

Days following much better….mood improved, no cravings I couldn’t handle.

Was ill- prepared yesterday as I set out on an impromptu road trip ,  so grabbed a poor choice: roasted salted cashews to get me through a couple hours. Stomach rebelled not long afterward as they were too dense for my detoxifying system. I’ve stopped recording my intake of food ( as I’m committed to the outlined plan ) but do want to remember the choices that definitely didn’t work out well for me. Roasted salted nuts are entertainment food, not food for sustenance. I’m reminded of the truth that  one can easily overeat food if it’s been altered and seasoned– especially with salt. Harder to overeat raw almonds for instance, or grapes. Easier to shovel back roasted salted ones or concentrated/ dehydrated grapes. Another reason to stick to whole foods and limit or avoid the other stuff.

Which leads me to the next thing I’ve been thinking about.I am all for enjoying food. Anyone who knows me knows this. It’s a blessing in our lives and I think it’s important to be grateful, but it shouldn’t be the centre of our lives ( Been there: Guilty!) Food does not have to= fun….. Not all the time. It is fun to share food with people especially people who are new to the raw food world , especially the heavenly desserts. But let’s be clear…. Food is a fuel that keeps us vibrant and alive so that we can have fun. It shouldn’t be the focus of our social events or family time. In my family, we have put way too much emphasis on the enjoyment of the food and not enough on the people who comprise us.

How often do we hang around the appetizer table at a family function and chow down the delectables way past the point of feeling full?

Maybe it’s just me.  I am already thinking about the alternatives to prevent me from going down this same path. Water in hand, step away from the table and have a conversation with someone who is not hanging out in the kitchen and stay away from the trough!   Enjoy the meal that follows as you make conscious choices. If you do have a slice of the seven layer lasagna or the chocolate truffle, savour it, take pleasure in it, without guilt  AND  be mindful of the people around you.  Seek to connect and understand them. Far more life enhancing .  I love that food brings us together but it shouldn’t overshadow the love or connection that we share.

This morning I upped the ante and starting taking a few more supplements to aid in this detox. It’s not on my program but I felt I needed psyllium, caprylic acid, bentonite clay and HMF powder, in addition to my regular multi-vitamin, Vit D drops and Vit B 12.

Feeling really good; I have to say what’s been most noticeable these last couple of days is the elevation in my mood. This could typically be a challenging time for me, and so far…. not!!!!

I do  have a confession though.

No, I didn’t indulge in the quality chocolate that was kindly offered to me today.

My taste buds betrayed me!  This morning, I had a small cube of frozen wheatgrass juice which I put in a little bit of pure water and discovered that my taste buds actually enjoyed the gentle sweetness it offered– with no unpleasant after taste. Now grant it, it was heart shaped , pretty cold, small in size, and a bit diluted which all may have influenced the taste. However, I’m not ruling out the possibility that since I’ve kicked processed sugar to the curb my sweet receptors have changed . Only one way to tell. Those tiny sprouted tails on the wheat kernels on my counter will soon be planted in soil and sometime next week when they mature into a nice lush tray of beautiful green grass , they will be pressed into juice ……AND we shall see!!

I’m almost sure that what I was experiencing on days 4 and 5 related to withdrawal reactions. Chills, fatigue, body aches all posing as flu like symptoms. Mark Hyman is a doctor who specializes in integrative functional medicine and who I highly respect. In  his book, The Ultramind Solution, he mentions that people with a gluten and/or dairy sensitivity will go through this type of reaction for up to 3-4 days on the first week of a detox diet. Hmm…as I may have eluded to before, I really didn’t think I had much to detox– but apparently I was wrong.
Started feeling myself yesterday and today, I feel rested and content. The happiness factor is something I will also explore as it relates to my process . I have already noted some benefits such as better colouring in my facial complexion, improved clarity of thought, feeling more emotionally balanced and dealing better with what life dishes up.  Could certainly stand to  gain a little more energy though.

Still keeping things simple. No fancy time consuming recipes so far. As I like to cook, I will make something that will be wholesome and be pleasant for the kids this week. They’re not complaining so far…but may rebel if they see  more than 2 vegetable stir fries with some non gluten grain by the end of the week.

The raw salad I whipped up at lunch was so filling and satisfying. Added all kinds of raw love to that concotion. Thinly sliced Chinese cabbage and spinach, grated beet and carrot, finely chopped cauliflower and broccoli, green onion, dulse flakes, tiny bit of sea salt,  EVOO, a splash of freshly squeezed lemon and orange juice.Threw some chia seeds , raw sunflower seeds, hemp seeds on top of it to bump up the fat and protein content . Splash of EVOO , few squirts of lemon and freshly squeezed oj and it was good to go!  Beautiful in it’s simplicity.

Sunday is a perfect day to incorporate another detox strategy; the detox bath. Tonight I added 2-3 cups of epsom salts, 1 cup of baking soda and a few drops of essential lavender oil into the bath and  enjoyed a relaxing 20 minute soak with no distractions; a nice reward for hanging in there with the detox guidelines this week.

I plan on uping the ante on the reward for next week. Stay tuned..(It will be a  non food related reward, just in case you were wondering!)

I’m hungry again as the night wears on. My old psychological habits are deeply engrained.

What am I hungry for?

This is the real work ahead of me…… More journaling will be caught off the word press as I go searching.

I haven’t had any wild cravings as I was predicting . I’m thankful for that. Eating dinner later than usual  seems to ward off  my night time binge eating.  What I didn’t expect was a possible healing crisis yesterday. Felt fine getting up out of bed but an hour later, felt drained . As the day progressed, I felt chills, more fatigue, and general achiness. I wonder if it is the flu or the effects of this detox. Had 2 short naps yesterday and still got to bed at 10. Today, I still don’t feel 100% , but will monitor myself.

I am lucky enough to have my own infrared sauna so I got in there lastnight just to get warm, not to have a full sweat. I believe it’s important to take detox hot baths and take  sweat inducing saunas throughout this process.  If I don’t feel  weak later on today, a full sweat will be on the schedule.

I still want this to be easy so I am looking at this current health road block as just a way to simplify further. Drink lots of herbal teas, eat a bowl of quinoa ( just made a pot) and other mono meals– as my body directs.  My family is being supportive. My husband is” kind of” joining in and is pleased to see that he’s losing weight. The purpose of the cleansing diet is really not to lose weight but to rid your body of impurities so that it can feel really well! It may provide a new benchmark of  wellness for you. (This is my hope!)

I had heard that Day 3 often presents with uncontrollable cravings and a possible healing crisis reaction. When I sailed through that day, I thought no problem…maybe I’m not as toxic as I thought. Then came Day 4. I’ll be able to tell in the next 48 hours if it’s flu or the cleansing reaction.  I welcome the slowing down that comes with my body’s messages but it does inconvenience my clients . Today , I’m resting as much as possible.

My son scoffed at me when I told him my plan, he doubts that I can give up my private stash of chocolate for a month. Oh!!!!! Does this not give me some extra fuel to prove him wrong!   What a gift I could give him: to be an example of strength, will-power and determination.

I’ve had a simple day; eating an apple, baked acorn squash and it’s roasted seeds, 1/2 avocado, a few slices of raw turnip, drinking lemon water and  herbal tea .The simplicity of eating is interesting. I am purposely trying to keep things simple and easy…so that I won’t use the excuse that eating  this way is a chore in food prep. Dinner was just the usual fare that we would normally have.  ( But with the addition of wheat and pea sprout juice as the appetizer).

I really don’t want to list what I eat each day here ( yawn!) I will record that elsewhere, but I am questioning the need to do that in the first place…Another step just may complicate the day and this is really about making it easy.   Breakfast millet casserole  in the oven while I type and finish other things up. Planning ahead does make things easier. Collected a few recipes for the next couple of days with ingredients that I already have in the fridge.

The real crunch comes in the early evening when my body/mind wants food. Not that this is about calorie restriction, but my usual night snacks are not on the list, so tonight I’ll go without.  It’s not a feeling that I experience very often as  as I eat every 2-3 hours or so.

Feeling empowered and loving it!  ( I am sure this is typical for most people’s Day One )

I impulsively sat down at my computer one evening and thought I would start a blog.  It didn’t get very far but at least I had a name for it. Last week, in my masterminding group I was inspired to start one for various reasons (which I won’t get into here.) So here it is.

I remain curious about this whole blogging thing, wondering where it will lead for me.  Exploratory blogging, I’ll call it. The title of my blog came to me on that day when I questioned why on earth anyone would routinely drink such a horribly tasting , gutwrenching, body shuddering liquid.  It really is disguisting.  But dare I say: I will…and I will continue to do so at least 3x/wk… and I’d like to explore why I  am willing  to keep drinking it– at least  for the time being. For now, I will say it is short term “gross out”  in exchange for  maximal nutrition with supposedly countless numbers of health benefits. I know there are many roads to good health but, for the month ahead I plan on experimenting, observing and recording my results with green juicing and, oh yeah, going on a simple detox diet .  Who knows what’s next?

So why do we grow beautifully lush trays of wheat grass but want to gag just thinking about the taste of the juice? Does anyone like the taste ?( If you say that you do, I’m sorry I won’t believe you. You are just one of those characters who thrive on being unique. As a kid, you probably relished the attention lavished on you by the curious onlookers, while you sat  eating pickle juice- infused- vanilla ice cream with a shot of french mustard!)

Anyway, back to the blog.  Tomorrow, I will embark on a detox diet; nothing fancy, just eliminating the junk and putting the good stuff in. I’ve signed up to a weekly group where we’ll check in and provide each other with support  for 5 weeks. It’s being facilitated by a holistic nutritionist and a life coach. I am hoping the blog will serve me in two ways:  First, to keep track of my progress in between the weekly check ins and secondly, to record my own challenges and insights for future reference. As a wellness coach who will be working with individuals with their own set of challenges and opportunities,  this cleanse will allow me  to work through some of my own stuff and provide me with valuable experience that I can use  as a health ally . The blog may prove to be a useful reminder that making health changes is all about CHANGE and it may not be an easy ride.

But as my dear  friend and fellow masterminder likes to ask me on occasion:

What IF it could be EASY?

Now that really is the golden question!!

So I will play with this concept as much as I can ….when I remember to this week.

Just a little background info here: I’ve been a vegetarian for many years and have never drank coffee so I am probably ahead of the game in some respects, but I do use food to soothe ..in a big way…and predict that I will have a heck of a time conquering the quick carbs addiction; the crackers, the bread, the chocolate. Put simply: the sugar in my life. I’ve  given it up before and I know that I work and play better on all levels (physically, mentally, emotionally and even psychically!!)  when I eliminate sugar and wheat. Today, I’ve been eating shortbread cookies and choc. chips for one last hurrah. I try to convince myself that it needs to get cleared out of the house, so I should get on them! Probably dumb .  Should have been weaning myself off … oh well!  I do want to be firm with the restrictions which will start tomorrow. Just to be clear: No dairy, no sugar, no gluten .

So another wellness question: if I know what I am capable of and how great I feel without those substances, why don’t I JUST get rid of them?   Exploring the feelings behind those types of questions will make life interesting and the detox will certainly bring up all kinds of them.   Let’s see what comes up over the next few weeks. It’s not forever….it’s for the month of February.  For me, the purpose of the cleansing detox period is to shake things up enough…  leading me to a balanced life where I choose wellness most of the time!

I’ve been drinking more water this past week. Let me share with you what I keep planting in my mind:
“The solution to pollution is dilution” and it seemed to work.   Maybe this is the tip that you were meant to read !

Note to self: first post too long.  Note to you:  I will be more concise in the next ones.      Stay tuned….

All’s WELL NOW,   Kim