Clogged Up and Bogged Down

Despite my daily walks with Princess, a good chunk of the winter has been spent sitting on the couch reading and knitting and watching Wheel of Fortune. Even though I am a vegetarian, I don’t always eat the “right” foods. Not good for the overall health picture. I feel weighed down with toxins, and my energy level is at its lowest ebb ever. Time for corrective action! And what better time than this weekend when I have to adjust my biorhythms anyway due to Daylight Losing Time.

Here we go with a Nine Day Juice Fast for cleansing. Want to join me? Do a little research online or check out some books from your library and get going. Got an unhealthy habit you would like to get rid of? Come on…you can do it. As always, if you are on meds or have a medical condition, check with your doctor.

Here is a Plan for the Nine Day Juice Fast. You can make up your own guidelines to meet your specific needs. Some people drink a different juice for each body condition, but that's beyond the scope of this plan.

During the first three days, avoid the following:
Processed foods and junk food
Caffeine
Sugar
Alcohol
Fatty or fried foods
Chocolate
Dairy
Wheat

Here is what you can have:
Fresh Fruit: Enjoy all fresh fruit. Go easy on grapefruit. A compound in grapefruit called naringin can significantly inhibit liver detox enzymes and should be avoided during detox diets.

Veggies: All fresh vegetables except corn, which can be an allergenic food. Great detox foods include broccoli, cauliflower, broccoli sprouts, onions, garlic, artichokes, beets, red and green vegetables.

Grains: Rice is easily digested by most people. Choose brown or basmati rice, rice cakes, rice crackers and rice pasta.

Legumes: Split yellow and green peas and lentils are easy to digest and require less soaking time. Other acceptable legumes include kidney beans, pinto beans, mung beans, garbanzo beans (chickpeas) and adzuki beans.

Nuts: Unsalted nuts, seeds and nut butters can be sprinkled over any meal. Includes flaxseed, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds, cashews and walnuts. Avoid peanuts.

During the middle three days, avoid solid foods for detoxificaton. You can have:
Water, lemon water, 100% natural fruit and vegetable juices (think organic), rice milk. Drink a minimum of 8 glasses of water per day, warm or room temperature. Water is essential to clear waste from the blood. Thirst is often mistaken for hunger.
Do not drink liquids around mealtime.
Dilute fruit juice with 50% water.
Take the time to chew food well, especially grains.

During the final three days gradually add back the solid foods from the first three days. After the fast is over, you may find you do not want to resume using caffeine or sugar. Junk food may not be so appealing. This is a great way to get started on a new healthy eating plan.

You should know that this is a detox diet and some of the toxins may result in bad breath. Watch out for breath mints as they mostly contain sugar. Other undesirable effects such as body odor may also result. A trip to the sauna or lots of hot steamy showers will help. Try a face mask and/or a loofah scrub. Pamper yourself.

This is a time for meditation as well. The spiritual aspects of fasting derive not only from the discipline and austerity required to do it, but also from the focus and clarity that it provides. With the lengthening days of spring, we emerge from winter’s sleep into the wide-awake days of summer. It’s the time to stretch and breathe in deeply while planning a summer of enjoying this beautiful world. Vegetables and fruits will soon return in abundance, and our diets will improve. Welcome spring, what a great time for cleaning, inside and out!

You can do it!