Blog

Well, I'm a little disappointed this morning but determined to keep going for 2 more weeks.  After all, today is day 15 which means I am just past the halfway point. Hallelujah! Although this morning I woke to find I had only lost 1 pound this week, I have to remind myself of the amazing achievement of sticking to this cleanse for 2 whole weeks. I even went and stayed overnight at a friend's house and lived through the sights and smells of homemade dumplings and sesame ginger noodles, sausage grits and fresh brewed coffee, to say nothing of the numerous glasses of wine that I had to observe being enjoyed. But I got through it! I ate my spinach soup and sipped my herbal teas and healing veggie broth and chatted and read my book and got beaten at scrabble and the world didn't end. Nonetheless, waking up to a 1 pound loss on the scale was pretty disheartening (keep in mind I have 65 pounds to go.)

Supplies I brought to my friend's house

But I also have to remind myself of the reasons I am doing this cleanse. This is not like every other diet I've ever put myself through. That's to say, it's not about self judgement or worrying about what other people think of me or wanting to look a certain way. Yes, I need to lose weight for the sake of my health. Carrying this many extra pounds puts a strain on my heart and on my joints. I don't want to be out of breath after climbing 2 flights of stairs. I don't want to skip a hike with my family because I don't know if I'll be able to do it, or because I'm worried my pace will be too slow for the others. I don't want touching my toes to become a thing of the past as I age! Having said that, I want to stress that this is just my personal situation. I recently read a piece about 'big girl yoga' - these women are overweight but incredibly fit and flexible, and are proud of their bodies. (You can see one of these kick ass women here.) Being overweight does not automatically mean you're unhealthy, just as being thin doesn't automatically mean you're fit.  

Morning Drink - Fresh Celery Juice

And that brings me back to the reasons I am doing this cleanse, namely my digestion and various symptoms of menopause (brain fog, bloating, dry mouth, thinning hair, irregular cycle, etc, etc, etc). Whereas previous diets were focused on one thing and one thing only - weight loss - this time around I actually have an understanding of why I am eating the things I am eating. My morning celery juice, which I have really come to look forward to, is helping to rejuvenate the supply of hydrochloric acid in my gut and strengthen my digestive system. The various supplement powders I put in my smoothie (spirulina, barley grass juice powder, L-glutamine) are helpful in removing heavy metals, as is the cilantro that goes in both my avocado dressing and spinach soup. Heavy metals are thought to play a huge role in Alzheimer's and other neurological disorders so I can't stress enough the importance of doing what you can to remove them. In my case, I had all my mercury fillings removed over the course of several months a few years back and although my dentist took all precautions, you can bet that some tiny amounts of mercury slipped by. And tiny amounts is all it takes to cause problems. (Two years ago my very healthy, fit husband started having heart palpitations and we took him to a holistic cardiologist who is also an herbalist. The first thing he did was check him for metals and sure enough his mercury was high. He put him on a regime of chelation supplements and herbs and he has not had a palpitation since.)  The aloe vera juice in my smoothie helps to cleanse the liver so it can function properly. The plethora of herbal teas that I drink - licorice, fennel, ginger, nettles, siberian ginseng, ashwagandha, red clover, lemonbalm, to name a few - are loaded with vitamins, minerals and trace minerals and have a whole host of benefits, including, but not limited to: supporting thyroid and adrenal function, balancing the endocrine (hormonal) system, and supporting the nervous and digestive systems. And of course the fruits and vegetables themselves are nutrient powerhouses and provide me with plenty of fiber. The sugar in the fruit, specifically, provides much needed fuel for the liver to do it's job, which is essential.

So to get through these next two weeks I will try to pay less attention to the scale and put more focus on this wonderful gift that I am giving my body. I have put this body through a lot these last 50 years and yet it has gotten me through. It has continued to chug away and support me despite my over-indulgences and deprivations. It's unthinkable that I could hate this body, judge this body, try to hide this body which has served me so nobly for such a long time. This body, these organs, these joints, these bones, this hair and skin and blood deserve so much better than what I've given it. So this is my gift to you, my beautiful body. You've earned it. You're worthy of it. And for my part, I feel better now. Onwards!