Cleansing with (Mostly) Raw Food

Well, I’m almost through the first week of my cleanse! As a reminder for you, it is based on the Whole Living 2012 Action Plan, but I’m not using all of those recipes (though some I am) and I am eating only foods known for their detoxification benefits. I’ve cut out sugar, gluten, animal products, excessive salt, caffeine and alcohol. I’m only eating vegetables, fruits, nuts/seeds and a whole lot of Smartwater. Full disclosure: I did cheat twice. On Day 2 I was so hungry I went to the Fresh Market on my block and bought some brown rice cakes (unsalted). They taste kind of like card stock but they served their purpose. The fact that those are considered cheating makes me a little sad about life! On Day 3 it was my friend’s birthday part, where we had dinner at a bar, and I at the filling of some fish tacos with steamed vegetables. There was still no gluten or dairy, so I don’t think it was too bad.

For the most part, I am loving the cleanse. It is definitely working, and I can tell in two ways: I feel lighter. Not necessarily by pounds, but I feel less bogged down. The other way is less fortunate. I’ve had a terrible headache. The Day 3 headache got so bad that I had to leave that party early. Later in the evening it basically turned into a migraine. After doing a little research, it seems I have been having serious sugar withdrawals. I lamely expected not to have a lot of detox symptoms because I don’t drink much caffeine. I did not expect this sugar detox to have such serious side effects. I guess I eat a lot of things that have sugar even though they don’t seem particularly unhealthy like yogurt, granola bars and stir-fry with sauce. Today hasn’t been so bad, though which is why I’m writing a blog post finally! Even though the headaches have been painful, and really inhibited my ability to work this week, it is nice to know my efforts to rid my body of toxins has been working. Headaches aren’t my ideal signal of success, but I suppose it is better than no success at all!

The actual food has been pretty good. I’ve been having fun trying to create ways to eat these detox foods that are still tasty. I love the liquid breakfast rule , and I think I might try to stick with it long term. I’ve also created a couple different salads that I really enjoy and would be happy to eat even after the cleanse is through, so I thought I’d include those recipes:

1. Avocado & Pepitas Salad

Ingredients: (All Organic)

• Handful Spring Mix/Mixed Greens
• 1/2 a handful of Spinach
• 1 Small Avocado
• 10 Cherry Tomatoes
• 2 Tablespoons Diced Onions
• 1/2 cup Green Pepper Strips
• 1/4 cup Pepitas
• Dressing (Below)

Dressing:

• 1 Tablespoon EVOO (olive oil)
• Juice from 1/2 a lime
• 2 dashes cayenne pepper

2. Sweet Potato Slaw

Ingredients: (All Organic)

• 1 Small Sweet Potato*
• 1 Gala Apple
• 1 Cup Chopped Red Cabbage
• 1 Celery Stalk
• 1 Large Carrot
• Diced Onion (to taste)
• 2 Tablespoons Toasted Almond Slices (not pictured)
• Dressing

Dressing:

• 1 1/2 Tablespoons EVOO
• Juice of 1/2 a Lemon
• 1 Inch Ginger, grated
• Salt/Pepper (to taste)

*For the sweet potato, I cooked it 15-20 minutes until it was soft enough to chop. All the ingredients were supposed to be julienned but I am not that fancy so I just cut them into strips or slices.

So there we go. So far, I’ve been enjoying the cleanse (even with the headaches) and I think I am making good progress! I like the feeling of accomplishment, and even with the headaches I definitely recommend it for everyone.

-lj