Understanding Raw Food...and Detox

A friend just shared this VERY good article, Raw Food: Healthy Simplicity that I think everyone should read.  It sums up the raw food lifestyle and helps answer some basic questions that often come up.  So as I re-embark on this journey I thought it would be appropriate timing to share. :)

So far this lifestyle is way more fun and relaxed to do since I've already been through this!  I have learned some things to avoid and other things I need to make sure to do.  One of those things I am prepared for is the detox phase.  I remember feeling tired, hungry (because I didn't eat frequently enough) and sprinkled with a dash of feeling just a tad miserable overall.  But it's worth it because it passes and then the reward comes!

The Raw Foods Witch (taking the spooky out of raw food magick) explains what detox can look like in this blog entry.  I think she articulated the process very well - much better than I could!  I've also added a link to her blog on the right side of my blog for future reference.

Off to get some beauty rest...also very important when going through a detox (of any kind, really!).

Random Updates

I have found that being around others lately has been a very good system for being held accountable in this new lifestyle.  I have found my mind wandering to rationalizations and possibilities of how I could deviate without feeling like a total loser.  That's not really a good sign, so I'm trying to nip that in the bud.  And I remind myself that I don't really want to do that.  I wonder why living a healthier lifestyle is so difficult.  Why do I desire to do things that I know are not good for me?  Well, obviously from a simplistic approach, food tastes good - especially goodies that aren't really all that good for you. 

I have truly grown to appreciate the simple, yet abundant flavors found in fruits and vegetables alone, yet the call of deep fried food and super sugary treats whisper my name.  Every day for 15 weeks now, between 3 to 6+ times a day I choose to ignore those whispers and have reaped the benefits of staying the course.  Like I've mentioned, I definitely haven't been perfect, but that is okay.  This is also a growth area for me as I expect perfection from myself and it has been hard to be okay with being less than what I want to be.

On a separate note:

For the next two weeks I'll be tracking every piece of food that I eat and then I will meet with Dr. Nutrition to review it.  I have found myself getting a bit more anxious about making sure I'm doing all of this in a healthy, good way.  I am concerned that I'm not doing it right. :(  I'm not exactly sure where this is coming from.  I just really don't want to do my body harm.  Dr. Nutrition keeps assuring me that I'm doing well, but we'll see what he says when he has actual data to base his opinion on instead of just my word.

Detox update:

I continue on my detox and haven't noticed any radical changes.  I think had I been on a SAD diet I would have noticed lots of changes (probably very similar to what I went through when I switched over to raw vegan).  I still feel good about deciding to do it even though I'm not experiencing 'fireworks' as I know that it is cleansing. 

Week 13 Rawview

These are just some of the raw foods I ate this week:
Apples
Bananas
Broccoli
Carrots
Celery
Flackers (raw crackers made with flax seed)
Grapes
Nuts galore! (almonds, cashews, pistachios, walnuts)
Potato
Raisins
Salads
Strawberries
Water, water, water

Emotional changes:
This week I've been "steady Eddie".  Ever since learning that I need to avoid gluten it has been much less appealing to even consider deviating.  It has given me that much more ferver.  However, I am definitely willing to make some, what others (and I) may consider, compromises.  When I say that I mean things like cooking some vegetables that I just can't stand to eat raw (like fresh green beans and potatoes) or every now and then steaming vegetables just because I want to.  I don't do that every day, but now, steamed veggies are like a treat to me!  Which is just odd in itself. :)  I am in the middle of working through how I truly feel about 'allowing' myself to do this, but at the moment I am okay with it and will continue processing what my path along this journey looks like.

Physical changes:
In this post I mentioned the details of a detox I started three days ago.  I think this is going to be fun!  I have never done this before and I am excited to see what will come of this.  So far so good!  Nothing radical to report at this time, since it's still so new.  I am ready to be cleansed!

I just realized I've never mentioned Dr. Ciropractor!  I started seeing Dr. Chiro last month and am SO glad.  I don't have back or neck pain or anything, but the spine is so intertwined and connected to the nervous system, which is the system affected by the MS.  Again, like I've said over and over, I am trying to get all my systems in perfect working order.

Nothing major to report this week regarding physical stuff - just plugging away with everything!  Oh, this week I hit the 30 pound weight loss; I guess that's kind of a big deal.

Pounds lost this week: 1.8
Pounds lost so far: 30.8
Average pounds lost each week: 2.4

Official Detox

Yesterday I started an official detox plan under the care of Dr. Nutrition. I have known people that have done a detox and it usually involves eating only a couple of foods or eating no normal foods and just drinking various juices...and then visiting the bathroom frequently.  Sounds a bit like torture to me!  So when I asked Dr. Nutrition what I could expect and if I would feel sick, he said that I shouldn't feel sick and that if I'm visiting the bathroom too frequently, that I should cut back on the quantity of the powder of the detox drink mix he's given me.  Phew!

I'll start this post with the nitty gritty of the details of the detox, then get into more of the medical side of it.

NITTY GRITTY DETAILS
The goal of this detox is to provide the nutritional compounds and botanical extracts that are pivotal in the body's natural abilites to neutralize and expel toxins.  This particular detox plan uses an enzyme-based, multi-vitamin, mineral and herbal dietary supplement powder called ClearVite-SF (I am using the chocolate flavor).  I am also taking Metacrin DX and BileMin which are supplements for liver support and gallbladder support, respectively.

The 21-Day Detox Plan consists of a Preparation Phase, Detoxification and Completion Phase.  Through these phases you work your way up to taking more of the supplement powder and then back down again. 

Foods to avoid during detox:

• Any food that you are allergic to
• Dairy (milk, cheeses, yogurt, butter), eggs, margarine, & shortening
• Foods prepared with Gluten-containing cereals like wheat, oats, rye, barley, those ingredients normally found in breads, pasta, etc.
• Tomatoes and tomato sauces, corn.
• Alcohol, Caffeine (coffee, black tea, sodas)
• Soy or products made from soy, such as soymilk or tofu
• Peanuts or peanut butter (*personally bummed about this since I have raw peanut butter every day!)
• Beef, pork, cold cuts, bacon, hotdogs, canned meat, sausage, shellfish, meat substitutes made from soy

 Foods to eat during detox:

• Drink plenty of fresh water (8-10 glasses), herbal teas, green tea, fruit juices (no sugar added), vegetable juices
• Grain foods made from rice, millet, quinoa, buckwheat,or tapioca
• Fresh fruits, vegetables, beans (navy, white, red kidney, etc.), peas (fresh, split, snap)
• Mainly fish (not shellfish), and moderate amounts of chicken, turkey, and lamb
• Use mainly olive oil and flaxseed oil in moderation

*Bold items are ones that I will be eating.

As you can see, eating a raw vegan diet is great for this, plus it gives me a leg up on the detox process.  Ever since I started eating this way I have felt like I have been doing a detox of sorts. You can see the details of the official detox here at the bottom of the page.

MEDICAL SIDE
Here is an excerpt from the brochure about detoxification:
Numerous foreign and toxic chemicals (called xenobiotics) have been produced and released into our environment.  Cleansing the body from the accumulated xenobiotics and the excess biological compounds and metabolites (hormones, etc.) is known as detoxification.  The major detoxification reactions take place in the liver. The goal of detoxification reactions is to transform chemicals that are fat-soluble into water-soluble compounds.  Water-soluble compounds can then be eliminated through kidneys, skin, or gallbladder, in urine, sweat, or bile.  Secretion of bile is one of the major pathways of the body's detoxification.  Once the liver has detoxified xenobiotics and other toxins, the resulting coupounds are delivered to the gallbladder to be excreted with bile into the digestive system in order to be eliminated in feces.  Detoxification has shown to be extremely beneficial as a preventative measure for different health problems, or as a means to enhance therapeutic procedures for a variety of medical conditions.  The removal of these toxins from the system enhances the organs' ability to better absorb nutrients, improves biological functions, which, in turn, accelerates the healing process.

EXPECTED RESULTS
Per the brochure I have, an effective detoxification program results in:

• More energy
• Minimized minor aches and pains
• Decrease in the level of major physical discomforts
• Cheerful, positive mood