Photo: stevendepolo

Challenges: food prep time, a bad tension headache, occasional lethargy.

Beneficial results: Relaxation, increased stamina, stable moods, improved skin, balanced blood sugar and no food cravings. Lost two pounds in the second week, for a total of seven pounds during the cleanse.

Adherence to the Diet: All the way, baby!

Deep Cleansing Thoughts

The sacred ritual of eating food binds us to a place and time, and binds us to the company we keep. It’s why we loathe eating in hospitals, and love eating at celebrations. In Greek mythology, Persephone eats a pomegranate given to her by Hades, and becomes forever bound to the underworld. Eating connects us to the values, conditions and processes that created our food – ideally not from the underworld.

Many of humanity’s sacred texts articulate rules on abstaining from some foods and carefully preparing others. In researching biblical texts, talking with friends, and doing a little soul searching, I concluded the message behind all of this is simply that food choices matter.

The who, what, where and when of eating all matter. I’m not convinced that any one set of rules is right for everyone; I am convinced that the journey of finding our own way, and developing a disciplined approach to eating what seems right for ourselves, is a worthy lifelong endeavor.

Our values might limit the food we eat, and the food we want to eat might push the boundaries of our values. One of my values for a long time has been to enjoy the freedom and self-given permission to eat whatever strikes my fancy. I think that’s finally changing.

Experimenting with food limitation over the course of years has been an enlightening process. I often assumed that people who ate with discipline did so because of external pressures to stay thin, or to follow the latest fad (even scientifically proven fads), or worse – the notion that all sensual pleasures are shameful, costly, or ill advised. I adore pleasure, and exercise caution in limiting it.

Photo: eye of einstein

The paradox here is that, where food is concerned, limitation can heighten pleasure. Narrowing the realm of choice tends to clear the culinary clutter.

Following a cleanse diet has increased my appreciation for food and decreased my interest in shoveling down sugar and caffeine while fearfully ignoring my body’s (and soul’s) true needs.

The more I limit myself to foods I know work well for me, the better I’m getting to know myself – my true, uncaffeinated, non-craving and de-stressed self. That’s been a deterrent in the past. I haven’t always wanted that intimate glimpse.

During week three of my first cleanse, I felt so much spiritual and emotional self-loathing that I binged on fast food for two days just to make it stop. This time around has been one of spiritually cleansing my inner self-image, with forgiveness, compassion and love. To finally have reached this point in the process has been both humbling and euphoric.

The Report

In all aspects, week two of the cleanse has gone well. My energy is up, my mood has been good with no swings, and the cravings are still gone. I went to the gym Friday and wanted to exercise a lot harder than I did. I wanted to be careful with my electrolyte balance. When I came home from the gym, I was ready to hunt down my husband! Did I mention that cleansing can increase your sex drive? It’s true. So be ready. Just in case.

I had two evening headaches – one was pretty intense and involved a lot of tension throughout my shoulders and neck. Deep thanks to my husband for the shoulder rub! I also had a couple nights where I was tired at my regular bedtime, went to bed, then lay there for at least an hour, too awake to get to sleep. No racing thoughts or lingering worries; I just wasn’t sleepy. I had one more foot cramp, but drank an entire carton of coconut water (electrolyte drink) the next day and have had no more.

Cleanse Support Activities

In addition to following the detox diet, I do several activities daily to support the cleansing process:

• Ayurvedic breathing exercises (pranayama)
• Skin Brushing
• Sesame Oil Massage
• Practice Qigong with a DVD
• Trigger Point Massage
• Skin Cleansing Herbal Tea 3x /day

One nice thing about this list is that the materials for all of it cost less than $100, including the appointment with my Ayurveda practitioner.

I scheduled an Ayurveda appointment mid-cleanse to get long-term advice on my food choices, and advice on which oil to use for daily massages. My practitioner gave me printouts of recommendations for specific foods in every food group.

These recommendations advised that I not eat red meat, cheese, butter, or chocolate sweetened with refined sugar. That accounted for about 40% of my diet prior to the cleanse! She also advised that I reduce my meat consumption altogether, if only slowly. She graciously suggested cutting down to six servings per week instead of seven. I didn’t have the heart to mention I was closer to 18 servings per week pre-cleanse.

When I begin the elimination diet next week, I’ll be eating vegetarian for a month, so we’ll see how that goes. In the meanwhile, I’m using the Ayurvedic information to further limit the foods I eat during the cleanse. Thank goodness potatoes were recommended. I don’t eat them during the cleanse, and will be testing them along with other nightshade vegetables during the elimination diet; but they are certainly one of the foods I miss the most. Must be my Irish ancestry.

No Whining in Napa

Photo: yashima

The week before I began my cleanse, I received an invitation to attend a dear friend’s birthday celebration in Napa. I was momentarily crushed, and later conflicted about whether or not to go. Why would someone abstaining from wine go to Napa? For a rare opportunity to celebrate friendship and enjoy a day away. Why not?

Wine country is so relaxing. Sitting on a nicely appointed veranda, sharing stories with good friends, and looking out over voluptuous green rolling hills is a good thing, whether you’re holding a glass of zin or a bottle of water. We had a delightful day, and my Hacked Chicken Salad at the Rutherford Grill was delicious without the dressings. Our designated driver wasn’t tasting either, so we kept each other company.

This brings me full circle, back to what I mentioned at the beginning of this article. Sharing food (and drink) together is a significant ritual. For that very reason, abstaining in a setting where others are not can cause confusion or even insult. There is a fine line to be walked between food choices and the nurture of social relationships. Having gone through periods of vegetarianism, organicism, and now eating gluten-free, I’ve put my family through the gamut during the holidays and visits home.

I don’t expect others to cater to my choices. I provide my own food if need be. Yet I also feel honored and cared for when others work to accommodate choices they know I have made. My cousin researched a gluten-free Irish Cream for her flourless chocolate lava cake last Christmas. How cool is that?

I don’t judge anyone for what they eat or drink, and I don’t want to be judged. So it’s important to me, when I am abstaining from anything, to pull the focus toward how much it means to me to be together with friends and family, how much I love the things we have in common, and how thankful I am for their company or hospitality. If someone cooks for me, I will always eat what is prepared, with gluten being a necessary exception.

Having said that, during this cleanse I’ve turned down several invitations to drink or dine out. It’s tough to make these decisions and respond gracefully. I’ll be doing more of it in the future. How do you handle these situations, and what have you found to be helpful?

On the Agenda for Next Week: Preparing for the 28-day elimination diet. Which works better, cleansing with a protein shake & herbs, or cleansing with simple diet modifications?

View the first two installments of Kendra’s spring cleansing process in Special Detox Series: Spring Cleansing in Action and Special Detox Series: Moving and Shaking through Week One.

Disclaimer: Kendra Mellinger is not a healthcare professional, and therefore does not prescribe or recommend any treatment for disease or health concerns. Any cleansing program should only be done under the supervision of an experienced healthcare practitioner.