History of My Detox Infatuation

Back in college, one of my roommates went on a detox diet and I thought she was straight-up crazy. Nothing but salmon and wild rice for two weeks? Gross. I just didn't get it. But back then I also truly believed the cure for all ills was more coffee. And more coffee. And more coffee. It took me a long time, and a lot of yoga, to figure out that what you put in your body is directly related to how well your body functions and how good you feel. Nutty, huh?

Fascination with Detox

I first started thinking about detox in the context of carbohydrates. One day, about a year ago, I found myself in a happy relationship and about 15 lbs over my usual weight. I took up spinning and a more intense level of yoga. I even counted my calories. But I could only get about 3 lbs to budge.

That's when The 4-Hour Body came out... and I love me some efficiency! I immediately jumped into the no-carb lifestyle and found myself feeling AWESOME and loosing another 7lbs.

But one can only eat beans for so long, and while I still eat beans everyday for lunch- they give me crazy energy levels - I had to loosen up. And I'm glad I did, because I now suffer from on-and-off Irritable Bowel Syndrome. I guess my digestive tract has had it with me. :(

Why Now?

This leads me to want to try a detox diet, or perhaps a juice cleanse. I'm digging the idea of giving my digestive system a break, letting the blood flow to my brain, and saying good riddance to all the toxins I've accumulated from the lean pockets and ramen I turn to when I don't know what to make for dinner. I love the idea of being able to heal myself.

The Initial Plan

How do I turn an idea I love into a reality I love? First off, I'm bad at jumping into something whole hog. I tried this with The 4-Hour Body and it was stressful. The truth is that I have a very busy job, that doesn't pay a lot... so I have both time and money considerations as well. I've decided to take it one step at a time...trying out different detox recipes, doing some research, and having all my ducks (meaning recipes) in a row before I start. I'm hoping this will save me time, money, and frustration. Nothing's worse than having to eat $30 gross cold soup for dinner three days in a row because you didn't realize you hate parsnips.

So that's where I'm at folks - ready to start the detox journey... I will post my recipe attempts here, complete with reflections...hopefully to create a plan for rejuvenating my system.