Cleanse: Day 1

I've been thinking of starting a blog for a while now, but didn't really have too much to blog about (not that that has stopped others) or too much time to blog. But with no tv in my apartment, I have the time, and today I am starting a three-week cleanse, which is something to blog about. So, here I am.

A few months ago, I read Kathy Freston's book Quantum Wellness: A Practical and Spiritual Guide to Health and Happiness. While I found meaning in many parts of the book, the chapter that spoke to me the most was about doing a 21 day cleanse to break bad habits, clean your system, and open your body up to a major change. Freston also has a companion book that walks you through the cleanse, day by day - what to expect and how to deal with the feelings & emotions (and cravings) that arise. So, the plan is to follow the cleanse while reading the book. I know, I know, I'm totally falling for the marketing ploy, but I'm ok with that.

For 21 days, I cannot eat the following:

• animal products
• gluten
• caffeine
• sugar
• alcohol

I'm not concerned about taking any one of those items out of my diet, but all five of them together is a bit daunting. I went without animal products and gluten for a couple months earlier this year in association with a naturopathic treatment for eczema. While the eczema didn't totally go away, I did feel good about what I was eating (other than spending too much money on wheat-free alternatives at Whole Foods). At this point, I'm more concerned about no sugar (including fake sweeteners, honey, etc.) and no caffeine. I definitely have a sweet tooth and am used to giving into my cravings, and I drink coffee every morning. So we'll see how that adjustment goes...

Here is what I ate today:

Breakfast: Organic corn flakes (sweetened with honey, but I didn't want to waste them) with unsweetened almond milk, and a glass of Emergen-C (which has fructose, so I'm not sure if that's ok or not).

Lunch: Vegan tamale with zucchini and butternut squash, rice, and black beans from the farmer's market.

Dinner: Gluten-free rice/quinoa/amaranth pasta with heirloom tomatoes, spinach, garlic, olive oil, basil, and kalamata olives.

I was sleepy this afternoon without having coffee, but it's Sunday, and I had the luxury of taking an afternoon nap. Other than that, I feel good.

Here are the foods that will be the staples of my diet for the next 21 days:

• fresh fruit & vegetables
• rice, quinoa, and other gluten-free grains
• beans
• nuts
• dried fruit
• water
• some gluten-free and dairy-free alternatives

We shall see how this goes...