Confessions from a Cleanse…

Over the past 6 months or so, I have changed my diet pretty drastically. In a search for what works best for me (and I’ll confess, to try and lose a little weight and try to cleanse my body out without committing to full cleanse), I have gone from eating a regular diet of meats, veggies, fruits, grains and some dairy to being completely vegan; which means absolutely no meat, dairy or anything made from animal products (like no use of butter, cream, etc). To say this switch was a challenge is a little of an understatement. I will say that I did learn of vast amounts of wonderful dishes that I had no idea existed. Being vegan definitely broadened my idea of good food, as well as broadening my taste buds. In the beginning I noticed changes in how I felt; I didn’t feel as sluggish, or bloated, and I had more energy. However, after about 2-3 months, I felt I was just ‘missing something’ from my diet, I felt like I needed more of a boost to keep my energy levels up (which I know sounds weird since in the beginning I felt I had more). So, I confess, I went back to eating meat. And using some dairy. And searching for my next answer. That’s when I decided to do a 21 Day Cleanse. I’ve done it before, and been successful, so it should be easy, right?? Ha!

For those that don’t know, this particular cleanse has you eat only veggies and fruits for the first 7 days, and you take quite a few supplements, including a shake at least 3 times a day. That’s it. No morning coffee, no sugary anything, no meat, no bread or bagel or muffin. I was doing okay, until about day 3. My energy level was crashing, and crashing. My coworkers were saying I looked washed out and paler than usual. Let’s face it, I felt like taking a nap in the middle of the afternoon adjusting shifts! I was determined though, to see the 21 days out, to do the cleanse the right way. Well….on day 8, after 2 people asking me if I felt okay (because I looked really, really pale and tired even though I had slept 9 hours) I decided to add the lean protein back in; I ate some chicken. I can honestly say, I have never felt my body respond to something so quickly! Within 30 minutes of eating the chicken, my energy level rose, I didn’t feel in a fog anymore and some say I was less cranky (I guess I had become cranky at some point between day 2 and day 8). Yes, I realized at this point that my body needs protein. No matter what my mind wants, my body needs to have a decent amount of protein to function well.

The reason I’m sharing this story with everyone is pretty simple. In my search for ‘the perfect way to eat’ it became apparent to me that it’s not complicated. Majority of the time now, my diet is made up of meats, vegetables and fruits. At times, I will have some bread or grains, and I do allow myself a cup of coffee a day. And yes, I will allow myself something to satisfy that sweet tooth of mine, but it’s usually just a small amount. I recall one of my high school track coaches always telling us “Your body is like a temple, only put in it what is good”. Since I have changed my eating style so drastically in a pretty short time period, I have come to realize how I feel after eating certain things, or too much of certain things. These days I do my best to only eat the things I know will make me feel good and most of all help my body to function its best.

Try a cleanse at some point, it will give your body a chance to heal from some poor food choices and help you to start eating healthier. And when you go grocery shopping, the biggest thing you can do for yourself is to buy most of your food from the perimeter of the store (which is where the veggies, fruits and meats are) and stay away from the processed boxed food in the aisles. Remember that saying from an old commercial on television, “You are what you eat, from your head down to your feet”–well it’s true!! So eat well, my friends, it’s one spoke on your wheel wellness!

In Health and Wellness,

Dr. Jen