Thursday, September 16, 2010

Detox


30 went and did something to me.  I can only explain it the way my 3 yr old explains anything random, magic.  I´m suddenly very aware of my habits. Many of them don´t even fit me anymore (like the all too occasional cigarette) but I do them anyway. 

Well, 30 is a great age to break habits and become anew. 

It isn´t just being 30.  I´m tired. And yes, I am aware two small children will do that to you, especially when you have to cook most meals from scratch and hang your laundry.  But I think it´s more than that. I used to do some sort of daily physical activity, other than cart 40 kilos to the park. I used to eat roughage on a regular basis.  And I never drank coke.  Brazil undid that last one for me.

So what to do about it? I´ve decided, true to rash Rachel ways, do some sort of cleanse. That´s where you guys come in. I know nothing about this stuff. I´ve heard about the master cleanse but refuse to do that one. Yuck for one reason and because I wouldn´t even know where to get cayenne pepper here.  Oh and we can´t forget that good maple syrup is far too sacred in Brazil to drink in a cup with lemon.  Oh the sacrilege!

Anyway, I would love if anyone could recommend something that won´t just wipe me out completely. I know, eat health, start slow, breath, etc etc. Not my thing people. I need a jump start. Strap me in, I´m ready for a shock! 

In all seriousness, I do want a jump start. I want to start living a cleaner and more energetic life.  I realize that my energy levels, moods, and all around health are not just a given anymore.  It takes me 2 days to recover from staying up late for heaven´s sake.  Don´t even ask me how long it takes to get over a night out drinking! 

So let´s Detox. Anyone with me?  What steps do I take?

10 comments:

  1. Try doing the Parasite cleanse, I don't know if you can get the herbs in Brazil. But you can follow the diet: absolutely no sugar (in any form including fruit except lemons and green apples) no dairy or gluten containing products. You can't eat anything that would encourage yeast or other parasites. No red meat, only complex carbs like brown rice with no gluten. This is a hard diet to stick in Brazil, I don't know if there is enough variety of foods or if you need to do something this drastic.

    Here is a break down I found online:

    Meat includes fish, lamb, chicken, turkey, eggs, seafood
    Most all land and ocean vegetables (except “sweet” ones like beets, parsnips, sweet potatoes and yams)
    Low gluten Grains: Millet, quinoa, amaranth and buckwheat; (later on- brown rice and for those without allergic reaction- corn (especially blue corn) products, rice cakes, sprouted (non-flour) grain breads (i.e. Ezekiel Bread)
    Non-sweet fruits: lemons, limes, cranberries (later on grapefruit may be included)
    Selected dairy products: Butter, ghee, plain yogurt, goats milk, (limited) farmer cheese, white cheeses)
    Oils: (organic, unrefined, expeller-pressed) fish, olive, canola, pumpkin, sunflower, safflower, flax, lecithin, grape seed
    Nuts and Seeds: almonds (soaked is best), almond butter, sunflower, pumpkin, caraway, flax
    Sweetners: Stevia
    Misc.: Legumes (limited if digestion is poor), tofu, soymilk, garlic, ginger, apple cider vinegar, herbs
    FOOD TO AVOID
    All sweet fruits and sugars (fruit juices, dried, canned or frozen fruits, high fructose corn syrup, honey, molasses, brown sugar, rice syrup, fructose, sucrose, cane sugar, Asulfame, Nutra-Sweet, Aspartame, Saccarin, Sweet ‘n Low)
    Alcohol, soda pop, diet drinks, MSG, citric acid, junk food in general, refined sugary cereals, beef, pork, mushrooms, peanuts, distilled vinegar, nuts and nut butters (except raw almonds, which are alkaline)
    Avoid greasy fried foods, starchy grains with high *gluten content, legumes and beans (if poor digestion), oils if not on allowed list, most salad dressings, bakers and brewer’s yeast., sweet sprouts, including wheat grass.
    Avoid “sweet” vegetables during the initial “worm out” phase of the diet, including beets, parsnips, sweet potatoes and yams; also avocado, tomatoes (overuse), eggplant, green bell peppers and brown skin potatoes (too high in gluten).
    *FOODS WITH HIGH GLUTEN: Breads, flour products, grains and pastas (All create too much gluten in the body which in turn creates natural sugars that again, feed the parasites.)

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  3. Good Luck!

    You may also want to consider treating with an acupuncturist who can give you herbs and acupuncture which are both great for detox and strengthening the Chi. I also felt a huge difference in my body when I turned 30 and this helped me!

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  4. I have always wanted to try a juice detox here in Brazil. I imagine it being one of the easier ones since you don't have completely give up everything. I believe that all fruits and vegetables are fair game as long as long as they are juiced. This one would also be good since you can still go to restaurants. I don't know all the details but the longevity ranges from 3-7 days. Might be something to look into or worth a google.

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  5. I checked out the parasite diet. It´s interesting. Still has a lot of options and I do find myself curious to see if worms would come out in my stool. I blame that on children and their ability to make you strangely comfortable with bodily functions. How long do I do it for?

    I also checked out the juice one. It is great because it´s easy to get fruit down here, it´s a short one, and I can still have a variety.

    I just realized, because I´m slow and maybe that´s why I need a detox in the first place, that coffee is a big no no. Oh man, that´s going to be a bitch

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  6. When I am stupid hung over (which is hard to achieve these days given my track record) I turn to coconut water. I drink coconut water and eat fruit. I don't make smoothies because they all taste better with vodka - and that would be against the rules.

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  7. "...It takes me 2 days to recover from staying up late for heaven´s sake. Don´t even ask me how long it takes to get over a night out drinking!..."

    That's what happens after you turn 30, no way to fix that...

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  8. You are supposed to do it, if I remember correctly for 3 weeks, take a week off and then another 3 weeks.

    Would you believe once I stopped drinking coffee during this diet, I can't drink American coffee anymore.....weird, after years of driking it everyday.

    Take Care,

    Mara

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  9. Do you have any intox diets from preggos? I'm more in need of one of those right now...

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  10. Mara, Did worms come out in your poop? Just curious. Not that people look at their poop like I do. I can´t help it.

    Intox diets... I recommend pizza and chocolate and chips... basically eat like I used to. If it goes in the microwave it´s good.

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