Email from My Angry Colon

I haven't fasted or cleansed in so long that my colon sent me an angry email. All CAPS. Starting with, "YOU HEFFA! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?"

Right now, my life represents one of the most wonderful and frightening transitions. After 14 years in my profession (the last 12 with the same company), I got flushed down the toilet of "downsizing."

I almost didn't blink at the turn of events. My sixth sense had already detected the scent of trouble. In case you didn't know, corporate financial trouble kinda smells like burnt bologna and fried nerves. But I digress...

I immediately saw this as an opportunity to (1) take a much needed forced vacation and (2) to pursue deferred dreams that I previously filed under "Yeah. Right." More importantly, I'm blessed with the opportunity to cleanse in other ways by focusing on stress, proper diet, and luxuriating in the cure for my former Monday blah's.

My next fast/cleanse likely won't be a Master Cleanse. After a long absence and a tongue-lashing from an angry colon, my bravery meter looks a lot like it did before my first cleanse experience. But I do intend to complete one of two drastic departures from bacon cheeseburgers: (1) A 3-day water fast or (2) A 7-day fruit and veggie fast.

I'll chronicle that experience here, along with my efforts to grow a pair for my next Master Cleanse. Until then, I have an angry email to answer...

Shame Shame Shame

From what I gather on the internet, this picture represents a day of shameful stair-scapades for Miss. Thailand. Po' chile. You know she felt like seeping into the floor once the folks on the right finally peeled her off the floor.

Notice how the folks on the left are still in shock and haven't stopped clapping their hands yet? But I digress.

As the current poster child for unhealthy living, that's ME falling down those darned stairs. (Only I wouldn't do it in a short skirt and slingback shoes, but I digress again.)

Just like doctors who smoke and firemen who start fires, I have more-than-average knowledge about health/nutrition and I'm not acting on that knowledge in a positive way.

Ain't that a cryin' shame?

I know one thing. I hope you keep reading this blog. Because if I can get my ish together and get healthy A-N-Y-B-O-D-Y can. Seriously. And all my dirty little laundry along the way will be hanging on a line right here for you to gawk at.

Cleanse Scam (or Not) Alert: Kinoki Foot Pads

Although I'm a major advocate for improved health through natural means, I'm not naive enough to believe that the natural health industry has fewer scams and dangers than the pharmaceutical industry. At least the natural health scams generally involve products that simply don't work - as opposed to dangerous chemicals that flat-out kill... but that's another blog post.


I developed a healthy curiosity about the Kinoki Foot Pads, a product that supposedly helps draw toxins out of the body through the soles of you feet while you sleep. I didn't discount this product at first view because I understand the cycle of toxin-in, toxin-out.


We can digest toxins via (typically bad) food choices. We inhale them from the environment. We even absorb them through the skin via environmental contaminants, cleaning products, and even daily cosmetics.


Toxins exit through similar doors. We honk them from our nose, sweat them through our glands, and flush them away with old-fashioned visits to the Porcelain Throne.


Even emotions can contribute to a toxic environment where stress and strife produce hormones that the body can't handle in large doses.

And while many laugh at us cleanse buffs because the body is already equipped to handle toxins, I still believe we need a little help because we're eating, inhaling and absorbing them at an unhealthy rate - all while producing even more in fits of road rage and Christmas shopping for the Nintendo Wii.


Back to the point...


Knowing we can eliminate toxins via the pores in our largest organ, the skin, I thought Kinoki might be on to something... Well...


According to a Consumerist writeup of an NPR feature, the Kinoki Foot Pads stink like... well... toxic feet.


Reporter Sarah Varney had a lab analyze used Kinoki pads. The scientist reported that the used pads (with all that brown gunk) didn't vary much in chemistry from a fresh new pad. And it stands to reason it's because the pad didn't actually remove any toxins. Even worse, the brown gunk that is supposed to be "toxic waste" also appears when the pad is held above a pot of boiling water.


Some members of the WikiAnswers community weighed-in on the issue. For the most part, the users screamed scam. A few said they felt a little better, some praised the possible placebo effect, and one urged that 'trying the pads was better than turning to pharmeceutical drugs. Read these excerpts for yourself (below) and follow this link for the entire list:

Happy users (with surprisingly dull responses that could use an energy drink):

• Well I used it once and I felt much better.
  

• I was not looking for a cure for anything, so I Im not claiming miracle. I did feel a little better. I have no explanation.

The blessed placebo conspiracy theorists (who clearly had their energy drinks and watch too much X-Files):

• I have never used them, nor do I think they work. I think many of the testimonials and other positive feedback about them works with the placebo effect. You believe a desired reaction will occur from a treatment, so your body reacts the way you expect it to when you use above said treatment.
  

• Who cares if it acts a placebo as long as you "think" it is going to work than that is the end result everyone wants. Does anyone really care how we get healed as long as we are healed? While the placebo effect may result in people feeling better, it has no bearing on the claim that the footpads remove any toxins, therefore any change in toxins cannot be explained by the placebo effect.

The "Why Not" gang (with a serious hit out on the pharmaceutical industry):

• Why not try? I do not believe there is any published data--proving or disproving--on the Kinoki foot pad approach, but I see no harm in one trying it. Certainly, it would be safer and cheaper than many of the commonly prescribed drugs that cause hundreds of thousands of terrible side effects and early deaths in the United States each year. [excerpt from much longer comment]

My personal opinion having not used the product: There are too many known natural remedies for cleansing the body and promoting health. Of course, I'm a huge fan of the Master Cleanser. There's fruit and veggie cleanses, exercise, excellent herbal remedies, and plain-old better living. There's a 95% chance that I'll pass on this product.

Don't Call It a Comeback ! (I'm Gonna Knock You Out)

Remember the LL Cool J song "Mama Said Knock You Out?" I'm knockin' some stuff out, and it's great to be back here.

Just when you thought I fell off the edge of the earth... here I am. I returned to the blog today after returning to the Yahoo group as a moderator earlier this summer.

::Deep Inhale:: The air sure is clear in the happy zone.

What a journey I've been on since November 2007. High highs. Low lows. And the net result is that I'm a happy camper.

Should I recap for the newcomers?

• Married November 1999.
  
  
• Husband ran out November 2003.
  
  
• Divorce final July 2004.
  
  
• Husband remarried September 2004 (I knew he was seeing that woman!).
  
  
• Developed some bad... okay, worse... nutritional habits by October 2004 (can you say "comfort food?").
  
  
• Considered reading "The Perfect Murder Manual" til November 2004 (hehe).
  
  
• Discovered the Master Cleanse in October 2005.
  
  
• Overcame the emotional trauma by 2005 through forgiveness, prayer, and growing a set of brass knockers.
  
  
• Cleansed until November 2006.
  
  
• Met a wonderful man in November 2006.
  
  
• Developed more bad habits, mostly associated with enjoying life again.
  
  
• Got engaged April 2007.
  
  
• Been smiling ever since.
  
  
• Started workout training August 6, 2008 (feelin' GREAT, too).
  
  
• Saw a friggin' calf muscle in my leg and detected a knee-cap on August 15, 2008 (wow, I have those?).
  
  
• Resurrected the blog on August 20, 2008.

So. There you have it. My road to cleansing and return to this blog in a nutshell.

I expect to start my next cleanse after a family barbeque scheduled for August 30. Until then, I'll keep bringing health news, personal views, and stage cues... anything to help you and me live a cleansed life.

Happy Cleansing!

PS: Notice the updated pic in the sidebar and profile? That was before a date with my sweetheart - the one who makes me laugh, scream, cry, smile - but mostly love with a happy heart.

Oh So Right. Ooooh So Wrong. The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Here I am with one of those bittersweet reports of triumph pie with a side of defeat.

The first two weeks of my fitness journey started out feeling like a failure. Instead of 4 days of strength training, I was only getting two days at 15-20 minutes each. As I poked out my lip and mounted the scale at the end of week 2, I was shocked to see that I was down 7 pounds. And for those of you who need the New International Translation of my crazy ramblings:

The Good News: I was actually down 7 pounds, which equaled 3.5 pounds per week, with no changes to my diet and minimal sweating.

The Bad News: I was actually down 7 pounds, which equaled 3.5 pounds per week, with no changes to my diet and minimal sweating.

Why is the same point good and bad? I found this surprisingly frustrating, because I was totally outed. If it only takes minimal work to establish a healthier weight - why haven't I reached a healthier weight?

Several things come to mind, like:

• Bad habits.
• The lazy after-a-long-day-work blues.
• Or worse, something deep down inside that doesn't really wanna get'er done.

If 15 minutes, two days per week can produce a good result, what could I achieve with 15 minutes of strength training per day?

I can't think of a single good excuse why I don't dedicate 15 minutes of exercise to my daily routine - especially since I waste a good 2 hours watching my favorite TV shows. The excuses get real flimsy when I can even work 15 minutes while I'm watching a favorite TV show.

I'm out of excuses - but not out of drive. Strangely enough, I'm discovering some truth behind all of this useless struggle over my weight while reading:

Radical Honesty: How to Transform Your Life by Telling the Truth (Brad Blanton, PhD)

You can read about my fascination with Blanton's Radical Honesty movement:

Here:
Never Tell a Lie: A Social Experiment

and

Here:
Pass the Stuffing... Because Your Thighs Indicate You Should Be Done With It

Until next time, I wish you the best of all health for your mind, body, and spirit.

And as always: Happy Cleansing!

Can't Start Now - The Typical Cleanse Killer

Some folks cleanse like crack addicts... scratching and twitching for the next cleanse "hit." Many times at the Yahoo group, the moderator team had to express concerns to men and women who fantasized about the cleanse "high" -- and wanted to know if "a week in between cleanses is enough."

Because of that, I made sure to keep my cleansing in check... leaving at least three months in between and not trying to cleanse until I shrank and simply disappeared.

But right now, I'm feeling a little like the cleanse-addict. I haven't been on one in quite a while, and I'm starting to feel like I NEED it.

I'm sure that position is justified. I have been an absolute louse towards my body and my general health. Everybody and everything (take a number) has priority status. Boyfriend, children, new puppy, work schedule, and heck, even my favorite TV shows - complete with soft pillow, evening beverage and possibly a crappy snack. This just won't do.

So my feet are back on the cleanse road, and the dang startup challenges are the same. Does any of this sound familiar?:

1. My son turns 15 and his party is this weekend. Can't start now. Hafta have cake.

2. Sweetheart has been wanting a date for a while now. We try for each weekend. Can't start now. Hafta be able to eat out.

3. The good ole' monthly cycle might be starting soon. Can't start now. There's nothing worse than cleansing during that time of the month.

No matter how much of a veteran you are, you always run the risk of sounding like a confused newbie when it's time to cleanse again. :-)

When Stress Holds the Trump Card

As you know, I am a huge supporter of the idea that cleansing the body is essentially a waste if the mind and spirit don't follow. And I notice that challenges in one area often upsets the balance in another.

I have a list of "soul" irritants that have me fantasizing about the lemonade. In other words, I'm craving a body fix for things that are challenging my mind and spirit:

1. Mom hates the boyfriend and would stab him if it was legal. Instead, I get stabbed with her tongue.

2. I haven't found a new church home since my old church ceased to exist around December 2006.

3. The rental unit is performing about as well as a rock in a 100-yard hurdle competition.

4. I got a glowing annual review at work, but the raise indicated that I must spend my days sleeping on my desk while snoring loudly.

In other words, stress dealt some wicked trump cards on me in recent months. By this past Sunday, I was emotionally exhausted and wanted nothing more than a vacation - or at least a box of Calgon.

Will a cleanse of my body (Master Cleanse) help with this emotional exhaustion? By all accounts - including my own... a cleanse just may be in order. Besides the health benefits, a cleanse generates a dramatic change in the daily routine. That "change of pace" is enough to help inspire a new perspective.

Some take sabbaticals and come back with glowy hair and flawless skin. For those of us with a more-than-hectic life, our sabbatical may lie just inside a glass of cleansing lemonade.

More later as I brush the dust from these blogging fingers.

Dusty Blogger Returns

I'm Back!
Changes on the job and a growing "To Do" list kept me away from this blog since May. So... I wanna say a warm "hello" and "thanks for waiting" to my regular readers.

Virgin cleansers often come trembling with fears about "missing food" and "cleanse symptoms like the bathroom trips." But by far, anybody who has ever cleansed understands that the biggest challenge is living a cleansed life after completing a cleanse regimen.

For some people, living a cleansed life simply means keeping a clean colon by eating the right stuff. But for me, the goal encompasses mind, body, and spirit. And if I had to make an assessment of my "Wagon Status..." I would say that I'm off the wagon right now - like a cabbage head rolling of the back of the wagon after hitting a pothole. hehe

Simple vs. Easy
I agree with BluJewel's comment that eating properly is simple. But most who fight the battle with me will agree with this: It's simple, but it's not easy.

The battle is simple, because the rules are not complicated. Shop more. Buy more "living foods" such as produce. Prepare more meals fresh. Stay away from funky additives.

But the battle isn't easy because we've developed relationships with crappy food for reasons from convenience, to laziness, to emotional eating. Enough people lose the battle each day to prove how a simple idea can be strangely difficult to live by.

So I'm here... back at the blog... to renew my passion for writing about the MasterCleanse and for healthy living beyond the lemonade.

Stay in good health, and thanks for returning with me!

Fe.ar Fac.tor

It's time for another cleanse, and I have the nervous jitters of a school girl. And it isn't even about the fasting, the lemonade, or the butt pee. It's about another attempt to pursue a healthy life that may fall into a bucket of Hot Wings.

I am the first one to admit that a cleanse is faaaaaaar from a magic bullet. But most people, including myself, enter a cleanse with high hopes of continuing a healthier lifestyle. Invariably, the water heater will die, the job will get stressful, or (women) have a period swoop in like a hurricane - - and suddenly Hershey's becomes your best friend.

In the balance of health vs. weight loss... my attitude has changed greatly over the past 10 years. In my 20's, I was more concerned about a dress size than living a long healthy life. And in some cases, I considered sacrificing my health to be a size 6.

But now, I want a long life with my parents, my sons, by sweetheart, and anybody else I was placed on this earth to love and serve.

And because of that, I'll keep my high hopes for the long healthy life that can follow this next cleanse. Fear is not a Factor for me. hehe

Hiding Under a Rock

I haven't posted since April 3rd. I wonder if it's because I've been hiding under a rock, hoping I didn't have to admit that:

1. Pasta and I recently became friends again and
2. Because of that, I'm still only maintaining the 10.5 pounds that I lost 2 months ago.

With diabetes on both sides of my family, I really can't play around with refined carbohydrates and extra weight on my body. I am blessed to remain in good health, but the underlying concern is always, "How long?"

I recently had a conversation about busy lives and convenience - eating out of boxes, bags, and food joints that value quantity over quality. I don't have a life that affords me hours of Martha Stewart time to prepare top notch meals. But then again, Do I?

Everybody finds time for the things they find important. And if I look at the time I have left at the end of the work day... I wonder if I simply find other things more important.

I typically get home around 6pm (sometimes later)... leaving me a good 3.5 hours before the children must go to bed. I use 1/2 hour of that to detox from the day, and another 1/2 hour dealing with "after school" issues. And perhaps my problem is that I don't want to spend a huge portion of the remaining 2.5 hours in a kitchen.

I am blessed to have a beau who loves to cook and does it well. Yesterday, he prepared a seared steak fried rice with salad. I almost locked my son in the closet when he simply asked, "Dang mom. Why didn't you ever cook like this?" What I do cook is good, but I don't know how to cook steak and forget a rice dish.

So perhaps at the end of the day, living a life of good love and good health is about accepting the help that we're blessed to receive. Whether you have a great partner who shares the chores or a great friend who will be your buddy in the travel to good health - keep running the race until something clicks and you find the balance required to achieve the most important priorities.

Knee Deep in a Bucket of Hot Wings

Well dang. Where have I been? I would say "knee deep in a bucket of hot wings," but the truth is a little worse than that. At least hot wings aren't loaded with processed carbs - which have crept back in to my routine like ants to a picnic.

I have returned to "snacking," although I snack less often than I used to. I also returned to having some soda and eating foods with "white" carbs in them. In spite of my overall habits having improved over the last 3 years, I'm in a health funk.

It's time for the cleanse I've been avoiding since the middle of March. I had a few good excuses going... like my birthday, my sweetheart's birthday, and oh yeah..... the full moon. But now I'm out of options, unless I have a rare disease that requires me to eat Easter Eggs every Easter Sunday or I'll implode.

The real disease is a deadly allergy to bathing suits - especially bikinis - because if I don't get on the move, I won't be stepping a single foot into swim recreation this summer.

The last thing I want to do is make cleansing/fasting/weight loss about appearance. On a certain level, appearance should be a concern. Looking your best (not somebody else's best) is a sign that you have a healthy love for yourself.

But on the most important level, I want to live a long healthy spiritual life that doesn't include a team of medical specialists and a medicine cabinet full of prescription drugs. And oh yeah, I also don't want my future to include a trip thru the roof because only a crane can get me out of the house.

That may sound like an extraordinary exaggeration, but the unhealthy people and severely obese folks didn't just wake up with a mountain of health problems. They're the product of a series of actions (and lack of actions) that multiplied into a big mess. That means the war is fought daily. Today I fight once again as I purchase my lemons (after putting down an old favorite and recent weakness - Andy Capp's Hot Fries). ::sigh:: hehe

Life Expectancy and Health

I ran into a friend whose mother recently died at the ripe old age of 62. Young. Too young.

After holding his hand and offering my love and support, we got into a conversation about life expectancy and health.

His mother had been sick for quite a while, and he was finding comfort that she finally escaped the suffering. As he pondered the idea, he was drawn into a thought about life expectancy. Without any statistics, he concluded this from his gut:

"If you can live to the age of 55 and still be healthy, you can expect to live out your life expectancy feeling great. If you're sick and on pills by 35 and 45 years old, what do you have to look forward to?"

Something about his statement rang true with me. The television is loaded with drug ads directed at patients. People in their 20s, 30s, and 40s are choosing drugs over healthier alternatives, and the rate seems alarming. So now I am terribly curious: "Is there truth to the need to stay healthy at younger and younger ages? Should we be more concerned about eating junk food and ruining our bodies before we're threatened by our approaching 40s?"

I visited the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and followed the stats to the NCHS (National Center for Health Statistics). As it turns out, my friend wasn't far off regarding the importance of having good health earlier in life. The NCHS reports the following life expectancy stats (figures updated in 2004):

Life Expectancy at Birth (for all races):
Women: 80.4 years
Men: 75.2 years

BUT, if you manage to live to the age of 65, expectancy changes as follows:

Life Expectancy at Age 65 (for all races):
Women: 85.0
Men: 82.1

The trend continues upwards if you live another decade:

Life Expectancy at Age 75 (for all races):
Women: 85.7
Men: 87.8

In other words, the longer you live, the longer you are expected to live. Sounds crazy, but making it to the next decade is the mark of a healthy person who can expect extended years.

And to add my own spice, the sooner you can get and stay healthy, the better life you will have. Who wants to carry a health fight into old age? And why run the risk that your increased age will make the fight much harder?

This reminds me of what a treasured mentor told me years ago.

"If I had known I was going to live this long, I would have taken care of myself."

The sentiment behind his comment was regret. I pray that you, my readers, will never have to live those words.

Here's to living a cleansed and healthy life, so you can enjoy more vibrant years!

[You can download a PDF of the CDC statistics here.]
The link goes directly to the PDF and not another landing page...

Weight Loss Challenge 2007 - PMS and Monster Scouts

The Girl Scouts struck again with Caramel deLites. I'm waiting for Fatties Anonymous to launch a battery of lawsuits against those sweet little monster scouts and their delicious boxed treats. hehe

Actually, I fought PMS and bloating all week... a time when I crave chocolate and carbs. It's a miracle that I only put on 1.5 pounds during the fight, and I am so happy to be back on track. That still puts my total weight loss at 10.5 pounds.

I did my Turbo Jam last night, and I'm ready to graduate from the Learn & Burn DVD.

I must give props to my supportive beau, who cooked a wonderful meal yesterday, leaving enough of the carb-less version for me to have lunch at work. Poor preparation has been my worst enemy - especially leaving home without lunch.

He started with Baby broccoli in a little butter and spices. He sauteed onions and added a few crumbles from my horseradish/cheddar burger mix. He continued by adding baked chicken wingettes, and by now the kitchen smells like a gourmet restaurant. I took out my portion before he finished the one-pot dish with long-grain rice and vermicelli.

I was terribly annoyed that my 7-year old ate his entire bowl. No - TWO entire bowls. Veggies and all. My beau is such a show-off, and I love him for it. I wonder if I'll be ready to enjoy beaches in a swimsuit with him by the summer. He loves boats. He loves to fish. After 14 years in the Navy, he just loves water.

Check back soon. I expect to report excellent progress over the next few weeks.

Weight Loss Challenge 2007 - UPDATE

So I made it through the first 5 weeks of the challenge. My goal was to lose 2 pounds per week. I am slightly ahead, losing 12 pounds in the first 5 weeks - not to mention all the wonderful inches that make my clothes fit great.

But lurking under that success was a measly 1 pound weight loss last week. It wasn't the pasta. It wasn't the bread. It wasn't even Hershey's chocolate. It was something much more sinister that could be knocking on your door right now. It was Girl Scouts.

I was determined not to get dragged into the wicked world of those cute boxes and delicious treats. I walked by dozens and dozens of boxes in front of the grocery store and other places. I returned the sweet tiny voice, "Would you like to buy some cookies?" with my own sweet, "Not today, but good luck to you."

I was on top of the world. Until an evil co-worker put out a Girl Scout cookie display that looked like a bonanza. Oh the sweet little boxes, lined-up like soldiers. As I tried to walk by, a purple box of Caramel DeLites reached out. Seriously. The tab popped and grabbed my shirt. I tried to fight, but the box was too strong. I screamed for mercy and threw my $3.50 into the money envelope.

I ate 9 cookies and slammed the lid. I went home and did Turbo Jam.

I couldn't trash the box. "I'll just save them for somebody. I hate to waste good cookies."

But the next day, I polished the box and rushed back to Turbo Jam. That's the only reason I was able to manage a pound that week.

These are the truths about attempting a major weight loss. There are mountain-top experiences, and then there are valleys paved with cookies. ::sigh:: Oh well. I'm still in great spirits and my weight continues to travel in the right direction. :-)

Poor Planning and Your Paunch

I am suddenly a believer in old advice I heard regarding health habits - that preparation can make the difference between losing 100 pounds or gaining 50.

These weeks following my last cleanse have been quite an experience. I have more positive food habits than ever. I rarely eat carbs, and I don't load when I do. I drink water and incorporate more exercise. I feel great and had to note a player who helped this major change:

P R E P A R A T I O N

Did you ever notice how you eat whatever is available? Walk into a conference room with donuts, and suddenly it's Donut Monday. Walk into a meeting with candy, and suddenly it's a Sweet Meeting.

The same is true at home. The contents of your cabinets become your "availability." Don't stock those cabinets with junk from floor to ceiling and complain that it is impossible to lose weight.

I spent a few evenings preparing the proper food choices which made my days easier. Today, I came with carb-lite/carb-free selections like meatloaf and deviled eggs. My belly is full while managing to avoid the Carb Party Box called the vending machines.

I say all this to encourage you to put first things first. The average person who complains of being "too busy" can still find time for a favorite television show or other random nighttime activities. Use part of that time to lovingly prepare foods that nourish instead of harm your body. I'm starting to enjoy the time I spend in the kitchen because I'm able to do other things at the same time... like catch American Idol and stir during the commercials.

A Warm Hello to My International Visitors!

While 75% of my recent visitors (approximately the past 3 weeks) live in the United States (including Alaska and Hawaii), the remaining 25% live outside the states.

Please accept this warm welcome to my visitors from:

• Canada
• Italy
• United Kingdom
• Australia
• Brazil

I have traveled to Canada, the United Kingdom, and Italy. I have also traveled to France, Germany, Amsterdam, Spain, and Switzerland. My most fond food memories come from Italy and Spain.

Both years that I traveled Europe, I came home thinner. I find that the availability of healthier food choices in other countries (from ingredients to prevailing attitudes about food) is often the subject of books I read about health. In fact, the growing weight and general health problem in the United States is highly attributed to SAD, or the Standard American Diet.

I most enjoyed the book, "French Women Don't Get Fat: The Secret of Eating for Pleasure" by Mireille Guiliano. I recommend this book to anybody as a wonderful commentary on weight issues that reach far beyond superficial motives and quick fixes.

I hope to see all of you again soon!
Hawa

PS: Thanks to Google Analytics for the cool maps and site visitor statistics that allow me to "see" my International friends. If you have a blog, you need to sign up for this free service.

Common Question: How Do I Keep the Weight Off After a Cleanse?

I am surprised at how many times we get this question at the Yahoo group. Many members are frightened by internet urban legend that laments, "once you come off the cleanse, you pack on huge amounts of weight the moment you eat a morsel of food." These claims are often made by people who either didn't actually do the cleanse, or did the cleanse and went back to crappy eating afterwards.

In spite of the consistent evidence that weight is lost when you burn more calories than you consume - people still ask about what it takes to keep weight off. By confusing the basic answer, companies pocket kajillions of dollars while consumers bounce from solution-to-solution - believing that the answer lies in a remedy that can be purchased off the shelf.

So here's my official answer to the common question about managing weight after a cleanse:

1. Break the cleanse properly. Don't miss a single step in the process as described in the book.

2. Make a slow return to eating. Don't have a bacon cheeseburger right after you complete the "breaking" process. Remember, your metabolism slowed during the cleanse and requires some time to increase to normal levels. Naturally, if you pack in the calories now, you can't metabolize it all.

3. Reduce portions. Today's inhuman portion sizes produced lots of spare tires. Don't judge the proper portion by the tub of pasta served by your favorite Italian food restaurant. I had a small-dang-boat of pasta (Rigatoni Martino) at Carrabba's yesterday. I jumped in head-first and almost got lost in the bowl. It may have been delicious, but normal serving sizes say that my tub held enough food for probably 3 servings.

4. Exercise. Physical exercise helps the body burn calories. If you're gonna burn more than you eat, you must be physically active. Don't buy into the notion that you must have the latest exercise video to do this. Do what you enjoy. Garden. Walk. Ride your bike. There's no magic. Just get moving. If you choose to just control food without exercise, prepare yourself for tiny tiny portions. In my opinion, such a lack of balance isn't healthy.

5. When health is just as important as weight loss, improve the quality of your food. Some people just care about weight. While that may work for them, I'm also interested in long-term health results. In that case, choose whole complex carbs over simple and processed carbs (e.g. white bread, white pasta, etc.) Include lots of "living" foods. It's the living enzymes in food (such as uncooked vegetables) that aid our digestion. Don't fill your days with dead, overcooked, over processed food with no nutritional value.

6. Keep life interesting. Many "diets" require you to omit certain foods for life. That's a great way to lose interest in food and go back to gorging on your favorites. Make sure your eating includes small portions of things you love and some exploratory foods, like the purple whattsit-veggie that you've never seen before.

7. TRUST YOUR BODY'S CUES. You are your own best advocate. You know how certains foods and habits make you feel. Instead of hoping that somebody else's prescription will work for you, learn to manage your own health. You know when you're getting full. Push away from the table. You know which foods make you tired. Don't eat them and cause yourself to skip exercise. See my post on "Doctor Yourself" about your responsibility to learn about your personal health and stop letting propaganda rule your decisions.

Rock on.

Doctor Yourself

Quotes like this can really captivate:

"One-third of what you eat keeps you alive.
The other two-thirds keep your doctor alive."

How about this one...

"Natural healing is not about avoiding doctors. It's about not needing to go to doctors. A dentist is not upset if you're cavity free. A doctor should not be upset if you're healthy."

Both quotes are attributed to Dr. Andrew Saul, who has taken on the war for good health. I came across Dr. Saul in my decision process to fire my doctor and hire a naturopath for my health needs. I know a woman who essentially nursed herself back from health (hadn't walked for almost 2 years) by cleansing and seeing a naturopath. The typical doctor goes blue in the face when you introduce the idea of going without food for 10 days. The same doctors respond with wide-eyed amazement after the cleanse produces outstanding health benefits.

This week, I will order Dr. Saul's book, Doctor Yourself, which focuses on our responsibility to care for our health. The author of one book review offers the following compelling comment:

Doctor Yourself is titled and based on a simple premise: every person is responsible for their own health care. When a person abdicates that responsibility, they often place themselves in the hands of the "disease care" industry, a monolithic and profit-driven enterprise where getting well isn't the bottom line.

After reading the book, I'll provide commentary here at the blog.

Rock on.

Battleground

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

Some of you know that my current battle with a healthy lifestyle comes after the destructive work of eating my way through a divorce. Even as I head for a major comeback after peeling the emotional layers, I have an eye turned to the physical layers. Like a metaphor for the necessary "hibernation" time for recovery, I'm ready to come out of the cave AND the extra layer on my body. This fight is harder than any other, because my rewards for "bad behavior" are so immediate. Here's what I mean:

• Yes, chocolate can cure a long night.

• Yes, the cheesy goodness of a pizza can be a great companion for a long night of bad memories.

• And yes, crunchy snacks are a fun friend for dateless movie rental weekends.

After the emotional recovery, I immediately wanted to kill those habits. Instead of bringing perceived relief, comfort foods feel like the artifact of an old reflex instead of something I really need. And thankfully, habits can be broken. Now that I'm sweeping out the cobwebs and feeling like a new woman on the inside, I'm ready for that "new" feeling to show. It's amazing what junk food does to the skin, the hair - and not so surprising what it does to general health and vibrancy. The cleanse on August 1st feels like the final battleground in this war.

Although I keep taking stabs at the Beast of Bad Habits, August 1st is my declared time for "it slays me or I slay it." I don't expect an all-at-once victory. We're talking about a big beast. But I do expect to leave that beast dying on the ground - unable to deal anymore devastating blows. I'll hang it's head as a trophy once the work is done.

No weapon formed against you shall prosper (Isaiah 54:17a)

When a Good Scare Gets the Juices Flowing

Ugh. If I could roll my eyes any harder, I'd get a nice look at my brain. I promised myself not to be "the woman who started eating right because a medical scare rocked her world." I hear those stories all the time. Well yesterday was a reminder to go ahead and implement the plan, or I'm gonna miss the mark.

I was sitting at my desk, having a conversation about American Idol with a co-worker. During the conversation, my left arm went numb. I had to be subtle, because I didn't want to alarm my visitor. I wiggled my fingers and made a few loose fists. As my mind turned down the volume on our conversation, my loudest thoughts asked the question, "What the heck is going on?"

I was thankful for the company and the conversation, because it kept me from panic. After a short walk and a trip to the bathroom, I felt almost normal again.

Now there are a few potential reasons I had that scare.

1. I often have strange occurrences on the left side of my body when my digestive system goes on strike. Years ago, I had to see a specialist about it, who told me chest pain and referred pain is not uncommon. Another friend with digestive problems said her pain would settle in her left shoulder. Too bad that's the same marker as a heart attack!

2. Later last night, I had problems with my left collar bone. When I type a lot, a nerve on the left side of neck starts to protest. The numbness was probably my warning for a long night of that weird nerve thingy.

3. My bra is really wearing on my shoulders under the responsibility of carrying around... well... Double D's. You might go numb too.

In spite of the non-emergency nature of the problem, I experienced a moment in time where the status of my health came into serious question. Long periods of eating like a teenager can't possibly be good for a 35 year old body.

Convenience. Habit. Comfort. Habit. Celebration. Habit. Boredom.
Did I mention HABIT?

A cleanse is coming some time after Memorial Day. I'm ready to reset. I really don't care how many times I have to try. The only opportunity to win lies in not quitting.

Rock on.