Hello January! I always have mixed feelings about the month of January. I am a self proclaimed Christmas freak and December might just be my favorite time of the year. So I am always a bit sad when January comes around. The Christmas lights come down, the tree is put away, people are less social and more broke. But there is also something magical about January in its own right. The days start getting slightly longer, the excess of December is behind us and New Years Resolutions are fresh. There is a certain feeling of possibility, letting things go and starting fresh.
This is the second year that I have planned a detox/cleanse for January and right now I'm 6 days in. I don't particularly believe in resolutions, because I think that mindset doesn't support long term change. To be honest, I haven't exactly determined what leads to long term change, but I think I'm starting to get it. The single biggest component seems to be determination. Will power only last so long, in my case, till about 4pm. Enthusiasm can and will surely wane. But making a commitment to oneself to do something regardless of will power, regardless of mood or desire, that's determination. It is the only thing that seems to work for the long term. It's what gets me up at 5:45am to work out in the cold and rain.
I really sincerely overdid it this holiday season in terms of eating and drinking. It was glorious, don't get me wrong, but it took a mighty toll on my digestive system. It also made me feel sluggish, headachey, irritable and unhealthy. By Christmas Day, I had pretty much had it. So I decided a couple things about the month of January and about the year ahead. First, 2013 is going to be the best year of my life in every way. Second, I am going to kick start it by taking care of my body and mind by increasing my energy and vitality. Here is the cleanse/detox guidelines I decided to prescribe to for the month of January.
January Cleanse
- No alcohol for the entire month (yikes!)
- Gluten free
- Dairy free (for 2 weeks)
- No processed foods
- No added sugar
- No red meat
- Minimal caffeine - one green tea a day permitted
- Supplement Combination:
- Upon Waking
- 1 Tablespoon Raw Apple Cider Vinegar diluted in water
- 1 Tablespoon Omega 3, 6, 9
- At Meals (3 times a day)
- Water w/the juice of half a lemon
- Enzymes taken before each meal
- At Bedtime
- 2 Probiotics
- 1 teaspoon CALM Magnesium in hot water
- 8 glasses of water per day minimum
This hasn't been easy for the past 6 days and I can't imagine it getting easier. But I have had a blast sifting through recipes, trying to new foods and cooking techniques and ingredients. Here are a couple of my favorite finds.
Roasted Golden Beets w/Arugula, Spinach and Marcona Almonds
Sauteed Portobello Mushroom Caps w/Aged Modena Balsamic
Radish, Cucumber, Carrot and Celery Salad w/Miso Vinaigrette
Chantrelle Mushroom & Leek Soup w/Gluten Free Toast (at Healeo)
Coconut Green Tea - Healeo (on 15th Avenue)
I am already feeling significantly better and lighter. Unfortunately I have had a bad cold for the whole thing, but I'm on the mend and got back to my workout regiment yesterday with the Resolution 5K + Fitness Challenge in Redmond, WA. I cannot wait to see the full effects of this cleanse at the end of January. But most importantly, to find a way to incorporate the spirit and lesson of it into my everyday life beyond the new year.
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