I started a cleanse today, and so, for your interest …
perhaps entertainment … I thought I’d blog a little about my progress along the
way.
What am I doing?
What does it involve?
What doesn’t it involve?!
The full program will include:
*
Vegan diet (including 3 days of juicing)
*
liver, colon and kidney cleanses
*
yoga, meditation and breath-work
*
self-reflection
How does it work?
Ayurveda is the sister-science to yoga, honed in over 5000 yrs
and specifically tailored to your distinct dosha (you can find any number of
dosha tests online – here’s a good example: http://www.yogajournal.com/health/2630
)
I fall in a split category, physically I’m Kapha,
emotionally more of a Pitta.
It really doesn’t matter where you fall, and you will change
over time / according to stresses etc, what’s important is trying to balance
them.
Just as with yoga, the sister science works on balancing you
out so that you feel more centred and relaxed, which in turn promotes
well-being in all aspects of your life.
Ayurveda is not a quick fix, it is largely a preventative treatment
(although an Ayurvedic specialist can work with you to treat and heal specific
illnesses) that aims to promote a thoughtful approach to your nutrition and
body care. It focuses both on what’s
going into your body and what you are putting on and doing with your body.
Why am I doing it?
Simply put – it’s time to clean.
I had a big move, lots of travel, holidays and sickness. It’s
time to blow the cobwebs away and reset my body in preparation for the depths
of winter.
And why follow this cleanse? A few reasons, initially I took
interest in it because it was at my neighbourhood studio and I figured it would
be a great way to meet some new people in the area. Having spent time with
Lauren I’m so glad I signed up with her – she makes it so easy. We were all
provided with a book of recipes, talked through every stage of the cleanse and
given a bag of goodies to get us kicked off. For me the idea of “just eat vegan”
is too hard, but if you give me a handful of recipes to work from I’m off,
Lauren did all that and more and it’s super easy for me follow along and stay
on track.
So … how are you
doing?
Well, it’s only day 1 of an 8 day cleanse, but so far so
good. Started the day at 6.30 (okay I lie, I snoozed and got up at 6.40 … but
heck, it’s much better than the usual rushing out the door for work!). The
early morning was actually lovely, and it gave me a chance to spend just a few
minutes on breath-work and meditation, something I’ve long wanted to start but
kept getting side-tracked by the comfort of my bed! It also feels good actually
spending time on myself – not the usual rush – time to properly treat my skin,
my body, and my morning.
The kidney cleanse is not enjoyable, not going to lie about
that, but then I’m really not a fan of turmeric, so a blend of water, lemon, turmeric
and cayenne pepper just doesn’t do it for me… but I got it down me (with some
moral support) and I can manage that for 8 days …. I think!
Although I am constantly smelling turmeric today, literally everywhere, I think maybe I got some up my nose.
Worst part of the day for me was the hunger in the morning.
I’m always hungry in the mornings, ALWAYS, and the cleanse requires that you
always leave at least 3 hrs between meals. That for me is killer in the
morning. I usually start with a protein shake, shortly followed by fruit, and
then sometimes even a second piece of fruit or some nuts before lunch. Not
unhealthy stuff, but constant snacking and this cleanse is designed to allow
your system time to breathe and refresh itself.
I won't lie, I was pretty moany until lunch today.
Having said that it’s already close to 8 in the evening and I’m not feeling any real
tiredness from the early start, if anything I feel fuller and more alert than
usual. I’m actually eager to get myself home to do some yoga and take the pups
out … which is a good a sign as any to sign off J
See you tomorrow!
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