Saturday, January 11, 2014

From the Inside, Out.


2014 is off to a leisurely start for the two of us. Lots of trail hikes through the lush forests of Vancouver Island, playing with friends' kiddos and lots and lots of time for reflection and contemplation. 


After our two-month "road food" road trip we ordered a liver cleanse kit for us to clean out our systems. They finally arrived last weekend. We noted our completely blank schedules and decided there was no time like the present to start a new year off with a clean slate!


Let's step back to July for a moment... I had a great phone call with my mother-in-law (she's really more like a dear friend) and she had just completed the first of three of these liver cleanses. She had such good things to say about it. I was feeling a little "off", so I did one then too. It was a stretch for me, as I had never done any cleanse for 6 days before. Afterward, I felt amazing. I felt lighter and happier and more like myself. Not to mention, my liver was probably pretty happy. Bonus: my jeans fit better


So, back to the present. We just completed the 6th, and final, day of the cleanse and this time around I felt compelled to document the experiences I / we had through the process. 

In addition to the liver tonic and supplements, this cleanse involves eating only certain fruits for breakfast, and a salad or simple veggie soup for lunch and dinner. This was all fine for us, since we eat a very clean vegan diet. The hard part was no snacking.  We were both a bit on the grumpy side later the first day. When we realized it, we had a good laugh. What a great opportunity to observe our habits. How many of us snack because we are stressed or pressured or anxious? It happens to the best of us. 


Interestingly enough, the weather was extremely rainy all week, so we spent most of the cleanse cooped up in the moHo reading and resting. We didn't feel like we were missing out on chances to hike.

By day 3 we were both feeling a bit of muscular weakness and we were also on the tired side. A big change from how we were feeling on our daily hikes down forest trails that we enjoyed for the last few weeks. We both found that we were restless in the middle of the night several nights. The massive down pours of rain on the moHo roof didn't help us to rest. 


Something about cleansing and having the discipline to be hungry and not botch the cleanse by snacking, creates a state of raised consciousness and body awareness that clears the mind and spirit. We both had moments that we described as "out of body". Moments where we rose beyond physical discomfort and remembered that we are not our bodies. We just reside in our bodies. Since I only get one body in this lifetime, I choose to nourish it daily. 


On the afternoon of day 5, I got a humongous headache. It was the worst headache I have had in years. I must have accumulated a fair amount of toxins throughout our travels. Certain smells made it much worse and sounds and movements were painful. I took a nap for a while and was thrilled to find that it disappeared when I awoke. I was so glad because the night of the 5th day was a crucial time to finish taking the final ingredients to complete the liver flush. I didn't want to get this far and then not complete the cleanse. 

Both times I have done this cleanse, I had the same physical symptoms on the final night. A bit like a flu. But just a one-hour flu. I barely slept much. My abdomen was grumbly and the rain was so loud that it sounded like we were parked under a waterfall. 

However, I woke this morning (day 6) feeling wonderful. My mind and body feel clearer. I feel refreshed. Once again, my jeans fit better. 

We are both so glad that we took the week to cleanse our bodies...and minds and spirits.

Another positive side-effect: 


We both agreed that after a week-long coffee detox, we are better off without the black magic in a mug. Sure, it's tasty, and everyone's doing it. It is one of the most widely traded commodities in the world. We just don't want to wake up and rely on coffee to give us a jump start every morning. Our love for life is enough to get us out of bed each day. Coffee can be for special occasions.


If you are interested in reading more about the cleanse itself, here is a link.  It describes the products, the cleanse process and much more:

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