The Detox Diaries - days 1-2
It’s Spring Clean time.
Some years it’s as simple as giving up coffee for a while, arguing that my base diet is better than most. You can still get that small buzz of virtue saying “no” to caffeine or alcohol, without doing the really tough work. Once, in London, it was a full on fast for 5 days of just water and herb tea.
Last year was a modified, stricter version of the original Leslie Kenton 10 Day clean up - a 2 day fruit fast and another week of very strict eating, mainly raw fruit and veg with a few nuts, seeds, real grains and beans thrown in at the end. Squeaky clean! But although I had no caffeine cursing through my system to withdraw from, I felt achy, cold and lethargic for the duration
So this year’s plan is a flexible week to 10 days of good clean food, with more lead in time and only a couple of totally raw food days.
Day 1
Yesterday I farewelled coffee, chocolate and alcohol. At this point it’s more psyching myself into the whole thing. The pre-marathon pep talk. As I know that these little joys will only be gone for a week or two, it’s no big stress.
Start the day with lemon juice in warm water, move onto a peppermint tea. Have some porridge for breakfast, some salad and carbs for lunch and steamed fish and vegetables for dinner. Some rice too, which was almost brown. A packet of dirty looking basmati labelled “brown basmati” that looked pretty white and huskless on cooking.
I notice people drinking coffee at the market and feel a little wistful. I shop up large at my favourite organic stall – finding the best fruit and veg to get the whole shebang under way.
Day 2
Awake grumpy and blame it on the Significant Eater breaking my sleep for the second night in a row. He is heading away for the weekend and jokes (?) about seeing me at the end of next week when I am in a better mood.
I discover that when people are detoxing their sense of humour can also go down the toilet.
Have a headache in 2 different parts of my head that I deny has anything to do with a 2nd day without coffee. My neck must be out.
Start the day with the lemon juice, some ginger and spice ‘tea’ and eat some soaked oats and an apple. At lunch I head off to the wonderful organic café in Degraves Street only to discover it is closed for the next couple of weeks! Mild panic ensues about what I will do next week when I am in the tougher stage of the detox. Go to some other healthy-ish food shop that has ok salads, avoiding all the noodle and couscous ones. Food alright, but would prefer organic with more leafy greens.
Today is officially the first day of summer and the barometer has hit an amazing 25c. The air is thick with warmth and everyone is happy. On the way home my mind wanders to the perfectness of sipping a cool drink at an outdoor bar on such an evening.
Another twist to detox diets is they suggest you have your evening meal at a ridiculously early hour. Manage to make and consume a salad by 6.45pm and settle in for a night on the couch with the ABC. Tummy rumbles a couple of hours later with strong sweet cravings. Eat 4 sultanas then discover a couple of passionfruit. Am sated at last.
Detox recipe from Day 2
An impromptu ‘whatever is in the fridge’ Salad
Cauliflower – florets blanched in boiling water for 1 minute then refreshed in ice water
Celery – stalks and leaves, diced
Radish – sliced
Carrot – cut into sticks
Spring onion – thinly sliced on the diagonal
Dressing
2 cloves of garlic – blanched (raw ok)
half an avocado - mashed
1 tablespoon tahini
lemon juice – about half a lemon, to taste
Combine the ingredients in a bowl til smooth. If you want to make a thinner dressing add a little hot water til you get the desired consistency.
Tip: Eat the salad in a small bowl. Chew well. Now you can have a second bowlful!
The next 2 days will be tough – just one type of fruit a day for the weekend. Now I have had my gentle intro to the detox – the real cleanse begins!
Some years it’s as simple as giving up coffee for a while, arguing that my base diet is better than most. You can still get that small buzz of virtue saying “no” to caffeine or alcohol, without doing the really tough work. Once, in London, it was a full on fast for 5 days of just water and herb tea.
Last year was a modified, stricter version of the original Leslie Kenton 10 Day clean up - a 2 day fruit fast and another week of very strict eating, mainly raw fruit and veg with a few nuts, seeds, real grains and beans thrown in at the end. Squeaky clean! But although I had no caffeine cursing through my system to withdraw from, I felt achy, cold and lethargic for the duration
So this year’s plan is a flexible week to 10 days of good clean food, with more lead in time and only a couple of totally raw food days.
Day 1
Yesterday I farewelled coffee, chocolate and alcohol. At this point it’s more psyching myself into the whole thing. The pre-marathon pep talk. As I know that these little joys will only be gone for a week or two, it’s no big stress.
Start the day with lemon juice in warm water, move onto a peppermint tea. Have some porridge for breakfast, some salad and carbs for lunch and steamed fish and vegetables for dinner. Some rice too, which was almost brown. A packet of dirty looking basmati labelled “brown basmati” that looked pretty white and huskless on cooking.
I notice people drinking coffee at the market and feel a little wistful. I shop up large at my favourite organic stall – finding the best fruit and veg to get the whole shebang under way.
Day 2
Awake grumpy and blame it on the Significant Eater breaking my sleep for the second night in a row. He is heading away for the weekend and jokes (?) about seeing me at the end of next week when I am in a better mood.
I discover that when people are detoxing their sense of humour can also go down the toilet.
Have a headache in 2 different parts of my head that I deny has anything to do with a 2nd day without coffee. My neck must be out.
Start the day with the lemon juice, some ginger and spice ‘tea’ and eat some soaked oats and an apple. At lunch I head off to the wonderful organic café in Degraves Street only to discover it is closed for the next couple of weeks! Mild panic ensues about what I will do next week when I am in the tougher stage of the detox. Go to some other healthy-ish food shop that has ok salads, avoiding all the noodle and couscous ones. Food alright, but would prefer organic with more leafy greens.
Today is officially the first day of summer and the barometer has hit an amazing 25c. The air is thick with warmth and everyone is happy. On the way home my mind wanders to the perfectness of sipping a cool drink at an outdoor bar on such an evening.
Another twist to detox diets is they suggest you have your evening meal at a ridiculously early hour. Manage to make and consume a salad by 6.45pm and settle in for a night on the couch with the ABC. Tummy rumbles a couple of hours later with strong sweet cravings. Eat 4 sultanas then discover a couple of passionfruit. Am sated at last.
Detox recipe from Day 2
An impromptu ‘whatever is in the fridge’ Salad
Cauliflower – florets blanched in boiling water for 1 minute then refreshed in ice water
Celery – stalks and leaves, diced
Radish – sliced
Carrot – cut into sticks
Spring onion – thinly sliced on the diagonal
Dressing
2 cloves of garlic – blanched (raw ok)
half an avocado - mashed
1 tablespoon tahini
lemon juice – about half a lemon, to taste
Combine the ingredients in a bowl til smooth. If you want to make a thinner dressing add a little hot water til you get the desired consistency.
Tip: Eat the salad in a small bowl. Chew well. Now you can have a second bowlful!
The next 2 days will be tough – just one type of fruit a day for the weekend. Now I have had my gentle intro to the detox – the real cleanse begins!
Labels: detox, favourites, photos, recipes, vegetarian
posted by GS at 9:25 am
1 Comments:
I tried the avocado dressing recipe and it was delicious! There is a pic of it on my blog :)
Whitney
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