Liver Cleanse - Recap

Well I'm done with the cleanse now. Ly and I went to Wild Ginger for my first meal of the rest of my life. My God it was the tastiest thing I think I've ever eaten. We had fresh spring rolls with this spicy fish sauce, and pineapple sauce. We then had sea bass lettuce wraps - which were to. die. We finished that off with some mango pork. I had a bit of the pork, but I was feeling really full by that point. It was weird though, I could actually taste the oil in the fresh spring roll wrapper. We then went to the store to stock up on more fresh veggies, but this time, I picked me up some roasted red pepper hummus, and added some damn snow peas. I thought it was Christmas.

The practical things I've learned since being off the cleanse are: cheese gives me that histamine mouth thing like I get when I eat nuts. Different cheeses do that to different extents. Goat cheese, no big, Mozzarella ain't so bad, a piece of
havarti, then mild cheddar, and then Irish sharp cheddar when I got home, that combo woke me up at like 4:30, and I didn't get back to sleep the rest of the night, I had a headache, my tummy was growly, and it did me w.r.o.n.g. I am in mourning for my beloved cheese. To answer your question, yes, I AM going to still eat cheese, but I really wanna cut down, because I know my body functions better without it. One cup of white tea yesterday morning made me feel like I was 20 again, snorting phat lines of pure uncut white gold up the ol' schnoz, and hanging off the roof at Roosevelt University in Chicago (a story for another time).

I have lost approximately 7 pounds, about 3 belt notches, various inches; most notably on my arms, thighs, and ass. My skin is softer, and while not blemished to begin with, much more clear than when I began. Other than the disrupted cheese sleep, I sleep much better than I did before the cleanse, and get more bang for my sleep dollar, if you will. The sharpness of the pain in some of my main joints, including my neck, has diminished. My tummy is far less acid'y than before, my moods feel more stabilized, and I have much more energy than I did when I began. When I am awake, I'm awake, and I don't feel that muscle pull towards bed.

On the intangible level, I have learned that I actually DO have will power. I have also learned a bit about my relationship to food, and how & why I put it in my body(no cucumber jokes please). I have also learned that I can make, and keep a promise to myself.

I would recommend this or any other liver cleanse to anyone, WITH the caveat, that it should be attempted with the direct supervision of a health care provider of some sort. If you choose to do it, know your body's limits, do your research, and create something that will work with you, and your life.

Food Journal 3 - My cheatin' mouth

So I figured I better assess what foods I've cheated on in the last few weeks of this liver cleanse. I've been mostly, very good. The things I've cheated with are:

- approximately 4 slices of that tasty damn beef log
- exactly one tortilla chip with some insanely salty veggie dip
- 2 pieces of meat from the hubby's hot pockets (2 separate occasions)
- 2 packages of crab meat (this one is debatable as some think this IS a lean meat, and some do not - including the chiropractor that put me on this liver cleanse)
- 2 kernals (yes, exactly two) of popcorn at the movie

Other than the above, I ain't had shit man. I have had no cheese, no dairy of any kind, no overt sugar(other than fruit), and no alcohol. So ya know, I feel pretty good about it. That said...

I AM READY TO BE DONE WITH THIS N.O.W.

I will be done as of 5pm this coming Monday. Ly and I will be going out to dinner. Methinks the Wild Ginger would be a good introduction back into normal food.


Liver Cleanse: Day 19 (2 more to go)

Food Journal 2 - The Cookie Mirage

I need to start by saying that sugar has never really been my thang. However, I do have my moments, and one came upon me last night.

I was sitting in the living room, doing some late night stretches as the boy and I lounged watching a Netflix. I looked into the soft glow of the kitchen, and there on the counter, was a shimmering plastic container full of round, full, bulbous cookies. I blinked for a second, because I knew I wouldn't buy cookies being on this liver cleanse. I open my eyes, I look at the container a second time, and powdered sugar seemed to appear on the tops of them muthafuckas instantaneously.

So now I'm thinking that they're some soft-baked-gingersnappy-spices-cinnamony goodness, and my mouth starts to gush waters of delight. I look at Lyam, who is watching the flick, oblivious, turn back to the cookies, and shit and behold the friggin cookies were cherry tomatoes. My gut ached with the unfairness of it all, but I sucked it up, and then sucked up 3 of my tomato "cookies".

pause for moment of silence for Stine

In other news, I have an appointment Monday with a potential biller, who I have heard raves about. Please let the gods in heaven hook me up with this chick.

I think Ly and I are going to go out to Discovery Park this Sunday, take a walk, and perhaps pack a little picnic of green onions, red cabbage, and brussel sprouts. Pity Me.

Anybody who's around is welcome to come, give a call.


Liver Cleanse: Day 11, 10 more to go

Food Journal - Beefy Salty Nuggets

Dear Food Diary,

Last evening I had a freakout to beat all freakouts. The boy and I were catching up on some downloaded BSG. We went in the kitchen for a snack, I turn around, and the little bitch was carving up some peppered beef steak. My stomach jumped into my throat, I couldn't breathe, I felt like he was cutting my heart out. I wanted that meaty, salty nugget more than life itself. I felt like I was losing my mind...no seriously. I started to have a panic attack of the first order. I felt my heartbeat quicken, the knot in my solar plexus grew, and I started jumping up and down from the sheer torture of it all. I lurched towards my beef chopping husband, grabbed his shirt, screaming for him to bring me a nacho tray full of beef nuggets, nacho cheese, and a big glass of rice milk. In my food fantasy, I was gonna use those beef nuggets as chips. I shiver now in the mere retelling.

I continued to jump around the living room, panicking, trying to keep my head from exploding off my body from want of meat, cheese, and salt. It was really frackin weird y'all. Freaked Ly out a bit. But alas, I made it through the rain, didn't have any meat or cheese. I went to the fridge, and pulled out my concoction of brown rice, tomatoes, red onions, and flayed baked salmon. The crisis was averted, but shit man, it was close there for a bit.

Liver Cleanse: Day 5 (16 more to go)