End of the Line

...the finish line, that is. Today was my 10th day and the final day of the Master Cleanse. YAY! I'm so excited to be done, but SO grateful that I did it. It was the best cleanse that I've ever done and I feel really good about it...now I'm excited food...real food. Bring it on!

This afternoon was really hard...I was super hungry and too busy painting to stop and prepare myself a drink. Oops...I got super weak and felt seriously sick. Then I went in and made supper for my family (they were all busy painting as well) before I got a drink. Thankfully I didn't fall over (altho' I certainly felt like it), lol. Anyway, I'm great now. :)

The first 5 days were easier than I thought, and the last 5 days were way harder. If and when I do this again, I think I would shorten it somewhat and definitely not do it in a time when we're super busy. It's only 8 more days till my sister's wedding and we've been working all day preparing for it and all the guests that will be coming here. I'm looking forward to when our life will slow down a bit...if it ever does, lol.

Tonight we have to practise music...so this is short tonight.

Tomorrow...orange juice and fruit! Yay!

How to make lemons fun...

Today is DAY 8 and I am happy to report that I'm still alive. I feel great when I'm doing things that aren't strenuous, but felt stupidly silly when hoeing the garden was exhausting me...but in a couple days I'll feel up to full strength again. I'm having this dreadful craving for popcorn...the kind that has lots of olive oil on it and salt...But really, any food sounds particularly nice right now, like juicy salads with one of my favorite dressings and my raw chocolate milk and my raw cereal bars and my...

Ok, I better stop now. I have purposed at this very moment NOT to think about food...

Anyway, here's some tips and tricks that I've picked up these last 8 days to make the Master Cleanse bearable, and even fun...

• Don't always drink your lemonade the same way. My favorite way to drink it lately, has been nice and hot, and then cuddle up in a quilt and a good book while I sip it. Pour your lemonade over ice and stick a fun straw in it. Break up the monotony.
• If you have chosen to continue to eat meals with the family, involve yourself. Don't just sit there, wishing dinner over. Put hot lemonade in a bowl and eat it like your family eats soup, with a spoon, talk about your day, and keep your mind occupied (believe me, it can be hard watching others eat, lol)
• When you feel tired of drinking lemonade, buy some good, herbal tea (preferably organic) and sip on that. If you don't want it hot, pour it over ice, or refrigerate it. I imagine it would be perfectly acceptable to sweeten it with a small amount of maple syrup, since it's used in the lemonade.
• Exercise lightly, nothing hard or strenuous. This helps with the cleansing process, as well as aiding your breathing. I recommend a light Pilates workout, which is what I like.
• Get lots of rest at nighttime, and have a nap in the afternoon if you feel the need for it.
• Bathe or shower each day. I have been saving the lemon rinds from the lemonade and I just throw those in my bath water. It smells beautiful and I like to use them for a natural sponge sometimes.
• Try to use a loofah or a dry brush every day, which is also stimulating and cleansing for the body.
• Get involved in some of your favorite activities, whether it's a good book, going for a lap around the pool, bowling with friends, shopping, jump on the trampoline, going for a long walk, talking with a friend over herbal tea, or playing guitar.
• Avoid recipe books with beautiful pictures of food...glorious food. This has been my biggest mistake, lol, I look forward to all the recipes I'm going to make. This makes it really hard to be content with good ole lemonade.
• Pack your lemonade with you in a travel-friendly container or water bottle, so that you never get starved. Temptation is hardest to resist when you're hungry.
• Take your blender and instead of making your lemonade the normal way, add ice and water, as well as your cayenne, peeled lemon (even the seeds), and maple syrup, and blend it into a frothy slushy.
• Freeze your lemonade in freezer-friendly (plastic) cup. When I was little I used to do this all the time with ice-tea. I would watch a movie or read a book, while hammering away at my frozen concoction. It took a while to eat and made things that much more fun.
• Read articles on detoxing or fasting...this is encouraging for me and also familiarizes me with the common detox symptoms and of what to expect.

Make your fast/detox fun in some way...and if that means playing tennis in bare feet or dressing up in your clothes backwards for a day...do it!

Have fun!

One Week...

...is over. I've done seven days of this and I don't think I've ever gone this long with actual food, unless of course you call lemonade actual victuals.

DAY 6 went good, but I started feeling weak then and have ever since. I'm fine, as long as I don't do lots of exerting activities...perhaps my body is telling me to rest. I like that idea, lol...but with only 11 days until my sister's wedding, resting is the last thing I or anyone else around here can do. I've been saving all the lemon rinds from the lemonade and then I put them in my bath...it makes it smell really pretty and you can use the lemon rinds for a natural type of scented washcloth or sponge.

As for today, DAY 7...I'm tired. But that's Ok, only 3 more days of this and then I'm all done. Time goes by so fast lately, perhaps because I'm desperately trying to soak up and hang on to the minutes with my sister Elizabeth (the one who's getting married). She's moving about 42 hours away from us (which is 3 days of straight driving). We won't get to see her very often.

My beloved tongue is still white, but less, and my teeth have cast off their fuzzy sweaters and scarves (yay!). Tonight we're having company, the second time since I've started this MC. Goodness, it's hard to have company when you're doing this. Just like at lunch, Anne-Marie (my other sister) was making one of my favorite raw dressings for her salad. That was just sheer will power that kept me from licking it.

Yesterday I was desperately feeling the need to chew and I thought of my natural gum I got at a health food store...no food content, no calories, natural...definitely not a food. So that is my new vice and at the present moment, it's keeping me sane. :)

Till tomorrow...

the Master Cleanse Bear (I know, isn't that sappy? ...but sometimes I just am)

Master Cleanse Bear

...or so I have dubbed myself until Friday, when I'm all done. I'm definitely looking forward to food and drooling over lots of succulent recipes, but I'm fine without it and trying to keep this fun.

It is now DAY 5 and that truly is a comfort...time goes by fast...so 5 more days shouldn't be too much of a trial, lol.

DAY 4 was probably the hardest day (yesterday). I ended up doing the salt flush that morning instead of the day before, and that took a lot of my energy out of me. It was really disgusting drinking that warm salt water, but it definitely was cleansing.

Salt Flush~ Just like it's important to bathe the outside of our bodies, so it is with the inside. The Master Cleanse guide says that a salt flush cleansing of the colonic tract is without the sometimes harmful effects of the normal colonics and enemas. This method cleanses the entire digestive tract while the colonics and enemas will only reach the colon or a small part of it. Colonics can be expensive while the salt water method is not. I've never done an enema or a colonic, and have no desire to from all I've heard about it, but this salt flush, though unpleasant to drink, gave my insides a good ole bath very nicely. All the same, I don't really want to do it again. At first, I was concerned that all that salt in the water wouldn't be good for my body...but then I read that the salt water has the same specific gravity as the blood, hence the kidneys cannot pick up the water and the blood cannot pick up the salt, so the water just goes through, giving you a nice shower.

The rest of DAY 4 was fine, but I had more symptoms than before...I was cold, tired and a bit weak, had chapped lips, and still a white tongue (but considerably less). We had my sister Elizabeth's bridal shower last night, so I just toted my bottle of Lemonade along with me...of course, this was one of those showers that had healthy refreshments like guacamole and lots of fruit. I just stayed away from the table, trying not to imagine the guac. (one of my favourites!)

But today is DAY 5 and I feel much better. I felt a little sick this morning, but again, I'm good now. Today I'm just going to do some relaxing with the family, enjoying some of our last days with Elizabeth before she's married (13 days!). That will be nice. I don't feel as tired, my lips aren't as bad, my tongue is looking way better, just a bit of white gracing my tongue. (Ok, the gracing part was a joke), and I lost another pound. I did some dry brushing this morning...my skin has gotten really soft during this cleanse. I'm not sure if it's because of the cleanse or the dry brushing, or both. Anyway, I like that part. I'm finding that I'm a bit tired of the Lemonade, so it helps having it hot, as a tea, and I think it tastes a bit better that way currently. Besides, warm/hot tea is very cleansing through the system as opposed to a cold drink.

So it's going really well...

Signing off for today...the Master Cleanse Bear

Limey

DAY 2 and 3

Everything is going so well...I'm actually LOVING this cleanse. I never thought I would LOVE it, but I am. It's exciting to see the little detox signs like sore throat (first two mornings), fuzzy feeling teeth (even though I haven't eaten anything), and a white tongue (despite me brushing every night, which I nearly always do). I feel really good. I feel lighter (because I am). I've lost 7 pounds in 2 days...but don't get concerned, I'm not a gal who's really concerned about my weight, I go by how I feel, not the number on the scale. Some of my clothes are fitting much better, which was one of the many reasons I wanted to do it. I've gained quite a few pounds since our singing tour and wanted to get back to the weight where I feel comfortable at...because of my height (I'm almost 5' 11"), hardly anyone would be able to notice me gaining or losing weight, just me, lol. I really think it's a good principle to go by how you feel, look at your weight realistically (not trying to be like a skinny model), and not be obsessed by being at a certain number on your weigh scale.

Yesterday I tried "lime-a-nade", that was really nice too. We were shopping all day yesterday (which is why I didn't post) and those are always the hardest days for me when I'm doing a detox or cleanse. Food is EVERYWHERE! But it was still a great day...we picked up some organic cayenne, some more lemons and limes (organic and non-organic) so that I'll be super stocked. I feel like now that the 1st and 2nd days are behind me, it's not very hard to be doing this. I'm enjoying it!! I feel really good, not tired, not weak, and not emotional. Water fasting makes me soooo hungry, but this keeps me feeling light, yet fulfilled.

Yes, I'm excited about food, but right now...since it's not an option, I'm not even that attracted it. I love the lemonade and the fact that I can enjoy herbal teas and lots of water.

Today I'm going to be doing the salt flush (part of the whole cleanse thing), so we'll see how that goes. It feels so good to know that my body is getting cleaner and cleaner inside with each passing day.

Lemony

Day 1

It's going well...I was half afraid to try the lemonade once it was made, but I like it...today. I have a feeling that in a couple days I will not like the cayenne taste at all. It's fun and spicy and so now, I'm loving it. It's amazing how it fulfills your hunger. Simple water fasting seems to make me suffer in hunger and salivate over pictures of food, but this makes me feel light and nice, not really that hungry.

I drank loads of water along with it and tomorrow (as we're going to town) I'll pick up some more lemons and (limes?) some organic cayenne, oh, and some tea.

I did some dry brushing this morning and tried to do some more deep breathing. Both of these things are incredible for your cleansing process. I'm in a hurry at the moment or I'd spent a few minutes writing down some of the great things about them.

So till tomorrow...

Kale Chips

...are extremely addicting. This was the snack that I "snuck" into the movie theatre when my siblings and I watched "Prince Caspian". So super tasty, both the kale chips and the movie, lol. I would have never dreamed that kale "chips" were so incredible. Last time I made them I used oregano to flavour them and that was supremely lovely, but this time I made a dill and vinegar version which I just LOVED!

Dilly Dally Kale Chips

Wash and devien the kale leaves, tearing each leaf into palm-size pieces. Put the kale in a big bowl of salted (1. tsp. or more), cold water. Take the kale in your hands and squeeze it for about 30 seconds to bruise it. Drain water, but don't rinse. Add the following ingredients (you can even let it marinate for an hour or two, to let some of the flavours sink in).

1 bunch of kale

1 TB. olive oil

1 TB. honey (or agave nectar)

1-2 TB. apple cider vinegar

And then, sprinkle generously with dried dill. Dehydrate until crispy. Believe me...you need to hide the dehydrator while it dries, otherwise, if you're at all like me...at least half the trays will be completely gone. A great movie snack...

...Speaking of..."Prince Caspian" was absolutely wonderful! I just loved it. They certainly changed the plot quite a bit, but they really had to, considering that a lot of the book was of one of the characters telling the story and walking and walking through the woods being lost, lol. Anyway, they did a beautiful job of it and now I want to own the movie. (That means I like it...a lot! lol) I'm such a Narnian addict.

I'm super excited because tomorrow I'm starting the Master Cleanse that everyone is always talking about...yup, the famous Lemonade Detox. I feel like I really need it right now (due to not being as careful as I should be) and I've always wanted to try it. It'll be the most intense cleanse that I've ever done, but I'm actually looking forward to it. My goal is the standard 10 days. Cheer me on!

Caspian Containment

Containment as in, alluding to my bottled up excitement of seeing it today as it debutes (if that's how you say it, if not, I give you permission to laugh at me)! Anyway, today my siblings and I are going to the city to have dinner together and then to watch "Prince Caspian"! So super excited, because not only am I a "Lord of Rings" fan, but a "Narnia" fan. If you catch my enthusiasm, you can probably tell I'm big into fantasy. So in dedication to this day, and to Prince Caspian, I give you the...

Fantasy Fantastical

1 big orange, leaving white pith on
1 big handful of frozen strawberries
1 small handful of frozen cranberries
1 tablespoon of raw honey
a smattering of pumpkin seeds (for zinc)
1 cup of ice, according to the consistency you want

Whirl yourself (as well as the blender) into another world of pink, sweet, dreaminess! Top with a strawberry or a smattering of obliging raspberries.

Celery Cocktail

I don't know why those lovely snack callings come every evening...perhaps it's because when I was little I was very adamant about a bedtime snack, especially my favorite, chocolate chips and milk. It was one of those comforting little rituals that told me it was bedtime. I still can't give up the habit, and I don't really want to. Now, when I don't have small snacks...I try to drink tea or other "nummy" drinks, as my last post declared.

On one of my last snack attacks which I had no intention of conquering came, I opted for a different drink, with more of a veggie twist. For those who own the famous Vita-Mix, you know that it come with a fantastic recipe book full of whole food and raw food recipes. One of which, caught my eye...the Celery Cocktail! Sublime and sweet...

Celery Cocktail (from Whole Food Recipes by Vita-Mix)

1 c. apple juice, chilled

1 TB. lemon juice

2 big ribs of celery, with leaves (save a small slice for garnishing)

1 c. ice cubes

That's all there is to it! Blend, garnish, and suck it up through a straw or savour with a spoon.

Yesterday was one of the greenest days I've had...breakfast was a big, superfood smoothie poured over even more superfoods and fruit (eaten like cereal), lunch was a big salad with a dressing I tried that had an entire bunch of parsley in it (as healthy as a green smoothie, methinks) and then for supper I had even more salad (massaged with olive oil and Celtic sea salt - too good!). Even though I loved the quick "dressing" I had over my green leaves...I was a little tired of salads, so I had some of the healthy dinner that my family had as well, which was fine. My body feels often just as vibrant on some super healthy cooked foods as well as raw (I am looking forward to trying some of Natalia Rose's recipes), I just have to be careful to eat really healthy stuff, rather than "on-the-border" foods. I like to eat mostly raw, a high-raw lifestyle, and feel really good there.

My posts have been rawwwwther sporadic lately. Our life is a circus currently and so many other things besides raw food are on my mind. Goodness gracious! My sister is getting married in 24 days and wedding preparations are on the "high" button...so much to do, it's absolutely crazy.

Oh, and you'll be pleased to know that I got brave again and donated blood for the second time! Hurrah for me...unfortunately, I guess I didn't drink enough water for them a couple days beforehand (maybe 5-6 glasses) and because of that the needle wasn't working as it should have. They had to keep readjusting the needle in my vein and that was not pleasant at all, lol. I've found out that my blood type is B+ (isn't that cute? Be positive!) and only 7.46% of the population have it, so my blood type is one of the rarer kinds. I've decided it would be fun if I could donate 100 times in my lifetime. We'll see what happens, but for now...I'm bracing myself for number 3! ;)

Best Chocolate Milk Ever!

Yes, I suppose it is rawwwwther a bold title, but though simple, I have never tasted anything so similar to the "real" thing. Almost every night I have sweet cravings before bed and I'm trying not to eat very much after supper...so what is my solution? Sweet liquids that pack a powerful punch for health...Juices, tea with honey, or this dreamy concoction. I must say, this is my favorite! It's really nice, because the honey in it has natural sugars that help you go to sleep.

I feel almost silly putting the recipe down because it's so simple.

Real Chocolate Milk (1 glass)

A glass of your favorite nutmilk (I used almond milk, but I think it would taste lovely with a really creamy nut such as macadamia or cashew)

1 heaping tsp. of honey

1 tsp. of organic cocoa

Stir with a spoon and savour each sip.

Note: Don't replace the organic cocoa with cacao powder if you're drinking this at night time. That would keep me awake for hours. I've had experience, lol.

I was so excited because the other day I discovered that the brand of fair trade, organic cocoa that I had bought also was sold in bulk in that same store...at half the price!!! I was so happy, because often organic products are more pricey. I can enjoy my chocolate!

Raw Reasons

Just some fun, inspiring reasons for raw...

~Energetic…amazing energy, waking up in the morning ready to go

~Rarely feel ups and downs in energy during the day

~Light and lovely, at my ideal weight

~Glowing and clearer skin

~More graceful and strong

~A more natural way of life

~Bright, shining, clear eyes, the window of our souls

~Deep, satisfying sleep every night

~Sparkly, joyful attitude (foods do help moods)

~Inspiring and motivating

~EXCITED about eating super healthy and living a glowing, euphoric life…whether it’s juicing, feeling light and empty in the morning, the thought of green smoothies and fruit, growing the organic food I eat, or twirling in the early morning sunrise.

Okay, you can tell I added my own little spin on things I like about a more raw and pure lifestyle...especially the twirling in the mornings part, lol.

Simplicity

I must say, that despite my last post, I haven't been taking care of myself as well as I know I should have been lately. I've let a few things "go" and haven't been eating as much raw as I like to. Naughty me! Well, I've repented and am excited to be doing ALL raw again (I'm more of a high-raw girl).

This morning I had my first ever Green Juice! I learned from one of Kevin Gianni's recent videos how to juice with the Vita-Mix (since our juicer is pretty pathetic) and so I had fun doing that. But next time I make a green juice I'm going to put some fruit in it, for a first time, all greens (kale, spinach, romaine, alfalfa sprouts, 1 garlic clove, and some lemon) was a bit too much. I'm familiar with fruit and veggie juices so I think I'll mix some of that in my next batch. If any of you have some scrumptious Green Juice ideas, comment below and let me know.

Today I've been eating super simple, breakfast was, of course, the Green Juice and 1 orange. Lunch was a Strawberry Milkshake (my Mom makes an incredible raw version) and pineapple slices (hence the picture).

Sometimes simple is the nicest.

Detox...Retox...Detox...Retox...

...and so it goes. It doesn't at all make sense, does it? What's the point of detoxing if we're just going to add those "toxins" back again. I mean, we do a cleanse or a detox or even just the standard raw food fare and then, suddenly we're not careful, and we're "retoxed". That clean feeling inside is so nice, why would we want to spoil it? There's such freedom in making healthy choices, but sometimes we just don't listen to the conscience inside saying "you'll regret it if you eat that"...and we do it anyway. And then we feel sluggish and tired wondering why.

I love what Shazzie wrote in one of her articles and just had to copy a portion of it out...

"...it's not very sensible to rid your body of a load of horrible chemicals one month (which, let's be honest shouldn't have been put there in the first place) if you're going to reintroduce them the next month. There's a danger with detoxing and retoxing -- it shocks your body and might leave you ending up in a worse state than before. Detoxing has to be done with intention of staying detoxed, and probably going further than just physical house cleaning."

I love that! Such a great paragraph. So, in the light of that quote, for me and for all the others who are trying to eat pure and clean, whether you finished a detox or cleanse or not...let's be careful of our food choices, having fun, fun, fun and experiencing all the delights that clean eating brings. I mean, really...life is so wonderful, it would be shame to feel sick, ey?