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- April 20, 2013Day 7 Kosmic Cleanse from Maya (Click to read more):
Well, here I am on the last day of the cleanse...feeling great! I lost 2 pounds this week, my energy and clarity are better than they've been in months, and I was told by a friend today that I have a "glow" (never a bad thing to hear ;-). I'm also very cognizant of the fact that I haven't found the Kosmic Cleanse to be difficult in any way, whereas some cleanses and diets I've done in the past found me grumpy & tired, craving junky foods, and sometimes just giving up. The big difference here is that I'm actually looking forward to continuing a lot of the things I've been doing over the past 7 days. To clarify, here is what I have planned for my transition from the Kosmic Cleanse to a sustainable food lifestyle:-
Keep right on consuming at least 7 servings of vegetables & fruits, every day. Whether it's with a green smoothie, a veggie roll-up, or a hearty soup, my body has really responded to the increase in produce in my diet, so I intend to honor that & continue to eat as many fruits and veggies as I can! - Re-introduce seafood, but reduce overall consumption. I will also be diligent about origin--ensuring that the seafood I eat is clean & comes from either a sustainable farm or is caught in a sustainable way.
- Re-introduce eggs, which I get from a friend's farm. His girls are pastured & happy, and the eggs are naturally full of omega 3s and other nutrients.
- Re-introduce dairy, but reduce overall consumption. Although I usually try to consume pastured butter, cheese, and other dairy products, it hasn't always been a priority. I intend to make it one, eating less dairy overall, and ensuring that it comes from pastured cows, sheep, or goats.
- Re-introduce beef, chicken, and pork, but significantly reduce consumption. As I intend to do with dairy, I plan to only eat organically raised and/or pastured chicken and pork (preferably local), and only eat local, grass-fed beef. My intention is to eat meat no more than once a week.
- Stay gluten-free. I've actually been without wheat for about 2 months now, and I originally went off of it to see if it would make a difference with my chronic back pain. Now I notice that whenever I eat it, my pain gets worse (not a huge surprise, since wheat has inflammatory properties). Thankfully, I have Sami's lavash & bread, as well as Tinkyada brown rice pasta. Both allow me to satisfy those carb cravings without causing painful flare-ups.
- Significantly reduce sugar intake. I have a sweet tooth at times, but I feel confident that I can satisfy it with fruits and better-for-me options like dark chocolate or something homemade and yummy--with a lot less sugar.
- Re-introduce alcohol. I'm not a big drinker, but I really do love wine. In fact, when considering Katherine's advice to re-introduce 1 thing at a time when coming off the cleanseor coming off the cleansefor coming off the cleansefor coming off the cleanse
- April 18, 2013Day 6 Kosmic Cleanse from Aleisha (Click to read more):
On day 5, I had some cravings set in. I was missing cheese and eggs. However, I am determined to finish this cleanse with no cheating at all so I let those cravings subside. As I mentioned on day 4, this cleanse has really opened my eyes to how well the body responds to plant foods. The green smoothies are really one of the best ways to get several servings of fruits & vegetables at once. Katherine made a good point on one of the support calls when she reminded us that we should be getting 8-10 servings of fruits and vegetables a day and when you start your day off with a bagel you’re basically setting yourself up not to reach those goals. Each morning I have made a smoothie filled with berries, some citrus, hemp seeds and GREENS. Katherine really emphasizes the importance of greens for optimum health. They help detoxify the body and aid digestion as well as provide numerous nutritional benefits. I have used mostly spinach, salad mix, and kale but I have also used parsley and cilantro. Herbs help rid your body of toxins especially metals. With day 6 almost behind me, I am ready to take on the last day of this cleanse feeling better than I ever have!
- April 18, 2013Day 6 Kosmic Cleanse from Maya (Click to read more):
With 1.5 days left on the cleanse, I must say that I'm feeling really good. My energy is up, my skin is clear, my mind is sharp, and my body just feels better. I've had a really busy week, but having food already prepared has kept me on track throughout. I've been reaching for my homemade soups and stews quite a bit, and finding that a bowl of something hearty and hot really keeps me going throughout the day. I'm also in love with the fast food veggie rollups that Katherine recommended early on in the cleanse. With a Sami's spinach lavash, a spread of hummus, a sprinkling of kalamata olives, and a bunch of colorful vegetables, each rollup delivers on both texture and taste. And in the few instances when my sweet tooth has kicked in, I've found that an altalfo mango really hits the spot. What's amazing to me is that I've been without cravings this whole week. (Well...I did really want a glass of red wine last night, but otherwise I've been fine.) I was even confronted with some homemade cookies yesterday, and I had zero interest in them. Incredible... - April 16, 2013Day 4 Kosmic Cleanse from Aleisha (Click to read more):
Since I started the cleanse, I notice changes and feel better each day. Eating this way makes me feel fantastic! When Katherine mentioned mental clarity as one of the changes you may experience, I was doubtful but yesterday I really did feel more focused and sharper than usual. Since I have increased my consumption of plant based foods, I feel lighter and even stronger. My body feels more nourished. One of the supplements I have really enjoyed taking is the Calm Magnesium. I take just a 1/2 teaspoon dissolved in water just before bed. Calm Magnesium is also called the anti-stress drink. It helps keep you regular as well. When I started the cleanse, I was worried about sleeping through the night and being restless but this product has prevented this from happening. One of the things Katherine stressed on last night's support call, was the importance of getting enough sleep. The body needs that time to rest, repair & restore every day. If you eat well and exercise, you're not doing yourself any good by depriving yourself of rest. This is something I am going to try and really focus on going forward. Five hours of sleep is not good enough.
I have still not felt any hunger on this cleanse. Whenever I feel light my blood sugar may be dropping, I heat up some soup or make a hummus wrap. Before exercising today I made a almond butter and banana wrap on Sami's gluten-free lavasch. It gave me all the energy I needed. Since starting the cleanse, every night I have had a salad for dinner so tonight I am really looking forward to a tofu vegetable stir-fry :)
- April 16, 2013Day 4 Kosmic Cleanse from Maya (Click to read more):
I'm dragging a bit today. I'm not sure if it's just a mid-point slump, or if it's because I'm not getting enough sleep. But I plan to go to bed early tonight, and hopefully wake up refreshed. On the plus side, I'm not craving any foods, or even considering eating anything that's not on the cleanse. I had 2 small apples with hemp butter this morning, followed by brown rice pasta with oyster mushrooms, onion, garlic, spinach & basil in olive oil for lunch. I'll get most of my greens in at dinner, with a big salad chock full of yummy veggies, nuts & seeds. I won't lie--I would really like a piece of seared salmon on that salad, but it's not because I'm not getting enough protein. (I'm eating plenty of beans and nuts.) I think I'm just missing the texture and taste of seafood. Of course, the cleanse is only a few more days, and then I can decide where I want to go from here. I suspect that seafood, eggs, and cheese will make a re-appearance in my diet, but my meat consumption will go down quite a bit. I think that as long as I keep as many fresh fruits and veggies in my diet as I can, I'll continue to feel good about what I'm eating...and that's good enough for me. - April 16, 2013Day 3 Kosmic Cleanse from Maya (Click to read more):
Today is a busy day, so I'm really glad I have some food already made. Katherine highly recommends preparing foods in advance, and I'm so glad that I did. My crockpot oats and berries kept me going all morning, until I had a chance to eat my late lunch: black bean, kale, and sweet potato soup. I'm planning on a big salad for dinner later, and if I'm needing something sweet, I've got some cacao nibs and fresh fruit. I'm 3 days in, and I'm feeling really good! - April 14, 2013Day 2 Kosmic Cleanse from Maya (Click to read more):
One full day into the Cleanse, I'm feeling really good. I started my morning with about 1/2 liter of water and a really good stretch. A small mug of black coffee (my one vice during the week) got my brain working, and after catching up on news and emails, I enjoyed my first ever "green smoothie." I opted for a tropical flavor, with some mango, pineapple, banana, and avocado, plus my greens: spinach, basil, cilantro, and watercress. I also added some hemp seed butter for protein and creaminess. Yum! Knowing that my body would be starting to detox by now, I had booked a sauna and massage for this morning. I drank a good amount of detox tea with meyer lemon beforehand, and got a great sweat going during those 20 minutes in the infrared sauna (which emits radiant heat that is absorbed directly into the human body, rather than heating the air around it, greatly enhancing heat absorption and therefore detoxification). After a steam shower, I let my favorite masseur Vincent work his magic for an hour, and I left Bodhi Spa (on Warren Street in Hudson, where I live) floating. I continued to drink lots of water throughout the day, knowing the importance of eliminating the toxins released by the massage. While the green smoothie was delicious, it didn't stick with me for very long, and I found myself hungry a few hours later. Thankfully, I had already made a big pot of stew (a thick concoction of navy beans, stewed tomatoes, bok choy, carrots, onions, and spinach, all in a homemade veggie stock with hot sauce, chickpea miso, and Bragg's Liquid Amino Acids seasoning), which I packed up to bring to my friend's house for lunch. I also brought along the fixins for a "fast food rollup" (Sami's spinach lavash, hummus, clover sprouts, kalamato olives, avocado, and watercress). My friend and I both thoroughly enjoyed our soup and 1/2 sammie combo, washing it down with some iced detox tea with lemon. As we walked our dogs after lunch, she said to me, "If you get to eat foods like that the whole week, this cleanse could easily become a lifestyle!" Now, I'm not sure that I want to permanently eliminate dairy, seafood, and meat from my diet; but I can see myself reducing consumption in favor of more plant-based foods. For now, I'll just take things one day at a time.
- April 14, 2013Day 2 Kosmic Kitchen Cleanse from Aleisha (Click to read more):
Day 2 was better than day 1 for me. When I woke up, I started to get worried though as I still had that nagging headache from the day before but as soon as I used the restroom, I felt fantastic. It was just like Katherine explained, the toxins literally flushed right out of my body. Wow- how wonderful to feel results so quickly. My headache returned mid-afternoon but was very mild. I still have not felt hungry on this cleanse whatsoever which is great.
I understand now why Katherine starts the cleanse on the weekend. It has given me the chance to get ready for the week and to adjust to this new way of eating. Today I made two recipes suggested by Katherine, the Quinoa Tabbouleh and the Cabbage Salad. Both came out very tasty and will be great for those times during the week when I'm in a pinch and need something satisfying quickly.
The best part of today was feeling super satisfied after eating the crock-pot oats. So far, so good but we have been warned days 3 or 4 can be the toughest and with the busy week starting tomorrow this could be where the real challenge begins. Stay tuned...
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