I recently read a book called "Clean" and it has really opened my eyes. Over the past year I made some drastic changes to my diet and tried to eliminate all processed foods. I thought, because of this, I was doing so good and living as healthy as I could. But the reality was, I still had a long way to go to remove the dangerous toxins.
This book was incredible. Even with my vast knowledge of health and nutrition it was still enlightening. I loved that the book is written by Alejandro Junger, a medical doctor who tells his story about his own health issues and how he, himself began to question the entire system of Western medicine. He talks about his discovery of Ayurveda, meditation, and Eastern medicines and his desire to try to change the medical system here. It was just so nice to hear about a doctor in the US that finally sees how everything about our system is wrong! One of the best realizations that he made was the uncanny similarity between the words "medication" and "meditation." That is one of those 'things that make you go hmmmmm.'
Dr. Junger explained all about the toxins that are literally EVERYWHERE in our lives and how they effect our health. It was both enlightening and terrifying at the same time. Everything he explained made so much sense and I wondered how I got this far in my life (especially given my strong desire to constantly learn about health and nutrition) without gaining all this knowledge. After reading about how these toxins hurt our heath and especially after reading all the stories about how so many people completely turned their health around, to the extent of curing themselves from deadly diseases, there was no doubt that I had to give it a try. My main goals for this diet were to:
- Try to determine what was making my ears constantly itch
- See if my constantly running nose would stop
- Try to clear my increasingly foggy brain. I often find myself at a lose for words and I'm having a harder and harder time with short-term memory. Sure it can be age or pre-menopause, but it can also be a build-up of toxins.
- Try to equalize my energy levels. Seems I'm either raring to go run a marathon or completely exhausted and unable to function.
- Improve my skin and complexion
I do have to say that exercising during this diet has been a challenge. I do feel much more tired and weak than usual and I hate that. But the book warns that you shouldn't try to sustain your normal level of activity and instead, just do half of what you normally would. But, with that said, my energy level throughout the day is better. I no longer have those afternoon slumps where I want to crawl under my desk and nap.
I also feel compelled to report that I'm already feeling some improvement with the brain fog. It's not perfect, but I'm not fumbling for words as often as I was before. I hope this continues to improve.
Unfortunately my ears are still itching despite the fact that I've completed avoided all the "non-approved" irritant foods. I'm wondering at this point if it's something I'm putting "on" my body rather than in it and I'm taking steps to change all my cleaning products to natural ones. The book recommends you do this prior to your detox and I wished I listened to that advice.
Same holds true for the running nose, but I am allergic to dogs and dust and, well, my house is full of both so I can't expect miracles.
I'm going to hold off on the skin and complexion report until next week because the book said that improvements to the skin will only happen if you took the detox out to the full 3 weeks. The hopes of nicer skin is definitely the motivation behind continuing for another week. Fingers crossed that it works.
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