The Week After

Peppered Turkey Bacon with roasted quinoa & greens.

Several days after my "official" 21 day cleanse ended, I find myself returning to the diet over and over again, and not because my doctor told me so.

Sure, there was plenty of gluten-free talk tossed around at my follow up visit, but as I said to my friend, I refuse to attach to that identity--even if I did get a headache when I left the office and ordered a bagel for dinner.

What I do recognize is that I like the feeling of eliminating gluten and sugar and dairy and alcohol and caffeine and chocolate from my every day choices. That doesn't mean that I eliminate them altogether; but it's this freedom to "choose" that allows me to soften into the choice of caring for myself.

I felt the same way about my commitment to marriage twenty years ago. Knowing that I had a choice each day to go or to stay, made it possible for me to freely choose--every day. In fact, I don't think we said "till death do us part," but we'll never know because the videographer dropped the camera just as we said our vows.

Which brings me to a realization---it's not my promises, but my choices, that guide my life, and for now, it feels good to choose to cleanse my body of toxins, again and again.

And just like my marriage survived the fact that my husband DROPPED me over the threshold, my cleansing will continue in the face of the many times I choose to fall into the arms of chocolate, wine or wheat...

(Ps. here are some titles on the power of CHOICE)

The Day After

From Emmy's Organics ~Dark Cacao Macaroons

Ahhh... last night I went to sleep with visions of of eggs and buttered toast (and chocolate) for breakfast, but wouldn't you know that when I woke up, I opted for the lighter fare of my cleansing diet--fruit, rice cereal and rice milk.

Which reminds me, I've neglected to share my biggest score in non-gluten/dairy/egg/or processed sugar world: EMMY's Organic Macaroons! sweetened with my new best friend--Agave (and the raw type at that!)  Though I can't link you to the product through Amazon, apparently OPRAH even added them to her list of "favorite things" in 2008, and I'd have to agree, diet or not.

This small company is in Ithica, New York, and their macaroons brightened the end of my day with wholesome goodness. Though they weren't cheap, a single petite macaroon was sublimely satisfying, especially with a cup of chai or tea (caffeine free.)

Click here to see what else EMMYS creates with their gluten-free, vegan and sustainable food passion!

Day 21, The LAST Day!!!!!

Rousseau

 I'm so proud of myself! AND I can't wait to freely indulge in all things alcohol, diary, wheat and CHOCOLATE!  

I don't know if anyone else is a symmetry lover, but if you are, notice that the first day of my cleanse was 11/11 and the last day, the 21st day, takes place on 12/1; Not to mention that I found out about my new job on the first day, while the last day heralds December, heralding the season of LIGHT, including the home of my birth day!

So much to celebrate... Thank you SO MUCH for sharing the journey!!  Please continue to share yours here with comments on the posts that connect most to you...

(Stay tuned for The Liver Cleanse, Part II after I see my doctor this Friday.  These are her books!)