spring cleanse!

I've been doing some spring cleaning to my diet and it feels great! My family is coming along for the ride in many ways, but mostly this is a personal quest for renewed health.  I've created a  program over the years that helps detoxify an overworked system, alleviate allergy symptoms, and shed excess weight. I'm not a nutritionist, but years of vegetarianism and time being vegan and macrobiotic have given me some insight on what works well... at least for me.  My absolute favorite book at times like this is a well loved copy of The Self Healing Cookbook  (that I've had for 20 years)! Described as "an entertaining primer in macrobiotics, psychology, modern nutrition and a planetary view of healing." It covers so much more than its over 130 recipes, it's also " immensely practical for busy moms, dads (choosy kids!) who want a delicious way to grow healthy together. Invaluable for people recovering from illness: with many self-healing exercises and charts".-taken from the back cover.

Last week, meals were simplified down to the basics. Anything that didn't have nutritional value, such as sweets and caffeine, were the first to go... along with salty, snacky things (I must admit to having a thing for Newman's Own pretzels). Next elimination: dairy followed by eggs. Wheat was the last to go. Eating foods in their whole state, unadulterated or processed with something else allows you to taste each item in its purest form. Nothing to disguise or change its identity. It's a great experiment with lots to talk about at the dinner table, even if my plate is a little different from my family's. I haven't done this in a few years, and my body was overdue for a good system overhaul. Yesterday, I fasted with raw vegetable juices, fruit and lots of lemon water. 1/2 a lemon squeezed into a glass of warm water restores acidic balance in your body and flushes out impurities, excess mucus,and acts as a natural appetite suppressant.

Today, I begin my macrobiotic diet in earnest. I am not putting any time lines on it... just seeing how it goes.  I truly feel fabulous and even experienced a bit of magic as I was writing this post. Our neighbor stopped by unannounced with a huge bunch of their first crop of arugula and  greens freshly harvested. A more perfect and generous surprise couldn't have been had!