Day 25/ Near the end of 28-day raw vegan cleanse...what's next?

Well, I have three more days left to complete my very first 28-day raw vegan food cleanse (Join The Lifeit Detox 28 Days Raw Food Cleanse). If you think you missed it, Chef Latrice actually starts a new cleanse every month on a new moon. The next cleanse is scheduled to start on March 26, 2009.

I don't want to give it all away now because on Day 28 I will give a comprehensive review of my before and after results since I've been on this cleanse. For now I will say that I was a chicken, fish, fried foods, cheese, butter, coffee, candy, and nachos consumer, and now I am about 90% raw vegan. I consume fresh fruits, sundried fruits, fresh leafy green lettuce, fresh vegetables, seeds, some nuts (except peanuts), agave nectar, raw wild honey, spirulina, nutritional yeast, Bragg Liquid Aminos, Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar, and sea salt.

The reason that I became motivated to complete this cleanse is because I had some nagging health conditions that I couldn't figure out where they were coming from. And now after only 25 days most of those conditions have either cleared up or improved.

So what's next? Well, there are some other aspects of the cleanse that I didn't incorporate this time around. For one thing, the cleanse incorporates daily exercise, but I stopped exercising when I started the cleanse (I was already working out regularly before I started).

If you read my posts from the beginning, you saw that I stopped working out because I had a cold and when I worked out my cough came back with a vengeance. But I did not intend to go this long without exercise. I guess I was so busy concentrating on my eating...but now many of the recipes have become a habit so it doesn't take as much effort anymore. I can't wait to get back to my workouts.

Secondly, I want to incorporate other self-healing modalities such as epsom salt baths, self-massage, meditation (I already pray), aromatherapy, herbal therapy, etc. I'm interested in exploring these topics on a deeper level.

Finally, there is so much more that I want to try in terms of the food...I'll probably purchase a dehydrator in a few weeks, and then there will be so many more raw vegan recipes that I will be able to create, such as cookies, breads, crackers, chips, burgers, tortillas...all without gluten, roasted corn, or hydrogenated oils. And with the live enzymes intact.

So, over the next few days I'll give it some thought and decide which direction I want to go in. Should I do a raw vegan cleanse (round 2), a fitness challenge, or a self-healing challenge? We'll see.

Day 24/ The (Almost) Instant Mood-Lifter

I've noticed that since I've been on this raw vegan cleanse (Join The Lifeit Detox 28 Days Raw Food Cleanse), my moods have become more stable. Which is funny because I never thought I had a problem with my moods.

Most people know me as being a calm, peaceful, soft-spoken person. Which I basically am (though I have my limits like everyone else). Before this cleanse, I would get irritated sometimes by certain individuals that are in my life...that say and do things that get on my nerves. We all have those kinds of people. However, I would get mad...sometimes I would say something and sometimes I wouldn't. But there would be a tightness in my chest.

Since this cleanse, I've realized that I don't get angry anymore. I don't get as irritated and I don't get that tight feeling in my chest. I get frustrated, but my frustration only lasts for a few hours instead of a few days.

I noticed it today because earlier something happened that threw me. However, within three or four hours I was done. And no, I didn't scream or shout or anything. I just talked it over with some friends and I was done with it. My usual response would have been to break this cleanse and go buy some KFC or something else fattening and greasy so I could drown myself in my sorrows. For several days. That is emotional eating at its best.

I've also noticed that now I smile more often. I have always been a friendly person, and I like to smile even though I'm generally quiet. But over the last three weeks or so I smile a lot more. It's not like I was showing my teeth all the time before or even now...that's not what I mean. I just feel happier, and it shows.

The person that I am when I am alone with my thoughts...that person is also calmer. I remember the days when I would replay negative experiences over and over in my mind like a broken record. Now, I still play the broken record, but I just don't get as upset anymore. It's more like, "Yeah, that happened. So what are you going to do about it?". Instead of, "Oh, woe is me."

I always thought that my "worry habit" was an inherited trait that I had no choice but to accept. But now that I hardly worry at all, I realize that, wow, my diet had everything to do with moods that I thought were just my personality, or areas where I needed spiritual growth, or something. It was probably all that sugar, caffeine, and fat. Imagine how many people would no longer need prescription drugs to control depression, ADHD, etc...if they would only change their diet.

Day 23/ The Battle Between Me and my Tastebuds

This morning I had some Teeccino, and then later I came home and drank my essential Green Smoothie.  All was good, until I stopped off to get six more of those Cream Cheese Rangoons (that I couldn't remember the name of yesterday!). 

You know what?  I ate all six, and they were okay (but not as good as yesterday), and then later in the day I felt nauseous...ugh.   I stayed nauseous for about six hours.  This evening I ate some celery hearts with the cucumber-dill dressing that I made the other day, and they actually tasted better than I was expecting...nice and fresh and crisp.  The dressing was really good too.

Well, it's officially the battle between me and my tastebuds.  My tastebuds may want some things, but my physiology is changing...my body is working better because I'm giving it much higher quality fuel.  So now that my body is adapting UP, when I feed it crap it shows out!

It's tough because now my body is thriving on higher quality foods that I'm not even sure I'll be able to keep up for the long term.  I'm enjoying the raw vegan cleanse (Join The Lifeit Detox 28 Days Raw Food Cleanse), but in my mind I still think about my old favorite meals.

I am adapting; albeit slowly.  I look at the package of frozen chicken that I have in the freezer, and I really don't want it.  So then I think of who could I give the chicken to, and then I ask myself "Why would I want to give someone something that is harmful to their health?"  So then I think maybe I should just throw it in the trash, but I hate to waste things.

I DID want the slices of pepper jack and gouda cheeses I have in the refrigerator...that is, before today's nausea episode.  Now I don't want those either.

All I want are some fresh fruits, smoothies, salads, soups, hummus, etc.  It's so interesting how the human body is able to adapt to nearly any circumstance.

Maybe there are some cooked foods that I will be able to tolerate, but dairy clearly is not one of them (though I haven't tried the raw dairy yet). 

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Day 22/ Raw Vegan Chocolate Mousse with Vanilla Creme Sauce

Today was only my second time making a raw vegan dessert. The first time was when I made "Not Peanut Butter Cookies", which came out very well. That recipe as well as the recipes for the "Chocolate Mousse" and the "Vanilla Creme Sauce" are from the book Raw Food Made Easy For 1 or 2 People.

The Chocolate Mousse came out awesome...it tastes just like regular chocolate mousse or chocolate pudding. I am not exaggerating...and the most surprising part is that it is made with avocados! One would never suspect that avocados would make a dessert like this so incredibly creamy...and I bought unsweetened raw cacao powder for the chocolate flavor...which of course tastes like real chocolate because it is real chocolate! The only thing I would have done differently is I wouldn't have added the dates and instead added a little more agave nectar or honey. The reason is because my blender is kind of cheapo so it left the dates in lumps.

Today I made sure to drink my Green Smoothie as well as my Teeccino. My energy level was good. I also prepared the Cheezy Corn Chowder again and warmed it up gently on the stove to a comfortable temperature. As usual it was also very good.

But I was bad today. I only ate about 75% raw today because this afternoon I had a craving for some veggie spring rolls, and while I was ordering them I saw that they had those cream cheese things...for some reason now I'm forgetting the name. But they are an appetizer on the menus of most Chinese restaurants here in the U.S.

Anyway, it was my first time having cheese in over three weeks, and...did I tell you how much I love cheese??? Luckily I only had three small appetizers of those cream cheese things...they were so good I briefly contemplated getting back in my car and going to get more...but Atlanta traffic diswayed me for sure.

See, this is my struggle. If I openly let myself have cheese, I'm afraid I might go crazy with it...I have a serious weakness when it comes to cheese.

Having said that, I know that there are some raw foodists that are not vegan. Meaning that some eat dairy products like other vegetarians, and others eat raw meat and raw fish!

I'm surely not interested in eating raw meat or raw fish, but raw dairy products...possibly. I'm not interested in eating raw eggs (in truth I've never liked eggs anyway), but I did see some raw cheddar cheese at Life Grocery the other day...I could see myself incorporating raw cheeses into my diet. Possibly. It depends...if I see my symptoms coming back, then I'll know that the cheese has to go.

Day 21/ Three Week Checkup

You know, it's not that I don't like cooked food. I still love a lot of what I used to eat. But I decided to get on this raw food cleanse to help clear up some specific health conditions that I have. And I can say that after only three weeks, I have eliminated some health conditions and have seen improvement in others.

So do I continue to consume pasta, chicken, cheese, ice cream, coffee, candy, and other foods that I love, and dig an early grave with my teeth? Or do I stick to the raw foods, even though it takes quite a bit more effort (emotionally and physically) to avoid cooked food at all costs?

I would like to say that at some point I will be able to strike some kind of a balance. What I mean is that, since I've been on the raw foods, I have been able to avoid chicken, fried foods, cheese, etc....not without some difficulty, mind you. But I have been able to avoid them and I'm still here. So I think that long-term I could do without eating poultry, red meat, or fried foods.

However, when I look forward to the rest of my life, I would like to occasionally be able to have a piece of broiled fish in lemon butter...even if it's only once or twice per month. Or maybe a bowl of caribbean-style red pea soup (without the meat, of course), or some red lentil curry, or something like that. Some of these foods are a connection to a part of my culture...being that I come from a Caribbean background. There are some foods that I want to have in my life for emotional reasons.

This afternoon I ate a serving of some cooked vegan food. It was a small serving of steamed brown rice with some cooked vegetables in coconut curry sauce (can you tell I like curry?). I only bought it because I was rushing and I was in the mood for something warm to eat. That's why I can't wait until I get my dehydrator and my VitaMix. I will be able to warm food in the dehydrator and soups in the VitaMix without destroying the enzymes.

My assessment is, it wasn't really all that. I've noticed that since I've been on this raw vegan cleanse (Join The Lifeit Detox 28 Days Raw Food Cleanse), that cooked vegetables just don't taste as good as raw vegetables. When you cook the vegetables, they lose some of their flavor. I think that's basically true for all cooked foods...that's why you have to season cooked food so much.

I was thinking I could have made a raw version of that dish but the only thing is what would I substitute for the brown rice? I have seen that some raw vegans use sprouted or soaked wild rice in raw dishes but I've never tried that. I have also seen some raw vegans use couscous, which really isn't technically raw.

This evening I made the zucchini hummus and ate it on romaine lettuce leaves with slices of sweet red pepper and black olives. I also made some cucumber dressing with dill that I will try on a salad tomorrow.

I noticed that my energy level was somewhat low today and I didn't realize until this evening that I had forgotten to drink my Green Smoothie this morning. I am still abstaining from caffeine and I'm still enjoying my Teeccino.

One more thing...today I learned from one of my instructors that High Fructose Corn Syrup contains mercury. I haven't had time to research that, but if it does then that is one more reason to avoid it.

Day 20/ Ginger Almond Nori Rolls

These days I feel like I'm eating at a restaurant for dinner every night, when it's actually just me messing around in the kitchen ((smile)).

Here is the video that I viewed to learn how to make this recipe:



I really enjoyed this recipe...it actually tasted better than California Rolls, in my opinion. I ate the first few pieces plain, and the rest I dipped in Braggs Liquid Aminos. Yum! Yes, I ate both servings myself! It was that good.

I'm still drinking a Green Smoothie every day, but today I also drank a hot chocolate! By now you know that was a "No, No" for the purposes of this cleanse (Join The Lifeit Detox 28 Days Raw Food Cleanse) as well as for my efforts to avoid caffeine.

I hadn't even intended to buy a hot chocolate...I was planning to buy a caffeine-free herbal tea. But when I saw the sign for the hot chocolate, my mind said, "Umm, a hot chocolate. I haven't had a hot chocolate in a long time...Umm, that sounds good." and before I knew it, I was drinking a hot chocolate.

But would you believe that right when I was still drinking it, I started to break out on my skin and my back started to itch? I said to myself, "Hmm...could it be? Maybe this is why my skin used to break out (before the cleanse). Maybe I'm actually allergic to milk, chocolate, table sugar, or some other ingredient". That was pretty eye-opening.

Generally speaking, I'm proud of my progress on this cleanse, and I'm also glad that I've stuck to it for almost three weeks. I am enjoying the raw vegan food and trying new recipes...and I'm not so sure I'll be ready to end it when Day 28 gets here.

Day 19/ Overcoming Caffeine, Sweet Taste Of Soul

Over the last few days I have completely eliminated all caffeine consumption. I haven't even been drinking my Black Chai tea or my Black Vanilla tea. I purchased a bag of Teeccino in the Caffe flavor, which really tastes a LOT like coffee. So much so that I've been able to psychologically fool myself.

I'm learning that food addiction is more than about the taste. It's also emotional and psychological. One of the things that I had been telling myself for years is that I 'have' to have a cup of coffee when I start my day, or otherwise I'm just not energetic/happy/present.

So now I drink a cup of Teeccino in the morning, and on some level I feel satisfied. Nevermind that Teeccino has no caffeine or acid like coffee does. It still seems to work.

Mind you, I'm still having detox symptoms. Since I've cut out the caffeine, I've been having headaches. But it's bearable, and as long as I increase my water intake, I'll be fine.

The makers do suggest that coffee drinkers should mix a little Teeccino in their coffee, gradually increasing the amount, to cut down on the withdrawal symptoms. But I never bought another bag of coffee after my last bag ran out.

Today I got a chance to meet Chef Latrice, founder of the Lifeit Detox (Join The Lifeit Detox 28 Days Raw Food Cleanse). She was at the Sweet Taste Of Soul party in Atlanta, preparing Raw Vegan and Vegan food for the guests.

I got a chance to taste a raw vegan Kale dish...I'm not sure if it is her famous "Marinated Kale" or not, but I also got to try a raw vegan Broccoli and Cheese that was outstanding. I'm still trying to figure out how she made it so cheesy. The "fried fish" was also great...she has the recipe on her website (just click the "join" link above and follow the "recipes" link). She used a dehydrator to make the "fried fish", but since I don't have one yet, I want to try it in my oven with the temp on low and the door cracked. I won't know for sure if it will work unless I give it a try.

Finally, there was a lady at the party that does colonics...when she talked about how some of her clients pass parasites...that was a scary conversation. She talked about how there was one young lady that always ate a lot of sweets...after her colonic she had a bucket full of pinworms. Yuck!

Since I've been on this cleanse, I thought I saw something that looked like it could possibly be parasites (looked like rice grains) in my stool, but I wasn't sure. I think I feel better not being quite sure, rather than seeing some long worm-like thing and not having any doubt about it! Yuck!