Revisit, Refocus, Renew, and Recovery

Here I am, revisiting the blog after another year of blog-silence. This is due to the fact that I am refocusing on my eating habits because I need to renew my health recovery. (See how I came up with the title of this post? :-) )

If you aren't familiar with my story, let me recap my last 9 years for you. You are certainly invited to go back and read any/all of my previous posts, but let me save you some time for now...

In 2007, I began to experience some numbness in my right foot. Over the course of the next several months, that numbness expanded up my leg, into my waist, and then down my left leg. Additionally, the numbness grew in intensity to where I couldn't even walk without support from a cane and no more than 15 minutes at a time. Due to my lack of mobility and prednisone, I gained about 150 pounds to where I weighed 350+. Fun? I think not! I was prescribed Rebif for - what I was diagnosed with - Multiple Sclerosis.

Fast forward to October, 2008...

Using Rebif wasn't helping me at all. The side effects were making my life worse. It was killing me! (Sure, I may be exaggerating, but...)
At this point, I was introduced to a product called VIDACELL. After reading about it, I decided to give it a decent trial of three months. It only took two weeks to make a difference! I was more able to walk, climb stairs, and more...
In addition to VIDACELL, I changed my diet. I started to follow the plan as described in The Maker's Diet by Jordan Rubin. Also, I went through several cycles of The Master Cleanse. (All of my experiences with these phases are detailed in previous posts on this blog. If you want more details, contact me or check out the other posts - I'm more than happy to answer any questions.)

Long story, short: While I didn't experience complete recovery, I was able to improve my life.

Fast forward to January, 2011...

Certainly not an immediate improvement, but it was at this point in my life that I decided to try to go back to work. From childhood, I had a desire to be on the radio. I figured that pursuing this dream just made sense. My mobility wasn't perfect, so a job that required me to be on my feet didn't make a lot of sense. Also, my endurance wasn't all that strong... I figured that sitting at a microphone for 4-5 hours at a time just made sense for a job! So, I attended the Connecticut School of Broadcasting to pursue that dream. Things turned out pretty well!

Until May, 2012, when I experienced a stroke... Recovery from that was a lot of FUN! (sarcasm, maybe?)

Fast forward to today (well, maybe 3-4 months ago...)

Now, I'm experiencing the flare-up of the numbness. It has expanded into both arms and hands. My left hand is less numb than my right hand. In addition to the numbness, I will sometimes experience what I refer to as a 'buzz.' Basically, I blackout for a couple of seconds - up to a minute. Both the duration and the intensity of the buzz varies. Sometimes, I simply just lose the ability to focus my thoughts. Other times, I really do blackout - hence, the lack of ability to drive.

Are you still with me?

So today, I have decided to be more focused on my diet and activity. I am going back to a modified Maker's Diet. Basically, a low-carb Maker's Diet. I am also looking more deeply into the benefits of various spices and foods - like turmeric, ginger, bone broth, and all things coconut.

I'm hoping that my Journey to Wellness sees as much - or more! - success as I previously had and that you'll join me on this journey, too.

A-Z Challenge - 'C'

If you have read my previous two A-Z Challenge posts, you probably already can guess what my topic for today will be... *insert annoying game show buzzer sound here* Sorry, it isn't vitamin C. While this is a truly important vitamin, it just isn't my topic for today. Instead, I opted for 'Cleanse' as my topic. Cleansing the body - both internally and externally - is vitally important to good health.

Externally, we should avoid using commercial soaps that contain chemicals that can do more harm than good. Avoid antibacterial soaps at all costs! First, there simply is no need to use antibacterial soaps to get clean. Second, there are beneficial bacteria that are also destroyed through the use of these soaps.
Personally, I use Dr. Bronner's soap for cleansing. This stuff is amazing! I have posted information about it previously. Rather than re-post, I will just encourage you to read my original entry- Incense and Peppermint.

For the transition from external to internal, it is important to maintain proper oral hygiene. Contrary to government belief, fluoride is not necessary for this and should be avoided. For a good cleansing, simply brush your teeth with a paste of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda. Follow this with a peroxide rinse (don't swallow it) and your mouth will be wonderfully clean.

Internally, I have taken to periodic bouts with the Master Cleanse. As with Dr. Bronner's soap, I have posted several articles about my experience with the master cleanse throughout this blog so I will not repeat that here. For your convenience, here is a link to my initial post regarding the cleanse - The Heat is On. The Master Cleanse has been instrumental in my journey to wellness!

Master Cleanse Reprise - 'Not' Wasted Time

Today marks the second day of this round of the Master Cleanse. It is going to be a bit of a struggle - not because I am having a hard time sticking to the fast, but because we have a busy day scheduled. Though it is better to consume the lemonade within ten minutes of squeezing the lemons, I have prepared four servings worth of lemon juice, maple syrup, and cayenne pepper - no water added yet - to take with me to our various appointments. I will add the mix to a bottle of water when I am ready to drink it. I am not worried about hunger. When I am keeping myself busy, I don't usually feel hunger pangs. As planned, I skipped my daily serving of VIDACELL and will continue to do so for the duration of the cleanse.
I checked my tongue this morning - already turning white. This indicates that there are toxins present that need to be purged. Even though I am careful with what I eat and have already done the cleanse twice before, I am still exposed to toxins. Really, this just provides rationalization that doing the cleanse periodically is the right thing to do and I am not wasting my time - hence today's song tie-in, Eagles' Wasted Time.

Yesterday, as a quasi-birthday present to myself, I bought myself a new pair of sneakers. The last pair I had (well, still have until the new ones are fully broken in) was not a very nice pair of sneakers. I had gotten them for about $15 and they were worth every penny...you definitely get what you pay for. Part of my problem is that my feet are what are affected most by my disorder (I still don't believe MS is the answer, but...). Buying cheap shoes is not really a great idea. Honestly, cheap shoes tend to be a bad idea for everyone considering how much we ask of our feet on a daily basis.
Up until recently, I was really interested in getting a pair of Vibram's FiveFingers shoes. The FiveFingers shoes mimic being barefoot but protect your feet from rocks, broken glass, and other foreign objects. As you might expect, the FiveFingers shoes have separate pockets for each toe - just like a glove for the feet. I was a bit concerned that this would be more aggravating to the pins and needles sensation that my feet are constantly feeling. I found a local store that sells them so I was able to try them on. There are several styles of the FiveFingers to choose from. The pair that I wanted - one that would have been suitable for daily, normal wear - just gave me issues in trying to put them on. Getting all of my toes into the right pockets was just not possible. My toes - and probably yours - are just so used to being crammed into ill-fitting shoes (any shoe is ill-fitting when you realize that our feet are not designed to wear them). I spent about 15 minutes just trying to make them fit. Not one to give up on a good idea too easily, I tried on a different pair of the FiveFingers and had no problem getting them on. The second pair, however, was not at all suited for cold weather as the one thing that made them easy to get on was that they didn't fully enclose my feet. They were more like a sandal or slipper. Sure, they would protect the soles of my feet, but not the tops. As well, due to their unique design, wearing socks with the FiveFingers is out of the question. Mind you, I don't mind not wearing socks - I actually prefer it - but sometimes you just need that extra warmth.
Though I decided to pass on the FiveFingers, I am still considering them for warmer weather.
The other style of shoes that I wanted to check out is made by Skechers. These are the Shape-Ups. Shape-Ups have a different style sole that provide a workout for your legs just by walking in them. Yeah, I know...walking is already a great exercise and I try to do it as often as possible. My rational behind getting the Shape-Ups is that I can maximize the benefit that I get when I am able to walk - even if it is around the grocery store. Well, I haven't been able to find any local store that stocks the Shape-Ups. As with the FiveFingers, I could order them online. My problem with doing so is that I really want to try them on to get the feel of them before buying. It would be one thing if I were looking for a pair to replace the ones that I already had, but buying a new style of shoe over the internet just doesn't suit me.
What I came home with yesterday is made by (or for) Dr. Scholl's. They are from their Personal Trainer line. Similar to Shape-Ups, the soles are different than the average shoe and are designed to more fully engage the leg muscles while walking. I found a pair that I actually liked (I am not too picky about the appearance of my shoes, but some are just plain ugly) and tried them on. While the box was simply labeled as size 12, the shoes in the box turned out to be 12W. My feet aren't particularly wide, but these fit really well. Had I seen 12W on the box, I wouldn't even have tried them on. Hopefully these shoes will continue to be comfortable as I wear them for longer periods of time. My last pair would actually start to hurt if I wore them even for reasonable periods of time.

I Am Singing The Lemon(ade) Song Again

It is time once again for me to do the Master Cleanse AKA The Lemonade Diet. Starting tomorrow morning, I will be singing that song again. (Song reference: The Lemon Song by Led Zeppelin) Technically, though, I have already started by taking a dose of senna tonight. Because I have class and a generally busy day tomorrow, I won't be starting my day with the salt water flush - I'll save that for Saturday morning when I have nothing to do until later in the day.
I won't be using VIDACELL during this cleanse. I don't think VIDACELL would interfere with the it, but I'd rather be sure that I get the biggest benefit from the cleanse - besides, it can't hurt to save the money. I bought enough lemons for at least a couple of days, today. I already had the maple syrup and cayenne pepper, so I am all set to go!

My hope this time is to continue the cleanse for at least 14 days but possibly even longer. Because we are now in maple sugaring season, I fully intend to buy some locally harvested grade B maple syrup when I am close to finishing my current supply. It may not save any money, but it is certainly a better option to buy local products over those shipped in from far away.

The Rite of Spring

As Spring approaches - and it seems to be approaching very quickly, today - I am planning to do another cycle with the Master Cleanse. I have decided to do a cycle every season. I am not exactly sure when I will begin
The Rite of Spring but I will likely start on the first day of Spring, March 20. For this post, I borrowed the title from Igor Stravinsky but it seems fitting. In my case, the master cleanse will be my rite of Spring (as well as Summer, Autumn, and Winter!). Stravinsky's piece also came up when I included it in a list of my favorite classical music pieces. Check out the rest of the list here: List My Five.
Before I start the cleanse, I want to use up the whey that I got from Deerfield Farms. I don't want it to go to waste. I have been adding it to the smoothies that I make for an added protein boost.

Talkin' Bout A Revolution

Today marks day four of my new year's revolution (song link this time: Tracy Chapman - Talkin' Bout A Revolution.  I have been preparing for my next session with the Master Cleanse.  I still need to get to the store to buy some lemons, but that should happen in the next day or two.  I already have a good supply of maple syrup - though I will need more by the time the cleanse has run its course - and I should have enough cayenne pepper, so it is really just the lemons that I am waiting on.

As of today, I am out of kefir.  In keeping with my revolution, I have been drinking about 6-8 oz. of kefir each morning.  I purposefully didn't make any more kefir, though, so as not to let it go to waste when I start on the cleanse.  I am also running low on milk to make it from!  I haven't been able to get to Deerfield Farm to get more.  As with the kefir, though, this has not been a priority.  I want to get enough for the family, but without me consuming any milk during the cleanse, our needs are considerably smaller.

As planned, I have begun each day with some exercise.  Prior to eating anything, I have been spending about 30 minutes following Dr. Mercola's Peak 8 principles - though with my own twist on it.  Essentially, Peak 8 is interval training - after a warm up, alternate 90 seconds of lower intensity exercise with 30 seconds of high intensity exercise for 8 cycles followed by a cool-down.  The principles are based on heart rate zone training.  During the high intensity periods, you push your heart rate into (or close to) the anaerobic zone.  As the session progresses, your heart rate will peak 8 times - hence the name - and recover somewhat between the peaks.  Though he uses a recumbent cycle for his program, Dr. Mercola doesn't specify any particular type of exercise for the Peak 8 program, just so that your heart rate is elevated effectively.  For my purposes, I am using the Wii Fit Plus as my activity.  One of the fitness 'games' is the 'free step' which can be set for 10-, 20-, or 30-minute durations.  This activity simply counts your steps on and off the balance board and keeps the pace for you.  You can select 80, 90, or 100 steps per minute as a pace.  Note that each footfall on or off the board counts as one step.  I have been using an eight pound medicine ball in addition to the 'stepper' program.  My routine has been to simply step for 90 seconds at the highest pace while carrying the medicine ball (after a warm up, of course) followed by a 30 second bout of faster stepping - out-pacing the Wii pace - while raising (above my head) and lowering (to my waist) the medicine ball.  I go for a full 30 minutes and complete anywhere from 8 to 15 cycles.
Tomorrow's session will be fun!  I found my heart rate monitor today!  I have actually acquired several monitors over the years.  When I worked for NordicTrack - before they filed for bankruptcy and were purchased by ICON Health and Fitness - I purchased one of the Polar heart rate monitors that we sold.  That was my first experience with heart rate training.  I used it religiously!  A good heart rate monitor is an amazing tool to use when exercising.  Though you can find companies that make/sell monitors that don't require a chest strap, I don't recommend them.  Using a chest strap frees up your hands to do other things.  As well, the chest strap will usually communicate directly with the equipment that you might be using for exercise.  Many treadmills, elliptical trainers, and stationary cycles have the heart rate technology built in.  Lacking a chest strap, you will need to grasp a handle on the machine to read your heart rate.  In the case of the watch that doesn't require a chest strap, you will need to touch the watch with your fingers to activate the reading.  Either way, your hands will need to otherwise be empty to get a reading.  This seems counter-intuitive on a machine like the elliptical trainers which are designed to incorporate your whole body in the motion - something you don't get when you are holding the stationary handle to get a heart rate reading.  Mind you, using any heart rate zone training is still better than not using it so if all you have access to is the hand-held monitors go ahead and use it!  You'll be amazed at how hard you are working when you don't really need to!
I am really looking forward to tomorrow morning!

So, my mornings for the last 4 days have looked like this:

• Walk Ginger - due to the temperature, this just consists of letting her take care of 'business'
• Exercise
• VIDACELL
• Kefir
• Breakfast

What is different now when compared to 2010 is that I have added in the exercise step where I would previously have gone back to sleep.  After walking Ginger, I would usually do some deep breathing which, more often than not, would lead me to fall asleep.  While I realize that I generally fall asleep because I NEED sleep, this kind of sleep is not terribly beneficial.  Now, I am making better use of that time and improving my sleep cycle.  I have known for a long time that it is more beneficial for me to exercise in the morning than at any other time of day.  I have always been interested in fitness though I was never truly fit except for a relatively brief period in my life.  It was during this time when I was getting out of bed at 5:30 AM and jumping on my NordicTrack skier with my heart rate monitor.  I used my skier so much that I actually wore it out - twice!  It actually would have cost me more to repair it the second time than it would have to replace it.  It was due to 'right-eating' (or, at least what I believed to be right eating at the time consisting mostly of highly processed 'health' foods) and proper exercise at the right time of day for me.
It is never too late to learn and grow.  As such, I am always open to learning new things.  This time around (revolution), I have learned more about what 'right-eating' really means and I now have the stamina for the first time since the onset of my symptoms (March, 2006) to go back to what works for me - early morning, heart rate zone training before breakfast.  Sure, things are not quite the same as the first time around - I have limitations that I didn't have and no longer have my NordicTrack - but I have no doubt that I will see some amazing results.  Weight loss is still not my primary goal.  There are many other benefits to be had that I am focusing on.  Better health and being symptom-free are at the forefront of my mind.

New Year's 'Revolution'

Yup, that's right.  I said Revolution instead of resolution.  Of course, the song I am referring to is Revolution from The Beatles, but that isn't currently available through amazon.com, so I linked to the cover version by Stone Temple Pilots.

Personally, I am not a big fan of New Year's resolutions.  They don't tend to be kept for very long periods of time.  Resolutions are too often made and forgotten before even a week into the new year.  Instead, I would rather start a revolution.  Revolutions keep coming back.

In this case, I am going back to the basics for several things that I began this year.  I began 2010 with a whole new eating plan.  The Maker's Diet became my diet.  Throughout the year, I read more and more information regarding the principles of The Maker's Diet and I am more convinced than ever that it was the right choice for me.  In addition to the research, I am definitely feeling better because of the diet.  Removing processed, packaged food from my diet has been great.  Food just tastes better!  I am spending more time in the kitchen, but the rewards are worth the effort.  Sure, I haven't been perfect in following the diet and it took the better part of the year to improve my food choices, but progress has been made.  My New Year's revolution regarding The Maker's Diet involves starting with phase 1 all over again.  This time, having better food sources than I had the first time around, I am hoping for even better results!

During the year, I also embarked on The Master Cleanse.  This was an absolutely amazing experience.  The master cleanse essentially 'resets' the body.  It helps purge the body of all toxins and waste.  Thanks to the purge, the body is able to focus on healing.  I am going to start off the new year with another session with the master cleanse.  Because I was unable to get to the grocery store to buy some lemons, I won't be able to start drinking the lemonade on the first day of the year, but I will be able to start the ease-in phase in preparation for the actual cleanse.  Phase 1 of the Maker's Diet will begin after I finish the master cleanse.  Additionally, I plan to revisit the master cleanse at least two more times throughout the year.

Like 2010, I intend to strive towards a symptom free life.  I will continue to use my daily serving of VIDACELL except during my master cleanse sessions.  Since beginning (almost) daily VIDACELL use in October of 2008, I have experienced some major improvements in health and mobility.  To my daily regimen, I intend to add daily consumption of kefir that I make myself from raw whole milk.  Kefir is a relatively new addition to my foods.  It is similar to yogurt, but considerably easier to make.  It is one of the foods that is recommended on all phases of The Maker's Diet.  While I had the raw milk for my first foray into phase 1, I did not have kefir.  Sure, I could have purchased some from the grocery store, but the only varieties I could find were pasteurized and low-fat - some even had additives like fructose and other artificial ingredients.  Now that I have the ability to make my own, I am hoping for even better results.

Physically, I intend to be more regular with fitness activities.  I plan to start my day with some sort of physical activity.  During the warmer months, this might consist of taking Ginger for a walk.  One thing that I am planning on incorporating at least a couple of times per week is Dr. Mercola's PEAK 8 program.

So, with that - my plan for a revolution - I say good bye to 2010 - a relatively good year - and hello to 2011.  I can only hope that my progress is as good this coming year as it was over this past year.

Here Comes the Rain Again.

I am not sure why, but my motivation to write a new entry has been at an all time low since last week.  It isn't because I have nothing to say - in fact, I have quite a bit to update - I just haven't really felt like writing...

I ended my first bout with The Master Cleanse on Sunday, 10 days ago.  It was a bit more abrupt on an ending than I was planning on, but the timing was right.  My tongue was not completely pink, but other factors just made it the right time for me to revert to a normal diet.

One thing that I was looking forward to eating once I went off the cleanse was my version of miso soup.  I have since made the soup four times and each time it just got better!  For the first attempt, I simply sliced some celery, carrots, and green cabbage (thinly) and added them to the vegetable broth while it heated up.  After it reached the desired temperature, I removed the soup from the heat and added the miso.  It was pretty good, though I am sure that the fact that I hadn't eaten anything for more than two weeks other than the lemonade had something to do with my perception of the taste.
The second attempt found me adding some diced onion to the complement of vegetables.  I also lightly sauteed the veggies in some butter prior to adding the broth.  I started by melting the butter in a sauce pan - just enough to coat the bottom of the pan.  I then added the onion and cooked them until they just turned translucent.  After that, I added the carrots and celery and sauteed the mix for a little longer before adding the cabbage.  Before the cabbage started to wilt, I added the broth and brought the soup up to the desired temperature.  I did not allow it to boil.  Again, I removed the soup from the heat and added the miso.  Oh My Goodness!  What an amazing improvement!  The first attempt was good but the second attempt was excellent!  I am not sure if the addition of the onions accounted for the improvement or if it was the fact that I sauteed the veggies first.  Whatever it was, it was worth it.
My daughter saw (smelled) me making the soup and wanted to try it.  The 'food critic' loved it!

My intent to begin with phase one of The Maker's Diet fell a little short, however.  I am still sticking to The Maker's Diet, but I have been eating some foods that should not be consumed until phases 2 and 3.  Overall, though, my food choices have improved.  As well, thanks to the cleanse, I am definitely more satisfied with smaller quantities of food.  Eating due to true hunger vs. eating on impulse or because society dictates three 'square' meals was also something learned by the cleanse.  We simply do not need to eat the quantities of food that we have grown accustomed to eating!  As a simple comparison; the equivalent of one regular McDonald's hamburger and small order of  should be enough food to satisfy hunger.  (Of course, the nutritional content of that meal is suspect, but the quantity is what I am trying to illustrate.)  Instead, we favor the Quarter Pounder or the Big Mac and a large order of fries.

In a previous post, Mom Always Said..., I talked about three things that mom really did always say about eating.  Of these things, I am really focused on implementing two of them - taking smaller bites and chewing each one more thoroughly - as I was when this whole thing began.  Because I am already eating smaller portions, I am not too concerned with leaving some on my plate.  These rules are things that I constantly have to remind myself of.  It is far too easy to revert to swallowing large, partially chewed bites.  When I enjoy a meal, my tendency is to eat quickly.  Rather than savoring each bite, I tend to stuff myself.  Really, it just makes more sense to chew slowly and truly enjoy the food.

Today, I started to precede each meal with a small serving of plain, whole milk yogurt.  Well, any meal that isn't primarily consisting of yogurt, that is.  I figure that regularly supplementing with the probiotics found in the yogurt prior to eating would do wonders for my digestive system without spending any money on other supplements. 

As it is Wednesday, I found myself alone at home all day.  Weather prevented me from any outdoor activity - hence the title and the song reference, Here Comes the Rain Again, Eurythmics.  Instead of getting outside - except to walk Ginger - I got some exercise on the Wii Fit Plus.  Today also marked the first day that I have weighed myself since ending the cleanse.  As expected, my weight loss was considerably less dramatic.  Since ending the cleanse, I have only lost half of a pound.  However, this 0.5 pound weight loss puts me at exactly 76 pounds lost year to date.  Not bad for a 10 month total!
After my workout, I sat down and watched The Future Of Food.  I had started watching it a few weeks ago, but didn't have the opportunity to finish it.  If you are unfamiliar with it, the movie/documentary is focused on genetically modified food and Monsanto.  I highly recommend watching this one.  In fact, I have made it easy for you (at least for as long as it is available to watch online).  I have it posted right here for you!  Please, take a look.  (When I watched it, I found it ironic that one of the sponsors of the movie was Lean Cuisine...um, really?  A movie about genetically modified food sponsored by a company that sells processed food?)

Still A Whiter Shade Of Pale

It is day 14 of the master cleanse and my tongue is still white (Song: A Whiter Shade of Pale, Procol Harum), though it does seem that the tip and the sides of my tongue are beginning to turn pink.

On the way home from the YMCA today, I stopped at It's Only Natural to pick up a couple of things.  Primarily, I wanted to get some miso to use in the vegetable stock that I made earlier in the week.  I had tried to find some at the grocery store, but they only had a dried miso soup mix that had a whole lot of undesirable additives.  While I was there, I checked on their organic lemon prices.  To my surprise, their prices for organic lemons was actually less than Stop & Shop's lemons - and Stop & Shop's are not organic!

Things are still going well on the cleanse.  The only thing that has really begun to bother me is the frequency of squeezing lemons and the clean-up afterward.  It really isn't a major problem, though.  It just seems that I am spending a lot of time in the kitchen!  On the positive side, I am certainly generating a lot of materials to add to the compost pile.

Weight lost on the cleanse now stands at  16 pounds in 13 days (as of yesterday - I haven't weighed myself today).

Living In The Past

In a moment of spontaneity yesterday, we found ourselves heading off to visit the CT Renaissance Fair for a second time this year (See: I Won't Back Down to read about our first trip to the fair this year).  A family friend called us and asked if we would like to accompany them to the fair.  After a short deliberation, we decided to go along.  It turned out to be a great day!  Of course, the song here is Jethro Tull's, Living In The Past as an homage to the Renaissance Faire's celebration of history.

It was a bit of a challenge for the master cleanse, however.  The previous night, I had taken a full, 4 capsule dose of senna and I had done the salt water flush about 60 minutes prior to the call.  I was not really in a position to be too far away from a bathroom!  Fortunately, it didn't take too long for the flush to do its work.  I didn't have time to prepare any lemonade other than my morning glass, though.  As such, I didn't have any to take with me to the fair.  I ended up buying a bottle of water at the fair, but that was all that I consumed while we were there.
While at the fair, we got a chance to see another performance of two of our favorites, Dextre Tripp and Jayna Lee.  Over the last 10 years, we have seen both of them perform several times at the NY Renaissance Faire and Jayna at the CT fair both last year and this year.  This was the first time that we got to see them perform together!  Jayna had a show at 1:00 PM with Dextre assisting and Dextre had one at 2:30 PM with Jayna assisting.  I also had the privilege of assisting Dextre with his act!

After the fair, we headed home and I was able to resume the cleanse without a hitch.

Today marks my 12th day on the cleanse.  My tongue is still white, so it appears that my body is not yet ready for me to resume my normal diet.  I was running low on everything so I made yet another trip to the grocery store for supplies.  I opted for Trader Joe's in order to get some grade B maple syrup.  They also have a great deal on organic lemons and their cayenne pepper is non-irradiated, so it really was my best option.  I mentioned in a previous post that they offer two varieties of grade B syrup but were sold out of one of them last week.  This time, they had both in stock so I opted for the 32 oz. choice.  While I am sure that I will be ready to shift to a normal diet soon, I bought two bottles.  I fully intend to follow the master cleanse again within the next few months, so my plan is to be better prepared for it.  Rather than shell out a considerable amount of money just prior and during my next cleanse, I will build up a stock of the maple syrup over time so that I will have enough before I begin.  Of course, I will still need to buy the lemons as I go.
En route home from Trader Joe's, I stopped at The Vitamin Shoppe to pick up an alternative to my herbal laxative.  While the senna is working fine, I wanted to boost the benefits of the cleanse.  In his book, Tom Woloshyn talks about doing a parasite cleanse as an adjunct to the master cleanse.  While I have no evidence that I have a parasite problem, there is also no evidence that I am parasite-free.  Either way, it really can't hurt to take the extra step.  Three herbs that have anti-parasite properties are black walnut, clove, and wormwood.  Some effect the eggs of the parasites, while the others effect the adult parasites so it is best to use them together.  I was hoping to find the individual herbs, but the only one the store had in stock was black walnut.  They did have a single product that included all three, however.  It also includes senna so I can use this in place of the senna that I was using.  This is designed as a 7 day cleanse, so now that I have more lemons, maple syrup, and cayenne pepper I may just continue the master cleanse for the same 7 days - bringing my count to 19 days.  The other option - depending on the appearance of my tongue - would be to continue for three more days and then ease in to phase one of The Maker's Diet over the remaining 4 days.  I'll see how things go...

My current weight loss total for the duration of the cleanse stands at 13 pounds.

I Am Still Not Tempted.

I can't believe that it took me until Day 10 of the master cleanse to make a musical reference to Squeeze.  I have been talking about squeezing lemons and temptation for over a week now and I am only just making the connection to the song, Tempted.

I haven't posted any progress reports for the last few days for a couple of reasons: one) my daughter discovered a new puzzle game and she has been monopolizing the PC, and two) there really hasn't been anything new to report.  I haven't had another weigh in since my last report and really haven't had any issues with sticking to the cleanse.  The temptation to eat really hasn't been a problem.

Ten days is the recommended minimum for following the cleanse.  Evidence indicates that it takes at least that long for the body to realize any benefits.  There has not been any upper limit established for the duration of the cleanse.  When I started, I wasn't sure how long I would continue on the cleanse but planned to go for at least the full 10 days and play it by 'tongue' to determine whether to continue longer.  The tongue is the prime indicator that you are ready to move on to a regular diet.  During the cleanse, the tongue will turn white.  When it returns to a normal, pink color, your body is ready.  This doesn't mean that you need to end the cleanse, just that you can.
My tongue is still white so, I will following the cleanse for at least another day.


Running low on lemons again, I made a trip to the grocery store to buy more.  I would have needed more even if I were to end the cleanse today.  One thing that is really important to note is that when you end the cleanse, you really need to ease back in to eating solid food. When I went to the store, I also picked up a few things to use during my 'ease out' phase.

My plan is to start over with Phase One of The Maker's Diet after the cleanse.  It seems a perfect 're-start' for me.  Granted, I never strayed away from the Maker's Diet, but it never hurts to go back to the basics once in a while.

Along with the lemons, I bought some onions and green bell peppers.  When I got home from the store, I immediately set to making a vegetable stock in preparation for the end of the cleanse.  Taking inspiration from a recipe that I found on AllRecipes.com for the 'World's Greatest Vegetable Broth,' I chopped the onion, green peppers, and some carrots into a glass baking dish, tossed the vegetables with some olive oil, and roasted them for 45 minutes.  While they were roasting, I chopped some celery and garlic which I put into a stock pot with a gallon of filtered water.  When the vegetables were sufficiently roasted, I removed them from the oven and added them to the stock pot which I set to boil and then simmer until it reduced.  The recipe recommends a 50% reduction, but I allowed it to go longer creating a more concentrated stock as opposed to a broth.
I plan to use this stock for at least the first few days after the cleanse in various recipes.  It fits in well with recommendations from both Tom Woloshyn's book, The Complete Master Cleanse, and Jordan Rubin's book, The Maker's Diet.

My Little Marathon

OK, so it isn't even close to running (or walking) a marathon (Song: Rush, Marathon from Power Windows) - perhaps it is more like circuit training, but I squeezed in two exercise sessions over the course of 3 hours.  Using the Wii Fit Plus, I spent about an hour doing various different activities, mostly cardio-related but with a little bit of other stuff mixed in.  According to the 'game,' I burned just under 400 calories during that time.  The Wii Fit Plus allows you to set calorie burn goals.  Whether you reach your goal in one session or not, it keeps track of what you have burned each day.  My current goal is set for 455 calories.
After my hour of exercise, I decided to take a short break.  I took Ginger out for a brief walk - it was still raining and she doesn't like to be outside in the rain - and did some chores around the house.  Using one lemon, I made another glass of lemonade and cleaned up after that.  This was a particularly juicy lemon that yielded 5 Tbsp. of juice, so my glass of lemonade actually turned out to be 2.5 servings worth.  While I know that it is better to consume the juice immediately after squeezing it, it is a little annoying that one lemon can yield so much juice while another might barely be enough for one serving - even if they are the same size!  It definitely leads to the question - is it better to drink a larger portion of lemonade fresh or to reserve the excess for another serving at a later time?  My gut feeling is that it is perfectly acceptable to drink more than one serving at a time.  Considering that the recommendation is a minimum of 6-12 servings per day, if you consumed one serving per hour, it would take 12 hours for the upper end of the range.  If you squeeze, mix, drink, and clean up after each serving, that is a lot of time spent to get 12 individual servings of lemonade.
I guess that it is all about the results, anyway...

Due to timing - wanting to have showered prior to the family coming home - I decided to spend another 30 minutes exercising.  For lack of a better option, I turned the Wii back on and finished off my calorie burn goal.  I decided to do another weigh in to see what my progress was as well.  Normally, I wouldn't bother weighing myself this often, but the fact that I am following the master cleanse and that I already had easy access to a scale it just made sense.  It turns out that I have now lost a total of 8 pounds since beginning the cleanse.  According to my BMI, I am now, no longer considered obese!  Now I am just simply overweight...  Still some work to do on the weight loss front.  Not that it is currently a concern for me, judging obesity/overweight/normal weight just by BMI is a little skewed.  To truly get a picture of weight v. norms, you should also factor in body fat percentage.  In my case, muscle mass in not currently doing much to tip the scales, so BMI kind of works for me at the moment.  At least it does take height into account.

I'm Not Hungry (Like The Wolf)

Today is day 6 of the master cleanse and I am feeling great!  I repeated the four capsule senna dose last night and didn't have as much abdominal pain as I did yesterday but still felt some as a result - enough to confirm that the pain I felt is, indeed, a result of the senna.  Unlike yesterday, I did the salt water flush this morning.  The combination of an herbal laxative prior to bed and the salt water flush upon waking is definitely a powerful one!  I think that the truly amazing thing about this master cleanse is that I am not at all 'hungry like the wolf.'  (Song - Duran Duran, Hungry Like The Wolf)  I have been able to cook food and go grocery shopping for the family without being tempted to eat anything.  Yesterday, we went to Trader Joe's to pick up a few things.  After my second serving of lemonade yesterday, I was completely out of maple syrup so I needed to go shopping anyway.  Trader Joe's has two offerings of grade B maple syrup!  Unfortunately they happened to be sold out of one of those offerings...  The one I ended up getting is their Canadian maple syrup in 25 oz. glass bottles.  It is a bit more expensive than the 32 oz. bottle they also offer, but as it is grade B it is still cheaper than what I was buying before.  There is a misconception with maple syrup that grade B is somehow inferior to grade A.  Unlike eggs, meats, and grades on test scores, grade B maple syrup is not inferior.  It is thicker, darker, and has a higher mineral content than grade A.  It does tend to have a slightly different taste, though, that can make it less desirable.
This past Spring, we took a day trip to a local sugar shack that taps maple trees and processes its own maple syrup.  It was a really informative and fun trip!  Had I known then that I would be undertaking the master cleanse, I would have stocked up on grade B maple syrup.  Rick, the owner/operator of the sugar shack explained the difference between the grades (which, by the way, may be revised in the not too distant future) and expressed his preference for grade B.  I tried contacting him prior to buying more syrup at the grocery store, but I haven't gotten a reply yet.  I am just not sure if he has any syrup in stock at this point and I don't feel like driving over there only to come home empty-handed.  I would prefer to buy from him, though.  He is a lot more local - within 20 miles from home - and has better prices than the grocery store.

Today being Wednesday means that I have the house to myself.  The weather is not conducive to working in the garden - unlike previous weeks.  This is fine, though, as I really don't have much else that I can do in the garden for now.  With the newly acquired compost bin in place, there isn't as much need for me to get out there and turn over the compost pile.  I still need to, just not as frequently.  Since adding the compost bin, I took a second frame - the one that had been containing the compost pile - and stacked it on top of the frame that defines my future raised bed for planting.  This will allow me to fill in even more soil and compost as a growing medium for the plants and pretty much negates the poor quality, resident soil that I started with.  Once finished, the bed will have depth of at least 15 inches of quality soil to plant in - no rocks, no clay.  I plan to take the third, remaining frame and cut it apart.  I will use the pieces to hold the stacked frames together.

Not having to spend time on the garden today means that I have more time to do other things.  Of course, the weather also rules out taking Ginger for anything other than a utility walk.  My plan is to put in a couple of sessions of exercise.  I don't really want to do one longer workout, so I will probably do two, half-hour sessions.