Nourishment

You are what you eat, or so the saying goes. Along those lines, I truly believe we are also a product of what we think. I have spent quite a bit of time purging myself of negative thinking habits, and, through meditation, journaling and spirituality have found inner-peace beginning to blossom.

So, it is time to work on the vessel. One of my girlfriends turned me onto the Master Cleanse over a year ago. While I was intrigued, I was not at the point where I could mentally commit to ten days of lemon, cayenne pepper and maple syrup drinks. Even now the thought is rather daunting!

The problem is, I LOVE food. I think this gastronomic appreciation stemmed from my father, who used to take exotic weekend trips to France because his palate demanded the Nouveau Bougelais. I grew up in a household where we were expected to clean our plates (we never did have a dog to help us out) and seconds were encouraged.

While I would like to say this type of nutritional construct was balanced, it was actually way off kilter. In fact, I have ALWAYS struggled with my weight, and continue to do so. Five years ago, I made a solid effort to battle the bulge and lost nearly 50 pounds. Working with a personal trainer, I reassessed my thoughts about food, exercise and lifestyle choices. Now I find I spend a lot more time at the gym and playing outside, reaping the benefits of fresh air and exercise. However, food still tempts me. Especially CHOCOLATE!

Even so, it can't physically be SO difficult to give up food for 10 days. It's more of a mental challenge. Even though I will start each day downing 32 ounces of salt water, and drink nothing but spicy-sweet "lemonade", the challenge really lies in wrestling with my own attitudes towards food.

When I consider my social life, most of it revolves around food or drink. A cup of coffee, going out for dinner, it all centers around the stomach. How in the world will I find anything to do (besides schoolwork) for the next 10 days??

For me, this is the next step in my journey of self-growth and self-care. Ridding the toxins from my body is just as important as ridding the negative thought patterns from my brain.

I'll continue to blog as I progress through this journey. I promise to focus more on the journey than the physical symptoms. Even when my tongue turns white and fuzzy during the detox phase, I will continue to write about the journey. Talking, it seems, may be a bit trickier!