Hump Day: It's all done hill from here!

OM

I made it!  I'm halfway through my 10 day cleanse and I'm feeling great.  I may be the only one that feels this way though!  "Hungry, Tired, and Cranky" seem to be just a few of the words being used to describe feelings of the last few days.  I'm keeping up with my workouts and even did yoga for the second day in a row. I love yoga because it not only helps me feel balanced mentally, but also alleviates the feelings of wear and tear from Insanity: The Asylum.  It is my time to put my intentions to the universe to center my thoughts and work out my frustrations.  My favorite yoga place in Fort Lauderdale is this amazing little studio off Oakland Park Blvd. call The Bombay Room.  I found it by accident last year when I bought a living social deal and it has been my home ever since.

The uphill battle is over, the hardest part is done.  Usually by Day 5 one's addictions to caffeine, sugar, alcohol, or other things starts to subside.  The withdrawal symptoms lessen and the energy will start coming back.  So it's all downhill from here!  Smooth going now is when the real work starts the body starts releasing the toxins and chemicals that have been holding it hostage for years.  My skin is already 75% better than it was five days ago!  I took pictures at the beginning and I will again at the end to compare.  My skin is glowing too.

Today I am cover another amazing spice that has so many health benefits that it is almost unbelievable. Its reputation is growing amount medical researchers and alternative health people such as myself. Cayenne pepper has been show to kill cancer cells, stop heart attacks in 30 seconds, increase metabolism, and help adjust blood pressure to normal levels.  These are just a few of the amazing benefits but even more importantly it cleans the arteries and helps rid the body of bad LDL cholesterol and triglycerides.  Cayenne aids in digestion from assimilation to elimination and will even help rebuild flesh and the tissue in the stomach facilitating healing of intestinal ulcers.  This is why I have added it to many of my green smoothie recipes in the past 5 days!

Some more good news I have now lost a total of ten pounds myself, with others following behind with anywhere from 3 to 8!  Again the weight loss is just a positive side affect of this amazing cleanse!  Want more information on how I can guide you to a life of health an wellness?  Visit my website at www.FitChicMelissa.com  and follow along on twitter @FitChicMelissa and @PlantBasedAthle

Springing a well of emotions DAY 2

Day 2 is in the past!  My Spring Green Clean detox program is going wonderfully.  I attempted to do yoga in the morning after my thirty minute cardio session but alas it was not meant to be I was going to try a new place but it took me longer to find than I expected.  I, of course, at 8 am broke down crying in the car frustrated with my partner looking at me with mysterious eyebrows raised.  Which brings me to an important point about doing a detox/cleanse. 

We mainly focus on the physical aspect of a detox when we talk about them. How much weight will I lose?  How will my skin look?  My body will be ridding itself of chemicals, metals, toxins.  But what about the other side…. The emotional detox!  The emotional detox is just as important if not more important than the physical detox.  This is the perfect time to get rid of old ideas and memories that do not serve you well, to clean out the closets of your mind and send all the garbage to the dumpster.  Meditation and yoga are both great for clearing the mind and making room for new healthy energy to flow.  Journaling or Morning Pages is another great avenue to release pent up emotions.  Sometimes during this process it will come to you to make amends to someone you haven’t spoken to in a while. 

This is also the time to get your worries out of paper and then let the universe take care of them!  One way to do this is to take a piece of paper and divide it the middle.  On one side write Me at the top then   three things you MUST accomplish today.  On the other side write Universe at the top then EVERYTHING else that you have to get done.  Now rip the page down the center crumple the universe side up and throw it away or burn it.  Only do what you need to do and allow the universe to work in accord to help you finish the other tasks (stop worrying), this is really great for financial worries or careers or your future.

I checked in with a couple of others doing the cleanse and general consensus for day two was at least 2 lbs dropped, cravings for coffee, sluggishness and some headaches.  I finished day 23 of The Asylum.  I'm feeling good my only obstacle come when I have to sit in a coffee shop (because my internet went down) or watching the people from the play I went to see ordering drinks at intermission!  Damn those toxins!

My meals for day 2 were the same except for my morning juice which was kale, beet, and apple.  I have some amazing new smoothies for tomorrow!  Can’t wait to try them! Hopping to health and looking for my golden carrot!

ARE YOU AN ADDICT?

What is 4x more addictive than cocaine and heroin?

 Has an opiate effect like heroin?  

Causes loss of control?  

Addicts will continue use despite adverse consequence? 

 Has a 97% relapse rate (higher than any other drug)!! 

 Certain types will cause liver damage equal to that of alcohol? 

Withdrawal symptoms include:

HEADACHES

TIREDNESS

FLU-LIKE SYMPTOMS

CRABBINESS

MOODINESS

AND IS SOLD ON EVERY STREET CORNER IN THE USA?

SUGAR

Sugar comes hidden in many forms:

Brown sugar 91% to 96% sucrose.  Confectioner’s sugar, or powdered sugar.  Corn syrups Three major producers’ contain 42%, 55% and 90% fructose. Dextrose comprises most of the remainder.  Dextrose, or glucose, is also known as corn sugar.  High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) twice as sweet as sucrose, twice as addictive and can damage the liver like alcohol  Honey. Invert sugar.  Lactose, or milk sugar. Levulose, or fructose, is a commercial sugar much sweeter than sucrose. Its sweetness actually depends on its physical form and how it’s used in cooking. Fructose, known as a fruit sugar, occurs naturally in many fruits.  Raw sugar consists of coarse, granulated crystals formed from the evaporation of sugar cane juice. Raw sugar contains impurities and cannot be sold in grocery stores due to FDA regulations.  Sorbitol, mannitol, malitol and xylitol are sugar alcohols or polyols. They occur naturally in fruits and are produced commercially from such sources as dextrose. Xylitol is a sugar alcohol made from a part of birch trees. Sorbitol, mannitol and malitol are about half as sweet as sucrose. Xylitol has a sweetness equal to sucrose.  Sucrose, or table sugar, from sugar cane or sugar beets consists of two simple sugars, glucose and fructose. It is about 99.9% pure and sold in either granulated or powdered form.  Turbinado sugar.  Breads, muffins, crackers, cereals, bars, protein shakes, yogurt, milk, canned foods, sodas, sports drinks, health drinks, energy drinks all contain added sugar.  There is virtually no processed product that does not contain added sugar anymore!

Starches, Sugars, Processed Chocolate, Gluten and casein containing foods all have the same effect and were are high calorie drugs manufactured for addiction.  Julia Ross talks candidly about the sugar-drug addiction and it's impact on the world in The Diet Cure.

In 2006 The World Health Organization stated "Our only recommendation for ending the world-wide physical and mental health crisis is to cut all sweetened foods to below 10% of calories (less than 250 calories per day)." 35 million people have degenerative diseases linked to sugar consumption. Every year this substance KILLS more people than TOBACCO and ALCOHOL combined!

So what causes this addiction?  Dr. Fuhrman explains:

The science on food addiction has now established that highly palatable foods (low-nutrient, high-calorie, intensely sweet, salty, and/or fatty foods - those that make up the majority of the Standard American Diet) produces the exact biochemical effects in the brain that are characteristic of substance abuse.

Junk food is ubiquitously available, legal, cheap, and socially accepted; therefore, it becomes the drug of choice for many of us.

The following are some characteristics of addiction to a substance or behavior:¹ 

• Compulsive use of the substance despite negative health and social consequences
• Tolerance - over time, progressively greater amounts of the substance are needed to reach and maintain the “high”
• Withdrawal symptoms (link toxic hunger) when the substance is discontinued
• Activation of reward pathways (including the dopamine system) in the brain

Many of us have had the experience of tasting a junk food or dessert, and then feeling the intense demand from our brain: “MORE!” We feel a complete lack of control, and our commitment to excellent health all of a sudden doesn’t matter. These feelings originate from the dopamine reward system – dopamine is a neurochemical that regulates motivation, pleasure, and reinforcement related to certain stimuli – such as food. The amount of pleasure we derive from eating a food correlates with the amount of dopamine released in the brain.²

Recent research suggests that overeating and obesity create greater desire for palatable food, but reduce the pleasure derived from consuming these foods – resulting in a progressively worsening addiction.

Need help with your sugar or food addiction?  My Health Coaching programs will support you in finding freedom from food and living a balanced and healthy life.  

Health Coaching

References¹Taylor VH, Curtis CM, Davis C: The obesity epidemic: the role of addiction. CMAJ 2010;182:327-328.
²Small DM, Jones-Gotman M, Dagher A: Feeding-induced dopamine release in dorsal striatum correlates with meal pleasantness ratings in healthy human volunteers. Neuroimage 2003;19:1709-1715.