CLEAN: Day Eight

   I have few to zero pictures for you today- the past two days I just really haven't had much appetite. I made the Cinnamon Rolls for Breakfast Shake again, drank part of it, then put the rest in the fridge for tomorrow. I did finally have some lunch at Whole Foods (which my cousin calls Whole Paycheck and I think it's hilarious) I picked out a red onion and cucumber salad, a quinoa pilaf that did contain red peppers, but I was hungry enough by then to just pick them out and carry on. Also got some tandoori chicken that was really tasty.

   For dinner I made a really good smelling stir-fry for the rest of the family, and that will be my lunch for tomorrow. I had some of my leftover Cauliflower and Leek Soup- it was still good, and surprisingly creamy for not having any sort of dairy or pureed nuts to lend that texture.

   I did have a craving for a glass of wine while making dinner. I was just feeling stressed out and frazzled and really for about a good half hour went back and forth in my mind over whether or not I really wanted one, how it would make me feel if I did have one, the reasons for the craving, and ultimately decided that I didn't want to undo the positive effects I've had so far from this cleanse. I'm almost 10 pounds lighter than I used to be!

   I had some special tea for stress, and took some Chinese herbs to help with the tension and anxiety- and that helped tremendously. I'm looking to write another entry on helpful tips and tricks during a cleanse, so I will include a little more info about that later.

   Eight days in, and I can tell you I have not felt like I'm suffering through hunger in order to maintain the cleanse. I feel nourished and satisfied, I sleep better, and can notice more energy coming on. I've also been doing some things to help with the detox process like making sure I get my water and super-fiber in. Chia is my best friend.

   I've also done a castor oil pack two nights in a row. I noticed things moved quite a bit more smoothly and regularly in the morning if you catch my drift. I will look to repeat this process for a couple more weeks and see how it feels. If you're not familiar with castor oil packs, basically you saturate a swatch of wool flannel or cotton (I use an old unbleached cotton cloth diaper folded in half) in castor oil. You can gently warm your pack on a heating pad, then place it over your liver or other trouble spot. Plan on keeping it on for about an hour or so covered with your heating pad and possibly a light barrier between the pack and the pad so it doesn't get all oily. You'll need to lie down and just relax (bummer, right?). Don't wear your favorite clothes or lie on your great granny's antique sofa because the oil can get messy and stain. When some time has passed, you can remove the pack and wash with some baking soda water or plain soap and water. I have to admit I fell asleep with mine on. Twice. There's a YouTube video you can watch here that is a good demonstration. I did not know about not putting electricity on your abdomen, it kind of makes sense. I think I'll need to get a hot water bottle!