Barry and I just finished a three-day detox program where we only ate fruit and drank carrot juice.
I expected to be able to pull it off with no problem — after all, I eat a lot of fruit and healthy foods every day anyhow — but I thought Barry, being a big guy who loves his protein, would have problems.
The most important thing we did at the start of it was commit to ourselves, and to each other, that we were in it together and planned to finish the full three days without cheating.
And even though there were ups and downs… we did just that…
Trusting somebody, and going on an adventure or a mission with them, is a very powerful thing to do.
In fact, I’d almost say that the journey together was more empowering than the actual cleanse; but I’m sure my body thanks me as much as my spirit.
The first day was pretty easy; it was Sunday, and we were able to take it easy and focus on caring for ourselves.
By Monday, we were just getting into the swing of things, and feeling good. We missed having a variety of foods to eat, but we knew it would be worth it and stuck together for the long haul.
But by Tuesday Barry was starting to crave burgers and steaks. We went out to buy our Christmas tree, and he almost convinced me he needed to stop at a Sonic for a bite to eat; almost, but not quite.
Then when we took a short TV break from work, it seemed that there were more commercials for burgers and tacos and burritos than usual.
Hmm… a real-world example of “What you focus on expands?”
Despite the temptations, though — despite some off-and-on feelings of extreme hunger, light-headedness or nausea — we made it to the finish line.
Yes, there were some times when we wanted to eat a piece of cheese (for me) or a piece of meat (for Barry). Yes, there were times when we wished the three days were over.
But we can’t rush time, and pain is often a prerequisite for reaching a better place in life… whether that be a better job, a more loving relationship, or a healthier body.
I think you need to be fairly healthy to try a fast or fruit cleanse in the first place; if you’re not, I’m not sure how the body would react.
But definitely if you are, I would recommend going on a health-stint every few months if possible.
Of course, the ideal is to eat healthy all the time — then the cleanses won’t hit you hard, and won’t be too difficult, but will just keep your body running like a well-oiled machine.
After all, we take care of our cars with regular tune-ups… so why not ourselves?
But even more than that, I recommend doing it with a partner or friend… because the bonding magic that happens is wonderful for the soul.
Keep Unwrapping the Mysteries of Life!
