New Beginnings

If only the days were longer...
It would probably not make much difference: we'd fill up the extra hours very quickly.

I've been meaning to post here for a while now. I have SO much to say.
Just finished my Detox with my friend. Yes - detox. I am fully aware of what I said about it in the past. I feel very strongly about how "Detox" and "Cleansing" were turned into a buzzword.
A lot of those are no more than good profit in someone's pocket...
Why would I choose to detox?
First of all, the plan we have followed is not one that deprives us of nourishment. No juice cleanse for me...  I admire those who can stick with it for any length of time. I, however, have no energy on a liquid only diet.
 We eat very well.  The annual detox serves as a reminder of what "clean eating" should be.
(I need that reminder after the Holiday season and the long winter :) )
This is the plan we follow

We tend to wait till near the end of February to start.   It kind of "resets the system".
We are getting closer to the season when at least hot house local produce becomes available...
Now, we are not perfect.  I still drink coffee during my detox. Why?  I enjoy my coffee.  I  managed to quit coffee for 10 days when I did a previous detox. I survived :)  I don't feel the need to prove to myself that I can do it.  I'm sure life would be more pure without caffeine:)

Each year, I make new discoveries as we go through the stages of detox. We have a week for each stage, which gives plenty of time to observe one's responses to different foods.
Since we are limited in some ways, it forces us to think and also gives an opportunity to search for foods, recipes we normally don't include in our diet.
This year,  chia was central to my detox.  Oh, I was familiar with it for a long time. I have included it in many dishes. Made chia puddings, too. However, this time, I discovered a couple of new chia recipes and made those diligently after adding my own touch.

In addition to chia, Mung beans served me well.   I made a large amount of Kitchari and enjoyed it as my main meal often. (It freezes well, too)

I found that not eating bread and other baked goods  made the greatest difference. My digestion improved, I felt lighter.  Since then, I have added bread to my diet but am less reliant on it. Gone are the days when I would reach for a sandwich as my first choice to satisfy my hunger.

All these changes happened over time. I learned something each time we did the detox. The first one was in 2012. Prior to that I did a different one for 10 days, under the guidance of a Naturopath.
I found that one a bit short. 21 - 28 days gives you a chance to get into some good habits.

In my next post, I will tell you all how a powerful blender changed my life in the kitchen.