Clean: Day 2

Everyone's all like "pizza, burgers, beers, tacos, alcoholic dranks" and I'm just over here like "Ummm... I'll have a salad?" 

I'M DYING FOR ALL OF THAT!

And worst of all Mike went and bought two quarts of ice cream last night. Holy hell talk about temptation! Oy vey...

But...I will...stay...strong! 

Today was a rough day for cravings. For lunch today I had the rest of yesterday's lunch (baked chicken marinated in rosemary, olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice--holy moly it was probably the best chicken I've ever had!) with a side salad. The salad consisted of organic spring greens with organic currants, almonds, cranberries, and, of course, goji berries. Usually I'd add lemon juice as a dressing but I forgot it today. Lunch was still really good...just a tad dry. 

For dinner I was going to have the rest of my green smoothie from yesterday's breakfast but I'm just not feeling hungry. I drank probably close to a gallon of water today. My goal is to eventually drink a gallon a day every day. 

My acne is absolutely terrible. It's probably the worst it's been in a year. It's always (I think at least) somewhere between crappy and very crappy. But now it's in a whole new league of crappy. However, I'm staying strong because I know it's just my body's way of releasing toxins in the beginning phases of this detox. I am more than my skin (or its current copious amount of issues). But soon enough it will be clear! I'm hanging in until then!

So finally let's get around to talking about all of these supplements. 
I exaggerated a little in my previous posts. Some of the soil from the food we eat is heavily nutrient deficient. But not all of it. It's possible to get a lot of the core nutrients from our food. We just have to be careful about where we are buying the food, if its in season, how it was raised (if it's meat) or from where it was captured (if its fish). 
If you're ever in doubt, you can always chat with a nutritionist. Or go to the library and read up on it. 
However, dietary supplements aren't unhealthy and some can actually boost your health for those who are already living health-conscious lifestyles. For instance, I'd recommend a probiotic to anyone every day. I'm already noticing changes since I've been taking mine. 

Probiotics
These help in restoring the good bacteria in our intestines. For those with bowel issues, IBS (like me) or what have you, a probiotic is always a good idea. Make sure to read the label when buying your probiotic because some of them need to be refrigerated. I keep mine in the refrigerator. I've also said this before, an effective probiotic should contain a minimum of 15 billion organisms per pill. If you can't find one that has more than 15, then it's fine to take two pills a day to reach that amount. 

Antimicrobials
This is where my concentrated oil of oregano comes in. These help to kill the bad bacteria in our systems such as yeast and parasites. (I cringe at the word parasites in relation to my insides!) Not only do these eliminate bad bacteria but they also help regulate your blood sugar, enhance your body's ability to burn fat, reduce hunger pangs, lower cholesterol, reduce bowel gas, and a number of other incredible things! If you can't afford a supplement, increasing the amount of lemon, olive oil, onions, coconut oil, broccoli, or garlic in your diet can help. 

Fiber
Anyone knows that a decent amount of fiber in your diet can regulate you (we all know what I'm talking about when I refer to "regulate")
;-)
Fiber feeds the "good" bacteria in our intestines and captures all the extra cholesterol floating around so we feel fuller longer and don't constantly snack all night long. 
(Remember the 12 hour window I've spoken about before.)
Research shows that diets high in fiber help reduce one's risk of developing heart disease or colon cancer. This is where my Bentonite comes in. This stuff helps to pull out all the non-nutritive substances in my body and eliminate them. Although, it could probably taste a little better. I typically chase it immediately with water. 

Liver Support
Who doesn't want a healthy liver? I don't know about you, but I love coming home to a nice glass of wine after a long day. Maybe not every day, but a few times a week. And there are plenty of other things we do that damage our livers on a daily basis. Why not be kind to our livers. After all, the liver is one of the key players in our body's detoxification system. We need to thank it for that. This is where my milk thistle comes in. Drinking water with lemon wedges is also helpful to maintain a healthy liver. If you like lemon and you would like to start drinking more water, I guarantee adding a little lemon to the water will make it that much more enjoyable! 

Olive Oil
Two tablespoons of olive oil before bed each night will lubricate your intestines. This will improve your bowel elimination, provide your body with anti-inflammatory fats, enhance fat burning, improve liver functioning, and do a ton of other amazing things for your system! I'm going to start taking two tablespoons a night tonight! I didn't do it last night because I forgot. Perhaps I subconsciously was so hesitant about doing so that my mind blocked it. If I can swallow that Bentonite every morning, I should be able to do the olive oil. 

So I think I covered the majority of it. If you guys have any questions, feel free to ask! I might start eating a clove of garlic with an apple wedge during the day. I want to get the most out of this detox. 

In terms of exercise I feel so lazy! I'm so pooped the past few days. I lifted weights a little bit tonight but for the most part I've just been taking it easy. No 10 mile runs for me for a few weeks. However I have the rest of the week off after tomorrow so I'll hopefully be able to do something differently. 

I have a lot to get in order! I have to get my application for my social work license notarized and mailed in this week. And it's time to start hunting for a job! I've taken a solid month off since I graduated. A month today, actually! The time has helped me clear the air and channel more positive energy into my life. 

I'm slowly eliminating the negative to make room for more positive. Damn does it feel good!

I hope this was helpful! Until next time, continue taking great care of yourselves, my friends. xoxo