Spring Cleaning & the Anti-Inflamatory "Diet"!

As long promised... the "horrible" cleanse is about to begin! I figured spring was as good as time as any to do a little cleaning, shall we say, and so starting today, I am in cleansing mode (though I barely stayed motivated through Curt's egg's benedict, left-over Chipolte burrito, and asparagus-cous-cous-mango chicken stir fry today... you are killing me sweet, loving hubby!) But here it is, 8:15 pm, and as promised, today was the lemonade cleanse for breakfast, lunch, and snacks, and steamed veggies for dinner (trust me, veggies have never looked so good in my life). Tomorrow will be much the same, and the lemonade "diet" will gradually turn into the fresh squeezed apple juice Blessed Herbs concoction Sat. morning....

And why, you ask, would anyone put themselves through something like this? All I can say is that doing a cleanse once or twice a year is not a bad idea, and it's highly motivating to eat healthy afterwards. I just love giving my body a clean-slate in a sense... and all liquids for a few days gives your digestive system a chance to rest and recoup! Something that has definite benefits for me and my whacked out stomach. Not only this, but I am now embarking on a whole new "diet" (not for weight purposes people!)... The anti-inflammatory diet! This way of eating is meant to test whether or not eating non-inflammation causing foods will have a profound effect on my skin (i.e. NO MORE BREAK-OUTS ALREADY!). Basically, I will be really happy if it helps, and really sad at the same time, because guess what's on the no-eat list?? In case you were wondering, the tragedy follows below:

Inflammation causing foods (no-eat): White potatoes, peanut butter (NNNNNNNNOOOOooooooooooooo!), citrus fruits (lemons OK, don't ask me why), wheat, dairy, all refined sugars, tomatoes (boo-hoooooo), corn, non-organic meats, pork, beef, chocolate (I practically live off of chocolate... or should I say, did live off of chocolate...), and caffeine - which I don't consume anyway. Brutal huh? BUT, perhaps it will be worth it! I just figured, after being on prescription drugs for my skin for 14 + years, isn't it time to give the natural route a chance? So here is your chance natural route!

The Master Plan:

Thursday & Friday: Lemonade cleanse, digestive stimulator, non-caffeinated herbal teas, steamed veggies, and tons of H20!

Saturday: Lemonade, digestive stimulator, herbal teas, and H20

Sunday-Wednesday: Fresh squeeze apple juice with the Blessed Herbs cleansing packets (about 5 a day), digestive stimulator, tons of H20, and herbal teas

Thursday: Fresh squeezed veggie/fruit juices, steamed veggies, tea, and H20

Friday: Much the same, except fresh fruits and veggies added as well

Sat.: More of a normal day, healthy eating.... following the anti-inflammatory "diet" for the next 6-8 weeks!

....... WISH ME LUCK! and of course I will be updating frequently and explaining more about the cleanses and eating plans as I go along. For now, how about a tall glass of lemonade before bed?