Posts Tagged ‘ detox ’

Rejuvelac

April 15, 2010
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rejuvelac

Rejuvelac - Courtesy Rejuvenation Company

I usually make my own Rejuvelac.  It’s easy, although it’s not instant (learn how here).  It takes a day or two to sprout the grains and wait for the fermentation process to take its course.   I’ve been meaning to make up a batch since I found my motivation by partnering up with my friend K.  I take probiotics in my usual supplement stack but as somebody with IBS symptoms, I can use all the help I can get.

Yesterday I found bottled Rejuvelac from  the Rejuvenation Company at my local Whole Foods.  It’s not cheap (about $2.83 for 8 fl oz), especially compared to making it from scratch (pennies a serving!).  It is, however, a nice option when you’re waiting for a home made batch to cure or if you’re on the road.

I’ve been making Rejuvelac for years.  I’ve never tasted it made by any body  else so I was eager to compare the commercial version with my own.  Verdict? More tart and effervescent than home made.  It’s likely due to the fact that it’s a “live food.”  Things which ferment just keep on fermenting.  Over time the taste will become stronger.  Apart from the acid-tang the commercial version tasted the same.  Rejuvelac is pretty neutral and mild in flavor.   It’s good to know I’ve been making mine right.

I’d recommend this brand with a caveat.  I’d prefer if the bottles were glass instead of plastic.  At least they “hand-blow” their bottles themselves which they claim reduces carbon emissions from having bottles shipped for manufacture.  They also point out the the type of plastic they use (PETE 1) takes less energy than glass to recycle.  That may be true but I re-use glass bottles (so no energy taken at all) and I’d rather not have the potential, no matter how small.,  for toxic compounds to enter my body from the plastic.

There’s no getting away from pollutants in this modern world so I’m not letting the plastic bottle stop me from drinking this.  I’m going to keep it to a minimum, however.   Besides, it’s just way more fun to make my own.

Negative to positive motivation

February 23, 2010
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Back on the wagon

I’ve made it through yet-another-1st-day on the wagon. Yesterday, I got strict with the ETL for Lent, albeit a little late. Parties over the weekend are my downfall. I know there are ways to overcome the difficulties presented by socializing, but I’m still feeling the effects of my very strong addictions to dairy, sugar, and caffeine. When I’m eating it, I just want to eat MORE!! Work is still very stressful as well. I’m researching more ways to soothe or reward myself besides using food. I’m proud of myself for avoiding sugar, caffeine, and dairy yesterday. The first three days of strictness is always the hardest. I swear I’m going to learn the lesson that abstinence works best. Why continue to start-over and feel the detox again and again? I need to keep reminding myself of this whenever I’m tempted by the addictive foods. Permanent change is hard work.

What’s motivating this round of strict ETL? I’m in pain. Serious pain. I’ve dealt with tendinitis in my shoulders and hips since, *sigh*, 2002. I’ve been in some sort of pain for going on 8 years. This fall, the pain went away when I did 30 days of raw back in September. And it didn’t return — probably because I was a mostly vegetable focused vegan. Since work stress began with a nasty surprise on February 3, I’ve been soothing myself with sugar, my old stand-by. The result has been lots of migraine headaches and a resurgence of my tendinitis.  My current goal is to make it through Lent doing strict ETL.  That means sugar & salt-free vegan.  And Lent, coincidentally, is around 6 weeks long.   Six weeks? Like the ETL 6 week challenge.  I love it!

It’s pretty easy to eat well when I’m suffering because I know that persistence will pay off and I should feel better in a few weeks. This is what we call a negative motivator. I do not want to be in pain. The “do-not” is negative. I’d rather be using positive “I-do” affirmations. Example: “I do feel energetic when I eat well.” Besides, the negative motivation is not sustainable. Eventually I’ll feel better. How to keep motivated then?

Accountability helps. I’ve revived my fitday journal and logged what I ate yesterday.  Not perfect ETL by any means.  I had an extra serving of refined carbs and I ate some processed soy.  But I avoided the sugar! And the cheese! And the coffee!   I call that a win.  No exercise, since I was too head-achy and sore.

I’m still quite head-achy and sore today.  I confess to having coffee this morning.  I was hoping it was caffeine withdrawal  rather than migraine and that a cuppa would help the pain go away.  No such luck.  Too bad.  I know the caffeine will only make it worse if it’s really migraine.  Could be a bit of a sinus thing. Fortunately I’m at a 4/10 on the pain scale so I can manage.  The periodic blurred vision is a bit of a pain in the ass though the coffee tasted good.  At least I used soy milk in it.  Unsweetened.  Go me!

Another positive way I stay motivated is to read ETL, vegan, and raw foods blogs and tweets.  I’ve been scouring the social media for excellent and easy recipes.  Organizing myself and planning menus is also very motivating for me.  Finally, I’ve picked up the latest copy of VegNews.  I love reading magazines.  It’s my reward for getting through day 2.  I really want to read it tonight before bed, so I’m not going to be as tempted to nosh on the naughties.

I had a great ETL friendly dinner.  I took Keen-O dog for a brisk but short walk.   Down with day 2 and onward to day 3!

Out with the naught-ies, in with 2010

December 30, 2009
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Eat to LiveI’ve been sticking to vegetarian eating this holiday season.  Managing to get in some greens lately.  Definitely dipping into the treats however.  That’s ok! It’s the time of year to indulge a little.  Avoids that whole deprivation thing.   It’s time, however, to detoxify from the deluge of delights. Now that this decade is nearly done it’s a perfect time to focus on being healthy for 2010.  Speaking of decades, what do we call this one? I’m in favor of, “the naughts” since naught=zero and we’re in the zeros.  I’ve been calling it the naughties.  And they have been rather naughty for me.   I’m very much looking forward to starting the teens.

I’m a huge fan of Eat to Live as I’ve mentioned before.  Dr. Fuhrman is not a big fan of detoxes.  He says there is no scientific back-up to the claims many detox programs make.  The human body is very efficient at detoxing itself without the need for supplements or super-foods.  All it needs is good nutritious fuel.  Amen to that.  Furhman published his very own 5 day detox protocol on his blog in response to the other programs.

I think it’s a great way to kick off my renewed commitment to Eat to Live (or ETL as its ardent adherents like to call it). And wonder of wonders! My lovely spouse says she wants to do the detox too.  That will be helpful.  ETL breaks down into two parts: the “Six-Week Plan” and the “Life Plan.”  The link to the Six-Week Plan explains it.  The gist is that it’s low fat vegan with a limited amount of starchy veg or grains.  The Life Plan is the Six-Week Plan with a little more leeway.  One can add flesh foods back into the diet if they are into eating that stuff.  One can also had a limited amount of dried fruit, a bit more starch, etc.

The Six-Week Plan reminds me very much of a 30 day raw challenge.  The only difference is that one eats some veggie dishes cooked and one eats a least a cup of cooked beans/legumes a day.   I can live with that.  It’s still pretty freaking cold here in L.A., and it’s still gray and rainy.  A nice pot of soup/stew and/or some steamed veggies go a long way towards making me happy.

I just found out about an online support group for ETL so I joined it to get further inspiration.  I’ve committed to doing 6 weeks. I start tomorrow – no better time than now.  No need to wait until 2010.  I’ll let you know how it goes.

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