It’s the end of the first Monday after my 7 day detox cleanse and I have to confess – I’ve been craving for food the whole week and today I splurged out on broccoli and stilton soup, large macaroons, cheddar cheese pretzels, chinese ribs, boerewors (South African sausage) and a large cone of Oddano’s ice-cream!

So where did I go wrong?

My intentions were good! I thought doing this detox would give me a sense of well-being and calm that my body would benefit from. So let’s look back at the 7 days and see where I went wrong and what I learned from it. Hope it will prepare you when you’re doing your detox for Spring too.

A last minute decision!

I’ve been thinking about trying out the detox packages offered by Purearth after seeing them speak at a detox workshop. Always gave excuses not to do it though – weather was too cold (which was true), timing was not right, how will I manage when my fiance is a meat loving South African, I LOVE FOOD!!!

Anyhow, bit the bullet and gave the green light to Angelina and Tenna from Purearth after my friend, Amberin (a fellow Osteopath at 58) told me she was doing it and I should be her juice buddy. What happen to thinking for myself 🙂

LESSON #1 – NEVER MAKE A RUSHED DECISION!

Day 0 – Sunday 21st April 2013

Received my questionnaire and pre-cleanse instructions which read:-

“It’s very important to prepare before the cleanse. The more prepared you are the smoother your transition will be. It’s a good idea to cut down and then phase out coffee, sugar, meat, dairy, processed foods and add fresh fruit, greens and veggies to your daily diet.”

Hmmm…. cutting out coffee is no problem as I don’t drink it. I was up in Edinburgh when I received this – on my monthly clinic runs. Not sure about you but when I’m travelling, it can tough to get healthy food when you’re busy. Sometimes, have to eat extra to stay awake.

Anyhow, made sure I had my hot water with lemon, eggs, tomatoes and mushrooms for breakfast (Love my eggs!). Had some hot soup and salad for lunch (okay, greek salad doesn’t count with the feta cheese!). Dinner was eating in the train – selection of nuts, prawn wild rice salad and finished off with peppermint tea and dark chocolate (Mmmm).

Thought I would be good today at breakfast but the clinic host prepared toasted seeded bread in front of me!!!! Had salmon and scramble eggs with toast – don’t normally have this so it was a treat 🙂 I tried my best to say no to the bread but when I’m travelling and it’s cold, it’s too tempting. I know it was just excuses! Anyhow, I was just dreading the withdrawals I hear about when I get on the detox.

Received email from the Purearth girls about my delivery – should arrive at 8pm tonight. Not sure why I’m nervous about doing this cleanse. Thinking about is already making me hungry!

9pm – Arrived home. YEAH! Delivery had arrived. Can’t wait. Good to see my fiance – he bought some sweet popcorns yesterday and druwors (dried SA sausages). I know I’m suppose to avoid these things especially the night before my cleanse but it’s one of my favourite snacks especially when watching movies so I enjoyed having them. Gives me the feeling of being a kid again 🙂

LESSON #2 – Make sure you share THE PRE-INSTRUCTIONS with your partner! (makes it easier to avoid temptation!)

Day 1 – Monday 22nd April

Woke up with a sugar hangover – slightly groggy! Hmmm…. I really should have known better.

Survived my first day. The schedule was:

Start the morning with a cup of water with malic acid (taste like lemons)

Have a bottle of PurEarth cleanse special juice for breakfast, lunch and dinner

Have a Beauty Elixir or Energy Boost shot at about 10am

Drink about 3L of green water

Drink a cup of Bentonite Clay with Psyllium husk with water an hour after dinner time.

Sounds simple enough.

However, was really emotional on my first morning. Couldn’t explained why. Had my 3 bottles of prepared juices – tasted really nice but was just craving for something meatier (don’t mind the pun). Felt weak but rather good as I’m being cleansed.

Day 2 – Tuesday 23rd April

Woke up with a headache. Had workshop that day so brought my juices into work. Felt really irritable, lack of concentration and just fidgety throughout the day. Everyone buying lunch – felt rather anti-social just drinking juice. Missing the texture of chewing something… thinking of steaks!

Came home feeling really hungry and tired! Opened the fridge and realise last juice bottle for the day is not there. ARGHHH!!! Left it in the clinic. Feel like killing someone now.

Texted Tenna – “Can I have some watermelon?” “No” she says! ARGHHHH really hoped the delivery man would come soon. Had some green water plus the husk – helped with the bulk and filling.

My fiance came home – I was not in a good mood as I was dealing with some work issues. Realised I have not cooked his dinner yet – felt really useless as a fiance. Talked really fast. Feel trembly. Cried as I tried to get the rice cooker out of the cupboard – my neck twinged! I SO WANTED TO EAT!!!!!

Not my finest moments I must admit!

LESSON #3 – Don’t agree to cook for ANYONE during your detox.

LESSON #4 – Don’t miss any “meals” during your detox or your sugar will drop!

Day 3 – Wednesday 24th April

I decided not to attend another workshop I had that day as I know there will be lots of food there and I would deem anti-social with just the juices. Besides, I was worried that I’ll be hit by the headaches and I won’t be able to sit through the day. Felt really shaky.

LESSON #5 – Make sure you don’t have any important meetings or events booked during your detox week.

Booked my colonic during the day. In the program, you were given enema bags to do enemas every day. This was to help remove the waste that was collected by the bentonite clay and phyllium husk you would take every night.

I’m sorry BUT I’M NOT PUTTING ANYTHING UP MY BUM!!! At least, not by myself! I just couldn’t face it….. hence why I had to resort to booking myself in for a colonic.

Interesting experience – all I can say is, a lot of “toxic” stuff came out which was a relief. But I was bloated to start with like being 3 months pregnant. My colonic lady told me I was bunged up!

I felt much lighter, not to mention empty afterwards (spent about 1.5 hours on the colonic bed) – oh dear, my poor colon!

I know it must have been good for me but that night, after the bentonite clay and husk, I had the most HORRENDOUS stomach cramps like when I had my gastric ulcer days. I couldn’t sleep and knew if I didn’t eat anything, I could end up in a bad way. So I made some vegetable soup at 11:30pm which helped me sleep again.

LESSON #6

Make sure you are ALL cleared out before starting your detox program! You don’t want to push “toxic” out when you are bunged up! You need to clear the passage way first to make further clearance!

Day 4 – Thursday 25th April 2013

Feeling much better in the morning. Mentioned to Purearth girls about my crampy episode (this does not happen in detoxes) who sent me some probiotics in the delivery box. They have been pretty good and checking up on my on a daily basis. Having a juice buddy also helped to avoid throwing in the towel too soon.

Went to training and didn’t steer once. Had my juices, a few sticks of fruit and 2 spoons of almond butter. Okay, not suppose to do that but I had a patient in for treatment and I needed steady hands!

Didn’t have my bentonite clay and husk as I was afraid of the cramps again. Had some soup instead.

LESSON #7

A week’s detox is best done in a beautiful island where you have no work commitments so you can just rest and repair your body.

And Almond Butter is a GOD-SEND!

Day 5 – Friday 26th April 2013

The end was so near, I could almost taste it!

My logic got the better of me that day. I went to a morning breakfast meeting at 7am and had a little bit of the mushroom and tomato served. I didn’t want to seem anti-social or rude of their hospitality.

At this point, I was starting to get really bored of the juices. Same taste but at times, left an acidic taste in my mouth and even a sick feeling in my stomach.

I brush the notion of quitting aside as people report my skin was glowing and I could see it too. My skin was so smooth and it was even. The white of my eyes were really whiter than usual. My waistline had also shrunk!

Had my 2nd colonic today and this time, it wasn’t so harrowing. Temperatures dropped that night and I bought a vegetable soup from a Malaysian restaurant nearby which I happily drank on my way home.

LESSON #8

Detox cleanse does wonders for the skin! And it’s much easier to do a detox cleanse when you’re surrounded by people who do it too (so they think you’re normal and not a hippie new age raw vegan who thinks the world is a conspiracy!). Also, detox in warm weathers! It’s really tough when it is cold!

These 2 days I’m not going to count as I started eating all kinds of stuff. The little kid in me who was rebelling the whole week finally won. On Saturday, on top of my 3 bottles of juices, I finished a pack of Japanese crackers, shared a large bag of sweet popcorns with my fiance while watching “Iron Man 3” and finished off with a big bowl of noodle soup from Wagamama’s.

My fiance told me “It’s really nice to have dinner with you again!” Looking back, I should have done the detox when he was away on business.

Sunday, I had a steak for lunch and then spicy Asian vegetable noodle soup for dinner while trying my best to finish off the juices. At this point, my palate had enough of green stuff and just craved for meat! Was I too alkaline? Wasn’t sure.

Completely messed up the breaking cleanse stage! That would be another week of no meat!

LESSON #9

I love meat!! Good meat! I love chewing! I love texture! I LOVE FOOD! Maybe a shorter program would be more suited for me.

So 7 days have gone and I’m eating properly now. Although some people say after the detox, you don’t crave the bad food you used to it…. it’s funny how I’m craving it more. Maybe for me, I really enjoyed it. I know I don’t eat that bad and I do have my vices. I exercise so I can enjoy my food.

Would I do it again? ABSOLUTELY! I know better now and I will do a 3-5 day program and leave the long detox cleanse when I’m whisked away in a beautiful island. Anything for beautiful skin and a smaller waist. Hmmm… once every 3 months would be a good start ….. at least it will leave me glowing for my wedding next year.

Hope you found this blog useful (if not, at least entertaining)!

“If you would like to know how to detox the proper way, I would recommend getting in touch with Tenna and Angelina from Purearth Cleanse who will be able to help you. Start with the 3 day quick start detox program if you want to go easy!

Good luck!”

Would love to hear your experience?

Have you started a detox and failed miserably?  What did you learn from your experience?