Reflecting on the Clean Program

Last week I finished my 21 day cleanse, the Clean Program. My boyfriend surprised me with a post-cleanse celebration dinner at Michele’s, a restaurant I’ve wanted to try for a long time here in Honolulu. Over red wine (oh how I missed it!) we discussed my month long journey and what I discovered along the way. I’ve had a lot of interest from others about the cleanse which is why I’m sharing my experience here.

More than ever, I believe we are what we eat. The increased levels of clarity and energy I felt as a result of eating whole foods is probably the greatest lesson I’m taking from this experience. What we nourish ourselves with directly impacts how our body functions and how we feel. Whenever someone tells me of something ailing them, I will now most likely look to his or her diet for answers first.

I considered myself pretty healthy before the cleanse. I don’t drink coffee, soda or sugary juices. I stick to whole wheat bread and pasta, I rarely eat pork or beef, fried or processed foods. I’ll take veggies over meat in my omelettes and sandwiches any day. Fast food for me is Subway. I love red wine and chocolate and indulge in dessert when I want it. I exercise regularly, stretch daily, and get weekly chiropractic adjustments. By all accounts, I feel pretty good about my health. I don’t eat a lot of crap, but I don’t deprive myself either. Nachos and a beer once in awhile? Sure!

So I went into the cleanse simply wanting to ‘spring clean’ my body of toxins and give my digestive system a rest. I read testimonials about Clean and thought it might give me some more energy and remedy some allergies. In all honesty, I didn’t really know what to expect but I was intrigued to see how I felt without eating wheat, cheese, eggs etc.

The changes occurred subtly for me. I didn’t have much trouble easing into the cleanse, didn’t have any headaches, constipation or pain. No issues with hunger. I was sleeping more sound and felt a little more clear headed, but for the first week and a half I was actually a little disappointed that I wasn’t experiencing something more. The most life changing aspect of the cleanse at that point seemed to be my new Vitamix blender!

Toward the end of the second week and into the third week is when I started to notice more pronounced changes in the way I was feeling. I had energy all day long without any lulls, any trace of bloating was gone, and I just felt clear, for lack of a better word. I felt more motivated and productive than usual. I was learning more every day about new foods, experimenting with new ingredients, and keeping track of my progress.

For the last week and a half I have been reintroducing foods back into my diet and trying to pay attention to how they make me feel. Unfortunately I stopped keeping a thorough diary when I finished the cleanse, which I’m kicking myself for because I know I would have learned even more. However it isn’t hard to notice I don’t feel AS good as I did during the last week of the cleanse. Had I kept track though, I think I would have stayed more on course. Over 4^th of July weekend I kind of went on a bender and drank beer, vodka, ate popcorn and ice cream, chicken wings, cake etc. Needless to say by the end of the weekend, I didn’t feel fantastic. A good lesson in what NOT to do post-cleanse. Such is life though, I had a fun weekend, and I did manage to eat some healthy stuff in there too.

I am continuing to make smoothies for breakfast because they are just a delicious and filling yet light and healthy way to start the day.  They taste even better now that I can add bananas to them. I tried eggs and toast for breakfast one day and I felt extremely full and had heartburn, so I will stick to my smoothies for most mornings.  I am still maintaining the 12 hour window at night (or close to it) and am generally trying to make up the majority of my meals with foods on the elimination diet.  It all sounds very strict, but it really is not difficult. I am eating very similar to how I was before the cleanse, but I’ve toned down on the wheat and dairy and have added more whole grains like brown rice and quinoa. Overall, drinking more water and eating LOTS more veggies, especially leafy greens like spinach, kale and mustard greens is now a daily goal. It’s not hard to get more greens when you can throw a handful of spinach or kale into your fruit smoothie in the morning.

I am proud of myself for sticking to the cleanse so diligently, even when I got weird looks for bringing  green drinks in mason jars to work for meals, or when people would scoff at the idea of a cleanse before they even knew anything about it. I would never push any health regime upon anyone. Only we ourselves know how our bodies feel and deciding to do a cleanse or make a diet change is a completely personal decision. The Clean Program opened up a whole new world for me and I now know that eating a whole foods/mostly plant based diet makes ME feel and function the best. Right now, I am working to find a good balance for eating clean while still incorporating some wheat and cheese etc.

I bought 95% organic fruits and veggies while on the cleanse, but financially I don’t think I can sustain that. It’s no lie that my grocery bills were much higher during Clean, so that is something I knew that I would be challenged with post-cleanse.  My health is important though, so I definitely don’t use cost as an excuse. Quality food items are worth it to me, and I offset those costs in other ways like not being a shopaholic or shoes freak. As a writer/server, I am by no means made of money, but I believe there are ways to eat clean and not break the bank. Some items (like avocados because they taste SO much better) I will continue to buy organic but others (like fresh berries) I will probably go back and forth with. (There are, however, great deals on BIG bags of frozen organic berries at Costco.

I also discovered lots of gluten free snacks and great treats during the cleanse, including coconut covered dates, which were a god-send for my sweet tooth. I am now also addicted to making healthy treats and desserts. I use dates, coconut, brown rice syrup or agave in replace of sugar and am using ingredients like spelt flour or buckwheat flour, almond milk and raw cacao. My brownies need a little work (too crumbly), but I’ve made some mean oatmeal cookies, chocolate truffles, and blueberry walnut muffins using healthy ingredients.  I like knowing exactly what makes up my sweet treats and it’s a fun challenge to turn desserts with lots of calories into something much healthier. I’ve discovered baking is quite relaxing. I crank my country tunes and am happy as a bug.

Was the Clean Program life changing? Based on the knowledge I gained and my new outlook on food and health, I would say it was. The cleanse helped me feel healthier, more creative, inspired and motivated. Some might argue it is psychological and all in my head. Based on my experience, I don’t agree. A healthy body = healthy mind and soul. I will definitely do the full program once a year, with mini cleanses when I feel I need one.

If you’re still with me, thanks for reading! I hope this was helpful to you in some way. If you’re reading this via the Clean Forum, good luck with your own journey! I felt encouraged and inspired by reading many of your journal entries along the way. Thank you!