So necessary!

This weekend has been amazing.  It's been a great blend of relaxation and productivity.  Many hours were spent sleeping, reading Eclipse, watching Arrested Development and movies, shopping, hiking (view from Edgewood County Park above), working, and cleaning.  Although I didn't get to tackle everything on my massive "To-Do List," I got plenty done and am not completely dreading the upcoming 4-day week.  Can someone attempt to explain to me why we don't have 3-day weekends EVERY week?

9:45 - nectarine, granola bar
1:45 - cherries, stir fry (tempeh, kelp noodles, green beans, snap peas, mushrooms, broccoli, bok choy, garlic, ginger, chili sauce, peanut butter)
5:15 - kashi cereal
7:30 - banana ice cream with dark chocolate, cacao nibs, chia seeds, peanut butter, cinnamon, heath bits
8:00 - more dry cereal

Rainbow

My loot from the farmers market could've represented every color in the rainbow if only I had purchased the fresh blueberries (I already have some).  Check out the size of the beets!  They're the size of the head of green cauliflower.  Dinner this week? I'm thinking stir fry with brown rice, tempeh, and kelp noodles.

10:45 - smoothie (banana, apple, carrot, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, flax seed & flax oil)
2:30 - ants on a log, strawberries, cherries
4:15 - nectarine
7:00 - cherries
8:45 - same smoothie as AM
9:30 - Kashi cereal

Dirty

Well, life post-cleanse got a little dirty.  That's all I'm going to comment about that.  Also, stress does not help my self control.  Yikes.  So here I am, pulling myself back together again.  I guess we all need an outlet to rebel sometimes.

11:30 - smoothie (banana, strawberries, raspberries, flax seed & flax oil)
2:30 - handful of Kashi cereal
7:00 - same smoothie
8:30 - red wine, nori strips

Life post-cleanse

I was so excited to eat oatmeal today!!!  Such a nerd...

This week I am re-introducing a potentially problematic food into my diet and monitoring its effects on my body.  This week is corn because I want to eat homemade popcorn when I see Sex and the City 2 tonight with Angela! (don't worry - I won't be eating movie theater popcorn - scary stuff!)  The week after that I'll try wheat and after that, soy.  I haven't ever experienced any issues with eating these foods, but my nutritionist wants to ensure that I don't have any allergic reaction to consuming them.

One thing I learned from reading "The China Study" by T. Colin Campbell AND from talking with my nutritionist is that you are not helpless to your genetic makeup.  Campbell's 4th principle to eating right is:
"Genes do not determine disease on their own. Genes function only by being activated, or expressed, and nutrition plays a critical role in determining which genes, good and bad, are expressed."  So even if I have genes that predict me developing cancer, if I eat certain foods, the cells won't become cancerous.  For example, eating animal protein, like casein found in dairy, tremendously increases your likelihood of developing cancerous tumors.  Even if you just read the Introduction of "The China Study," it could save your life!

Day 21 - End of SPP Cleanse

I've been cleansing for 3 weeks now.  I should be sparkling, right?  Well, I'm not exactly Edward Cullen, but I do feel pretty great. 
Would I do it again?  Sure - it's not that bad, but it's definitely not convenient.  My social life was really thrown to the back burner, and I spent a lot of time blending smoothies every day.  But I do have some supplements leftover, so I'll probably take a little break and then start up on the smoothies again.

Was it worth the toil? Yes, I felt healthy and my skin cleared up substantially!
Thanks for all the encouragement and support, friends!

8:30 - smoothie (banana, strawberries, orange, raspberries, flax seed & flax oil)
12:30 - roasted carrots, beets, sauteed mushrooms, peppers, chard, onions
4:15 - same smoothie as AM
7:00 - brown rice, sauteed zucchini, spicy pickled cabbage
9:30 - apple
(worked in the office until 1:15am!!!)

Day 20 - SPP Cleanse

Almost done!  How will I celebrate the end of my cleanse?  A glass of red wine (as Angela recommended).  Although, after some fairly heavy drinking on Friday and eating froyo, I did not feel well the next day.  It also didn't help that I didn't get much sleep and then went hiking for 2 hours, but I was not myself.  I started to become ill but slept it off on Saturday night and am feeling better.

No food pics today, unless you enjoy blubber!  har  har har. Here is the whale I worked in today. -->

8:00 - smoothie (banana, raspberries, orange, strawberries, carrot, flax seed & flax oil)
12:30 - asparagus, lentils, rice, carrots, squash, beets
4:30 - apple
6:30 - same smoothie as AM
7:30 - black lentils, sauteed onions and kale

Day 19 - SPP Cleanse

As you probably know by now, I love farmers markets.  I'm blessed to live in a town that has a robust market year round.  There is nothing better than tasty fresh pesticide-free produce!

Reasons to buy local (courtesy of Leda Meredith's "The Locavore's Handbook"):

• Save the world. A regional diet consumes 17 times less oil and gas than a typical diet of nonlocal food.
• Taste. Instead of food bred for shipping durability and long shelf life, local ingredients are raised for flavor and harvested at their peak.
• Health. The shorter the time from harvest to eating, the fewer nutrients are lost.  Food that has traveled thousands of miles na dsat on a store shelf for days has less nutritional value than its recently picked local counterpart.
• Biodiversity. 96% of commercial vegetable varieties have gone extint in the past 100 years. Small farms and home gardeners preserve genetic diversity by growing herloom varieties that aren't suitable for conventional agriculture.
• Food safety. 100% of food-borne illness scares of the past few decades came from industrial agriculture.
• Support the local economy.  Money spent on local foods is almost twice as likely to be reinvested within the local economy as money spent at a chain supermarket.
• Preserve fertile farmland and wildlife habitats. Small organic farms restore and revitalize their soils rather than deplete them as conventional farming does. They also protect the green spaces adjacent to the farmed fields, providing habitat for wildlife.
• Support your local farmers. Farmers who sell directly to customers through farmers' markets and CSAs cut out the middleman and get retail value for their food, which enables them to stay on their land.

11:30 - smoothie (banana, orange, strawberries, raspberries, spinach, carrot, flax seed & flax oil)
2:30 - leftover lentils with curried veggies
5:45 - same smoothie as AM

Day 18 - SPP Cleanse

Is the cleanse over yet???  I've really had enough.  I want to be a normal vegan again. ;-)

This morning I went hiking with some Googlers at El Corte de Madera Open Space Preserve for 5 miles.  Check out the gorgeous view of the Pacific and the sandstone rock formation.

9:30 - smoothie (banana, strawberries, blueberries, orange, carrot, spinach, flax seed & flax oil)
1:30 - nori
2:00 - lentils with curried veggies
5:30 - same smoothie as AM
8:30 - orange

Day 17 - SPP Cleanse

8:30 - smoothie (orange, banana, strawberries, blueberries, spinach, carrot, flax seed & flax oil)
12:30 - brown rice, basmati rice, lentils, cabbage, roasted squash, fennel and asparagus, pickled veggie sushi
3:00 - nori strips
6:45 - same smoothie as AM
7:45 - babaganoush with pita
8:30 - froyo - yeah yeah, I did it....I diverted from the strictness of the cleanse...and then...
9:30 - alcoholic beverages at Angela's bday bar crawl

Day 16 - SPP Cleanse

GREAT NEWS!  Google is getting healthy!  Our co-founders want Google to be the healthiest company in the world!  Know what they've told the cafes to reduce offering?  MEAT.

Interested in some potentially life-changing reading?  Go to your library and check out:

• Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver
• In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan
• A Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone
• The China Study by T. Colin Campbell
• Food Revolution by John Robbins (of Baskin-Robbins fame)

9:00 - smoothie (banana, carrot, spinach, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, flax seed & flax oil)
12:45 - bean sprouts, mushrooms, cabbage, brown rice, onions, peas, asparagus, green pepper, radish, golden beets
3:45 - apple
6:00 - same smoothie as AM
8:00 - steamed artichokes with balsamic vinegar

Day 15 - SPP Cleanse

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ANGELA!!!
Even though it was Angela's special day, it felt like a special day for me too!  Not only can I enjoy her gift from her mom (Dance Dance Revolution for Wii!!!!), but I bought a new car!  Introducing BB! (AKA "Blue Beauty")

8:30 - smoothie (banana, carrot, spinach, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, flax seed & flax oil)
12 - sauteed cabbage, onions, mustard greens, roasted potatoes, spicy ratatouille (does lunch get any prettier than this???)
3:30 - same smoothie as AM
7:45 - sauteed veggies with rice, 1/2 apple (dinner at Mongolian BBQ)

Day 14 - SPP Cleanse

2/3 done with the cleanse!  Feeling ready to eat like a "normal" vegan again!

8:30 - smoothie (banana, mango, carrot, spinach, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, flax seed and flax oil)
12:00 - asparagus, black lentils w/ mustard, radish, peas, spinach, cabbage, brown rice, onions, zucchini
4:30 - apple
6:15 - same smoothie as AM
8:00 - wakame salad, 4 bites of brown rice and sauteed zucchini

Day 13 - SPP Cleanse

This is prime produce season! I love it! Tomatoes, asparagus, peaches, strawberries, cherries, artichokes, nectarines, YUM!  My pallette has certainly evolved over time. I have never been this excited about fruits and veggies!  There was even a time when I wouldn't eat strawberries without dipping them in sugar.  Yikes/yum.  oooo!  Now I'm thinking of strawberry shortcake...or strawberry rhubarb crisp...IS IT DAY 21 YET????

8:00 - smoothie (carrot, spinach, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, mango, flax seed & flax oil)
9:15 - banana
11:45 - asparagus, black lentils, mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, turnips
12:30 - beets
3:15 - apple
6:30 - smoothie, white peach, bites of sauteed zucchini & brown rice
9:00 - strawberries

Day 12 - SPP Cleanse

10:30 - smoothie (carrot, spinach, banana, mango, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, flax seed and flax oil)
2:00 - strawberries, carrots with homemade cilantro chutney (fresh cilantro, EVOO, lemon juice, garlic, ginger)
3-4:00 - hike
4:45 - leftover lentils with veggies
6:45 - same smoothie as AM
8:00 - strawberries - I just can't pass up fresh strawberries!  YUM!

Why am I so hard on myself?  Why do I feel such guilt?  I feel bad whenever I throw away vegetable scraps instead of composting them. I feel bad whenever I drive somewhere when I could ride my bike.  I feel bad if I have to blow-dry my hair instead of letting it air dry naturally.  I feel bad when I buy a product that has lots of wasteful packaging.  Good grief, I have issues.  I just want to do the best I can of being a steward for the environment!

When Angela's boyfriend went to the kitchen to make a bagel with cream cheese, I had a moment of longing...for something totally off-limits like that.  If I could have one cheat day (which may happen when I get to WI in July), I would eat a Jack's pizza with sausage, green pepper, onion, mushroom and red pepper flakes. I'll probably want ice cream from the Elcho Ice Cream Shoppe.  For breakfast I'd want bacon and eggs on toast with a side of blueberry/banana/walnut pancakes!  With REAL maple syrup!  I may also want a buffalo steak or elk tacos.  I have such a naughty mind...  ;-)

The above photo is of goats grazing on the hill near the county park where we hiked.

Day 11 - SPP Cleanse

Thanks for sharing this great article, Meg!  It talks about the benefits of being a vegetarian athlete, like Milwaukee's own Prince Fielder!

This is Day 11 of the Standard Process Purification Cleanse, and I'm allowed to introduce lean protein into my diet: either fish or chicken.  Both need to be as wild and fresh as they come (see description).  However, I like being vegan and don't plan on going out of my way to eat those.  If they have fresh salmon, cod, or sea bass in my office cafeteria, I may indulge.  Regardless, no beef will be consumed...and in case you needed another reminder...


9:30 - smoothie (banana, carrot, apple, spinach, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, flax seed & flax oil)
12:00 - celery with garlic lentil hummus
1:15 - leftover lentils with sauteed onions, mushrooms, green pepper and adobo sauce
4:00 - wakame salad with rice oil, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, and ginger
7:00 - same smoothie as morning
8:30 - homemade dal palak (lentils, tomatoes, garlic, ginger, garam masala (homemade), mushrooms, onions)

Day 10 - SPP Cleanse

8:30 - Jamba Juice smoothie (same as yesterday)
11:00 - banana
12:00 - veggies and guac
12:30-1:20 - Intensati class (Patricia herself taught our class! http://www.satilife.com/)
2:00 - sauteed veggies with brown rice
4:30 - veggies and guac
6-6:30 - walk
7:00 - smoothie (carrot, banana, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, spinach, flax seed & flax oil)

Day 9 - SPP Cleanse

This morning I went for a 3 mile run/walk along the Monterey Bay and saw Cannery Row, sea lions, and the Aquarium.  Despite the cold and fog, it still felt refreshing, rejuvenating, and rewarding. (Click the image to enlarge.)

 
8:30 - Jamba Juice all fruit smoothie with flax "shot" (strawberries, blueberries, banana, mango, peaches, orange juice)
12:30 - roasted, raw, and steamed veggies with wild rice
3:45 - apple
6:00 - Jamba Juice smoothie same as AM
8:30 - mixed green salad, 2 bites of spicy tuna roll (gasp! I know! Shocker! But I couldn't pass up fresh fish from the Monterey Aquarium - the founders of the fresh fish shopping guide.)

Day 8 - SPP Cleanse

So I've been a bit frazzled over the past week, as I've prepared for my first real challenge on the cleanse: the Google People Operations Conference in Monterey.
Hurdles:
-refrigerated supplement powder
-fresh smoothies twice a day
-lunches and snacks that include only fruits, veggies, brown rice, or lentils
-bringing appropriate amounts of various pills and rationing them

7:45 - smoothie (carrot, spinach, apple, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, banana, flax seed & flax oil)
10:45 - homemade guacamole & homemade garlic lentil hummus with sliced veggies (cucumber, carrots, broccoli, celery)
12:15 - mixed greens, jicima, red peppers
3:30 - more veggies and guac
5:30 - same smoothie as AM
7:30 - field greens with balsamic and strawberries

Day 7 - SPP Cleanse

I'm a third of the way through the cleanse!
8:30-9:00 - bike ride to work
9:30 - smoothie (carrot, spinach, apple, banana, strawberries, flax seed & flax oil)
12:30 - arugula and red cabbage salad, sauteed snap peas, cauliflower, carrots
1:15 - smoothie (banana, blueberry, orange)
4:00 - carrots with homemade garlic lentil hummus
6:00-6:30 - bike ride home
6:30 - same smoothie as morning
8:30 - veggies and guacamole (avocados, tomatoes, jalepeno, cilantro, onion, salt in the food processor!)

Day 6 - SPP Cleanse

So how's the Standard Process Purification Cleanse going so far?  Well, I'm on Day 6 of 21, and I've noticed a couple things:
1) I think my face is clearing up! I have less breakouts!  Plus, my skin actually feels smoother; perhaps it's the recent delightful sun exposure?
2) I have no digestive issues.
3) My clothes are fitting slightly better.
4) I feel healthy, in control, and guilt free!

When is the best time to visit the farmer's market?  Right before it closes for the day.  Yesterday Angela and I scored 6 pints of gorgeous strawberries for $10 (normally $3 each).  We washed and de-stemmed them, put them in ziplocs, and then froze them.  This will provide at least a week's worth of smoothies for me!


9:00 - smoothie (carrot, apple, spinach, strawberries, flax seed & flax oil) - I missed the banana! :-(
11:45 - brown rice with bok choy stir fry, spring salad (snap peas, golden beets, radish, parsley)
2:45 - 15 min chair massage (massages are important for detoxification AND relaxation)
3:00 - leftover lentils, onions, mushrooms, green pepper with adobo sauce
4-5:00 zumba dance class
6:30 - smoothie
8:00 - steamed artichokes dipped in balsamic vinegar and lentil garlic hummus (homemade)

Day 5 - SPP Cleanse

I have to buy a pill box tomorrow, since I'm going to a work conference this week and need to stay organized.  This is my current system on the right (I am taking 30 pills daily).  Mom - remember when I threw a fit when I had to swallow ONE pill?  I've come so far.

11:45 - smoothie (carrot, apple, banana, blueberries, blackberries, spinach, flax seed & flax oil)
3:15 - nori maki, strawberries
5:45 - same smoothie
9:45 - carrot

Side note: Check out my babies!  The "Early Girl" tomato plant in the forefront is my pride and joy - I started it from a seed!!  The one behind it is from Home Depot - a roma tomato plant, which already has 2 tomatoes on it.

Day 4 - SPP Cleanse

Yesterday felt like my birthday!  We got worms and a shiny red blender!  No, I didn't put the worms in the blender.  I put them in a worm composting bin that Angela and I constructed.  They'll make castings to fertilize my potted plants.  You're jealous.

11:00 - smoothie (carrot, spinach, banana, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, flax seed/oil) - yummiest yet!
2:30 - maki roll (nori, wasabe, carrots, cucumber, radish, avocado, scallion)
4:30 - lentils, onions, green peppers, mushrooms, garlic topped with some leftover chipotle adobo sauce (onion, garlic, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce).  I concocted this mashup and was pleased.
7:00 - same smoothie as AM

Day 3 - SPP Cleanse

I'm feeling much more prepared today and ready to feel healthy!
9:30 - smoothie (carrot, mango, banana, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, spinach, flax seed & flax seed oil)
12:00 - roasted broccoli with onions and garlic; cucumbers and tomatoes with basil; asparagus with shallots; handmade nori maki with brown rice, cucumber, carrot, avocado, scallion, radish (I'm pretty sure I'm the only Googler who brings food to work.)
3:30 - green lentils with balsamic and basil
5:45 - same smoothie as AM
7:00 - homemade maki

My manager Keith decided that he would like a shot at being my nutritionist - for free.  Our first session was 15 minutes and pretty in depth.  Not only does he now know that hot dogs and ice cream were my favorite foods as a kid, but also that I'm addicted to sugar.  Let's just say that I think I'll stick with the advice from my first nutritionist!  Sorry Keith!

Later in the afternoon my newest "nutritionist" sent me this video, just because it's his favorite ditty lately:

Day 2 - SPP Cleanse

Is it possible for me to be feeling better already?  I suppose a great night's sleep on my new organic bamboo sheets can help!!

Due to claims that "flash pasteurization" kills important enzymes (along with bacteria) to preserve juice, I will make my own smoothies twice a day and only resort to Odwalla if necessary.  When making the smoothie in the morning, I can save half of it for my evening shake.

I have to admit that it was weird and sad as I was perusing the menu in the cafeteria and saw tons of yummy vegan options - and then remembering that I couldn't eat them.  For example, I was drooling over the falafal and hummus with wheat pita bread and tabbouleh.  But I can't eat any of that....for the next 20 days. Plus, at the end of the cleanse, I'll one-by-one introduce various "potentially problematic" foods (wheat, corn, soy) to check for any adverse reactions.  The pita will just have to wait.

Biggest struggle today?  GUM.  I chew at least 5 pieces a day, but they all have chemicals in them.  Sigh.

Around 2:00 I started feeling really tired and hungry.  My forehead felt heavy and was forcing my eyelids down.  I had carbo cravings - cereal and grains.  I just wanted to nap. Apparently I need more protein - I'll make big batches of lentils and brown rice tonight.

Other concern:  fearing that my team thinks I'm a drug addict, popping 30+ pills per day.  No one has really said anything, but I'm paranoid.  I'm thankful for my Google document to keep me on track.

8:30 - fresh smoothie with flax seed, flax oil, and powder supplements (strawberries, banana, mango, blackberries, blueberries, spinach)
10:30 - apple
12:15 - salad (field greens, jicima, avocado, carrots, tomatoes, asparagus, shallots, cucumber), sauteed kale
2:45 - Odwalla "Superfood" smoothie (I was crashing)
3:30 - Knudsen "Very Veggie" juice (pasteurized - uggh!)
4:30 - same smoothie as morning
8:30 - carrots
10:00 - nori with brown rice, carrots, cucumbers, wasabe, scallion, raddish, avocado
10:30 - 3 bites of lentils
Ok, I think I go to bed now with some protein in my system.  I never eat this late at night but rice and lentils take forever to cook.

I'm learning as I go and will be more prepared each day, so I don't find myself crashing, like I did all afternoon/evening.

Oh, and I made this video today....

Day 1 - SPP Cleanse

Feeling a bit nervous but excited for the cleanse!  (Also excited to see Conan O'Brien at work today!!)

9:15 - chewed my way through an Odwalla "Berries GoMega" smoothie with powder supplements
12:15-1:15 - grazed on salad (field greens, spinach, avocado, jicima, roasted broccoli, grape tomatoes, roasted mushrooms, shaved carrots)
4:15 - strawberries
6:00 - baby carrots
7:00 - Odwalla "Green Superfood" smoothie with supplements
7:30 - apple
9:30 - blueberries

I survived my first day with no real issues.  The program calls for twice as many veggies as fruit, so I'll need to work on that.  I visited Whole Foods to stock up on some greens!  Now I can make a light stir fry with kelp noodles and "sushi" with brown rice.

Let the Spring Cleaning begin!

I am cleaning my liver. Detoxifying my body.  As recommended by my nutritionist, I am starting the Standard Process Purification Program 21-day cleanse.  In this blog I will track my food intake, not only for your entertainment but also for my benefit.  I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed as I stare at all the powders and capsules in front of me.  Hopefully my Google spreadsheet can keep me organized.

Background:
Am I a crazy person? Yes - but not because of this cleanse. (Maybe because of my worm composting bin, going to work with wet wavy hair, or because I love banana sorbet with chia seeds.)  For years I have struggled with acne, seen numerous dermatologists, tried various medications, but nothing has worked.  After encouragement from my family, I decided to talk to a nutritionist.  He advised that I get a comprehensive hormone test, and the results were astonishing...
Due to hormonal imbalances mostly caused by genetics, not only am I currently infertile, but I'm probably going to develop breast cancer.  That news was not fun to hear.
Good news?  I can take natural supplements and make diet adjustments to balance my whacked out hormones.  This mostly includes iodine (hence, my earlier post about it), extracts from cruciferous veggies, extract from beets, extract from the chaste berry, certain amino acids, and flax seeds/oil.  And now, this 21-day cleanse will tackle the removal of toxins and naughty estrogens from my body.

I am filled with hope and dedication to this regime to save my life.

The Cleanse:
It's basically eating lots of fruits and veggies, supplements, and some brown rice or lentils.  This link outlines the diet in more detail.  After the first week I can introduce lean protein into my diet - yes, this means fish.  Fresh, wild fish.  No, fish is not vegan; however, I like fish and apparently need it for this cleanse and as a good source of vitamin B12, iodine, healthy omega-3 fat, and protein.

Here I go!!