Its been a while, dear Readers, if indeed there are any of you left out there. The last few months of my life have been a spectacular storm of intense experiences, which have left me awestruck by lightning flashes of usually dormant emotions. Having been ricocheted from one end of the emotional spectrum to the other and back again, I have been reminded of the sacred bind between mental and physical wellness, and that good health is our armour when fighting battles of the heart. And so, in need of a cleanse and in search of a glow, I decided to sign my self up for the eponymous Glow Cleanse, by the Raw Fairies: https://rawfairies.com/pages/detox.
DAY 1- Here We Go...
Doorbell rings at 0700 and a man in a leather jacket and motor cycle helmet (is that what fairies look like?) delivers a large white paper bag, consisting of 6 large hydraulically pressed juices, smoothies, and nut mylk (yes, mylk with a 'y'), and one salad. The contents are cold, and its important to store the bag in the refrigerator throughout the day. You are also instructed to drink 1.5 litres of water during the day.
7.30AM: Ginger Lemonade with Cayenne Pepper. I can barely bringing myself to finish it all, note to raw fairies: go easy on the pepper people! But I have to say, it does taste "cleansing", mainly because my intestines are on fire from the cayenne, and I am left with a slightly sick feeling which replaces any coffee cravings I may otherwise have experienced. I put the rest of the juices plus salad into my tote and head to the office.
9AM: Green juice of celery, cucumber, courgette. kale, romaine lettuce, broccoli, spinach, parsley, alfalfa sprouts and lime. Much more tasty than this mornings drink, tastes quite refreshing.
11AM: Time to crack open the pineapple, apple, mint, lime and spinach juice. I was starting to have some minor hunger pangs and my mind was beginning to drift to thoughts of flaky croissants, but the juice was yummy and very filling. So far so good.
2:30PM: Lunch got delayed due to a meeting, and by the time I got the chance to sit down with my spinach, parsnip couscous, cucumber and sprouts salad with mustard dressing, I was feeling hungry but not starving. The salad tasted great, with a generous pot of creamy dressing. The parsnip couscous is basically raw parsnip finely chopped, which is an imaginative way to prepare it and something I would definitely recreate at home. I could have eaten a larger portion, but lunch leaves me satisfied.
DAY 1- Here We Go...
Doorbell rings at 0700 and a man in a leather jacket and motor cycle helmet (is that what fairies look like?) delivers a large white paper bag, consisting of 6 large hydraulically pressed juices, smoothies, and nut mylk (yes, mylk with a 'y'), and one salad. The contents are cold, and its important to store the bag in the refrigerator throughout the day. You are also instructed to drink 1.5 litres of water during the day.
7.30AM: Ginger Lemonade with Cayenne Pepper. I can barely bringing myself to finish it all, note to raw fairies: go easy on the pepper people! But I have to say, it does taste "cleansing", mainly because my intestines are on fire from the cayenne, and I am left with a slightly sick feeling which replaces any coffee cravings I may otherwise have experienced. I put the rest of the juices plus salad into my tote and head to the office.
9AM: Green juice of celery, cucumber, courgette. kale, romaine lettuce, broccoli, spinach, parsley, alfalfa sprouts and lime. Much more tasty than this mornings drink, tastes quite refreshing.
11AM: Time to crack open the pineapple, apple, mint, lime and spinach juice. I was starting to have some minor hunger pangs and my mind was beginning to drift to thoughts of flaky croissants, but the juice was yummy and very filling. So far so good.
2:30PM: Lunch got delayed due to a meeting, and by the time I got the chance to sit down with my spinach, parsnip couscous, cucumber and sprouts salad with mustard dressing, I was feeling hungry but not starving. The salad tasted great, with a generous pot of creamy dressing. The parsnip couscous is basically raw parsnip finely chopped, which is an imaginative way to prepare it and something I would definitely recreate at home. I could have eaten a larger portion, but lunch leaves me satisfied.
4PM: Mango, watercress and parsley smoothie with MSM powder and ground flax seed. MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) is an organic sulfur compound claimed to impart a number of health benefits including promoting collagen and keratin production (great for skin and hair), improving waste elimination and detoxification, accelerating healing, and naturally increasing energy. It is also an anti-inflammatory. Flaxseed's health benefits come from the fact that its high in fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, as well as phytochemicals called lignans. It is commonly used to improve digestive health. The smoothie tastes like a thick leafy mango juice, but I close my eyes and think of the health benefits. On the upside, it is incredibly filling.
7PM: Almond mylk. This is a drink made of ground almonds, agave syrup and water, and it tastes quite pleasant: sweet without being sickly. However, by this time I have developed a splitting headache and have lost all appetite in any case- I don't even finish the bottle. I am not sure if the headache is brought on by caffeine withdrawal, lack of solid food, or some other detox symptom, but its so bad that I need to lie down and close my eyes, which results in me sleeping through what would normally be my dinner time. I'm not craving food.
10:15PM: Wake up with a start to the sound of my 6 month old crying and rush in to attend to her. One warm bottle of milk for her, and one chilled bottle of mint lemonade for me later, and my headache is still going strong. Very strong. In the spirit of detoxification, I avoid taking any medication and go straight to bed. The mint lemonade tastes like a caprinha, sadly minus the cachaca :(
DAY 2- Keep With It...
At 06:45 my doorbell rings and by the time I have opened it, there is a large white paper bag on my doormat and no one to be seen- Raw Fairies indeed! I did not wake up feeling hungry, but the headache is still pounding, so I cave and take two nurofen which I swallow with my first drink of the day: Ginger lemonade with cayenne. Either I am getting used to the taste, or today's drink is less pepper-y, as I find it much more pleasant this morning. I step on the scales and notice that I have lost one pound (hooray!) and my stomach looks very flat, increasing my incentive to see the week through.
9AM: Green juice, same as yesterday. I drink it slowly as the overwhelming grassy taste is a bit unappetising. I am not hungry, but starting to miss the sensation of chewing...
11AM: I'm starting to feel peckish, so good thing its time for my Strawberry Cashew Shake with Goji Berries and Tocotrieniols. This is a thick liquid of milk-shake consistency with only a mild strawberry flavour and a slightly nutty after-taste. Goji berries are a small red dried fruits, a bit like a savoury cranberry. They pack a potent punch, containing weight-for-weight more vitamin C than oranges, more beta-carotene than carrots, and more iron than steak. Tocotrieniols are a member of the vitamin E family, and possess even more impressive health credentials than goji-berries. They are a potent natural super-antioxidant, an anti-cancer and tumor suppressive, they reduce cholesterol, support fertility, and have been shown to provide protection against stroke induced injuries in rats! Drink up.
1:30PM: Finally some solids! Lunch is a Seaweed, Cucumber and Beetroot Salad with Miso Ginger Dressing. This seems smaller than yesterday's salad and is not as satisfying, maybe because the dressing is not so creamy. If your a picky eater and don't like seaweed, this would be a very disappointing lunch, but fortunately I'll eat anything.
3PM: Carrot juice.
6:30PM: Chai Spiced Brazil Nut Mylk. This drink is delicious and tastes likes a Starbucks Christmas special. Also really filling, and cleverly fools my body into thinking I gave it desert.
9PM: Aloe Vera Lemonade.
By the time 10PM rolls around, I'm not feeling hungry, but I am exhausted and turn in for another early night.
DAY 3- Half Way!
I wake up this morning and step on the scales- to find that I have now lost around 3 pounds!! Motivation restored, I open my front door to find yet another Big White Bag of Juice sitting on my doorstep. I down the cayenne lemonade on the way to office at 8:15AM. I also take the time to review the menu card for the day ahead, which states that lunch contains rice, Hooray! Admittedly, it will be some kind of raw rice substitute, but the thought cheers me up anyway.
9:AM: Green juice. Same as previous days.
11:45AM: Graprefruit and Coconut Juice. Sounds like an odd combo, but tastes delicious and very refreshing. The ingredients are just organic red grapefruit and coconut water, so I will be recreating this juice at home.
1PM: Nut Rice with Cucumber, Carrot and Miso Ginger Dressing. I was looking forward to this, and I have to say I am disappointed. It tastes overly sweet, and the rice is slivers of chopped nuts and seeds which taste strange with the vinegar-y carrot and cucumber... It takes me 30 minutes to finish it because I find it really unappetising, but eat up as its only juice for the rest of the day! In addition, miso is really good for you. It contains all essential amino acids, making it a complete protein. It also simulates the secretion of digestive fluids in the stomach, and restores beneficial probiotics to the intestine. It is high in antioxidants that protect against free radicals, has been shown to strengthen the immune system, and reduce cholesterol.
3PM: Coco Acai Berry and Passion Fruit Smoothie with MSM Powder. Another disappointment I'm afraid, the texture of this is lumpy and grainy, and the coco doesn't taste chocolate-y. But what it lacks in taste, it makes up for in nutrition. The acai berry is one of the healthiest berries you will ever find and one of nature's highest sources of antioxidants. They are extremely high in anthocyanins which are associated with the ability to lower cholesterol levels in the blood stream. They also provide cardio-protective benefits to our cells by preventing blood clots and improving blood circulation. Many beauty products contain acai oil as it is known to give the skin a healthier glow, and indigenous cultures have been eating acai berries for centuries to treat skin conditions.
6:30PM: Green Mylk. This is made of organic cashews, organic spinach, filtered water, organic mapls syrup, and organic coconut butter. It tastes like desert, and its delicious.
8PM: Mint Lemonade. My girlfriends come over and are having a few munchies, but amazingly, I don't feel hungry. Though not always tasty, the juices are incredibly satisfying.
DAY 4 - The Home Stretch
I wake up this morning and step on the scales and.... I'm the exact same weight as yesterday. BUT my skin is starting to look noticeably better, my eyes seems whiter, and my head feels clearer. The doorbell buzzes and by the time I can open it, poof the raw fairy is gone and in her place is my 4th Big White Bag. It occurs to me to take a picture of the contents to illustrate what I'm dealing with here:
7:30AM: Ginger Lemonade with Cayenne as usual.
9AM: Green Juice, same as previous days.
11AM: Pineapple Mango Papaya Smoothie with ground flax seed. Tastes very tropical, and its a tasty way to reap the benefits of the magical flax seed.
1:30PM: Lunch is a Cos Lettuce, Black Olive and Courgette Walnut Crunch with sun dried tomato dressing. This sounds much more complex than it is- plain lettuce with some olives thrown in and flat nutty croutons. The dressing is the only good bit. I am very underwhelmed.
3PM: Cucumber, Apple, Lemon, Watercress and Courgette juice. Tastes very veggie, no surprise there.
6PM: Almond Mylk- Same as before, containing organic almonds, filtered water, organic dates. Yum.
8PM: Aloe Vera Lemonade.
I am surprised to report that I am not feeling hungry or craving snacks. So far this cleanse has been incredibly easy to stick to.
DAY 5 - The End is Nigh!
I step on the scales this morning and note that I have lost a total of 4 pounds since starting the cleanse, which I am pleased with. More importantly, my skin is looking noticeably better, and I am definitely feeling more energetic.
7AM: Usual Ginger Lemonade with Cayenne. This is actually a really good way to kick start the metabolism for the day, and I haven't even really missed my usual morning cappuccino.
9AM: Green juice, same as previous days.
11AM: Mango Spinach and Avocado Smoothie with Hemp Protein and Parsley. I have to say the combination of flavours here does not work well, and its a struggle to drink this. However, I am intrigued to discover that there are actually nutritional benefits to the seeds of the cannabis plant! Hemp contains all eight amino acids, is high in essential fatty acids, and is a good source of iron, calcium and a variety of other nutrients including vitamin B, vitamin E, and magnesium.
Now comes the tricky part: how to negotiate a work lunch while on the cleanse. I convince my client to meet me at the Rose Bakery on the top floor of Dover Street Market, where they serve healthy fresh salads in addition to their more sinister quiche and carrot cakes. I explain to my lunch companion that I'm doing a cleanse, and just order a side salad of rocket and fennel, and a pot of jasmine tea. I then compensate for this when I get back to the office by halving my Glow Cleanse lunch salad, so that in total I've had the equivalent of one salad. Its not ideal, but its the best I can do.
Lunch: Salad of Red Cabbage, Fennel, Beetroot with Pecans, and Pomegranate with Nut Mayo Sauce. I have to say this is delicious, probably the best lunch of the week!
3PM: Mid afternoon carrot juice is provided with the cleanse, but I skip it to compensate my larger lunch portion.
6PM: Cashew Mylk- same as earlier in the cleanse. The nut mylks are all truly yummy.
8PM: Mint Lemonade.
The next morning, I wake up and find that I have dropped 5 pounds in total during the cleanse. In addition, my skin really does look brighter, smoother, and less tired. I have missed the sensation of chewing, but I honestly have not been hungry at all, as the juices are very filling. This has been surprisingly easy to stick to, and I am happy with the results. The weightloss is a short term benefit, however there are some lessons that will stay with me beyond the cleanse- in addition to using creams and toners externally, nourishing your skin internally through appropriate foods is incredibly effective. In addition, the cleanse has made me re-examine my approach to snacking and food quantity. My digestive system has been given a welcome break and all the energy usually consumed by processing solid foods has been directed towards detoxification instead through a primarily liquid diet. Extra food does put stress on the digestive system, and makes it less efficient when it comes to eliminating toxins. While its definitely not healthy to live on this diet for longer than the prescribed period, being mindful of the benefits of juices, raw foods, and certain nutrients encompassed in this cleanse is a healing lesson for future.
7PM: Almond mylk. This is a drink made of ground almonds, agave syrup and water, and it tastes quite pleasant: sweet without being sickly. However, by this time I have developed a splitting headache and have lost all appetite in any case- I don't even finish the bottle. I am not sure if the headache is brought on by caffeine withdrawal, lack of solid food, or some other detox symptom, but its so bad that I need to lie down and close my eyes, which results in me sleeping through what would normally be my dinner time. I'm not craving food.
10:15PM: Wake up with a start to the sound of my 6 month old crying and rush in to attend to her. One warm bottle of milk for her, and one chilled bottle of mint lemonade for me later, and my headache is still going strong. Very strong. In the spirit of detoxification, I avoid taking any medication and go straight to bed. The mint lemonade tastes like a caprinha, sadly minus the cachaca :(
DAY 2- Keep With It...
At 06:45 my doorbell rings and by the time I have opened it, there is a large white paper bag on my doormat and no one to be seen- Raw Fairies indeed! I did not wake up feeling hungry, but the headache is still pounding, so I cave and take two nurofen which I swallow with my first drink of the day: Ginger lemonade with cayenne. Either I am getting used to the taste, or today's drink is less pepper-y, as I find it much more pleasant this morning. I step on the scales and notice that I have lost one pound (hooray!) and my stomach looks very flat, increasing my incentive to see the week through.
9AM: Green juice, same as yesterday. I drink it slowly as the overwhelming grassy taste is a bit unappetising. I am not hungry, but starting to miss the sensation of chewing...
11AM: I'm starting to feel peckish, so good thing its time for my Strawberry Cashew Shake with Goji Berries and Tocotrieniols. This is a thick liquid of milk-shake consistency with only a mild strawberry flavour and a slightly nutty after-taste. Goji berries are a small red dried fruits, a bit like a savoury cranberry. They pack a potent punch, containing weight-for-weight more vitamin C than oranges, more beta-carotene than carrots, and more iron than steak. Tocotrieniols are a member of the vitamin E family, and possess even more impressive health credentials than goji-berries. They are a potent natural super-antioxidant, an anti-cancer and tumor suppressive, they reduce cholesterol, support fertility, and have been shown to provide protection against stroke induced injuries in rats! Drink up.
1:30PM: Finally some solids! Lunch is a Seaweed, Cucumber and Beetroot Salad with Miso Ginger Dressing. This seems smaller than yesterday's salad and is not as satisfying, maybe because the dressing is not so creamy. If your a picky eater and don't like seaweed, this would be a very disappointing lunch, but fortunately I'll eat anything.
3PM: Carrot juice.
6:30PM: Chai Spiced Brazil Nut Mylk. This drink is delicious and tastes likes a Starbucks Christmas special. Also really filling, and cleverly fools my body into thinking I gave it desert.
9PM: Aloe Vera Lemonade.
By the time 10PM rolls around, I'm not feeling hungry, but I am exhausted and turn in for another early night.
DAY 3- Half Way!
I wake up this morning and step on the scales- to find that I have now lost around 3 pounds!! Motivation restored, I open my front door to find yet another Big White Bag of Juice sitting on my doorstep. I down the cayenne lemonade on the way to office at 8:15AM. I also take the time to review the menu card for the day ahead, which states that lunch contains rice, Hooray! Admittedly, it will be some kind of raw rice substitute, but the thought cheers me up anyway.
9:AM: Green juice. Same as previous days.
11:45AM: Graprefruit and Coconut Juice. Sounds like an odd combo, but tastes delicious and very refreshing. The ingredients are just organic red grapefruit and coconut water, so I will be recreating this juice at home.
1PM: Nut Rice with Cucumber, Carrot and Miso Ginger Dressing. I was looking forward to this, and I have to say I am disappointed. It tastes overly sweet, and the rice is slivers of chopped nuts and seeds which taste strange with the vinegar-y carrot and cucumber... It takes me 30 minutes to finish it because I find it really unappetising, but eat up as its only juice for the rest of the day! In addition, miso is really good for you. It contains all essential amino acids, making it a complete protein. It also simulates the secretion of digestive fluids in the stomach, and restores beneficial probiotics to the intestine. It is high in antioxidants that protect against free radicals, has been shown to strengthen the immune system, and reduce cholesterol.
3PM: Coco Acai Berry and Passion Fruit Smoothie with MSM Powder. Another disappointment I'm afraid, the texture of this is lumpy and grainy, and the coco doesn't taste chocolate-y. But what it lacks in taste, it makes up for in nutrition. The acai berry is one of the healthiest berries you will ever find and one of nature's highest sources of antioxidants. They are extremely high in anthocyanins which are associated with the ability to lower cholesterol levels in the blood stream. They also provide cardio-protective benefits to our cells by preventing blood clots and improving blood circulation. Many beauty products contain acai oil as it is known to give the skin a healthier glow, and indigenous cultures have been eating acai berries for centuries to treat skin conditions.
6:30PM: Green Mylk. This is made of organic cashews, organic spinach, filtered water, organic mapls syrup, and organic coconut butter. It tastes like desert, and its delicious.
8PM: Mint Lemonade. My girlfriends come over and are having a few munchies, but amazingly, I don't feel hungry. Though not always tasty, the juices are incredibly satisfying.
DAY 4 - The Home Stretch
I wake up this morning and step on the scales and.... I'm the exact same weight as yesterday. BUT my skin is starting to look noticeably better, my eyes seems whiter, and my head feels clearer. The doorbell buzzes and by the time I can open it, poof the raw fairy is gone and in her place is my 4th Big White Bag. It occurs to me to take a picture of the contents to illustrate what I'm dealing with here:
7:30AM: Ginger Lemonade with Cayenne as usual.
9AM: Green Juice, same as previous days.
11AM: Pineapple Mango Papaya Smoothie with ground flax seed. Tastes very tropical, and its a tasty way to reap the benefits of the magical flax seed.
1:30PM: Lunch is a Cos Lettuce, Black Olive and Courgette Walnut Crunch with sun dried tomato dressing. This sounds much more complex than it is- plain lettuce with some olives thrown in and flat nutty croutons. The dressing is the only good bit. I am very underwhelmed.
3PM: Cucumber, Apple, Lemon, Watercress and Courgette juice. Tastes very veggie, no surprise there.
6PM: Almond Mylk- Same as before, containing organic almonds, filtered water, organic dates. Yum.
8PM: Aloe Vera Lemonade.
I am surprised to report that I am not feeling hungry or craving snacks. So far this cleanse has been incredibly easy to stick to.
DAY 5 - The End is Nigh!
I step on the scales this morning and note that I have lost a total of 4 pounds since starting the cleanse, which I am pleased with. More importantly, my skin is looking noticeably better, and I am definitely feeling more energetic.
7AM: Usual Ginger Lemonade with Cayenne. This is actually a really good way to kick start the metabolism for the day, and I haven't even really missed my usual morning cappuccino.
9AM: Green juice, same as previous days.
11AM: Mango Spinach and Avocado Smoothie with Hemp Protein and Parsley. I have to say the combination of flavours here does not work well, and its a struggle to drink this. However, I am intrigued to discover that there are actually nutritional benefits to the seeds of the cannabis plant! Hemp contains all eight amino acids, is high in essential fatty acids, and is a good source of iron, calcium and a variety of other nutrients including vitamin B, vitamin E, and magnesium.
Now comes the tricky part: how to negotiate a work lunch while on the cleanse. I convince my client to meet me at the Rose Bakery on the top floor of Dover Street Market, where they serve healthy fresh salads in addition to their more sinister quiche and carrot cakes. I explain to my lunch companion that I'm doing a cleanse, and just order a side salad of rocket and fennel, and a pot of jasmine tea. I then compensate for this when I get back to the office by halving my Glow Cleanse lunch salad, so that in total I've had the equivalent of one salad. Its not ideal, but its the best I can do.
Lunch: Salad of Red Cabbage, Fennel, Beetroot with Pecans, and Pomegranate with Nut Mayo Sauce. I have to say this is delicious, probably the best lunch of the week!
3PM: Mid afternoon carrot juice is provided with the cleanse, but I skip it to compensate my larger lunch portion.
6PM: Cashew Mylk- same as earlier in the cleanse. The nut mylks are all truly yummy.
8PM: Mint Lemonade.
The next morning, I wake up and find that I have dropped 5 pounds in total during the cleanse. In addition, my skin really does look brighter, smoother, and less tired. I have missed the sensation of chewing, but I honestly have not been hungry at all, as the juices are very filling. This has been surprisingly easy to stick to, and I am happy with the results. The weightloss is a short term benefit, however there are some lessons that will stay with me beyond the cleanse- in addition to using creams and toners externally, nourishing your skin internally through appropriate foods is incredibly effective. In addition, the cleanse has made me re-examine my approach to snacking and food quantity. My digestive system has been given a welcome break and all the energy usually consumed by processing solid foods has been directed towards detoxification instead through a primarily liquid diet. Extra food does put stress on the digestive system, and makes it less efficient when it comes to eliminating toxins. While its definitely not healthy to live on this diet for longer than the prescribed period, being mindful of the benefits of juices, raw foods, and certain nutrients encompassed in this cleanse is a healing lesson for future.
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