Today was Spa Day, I treated myself to a massage and mani/pedi. My massage was awesome and even helped detox my body by releasing toxins. Toxins confuse me. Are they really real? How does a massage release them? Well, thank goodness for Google.
There are a number of ways massage releases toxins from your system. Massage causes chemicals to be released within the body, which bring toxins out of your muscles. Massage has also been found to help the substance lymph move around, which assists in getting rid of toxins from tissues in your body….massage helps your body rid itself of waste and toxic substances by assisting your blood to move throughout your body…electrical signals in the body go to the area being massaged and all around the body, during a soft tissue massage. This helps release toxins through the lymphatic system… Full Article »
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I broke the detox a bit today. I had my first gluten food – the Farro-Mushroom Risotto from Mill Valley Kitchen and there was a little bit of Parmesan on top of the kale. I think my stomach noticed, it was immediately bubbly and unsettled after eating the Farro. Going to watch the gluten and see if that’s something I need to cut out for good. (I would much rather cut out gluten than dairy.) I picked up some more groceries from Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s today as well and will continue some of the detox recipes through this weekend while reintroducing back in some chicken, dairy and maybe some glutens. I think this will wrap up my Detox blogging. I hope for those I haven’t annoyed, that I’ve inspired you to try a detox or try at least try some new recipes for yourself.
Feeling really good today, I wouldn’t say I feel overly energized (this April winter weather isn’t helping) but I do feel refreshed when I wake up in the morning and no headaches. I’m pretty sure the whites of my eyes are whiter, and without going into detail, my bowels are in tip-top shape too. Not going to lie, I still think about Chipotle about 5 times a day. My fridge is getting pretty bare so I had to get creative with the fruits and vegetables I had left over. I have a butternut squash waiting to be made into Spiced Butternut Squash & Apple Soup, but it seems like a lot of work and I’m not sure I would even like it. I bought two sweet potatoes earlier this week and I was really wanting something warm and savory for dinner, figured I’d give that a go. I found a sweet potato homefries recipe that looked good and simple enough. I have never been a huge sweet potato enthusiast, but holy balls, these were amazing! They tasted so great, I had to do a little reading on sweet potatoes to make sure they are actually good for you…turns out they are considered one of the healthiest vegetables we (should) eat. #score Sweet potatoes are packed full of healthy antioxidants, are low on the glycemic index, have anti-inflammatory properties (good for those with arthritis), and are so high in Vitamin A that they may even protect cigarette smokers from emphysema. I’m now a believer in sweet potatoes, check out this article for Livestrong for more sweet potato facts.
Also, if you’re interested in doing your own whole foods detox, follow my Healthy Detox pinterest board for recipe ideas.
Woke up this morning feeling great—no more headache! Nothing fancy to report today, other than I feel pretty good and no hunger. Waiting for some kind of epiphany to happen…
Oops, forgot to take a picture of the Banana-Berry Smoothie I made this afternoon, it was pinky-purple, use your imagination. I really like using the coconut milk in the smoothie, it ends up just as creamy/smooth as yogurt does and adds a nice flavor.
Did I say that I was doing this for 7 days? Ugh. I’m getting bored with it and might just do 5 and start reintroducing some dairy. We’ll see.
Woah. I woke up this morning and didn’t feel ravenously hungry (most mornings I wake up because my stomach is growling). I’m going to count this one as a win. I poured myself a hot cup of water with lemon, but then cheated a little and dunked a ginger & pear white tea bag in it a few times. I got what I deserved—it tasted worse. I made a killer green smoothie and was feeling pretty awesome. I decided to pack a little trail mix in my purse and head out to do a little shopping. It wasn’t long before I got a headache, which now, almost 12 hours later, I still have. I’ve been drinking plenty of water and haven’t felt hungry. My head hurt so bad I almost couldn’t fall asleep for a nap. (Keyword: almost. I’m a pro-napper) When I woke up an hour later, I felt nauseous so I drank more water, plus a little bit of orange juice (maybe it was my blood sugar?) and a half a banana. The dizzy/pukey feeling went away after about 30 mins, but if it had taken any longer I probably would have thrown in the towel on this whole thing right then and there. I took Tot for a walk outside to get some fresh air, still had the lingering headache, but feeling better. The rest of the evening my whole body felt clammy, it’s the toxins leaving my body right???? RIGHT??? I have no idea. I ended the day by dry brushing my skin, taking a hot bath, then a warm shower, and finished it off with a blast of cold water. While I still have the headache, my body feels good and relaxed.
Roasted Portobellos with Kale Recipe
Ok, I’m going to bed. My head hurts and I can’t look at the computer anymore.
Well, that wasn’t so bad. In fact, there were a lot of things I tried today that I would eat again, post detox. For real. I drank a lot of water and stuck to the plan. Flip through the photos for the quick-version. Summary of the day below…
Drinking hot lemon water first thing in the morning was not my favorite thing, I still pucker just thinking about it. It’s supposed to stimulate the liver, so I’ll keep doing it. Throughout the day I drank about 6 liters of water, including a mint/lemon/cucumber concoction that was very refreshing.
Green Smoothie: Super yummy, I’m excited to experiment with more combinations of fruits and greens. I was a little over-zealous on the fresh ginger, so next time I’ll start with less and add more to taste. My mouth was so tingly.
Trail Mix: Quick and easy snack to make and kept me feeling full.
Roasted Cauliflower: I will definitely be making the roasted cauliflower again, it was just what I needed, even if it did make my apartment stink like a smokey fart.
Kale Slaw: Great flavor, but it was a little too much raw kale for me. I prefer cooked or blended kale over the crunchy raw version. I don’t know why I haven’t made the honey mustard vinaigrette before, it was so easy and good.
I went to Life Time tonight to walk on the treadmill for 30 minutes and then relaxed in the steam room for about 10 minutes to really sweat out the toxins. Felt amazing.
So how am I feeling? Overall, I feel pretty good. I wasn’t overly energetic today, and ended up taking two naps. Even had a crazy dream that I had my sister’s name tattooed on the top of both of my hands. I instructed the tattoo artist, pointing to one fist, and then the other, quite adamantly, “Holly. and Holly.” I am craving some Wheat Thins and peanut butter toast, that’s about it. I’m expecting tomorrow to be a lot harder.
Be sure to follow my Healthy Detox Pinterest board if you’re looking for recipes or inspiration for your own detox.