Breaking the Food Addiction Cycle when Going Green
I have had some great life-lessons this week post-juice feast that are bringing me back in line with my intention to listen to and honor the messages my body is constantly giving me. I am working hard at not reverting to the diet-binge cycle post-juice feast, and my efforts are offering me a lot of insight. My two biggest insights were 1) How one must respect the intensity of the amount of temptation there is in the world when one is trying to release a food addiction and adopt a high-raw/green lifestyle, and 2)The juice feast and recent liver/gallbladder cleanse has really changed my physiology, and my body is teaching me a new way to feed it.
Temptation
Before I went into Whole Foods today, I took time to sit and center myself. I knew that there would most likely be samples everywhere. I passed up the samples that were offered immediately upon entering the store (victory!) and was in the tea aisle when I noticed I was salivating! Just simply being in the presence of food had me salivating. I was not super hungry, I had had breakfast one hour ago. My study of the digestive system has taught me that salivation is one of the first steps in the digestion process, their release sends the message to the entire body “Get ready for food!”.
Here I thought I was in control by saying no to eating the samples, but my mind had already told my body “We are gonna get some food now, yahoo!”. If I had not centered myself, before entering the store, it would have been so easy to pick up a chocolate bar (you know those little chocolates they have at the checkout stand?) and eaten it on the way home. I am learning to RESPECT the power of my cellular cravings that are still hanging around and to re-program myself I need to: 1) drink my green juice and 2) center myself when I know the temptation is going to be great.
Increasing Food Sensitivity
Matt Monarch’s (of the Raw Food World) newsletter sent out today included an article entitled Two Levels of Sensitivity in which he talks about what happens when someone who has cleansed deeply and eaten a very pure diet for a significant amount of time eats something that is not part of what he calls their “consistent diet.” This article was a follow-up to another insightful article: Adapting to Toxic and Processed Foods. Reading these articles drove home the truth that there is nothing ‘wrong’ with people’s immune systems who are sensitive to foods such as gluten or dairy, the problem is in the toxicity of our food supply. I greatly recommend the articles, they are very insightful and true to post-juice feast experience, as I will describe…
On Monday I found myself at a Fresh Choice Salad Buffet ravenously hungry with the intention to eat only salad. However, one thing led to another and I made some very poor choices. Before this juice feast I was enjoying a new ability to eat an increasing variety of foods that previously I was unable to eat due to multiple food sensitivities that had seemingly resolved due to all the leaky gut and emotional healing work I have been doing for a number of years.
The food choices I made on Monday resulted in significant suffering on Tuesday. I found myself feeling very anxious, apathetic, fatigued, very bloated, and with a nasty pimple on my chin. The anxiety reminded me of the feeling I got after drinking fully leaded coffee, which alerted me to the reality the symptoms were most likely due to something I ingested. Also, I found the thought of drinking green juice repulsive! Prior to the juice feast, the food choices I made on Monday would have maybe led me to feel a bit ‘off,’ but nothing like the severity of the reactions I experienced Tuesday.
I got myself through the funky feelings yesterday by affirming to myself this was a GOOD sign that I had become cleaner inside than I have ever been since maybe infancy when I was only ingesting my momma’s milk (thank you momma!). I have been eating a high-green, 90% organic diet for several years and ow that I have done a juice feast, 2 liver/gallbladder cleanses, and tons of colon cleansing—I’ve achieved a new state of physiological homeostasis that needs to be respected and nurtured.
I committed to myself before going to bed Tuesday night that I would make (and drink!) 1 quart of green juice first thing after I drank my morning quart of water. My experience has shown me that drinking my morning quart of green juice (without any fruit besides lemon) keeps me clear-headed and on track with my food choices all day. I ended up making 2 quarts of green juice this morning (Wednesday) and enjoyed them as a nutritient rich breakfast and lunch.
I will end my reflection today with a recipe for an a tasty green juice. The consistency of this juice was smooth, it went down very easy, and it made my cells dance:
Makes approximately 1 quart
1 lemon, 3 little baby bok choy, 1 head celery, 2 zucchini, 3 romaine leaves.
Here’s to learning from our mistakes and becoming wiser every day!
Daniela
