Years ago, when I lived in India, I used to fast one day a week as a way to maintain good health. When I returned to North America, I continued this practice for a couple of years, then switched to fasting one time every six months, and then once a year, before abandoning the ritual altogether; only fasting when I thought I needed to give my body a break.
During the Pandemic, I tried to keep up good eating habits but inevitably bad habits have seeped back in; one dessert a week became two, then three or more. A square of dark chocolate seemed to sneak into my purse more often than I care to admit. Honestly, how does that happen? Anyways, you get the picture.
So, this week I decided to go on a two-week “detox diet” to boost metabolism and get rid of fattening toxins; avoiding sugar and all its relatives like maple syrup or honey or all products ending in “-ose”, artificial sweeteners, refined carbohydrates, gluten, milk and cheese and any foods made from milk or cheese, alcohol, overly ripe fruits, caffeine, sodas, teas, excess fats from processed and fried foods, and soy protein isolates found in such things as energy bars. Leaving me to eat things such as a fresh berry smoothie for breakfast or a Farmer’s Market salad at lunch or broiled salmon with steamed broccoli for dinner. And drinking lots of fresh water.
Day eight is coming up… and yep, you guessed it, it’s a fasting day with nothing but water for twenty-four hours. Although it is a physical challenge of sorts (hunger pains are no joke), I find fasting more of an emotional cleanse than a physical one, as I once more discover other ways to find comfort besides eating or preparing food or partaking in a favorite beverage: meditation, writing in my journal, watching a movie, taking a long walk, a hot bath, time for myself, slowing down. Fasting is not easy but I do appreciate how well I feel the next day.
And then…
Food choices will yet again be a delight as I savor those first bites of things I had to stay away from, basking in the detox diet afterglow, with the promise to sustain healthy selections before the tendency to hide chocolate in my shoulder bag unsurprisingly slinks back in.
How did you find solace this week?
Sharon
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