March 12, 2008
Sandra K. Moore Blogs on System Reset
Written by Jaunty Guest in Jaunty Guests
System reset
Sounds technical and scary, doesn’t it?
And yet, that’s what happened when I embarked on a 10-day cleansing fast recently. You may have heard about the lemonade-based Master Cleanser — there must be about a dozen books about it and hundreds of web sites, both pro and con — and sure enough I did it.
Well, 7 days of it, anyway.
I’m not really sure why I chose to do this fast. I mean, sure, a coworker was interested in doing it, and sure, I had some other spiritually-oriented stuff going on in my life that seemed to synchronize with this particular activity. But going 10 days without eating solid food isn’t something I tend to just do.
But I just did it.
I learned a lot, too — more than I would have thought possible:
• I can live without Starbucks.
• I don’t have to have a huge lunch to survive the work day.
• Organic, grade B maple syrup is way expensive.
• A blood sugar drop doesn’t necessarily have to catapult me into Angry Bitch mode.
• Peppermint tea is really, really good.
• Every day is a good day if I choose to let it be.
So while the fast is meant to be a physical fast, it also turned into a spiritual one. I spent a lot of time being “present,” in the moment, as I listened to my body tell me how it felt. Most of the time, that feeling was, “Fantastic!” Other times, the feeling was a little tired, but I quickly learned that I’d not paced the lemonade drink correctly.
I kept a detailed journal of how I felt both mentally and physically, including the cravings that would pop up. One of the nuggets of wisdom I read about cleansing is that we crave what we’re detoxing, so I know there was quite a bit of red meat and Skittles detox going on!
After I ended the fast, I wanted nothing more than some nice raw fruits and veggies. Here’s what I’ve stopped craving and eating:
• Coffee, tea, and sodas (no caffeine!)
• Sugar of any kind, including my beloved Skittles
• Meat of any kind
• White flour
• Chocolate
I’m sure there’s more, but those are the big ones for me.
All sorts of doors have opened for me. For example, yesterday I had lunch with some coworkers at Lupe Tortillas, a fantastic Tex-Mex restaurant. I ordered a meatless, cheeseless burrito, and the chef actually came out to warn me that the beans were cooked with bacon and he could make some Portobello mushroom tacos if I preferred.
Maybe I should explain that I don’t like mushrooms. Nasty things. But I thought, what the hey, and told him, Sure, I’d try mushroom tacos.
Oh my god.
He’d sliced up the Portobellos and grilled them just like fajitas, and those tacos were the most delicious things I’ve ever put in my mouth…. Just fantastic.
So my little experiment with the Master Cleanser has been a great way to naturally reset my system — to eliminate the cravings for junk and processed foods, to remind me of my body on a moment-to-moment basis, and to give me a more open mind about food.
What resets your system?
Everyone who posts a comment will be entered in a contest to win a copy of my latest Athena Force: Without a Trace.
4:45 am | Share This
Shana Says:
Hey, Sandra! Thanks so much for blogging with us. Sleep resets my system. Most nights I barely get 6 hours, so when I can get 8 or more, that’s just fabulous.
Good luck with your new healthy lifestyle! I bet you feel awesome.
Margo Maguire Says:
Wow - that was a switch! Congrats on making it 7 days! And thanks for telling us about it.
Robyn DeHart Says:
That’s awesome, Sandra. When I’m doing my walking consistently - especially at our greenbelt, that resets my system. I’ve tried cleanses in the past and inevitably something happens and I quit mid-stride. So I’ve never gotten past the feeling like crud stage.
So good for you! And thanks for joining us today.
Sandra K. Moore Says:
Thanks, ladies!
I never imagined that I’d make even the 7 days, so that was a bit of a revelation. And as you’ve noted, sleep and exercise in a refreshing environment goes a long way toward resetting us — reminding us what “good” feels like.
Teresa W. Says:
Glad to see you here today and congrats on doing this.
ladydawgfan Says:
Definitely, congrats on doing this. And I’m with Shana. A good night’s sleep is usually all it takes to reset my clock and my system, but it has to be a healthy sleep, not the collapse into unconsciousness, no dreams type of sleep. That is not rest, that is going comatose, and there is a biiig difference between the two.
Cindi Hoppes Says:
Hi, Your fasting sounds like a wonderful experience! I think my sweet tooth would be my detox calling! My husband love peppermint tea! I would love to try those detox foot pads, just to see if they got as dirty looking as they do on tv! I am already a vegetarian and have been as long as I could make my own eating decisions. You may have convinced me to attempt your detox experience. Thanks for sharing…..Cindi
Sandra K. Moore Says:
Cindi, thanks for sharing! Congrats on making the vegetarian lifestyle work for you. I used to think that it would be too much a hassle — until I lost my taste for and interest in meat. Now it’s easy to cruise past the fast food (and even the chicken madras) in favor of the vegetables and homemade soups. I’ve never seen the detox footpads, so I’ll keep an eye out for them!
And ladydawgfan, I understand what you’re talking about with the comatose sleep. When I have that sort of sleep, I always feel like I’ve been beaten with a two-by-four when I wake up….
Thanks, Teresa, for the welcome! I really appreciate it!
Jane Says:
I think laying off junk food and caffeine and sleeping for 10 hours would help me reset my system.
Maureen Says:
Time off resets my system. Being away from the daily grind is such a nice feeling.
Fedora Says:
Hi, Sandra, congrats on the “reset”! I agree with everyone who’s said that a good night’s sleep is a great reset. And having the chance to have a day or two “out of the real world” is great to have a chance to think things through and meditate and get one’s priorities straight. Of course, that doesn’t always translate into big changes once you’re back in the real world, but it’s good to do that thinking!
Alyssa Goodnight Says:
Hey Sandra!
Whoa–I’m impressed! First to fast and then to swear off all that good stuff… You’re my hero!
And the portobello mushroom tacos sound yummy!
Virginia H. Says:
I don’t think I can reset my system. By brain want do what my body tells it or the other way around neither one will listen to the other. I glad you could do it. I don’t know about living on liquid for 10 days. I only have one drink with caffeine each day and drink sugar free drinks. But my brain tells me I still need something sweet each day. So I don’t know if I have gained anything from this.
Laura Says:
For me a day or even a few hours away from the daily grind can help reset my system. Just time where I’m not thinking about the next thing that has/needs to be done - total bliss for me.
catslady Says:
I’m afraid I’m too much a creature of habit. I had to have some tests this summer and was on a bland, liquid diet - gruesome thing. But it probably took me more than a month to go back to old habits. I just had the flu and almost the same thing happened. I miss the social part of food too - wine with dinner, coffee with friends (and to keep me awake lol). My sister and nephew are both vegetarians but I’m too lazy to come up with good meatless meals every single day. And then of course my husband wants what he wants and I’m too lazy to fix two different meals. Maybe one day!