Is It a Lifestyle?

This is typically the time of year where I begin to loosen up the reins on my "diet" and enjoy the fruits of my winter labor.  This year; however, I have decided to take a different approach.  In an effort to finally fully commit to the lifestyle that I have been touting for years now, I have decided to begin a detox.

The plan I will be following is one that I came across on a podcast called Everyday Detox hosted by Michael Perrine.  I would highly recommend this website to anyone looking to learn more about detoxing.  The idea behind his method (and really the best explanation I have heard given for what it truly means to detox) is elimination.  Instead of focusing on what to put into your body, such as juices/smoothies, supplements and powders, he makes a case for the exact opposite.  He describes detoxing as a process in which we should focus on eliminating certain foods from our diets and allow our body to naturally purge what it does not need.

I have always had a horse in the race of organic versus non-organic foods.  Ever since I have been purchasing my own food I have seen the benefits of not eating produce sprayed with pesticides; however, until recently I had written detoxing off as unnecessary.  I have always questioned the validity of certain beliefs when it comes to health, so it would only stand to reason that I would not immediately accept the potential health benefits of detoxing.  The more I have read and learned about the harmful side effects of the toxins in the food that we consume on a daily basis the more I am convinced that this is the next step toward improving my overall health.

Leading up to the detox I have cleaned up my diet considerably.  I have reconstructed my meals to consist mostly of plant-based foods with a minimal amount of grains and meat.  Over the past few weeks I have also been working toward eliminating meat from my weekly diet.  My ultimate goal is to cut it back to several times a month.  Until recently I could never have imagined myself going a day without eating meat, but the more I learn about food and how to create satisfying meals the less I feel tied to it.  In addition to cutting back on meat, I have also eliminated the majority of processed foods from my diet.  The combination of all of these factors has placed me in a position where I finally feel my body can handle a detox.

This summer will be a pivotal time in my journey to better health.  Next week I will update you on my progress and get into what I hope to achieve from this experience.