Everyone can imagine the physical experiences of a cleanse – hunger, sensations as the stomach reduces, cravings, changes in energy, headaches…although it’s not all bad! Energy levels tend to stabilize and the headache dissipates without an incredible stimulant being pumped into the body every morning/ afternoon (coffee), and the cravings tend to change from heavy carbohydrate & sugar loaded sweets (muffin) to the sweet reward of fruits and nuts. The stomach does shrink, allowing the amazing feeling of really being full on what used to constitute a “snack”.
What was really interesting for me was the mental and emotional responses the cleanse evoked. On the Isagenix program, the first two days are “warm-up”, or clean-eating days to get your system ready for the cleanse so it isn’t shocked when it starts. Sitting down to a small, protein-heavy lunch I sighed heavily and contemplated the next 9 days of this type of food. Protein and salad….how boring.
Then the question to myself of ‘why am I looking for excitement or fulfillment from my lunch?’ Yes, food is not only sustenance for the body but is also woven into society to fill so many other roles, not all of those healthy or justified. Food is the center of social events. A friend invited me to join her for drinks after work. I had to politely decline. I did not want to sit in a restaurant watching people eat around me and feel ‘excluded’ or ‘isolated’. When such big emotions can be evoked by food, it’s not a time to ‘beat yourself up’, but it is time to re-evaluate!
During this cleanse process, I have started journaling again, giving me an outlet for expressing those feelings in a constructive way that helps my body to continue to release, rather than masking those emotions with the rush of caffeine or simple carbohydrates.
Food has also become a tool for judgment, being used as punishment or reward. How many parents treat vegetables as the food you HAVE to eat to get to the treat of dessert? Our society teaches us that if we’re “good” we can reward ourselves with sugar, carbohydrates, heavy dairy products or whatever we deem “bad” in our food universe. After having completed the cleanse and dealt with two solid days of headaches from caffeine withdrawal, I am re-thinking my idea of good/ bad, punishment/ reward. If my body needs to express 48 hours of pain to clear something out of my body, am I really “rewarding” myself when I drink it? Now, that’s not to say that I will never drink coffee again – far from it – I am certain I will drink coffee again, but I endeavor to drink it mindfully. Not to just make a six-cup pot out of habit, and grab another cup of double-shot on my way to work. Am I going to give up muffins? No way; but again I can act from consciousness of the results of that within my body. Knowing that my body is really looking for the next source of protein, rather than the next sugar high is a great start to any day.
The reality is, I need to live and function in this society in present time, but I can bring awareness and knowledge to how I approach food and my interaction with it. Women are constantly worried about their weight, and the media preys on this by selling the next miracle potion, surgery, injection or fad diet. While in the same breathe, we are surrounded by images of pizza, fried food, triple-stacked burgers and “mouth-watering” desserts. We are given mixed messages everyday about food and how to relate to it, and our bodies. Doing this 9-day cleanse program has re-grounded me in the role food plays in life and in my body, and reminded me of the choice I have in each moment. The present moment is the only moment that is real, and is where we create our lives from.
Congratulations to those who participated in the group cleanse! But don’t worry if you didn’t – you haven’t missed the boat. The Wellness Center stocks Isagenix cleanses and Sharon (and the other administrative staff) are happy to support you through the process.
