Demeter's Garden

I don’t usually like detox diets, cleanses, or fasts. My philosophy is that the best way to keep your body running smoothly is to eat healthy all the time. That means lots of whole grains, fruits, and veggies,  limited processed foods/sugar, and paying attention to your body to see what makes you feel good and what doesn’t. It’s going to take longer than a week to get out toxins you regularly put in your body, and it’s pointless if you’re just going to put them back.

So then why on Earth do I like the Adventure Cleanse Tune-up from Crazy Sexy Life so much? Maybe it’s the idea of a tune up instead of a detox. A tune up for your body, at least to me, is stepping and looking at your overall health. What do I put in my body on a regular basis, and is it doing me any good? For me, it is about detoxing your mind of bad habits and negative thought patterns. Here are the things I am trying to change by following this plan:

• I can tell myself I need caffeine, but what if I am following a plan that doesn’t allow coffee and soda? It allows for all the tea you want, but I HATE tea. So I can learn to live without caffeine or learn to make some healthy tea beverages that taste good and are way better for me than pop. As it is, I’ve discovered that I can make a decent chai with soy milk and oolong tea. My brain gets its caffeine (but still much less than usual), my body gets some nutrition instead of corn syrup, and everyone is happy!
• Got digestive problems? It’s cool, we can talk about it here, don’t be shy. I’ve been diagnosed with IBS. I’ve already discovered that lactose was a huge problem, which helped me decide to go completely vegan. There is one other major bad guy out there: gluten. I’m not sure if all gluten is a problem for me, or if it’s just too much gluten, but I’m giving it up for a month. I’ll see how I feel!
• How about budget issues? Ever notice that you can get any combination of eggs, flour, corn syrup, mystery meat, and dairy pretty damn cheap almost anywhere? Try avoiding all of those in your diet, and tell me your grocery bill doesn’t spike. It takes effort and planning, but you can eat healthy on a budget. What I have realized this week is that if I spend a little more on groceries and plan my meals for the week, I will actually save money. When I don’t have a plan and I just buy whatever is on sale, I end up ordering lunch out at work, or my hubby ends up getting fast food because there is nothing to eat in the house. We spent more than usual on our groceries today, but we’ve got meals for the week and I think our only dinner out will be our weekly trivia night.
• Exercise. I hate exercise. I really do. I’d rather take a nap than exercise any day. Maybe it’s my short attention span, but exercise has got to be the most MIND NUMBINGLY BORING activity in the world. But for the next month, hubby and I are going to try to get moving a bit. I did buy a WiiFit, I’ll let y’all know how that goes!

I will update you guys on how the Adventure Cleanse Tune-up is going. I don’t think we’re going to get quite to the top level of raw food/cooked food ratio since we are new to raw food, but I’m just going to try to include as much raw as I can this month. My hubby (a confirmed omnivore and cheese lover) is going to try it with me, I will be sure to report how the dairy-free aspect is going with him!

Are you doing the ACT too? Let me know your plan!

see more dog and puppy pictures

• Being free! Check out this guide to freedom!
• Hippies! Think hippies are a bunch of burnouts? Try this piece from Daily Kos.
• Hugs! Check out the anonymous hugging wall!
• Veggies!  Veggie Pride Parade in New York, May 17!

Remember that great scene in Mr. Deeds where Adam Sandler is asking all of the investors what they really wanted to be when they grew up? How many people actually end up doing what they wanted to do as children? Well, the real world costs money, and real, often times boring, jobs provide that income.

But why do we define yourself on what our 9-5 job happens to be?  You might be a pharmacist or a salesperson, or a nurse, but what REALLY describes you? Mother, vegan, faerie, Wiccan, writer, explorer, adventurer, yogini?

Ever really want to be a superhero? Check out the World Superhero Registry for a little inspiration. I’ve got half a mind to get a pink unitard and start knocking on doors of people who leave their pets out in the heat/cold too long. Of course, I suspect these guys are a little more intimidating, but it would still be fun!

Why don’t more of us put in some spandex and save the world? Because we are embarrassed. We live in a society where it’s ok to go on a reality show and try to stab others in the back to earn some money, but it’s considered weird if you want to go out and fight injustice in a cape.

Whatever. As you’d hear on Mythbusters, “I reject your reality and substitute my own.” Because in this case, your reality is bullshit. If we all started doing the things that bring us joy and stop worrying about what everyone else thinks, the world would be a very magickal place.

Homework: Take a piece of paper (preferably scrap paper, as we are all about eco-friendly here) and write down 10 nouns that describe you, without using your profession. You don’t have to show the list to anyone,although if you’d like to post it in the comments, you are more than welcome. Can’t think of ten? Then spend a little time talking to your inner child and see what he/she wants you to become.