Day 9 - Raw & Alive

Tonight was stellar!  Here's the list for today first.

Breakfast:

• Juice - kale, cucumber, ginger, apple, snow pea, bean, carrot

Lunch:

• Organic Connections Zaghetti (YUUUUHHMM!!  I am investing in a spiral slicer as my daughter & myself, LOVE pasta)
• veggie sushi
• Smoothie - Blueberries, banana, fresh squeezed orange juice

Snack:

• tried two tea lattes as a cheat and they were so sweet, I couldn't drink either.  yikes!
• peppermint tea
• fig

Dinner:

• Organic Connections (again!) Thai Wrap - Cucumbers, carrot, red pepper, avocado, alfalfa sprouts, seasoned seeds with a spicy almond Thai sauce wrapped in a seasonal green or rice paper.
• Chai Latte (finally tried to get a proper latte to cheat with)

Snack:

• omg...  "Grounded Nutrition" made a feast of things: smoothies, pudding, wraps, dips, sauces... so wonderful.
• came home and made some for hubby too!

Notes:

• My mouth is really icky.  I noticed it before the workshop.  Gummy, furry teeth, plaque.  I know what it is: the two overly sugared tea lattes I had sips of, and the chai latte I had with dinner.  Sugar creates plaque - duh.  But the thing that clicked is what Whitney said as an example she did with a client where they took all packaged foods from the lady's kitchen and looked at the ingredients.  What is in them?  Take a look at your own boxes or packages of processed foods at home: SUGARS!  and whatever else is in there.  yes, there are sugars in veggies and fruits, especially when you juice, but for whatever reason, I haven't been getting that plaquey feeling on the days I don't have processed foods.   Such a significant difference, that it now feels really gross to have this plaquey, gummy feeling.  icchhhh!  There was sweeteners of various kinds (stevia, honey, maple syrup) in some of the samples too, but I'm going to try without, or diminishing it.
• My eczema is flaring up.  Not good.  Two points of view from tonights women:  1. I've spent decades ingesting the crap I have.  It's going to take a while to get rid of it too; letting go of the layers of ick that have built up.  2.  wheat and dairy often have a part in eczema.  Guess what I ate yesterday (that is my usual timeframe of eating certain foods that I realized were triggers, to an increase in eczema)?  Pita & Tzadziki.  
• You know when you are not feeling so hot, when you get better, it's not till you are better and then look back at how not good you were feeling, that you realize how much better you now feel?  I realized tonight that I haven't had moments of feeling tired, or blah.  yes, life gets frustrating, or overwhelming and I had a couple days of headachyiness (due to a cold, or "detoxing"?), but I don't feel the afternoon greys, or fatigued, or exhausted.  
• My cold (headache, stuffed nose, sore throat) came and went pretty darn quick.  I think it is due to my saliva/mucous not being so thick and gummy.
• I worked my tooshie off yesterday and thought I'd be screaming sore today.  Not even.  My calves are completely fine and my quads are lightly stiff.  Yihaw!
• I am noticing a really cool shift mentally and almost spiritually (interesting, huh?).  Not only do I feel more digestively efficient and abundant, I feel more clear in my mind and more intuitive or spiritually grounded.  I feel content and present - even though there are some issues on my plate that are pretty significant, I feel content.  I don't think I've ever felt to this degree before.  Rock n' ROLL baby!!
• Took Grounded Nutrition's "Raw Food On The Go" Workshop tonight hosted by Organic Connections Cafe.  Whitney, the instructor was amazing and the food... I looked at the recipes and thought "Hm...", but every dish she gave us to sample was FANTASTIC - SO delicious!  It gives me huge inspiration in making this a lifestyle choice, rather than a 15 day program.  I plan on taking many more workshops with her and posting about them - yihoo!!   Unreal how good that feels to eat so well with it being so yummy.  I know, I sound like I'm on something...  
• I've done cleanses before, three, I think?  I felt depleted, grumpy, couldn't wait for the days to pass so I could just "GO AND EAT WHAT I WANT TO EAT!"...  This is not the same at all.  The differences I feel are fundamental, innate, like things are just clicking, vibrant yet peaceful, like being "plugged in" or a hard line to Life.  In fact, I'd like to quit counting days if it weren't for in turn supporting my hubby in completing his time. 
• So Day 9 done.  After tonight, I don't see this as so much of a program anymore.  In fact, I'm not sure how I am going to transition back in to what I did before.  I will not transition in to what I did before.  I will still enjoy certain foods, and devour and appreciate meals out, but I know in our home, the shift is already well underway and it is something that is now a part of me.  I want more.  It just feels right!