My 28 Days

Tomorrow is the beginning of a 28 day detox program (Ultraclear, for those who know anything about detox programs) for me. My naturopath has asked me to do this in order to help me feel better as we try to combat some rather difficult and frustrating issues related to treating my hypo-thyroidism (more specifically, Hashimoto's Thyroiditis). I am actually kind of excited about the whole detox thing and have decided to blog about the experience both as a journal and for those who may be interested in following along.

Days 1-6 involve a rather significant dietary change, though I will be eating very filling and healthful meals each day. These days shouldn't be too challenging as I already eat very little wheat, corn, and dairy. Here is a chart the outlines the diet (what to include and exclude)...

Hope that is readable! If not, the things that are excluded are primarily based on what are known as the "top ten allergens"... wheat (any gluten containing grains), corn, dairy, soy, sugar, caffeine, eggs, peanuts, etc.

Days 7-13 are the strict detoxifications days. I will still be eating a lot, but it will basically be limited to fruit, vegetables, rice (as my only starch source), healthy fats (like olive oil or flaxseed oil), spices and herbs.

Days 14-28 will be days where I slowly begin to reintroduce things to be diet. This is actually a great chance to re-test myself for some food allergens by paying attention to how my body responds as I reinitiate each thing (for instance, do I get an upset tummy, headache, or any other sympton after reintroducing gluten/wheat?).

In addition to the dietary changes I will also be eating varying amounts of the Ultraclear rice protein (vanilla) every day. This is not only loaded with protein, but also a large number of vitamins and minerals to make sure my body is not lacking for anything during this time. I will be able to mix the powder with water, rice or nut milk, or even use it to make some fruit smoothies. The program also requires that I drink at least 2 quarts of water a day. Something I wish I were doing already, but admittedly, will be a challenging task to undertake I think.

And so the journey begins.