Woman Code Detox Experience

4 days, similar food variations, and soul cleansing activities. That's what the very first detox I've ever done has brought to me. It wasn't easy, a fair bit of life happened during it. But hopefully as I fully explain the details you, dear reader, can find the resilience to do something hard that you want to do. I knew I wanted to do this detox, that was encouraged by my doctor when I asked her, in between my two vacations. And when I set my mind to something, I tend to do it. (It used to stem from stubbornness, but now it feels like determination).

On Tuesday, I meal prepped for my detox on and off from 10:30-4. MUCH longer than expected. And as it turns out, I made more food than required. But hey that means I have nutritious food prepared for after the detox, but boy was my kitchen a mess! I made the following,

• mung beans with kombu.

• sauteed collard greens with onions and peppers.

• quinoa.

• veggie soup (carrots, celery, onion, radishes, and arugula cooked in water).

• brown rice.

• salmon with a side of peppers.

• fruit salad (apples and grapes in lemon juice and flaxseed).

• bok choy salad (apples, onions, coriander, and microgreens).

Day 1, I wrote the following entry in my phone, "As I am here eating my fruit salad, detox juice, and water, I am excited to continue to try new foods. Specifically the yogurt from Pilgrims haha." Pilgrims is a local organic store that carries small companies, like yogurt from Ogden, Utah! But as I am writing this now, four days later, I can't help but laugh at this statement because as I was at the end of the second detox day, I was excited to eat differing foods again. One has to have a lot of willpower to eat the same meals over and over again I'll tell ya.

Something else I would have to get used to during this detox was that one needs to rest more. The book said it, but the thing that made me believe it, was the fact that on the first day of the detox I decided to choreograph for an hour and a half. In between breakfast and lunch. During this time, I found it very hard to focus and keep up the steam to keep dancing. But again, I was determined to get it started. After choreographing, lunch couldn't come soon enough! I was hungry by 10:30am, an hour after I finished eating breakfast. But I wanted to wait 3 hours after breakfast before I ate lunch to acquire proper digestion and meal balance. The detox also doesn't have you eat a snack in between lunch and dinner, to further justify why I didn't eat lunch right away. Lunch was nutritious and oh so filling, but given the demands of making all this food the day before and then choregraphing. I was feeling fatigued. So by the time I ate veggie soup for dinner I was beat. It felt like my spring allergies were in full swing, I had a headache. And Jacob was in pain because of an infected tooth. This determined spirit was just determined to get to bed.

Day 2, I woke up sleepy but got ready for work nonetheless. The book said that this was normal so I kept it at that as well as I could. However, as the day lingered my anxiety got higher. We had spent money on antibiotics that didn't cure Jacob's tooth infection, and made it impossible for him to open his jaw very much. So he made the tough decision to go see a dentist who told him to get the impact wisdom tooth removed and get a root canal on the tooth next to it. The irony? He had just gotten a job that offers him dental insurance, but only after a certain time frame. He was only working at this job for two weeks. Talk about terrible timing considering we are also going to San Diego soon. On top of that our dishwasher was broken, work was frustrating, and I was missing my family and friends like crazy. "I was wishing life was easier right now," I remember thinking. There were a lot of little stressful things adding up to where it was feeling a little hard to stay strong. So yet again, bedtime couldn't come early enough.

Day 3, I felt more energized but still a little depleted. I was looking forward to having a change in this detox, today was vegan day. Which meant quinoa instead of salmon for lunch. Breakfast and dinner remaining the same; fruit salad and juice then veggie soup to wrap up my evening. Plus I had a massage scheduled after work. I had lots to look forward to! Work, however, had different ideas. This has been a sore spot for months now. Because I don't feel much gratitude from the rest of the staff, even though I help them clean up situations from their shift so much. It's truly aggravating. Today was that and then some. I walked in and it was so loud and busy at 7 am. Parents weren't paying attention to their unruly kids, mid shift didn't do what they promised to a guest so I got a mouthful for their mistake, guests and coworkers needed what felt like a billion things from me at once. I was depleted and angry. Thank god I had that massage later this afternoon otherwise I might have just flipped. Once I vegged out on the massage table, work thoughts faded away. I couldn't even remember why I was so upset. So thank you Woman Code for encouraging I get one in your book!

Day 4 I was feeling energized and hopeful! This truly shows what a good nights sleep and massage can do. It was the last day of the detox and I was stoked. Not because I didn't feel physically well at this point in the detox. But because I wanted to eat different food again. Day 4 offered a different change, I ate an avocado with the same ol' breakfast, had a yummy salmon lunch, then instead of veggie soup, I had quinoa and sauteed spinach. Slight changes, but enough to be grateful for. I felt lighter and prouder which made me look at the world more hopeful and optimistically. By this day, many hopeful talks with Jacob had been had, and today felt easier, which is something I was searching for the day before. I won't say the stresses were 100% gone, but a breath had been given and resilience increased. This was by far the easiest detox day.

My favorite part of this detox was that it wasn't solely food based, because neither are any lifestyle changes. Each day I was encouraged to journal to different prompts for at least ten minutes and engage in detoxing activities.

• Day 1- Activity, go through your clothes and donate them. Luckily I had done this a few weeks ago, so I just had to take them to the thrift store. Journal prompt, what are your intentions during this reset? This is the opportunity to get excited about and think big on! What I wrote- I want to be balanced, and to know by body deeply and complexly. Additionally, I want to keep being comfortable and bold enough to try new things; to challenge myself.

• Day 2- Activity, go through your kitchen and get rid of msg, hydrogenated oils, and old food. Which I did happily, especially considering that it freed up so much space. Journal prompt, how can you be compassionate towards your body everyday? Brainstorm some ideas and do one a day next week and see how you feel. What I wrote- To make more time for sexual pleasure. Hug a tree-it symbolizes being firm but being flexible to the wind. Dance for yourself, by yourself, in the backyard. Take Elton to the lake- it's both fun and grounds you.

  
  

• Day 3- Activity, get a massage and then go through your bathroom of any bleach products and air fresheners. This one was easy since we really don't have that much of these products. Journal Prompt, write about subjects that are important to you. Have fun with it! What I wrote- Not being a martyr to my job and keeping family first. I have noticed how many of my family members don't have this balance and work too much. No thank you!

  
  

• Day 4- Activity, take an Epsom salt bath to finalize feelings of detoxing. Journal prompt, write about your biggest dreams and fantasies. Don't limit yourself. Take time to think about what you want in your life next year. Then, get crafty with it! Put it on paper then hang it on you fridge. What I wrote- I want a big backyard, enough to play in, garden, and have chickens to tend to. I'll take patio furniture and a grill too. As you walk in my home, it's clear that it's not Pinterest worthy. It's maximalist, filled with art, findings on hikes, and summer swims. I want our house to feel interesting and welcoming. We will welcome our friends and family over in our large kitchen where we can cook a large feast. Our kids will share others their toys as we hear them laughing in their rooms or outside. After a dinner delicacy, we go outside with dessert and wine and hear the sound of the creek. Our home feels celebratory most of the time and that's what makes it unique. When we aren't at home, we are explorers touring the world.

Let me be completely real, I didn't finish all of these activities because I ran out of time. But I did give them all good thought in the moments where I cuddled with my family, or dry brushed before showering; moments of stillness where I could put these concepts from my brain, into my body. I was tired enough to be calm and accepted the fact that this activity was hard. So I figured it was okay to miss some of these activities.

All and all, I am glad to have done this, and will likely do it again. It allowed me to discover new foods and better understand their benefits. It also gave me an understanding of how resilient I am; going when the going get's tough. The day after the detox, I found myself really indulging in the taste of some home made chicken broccoli casserole- my mother-in-law's recipe. The day after that I started my period, so my timing of this detox was perfect since professionals don't encourage detoxing or fasting during your menstrual cycle. Now it's time to rest, eat foods that promote a healthy menstrual cycle, and prepare for my trip to San Diego!

Happily living yours,

Emma