The 15 Day Cleanse and Caffeine Addiction

Left to Right: My sister Morgan, Me-Dior-AKA The Sunny D, and Mom

I started the 15 day cleanse Sunday. 

If you have never done a cleanse, lucky you. It is basically a self induced intestinal flu complete with stomach cramps and nausea. I first tried this cleanse last September. I was training for the marathon and running about 40 miles a week. Twenty or so of those miles all at once on a Saturday. I kept getting light headed and feeling like I might pass out. I had to quit the cleanse. A cleanse is NOT for the faint of heart, or stomach, or intestines, or someone training for a marathon for that matter. I know you are wondering why I would do this to myself. I am wondering the same thing. My Mom tried the cleanse, it made her so sick she stopped after a few days. This is my third time on this cleanse and this is why.

It works. 

I am a caffeine addict. It is true, I first kicked the caffeine habit last October AFTER I ran my marathon while I did this cleanse. What this cleanse does is cleans all of the toxins out of your body. I know this sounds hokey and I am not a believer in herbal/Eastern Medicine BUT there are times that I am and this is one of them. I started the cleanse with FULL intent of cleansing the toxins out of my body while continuing my three 32 oz of McDonald's Diet Cokes a day habit. However, drinking soda with this cleanse nearly put me in the morgue. The cramps I felt were WORSE than labor, WORSE than a rotten appendix, AND WORSE than a gallbladder attack. I know this is true because I have survived all of them. I thought it was just this stupid cleanse, and then after talking with a few of my friends who had done this cleanse realized that only the ones who were soda drinkers like me were experiencing these side effects. One of my friends got so sick she started throwing up. The pain was unbelievable. It was at this moment that I went. What. AM. I DOING TO MY BODY. I quit soda right then and there. I finished the cleanse and I found that I craved healthy foods, I didn't want sugar I wanted fruit and veggies and salad and yummy whole REAL food. It worked. 

Here's the thing. I REALLY love Diet Coke, it makes me feel a pseudo happiness. I know, its a pop for heaven's sakes, not a person, or an accomplishment, or anything good. It is a DRUG. It is addictive. I lost 10 pounds after giving up DIET coke. Do you know what else I noticed? I noticed after some time that I had lost my ability to distinguish tastes. Things that are SO sweet to me now, tasted bland. My sense of smell was numbed as well. Now, when I walk into the produce section of a supermarket I can SMELL the sweetness of the fruits. It is SO YUMMY. I don't know what is in diet coke but it robbed me of the joy to taste and smell. That is sad. 

The soda pop battle rages on. 

Whenever I am stressed or tired, I want a diet coke. Naturally, at the end of the school year I was stressed, and tired and got back into the bad habit of getting a diet coke each day. JUST ONE, not three. However, I had to be honest with myself, I was craving it daily. I found myself wanting one as I drove past a Circle K or McDonald's. I noticed that I was craving crummy, sugary foods instead of wholesome foods. I realized I had to do something about it, it was time to nip the sugar bug in the bud. It was time to DETOX. So here I am, self induced stomach flu but only for a few days. The great thing about this is that as the detox continues I feel so much better. I have more energy, I crave healthy foods AND WATER. I know it is good for ME because of those reasons. I feel so much better after I finish the cleanse and my craving for soda literally vanishes. I do allow myself the occasional soda, but ONLY at the movies. That is it and not until I am off of it for two weeks straight. It feels good to know how to free myself from that addiction. It feels good to be in control of me, and my cravings. 

Tonight we had a big extended family FHE at Peter Piper Pizza. It was actually a genius idea because all of the kids played, we all ate, and NONE of us had to clean up or were hot because we were inside. OH, and none of us had to cook! BUT. There was the soda fountain. It had Mr. Pibb my other favorite. I sauntered up to the machine, I thought just one small cup of soda won't hurt me, I do love Mr. Pibb. I filled my cup with ice and then filled it with Gatorade, followed by free refills of water. I couldn't have done that a year ago. A small step it may look to you but a GIANT leap for ME. Later, my Dad said, "WOW, you look like a million bucks." I gave him a smile and said, 'Well, I started the cleanse on Sunday." We shared a knowing look, and laughed heartily.

The healthy life, is a good life. 

XOXO The Sunny D