I want to thank you for being so honest and descriptive about your anxiety. It is a little ray of sane sunshine to me when I am loosing my own marbles.

oh, and also?

FIRST!!! Woot!

Yep, this is all the proof I need to know that caffeine and sugar are intergral staples of any mother's diet.

And now, any time I start coming down with a sinus infection, I'll take it as a sign that I need more Cold Stone (love it size, of course).

It's almost like you tried the diet and gave up for me...

Thank God. I will admit, as I said to Carol, that I am relieved. I'm glad that perhaps you got what you needed out of it in such a short time, but GOOD GODDAMN, I hated that it was making anyone sick. Because no matter how toxic caffeine and/or sugar might be, the fact that you got SICK from this is ... well, dude, it doesn't seem right, I'm sorry. Plus, I know Carol well enough to know that the woman was ALREADY careful and thoughtful with her food choices, whether she realized it or not. And I'm imagining you were much the same.

I guess what I'm saying is that you should both give yourself a lot more credit for your existing behaviors. Take what you need to take from this, but also be kind to yourself.

Good for you. You tried it and it did have a good affect on your awareness of what you are putting into your body. I think that is what the author of that book was going for, more than anything else. Even though I eat *mostly* vegan (always vegetarian) I just can't/don't want to give up my 2 cups of coffee in the morning. That in and of itself is a big deal!

On a side note, I've been reading your blog on and off for about 3 years now. I always come back to it because of your honesty and humor. I do appreciate the time you put into this! So, thanks for being so candid all the time.

A few years back I had a serious case of hives. In an effort to deduce what was causing them, my doctor mandated that I go on a chicken and rice diet. I could eat chicken. I could eat rice. I could eat chicken with rice. No oil, no spices, no flavorings. That was it. I lasted about 8 days (the hives didn't go away), but after about 48 hours my brain started doing very very very bad things. My nerves were shot, I cried all of the time, my emotions were crazy: I was on the verge of taking a hostage at all times. It was the worst week of my life. I marvel at your ability to last as long as you did on your cleanse!

Congratulations on coming out the other side of your cleanse with a new attitude about food and the ability to see the difference it made while you were on it. I wondered if you doctor wrote you a prescription for Hobnobs, and if so, I'd like him to be my doctore, too. By the way, I have heard the word cleanse more times since Oprah announced she was starting her own cleanse than I have in my entire life.
Jules

Thank goodness. Kudos for listening to your body, woman - feeling that awful is not a sign of progress or adaptation. Your body was telling you to cut it out, and you did the right thing.

Good for you for making positive changes in the way you eat and live. I agree with your feelings about meat, and we've been able to make the switch to local, humanely raised meat. Ask around at your farmer's market and I bet you'll find something.

All things in moderation...

Hi Heather - I have been reading your blog for about 2 years now and ALWAYS smile or chuckle or nod my head in agreement while reading. I wish I had read your blog right after my son was born (he's 3 now) as I think I had some post partum going on there but didn't really want to admit to not being incredibly overjoyed at the whole new Mom thing. It dissapated and I'm fine but reading your archives makes everything seem clearer. You're a brave woman going through what you did and then letting the WHOLE WORLD know about it. Please know that it makes us all feel so much better. Leta is super cute and I love your monthly newsletters. I think when she turns 18 you should print them all in a book... Anyway - do you know what prompted me to write after reading for 2 years? HOB NOBS! I love Hob Nobs and they're such a rarity and I'm like that's what I'd eat first after a cleanse - if I could get my hands on some! Have you tried the dark choclate ones? Yum!
Anyway - sorry it's taken so long to say something but know that you're appreciated everyday and thought of as a real inspiration to Moms everywhere!

YAY FOR QUITTING DIETS! That is the best feeling EVER! LOL
Hope you get feeling better!

I've been on a simmilar cleanse, thanks to my natropath, except I'm allowed small amounts of white meat and am not allowed to eat breads. At all. However, I let myself minorly slip up about once a day and I've been feeling SO great. It's alla bout realizing what makes your body feel good and your tastebuds are a part of your body! So, kudos!

Americans (myself included) eat like shit! Any cleanse or diet (or pregnancy) that helps you take things out that you can live without are great experiments in strength. The things you took out, and will continue to leave out, are the same ones everyone knows about, but very few have the courage (or time, or energy) to eliminate. Thankfully you brought wine back in though... I mean, that one was a little ridiculous... even Jesus had wine.

And here I was contemplating doing my own cleanse! Back to my three cups of coffee and random food I suppose.

Seriously, though, I've been better about my intake lately, partly because I am on a diet and partly because I want to eat better and enjoy what I eat instead of scarfing it down. It's hard when you're on a diet and you want to scarf everything down, but it really *does* give me a greater appreciation for food. Anyway, I am happy to read a post from you as always!

Sorry you're sick, but I'm glad to hear that you've had an epiphany, blah, blah, blah...but the real revelation that I wanna hear more about is that you're writing another book! I actually made it through the whole radio interview (listened while cooking dinner tonight) and after hearing how you described the process of writing the first one, I assumed there wouldn't ever be another. Thanks for being willing to tackle another book project for the edification of us devoted readers. Hope you feel better very soon!

Wow. I would have thought the opposite ... My nose stopped making snot when I gave up dairy ten years ago. Maybe your nasal cavity was going through a little withdrawal, or just throwing a tantrum.

Kudos for the changes you've continued to make. I hope that I do as well when I start the cleanse on Friday. One thing that worries me is that I keep accidentally calling it a "fast". o_0

Oh, yeah. Andrea is right about tofu. I encountered this view on the internet and scoffed since I lived almost entirely on soy. Then my thyroid went crazy. Tofu's OK in moderation. The problem is probably that so many foods have such a high soy content. I cried when I had to stop drinking soy milk. But my thyroid levels went back to normal as soon as I did this.

Just like sugar. I stopped eating sugar and must shamefacedly admit that the hippies were right. DAMNIT.

I always looked down on those people who thought about everything they ate and were all proud of their millet and spelt recipes and their amaranth pancakes. (As a person who lived in Berkeley for a while, I admit that I developed a taste for muffins with the consistency of clods of dirt but I hated to admit it to myself.) Now I'm one of them.

I still shave my underarms though.

Did the doctor say *why* the cleanse was making you ill? What mechanism is at work? Too big of a change? Too sudden? Missing nutrients? Would it be better to ease into such a thing or would it be a bad idea and make you ill no matter how you started? (I'm just curious. I have no intention of doing anything similar myself. Although I am weaning myself off Diet Coke. Again.)

You are inspiring anyway.

Heather,
I want to say kudos to you on your cleanse AND the fact that you're not going straight back to SAD (standard american diet) right away.

I'm betting your doctor is exactly right, but I just want to say from my rough understanding of the philosophy of natural therapeutics, that sinus infection is really just a sign that your body is cleaning out all the toxins. Symptoms of illness are just a bringing to a head of the toxins that are sitting around in your body. It should be a sign that the cleanse is working and furthermore, the acuteness and strength of your sinus infection is an indication of how strong your vital energy/life force. The harder you get sick/the shorter the illness = stronger life energy/healthier person.

Everything in moderation, eh? I'm glad to hear this cleanse has turned you on to better food and less anxiety. From my heart to you, I hope the trend continues.

Yeah, Yeah, what she said...why did the Doc say you were sick..specifically? Oh and woooo whooo to the wine and treats!

human test words: Carso Drive ... huh?

Thank you for writing about your experience with this cleanse. I have anxiety as well, and while I'm not strong enough to do even a 2 day cleanse, it's great to learn that you are noticing differences.

Have you read "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" by Barbara Kingsolver? It totally changed the way I think about what we eat and where our food comes from. I love that you're awareness is spurring you to action!

And sweet potatoes are seriously the best. Just roasted with a little olive oil and salt. mmmmmmm.

Bossy and all her worst habits thank you from the bottom of their hearts.

I am so impressed that you have been able to stick with your plan. Even if you cannot stay with it to the degree you originally planned, isn't it great to know that you do have the willpower to do it? I wish I had some willpower. My family is leaving tomorrow for 9 days without me (YIPEE) and I am afraid the first thing I will do is go buy some chocolate fudge Pop Tarts. God help me.
Loves,
Shaun

Sometimes a (brief) severe regimen can jump-start a (long-term) mindful plan. Sounds like you just experienced exactly that.

I raise my glass in your direction, toasting good nutrition, good health, and good vibes, whatever that means for you and however you manage to get there!

I'm really happy that you are so open about your experience with this "cleanse." It seems like so often you see celebrities - Oprah, I'm talking to you - who push these sorts of diets and regular folks think "well, heck, Oprah did it, it must be okay" and the fact is, they just aren't healthy.

By the way, the verification words for me to type in are: SENDING DEFEAT. Awfully pessimistic for a computer.

The Sweet Potato truly is a gift from the Gods.

Glad that this cleanse has helped you learn more about your approach to food, but it's a shame that you ended up sick in the process.

You're the valedictorian of honesty.

Giving up caffeine is HUGE; good for you! On a completely unrelated note, I enjoyed listening to your interview. You know, it's kind of Buddhist - the fact that you enjoy the writing about here and now and not having to string longer narrative together with a theme; you're staying in the moment. It also reminded me a lot of that same tendency I've been struggling with in myself. BUT, we may be rewired to be that way. Check out the article "Is Google Making Us Stupid?" in the current Atlantic. Maybe it's becoming that way for writers who blog, too :)

It sounds like you really learned a lot from this experience.

I think cleanses are good--sort of like hitting a reset button on your system. In many ways, it sounds like that happened for you in spite of having to cut it short.

Good for you for listening to your body and to your doctor!

Now get well soon!

I did a mini-version of your cleanse and realized on day 2 how much I love Pink Prosecco. Now I won't feel guilty for having some, knowing it's hard for others, too. :) Thank yoooooooou.

P.S. Sweet potato fries rawk with edamame.

No judgment, Heather. Two steps forward, one step back, you did what you needed to do. ROCK ON.

Heather,

I've only shared this with my closest friends but in this case I will make an exception.

Better Than Cleanse Cake

INGREDIENTS

* 1 (18.25 ounce) package devil's food cake mix
* 1/2 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
* 6 ounces caramel ice cream topping
* 3 (1.4 ounce) bars chocolate covered toffee, chopped
* 1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

DIRECTIONS

1. Bake cake according to package directions for a 9x13 inch pan; cool on wire rack for 5 minutes. Make slits across the top of the cake, making sure not to go through to the bottom.
2. In a saucepan over low heat, combine sweetened condensed milk and caramel topping, stirring until smooth and blended. Slowly pour the warm topping mixture over the top of the warm cake, letting it sink into the slits; then sprinkle the crushed chocolate toffee bars liberally across the entire cake while still warm. (Hint: I crush my candy bars into small chunks as opposed to crumbs - I like to have pieces I can chew on!)
3. Let cake cool completely, then top with whipped topping. Decorate the top of the cake with some more chocolate toffee bar chunks and swirls of caramel topping. Refrigerate and serve right from the pan!

Enjoy.

you always make me spit my milk! even though this is almost tangibly less edgy it is still funny as hell.

Mmmm....Hobnobs. I *love* Hobnobs.

i think it is such a smart idea moving toward a really healthy diet. Leta will thank you when you live to be 100. (or maybe not!..)

My little sister tried something similar years ago. She was surviving on cranberry juice, 4 mile jogs and tree limbs. Her Doctor told her that her knees were now destroyed, and to go directly to Burger King and eat a cheeseburger before her spine caved in. 2 knee replacements and 10 years later she is on a balanced diet and back to normal. Good luck to you.

I'm curious...did the doc give any specific reasons why this isn't good for you? Sounded like you were eating all the right things. I guess the sudden withdrawal? Heck, if the doc says you have to have alcohol and hobnobs, you have to have alcohol and hobnobs!

Wow. I really try to find and eat ethically grown meat. I do my best to stay off all the artificial crap. Beer is my weakness.

Good luck to you. I'll be monitoring your progress.

Ms Sparky

thanks so much for sharing. i love the idea of ethically grown meat. but it seems like such an oxymoron in today's society. we want it. and we want it fast!

i have been vegan for about 6 months now. i totally relate to the de-tox sickies.

I rarely comment on anybody's blog but I found yours to be truly captivating. I want to commend you on your cleanse and lasting as long as you did. You are talking to the queen of cleansing and the kind of willpower involved, if given the opportunity, could manifest itself as the anti-christ.

What I wanted to recommend to you (if you didn't already know this), is after you finish your stint of antibiotics, you should begin a regiment of probiotics. Now I understand that the word "regiment" might cause your airway to constrict but dont panic just yet. Basically, when you take antibiotics you are not only killing the bad bacteria but you are killing the good bacteria as well. This is beyond detrimental and can lead to even worse illnesses and more frequent infections in the body.

I spent a good five years of my life as a walking sinus infection, taking a string of antibiotics. I spent another five years on a diet consisting mainly of organic, lean meats and vegetables because I was so ill. Not fun.

Yogurt is a form of a probiotic as well as a product called kefir (much like yogurt). Kefir is used primarily in european countries but I believe you can find it at whole foods or trader joe's or markets like those. Just check around. But yogurt and kefir are your best options. You should probably have your husband do it as well. And I know you wanted to cut out dairy products but yogurt/ kefir is definitely not the same as drinking pasteurized milk and eating pasteurized cheese. The cultures/ enzymes in these products feed the body in the proper way. Mind you, few mainstream doctors believe this is necessary. But this is only used to help the body bring itself back into balance.

The reaction that you and your friend experienced during the cleanse is more than likely a normal occurrence. Usually when you cleanse, you are allowing toxins to remove themselves and sometimes you experience old symptoms or the toxins get stuck and cause you to become ill. Cleanses can be tricky. I have definitely wandered onto the side of error more than once.

And while I may seem a bit creepy (fava beans or chianti, anyone?) that I would be so concerned with your cleansing, I only try to spread whatever knowledge I have been afforded. Just take it into consideration. It's a small addition to your already changing diet. Good luck with your new found awareness.

I tried giving up Starbucks, but I can't. It's like my DOC: drug of choice.

lol. so funny. i would be sending him flowers too!

ethical meat. nice one. i am with you on the sweat potato too.

I gave up caffeine about six months ago, in an attempt to improve my fertility. I haven't managed to get pregnant yet, but my anxiety has dropped significantly. It is shocking how much the caffeine, "fed" my anxiety. I am so glad I gave it up and doubt I will ever go back to drinking diet coke.

What about soy meat? Soy burgers taste really, really good.
I am trying to cut way down on dairy (mostly cheese) as well... Although there are other alternatives such as rice/soy/almond milk, etc.
The ethically raised meat is good. Definitely. It just breaks my heart what animals have to go through. (but it's still easy being a vegetarian! I've been one for 15 years now!)

Best. Entry. Ever.

You and my mother need to meet. You are exactly the same. I love you both for the hilarity you make life out to be.

Enjoy those diarrhea bombs coming back to real food. It's a bitch.

i would like to be able to give up meat, at least for periods of time, but with the little options i have as a student (being busy all day and eating on campus food at the school with the worst food) meat is the only thing that keeps me going. i have tried cutting back in other unhealthy food though.

Heather- I am proud of you! As a health professional in the "natural" world, I ALWAYS advise my clients to build their bodies before a cleanse. If you don't, you experience what just happened to you. It is to rough on our bodies to just start dumping toxins, etc... and expect it to assimilate and not crash. Also, what will happen during such a cleanse where you have not built your body is old illnesses that have lied dormant will crop up..i.e. the sinus infection. So, your Dr. was right. You needed to stop, but continue to modify. How do you build? Doing what you are doing... changing your habits slowly with food and eliminating what you have... awesome! Also, whole food supplements (herbs- and not THOSE kind of herbs ;)) completely help. I think eating clean meats, and no artificial sweeteners, less sugar and dairy is the way to go and I see it improve lives everyday. Keep it up!

Cleansings are hell. I lasted two and a half days on mine. I couldn't take the caffeine withdrawls. I needs the coffee!

You are a brave woman, and as usual have proven you eventually show some intelligence. Okay, so you didn't kiss the doctor. Hence just "some" ;)

Reading your blog has had an interesting side effect in my life: whenever I'm constipated, I think of you, and of the things you've tried. So, I'm genuinely interested: how was your poop with this diet?

well said Bette.

Oh, I should add that the reason I even posted that comment is because of your reference to how the cleanse has helped your anxiety.

There are several comments in that forum thread from people who claim to have experienced the same thing, so I figured if there's anything I could do to make you feel better psychologically it was worth risking your frying my computer remotely...

I've never in my life seen a Hobknob, but now I'll be looking.

I did a similar thing for a week. I felt better than I ever have, in between feeling like crap and wanting to die.

Funny how that works.

Heather, you're my hero!

Oh Dooce, I'm sorry you're not feeling well but please take a minute to reconsider your actions. A doctor tells you that by cutting out unhealthy foods, you are doing a bad thing? Excuse me? Dairy products are not only the end result of rape and torture and the direct foundation of the veal industry, but they are pure poison for humans to ingest. Do you have any idea how much pus there actually is in the American milk supply? And consumption of meat is not only the result of billions of slaughtered sentient creatures, it is also unnecessary for human health and can contribute to heart disease, high blood pressure, and a mulititude of other health problems. If a vegan diet is so unhealthy then why does the FDA, USDA, ADA and WHO, all agree that it is a perfectly suitable diet for all stages of life and can even lower our risk for all sorts of debilitating diseases, like diabetes, cancer, heart disease, etc?

Dooce, one doctor told you something at a time when you were feeling sick and crappy and vulnerable. You were changing a life time of unhealthy eating habits, of course you were going to feel out of whack. A person with any severe addiction feels awful when they are withdrawing, but no doctor would tell them to go back to the cigarrettes, booze, whatever.

Doctors are not infallible, a lot of them are idiots. Do more research, speak to more than just one person, and think about what is really, truly best for you. Just a few days ago you were brimming over with determination and hope, don't be scared of your own potential, just see where it leads you.

And let me just make one last point. There is no such thing as 'happy' or 'humane' meat, or eggs, or dairy. Whenever something is based on the exploitation and ultimate slaughter of a sentient creature it cannot, by definition, be happy or humane. For more information please visit humanemyth.org.

Good luck Dooce, I hope you feel better soon.

I'm not keeping track or anything, but you've had a LOT of sinus infections this year. Like way more than any human being should have to endure. And they seem to get better with a Z-pack but come back again within weeks. This is a VERY familiar pattern. It's the pattern of someone (like me) who has an infection but whose sinuses are so impacted they can't clear themselves because (and this is gross) there isn't enough of an opening to drain out all the snot. Um, yeah.

Have you had a CAT scan on your sinus cavities? You MIGHT want to talk to your doctor about that, seeing as you spend about half of your waking hours with headaches and head pain from the damn sinuses. An ENT is the doctor of choice for sinus issues. They'll look at your sinuses thru the CT scan, and if indeed your sinuses are impacted, surgery is the next step. It is HORRIBLE INVASIVE PAINFUL surgery. HORRIBLE.

But it works. It really does. I had little windows cut into my 4 front sinuses, and the sphenoid sinus cavity, the big one in the back that presses on your optic nerve and causes meningitis and blindness if not drained... yeah that one, was totally impacted. They drained it, opened it up, and since that surgery in 1994 I've had maybe 4 sinus infections.

Again HORRIBLE HORRIBLE surgery. But blindness and meningitis? Is there really a choice?

Glad you ended that cleanse. It sounded horrid.

While there is probably a little part of you that wishes you had gone through with this, don't underestimate what you've accomplished. You learned a lot in 8 days and there is no reason you cannot slowly remove those other unwanted things from your diet...in a way that doesn't send your body into shock.

I gave up refined sugar (only for a few weeks), but now I'm not snacking on it all day like I used to. And I'm much better about reading labels and finding natural sweeteners.

I'm hoping to take more junk out of my diet eventually, but I'm nursing my daughter right now and don't want to risk anything funny until she's weaned.

Anyway, thanks for sharing your experience. Your writing is always a pleasure to read.

lol. great post. first time here. i love it!

I'm really curious as to the exact nature of these "toxins" that everyone says are clearing out of your body causing the sinus infection. I can't help but feel that they're somewhat apocryphal. I mean, your kidneys and liver clear out toxins from things you eat, I think, not your sinuses. They clear out toxins from things you breathe, sort of. Right? What do I know? I'm just really curious what "toxins" are in this case. I'm also curious as to exactly what about the cleanse DID cause the infection.

That said, this cleanse did exactly what it needed to do, and that's get you to think more carefully about what you put in your body, and make conscious decisions about it instead of just choosing randomly or out of habit, and I think that's awesome. I'm so sorry it made you sick, though. I hope you're feeling better now.

I thought about posting this in a comment the other day, but I don't think I did: If you're ever craving bacon but don't want to overdo the animal fats, I totally recommend getting an heirloom tomato (or anything delicious and chewy) and sprinkling olive oil and smoked salt on it. It's healthier than bacon and tastes divine. Of course, I still eat bacon anyway, but sometimes I don't want to overdo it.

This is my first time commenting here, but I've been reading for ages and I love what you're doing. You are quite awesome. Feel better!

it makes that you got sick...that's detox for you. ;)

in any case, those changes are huge ones and as you go on you'll feel better and better. eventually detox won't be so hard on you. your body gets used to it, it gets healthier and stronger. when i eat the "average" north american diet i get symptoms very similar to what most people get when they eat a cleanse diet because my body isn't used to all of that crap. it gets better, much much better.

congrats to you!

i know i could never do this. but, i sure love reading about it! thanks for sharing. any photos?

Heather - I'm delighted you ventured down this less-traveled road, and have come away with some valuable insights!

And as a cleansing afficionado, I'd offer that a) the sinus infection, et al. you suffered was most likely a Herxheimer (detox) reaction, which is part of the cleansing process, and b) the degree of detox matched the severity of your cleanse.

Most people start giving up foods one at a time so they don't have to part with everything at once. That way it's easier to find out what foods work and what don't, and makes bingeing less likely.

But then we all know that British digestives and the like contain little magnets that pull us to their exact location and demand to slide down our throats. I've had it happen many times.

OK, so I'm going to be another of those opinionated commenters that knows so much better than you do... sorry. But this is one of my own private bugbears, so please bear with me.

Don't go gluten-free without talking to your doctor first. Seriously. This is as big a deal as 'wear sunscreen'. If you go gluten-free and feel worlds better, there is a good chance that you are Celiac (see, I'm even using US spelling for you). If you are Celiac, then there you need to know - being rigorously gluten-free is tough, you need the support of a dietician, and there are various other complications (e.g. osteoporosis) that need to be checked for. The complete &*&$^£& of it is that for the tests to work, you have to be eating significant amounts of gluten. So if you go gf and feel wonderful, the first thing you will be told is to start eating gluten again. Which can make you feel 1000 times worse than you did before.

And it's not rare - "they" are beginning to realise that about 1 in 133 to 1 in 100 people have it - the vast majority are wandering around undiagnosed. The symptoms are many and varied - and not always obviously gastro-related. (My son was picked up because of his bad teeth.)

Sorry, rant over. Wear sunscreen, don't go gluten-free without talking to your doctor.

Six months ago, my husband and I vowed to change our eating habits and get healthy. During the week no drinking, no eating out, lots of vegetables, low fat. On the weekends, from sundown Friday to sundown Sunday EVERYTHING is allowed. I've lost almost 20 pounds and he's lost 40.

But lately we've been getting depressed. Jobs suck, everything sucks, Tuesday night we almost cried in each others arms (and we're not that kind of couple).

Solution: break the fucking rules. A glass of wine and an ice cream sundae later and the world is shining brightly again.

Food has an amazing effect on your well-being.

I'm wondering why some people are assuming that because your doctor told you that he was opposed to your cleanse, that automatically means that he also told you that eating healthy is bad and that you should reintroduce junk food into your diet immediately. My guess is that your doctor was opposed to the sudden shock of deprivation and withdrawl of the cleanse, not the healthy food itself, and advocated that you make those dietary changes moderately and over time.

People. They so crazy. [chomps into cheeseburger]

I get sick within a week, every time I try to change my diet. Insanely annoying when I'm trying to be *healthier*.

Oh, and Hobnobs are the food of the gods - we go through about a pack a week per person in my office. They contain oats and fibre, and therefore are nutritious and healthy food. So there.

I don't always have the greatest confidence in medical professionals, but I kind of agree with what the doctor said, though it makes sense if you stop caffeine and sugar cold turkey, even if for a short while, you'll feel like crap.

And I am so not one to judge, believe me. I simply do not function without a cup of coffee, but I've had periods where I've given it up, and I felt awful the first week.

With all the talk of these cleanses, I've wondered how healthy it could possibly be to make such drastic changes all at once - although I applaud anyone who can do it. But whatever happened to "everything in moderation"? I know that's a boring concept, but even just Weight Watchers has helped me be conscious of the amount of fruits and vegs I eat - and at the same time get a handle on portions. That was a huge breakthrough that had a tremendous impact on my health. (I ignore all their suggestions for sugar-free this and Lite that because the chemicals wreak havoc for me.)

Anyway, I hope you're feeling better!

I am so sorry you became ill, but whatever works for you is great.

My mother has done cleanses before. I just don't have the will power to do it. I like my chocolate way to much, I like my beef way to much, and most of all, I like to stay unsick.

Kudos to you.

Thanks for sharing...I was gonna do a different cleanse but fuck that. Geeze, life is hard enough.

Man, if you figure out how to make that $100 bill thing work, will you post that too?

Hehehe

Baked sweet potatoes with maple syrup. You'll never want anything else for breakfast ever again- trust me. As for any meat-related exclamation point laden comments, pay them no mind. If eating meat makes you feel better physically, then by all means have at it. I'm sorry that you're cleanse was not entirely pleasant, but at least it succeeded in making you think more about the food you eat and how it makes you feel. And thank God for hobnobs, right?

Oh Hobnobs. What I wouldn't do for one of those right now. . . .

Glad to hear that you are listening to your body. Drastic change (like this cleanse) aren't always the best ways to go about making healthy choices.

As far as what you noticed about the cleanse and the changes in your anxiety levels - I totally hear ya! I have been diagnosed with depression and insulin resistance. I know that when I keep on track with healthy eating (meaning cutting out the refined sugary junk), my mood is much more level throughout the day. It's amazing what even the slightest shift in blood sugar chemistry can do to your mood and attitude.

Keep up the honesty - it's what keeps me coming back.

Since you mentioned pasta sauce, the best pasta sauce EVER is Rao's marinara sauce (pardon the hyperbole but this stuff is really incredible). Since you visited NY recently you'll feel like you're right back there again. Rao's Restaurant in Harlem only has 8 tables and is always booked by those with... well, CONNECTIONS - but you can buy their sauce in your local supermarket or even online! The ingredients are tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, fresh basil, and maybe salt and pepper. It's the only jarred sauce I'll ever eat... makes me feel like home, minus the smell of bus exhaust and hot garbage in July.

Congratulations on making it through your cleanse thus far, and those of us in the high fructose corn syrup club welcome you back with open arms.

i'm totally impressed that you made it eight days -- i fizzled out on day one, because i'm an utter coffee addict. however, i still think it's weird that your doctor was like "oh my god! stop that cleanse right now!" it's not like some weird fast or raw diet or even a macrobiotic diet or something. i really don't get it.

Hey, it was worth a try right? And you learned stuff, so aside from the deathly sickness, it wasn't a bad deal. I probably could give up meat fairly easily, but I'm afraid I wouldn't be conscious or committed enough to make sure I got the protein and etc from elsewhere. Just be careful, we love you. :O)

I feel like I ought to type this with very small letters....

I do think the sinus infection came from the cleanse. And I would argue that your body was trying to get rid of all the phlegm (i.e., irritation of the linings of your body) from milk, dairy, meat, etc. (Coming from someone who thinks Cheese is a basic food group)

From your experience, I'm definitely going to be using my neti pot during my cleanse.

I hope you feel better soon.

And I think 8 days is great. Isn't it supposed to be one day at a time? And if you want you can do another 8 days in 6 months, 9 months, a year, two years from now.

Is it wrong that I was also relieved when the doctor told you to go off the cleanse? Because I was worried that if you said the cleanse was the absolute best, most orgasmic experience, second only to tap-dancing with Jesus in a bowl of chocolate ice cream, I would feel compelled to try it...and I really didn't want the knowledge that giving up wine and pasta would make me feel that fantastic.

BUT: I'm glad that you were able to take some good things from the cleanse experience - especially the lessened anxiety. Kudos to you for having the balls to commit to it full-out.

Even though it didn't go as you thought it would, I appreciate you being honest about the progress. I am surprised the lack of certain foods is why you got so sick. The whole process is so interesting to read. Thanks for sharing!!

There is no ethical meat - don't try to fool your self. It's fine for you to eat meat, but just admit that it's cruel to think that you have the right to eat aother living being. I do it. The difference is that I admit what I'm doing it unethical. Anything less and you're just foolign yourself. I still like you though (most times).

Interesting experiment. Cool ending. :-)

This just proves my theory that skinny vapid Oprah is trying to kill us all. I want fat relevant Oprah back.

I started the ethical meat thing a little over a year ago. I'm a poor, poor med student, so I just don't buy meat now. I can't really afford the time or money free range requires (time because you actually have to research what 'free range' means to the asshole who stuck it on the package).

I will say, though, I don't miss it much. When I'm tempted to purchase some, I remember something an old friend told me once, "Once you buy the meat, you become the reason it died." That friend was a hunter who took his responsibility to make the quick kill very seriously. Unfortunately, if you sent me out to the woods with a bow and arrow, I'd come back without dinner. Or my left foot.

So, I'm pretty much off meat. I'm still a bitch in almost every other way, though. In fact, sometimes I chuck hunks of broccoli at old ladies and small children, just to spend a little of the karma I earn by not torturing the animals.

I'm also a little puzzled at the doctor. I started the Eat to Live diet a couple years ago for many of the same reasons, told my doctor what I was cutting out and what I was eating and she was thrilled. The diet was very much like the cleanse, all the same things are omitted, and there were food goals that I had to reach (like eating 2 lbs of veggies a day).

Of course, by that time, I had gotten to a better weight and my cholesterol dropped 30 points, so she saw that it was working for me. There has to be more to the story than the doctor just telling you to eat unhealthy foods.

It's interesting what you've said about food tasting different. Like I said, I gave up many of the same foods, and my perceptions changed within 6 weeks. I remember eating some veggie lasagna with bread sticks as a "cheat" and it tasted way too sweet! I also used to be the biggest fan of cheese ever, but now I won't touch the stuff if I can help it.

Everything in moderation Heather. I think doing cleanses shock the body, and agree with your doctor that it most likely made you sick. I also like your new attitude towards food - if only everyone thought like you. Get rid of the artificial crap, eat smaller healthy portions and even the bad stuff in moderation. Our bodies were not designed for all the stuff we constantly put in them, but doesn't mean I'm not going to have a beer or two (ok three.)

Anyway, thanks as always for sharing - enjoy your ethically treated grilled steak as much as I do.

Let's just get this straight. When you go on a cleanse, you feel bad because "toxins are leaving your body" just like when you had blood let in the 1800s you felt better because toxins were leaving your body. In other words, that idea is total BS. If you want to do a cleanse fine, but don't believe made up stuff. Why can't people just be sensible and moderate in their habits-eat fruits and vegetables, drink moderately, eat whole grains, eat small portions of meat-instead of going extreme and cutting things out and then thinking "ooh, this is the right thing to do BECAUSE OF THE TOXINS!"

I'm so, so glad you shared this today. I was wondering how you were doing this morning, and I was getting ready to jump into the "cleanse" thing myself. Not so much anymore.

Heather - I am so glad you are stopping the cleanse diet. When I first read that you were trying it, I hoped it wouldn't last long, but hate to rain on one's parade. My cousin, who is a Bariatric specialist (M.D. who helps people loose weight in a healthful way) has shared nightmare stories of her patient's detox diets. Ridding the body of "toxins" is a bunch of B.S. That's what the liver, kidney's and digestive tract do within a few hours of consumption!

EVERYTHING in MODERATION, right? Normal healthy eating always works best. Good luck with cutting out those Diet Cokes and sugar, you will feel so much better. Unfortunately, they have now found great health benefits from coffee drinking. Maybe next year it will be bad for you again?

Oh, and SHAME ON OPRAH!

Hope you feel better soon.

Thank god! I've been doing the cleanse (I read your "cleanse post" while undergoing the worst hangover of my life, so I figured no time like the present) and have been sick since Sunday. Sinus infection, chest pains, the works. Even scheduled a doctors appointment for tomorrow. Hopefully, she tells me the same thing your doctor told you!

Heather,

I have been reading your blog for a while now... I'm addicted, but whatever :)

I used to suffer from crippling anxiety. Some days I was doing good just to leave my house and go to the grocery store. It was that bad!

In October it will be 2 years since I completely cut caffien, sugar, flour, and wheat from my diet. Since then the anxiety that used to rule my world has all but disapeared. I do still eat meat... (mmmm! dead animals) However, I read every label on every single thing that I buy and I do not put into my mouth any form of sugar including the fake kind.... I do eat fruit and I use real fruit juice to sweeten.... But I found that even a small amount of (gasp!) chocolate and within hours anxiety creeps in. It was a shocking revelation.... because I love chocolate.

Thats my story... hope some of it will maybe cause a light to shine in what may be darkness....

Becca

That guy talking about magic bacteria sounds like he's on crack. Same with all the "it's the toxins leaving your body thats making you sick!". People who do *anything* cold turkey get sick. Period. Caffeine, heroin, that crack they're smoking, ANYTHING. Much less going cold turkey on 18 things at once.

Cut out one or two things at a time, ease your way out, and never look back. Moderation is much more important than going cold turkey, and it's also much easier to keep up with.

I'm a vegetarian who avoids sugary drinks and overly processed foods. I also avoid dairy because I finally realized it was giving me stomach cramps, explosive farts, and immense quantities of snot, especially hard chunks that I would have to cough up in the morning after it dried out overnight.

Seriously, dairy is worse than meat. Far worse. Humans simply should not be sucking on cow tits. Ever. Only human tits, and even then, not for milk.

If you like The Sweet Potatoes and try The Roasted Carrot (#11), check out Heidi Swanson's http://101cookbooks.com/ I love love love her book Cook 1.0, and there's a whole section on oven roasted veggies in there. Yum.

I've tried cleanses myself and wound up only with nasty migraines.... totally not worth it.

Like with everything else in life, moderation is the key.

Cheers!
Welcome back to LIFE!

-HappyWifeHappyLife

I've enjoyed reading about your experience, full-blown cleanse or not. I think that educating yourself and being more conscious/present is the ultimate benefit of these types of changes. We long ago nearly eliminated all processed/preserved foods in our home, but we still have a long way to go. I made a great discovery a few weeks ago -- if you Google "Feeding the Whole Family," Google Reader has almost the entire cookbook available for reading. It's helped with a lot of our dinner/lunch recipes and gave me some great ideas. They don't have it at our local library and I'm not sure yet that I want to buy the whole thing, but with its large sections about quinoa and sea vegetables it might give you some more concepts for your food.

Just wanted to say congratulations on finding moderation in your diet. I've always though that eating consciously is better than having a strict diet (though I've had no real proof of that), and now I can say 'because Dooce's doctor says so'. Yea Doctor!

Start taking Probiotics.
You sound yeasty!

LOL

I'm sorry you got sick, this cleanse sounds like the worst thing ever, but which part of it was so debilitating? You cut out meat, refined sugar, caffeine, alcohol, and anything else? I can imagine that would be a lot of pretty major changes, maybe your immune system just didn't deal with the full-body overhaul well.

Hope you feel better soon! Sounds like the cleanse was good for you in the long run, you just have to recover now. :)

First of all, I love reading your site. I only discovered it a few months ago and typically I like to go back and start at the beginning of a blog and read up to present day but, let's face it, it would take days and days to do so. Now I just go back and read the archives when I get a chance. Thank you for making me laugh.

Secondly, good for you being able to give up this cleanse. It just goes to show that the body isn't meant to have whole sections of food taken away from it. Not cold turkey anyway. I tried a cleanse very similar to this a few years ago and after torturing myself by avoiding the amazing bread at my favorite restaurant, I gave up the very next morning and had a bagel and berries, which for some reason were on the no no list. The only regret I had was not giving up right before dinner the previous night.

I concur with Becka, Claire and Candice...nobody has ever been able to define for me exactly what these "toxins" are. Unless someone can name, say, a particular chemical compound that is eliminated from the body according to specific mechanism that is initiated by a restrictive diet, then I will continue to hear "evil spirits" every time someone talks about a diet ridding the body of toxins.

I drink a lot less caffeine than I use to, some mornings I don't even have coffee. Subsequently I drink a lot more water. I feel better, my skin looks great, and I have more money in the bank! Even if you just stick with those small changes you will have done yourself a lot of good. All things in moderation....even the good stuff.

I have to say, I'm surprised you don't have a billion comments already that all say some variation of "I KNEW IT!" or "I TOLD YOU SO!"

Is the world improving? Maybe your anti-fans are going on a spiritual cleanse! In which case, you probably have about 2 more days to enjoy this...

Anyway, like others, I'm glad you listened to your husband body, and glad that you've taken something away from the cleanse, even if it's not exactly what you originally thought you would. That's what life is all about, right? Rolling with the punches.

My husband and I have been ecologically eating for about three years now...we only eat meat if we know it was humanely (and ideally, locally) raised and killed, we only eat fish that has been vetted as environmentally friendly (we use the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch as our guide), and we only buy organic vegetables. It's a lot of work, but we really think that it's worth it. The only down sides are trying to find restaurants that we can eat at, and explaining to people what our restrictions are. In general, we eat at home, but if we are going out to eat with others, it's much easier to just call ourselves vegetarian, because if we're going to cheat, we'd rather eat non-organic vegetables than anything else. Our families generally get it, but it has gotten me into some awkward conversations with colleagues.

I assume you're apologizing to the ethically-simmered organic free-range grass-fed chicken broth for the way you made fun of it.

Have you thought about what your dogs eat, ethically speaking?

I'm totally not judging, I'm an unrepentant meat eater with three cats.

Do they even make free range chicken and rice dog food?

I think the reason you got sick was because you eliminated too many things from your diet all at once. It was too much of an abrupt change for your system. The sinus infection is probably a result from your body trying to push out the toxins; much like when a smoker starts hacking up a lung AFTER he quits smoking. That's why I continue to smoke.....so I don't get sick!

I just want to say that the milk chocolate hobnobs are god's gift to humanity. I discovered them while in Scotland a few years ago, and ever since when I happen across a package of them I snatch them up. YUM. It's too bad (or a very good thing, depending on how you look at it) that I can't seem to find them in the Cordova/Bartlett area of TN. I did, oddly, run across 2 packs of them at the Walgreens in Orlando recently- I was thrilled since I had been sick all week and needed a little pick me up!

My anxiety and depression go away completely in about three days, after I stop eating flour and processed sugar. Giving up alcohol, though? That's just crazy talk. Glad you're feeling better.

Hey!

Just a small piece of advice: as you start out on your more restricted diet, please make sure you get enough Vitamin B12. B12 is used by your body to make blood cells and (iirc) the coating on the ends of your nerves. If you don't get enough B12, you'll be come anemic and you can eventually suffer nerve damage.

B12 is found ONLY in meats and milk products. Some people think that the seaweed Spirulina has B12 in it, but it doesn't. Spirulina has B12 analogues, and no actual B12.

A B12 supplement or a multi-vitamin can keep you dosed up. Warning: B12 lights up your brain like a power plant, so don't take it before bed.

All the best,
Janine

what a coincidence that Becky (217) asks about ethical food for pets. i was just asking my vet about this last week. my vet publishes a monthly newsletter with all kinds of interesting/helpful stuff. my boxer was throwing up last week and i fed him pumpkin and rice until his stomach calmed down. so i suggested to my vet that they should do a series of articles on ethically or organically feeding you pet. i see all kinds of things on the web about making your own pet food, but have been reluctant to because i don't want to miss out on nutrients, etc. that my dogs need. i'm also interested in my vets opinion of some of these local food vendors. so his office agreed that this would be a worthy topic and they're going to cover it in several articles over the summer. you should check with your vet or some other local vet for the same.

I'm very glad for you that you are reaping the benefits and leaving the bad behind. Those are such fantastic results and conclusions, for having changed things around for only 8 days.

I tried going "raw" a few months ago and this all sounds too familiar. I thought I had beaten the detox symptoms since I was okay the first 3-4 days, expecially since I had given up my daily coffee. HA! I woke up in the middle of night 5, convinced I had the flu because of the magnitude of my headache. I also took a yoga class earlier that night which I'm sure contributed to the detox symptoms. Eating raw got entirely too expensive for me, but I eliminated my coffee dependency thanks to that experience and got into the habit of eating more fruits and veggies. Overall, the effort was worth it and I plan on trying it again one day, though more gradually.

Sugar is hell on anxious people, and so is caffeine. Limit those, and get rid of aspartame (that crap gives me mood swings--ack!). Exercise is calming and free of charge--30 min. a day will do wonders for you. And honestly, these things should be enough to make you feel loads better. Oh, and, red wine in moderation is good for you. ;) (Wish the same were true of Maker's Mark!)

Thanks for being candid about this, hon. Best to you as always.

P.S. Regarding the sinus infections, two words: NETI POT. Best $10 I ever spent at Walgreens. I had terrible chronic sinus infections and now haven't had one since November, when I bought the goofy pot I didn't even half believe in.

P.P.S. Sorry to be an annoying advicemonger, but I hope it's helpful to someone out there!

I don't normally say this but YAY FOR DOCTORS!

Who knew that something like that could make you sick? I'm glad you got the doctors opinion. Eat some more sugar and feel better soon!

Hi Dooce - you can do what you want - God knows i've tried to cleanse before and gave up earlier than I planned.

but i'm not sure about your Doc's "medical opinion". western-trained physicians generally pooh-pooh more "holistic" therapies for no real verifiable reason. Suzyn's comment above me might be the tip you really needed. the cleanse releases toxins, but you need to make sure you're flushing that stuff OUT! neti pot, yoga class, massage, idk, but something! Do you have a naturopath or another holistic type of caregiver in your area? Go see him/her.

the dr.'s "medical opinion" was kind of a cop-out, IMH.

Glad to hear about your lasting habits that you have formed though, good for you. you at least made the whole experience into an interesting read. all the best!

A lot of people commented on how your being sick was just your body "getting rid of the toxins". Now, I'm not a medical doctor, but as a trained molecular biologist, my scientist's insight was making me very skeptical. and so I did a little searching:

"It can be terrifying to believe that one's body is being poisoned by toxins from within. But if this were true, the human race would not have survived, says Vincent F. Cordaro, M.D., an FDA medical officer. "A person who retained wastes and toxins would be very ill and could die if not treated. The whole concept is irrational and unscientific.""
http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/detox.html

The human body is an amazing thing--our livers, kidneys, and other organs are perfectly well suited to detoxifying our bodies on a daily basis. Eating healthier can of course improve your health in innumerable ways, but it has nothing to do with "toxins" being removed from your body.

(And I can sympathize on the sinus infections. I feel your pain and hope you feel better very very soon)

Thank you for doing this for us. Saves me the trouble. Guess I will just go get a glass of water instead of another cup of coffee.

Have you read any of Peter Singer's books? I'm currently reading "The Ethics of What We Eat" and it strikes me that it could be of some interest to you. It seems like the cleanse is the springboard into overall deeper awareness and the Singer book fits into your rethinking of food choices.

Okay, good for you for trying to improve your diet and life, that's terrific! Bummer this method didn't work out. And totally bummer about the sinus infection. But about this method - exactly which "toxins" are supposed to be removed by this cleanse? I'm a little skeptical of the author's claims.

On the other hand, I also don't understand how medically-speaking the removal of certain foods could cause a bacterial infection. As a researcher studying infectious disease, this conclusion also seems strange to me. Unless the food deprivation caused stress which made you more susceptible....?

Anyways, regardless of the why questions, hopefully you're on the road to recovery! Especially since you get to keep your frontal lobe.

I'm glad you're on your way to feeling better, so sorry to hear about the sinus infection, those suck. I'm stumped as to how changing your diet could cause a sinus infection, unless it's just that the stress of eliminating so many of your usual foods lowered your resistance to infection. Did the doctor give some medical reason?

I'd say more, but my preschooler is screaming. And so it goes.

You almost had me convinced to do it too, although I certainly appreciate the honesty.

I don't think anyone can comment about "toxins" leaving the body if they haven't actually studied the science behind it. You might be interested to see this bit from the BBC which, I believe, was featured on Oprah not too long ago (Discovery Health showed it, too.) They had a group of women drink and smoke and eat all sorts of crap, then put half of them on a cleanse-type detox diet, and let the other half eat and do what ever they normally would. After the testing period was over, they found absolutely no difference in the amount of "toxins" in the bodies of the detox group vs the regular group.
Link:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/humanbody/truthaboutfood/young/detox.shtml

That being said, I'm a flexitarian, mostly vegan, and I found going off dairy helped me immensely with my sinuses.

I highly recommend this book if you want to stay mostly vegan: Becoming Vegan by by Brenda Davis and Vesanto Melina, both of them registered dietitians. This book shows you exactly how to get enough proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, etc. in your diet without eating animal products. It really helped me a lot. It's a must-read, IMHO. Good Luck!

Reducing the coffee intake/quitting altogether is enough to be excited for you. I am actually IN LOVE with my coffee maker and yet I know in my brain it is the devil's utensil to keep me shaky and nervous all day. :)

Thanks for sharing! You're hilarious.

Wow, I am surprised. I know this cleanse was extreme, but it seemed pretty healthy. I guess "they" don't say "everything in moderation" for nothing. Since you are pretty much following the same diet, what exactly was it that you were cutting out that caused your illness? Was it the gluten? I hope you're feeling better soon. BTW, the food pictures you posted looked delicious. I LOVE sweet potato fries; a lot of restaurants in RI serve them.

I heard just yesterday that Oprah had a class of wine to celebrate the end of her cleanse. Moderation....moderation...our bodies aren't young any more.

I love the taste of coffee. I drink decaf. I grind my own beans with a touch of cardamon (it's supposed to take away the toxicity). I steam my milk which makes it easier to digest.

Thank God you did this first and now I don't have to.

Mazel Tov on your newfound awareness.

In all honesty, there *is* such a thing as ethical meat - and you are being good to the earth in participating in that kind of awareness. My friends hunt, I'm sure that shocks the world but they never kill something they can't eat. And I think that's the best awareness there is about where food is coming from...clearly, it's being done without being vegan. Buy and eat what you need, and try to keep it to your geographic area.

Just think - sure, Oprah did the cleanse, but she was getting tofu airlifted to her in Nevada, as opposed to enjoying some local wine or local free-range chicken. Seems to me the latter is a little more sensible and better for the planet.

Thanks for that post...I love, love, love your writing!

I am a vegan who avoids sugar and caffeine and restricts the amount of alcohol I consume...and it took me years to get to this point. No doubt, it would have been total biological anarchy had I tried to eliminate these things all at once.

Anyway, I'm glad that you a) ultimately did what was in your body's best interest and b) took something away from the experience.

Glad you're back among the living. I'm wondering why the cleanse made you sick? Did Dr. Wonderful have any theories (just general curiosity because I never grew out of the 'why' stage)?

I was forced to get off sugar three years ago when I started taking TNF blockers for my RA - the damn meds wouldn't let me eat anything sweet. And I've realized a) how incredibly bad sugar is for you - everytime I have too much (i.e., more than a teeny bit), I feel nauseous, woozy and crappy; and b) how addictive it is. The more sugar you eat, the more you crave. It oughta be a controlled substance. Oh, and c) I also realized how much sugar there is in EVERYTHING. Regular food, things that are supposed to be good for you are chock full of sugar. It's insane.

OK, this is probably going to get lost in the mass of posts here....

Bromelain

I had the sinus infection from HADES a couple months ago. seriously....I thought I was going to have to drive a screwdriver through my head for a little relief.

Bromelain is a pinapple enzyme supplement...usually used in dieting because it helps break down fats, blah blah blah.

Google it....I doubled the dose (heartburn city) and it was gone in 3 days.

After the antibiotics didn't work....after the doctor brushed me off....this stuff worked.

I give up coffee about twice a year. I go through the withdrawal headaches for about two weeks and then I am fine. And it is wonderful. And then a few months later I "accidentally" have coffee four or five days in a row and I am hooked again. Only to repeat this cycle six months later. And on and on it goes. I hope you have better luck than me!

Like I always tell my buddha belly, everything in moderation.

Maybe instead of a cleanse you could consider "clean eating" -- we've been doing so for the past few months and it's really made an interesting difference to the way I'm feeling.

There are cookbooks and magazines galore on the subject (we LOVE clean eating magazine and I highly recommend a subscription to it!!)
Website: http://www.cleaneatingmag.com/minisite/ce_index.htm

Just a thought. Good luck with everything and here's to a clear, anxiety-free mind!

Ana (anakalia@ymail.com)

in this month's Gourmet Magazine, there's an excellent article about hallal meats- you should check it out. that being said, there's not really a muslim community in SLC and likely no hallal butcher. still a really eye-opening article, though.

Great interview yesterday.

Heather,

I think the key here is that there can be a balance. Eating well does include enjoying your food. I'm sorry, but two of the most admired and appreciated cultures in the world...the French and Italians...eat AMAZING, very rich foods. I'm not sure how healthy either are, but I'd be willing to bet it's better than in the US. Why? Mostly because they cook with whole foods...pure foods, natural foods, which of course include lots of cheese, bread and meat. These are all things your body needs...your brain feeds SOLEY on carbohydrates. Of course they are transformed directly into sugar, but still, if the brain requires it then I'd sort of surmise your body needs it. My daughter is a diabetic, age 6. We've had to really consider what she eats since she was three. First thing they told us at the endocrinologists office was that sugar is not a bad thing and that she must eat it daily to grow healthy as a child. My immediate response to her disease was that sugar is BAD. I now know, after much experience and research, that sugar is just fine within reason. My daughter eats it daily, as she should, just not in it's refined state. We buy natural, minimally processed cane sugar (sold at all major groceries). It's MUCH sweeter than refined table sugar and you automatically use less.

And well, meat...unless it's totally an ethical issue, which I've had too myself, I urge you not to eliminate meat from your diet. You are a human, designed to be an omnivore. Your teeth are made to eat meat. Nature predicates that and your body needs it for protein (though I know you can get protein other places). But let's be honest, meat tastes good and much of what eating well includes is enjoying the smell and taste of what you ingest.

I don't know about your sinus infection and the cleanse. Sounds a bit hokey to me. My husband is a doctor and I think he'd say the same thing. But, I think what the doctor was really trying to convey to you is that eating well is not denying yourself things you enjoy. Wine is good for you daily in small doses, especially for women. There are tons of reasons why.

My two cents is to cut back on processed stuff, look for whole grains whereever you can (still carbs, but used by the body so much better). Add in really healthy stuff here and there...acai juice versus just plain apple for Leta for instance (V8 has some great juices that have high antioxideants called Infusion...don't fret over the sugar or write them off cuz they don't come from Whole Foods and cost $10 a bottle). Buy organic when you can, local when you can. Just eat well and don't worry when you don't feel like it. For pity's sake, you live this life one time. I'd had to think of denying myself enjoyment of the true necessity for my existence, food, the entire time.

We don't drink sodas around here. We don't buy junk food. We eat only whole grains. We eat fruit daily. Eat veggies as much as we can. Really read the nutrition values on everything packaged that we do buy...no trans fats, good fat in good numbers, highest fiber we can get and minimal carbs (key here is less than 40 if you can...we do less than that usually, like less than 30 per serving, which is really very small). Buy no sugar added (not artifical sweeteners, or LOW sugar...jellies, apple sauce etc.). You'll find after a while you pass by the junk and are really buying with more attention to what's in stuff. If you watch those things on labels, the calories generally are lower automatically too. Our kids eat chicken nuggets like every other kid. We simply looked at every package of them out there and got the lowest fat ones with zero trans fat. Instead of regular french fries, we buy frozen sweet potato fries, which are organic too. They are delish...kids love them.

I also buy fruits and veggies in season and only produced in the US when I can. There are a few reasons why, but mostly because I don't think the things shipped from around the world are anywhere near being fresh by the time you put them in the cart (mostly got this from the fact that in a day they are rotten on my counter). Also, I don't trust other countries pesticide uses and such.

Just this year we bought into a CSA (community supported agriculture). We bought a share of a farms production and get a box of fresh veggies etc every other week from an organic farm down the road. They also provide us with fresh eggs from free range chickens and locally produced milk that is processed at our local university. I mostly did this to support local small farmers who practice organic farming. Your post the other day was another reason, our local farmers market, which is great, is always sold out of stuff by like 9 a.m. on the weekends. I can not get up at 6 a.m. to go buy tomatoes...just can't, lol. I go pick up our box of produce at 10:30 on Saturday!

Here's a link to find out more about CSAs. They have lists per state
http://www.localharvest.org/
Anyway, that's just some of my tips.

Oh, btw, coffee is not horrendously bad for you. See...

http://www.seniorjournal.com/NEWS/Nutrition-Vitamins/2008/20080617-3-Wom...

I'm so glad you found a nice balance that's working well for you. I tried it, too, and by day 3, I was more miserable and mean than I'd ever been. But, like you, in just a few days, I lost a taste for a lot of the icky stuff I'd always loved, and I really do feel like I actually have energy! And motivation! And lots of other adjectives I could follow with lots of exclamation points! Caffeine is my forever-bestest friend, though. Anyway, it's nice how things work out, and I hope you keep feeling better. Now I'm off to scarf down a bag of BBQ popped chips from Trader Joe's. Those things are awesome.

Glad you went to the doc (Go, Jon!) and he set you straight. Hope you feel better soon!

I'd love to know exactly what your doctor said....

BTW, I love your blog!

Wouldn't you know it. Just last night I bought the book and standing in the B&N cash-out line said to my husband, "I think when we get home from our week long Alaska cruise next week, we should go on this 21-day cleansing fast." Maybe I'll try a modified version.

Maybe if I wean myself off of things over 21-days instead of stopping cold turkey I might be able to gain the benefits without the worst of the side effects.

Thanks for the update. You saved me much pain and aggrevation.

Had a similar experience, got so sick I thought I was going to die. Temper my "cleansings" now in limited ways so that I can survive (though I doubt I'll ever give up caffeine;)

Rock on!

Wow. Making healthy changes in moderation turns out to be better than the latest all-or-nothing fad promoted on an afternoon talk show. Who could have guessed?

I used to suffer sinus issues, sinus infection one after the other all the time. A girlfriend told me about Antronex. I take it daily ( 2 in the morning and 2 in the afternoon) and have not been sick in over 2 years now. Also, I haven't needed any other medication for anything since I started taking it. No headaches, no cramps etc. (I know, it doesn't make sense) And I can breathe clearly like I used to when I was a kid. $10.00 for 90 tablets. Look it up online and find a chiropracter (I know, it sounds scary and unbelievable) near you. Just try it - you will not be sorry. It treats the CAUSES of sinus issues, not the symptoms.

not sure if you read animal, vegetable, miracle http://www.animalvegetablemiracle.com/
but i highly recommend it. although the way it's formatted can get a bit annoying. you'll see.

also, did you ever think that your sinus problems have a lot to do with where you're living? when i lived in venice, ca for just 2 months i had the worst sinus problems i've had in my life. i was sick the entire time i lived there and once i came back to seattle i was perfectly fine. it's been about 7 months since i left venice beach and haven't been sick since. for that alone, i will never live in california. my health means that much to me. as it should to everyone.

I'm so glad your doctor told you to stop that silly cleanse! Our bodies are perfectly equipped to keep us healthy so long as we feed it properly and take care of it so I'm glad this has made you aware of what you eat. And thank you for sharing it so others can become aware of this!