NORMAL LIFE: Detox Countdown (T-4 days)

This Friday marks the start of a 29-day detox. According to my 'bible', Detox Yourself by Jane Scrivner, it is supposed to be a 30-day detox, but there's only 29 days in February this year so I've decided to keep things simply and allocate the whole of February to the effort.

In one sense, as I read more, I am wondering: what have I done? What am I thinking? On the other hand, it would just be nice - for once - to 'feel' good and that is what's driving the intiative. Bree isn't impressed, he thinks it's a waste of time, as do most people. But time will tell.

I am surprised to learn, however, that I cannot eat alot of what I consider to be normal foods: avocadoes, bananas, bread, caffeine, chocolate, cows milk/cheese, lentils, mushrooms, oranges, peanuts, salt, spinach, sugar, tomatoes and meat. The book does, however, suggest lots of alternatives so I'm quite motivated still. What surprised me was to learn that bananas contain alot of starch and that tomatoes are acidic.

Another surprise was that, yesterday, I sampled just one hazelnut and one walnut ahead of starting the detox on Friday since nuts can be used to fill the void during sudden hunger pangs. Within fifteen minutes, I started wheezing, my chest tightening, my throat swelling. It seems I was having an allergic reaction to the nuts yet, only last weekend, I ate processed pistachios and macademia nuts with a friend in Tampere and yet no reaction. I wonder which one is the culprit: the walnut or the hazelnut? The bastard!

Stay tuned for lot's of detoxing moments - there's sure to be alot of whinging as I struggle to stay on the program. You're reading about someone who has, on many occasions, eaten a whole chocolate bar in his sleep without realising what he's done and then, in the shower the next morning, burps, tastes some of the chocolate on his breath and only then does he realise what he has done!