Smoothie sailing

A foodie who’s detoxing learns an important lesson: Don’t go near a pizza joint

By Erin Ergenbright

The Portland Tribune, Mar 29, 2005, Updated Oct 30, 2009

Spring is the perfect time for a fresh start, and my fresh start begins with a cleanse designed by my naturopath friend Sam Levine.

The 10-day detox gradually eliminates everything but fresh-squeezed fruit and vegetable juices, supplemented by various vitamins, minerals and fiber capsules. Sam says to expect headaches, fatigue, dizziness, anxiety, sweating, rash, runny nose, flulike symptoms and old emotions like anger, grief and fear as the body releases toxins.

Then you’ll feel like a million bucks.

That’s the textbook version. Here’s mine.

• • •

Day 1: Fruits, vegetables and whole, nonwheat grains (millet, amaranth, quinoa, rice)

Day 1

I begin the day with a smoothie of banana, frozen blueberries, a not-ripe-enough nectarine, water and two scoops of MediClear powder. Full of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and all sorts of other goodies, the powder offers “nutritional support for inflammation, allergies, detoxification and gastrointestinal integrity.”

As you might suspect, it tastes like chalk with a dash of rice, and all the fruit in the world can’t mask the grit.

But I feel wonderful Ñ healthy and clear Ñ and I am quite sure that the MediClear powder has already removed all traces of last night’s martini from my liver.

I eat lots of quinoa and make a juice of chard, beets, garlic, carrots and celery, pouring it in a jar to take to work. I work at Clarklewis, and most of us have done this detox a time or two, so my co-workers are mostly sympathetic when the chef puts up the tasters. I sip on my vegetable juice as they gobble up braised lamb and polenta, monkfish with red wine porcini sauce, and gnocchi with black truffle butter.

I cannot believe I’m going to do this for 10 days.

“Why are you doing this again?” someone asks.

I can’t exactly remember.

• • •

Days 2 and 3: Fresh fruits and vegetables

Day 2

I wake up energized and refreshed. I drink a shake with MediClear powder, banana, purified water and some frozen blueberries. I go on a hike, write a book review, grade papers, drink 4 gallons of green tea and then go to work to once more be tormented by the sight and smell of amazing food.

I realize how rarely I deny myself anything. If I want a cookie, I have one. If I want a glass of wine, I have one.

It occurs to me that if I denied myself more often, my life would be exponentially better. Why? Well É just because it’s good to deny yourself. You can’t always get what you want, remember?

Day 3

I feel fine but am desperately longing for coffee.

I make a trip to Goodwill to search for green plates, and on the way home, without completely realizing I’m doing it, pull into the parking lot of Coffee People.

“No,” I tell myself firmly.

I imagine how good I’ll feel if I don’t succumb. Several people have told me, “You can do anything for 10 days,” but I’m not sure about that.

1 | 2 Next Page >>

Facebook	Digg	Del.icio.us
Newsvine	Stumbleupon	Reddit