After enduring a pesky cold for a month, I decided to take evasive action and cut all cooked foods out of my diet until my congestion was gone. It’s kinda like taking a wrecking-ball to a house to get rid of the mice in the kitchen. Well, that’s how the first couple days felt. But, there are lots of other reasons to do a raw detox, like losing weight, cleaning the digestive system, reducing migraines, skin issues, and improving my mood and energy level. At this writing, I’m concluding day #5, and I’ve definitely made it out of the woods of withdrawal from everything I love (love, meaning dependency, unconscious reality maintained by my behavior, but still love, tainted tho it is). By the way, what are those things I’ve given up (temporarily)?
- All cooked or processed foods. (bread, noodles, tofu, all restaurants, 7/8ths of my fridge and my entire pantry)
- Dairy products. (When in doubt, I add cheese and follow up with ice cream)
- Smoking. (I don’t do it often, but now, it’s not even an option to distract me from hunger)
- Coffee/tea/caffeine. (I love good coffee every morning)
- Sugar. (candy at the office every day!)
- Alcohol. (I was having a bev before bed almost every night)
- Compulsive munching. (now noticing how often I reach for food without rationality)
- Sodas, pasteurized fruit juice, soy milk, Vitamin Water, protein shakes. (it seems that I drink stuff to keep from eating stuff)
The only addiction I didn’t give up is Twitter. In fact, Twitter kinda got me into this little experiment/pilgrimage/dark-night-of-the-soul). A fellow foodie tweeter, Kellly Reibel, challenged me to do a detox along with her. Her reasons are similar to mine. She doesn’t have a cold, but she does have a bunch of food allergies (just about everything except bacon). She’d also like to get healthier and fitter, and we’re totally on the same page about doing a digestive system refresh and starting from scratch to assert some control over our health, respectively.
Since Kelly and I embarked on this dietary journey on October 8th, we’ve been updating the world about it on Twitter. We tagged most of our messages with a #rawdetox hashtag. If you want to stay up to speed, you can follow either or both of us on Twitter, or you can just search #rawdetox on Twitter. However, to save you a bit of trouble, I thought I’d paste the past five days of #rawdetox tweets (mostly me and Kelly). To read them in chronological order, start at the bottom.
Real-time results for #rawdetox
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RVAfoodie I know it seems like I’m off my culinary rocker w/this #rawdetox stuff. It’s a bitter pill 4 me 2. Lookin fwd 2 breaking these good habits. - RVAfoodie I made a raw broccoli & cauliflower soup that didn’t taste good. @kelleil witnessed the train wreck. Recipes? #rawdetox
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kelleil @pure2raw Not to get your secrets, but what’s your general flour base for cupcakes? Was working on it until #rawdetox - RVAfoodie Jogged til I almost died. Hoping to dislodge chest congestion. Coughing up lung now. Good thing I have two. #rawdetox One ear ringing badly.
- kelleil So what to do about a sluggish colon that doesn’t include stimulants? Serious problem on this #rawdetox venture
- RVAfoodie My colon is going to be a born again virgin thx to the probiotics and cleanse supplements I just bought for my #rawdetox.
- RVAfoodie I don’t believe in the 2lbs of bubble gum or pile of 20yr old gyros lodged in the gut. For me #rawdetox is spa treatment for the insides.
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bpfox @kelleil Just remember that Sally Fallon is “slightly” nuts. I interviewed her once. Raw, fresh milk though–I get it weekly. #rawdetox - RVAfoodie Day 5 = proselytizing @ #rawdetox. Many cooked foods create a graveyard in yr gut that haunts u 4ever: allergies, B.O., acne, the blues…
- kelleil 2 raw goat milk programs in Chesterfield. My colon is months away from ready but making my own goats kefir for happy bacteria? #rawdetox
- kelleil My hope is to one day transition to the Nourshing Traditions cookbook by Sally Fallon. Why can’t I get a tiny url to come up? #rawdetox
- bpfox @RVAfoodie What’s the raw detox diet? #rawdetox
- RVAfoodie They say #rawdetox gets easier after day 3 and can verify that it’s true. But it helps to have a whole weekend to do food prep.
- RVAfoodie Well, I’ve got 4 days of #rawdetox behind me and I’ve lost 4lbs. However, still have a knot of congestion in my chest. Time for exercise.
- kelleil Trying kim chee. I don’t hate it exactly. I’ll get used to it, right? Gotta kill yeasties, heal then repopulate colon. #rawdetox
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pure2raw We r doing good! RT @rvabusiness: @kelleil @RVAfoodie Another good #rawdetox source I couldn’t remember for you earlier = @pure2raw. - RVAfoodie So, I was hoping to stay raw thru Sunday, maybe Tuesday. But, I haven’t even broken out the dehydrator or the juicer. #rawdetox
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RichmondGL @RVAfoodie Reading your #rawdetox stories is like watching a horror movie for me. It’s like the healthy version of Requiem for a Dream. - RVAfoodie @rvabusiness It’s day 4 and clearly getting easier. Not sure when #rawdetox will end. Maybe Sunday? Tuesday? Suggestions from @pure2raw?
- kelleil @RVAfoodie I’d love to come by. What time? I’m gassy as all hell. And I’ve had serious water loss. Peeing every few minutes #rawdetox
- RVAfoodie I’m gonna eat chips’n’salsa, dammit. Made a kickin’ fresh salsa and chips out of razor thin cut raw sweet potatoes. #rawdetox
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rvabusiness @kelleil @RVAfoodie Another good #rawdetox source I couldn’t remember for you earlier = @pure2raw. How’s it going so far? - kelleil @RVAfoodie I think Jesus was 40 days.
What are you doing for protein baby? How’s the gas? #rawdetox - RVAfoodie For breakfast, i had a trip to the Southside. For lunch, a nap in the car with the baby. A lot of calories to make up at dinner. #rawdetox
- RVAfoodie Dear drug addicts: Go raw, save money, and lose your mind for free. #rawdetox
- RVAfoodie When to end the #rawdetox? How long did Jesus fast in the desert? How much LSD did Jim Morrison take b4 breaking on thru to the other side?
- RVAfoodie Need to list things I quit cold turkey on the #rawdetox. Then decide which I’ll allow back, when + how much. G’bye, unconscious consumption?
- RVAfoodie My stomach hurts a lot. #rawdetox
- RVAfoodie Got enough produce from Victory Farms at SOTJ mkt to fuel a long term #rawdetox. Not sure my will power is game 4 that. Still sick w/cold!
- kelleil Also, miss the non-wheat grains and bacon. Really miss bacon. But at least last night I got full really quickly, so that’s good? #rawdetox
- kelleil Btw, sick of salads all ready and sick of not having enough time to “cook” so I can avoid the constant salad situation #rawdetox
- kelleil Headed to Rockville MD for another flamenco class with Ana Menendez. Have scoped out two restrauants where I can stay #rawdetox
- RVAfoodie It provokes a fight in the classroom. Then sounds the recess bell + stampeding children thunder thru the hallways + out the door. #rawdetox
- RVAfoodie That raw chocolate shake in my belly feels like I went off my #rawdetox diet. But I’m still craving ice cream.
- RVAfoodie I’m drinking a chocolate shake. Not cheating tho. It’s made primarily of apples, ice, and cocoa powder. #rawdetox
- RVAfoodie Shit! The Indian Festival is this weekend. I always go and pig out. Gonna hafta skip it this year.
( #rawdetox - RVAfoodie You know how in The Abyss Segorne (sp?) Weaver has to train her body to breathe that pink liquid and it’s like death? Yeah. #rawdetox
- kelleil @RVAfoodie You can do it!!!! (I’m so hungry!) #rawdetox
- kelleil @RVAfoodie YAY! The DE-tox portion! YAY!!! #rawdetox
- RVAfoodie Y’ever seen The Exorcist? That’s the stage of #rawdetox I’m heading into. Not gonna hurl, but feel green, and head about to spin around.
- kelleil @kitchenmusings @RVAfoodie While that sounds AWESOME most grains not allowed. He does love his Sriracha though. #rawdetox
- RVAfoodie Just when I thought I’d rounded a turn on Day 3, this article tells me #rawdetox Phase 1 is 10 days: http://bit.ly/N8r9D Ugh.
- kelleil @RVAfoodie I just want bacon. Instead I had soup. #rawdetox
- RVAfoodie My stomach wants a foot long veggie sub with cheese, mayo, and hot sauce. Instead, I’ll eat some pumpkin seeds. ( #rawdetox
- kelleil @Brent_H @RVAfoodie perhaps the brown rice syrup? #rawdetox
- kelleil @RVAfoodie Stevia for pickles #rawdetox
- RVAfoodie These fresh pickles are crunchy (thanks to the vinegar) but too vinegary (thanks to the vinegar). What to do? Mince into relish? #rawdetox
- kelleil @RVAfoodie Not unusual to get worse before you get better. Expected really. #rawdetox
- RVAfoodie This cold seems to think that my (temporary) diet change is a sign of my deterioration, so the symptoms are resurgent. Damn. #rawdetox
- RVAfoodie @anaRVA I started Wednesday AM, but how long to go is complicated. Peep the #rawdetox hashtag and you’ll see.
- RVAfoodie Forgot my 2 liters of “sassy water” at home. Drinking an herbal tea, but I don’t wanna say the name, cuz it falls under TMI. #rawdetox
- kelleil So, my raw is not the same as @RVAFoodie’s raw, as I has a specific health concern I am attempting to address #rawdetox
- kelleil I am working from Body Ecology Diet from Donna Gates and adding some aspects of Wild Fermentation by Sandor Katz. #rawdetox
- RVAfoodie @anaRVA I would say a #rawdetox it’s very hard. But, I’m kind of a compulsive eater. So, discipline is key & prepping tasty raw foods.
- RVAfoodie This is the #rawdetox book that is serving as my basic blueprint http://bit.ly/2rk9EM although @kelleil is also providing guidance.
- RVAfoodie Doing #2 during a #rawdetox is like being on novocane and having teeth pulled slowly several times a day. Integral inside stuff exiting.
- RVAfoodie Something @ my body says “Free room + board for viruses.” Hopefully, #rawdetox is starving the fucker + it will leave me b4 I go insane.
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LesleyBruno @RVAfoodie i applaud you. i’ve never had the willpower to get through an entire detox. (it would require switching jobs.) bravo! #rawdetox - RVAfoodie I’m having trouble sticking to “food as medicine” ethic in my #rawdetox. Instead of leafy greens, I’m gravitating to nuts/seeds, dates, etc.
- RVAfoodie On a beautiful day like today, going to work to sit at a desk and then class til 9pm is really not raw. #rawdetox
- kelleil This breakfast would be a whole lot better with bacon #rawdetox
- kelleil @RVAfoodie I feel that most damaging is dairy, unfermented soy, grains & sugar. Those should be avoided. Animal, in moderation #rawdetox
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MonkyGrassGreen I would stay away from animal during a cleanse. RT @RVAfoodie: Is ceviche raw? Is any animal protein appropriate during a cleanse? #rawdetox - RVAfoodie Is ceviche raw? Is any animal protein appropriate during a cleanse? #rawdetox
- kelleil @BOILING_SKIES I’m on a detox diet and I’m not that hungry right now. Gaseous yes. Does that count? #rawdetox
- kelleil I’ve been asked by @mandrachek to not tweet re: poo. Since he’s my oldest friend ever… I’ll just find euphemisms & let you guess #rawdetox
- kelleil Hydrating like a m’fer. #rawdetox
- RVAfoodie So, during this cleanse, i won’t tweet what i excrete. Not b/c i’m discreet. But b/c @StyleWeekly retired the word “epic”. #rawdetox
- kelleil @RVAfoodie http://www.wildfermentation.com/index.php #rawdetox
- kelleil @RVAfoodie Pickling is basically the same but to be fully cultured need 3-7 days and with much less sugar #rawdetox
- kelleil @RVAfoodie Raw Cultured Vegs fermented veggies for the proliferation of lactobacilli. Its for digestion and repopulate colon. #rawdetox
- RVAfoodie @kelleil I swear this is the first I’m hearing of “cultured” veggies. It means pickled, right? #rawdetox
- kelleil FYI: I will be switching from regular raw to raw cultured once I get those jars from @lisa_n and the culturing takes place #rawdetox
- kelleil Is there such thing as Carbohydrate DT’s? @Lisa_N? #rawdetox
- kelleil Not fair, I’ve been directed to pics of chocolate covered bacon & Cleveland’s Roman burger http://www.mrhero.com/subs_burgers.php #rawdetox
- kelleil @Brent_H @RVAFoodie I’m getting a significant amount of protein. The lack of caffeine and sugar is what really hurts. #rawdetox
- RVAfoodie I just added Sriracha to my lunch b/c spicy is a comfort flavor for me. Also, made up for forgetting to add garlic to my chard. #rawdetox
- RVAfoodie Lunch: chopped chard, sun dried toms, & pumpkin seeds sat overnight w/EVOO, salt, & lemon juice. #rawdetox
- RVAfoodie My office and home are both laden with tasty treats like bags of cookies and chips. My hand keeps reaching for these things. Doh! #rawdetox
- RVAfoodie I’ve got the chills now. Previously a sign to go eat some bread, pasta, something hearty. Now, it’s just detox tea to placate me. #rawdetox
- kelleil Dizzy. Headache, vague naseau. #rawdetox
- kelleil Dizzy again, damn withdrawal symptoms #rawdetox
- kelleil Never noticed the inherent heat in Nutmeg. #rawdetox
- RVAfoodie Fresh pickled veggies in 3hrs: http://www.thehealingfeast.com/pickles.cfm Be sure to add extra spices, chilies & herbs. #rawdetox
- kelleil Will try that leftover kale I couldn’t force down. hopefully its not as crap today #rawdetox
- kelleil Swiss chard as a salad w/ a chicken shitake (green chili powder, salt, pepper) topping and yummy pico de gallo I just made. #rawdetox
- RVAfoodie Switching to raw foods, for this foodie, is so jarring, like reeling from a sudden break-up. Ohhh ohhh, diets hurt. (Nazareth ref) #rawdetox
- RVAfoodie #RawDetox snacks 4 2day: green salad, sprouting almonds & adzuki beans, pickled veggies, apples, a Lara bar, apples, & raw pumpkin seeds.
- RVAfoodie Ready for Day 2 of #rawdetox. Having a cold is hindering my ability 2 take my insides on a pilgrimage to the holy land. Soldiering on tho.
- kelleil Squash this morning. May also steal the burrito idea. Leftover kale that I couldn’t force down for dinner. #rawdetox #rva
- kelleil @daneomite Why thank you, so kind of you to say #rawdetox
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Daneomite @kelleil glad to hear your morning is off to a good start! #rawdetox - kelleil Serious gas but had a good poop due to http://www.renewlife.com/products/cleansemore.aspx #rawdetox
- RVAfoodie A good listing of raw recipes: http://bit.ly/wkax7 #rawdetox
- RVAfoodie The #rawdetox is about wiping the slate clean and starting over. It’s also a bit of a psychedelic trip and a test of the will.
- RVAfoodie @ispylindsey Search this hashtag on Twitter: #rawdetox I’ve been curious @ raw foodism for years. I’ve just let my health get outta hand.
- kelleil Strangely and overly tired at this time. Ugh. Hope I sleep awesome #rawdetox
- kelleil @RVAfoodie I let it sit for a few hours… not over night. Hmmm. That’s where I went wrong #rawdetox
- RVAfoodie I’m pickling tons of veggies. Using equal parts water/vinegar w/ginger, garlic, cumin seeds, salt, agave nectar, & a chili pepper. #rawdetox
- RVAfoodie Made a burrito filling of minced shitakes, turnips, raw almonds. Wrapped it in a swiss chard leaf. Surprisingly satisfying. #rawdetox
- RVAfoodie @kelleil Did you follow my kale recipe? You gotta let it sit w/EVOO and salt over-night. It gets tender and buttery. #rawdetox
- RVAfoodie In case anyone’s been wondering, my head hurt too much to tweet for a few hours. Ate some #rawdetox dinner and back in the game.
- kelleil Can I add some cheese to the kale at least? No? Man…. #rawdetox
- kelleil Raw Kale… yum… Not. #rawdetox
- kelleil Fennel tea with Stevia is helping the gas. #rawdetox
- kelleil Soooo… hungry. #rawdetox
- RVAfoodie Headed to Kroger to buy vinegar. Making quick pickles of various veg. Recipes call for loads of sugar. Gotta swap that out. #rawdetox
- RVAfoodie Painfully aware of my autonomic nervous system right now. My stomach left a msg with my spinal cord and marked it urgent: FEED ME. #rawdetox
- kelleil Craving a burrito with roasted chicken and chipotle chevre. #rawdetox
- RVAfoodie I’m having a recurring mental image of myself at Royal India having the lunch buffet and very happy about it. Hope that passes. #rawdetox
- kelleil Finished salad, still hungry. Stupid diet. #rawdetox #rva
- kelleil @RVAfoodie whaddya think? Beef tartare wrapped in some sort of fun cabbage with kim chi? #rawdetox #rva
- kelleil Lunch: 3 leaf salad with homemade pico de gallo, chicken, and jalapeno/lime vinagrette, also homemade. #rawdetox #rva
- kelleil Lunch: 3 leaf salad with homemade pico de gallo and chicken. #rawdetox #rva
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a_trish @kelleil i’m no expert but tan a has some kimchi my roommates is into #rva #rawdetox - kelleil Where can I get the best kimchi in town? #rva #rawdetox
- RVAfoodie My stomach just said to me, “Alright, seriously. Where’s the food?” #rawdetox
- RVAfoodie My lunch of kale salad proves that *good* extra virgin olive oil and sea salt work MAGIC when prepping eating raw veggies. #rawdetox
- RVAfoodie For tweets @ raw foods B4 they’re eaten, see me. For tweets about raw food after it’s been eaten, see @kelleil. Or both at #rawdetox #rva
- RVAfoodie Why sassy water? Hydration, obviously. But the mint/ginger softens the intestinal “blow” of transitioning to raw foods. #rawdetox
- kelleil Gaseous, dizzy, hungry as hell even though I ate not long ago. #rawdetox
- RVAfoodie My body has recognized the missing caffeine and replaced it with fidgeting and agitation associated with not *really* eating. #rawdetox
- RVAfoodie Soaked almonds snack (how and why). Basically turns raw almonds into delicious coconut. http://bit.ly/r4nfw #rawdetox
- kelleil Thank you to @lisa_n who is sending me mason jars to start the cultured vegetables! #rawdetox #rva BTW, she’s fucking hilarious. Follow her
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mmh1 @RVAfoodie I was waiting for apples to show up in your #rawdetox - kelleil #rawdetox #rva Gaseous and dizzy. Great.
- kelleil I am doing the #rawdetox to kill off a bad case of candidiasis and lose weight. I imagine this is long-term for me, but not for @RVAfoodie
- RVAfoodie @IanGraham I’m going to be tweeting novel raw food concoctions with this hashtag #rawdetox if you’re looking for ideas.
- kelleil @RVAfoodie HAHAHA! Sure! Nice rhyme. Got any pickling recipes to share? I can copy a few I have here. #rawdetox
- RVAfoodie For those wondering, I’m doing the #rawdetox to get rid of a persistent cold, lose weight, & assert some control over bad habits. #RVA
- RVAfoodie @kelleil I’m gonna try to be discreet about what I excrete. But, you should go for it aned people can follow u for down&dirty. #rawdetox
- RVAfoodie Eating an apple, soaking raw almonds, drinking my “sassy water,” looking forward to kale and turnip salad for lunch. Here we go. #rawdetox
- kelleil Oooh and I need a pitcher for the <wince> sassy water. Suggestions? #rawdetox #rva
- kelleil And where is the best place for wide mouth mason jars? Gotta culture some vegetables. #rawdetox #rva
- kelleil Kale marinating in lemon olive oil, yellow onions, garlic with a little extra lemon on top. Salad for dinner I guess. #rawdetox #rva
- kelleil Breakfast: Chicken with spinach and onions. #rawdetox #rva
- kelleil BTW. Trotter’s RAW? Completely impossible ingredients. Need to source the hell out of that. White Shoyu? Lime radishes?? #rawdetox #rva
- kelleil Guess I’ll bust out the Flavor Bible and see what I got. May steal @RVAfoodie’s raw kale suggestions. #rawdetox #rva
- kelleil Awake & slightly hungover after hanging w/ @RVAFoodie & @darlinoctopus. Unlike @RVAFoodie have nothing prepared. & hungry. Shit. #rawdetox
- RVAfoodie Raw kale salad marinating over night. Tastes great already. I added some fresh lemon juice. http://bit.ly/13jpZE #rawdetox
- RVAfoodie A batch of “sassy water” in fridge overnight. Water w/sliced cucumber, grated ginger, sliced lemon, & mint leaves. (via @kelleil) #rawdetox
- RVAfoodie I feel like I’m up on the high-dive, afraid to jump, afraid I’m gonna fall. Is anticipation is the worst part? Not even close. #rawdetox
- RVAfoodie Frantically looking for food to prep. Need to get nuts/seeds sprouting & veggies pickling. Hey @kelleil. How bout a hashtag? #rawdetox #rva
I like RichmondGl’s tweet: “Reading your #rawdetox stories is like watching a horror movie for me. It’s like the healthy version of Requiem for a Dream.” as it is exactly how I felt when I read your rawdetox tweets…I do love horror movies by the way.
Seriously though, I am of the alternative medicine mentality. You might need certain herbs to do a real detox though. My herbalist told me that most people test for parasites and fungus (candida) through her muscle test (google it since it’s a long convoluted expl) – these are not traceable thru regular doctor’s test. Each person may need different herbs. Black walnut is a good herb for parasites…I forgot which one is for fungus. Two friends of mine had acid reflux for years and got it fixed when they went to my herbalist. My hubby’s sinus issues are better and only has a bout during the first week of change of season. His herb of choice is fenugreek.
The body heals itself if you give it the right nutrition that is very true…but you might need some herbs to help it along.
And yes, parasites and fungus love sugar so stay away from sweets while you are getting better. Can you imagine a baker saying this?
wow bunch of comments, interesting post, but wouldn’t a cup of prunes have been just as “detoxyfing”
Saw your post that you and the wife went to Carytown Cupcakes. Hubby and I went today and got the carrot cupcake. We think ~$3 for three little bites is steep. Williams Bakery in Carytown has excellent “pig” and “radar” bars for half the price and they are bigger and better. Try them out!
Aztek Grill opens up shop in a most undesirable location. The track record for ventures in that space isn’t good. Unless they market themselves and/or develop a reputation for outstanding food and service by word of mouth, they almost seem destined to fail. That part of Shockhoe has become almost exclusively urban at night. Ask anyone who knows. Interestingly, 18th and 19th closer to Broad have become interesting draws to foodies with some places I’d like to check out.
As for Infuzion, what a disaster. I hope the owners know what they’re doing this time around. Such a shame. the place had real potential.