Lisa P Writes

I sometimes see a gray-haired, hunchbacked man walking down the street in front of my house. As he walks, his back is rounded over but he holds his head up, kind of like a turtle with a quick gait. He occasionally puffs on a cigarette. His clothes are youthful, usually jeans and a trendy sling shoulder bag which I assume he’s on his way to the train to go to work. He looks like he could be retirement age. I make up stories about him that maybe he lives alone in an apartment, his children live far away so they only visit once a year. He doesn’t visit them because he’s too busy working in advertising. His wife divorced him because he didn’t contribute to housework and refused to give foot rubs. He eats fortified cereal for dinner. Why do I go to the depressing side? I don’t know. . .I believe that something in his thinking made him that way. He might be happy now, but he went through some rough patch that resulted in his current state.

Not only his mind, but I think that hunchback’s nutrition played a big role in his current condition. I’m reminded to take care of myself when I see him. Luckily, as I’ve gotten older, I feel younger because I’m seeing more benefit in taking care of myself. Believe me, I used to be reckless. I’m on Day 12 of my vegan cleanse and aside from the sniffles, I feel great! I think I need to sweat out more toxins – I’m supposed to take hot baths or sit in a sauna. I’ve only done that once. Last week, I had super mucus drainage! I know, gross. I’ve also had an occasional headache and I know that it’s because I haven’t had enough water. Note to self, drink more. It feels good to be conscious of my mind and body. This cleanse makes me think about what I’m putting in my mouth. I’ve had some super delicious meals – black bean burgers, corn fritters, stuffed squash, quinoa with lots of veggies – no meal has been the same. I enjoy cooking, so that helps. I’m not sure how I would do this if I didn’t cook. For desert, I’ve had raw cookies, tapioca pudding and one of my favorite sweet treats is a date stuffed with a walnut. When I go out, I carry nuts and dried fruits in case I get hungry. If I’m eating out, there are quite a few options as long as I’m not going to a pub. I can eat Mexican and Thai or even just order rice and veggies at other places. French fries are my favorite! I know, kind of defeats the purpose of a cleanse, but always an option.

Another side affect is that I feel my body buzzing – the energy running through it. I can feel it when I’m not doing the cleanse, but I have to focus on it. I notice it a lot on the cleanse – now that I’m clearing out substances that mask that vibration. On one Oprah show, there was a guy who survived a horrific airplane crash. He said that as he was rushing to get out of the burning cabin, he noticed people’s spirits leaving their bodies as they were consumed by flames. Some people had bright spirits while others had dull. He said that it was now his mission in life, to leave with a bright spirit. I think that’s a damn good goal to have!