I am trying the detox that we offer at the Yoga Retreat. It's a 3-day cleansing detox, which is supposed to draw out any toxins and impurities from the body, specifically from the gut. A deep cleanse, or interior clean as it's described in the manual.
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Each of the 3 days follows the same pattern; apart from the first day you only do one colonic.
Spirilina shake (spirilina blended with coconut water) a glass of Kombucha (Probiotic) and a multi vitamin for 'breakfast'
3 watermelon or papaya shakes throughout the day - 10.30, 1pm and 3pm is suggested - these shakes contain fruit, physillium husk (fibre) and benonite clay (draws out toxins)
Your evening 'meal' is a vegetable and garlic broth, which you can add lime, salt and paprika to.
You are allowed herbal teas and 2 coconuts (water only not the flesh)
There are self-administered colonics too - water for the first one and you can add either coffee in the morning, or lime and garlic in the evening (these are supposed to draw out parasites) and coconut oil as your last one.
The day prior to starting I keep my food clean, eating a raw cacao bowl for breakfast, vegetables and rice for lunch and a fruit salad for dinner
Day One
Monday, 20th June
Moon day today so no practice, I actually wake up normal time and reset alarm for 7.30am and this feels like a pure luxury.
Making my way up to the retreat for my 'breakfast' I like Spirilina so this shake is ok, and I love Kombucha so try and savour this!
Spirilina, Kombucha and Vitamin pill
I go home and chill for a bit and then back up to the retreat for 11am to start my shift. I have my first shake, which is really ok (watermelon) but not really filling. Anyway, so far so good I don't feel hunger yet. I have my second shake (papaya) at 12 because they accidently make it for Teresa and she wanted hers to go, and once you have added the husk and clay you must drink it. So a little earlier than I had psyched myself up for but not to worry. I also have a coconut just before and it is so glorious, I try to drink it super slow and savour every swallow.
By 2pm I'm hungry so I have a peppermint tea to fill a hole, and by 2.30pm I've had my second coconut. At 3.30pm I have my final shake for the day - watermelon. So really I have been having the shakes and drinks every half hour or so, going maybe an hour after each shake so it doesn’t feel too bad.
Watermelon shake
4pm comes, the end of my shift and I am ready to try my first ever colonic in the colema room at the retreat. A mixture of nervous and excited (?!) I have an epic fail with the first try, not inserting the tube enough and spilling some water. I then try again and manage to do half of the bag (about a litre), however you are supposed to keep it in for 10-20 minutes, I last about 2 minutes, I literally couldn't keep it in, when I moved from my lying on back to the toilet seat I had a big pain in the stomach and then had to release, it was mainly the water and at the end a little 'waste' which looked like regular diarrhoea but did pong quite a bit (sorry if TMI) I manage the second half of the bag much better, but still only managed to keep it in about 6 minutes, I managed to lie still and breath, raise my legs up wobble about a bit, but was too worried that moving around the room might end in disaster!!! When this second lot is released it's only the water that comes out. I'm not sure so wait on the loo for another 5 mins, walk about a bit and go back to the loo, but nothing, I think it all came out plus a number one. I did wonder about the colonic as I have pretty healthy bowel movements but thought it might un earth some unsightly sights, but no.
As I came home I felt some mild stomach pain, which I am still feeling now, but not the need to go to the toilet, it's more of a gassy feeling. After a chill in the hammock and a walk to the laundry (in which I feel like a total space cadet) I come back for my watery broth, adding paprika, salt and lime and also had added some Apple Cider Vinegar. I find the broth quite comforting but not so tasty.
I then move inside as the wind starts whipping up and I know rain is on its way.... I get some weird almost hallucinations in the corner of my eyes, like bugs or something running across the walls. But try and chill.
I'm hungry now, although my belly doesn't feel empty. I am trying not to think about food but can't help it. I start a little battle inside my head 'come on you can do this' versus 'so what if you have to give up’!!!!
I have a lemongrass tea but I think it's made me feel hungrier! Balls, I was hoping not to feel hunger on day 1. I also feel tired, lethargic even, and have a mild headache (I presume this might be caffeine related)
So in summary of Day One - not too bad, but going to sleep hungry might be a problem, and how the hell am I going to make it through an Ashtanga Mysore practice tomorrow?!!
Day Two
I wake up and feeling very tired, and not having my normal coffee to wake me, I drink some water and head up to the retreat for practice. It goes ok, but I feel stiff, this I’m sure is to do with 2 days off (yesterday being a moon day) more than no solid food.
I make it through practice and head straight to the colema room, for colonic number two; I'm keen to try the coffee water as I feel I need some caffeine somehow! And because it is supposed to be good for flushing the liver. Anyway, this goes ok, but still very little waste coming out, which I presume is a good thing? Means I'm not too blocked in the intestines or colon.
I devour my breakfast spirilina shake and head home for a shower and a peppermint tea.
The rest of the day is fine, goes by quite quickly as I work on the something every hour principle, shake at 11, coconut at 12, shake at 1.30, peppermint tea at 2ish, coconut at 2.30 and then final shake at 3.30pm. I have a few hunger pangs during the day but nothing too bad, although I feel quiet and less energetic or sociable than normal. Next colonic is at 4pm, and this time, after talking and sharing with Teresa about my not releasing that much I try and take the whole bag in one go and keep it in, whilst doing bridge, rubbing the fluid around in my belly and legs up in the air, I then feel brave enough to try a shoulder stand but as I am trying to roll up I can't hold it and I have to get on the loo!!! Only managed 6 minutes, but feel slightly more release than the previous tries. I also have a bloated feeling afterwards which is still present now as I write at 8pm. I also feel very thirsty.
I 'enjoy' my broth, this time adding turmeric, lime, salt and cayenne pepper. It would make a lovely starter or palate cleanser!
I am hungry now, and my body aches, and thirsty, so I'm trying to drink as much water as I can but I can't stop going to the loo.... and getting up and down in the hammock is exhausting so I move onto the bed and try and distract myself with 2 episodes of Love Island!
I'm feeling pretty hungry now and almost dreading another day...I'm going to make myself a lavender tea and try to sleep, I can imagine that ether I won't be able to sleep or I will be having dreams of food, banquets and cooking programmes!
Wish me luck for tomorrow.
Summary of Day 2 - not bad, seem to be coping but feeling hungry tonight.
Day Three
Well, writing this in the evening the morning feels like a lifetime ago...I woke not feeling hungry but lifeless, tired and worried there was no way I could do my practice. I also felt a bit depressed. I somehow manage to get through my practice and thankful that it was a cool morning I decided last night to skip this morning colonic as not a lot was coming out so I didn't feel it necessary. I then have my 'breakfast' and thank the lucky stars that this is the last time I will have to drink it, even though I like Spirilina I'm bored of the blandness of this smoothie, I still love Kombucha and will continue to drink it forever - Yogi Champagne!
I then shoot home for a shower, chill and a peppermint tea.
Back up at the retreat I have a watermelon shake, which I prefer the taste of over the Papaya, but the Papaya is more filling. Not feeling too bad at all on the hunger stakes I just feel lethargic and still a bit light headed. My chilled coconut tastes like the best thing ever. And the day goes fairly quickly; we are quite at the retreat so nothing too taxing to do. I manage to put together a newsletter even though even sitting at the computer feels draining.
At 4pm I'm starting to get excited as it's the end, the last colonic, this time with some coconut oil which will soothe the intestines and colon. I've not been surprised that my colonics didn't bring out much, but have left me feeling bloated.
After this, I go and sit in the herbal steam room, in and out for 30 minutes to draw out any last toxins. The smell in there is gorgeous Lemongrass and I have it to myself so it's lovely.
I then 'tuck in' to my final broth, it’s actually really soothing and feels nice on the belly. I also bring a takeaway papaya shake home with me to try and stave off the evening hunger, which has been the hardest bit for me, the hunger between 7pm-8pm.
I drink the shake at 6.45pm and also have a banana on stand by, as I really don't want to feel hungry tonight. I think my lack of feeling hungry has surprised me, and also taught me something about myself that I defo snack out of boredom rather than hunger. I definitely have been fantasising about food but have been quite good at putting the thoughts out of my mind
So, I'm almost ready to sleep, and not feeling too bad. I'm pleased that I made it through.
Summary Day 3 - probably the easiest day hunger wise - in fact only got hunger pangs a couple of times. Feel happy to be finishing because I hate feeling so tired and lifeless.
Day Four - post detox
I feel very weak and tired, exhausted even on waking and crawl on up to the retreat for a pre practice Kombucha, I have a very tired and laboured practice, but I manage to get through it, even the drop backs which I felt were my best yet!
I am so happy to be able to eat something after class, but going steady on the stomach is recommended so I have a plate of mango and papaya and a 'Beet Treat' juice, which are divine! I'm not that hungry it's just I'm craving energy...
Summary and thoughts on the whole process....
Not wanting to be negative, I can see how this detox is a fabulous way to kick start a healthy eating regime, it is perfect for people who have had bad diets, bad habits or have been mis-treating their bodies. Most people I have witnessed through the retreat on detox have struggled with it but came out feeling great. I have seen people come into the retreat looking tired and pale and finish detox looking great, their skin and eyes glowing.
I'm afraid my experience has not been so positive. I had been following a healthy, mostly vegetarian diet for a couple of years and the only 'bad' things in my diet since leaving the UK in February is the odd beer, glass of wine or a cheeky bag of crisps. So I don't think it had such a dramatic cleansing effect on me that it did on others. And I didn't like how it affected my energy levels and mood. I'm generally an upbeat person and I felt low and lifeless.
What I have learnt is that I don't feel hungry as much as I thought I would and therfore I sometimes so eat for something to do rather than hunger.
I definitely eat for pleasure, but if what you are eating is healthy, fresh, un-processed and works for your body then that's I think that's ok.
Also, you don't need 'snacks' I get 'peckish' quite a bit and that's when I snack on nuts or an energy ball or some dark chocolate, so maybe I don't need these things at all.
I am very interested in how I felt lifeless, the lack of energy, and how much I craved protein or felt weak without it. I also started craving rice on the last day and felt the need to put some good carbs into my body.
I'm very keen to play around with the foods I introduce back into my diet and how they affect me, specifically wheat or gluten and sugars.
I weighed myself, as I was hoping to loose a few pounds, and had not lost 1lb!!!!!! So it definitely did not work for me as a weight loss plan. But it was really about cleansing.
I'm going to edit this post over next couple of days to re-evaluate and see how I feel after putting some food (=energy) back into my body.
A few days later: not sure if this is down to the detox or because I am so happy to be able to eat a healthy diet again - but I feel great! I feel very slightly slimmer around the middle and today (Sunday) I actually feel more energetic and back to the old me again.
What the detox has done me good with is regonising that I do not need to snack, and that I only want to put good, clean, wholesome food back into my body. I don't have the urge to drink alcohol yet (I had a cocktail last night and it took me ages to slowly sip it and afterwards had a headache) and I definately do not want anything sweet or sugary.
So in summary - I would definatly recommend this detox to people who have poor diets, eat processed foods or food high in meat proteins, drink a lot of alchohol and smoke. (One of our guests gave up smoking after 3 day detox) Also if you have problems with your bowel movements this will clean that area up in now time and after changing your diet you should see an improvement in that.
I'm in no rush to do it again as I didn't like the way it affected my mood or energy levels, and I do have a good diet. But it has made me think about the toxins I do put into my body via alcohol and sugary drinks (and I mean store bought Ice Tea and Coffee not Coke, Sprite etc as I don't drink them anymore)
I'll leave you with some pictures of my first day back with chewable food and how glorious each and every mouthful was!
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| Baby Aubergine Salad with Coconut Sauce |
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| Mixed Stir Fry Veg with Rice - amaazing! |
