Thursday, January 30, 2014

{I have a crush on} Day 4 of the Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox


I have a crush on Day 4

But first, if you're just joining me and would like to catch up on any of the other 10 days here are the links:


Ok, so first let me say that, in hindsight, I feel like such a ninny for complaining about how I felt on Day 1 and Day 2… and apparently I was jumping the gun yesterday saying that I felt great. I mean Day 3 I was a functioning mom who could carry on an intelligent conversation without rubbing my temples and operate heavy machinery my SUV safely. But today I woke up feeling amazing. Oh, and those missing pounds 4 days in? Nice perk!


OK, so let me quickly show you the vittles, since I assume that's why most of you are reading these posts. Today's smoothie was almost on the savory side. I loved Day 1 and 2 and 3's smoothies, but felt like I should branch out, so I gave the Ginger Cucumber Smoothie a try {page 269}. Loaded with almonds + chia seeds + cucumber + several of those Dorot ginger cubes I always keep on hand in the freezer + kale and water, it too packed a nutritional punch.


But I decided to stage it for a nice photo before drinking it…. and the thing basically became edible with a fork because of all the chia seeds. So, I added more water and went to blend it again. Only I didn't check to make sure the base was screwed back on tightly… which meant that my precious smoothie sprayed out all over the counter. So, I drank 1/2 a smoothie {and maybe I licked the base of my blender, I don't exactly recall the details…}


Then I had a much anticipated lunch date with Kelsey from Naptime Chef fame {so fun, such a treat!}, and ordered a detox-friendly kale salad with pistachios, shaved fennel, hold the cranberries, and please add grilled chicken. And while her striped bass on brioche looked delicious, miraculously I didn't ask if I could steal one, or two-- or 25-- of her sweet potato fries. My cravings are in check. I feel completely content. And that feels really, really good.


In fact, I have so much energy today, that even though I worked out first thing this morning, I saw that I had an extra hour of free time, so I ran home and donned running shoes so I could go for a brisk walk with Zac {Brown} before the school bus rumbled home.


I was hungry for a snack this afternoon, and enjoyed veggies with a dollop of both the dips I made Day 1 {Tahini Dip and Spinach-Walnut Pesto}. I made the same snack for each of my kids to munch on when they came home from school. 


OK, so dinner… I promised myself that I would participate fully in this detox, but I misread the instructions. I thought that we could choose any dinner any night, when in fact, you have two options each night. The recipes are categorized either as "Core" {meaning easier to prepare} or "Adventure" {which may take longer to make, or be made with more unique ingredients}. My plan is to flip-flop around, and pick dinners that my family with most likely all enjoy. The catch is that you can choose either/or, but only from the same day. So on Day 2, I made a double batch of Day 4's dinner. The upside? Tonight I didn't have to make dinner! I simply "freshened up" the stir-fry with some lemon zest and a sprinkling of gram masala spice blend.



One of my children and I enjoyed it {again} as is.


My husband and other child loaded their bowls up with brown rice and some of the chicken skewers from Day 3's dinner. Everyone loved it. File this one away for the future. It's a keeper.

And with that, I turn off the computer and go enjoy tonight's Detox Bath!

Take me to Days 5, 6 and 7 of the Detox!

Note: I was given an advance copy of The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detoxand given the opportunity to participate in daily calls with Dr. Hyman, and/or an RD from Dr. Hyman's staff, and a life coach from The Handel Group, as part of my chance to review the book. I was not compensated in any other way for participating in the program, and all opinions are my own. The above links will take you to Amazon. When you click, it takes you to their website, and anything you purchase there will help support swellmom and the full plate blog. Thanks in advance for the support.

Day 3 of the Blood Sugar Solution {my energy is coming back}


Quick update b/c I am trying to spend less time online these 10 days. Easier said than done!

If you're just joining me and would like to catch up on any of the other 10 days here are the links:


Hooray!!! Day 3 I woke up without a headache and general malaise. This was big because if I think back to how I felt on Monday/Tuesday there is no sugar-coating how AWFUL I felt. I didn't want to complain because I chose to do this, but trust me, it really was miserable.

I drank several cups of warm lemon water while getting my kids ready for the school bus, then went upstairs to spend :30 minutes on the elliptical. I am actually supposed to be spending :30 minutes outside walking, but I can bring myself to go out in that frigid weather… so instead, I am sweating while catching up on smut TV.  Even though my workout isn't hard, I still have to pause every 5 minutes or so. My body still feels tired.


I switched up my smoothie this morning, trying the Almond and Strawberry Smoothie {should be around page 270 when the book comes out} which was delicious, and not as filling as the Whole Food Protein Shake I'd enjoyed Days 1 and 2. Today's smoothie was a blend of almond butter + walnuts + strawberries + avocado + fresh ginger + cinnamon + ground flaxseeds + water. So, lots of good stuff blended up to start my day. I feel like I am starting to get into a rhythm, knowing that all 3 of the meals and the 2 optional snacks, are nutrient-dense and filling. There has been zero hunger. In fact, I haven't needed the morning snack at all yet.


Then, I had to prepare for being out and about running around from 11am-6pm. I really didn't want to find myself in a bind, so I packed up my PGX {which I had to slurp while volunteering at the children's school-- and yes, the parents next to me commented on how I glug glugged that stuff down. If you haven't tried PGX, it takes some getting used to. It also, achem, helps keep you regular.}


So anyway, before leaving the house, I made a big salad that included: lemon and olive oil vinaigrette +  avocado + 2 C baby kale +


a few hearts of palm +


2 hardboiled eggs +

a bunch of the steamed veggies leftover from Day 1 +


a few kalamata olives for zing + a shake of dried parsley + a shake of cayenne for a kick.


And I packed everything up and was on my way! I also put an Artisiana Coconut Butter packet in my purse in case I didn't have a chance for an afternoon snack… and was glad I did. Those two things held me over until 6pm.


After a big re-stock of veggies and chicken in between dropping and picking up kids here and there, I steamed a big box of Earthbound Farms Power Greens for dinner


and made a batch of Asian-Flavored Chicken Skewers from the book {page 279}. As you can see, the recipe made plenty. I've found all of the dinner recipes to be very generous portion sizes, which thrills my husband.


I had the dinner as recommended - chicken over a big bed of steamed and then lightly sautéed leafy greens


and the kids had a sample of greens {which uncooked was at least 1 cup+!!}, a chicken skewer and some Trader Joe's macaroni and cheese. Everyone was happy. Looking ahead, I've picked dinners for Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun that everyone in the family will like… which means Detox for me + no extra work also taking care of them!!

So here's a summary of Day 3 Meals:
And now I am going up for my "required" Daily Detox Bath, and a normal bedtime. I'm telling you, if you can tell everyone in your family that you have to go take a bath, then that alone makes these 10-Days are worth it as far as I am concerned!!

Take me to Day 4 of the Detox!

Note: I was given an advance copy of The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detoxand given the opportunity to participate in daily calls with Dr. Hyman, and/or an RD from Dr. Hyman's staff, and a life coach from The Handel Group, as part of my chance to review the book. I was not compensated in any other way for participating in the program, and all opinions are my own. The above links will take you to Amazon. When you click, it takes you to their website, and anything you purchase there will help support swellmom and the full plate blog. Thanks in advance for the support.

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Day 2 of The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox {was a valley}


If you need to play catch-up:
Pre-Detox: the hideous photo post
Detox Day 1


I woke up on Day 2 of this 10-Day Detox feeling a bit like I'd been run over by a truck. My head ached and I would have given anything just to stay in bed.


But I rallied {because even under i-feel-like-i've-been-hit-by-a-truck circumstances, a mom can't go back to bed until everyone is out of the house, right?}, made the same Dr. Hyman Whole-Food Protein Shake as yesterday while reheating some protein pancakes for my children, and drank several cups of warm lemon water before getting them on the bus. I knew hydration was key, and I really wanted to lose this headache. Other than that, I pretty much couldn't think straight.


But I was going to do this. I kept telling myself it's only 10 days...


And while I would have loved to just take the rest of the day off, I looked at my jam-packed calendar for the rest of the week and felt a need to get more cooking done to create a stockpile of detox-friendly fare.


Today would be one of the lunch recipes, "Chicken Soup for the Cause" {page 274}.


The recipe calls for reduced sodium chicken stock, but I happened to have several quarts of homemade bone broth, which I decided to put to good use.


I popped them into a heavy-lidded pot and dragged myself upstairs for a :30 minute workout. Unlike yesterday, when I energetically moved for :30 minutes, today I felt like I needed to stop every few minutes. It was like my whole body was just exhausted. My husband texted me to ask how I was doing and I said, "I feel like crap". Mmm hmm, it's what Dr. Hyman calls, FLC Syndrome.





Lunch was delicious, but still I felt awful.


I knew I was supposed to be taking it easy this week… but for me {and most moms I know}, that is easier said than done. But something had to give or I'd still be pretty much non-functioning when the kids got home from school. So, I ran the Detox Tub {a combination of epsom salts + baking soda + lavender essential oil} mid-day. And it worked. Or something worked. Either the tub, the copious amounts of water I was drinking, or my body finally decided to relax into this process...


When my little one came tumbling off the bus and asked, "what smells so good?!!" I was able to share some of today's delicious soup, and be present to chat about his day. Am I over the hump? I don't know yet. But I do know that my awful headache has dissipated and I feel like I have more of a hang of how these next 8 days will go, which is reassuring.


Dinner tonight was Stir-Fry Vegetables with Almonds {page 284}. {NOTE: When I started the detox, I misread that we could choose any meal from the "Core" or the "Adventure" dinner recipes. What Dr. Hyman meant was that each day you could choose between the two, not mixing and matching willy nilly across days… so, I actually cooked Day 4's dinner. On Day 2 we should have had either Grilled Snapper with Salad OR Grilled Chicken with Ratatouille and Steamed Broccoli. From here on out, I understand the plan and will stick to it!}


Again, a delicious, nourishing meal. Even better when you can enjoy it around a family dinner table heading back out of the valley, towards feeling good again.

So here's a summary of what I cooked/ate/served my family today for busy moms who may decide to do the detox once it comes out in February:
Hi ho, hi ho, it's now off to the Detox Bath and journaling portion of the cleanse I go.

Take me to Day 3 of the Detox!


Note: I was given an advance copy of The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detoxand given the opportunity to participate in daily calls with Dr. Hyman, and/or an RD from Dr. Hyman's staff, and a life coach from The Handel Group, as part of my chance to review the book. I was not compensated in any other way for participating in the program, and all opinions are my own. The above links will take you to Amazon. When you click, it takes you to their website, and anything you purchase there will help support swellmom and the full plate blog. Thanks in advance for the support.

{I survived} Day 1 of the Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox


Wow, ok, so when I wrote the "hideous photo" post I wasn't even sure if I should post it.

a) Who wants a photo like that floating around?

b) TMI?

But since no other single post here has inspired so many personal emails, voicemails and messages,  clearly, I am not alone. You all have both cheered me on, as well as asked for me to share if the detox works for a busy mom. So, with that in mind, here is my honest assessment of the Day 1 of Mark Hyman, MD's 10-Day Detox.*


To paraphrase the book, the worst thing that can happen is that I end up right where I am now. Which is {drumroll} a weight that I haven't seen since I was pregnant. And actually, I can come up with a bunch of other reasons I wanted to do this, most of which I came clean on last week. The best thing that could happen? I could feel healthy again. Or, as Dr. Hyman said on our call Monday, "experience what it's like to feel good". I assume that not feeling like a sausage stuffed in casing when I put on my pants is a part of that gig.  


So, I decided to commit fully to these 10 Days {b/c I can do anything for 10 days, right?} and made a big grocery run for the various pantry items I'd need when I started Monday morning.


Then I went skiing with my son. And all weekend, I ate and drank like it was the Last Supper…because while I want to feel lighter and more energetic, there's a part of me that also wonders if {or panics that} this will be my last Lagunitas IPA… my last turkey reuben… my last glass of a delicious red… the last apres ski hot cocoa...  


Fast forward to yesterday, Monday morning. My husband tells me it's 7:15, which means that I've overslept {while he's already worked out, showered and is heading to work}. This is a typical Monday-- no really any morning-- occurrence. I run downstairs and make the kids scrambled eggs with broccoli and cheddar…and pop a little Whole Foods cinnamon roll on each plate as a treat. I'm fine skipping the scrambled eggs and the cinnamon roll, but I'm wishing I'd written out a daily plan for myself b/c all I can think about is coffee… and I know coffee isn't a part of the plan. "Hellloooo, over here…." that damn Keurig is whispering. Ugh. I love warm water with lemon… but since I can't have it, all I can think about is coffee. The funny part is, I had weaned myself off of coffee over the weekend. So basically, I just wanted what I couldn't have. Because while you can make an argument that coffee is ok, wine is ok, whole grains are ok… for 10 days you give them up. Completely.

I came in from the bus stop to an email waiting for me from Dr. Hyman, which starts with "I am very pleased to kick off Day 1 of The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet. I know you have all been busily preparing over the weekend and are eager to get started."


Oh, if he only knew what I'd actually had this weekend… hello, bender. And while at first read, I think it all seems a bit melodramatic to be saying we are addicted to sugar and refined carbs, I can't help but note that throughout the day, I kept having to refrain from nibbling this and that, wanting something sweet after I had something savory… Maybe he has a point? As someone who thinks that I eat relatively healthfully {I don't drink soda, I feed my family plenty of leafy greens, I like to say I enjoy everything in moderation..}, I took the Toxicity Questionnaire at the beginning of the book and had to admit to more of the symptoms than I expected. Hmmm. So, I decided to trust-- or hope-- that 10 Days is long enough to make a difference, to this busy mom.


I looked at my counter full of the pantry items {including various nuts, seeds, good oils, and enough fresh veggies to get me through the first morning}, and I opened the box of vitamins and supplements Dr. Hyman sent me, quickly realizing I was absolutely clueless about what to take when.


So, I went looking for my dog eared book that clearly lays out exactly what you're supposed to do each day, and start jotting down what smoothie, lunch and dinner recipe I'll be making. Slight overwhelm set in. It's a good thing I left Day 1 wide open. As someone who relies on the bounty of nourishing family meals in our freezer, I realized this very specific meal prep was going to take quite a bit of time.  

The next thing I did was take baseline measurements {fairly depressing, even though I knew where I was starting from} then workout for :30 minutes. Day 1 I felt energetic, ready to take on the world. Or at least this Detox.


Then, before launching into my first smoothie, I had the first supplement, PGX.


I has the consistency of tapioca. Not unpleasant, just a little weird. I realize after popping two portions into my water that I may have overdone it, and should have gradually worked up to 5mg...


Then it was time for my first meal-- what is called the Whole Foods Protein Shake in the book. Not the normal green smoothies I have come to love and concoct with whatever fruits and greens I have on hand.


This one had this odd-sounding combination of frozen blueberries and cranberries + lemon {with the rind!} + almond butter + pumpkin, chia and hemp seeds {the bulk aisle at Whole Foods will become very familiar to me} + walnuts + Brazil nuts + coconut butter + avocado + almond milk + water.


I was certain it would break my inexpensive blender...


but it whizzed right up and became this brilliant pink glass of


deliciousness. And so filling that I could only drink half.


While on a conference call with Dr. Hyman, he pegged what ails me: "FLC Syndrome" {which stands for Feels Like Crap}. I'm not sure that's a medical term.


I spent the rest of my morning and afternoon of Day 1 cooking. I hard-boiled eggs so I'd have a quick protein source on hand for lunches.


And I made a double batch of his Green Goddess Soup with Broccoli and Arugula.



The soup was ahhmazing. I have been pleasantly surprised by how delicious each meal has been. I mean, I know real, nourishing ingredients taste wonderful-- but I initially thought we were eliminating so many different things that I wondered what was left. It turns out {and as you'll see in the meal pics I post during these 10 Days}, a lot.


For example {and in my effort to get ahead of the cooking curve}, I whipped up two dips recommended for afternoon snacks: spinach-walnut pesto and tahini-dill dip.


When my kids got home, we all had veggies and dip as an afternoon snack. I still have my fully-stocked snack drawer with all sorts of granola bars, fruit leathers, etc and they can dip into that stash when they please, but yesterday they both gave the tahini-dill dip a thumbs up and ate a nice servings of veggies to boot.


Then it was dinner time, and I won't lie-- I was beat. I don't know if the lack of caffeine, sugar or just the stress of following a plan so carefully that caught up to me. In order to be successful at this 10-Day Detox, the trick for me, as a mom, is balancing taking better care of myself/participating fully in the detox… and the reality that I have a family of four to feed and take care of at the same time. So, I perused the recipes and picked out several that I thought would work well for all of us.


Day 1's dinner was not one that I pegged as family-friendly {since neither of my kids really enjoys fish}. But since I had the rest of some homemade mac & cheese with sweet potatoes and broccoli leftover from our ski weekend as a back-up plan for the kids, I chose to make Coconut Curry with Cod. I am quickly learning that this program is not about deprivation. And if, like in the case of last night, I'm not sure if Coconut Curry with Cod will be enjoyed by all, I feel good knowing I always have my homemade freezer stash with the option of using part of my Detox meal as sides for my children.


So, for example, my children had a side of the steamed bok choy, zucchini and yellow cauliflower. My husband and I had the coconut curry with cod over the same steamed veggies, and he heated up some brown rice {which we always have on hand in our freezer}. So, it worked.


I also made sure that by the end of Day 1 I had started to stock up on my self-prepared Detox meals, so I didn't have to cook 3 meals/day for 10 days. Here is the summary of what I made, in case any of you busy moms decide you want to follow my lead:
So, I wrapped up Day 1 feeling successful, albeit tired, when I  went upstairs to enjoy a "Detox Bath" {required at the end of each day… more on that later!}.

Take me to Day 2 of the Detox!

Note: I was given an advance copy of The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detoxand given the opportunity to participate in daily calls with Dr. Hyman, and/or an RD from Dr. Hyman's staff, and a life coach from The Handel Group, as part of my chance to review the book. I was not compensated in any other way for participating in the program, and all opinions are my own. The above links will take you to Amazon. When you click, it takes you to their website, and anything you purchase there will help support the recipe development that I share w. you via swellmom and the full plate blog. Thanks in advance for the support.