Category / 9 Day Detox Plan

by Chris Swirski

Beeting the Odds: 9 Day Body & Mind rEvolution (Day 1)

Today I embarked on my yearly detox in honor of the 45 days of juice fasting which changed my life over 2 years ago. As usual, the goal is to “reset” by purging any negative accumulations from my body/mind; while moving forward both refreshed and reaffirmed.
My plan is to jump into 1 day of transitioning, 1 day of eating raw, 5 days of juice fasting, 1 day of eating raw and ending with 1 day of transitioning. I’m also including a colon hydro therapy session, massage therapy, hot epsom bath/essential oil soaks and my usual regimen of stretching and meditation.
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Day 1: Transition

The Purpose
Transitioning is the time just before and after a raw food/juice fast where we taper off and abstain from our usual habits in preparation for the nourishment of our cells and the release of toxins. When I say “toxins”, I’m not only talking about the way we eat or drink but everything we expose ourselves to on a daily basis. The pollution we breathe, the chemicals we consume through drugs (prescription too), alcohol, cigarettes, the chemical products we put all over our skin and hair, the mental and physical stress we put ourselves through; which all produces hormonal imbalances within us. Even the mental baggage we carry around (and add to) each day. This collective accumulation slows us down, breaks down the immune system, creates obesity, fatigue, unexplained pain and disease.

As we will be focusing much on food consumption, it’s easy to forget about our mind and general mood. That being the case, I urge you to begin to transition off the distractions of constant talking, over-thinking, watching television and general stresses. With a job and family, I understand this could be a tough one. My advice would be to take it as a vacation from work (if possible) and just be very mindful that this time is for YOU. Completely disconnect from the “norm” as much as you can. Relax, meditate, do some stretching or light yoga, read positive books, soak in epsom salt baths, get a massage; this time is truly a detox from everything. Allow yourself to take full advantage of this opportunity and let it all go. Discuss it with loved ones beforehand to gain their support.

The Method

Depending on how often the following items are consumed, 1 day of transitioning may not be enough for your specific situation. Gradually, come off of consuming animal products, alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, refined sugars, refined salt, flour/gluten, grains, processed/packaged foods, cooked foods, supplements and vitamins. If taking prescription drugs, continue to take them unless otherwise approved by your doctor. ALWAYS consult your physician before starting any juicing/detox program!

I recommend that anyone not already eating a clean, mostly whole food plant-based diet begin transitioning/tapering off each item daily from up to 1 1/2 weeks prior. This will help lessen your detox symptoms when you begin the fast. In other words, do not wait until the night before to decide to stop doing everything all at once; I promise you will regret it. Do not “binge” or go on “benders” leading up to the detox; you will be miserable, sick and giving up before you even give it a chance to help you.

My First Day (Saturday, April 2nd)

In my case, I’ve only reserved one day of transition prior to going 100% raw because I’ve been fairly clean with my eating and lifestyle. My focus on my transition day will be to abstain from flours, grains and lower my amount of cooked food; while beginning to add in more raw food. Then on day 2, I will be off cooked food and switching over to completely raw. That said, here was my day from start to end along with some photographed highlights.

Psyllium Husks w/ 8 oz Water

8 oz Warm Lemon Water

12 oz Green Juice (Kale, Collard, Cucumber, Celery, Lemon, Ginger)

8 oz Water

Mexican Chickpea Scramble with Mushrooms, Roasted Red Peppers and Spinach. Served with 1 Mashed Avocado.

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8 oz Water

8 oz Herbal Tea (rooibos, elderberries, hibiscus flowers, currants, blueberries, schizandra berries)

16 oz Green Smoothie (Greens/Veggie/Fruit)

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8 oz Water

Roasted Sweet Potato Carrot Soup w/ Cashew Sour Cream & Raw Hemp Oil drizzle

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8 oz Water

8 oz Herbal Tea (Lemon Detox: Burdock Root, Stinging Nettle Leaf, Cleavers Herb, Dandelion Root, Lemon Myrtle Leaf)

Giant Salad w/ Greens, Beets, Cucumber, Tomato, Raw Nuts/Seeds, Avocado w/ Cashew Ranch Dressing (not shown)

8 oz Water

Small bowl of Raw Banana Blueberry Date “Nice-Cream” (not shown)

8 oz Water

8 oz Herbal Tea (Sleep tea: Passion Flower, Chamomile, Linden Flower, Catnip, Hop Strobile, Spearmint, Lemon Verbena, Lemon Peel, Lemon Grass.

 

 

 

 

by Chris Swirski

Beeting the Odds: 9 Day Body & Mind rEvolution (Day 2)

Day 2: Raw

The Purpose

After transitioning from our usual lifestyle habits, it’s time to now begin nourishing our body with whole food plants. Taking the bad out, putting the good in. Also, this day of eating entirely raw will help further prepare and adapt our body to accept the days to come of consuming only extracted juices, water and herbal teas. Truly, it is another “transition day”; it simply focuses on our further evolution from eating animal products, cooked foods, grains, refined sugars,etc and replacing them with only fresh fruits, vegetables and raw nuts & seeds. If you are already a whole foods vegan and eat a high raw diet to begin with, none of this should be really shocking to your body at all. For those subscribing to the Standard American Diet (aka – S.A.D.), these transition days may be jarring for you while the body adjusts to the flood of plant nutrients and the lack of processed food. This is precisely why this process is called a “detox”.

The Method

Eating raw is as easy as you want it to be. Since you do not have to cook (or season) anything, you’re free to simply eat bowls of fresh fruit, giant veggie salads, blended smoothies and juices all day. The only stipulation is that the foods remain in their whole state with no added sugars, processed or non-raw plant ingredients. Organic herbal seasonings are completely acceptable; as is Himalayan Pink Salt (as it is a raw, untouched salt which is packed with trace minerals/nutrients). If you are detoxing from a high sodium diet, then I would omit salt altogether. Raw Vinegars and certain oils are acceptable as well, such as Raw Cold-Pressed Hemp Oil or Raw Coconut Oil. If you are unsure if something is plant-based and raw, do the research! In any case, you can make some pretty unique raw meals if you’re creative and willing to put in some extra time.

For me, half of my raw eating day could be filled with smoothies and juices. This is also great because it’s less taxing on the digestive system and getting the body used to consuming less solids. It will be less of a shock to your body when you begin only drinking liquid each day. Keeping a constant regimen of water and herbal tea intake between meals will further hydrate, nourish and help satiate appetite; this is a key factor on EVERY day of the detox. Hydration is the king factor in a proper detox regimen. It helps clean your g.i. tract and prepares digestion to absorb nutrients much more efficiently. You may need to urinate often but your body will thank you by easing your detox symptoms. Dehydration will only accentuate head/body aches and hunger.

My 2nd Day (Sunday, April 3rd)

I went full steam ahead with green juice and smoothies in the morning; then I got creative in the afternoon for a very satisfying raw meal; then went back to smoothies and ended the day with a giant salad. Here was how it all went:

Psyllium Husks w/ 8 oz Water

8 oz Warm Lemon Water

12 oz Green Juice (Kale, Collard, Cucumber, Celery, Lemon, Ginger)

8 oz Water

Raw Sunshine Smoothie (Coconut Water, Banana, Mango, Pumpkin Puree, Dates, Hemp Seed and Chia Seed)

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8 oz Water

Raw Tacos/Burritos (Chard wrap w/ Raw Mushroom Walnut “Meat”, Cashew Sour Cream, Pico De Gallo, Peppers and Cauliflower “Rice”IMG_3066

8 oz Water

8 oz Herbal Tea: Ginger Root

20 oz Reishi Cacao Almond Butter Smoothie

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8 oz Water

12 oz Bolthouse Farms 1915 Cold-Pressed Blended Juice (Coconut Water, Pineapple, Mango, Avocado, Lemon)

 

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8 oz Water

Chopped Romaine Salad w/ Creamy Raw Balsamic Hemp Avocado Dressing

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8 oz Water

8 oz Herbal Tea (Sleep tea: Passion Flower, Chamomile, Linden Flower, Catnip, Hop Strobile, Spearmint, Lemon Verbena, Lemon Peel, Lemon Grass).

by Chris Swirski

Beeting the Odds: 9 Day Body & Mind rEvolution (Day 3)

Day 3: Juicing

The Purpose

Fasting has been used throughout history for medical, health, religious and political applications. Our purpose of it will be for both physical and mental health. As understood by many, a fast is when someone restricts food, water or both. But with a juice fast, we will truly not be restricting either; we will actually be hydrating the body with an amazing amount of nutrition through the extraction of water-rich whole vegetables and fruit. This, in comparison to the lack of nourishment most people receive on their bloated daily diets, is a cleaner, more efficient dietary decision than what juicing naysayers would ever care to admit. Where we used to understand nourishment by measuring how full we felt; we will, instead, now measure by how great we look/feel. This newfound state of “emptiness” is not a reminder of what we think we need but an affirmation of all which we do not. Less is more. By refusing what poisons us and favoring that which allows us to thrive, we are on the cusp of mental and physical freedom.

When faced with any kind of “withdrawal”, we can become extremely emotional; it can be both good and bad. On one hand, we become angry or depressed from the absence of what we desire; but on the other, our higher self realizes it was harmful to begin with, hence, transforming that desire into whatever it’s being replaced with. The more tenacious we are, the sooner we will be able to replace a Beer with a Kombucha, a Donut with a Salad; or a cup of Coffee with a Health Tonic, etc. And as we emerge from the withdrawal symptoms and begin to experience vibrance and energy; we’ve already done the difficult work to remove the previous conditioning and replace it with a whole new set of ideals. This is called “change”. Since every physical action is a response to what our brain is communicating, a juice fast can help break the unconscious cycle and impart us with better habits moving forward.

The Method

There are many ways to do a juice fast. There are plans, recipes, tips etc. I like to keep my juice fasts fairly simple. I usually mix it up with a green, red and gold recipe and drink them throughout the fast. Five 12 oz juices per day is a good start; beginning the morning with Psyllium Husks Powder (in 8 oz Water) and an 8oz Warm Lemon Water. Space your juices out between 2 1/2 to 3 hours with plenty of water and herbal teas in-between. Check out some more of my tips here and here.

Other important considerations will be to reduce as much stress from your life as possible during this time period. The more stressed you are, the more likely you will lose focus, cheat or give up altogether. Take advantage of the time to not only detox your body but to detox your mind as well. Relax with Organic Herbal Teas, get massaged, do stretching or light Yoga, meditate; remove yourself from outside noise such as gossip, media, socializing, etc. Use this time to truly be with yourself and you WILL find answers. Being present, especially during potentially uncomfortable situations, will keep you focused on transformation; not falling into the same old habits.

My 3rd Day (Monday, April 4th)

Today began my juice only portion of the detox which will last for 5 full days. I woke up this morning and began my usual routine and created 2 really great juices for the day (about 60 oz). Here are the highlights:

Psyllium Husks w/ 8 oz Water

8 oz Warm Lemon Water

12 oz Green Juice (Chard, Romaine, Lacinto Kale, Parsley, Cucumber, Celery, Apple, Lemon, Ginger)

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8 oz Water

8 oz Herbal Tea (Turmeric Ginger)

8 oz Water

12 oz Golden Juice (Golden Beet, Carrot, Mandarin Orange, Basil, Pineapple, Ginger, Turmeric)

IMG_3073

16 oz Coconut Water

8 oz Water

12 oz Green Juice (Chard, Romaine, Lacinto Kale, Parsley, Cucumber, Celery, Apple, Lemon, Ginger)

8 oz Herbal Tea: Detox Lemon

8 oz Water

12 oz Green Juice (Chard, Romaine, Lacinto Kale, Parsley, Cucumber, Celery, Apple, Lemon, Ginger)

8 oz Water

12 oz Golden Juice (Golden Beet, Carrot, Mandarin Orange, Basil, Pineapple, Ginger, Turmeric)

IMG_3077

8 oz Herbal Tea: (Sleep tea: Passion Flower, Chamomile, Linden Flower, Catnip, Hop Strobile, Spearmint, Lemon Verbena, Lemon Peel, Lemon Grass).

 

by Chris Swirski

Beeting the Odds: 9 Day Body & Mind rEvolution (Day 4)

Day 4: Juice, Dry Brush, Oil Soak

If you’ve been following my posts day by day, you already know what the purpose of juice fasting is. If not, check out my previous post here. But as we get further into the juice fasted aspect of this detox program, we will now add in other key factors that will assist in cleansing and purging the body of toxins. A few of the things I’d like to focus on in this post include sleep, dry brushing, oil soaking and tongue scraping. As the digestive system begins to slow down and get a much needed break; your body begins to rid itself of damaged cells and generate new ones. How amazing is that? That said, you want your body to be in a supportive state which allows these toxins to leave the body as easily as possible.

Sleep

Getting a good amount of sleep is crucial during a detoxification program. And it’s more about the quality than it is the quantity. Being free from stress, as much as possible, throughout the day will help us quiet our mind while enabling us to become deeply relaxed in the evening. The body performs many vital functions during the 3rd, 4th and REM levels of sleep such as tissue repair/regrowth, restoration of energy and hormone release for muscle growth/development. Sleep during a juice fast brings even greater benefits due to the energy which was previously unavailable to us. Since the digestive system normally uses a massive amount of energy to break down large meals, a fasting state will reserve and use that energy for other functions in the body; such as regenerating cells. So, as long as you’re getting a deep, restful sleep each night; you should feel pretty amazing when you wake up the next morning.

Tongue Scraping

One thing that can become overlooked during a detox (and everyday in general) is the collection of bacteria on our tongue. If one has good dental hygiene, they at least are brushing their tongue at some point. The cleanliness of the tongue has much to do with bad breath but what you probably don’t realize is that while we continue to swallow saliva and food throughout the day, this tongue bacteria is ingested again. Yuck. That said, on a detox, our goal is to get toxins out of our body…not put them in. Scraping the tongue before bed and when we wake up in the morning will keep these nasties out of our mouth and body. You can get a special tongue scraper, brush or just use the edge of a spoon. Scrape gently from the back to the front, rinsing the tool each time. Once finished, rinse out your mouth making sure not to swallow, then brush your teeth as normal. Once you start doing this on a normal basis, you’ll notice that your taste sensitivities will return.

Dry Brushing

One of things I like to do during a juice fast is dry brush my skin. Since our skin is a giant organ, it also rids itself of old cells while regenerating new ones; this process leaves a dead layer of skin which keeps our skin from “breathing”. The skin contains billions of pores and that is where many toxins can enter and exit. This is why dry brushing is important. It’s a good practice, especially while on a juice fast to dry brush your skin before showering. This helps get rid of dead skin and open up the pores. You can buy a natural brush which is made for this. Just stand naked in your shower (before turning the water on) and brush gently from head to toe, being extra careful on sensitive areas. Now rinse off with a warm shower. If you’re daring, you can even alternate your rinsing with cold water as well…this helps open the pores even more.

Oil Soak

One of my favorite things to do on a detox is soak in the bath. It calms, relaxes and allows one to be present without distraction. And if done right, a good bath soak can help draw out toxins and hydrate the skin all at once. My perfect detox bath mix is Baking Soda (which helps clean the water), Epsom Salts (which helps draw out toxins), Coconut Oil (for skin hydration), Vitamin E Oil (to repair/replenish skin) and Tea Tree Oil (anti-bacterial). You can also use a variety of other essential oils which are beneficial to the skin such as Lavender, Sandalwood, Patchouli, etc. Just make sure you use 100% natural oils! My ratio is: Tub filled high with hot water, 1 Cup Baking Soda, 2 Cups Epsom Salts, 2 Tbsp Unrefined Coconut Oil, 10 drops of Tea Tree Oil and 1/4 tsp Vitamin E Oil. Stir into hot bath. Soak for 20-30 minutes. Massage the oily goodness all over yourself. Enjoy!

My 4th Day (Tuesday April 5th)

This morning I awoke feeling rejuvenated. I experienced a deep, restful sleep and I felt, light, alert and empty. Empty? Well, not in like a “hangry” type way but like there was nothing weighing me down inside. It was an emptiness that feels good. If this had been the same juice fasting day 2 years ago, it was more like “hangry”. But that was then and this is now. Since my entire lifestyle has been turned upside down over the last 2 years, I’ve become quite comfortable on a lack of solid food. As long as I’m hydrated and my body is getting nourished, there is no need for me to have that FULL feeling in my stomach. Thats all just mind game B.S.! That said, this morning…I didn’t leap out of bed in a frenzy and run to the kitchen to gorge on some waffles. Nor did I feel the need to go immediately make my juice. Instead, I took the time to take care of myself by all the ways mentioned above. When your mind and body are in sync, it’s a totally different world.

Here are the highlights of the day:

Tongue Scrape (Rinse, Brush teeth)

Psyllium Husks (w/ 8 oz Water)

8 oz Warm Lemon Water

Dry Brush Body & Rinse w/ Cool water

Soak in hot Coconut Oil bath for 30 minutes

IMG_3093

12 oz Red Juice (Spinach, Basil, Beet, Mango, Celery, Carrot, Strawberry and Grapefruit)

IMG_3174

8 oz Water

8 oz Herbal Tea: Spring Dragon Gynostemma w/ 1 tsp Unrefined Coconut Oil

8 oz Water

12 oz Green Juice (Romaine, Curly Kale, Lacinto Kale, Parsley, Broccoli, Pear, Cucumber, Zucchini, Lemon, Ginger)

IMG_3170

8 oz Water

16 oz Coconut Water

Haircut!

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16 oz Water

24 oz Red Juice (Spinach, Basil, Beet, Mango, Celery, Carrot, Strawberry and Grapefruit)

8 oz Water

8 oz Herbal Tea: Peppermint

12 oz Green Juice (Romaine, Curly Kale, Lacinto Kale, Parsley, Broccoli, Pear, Cucumber, Zucchini, Lemon, Ginger)

IMG_3173

8 oz Herbal Tea: (Sleep tea: Passion Flower, Chamomile, Linden Flower, Catnip, Hop Strobile, Spearmint, Lemon Verbena, Lemon Peel, Lemon Grass).

by Chris Swirski

Beeting the Odds: 9 Day Body & Mind rEvolution (Day 5)

Day 5: Juice, Colonic, Kombucha

I’m offering a golden nugget here; to anyone in a health rut, tired of their own excuses and ready to make a change. No gimmicks, no cost, nothing to subscribe to…just simply follow each of my 9 daily posts in the Articles section of my blog, read the information and you’re on the way to body & mind freedom. Sharing is caring! 😉

Over 2 years ago, as a fairly stagnant and obese holistic health skeptic, I finally broke free from my conditioned mind, did some research and used the very same principles within this 9 day detox program to shed 70 pounds, overhaul my habits and stay healthy. Granted, I didn’t do it in 9 days…I did it in 45 days (20/10/10/5 over a 6 month period); which would be like doing this program 5 times. That leaves you with the other 320 days of the year to just eat, look and feel amazing!

Colonics

So, today begins the 3rd day of the juice fasting portion of the program and at this point, we should be really working a lot of the nastiness from our body (I know I am). Good work…KEEP IT UP! Moving forward, we’re going to do a bit more heavy lifting, so to speak; and I promise, once you get over this halfway hump you should be feeling fantastic (if you aren’t already). That said, I strategically placed a Colon Hydro-Therapy session (Colonic) just about at the mid-point through the program. A colonic will truly get things “moving” while the timing allows you to continue the juicing work afterward in case you need to do another colonic at the end of the detox. I know when I got my first colonic back in 2014, I needed 2 full sessions; so be aware you may be in the same boat (possibly even requiring 3 or more depending on your lifestyle).

When I first began fasting on juice, I went through many withdrawal symptoms; headaches, stomach upset, sniffles, chills, etc…but it wasn’t until day 4 that I actually started feeling good. I was like, WOW, this juicing stuff really does work! Then on the 5th day, I went for my first colonic…and afterward, I felt 10x BETTER than that! Like, way better than I had felt in many, many years. Although, I didn’t quite look it yet…I felt young again; as I drove out of the parking lot I felt like I had left 20 years back there. This is when I realized that colon hydro-therapy was not mumbo-jumbo.

Not only is Colon Hydro-Therapy a legitimate procedure but, in my experience, a mandatory one. Between the 2 sessions I had during that first juice fast, I lost 10 pounds in weight! And not to get too graphic here…but I watched it all come out of me. The experience not only clears your body; but your mind as well. Once I saw how these therapies were all connected and working in harmony with each other, I kept on juicing and soon converted to a 100% plant based diet. All of my existing health issues were completely reversed. I owe much of this to my colon hydro-therapist, Patti Hartman, who has been a wealth of knowledge to me for the last 2 years. I’ve never received similar care, attention, treatment or information from my conventional doctor (or any other specialist I’ve seen for that matter). That said, to learn more about Colonics, go to Patti’s page.

Kombucha

One of the great treats you’re allowed to have during a juice fast is Kombucha. It is a plant-based, raw, fermented drink that is pro-biotic. I recommend drinking Kombucha (8 oz servings) after you receive your colonic(s) and each day onward. The reason being is that some of our gut’s good bacteria gets lost during a colonic (bowel movements as well). Kombucha is a great way to get the colony up and thriving again before you start eating again. There are many good brands out there, but the best ones I’ve had are by G.T.’s Synergy, Kevita and Aqua Vitea.

Heres how my day went:

Tongue Scrape (Brush Teeth)

Psyllium Husks (w/ 8 oz Water)

8 oz Warm Lemon Water

12 oz Golden Juice (Carrot, Bell Peppers, Mandarin Orange, Celery, Zucchini, TurmericIMG_3187

8 oz Water

Dry Brush Body & Rinse w/ Cool water

Soak in hot Coconut Oil bath for 30 minutes

Colon Hydro-Therapy Session (1 hour w/ Patti Hartman, I-ACT Certified Colon Hydrotherapist, NBCHT Certified)

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12 oz Water

1 oz Wheatgrass Shot

16 oz Green Juice (Kale, Apple, Lemon, Celery and Ginger)

12 oz Water

8 oz Kombucha (Synergy Multi-Green)

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8 oz Herbal Tea (Spring Dragon Gynostemma w/ Coconut Oil)

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12 oz Water

12 oz Golden Juice (Carrot, Bell Peppers, Mandarin Orange, Celery, Zucchini, Turmeric

IMG_3187

12 oz Water

8 0z Herbal Tea (Blueberry Hibiscus)

16 oz Purple Juice Lacinto Kale, Pear, Fennel, Blackberry, Beet, Lemon and Ginger

IMG_3316

12 oz Water

8 oz Herbal Tea: (Sleep tea: Passion Flower, Chamomile, Linden Flower, Catnip, Hop Strobile, Spearmint, Lemon Verbena, Lemon Peel, Lemon Grass).

 

 

 

by Chris Swirski

Beeting the Odds: 9 Day Body & Mind rEvolution (Day 6)

Day 6: Juicing, Stretching, Meditation

We’re now coming closer to the finish line of the 5 day juice fast portion of the detox. This Saturday, we’ll be back on raw food! Although I’m very comfortable where I’m at right now on juice, I’m getting excited just thinking about a salad with a nice creamy Avocado dressing…yum. Ok, well not yet! We’ve still got work to do. Today was all about stretching out the body and reaffirming my intentions to detoxify. Working out the kinks, getting the muscles stimulated just enough to help prepare for the intense massage work tomorrow.

Stretching

I don’t get too fancy with my stretching routine; I like to keep it simple. When I do my athletic stretching…thats another story entirely. For the purposes of our detox though, I only employ a small handful of my favorite basic yoga stretches. I focus on Downward Facing Dog,  Cobra Pose, Bow Pose, Hare Pose, Laying Rotation Pose and Vajrasana w/ Mountain Pose. If you’re unsure of the postures, check out Yoga.com. In your preferred sequence, perform each of these stretches by gently extending through your entire core. Deeply relax into each of these exercises; allow your weight to “fall through” the floor. Retain each pose for as long as you feel comfortable while focusing on your breath and clearing your mind of all distractions. Let go.

Meditation

If you are unfamiliar with meditation, there are many great books and websites on the subject. As defined; “Meditation is a practice where an individual trains the mind or induces a mode of consciousness, either to realize some benefit or for the mind to simply acknowledge its content without becoming identified with that content, or as an end in itself”. The typical idea that comes to most people’s minds is the image of a religious monk sitting cross-legged, humming a mantra while holding prayer beads. This is all perfectly legitimate and while I do give many “nods” to Buddhism; to meditate one does not require religious belief, special postures, beads, special pillows, incense or chanting of any kind. There is no need to associate the idea of clearing one’s mind through meditation with spirits, religion, magic or mysticism. It’s actually just a body hack. The brain is so clever and tied to it’s ego, we don’t realize that we live our lives in this non-existent place in our head where we ponder the past, visualize the future, discipline ourselves, try to control things that are out of our control, make judgements, make assumptions etc; all while ignoring our present reality.

The truth is, once you realize this fact, you can begin to practice meditation anywhere at anytime. Most of my own meditation is performed during stretching exercises, while on a run or bicycle ride…sometimes even while in the waiting room at an appointment. I shut off my mind as much as possible when it’s not needed for solving, calculating or creating. The idea is to silence the chatter within by focusing on the inhalation and exhalation of your breath. This brings your mind immediately back to “now”. All that you are truly experiencing right now is you breathing…nothing else.

I’d say that this entire detox program is a constant form of meditation. Because it forces one to be present; to be with whatever is currently being felt; withdrawal symptoms, hunger, discomfort etc. To bring your brain elsewhere would be a mistake and would soon end your detox early because all you’d be thinking about is how you’d feel better if you just ate some food, had some coffee, smoked a cigarette, etc. Discomfort is not always a bad thing; especially when something wonderful comes out of it.

You can meditate with or without visualization (just don’t visualize while you’re riding a bike or running!). The easiest way I’ve found to truly exist within “nothing” is to visualize my body in any busy setting; where there are buildings, people, cars, etc. Then I just begin mentally removing things from that landscape until only myself is left floating in nothingness. As I continue to focus on my breathing, I visualize my own body decaying into nothingness. Gross, right? But without a brain, you can’t think anymore. Congratulations…you are nothing.

Another great way to bring meditation into your life is to simply become your own witness as much as possible throughout your day. Each time you catch your mind over-thinking, rambling on or daydreaming…you are ceasing it. This exercise is the first step toward mental freedom. The better you become at witnessing your thought patterns, the sooner you can destroy them and the smoother meditation will come. Keep it up!

Here are today’s highlights:

Tongue Scrape (Brush Teeth)

Fasted Stretching and Meditation (30 minutes)

IMG_3320

Psyllium Husks (w/ 8 oz Water)

8 oz Warm Lemon Water

12 oz Green Juice (Romaine, Lacinto Kale, Curly Kale, Basil, Parsley, Kiwi, Apple, Cucumber, Celery, Lemon and Ginger)

IMG_332216 oz Water

1 Tbsp of Apple Cider Vinegar

IMG_33258 oz Kombucha (Synergy Multi-Green)

16 oz Water

12 oz Green Juice (Romaine, Lacinto Kale, Curly Kale, Basil, Parsley, Kiwi, Apple, Cucumber, Celery, Lemon and Ginger)

16 oz Coconut Water

12 oz Water

20 oz Red Juice (Beet, Beet Greens, Romaine, Valencia Orange, Pineapple, Celery, Carrot, Ginger and Turmeric)

IMG_332712 oz Water

8 oz Herbal Tea (Blueberry Hibiscus)

12 oz Water

12 oz Red Juice (Beet, Beet Greens, Romaine, Valencia Orange, Pineapple, Celery, Carrot, Ginger and Turmeric)

IMG_3328

12 oz Water

8 oz Herbal Tea: (Sleep tea: Passion Flower, Chamomile, Linden Flower, Catnip, Hop Strobile, Spearmint, Lemon Verbena, Lemon Peel, Lemon Grass).

 

by Chris Swirski

Beeting the Odds: 9 Day Body & Mind rEvolution (Day 7)

Day 7: Juice, Stretch, Massage Therapy, Hydration

So here we are at day 7, the last day of the juice fasting portion of the detox. Feeling great? You know I am! Tomorrow we get to transition back into eating raw (solid) food and smoothies…so exciting! And then on Sunday, we will begin to transition back into cooked foods and ending our 9 day journey. But this doesn’t mean it’s over; moving forward you should still be eating very clean and mindfully. And hopefully this detox has altered your perspective enough that you will now crave more raw foods, smoothies and juices. Don’t be so quick to undo what you’ve worked so hard to do! Stay the course…keep it up…and your old habits will be left in the dust.

Morning Stretching

As you have already read from the previous post, you should be doing this stretch regimen once again, prior to your massage therapy appointment. This will help further loosen your muscles up and help make your massage therapy session more comfortable.

Massage Therapy

Today is all about “squeezing out” as much toxicity from our muscles and soft tissues as possible. Yesterday (and today), we stretched and loosened them up; today we’re going to have a massage therapist work on them. I recommend a 60-90 minute “deep tissue” session. Deep Tissue Massage is a form of bodywork that aims to relieve tension in the deeper layers of tissue in the body. It is a highly effective method for releasing chronic stress areas due to misalignment, repetitive motions, and past lingering injuries. Due to the nature of the deep tissue work, open communication during the session is crucial to make sure you don’t get too uncomfortable. Keep in mind that you might feel some soreness after the treatment, and that plenty of water should be ingested to aid with the flushing and removal of toxins that will have been released from the deep tissue work during the session. If you’re still unsure, check out these benefits of a deep tissue massage.

Hydration

Throughout this entire detox, I’ve more than focused on the importance of hydrating with water and coconut water. Today, it is especially important as the deep tissue work will release toxins from the muscles, which can put us in a bit of a “dizzy-like” state afterward. That being said, drink extra water and coconut water than you normally would. It will help flush out and eliminate these toxins through the urine and keep the muscles and tissues hydrated. Also, consider drinking 2 oz of Aloe Vera juice as well; it’s hydrating, great for your internal organs and is great for muscle and joint health. Another great tool for post-massage.

Here are the details of my day:

Tongue Scrape (Brush Teeth)

Fasted Stretching and Meditation (30 minutes)

Psyllium Husks (w/ 8 oz Water)

8 oz Warm Lemon Water

12 oz Red Juice (Beet, Beet Greens, Romaine, Valencia Orange, Pineapple, Celery, Carrot, Ginger and Turmeric)

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32 oz Water

12 oz Green Juice (Lacinto Kale, Curly Kale, Cucumber, Celery, Broccoli, Lemon and Ginger). Also shown is the Gold Juice I had later.

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16 oz Coconut Water

12 oz Water

Deep Tissue Massage (1 hour session)

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20 oz Water

12 oz Green Juice (Cold Pressed, 1915 Boathouse Farms; Apple, Romaine, Cucumber, Spinach, Kale)

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22 oz Water

2 oz Aloe Vera Juice

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12 oz Water

8 oz Herbal Tea (Lemon Detox: Burdock Root, Stinging Nettle Leaf, Cleavers Herb, Dandelion Root, Lemon Myrtle Leaf)

12 oz Water

12 oz Gold Juice (Carrot, Fennel, Grapefruit, Apple, Celery, Lemon and Turmeric)

20 oz Water

12 oz Green Juice (Lacinto Kale, Curly Kale, Cucumber, Celery, Broccoli, Lemon and Ginger)

8 oz Herbal Tea (Sage)

12 oz Water

8 oz Herbal Tea: (Sleep tea: Passion Flower, Chamomile, Linden Flower, Catnip, Hop Strobile, Spearmint, Lemon Verbena, Lemon Peel, Lemon Grass).