~It's Time To Detox~

aSalaam uAlaikum and Good Morning My Stylish Sisters!

I don't know about you ladies, but when I was attending university I would eat horribly during finals week.  Late (more like all night) study sessions and a lot of stress would cause me to eat nothing but junk food and drink nothing but soda and coffee. (usually whichever had the most caffeine)  I literally would survive off of potato chips, pizza, Ramen noodles, and ice cream.

I can remember by the end of finals I felt horrible! Bloated, greasy, and had usually gained at least five pounds from my junk food grubbery.

So, after every finals week I would go on a detox diet.  I would drink only green tea or water, and eat only fresh fruits or veggies.  The veggies could be cooked, but only in olive oil.  I ate absolutely NO sugar, NO gluten, NO white flour, and NO dairy products. (which is really hard because I loooove cheese)

Now, I didn't do this diet so much to lose weight, but to rid my body of all of those preservatives, and weird ingredients that come in fast, cheap food.  By the third day of my detox diet I would feel healthier, my skin would have its glow back, and I could fit back into my jeans. (and take off the sweats I'd been living in)

Well, ever since having my daughter it has been really hard for me to lose my baby weight.  Sometimes I look in the mirror now and cannot believe that my reflection is me! I had always been very athletic my whole life, and although I was never stick skinny I was always in excellent shape and had a perfectly flat tummy.  Sisters- I WANT MY FLAT TUMMY BACK!!!!

I was able to lose quite a bit of weight last year by counting calories and walking a lot alhamdulillah but then I hit a plateau.  Even though I've been eating well and exercising, I just cannot seem to lose even one more pound and it has been frustrating me.  I want to be healthy, I want to live a long life and see my daughter grow up insh'Allah, and I want to have more children insh'Allah so it is important to me to get back in shape.

And that is why I am going to do a two week Detox Diet.  I found a very good website that details how detox diets work, and how to do them SAFELY.  The point of a detox diet is not to starve yourself, but to flush those toxins out of your system that remain stagnant long after you have digested your food.  As explained by Cathy Wong on About.com: "This is a sample two-week detox diet plan to support detoxification by increasing elimination from the body, cleansing the colon, enhancing circulation to clear toxic substances, eliminating foods from the diet that require detoxification or are allergenic, and providing nutrients to support and protect the liver, the main organ involved in detoxification."

They provide a Detox Diet screening quiz to assess your personal need for such a diet, asking simple questions like "Do you often feel tired or sluggish? Do you eat more than one serving of vegetables a day?"  The higher you score, the more of a need you have to do a similar cleansing diet, I scored an 81% on mine.  You can take the quiz by clicking here and then hitting the link that says Start The Quiz.

They also provide a great article about the benefits of a Detox Diet, who should and shouldn't try one, and what it exactly does when followed correctly.  You can read this article by going here.

There is a short list of foods to eat, and to avoid, and an explanation about something called your Ayurveda type.  Now, honestly, I have no idea what this is.  I'm sure it is some ancient homeopathic designation to different body types, blood types, personality types or what have you.  I have never read anything about this, nor incorporated it into my Detox Diets, but that is entirely up to you.  If you would like to know more about it you can go here. 

As an alternative to the Ayurveda body type, I would suggest getting the book called "Eat Right For Your Type" by Dr. Peter J. D'amo.  This book explains what your body needs the most according to your actual medical blood type.  I just got this book, and haven't had the chance to delve into it, but I have heard excellent reviews, and Amazon.com has it for a great price here.

As uncomfortable as it is to discuss, proper....umm...elimination of wastes is very important during this diet, and every day.  If you retain excess water or toxins it can cause puffiness of the skin, dark eye circles, bad breath, and body odor. (and how unfashionable is that??? ugh)  So it is important to eat plenty of fiber during this diet. (as well as when you're not on the diet)  Fiber One cereal is a good source for fiber, or ground flaxseed or psyllium is recommended.  Also, you can drink some lemon water throughout the day to assist in the flushing out of wastes.

Now so far this diet may seem a little scary, but it doesn't have to be.  It's actually quite delicious (if you like fruits and veggies) and I guarantee you by the third to fifth day you will feel a huge difference.  There is a great example of a daily Detox Diet menu here.

Next this article discusses a condition called Hypochlorhydria, which in layman's terms is low stomach acid.  This condition can manifest itself in a variety of ways including acne, eczema, and food allergies as well as many other things.  I think it's worth your time to take the hypochlorhydria screening quiz, even if you are not over the 35 year mark, because I am younger than that, and I know for a fact that I suffer from this.  You can take the screening quiz here.

Now you can go on to read the rest of this article, which continues to discuss how to make sure you drink enough water, as well as how to make a castor oil pack, meditation, detox spas, and other tips.  Personally I feel much of the remainder of the article is part marketing, and part hullabaloo (just my personal opinion LOL) but there is one part that I must quickly discuss and this is the Yeast Overgrowth section.

Yes, this is considered very controversial.  Yes, some doctors will tell you it is as useless as a sixth toe.  But, I will testify otherwise.  Someone very close to me was very sick for almost three years, and after going to at least 20 doctors (and I am NOT exaggerating) and taking dozens of different pills from antibiotics to allergy treatments she was no better off than to begin with.

Until she met a doctor who decided to step out on a limb, ignore the pharmaceutical company's bullying, and put her on a strict, yeast free, sugar free diet just like the one in the book "The Yeast Connection" by William Crook MD.  Alhamdulillah she is much better now, much healthier now, and much happier now.  I know from personal experience that if you can stand to go on this type of diet (and it's no walk in the park) that it will pay off big time, especially if you suffer from allergies.  You can get Dr. Crooks' book on Amazon.com by going here.

So tell me ladies, are you up for it?  Are you ready to get rid of all of those Girl Scout cookies and Doritos you've been munching on? Are you ready for a healthy glow, a smaller waist line, and more energy?

I'm starting first thing.......

tomorrow morning.....because I have a date with some delicious Mexican food tonight! :)



Ma'Salaama and Happy Detoxing!

Fashionably Yours,
The (soon to be skinnier) Mujahada in Prada

P.S. In no way am I medically trained, nor am I telling anyone to try this diet-especially if they suffer from any type of medical conditions.  I am merely sharing with you my experiences on a similar diet, and informing you of a website that can give you more information about it.  You should always consult with your doctor before starting a new diet plan, because I want all my Stylish Sisters to be healthy!!!