Hello all. I suppose this blog should have some sort of introduction. So, I will begin with my name. If you haven't already read the pretty blog description to the left of this blog post, my name is Andrew Burrows. I'm an eighteen year old male from little Burlington, ON with a developing interest in living well, except by my own and unique standards this time.
Living on my own in Kingston, where I've just completed first year university at Queen's, I was granted the chance to explore myself a little further, and a little more in depth than I thought I ever would. With my eyes widening every day and with me being exposed to so many new people and places and concepts, I began to "do me," as I called it, within and throughout my first year at school, by myself. I learned, and am continuing to learn much about myself as an individual, my personality and characteristics, the way I think, I speak, I communicate, I share, I feel, I am, at large. I've learned what I like, what I could live without, what brings me joy, and what makes me me. I'm exploring concepts such as vulnerability, zooming out, time and space, dreams, the (conscious and subconscious) mind, auras and horoscopes, living versus existing, and appearance versus reality, to name a few. I've taken up running, biking, yoga, and have found other practices such as meditation and writing extremely helpful to finding and maintaining some sense of peace and clarity in my life.
With this, I've therefore learned that I like my physical self and external surroundings to be in tact and on the right track to furnish and feed, or rather please my inner state of being. That being said, I have been researching several different body detoxification programs to partake in. Why a detox, you ask? Aren't they just for alcoholics and drug users? Well, no. Detoxes are programs taken on by those who feel the need to cleanse their physical system of toxins that have no real benefit to their body. Why am I doing a detox? I am doing this because I would really like a fresh start, after having researched and shown great interest and care for my body and my system. I want a blank slate before I reformat my diet. I feel this would be a great time for me to do this detox too, now that I will be preparing my own meals from here on out, at home and then into 2nd, 3rd and 4th year university, and onwards. I want to find and maintain a physical and mental feeling, that being one of lightness, and healthiness, and overall wellness. I feel that this detox program that I have investigated will provide me with this.
Having said that, the program that I am doing is a raw food detox. It is not a certified program, however, rather it is a sort of customize-to-your-being type of thing. I will be eating nothing but raw food for the length of the detox, which will be 10 days minimum and 14 days maximum. Raw fruits, vegetables, soups, fresh juices, and other raw dishes will be prepared and consumed! Moreover, I will be drinking "P&B" shakes once a day before bed, which consist of a teaspoon of both psyllium and bentonite. Psyllium, a powder, is a harvested grain that absorbs and holds moisture, which causes it to swell, supplying the necessary bulk to help eliminate the toxins. Moreover, bentonite is a clay substance where the toxins in the body will be absorbed into, pushed through the system, and finally eliminated. I'm able to eat as much raw food as I like during the detox because since I am putting the good stuff into my body, I'll be taking the bad stuff right out, so it's a somewhat even balance. Input good, output bad, and then repeat. I'll also be taking a powder called Greens Plus, which is a blend of 29 nutrient-rich super foods, sea vegetables, and high-energy herbal extracts. One serving of the powder contains more vitamins, minerals, enzymes and antioxidants than 5 full servings of fresh fruit and vegetables too, so the powder will balance everything out, and will ensure my body gets what it needs every day. I'll continue to take this powder after the detox, as I plan to either become a pesco-vegetarian, who only eat fish, or a pesco-vegetarian who eats chicken as well, simply because I only really enjoy these two meats. I am not "becoming a vegetarian," however, because I feel that putting that label on myself would only restrict myself, and would make myself feel guilty if I ever did "cross the border" of vegetarianism. However, I have been doing research on my blood type (A+). My research tells me that those with type A blood would be better off without meat whatsoever, and the articles I've read through encourage a vegetarian diet. This is because my body does not produce enough hydrochloric acid in my stomach to digest animal protein. I have a "fragile digestive system," I have read. This being said, I am more prone to conditions such as stomach cancer and cardiovascular disease, hence I am transforming my diet, because I'd like to live a long and healthy life, plain and simple. Wouldn't you?
I'm not really sure what else to mention about the diet itself, so I suppose I'll bring this post to a close. I'll do this by encouraging questions if you like, and by informing you that yes, I do know what I am doing, and no, I'm not going to die if all I eat is raw food for a couple weeks and then beyond. Express your concerns if you like, if you have any, but I'm doing what works for me.
