So, I was kind of horrified by the start of the show today. I thought the makeovers we'd be seeing would consist of hair/makeup/style changes but instead the first several women we viewed all had plastic surgery to make themselves feel better than ever. I think I must be very naive, but I'm always hoping that instead of using science to make ourselves appear younger, we might learn to accept that aging isn't a disease. (I will admit here that I do dye my hair and have since high school because I started going gray very early...thanks a lot for those genes, Dad). I am TOTALLY in favor of exercise, eating right, even getting a sassy new haircut or style consultation, but plastic surgery makes me sad. Plus, honestly, I don't think it makes people look younger, I think it makes them look like they had plastic surgery. If a forehead doesn't crinkle when someone is stressed or boobs don't bounce when someone jogs...it doesn't seem natural. But like I said, I'm probably in the minority. It's become so widespread, it's getting to be the norm, I suppose. I'm not actually anti-plastic surgery at all (I think it's great the woman who had her teeth knocked out in a sexual assault got new choppers), but I do wish that there were other solutions to feeling better besides women cutting themselves and putting foreign objects and liquids into their bodies. I suppose we're in a youth obsessed culture and the momentum is just too powerful to stop.
There were makeovers on the show that were done 'naturally' - with diet, exercise, meditation, etc. I like watching those - I find them more uplifting and empowering than the surgical/cable-television-sponsored ones. And in that frame of mind, I decided to take Oprah up on an optional assignment she gave today about The 21-Day Cleanse which she said she'll be doing and blogging about and we can join her, "If you're interested..." I'm interested not only in the cleanse, but also doing it at the same time as Oprah. She'll blog about it on her website and I'll do the same on mine. So, today began Day 1 of our three week experiment. In case you're interested, the creator of this plan is author and spiritual counselor, Kathy Freston who wrote a book called Quantum Wellness that caught Oprah's attention.
Here are the guidelines for my next three weeks of eating how Oprah eats:
No Caffeine
No Sugar
No Alcohol
No Gluten
No Animal products
I'll admit that before I saw the show, I had a cup of green tea. But, now that I'm committing to the project, I won't have another (for a while at least!) I took a look at some of the recipes listed on the 21-Day Cleanse page and they look delish and also completely too time-sucking for me. If I had a personal chef, I would gladly eat those dishes, but my three weeks promise to be a bit more bland...
Anyone else out there going to join me on this one?
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19 comments:
I was just mentioning to a friend yesterday that I wanted to start a cleanse. I'm in too, starting tomorrow, as I need to go to the store for cleansing foods! Wish I had a personal chef to make all of the stuff for me. :)
kate, are you going to do it all at once, or take out what you can for as long as you can (as the author suggested could also be a possibility)? i think i'm gonna just go for it. i actually don't eat sugar or drink anyhow, so those won't be tough...caffeine and animal protein (especially goat cheese which i love!) will be harder.
keep me up to date on how it goes for you!
xo
LO
Hi LO, I am going to try to go all the way. The sugar is going to be the toughest. And then there's the wheat. I am a bit addicted to rosemary crackers and sourdough bread.. ha. Will definitely let you know how it goes!
your rosemary crackers and my green tea will be SO lonely without us!
xo
LO
LO, I absolutely thought the same thing about all the plastic surgery, come on! And just recently had the same revelation of "i'm going to stop trying to look younger" (except for dying my hair too, I've decided once I hit 40 I'll let my natural hair grow).
Why all the plastic surgery? It should have been all ladies who did it themselves.
Basically I have nothing new to say because I feel the exact same way as you. Huh.
decaf green tea is mmmm-mmmm MMMMM! but my FLAVORITE tea is kukicha. in case you don't know, it's the stems from the tea plant. all of the awesome benefits of green tea, but with no caffeine! well, there's the ever so teensiest teeny bit, but it's negligible. it's the tea of choice for people who eat macrobiotic. give it a try!
hixx, i was surprised that they were even on the show, to be honest, especially with oprah's latest mission. she seemed kind of bored with them, actually...(i keep thinking i'll stop dyeing my hair, but i don't have pretty grays...i have spazzy, wiry ones.
applesauce - i think i've had that just once at a vegetarian restaurant in evanston illinois. kukicha. i'm gonna get me some! are you macro? i've considered it, but not sure i could commit...
xo
LO
Just a heads up if you are looking for quick, easy and tasty Vegan foods check out Veganomicon, Vegan with a vengeance, yellow rose recipes or the Post Punk kitchen.
I saw the 10 Years younger show before on TLC (in fact I saw the episodes including two of the people she featured), so I already knew what to expect but I was still surprised that Oprah had them on there. I just didn't get it. Does she have a contract with TLC or something?
I first thought I definitely can not (ok, will not) being doing a 21-day cleanse, but one thing that I thought was interesting was that Kathy didn't push it down your throat and that she really seemed to emphasize even the smallest changes. So, even though I won't be following it exactly, I am going to be more "conscious" about the amount of caffeine (I love coffee too much - Lord, help me!) and breads and processed foods I eat...
I will, however, still be trying Oprah's favorite turkey burger recipe this weekend. :P Maybe I'll try a few vegan recipes too.
P.S. Am I the only one that only has been able to read two (Sunday's and Monday's) of O's blogs??
Its wonderful that you are doing the 21-Day Cleanse. Vegan food is actually really easy and there are lots of traditional foods that are already vegan. Just go into it with an open mind and have fun cooking.
B.A.D. awesome!!! thank you SO much.
jax! you totally reminded me i have to wait on the turkey burgers until the 21-day cleanse is over! bummer. i was kind of looking forward to those. hey yeah - the TLC thing - that's where she found stacy london, too, right? and peter walsh!! good eye, my friend, i never made that connection! also - i did read O's blogs...i wish i had a chef come make me strawberry rhubarb wheat-free crepes this morning! i had a bowl of millet-rice flakes, cherries, nuts, and soy milk. it was actually prety good...but not as chi-chi as crepes!
starmaline! thanks for the support. you are so right. i am thrilled to go back to my old vegan-ways...it's the added list of things i can't eat over the next 21 days that makes it harder. although, i will admit...while i still regularly do soy, rice and almond cheeses, i really do like goat cheese. and eggs. still, i think after several days, i'll cleanse those tastes from my pallet and my tofu scramble will be just as appealing!
thanks everyone!
xo
LO
best of luck with your 21 days. I thought i'd also pass on a few food resources to you How it all Vegan, and La Dolce Vegan are both good books, and www.vegweb.com can be a great recipe resource (if you don't mind digging a little) And the books B.A.D recommended, veganomicon is amazing.
kp pickles, i really appreciate the resources...and the veganomicon is the best title i've ever heard. xo LO
Check out the books by Sarah Kramer How it all vegan, garden of vegan and la dolce vegan. All stellar. good luck
Anon, Muchas gracias! Very helpful. Today I made a Tempeh Parmesan - done totally vegan. It was nice. My husband had a chicken version but I was happy with mine, didn't envy him a bit! xoLO
Hi LO,
I'm still on the cleanse. Things are going well. The hardest part for me is preparing so I don't get hungry at odd times. Oh, and passing up my friend's homemade chocolate cupcakes at a birthday party yesterday... Made the tofu scramble from O's page. It is ok. I modified it w/ various veggies and spices but it was pretty good overall. How about you post that tempeh parmesan recipe? Sounds tasty!
I made the turkey burgers for a BBQ this weekend. They were pretty good -- a nice change from cheeseburgers but not nearly so delicious, in my opinion. Also, they take a while to make (lots of chopping).
The other guests seemed to like them but no one could guess what I consider the "secret ingredients" (chutney and apples).
Look forward to hearing updates on your cleanse.
Hey Kate! Sorry - I just saw your comment! So, the tempeh thing wasn't so mucha recipe as something I threw together...I sliced up a package of soy tempeh, lightly sauteed it in olive oil with garlic in a skillet, poured store-bought marinara (a did a mushroom one) one top, put a layer of fresh basil on top of that, and then covered it with shredded rice mozzerella cheese and put it under the broiler. It was good and pretty fast.
Emily, Thanks for letting us know about the turkey burgers. That is so great you took the risk to make them for guests! I'm glad they liked them...
Have a great Tuesday!
LO
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