One of the aspects of the 30 Day Detox (and beyond the detox) is drink hot water with lemon and lime every day before eating or drinking anything else. In fact, this is a feature of many diets. So, what are the benefits of drinking hot water and lemon?

You might imagine that lemon juice in water would be highly acidic but actually the lemon (and/or lime) raises the alkalinity of your body.

Why do you want your body to stay alkaline?

An acidic environment can play havoc with your digestive system, reduce your body’s ability to store energy, damage free radicals, cause allergies, raise your cholesterol and blood pressure, inhibit the metabolism of fats….the list goes on and on.

Drinking hot water and lemon flushes your body of toxins and enables the body to work more effectively and be healthier. It cleanses and stimulates the liver and kidneys and eases digestive problems.

The benefits of drinking hot water and lemon to start your day are numerous. Lemon and/or lime both work in the same way (I personally prefer the taste of lime). Make sure you use warm water (not too hot or cold as these will make your body work harder) and then continue to drink it during the day for a healthier body.

Sorry, if you have been patiently waiting for an update on my last consultation with Trisha Stewart and what the outcome of having done the 30 Day Detox is. Work got a little hectic over the past week and I just didn’t have time to post.

Well, I maintained the detox completely up until seeing Trisha last Tuesday. She performed another health screening and overall there were some good improvements, but she was still picking up problems in the jaw and throat area.

Although I lost 9lbs during the 30 days, most of that was earlier in the process and Trisha was worried things were already slowing down and that we need to work on getting the thyroid and adrenals to function better.

What Happens Next?

We agreed that I would continue to follow the main basis of the 30 day program but that allowing myself other non-Vegan foods occasionally would be ok as long as I keep a well balanced, nutritious diet. She also gave me a homeopathic remedy to help with my metabolism.

Plus, I need to keep up the exercise.

I haven’t weighed myself yet this week, but I feel better in my clothes (and some that haven’t fitted for ages are now fitting well) and that is always a good thing.

I have had some grilled plaice in the last week when I went out for dinner, as well as some coleslaw, a little cheese and even a couple of pieces of chocolate, but overall I have stuck to the foods I enjoyed during the detox such as bean chili, rice and quinoa pilafs, and salads.

Don’t forget, to keep up with what I am doing on a daily basis, follow me on Twitter at: PCOS Matters

It’s funny that my final week of the 30 Day Detox should turn out to be my toughest.  There are a variety of reasons for this:

• work was stessful (a time when I want comfort and quick and easy food)
• things went wrong (as they are known to do in life, and my usual reaction is comfort food)
• I didn’t lose any more weight
• I haven’t been exercising
• possibly pre-menstrual?

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The last one shouldn’t be the case but I do feel like I may have a little PMS so perhaps the detox has caused my body to change in that respect. Time will tell.

So, all in all, I have been feeling quite low and craving pizza, cake and fish finger sandwiches. I had a call with Trisha Stewart on Tuesday to catch-up and talk over various things. One area of concern was that I haven’t done much exercise.

I have a love/hate relationship with exercise. When I do it and afterwards I feel great but I can always talk myself out of it! There always seems to be something else I should be doing, or not enough time, and as a result exercise is usually bottom of my list.

I’m not a gym person. If I’m going to exercise I would rather walk in the fresh air or go dancing (I especially love belly dancing, but it stops during the school summer holidays).

I know that diet and exercise should go hand in hand, and that the endorphins from exercise will lift my mood, so we have agreed on a program of 15 minutes a day on my cross trainer (or anything that raises my heart rate – which in my current fitness state is just about anything), plus 2-3 other activities such as dancing, pilates and yoga.

Today is the final day of the detox but I will continue it  until I see Trisha on Tuesday and then she can assess the results.

I thought it would be useful to explain some of the concepts behind the 30 Day Detox I am doing. The first concept is the Vegan Diet Plan that is essential for the detox and which Trisha Stewart recommends following beyond the detox too.

Here are just a few of the benefits of a Vegan diet:

• less saturated fats because you are not eating meat or dairy products
• less cholesterol
• more vitamins and minerals because you are naturally eating more fresh fruit and vegetables
• less junk food and processed foods (meaning fewer chemicals) – have you ever tried to find Vegan fast food restaurants?
• a reduction in toxins (unfortunately even fish high in Omega 3 usually has high levels of mercury picked up through the food chain, and many animals we eat are pumped full of hormones, antibiotics and other chemicals)
• fewer simple carbohydrates, that raise blood sugars and can heighten your chances of Type 2 diabetes

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Of course, this does rely on eating a balanced Vegan diet. The only Vegan I knew when I was younger always looked pasty white and had constant illnesses, but we discovered that she was so fussy about her food she would live on tinned sweetcorn and bread. Can you say vitamin deficiencies?!

One of the biggest arguments against a Vegan diet is that without dairy products like milk, you cannot get enough calcium, which will lead to bone problems like osteoporosis. Actually leafy green vegetables and legumes are great sources of calcium and contain other vitamins and minerals too. Whereas animal proteins can leech calcium from your bones.

So, all in all, providing you eat a good balance of foods on a Vegan diet plan, you can benefit from all the necessary vitamins and minerals, and reap the health benefits too.

I had never considered eating a Vegan diet before, in fact my friend recommended one to me a couple of years ago and I thought it would be too tough so didn’t even entertain it. I’ve been amazed at how easy I have found it over the past few weeks since I started the 30 Day Detox – I’ve never felt hungry, I enjoyed some foods and recipes I would never have considered in the past, and I’ve already seen some weightloss and increased energy.

Will I stay a Vegan after the 30 days? Probably not totally. I do find that I have to be extra organised about preparing food, and it’s difficult to go to dinner with family and friends, but I think I will maintain it for the majority of the time and just eat eggs, cheese, fish and meat occasionally.

For more information on the 30 Day Detox and Vegan Diet Plan, I recommend you visit Trisha Stewart’s website and read her Healthy Tart book.

Some people have asked me to blog a bit more about my 30 Day Detox and why I am doing it.

The best way to learn what I am doing here is to visit Trisha Stewart’s website for a greater explanation and buy her Healthy Tart book. This talks a lot about good nutrition and also details the 30 Day Detox along with all the necessary recipes.

My BEST Consultation with Trisha

Essentially, I went to see Trisha because I wanted to try a totally holistic approach to my health. I have always sought out alternative therapies but after having extremely poor health last year (I was eventually diagnosed with an underactive thyroid) and putting on a helluva lot of weight, I knew I needed help to get my health back on track. I had tried to tackle it on my own, but sometimes you need assistance and shouldn’t be afraid or ashamed to ask for it.

I found Trisha Stewart on Twitter through a friend and went for my first consultation 3 weeks ago. Trisha begins by doing a health screen using the BEST system (BioEnergetic Stress Testing). This uses a non-invasive probe on Acupressure points to test for hormone levels, toxins, sensitivities, allergies, intolerances, parasites, bacteria etc. At the end of the process you receive a full printout of all the findings.

My readout showed some high scores to indicate a toxic system including some parasites, bacteria, candida and viruses. My hormone levels were not unusual, but that is probably because I am on Thyroid medication.

Trisha then recommends the 30 day detox, in order to clean the system and enable Trisha to see what we are left with once I am all cleansed and flushed of as many toxins as possible. She also gave me some homeopathic drops for the parasites and a good quality probiotic for my digestive system.

What Happens at the End of the 30 Day Detox?

Who knows?

I will go back to see Trisha and then she can assess how to progress now that the “decks are cleared.”

Certainly, in the Healthy Tart book, she advises a continued Vegan diet but if I can’t live without meat, fish, eggs etc. then she suggests keeping it to a minimum. Also, some yeast-free bread every other day.

As well as clearing the toxins, the other upside of the detox is some weightloss and an increase in energy and general wellbeing.

Hope that explains more. If you have any further questions please add them to the comments section or send me (@PCOS) or Trisha (@TrishaStewart) a message on Twitter.

I’m going to do something I’ve never done before….I’m going to admit to my weight.

I NEVER share my weight with anyone and rarely have in the past (doctors, nurses and Weightwatcher leaders are the exceptions). Even my closest friends don’t know my weight.

But, Trisha Stewart asked me to take a Before Photo, and then I thought I should publish it on the blog. And then, I decided that since many of you are following along with me on this detox, it was only fair to give full disclosure.

I don’t like to dwell too much on how much I weigh. I know if my clothes fit and how I feel and look in them. That to me is more important than the numbers on a scale. But the actual numbers do help you measure your success and hold yourself accountable (even if it’s just to yourself).

So, as long as you promise not to tell anyone else

Before the 30 Day Detox I was: 258 lbs

After 10 days: 252 lbs

I haven’t weighed myself yet (currently on Day 17, but will let you know when I do).

Now for the Before photos.

I suddenly realised that I hardly own any close fitting clothes but finally found a vest top and tight-ish cropped trousers:

As you can see, like many women with PCOS, I carry most of my weight around my torso – especially my stomach area.

Eek! That’s hard to look at but I plan on those pictures being much more palatable by the next photo

I last left this tale on Day 9 of the 30 Day Detox where I had survived the weekend of temptation.

The rest of week 2 has been pretty easy in comparison. I’ve had some cravings for coffee and ice cream (weird, as I’m not a big fan of ice cream usually) but only minor cravings.

I have been trying out more recipes from Trish Stewart’s Healthy Tart book and have a new favorite: Nut Roast with Onion Gravy. Just lovely hot or cold.

I also managed to get up early enough to make the Buckwheat Pancakes on a couple of mornings. Again, they taste great with some organic berries, but are a little dry – I’m still trying to perfect the recipe.

Over the weekend I have been on the 2 days of juicing – more on that tomorrow.

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I knew that Days 7 to 9 were going to be tough in terms of temptation.

Traditionally in my workplace Friday is known as Chip Friday (a phrase I actually coined) because we usually buy-in Fish and Chips or some other takeaway and all eat together. It’s more a chance for us to see each other and have lunch together which doesn’t usually happen the rest of the week.

I naturally wanted to join the others for lunch but was worried the smell of chips would be too much. Thankfully, my sense of smell seems to be impaired still because I sat with my huge salad while they munched down on chips and sausages and I didn’t feel the cravings once.

On the evening of Day 7 my friend appeared to stay in my house for the weekend while he painted and cleaned his rental house down the road before new tenants arrived. I’ll be honest, the sight of the Stilton he put in my fridge was a little difficult to endure but, as I was heading off to my parents for the weekend on the morning of Day 8, I was able to resist and never had to see him eat it (he joined me in Vege Stew on the Friday night).

My parents are a 4 hour drive from my home, so it’s one of those occasions when I usually have something (sweets, chocolate, crisps) next to me to nibble on to relieve the tedium of the journey. On the way there I didn’t notice it so much and had a few oatcakes to keep me going in the holiday traffic jams, but on the way back I did feel the pangs for something sugary as well as a hot drink (it didn’t need to be coffee although that would have normally been my drink of choice). I did stop at a service station but was unimpressed with their selection of herbal teas so decided against anything, and again had a few oat cakes.

Saturday night was the toughest. I was attending a friend’s baby shower. Her sister had said (in a last minute email the day before) there would be food, but I expected a finger buffet, whch is always easier to be picky over. When we arrived it was a full sit down Mexican-style dinner. I avoided the Chicken Fajitas, cheese and soured cream, and helped myself to plenty of avocado salad, a small baked potato, some refried beans and salsa. While I had no control over what had actually gone into these I felt pleased that my choices were not taking me off the detox much (if at all).

It was the desserts that drew attention to the fact I was not eating like everyone else: a huge mountain of profiteroles, Key Lime pie and Eton Mess. Normally I would have had a portion of each like everyone else, but I held firm and my friend’s mum actually found me some kiwi fruit to eat instead. Part of me would have loved to have dived headfirst into the profiteroles, but I told myself that 30 days is not a long time to totally avoid sugar, and my health is more important. When I’m at a normal weight, like the rest of the women at that table, I can enjoy occasional desserts too.

Note: I’m not saying that in 30 days I will have solved all my health problems and lose enough weight to be considered a “normal” weight, but it’s important to stick to the detox to flush the toxins out of my system and hopefully lose my addiction to caffeine and sugar.

Finally, the Baby Shower games involved a big prize bag of sweets and lollies. Aaaargggh!

Sunday at Mum and Dad’s is typically roast dinner day, and I would usually be happy to sit down to roast beef, Yorkshire puddings and roast potatoes. Mum knew that I was on the detox but she still had to cook a calorific meal for my dad (he is recovering from Oesophageal Cancer and needs to build himself up again). I took some leftover bean chili with me and mum cooked loads of fresh veg to go with it. The notion of a Vegan diet is completely alien to my mum – she couldn’t even work out what it involved – and she can be a bit of a “feeder” but she was extremely supportive and could see I was taking it seriously.

So, all in all, the potential for pig-out this weekend was immense, but I survived relatively unscathed from the whole event!

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It’s been a crazy old week.

On Day 4, I was still wiped put from my “cold” (I think it was some virus now, not a cold). I spent all morning in bed and then felt much better in the afternoon. I still had a niggling headache and couldn’t focus on anything, but I started to have an appetite again which is a good sign.

That evening was the first time I experienced any cravings – only minor one, but I wanted something sweet and sugary to eat after dinner.

I’ve really been enjoying the food, so far. In her Healthy Tart book, Trisha Stewart offers a full diet plan as well as a number of recipes (she also has a separate recipe book).

I’ve enjoyed a number of those recipes, including last night’s Cashew Nut and Vegetable Pilaf. The recipes tend to make enough for at least 2 meals, which is fine by me. Some people don’t like eating the same thing 2 days in a row, but I love it because it saves me time (as long as the food tastes good).

Some of you will be cooking for one and some for the whole family, which will make a huge difference to how often you need to create something new.

The meal I care the least about is breakfast. There was a time I couldn’t leave the house without breakfast but in recent years I often eat breakfast on the run or wait until I reach work and scoffed a breakfast bar or some fruit. I have had to return to good habits on this program, but I could eat porridge everyday and not mind in the slightest (although I may try the lentil patties or buckwheat pancakes at weekends when I have more time to enjoy the cooking process).

I’m not even missing coffee much, although there have been a number of times I’ve thought “I’ll just grab a coffee and then….” I think that is more habit than desire at the moment.

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I woke up full of beans on Day 3 of my 30 Day Detox and started my day with my pint of hot water with lemon and lime, followed by some porridge made with water and with stewed apple and pear added, plus some seeds sprinkled on top.

During the detox, dairy products are not permitted. I’ve never been a fan of soya milk, although I think I wouldn’t mind it in porridge with the other bits mixed in. But for some reason, the organic farm shop I went to didn’t have any soya milk at all. Trisha Stewart also suggests (in her Healthy Tart book) using rice or almond milk so I may give them a chance when I next get to the supermarket.

Anyway, the porridge made with water was surprisingly yummy and kept me going for most of the morning.

I arrived at work to find sweets and chocolate everywhere! And then one of my co-workers came in with some of my favorite lemon biscuits (cookies). And, to make it worse they kept waving them around under my nose.

To be honest, if I wasn’t still experiencing the remnants of my cold I would probably have found it harder to deal with, but my appetite is limited. From mid-morning my niggly headache was back and I gradually started to feel worse and worse. I ate some more of the bean chili for lunch but then headed home around 3pm and went back to bed.

When I finally emerged from bed this evening, I had a small snack of some oatcakes and then prepared my evening meal. I dry roasted some bell pepper and sweet potato and added them to a big green salad.

Salads can be a bit boring but I love adding loads of different things to them to add to the flavor (I don’t really like salad dressings much, so I don’t usually add flavor that way). My salad had a variety of salad greens, some fresh basil leaves, sprouting aduki, fenugreek and various beans, cucumber, and sesame, pumpkin and sunflower seeds. Add the roasted veg, and it was totally yummy!

I’m still happily on track with everything but know my evil co-workers will probably be armed with more sweets, cookies, chocolate and coffee in the morning

To find all the posts related to the 30 Day Detox, simply do a search (top right of the blog) for #30daydetox.

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