Detox Day 4

(Picture credit: Elena Schweitzer - Fotolia.com)

I have been on a self-imposed detox program, as you might know already. Today is Day 4 - I will go through it until Day 30. I got the idea from Suzanne Somers' new book, Sexy Forever: How to Fight Fat Forever. Now, I have to tell you that I am not trying to become "sexy", nor am I obsessed with weight loss and a lithe body. My reasons for detoxing my body are:

1. I have experienced increased joint pain for the past year or two, and it doesn't seem to be getting better.
2. I am often quite tired.
3. I can't sleep at night and, when I do, it's a restless sleep.

More than those reasons is this: The Holy Spirit lives inside of me (as a believer and follower of Jesus Christ) and I want to treat my body as a temple in which He resides. (1 Corinthians 6:19, NIV) If I truly desire that, I will stop filling this temple with garbage and begin filling it with that which is good. This encompasses food, drink, thoughts, words, and virtually anything that comes into my body.

Whenever you empty yourself, you need to fill yourself back up with something else. I'm emptying out the garbage and replacing it with decent, nourishing food. I am also praying about the thoughts, words and attitudes that I have and asking the LORD to replace them with thoughts, words and attitudes that glorify Him.

It's already working.

I am feeling a bit better. My sleep has not improved a whole lot, but I think that it will - especially now that the temperature went down to 60 from 90 degrees F.

My Bible studies (in my quiet time when I first arise) have meant more, and the LORD has given me more of an understanding of them. It's like my eyes are wide-open after being half shut.

And I'm losing weight. I have lost a pound a day since beginning my detox program.

I am gluten-free (gluten insensitivity nearly took my entire digestive system) and noticed something about the Betty Crocker Gluten Free Cake Mix (yellow). The ingredients state: Rice Flour, Sugar, Potato Starch, Leavening (baking soda, sodium acid pyrophosphate, monocalcium phosphate), Xanthan Gum, Salt.

The ingredients listed on Pillsbury Moist Supreme Cake Mix (white) are: Sugar, Enriched Bleached Flour(Wheat Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Wheat Starch, Baking Powder (Baking Soda, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate, Monocalcium Phosphate, Dicalcium Phosphate). Contains 2% or Less of: Propylene Glycol Monoesters, Dextrose, Corn Starch, Salt, Cellulose, Nomo and Diglycerides, Xanthan Gum, Artificial Flavor, Cellulose Gum, Polysorbate 60, Nonfat Milk, Soy, Lecithin, TBHQ and Citric Acid (Antioxidants).

Wow. Although the gluten-free mix is still not totally good for you, wouldn't you say it's a little better than the regular mix? If you want your eyes opened to the junk we often put into our bodies, do a search for the ingredients you're not sure of. You'll be shocked. And no, I am not eating cake of any sort while on my detox program. In fact, sugar is cut as completely as I can get it, except for that which comes naturally in fruit and berries.

I am not doing everything that Suzanne Somers insists is crucial. I'm doing what works for my budget and my lifestyle. Prayer is key. She doesn't mention it once - surprise. I am, however, praying for Suzanne Somers.