Cleansing mind, body

I'm on day 5 of a 12-day herbal cleanse which essentially consists of taking these disgusting herbs twice a day, swilling awful drops twice a day (instant gag reflex), and eating a restricted diet that does not include dairy, flour, vinegar, alcohol, some fruits and, gasp, Diet Coke.

For those of you who know me, you understand how a regime that doesn't include Diet Coke might be somewhat traumatizing. Drinking it has never been about weight loss for me - I actually enjoy the taste.

But more than that, I associate Diet Coke with my creative side, convincing myself that I can't write, edit, or pretty much function without it. Not going to lie, I haven't been super productive in the writing department in the last five days, but I think it has as much to do with the draining after effects of the cleanse as it does my lack of Diet Coke.

I'm not doing the cleanse for weight loss either, though "temporary" shrinkage is certainly a happy side benefit. I started the Wild Rose D-Tox at my doctor's suggestion after we came up blank - again - on how to rid my body of this nagging cough I've had for more than a month. It's the kind of cough that keeps you up all night.

And it's viral - which means antibiotics and cough syrups don't work. But I've also hit an all-time unhealthy stage of my life. I've gained back all of the weight I lost last year, and though there are exciting things happening in my professional life, there's a lot of stress, too, which doesn't help in exorcising this nasty cough.

So, I'm cleansing.

I'm not even half way through, but already I feel a difference.

My Diet Coke cravings have subsided (Sunday was a bad day, my friends), and I feel lighter, less bloated. My energy levels aren't quite up to par, but I'm managing my daily workouts. My skin is clearer, my hair a bit shinier, and I'm not going to bed with that full feeling. I'm not going to bed feeling hungry, either. Because there are a number of foods I CAN eat.

But most importantly, that nagging cough? Almost gone.

While it's tempting to quit the program early and indulge in a morning coffee (with sweets Southern Butter Pecan cream), I'm going to stick it out. Maybe as my body cleans out all of the toxins, my mind will feel clearer too - and I won't need Diet Coke to get me through the creative day.

- Dawn


The Book In My Bag Today: The Last Boyfriend, Nora Roberts