I am very excited about beginning the Optimum Health Challenge!
I don’t know exactly what to expect, but I do know that taking the time to learn about my unique body will bring a new sense of awareness and empowerment that I will be able to use throughout my life.
From this starting point, I would like to share with you folks some of the steps that I have taken in order to begin this Optimum Health Challenge journey.
A few weeks back, Tara and I began talking about finding a detox program and getting everyone involved as a healthy kickoff to spring. I was familiar with The Whole Life Nutrition blog and cookbook and I really liked the concept of the elimination diet. So we decided to go with this program (as well as the simplified version) and invite you all along to do it with us.
Since deciding on the program, I have spent a lot of time looking at the recipes and familiarizing myself with the website, as well as familiarizing myself with the food lists and what to expect. I have done my own research about the different foods that are avoided in the phases in order to pinpoint any symptoms that may occasionally bother me. You should do this too. For instance, in Phases One and Two we cannot have any nightshade vegetables. Nightshade vegetables include tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, and peppers. Some people experience arthritic symptoms from eating nightshade vegetables and when they are eliminated the symptoms disappear. This was new information to me but I’m delighted to know it and it may become relevant to me as I delve into the Optimum Health Challenge!
The next step to get ready for this challenge was to stock the fridge with the necessities to succeed. I got lots of organic fruits and veggies to be ready for the two-day smoothie phase and I also stocked up on quinoa, brown basmati rice, brown jasmine rice, and dried mung and adzuki beans to prepare for Phase One. So, I have a great foundation of the foods that are allowed!! I even made and froze my own vegetable stock (which was extraordinarily easy)!! On the smoothie days I will be soaking my beans and getting them ready to cook so I will have lots of good food to eat after day two!! Preparation is KEY!!!
*I also got rid of most of the products that I will not be using during the 28 days as to not torment myself by staring at foods I must avoid. ;)
I would love to say that the last thing I did before beginning the Optimum Health Challenge was to have a huge healthy wonderful salad…but that’s not what happened. I decided to eat whole wheat pancakes and savor every last bite. It was wonderful! And now I am ready to embark on a wheat free (amongst other things) journey and discover where it takes me! I recommend you do the same and lighten up on yourself the day before so that you’ll be okay with the rigidity of a two-day smoothie fast to kick off the Optimum Health Challenge!
These are my tips thus far but keep watching because I am your go-to guinea pig for all your elimination diet needs, questions, and concerns!! And I will continue to give you any advice or insight that I find helpful during this journey!
Refer here for ideas for the two-day smoothie cleanse: Smoothie Recipes (omit lemons until Phase 2!)
Here's a link for homemade vegetable stock using the scraps you've accumulated throughout the week!
Keep in mind, only use vegetables that are A-OK for Phase 1: Lists of Phases
I hope you are excited about this journey! We are doing it together!
GOOD LUCK!
GOOD LUCK!
