Doable detox

A: A detox is an opportunity. It's a (time honored) chance for you to take a good hard look at what you are a consuming, and what's consuming you.

Be it too much bacon, too much texting, or too much f-bomb-ing, some things just get a hook in us. And there comes a time, we feel the gigantic urge to.. well, knock it off. because since when is a cup of stupid starbucks the boss of you?

Enter in what some people call: a detox. Others might simply call it spring, or beginning again. I tend to call it: getting a grip, or my shit together. Call it what you want-just be sure to notice it, this instinct of yours... to let go.

top

Q: What if I don't do yoga? Can I still do this detox?

A: You do more yoga than you think. Some of the greatest yogis I've ever known in my life have never once stepped on a mat. Did you know yoga has nothing to do with whether or not you can touch your toes? Yoga is not some kinda glorified gymnastics, as many misunderstand. YOGA IS ABOUT PAYING ATTENTION. And in this detox, we'll do just that. We'll get quiet and NoTiCe, uNeArTh and ShIfT. What we're eating, and what's eating us.

Half splits, full splits, or no splits--this detox is so truly + totally doAble for everybody. Oh, and another thing. About those splits— nobody gives a shit. (This took me years to believe. So just go ahead and save yourself the time and your hamstrings, and believe it baby.)

top

Q: Do I have to be a {insert any boxy word here..paleo, vegetarian, vegan, etc} in order to do this detox?

A: God no. In fact, my preference is we all knock it off, the urge to stuff ourselves into yet another box by saying something like: "I'm Gluten-Free." or "I'm paleo." I'd so much rather we all roar--I'm human. With edges. And our edges should move. And as humans, lucky us, we get to move em around.. with our breath, our intention, our crazy ass wisdom.

Now that I have a daughter, I am especially cognizant of what I say and how I model my own relationship with food. Because I never want food to define her. I want food to liberate her, give her permission and energy to pursue all that she was born to do + love. So go ahead, be paleo, be vegetarian, be vegan, BE YOU. All that I ask is that you not let this word zip you up into a tent you can't get out of.

top

Q: Are you a vegetarian?

A: I used to be a hard and fast rule follower.  And figured out, after forcing one thing or another:  oy, that's no way to live. I am neither paleo or vegan. Nor do I promote one single way to eat.  Because I don't believe there is one.  I believe we are all different, on our own path, moving through seasons (actual, and within our lifetime) that ask different things of us.

In fact, after just hearing some ridiculous dairy ad on pandora about 2 super annoying ladies debating all giddily over beef jerky or cottage cheese before their spin class, I think the time is NOW.  To once and for all, stop looking outward for answers, and start tuning in.  To what our bodies are calling for.

And that, is the crux of this program:  Tune into what serves you.  Tune out what doesn't.

top

Q: What is your detox based on?

A: Common sense. (I promise.)

top

Q: Have you ever tried any funky weirdo detoxes?

Yep. I tried the Master Cleanse in my early 20s, an ABSURD detox program in which you live off of drink made of up lemon juice, a little maple syrup, cayenne pepper, and how generous, water--for 10-40 days. I was coming off of a boozy woozy holiday season and thought I'd give it a whirl--for a day--and mercifully didn't make it to 10am. For obvious reasons: We are designed to eat. A detox is not about starving.

top

Q: What about juice cleanses?

I tried it once, a 3-day juice cleanse. This was back while living in CT, in conjunction with the yoga studio I belonged to at the time.  After a winter comprised of noodles, lasagna and more bread please (my husband worked next door to a ridiculously good Italian joint that had to-go options)--I felt the urge to lighten up one spring weekend.  A nifty little 6 pack of pretty colored juices for a long weekend.  I was happy to hunker down and in with my juices--no dishes!  Until again, I realized that I much prefer eating my food than drinking it (and so does your body).  Plus I missed the ritual, the ceremony of mealtime.  Sitting down with my husband and son--lighting a candle and literally, breaking bread.

What's more, one of those handy 6 packs I drove 20 minutes away to pick up every morning for 3 days straight cost an arm and a leg.  And did you know?, our bodies aren't actually designed to eat food (or juices extracted from food every 2-3 hours.)  Our digestive system should be strong enough to take down 3 SOLID meals a day, not needing any snacks or hocus pocus in between.

And I would be remiss if I didn't mention how much sugar is crammed into those misunderstood green, purple, and dazzling pink juices we are gulping down.  Take this one juice I picked up at Whole Foods the other day, comprised of cold pressed apple, beet, orange, lemon and ginger..  Organic.  Non GMO, all that jazz. quite obviously there are worse things you can be taking down.  But you probably didn't know what else.  70 grams of sugar, man.  In ONE bottle, that I could throw back in under 30 seconds, easily.  Compare that to how much sugar is in a can of coke:  39, or a full size snickers bar:  20.  No kidding.

If you love juices, enjoy sparingly.  In the meantime, do what your mother said.  Eat your beets.  Eat your carrots.  Eat an apple.  Don't go cramming over 50 of them into a 16 ounce bottle and think your doing your body or blood sugar level any favors.

top

Q: Do you believe in fasting?

A: Ack, I know it’s all the rage, but I don’t buy it. I think our bodies want to fast all night (hello, doAble detox). And that’s plenty.

Instead of some extreme fast that will the hell out of (and maybe even hurt) your body, try making lunch your biggest meal of the day, like the Europeans traditionally do. Treat supper as a supplemental meal, and have it on the early side. Skip dessert, hit the hay early, and once you wake up, don’t eat until you get the urge. And bam, I bet you fasted for like 14 hours baby.

top

Q: Why not lead us in a deep and healing and good for the guts kitchari cleanse?

The kitchari cleanse is the quintessential yoga detox... a mono-diet of mung beans and rice and dazzling spices that re-sets the entire system.  Kitchari is used in Ayurveda, yoga's sister science, to heal all that ails, kind of like chicken soup in the west.  And while yes, its extremely healing for the gut, for me--it was really, really, REALLY painfully boring to eat rice and beans for breakfast, lunch and dinner for 10 days straight, or some (I cannot imagine), do it for a month.

I mean, think about even a meal you loooooove——lets take creamy fettucine, for example.  Divine, right?  Now imagine eating it for breakfast, lunch and dinner for 10 or more days straight.  Not so divine anymore, eh?  But honestly, I wouldn't know.  My husband and I only made it 4 (ok, 3) days into of the 10 day intention of the kitchari cleanse, and that felt like a colossal feat.  Maybe it was because every day, he would ask me what I was looking forward to most on Saturday, the day we decided, in advance, to call it quits.  And every day, I would tell him the same thing:  a blue moon.  And every day, he would tell me the same thing:  bacon.

It got to be kind of depressing, honestly.  More experienced yogis will counter:  oh, but it's so meditative.  (to eat the same thing over and over.)  And I get that.  Any MOTHER gets that much.  It's simple.  It takes the rigamarole out of what's for dinner.  (and lunch. and breakfast.)  And I applaud those who make this an annual (or bi-annual) tradition.  But running a crock pot of kitchari round the clock and pounding a slew of expensive herbs while simultaneously feeding my small kids their pancakes and spaghetti is just not for me.

Plus, I found it practically impossible to be social.  And while I'm sure that's part of the brilliant plan--to go inside and be quiet for 10 days, and to knock off making every gathering about the food, I believe we are social creatures.  And that it's healthy to go over to a friend's house for dinner, and to Chipotle when the kids are driving you up the wall and you don't feel like cleaning the kitchen for the 19th time that day.  Don't get me wrong, I love a warm bowl of kitchari--especially when someone else makes it.  It comes with the comfort of macaroni and cheese and power to heal even the grumpiest gut.  But at this stage in my life, I can't be held hostage to a bowl of mush for 10 or more days.  I just can't.

Others can, and if called to it——should.

But as for me and my husband--that spring we did the kitchari cleanse?, we exited stage left just as we said we would, dammit:  with that beer and bacon.  Not, how one should ever, ever move out of a cleanse.  And so, I felt like after that experience, there should be more to a detox than rebooting the digestive system.  Which is why I invented the doAble detox.

Less bowls of a mush, more JoY.

Less prescription, more FrEeDoM.

Less obligation, more InStInCt.

Less no, more YeS.

top

Q: I am reee-hee-heeeeaaaaally busy. Do I have time for this detox?

A:  Maybe one day, I'll get to go live in an ashram for 10 days and eat kitchari for breakfast and chant my buns off.  But for now, I have a husband out the door by 7 and coaching after school.  I work part time as a health coach + yoga teacher, with a 2, 4, and 7 year old. And we do this all without the luxury of a nanny, cleaning lady, or someone to mow our lawn or pick up the dog doo.

All of which is to say:  I am not going to India, Costa Rica, or even Kripalu——anytime soon.  Which is another reason I invented the doAble detox.  I believe we can all carve out our own retreat, at home.  Standing smack dab in the middle of our messy kitchens and messy lives.

I promise, no matter how many jobs, kids, or kittens you have——this detox is yours for the taking.

top

Q: What if I want to rid my body of heavy metals, or do a chelation detox, are you my girl?

A: Nope. Not your girl. But high mercury fish is not on the menu, phew.

top

Q: I wish my partner would do it with me. S/he won't. Should I still do it?

A:  If whoever you live with wants to do this thing with you, awesome sauce.  But if not?  Don't force it. You're way better off letting it go, actually.  Because the best way to get our loved ones to eat well, is to set an example. In other words——you do you. Trust me, if you feel good, others want in on that.  And this includes your partner.

I've tried forcing my thing on my husband before.  Doesn't work.   And if you read the aforementioned detoxes I've dabbled in before, you know——I am all for the kind of program that wends itself into real life, which means a real, live, messy home with people inside of it who are really pumped about the ice cream man coming down the street.

Don't push.  Lead.

top

Q: Do I have to buy expensive herbs?

A: Nope. Investing in herbs for the doAble detox is like catching your foot in half-moon--so totally + truly optional. That said, if there is ONE herb you want to complement a gentle, whole foods based cleanse with, the one I recommend is triphala, which gently tones and supports a healthy intestinal system.

But putting all your faith into a bottle of supplements instead of yourself is kinda dangerous to me. The biggest thing you need to understand is that your body already knows how to detox. All you need to do is get out of its brilliant way. True story. Yes, YOU, are the truest story. Not something you can buy at a store.

If you want a little help from some herbs, go for it. I'll even point you in the right direction. but remember, the big deal is YOU.

top

Q: I've never done a detox before. Is this program ok for beginners?

A: You bet. Bottom line. We start from where we are. Experienced detoxer or not, this program is just like our yoga practice in that--your edge is your edge. I will bring you to it——slowly, surely, gingerly. All you have to do is show up.

top

Q: How do I know if I need a detox?

A: All sortsa ways. A few examples off the top of my head...

You eat standing up.

Your 1 year old sees a pint of ice cream, points to it, and says "ma-ma".

You drink your meal in the shape of a freezing cold smoothie while driving in the car on your way to work, where you arrive to no surprise: freezing and frazzled.

You eat most of your meals out.

You let a little pomegranate intimidate you or you say rigid and insecure things like, "green tea my ass."

You text one thousand times a day.

You are cursing way more than you want to be.

You have a kid with curls and you let a whole day go by without gawking at them.

You are constantly saying you have no time (for this project, for that thing you love, for him, for her, for you.)

You are over caffeinated and over stimulated.

Your skin is a mess.

You need coffee, or some other stimulant in the afternoon to get to the other side of your day.

You have an online shopping addiction.

You have a peanut butter cup addiction.

You have a facebook addiction.

You are wolfing down your meals. Or acting wolfish between your meals (on account of your unstable blood sugar level, likely.)

Meals? What meals! You graze + grab. Because--no time!

Your sleep is not smooth or deep.

You're living on autopilot--and have lost your pizazzzzz.

You eat cold cereal for breakfast every damn day.

You feel stuck. In a job, relationship, or maybe your diet is the thing in a rut.

You leave the house in the morning with your hair on fire.

You scoff at meditation--you are too cool, or--psht, no time!

You don't love your morning mug, or what's inside it.

You're craving something green, but don't know how to make it.

You're craving some joy, but don't know how to get it.

top

Q: Can I do this program if I'm nursing? Pregnant?

A: You can bet your mama moonsen on it. This program is wonderful for anyone, but especially for those folks trying to make space for a baby, or on the brink of birthing one, or tending to one.

Trust this mama of 3: A mother's boundaries, happiness, and self care is paramount to the home.

top

Q: Are there any rules?

A: Yup. One big one. Be real. Show up. To the circle, and to yourself.

top

Q: What kinda recipes are they?

A: The delicious + easy kind. The seasonal + uplifting kind. The clean + simple kind. The kind my family actually EATS. Because I don't have time to fiddle around with stuff that tastes like cardboard that they won't.

Mostly vegetarian. All are gluten free and vegan friendly. Minus this one unprecedented move by me... there's a cleaned up meatball recipe involved this time around.

top

Q: Did you say meatballs?

Breathe easy, veg heads. They aren’t mandatory. I just include this one measly recipe in the collection of mainly plant based ones because...

#1 Some of you might be pregnant, like I was not that long ago.  And when your body is making copious amounts of blood (read: 50% more than your pre-pregnancy blood volume), your iron level tends to drop precipitously.  And according to many birthing experts: red meat is iron clad.

For my first baby, I clung to my vegetarian tenets tight and ate lentils and dark leafy greens up the wazoo——and did just fine iron-wise.  Second baby?  I had to supplement my diet with Floradix, which got my iron levels up to the low end of normal (which translates like this as far as one's energy goes: eh.)  But my 3rd pregnancy?  I was so anemic, it wasn't even funny.  I was freezing to death, actually.  My midwife prescribed thy meatball.  And bam, iron levels restored.  Along with it, my mood and energy.  Point being: no pregnancy is like another.  Just how no detox is like another.  Your edges, your boundaries, as it turns out...  move.  Even your beliefs are allowed to shift.  How bout that?

#2 We are all on our own path.  And I want to write you, devout vegetarian dying for a meatball, a permission slip to reply, when asked (challenged), 'are you a vegetarian?' to say: sort of. (Because stuffing yourself in a box is overrated and lame and terrible and eventually, you'll suffocate.)

#3 Minutes before kicking off one of my in-person programs at Yoga Mandali a few years ago, I overheard a woman whisper to her friend... "She's going to take away my meatballs, I just know it."

So there.  I didn't take away your meatball.  I just cleaned it up a bit for you.

top

Q: What does the virtual program include?

1. The manual, breaking it down, phase by phase. Bit by bit.

2. A slew of seasonal + simple recipes.

3. A daily email that corresponds with the phase we are in, from yours truly, punctuated with real life libretto. The goal is to educate. Pump you up. And maybe give you a couple goose bumps. Because real life should.

4. A 5 minute-ish daily video. (Direct link tucked inside the email.) Because being seen is part of the work. Because you might want to be SHOWN how to open a pomegranate. Because it's refreshing to see me, your leader, on the other side, with messy hair, in her messy kitchen, with sticky countertops, shit tons of laundry to do, and maybe even a baby on her hip--hitting pause, and showing up anyway.

5. Access to the private Facebook group. (totally optional)

top

Q: Why virtual?

#1 Because you asked for it.

#2 I've got 3 kids now——I've got overnight diapers, training pants, and size 3 diapers all at the ready right now for bedtime. Which means, it's hard enough to blow my nose these days. It also means that being places at certain times without my children requires some serious orchestration. So it's a detox for the busy, by the busy.

#3 Because I believe in the magic of connecting with women across the country.  Last fall, we had beautiful beings from CA, OR, TX, MN, NYC, and all over New England show up to each other. And I find vast power in connecting with women who live in different places than you.

#4 Because, slippers.  I wanted to offer a program where you didn't have to be at a certain place, at a certain time. Which is why I don’t even do FaceBook lives. I’d rather you open the daily email and watch the daily video when you're ready to be present to it and have the 5 minutes to do so.

top

Q: Do I have to join the facebook group?

A:  The quick answer?  Nope.

The longer, truer answer:  I get the resistance.  You're either on a facebook fast, or fear it'll overwhelm the hell out of you and you're here to dial it down, dammit.  But I want you to look at the facebook group like a lizard push up...

You can bend your elbows a little.  Or a whole heck of a lot.  You can peruse once a day, every few days, or not at all.  But I would be remiss if I didn't tell you:  this is the place where a whole lotta magic happens and where I get to see you, too.  People post more than damn good recipes.  Someone might post a picture that'll shift you forever.  Or share an old story that prompts you to share (and ultimately) free you of yours.

The FB groups is a nifty little space to go when you need some lifting up——especially if the people you are living with are not in the mood to hear you talk animatedly about beets and carrots.

And if you're super scared of getting sucked into your newsfeed, let this fear be your teacher.  Can you forget scrolling through the feed... go straight to our group, and dive in?  Can you let the fact that West Elm is offering free shipping go?  It's actually really great training for the bigger work at hand..  which is letting the noise go, and honing in on what is truly important to you. Because life?  It’s noisy. But you’re too smart to get sucked in.

top

Q: How'd you find your way into health coaching?

A:  Anyone whose ever messed around with King Dancer, Warrior 3, Tree pose, or heck, just tried standing on one foot before knows:  The only way to find your balance is to lose it to begin with.

I always give my clients the full disclosure that:  I know imbalance like I know kale.  Back when I was running marathons in my early 20s, was in fact, the unhealthiest time in my life.  I had just rounded out a successful D1 collegiate career playing lacrosse and quite frankly, didn’t know what else to do with myself. And worst of all, culturally and collectively, I was being rewarded for my compulsive behavior.  Around the same time I qualified for Boston, I was living off some grody chicken salad on iceberg lettuce with ranch dressing from a nearby college deli and never, ever getting my period.

What I desperately needed upon graduating from college was to let go.  slow down.  and settle into a brand new (and scary) shape.  I needed to breathe, not run faster. Then, as luck, God, grace, the universe, whatever you want to call it, would have it:  I found yoga. Ever since, that story has been just that——an old story.

Because once I found yoga, I started to write a new story.  A love story.