21 Day Cleanse - Final Results - Cascade Chiropractic & Wellness

21 Day Cleanse final results

It’s official! Our 21 day cleanse is over… well, almost. Now that the 21 days are done, we begin to add back some of the foods we have been avoiding. When we did the cleanse 18 months ago, I found out I am mildly sensitive to dairy. A food sensitivity is not as serious as an allergy. I would never die if I accidentally drink a glass of whole milk. BUT, I would feel very phlegmy and a little gross.

Many people are becoming more aware of what they eat now days. Gluten free food is no longer something you have to search the niche grocery stores for. Especially in Portland, Oregon, gluten free, vegan food is abundant. Now, now, put down your pitchforks. I’m not telling anyone that eating gluten free and vegan is the ONLY way to eat. I am saying that whole food, un-processed, real, raw, fresh food is amazing. Will I eat cheese? Yes. Will I eat cheese less often and feel better? Yes.

One of my biggest foes in food is bread. It turns out that I don’t have a little crush on bread. I love bread. I want to marry bread. Well, maybe that takes it a little far. Bread doesn’t love me back. Bread makes me feel tired, groggy, foggy headed. I used to eat bread every morning. Toast or some sort of cereal (wheat or corn product). I don’t want to get into the physiology of what a slice of bread can do to your blood sugar, hormone levels, and other reactions in your body right now, but let’s just say, “NO BUENO.” My new goal is to replace at least 50% of my “pre-cleanse-bread-intake” with a non-grain product substitute. My wife found a loaf of brown rice bread at Trader Joe’s grocery store. It satisfies all my bread cravings.

Positive Cleanse side effects

After the full 21 days:

Increased energy
Weight loss
Better sleep
Positive effect on mood
Clearer thinking
Increased resolve to lead a healthier lifestyle

Negative Cleanse Side Effects

I think the hardest part of the cleanse is having to find alternative food options when you are out at an event with other people. I was at an Atlas Orthogonal seminar on the last Saturday of this cleanse. Dr. Rick brought sandwich food for everyone to eat. I had to improve and make a turkey lettuce wrap. Not that hard, but it has to be done while on the cleanse.

Recipe ideas

“What can I eat on this cleanse?!” This may be one of the biggest mental hurdles to get over. You’ll find that eating whole food is not difficult. But just in case you still have doubts, here are 7 recipes to help you along the way. If you are in Portland, Oregon, I linked to a few places you can eat at. Get the paleo style dishes or substitute brown rice and you are good to go.

Dr. Oz Cleanse Shake
Raspberry Sweet Bread
Zucchini pasta with marinara sauce
Indian Dal with Slaw and asparagus
Sweet potato chips
Salsa
Mango banana shake

Resturants
Dick’s Kitchen
Meeka Sushi (get brown rice – you might have to call ahead so they can prepare)
Cultured Caveman
My Thai Bistro (get brown rice)

Purpose of this post

My hopes for this post are twofold. (1) To inspire other people to eat whole food and live a healthier, more nutritious lifestyle (2) To give patients, or other people, who are doing the cleanse some ideas for recipes, a place for motivation, and some personal stories about my experience on the cleanse.