You’ve followed me through my dietary adventures, but I think my latest has surprised me the most.

This snack. Apple with almond butter and raw garlic. I’m not a big apple fan, nor an almond butter fan but I love garlic. It’s actually pretty good.

Ten days ago I started the CLEAN program. A 21 day nutritional detox. It’s not a weight loss plan nor a colon cleanse although both of those things happen. You can buy their kit which is pretty expensive or you can do your own version after reading the book, which is what I am doing.

It is meant to rid your body of toxins that have built up over your whole lifetime. The understanding is that all disease and malady starts in the gut and manifests in symptoms elsewhere. If you clean up the gut, rebuild the flora and keep it healthy, your body will fight off more effectively even the most serious of disease.

After just 9 days it has been quite a ride. Detox symptoms I’ve never felt before have been interesting and surprising. I can’t believe how deep and intense the detox is just from a diet (and some natural supplements). I like that it’s not an unnatural chemical wham bam, clean you out ma’am type colon cleanse. This is the real deal that lets nature do the work, as it was intended.

The most surprising thing is how much I have been learning about myself. Not just the mechanics of how foods work or how the body works, but psychologically. You may have experienced this yourself if you have ever done any type of fasting. I can understand more now how it is used as a spiritual practice.

Without food around to distract us we have to face things. I don’t know how to explain that any other way. I am flabbergasted at the relationship I have with food. I have been eating very healthy for the past two years. Even before that when my diet was crap, I thought I knew my issues…I thought I knew when I was eating to make myself feel better or when I was bored. But I have to tell you…our relationships with food go DEEP. I am guessing this is true for a majority of Americans.

I know this is a bead blog and I apologize for straying from that so much. This is where I am and what my focus has been on. Of course, I am making beads and stuff for shows but it can get kind of boring to show production work. You can see those photos if you follow me on facebook.

Interesting to you or blahbiddy blah blah? G’head, be honest. I write for you as much as I do me. If it’s blahbiddy blah, I can take it to one of my other blogs no offense taken.