Anita Kapoor's Detox Diary - Day 2

Recap: yesterday was a challenge. I didn't realise how much of a ritual my tea+toast mornings were. While I didn't miss the tea and bread per se, I missed the preparation of it, the being able to mull over it to prepare for my day ahead. Granted, I could do it with a banana smoothie, but that doesn't have quite the same ring does it.

It was quite a day too, preparing for my radio show, doing the show and then carrying on with the rest of my day that included a body talk session at Awakening Touch, a massage by accident, evening cocktails at a pal's new office and dinner with another friend. Not a tough day, but when required to make the right food choices, and remember to take my digestive enzyme to make sure I am digesting properly, it became a little trickier.

I started my day with my Ultraclear Daily Detox Smoothie which is made with non-allergenic rice protein, to which I added water, a banana and ice cubes. It tastes malty/chalky at first sip, but if you're used to textures, it's really not that bad. It's more about "that's it for breakfast? Seriously?"

I followed it with 2 Lactoviden capsules (high concentration probiotics to get my gut healthy again), and one Metazyme (a digestive enzyme to make sure I'm digesting properly). Skipped the Phytoganix (a superfood blend of vetegtables and berries, a scoop of which is equal to your required daily intake of vegetables and fruit) because I was nursing a queasy stomach from dinner the night before.

The other challenge was time. By 11 am when I was supposed to have a snack, I was busy with prepping for the show. From noon till 2pm I was at the studio. So lunch happened at around 230pm.. with little choice in the Mediacorp staff canteen.

Lunch for the first three days of this Detox is supposed to consist of a large portion of vegetables, a quarter portion of rice, and a quarter portion of lean protein. I opted for duck rice, minus the sauce, the MSG laden soup and some fresh cucumbers and lettuce. Hardly a huge portion of vegetables! I topped it up with a watermelon juice, and some water.

No mid afternoon snack. Instead, I went for a Body Talk session with Marcio Ribeiro at Awakening Touch. Essentially energy medicine to open up your meridiens and reinvigorate your chakras - but yet much much more than that which I'll save for another post - it's a good thing to do while you're detoxing. In simple terms, as you body rids itself of physical toxins, it's a good time to flush out emotional toxins as well. Took my Metazyme with me, and actually remembered to take it too. Congrats to self ;-)

I found myself thirsty throughout the day, perhaps compensating for the lack of mid-morning and late afternoon snacks. When I got to the office opening, I studiously avoided the alcohol, and opted for an apple juice (way too much sugar though) and some water.

Dinner proved to be the biggest challenge. Invited to a gorgeous new Chinese restaurant, Pavillion, on Craig Road, a beautiful menu had been pre ordered. Surprisingly, most of it could be eaten within my detox principals, my only falls from grace being a small portion of lean beef, a soft shell crab that had definitely been coated in flour, and a mango dessert. I came home and took 1 Silymarin, which is a traditonal herb that's been used for over 2,000 years to support and cleanse the liver, spleen and kidneys. Hopefully that means I am exonerated from the beef and flour?

Overall, it wasn't difficult, just inconvenient. On the other hand, I was forced to make choices I'd not bothered to make before, and to then be in a position to observe my body's reaction (or not).

Today, I've woken up with a headache, which is awful, but expected. But I've started right. Got the morning shake correct, took the Metazyme, the Phytoganix and the Lactoviden. So I'm covered for nutrition, fruit and vegetables, and a healthy gut. The challenge comes shortly, after I finish a voiceover at 1130AM - what do I eat? And, then a lunch appointment at 1pm, where I'll have to make smart choices again.

I do like that this detox programme does allow me to generally live my life with some welcomed if not slightly "malty" changes. When I first spoke to Pooja about why she put this particular programme together she told me it was her response to the fad side of detoxing - which she's particularly fed up with. Not just because it doesn't change a thing internally, but because it can also harm the body.

This detox I'm on is based on scientific research and nutritional evidence. And the simple but staggering fact: our lives are even more polluted than before. Babies are being born with over 200 chemicals in their umbilical cords. Who put those there? We did. I am looking forward to becoming even more mindful about what I am putting into my body, and how I can change certain nutritional ills for the long term.

Now, to remember to stay hydrated, make the right food choices, remember to take my enzyme pill with me, not be waylaid by tea at any juncture ... oh and today I'll be including c-Lium Fibre sachets in my plan. Oh joy.

Anita