Best line: "Caffeine is a sleep stealer." "Still, for some insomniacs, the need for caffeine is so great that they will sacrifice their sleep in order to stay alert during the day—creating a vicious cycle of sleeplessness." Sounds like someone I know (read: am).
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
As we reach the halfway point...
... it behooves us to remember the important things in life. Thus, in the spirit of motivation, I submit to you the following:
As the picture says -- what's not to like?
xoxo
g+j
As the picture says -- what's not to like?
xoxo
g+j
Day 9
L'Shana Tova, y'all.
It's Day 9 and I can't believe it... 9 days without meat eggs milk cheese dairy wheat gluten sugar nightshades (?) white rice noodles steak chicken turkey cake cupcakes chocolate liquor beer wine coffee espresso venti doppio americano decaf champagne sake port bread jam butter cookies m&ms candy soda diet-soda seltzer lox prosciutto pizza jigae... you name it, we ain't eatin' it.
But man, do I feel good. Pretty good. Gives you a fresh canvas, a fresh opportunity to take stock of yourself. It's most interesting to see how... SAME I am, in light of all this cleansing. To see how many of the things that were there, are still there -- the joy, the anxiety, the fear, the love, the passion. They're all still there. Yes, even the negative things.
That's the point. It's like with Mike and my joint problem of staying up late, thinking that the later you stay up, the more likely you are to "win" (win what? we've never been able to figure that out...). When you just take it all away, all the chemicals and all the delusions and all the games, you're still there. Same as you always were. And the problems are still there, and the joys, too. There's more clarity and space to work on them.
I'm surprised that more therapists don't recommend a cleanse like this as a mandatory part of their regimens. Talk about putting you in a better place to work on yourself!
One of the coolest things: I'm getting my wish... my wish of having a few minutes back inside mySelf from 20 years ago. It's a physiological time machine. I genuinely feel -- especially on Saturday morning when I can squeeze my head in the crack between the mattress and the headboard and sleep a little bit later, protected like that -- like I'm a little kid again.
It's a detox time machine.
Gabe
It's Day 9 and I can't believe it... 9 days without meat eggs milk cheese dairy wheat gluten sugar nightshades (?) white rice noodles steak chicken turkey cake cupcakes chocolate liquor beer wine coffee espresso venti doppio americano decaf champagne sake port bread jam butter cookies m&ms candy soda diet-soda seltzer lox prosciutto pizza jigae... you name it, we ain't eatin' it.
But man, do I feel good. Pretty good. Gives you a fresh canvas, a fresh opportunity to take stock of yourself. It's most interesting to see how... SAME I am, in light of all this cleansing. To see how many of the things that were there, are still there -- the joy, the anxiety, the fear, the love, the passion. They're all still there. Yes, even the negative things.
That's the point. It's like with Mike and my joint problem of staying up late, thinking that the later you stay up, the more likely you are to "win" (win what? we've never been able to figure that out...). When you just take it all away, all the chemicals and all the delusions and all the games, you're still there. Same as you always were. And the problems are still there, and the joys, too. There's more clarity and space to work on them.
I'm surprised that more therapists don't recommend a cleanse like this as a mandatory part of their regimens. Talk about putting you in a better place to work on yourself!
One of the coolest things: I'm getting my wish... my wish of having a few minutes back inside mySelf from 20 years ago. It's a physiological time machine. I genuinely feel -- especially on Saturday morning when I can squeeze my head in the crack between the mattress and the headboard and sleep a little bit later, protected like that -- like I'm a little kid again.
It's a detox time machine.
Gabe
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Cleanse photos -- foooooooooooooood!
Here we go! xo g+j
Just Korean pepper, sesame seeds, scallions, garlic, and I think vinegar. That's all.
Mix for the mung bean "pancakes" ... mung beans, garlic, onion, a little pepper.
The mung bean pancakes, with some vegan kimchi built in!
Bhutanese red rice.
Many veggie dishes -- red Swiss chard, and others.
Our spectrum of grains -- buckwheat, brown Basmati rice, hearty red lentils, Bulgar wheat... and some dates up there too.
Pomegranate, oranges, and some Asian pears from the local green market.
Pears, an avodaco, and ginger. Some random greens back there, too.
Place looks like an assembly line! New juicer, our Cuisinart, a blender, a rice cooker...
Talk about an assembly line... how does Joohee do it??????
Unreal shopping these days: bean sprouts, greens, scallions, cucumbers, fruits, watermelon, kabocha, etc, etc...
A mushroom medly that even MIKE would like.
Delicious salad -- so simple! -- lettuce and an amazing, tart sesame seed dressing that Joohee came up with.
Bowl! This is what we eat many nights -- a little head of barley or quinoa, with these different veggie dishes that Joohee makes: spicy bean sprouts, salted greens lightly braised, mushroom medly, cucumber with vinegar and spice, unreal stuff.
A couple of our "banchan" (the Korean word for side dishes to a main meal)... Korean food lends itself very well to this cleanse.
Just Korean pepper, sesame seeds, scallions, garlic, and I think vinegar. That's all.
Mix for the mung bean "pancakes" ... mung beans, garlic, onion, a little pepper.
The mung bean pancakes, with some vegan kimchi built in!
Bhutanese red rice.
Many veggie dishes -- red Swiss chard, and others.
Our spectrum of grains -- buckwheat, brown Basmati rice, hearty red lentils, Bulgar wheat... and some dates up there too.
Pomegranate, oranges, and some Asian pears from the local green market.
Pears, an avodaco, and ginger. Some random greens back there, too.
Place looks like an assembly line! New juicer, our Cuisinart, a blender, a rice cooker...
Talk about an assembly line... how does Joohee do it??????
Unreal shopping these days: bean sprouts, greens, scallions, cucumbers, fruits, watermelon, kabocha, etc, etc...
A mushroom medly that even MIKE would like.
Delicious salad -- so simple! -- lettuce and an amazing, tart sesame seed dressing that Joohee came up with.
Bowl! This is what we eat many nights -- a little head of barley or quinoa, with these different veggie dishes that Joohee makes: spicy bean sprouts, salted greens lightly braised, mushroom medly, cucumber with vinegar and spice, unreal stuff.
A couple of our "banchan" (the Korean word for side dishes to a main meal)... Korean food lends itself very well to this cleanse.
Shake it up
Just made a little mini-shake for Joohee and myself: homemade almond milk, a few cocoa beans, some spearmint leaves, a couple of plump sweet dates, some maca powder, a tiny pinch of salt, and ice... holy crap! Unreal. Just like the one from Cafe Gratitude!
OK, back to work,
g + j
OK, back to work,
g + j
Friday, September 26, 2008
Everything is on the Internets
So, after I just finished my post, I decided to put the terms "world's healthiest food" into Google, just for shits and giggles.
And whaddya know, there's a website and book all about the world's healthiest food.
Goddam Google, know-it-all bastards.
And whaddya know, there's a website and book all about the world's healthiest food.
Goddam Google, know-it-all bastards.
The journey, some new goody options, traveling companions
One thing that's cool about being on the cleanse this time around is that we have you guys -- G. and J. -- to share the journey with. One downside, however, is that the first time around we got additional cleansing services from D.'s doctor -- Nancy Gardner, at her clinic called Optimum Health. Part of the attraction of doing the cleanse under Nancy's oversight was that we got two infrared saunas (scroll down), a lymph light treatment and a lymph massage, and there was everyone's favorite -- colonic hydrotherapy (YEAY!!). Now, as much as I initially was skeptical about sitting in a 150 degree room for an hour, getting my lymph massaged, and having the years-old poopaloop slurped out of my butt, I have to say that there was something special about getting up extra early on Saturday mornings to drive an hour and a half to sweat, grunt, and expel in positions unnatural and uncomforable. . .BUT, it did work. I felt lighter and ultimately healthier. So consider looking into similar health procedures in your area, like this Healthy Directions Center.
I must say that Gabe's reactions to and thoughts about the place of alcohol in his life, make me think back to this past Saturday (pre-cleanse!) and my first taste of absinthe. That stuff tasted like Jagermeister or a Russian medicine called "drops of the Danish king" (literal translation). So the taste has an odd "pleasant-unpleasant" sensation for me, especially since I don't regularly like the taste of anise. What's interesting is that alcohol ALWAYS tastes like poison to me;
I only ever drink to get drunk, or buzzed, or loopy. Shall we recall my experience at Spark's around this last New Year's. . .
And as the cleanse is helping G. take a new look at his relationship with and to alcohol, my own first experience with the cleanse helped me to take a look at my relationship to meat, which I felt like I needed at EVERY meal. Oh yes, that family legacy of fried kolety and bitki is a powerful one.
During the first cleanse, there was NO MEAT. So I started easting every damn vegetable there was. Celery was now fine, mushrooms were now fine, quinoa, red rice, even that dense-as-shit teff with dates, coconut milk and other stuff D. put in there to make it palatable. I ate all that stuff which before to me was an unfortunate addition to the meat.
Now people at the office still wonder when I'm back on my "I'll have a side of meat with my meat" diet, but I think it's fruit juices for me from now on.
So hang in there with the booze, my brother, and see how damn good you feel on day 22.
Love always, M.
I must say that Gabe's reactions to and thoughts about the place of alcohol in his life, make me think back to this past Saturday (pre-cleanse!) and my first taste of absinthe. That stuff tasted like Jagermeister or a Russian medicine called "drops of the Danish king" (literal translation). So the taste has an odd "pleasant-unpleasant" sensation for me, especially since I don't regularly like the taste of anise. What's interesting is that alcohol ALWAYS tastes like poison to me;
I only ever drink to get drunk, or buzzed, or loopy. Shall we recall my experience at Spark's around this last New Year's. . .And as the cleanse is helping G. take a new look at his relationship with and to alcohol, my own first experience with the cleanse helped me to take a look at my relationship to meat, which I felt like I needed at EVERY meal. Oh yes, that family legacy of fried kolety and bitki is a powerful one.
During the first cleanse, there was NO MEAT. So I started easting every damn vegetable there was. Celery was now fine, mushrooms were now fine, quinoa, red rice, even that dense-as-shit teff with dates, coconut milk and other stuff D. put in there to make it palatable. I ate all that stuff which before to me was an unfortunate addition to the meat.Now people at the office still wonder when I'm back on my "I'll have a side of meat with my meat" diet, but I think it's fruit juices for me from now on.
So hang in there with the booze, my brother, and see how damn good you feel on day 22.
Love always, M.
Tequila!
Our sister, Jennifer, was over last night, and Joohee and I were finishing our delicious veggie dinner [NOTE: A lot of the food we're eating on the cleanse is satisfying specifically because it is very similar to a lot of the Korean food that we love -- we get our raw foods (juices, nut milk [heh], etc.) in the morning for the most part, and the evenings are some raw/some cooked, but lots of great Korean flavors and spices], and I opened a bottle of tequila just to see what it smelled like after 5 days of not drinking:
It smelled like poison.
I was... shocked, sort of. It really, genuinely smelled like poison, like kerosene or something that should have had a "Mr. Yuck" sticker on it. Like something you'd find under the sink.
Now, I know that it would've (arguably) tasted delicious, especially in a mixed drink -- or would it? Isn't it all really poison to some degree, the alcohol itself, that is? Wine and beer are so damned different -- there is an alcohol content but it's more vital as a "flavor" than as the main ingredient (flashback to drinking grain alcohol while holding my nostrils closed... WOW...). Liquor? Shit's just poison, man. Still, I'll always love it... but I just don't MISS it. I miss being buzzed, I miss being drunk, but only in the abstract, as I would miss any habit until it's long enough to be really rid of it.
Well, that's my story and I'm stickin' to it. M&D, how are thee?
xo
g
and
j
It smelled like poison.
I was... shocked, sort of. It really, genuinely smelled like poison, like kerosene or something that should have had a "Mr. Yuck" sticker on it. Like something you'd find under the sink.
Now, I know that it would've (arguably) tasted delicious, especially in a mixed drink -- or would it? Isn't it all really poison to some degree, the alcohol itself, that is? Wine and beer are so damned different -- there is an alcohol content but it's more vital as a "flavor" than as the main ingredient (flashback to drinking grain alcohol while holding my nostrils closed... WOW...). Liquor? Shit's just poison, man. Still, I'll always love it... but I just don't MISS it. I miss being buzzed, I miss being drunk, but only in the abstract, as I would miss any habit until it's long enough to be really rid of it.
Well, that's my story and I'm stickin' to it. M&D, how are thee?
xo
g
and
j
Pic unrelated.
This has nothing to do with anything, but I saw this great captcha and had to make an image out of it.
Gabe
Gabe
Thursday, September 25, 2008
QUESTION: Cocoa beans?
Technical cleanse question: cocoa beans. Yes? No? Only later in the cleanse? They contain caffeine, but a de minimis quantity (to wit: "The average cup of hot cocoa contains about 10 mg of caffeine but over 200 mg of theobromine"). Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?
Meanwhile... Joohee is preparing for tonight's dinner:
Meanwhile... Joohee is preparing for tonight's dinner:
4th day, already?
We both slept so well last night. I don't feel deprived or hungry at all, but I do have a caffeine withdrawal which gives me headache since this morning. I know a hot cup of coffee will cure this right away. :)
I made a lunch bag consist of a qt barley/mushroom/vege soup and a quinoa/vege bowl to last me from 9am to 5pm and I had a leftover. It was great!
Yesterday, I walked to home from the subway stop and smelled Chinese food (perhaps, fried chicken wings?) coming from Mei Mei Chinese takeout restaurant near our apt. It was so delicious, intoxicating and strong and made me say " I am going to have a large order of chow fun with shrimp when I am done with this!" Then, I was thinking about your KFC story of going to KFC while cleansing after watching a TV commercial. It is a funny story!
It only has been three days but made me reflecting on my eating hobbit for last 32 years and how much I've been taking my body for a granted and ate/drank without putting much thoughts into it. I put away my desire to have a glass of wine immediately, when I came home from work and having another glass or two of wine before I went to sleep. I put away the wine glasses to the top shelve so they wouldn't trigger me from cheating.
I do want to make "I am cool" with coco nibs as dessert tonight.
How are you guys doing?
I made a lunch bag consist of a qt barley/mushroom/vege soup and a quinoa/vege bowl to last me from 9am to 5pm and I had a leftover. It was great!
Yesterday, I walked to home from the subway stop and smelled Chinese food (perhaps, fried chicken wings?) coming from Mei Mei Chinese takeout restaurant near our apt. It was so delicious, intoxicating and strong and made me say " I am going to have a large order of chow fun with shrimp when I am done with this!" Then, I was thinking about your KFC story of going to KFC while cleansing after watching a TV commercial. It is a funny story!
It only has been three days but made me reflecting on my eating hobbit for last 32 years and how much I've been taking my body for a granted and ate/drank without putting much thoughts into it. I put away my desire to have a glass of wine immediately, when I came home from work and having another glass or two of wine before I went to sleep. I put away the wine glasses to the top shelve so they wouldn't trigger me from cheating.
I do want to make "I am cool" with coco nibs as dessert tonight.
How are you guys doing?
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Healthiness on the run
Sometimes Joohee is going to be away on business trips and you, Gabe, are going to want to cheat because "hey, who's gonna know" right? DON'T DO IT!
To make it a little easier, here's a link to the healthy carrot and orange juice options at Jamba Juice as well as map of all Jamba Juices in Manhattan.
Jamba Juice menu items
View Larger Map
Even though it may seem Starbucks is closer to your office, Jamba Juice is not too far away:
View Larger Map
Be good!
Love, M+D
To make it a little easier, here's a link to the healthy carrot and orange juice options at Jamba Juice as well as map of all Jamba Juices in Manhattan.
Jamba Juice menu items
View Larger Map
Even though it may seem Starbucks is closer to your office, Jamba Juice is not too far away:
View Larger Map
Be good!
Love, M+D
Cafe Gratitude
Here's a fun video of an interview with Terces and Matthew Engelhard, the originators of Cafe Gratitude and the book on sacred commerce.
And here's a look at the Cafe Gratitude the four of us went to in Berkeley.
Wow, aren't we all getting healthy now. . .
. . .so, here's little something for October 14th (Day 22 of the cleanse).
And here's a look at the Cafe Gratitude the four of us went to in Berkeley.
Wow, aren't we all getting healthy now. . .
. . .so, here's little something for October 14th (Day 22 of the cleanse).
Day 3, CleanseWatch
One of the keys of the cleanse is to drink lots of water during the day. During the work it's relativey easy because at my desk most of the time drinking out of my liter-sized glass milk bottle (Claravale Farms, Watsonville, CA).
The hard part, ironically, is on the weekend. Denise and I go out either bring nothing or just a little bit of water. We're more physically active, but drink a lot less water. Short of creating hourly alerts to remind myself to drink water, what would be a good way to drink as much water on weekends as during weekdays?
The hard part, ironically, is on the weekend. Denise and I go out either bring nothing or just a little bit of water. We're more physically active, but drink a lot less water. Short of creating hourly alerts to remind myself to drink water, what would be a good way to drink as much water on weekends as during weekdays?
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Lemon, water, cayenne pepper, ephedrine (wait -- no ephedrine? what kind of cleanse IS this?)
Well,
Started our day with a big glass of lemon, water and cayenne pepper (no maple syrup for now). Then fresh apple/carrot juice in place of coffee... for me, the toughest part is not having that giant BURST of coffee in the morning: even not having a drink (or 4) at night isn't a big deal, other than the fact that I reach for it automatically (which IS a big deal, and perhaps it's part of the Big Deal that we needed to discover here). That coffee burst... that crazified feeling, sitting at my desk, nowhere to run to, na na na naaaaaa, nowhere to hide, na na na naaaaa...
Obviously, not having the Big Coffee Burst is a great, great thing. Sure, I'm a bit somnolent, but I'd rather feel sleepy and know that I'm genuinely energized -- almost (almost!) too sleepy to be anxious or distraught -- than feel HYPER AWAKE and know that it's fake.
Wondering whether it will positively affect the quality of my work: how could it not? How could clarity not help?
Will post a couple of photos from last night's dinner when I'm able. :)
xo all,
gabe
Obviously, not having the Big Coffee Burst is a great, great thing. Sure, I'm a bit somnolent, but I'd rather feel sleepy and know that I'm genuinely energized -- almost (almost!) too sleepy to be anxious or distraught -- than feel HYPER AWAKE and know that it's fake.
Wondering whether it will positively affect the quality of my work: how could it not? How could clarity not help?
Will post a couple of photos from last night's dinner when I'm able. :)
xo all,
gabe
Monday, September 22, 2008
21 Day Cleanse has started!!
Hi D., G., and J. --
I thought I would set up a little blog for us while we're doing the cleanse for the 3 weeks. We can share our experiences, thoughts, and outcomes as we go through the process.
Because D. and I both thought it was so loving, warm and open, I'm going to start the sharing by including Joohee's email from Friday here.
***************************************************************************
Hi Denise and Mike,
How are you both? I hope you guys are doing well.
I have been thinking about this coming week, starting our 21 cleanse
collabrating with you via satellite. I am looking forward to it and at
the same time I am a bit scared with the thought of failing.(already!)
Like I am going to discover that I have absolutely no will power but I
really would love to win against myself this time.
Gabe and I are looking forward to sharing the recipes and pictures. We
know we could do this for 21 days because you guys are a big part of
it.
I made a strawberry nut milk shake and it was really great. We also
have been juicing like crazy since we left SJ. The other day, I made
100% watermelon juice and it was so satisfying that I didn't eat
anything for 4 hours after drinking it. ( You know I have to eat every
3 hrs!)
I love the fact that you both are in our lives(deeeeeply!) and really
love you both so much. (Okie, yes, I am sitting by the pool but I
haven't had any alcohol yet!) I also shouldn't forget to mention that
we both treasure our times together!
That is it for now.
Love,
Joohee
***********************************************************************************
More posting tomorrow. Hope G. and J. you both had a great time in AZ.
Love, Mike
I thought I would set up a little blog for us while we're doing the cleanse for the 3 weeks. We can share our experiences, thoughts, and outcomes as we go through the process.
Because D. and I both thought it was so loving, warm and open, I'm going to start the sharing by including Joohee's email from Friday here.
***************************************************************************
Hi Denise and Mike,
How are you both? I hope you guys are doing well.
I have been thinking about this coming week, starting our 21 cleanse
collabrating with you via satellite. I am looking forward to it and at
the same time I am a bit scared with the thought of failing.(already!)
Like I am going to discover that I have absolutely no will power but I
really would love to win against myself this time.
Gabe and I are looking forward to sharing the recipes and pictures. We
know we could do this for 21 days because you guys are a big part of
it.
I made a strawberry nut milk shake and it was really great. We also
have been juicing like crazy since we left SJ. The other day, I made
100% watermelon juice and it was so satisfying that I didn't eat
anything for 4 hours after drinking it. ( You know I have to eat every
3 hrs!)
I love the fact that you both are in our lives(deeeeeply!) and really
love you both so much. (Okie, yes, I am sitting by the pool but I
haven't had any alcohol yet!) I also shouldn't forget to mention that
we both treasure our times together!
That is it for now.
Love,
Joohee
***********************************************************************************
More posting tomorrow. Hope G. and J. you both had a great time in AZ.
Love, Mike
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)