Day Twelve

The final day has arrived!  Today didn't feel much different than day eleven. I feel as if my body has finally adjusted to these changes.

As I emptied that last pills into my hand tonight at dinner, I felt a strong sense of accomplishment.  I survived twelve days of cravings and temptation.

Admittedly, I technically ended my cleanse a meal early.  We picked up sushi for dinner, which had white rice... and I ate it with soy sauce and pickled ginger.  Oh lordy was it good.  Seeing as I didn't commit a serious cheat throughout the cleanse, I didn't feel at all guilty.

Yesterday I told myself that my cleanse was officially going to end tonight at midnight. When the clock struck 12 I was planning on indulging in a piece of chocolate.  It is currently eleven, and I am not at all tempted to reach for that oh-so-delicious dark chocolate waiting.

In other news, my skin is the clearest it's been.  I'm really happy with this aspect of the cleanse, as I've been breaking out on a consistent basis for several months now.   I also dared to step on the scale at work today. Since the beginning of the cleanse I am down a total of two kilo.  While in the grand scheme of things that may not sound like much, considering this occurred in twelve days, I'm impressed.  Again, I recognize much of this weight will be temporary.  Nonetheless, I'm still content, and it provides good motivation to continue eating "cleaner" if I wanted to shed more pounds.


Although it's hard to summarize the Wild Rose D-Tox program in a few words, I'll give it a try.  Despite all the negative things I've heard, the program was surprisingly easy and certainly do-able for those with a vegetarian or vegan diet.  The side effects, for me, we very mild and well worth it for the results I saw.  Admittedly, although the program proved challenging in fighting sugar cravings and organizing oneself to take all the supplements, I was expecting more of a battle, and more results aside from reduced sugar cravings, clearer skin and weight loss.  I didn't feel particularly energized or rejuvenated, although the last few days have been easier to get up in the morning.  Eating a plant based diet has helped to keep many toxins out of my systems, and I experienced less "withdrawal" than an omnivore and chronic coffee drinking might.

In conclusion, although I was not completely blown away by the changes brought about by the cleanse, I believe it was a valuable exercise that created a space for me to examine what I was putting into my body and how I was affected by the things I was consuming.  To anyone who is considering doing the Wild Rose D-Tox, I say go for it.   Whatever your reason is for wanting to try the program, you'll find value in completing this cleanse and discover ways to create the happiest, healthiest you.


If you have any questions about my experience with the Wild Rose D-Tox program or being Vegan feel free to contact me by commenting below.  Thank you for sharing in my journey.

Day Eleven

I swear yesterday was Day Six.

The second half of the D-tox program has gone by much quicker than the first half.  Not that it has been any easier than the first half, but getting into a groove has helped time pass.

Still side-effect free, plus my skin is beginning to clear now.  Due to this, I've been wearing less make-up, which I love.  The last thing I want to do every morning is play hide-a-blemish.  I also went to Bikram Yoga for the first time since the beginning of the cleanse.  Best. class. yet.  I made the mistake of scarfing down too much hummus before class, which came back to haunt me with stomach pains during the floor series, but I did not get light headed once.  While the class was a good solid workout, I wasn't pushing past a mental brick wall, making the physical aspect of the class less challenging.

I've started to think about how I will transition back and the foods that I've missed the most.  At the top of my list is:

1. Sugar (in all forms - chocolate, cookies, candy, ice cream)
2. Soy Sauce
3. Pickled Ginger
4. Ketchup
5. Bananas (this wasn't something I craved, but use almost everyday in smoothies or banana ice cream)

I was surprised to find that I didn't miss wheat all that much.  We don't eat bread too often in our house, but I was expecting to miss pasta. Mac and "cheese" (made with Nutritional Yeast) is a weekly staple in our household.   I only missed wheat in things like cookies, which I think was more of a sugar craving.

Being vegan I didn't miss dairy or other non-vegan foods.  I think this makes the things I've missed very basic.  Looking at the list above they are either condiments or items that are dietary staples.

Last day tomorrow!

Day Ten

News flash!  For the first time during the entire cleanse, I am nearly sugar-craving free!  I was sincerely beginning to think that the sugar cravings would hold on strong right until the bitter end.  Since they have faded, perhaps I'm not as addicted as I was beginning to believe. Yipee!

In the past week, I have noticed foods that once tasted rather boring, have became satisfyingly sweet to me.  Last night the hubby and I went to go see a movie.  We snuck in our own private stash of coconut water and popcorn.  I had previously found this particular sugar-free brand of coconut water "ho-hum," but was pleasantly surprised to find my taste buds dancing with joy.

Although I doubt I could ever completely quit sugar for good, I think this cleanse has helped me to see new ways in which I can cut back on sugar and enjoy sugar-free foods as much as I would have enjoyed their tooth rotting, diabetes inducing (okay, I'll stop there) comparatives.    Although I had posted earlier that I was going to try to not use stevia for the rest of the cleanse, I cracked last night and put some on our popcorn.  Stevia has a bad reputation for being bitter, but during this program, I've been delighted to discover new ways to use stevia (smoothies, popcorn, etc), and have not been confronted with the feared bitter-tinge.  Score!

Tomorrow I'm going to start thinking about my transition back to "normal" and what I've discovered on this journey.   The first thing that comes to mind, I WANT PEROGIS.

Day Nine

It's Monday again. This time however, my energy is better and my skin doesn't seem to be forming any new eruptions.  Also, as I took my pills and drops this morning, I realized I could see the bottom of my pill bottles- yippee!

If anyone reading this is considering doing the cleanse themselves, my biggest tip is to cook in large batches and package it up into individual meals that you can just grab and go.  It has made the entire experience so much easier.  I've found myself extra hungry during the last nine days.  When lunch roles around I know I have a hearty satisfying meal that will hold me until dinner.  That way I don't come home a ravenous, hummus-craving lunatic.


Case study:  Last night for dinner I made a big ol' pot of eggplant, chickpea, and tomato curry with brown rice.  Out of the batch I was able to get dinner + four lunches...which = no more worrying about lunches for the rest of the cleanse! Do you know how awesome that feels?!

Day Eight

As today was a bright, beautiful, warm day, I got outside to play basketball for a short while.  Before I started this cleanse I was curious to see if my energy would be affected to the point of not wanting to be active.  As I bike to work everyday (a short ride), I was worried this may become an issue.  Aside from those first few days where I was more tired than normal, it has not been.   Although we were mostly just goofing off shooting hoops, I didn't feel at all hindered by the Wild Rose D-tox.

In other news, sugar cravings were bad today.  The worst they've been on this journey.  Others living in my home are sugar fiends and it seems they went on a sugar binge at the same time the cravings have kicked in.  I've still been using cut up apple and almond butter as a go to, which still pretty well wipes out the craving.  A friend (who has done the cleanse many a time), also recommended that I up my protein intake.  As a vegan I am generally pretty aware of what I consume, but will try to eat some extra chickpeas and brown rice (legumes and grains make complete proteins) over the next couple of days.

Day Seven

Day seven...beginning to feel the end approaching.  I'm no longer seeing the light in this tunnel disappearing behind me, I'm heading right for it in front of me.

Seeing as I reached the halfway point yesterday, I decided to try on a couple of dresses to see if there had been any changes in my body.  I don't currently own a scale, so clothing is the next best form of measurement.  I started first with a dress I wore at the end of high school. A silky fabric, t-shirt dress that has recently clung in the wrong areas, and has been generally not fit to wear in public.  As I slid it on,  it slid right over my hips with ease, and didn't bunch and pull once in place.  SUCCESS! While not fitting exactly as it had in years long forgotten (I have pictures to compare), it was wearable- with a little confidence.

Dress #2 is something I've been pathetically hoping I could wear to a formal event I'm attending shortly after the cleanse is complete. I had tried it on about a month before I started the d-tox program, and was not impressed with the uncomfortable woman staring back at me in the mirror.  I have lots of other options, I've just barely worn the aforementioned dress and can be rather stubborn once I set my mind to something.  After the success of dress #1, I held my breathe and wiggled into the narrow, constricting, claustrophobic corset bodice and thigh squishing skirt (believe it or not, I actually love this dress).  Once I had it on, I realized I had managed to put the dress on all by myself. In my books, this was quite the feat, it's always taken at least one more set of hands to do the zipper up.   I didn't need to look in the mirror to know that it no longer looked like I was getting ready to go fly-fishing (aka carrying an inner tube of sequined turquoise fabric around my hips).  It lay flat, and aside from a few telling lines where the dress is a tad snug, it fit as well as the day I bought it over three years ago.

I'm really excited about these changes, and the fact that they've come with so few side effects.  While I realize any change in body that is occurring during the cleanse may revert once I assume some of my old food habits, I'm happy with what I'm seeing right now.  That is a great feeling.

Day Six

I've reached the halfway point! I'm excited that I'm through half of the cleanse, but not too excited that I have another six days until I'm done.  I celebrated this morning by making a big old batch of pumpkin pie oatmeal!

I learnt today that eating out when you're vegan, AND on the Wild Rose D-Tox, isn't the easiest.  After hemming and haaaing, and moaning about what I wanted to eat (okay, maybe I'm feeling a bit on the pathetic side today), I decided to go out to the Naam.  I'm so thankful to live in Vancouver where there are so many wonderful vegetarian and vegan-friendly restaurants.  I really enjoyed not having to plan and prepare lunch.  It was like a little vacation from my cleanse, without having to cheat!

Aside from the sugar cravings today, there have been many hours where I've actually "forgotten" that I'm doing a cleanse, as I am having very few effects.  Obviously I don't mind not having negative side-effects, but it would be nice to see some positive effects in the second half of the cleanse. Fingers crossed.

Day Five

Day five...already?

For breakfast, oatmeal again. Thankfully this was my go-to breakfast before the D-tox and has provided some continuity for me as I continue on this journey.   I've seemingly mastered the art of taking the drops with just barely tasting them. Why couldn't I have figured this out on day one.

As for side effects, I've begun to notice a slight effect of the laxative pills in the mornings.  It's very mild and only seems to effect me first thing in the morning.  I'm pretty tired and going to head to bed early. End of the day (and my work week), or cleansing side effects?

Sugar cravings hit hard after dinner.  I decided to make some cinnamon-bun popcorn, sweetened with just a touch of Stevia extract.  I'm not entirely sure if Stevia is technically allowed, as it is not "on the list of allowable foods," but it is a natural product, and I've only used it in small amounts. Disguised in foods, it tricks my taste buds into think they've hit a sugar gold mind without affecting my blood sugar.  In effort to be a purist- I may try and avoiding using Stevia for the rest of the cleanse.

Day Four

Today I passed the Test of Temptation!

At work someone brought in some of theeee besssssst Belgium dark chocolate to share with the staff. Ohhhhh lordy was it ever tempting.  We've been waiting weeks for this chocolate to arrive.  I couldn't just forgo my piece all together, so I took it, neatly wrapped it up, and taped the wrapping shut, as to provide disincentive from opening it before my cleanse was complete.  Phew.  Survived the chocolate craving.

Still no heavy side affects. More energy today and just as hungry as yesterday.  Favorite meal of the day was dinner.  Potatoes and a new concoction of spinach and black beans seasoned with warm eastern spices.

Day Three

Woke up hungry.  I had my oatmeal, gulped down my supplements, and ran out the door to work.  Arrived at work, and  hit a wall.  A foggy wall that made time pass quickly, and lingered around me until lunch time.  Minutes before lunch hunger struck again.  Thankfully, I was prepared with a large lunch and lots of snacks. Preparation and planning is definitely key to maximizing your comfort on this cleanse.  Wild Rose is not meant to be a calorie-restricted cleanse by any means, so I ate, and ate.

After lunch I felt clearer. Laxatives are still in "off" mode, and I'm generally enjoying the foods.  I'm nursing a mild neck injury that flared up a bit today, which I have may simply been more aware of because of the tired/slight irritability, but it was bugging me more today regardless.

As I biked home, everything smelled of food.  Delicious, non-d-tox, and non-vegan friendly, foods.  It wasn't that I was craving them, it was more that I was very aware of smells and they were pungent.

Mild sugar cravings struck post dinner, but I tamed them with an apple and almond butter.  If this works for the duration of the program, there'll be smooth sailing.

On another note. I have a plethora of volcanoes erupting on my forehead. Please be toxins leaving my body in preparation for clear beautiful skin, and not payback for having clear skin in my teenage years!

Day Two

It's Monday.  Mondays normally take a toll on my energy level, but I think I'm feeling it a little worse today. A bit foggy and slow. I have been cleansing for just short of 48 hours now.

Nonetheless, aside from energy I'm feeling great.  Cravings are in check, and so far the laxatives have not had any impact upon me.  At this point, I'm sincerely thankful.  Having to be near a toilet 24/7 was something that slightly concerned me when considering this cleanse.  That being said, I'm having to remind myself to keep drinking water to help my system flush itself out, especially since the laxative isn't aiding me. The last thing I want is all those toxins roaming free and being trapped throughout my body.

Breakfast was a nice hearty bowl of oatmeal, almond butter and berries.  Lunch was left over stir fry, and dinner was hummus (homemade) and a berry, almond milk smoothie.  Yum!

Here's to hoping my laxative-optimism doesn't come back to haunt me in the coming days.

Day One

Today marks day one of this journey.   Started off the morning with oatmeal and my first round of supplements.  Yes- the drops are gross.  I've seen other people suggest mixing them in juice or water (neither of which I've tried), but I've found just as easy to hold your nose and squirt the drops as far back as you can to avoid tasting them.  Taking the pills is no different than taking vitamins.  So far, so good!

I can't really say I felt any effects today.  I went to Bikram yoga (fearing that I may not feel up to it for the duration of the cleanse), and felt more light-headed than usual, but otherwise was fine.   For dinner I made a tofu stir-fry with brown rice, with enough to give me three lunches for the up coming week.  I may be naive in my thinking, but the food restrictions really aren't that bad.  Many of the allowable/recommended foods I already eat (and enjoy).  Feeling optimistic about the rest of the cleanse, but I'm wondering when the side effects will hit!

Preparation and Purpose

After many months of contemplation (and several times of chickening out!), I've finally decided to give the Wild Rose Herbal D-Tox 12 day program a try. For those of you unfamiliar with Wild Rose, here is a link to their website: http://wildroseproducts.com/en-CA

 (Photo credit: http://glitterdiaries.blogspot.ca)

Where did I buy the cleanse?

• I purchased mine at Choices in Vancouver, BC for $33.99 CAD. I have also seen the cleanse at Save-on Foods and Finlandia (Pharmacy).                                                                                          

Why did I want to do the program?

• Firstly, I like to try new things. As a trying-to-be-health-conscious person and "alternative-health" curio, I wanted to see how the cleanse would impact me. I figured, I've done my research, the herbs are safe for me to take, and I don't have any health concerns that may have a negative interaction, what's the risk? Yes, I may struggle through it, but it can only help me be the best I can be. 
• Secondly, although I eat a vegan diet (no animal products) and do not drink coffee regularly, sugar is my vice. I wanted to see if completing the program could help me curb my sugar cravings.
• Thirdly, although I had near-perfectly clear skin throughout my adolescence, some wacky early 20's acne has developed without any link-able cause aside from stress. Wild Rose, please help me solve this mystery and banish these blemishes! 
• Lastly, and admittedly, although this program is not intended for weight-loss, I wanted to see if following the cleanse would affect my weight. I am not overweight, but have been carrying a stubborn 10 pounds that I wouldn't mind if it found a home elsewhere. While I am not expecting the cleanse to drastically change my body, I am hoping that at the very least, it will set me on a path to cleaner, leaner eating habits (aka my second point).

As I researched the cleanse online, I was hoping that many people would have shared their experience on the cleanse, but only came across a few blogs. With this blog I hope to add my voice to the conversation, and perhaps debrief as I go through this process. For now, I wish to merely provide a day by day account of my experience.

To save time for those looking for various articles and blog posts, here's a list of some of the blogs I read while preparing for this cleanse:

• http://glitterdiaries.blogspot.ca/2012/01/review-wild-rose-herbal-d-tox-program.html
• http://www.lululemon.com/community/blog/to-cleanse-or-not-to-cleanse/
• http://www.detox-central.com/wild-rose-cleanse.html
• https://www.wrc.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=328&Itemid=743
• http://fuelingforfitness.com/2011/01/13/demystifying-the-wild-rose-cleanse/