I’ve been on Dr. Hyman’s Detox Diet for 54 days now. I’ve eliminated sugar, gluten, flour and dairy from my diet during this time. I continue to feel great! I have more and more energy and stamina, sleep better, and joint pain in my knees and fingers is almost entirely gone with flexibility continuing to improve weekly. I don’t have headaches, except an occasional sinus headache, and haven’t had indigestion or acid reflux since I eliminated sugar. And, I’m now 20 pounds lighter than when I started this change in eating.
I’ve discovered what I can eat, and haven’t found it difficult to eat healthily and well. I purchased Dr. Hyman’s Blood Sugar Solution Cookbook, which contains 175 great recipes. At this point, I’m beginning to transition. I’ll rarely include sugar or processed white flour in my diet from this point forward. I’ve become a believer in the harm both do to the body and the inflammation that they cause leads to most of the diseases that plague us. The same with gluten. I used to love bread. Now it will be something I have as a rare treat, if at all. I’ll also continue to limit dairy products, which can cause the body to create too much mucus. (Ewww!) Dr. Hyman suggests trying gluten or dairy sparingly, one at a time, and see how your body reacts. If there is a return of inflammation in the body, continue to avoid it or limit its use. This is a lifestyle change for me, not just a diet.
This time of year, candy is everywhere! I haven’t eaten a lot of candy, in the past, but around Easter time, I would enjoy a marshmallow Peep or two! Or perhaps a peanut butter chocolate egg. I’m happy that I bought treats for the kids and grandkids, without indulging in the goodies myself. For my first today, I decided to try one of the dessert recipes in my new cookbook, Chocolate Nut Cake. This treat does not contain any sugar, flour, gluten or dairy products. It was simple and quick to make and doesn’t require baking.
Mix together in a blender or food processor (I think a food processor works best), 10 pitted dates, ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons coconut oil, ¼ cup almond butter, 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon sea salt. Blend until smooth, about 3-5 minutes. Spread mixture into a greased mini loaf pan and place in freezer for 30 minutes. When cold, slice into 6 pieces.
A healthy, anti-inflammatory dessert will be an occasional treat for me, rather than a daily snack. I love Dr. Hyman’s philosophy concerning desserts. He says, “The most important advice I can give you is this: stay present in the act of enjoying your treats when you have them. Savor them in small amounts. After all, birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, graduations, holidays and rituals are the traditions that make life truly sweet! I want you to live to eat, not the other way around.” I love that. Stay present with your food and the act of enjoying what you eat. I’ve been a mindless consumer of food for far too long. I love the ritual of preparing something healthy and eating it in a very mindful way. Food then, and the preparation of it, becomes an art and a spiritual practice.
And the chocolate nut cake? Rich, velvety and luscious. I savored every bite.