So I knew deep down that the first two days were supposed to be the hardest, but I kind of forgot about it as I was longingly inhaling the odors wafting from our kitchen and being cranky and moody. When today hit and I woke up with a smile, bubbling with energy, and not even thinking about food, I was shocked! I could do this for 10 days! A month! Then dad mentioned taking me to my favorite Chinese restaurant and I ended that train of thought.
Still, as I have passed the halfway point of this fasting cleanse, I have been thinking more and more about my retox. I just revisited my first blog post, and listened to Dan explain exactly how I can hopefully maybe reach the big 1 double 0. I’m already a vegetarian (or pescetarian , really), so I’m on the right path, but coming soon will be a big think-piece on how to moderate my daily input when I eat again. I know I’ll spend 2 days after my fast gently reintroducing my body to raw fruits & veggies, but then what?!?!
In the meantime, let’s talk about poo. Those of you who knew me in the past will probably be really surprised about this. I was one of those girls who went around proclaiming that girls just didn’t do it, which would have meant (and was pretty accurate on this subject) that I was full of *$%#.
One thing I’m getting curious about is our society’s big aversion to mentioning one of the few things absolutely all of us have in common. Not to mention that pooing is an essential part of our health.
I’ve been getting lots of questions about my own bowel movements during my fast, so let me answer the most common: yes, I’m still pooing. This ability was actually a big selling point for my fasting kit, since people often fast without still taking fiber or colon-cleansing herbs. If you don’t poo during a fast, the toxins you’re releasing in the body don’t have anywhere to go, and just swish around in the body making you feel, well, crappy.
POO QUIZ
So what should we be looking for in a good poo? Here is a very simple questionnaire to see what your poo is telling you.
Q) How many times a day do you poo?
A) You should aim for 2-3 poos a day. Once after every meal, ideally-because think about it-if you put it in and it doesn’t come out, where is it???
Remember, I’m fasting to turn the energy of digestion, which can take anywhere from 2-8 hours, to cleanse and restore my body. To see how long it takes you to process one bowel movement, try eating some corn. The outer shell isn’t digestable, so a quick look before you flush should tell you just how regular you are.
Q) Does your poo smell?
A) It shouldn’t. I know, I was surprised too, because if there’s anything that’s given pooing a bad reputation, the smell has gotta be it. But Smell is linked to incomplete digestion, processed, chemically foods, and other things humans were just never meant to eat in the first place.
Q) What is the consistency of your poo? (floaters, pellets, liquid, or inbetween?)
A) The ideal poo should be S-shaped, just like your colon. That means you are eating enough fiber (at least 25grams a day is recommended) and there are no complications going on in there. The color of your poo says a lot about your diet too, so aim for a rich golden brown and watch your diet if things get off-color.
This is the ultimate website I’ve found so far on diagnosing poo issues so far, so check it out if you have any questions. In the meantime, happy flushing!
