The health food industry is BIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIG business. I’m pretty sure I left out a few IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIs. While I enjoy the idea of Dr. Junger’s Clean program, I have serious issue with his “medical” program–which consists mostly of powdered shakes and vitamins. For one, while it may do an effective cleaning, it’s not helping teach folk how to eat better. To me, it’s actually no better than buying our food at “the chains”. It’s too convenient and it’s not helping to break any habits over the course of the 3 weeks the program is designed to take. For two–isn’t it also pre-packaged–which is what we’re ultimately trying to avoid? For three–who wants to drink rice shakes all day? Not me. And really, who wants to spend $500 on rice shakes and supplements? NOT ME.
I chose the book version because it has actual recipes for juices, smoothies and meals that are acceptable for the program. It also has a daily schedule and a list of things that should happen throughout the day. For example, it’s important to include 5 minutes of meditation and some form of exercise whilest “cleaning”. Dr. Junger also suggests supplements like a multi-vitamin, a liver detox supplement, fish oil supplements, pro-biotics for healthy intestines and vitamin D. Now. *sigh* In the actual book, he mentions supplements, but he really doesn’t lay them out there the way I just did. It was a time consuming process going between the book, his website and google searches to figure out what should go on the supplement list.
I can only suppose he does this because he needs to support his brand of products. If one were to buy his essential vitamin pack, it will set one back 70 buckeronies–but that doesn’t even include the other supplements I’ve listed–that’s just the multi vitamin, the fish oil and the liver detox support–which has eerily the same ingredients as the multi-vitamin. No and thank you. I’m determined to get the lot of what I need, exactly for what I need it for, without the designer price tag attached. *sigh*
See. In beginning this experiment, I had an idea, but didn’t really have an idea exactly how much marketing plays a role in the things we consume. And ignorance. And how much they cost. Even going to the store to buy a multi-vitamin is like trying to nail a Jeopardy question. All the shit looks the same and so we look for the right answer with the right price attached to it. Plus, as long as manufacturers lay the claims on really thickly, we’re cool. Particularly if there’s a face on it we recognize. No matter if it’s all bull shit. I digress.
So then I looked to my plethora of online sources. I almost wish I hadn’t. That was another two-three hour episode of researching brands and ingredients and what not. Boooooooo Hisssssssssssss. Not the ideal way to spend a Tuesday afternoon. But I did it all for you. And for me. And for my family. While I appreciate Dr. Junger’s efforts in getting the ball rolling, I don’t appreciate having to wade through the bile of consumerism to get the good stuff I actually need to get “clean”.
Luckily, I found a blog called Green Lemonade–where I found the blog about coconut oil (which I use)–which led me me to iherb.com–which has an online health encyclopedia and an impressive list of supplements of varying brands. The whole process was kindof like the 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon–which–if my experiment gets big enough and hits the mainstream media, I’ll find out exactly which of these sites or products Kevin Bacon has dated, did a movie with and/or starred in. I digress.
Speaking of Kevin Bacon, although I didn’t see his picture in the mix, the other thing that is a bit miffing about Dr. Junger’s marketing, is all the celebrities he’s solicited to promote it. As my friend Ade has said: “What celebrities eat, we don’t shit”. So why muddle otherwise great information about vital health insights with a plug from Robert Downy Jr.? Who cares. I’d rather see a picture of Rasheeda Jenkins and how she beat her heart disease by getting clean, but that’s just me I guess.
Okay so. I have all the recipes I need for those 3 weeks. Check. I have my lists of things I can eat and not eat. Check. I have my required list of supplements. Check. All I need now is a good juicer–I’m looking longingly at the Breville BJE200XL 700-Watt Compact Juice Fountain. Plus I need to make my grocery list, actually plan out my meals with a few trial runs (Do I make a days worth of juice and smoothies the night before? Do I cook two days worth of meals in advance? What will my schedule look like in real life?)
See, the art in this is making it simple for me and my busy lifestyle, as well as to see what things can carry over for Aubrei as she grows up great. It’s also to create an easy enough blueprint that should you want to try it too, you don’t have to go through the extra-ness I had to go through. The end result I hope to accomplish is creating a standard-esque approach to detox that is not about starving or depriving ourselves. It’s about using Dr. Junger’s holistic approach to detox as a way we can all learn to recharge our bodies on a quarterly basis and more importantly, learn ways to recharge our general eating habits for life and to sustain our lives. Maybe even save some lives. If it’s the processed foods and preservatives that’s poisoning us, the antidote has got to be in fresh food and no preservatives.
If there is anyone in the world who should speak for colored folk in health distress, it probably shouldn’t be me. And yet, we do what we can. I’ll do my part anyway. We’ll see how goes. Stay tuned…
I begin to “Clean” on February 1, 2011. If you would like to join me in this little social experiment– like my fan page HERE!!!
The moral of this story? Come on. You already know I don’t have one. Just some food for thought. Thank you for reading this though. Peace and abundant “commercial free detox” blessings. Love, -e-