Hey world, I was looking online today because I want to maybe do a detox diet.

I was looking at this website: www.puredetoxdiet.com, which basically gives you a good introduction to detoxing your body and why we need to detox twice a year. I was reading more about it, because I think I want to do a month long detox of my body. Living in London is very different to France. Here, people drink so much beer, and there is a big cigarette culture (well, that’s similar to France!) In France, women are very consious of their bodies and we take very good care of ourselves. In England, I feel like no one cares!!!!

So, I am thinking of doing a detox on my body for a month or so and getting all the toxins out, and also maybe losing a bit of weight and that muffin peeking up above my waistband…!

OK, so I was researching different kinds of detox diets, and I read that if you believe you have something called adrenal fatigue, you shouldn’t do a detox until you take care of that. Adrenal fatigue has these symptoms (I got these from www.drlam.com):

• Tendency to gain weight and unable to loose it, especially around the waist.
• High frequency of getting the flu and other respiratory diseases and these symptoms tend to last longer than usual.
• Tendency to tremble when under pressure.
• Reduced sex drive.
• Lightheaded when rising from a laying down position.
• Unable to remember things.
• Lack of energy in the mornings and also in the afternoon between 3 to 5 pm.
• Feel better suddenly for a brief period after a meal.
• Often feel tired betweeen 9 – 10 pm, but resist going to bed.
• Need coffee or stimulants to get going in the morning.
• Crave for salty, fatty, and high protein food such as meat and cheese.
• Increase symptoms of PMS for women; period are heavy and then stop, or almost stopped on the 4th day, only to start flow again on the 5th or 6th day.
• Pain in the upper back or neck with no apparent reasons.
• Feels better when stress is relieved, such as on a vacation.
• Difficulties in getting up in the morning
• Lightheaded
• Mild depression
• Food and or inhalant allergies
• Lethargy and lack of energy
• Increased effort to perform daily tasks
• Decreased ability to handle stress
• Dry and thin skin
• Hypoglycemia
• Low Body Temperature
• Nervousness
• Palpitation
• Unexplained hair loss
• Alternating constipation and diarrhea
• Dyspepsia

My goodness, I have so many of these symptoms! And moving to London is probably the stress that caused it all. I know it’s not good to diagnose yourself over the internet, but I feel like I have so so so many of these symptoms… I used to think I had chronic fatigue syndrome or low blood pressure or something like that, but maybe this is what I have… …

Well, OK let me tell you what it means to have Adrenal Fatigue — it basically means your adrenal glands are tired and they can’t produce enough hormones like cortisone, which is the hormone that we secrete in response to stress. A lot of places online say that it’s not a specific medical condition, but also they say that the treatment of adrenal fatigue is really mild. Basically, you need to change your lifestyle and get more vitamins.

I was reading project-aware.org and it said of course, make sure that you get enough rest (sleep till 9am if you can) and make some lifestyle changes. It also said that you should eat MORE salt, MORE protein and FEWER carbohydrates. They also listed some vitamins and supplements that might help.

VITAMINS

• Vitamin C
• Vitamin E
• Vitamin B complex
• Niacin (125-150 mg/day)
• B-6 (150 mg/day)
• Pantothenic acid (1200-1500 mg/day)
• Magnesium citrate (400-1200 mg)
• Liquid trace minerals (zinc, manganese, selenium, chromium, molybdenum, copper, iodine)
• SAM.e (200 mg)
• DL-Phenylalanine (500 mg)

HERBS

• Licorice
• Ashwagandha
• Maca
• Siberian Ginseng
• Korean Ginseng

This is just something that I think is interesting; you definitely have to make your own decisions and talk to your doctor about things if you need to. But my gosh!!!!!!  If taking good supplements will make you feel better, and getting more rest, and eating more protein and salt, then I’m definitely gonna try it.  The detox I was going to get cost 30 pounds, so I’m saving money anyways.

love, Elodie