Clarity

I've been on this cleanse for a little over three weeks now. I start each day with a tall glass of water with fresh lemon juice and grated ginger. For breakfast I have one huge green juice, a mostly vegetable juice that I add a little bit of fruit to for sweetness and flavour. At lunch I have a big raw salad or, on days like yesterday when it is hailing outside and snowing on the hills, a big hot bowl of vegan soup. Dinner is 50% raw and all vegan whole-food goodness.

Since I already was mostly vegetarian and generally eat lots of vegetables and whole foods, the big changes for me have been giving up my daily coffee and cutting out alcohol. I've barely missed coffee, to my great surprise, and although I have looked enviously at my friend's wine glasses at many dinner parties over the past few weeks I've found that by allowing myself two glasses of red wine on Saturday night I've been able to resist for the rest of the week.

I've also been sugar, gluten and dairy free, although this week I've been experimenting with adding a little yoghurt back into my diet because I wanted to see if it makes any difference on its own, before I add anything else. So far I'm not convinced that I need the yoghurt and for the first time in my life I'm contemplating going vegan. Just contemplating at this stage. No sudden moves. Just having a little old think about it, since I haven't missed it all that much over the past few weeks.

In any case the most notable effect of all these changes to my eating and drinking habits has been an increased ability to concentrate. I seem to have better focus, more consistent moods and, above all else, clarity. This clarity has meant facing up to my own bad habits and taking responsibility for them, because I could see them so clearly that it was impossible to keep ignoring them. I've seen things about my closest relationships (including with myself) that I've somehow been avoiding or ignoring until now and I've been able to make changes to take account of the reality that I can no longer ignore.

But what has made me most happy has been that I've been able to write. I've finally finished a draft of the chapter that I've been stuck on since late March and today have banged out nearly 5000 words of the next chapter. I know that many of those words won't make it anywhere near the final version of my manuscript. But one thing that is very clear to me is that the only way for me to write this book is the way that works for me, and that means writing out my stream of stories and reflections as they come, knowing that there will be plenty of time for pruning later down the track.

If only to keep this clarity in my writing, I think I'll be keeping up many of the changes I've made to my diet even when the cleanse is over. Who knew that our diets could have so much impact on our creativity and productivity? Well, probably lots of people did, but I had never imagined that giving up coffee could make me a better writer.

How about you? What kinds of foods and drinks help or hinder your creativity and your productivity?

Comments

[gypsy Alex]

That is great news on the writing front! I really have noticed that cutting dairy products helps me all around. But I love cheeeese! Anyhow less cheese and less wine, usually result in more clarity and less "whine". But it is not always worth it! heee :)

[susanna]

It's interesting to read about your cleanse and I'm curious to know how you fit protein into your diet now? I've been changing my diet over the past month, too, although I'll admit to falling off the wagon a few times. I've cut out eggs and pasta and cut back on alcohol, dairy products, processed foods and most meat. Instead, I've added more leafy greens, fruits, veggies, beans and fish. And I'm retrying foods that I thought I would dislike - like curry-based dishes and tofu - and have discovered that I DO in fact like them. I still have my one cup of coffee a day although I was just thinking last night if I really like it or if I just like the ritual of it...hmmm... The result is that my notoriously bad stomach is feeling great! Hurray!

Glad to hear that the writing is going well now. I'm looking forward to reading your book one day, Marianne.

[debra]

I'm via a circuitous route, somewhat unknown to me :-)
I will be back for sure; I identify with what I am reading.
I have given up my beloved coffee for tea---just 1 cup. We use a bit of raw organic milk---just enough for my cup of tea. No meat here, but a little bit of fish on occasion. I have chickens, so we use their eggs. We have planted a large mandala shaped garden this year to supplement the old garden which now grows greens (the shade of the mulberry has encroached).

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