Detox - Day 4

Weight: 232
BF: 27%

No real news. I feel about the same as I did yesterday. I am still hungry fairly frequently and fruit and veggies just don't seem to satiate me.

Last night, in a half-kidding mode, I told Sara I was really looking forward to retoxing.

This should be a step in the direction of a healthy life, but I still believe that moderation is key. I also believe in choosing quality over quantity. I do need to become more active. I am looking to enroll in a yoga class and I am searching for a tai chi class as well. I am walking more because the dogs force me to. However, when autumn and winter roll around I don't think any of us will be too eager to head outside. I will have to keep on doing it, though, even if the dogs choose to stay home.

Along that vein, I had my first accupuncture appointment today - actually a few hours ago. I won't go into the symptoms I am having treated today. I went in with an open mind, not sure what to expect. While I tend to side with certain aspects of medical science, I also believe that doctors in this country are part of a very miopic culture that is more and more being dominated by commercial interests (read pharmaceuticals and insurance providers). I don't blame the doctors themselves for I have know some medical doctors and I know they work very hard and do have the patients interests at heart. However, I also believe that they are limited as to by what they can do and how they must practice by the larger system.

Now as to alternative medicine, I believe there are multiple ways of healing (and what we should actually be aiming at - staying healthy) and I am in favor of exploring these avenues as a holistic approach to medicine. That said, I also think there are many scam artists and self-deceived individuals who are out to push alternatives for their own benefit. So I proceed with caution and skepticism.

One way to put it is that I believe in the shaman, but only if the shaman is invested in my well-being. This includes the shaman being willing to say, "I don't know." You could also substitute doctor for shaman.

Ok, enough of a disclaimer. Accupuncture: how was it?

Interesting. The pressure points are sensitive areas and my body was stimulated when the practicioner inserted the needles. It did something. Of course it is much to early to know whether the something will have the intended consquence of addressing the issues I went in for, but I am inclined to be optimistic about it.

Most needles did not hurt going in. It felt like when you have an annoying tag on your clothes poking you. A few did hurt and some I did not feel at all. Once they were in, I hardly noticed them. Occasionally one would hurt a little or itch, but it would go away. I did notice a sensation of energy spreading from the point - kind of like an electrical impulse. It was strange, rather pleasant I would say. I did not feel the needles coming out, except for the one on my forhead. That one did hurt, but the pain was fleeting.

My next appointment is not for two weeks - so it will be a long wait for part two, but I am already looking forward to it.

Back to detox - we are going to cheat a little more for dinner tonight. I forgot to defrost the fish for dinner, so I thought, "Hmmm, maybe we could go out for sushi."

The menu for tonight was to be fish, brown rice, and veggies. Sushi is close. Ok, white rice that is sweetened is not the same as brown rice, but we can have fish and seaweed (we can also order seaweed salad). So two out of three isn't bad, right? I ran the idea by Sara and she agreed.

I am getting very tired of the same diet over and over again. I miss bread, I miss pasta, I miss cheese, I miss yogurt, I miss chocolate, I miss cereal, I miss variety.

Variety and moderation (except for chiles, of course) - that is my new mantra.