The Genius Tangelo

I'm going to start blogging gently. I'm not going to make this deep and compelling, just a note about something I discovered yesterday that made me happy. We have plenty of time to get to the rest of the stories and thoughts.

I'm trying to make healthier life choices. We'll get to why later but what's relevant now is that I'm on a 2-week "quick cleanse" and it's difficult.

http://www.womentowomen.com/detoxification/detoxdiet.aspx

I highly recommend it for anyone who, well, everyone, in fact. If you've never "detoxed" before it's a great way to experience some things you might never choose if you were presented with them, but after experiencing them you realize how much you can observe from a body you've always taken for granted because it's yours. And you learn not just about foods, or yourself, but also how your body and mind work together. I'd even throw in how your environment affects your mind and body. On top of it all, it's harder to take foods for granted afterwards. Again, a topic for another day.

So on this cleanse you try to eliminate 1) anything unhealthy or artificial first and foremost (alcohol, artificial sweeteners, trans fats, etc); and then 2) anything that you might have a food sensitivity to or don't tolerate well (dairy, wheat, soy, peanuts, refined sugars, etc). We're all different, and many, many people live their whole lives putting things into their bodies that they in fact don't tolerate well. Just because you dont have a full blown allergy to it doesn't mean your body tolerates it well. If you've ever had rashes, upset stomach, IBS, bloating, fatigue, bad skin, stubborn weight you can't lose, moodiness, or major cravings for sugar, caffeine, etc you might be eating something you don't tolerate well and don't know it.

Anyway, so I don't feel the sugar withdrawal as much as the first 5 days. It's a little better today. The first five you would have thought I needed a cigarette but really all I wanted was a little Reses Peanut Butter Cup. I would have settled for Splenda. That's the bad part. The good part is now when I have fruit they seem so sweet. Makes me think of books I've read that take place centuries ago where they considered dates, apples, or tangerines a special treat and a suculently sweet dessert.

Well, I discovered my special treat: the Tangelo. Look it up. Its a hybrid of mandarin orange (tangerine) and grapefruit. It's genius! To be considered genious in my book, things usually have to have multiple purposes (composting- gets rid of biodegradable waste AND creates a natural fertilizer), have more benefits than risks (so that does not include prescription drugs:), and in general, it has to be creative. Tangelo definitely fits the mark. You know how oranges, especially if not fresh, can be blah tasting or dry? Tangelos are incredibly juicy and as sweet as tangerines but as tart as grapefruits. Enjoy some, and until next time....

Live well,

B