DAY 36... I forgot to mention

That I'm not just winging this cleanse on my own. I'm using a wonderful book written by my very first yoga teacher Siri Datta (also known as Julie Cuddihy) and Dunkan Campbell. It's a fantastic book that includes a build up to the cleanse - what you need to do and how you should prepare physically and mentally - and then takes you through all 40 days step by step including yoga sets for the 40 days and questions you should be asking yourself before, during and after. Most importantly, the book has an array of delicious menus for the duration.

The book is called Minisizeme and is available on the American side of the pond at http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/mini-size-me---ride-the-raw-yoga-revolution/3694108?productTrackingContext=center_search_results

So, if you are one of those people who thinks that going raw means a life sentence of iceberg lettuce and boring salad, you are horribly mistaken. Don't worry I was one of those people and every day I am amazed and astounded by the menu I am following and the wonderful taste sensations I am discovering. I could not have done this on my own.

Just this evening, I had a dressing for my broccoli made with nuts, lemon juice, herbs and spices, and it's easily as good as anything I have bought in a store or paid for in a restaurant, only better, because I know exactly what went into it and I know it is healthy.

By the way, the reason I won't go into detail about the meals I'm eating on this blog and exactly what is involved in creating them is because it wouldn't be fair (or legal) to Siri Datta and Dunkan to share these after all the work they have put into creating this wonderful book. However, there are many raw food recipes on the internet if you look for them that can give you an idea of what to expect.

If I decide to become a raw food gourmet chef after this, I promise I'll share all my recipes!

If you are considering changing your lifestyle, this is the book I would recommend. There are a lot of books out there to help you with a raw food lifestyle and many of them are excellent. The reason I chose this one was two fold.

Firstly because of Siri Datta. I met her in London in 2001 and fell in love with her yoga classes after my first 60 minutes. As I developed my practice and got to know her I realised what a gem I had stumbled upon. She is an inspiring teacher and a wonderful person. She is small compared to my 5' 9", but she lights up any room she walks into immediately, as if she is the biggest person there. Her soul glows through her face and her eyes shine brightly with all that life has to offer. She lives the life she teaches and I trust her guidance. I'm truly grateful that our paths crossed all those years ago. She has unwittingly remained an inspiration to me all these years later although we live on different continents.

The second reason I chose this book is because of the menus, meal plans and food ideas. When you go raw, it's easy to get stuck in the land of green salad with olive oil and lemon dressing. That is simply not sustainable. Not only will you be hungry and bored and frustrated by day 3, you will also miss many of the nutrients you need to stay healthy and maintain this lifestyle. Having a guide on hand for how to eat has already opened up so many doors for me. I just had no idea you could combine foods in this way and come up with such awesome results. And, while I navigate this new life, it's nice having one less thing to worry about each day. I don't have to try and come up with what I'll eat, I just have to make sure I have the ingredients in my home and follow the directions.

So if you are thinking of doing this. Look around, see what's out there. You know yourself well, you know what you need, you know where your weaknesses are and where your strengths lie. Find a plan that will help you to succeed and then just dive in.

Enjoy!