That is the question that millions of us will be asking ourselves this first week of 2010. The hackneyed headlines in all the mags & TV shows scream 'New Year - New You' luring us to drop pounds (and usually dollars) with the promise of the diet to end all diets. The most popular diet plan of the New Year must be the 'Detox' whether its fruits, juices, pill poppin' or just plain starving, is it worth it? As one who has F-planned, South Beached & Atkinsed myself over the years; heck, I even tried the black market copy of a diet of my Mum's years ago - a dog eared sheet of paper that was passed under the cover of darkness among the neighbors with a magical bacon, egg & tomato eating plan - undoubtedly a precursor to Atkins - I'll try anything once.
Strawberries always abundant in FL
The latest TV health / diet / anti aging guru to hit our screens is Dr. Oz. His popularity is soaring and as a TV personality and authority on health I'm a paid up member of the fan club. As a TV show concept I'm not so sure. His anti aging and diet segments are fantastic but when there are items such as '7 deadly signs' and 'what this could be telling you' one wonders how many hypochondriac couch potatoes now have a standing weekly appointment at their doctors. That said, I still harbor an English National Health Service mentality. I really don't believe in wasting doctor's time unless something is a) hanging off, b) swollen up to unrecognizable levels or c) oozing.
Dr. Oz is a big seller of the breakfast smoothie. Not the sort that you get from Tropical Smoothie or in the chiller cabinet at Publix but the real, authentic, made from scratch variety. My time is short in the a.m. Two girls to get ready, hair to brush, shoes to tie, self to make presentable, lunchboxes, breakfasts - you get the picture. However this morning I pulled out the blender, wrenched out a few bags of frozen fruits (perfect for smoothies) chopped a banana and added a few elements thus: for 2 large smoothies use 1/2 cup each of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries & blackberries, 1 banana, 2 tbs honey, 1/2 cup fat free organic yogurt, 2 tbs ground psyllium husks, 1/4 cup water. Blitz!
Truth be told, once it was blitzed it was WAY too seedy to drink. I didn't like the idea of my colon getting grated so early in the morning so I put it thru a sieve. This improved it more than I can say, it was delicious and a truly substantial start to the day, HOWEVER, word to the wise. If you are accustomed to a morning coffee, do not do as I did and leave the house without it. Come 11.30am I thought I was in aneurysm territory. Such was the thudding of my caffeine deprived brain I actually had to vacate the mall and go home. And the sales were on. Imagine!
Detox? Moi? Mais non.... It may work for some but whats the true point? polish your halo just so you can sully it again? why not just keep it buffed year round? Would you go to the car wash then drive thru the mud? That's my aim for 2010. No fads, no craziness, just living, enjoying and finding a balance. That's a recipe for health & success!
Smooth, creamy and packed full of photopy...polyphe.. top nutrients!
This lady was not for turning....
