Who detoxes on Labor Day?! Me, that’s who.

POSTED ON SEPTEMBER 7, 2013

No, I’m not overweight and I generally follow a low Glycemic Index diet, but I do slip up once in a while (cookies, brownies and way too much red bull, to name a few). So I did this as a first step to regulate my body systems and improve the quality of my skin.

I recently discovered that dairy was the cause of my breakouts; something I’ve struggled with since my teenage years. I also look older than I am due to wearing makeup since I was 13; make-up which I used to cover the scars from these diary-related breakouts. So that made me wonder, how else might my eating habits be affecting my skin? I assumed that if I eat an all-natural, non-dairy diet, my skin would improve.

Never having done a detox before, I searched for a method that was cheap, all natural, and effective based on reviews.  The one that fit the bill was the Dr. Oz 3 Day Detox Cleanse, which consisted of tea, blended drinks, supplements, and a salt bath.

Results

It was a relaxing, easy-breezy successful detox experience.  I’d highly recommend this cleanse to anyone and everyone.  I was expecting hunger pangs, bouts of withdrawal, and a lot of “unpleasant” bathroom runs leading to maybe losing a pound a day.  I actually never felt hungry, had short-lived food cravings, and mostly ran to the bathroom to tinkle. I ended up losing 6 lbs. in three days, feeling energized after the first day, and waking up to smoother skin each morning.  Additionally, the drinks were tasty and unique.

The days following the detox… I was looking forward to my first solid meal…a bowl of sliced mangos, which I devoured soon after arriving to work. I then ended up taking a very early lunch and running to Whole Foods only knowing that I wanted chicken.  I ended up getting a barbequed chicken quarter with a side of steamed broccoli and it was oddly one of the most satisfying meals I’ve ever had.

Two days after, now back on healthy solid foods, my weight continued to drop nearing a total loss of 10 lbs.  Regulated metabolism perhaps?  This is great!  My personal preference is not to lose any more weight, so I’ve been eating a couple more servings of poultry and wheat bread just to gain a few pounds back.  At the same time I’ve been incorporating more fruits and veggies into my diet, and still making smoothies of my own creation.  My weight is slowly creeping back up, as preferred.

My skin has continued to improve though the reason for that is inconclusive since I’ve made a Topical switch following the detox.  Nonetheless I will continue to incorporate skin healthy fruits and veggies into my diet as I am convinced by these results that they will make a huge difference in the long run.

Only a few minor matters (nothing’s perfect, but damn near close):

• After all the fruits and veggies are in the cart, the remaining shopping items get a bit pricey.  The packaged and bottled stuff will run you beyond the “$16 a day” claimed by the Dr. Oz website.  I ended up paying around $160 total.  I bought all my stuff at a Whole Foods in Midtown Manhattan so you may luck out and find a cheaper organic store.

• Quantities on the ingredient list do not cover all meals. If you look closely at the list, there are actually 4, not 3, drinks per day.  A snack drink is hidden within the regimen, which asks you to repeat your favorite drink.  Therefore, if you were to follow the quantities on the shopping list exactly, which supports 3 drinks per day, you’d end up running short on your food stash.  I recommend deciding which drink(s) you’re going to have for snacks and adjusting your shopping list accordingly.

• You have to learn by error.  There are not specific instructions on how to prep the ingredients.  I followed the guide to a tee, but I didn’t master prepping the drinks until day two; and this was following a very thick, strong, and excessive lunch drink that took me 2 hours to finish on day one.  There is a technique to making the drinks (specifically the lunch drink) delicious. I will share my discoveries in my Detox recap below.

For those of you who are interested in trying the detox for yourself, here is a little photo recap of my experience.

My 3 Day Dr. Oz Detox Cleanse Recap

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All the natural and delicious fruits and veggies. I chopped them up upon use, not before the first detox day, to prevent losing nutritional value.

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All the non-perishable items

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These are the main appliances used: Blender Tea pot (or anything to boil water) Measuring cups Measuring spoons Colander Peeler Knife Spoon Very large cup or glass

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Morning green tea

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Breakfast Blend This one was my favorite drink of the three.

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Lunch Blend – This one can be tricky. 

These photos were taken on day one.  The drink turned out very thick with an overwhelmingly strong lime flavor, which is great for the first two sips, but becomes nauseating after a while.  Also, the batch ended up equaling 2 THICK, large glasses so it took me over an hour to finish.

Helpful Tips: Chop the fruits and veggies very small before measuring and measure lightly, meaning do not over pack the measuring cup.  This will produce a thinner texture and a more reasonable amount to consume.  Also, this blend calls for ½ a lime; so if taste means anything to you, removing the lime skin will dramatically improve the flavor.

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Dinner Blend

Oddly tasty. A dash of cayenne pepper plays an interesting roll, giving it a slight kick of spiciness after each sip, yet the drink is sweet.  The taste confused me at first but I grew to love it.

Bath Sorry, I didn’t take any photos.

But it was quite relaxing.  The tiny bottle of lavender oil was one of the most expensive items to purchase, and each bath proved why; the scent creates a “high” feeling of overwhelming relaxation.  Listening to soothing music during this time will top off the night.

Take the recommended supplements in between drinks and, that’s it!

Then repeat the day two more times.

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Here’s the link to the detox on the Dr. Oz website for those who are interested in giving it a try.  It’s definitely worth it. Dr. Oz 3 Day Detox Cleanse