I've decided to embark on a 4 week mega-cleanse.  It's so hot out anyway that I don't feel like cooking much at all. Even though Ayurveda doesn't advocate a totally raw diet, especially not for us Vata types, I've decided that in the heat of summer it might fly.

I've chosen the Ejuva cleanse because it is composed of some powerful Ayurvedic herbs and essential oils. I am an awful hungry person. I hate to be hungry. On the Ejuva cleanse, I can still eat, but it has to be raw and vegan. I can do that!  The testimonials I've heard from my friends about what they have seen purged out of their intestines convinced me to try it. I was really in the mood for a cleanse, and since I don't have the time or funds to do the full Pancha Karma, this seemed perfect. Pancha Karma refers to the traditional Ayurvedic cleansing and rejuvenation program. Ideally I would go down to Albuquerque to The Ayurvedic Institute to do Pancha Karma there. But with little kids, that's not an option these days.

So - day 1 is going well. Spent some serious cash at Whole Foods stocking up on raw nuts and fruit and veggies. Got home and started soaking the nuts to dissolve the enzyme inhibitors present in the skins, and had some ground pecans on an apple for breakfast. Green tea is ok on this program, but oh, how I missed my chai.  I made a puree of carrots and soaked macadamia nuts as a soup for dinner, along with a waldorf salad of apples, walnuts and celery. I was surprised that I wasn't hungry at all during the day.  I definitely noticed an increase in elimination even on the first day with the program's herbs.