Crazy Sexy Wha?

Today is the first day of my radioactive iodine diet! I’ve decided that I’m not going to call it the radioactive iodine diet because it sounds way too scary and gross. Instead, I’m going to take a cue from Kris Carr’s new book Crazy Sexy Diet and call it an “adventure cleanse.”

Cue book report!

Kris’s books have been SO helpful to me in the past few months. When I started reading her first book Crazy Sexy Cancer, I felt like she wrote the book specifically for me. She also made a documentary of the same name that was on TLC and has another book, Crazy Sexy Survivor. Crazy Sexy Diet is diet (duh) and health focused. Ironically, I picked up this book in Borders before I had even read the other two.

If you haven’t heard of her before, the basic gist of Kris’s story is that she was diagnosed in 2003 with a very rare and incurable cancer in her lungs and liver. The tumors can’t be removed or destroyed, but they weren’t growing either. After going to her oncologist, doctor and various other specialists, they all told her to “wait and see.” Ummmm, how ’bout wait and LIVE – was her basic response.

Kris outlines how her life changed after her diagnosis, starting with one thing that she absolutely could control: food. She became a vegan, and eats mostly raw food. She outlines a heck of a good case for veganism in her book too – and if I ever thought about it pre-”C” word life, I am most definitely thinking about it now.

The book came out yesterday, and it’s really convenient for me. There is an “adventure cleanse” that is 21-days long and outlined in the book. What I really like about it is that it’s not about deprivation – you don’t have to drink only water or juice, and you can even transition to eating animal products twice a week – it’s all about what works best for each person. There are also chapters about how you need to take care of yourself mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

I just started reading it yesterday and it’s pretty cool. There are some awesome things like recipes, tips, affirmations and other things that I will definitely be doing daily – and there are some things I will not be doing at all (re: colonic/enemas – no thanks!). I’ve quickly become a Crazy Sexy Stalker. I feel like it really resonated with me after my diagnosis and there were concrete steps that anyone can take – illness, disease or just plain old want to change some habits. I like her outlook and lifestyle so much that I’m giving myself a birthday gift to attend Kris’s workshop at Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in the Berkshires next month.

On to the food: Adventure Cleanse, Day 1

Apple, carrot, ginger juice (I accidentally forgot the second G in ginger….giner…I am 12).

Oats with banana, frozen blueberries and So Delicious Coconut Milk (Thank you So Delish for being non-dairy, non-soy and NO salt!)

This concoction of salad with avocado, tomato, balsamic/olive oil, green peppers and a serving of my unintentional Gray Chili.

Why gray?

That’s what happens upon soaking chickpeas and black beans from the bulk bins for too long. I love diversity, what can I say?

I also looooove my new Wusthof knife – Thanks Santa!

AND I love these Rapunzel Vegan bullion cubes. I can’t use processed chicken/veggie broth and didn’t have time to make my own. These were the next best thing.

I had an afternoon snack of rice cakes with homemade peanut butter and later had more chickpea chili. For a snack after my painting class, I had air popped popcorn with oil and pepper.

I think I can get the hang of this thing. Check back in 3 days when I’m jonesing for Crazy Sexy Chocolate Binge.