Congratulations!

Congratulations to all of you who are finishing today or tomorrow! Trixie and I won't be finished till Tuesday. But this conclusion also marks the beginning of a phase just as difficult as the regimen we've just completed.

Trixie and I have lost about ten pounds each, and my blood pressure has fallen between ten and fifteen points within three days of starting. So how will we reintroduce the foods that have been prohibited? Very slowly, very cautiously. I'm going to drop the lemon, but continue with the cranberry, pectin, and psyllium followed by fruit. Perhaps my blood pressure will skyrocket. If not, I'll drop the cran, p, and p. I'll begin to reintroduce fish, chicken, beef; a little more salt; then wheat; finally dairy (cheese and cream). Doug and Emily have access to fresh goat milk and cheese, and that may have a very different impact than the consumption of those same items from cows.

I'll try to be aware of my old habits creeping back: cheese and pasta, bread, and bagels, which are quick and convenient and easy to overdo. Also, I'll be paying attention to the impact of foods processed with a fair amount of additives like bacon or salami. Coffee, pu-erh, wine, beer‑‑what effect will they have? I've felt clearer, brighter, and less bloated these last three-and-a-half weeks. I'd like to make that my benchmark when determining which of the foods that have been excluded can now be re-included in my post-detox routine. I know it's not simply a matter of what foods, but also what combinations and what quantities.

Did you see the duck? Or the rabbit first? It's said that you can't see them simultaneously. Try it yourself. Sometimes I think that cheese, wheat, and meat are one aspect, and that vegetables, grains (other than wheat), and legumes are another. If I start eating the former, will I ever go back to the latter?

I'm hoping that for the next several weeks you all will continue to post your observations on this transitional phase. It's been a pleasure. I can honestly tell you that we would not have done it without you.