The Scoop: Kathy Freston’s Quantum Wellness Cleanse
What was your inspiration for adopting a vegan lifestyle and how has it impacted your life?
I always considered myself a spiritual person, someone who wanted to live by principles that would better hone my personal evolution: kindness, compassion, alleviating suffering when I saw it. When I saw, through videos and in books, what was happening to animals as they became food for my plate, I realized I was not living my principles at all. It was a tough realization, and an immediate challenge to my choices. I knew I wanted to be someone who didn’t eat animals, but I was still so attached to my food. So I leaned into the shift, gradually cutting out one animal product at a time, until over a few years, I became vegan. This shift has not only been hugely beneficial to my health – I lost weight and lowered my cholesterol, and my skin cleared up – but I also felt an inner alignment that I’d never before experienced. Like I was finally living my prayer. I felt clear and clean, energetically, and this clarity empowered me creatively.
What is the largest hurdle you see for people going through your 21-day cleanse and what advice can you give them?
The biggest hurdle is getting through the first few days without your comfort foods or drinks! For me, 3 cups of coffee in the morning and a nightly glass (or 2.. ok, or 3) of wine were habits that I loved. I got very cranky when I tried to abstain, so believe me, I know it’s not a breeze for a lot of people. But my advice is to be gentle on yourself; if you have to ease out of caffeine (one of the Big 5 things to give up for 21 days) by cutting your coffee with decaf and gradually moving to herbal tea over the course of the 3 weeks, that’s just fine. And if you slip and have a glass of wine, say to yourself that tomorrow is a new day. Mostly, though, remind yourself that you will get through the withdrawal symptoms usually within a very short time; they are only temporary, and they only show you that your body is indeed addicted. Do some light exercise, like a brisk walk or a hike, and you will assist your body in the process of detoxing.
How is your 21 day cleanse different from the vegan lifestyle you live everyday?
In the cleanse, you give up sugar, alcohol, caffeine, gluten, and all animal products. Being vegan only means not eating animal products, so the cleanse takes the health program a bit farther. By giving up the Big 5, your body gets to relax and recover from what it often reads as toxic. When I’m not on the cleanse, I do have some coffee or tea (but not nearly as much as I used to!), and I have a glass of wine 3 or 4 times a week. I don’t have a problem with gluten (many people do though, which is why it’s good to test yourself by giving it up and seeing if you feel better in your gut without it), so I eat bread and seitan sparingly. I very rarely have refined sugar, as I think it inflames the body. It wreaks havoc on my insulin/blood sugar, and is simply not worth the momentary pleasure. I love agave, however, and stevia is totally benign.
What are some of the detox symptoms that your readers can expect and what is your advice for getting through these challenges?
You might feel headachy and sluggish, which is usually from caffeine detoxing. Light to moderate exercise will help you get through this, as it oxygenates the body and the resulting endorphins perk you up.
What is your favorite recipe from your book?
The tempeh “tuna” salad is phenomenal. I missed my tuna sandwiches, and Tal Ronnen’s recipe is better than anyone I’d ever eaten from the sea!
What are you working on now?
I’m blogging a lot, and doing a couple of tv shows which feature stories on health, healing, and miraculous medicine. One of them is called Renegade Doctors, and it’s made by the producers of EXTRA. I will start writing a new book on Weight Loss and Healing from Disease soon.
Channeling the genius of James Lipton from Inside The Actor’s Studio, we would like to ask you a few of his famous interview questions:
What is your favorite word? Luscious
What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally? Being around nature, being quiet and absorbing the beauty
What turns you off creatively, spiritually or emotionally? City noise and aggressiveness
What sound or noise do you love? Birds, especially in the morning. An evening breeze
What sound or noise do you hate? Horns honking, people yelling at silly things, being rude
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? If I weren’t so focused on health and healing, I would want to be a hospice worker. I think it’s such a profound and deep time to be with someone as they move toward their crossover. It’s about as truthful, poignant, and insightful as we get, I think, when we near the end of our lives.
What profession would you not like to do? I would be terrible in a corporate setting because I’m not good at politics.
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? “Don’t worry, everything you wanted to get done, we will finish for you. Consider your mission accomplished!”
Thanks, Kathy! Read more of Kathy’s blogs…
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2 Comments
What bothers me about her book is a lot of it is not based on science. She has her agenda, and goes on a long rant about how somehow humans were never meant to eat animals. She goes as far as to say that there is some sort of mystical energy that changes all humanity when an animal is killed. What a crock.
Healthy food is the only way to go! What a wonderful recipe!
September 15, 2009