Karyn's Raw Detox: Day 0

This post is part of a series in which I am sharing my journey of Karyn's Raw Detox program. Read my other posts below:


Free Seminar
Day 0
Days 1-2
Days 3-6
Days 7-10

Days 11-14
Days 15-19
Days 20-27
Day 28 - Final Post

Day 0
Tonight I'm heading to my first class for Karyn's Raw Detox and I'm both excited and nervous. I'm excited about trying something new and cleaning out my body but a little worried about possible detox symptoms and not being able to train for my upcoming mini-marathon effectively. I went to the free seminar at Karyn's Raw in January and was really inspired by Karyn Calabrese, a vegan raw foodist and overall example of perfect health, despite genetic pretenses. She has three vegan restaurants in Chicago and also runs this 4-week detox program.

What is Karyn's Raw Detox?
I wanted to know what I was getting myself into with this cleanse so I purchased Karyn's book Soak Your Nuts, which takes you through the detox in great detail. The book is a great option if you don't live in Chicago and there is also a dvd series you can order. The basic progression of the detox is that you eat vegan the first week, raw vegan the second week, juices the third week, and raw vegan the fourth week. You also take various supplements like Rejuvelac, digestive enzymes, Kamut water, chlorella, Fenugreek seed, and Psyllium-detox clay. I've only heard of about half of these things but they have various purposes, mainly cleaning out your intestinal tract. You're also supposed to get a colonic during the juice cleanse. I am not excited about this part but will share my experience with you (you've been warned!).

What will I eat?
The first week of eating vegan will be easy for me since I already follow a mostly plant-based diet. I'm going to start to introduce raw foods during this week, which I have actually been doing during the past month. I finally made a recipe that tasted good after I got a vegetable spiralizer and made some raw pesto zucchini noodles from Practically Raw by Amber Shea Crawley. Her cookbook is great for people new to raw food. I've also made recipes from Carol Alt's Easy Sexy Raw, although she also eats raw animal foods. The basis of the raw food diet is raw vegetables with fruit, nuts, seeds, and sprouted legumes in moderation. I may need to purchase a dehydrator to make satisfying meals.

Why am I doing this?

One of my crossfit friends told me that I don't need to do a detox because I don't need to lose weight. While that may be true, there are many other (and better) reasons to eat a healthy diet and detox your body. I know that Karyn will talk about the health benefits more in tonight's class. I've learned through my health journey that everything in your body is connected to what you put in it. Contrary to popular belief, genetics actually play a very small role in most ailments and diseases. Karyn is a classic example because both her mother and grandmother were very sick and died earlier than the age she is now (65). Similarly, I came this article today that states that only 10% of breast cancers are genetic and the other 90% are based on your environment and lifestyle. While genes do increase or decrease your risk of certain diseases, you can  manage and decrease the risk with your lifestyle choices, namely what you put in your body. I have reached a great level of health with a plant-based diet and lots of exercise but I still put poisons (like alcohol and coffee) in my body and am surrounded by an unhealthy environment living in a city. For me, this detox will be about learning how to incorporate more raw foods into my diet and cleaning out my body from the toxins that have built up over the years.

While I think the detox will be less of a shock to my body than to someone who has been eating the standard American diet, I still want to write about my journey and how I'm feeling during this process. I'll be updating you 2-3 times per week, so stay tuned! I'm hoping the outcome of this program will be positive and that I will gain more insight into my health as a result. I'm excited to learn from Karyn during the next four weeks!

Disclaimer: Karyn's Raw provided the detox class to me for free and is giving me a discount on the supplements for writing about my experience. The text and opinions are completely my own.