Just Started? Information for the first few days.....

[sundaymorningstaple]

Here are a list of questions that get asked often in the first few days:

1: SALADA CRACKERS

Salada Crackers come out of the box in one BIG square made up of four little squares. ONE SERVE of a Salada is TWO LITTLE SQUARES. The one BIG square would constitute two serves.
You may have your crackers WITH or BETWEEN meals, but no more than two serves at a time (then must wait 2.5 hours between serves).

2: CAFFEINE

Yes, you CAN drink caffeinated soft drinks… BUT… You may only have three caffeinated drinks per day. You may either have these as Coffee OR Soft Drinks.
So, if you choose to have them as soft drinks, the one litre rule still applies. You can have three glasses of caffeinated soft drink, which will make up part of your 1lt, the balance of your soft drink allowance must be non-caffeinated.

PLEASE NOTE!!! Giving up Caffeine overnight can give you SERIOUS DETOX HEADACHES. Please consider whether you’ve inadvertently given up caffeine when you start the programme. So often people say “the food is giving me a headache” only to find that it’s Caffeine withdrawl!

3: TEA DRINKING

There are only certain teas you are allowed to drink. Basically, you may have any as long as no sugar, fruit, dextrose, maltrose or glucose.
Yes- you may have these - Lemon grass, Ginger, Kapha, Rooibos, Jasmine, Fennel, Camomile, 'Camomile and Spearmint', Peppermint, White, Green Tea with Mint Flavour.
No- you may NOT have these - Stinging Nettle, Aururvedic Rejuvenate, Noni, Rose hip, Barley, Aniseed, Chai, Lemon Myrtle, Kombucha, Liquorice, Vanilla, Gypsy Weed, dandelion, Chicory Root, Green tea with Lemon flavouring or any tea with fruit extract.

4: CONSTIPATION

Before you decide if you are constipated, please remember it’s NORMAL to only have a bowel movement every 3 days or so on the programme. If you’ve gone more than this, or are uncomfortable and feel you’re definitely constipated you may use Psyllium husks or Metamucil as directed on the pack, BUT, remember, you must NOT use any flavoured types. Especially beware of the Metamucil’s fruit flavours.
The other thing you can take is Coloxyl with Senna. Be careful not to get the Coloxyl without the Senna, The Coloxyl will ‘move it’ but the Senna ‘softens it’. The LAST thing you want is it moving without softening

5: REPEAT BLOOD TESTS:

The first of these is due 4 weeks from your start date.
Repeat blood tests are NON-FASTING.
No, the programme doesn’t change after a blood test. Your programme will stay the same until you reach your refeed.
Make sure you do NOT MISS your blood tests. If you go more than 12 weeks without a repeat blood test you will NOT get a refeed. Asking Dr Cohen to write a refeed without repeat blood tests to go by is like asking a kid to write a book report without letting them read the book first.


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