This blog is to help raise awareness around the simple ways of living that help to create healthy eating, vitality and happiness.

Monday, May 25, 2009
Cleanse Days 8-12
So my plan for the week is to juice everyday through Thursday and a liver flush tomorrow (Tuesday) I'll post the recipe too. I will be adding beans and fresh fish back in on day 14 (Thursday). I don't think I will go back to eating meat or dairy the way I did in the past. I feel too good to ever want to go back to my old ways. This has been an unbelievable experience for me and I can't wait to share it with my clients.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Cleanse Day 7
This week went very quickly and I suprised that I'm not craving a slice of pizza or something sweet. Today I was able to add quinoa and millet back in to my meal plan, so I feel much more satisfied. My husband is actually considering doing a cleanse with me in the fall, but would like to start cleaning up his diet now. He wants me to make a meal plan for him at the office and on the road. I'll be posting about this too when he gets started.
Appetite - Normal - felt very satisfied.
Feelings - I have great energy today and great overall. I noticed that my skin is brighter and my clothes are fitting a bit better, so that made me feel good.
Symptoms - None
Cravings -None
Thought of the Day - If you don't take risks you'll never know what you might've missed. I have learned more about my body in this past week then I have in my whole life. I truly learned (although I've always known this) that cravings often come from inbalances in your diet or for emotional reasons. My diet has never been this pure, nor have I even been this satisfied on so little. Less is more.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Cleanse Day 6
I can't believe it's day 6 already. Today I added a weight lifting class to the regimen. Although I've been taking a yoga class every morning, I realized that to eventually get the results that I want I need to add more cardio and strength training to my routine. I think my body is finally adjusting to getting up so early and I found that I had the extra energy today to push forward. As I picked up my dinner this evening a feeling of sadness came over me. I've really enjoyed picking up fresh, organic meals in my neighborhood - it takes the guess work out of eating. I'm already thinking of ways that I can continue this. Next week I'll be continuing the cleanse and introducing new recipes.
Appetite - I'm the hungriest I've been all week today - I think it's because I didn't have a source of protein (quinoa and nuts were excluded today). I ate some extra vegetables and fruit in the afternoon and was satisfied for the rest of the day until dinner.
Feelings - I still feel great, happy , positive and committed to doing this another week. I've realized that my body needs some sort of protein on a daily basis, but it doesn't necessarily have to come from animal protein.
Symptoms - A slight headache today - I must still be detoxing as it's definitely not a caffeine withdrawal headache.
Cravings - A piece of bread - the craving came and went very quickly. As I sit across from my husband sipping a glass of red wine - I'm really wanting a sip. This is the first time that I've really wanted wine - the chicken and sweet potatoes look amazing too. He's eating one of my favorite dinners. Although I thought pasta was a favorite, I didn't have a problem serving pasta the other night. An interesting observation.
Thought of the Day - It's all about balance. In all aspects of your life. If you are stressed you need to do something relaxing to balance your body. When it comes to food if you are eating well most of the time and splurging some of the time you help to keep the body well and healthy.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Cleanse Day 5
Appetite - Today was the first day without the liver cleanse. I had my fresh squeezed organic juice at 9:00 and had a banana at 10:00. I was hungry for lunch and was very satisfied with a salad and a side of quinoa. Dinner time I didn't really have much of an appetite, but I had the pea soup that was prepared and now at 9:00 I'm still not hungry. I usually eat so much more than I am eating right now, but amazingly I'm not hungry.
Feelings - I feel so good eating this way that I am considering doing this for an additional week.
Symptoms - None
Cravings - None
Thought of the Day - Committing to yourself is the best gift you can ever give. As you improve - those around you benefit too.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Cleanse Day 4
Today was the last day for the liver flush and the supplements to help support the liver detoxing. Your liver is also the organ that is tied to anger and skin disorders. I have eczema - so maybe I have some anger that I need to release (don't we all??). My Kundalini Yoga class today focused on movements that also help to facilitate the releasing of anger.
Appetite - Still not hungry -although the shrimp and garlic over pasta that my dad had for dinner smelled wonderful. I resisted.
Feelings - I have a great amount of clarity - at times I feel foggy and I noticed today that I was very focused.
Symptoms - None
Cravings - None
Thought of the Day - Learning how to let go! This can have many meanings, but for today I am thinking about letting go of clutter. I've noticed over the years that my cabinets, closets and book shelves are getting more crowded. As I look around I realize that it's time to clear out and let go.
This cleanse inspired me to go through my wardrobe and donate a bag of clothes and let go of some other things that I really didn't need any longer.
Think of some things that you'd like to let go of today. It's a very freeing feeling to clear out both internally and for your external home environment.
Recipe - Braised Spinach
1 bunch spinach
2 tbsp first cold pressed olive oil
1/2 cup crushed raw almonds or pumpkin seeds
juice or 1/2 fresh lemon
1 clove garlic (optional)
Bring a small pot of water to a boil and add escarole and boil for 1 minute minutes (longer for escarole, kale and other greens)
Drain and toss with olive oil (crush 1 clove of garlic in oil)
Celtic sea salt to taste
*** An excellent way to cook vegetables is to braise them and add olive oil after the cooking process - this is because olive oil cannot withstand high temperatures and has a lower smoke point than butter or safflower and coconut oils.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Cleanse Day 3
On days 2, 3, and 4 you start your day with a "Liver Flush" a combination of orange, grapefruit, and lemon juices mixed with garlic, cloves, cayenne pepper, fresh ginger and olive oil. I know it sounds terrible, but it doesn't taste too bad and I can feel my body detoxing afterwards.
I'm amazed at how great I'm feeling, despite being off meat for almost a week now. I've always admired vegetarians and never thought I'd be able to do without it, but I'm considering keeping this lifestyle and adding a small amount of meat back into my diet when I'm done cleansing.
Appetite - I wasn't very hungry at all today - again it's a surprise to see how little I'm eating, yet I'm not very hungry.
Feelings - WOW!! Happy Happy Happy
Symptoms - Slight headache again in the morning, but it went away quickly.
Cravings - I was craving something salty today - so I had some avocado, celery and celtic sea salt and it did the trick.
Thought of the Day - I'm practicing patience and being more patient with my children.
Recipe - Avocado Soup (Ultimate Energy Cleanse)
1 cucumber
1 avocado
mint (optional)
Celtic Sea Salt to taste
Place all ingredient in a food processor or blender until smooth. Garnish with mint leaves and serve
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Cleanse Day 2
Here we are day 2. My son woke me at 4:30 AM, but I still managed to make it to my yoga class. I am also being mindful during the cleanse, not doing too much, and taking it easy - it means saying NO more than YES. I spent the day with my children and husband in nature. We went for a lovely walk and rolled around in the grass. I had a lovely Pea and Pear Salad for lunch with avocado and millet mashed potatoes for dinner.
Appetite - As yesterday, after drinking the fresh juice, I didn't have much room for breakfast in the morning. I had a piece of fruit at 11:00. Lunchtime I was very hungry - something I usually don't feel everyday because I snack frequently
Feelings - I feel amazing - I'm actually surprised how great I feel.
Symptoms - NONE - although I headed right to the bathroom after the liver flush. Not the greatest tasting, but I can feel it doing it's job.
Cravings - NONE - Even as my son had an ice cream cone and my husband had yet another bagel. I usually really enjoy them. It feels great to be off of wheat. My body is thanking me.
Thought of the Day - Focus on letting go and forgiveness. We are on all this journey together.
Recipe - Millet Mashed Potatoes - Integrative Nutrition
Millet Mash
Prep Time: | 5 minutes |
Cooking Time: | 30 minutes |
Yields: | 6 servings |
Ingredients: | 1 cup millet 2 ¼ cups water ½ teaspoon sea salt 2 cloves garlic, sliced 1 medium head cauliflower, florets only 1 tablespoon umeboshi vinegar Salt and pepper to taste Handful of chopped parsley |
Directions: |
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Notes: |
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Friday, May 15, 2009
Cleanse Day 1
Here is an overview of the cleanse:
Everyday - 1. Take a Kundalini Yoga Class at 6:00 AM (this is optional but
helps the body and mind cleanse)
2. Drink 2 glasses of fresh squeezed juices in the morning and
afternoon
3. Sip on 32 ounces of a detox drink with lemon, maple syrup
and cayenne pepper
4. Take various supplements from the Ultimate Energy
Cleanse Program
5. Eat cleansing and nourishing foods allowed on the cleanse
6. Get enough rest, relaxation and do one thing a day that
supports the cleanse (bath, massage, exercise, detox
treatments)
Days 2-4 Prepare and drink a liver flush drink first thing in the morning followed by 8 ounces of the lemon detox drink
Day 1
Appetite - After drinking the fresh squeezed juice (carrot, beet, celery, spinach, cucumber and apple) I was not hungry for breakfast. I sipped on my detox drink and had a delicious and cleansing soup for lunch prepared by one of my team members - I was filled for hours) NOTE - I am usually very hungry in the morning.
Feelings - Very motivated, inspired, excited and proud that I am committed to "practicing what I preach", and healing and cleansing my body.
Symptoms - A little bloated today and a minor headache, great energy levels despite waking at 5:00 AM
Cravings - NONE - I'm shocked - several days without sugar
Thought of the Day - Be generous and loving.
Recipe of the Day - "Eileen's Turnip Soup" The Chakra Cookbook
(compliments of Coach Judy of Nourishing Solutions for Life
1 Turnip
3 Parsnips
3 Carrots
1 Cup baby onions (frozen)
2 Cloves garlic
1/2 cup Fresh dill
1 tsp Thyme
1/2 cup Pumpkin seeds
8 cups Vegetable broth
Bay leaf
1 cup Quinoa (toasted dry in skillet for 5 minutes)
Add diced vegetables, toasted quinoa, herbs and salt to broth. Simmer for 45 minutes. Stir occasionally. Serves 6
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Day 7 of My Pre Cleanse
I am completely off of wheat, caffeine, sugar, dairy, meat, processed foods and of course alcohol.
I spent tonight at a spiritual concert for peace" Snatam Kaur" http://www.snatamkaur.com/ with many members of the team cleanse and students of Divine Yoga. What a way to kick start the cleanse. I just started Kundalini yoga a few months ago and I already feel the transformation.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Day 6 of My Pre-Cleanse
My next stop was Jandis where I picked up some more ingredients for the cleanse. I will be preparing spinach pea soup next Tuesday for the cleanse team. Today I added juices into my diet to get me ready for the cleanse. I had a kale, spinach, apple, carrot juice (even my kids liked it).
What a great evening - our holistic moms group celebrated it's one year anniversary. We had a great turnout and the best part of the evening was the various holistic practitioners who were providing services. I received an amazing massage and a network chiropractic treatment. It's so important to take care of yourself and this is one way that I was able to do that today. I also ate fantastic organic, whole foods prepared by Jandis an all natural and organic market. This is where I will be purchasing my juices for the cleanse over the next week.
My dinner was a lovely beet salad, wild rice pilaf and quinoa sald with tomato, scallions and cucumbers. I will be eating a lot of quinoa over the next week as my main source of protein.
One day left before the cleanse !!!
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Day 5 of My Pre-Cleanse
Cleanse Shopping
I did some shopping today at Light Foods Co-Op with my friend Claudia who will also be doing the cleanse. We picked up some carrots and celery for juicing, some grade B maple syrup, lemons, Braggs amino acids, raw almonds and walnuts and some bulk quinoa and millet. I'll be picking up more ingredients during the week and will keep you posted.
If you like peanut butter you'll love the smoothie I had for breakfast this morning.
(this is not for the cleanse)
Green Peanut Butter Smoothie
1 Tablespoon peanut butter
(or any nut butter - this is for some protein and fat to keep you full)
1/3 cup frozen blueberries
1 frozen banana
1 cup baby spinach
1/4 cup frozen mango pieces from Trader Joes
3/4 cup filter water
(Put all the ingredients in a blender and there you have it)
For lunch I had an avocado, an apple and a salad 1/2 cup of quinoa with diced zucchini (see recipe below) with fresh squeezed lemon, olive oil and sea salt for a dressing)
Raw Zucchini Quinoa Salad
(great for the cleanse)
Prepare 1 cup quinoa (rinse well, add 2 cups water - bring to a boil, cover, simmer on low for 15-20 minutes) let cool
Toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil (first cold pressed)
1 whole zucchini diced into small pieces
Add to quinoa
1 pinch of cayenne pepper to desired taste
celtic sea salt to taste
My down for the day
It was my nanny's birthday today and I brought her a carrot cake. I wound up giving in and had a small piece. This would have been fine on an ordinary day, as my diet was great the rest of the day. There is nothing wrong with carrot cake after a day filled with fresh, organic and healthy foods. Deprivation is the downfall to dieting. That is why I believe in adding healthy foods into your diet and crowding out the unhealthy foods. Since I am doing this to cleanse, beat my sugar addiction again and bring my body into balance it's best that I stay away from sugar.
More on pre-cleansing
The main purpose of pre-cleansing is so that you don't experience withdrawal symptoms from sugar and caffeine and give your body to adjust to a simpler way of eating. It is also a bit easier when you make slow and gradual changes. This is my approach with my clients that helps them maintain the new habits they've created that can last. It also helps you to get in tune with your body and realize what symptoms may have cleared up as you remove certain foods from your diet. For example: feeling bloated, headaches and digestive issues. You can then see the true correlation between how you feel and what you eat.
I've slowly been giving up caffeine and today was my last cup before the cleanse starts. A success with no headaches and severe caffeine withdrawals.
2 days left before the cleanse begins.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Day 4 of My Pre Cleanse
Afterward, we met up with Aunt Carrie, my beautiful sister for some sushi. I had an avocado salmon roll, mushroom soup, salad and a small piece of salmon teriyaki. It was delicious.
Snack - handful of almonds, cashews and cranberries
Dinner - Broccoli sauteed with olive oil and garlic
Filet of Sole - dipped in Spelt Flour (an ancient cousin to wheat) and sauteed in olive oil.
Boiled potatoes with olive oil and sea salt
I noticed today that I wasn't drinking enough water. My goal for tomorrow is to drink more water throughout the day. I'll have a large glass of lemon water to start my day.
Good night,
Jacqueline
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Day 3 of My Pre-Cleanse
What a wonderful day. My day started with me waking up with my 3 1/2 year old son (who crawled into our bed in the middle of the night), cuddled up next to me. I didn't want to get out of bed, especially when my husband brought me a cup of my favorite Kukicha tea (my alternative to coffee) with raw honey and some fresh organic strawberries and watermelon. At 9:30 we went for a family walk and the weather was gorgeous. We were supposed to go for brunch, but last minute decided to stay home and I'm so glad I did. I prepared organic eggs, sauteed asparagus, broiled tomatoes with olive oil and some fresh fruit. Both my mother and sister commented on how nice it was to have vegetables with breakfast food and how simple it was to add them. My husband once again picked up bagels - uhhh. This time I really had no desire to have a bagel. I am already starting to see my cravings diminishing. I'm consciously having other sweets in my life, but the good news is that the piece of Red Velvet Cake last night did not create a craving for baked goods today. Since our brunch was served at 12:30 our next meal didn't come until 5:30. We decided on Italian and fortunately the restaurant in town serves gluten free pasta. For those of you who don't know gluten is found in (wheat, barley, oatmeal). Since I am avoiding wheat at the moment this was a great alternative. It wasn't the healthiest choice, but it's all about balance. I decided on shrimp parmigiana - another favorite of mine.
So my day is over, I am sitting drinking a cup of tea and getting ready for bed. My overall feeling is of accomplishment and moving towards a more balanced body. My cravings are reducing and I didn't feel bloated one bit today. I also had great energy despite being on the go all day. I gave up sugar today, which was easier than I thought. Most of the sugar I would normally consume is in candies, cakes and processed foods. Without them it makes it easier to avoid sugar.
Until tomorrow,
Jacqueline
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Day 2 of My Precleanse
Oh, one last thing - my wonderful husband decided to partially join me on my cleanse next week. He's giving up red meat for the week and will be adding a salad to his lunch everyday. This is not easy for my Irish born husband, but he's doing to support me.
Breakfast - Strawberry, Banana, Blueberry Smoothie
Lunch - Avocado
- Handful of pistachio nuts
- Few French Fries - on our visit to Ikea with the kids (the food choices were extremely
limited) they didn't sell one piece of fruit which is what I really wanted.
Dinner - Halibut, Salad, Quinoa, Sweet Potato Fries
- Glass of White Wine
- Piece of Red Velvet Cake from Malverne Bakery
- Fresh strawberry's and watermelon
LOTS OF FILTERED WATER WITH FRESH LEMON
Until tomorrow - Good night! My sister is bringing lots of fresh fruit for our mother's day brunch.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Countdown to my cleanse
Pre-cleansing - "The Cleanse Before The Cleanse"
Today I will be starting my pre-cleanse. A pre-cleanse is the gradual elimination of foods and beverages that generally create cravings, imbalances, a slow digestive system, are addictive and don't promote the bodies natural ability to cleanse and detoxify. During the cleanse I will be adding more cleansing foods and utilizing the Ultimate Energy Cleanse program. This year I opted for a fresh whole foods cleanse that includes many fresh squeezed juices, vegetables, fruits and nuts. I will be participating in this cleanse with a group and will also be taking daily Kundalini yoga classes in the morning to help the body cleanse and detox.
Why did I decide on a cleanse?
The reason I decided to do a cleanse is that I realized over the past few months my sugar cravings were coming back again and I was feeling a bit bloated. I asked myself what had changed in the past few months and I realized I am eating a lot of dairy and wheat which I know don't agree with me.
Great I thought, now I can recognize when I am eating for an emotional reason or how my body feels when I eat things that don't work for me (like too much dairy and wheat). Last year I was finally able to beat my addiction to sugar and have cakes and sugar in moderation without constantly craving sugar. What was the trick? When I decided to finally stop eating muffins and cakes for breakfast I gently replaced some of my unhealthy choices with better choices. It took me about a week to two weeks to bring my body into balance and be able to walk by a bakery / bagel store and just walk by.
How to beat sugar cravings?
As a nutritionist, I understand how simple sugars cause cravings by raising your blood sugar very quickly. This results in a surge of insulin that quickly brings those high sugar levels down. What then happens is you feel tired and your blood sugar has now gone too low. Since your body is always trying to maintain balance it creates a craving for more sugar and sometimes caffeine. They key to kicking the sugar habit is to make sure that your diet consists of many whole grains, fruits and vegetables that slowly raise blood sugar and don't create drastic changes in your blood sugar and result in more sugar cravings.
The next step is to find sweet alternatives that do not create those changes in your blood sugar. For me I used things like Agave Nectar , a sugar alternative that is derived from a cactus plant and has a low glycemic index. I had plenty of fruit and sweet vegetables on hand and some dark chocolate. This way I didn't feel like I was depriving myself of sweetness and was still able to beat those cravings. As a result I was able to lose 10 pounds without dieting and still enjoy my favorite cupcakes from Magnolia bakery in NYC on occasion.
The foods I will be eliminating include:
Meat
Dairy
Fish
Poultry
Sugar (I will be having small amounts of raw honey and agave nectar during the cleanse)
Coffee
Alcohol
Processed Foods
Things I will be adding to my diet include:
Fruits
Vegetables
Fresh organic juices
Lemon Water
Quinoa
Millet
Countdown to my cleanse.
Today I eliminated animal protein from my diet, this includes chicken, beef, turkey, etc.... After reading the book "The China Study" I realize how beneficial a vegetarian diet can be for your health. I decided 2 weeks of a vegetarian diet will give me a good idea of how I feel and if I can maintain an ongoing vegetarian lifestyle. Strikingly when your diet contains more than 5% animal products, cancer and heart disease start to rise.
I added fresh squeezed lemon juice to my day. This helps to alkalize the body and cleanse the liver.
How to get off of coffee:
If you are drinking a lot of coffee and are planning on doing a cleanse I recommend starting there so you don't experience severe caffeine withdrawal which often leads to severe headaches. Some things you can do include:
Start using 3/4 coffee to 1/4 cup decaf
Move to 1/2 coffee to 1/2 decaf
Move to 3/4 cup decaf to 1/4 cup decaf
Move to 100% decaf
Good Coffee Alternatives
Green Tea
Decaffeinated Herabal Teas
Kukicha Tea - one of my favorite
Teecino - a great coffee alternative
Here's how my day went today....
30 minutes on the treadmill and some anaerobic exercise
BREAKFAST
1 bowl of oatmeal with cinnamon, agave nectar, and almond milk
lemon water
coffee with soy creamer and agave nectar
SNACK
Strawberries with a little fresh cream
LUNCH
Salad
vegetable sushi roll
DINNER
Tortilla chips with spinach and artichoke dip
Grilled shrimp, carrots, peas
salad
1 glass of wine
soft pretzel
some of my sons macaroni and cheese (I'm glad I'm eliminating wheat tomorrow )
** I didn't have a problem eliminating meat, but realized that I ate more bread and pasta than I
usually would.
I feel great, motivated and excited about the cleanse
Tomorrow I will be eliminating wheat - not carbohydrates , just wheat. I can't wait to see how I feel.
Here's my plan for the rest of the week.
Saturday - Wheat
Sunday - Sugar
Monday - Dairy
Tuesday - Coffee
Wednesday - Fish
Thursday – Alcohol
Friday - The cleanse begins