Five things you can do now to improve your nutrition

1. Remove diet soda and fake sugars like Aspartame. Why? It's fake, it sends a message to the brain that creates a craving for more sugar and studies have shown a link between diet sodas and weight gain. Who would have thought? So stick with good old water with fresh lemon. We're not made to drink all these fancy waters and no you don't need any special fortified drink - it's all about marketing. In fact did you know that the 8 a day water frenzy started after Coca Cola launched their bottled water campaign. Now tap water is nothing to sing about and I do recommend buying a water filter, but we really don't need any of these bottled beverages. For starters they are loaded with sugar which has numerous problems including lowering your immune system, being linked to diabetes, are not natural, empty calories, the list goes on. Some safer alternatives include Agave nectar which has a very low glycemic index and doesn't spike your blood sugar like table sugar and stevia which is from the leaf of a plant.

More information on Aspartame

2. Remove High Fructose Corn Syrup from your diet - This cheap ingredient is found in so many of your food items including ketchup, bread, tomato sauce, cookies, granola bars, salad dressings, marinades and cereals. This ingredient preserves foods and also creates a craving for more carbohydrates. If you'd like more information click the link below
High Fructose Corn Syrup

3. Reduce the amount of dairy in your diet. Consumption of dairy has been linked to certain cancers, increased mucous and sinus problems and many people have physical symptoms including bloating, diarrhea and rash when they consume it. I've read so many studies and books from thoughtleaders on nutrition and this one keeps coming up. You might ask why the USDA recommends dairy for strong bones, but the reality is we don't need dairy and we sure don't need it in the amount we are consuming it. The lowest incidences of osteoporosis is found in the countries that consume little or no dairy.

4. Limit processed foods and increase your consumption of raw and living foods. There is a food movement that focuses on eating only raw foods - meaning foods that have never been cooked and never heated above 110 degrees. The philosophy is based on the idea that once we cook our foods we lose all of the natural enzymes, phytonutrients and vitamins. One of the thoughtleaders on the raw food diet is David Wolfe who I had the pleasure to hear speak earlier this year. Following this diet helps to clean out the body, boost the immune system and in many cases has been used for patients who are experiencing disease.


5. Eat Less - decrease your portion sizes and overall calorie consumption. Our bodies do not require the amount of calories we are eating. This is a result of increased portion sizes over the last 30 years, hidden sugars, processed foods and eating habits that cause cravings for foods that are high in calories and high in sugar. When you bring your body into balance you are able to reduce your calorie amount without feeling deprived. We are all aware of the diseases that are related to these high calorie diets, but yet many of us are waiting until we are diagnosed with diabetes, heart disease of cancer. Some tips to decrease your portion sizes include using a salad plate for dinner, bulk up on greens which are very low in calorie, utilize a food journal so you can get a better picture of what you are eating and how you are feeling. Studies show that people who eat less and are at their ideal weight report more energy, live longer, are happier and are generally at much less risk for developing disease. As Pollen says we live in a culture of of cheap and abundant calories with no deeply rooted set of rules to curb overeating. We need to plan ahead, buy less and practice mindful eating. It takes time to change a habit, so start slowly. Pick one area in your life that will give you the greatest benefit and start there. When I work with my clients we set realistic goals that are achievable. Do the same for yourself. Do you a lot of processed foods - if so get rid of them and start clean. If you find yourself eating on the go a lot - plan ahead. Planning and organizing are the essential elements that can help you make the changes you want to make.

Day 2 of My Precleanse

Today I decided to eliminate wheat from my diet. I'm looking forward to feeling lighter and less bloated - I seem to get very bloated when I eat too much wheat. I also have a hard time only having a little bit, especially if it's white bread. After taking a morning spin class with my husband (our first together) we headed to the organic smoothie place in town. Uhhh there was a yoga class going on and the cafe wasn't open yet. So, my first attempt to get an all organic fruit smoothie didn't work - but I tried. So we move on to the organic coffee shop that also sells smoothies and I finally get my smoothie. Now it's 10:30 and we're off to a good start. No bread for breakfast and I feel great. OK until my husband picks up bagels for him and the kids. I think to myself "well the cleanse doesn't technically start until next week," but then I think about the end result and remind myself how good I feel when I don't eat wheat. Around 1:30 I start to feel a bit hungry and have an avocado and pistachio nuts. Later in the afternoon my family and I head to Ikea and I find myself in the cafe with the kids starving and no great choices - fried foods, cakes, over cooked veggis, swedish meatballs and no fruit. I opt for some fries as they're not meat and they don't contain wheat. This is more difficult than I think, but so far so good. For dinner we decided to invite some good friends over for a barbecue. I cooked some quinoa, halibut, salad and of course some real deal barbecue food. My friend walks in with a lovely cake box from Malverne Bakery and I think "ah I can do this." That is until she tells me it's a red velvet cake (my favorite.) So we both laugh about it and say " there's always tomorrow." I thought about freezing a piece for after my cleanse, but it just wouldn't be the same. So, I gave in and had a small piece. Now it's two hours later and I still feel great. Overall I had a great day. I ate very well and balanced, I didn't feel bloated and I didn't have any cravings. So a success. I don't believe in deprivation and I do believe in eating well 80-90 % of the time and splurging the rest. That's just what I did today.

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.