Breaking Free - Truths for Healthy Living

Fun + Change?

2012-01-26T13:36:00.001-05:00

Two words that don’t usually go together.

Most of us will do everything we can to avoid change in our lives.

Change means we are out of control.

Change means we have to be flexible.

Change means we have to trust what is ahead us, is for our good.

But sometimes change is fun and we enjoy it.

Like for example the change I made this week, which may be really vain and silly to some, but it was a big change for me…

I have had dark brown hair (my natural color) for the last 3.5 yrs. Yet, for the last three months I have been longing to change it to red. But couldn’t bring myself to really do it, until this week. Now, I’m so glad I did.

As you know, I made a huge change 6 months ago with my diet. I had been a die hard vegan for 9 years until this past August. That change was hard to do, but very necessary for my health.

Here I am 6 months later comfortable with my new diet (GF, DF and eating animal protein) and truly thankful that I didn’t reject the advice being given to me. Each change came with their own set of challenges, but I met them head on and pushed through.

Today, I made another change all for the purpose of optimal health – for me and nobody else but me. I began to exercise again. I could list a 100 good excuses why I stopped walking daily, but none of them matter. It was a choice, and I allowed life and how busy it gets raising 9 children, being a wife, starting a photography business, loving on my in-love’s as we all faced dad’s cancer again, and then finally last week winning the battle, get in the way of me taking care of me. Not any more.

This morning, I dropped the children off at a school, ran a few quick errands and then hurried home. I got myself a bottle of water and headed to the basement to rebound and then use our elliptical machine. I know that sounds pretty basic and even slightly boring. However, I assure you, it was anything but basic or boring. Within 10 minutes I began to sweat. THIS IS A HUGE CHANGE for me! I was a classically trained dancer from a very young age and never sweat during an hour long dance class. I would only sweat during the very hot and humid days of summer (even then, not so much). But any other form of exercise, I barely broke a sweat at all.

My body is healing. Slowly, but surely it is changing from the inside out. I can’t see the changes taking place, but I can definitely feel them on a day like today. It was so encouraging to me. I ran to the phone to call my husband. Like most of you, he wasn’t as excited as I am. But he was thrilled to hear my joy.

The point of this very long story is that even hard changes are for our good. It may take years for us to see the good in them. But if you give it time and persevere through the challenges, you too will see good come from the positive changes you are making in your life.

Can I get an AMEN? How true is that quote? It has proven true over and over again in my life. I could write a book with that as my title!!!!

This quote is how I’m choosing to live…

and hope to be known!!!!!

I hope you took the time to read the post I shared last week with tons of wisdom for taking back your health and breaking free from your personal challenges in 2012. If not, then go now and stop letting fear of change stand in your way of becoming the most amazing you, be all that you were created to be!

Live life to the fullest. Love with reckless abandon. Laugh until your side hurts. Dance as if no one is watching. Do the things you never got around to doing last year. Make a list of all the things you truly want to change in your life and begin checking off that list today!

I’m here cheering you on! You can do it!

How to Reclaim Your Health in 2012

2012-01-23T06:03:00.001-05:00

Wow, it is hard to believe we only have 8 days left of January! This month has flown by for me and I never got to wish you all a Happy and Healthy New Year!

Yesterday, I received this excellent email from my previous homeopathic doctor in PA. His advice is always wise and sound. He and his wife are wonderful examples of living life to the fullest and doing it with grace, peace, lots of laughter, and love. They seek out the truth and weed out all the fades when it comes to excellent health tips. Which I appreciate. They have eaten the same way for many years and it shows – they are vibrant and youthful; with a natural glow to their skin and bright white eyes. Their good health inside definitely shows on the outside.

May their words inspire you to seek do great things this year to improve your health and how you live your life!

Many times I have been asked for suggestions on what to do to stay on the sunny side of wellness. As there are a multitude of wonderful products, wellness breakthroughs and new services that come out every year, I thought it may be helpful if, on occasion, I pass along a few recommendations that Heather and I have personally used and found helpful.

Enjoy REAL Food and Support Your Local Farmer

The first recommendation I would like to share is to make nutrition a high priority and make it a point to keep expanding your knowledge. This can never be stressed enough! Your diet determines your body chemistry and that is what contributes, in a very large degree, to your state of health or illness. However, as every one has their own unique metabolism, I have compiled a list of pretty simple and standard nutrition guidelines that can be followed to optimize your health:

1) Your food should be as fresh as possible and organically grow, preferably from your local farmer or farmers market.

2) Prepare your own food to best control not only what is IN it, but what is NOT in it. This increased cost in time and money to eat healthy is one of the best investments you can make for you and your family’s health. The market can tank along with the Euro, but your health and wellbeing is a priceless commodity that sustains you 24/7.

3) There should always be A LOT of color on your plate. Colors are green, orange, red, purple, yellow etc., not brown, cream, beige or white.

4) Dr Joel Fuhrman has it right by telling his patients and readers to make your salad your main course. You can substitute veggies, cooked or raw, for salad. The perimeter of your plate is enough space for the meat, other proteins and starches.

5) Have your dense carbs in the morning which will allow the rest of the day to use that as fuel. Stick only to protein and veggies in the evening. (Snacking on starchy carbs later in the day is an excellent way to grow a very nice spare tire.)

6) Absolutely NO SUGAR! NO ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS OR HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP. Processed and fake sugars are the epitome of something that gives a few moments of pleasure in exchange for a lifetime of misery.

7) Make sure you get your essential fats (Omega 3’s) from vegetable sources (flax, chia, olives, coconut), and/or fish oil, either at the original source or a high quality supplement.

8) Nutritional supplements are necessary for most people to have complete nutrition. I would recommend a ‘whole foods’ based one. A daily dose of 2,000 - 5,000 units of vitamin D3, especially in our climate, is good for most people. It’s also a good idea to have your Vitamin D blood levels checked to see if you are within a healthy range.

9) Drink plenty of high quality filtered or spring water daily. You are made up mostly of water so it is axiomatic that your health will be determined to a large degree by the quality and sufficient amounts of that water.

10) Think of “greens” as a totally separate food group and eat this group often! A great way to get large amounts of fresh, raw greens without having to spend half-an-hour chewing is with green smoothies. This may be an acquired taste or texture for some, but the benefits are worth it. Not only are they highly nutritious, but very fast and easy, with no cooking and little clean up. An entire ‘meal’ can easily be made, enjoyed and the mess cleaned up within 10 minutes!

Eat Your Greens!

In my family, we have fun with this and take turns making the morning green smoothie breakfast-of-champions! Heather uses a straw to get them down easier.

Here is our basic recipe:

(Use only organic produce whenever possible)

1 large avocado (peeled/ de-stoned)
1 apple
Greens (kale, collards, dandelion, spinach, chard, parsley, celery, etc..)
1 cup frozen mixed berries
water
flaxseed oil

Depending on what we have on-hand, we spice up the above recipe with raw cocoa powder, goji berries, coconut oil, bee pollen, chia seeds, ground flax seeds, etc. There are lots of excellent recipes and good dietary information on the internet e.g. greensmoothiegirl.com.

Smoothies are best made with a high speed, powerful blender. The choices today are either a Vitamix or a Blendtec which is what we have. To get an idea of what these can do and also for a good laugh, look at the ‘Will it Blend’ videos on YouTube.

Move That Body!

Once your body is nourished with REAL food, I would recommend a daily dose of physical movement. The benefits of exercise have been well documented, but the type and duration varies according to many factors including body and metabolic type, level of physical fitness, and general state of health.

In my opinion, nothing can replace daily outdoor activity. This allows the healing power of the sun and nature to be experienced. Even a simple walk outside, for a minimum of 20 - 30 minutes a few times a week, can significantly increase a persons’ well-being. Try gardening, biking, hiking, skating, or any other activity that gets you moving outdoors and increases the joy factor in your life.

To complement, there are many indoor activities that are extremely beneficial. In our home, we use and have benefited greatly from the use of two machines: the Teeter Inversion Table and the T-Zone Whole Body Vibration Machine*. These two machines have released years of pain and tension in my spinal column within a few months of daily use. My old injury of jumping off a swing in full cycle and landing flat on my back has finally been rectified. Having these machines at home ensures daily use as there is little or no need for excuses. It’s common in the mornings to have us all in our PJ’s ‘hanging’ or ‘vibing’ at 7 a.m.!

Whole Body Vibration Technology

Heather and I were first introduced to the T-Zone Whole Body Vibration technology in Canada last summer. I found the decades of research and list of health benefits quite impressive. The benefits included increased muscle strength, improved circulation, reduction of joint pain, assistance in weight loss, improved coordination & flexibility, and a general sense of well-being. It all made sense. I thought if NASA adopted this technology to keep astronauts’ bones and muscles strong while in zero gravity, just think how great it would work on our bodies here on planet Earth. So, in July, a machine was shipped to our home and it’s been a daily 10-minute addiction every since.

NOTE: If you live in and around West Chester, PA this is a great opportunity to spend time with Dr. Prociuk and his wife Heather. Because of our personal and very positive experience with this technology, we wanted to share this with you and extend an invitation to experience the benefits for yourself. Just drop in during office hours and take a ‘test drive’ on one of our machines. For those who are interested in a more in-depth inquiry, I will be giving a free 30 minute demonstration followed by a Q & A on Saturday, January 28th @ 3:00 p.m. and Saturday, February 25 at 3:00 p.m. in our West Chester office. As space is limited, please call Heather @ 610-701-5702 if you plan on attending.

Keep on the Sunny Side

The last and final point I would like to make is a simple statement, but worth pondering: Good health can only be achieved when there is a clear intent to have it. That said, my wish for you is to start off this new year with that intent.

Thank you for taking the time to read this newsletter. I hope you found a few suggestions here to keep your health and wellness top-of-mind.

To your health -

Peter J. Prociuk, M.D.

www.drpeterprociuk.com

Another Favorite Product

2011-09-21T20:39:00.001-04:00

I’m not even going to try to cover all the amazing benefits of this oil. We are using it daily to build up our immune system and help us to fight off the common cold/flu.

Thieves Oil is a blend of five essential oils that are scientifically documented to be highly anti-infectious, antiviral, antibacterial, and antiseptic. Thieves’ essential oil is a safe and natural way to care for your family’s health.

If you want to learn more about it – click here.

I purchase it through Young Living. I buy all of my essential oils from them.

You will not believe all the uses for this one oil. They now have many products that are made just from this oil to clean your house, hands, freshen your breath, brush your teeth and throat lozenges.

The moment you or your child are starting to feel sick – a drop on the bottom of your feet at night – rub feet together – put socks on and off to bed. Then 3 x a day 1-2 drops in 2 oz of water. Many of my friends have told me it gets rid of strep throat in three days. I’m all for that! But if you use this product throughout the cold/flu season on a regular basis at least once a day in water or a 1/4 tsp of raw honey – you will seriously limit your chances of getting sick.

The best plan for staying well during the cold/flu season is:

Get enough sleep.
WASH your hands with soap and water (OFTEN)– not just hand sanitizer. That actually stops you from having the good bacteria on your hands, etc.
Limit/avoid all sugar products.
Drink plenty of water.
Eat a well balance diet – high in organic vegetables and fruit.
Get enough sleep. NOTE to self – go to bed earlier to ensure you get enough sleep during the week!

My Journey Continues…

2011-09-21T11:21:00.001-04:00

Have you ever walked a mile and felt like you walked only a moment? Have you ever driven home and can’t even remember the drive? Have you ever walked into a room and completely forgotten why you entered it?

That is how I have felt many times since I began this journey only six weeks ago.

I have felt lost and yet, so familiar with where I am.

I have felt alone and yet, so filled with comfort and peace.

I have felt unsure and yet, more sure of my choices in regards to health than I have in a very long time.

A verse was given to me this morning and it completely reflects where I am on my journey…

But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, That I may declare all Your works.

Psalm 73:28

I have been drawing closer to God through this health journey and asking Him to help heal me in a new way each day. I pray for wisdom with my food choices and how to do what is best for my body each day. Sometimes that is resting. Sometimes that means eating a little more throughout the day. Sometimes it means not eating a food I used to enjoy (because my body no longer likes it). Sometimes that means trying new things. Sometimes it means learning how to cook a food I used to but forgot the best way.

I have new favorite recipes. I have a new weekly lunch menu for our children. I crave foods I never imagined I would ever eat again.

What are they you might be asking?

Well, my top favorite things to eat now are scrambled eggs with GF toast, my homemade chicken salad, salmon salad, egg salad and the best BBQ chicken I have ever tasted. Daily for my mid-day snack I eat sliced red/green peppers, cucumbers with hummus. I eat an 8 oz container every day. YUM! YUM! So far chickpeas are the only beans my body can tolerate as I continue on my journey towards healing!

If you would like me to share my recipes – I’ll post them soon.

Student First

2011-09-03T16:08:00.001-04:00

For the last three weeks I have spent time relearning many things about my health and how to truly take the best care of my body.

Which means, I am once again the student.

For years, I have comfortably filled the role of teacher. A role I love and continues to challenge me to seek the truth not just for myself, but for all those I love and have taught over the last 8 years. However, in order to be a great teacher, one must always be willing to remain a student.

I had to be willing to let go of what I thought was the best way for me to regain health, in order to learn all that I can now. What I am learning is helping my body heal one day at a time. I am thrilled to be the student once again. What an awesome journey this continues to be. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it weren’t for all that I learned and followed. I needed the knowledge that I clung to and lived by to heal some major health challenges I was facing. However, the time has come where the lifestyle choices I was making were no longer helping my body and I began to feel sick again.

Seeking optimal health is a journey – it means that along the way I must be willing to go where the path is leading even when I truly believe the path I am on is just fine. Guess what? I don’t want just fine! I want the truth and to walk on the best road for my health.

Photo credit Ashley Sisk

I don’t believe there is only one way of eating forever when it comes to health. I believe there is one way to heal for a season (and that is how I have lived for the last 8+ yrs.). And when that season ends it is vitally important to know what is best for your body from that day forward. No season lasts forever and when we try to force them to remain, the consequences can be very damaging to our health. In more ways than we ever imagined.

That is what has happened to me. Living as a vegan suited me well for almost 9 years. But then as I mentioned a few weeks ago, I found out it was no longer helping me heal my body.

Until I was able to find out what my body was lacking and needed, optimal health could not be attained. Nor was I ever going to heal what has caused me much suffering for the last 16 yrs of my life. Sure my digestive tract has been working much better for the last almost 9 years. But I still had my fair share of issues when I ate certain things. Which didn’t really make sense to me. My adrenals seemed to get more and more shut down over time and I began to have many issues with my menstrual cycle. I already knew that my adrenals produce too much cortisol – which tells my body to stay in a state of fight or flight all day long. Let’s say that alone is pretty exhausting. But add in parenting 9 children, being a wife and all the other things I do each day – my body was starting to feel over-stressed more and more.

My new health journey began in July when I went to a new chiropractor in MD. He is a gentle older man and his staff was lovely. He mentioned to me that a vegan diet has it pluses and minuses. That I might want to consider learning about the A.S.H Diet and Inflammation Free Diet. I should mention he is a fourth generation chiropractor and very wise. So I took his recommendations and wrote myself a note to check them out when I got home.

But before I left the office his receptionist began to tell me about other supplements that might help with the challenges I face. Meanwhile, a patient of his introduced herself and she shared her personal journey with me. Then she offered me a card with a name of the naturopath that has been helping her heal from some major health challenges that were similar to mine. I tucked the card into my pocket with the information the chiropractor gave me and promised myself I would look at them both later that night.

A week went by before I took the time to investigate all that he shared and to contact the naturopath. I was not surprised what I learned from the books he mentioned and knew that I would need serious data for me to make some of the changes suggested in the books.

Within hours of me reaching out to Sara an email arrived back and we quickly dug into what was going on with me. By the time she had my second email she wrote back, “I’m confident the testing I do and the program put together from it will help your body heal.” Sorry for being doubtful after hearing stuff like this before, but I needed more than her confidence that her program would work.

However, it didn’t take long before I knew God clearly had sent me to this naturopath and that she would be used to help me truly heal my body. We went back and forth many times via email and were excited to meet the following week to do my hair test. Let’s just say she is a blessing from the moment I met her and continues to be a gift from God in my life.

Sara has already helped me retrain my thought processes, so that I could open my mind to what my test results showed. Most of it was not a surprise. I knew my adrenals were taxed. I knew my thyroid was struggling because of it. I knew my digestive tract still wasn’t working as it should. I knew that was affecting my gallbladder. I knew that my adrenal fatigue is what has been causing my erratic BP issues over the years. I knew all of that. What I didn’t know was how badly. I didn’t realize how depleted I was in so many vital nutrients and how toxic my body was in others. The one that has been giving me the most trouble is copper. You can do a search on the health challenges associated with high copper. You will be amazed how much this one mineral effects our health.

The results showed that I needed to be 100% gluten free (GF). This wouldn’t be too hard since I was already eating 85% that way. It also showed that my body needed animal protein. I had already been prepared to hear this because Sara mentioned that to me after discussing my current health challenges. Many were similar to hers years ago. That was a much tougher thing for me to hear after being a vegan for almost 9 years. Again, she was prepared for my reaction and had to deal with the very same news. She was a vegan/vegetarian for 15 years. So she knew exactly how I was feeling and how I would feel for the weeks to come. More confirmation she was the exact person I needed to be working with to help me heal many things going on.

After our 2.5 hour consultation, I left her office with hope and yet, many questions. She has been diligent to answer every single one and help me understand what is already happening to my body as I make the changes suggested from the results. I began a new supplement regimen and added in a few things that will help my body rebuild my immune system. It is weakened because of my adrenal issue. She has helped me find the best homeopathic remedies as well. Sara is also teaching me how to help build up our children’s immune systems so they can fight off things much easier now that they are in school.

My closest friends and family have been unbelievably supportive on this journey. Our children have done amazingly well with adding in new foods. I am so proud of them. I have learned how to cook things again that have not been on our table in years. Only this time I’m cooking them with the purest and most organic ingredients. We are loving the addition of animal protein in our diet. They can’t thank me enough for the delicious, fresh and varied lunches they receive everyday in their lunchboxes. Their friends and teachers are amazed at what I pack each day as well. I am thrilled with the 10 dishes I create for them each week and I know that I am giving them exactly what their bodies need to be fueled up for learning!

I am NOT eating dairy. Nor will we be adding that back in. We will not be eating any pork products either. Everything we have added back in is organic and in the purest form I can find. It is NOT the main portion of our diet either. We are still eating a plant based diet with animal protein added into our meals. Which for us has been a wonderful addition.

We are beginning to test the children now. A few at a time and will make adjustments necessary for them to get what their bodies need as well. The key to optimal health is not just four things: drinking enough water, using the best salt, eating healthy fats and exercise. Those are all integral to our health. But we need to be doing them in the right ratios for our body chemistry and be sure that we are getting the right minerals to help our body function optimally. The only way to know what your body needs is to get the hair analysis done. It is not as expensive as you might be thinking. It is not covered by insurance. Yet, it is worth every penny we paid to have it done. NOTE: I agree with the comment below that one should practice the eight laws of health:

Wholesome nutrition, proper exercise, enough water, adequate sunlight exposure, keeping ones life in balance (i.e. not going to extremes), breathing plenty of fresh air, getting enough sleep at night (preferably in the hours before midnight), and having faith that God will take care of everything.

Had I not found out what I did – my health would have increasingly declined and I would be dealing with much bigger challenges than I already do.

I can’t stress enough the importance of knowing what your body needs and doesn’t. Only then can you truly be on the road to helping your body be balanced. The beauty of this program is that it constantly changes. Why? Because you constantly change every four months. Your body is never the same. So what it needs now, it might not need in four months. I don’t want to overload my body with the things it doesn’t need just because they are healthy to eat. Nor do I want to deprive my body of what it needs just because I chose to live a certain way.

I am so thankful that many of my friends and family are also working with Sara. They too are finding that the road to health is not what works for everyone – but what works for their body. This is not eat for your body type. This is eat for YOUR body. Eat to live not live to eat.

Rest assured that your plan will be just for you. You will be taking the supplements your body needs and as it heals, adjusts and balances. Your supplements will change too.

I will be sharing many of my favorite recipes in the coming weeks. I will also share what my test results show in 3 months when I get tested again.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Sara. Together, she and I will support you on the journey to heal for your body.

One of My Favorite Things

2011-08-13T20:53:00.001-04:00

Is delicious and very nutritious!

Pumpkin Seed Butter is a valuable source of omega-6 Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs), and omega-9 fatty acid. Pumpkin seeds are a known source of magnesium, zinc, vitamin E and phytosterols, and have been used in both folk remedies and modern scientific studies for its benefits with bladder and prostate health. Traditional Chinese Medicine regards pumpkin seeds as a source of fertility and health for men and women.

This is simply the best-tasting Pumpkin Seed Butter available. There are no sugars added, or any kind of fillers like hydrogenated oils, starch, additives, stabilizers or artificial preservatives.

Ingredients: organic pumpkin seeds and oil, Celtic Sea Salt®.

I can’t wait for you to all try it and then come back here to let me know what you thought. Remember since it is made of pumpkin seeds – it is GREEN! I love to spread it on rice cakes, GF bagels and toast. It is also wonderful smeared onto a baked sweet potato.

How would you like it if I do this on a more regular basis?

In the coming weeks I will begin to share my new health journey and all that I am now learning. I need some time to process the changes I need to make and understand it all so that I can best share it with you. I look forward to introducing you to my new naturopath as well. She is a godsend for sure!

One Step at a Time Towards Optimal Health!

2011-07-31T20:23:00.001-04:00

I started walking one week ago as part of my new health journey and I’m LOVING it! I started out 20 minutes each day and now I’m up to 45 minutes a day with one day of rest. Which means I’m walking about 3 miles a day! YEAH!

Here is a great article I found on the health benefits of walking and why you should join me!

Written by the Mayo Clinic Staff

Walking is a gentle, low-impact exercise that can ease you into a higher level of fitness and health. Walking is a form of exercise accessible to just about everybody. It's safe, simple and doesn't require practice. And the health benefits are many. Here's more about why walking is good for you, and how to get started with a walking program.

Benefits of walking

Walking, like other exercise, can help you achieve a number of important health benefits. Walking can help you:

Lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol)
Raise high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (the "good" cholesterol)
Lower your blood pressure
Reduce your risk of or manage type 2 diabetes
Manage your weight
Reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety (improve your mood)
Maintain lean muscle
Increase cardiovascular endurance
Reduce the pain and joint swelling that accompanies arthritis
Improved sleep
Stay strong and fit

(Walkers have less incidence of cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and other killer diseases. They live longer and get mental health and spiritual benefits.)

All it takes to reap these benefits is a routine of brisk walking. It doesn't get much simpler than that. And you can forget the "no pain, no gain" talk. Research shows that regular, brisk walking can reduce the risk of heart attack by the same amount as more vigorous exercise, such as jogging.

Preparation helps avoid injury

Use proper technique
Walking is a great exercise because it's so simple to do. But using the correct posture and movements is essential.

Proper walking technique

Walk with smooth movements. As you walk forward, roll your foot from heel to toe. Avoid coming down hard with your heel on the ground.

Walking isn't as likely to lead to injuries as other types of exercise. Still, take time to prepare yourself to prevent injuries, such as blisters or muscle pain.

Get the right gear
Be sure to wear comfortable footwear. Choose shoes with proper arch support, a firm heel and thick flexible soles to cushion your feet and absorb shock. Before you buy a new pair, be sure to walk in them in the store.

Also dress in loose-fitting, comfortable clothing and in layers if you need to adjust to changing temperature. If you walk outside, choose clothes appropriate for the weather. Avoid rubberized materials, as they don't allow perspiration to evaporate. Wear bright colors or reflective tape after dark so that motorists can see you.

Warm up
Spend about five minutes walking slowly to warm up your muscles. You can walk in place if you want. Increase your pace until you feel warm.

Stretch
After warming up, stretch your muscles before walking. Include the calf stretch, quadriceps stretch, hamstring stretch and side (iliotibial) stretch.

Cool down after each walking session
To reduce stress on your heart and muscles, end each walking session by walking slowly for about five minutes. Then, repeat your stretches.

Getting started: Focus on the basics

As you get started, remember to:

Start slow and easy. If you're a seasoned walker, keep doing what you're doing. If you've been inactive and tire easily, it's best to start slow and easy. At first, walk only as far or as fast as you find comfortable. If you can walk for only a few minutes, let that be your starting point. For example, you might try short daily sessions of five to 10 minutes and slowly build up to 15 minutes twice a week. Then, over several weeks' time, you can gradually work your way up to 30 to 60 minutes of walking most days each week.
Measure the intensity of your workout. As you walk, measure the intensity of your workout by checking your heart rate. Knowing your heart rate allows you to increase the intensity to maximize your workout or slow down to avoid overdoing it.

To find out if you're exercising within the range of your target heart rate, stop walking to check your pulse manually at your wrist (radial artery) or neck (carotid artery). Another option is to wear an electronic device that displays your heart rate.

Set goals and track your progress

The good news is that walking — even only a modest amount — provides health benefits. For maximum benefits, work your way up to 30 to 60 minutes a day within your target heart rate zone, most days of the week.

To achieve these benefits, it can help to set goals, track your progress and take steps to stay motivated.

Set realistic goals
If your goal is to walk two hours a day 365 days a year, you might be setting yourself up to fail. Set realistic goals for yourself, such as 30 minutes five days a week.

And you don't need to do it all at once. Build walking into your schedule today. For example, walk for 10 minutes on your lunch break.

Track progress
Keeping a record of how many steps you take, the distance you walk and how long it takes can help you see where you started from and serve as a source of inspiration. Just think how good you'll feel when you see how many miles you've walked each week, month or year.

Record these numbers in a walking journal you create for yourself or log them in a spreadsheet on your computer. Another option is to use an electronic device — such as a pedometer — to calculate time and distance for you.

Stay motivated

Starting a walking program takes initiative. Sticking with it takes commitment. But when you think of the potential health benefits, it's well worth your effort. Over time you'll likely feel more invigorated. To stay motivated:

Make it fun. If you don't like walking alone, invite your spouse, partner, friend or neighbor to join you. You might also join a health club and use a treadmill.
Vary your routine. Plan several different walking routes for variety. But if you're walking alone, be sure to tell someone which route you're taking.

Sometimes things happen to keep you from sticking to a regular walking program. Don't be too hard on yourself when this happens. You don't have to let a few days off sabotage your plan to reach a higher level of fitness and improved health. Just revisit your goals and get walking.

You'll be glad you started

Even though the first steps of any journey can be the most difficult, it helps to keep your goals foremost in your mind. So remember, once you take that first step, you're on the way to an important destination — better health.

I hope this inspired you to join me –

What are you waiting for? Let’s go!

If you would like to read another great article about the health benefits and walking – click here!

Raw Vegetable "Pasta" with Tomatoes and Herbs

2011-07-21T22:25:00.001-04:00

Recipe by Whole Foods Market

Serves 6

Try this delicious "pasta" made from strips of summer squash and zucchini tossed with tomatoes, olive oil and fresh basil and oregano for a dish packed with bright flavors.

Ingredients

2 zucchini squash, shaved thinly lengthwise with a vegetable peeler
2 yellow summer squash, shaved thinly lengthwise with a vegetable peeler
Sea salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
5 oil-packed sundried tomatoes, drained and thinly sliced
1/2 shallot, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped basil
1 teaspoon finely chopped oregano

Method

In a large bowl, gently toss together all ingredients. Transfer to a platter and serve immediately.

Nutrition

Per serving (about 6oz/169g-wt.): 60 calories (25 from fat), 3g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 210mg sodium, 7g total carbohydrate (2g dietary fiber, 3g sugar), 2g protein

Yum Yum Grilled Veggie Tostada

2011-07-18T13:37:00.001-04:00

Another great recipe from Whole Foods Market

Serves 6

Grilling brings out the natural flavor and sweetness of zucchini, yellow squash, red bell pepper, eggplant and onion in these savory tostadas. Grill whole wheat tortillas for a crispy base and top with fresh salsa, sliced avocado and a squeeze of lime.

Ingredients

1 pound tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/3 cup finely chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 jalapeño pepper, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing tortillas
2 teaspoons chili powder
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 green bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into thick strips
2 yellow squash, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick slices
2 zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick slices
1 eggplant, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch thick rounds
1 large yellow onion, thickly sliced
6 (6-inch) whole wheat tortillas
1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and thinly sliced
Lime wedges for garnish

Method

Put tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt, black pepper and jalapeños into a medium bowl and toss to combine. Cover and chill.
Preheat grill to medium heat. In a large bowl, mix together oil, chili powder, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and garlic. Add peppers, squash, zucchini, eggplant and onion and toss to coat.

Working in batches, grill vegetables, flipping halfway through, until tender, 5 to 8 minutes total. Transfer to a platter as done. Lightly brush both sides of tortillas with olive oil and grill, flipping once, until just crisp and lightly charred on both sides, about 3 minutes total.

Place one tortilla on each of six plates and top with vegetables, salsa and avocados. Garnish with lime wedges and serve.

Nutrition

Per serving (about 19oz/549g-wt.): 380 calories (160 from fat), 18g total fat, 2g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 490mg sodium, 47g total carbohydrate (12g dietary fiber, 12g sugar), 10g protein

Lemony Cabbage-Avocado Slaw

2011-07-17T14:16:00.001-04:00

by Whole Foods Market

Serves 6

Creamy avocado and bright lemon make great partners in this colorful salad.

Ingredients

6 cups finely shredded purple and green cabbage
1 small red, orange or yellow pepper, chopped
1 ripe avocado, diced
2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup shelled hemp seeds
3 tablespoons cilantro leaves
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Method

Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl, until avocado is creamy throughout.

Nutrition

Per serving: 110 calories (60 from fat), 7g total fat, 1g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 115mg sodium, 10g total carbohydrate (5g dietary fiber, 3g sugar), 3g protein

A New Journey

2011-07-14T06:00:00.000-04:00

Is about to begin for me in the pursuit of truth and health.

Which means my desire to feel my best is way more important to me than my need to be right about what I currently know and am doing.

God continues to teach me that there isn’t necessarily one way of doing everything all of the time when it comes to our health and parenting. We need to change and grow as we learn about each area of our lives. Along my journey I have added things in and taken other things out. I have opened my mind to trying things I never imagined I would – which is a reminder for me to NEVER say NEVER!

I will be sharing my experience here with all of you in hopes to educate and inspire you to seek the same truth for yourselves.

I believe I may be eating some humble pie along this path and must be willing to truly give this over to God to see it through. I trust He has lead me here to heal His way and in His perfect timing!

Two weeks ago I went to see a new chiropractor and while getting ready to check out I was introduced to a patient of his who has dealt with many of my current health challenges.

#1 Adrenal Fatigue/Stress

#2 Hormonal Imbalances

She and I got in touch after our initial meeting, which led me to a practitioner in our area who deals with both issues. I just found out that she is also a born again Christian and has traveled down many roads that I have to find the truth about health. Our experiences have been different and yet we share many of the same beliefs.

In the coming weeks I will share more about Sara and the test she is running on me, along with the results, and the detailed outline on how to begin healing my body.

You might remember me suggesting a few weeks ago to have a blood test done to learn about what your body needs and what you are truly absorbing/not absorbing. Well, this test is better than that and it gives you extensive information about your body,the optimal diet for your body’s current needs and how to achieve that step by step.

Until I have the results and know more about it personally I will not be sharing more on it. So please be patient as I walk this out in front of all of you!

My husband recently asked me, “what would you be willing to give up or change in the pursuit of truth and finding it?” I think I am about to find out.

Please pray for me as I seek God’s wisdom and grace to not only listen to what I learn, but to apply it to my life!

More Tips for Transitioning

2011-06-28T08:54:00.001-04:00

Why more tips?

Because transitioning from a cleanse where you are committed to eating a certain way and following a program - to nothing becomes a bit challenging for many.

The most important lesson I have learned from doing many cleanses in the past is that I truly need to be prepared for the next phase – meaning…

I prepare a menu for myself a few days at a time and then shop accordingly.
I spend some time cutting up veggies for me to snack on and always have fresh organic hummus available to enjoy with them.
I make soups a few at a time. They are good for about three days in a glass container tightly closed kept in the fridge.
If I am going to be out for a long time, I bring along a cooler with fresh juice, an avocado, raw crackers, and cut up veggies. Depending on the length of time I will pack myself a salad and soup too.

These are just some of the things I do to ensure I set myself up for continued success for eating to live! As you can see none of this is hard to do, it just takes forethought and a bit of planning.

Another thing I want to touch upon today is why you can still deal with health challenges after changing your diet. Why some struggle with poor digestion and absorption issues and how to overcome them.

Healing takes time. Even after doing a month long cleanse as we did, the body still has a long way to go to achieve optimal health. It didn’t get to where it is in a month, nor will it get to where you desire in only a month. You all know the saying, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” Well, neither are your health challenges. Some of you may have been born with and will deal with certain health challenges for the rest of your life. Yet, there is still reason to change the way you eat to give your body all that it needs to feel it’s best. Sorry, but there is never a good enough reason to eat like a glutton and fill your body with toxins day in and day out. The body is amazing – yet, it can only take so much. Your health is totally reflective of everything you put into your body – both physically and mentally. Eating to live is a daily choice. So take it one day at a time and focus on the goal vs. the immediate gain. “Time heals all wounds”, is another wise quote that is a wonderful reminder when our goal is healing from the inside out.
Doing a cleanse is NOT an excuse to go back to eating processed foods and drinking sugar and caffeine all day long. Please don’t allow yourself to believe that you cleaned out and now it is OK to eat just as you did before. Trust me, one month of eating this way only touched the surface of what is left behind and needing to be flushed out. Not to mention, the body will quickly go back to how you felt once you begin filling it with the foods you ate before the cleanse.
Please chew your food. Yes, your mom was right. Don’t just swallow your food. Take the time to chew it so that they body can properly digest it and absorb it. Lack of absorption and digestive issues begin with how well we chew up our foods. That is why eating blended soups and juicing is so healthy for us. Blended foods, soups and juices have already done the hard work for us. We don’t need to break down the food. Our bodies can relax and simply take in all the nutrition from what we are eating and drinking. Remember to ask your doctor (naturopath) to test to see what you are low on and if you are dealing with absorption issues. If you are, learn about digestive enzymes and how often you need to take them. You may need a good probiotic for a short amount of time as well.
Keep cleaning house! That’s right you need to take time to keep flushing out the toxins stored up in your body and do everything you can to heal your digestive tract. Learn how to safely do enemas at home. Find a good colon hydro therapist in your area and make an appointment to learn more about the benefits of having their treatments done. Have lymphatic massages done as often as you can to help flush out toxins and build up your immune system.
Exercise at least 30 minutes a day (walking is free and you can do it anywhere). Just get yourself a quality pair of walking shoes (ladies that does not mean cute flip flops). You want to support your feet, ankles and knees, and allow the shoes to absorb the shock of every step you take. Swim now that it is summer. Rebound on rainy days. Go for a hike. Walk along the ocean in your bare feet. Go outside and weed your garden/yard. Just get moving!
You don’t have to be a raw foodist to experience optimal health. This might surprise many to hear and even bother some. But I don’t agree with being a 100% raw food eater only. I know many people live this way and believe eating raw food only - is the only way to achieve optimal health and sustain it. Sure there is a time and season for which to live this way. But forever, if not done right and with the proper guidance you will begin to become deficient on very important minerals, vitamins and protein. Not to mention you need to ensure you are getting enough healthy fats, etc. So, the good news for many of you reading this is - you can still enjoy eating grains and cooked foods. They just need to be in their natural form and NOT processed. Buy quinoa and rice that is NOT prepackaged with spices, etc. Make it fresh and add your own spices into whatever dish you are going to create. You can enjoy veggies steamed and slightly roasted. You can enjoy raw soups warmed to the touch. You can still eat pizza – just buy crusts that are made with quality ingredients and leave off the cheese. NOTE: If you are dealing with a serious health challenge then you won’t want to add in any grains or cooked foods until your body has gone through a complete cleanse – breaking down, rebuilding and restoring. Please go slow adding in grains and foods that are a bit harder to digest. Please avoid eating fruits and veggies high in sugar.

Even though I pointed out the above six things – none of them are a formula for guaranteed optimal health. Every body is different and needs to be dealt with on an individual basis. Your health needs are not the same as mine. Your life is not exactly like mine. HOWEVER, the truth in what I share will benefit everyone. We will all achieve our health results at a different pace and in a little varied way – because of how healthy/unhealthy our digestive tract is and what our specific health needs are at any given time.

Find a caring and knowledgeable naturopath to work with you, and share what you are learning, and together you can work towards optimal health. Ask them to help you learn more about what your body needs (what you are deficient in, are you not absorbing things, and if you need digestive enzymes, probiotics?) and then do everything you can to give your body those things!

Here are two more recipes to enjoy!

Herbed Alkalarian Butter
Shelley Redford Young

1 cup of Wilderness Family Naturals Coconut Oil
(I use Organic Extra Virgin cold pressed)
1/2 cup Barlean's Flax Oil
(you will find this in the refrigerated section of your health food store)
8 large garlic cloves
1 yellow onion
1/2 - 1 tsp. Real Salt
2 tsp. Italian Seasonings Spice Hunter (or your choice)
1 tsp. fresh Rosemary minced optional
2 tsp. minced sundried tomatoes

Directions:

Introduction: With Dr. Young's science based more and more around healthy fats, I have attempted to find another butter replacement. Many of you Alkavorians have been putting different oils (Udo's, Flax, Olive, and Essential Balance) on your steamed veggies and grains (Quinoa, Buckwheat etc), but now through the inspiration of Dr. Johanna Budwig who was a great advocate of the healing properties of Flax seed oil, I been able to come up with a combination of healthy oils and herbed seasonings that make a solid butter type spread. It melts beautifully once it hits something warm.. I call it Herbed Alkalarian Butter.

This is the Alkalarian's answer to butter. The coconut oil keeps the butter in a solid state (in the fridge) and the Flax oil gives it the rich golden appearance. Experiment with different herbs, spices and flavorings. Just put a paddy or two (a tsp. or two) over your steamed veggies or warmed grains such as Quinoa, Buckwheat, or millet or use it as a spread in your Tortilla wraps. It will melt on contact and spread a beautiful mix of herbs, seasonings, and healthy Omega and Lauric oils over your dish. Shiny and beautiful, and so good for you. Enjoy!

Dice the onion and garlic and put in a non stick pan with 3 TBS. of the coconut oil. Heat and cook until onion is clear, stirring as you go.

If desired, you may slightly brown the onions and garlic for a more roasted flavor. Then add the rest of the coconut oil and let it melt until clear. Stir to mix together. Do not cook. Take off burner.

At this point you may strain the mixture thru a strainer to take out the pieces of onion and garlic or you may leave them in.

Add salt, spices and seasonings of choice and the Barlean's Flax Oil. Stir mix well, and pour into small tubs and place into the refrigerator to set up.

Use on all your veggie dishes as a butter garnish or spread. Do not cook or fry with this Herbed Alkalarian butter as the heat will cause trans fatty acids to form. Keep the mixture raw and use only after you have cooked or warmed your food.

Great on the Zippy Breakfast!

Other suggestions: Add lemon juice to tang it up Use Frontier seasonings bottled without alcohol to enhance the taste.. example Mint or put fresh mint minced in the butter. Add diced pecans or almonds to make a more nutty butter.

My sweet friend Janice aka “The Beauty Chef” sent me this recipe for all of you to enjoy

Red Pepper Curry
2 red peppers (1/2 on the side)
1/2 pink lady apple leave out some for garnish
4 Tb. basil
1/2 of a med. red onion
1 small shallot
3 oz. raw pine nuts
1 avocado 1/2 out for garnish
1 Tb. curry powder
1 garlic piece
1 c. coconut water or almond milk
1 Thai chili or 1/2
1 tsp. Himalayan sea salt
2 Tb. chives chop and garnish some
1 lime (juice only and some zest for garnish)
2 Tb. olive oil or coconut or hemp oil
Edible flowers if available to garnish

Directions: Add everything to VitaMix or high speed blender except your garnish, blend till smooth then decorate your soup and enjoy with someone you love.

Week Four– Prepare to Transition

2011-06-21T10:00:00.000-04:00

I can honestly say that this has been one of the best cleanses I have done yet.

First, I was able to live out – anything worth having is worth working for. Every sacrifice made in earnest produces such sweet blessings.

I gave up what I did not need and what was stealing my inner balance, joy, peace and well being. I truly realized how much my body needed me to break some bad eating habits. Especially cravings for sweets. Which leads me to my next thought…

Second, I remembered pretty quickly how good it feels eating foods that the body immediately uses vs. feeling so tired, full or bloated after every meal.

Third, I am enjoying the time I spend preparing my meals and juicing. I now have a new favorite juice, soup and salad. The best part is that I look forward to making them – it has become a gift to myself daily. This cleanse has forced me to truly take care of myself. As a wife and mom of 9, I sometimes allowed the importance of that focus to slide behind everyone else. Without taking the best care of me – it becomes impossible for me to take the best care of those in whom I cherish.

Fourth, another truth has been showed to me over and over again – prepare for success or be prepared to fail. This means that I had to be sure all the ingredients I needed for juicing, soups and salads were on hand. It also meant that I needed to chop things a day in advance and plan out what I would be eating. I’m not really a weekly menu planner so this became another discipline added into this cleanse. I am organized and that helped me greatly with each weekly meal planning.

These are just some of the benefits that I personally experienced so far committing to this 30-day cleanse. My faith has grown leaps and bounds this month as well. I have experienced spiritual cleansing, which has healed me in ways no food ever could!

I just read this today (originally posted on Oprah.com April 5, 2011 by Susan Casey) and wanted to share it here.

Thing is, science is now catching up to something that nature has known all along: the rich greens, the vibrant yellows, the deep indigos of plants are key to our well-being. That meat we love so much? Proven to clog our arteries. Convenience foods-heavily sweetened and salted, laden with fat and chemicals-wreak havoc on everything from our immune systems to our moods to our weight. Here are the facts and they're not very pretty: Americans are the fattest people ever in history. Obesity, a body composition topping 30 percent fat, is the most pressing health crisis we face, with 34 percent of the adult population falling into that category (plus 29 percent of all children). If you add in the merely overweight it's closer to 68 percent. In the past 50 years the weight of the typical American citizen has increased, on average, by 25 pounds. If we continue at this rate, by 2050 every last person will have eaten himself into the danger zone.

"Every time you eat processed foods, you exclude from your diet not only the essential nutrients that we are aware of, but hundreds of other undiscovered phytonutrients that are crucial for normal human function," Joel Fuhrman, MD, writes in his new book, Eat to Live: The Amazing Nutrient-Rich Program for Fast and Sustained Weight Loss, which stresses the importance of a diet full of high-quality produce. Mehmet Oz, MD, who wrote the foreword to Fuhrman's book, believes that even a slight shift away from meat can improve your health. "What we really want to do is have people nudge themselves in the right direction," he told me. "If you want to have a few bacon bits on your salad, God bless you, fine. That's not where we're losing the battle. We're losing the battle when you have sausage for breakfast, a big pastrami sandwich for lunch, and pork chops for dinner."

Yet we live in a mass-produced, big-box culture, where economic interests hold sway. Meat, corn, sugar-they come cheap, and we buy them. Plus, we tend to like the taste. But there are steep hidden costs in a food system that makes calories rather than nutrients-from the factory farms that treat animals like parts on an assembly line to the fact that obesity-related ailments like heart disease, stroke, and diabetes are skyrocketing and account for approximately $150 billion in healthcare

As I often do - I spent time this month reading books, articles and health blogs that challenged me to really think about what I believe to be truth as it relates to breaking free for healthy living.

As you can imagine, some things I agreed with 100% (like the portion of the article above) and others not so much. The debate about what is best for us will live on longer than most of us. Even with all the disagreements from the top doctors and programs out there – one thing is constant that no one can deny:

The healthiest diet is one with high in fresh organic vegetables, fruits and grains. Low in processed foods, high sugar, caffeine, dairy and animal protein. Everyone agrees that we must exercise at least 30 minutes a day and spend time relaxing, as well as, getting enough sleep each night (at least 7 hours).

Now the way each professes is best to do these things is where the discrepancies come in. How much of this or that? When to eat? What to eat with what? What time of day is best for exercise? How much water you should drink? How much raw food vs cooked?

I can’t tell you what will be best for you in each area – but I can tell you that incorporating what we have done so far this month is a great way to live forever! No one argues about the benefits of juicing, and adding in raw soups and salads to every meal. No one argues that we have to avoid sugar at all cost in our diets. No one argues that we have to eliminate processed foods and all the chemicals (additives, preservatives, antibiotics, steroids, pesticides, etc.) we ingest.

I am not a raw foodist. I am a vegan (which means I don’t eat any dairy or animal products). I eat cooked foods in moderation. As a family we eat yeast, gluten and soy free products. Sometimes we cant avoid one ingredient and we don’t allow it to ruin our meal or life. We enjoy eating wraps filled with all of our favorite veggies and hummus. We enjoy eating vegan burgers that may have an ingredient or two that we don’t normally include in our diet. Yet, with every bite our hearts are full of joy because we eat to live – NOT live to eat.

Our children drink water all day with chlorophyll drops and a green powder (filled with over 50 veggies in it). They all ask for my fresh juice daily. They don’t drink soda or fruit juice (they enjoy coconut water with fresh juice mixed in). They don’t eat candy or any store bought sweets. Only for birthdays or special holidays do we all eat a cupcake, cake or pie. They LOVE to eat fresh fruit (watermelon, cantaloupe, blueberries and fresh picked berries) when they are fresh and in season. We all enjoy coconut ice cream. And our children love daddy’s weekly tradition Pancake Saturday! (They are GF, Vegan and filled with coconut oil, flax seeds, cinnamon and other secret goodness!)

Our children don’t feel left out at parties, holidays or even when we go to amusement parks. Because they don’t see us complaining about what we don’t eat or can’t have. Sometimes they will ask for this or that. Depending on what it is they asked for – we might get a small portion for everyone to enjoy (popcorn, roasted nuts, etc). They see us enjoying what is good for us and living out what we teach them. They have watched me sit at the table with them this month while they enjoyed many of my favorite meals. When they see me eating raw veggies now – a few have stopped me making sure it is OK during my cleanse to enjoy.

I don’t stress over the small things. I don’t worry about finding perfection in our diet as a family. Honestly, this side of heaven it would be next to impossible. If you grow your own organic vegetables and fruit – that is the closest you will get to pure eating.

So as you can see there are many benefits to the discipline of a cleanse – not just for you but for those around you.

Children are taught by what is caught. They learn more from what we do than what we say.

Cleansing helps our bodies absorb the foods we eat and liquids we ingest. Our digestive tracts are very delicate, they need to be taken care of and treated with the utmost respect. When we don’t it causes malabsorption issues for many of us (especially the older we get). It also creates an internal environment where it is harder for the body to use any of the foods we eat, where we become deficient on things that are vital for the body to work optimally.

Thus, it is good to plan 3-4 cleanse a year. It is vital to our health to allow the digestive tract time to rest and heal. You can do 3-7 day cleanses. Or you can commit to 3-4 cleanses like this (30 days) a year. No matter what cleanse you choose be sure you are committed to see it through and are prepared to make the changes necessary afterwards to help your body remain healthy. Cleansing should not be an excuse to eat unhealthy the rest of year, nor should they be done without respect for the body.

The body is our holy vessel – created perfectly, wonderfully and fearfully by God. We should treat it as such and life as a gift - as it was so freely given to each of us.

Now, it is time to prepare all of us for the final week and the weeks to come.

Here is a sample of my daily routine and how I will incorporate other foods into this week (and weeks to come):

I start day each day with 1 tsp pHoursalts and 4-6 oz water.

Breakfast: 16-24 oz of fresh green juice

Lunch: raw vegan soup and salad (homemade dressing), wrap filled with fresh veggies and hummus

Snacks: fresh veggies cut up dipped in hummus, homemade salad and guacamole, small bowl of fresh organic fruit (alkaline and high in water content), one of my smoothies, raw crackers, vegan chips and fresh made vegetable breads.

Dinner: raw vegan soup, salad, GF rice or pasta, steamed or slightly sautéed (or grilled) vegetables, vegan chili, and many other main dishes that you can find recipes for in my book and on the sites I mentioned throughout our cleanse.

I drink 3 liters of water with green powder and chlorophyll daily. Sometimes more when it is very hot and humid out or during exercise.

Exercise – walking 30 minutes a day, swimming as the weather permits and I will begin doing some form of yoga to help my body stay flexible. I also enjoy rebounding.

One thing I get asked about a lot that I want to touch on is, “what supplements do you recommend that I take?”

First, I am not a doctor and as such can’t tell you what to take or not to take. I can only suggest things that I use and have found to be helpful to healing my body. I don’t think every supplement and vitamin should be taken for life. Some are just for a season (during a health challenge or hormonal change). I don’t believe anyone needs to take 15 supplements either if they are eating a well balanced diet high in alkaline foods.

It can be very hard to make sure you are eating enough of everything and not begin to lose your pure joy in eating for health.

Many vegans are low in B’s and should look into taking supplements or B-12 shots. It is important to have enough healthy fats in your diet – the brain and the body needs them! Please add in a variety of healthy fats daily to ensure you are getting enough omega 3’s and 6’s, and minerals, etc! I know many worry about vegans getting enough protein – a deficiency can happen if your body is not absorbing all that you are eating and your diet lacks foods rich in protein. (A great product that we found to help with all of these concerns is VEGA – we buy it from *amazon.com)

This is why it is important to ask your doctor (a naturopath will do this) for a blood test that will let you know what vitamins, minerals, proteins and hormones that are out of balance (it also checks for thyroid imbalances). I am not sure what the name of the blood test is – but when I had it done it showed my doctor that I was not absorbing certain things and that I needed to take an enzyme before meals and a probiotic for a while. It has been a while since I had that test done and may ask to run it again. Just to be sure that I am not dealing with any mineral/vitamin deficiencies and not in need of anything to help my body during this season in life!

1,000 Ways

2011-06-15T08:35:00.001-04:00

To enjoy salads and life!

Every stage of this cleanse brings a whole new appreciation for my personal motto -

“Do NOT live to eat but EAT TO LIVE!”

Each time I eat now my body feels so good afterwards and alive.

I enjoy eating once again and don’t see it as a way to be filled up. I see it as it was meant to be – to nourish my body from the inside out. My skin is glowing once again and my hair even feels softer in just 14 full days of putting all organic and natural things into my body.

The most amazing thing is happening to me spiritually – I am coming ALIVE!

True health only comes from taking care of yourself -MIND, BODY and SOUL! What you feed your mind is often more damaging than what you feed your body! Stress will give you diseases just as fast if not faster than any food you eat! Our mind is a powerful weapon or TOOL – one will kill you – one will heal you!

God has awoken me from a deep sleep or winter hibernation or dulling of my mind from all the stress I was facing for so long. Whatever it was – I’m OUTTA there!

I can’t thank God enough for the blessing of His grace and the gift of His love daily in my life.

I can’t thank Him enough for the LIFE I get every time I eat of His word. Talk about coming away full and completely satisfied. There is nothing like it!

I could spend every waking hour sharing all the goodness of God and it would never be enough.

When I thank God for the food I eat – it is from a deep place within me that says without YOU this food would be empty. It would have no life and I would feel the same as I did before – eating and eating in hopes of becoming full.

Some of you may be a bit turned off that I am sharing my faith. I will not apologize for it because it is the driving force in who I am. It is what truly heals the body and nourishes the soul.

I can’t help but spend my life sharing the goodness of God and how thankful I am to have all that I do because of Him!

So when you face trials and the hardship of sickness – I pray you will seek the gifts He has waiting for you. I pray that you will break free from the lies of this world and allow yourself to know that you know that you know you are LOVED, CHERISHED, UNIQUE and DESIRED with an everlasting love.

Doesn’t matter what you have done, where you come from or the mess you made of your life – God is waiting to wrap you up in the comfort of His strength, mercy, grace and love. There is a peace you can never imagine waiting for you. Life will still be life –but with Him on your side things matter so much less. Because He is the one carrying the burden in ways you won’t even understand.

Oh how I want you to taste and see the goodness of the Lord with me!

You think food tastes good – there is NOTHING like the LOVE of God to fill you up with a joy unspeakable! NOTHING and I mean NOTHING compares to what He does in the hardest of hearts and the broken of this world!

Now if you would like a wonderful resource – last winter I shared one of our favorite cookbooks HERE (1,000 Vegan Recipes).

Go back over the posts from last week and use the resources I shared for delicious alkaline recipes. You could spend years making a new salad every day!

Even if you did NOT join us in the cleanse I hope you are trying the recipes and adding everything into your daily life! Replace one meal a day to start with either juicing, a raw soup or salad (leaving off the unhealthy dressings).

One change at a time adds up quickly for BREAKING FREE and TRUE HEALTHY LIVING!

Week Three–Salads

2011-06-13T10:54:00.001-04:00

The beauty of doing this kind of cleanse is that from start to finish it is gentle on the body. The first week is the hardest for all to get through because the body is breaking down, so that it can release the toxins stored inside our digestive tract, tissues and blood.

As we continue on we are adding in chopped salads, which are a delicious piece to our cleanse and rebuilding our bodies.

NOTE: Please be sure you are juicing 2-3 times a day, while drinking enough water with chlorophyll to stay hydrated and flush your system of more toxins.

The key to making beautiful salads is to use the freshest ingredients available. Chopping them with your Cuisinart not only saves time, but will help you eat more vegetables at one sitting. Using the food processor also helps you and your family eat vegetables you would otherwise not enjoy. When new vegetables are chopped small enough and mixed in with things you enjoy with a variety of delicious spices, you will not know the new ingredients are even in the salad mixture. If you do not own a food processor simply chop up the vegetables into very small bites.

Salad recipes are also from Breaking Free-Truths for Healthy Living by Jill Samter

Relaxing Red Cabbage Salad

2 cups chopped organic red cabbage
¼ cup sesame seeds
2 T sesame oil
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp sea salt

Directions: Combine cabbage and salt in a bowl. Massage salt into cabbage. Let sit for 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and mix well.

Avocado Delight

2 avocados, diced (keep separate until the end)
1 cucumber, diced
1 small jicima, diced
1 red pepper, chopped
1 carrot, shredded
½ red onion diced
1 bunch parsley, chopped (cilantro or dill)
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 sheets nori, slivered (use scissors)
juice of 1 lemon
2 T of olive oil

Directions: Mix all ingredients together and add avocado. Be sure not to mix too much or they will become too soft. This is really good served on or wrapped inside of red or white cabbage leaf.

Give me Life Salad

1 cup alfalfa sprouts
1 cup sunflower sprouts
1 cup pea sprouts
1 cup broccoli sprouts
grape tomatoes
1 avocado
juice of a lemon
2-3 T olive oil
Himalayan Crystal Salt to taste
Organic Hummus

Directions: Use your favorite sprouts, dice them up into bite size sections, cut up tomatoes and avocado and put into a bowl to mix together. Remember not to mash avocados – add last. Pour lemon and oil over mixture, salt to taste and put hummus either on top or on side of salad. We like to mix the oil, lemon and hummus together as our dressing. Have fun and add any veggies you are in the mood for to this mixture. Leftovers are great for stuffing into romaine leaves or organic sprouted tortilla wraps.

If you would like to replace a meal with a shake - Here are four of my favorite shakes found on page 164 Breaking Free- Truths for Healthy Living by Jill Samter. Simply blend all ingredients together until creamy and smooth…then ENJOY! You can add a scoop of ice into any smoothie as well.

Great Green Shake

Almond Butter Morning Shake

¼ cup spinach

¼ cup cucumber

1 cup coconut milk

¼ cup coconut juice (water)

1 medium avocado

dash of cinnamon

dash of vanilla

1 T organic raw almond butter

½ cup almond milk

¼ tsp alcohol free vanilla extract or grind fresh vanilla bean

Virgin Bloody Mary Smoothie

Energy and Beyond Shake

½ - 1 cup Tomato (organic) Juice or fresh tomatoes

½ cucumber peeled, seeded

1 medium avocado, diced

¼ tsp celery seed and spices to taste

sea salt to taste

½ T coconut oil

½ tsp of raw cacao powder

1 medium avocado

½ cup coconut milk

½ T raw almond butter

dash of cinnamon

dash of sea salt

Wishing you all a blessed week and know that I continue to pray for your healing through this journey!

This Weekend ONLY!

2011-06-11T08:42:00.001-04:00

Click on the link below or go directly here!

The Great Cancer Hoax: The Brilliant Cure the FDA Tried Their Best to Shut Down...

If you know anyone with cancer or who has been touched by cancer – I pray you will take the time to watch the movie being shown along with reading the article. It is ONLY free to watch in full this weekend - June 11 – 13, 2011.

TRUTH #1 Friends, you and I can have FULL confidence in healing our bodies. We don’t have to fear cancer. It does NOT have to own us even if we have to face it.

The truth is sometimes even more scary to face than the reality of disease.

Because we fight believing it is possible to be healthy after being told we must do x, y, and z or we only have such and such chances of survival. We can’t imagine going against the doctors because they know more than us and everyone else does it how they suggest. Our friends and family will think we are NUTS for trying anything natural. And there is NO proof that anything natural will work. Not to mention insurance won’t pay for anything we try naturally and it is too hard to find places near us to support our effort in doing this naturally. (Have you ever asked “why??” that information is NOT available – it is all there! We just have to dig for it!) Fear immediately creeps into our lives and often time wins. We walk down any road the doctors tell us and believe that our genetic make-up is more important than how we live our life.

TRUTH #2 How you live (eat, drink and think) has a direct impact on your health. More so than your genetic make-up. There are always the few who break this statement – they live to 90+ eating and drinking foods that would take others down within years. But that is NOT the norm in the world we live in today.

TRUTH #3 How you handle stress, who you hang out with, whether or not you exercise or have faith in God all directly impacts your health!

It is hard to live against the world’s stream (system) – you will feel lonely at times and for a long time you will explain why you choose to live your life the way you do. You will hear over and over again “Oh I could never do that.” or “Really you don’t eat (--------)?” “I could never do that!”

TRUTH #4 Most people don’t. Most will never support organic farming and demand NON GMO foods in every grocery store. Most will never question why things are done the way they are and just keep being led like sheep to slaughter. Most will never stop eating the toxic foods they do at mass quantities. Most refuse to see there might be another way to live. Most will reject the idea of anything alternatively until they have to face disease and possibly dying.

Isn’t that the human way – it takes something “bad” happening before we are willing to change any area of our lives?

We would never even seek God if life was easy.

We would never seek to learn anything about natural health if we always felt “good”.

Because we live in this false pretense that everything is fine and we can manage things perfectly as they are. Change is for others – not us.

I’m here to tell you that change is hard. If you think anything else it is a lie. Change is never easy and that is why so few do it.

We started out this cleanse with 40 people and I believe there are only 6 left.

I am not surprised. This is not new to me. I have seen it time and time again.

People email me and try to explain to me why they can’t do it. They explain why it is just too hard from them. They explain all the reasons and will try again some other time. (yes, there are times when it is best to stop cleansing and try again later)

Sadly, that time never comes.

I only wish they knew that I am not upset or disappointed in them. They are not doing anything to me. I just share what I know and pray it helps each of you in your journey to find the truth about health.

My faith and personal relationship with God is constantly growing because of the trials I face. Not because of the easiness of life. It takes certain situations to make me look up and NOT in. God allows them all for my heart to be stretched and my faith to grow in His faithfulness to see me through. They always force me to change how I view life – others, myself and the world we live in.

If left on my own I would be a mess with no direction at all. I’m thankful God lights a path unto my feet and gives me the grace to get back up and onto it when I have fallen off!

TRUTH #5 Even if you do all things “right” and live as naturally as possible – you and I have NO control of whether or not we will face cancer or death.

So then why do it? people ask me.

I can only answer that for myself.

Because the truth about health has set me and my family free. I have personally seen what my choices have done to my health and those that I love. I have watched 100’s of others be set free and live disease free as well.
Because nothing can change the truth and that is eating and living your life as naturally as possible lowers the risk of disease overcoming your body by 75% or higher!
Because I no longer believe I have to control my health – I simply desire to give my body all that it needs to resist and fight against disease! I rest in that and enjoy LIVING!
Lastly, because I don’t live to eat. I eat to live!

You can resist change and truth all you want – but in the end it will be that resistance that causes you greater harm.

My prayer for continuing this blog and sharing all that I do is that it will encourage you to seek the very truth I know is out there and let it change you from the INSIDE OUT!

More Recipes…

2011-06-09T08:01:00.001-04:00

I’m hoping you enjoyed the soups yesterday as much as I did.

Here are the two I enjoyed…

Jill’s Broccoli/Cauliflower Soup (4-6 4 oz servings)

1 cup almond milk
1 cup water
1 head of broccoli
1 head of cauliflower
1 garlic clove
salt/pepper to taste
2-4 TBS Olive Oil
splash of coconut water

Directions: steam both broccoli/cauliflower for 4 minutes, in Vitamix add olive oil, coconut water,almond milk, salt/pepper and slowly add in broccoli and cauliflower - as needed add in water

I blended it so it was nice and creamy!

Tomato Soup:

4 roma tomatoes (or equivalent)
2 green onion tips (using about 1 inch of white/light green part)
¼ green pepper
1 cup organic vegetable broth
1 avocado or ¼ pkg soft tofu (I use an avocado)
1 teaspoon sea salt
Pepper to taste

Directions: Liquidity all ingredients in high speed blender or Vitamix. Heat just to warm. (we eat cold…yum)

Here is the healthiest and most delicious morning smoothie I have found – (my in-loves have enjoyed this every morning for the last 196 days!!!)

AvoRado Kid Super Green Shake by Dr. Robert O. and Shelley Young

1 avocado
½ English cucumber
1 tomatillo (I just use a good medium size tomato or large roma tomato)
1 lime (peeled)
1 lemon (peeled) *I added this and love the addition
2 cups fresh raw spinach
2 scoops green powder (I get this from the pHmiracleliving.com site)
1 pkg stevia (the white powder form of this is my favorite. I now have a box of Sweet Leaf just because of this shake!)
Ice cubes

Directions: Liquidity all ingredients in high speed blender or Vitamix.

Last week as I was preparing for this week and the rest of the month I found this wonderful resource for alkaline recipes and information – check it out here! I can’t wait to try recipe # 122 and 121 – there are so many excellent recipes on there it will take me a while to get through trying the ones that sound the best to me. This is how I used to eat before the stress from the last year and our big move 8 weeks ago. You will find many soup and salad recipes here too!

Another site with recipes is here.

This one has photos of 100’s of recipes and they are voted on too – my in-loves have tried so many recipes from here in the last two weeks and can’t stop raving about them.

Here are their favorites so far with a little note from our mom about how she cooked them, etc.

Cauliflower steaks...need lots of extra dehydrating
Garlicky toasts...delicious
Zucchini Basil soup....good
Avocado fries....good but don't come out crunchy...I cut them up and used them in salad...probably not worth making
Cauliflower-Avocado dish.....added sun dried tomatoes...put avocado in right from start...GREAT
Zucchini Lasagna...Delicious....cooked at 250 for about 30 min...used marinara sauce from same website was great
Cold eggplant w/ Basil...Delicious..Cooked about 2 hrs
Zucchini w/ Marinara Sauce...sauce excellent...used on Zucchini Lasagna

One of our favorite raw cooks books is Living in the Raw by Rose Lee Calabro – you will have a great time trying many of her recipes. Mom and Dad are coming for a visit soon – we will go through our books and share our favorite recipes with you!

A note about raw cookbooks – just because a recipe is in there doesn’t necessarily mean it is healthy. Many raw foodists are just glorified junk food eaters. They eat way too much sugar from natural sources and overload on raw chocolate. Neither will ever help the body heal. I read a great article on superfoods yesterday that I hope you take the time to read here. And if you are like me and enjoy cinnamon, this site sells the best cinnamon I have ever tasted!

One last thing – I mentioned last week about the book Anti-Cancer and wanted to let you know I’m digesting every page of this book. I can’t thank the author enough for putting the amount of time and energy he did into writing it. I know from my own experience what it was like researching to find truth and then writing it in a way that everyone can understand it. He is a brilliant doctor and understands things you and I never could, yet, this book is easily understood.

That’s it for today! Wishing you all a blessed day! Thankful for the blessing of fresh summer veggies!

Week Two – Juicing and Soups

2011-06-07T08:41:00.001-04:00

I am so excited to be adding in soups tomorrow. Soups are a comfort food to me and always have been. I love so many soup recipes that this will be a wonderful addition back into my daily regimen. I’m also excited about tasting many new ones that I have found. You will be amazed at the number of delicious vegan alkaline recipes out there now. When I first began this journey 8 years ago there were no websites promoting this. I could only read books on it and there weren’t many. Praise God for how many people have decided to take back their health naturally and are sharing their amazing culinary skills with us.

Starting tomorrow – you can add in raw vegan soups (which can be heated to 110-118 degrees – you can safely put your finger into it.)

Begin each day following week’s one instructions and then 3 times a day you can enjoy fresh organic soups. Please keep juicing at least 3 times a day, drink enough water and chlorophyll to ensure the body is hydrated, as well as, being able to flush out the toxins stored in your system.

This is what is waiting for me tomorrow!

If you missed the soup recipes I shared the other day – here you go! I can’t wait to hear what your favorite soups are and any recipes that you would like us to all enjoy along with you!

Please watch and share…

2011-06-05T16:00:00.000-04:00

My father-in-love was diagnosed with mouth and throat cancer two years ago. He went through traditional treatments (chemotherapy and radiation). On his one year visit and full scan they discovered that he now had cancer in his lungs and there was nothing modern medicine can do.

The news was heartbreaking, however, my husband and I encouraged our parents to seek alternative help, and now six months later they are both thriving, full of life and continue to learn all they can about healing their bodies naturally.

Yesterday, they called to tell me about a book by a 15 year brain cancer survivor, Dr. David Servan-Schreiber. I just ordered his book and found the following video for all of you to watch and share. You can watch many others about his story and his findings on *youtube.

Everything he says is more confirmation of our personal decision to never eat the majority of foods found in a grocery store or fast food again. Parents please listen to what he has to say about cell phones and children using them.

My heart breaks for how this country is so fooled into believing what doctors are telling us and suggesting is best for our health. Please seek the truth – I promise you it will be found and you just might save your life or a loved one along the way!

His book is Anti-cancer, A New Way of Life, New Edition. Watch the video by the author on the page to see the book.

I loved this review on his book:

In "Anti-Cancer: A New Way of Life," French-born psychiatrist and neuroscientist Dr. David Servan-Schreiber discusses his fifteen-year battle with brain cancer. Although conventional treatments worked initially, the cancer recurred. Fortunately, he has been cancer-free for the past seven years, and he attributes his success to an anti-cancer regimen that, he asserts, boosts the body's natural defenses. Dr. Servan-Schreiber does NOT encourage cancer patients to reject their doctors' advice concerning surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation treatments. However, he does believe that there is nothing to lose and everything to gain by making changes in one's diet, level of physical activity, psychological attitude, and environment.

This book is an informative and eye-opening look at the mechanisms of cancer, explained in a way that a layman can understand. There are many helpful charts, tables, and illustrations that clarify the sometimes technical information about the latest research on the genesis and progression of cancer. The author maps out how rogue cells are nourished and conversely, how they can be starved of the nourishment that they need to multiply. Although researchers have undoubtedly made a great deal of progress, Servan-Schreiber assures us that we have a long way to go before we can declare victory over the many types of cancer that still plague mankind. In addition, he includes well-chosen quotations from literature (such as Tolstoy's "The Death of Ivan Ilyich"), philosophy, and other physicians and scientists to illustrate his points, some of which deal with our fear of dying without having lived a full and meaningful life.

"Anti-Cancer" is a personal, touching, instructive, and thought-provoking. Whether or not the reader is interested in adopting the author's recommendations concerning diet, exercise, meditation, and other lifestyle changes, no one who completes this book will ever think about cancer or about the human body in quite the same way. Servan-Schreiber is not a new-age charlatan who advocates far-out therapies. Everything that he suggests is based on solid and well-documented research, and he includes numerous citations from scientific journals.

Although no one wants to confront a fatal illness, Servan-Schreiber contends that his battle with cancer has had a positive aspect. "By exposing life's brevity, a diagnosis of cancer can restore life's true flavor." Forced for the first time to look into his soul and evaluate his approach to living, he realized that he had been caught up in a treadmill that allowed him little time to appreciate the importance of mind-body equilibrium, inner peace, relationships with loved ones, and personal fulfillment. Everyone, no matter what the state of his or her health, can benefit from this stimulating and provocative work.

As Dr. David Servan-Schreiber says and I agree, “everyone has nothing to lose and everything to gain from learning this valuable information”.

I have yet to read the book, thus, I can not 100% stand behind anything in it. Once I am done reading it, I will give my own personal review of the book and how I will add or eliminate certain things from our diet.

Note: This blog is only my opinion. It is not medical advice or diagnosis. Only opinions based upon our own personal experiences or information detailed in medical/academic journals or other publications is cited. WE DO NOT OFFER MEDICAL ADVICE or prescribe any treatments. Please consult with a medical professional before making any diet or nutrition changes.

Get Your Soup ON!

2011-06-05T06:00:00.000-04:00

OK, with week two of our cleanse quickly approaching I wanted to be sure you have some recipes to choose from so that you can be properly prepared for the week.

I will post week two instructions on Tuesday – we begin our new segment of the cleanse on Wednesday.

Feel free to go on line and gather other vegan raw soup recipes as well. These are just some of our favorites.

All recipes will be perfect for the next few weeks and to be enjoyed for months to come – please eat them blended this week, and then you can make them chunkier. Our goal is to keep allowing our digestive tract time to rest and release toxins.

Soup Recipes and instructions on how to make them can be found in Chapter 9 of Breaking Free: Truths for Healthy Living by Jill Samter

Broccoli Soup (pg. 184 Breaking Free: Truths for Healthy Living)

2 Cup broccoli
2 Cup sprouts (any variety – buckwheat, sunflower, etc.)
1 Cup fresh celery juice
1-2 carrots
1 T coconut oil
1 tsp dry mustard
¼ tsp Celtic salt or to taste

Directions: In blender, mix all ingredients on high and serve.

Italian Tomato Soup (pg. 184 Breaking Free: Truths for Healthy Living)

6 very ripe tomatoes
2 cups sprouts (sunflower, pea shoots, clover or any combination)
1 cup fresh vegetable juice (cucumber and celery)
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 cup fresh basil
1 T virgin olive oil
¼ tsp Celtic Salt
¼ tsp oregano
3 cloves, minced

Directions: In a blender, mix all ingredients and serve. Garnish with extra sprouts.

Healing Cabbage Tomato Soup (pg. 184 Breaking Free: Truths for Healthy Living)

1 C fresh tomato juice
4 cups cabbage (red or white)
2 cups sprouts (any variety that you like)
3 red peppers (seeded)
½ small yellow onion
1 TB virgin olive oil or coconut oil for a sweeter taste
1 clove garlic

Directions: Blend on high until desired consistency. Garnish with sprouts and chopped peppers.

Spinach – Cucumber Energy Soup (pg. 189 Breaking Free: Truths for Healthy Living)

3 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and cut in chunks
1 large bunch spinach, leaves removed from stems
2 avocados, 1 cut into chunks, 1 diced
Juice of 1 lemon
1 cup purified water
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled
1 jalapeno pepper (or to taste)
2-3 cloves garlic
1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
1 bunch dill, finely chopped
1 ½ tsp cumin
1 red pepper, minced
1 zucchini, diced
1 carrot, grated
1 cup alfalfa sprouts

Directions: Puree cucumber, spinach leaves, the avocado that has been cut into chunks, lemon juice, and purified water in a blender or food processor, adjusting water for desired consistency. Finely chop ginger, jalapeno and garlic in a mini food processor and add to the puree in blender according to taste. Add cilantro, dill and cumin. Blend all together well and pour into a large bowl. Stir in zucchini, red pepper, carrot and alfalfa sprouts. Enjoy!

Gazpacho:

Tomatoes (really great over ripe ones) cut into wedges. Get different varieties for more complex flavor.
1 red onion sliced
1/2 green garlic sliced
4 garlic cloves smashed
1 cucumber seeded and rough chop
1 or 2 scallion rough chop
Basil
Cilantro (if you want)
Oregano
Red pepper flake (just gives a little heat)
Salt and pepper
Lots of lemon and pinch of lime
Olive oil (1-2 TB)

Combine all in large bowl. Season to taste. Let the acid and salt cook the vegetables. Cover with plastic and let sit in fridge over night. Blend when veggies break down and you can see some more liquid in bottom of the bowl.

Blend well and check for seasoning. You can eat immediately or store in fridge for up to two days.

The next four recipes are from Dr. Robert and Shelley Young’s book Back to the House of Health

Broccoli and Cauliflower Soup

2 heads Broccoli
1 Head Cauliflower
1 Onion
½ Head of Cabbage
¼ Bunch of Parsley

Put tablespoon of grape seed oil and lightly heat. Put cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage and onion in pot. Heat lightly for a couple of minutes. Cover veggies with water and bring to 118 degrees. Let stay in water for twenty minutes then blend. Season to taste

Healing Soup

1 Head Broccoli
1 Celery Bunch
1 Green Cabbage Head
1 Bunch Parsley
1 Head Cauliflower
3 Garlic cloves
2 TB of minced ginger

Put all veggies in 3 quarts of water. Bring to temp (118 degrees or less) and let sit for 30 minutes then blend. Season to taste.

Cilantro Lime

1 Head Green Cabbage
2 Bunch green beans
1 Bunch Asparagus
1 large Green Pepper
½ bunch of cilantro
1 onion
2 garlic cloves
lime

Cook peppers, onion and garlic first in a light amount of grape seed oil. Add all other veggies and cook down for a minute or so. Cover with water and bring to temp. Add fresh cilantro when blending and a little lime juice when blending.

Cream of Broccoli

1 Large Broccoli Head
½ Onion
2 Garlic Cloves
¼ Cup Almond Milk

Lightly cook onion and garlic first. Add broccoli and cook down for a minute. Cover with water and bring to temp. Add Milk in blender and puree with soup.

Confetti Soup

½ Zucchini (diced)
½ Yellow Squash (diced)
Handful Cherry Tomatoes (sliced)
1 Head Cauliflower (Chopped)
1 Cup Almond Milk

Place all veggies on an oiled sheet tray. Roast all veggies in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes. Puree cauliflower and milk. Add diced veggies to float in.

Green Raw Soup

1-2 Avocados
1-2 cucumbers peeled and seeded
1 Jalapeno pepper, seeded
1/2 yellow onion, diced
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1-2 cups of vegetable broth or water
3 cloves of roasted garlic
1 TB fresh cilantro
1 TB fresh parsley
1 carrot, finely diced

Puree all ingredients (except onion and carrots) in food processor or Vita-Mix. Add more or less water to desired consistency. Add onions and raw crunch carrot bits at the end for garnish. You can eat this warm or cold.

I would love to hear from everyone and how you are doing! Drop me an email or leave a comment. Know that I continue to pray for each of you. I am sure others would love to have your favorite recipes so please share

You need to know

2011-06-04T06:00:00.000-04:00

The truth about the foods you eat…

Another reason why cleansing is so important. If you have been eating processed foods and milk products – your body is overloaded with dangerous toxins.

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I hope you are encouraged by this video to learn all you can about a healthy lifestyle. Please let me know how you are doing on the cleanse and any prayer request you have.

I’m getting excited to share many soup recipes for our 2nd week of the cleanse. Do you have any favorites you would like to share? Or a juice combo that you love?

Things to DO on a Cleanse

2011-06-03T07:59:00.001-04:00

One of my dearest friends is doing this cleanse with me. After thinking about her experience already on the cleanse – I wanted to give all of you encouragement, and reminders of things to do and not to do. I hope this helps you stick to only juicing this week and follow the program to ensure you get the best results.

DO – juice as often as you want. You can juice up to 8 times a day. This is not a fast. This is a cleanse. This is the beginning of giving your body the rest it needs and help it to let go of toxins built up in your body.

If you are hungry – juice. If you are tired rest. If you feel like too many toxins are building up in your system (you feel nauseous, achy, extra tired, flu like, etc) then please use a natural product to help move toxins through your digestive tract. (I use pHlush from pHmiracleliving.com) You can do wheatgrass enemas, colon hydrotherapy, have lymphatic massages, and go for infrared sauna treatments. All will help you release toxins and quicken the healing process.

DON’T – cheat. You have all heard the expression – “cheaters never win”. I can’t emphasis enough how important it is NOT to cheat during cleanse.

So what is cheating during a cleanse – eating. Chewing sends the body into digestion mode. It sends a signal all throughout your body that it is time to work. Juicing only this week is telling your body to relax. We don’t want to confuse the body. A confused body won’t heal. It needs to trust in what you are doing to really let go of the toxins stored throughout your body. Healing takes time. The reason many people gain weight after a quick cleanse is because it was not long enough to rid the body of addictions to sugar and salt (processed foods – packaged snacks, canned products, frozen meals, etc). Nor is it long enough to rid the body of toxins that are trapped in the tissues and blood. It takes at least four months of truly clean (alkaline) eating to cleanse and renew the blood. One month cleanse is just the beginning of that process. It is long enough to help all of us break free from whatever foods we craved. It is also long enough to help us break free from letting our minds rule the way we look at food and let it rule us.

NOTE: Short cleanses and fasts (3-4 days) are wonderful to do on a regular basis. They do give the body time to rest. However, the results will not be the same from that length of cleanse as it will from doing all the steps we are taking this month. I highly recommend that everyone do short cleanses at least three times a year after doing a full cleanse like this.

NOW if you MUST chew on something – please peel a cucumber and slice it very thin and then chew it very well. Or you can have a very small chunk of watermelon. But please ONLY do this if you MUST chew on something this week.

DO – exercise each day for at least 30 minutes. Walking is the best. Anything that gets your body moving and works up a sweat is great! Remember to breath in through your nose and out through your mouth during all exercise. Rebounding, swimming and yoga are wonderful too. Exercise helps pump and cleanse the lymphatic system. Which helps build up our immune system. Which helps us all feel better in every way – mind, body and spiritually. Some people sweat quickly – so don’t stop exercising just because that starts within the first three minutes – keep going at a pace you can do while still holding a conversation.

Exercise is a wonderful stress release. My favorite thing to do is play worship music on my mp3 player while I exercise. I fill my mind with praise, and worship God for a full 30 minutes. It is a double health benefit and blessing.

Please check with your healthcare professional (a naturopath is best to work with if you are choosing to do alternative healing methods) if you are dealing with any health challenges before beginning this cleanse.

DON’T – over do it this month. Extreme exercise has a time and place. During a cleanse is not one of them. Please don’t cleanse and train for a marathon. Please don’t cleanse and run at an extreme pace or weather. Especially the first week of our cleanse while the body is not as strong because of all that is going on inside from only juicing. Jogging for 3-6 miles at slower pace and early morning or dusk is fine.

DO – drink enough water and chlorophyll each day. You do NOT want to go through this cleanse dehydrated. You want to be flushing all the toxins that are beginning to be released each day out of your body. The liquid chlorophyll helps build up the blood while cleaning it out.

DO – spend time each day being still. Rest your mind and allow the stress of your daily life to be released. Pray and meditate for at least 10 – 20 minutes each morning and night. Turn off your phone, computer, etc during this time. Don’t allow anything to distract you from simply being still and quiet. This is not easy for most people and takes practice to get good at it (meaning not just sitting there while your mind wonders from thought to thought). I have personally found the more time I spend in prayer and talking to God (more importantly listening) the healthier I feel each day. When I notice my mind trying to wonder back to what I have to do or did not do – I quickly begin to thank God/Jesus for something or someone in my life and pray for that person. Then I will be still again. Reading my bible always gives me peace. It fills my mind with truth and His love. Even in my darkest hours when nothing else would ever bring me peace – His truth has never failed me. God’s love heals in ways nothing else can. It can soften the hardest of hearts and bring peace to the crushed in spirit. I pray you will begin leaning on Him more each day and see the beauty that comes from His love overflowing in your life. There is nothing like being washed from the inside out by His mercy, grace and love. I would love to pray for you or with you if you would like to experience the cleansing work of God (Jesus as your Savior) in your life.

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Father, thank You for all those who are coming here today to read more about the work You desire to do in our lives. To live a life set apart for You and Your glory. Father, I thank You for the cleansing work of Your Son in my life. I thank You for the gift of being able to cleanse my body physically, emotionally and spiritually this month. I thank You that I can trust in You to be faithful to finish the good work You have begun in each of us. I thank You that You never leave us, nor forsake us. I thank You that You desire to always carry our burdens and will give us the grace to get through them. I thank You for giving us the strength and perseverance we each need daily during this cleanse to do all the things needed as husbands, wives, parents and employees. Father, I ask that You break the strongholds that food has in our lives and help us to resist any temptation to eat the things that cause us to be sick, tired and emotionally unstable. I ask that You heal us from living to eat and give us the grace to eat to live. I ask that You guide each of us individually to eat the things our body needs to heal from the inside out. I pray that even when physical healing is not Your will that Your love would be our comfort, strength and joy. I pray that each person here today draws closer to You and falls more in love with You than they were yesterday. That their soul and body long for You. That they would be willing to cleanse their home of all things that can never give You the glory, and would choose You over anything this world has to offer. I pray that You would show them all areas of their lives that need cleansing and give them the strength to obey You. God, I thank You that when we set our minds, hearts and bodies to focus on You alone – You do more than we could ever dare to ask or imagine. I love You Lord. I need You. I desire to walk ever so closely with You today. I pray all of this in Jesus most glorious name. AMEN!

I Know I Can..

2011-06-02T07:44:00.001-04:00

I woke up very early this morning as my body wanted something to eat.

Not surprising as today marks the second day of our cleanse and my body is beginning to realize I’m not going to feed it all day long.

Yesterday, was not easy for me. I knew it wouldn’t be with the way I ate leading up to the cleanse. But even with being out for hours and going grocery shopping for our family – I did NOT give into the temptation to eat a tiny bit of the delicious fresh foods I bought.

I know I can do this, because God is truly the power and resource I’m relying on to help me when I am weak.

I refuse to give up or give in – because I know that my health is worth more than a moment of gratification when I eat something I desire or crave.

Many people struggle to get past the first three days of cleanse because they are so hard.

They are hard because you are hungry. They are hard because you start to not feel good. They are hard because your energy level drops a bit. They are hard because you must use the bathroom more. They are hard because your body begins to release toxins from your skin and digestive tract. They are hard.

Thus, the reason not everyone does them all of the time. Nor do most people ever do them their entire life!

Anything worth having is worth working for. Not sure who said this famous quote but truer words have not been spoken.

I have learned through the 8 yrs of living a healthy lifestyle that every choice I have made is worth it in the long run. Often hard at first but so worth the effort and diligence put into that decision!

My body is very sensitive to change so I already feel things happening inside. I woke up and knew I needed to get my first liter of greens in me. I will juice a bit earlier today as well to help my body adjust to juicing only.

Please remember EVERY BODY IS DIFFERENT so EVERY BODY will REACT DIFFERNTLY to this cleanse.

Your results will not look like anyone else’s for a reason. We all came into this with different lifestyles and food choices for however long. We all came into this with different health challenges. We all came into this with different life challenges and spiritual readiness.

The one thing I ask you is this – please don’t give up on yourself!

You are worth this goal! You are worth the hard work it will take every single day and sometimes every single moment to push through to finish the 30 day cleanse.

I am here praying for you and will do my very best to support you in any way I can.

Don’t let the fear of how you feel each day stop you. Know that your body is created to heal itself and as long as you are giving it the proper amount of juice and water each day – this cleanse is perfectly safe! Let how you feel encourage you to keep going on.

**If for any reason you feel something is dangerous to your health because of your specific health challenges coming into this cleanse – please contact your healthcare professional.

Father, thank You for another day to lay down my wants and give my body as a living sacrifice to You. I trust that You are working in every area of my life and have already seen that yesterday! You are so faithful to finish the good work You start in each of us. Help us to remain strong and not give up on You through this month. Help us to keep our eyes focused on all that You have for each of us through this cleanse. Father, cleanse us all of all toxic things in our lives. Help us to willingly let go of them and be ready to receive all the good things You have for us instead. Help us to trust in the path before each of us and to count every challenge as joy! God, I can’t thank You enough for every person joining in this cleanse and I ask You to be their strength and comfort this day. I look forward to hearing all the ways You are blessing them through their obedience to Your calling them to do this cleanse. God grant them peace and joy today! I pray these things in Jesus most holy name! AMEN!

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I loved my juice yesterday…

2 celery sticks
1 cucumber
1 cup red leaf lettuce
1 bunch baby pea sprouts

I’ll be making many variations of this today and adding in dandelion greens (they are excellent for detoxing the liver).

Does anyone have a favorite green juice recipe to share?

Week ONE – Cleanse

2011-05-31T22:20:00.001-04:00

OK, here we go on a month long journey together cleansing from the inside out!

I’m so excited to begin this cleanse with you, because I know how great you will all feel at the end of the month if you stick to it and push through the hard days along the way.

Week One Daily Schedule Sample: Please be sure to drink at least 32 oz of fresh green juice each day (no fruits or high sugar veggies).

Upon waking up – 1 tsp pHoursalts or (aluminum free baking soda) in 4-6 oz purified/ionized water

Please take time to pray and fill your mind with God’s love, truth and power! He will be your strength and comfort as you begin each day. He will reveal truths to you that need to be cleansed physically, emotionally and spiritually. Ask Him to fill you to overflowing with His wisdom and love. There is no greater power to move mountains in our lives than His love!

1/2 hour later - drink one liter of purified/ionized water with 4 oz of liquid chlorophyll

1 hour later – juice 8-16 oz of fresh organic green vegetables (see recipes below for ideas on what to juice each day and read chapter #7 in my book as well). You can add organic lemon or lime juice to your water or green juice.

1 hour later – drink another liter of water (I will be mixing in a green powder drink that I purchase from phmiracleliving.com) You can also add in 2 oz. of liquid chlorophyll.

When you begin to feel a bit hungry - juice 8-16 oz of fresh organic green vegetables. You should be juicing 4-6 times a day.

Two hours before bed - drink your final liter of water.

**Please drink at least 2.5 to 3.5 liters of filtered/ionized water a day (the amount of water you need to drink will vary depending on how much you currently weigh).

1 hour before bed – 1 tsp pHoursalts or (aluminum free baking soda) in 4-6 oz purified/ionized water

Here is a post on the health benefits of green juicing. Take time to read it for encouragement and understanding of what we are doing this week!

Here is another one I shared two years ago on juicing.

A few juicing tips:

Don’t gulp it down Most people, when drinking fresh juice, will just drink it like a glass of water. But what you want to do is chew your vegetable juice. This does a few things. First it warms the juice to body temperature. This is important because most people store their vegetables in their refrigerator. Next, when you chew your juice, the vegetable juice mixes with your saliva which further helps your body absorb the nutrients in the juice faster.
I know you probably have your favorite vegetables that you like to juice. But variety is the spice of life and variety is important when juicing.By constantly changing the vegetables you juice, you get a broad spectrum of nutrition. This means that while one vegetable may be low in a certain vitamin or mineral, another vegetable may not. By having variety, you smooth out the bumps so to speak. Variety is also important because it is said that if you have the same food every day for more than 4 days in a row, then your body will create an allergic reaction to the food. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule and some people who are sick, such as with cancer, may find themselves juicing wheatgrass or carrots every day. In times of illness, etc, the body is able to identify what is "medicine" for the body. As a result, a person who is sick may not develop an allergic reaction to wheatgrass or carrots even if they drink the same juice every day. This is because the body needs the "medicine" found within the wheatgrass or any other vegetable. But generally speaking, for general health and well being, do juice a variety of vegetables.
If your juice is bitter – you can add a drop or two of pure vanilla extract(alcohol free) or GRADE B Maple syrup. Or you can use stevia. Stevia is a natural sweetener that contains no sugar and does not affect insulin. With stevia, less is more. You can add just 1 drop but sometimes 2 drops of stevia to your juice. Stevia is a nice replacement for apples or carrots and helps remove the bitterness of some the dark green vegetables. You can get stevia from your local health food store.

Cleansing Juice Recipes: (always wash your vegetables before juicing)

Alkaline Green Juice

2 Sticks of Celery
Handful of Spinach
½ a Cucumber
1 bunch Parsley
1 cup Kale

Simply Green Juice

1 cup of spinach
2 cups of kale
2 cups of parsley
1 cucumber
3 celery stalks

Add 1” ginger to any juice recipe for the following health benefits:

Ginger has potent anti-inflammatory properties that can help some people reduce arthritis based joint pain. Evidence points to one of the antioxidants in ginger called gingerol. It helps to combat oxidative damage to joint cells. Ginger is also very good for acid reflux and digestion.

Cruciferous Medley

1 cup of broccoli heads
1 cup of green cabbage
1 cup of cauliflower (the flower only)
½ a Cucumber
2 stalks celery

Jill’s Favorite Green Juice

2-3 stalks celery
1 bunch parsley
½ a Cucumber
1 cup red leaf lettuce
1 cup rainbow chard

Green Mineral Punch

3 large kale leaves
2 handfuls spinach
8 romaine lettuce leaves
½ a Cucumber

Homemade V8 (6 glasses)

6-8 tomatoes
3-4 green onions with tops
½ green pepper
2 stalks celery with tops
½ bunch spinach
½ bunch parsley
2 lemons (just the juice)

Remember to take time to thank God each day for all that He is doing and going to do in you and through you during this journey. Thank Him for big and small things that happen each day. Thank Him for everything He shows you and how He is going to use it for your good and His glory. Thank Him for the gift of life and how we can truly live it more abundantly when our eyes are focused on Him and Him alone. Thank Him for being your comfort and strength to do this. Thank Him for having a group of people praying you through this and helping you do something that will have an effect on all those in your lives. Thank Him for how He will use your obedience and discipline to touch the lives around you. Thank Him for the gift of health. Thank Him for those in your life supporting you. Thank Him for the blessing of fresh vegetables that will work in your body to cleanse out what is not good for you and how they will help restore your health one day at a time.

My prayer for each of us as we begin this 30 day cleanse:

God, You ask us to give our bodies to You as a living sacrifice and together we are giving this month to You. Father, we ask that You bless this month with Your wisdom, comfort, strength, grace, understanding, revelation, truth and love. We each come to You trusting that You will guide us through this on the path that we must walk to understand Your faithfulness and love that much more! We thank You for the promises and truth we can stand on as begin this month together. We thank You for creating us so wonderfully, fearfully and perfectly. We thank You that our bodies are made to worship You. Please use this time to teach us all the ways we are to worship You. Please use this time to open our eyes to see You in every detail of our lives. Please use this time to cleanse us from the inside out physically, emotionally and spiritually. Please use this time to heal us from any bondages and idols we have created in our lives around food. Please heal of us any strongholds around eating. Please use this time to rejuvenate, restore and rebuild our hope completely in You, which will in turn fill us to overflowing with HOPE, PEACE, JOY and LOVE! God use this month for our good and Your glory. We give this journey completely to You and trust each day to You. We know that You will complete the good work in which You begun in each of us. Give us the strength to not give up on ourselves and remind us daily how much You love us. God open our eyes to all that You have for us as a group and individually. Bring this group to mind in our prayer time and help us to encourage one another. Thank You Father for all that You have done to bring us each here for a time such as this. Thank You for being our all in all! We love You. We praise You! We need You! It is in our Savior Jesus Christ most blessed name we pray. AMEN!

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If you have a juice recipe that you truly enjoy – please share it in the comments and I will be sure to post it the next day. If you have a raw soup or salad recipe that you would like to share, please do the same thing.

If you have a prayer request, please either email it to me or comment so that we can all lift it and you before our Father. Remember we are all in this together! Let’s shine His love and give Him all the glory this month by doing this cleanse unto the Lord!

REMEMBER EVERY BODY IS DIFFERENT SO EVERYBODY WILL HAVE A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE.

NOTE: It takes longer than a month to truly heal the body. To totally break free from major health challenges you must commit to this way of eating for at least six months and sometimes even longer depending on the health challenge you are dealing with.

It's a well known fact that your body needs optimal nutrition to be healthy. Nutrition is fuel for the body. Every action of your body requires nutrition. Your body requires nutrition in order for your organs, glands, bones and every other component of your body to be healthy.

Drinking fresh vegetable juice is not a cure all. Fresh vegetable juice is simply part of a healthy lifestyle.

Many people have obtained health benefits as a result of drinking fresh vegetable juice on a regular basis. This however, in my humble opinion, should not be your primary reason for doing this cleanse.

Your primary reason should be because you want to enjoy the many benefits from doing a month long cleanse and breaking free from unhealthy eating habits and emotions tied to food.

Your best results will come from simplicity. With simplicity comes consistency. With consistency comes results. But if you focus solely on the results, then you will only experience disappointment.

Fresh juice is concentrated nutrition and therefore, it's advisable to get professional advice before you begin. Naturopathic doctors have good knowledge of juicing and therefore can make an excellent choice to get professional advice from.

However, that should NOT stop you from eating as healthy as possible and giving both you and your baby the highest level of nutrition daily. Please consider juicing daily and getting enough greens in your diet to ensure you are both getting all the vitamins and minerals you need while pregnant and nursing. Drink enough water to compensate for how much liquid your baby intakes each day as well.

Ready or NOT

2011-05-29T06:00:00.000-04:00

June 1st is right around the corner and with a holiday weekend leading the way into our cleanse I am trying very hard not to get swept into eating anything that will make this even harder than it can be.

Yesterday, I started my day with 32 oz. of fresh green juice (cucumber, celery, kale, red leaf lettuce, and rainbow chard). I ate a light lunch and nothing until dinner. I drank over 3 liters of water and only one sweet all day long. Lately that has NOT been the case with our move and the stress leading up to it. I fell back into eating sweets daily again (vegan ones and healthy compared to most treats out there – but still – sugar is sugar is sugar!). So here I am like all of you needing this cleanse and ready to embrace all that comes with it.

I even took my first long walk today 15 – 20 minutes which consisted of our very steep driveway (over 2/10 of a mile) and then around our property several times. Later in the day I played basketball with the kids. They ran more than I did but I was still up and moving…so it counts. My goal is to exercise at least 30 minutes a day (walking, swimming, basketball, rebounding, jump rope, etc.). Exercise is just as important as getting enough rest during a cleanse. Your body needs to release the toxins from sweating and deep breathing. Exercise also helps you flush the lymphatic system – which helps boost your immune system. It is a win win during a cleanse – really all of the time. I’m just feeling a bit more motivated at the moment to stick to a regular exercise schedule this month!

Our schedule will be the following (detailed instructions will be up as we begin each week):

Week One – fresh organic green juice and water only. You can add lemon juice to your water or juice. Please be sure to drink at least 32 oz of fresh green juice each day (no fruits or high sugar veggies). Please drink at least 2.5 to 3.5 liters of filtered/ionized water a day (the amount of water you need to drink will vary depending on how much you currently weigh). Add liquid chlorophyll into two glasses of water during the day. 4-6oz of liquid chlorophyll each day is the goal mixed with water. We will start and end each day with 4-6oz of water mixed with 1 tsp. pHoursalts (or aluminum free baking soda).

Week Two – same as above – we will add in fresh raw soups two meals a day.

Week Three – same as above – we will do a one day liver/gallbladder cleanse and then slowly add in salads.

Week Four – same as week two, except now we will be eating salads twice a day in addition to juicing and soups.

Week Five - I will guide you on how to add in other foods and why it is so important NOT to go back to all the foods you were eating before we began this journey together.

I will share recipes and give you helpful hints along the way to ensure we all get through the cleanse successfully. Please remember to read the previous posts and if you have questions don’t hesitate to ask – others are probably curious about the same thing or experiencing something similar to you!

Please email me your favorite recipes so that I can share them throughout the month, so we can all enjoy new things as we give our body all that it needs to heal and be renewed!

Know that I am praying for all of us and if there is something specific you would like me to be praying about this month, please email me or ask the group by commenting. I would love to hear how you are all doing each week – so please share your experience with us!

Please make sure to ask your health care professional before doing a cleanse. If you have any concerns, please email me privately. I can help direct you to the right medical professional or information to assist you in making the best decision about cleansing. If done right a cleanse is generally safe for everyone! Pregnant and nursing mothers should not do cleanses, you do not want to dump the toxins into your unborn child or nursing infant as you release them. However, that should NOT stop you from eating as healthy as possible and giving both you and your baby the highest level of nutrition daily. Please consider juicing daily and getting enough greens in your diet to ensure you are both getting all the vitamins and minerals you need while pregnant and nursing. Drink enough water to compensate for how much liquid your baby intakes each day as well.