Detox... The End!

As the detox comes to an end, I want to take this time to congratulate all of you for getting through it and fill you in on the next step.

Some of you may be feeling better and energized already, while others may question whether or not the detox worked. Keep in mind that a detox is a way to clean the system, your GI tract and organs. These are things that you cannot measure. You’ve given your body a break and a chance to rejuvenate and strengthen. That’s worth every second you put in for the past 10 days!

Congrats You Did It!!!

It’s time to reintroduce the foods you eliminated. Do this by introducing them back into your diet one day at a time. For example, tomorrow you can start by introducing dairy, Thursday wheat, and Friday sugar. You can introduce them in any order you like. You can also use more than one day for each introduction; introduce dairy Wednesday and Thursday, on Friday add in the wheat, and Sunday the sugar. Do what feels right for your body.

I had a ‘detox’ dinner party last weekend and tried out a new recipe. It was a tasty success!

Here’s what we enjoyed:

Appetizers...

Mixed veggies and assorted rice crackers (original, tamari sesame, seaweed) with hummus.

Entrée:

Grilled Turkey Breast and Noodles

Noodles: I cooked the pumpkin, ginger and rice noodles.

Noodle ‘sauce:’ In a pan I sautéed olive oil, garlic, pine nuts and sliced zucchini until the zucchini was cooked to my liking. I then added the enoki mushrooms and mixed the ingredients together.

You can add in the pumpkin, ginger and rice noodles or keep it separate, allowing people to put them together themselves.

Sides:

Squash: Cut the squash in half, drizzle with olive oil and put it in the oven till it turns a rich orange-yellow.

Salad: Spinach, sprouts, cubed beets, chopped walnuts, cherry tomatoes, sliced red and yellow peppers, shredded carrots and sliced button mushrooms with lemon juice.

Dessert:

Fresh and dried fruits

Nuts and seeds

                                                                    delissio

Congrats Again!

Stay Healthy!

Detox Weekend Guide…

It’s the weekend and you’re still detoxing! Do you spend it at home sulking or go out and enjoy life?!?! GO OUT AND ENJOY LIFE! You’re detoxing, that doesn’t mean life needs to stop!

Go for dinner, see a movie, catch a show, play a sport, you can even go dancing… I know, you’re thinking, “But I can’t drink, and where am I going to find a dairy-free, gluten-free and sugar-free restaurant?!?!?”

So you can’t drink: get over it and move on. It’s one weekend, you can do it! Keep the goal in mind: A cleaner body, a healthier you and much more energy!

You may think eating out is an issue while detoxing, but in fact many restaurants and cafes accommodate people with food allergies and sensitivities. Don’t be afraid to ask your server questions concerning the ingredients in the various items on the menu. If you want something changed or simply taken out, ask if it’s possible. You’ll be surprised as to how easy these changes can be!

Gluten-Free Ontario lists restaurants and bakeries that exist in various areas (Thanks Bernard for bringing this website to my attention!). All you have to do is pick the area you wish to dine in and within seconds you’re given a list of possible dinning out options. Problem solved… Find a place and go try it out!

Over the past few days, I’ve been asked a number of questions concerning the detox. I think it would be beneficial to share a few of these questions and my answers.

1) Can I still detox without using supplements?

Yes. Sugar, gluten and dairy are considered culprit foods that inflate the body. In cutting them out, you give your body a break and your system a chance to clean out. Supplements may quicken the process and deepen cleansing, but for a first time cleanse they are not necessary.

2) Everything has sugar, how do I know what I can and can not have?

Almost all food items have sugar in them. Your job is to distinguish between natural sugar and added sugar. You want to eliminate added sugar. To find out if sugar is added you check the ingredients list, if sugar (or any of its other names or properties) is not listed then you can include the product in your diet.
NOTE: You are checking ingredients NOT nutritional facts.

3) What is gluten?

My good friend Wikipedia defines it best: Gluten.

4) Can I exercise while detoxing ?

Yes. Detoxing may make you feel tired, which is why I do not suggest strenuous exercise. You can lessen the level and time that you normally exercise at.
Detoxing is also a great time to clear the head and realign your body with your mind and spirit. Yoga would be a good way to clear the mind, cleanse the soul and get the body moving.
NOTE: Always consult a doctor before starting any new diet or exercise regimen.

                                                wellness

Stay Healthy!

Day Four - On the way to a cleaner you...

As the half way point approaches, I’m sure many of you are counting down to the end of our 10 day detox.

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It’s not over yet! Hang in there and keep the goal in sight: A cleaner body, a healthier you and much more energy!

Today’s menu:

Breakfast...
For breakfast I had a delicious smoothie! Here’s what I did:
¾ cup Water
½ cup Frozen mixed berries
Half a banana
Half an avocado
All natural protein powder
Green powder

Snack...
Almonds

Lunch...
Salad: mixed leafy greens, ground coriander, red kidney beans, a boiled egg, pumpkin seeds, cherry tomatoes, lemon juice and olive oil

Mixed fruit salad

Snack...
Tangerines

Dinner...Salad: lettuce, mint leaves, tomatoes, green onions, lemon juice and olive oil

White fish with lemon and dill with a side of rice and sautéed mixed vegetables

Snack...
Glass of freshly squeezed orange juice

Raisins

Stay Healthy!

Welcome to Detox day one!

I’m sure a lot of you woke up this morning thinking ‘WHAT have I gotten myself into!??!?! WHAT am I going to eat?!?!?’


Breath, relax and don’t worry. I am going to try to make this as smooth as possible by sharing a few of my daily menus with you throughout the next 10 days.


When detoxing, it is very important to plan your meals ahead of time. Try to plan your meals the night before; you’ll wake up stress free and ready for the day ahead.


Here’s what my menu looks like today:


Good Morning World…
Glass of water with ½ a lemon squeezed into it


Breakfast…
A boiled egg
A rice cake
A banana
Tea with almond milk


Snack Time…
An apple
Half a handful of almonds


Lunch…
Salad - mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, corn, cooked brussels sprouts, pumpkins seeds, fresh dill and tuna with lemon and olive oil
A small bowl of papaya


Snack…
Carrots and cucumbers with chickpea dip (Hummus)


Dinner…
Salad - Lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers, a dash of Greek seasoning with lemon and olive oil
Turkey breast
Rice
Sautéed brussels sprouts, onions and broccoli


Snack…

Half a handful of walnuts

A small bowl of cantaloupe

                                                    Timeinc

Side Note:
Don’t forget to drink your water throughout the day; at least eight glasses/day (1 glass = 8 oz)


If you’re including supplements in your detox, don’t forget to take them as suggested on the kit


I enjoy herbal teas and tend to drink them throughout my day I find it helps with cravings and decreases snacking tendencies. Try them out and find the ones that appeal to you!

Stay Healthy!

Detoxification: The ‘how tos’ & ‘to dos’

Since I will start detoxing on Sunday, today’s post will be for those interested in joining me. Here’s what you need to know, do and buy…

Duration:
This will be a 10 day detox. It will go from Sunday January 17th to Wednesday January 27th.

Supplements:
I will be using a detoxification kit. If you are interested in using a kit, head to your nearest health food store and ask them to recommend a detox kit for you. If this is your first detox, make sure to mention that so that they can recommend something that is easier on the body.

Eliminate:
During the 10 day cleanse I will be eliminating gluten, sugar and dairy from my diet. Many believe that these are culprit foods that irritate the body and digestive system. By eliminating them while detoxing you give the body a chance to rest and cleanse.

 Symptoms:
 Detox symptoms you can expect include headaches, fatigue and irritability.

Detoxfashionpages.com

Tips & Recommendations:
• Your cleansing, meaning water is very important - at least 8 glasses/day (1 glass = 8oz)
• Dairy substitutes
• Gluten-free products
• Eat plenty of lightly steamed and stir fried vegetables especially sweet potatoes, squash, parsnips, carrots, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, eggplant, beets, greens (dandelion, radicchio, watercress), brussels sprouts, fennel, kale and artichoke
• Include garlic, onions and ginger in your cooking
• Eat fruits especially pears, pinapples, papaya, grapes, citrus fruits, berries and apples
• Include sprouts such as mung and alfalfa into your diet
• Avocado is a source of glutathione, which helps clear the body of harmful fats and encourages the elimination of toxins

Stay Healthy!

Planning for a detox...

I mentioned that I wanted to start a detox. The plan was to make this post on getting started on a two week plan. I thought about it and decided, since a lot of you have shown interest in doing this with me, to take it slow. Instead of jumping right into a major two week detox, it would be best to take a week to get ready.

A lot of you must be asking:

Why detox??? I’ve gone this long without doing one, do I really need it? How will one benefit me?

Detoxification helps your bowels, kidneys, liver and lungs function efficiently. Many believe that hormonal problems, fatigue, muscular aches, headaches, infections, illness, digestive issues, allergies and disease are all causes of toxic overload. Toxins weaken the body and its ability to fight bacteria and virus. Detoxing cleans out toxicity from the system.

The benefits of detoxing:

 Increased energy
 Improved sleep
 Decreased bloating
 Decreased fluid retention
 Reduced aches and pains
 Improved mental clarity
 Improved memory
 Reduced PMS

This week will be about getting the body ready for detoxing. For those interested in participating, we will officially start our two week detox on Sunday January 17th 2010.

Until then here’s this week’s check list of things to do:

o Make sure you get 8 glasses of water in DAILY(1 glass = 8 oz)
o Have a glass of water with the juice of half a lemon squeezed into it first thing in the morning
o Cut down on your caffeine, sugar and salt intake (This includes coffee, pop, alcohol and chocolate)
o Stop eating by 7 pm (if you get really hungry have a fruit!)
o Try to incorporate colour into your meals (add strawberries, cranberries, yellow peppers and/or beets to a salad)
o Eat slowly and Chew your food thoroughly
o Do not drink large quantities with your meals

Also take a look at Dr. Oz’s seven deadly sins. He has some great tips and ideas to stay healthy and ‘shave a decade off your age.’

Stay Healthy!

Dr. Demartini On Planning Goals

I came across this earlier this morning (Thank you Jamie!) and thought it would be great to share especially since my last post was on resolutions and sticking to them… Enjoy!



I’ve decided to do a post holiday two week detox! I’m very excited about it and putting it together as we speak. If you’re interested then stay tuned my next post will be on DETOX! Interested?!?! Who’s with me???

Stay Healthy!

Resolution Time!

Happy New Year!

Now that we’ve welcomed in 2010, its time to embrace it and get back to work, school, life, reality…

The months leading up to the New Year were full of outings, parties, get togethers, nights outs, vacations, lunches, dinners, desserts and many many drinks!

With all of that behind us, thoughts of the upcoming year fill our heads, our thoughts, our dreams…

We are reminded of the way we want things to be; the way we want to be. We’re driven by hope, promises, wants and desires. In the midst of it all, plans for the future are made. Where do I want to be in a year? What do I want to be doing? What do I want to have accomplished?

It’s New Year resolution time. Every year plans are made and months later put aside and ‘forgotten.’ What will it be this year?

Health? Exercise? Charity? Volunteering? To read more? To drink less? To do more? To stop smoking? These questions take over our minds and run through our heads… What will I do and how will I do it?

Like most of you I too start the year off with a list of New Year resolutions and plans and by about March tend to ‘forget’ them. This year I aim to choose two things and to choose to stick to them. Think long and hard about what you choose to do, make it something reasonable and attainable and plan for it.

After putting a lot of thought into it, I’ve finally decided on my 2010 resolutions: To aim for better health and increased energy and to do something new everyday.

Since I have 365 ‘new’ and ‘different’ things to do I’m open to ideas and suggestions… if anything comes to mind let me know!

So what are your 2010 resolutions?!?!?

Stay Healthy!