The Benefits of Juicing

Hello Marvelous you's!! The count down is on. Only 1 day before we start our fall cleanse so I thought I'd post video on juicing. Juicing is a very important part of any cleanse as it will be how you start your day each morning. This video hopefully explains how easy it is and why investing into a juicing may be the right thing to do!!

Check it out right here!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-jNcrqVWkU

Fall Cleanse Time!!!

There are many signs to show that fall has arrived. Kids go back to school, the leaves on the trees begin to change colour, men start wearing those yummy cardigans again, sigh... oh yes, as I was saying, these are the many signs of fall. However, another way to tell that fall has arrived is hearing all that talk about cleansing. This ideal time of change, when the weather is no longer too hot but not yet too cold is the perfect time to cleanse. After all that summer fun, those patio visits and backyard bbq's, without trying to sound too depressing, but the vacation is over. It is time to get serious and get your health back on the front burner where it belongs.

For those of you trying a cleanse/detox for the first time, please read over the details carefully and please contact me if you have any questions. For those of you who have experienced the great benefits of cleansing and are trying a cleanse for the second, third, forth time - I applaud you! 

Please join me as I will be starting my 1 month detox on Monday, October 1. Whether you do 2 weeks or just 1, please join me and follow my blog as I will be writing regular posts about my experience. I will be able to answer any questions you have and help you feel supported through your journey to great health!

For those of you who are ready to feel great, The Green Blossoms Detox Program is a full a 7-day meal plan complete with all recipes including snacks and even a few treats. This program will guide you through a healthy detox with such yummy foods; you won’t even feel like you are depriving yourself! Sign up today and get ready to blossom!! kimmydee@gmail.com

How to Detox Safely & Properly

Getting Started

·      Because a detox consists of a break down diet, it is very cooling on the body. Therefore, you want to detox when it starts getting warmer out. That is why spring and fall are the best times.

·      Pick a time that is convenient and realistic for you. Don’t pick the 2 weeks where you have major events planned (i.e. weddings, parties). It will only make sticking to the detox program more difficult. Also, this program involves quite a bit of food preparation time. Don’t do it when you are scheduled to work over time all week.

·      Get rid of any temptations (i.e. chocolate, cookies etc.). This detox will be a real test on your will power so the easier you can make it on yourself the better.

Foods to Avoid

·      Sugar: all foods containing white sugar, brown sugar, glucose, fructose, corn syrup, cane sugar/juice/syrup, honey, agave nectar, rice syrup, maple syrup and definitely no artificial sweeteners (sucralose, saccharine, aspartame, neotame). Stevia can be used but only if really necessary – which I don’t think ever really is!

·      Coffee: it would be a good idea to slowly start cutting out the coffee as soon as possible to avoid headaches and coffee withdrawal. The only form of caffeine allowed is green tea.

·      Animal products: A purely vegan diet is recommended for a detox. This includes no eggs, fish, dairy products and honey.

·      Processed foods: pretty much anything that comes in a can or box is not allowed!! This includes tofu for vegetarians and almond, rice or soy milk. Some exceptions are organic Tamari sauce (make sure it is wheat free), olive oil, organic coconut milk and canned organic beans  (Eden). The better option would be to soak and cook all your beans but I do realize how time consuming that can be.

·      Gluten: follow a gluten-free meal plan. A detox should also be free from most grains with the exception of brown rice and quinoa.

·      Alcohol: sorry, no exceptions. Hey, the good thing is your friends will appreciate having a DD for the next 2 weeks!!

What to Eat:

·      Veggies, veggies and more veggies!! There is no limit except for potatoes as they are a starch.

·      1-2 grains /day consisting of brown rice or quinoa.

·      Fruits. Limit high sugar content fruits such as tropical  (banana, pineapple, mango) and eat fruits after lunch only to help balance blood sugar levels. Avoid dried fruit.

·      1-2 servings/day of beans or lentils.

·      Nuts and seeds with the exception of soy and peanuts.

Diet Guidelines

·      Drink water: first thing into your body every morning should be an 8 oz. glass of pure water with ¼ of a freshly squeezed lemon. Water should be drunk consistently throughout the day. The minimum requirement should be your body weight divided in half and that would equal the amount in ounces you should drink per day (i.e. weight=130lbs/2 = 65. 65oz of pure water per day minimum). Drink 6 oz. (177 ml) before meals. Water should never be ice cold. Warm or room temperature is best.

·      To break-the-fast, it is recommended you start each day of the cleanse with vegetables. 750ml – 1L of freshly juiced juice is recommended for breakfast everyday and to be drunk within an hour of making, as nutrients are lost. Carrot and beet juice, along with leafy greens are best.

·      Eat every two to two and half hours to balance blood sugar and energy levels (this is will help avoid the afternoon crash as well as night time munchies).

·      Eat organic. As we are trying to limit our exposure to toxins, we should avoid all pesticide-sprayed foods.

·      Finish meals and snacks by 9 p.m. Your liver detoxifies overnight and this time line helps its efforts.

·      Try not to overeat. To conserve time, you can make big batches of food to eat throughout the week. However, as fresh is best, try to add a fresh salad or veggies as a side to any leftovers.

·      As stress and anxiety can produce toxins internally, one should incorporate a program that will detox the mind as well. Balance and harmony is only achieved when there is a balance between mind and body. Incorporating Yoga, Reiki, Tai Chi and/or meditation are great ways to improve mental health.

·      Supplementation: Liver support during a detox is essential. Milk thistle or Hepato DR by St.Francis is recommended. Dandelion and parsley leaf is recommended for kidney support as toxins are flushed out of the body.

·      Enemas. Yes, you heard me correctly. As our livers begin to release existing toxins, we should assist to eliminate these toxins from the body and enemas are a great way to do this. Please feel free to contact me on how to preform an enema safely and properly.

What you might feel during the Detox

A Detox is a break-down diet designed to not only eliminate the toxins you ingest but release the toxins that already exist in your tissues. As this process occurs, it is possible to feel worse before you feel better. Some possible symptoms can be headaches, fatigue, gas, dizziness, feeling cold, irritable and/or emotional. Those with more toxins will most probably experience more symptoms.

 *Anyone pregnant, breast feeding or diabetic should not participate in this program. Those suffering from any other medical conditions please consult your physician prior to starting this program.

Sugar-Free 'Cupcakes'

Today, I catered a birthday party. I love parties but I often feel torn when working them. Obviously, I have to abide by the clients request, even when their request involves oodles of that white stuff. You know, s-s-sugar!! We often have to serve sugary cup cakes that are iced with super sugary icing. If that wasn't enough, they want that icing to come in colors of the rainbow which is of course done with all kinds of food colouring. They see these as festive and fun. All I can see is the heaps of chemicals their kids are about to ingest and cringe every time I have to serve them.

Today however, I had a mom ask for a sugar-free party. I beamed with delight! Now that's my kind of party! However, this mom even stepped it up a little. She requested no sugar whatsoever, not even maple syrup, honey or stevia. I love a challenge, especially a healthy one.

Spiced banana 'cupcakes' with chocolate avocado icing and chocolate banana 'cupcakes' with sweet potato icing is what I came up with. I thought I'd be nice and share this yummy recipe with you.

Aren't these perfect for Halloween??

Spiced Banana 'Cupcakes'
*makes 8 muffins
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
3 mashed bananas
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk substitute (rice/almond/coconut)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
*variation: 1/4 cup raw cocoa powder

Pre-heat oven to 350F
1. Mix together all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add cocoa at this time if using.
2. In separate bowl, beat eggs. Add vanilla, oil, milk. Mix well.
3. Add mashed bananas to wet mix and stir.
4. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix but not too much. Some lumps may remain.
5. Put into greased muffin tray and bake for 15 min.
6. Let cool and add icing:)

Sweet Potato Icing

2 medium sweet potatoes
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Steam or boil potatoes until very soft.
2. Put all ingredients in food processor and blend until smooth
3. Ice 'cupcakes' and then lick the spoon and food processor until there's nothing left! Yum!
 * recipe adapted from Sprout Right - Lianne Phillipson-Webb

Chocolate Avocado

2 large avocados
6 Tbsp raw cocoa powder
6 pitted dates, soaked for 2 hours
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 mashed banana
1/2 tsp cinnamon
dash of salt

1. Put all ingredients in food processor and blend until smooth.
2. Ice 'cupcakes'. Then instead of licking every last remaining bit, chop up some fruit and use as  
    dipping sauce. Or save it for an evening alone with your shmoopy (if ya' know what I'm sayin'??:)


Following this months' Marvelous Me' theme, the sweet potato icing goes towards your 5/day veggies. Mind you, its a stretch - a far one at that, but every little bit helps:)


 

Hearing The Silence

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I think I experienced somewhat of a breakthrough today. It was an itsy bitsy breakthrough, probably not even worth mentioning. However, I feel if we didn’t take the time to recognize our growth, no matter how little it is, then what would be the point of this practice? I believe that in order to continue to grow, we must see the distances we travel, even if just a few feet.

Today marks 2 weeks of daily meditation. Setting my alarm 10-15 minutes earlier each morning, before anyone else is up, and finding that comfortable spot that allows me to delve into silence. I have made it to 15 minutes of stillness so far – a great achievement for me. However, this practice has certainly not been easy by any means. My mind wanders constantly. I think of the tasks I have to do that day, the emails I have to write, blurbs I should include on my new website, recipes I should try. My mind, without any effort at all, strays from being still to rambling all over the place. But I continue to bring it back to my breath, no matter where it wanders to. I envision my lungs split into three sections. As I inhale, I envision the 1^st part of my lungs, which is the bottom part, expanding and filling with fresh, clean air. Once part 1 is full, part 2, the middle section starts to expand, overflowing in the 3^rd section, the top of my lungs. Once I inhaled all the air I possibly can, and my lungs are so full they could burst (in a pleasant, joyful way;), I slowly exhale in reverse. I slowly empty section 3, then 2, then the bottom of my lungs until the last little bit of air is completely squeezed out. I wouldn’t say my mind wanders less today then 2 weeks ago, but I am finding the moments that I am focused and still are now more intense, for lack of better words. Its as if I can delve deeper into stillness, deeper into silence, to where I can catch moments of what silence actual hears like.

This morning, I woke up to rain pouring down. I was disappointed as I was looking forward to meditating on my dock by the river - my absolute favorite place to be. But I layered up and found a spot on my screened porch, out in the rain without getting wet.  As I focused on my breath, bringing it back whenever it wandered, I fell deeper into stillness. As my mind tried to remain focused on one constant (my breath), it drifted to another, more prominent constant: the rain. I listened to the patterns, the sound of the drops coming down heavy, then slowing to a light mist. I could almost envision the size of each raindrop: big, plump juicy drops transitioning to long, skinny ones. This vision not being too different than that of my lungs when expanded, full and plump with fresh air and then empty and deflated with every exhale. For the first time, I was able stay alone with this vision.

I believe the positive effects of my meditation practice are trickling into my conscious life as well. As I was baking gluten free, sugar free muffins for breakfast this morning, Steve asked me if everything was okay. Surprised, I said, “yes, why do you ask?” He said, “because you’re so quiet. You were last night as well.” He took this as me being in a bad mood. I then reflected on my behavior and why he may have thought this. I realized last night, while watching a movie, I pulled out my needles and yarn.  I learned how to knit last fall for Steve’s Christmas present but haven’t touched it since. But last night I sat in my chair, joyfully knitting, almost in a meditative state, entranced by the needles dancing around one another. Okay, yes, I was still unable to just sit and enjoy the movie without doing on anything else, something I have NEVER been able to do as I see this as wasted time. But last night, instead of losing myself in the bright colors, loud noises and distracting dialogue of what played on the TV screen, I was able to lose myself in my knitting and almost silence everything else around me. And as I concentrated on my muffins this morning, carefully measuring out the ingredients, Steve turned on the radio. It was only then that I realized I had been in complete silence - a true rarity for me. The realization of never realizing was a pleasant surprise!

Like I said earlier, an itsy bitsy breakthrough. However, how will I ever cross leaps & bounds if I never learn how to crawl, right?? RIGHT!!!

Quote of the Day

 I received this quote the other day and found it to fit perfectly with this months' challenge

“To do nothing at all is the most difficult thing in the world, the most difficult and the most intellectual.”

-Oscar Wilde

Marvelous Me September: Meditation & 5/day

Hello you! Remember me?? I won’t take offense if you don’t, as MIA is an understatement.  I cannot believe the last time I was here was May!!! It was a busy summer to say the least. Most of you know about my involvement with Biking for Bellies. Organizing B4B was intense and I was not aware that it would consume all of my time, leaving little for writing. However, summer is nearing an end and after a long break, I am feeling rejuvenated and back on track.

As the creator of ‘The Marvelous Me Project’, even with the busy summer, its especially shameful for me to admit that I fell off the wagon. Actually let me rephrase that: I fell off the wagon, proceeded to roll off a cliff, down deep into a valley, splashed into a river where I then got swept downstream by the strong current. Okay, maybe a little dramatic, but nonetheless, I too let other things take priority over my health. We all do it. We are creatures of habit and our habits are deeply embedded into us from childhood, perhaps even beyond that. It takes conscious effort to steer from our old patterns. It often feels as though we are swimming against the current, a constant struggle that feels totally unnatural.  But please believe me when I say nothing could be more contrary.

We live in an extremely chaotic time.  Never has there been so much noise, so much distraction. We have become slaves to our mobile phones, never letting go, never letting us disconnect. There are always phone calls to answer, emails to write, Facebook status’ to update. We are always on call, therefore, our mind is never completely free to indulge deeply into other matters. Our minds are over stimulated, and that’s even before we consumed our first coffee of the day. We then proceed to fill our bodies with highly refined sugary foods all day long and then rely on booze to calm our racing minds in the evening. A slew of negative patterns that many of us have fallen into during these bustling times.

To add to the chaos, we are experiencing a time of great change. As we transition into a New Age, leaving darkness and entering light, awareness is heightened to a new level. We are all in search of our truth, our purpose. I experienced this more than ever this summer. I felt like I was taken through the ringer, tossed and tumbled, spun around and left completely disoriented. My explanation of how far I fell from the wagon is not a complete exaggeration as to how I felt and how far I steered off my path.  With all the noise, it is hard to hear. With all the distraction, it is hard to focus. It is no wonder many of us have gotten lost.

As I fought the current, reached the shore, climbed back up the cliff, stood up on the road, brushed myself off, I am now ready to not only jump back up on the wagon, I'm ready to grab the steering wheel and take control.  But in order to do so, I am in need of silence and need to focus on my truth.

My absolute favorite place to meditate! (my dock by the river)

This months’ Marvelous Me Project challenge could not have come at a more suited time: Meditation and 5/day. In detail, to meditate everyday and to consume at least 5 portions of fresh vegetables per day.  Being that it is harvest season here in Canada, filling our day with the ‘veggies’ of our labour will not be difficult. Gardens are bursting with bright colours and glorious aromas and the bustling markets are a great reflection of this. As finding these 5 veggies/day will be a breeze, your only focus is to get them into your diet each day this month. With at least 16 waking hours to do so, this part of the challenge is easy peasy!! Unfortunately the real challenge lies within the daily meditation. Being still has to be my greatest challenge. My mind is in constant over-drive and my ability to remain focused on one thing is, well, incapacitated to say the least. There is no one that will be more sympathetic to your struggles with this month’s challenge. And it is not as if I haven’t tried. I have practiced in my home, taken lessons from teachers, bought meditation books and CD’s. I even traveled to a temple in Laos and followed a meditation led by a Buddhist monk!! Still, silencing the mind has to be my life’s biggest challenge. That is why we will start off slow. Start with 5 minutes each morning. Get up 10 minutes early, find a quiet spot in your home, away from your phone or laptop and sit or lie down comfortably. The main idea is to concentrate on your breath. Feel your lungs expand with every inhale and then feel them empty with each exhale. Your mind will wander, its normal. The idea is that when it does, bring the focus back to your breathing. In a few days, after you feel comfortable with 5 minutes, we will move on to 10, then 15, and hopefully by the end of the month be able to meditate for 30 minutes each morning.

If you too, have taken a vacation from your health, there is no time better than now to return home. Bring your focus back to your health and back to your truth. It’s never too late to jump back on the wagon and grab that steering wheel. And remember, in the game of life, U-turns are always permitted:)