Thursday, January 16, 2014



Are you a Person of Fear or a Person of Action?

 

My father died 5 years ago (Sept. 2008) after suffering with Alzheimer’s  for over 10 years, and then my mother died of a rare cancer a year and a half later (April 2010). So right after losing both of them, I became a bit fearful for my own health. Every time I would lose a thought or forget something I was AFRAID that I was getting Alzheimer’s, just like my Dad. Or when I experienced a new pain: in my back, in my elbow, in my knee – I was sure it was cancer. My mother was told by her doctor that she had the flu, was given pills, went on vacation expecting to get better, still didn’t feel that great, got it checked out at a nearby hospital, found she had cancer, and died a month later. There was fear in my soul. How did I know whether every ailment I had wasn’t a warning sign for cancer and wasn’t silently killing me; or that Alzheimer’s wasn’t slowly eating away at my brain?

Watching friends and loved ones suffer with disease or die of cancer causes us, to some degree, to live in fear. We look around and see sickness, disease and cancer at every corner and wonder when it’s going to knock at our door, or the door of OUR loved ones. I’m here to tell you, you don’t have to live in that fear anymore. Why should you wait for a doctor’s scalpel or diagnosis for cancer? Why should you wait for the doctor to tell you “you have a chronic condition, and here are your pills for the REST of your life”? Your health is a gift. What are you doing to preserve that gift? Do you want your future years to be filled with pain and pills? Doctors can keep us alive for years, but what is the quality of life? Just because we’re 70 years young, doesn’t mean that we should settle for an inferior quality of life. How many times has your doctor told you, “This ailment is a result of age”; “You’re getting older, you need to expect this”? I say, "No". We don’t have to put up with ailments and frailments. We can put a stop to ills and pills. Say, “No” to surgeries and statins. “How do we do this”, you say?

We live in an amazing age of information. A year and a half after my mother died, my husband and I went to Italy for a vacation and while we were there I started noticing some major ailments. Every time I had gelato I became extremely fatigued. An hour later I would be fast asleep. And every night I suffered from something new called Restless Leg Syndrome, (although I didn’t know the name of it then). These were new ailments that hadn’t plagued me before. What was I doing differently in Italy that would cause these new ailments? (You also have to realize that my mother found out she had cancer while we were on vacation together in Florida – so again, this brought a nagging fear that the same could happen to me). But we live in the age of “google”, do we not? We can “google” virtually anything. So I started on a quest, right there in Italy, to google and learn. I continued to research when I got home. I started getting real answers when I heard a YouTube talk by Dr. Terry Wahls who cured herself of MS with nutrition! This intrigued me and I wanted to learn more so I bought her book and became hopeful.
 
Then a friend found a book and offered to do a Detox together. I was ready. That book changed my life. I became a sponge for healthy knowledge at that point. After the 21 day detox, my knee, elbow and swollen ankle ailments were completely gone. I had eliminated allergenic foods from my diet for those 3 weeks and knew that my ailments were food related. So as I brought back one food after another I was able to determine that gluten and dairy were the culprits. Once I took these two foods completely out of my diet I began to lose weight, quickly, at the rate of 3 pounds a week. After 4 months I had lost over 40 pounds and continued to lose weight in the months to come.  

The best thing about my new found health was that I didn’t feel afraid anymore. First of all, my ailments were gone, including forgetting things. In fact, my brain felt alive and I had a memory like never before. I was reading and retaining and I was also recalling information from the past that I usually relied on my husband for. Now when we try to remember a name or place, I can recall it before he does. After two years of researching, learning and eating nutritionally, I can finally say that the FEAR of disease and cancer is gone. I look and feel more than 10 years younger. The more I learn, the healthier I become and my outlook on life has changed dramatically. Now when I see me in my future years, I don’t see surgeries and pain and pills and weakness. I’ve come to realize that I can take back my health and can live a vibrant productive life. And who knows, maybe even live past 100, which means I’m only half done with my life. When I think of the possibilities of what I can accomplish with another 50 years, it’s staggering. I feel like I’ve been given a new lease on life.
Instead of the mentality of retirement because of tiredness and “coming to the end”, I have the mentality of “a second career” and enjoyment; a sense of purpose because there’s a lot to be done! Part of my purpose is to help others realize they don’t have to “settle” for an inferior quality of life. Doctors have some answers, but they don’t have ALL the answers. There are alternatives. And the alternatives are things that you can implement through knowledge, determination and discipline. Take an active part in your quality of life. “What can I do”, you say? You can start by knowing there IS a better way, there are alternatives. As you educate yourself, hope will be revived and fear will be pushed in the corner. And then you must take action. 

Each change you make away from the Standard American Diet (processed food) and the lifestyle of the couch potato (sitting in front of the TV or computer), the better quality of life you will experience. Make one change, one step at a time. But make these changes for life. Put aside the temporary mentality. Start by adding good things to your diet - foods with important nutrients: greens, vegetables, and fruits. Then eliminate that one thing from your diet you know is robbing you of health; a habit you’re holding on to that you KNOW isn’t good: I bet you already know what it is.
 
Then add one activity that you could easily do that will bring movement into your life, even walking. The important thing is to take one step at a time and commit to continuing those steps for life. Remember, this isn’t a temporary fix, this is a lifestyle change to keep you off the slippery slope of disease and fear. And then, be a life learner. Keep educating yourself. There is much to learn. Make it a part of your weekly routine. There are books and blogs and magazines and documentaries galore. You could listen to lectures or take a healthy cooking class. There are classes in Yoga or Zumba or dance. Or you could hire a health coach to steer you in the right direction.

But whatever you do, don’t do nothing. Each year we do nothing we slip into “disease” mode and we take more and more trips to the doctor and add more and more pills to our coffer. Our bodies do an amazing job at keeping us disease and cancer free, but not if we sabotage it with toxic foods, stress, bad relationships, and no activity. YOU can make a difference in your health. You may have ailments knocking at your door but you don’t have to answer. You can keep them at bay with healthy choices. So what’s your game plan? Why not carve out some time this week to think about the changes you need to make. What is it that you can do this week to take back your health? Why not start today. You’re worth it.

Monday, April 1, 2013

My Food Intolerance Keeps Me Accountable

I never would have thought that an intolerance to gluten and dairy could keep me accountable to healthy living. But it has.
Last year when I found I was gluten and dairy intolerant I didn't think much of it. In fact, I was happy to know what was causing my chronic pain and weight gain. I lost my joint pain, stuffy sinuses, foggy brain, swollen ankles, inflammation, and a myriad of other symptoms. I also lost a lot of weight. Happy right? My only distress was needing to buy new clothes since dropping 5 sizes.

Well now that a year's gone by and the newness has worn off, I have to ask myself, "Is it worth it to have these limitations"? I mean let's face it, not being able to have even one piece of pasta or cheese puts a damper on my profession. Trying to teach students how to make homemade pasta stuffed with cheese is a bit challenging when I can't eat the food. I can't even touch the pasta dough without wearing gloves, or tell my students how it's supposed to taste. What if it doesn't taste right? And believe me, I've tried to have just one taste. Within one hour I am in pain again...not worth it. So, what to do?

Unlike others who change their way of eating because it's the right thing to do or because they simply want to lose weight, I can't slip back into my old patterns. No matter how much I want a cup of coffee with cream, a piece of pizza with gooey cheese, or how tired I get of having to make everything I eat from scratch, I have to press forward or I'm back to much pain. Call me a wimp, but I don't like pain.

A couple months ago I wasn't feeling that great - a little joint pain, fatigued, not sleeping well, puffiness, and a bit of ankle swelling. Nothing that I haven't lived with in the past, but I know what it feels like to be rid of all these and feel great. Besides, I now know how dangerous it is for me to continue in inflammation. It means my body is in trouble and is trying to protect itself from acidosis - a condition in which my pH balance is too low. Once I'm too acidic my cells don't have enough oxygen to do the job of getting rid of toxins and fighting cancer cells and bringing nutrition where it needs to be - they're too busy trying to keep alkaline. My cells become sluggish and tired and a toxic build-up brings inflammation and chronic pain and fatigue.

But pain is a good thing, in this case. It is a way for my body to tell me there's a problem and it's asking for help. It's saying, "Please give us more nutrients and stop feeding us acidic foods. We need more greens, more vegetables." Because I am more in tune with my body and have some knowledge as to what to do about it, I don't have to run to the doctor to ask her for some pill to relieve the pain. I can simply get rid of toxins through juicing, eating more vegetables and less sugar, and getting my body back in balance. A simple litmus paper test can let me know if I'm at 7.35 pH, where I'm supposed to be.

But litmus paper doesn't need to tell me that I'm too acidic, painful symptoms have already told me. It's a good thing that I am gluten and dairy intolerant since it won't allow me to slip from my resolve to eat well. It's my accountability. If it weren't for that, perhaps I wouldn't be so faithful to eat healthily. And then where would I be?

So I ask myself, "Can this be a good thing? Can these food allergy limitations help me?" I believe they can. We all need accountability. What better accountability than a constant reminder. That reminder will keep me on the straight and narrow, and that will ultimately keep me feeling and being my best.

This is a good thing.

So here's an alkaline lunch to keep you on track from Whole Foods Market. Click on the link to watch a video clip of Chef Chad Sarno making the dish. It's one of my favorites.

Kale Waldorf Salad

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/blog/whole-story/let%E2%80%99s-cook-kale-waldorf-saladWhole Foods Market


 


 
Serves 4 to 6
This variation on the classic Waldorf salad uses kale instead of lettuce and adds apple and walnuts to the dressing for a creamy consistency without using the typical mayonnaise base.



Ingredients:
  • 4 cups packed finely chopped raw kale, preferably dinosaur kale
  • 1 large red apple, such as Fuji or Honeycrisp, chopped, divided
  • 1 cup thinly sliced celery
  • 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped, divided
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons raisins, divided
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons water, more if needed
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1/8 teaspoon sea salt

 

Method:
Place kale in a large bowl. Add half the apple to kale along with celery, 1/4 cup walnuts and 1/4 cup raisins. Put remaining apple in a blender along with remaining 1/4 cup walnuts, remaining 2 tablespoons raisins, mustard, water, vinegar and salt. Purée until well combined and slightly thick, adding water if needed to thin. Pour dressing over kale salad and toss to combine.


Sunday, March 17, 2013

What? Live To A Hundred?!!!

"I started my own fashion label at 50, became a musician and learned Italian and French
in my 70s, took tango and trapeze at 80 and walked into my first yoga class at 85.
So, if you think you're old, think again!" (Read Phyllis Sues story here http://huff.to/10cvnro)
Are you planning to be a Centenarian? I have to admit I had never given it much thought; but after listening to a few lectures on it during the "Holistic Holiday at Sea Cruise" last week, it's piqued my interest. One couple, Michael Varbaek and Diane Haworth, who are Long Live Researchers, lectured that they had traveled across the globe to nine villages where known centenarians are living in order to interview them, to find their secrets, and to film a documentary. They have come up with a list of characteristics that these villages have in common which seems to contribute to why many of the inhabitants are centenarians. These include walking as part of their daily routine, eating a nutrient rich diet, and being a part of something larger than themselves, to name a few.  http://www.alongerhealthylife.com/longevity-village/


 
Another lecturer, Dr. Janet Konefal, gave an inspiring talk about how, if being a centenarian was to be within our grasp, we needed first to plan on it. While listening, I realized I had fallen into a trap - like most of us probably have - of thinking that living to the age of 100 would be impossible at worst, and unenjoyable at best. This thought pattern, however, is based on the elderly we sometimes encounter in America today. Living a bent over, slow, feeble, prescription-ridden, nursing home resident type of life has never seemed appealing. No wonder most of us try to "live it up" for as long as possible, knowing that once the aches and pains take over we're bound to myriads of doctors visits, pharmaceutical refills, walkers and wheelchairs. But these lecturers changed the picture of what a centenarian's life COULD be like and it was intriguing. If, while we're young, we plan to live long and healthy, then our decisions about nutrition, exercise, stress - or the lack thereof - spirituality, and community should reflect that. I now have a different idea of how to enjoy life, perhaps even to the ripe old age of 100, or beyond.

During her lecture, Dr. Konefal invited us to work through an interesting scenario. She had us mentally imagine ourselves healthy at age 100. How would we look? What would we be doing? What would our personality be like? Once we were done seeing ourselves in 40, 50, 60 years, or so, we were to then step into the person we had created and turn back to our "present age self" and give our self advice. If we were to live to 100, what did we have to do right now to prepare for it?

It was a marvelous exercise. I decided that my 100 year old self would be taking no prescription drugs, would be able to carry her own groceries, would still be walking at least a mile every day, would be happy and content - not finding fault with others, but an extraordinary encourager, would still be working in her organic garden, would still be cooking her own healthy meals, and would still be consulting and giving advice to those wanting to eat and live a healthy lifestyle through food, spirituality, community, and exercise. I also decided one of her accomplishments would be to have written at least one cookbook, perhaps more. She would also be a powerful prayer warrior, have studied each of the books of the Bible in depth and have much of the Bible memorized.

My 100 year old self then turned to me in my present age and gave me this advice. You must continue to "eat to live" - making sure the food you eat is for nourishment first and for pleasure second. Also, begin with a personal trainer to retain strength for the last half of your centenarian life - no more waiting for "another day". Follow your dreams to be a gluten free vegan chef and culinary instructor - you're not too old to begin and you have plenty of time to perfect it. FIND opportunities to cook gluten free and vegan in order to learn how to create healthy dishes that are also delicious, then you will have enough recipes for that cookbook. She said if I wanted to still be eating from my organic garden in 50 years I needed to change the landscape of my yard by encouraging sunlight and expanding the gardens I have. No more excuse that you're not very good at gardening - you will have many years of practice; after all both grandfathers were great gardeners. It's in the genes.  In order to strengthen my spiritual life, she advised a Bible study of delving into at least one book a year and starting a scripture memory program. Hey, if I have another 50 years I could actually get this all done.

The greatest part about this exercise wasn't somehow believing I would live to a hundred - no one can know that for sure - but freeing my spirit from thinking I had to start conserving energy or getting prepared for "the end". Instead it kept my options open for "living", and living well. It also helped me to realize that if I DID live to a ripe old age, perhaps I should be preparing ahead for that living - now. Make plans and then plan to succeed.

Her last piece of advice was to pay it forward. Make sure you share what you're learning to help others find a healthy, prescription-free journey to their centenarian world. Our later years don't have to be a downward slippery slope. We can end healthy, vibrant and strong. No one has the right to make you believe differently.

Here's another recipe to get you started on your journey to a centenarian life of nutrient rich healthy eating. Here's to a long, healthy and enjoyable life.

Black Rice Salad with Mango and Peanuts

Adapted from bon Appetit June 2012 issue.

Black Rice Salad with Mango and Peanuts

Ingredients

  • 2 oranges
  • 1/4 cup (or more) fresh lime juice
  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup black rice (preferably Lotus Foods Forbidden Rice)
  • Kosher salt
  • 2 just-ripe mangoes, peeled, pitted, cut into 1/2-inch dice
  • 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
  • 1/2 cup unsalted peanuts
  • 6 scallions, thinly sliced
  • 2 jalapeños, seeded, minced

Preparation




1. Bring rice and 1 1/2 cups water to a boil in a saucepan. Season lightly with salt. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until all liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, about 25 minutes. Remove pan from heat and let stand, covered, for 15 minutes. Spread out rice on a rimmed baking sheet; let cool.
 
2. Remove peel and white pith from oranges. Working over a medium bowl to catch juices and using a small sharp knife, cut between membranes to release orange segments into bowl. Squeeze membranes over bowl to release any juices; reserve orange segments.

3. Add 1/4 cup lime juice and oil to bowl with orange juice; whisk to blend. Drizzle cooling rice with dressing.
 
4. Place mangoes and remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Add rice and toss gently to combine. Season lightly with salt and more lime juice, if desired.
 

Sunday, February 10, 2013

The Master Key of Maintaining Health is Alkalinity

 

The very definition of "diet" means to restrict oneself to small amounts or special kinds of food in order to lose weight. Many times we go on a "diet" with the intention of eventually going off of it to get back to normal eating. But in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle, we have to change the mindset where eating well is only temporary.

After going through a 21 day juice fast of eating one healthy meal and juicing breakfast and dinner, I felt so fantastic that I realized most of my health ailments were food related. The culprits were gluten, dairy, caffeine, sugar, corn syrup, artificial flavors and colors, preservatives, and GMOs. The difference was like night and day. One slip up and the ailments were back. Then I found out about pH balance - acidosis vs. alkalinity - and this has become my key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
 
Some days when I feel off (because of cross contamination at a restaurant or from not having enough leafy greens), I test my pH balance with a litmus strip and find that my blood pH is pretty low.  Our bodies continually strive to be at a pH balance of 7.35; it knows we must remain there to survivie. But the Standard American Diet is far from alkaline with its emphasis on meat, bread, dairy and sugar, which are all acidic. How can we counter this acidity? For one thing, we must be aware of what we should be eating, and then be prepared ahead so we don't fall into the habit of "grabbing a bite". This can be overwhelming if you don't have a plan. Think of your plate as 70% alkaline foods and 30% acid foods, instead of the other way around.
 
For me, the key is alkalinity. If 70% of what I eat is alkaline, that pretty much dictates what kinds of things I can eat. In my old way of thinking I would plan meals around my protein and starch, and then throw in a little vegetable to round it out. Unfortunately, proteins and starches usually consist of the acidic foods, whereas the vegetables and fruits are the alkaline ones. This meant I had to re-think the way I planned my meals. Now I plan mostly vegetable meals and add in a little protein and starch. According to the USDA, a person of my age and gender only needs 50 grams of protein a day. I had it backwards. Now when I look at my "plate", I want to see 70% of it vegetable and a little fruit, 15% protein (meat, fish, beans, or nuts), and 15% starch (rice, potato, pasta). This took some getting used to; but since I love to cook, it's been a fun challenge. One difficulty has been changing my lunches to consist of something other than a sandwich. I think I've been eating a sandwich for lunch my whole life. That was a hard habit to break. It's just so convenient. Now I prepare an alkaline lunch enough for two or three days so it's all ready, otherwise I just want to "grab" whatever's convenient - and that's not usually alkaline. I have a chart posted in my kitchen to remind me of what to keep on hand. According to the Happy Herbalist these are some of the alkaline and acidic foods to keep in mind. http://www.happyherbalist.com/alkaline_acid_balance.htm
 
Highly Alkaline
Beans String, Banana speckled, Dandelion greens, Dates, Figs, Prune, Raisins, Swiss Chard.
High Alkaline
Almonds, Avocado, Banana-Yellow, Bean Fresh, Beet, Blackberries, Carrot, Chives, Cranberries, Endive, Grapes Sour, Kale, Peach dried (org), Persimmon, Pomegranate, Plum, Raspberries (org), Spinach.
Neutral Oils
Cold Pressed, Expeller Pressed, Almond, Avocado, Coconut, Linseed, Olive, Safflower, Sesame, Sunflower, Walnut.
Alkaline
Agar, Alfalfa (org), Apple & Fresh Apple Cider (org), Apricot fresh, Artichokes globe, Bamboo shoots, Bean snap, Beans sprouted, Berries most (org), Blueberries, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Cantaloupe, Cauliflower, Celery, Cherries, Chestnuts, Chicory, Coconut Milk, Collards, Corn fresh and sweet (org), Cucumbers (org), Daikon, Eggplant, Escarole, Garlic, Ginger root, Gooseberry, Grapefruit, Guava, Horseradish fresh and raw, Kelp, Kohlrabi, Leek, Lemon and Peel, Lettuce, Lime, Loganberry, Mango, Melons, Milk raw, Acidophilus Yogurt, Whey.

Highly Acid
Alcohol, Artichoke root, Barley, Bread, Buckwheat, Caffeine, Coffee, Corn, Custards, Drugs, Flour-all, Ginger preserved, Honey, Lentil dry, Mate, Millet, Oatmeal, Peanuts, Rice-all, Rye Grain, Soy Bread, Soy noodles, Sorghum, grain, Spaghetti and other Pasta, Beet Sugar, Sugar Cane, raw beet, Tobacco, Walnut (English), Wheat grain.
Acid
Asparagus, Beans dried, Cashews, Coconut dried, Cranberry Juice and concentrate, Egg yolk, Filbert, Fruit Jellies (Jams Canned, Sulphured, Sugared, Dried), Grapes Sweet, Pasteurized Milk Products, Dry Peas, Pecans, Plums Damson, Tofu fries, Water-chestnuts.
Acid Fats
Butter, Cream, Margarine, Lard.
 
According to Webster's Dictionary, "Habits are routines of behavior that are repeated regularly and tend to occur subconsciously, without one being conscious about them".

During the 21 day juice fast I was able to establish some good habits and break some bad ones. Now when I get up in the morning and grab a lemon to squeeze into a glass of spring water, I realize I've formed a habit - one that I want to keep. Other habits I want to keep are to juice once a day, continue exercising, continue to plan out weekly meals, package juice ingredients, keep healthy snacks in my car so I don't have to use a "drive through", and spend a good part of one day prepping food - like making homemade stock, or cooking quinoa for the week.

But there are also habits I used to have which I want to break and lose for good. Things like drinking coffee every morning. I've substituted the "hands wrapped around a mug" with hot tea instead. Needing starch or bread at every meal is gone as well as a daily or weekly dessert. I've substituted the need for chips and a sandwich, with carrots and hummus and a collard wrap. The more I eliminate breads and sugary foods altogether, the easier they are to resist. I get my sweet fix now from fresh and dried fruit. While all these changes did not happen overnight, they are all helping to keep my blood pH alkaline. Now when I'm feeling "off" and I check my lipmus paper, I know exactly what foods to eat to get back on track.

A few foods to add to your weekly regime could be: quinoa with cooked broccoli and slivered almonds; quinoa with sauteed zucchini, onions and garlic; or apple waldorf salad over baby kale with a lemon, honey and oil dressing. Fresh fruit, almonds, and dates are great snacks, as well as celery with almond butter and raisins (ants on a log) or almond butter on apple slices.

For breakfast, try using almond milk instead of cow's milk - there's a wide range of different brands and flavors. Also, if you eat oatmeal, try mixing it in with quinoa and then add raisins, slivered almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, cinnamon and grated apple or pomegranate seeds.

The more alkaline you become, the better you'll feel and the more your body will be able to ward off disease, from the common cold to cancer. Why not go ahead and try it. You're worth it, you know.
 
Here's an alkaline recipe adapted from Bon Appetit to get you started:

Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad

1 cup quinoa, rinsed well
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large English cucumber, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
2/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
2 scallions, thinly sliced

Bring quinoa, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes. Let stand, uncovered, for 5 minutes to evaporate out all of the water. Spread out on a cookie sheet to cool.

Whisk lemon juice and garlic in a small bowl. Gradulaly whisk in olive oil. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.

When quinoa is cool, transfer to a large bowl; mix in half of the dressing.

Add cucumber, tomatoes, herbs, and scallions to bowl with quinoa; toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle remaining dressing over and stir. Serve on a bed of fresh baby spinach.

Happy alkalizing.

Adapted from Bon Appetit Magazine http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2012/06/quinoa-tabbouleh#ixzz1ve9spZpO

 


Sunday, January 20, 2013

How to Stay Healthy in a Toxic World
 
Over the past decade or two I've noticed disturbing changes in our world, mainly that cancer has become an epidemic. I think, by now, most of us realize that the causes are largely due to the changes in our world. We have become a society dependant on chemicals. We not only deal with smog and pollution and car exhaust; but everything we eat or touch has been made to look better, feel better, smell better, taste better, grow better and last longer - with chemicals. This is true not only with our household cleaners, detergents, soaps and pesticides, lotions, perfumes, makeup, hair dyes and deodorants; but it has also crept into our food supply. We are toxic.
 
Changes have occurred slowly over years to accommodate the needs of our fast-paced society. More and more families not only need both parents (or the only parent) to work outside the home; but we live in the fast lane with multiple activities for ourselves and each of our children; which means there's not enough time to cook. So food companies have stepped up and provided more convenient foods to meet the need. Families are thankful and relieved. Over time, however, this convenience went from occasional to routine. What was meant to lighten the load once or twice a week has become the daily norm. What we're left with is processed packaged food that sits on shelves - in boxes, tubes, cans, jars, and bags - with weakened nutrients being ingested three times a day and loaded with hydrogenated fats, salt, high fructose corn syrup, sugar, artificial colors, artificial sweeteners, and preservatives - all chemicals, much of which our bodies do not recognize. These chemicals have created an acidic monster; one which needs to be dealt with if we are ever to recover from "chronicity".
 
After years of this abuse, our bodies get their fill and the revolt begins - we become chronically ill. So we go to doctors and they prescribe, you guessed it, more chemicals. Unfortunately because so many of the illnesses are deemed chronic, pills don't actually cure anything, they relieve symptoms. And nine times out of ten, they cause side effects which require another prescription. And so on it goes. "According to the Kaiser Family Foundation...the number of prescriptions filled each year increased by 39% between 1999 and 2009...The average American fills 12 prescriptions each year." http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/05/31/med.nation.too.many.meds/index.html.  We're overdosing on toxic chemicals and our bodies can't keep up.
 
So what can we do?

For one thing, we can become more informed.
A year ago when my chronic pain led the doctors to prescribe drugs and surgery, I opted to find an alternative solution. I started researching. Books such as "Clean", by Dr. Alejandro Junger; www.cleanprogram.com  "The Blood Sugar Solution", by Dr. Mark Hyman www.bloodsugarsolution.com ; "Minding My Midochondria", by Dr. Terry Wahls http://www.terrywahls.com/eating-the-wahls-way; and "The Gerson Miracle", by Charlotte Gerson www.gersoninstitute.com were invaluable.

I also started watching all the food documentaries I could get my hands on; such movies as "Hungry For Change" http://www.hungryforchange.tv/, "Forks Over Knives" www.forksoverknives.com, "The Gerson Miracle" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbIixJI_oa4, "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead" http://www.fatsickandnearlydead.com/, and "Food Matters" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4DOQ6Xhqss, to name a few. Ingesting this kind of information began to open my eyes and I began to realize that I was the cause of my own illness. My body had been accumulating toxins for decades. The good news was, if I could cause the problem then I could also bring about the solution.

The second thing we can do to bring about change is to start making different choices wherever we can. After reading these books and watching these movies I knew I couldn't continue with the status quo. I had to make changes. I began by detoxing my body with the "Clean" diet (Junger). Because I was experiencing such amazing results after 21 days, I decided to continue with the diet a couple more months. During that time I learned, through the elimination diet, that I was gluten intolerant and dairy intolerant. This caused me to drastically change my eating habits which helped me drop 50 pounds. Because I wanted the changes to be permanent I investigated different places I could go out to eat which met my new standards. A few I found were, Six Main in Chester,  CT www.sixmain.com; GZen in Branford, CT www.g-zen.com; Claire's Corner Copia in New Haven, CT www.clairescornercopia.com ; Nature's Grocer and Cafe in Vernon, CT www.naturesgrocervernon.com ; and Fire and Spice in Hartford, CT www.firenspiceveganrestaurant.com . As you can see, one healthy change leads to another and another. But you must take that first step.

The last thing you can do to stay healthy in a toxic world is to begin where you are. Everyone is in a different place on this health journey. Don't look at someone else and say, "I could never do that". Find out what you can do, and start there. For you, maybe it means cutting out all high fructose corn syrup, or cutting down desserts to once a week, or maybe substituting cows milk with almond milk. Perhaps for you it means dusting off that elliptical or finding a walking buddy. No matter where you are on your health journey, it's important to keep moving forward. Don't let the busyness of life swallow up your health. You're worth taking care of.

Friday, January 11, 2013


Cleanse. How To Begin
 
According to Dr. Junger in his book, Clean, it is important to take a few days to get ready for the cleanse by eliminating the foods not allowed during the detox. This makes it easier to ease into the new way of eating for 21 days and tends to allow for more success. It also helps to relieve the possible withdrawal symptoms you may experience during the elimination and keep it separate from the rigors of the juice detox.
 
So now we're ready for Day 1 of the Detox.
 
This morning I took half a lemon and squeezed the juice into a glass of Spring water and drank it with my daily supplements. For starters I take a probiotic, a liver support (milk thistle), a One a Day, and an Omega 3. Dr. Junger has a regime of supplements he recommends in his book. Each person has to decide for themselves what is important and doable for their budget.

Because I'm used to sitting with a cup of coffee each morning, it is necessary for me to substitute a cup of herbal tea for this morning routine. I chose Smooth Move Tea by Traditional Medicinals since it helps to keep me regular, which is very important during the detox.

Last but not least, of course, is the juice itself. I use the Breville Juicer which Dr. Junger also recommends because it was more in my price range. There are better juicers to purchase if your budget so allows. My juice this morning is (for 2 servings) made up of organic vegetables and fruits:

10 carrots, scrubbed
1 large cucumber
1/2 lemon (with peel and rind)
1 green apple
1 Gala apple
3-4 stalks celery
1 small beet, with it's leaves

Because I use a Breville juicer (centrifugal $150-$200), I drink the juice within 30 minutes. I do not save this over for the evening meal. You can save it, however, if you purchase a masticating juicer ($350-$400) which keeps the nutrients intact longer.

Exercise and sweating is also very important during the detox to help get rid of toxins. However, it's important not to overdo. We have an elliptical which I use each morning. I go at a moderate pace for 40-50 minutes.

On the weekend, I was able to plan my meals and shop for ingredients. The more you plan and prepare the easier it is to follow through with your goals. One of the recipes I chose to make for my lunches called Quinoa Fennel Pomegranate Salad. It makes 4 servings which feeds both my husband and I for 2 days of lunches. I have adjusted some of the ingredients to make it "Clean" friendly.

Quinoa Fennel Pomegranate Salad

Adapted from Bon Appetit Magazine January 2012 issue
1/4 cup cold pressed olive oil
1 med fennel bulb, cut lengthwise into 1/4" slices
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
The juice of one fresh lemon
1 1/2 ground cumin (I didn't put this in since I don't care for the flavor)
1 cup quinoa, rinsed well
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
Seeds from 1 small pomegranate

Bring quinoa and 3 cups of water or vegetable stock to a boil in a medium saucepan. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until quinoa is cooked, about 15 minutes. Uncover and let sit 15 minutes before fluffing with a fork. Transfer to a large bowl.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add fennel; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fennel is just tender and lightly golden, 10 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and cumin. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Cut the pomegranate in half and, using a large spoon over a deep bowl, whack the pomegranate numerous times to release the seeds.

Add fennel mixture, chopped herbs, and pomegranate seeds to the quinoa and toss gently to incorporate. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.

This can be eaten hot or cold. I eat it over a large bed of spinach which incorporates more of an 80%/20% ratio of alkaline to acidic ingredients.

Before eating my lunch, I take a digest pill which helps to push things through the digestive tract.

In the afternoon I get quite hungry so I plan for a few snacks. You may have an extra juice again of course; but if you're looking to chew on something, a few almonds, cashews, or walnuts are a great snack as well as pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds. It is best to eat your seeds and nuts raw, unroasted and unsalted since cooking them destroys the digestive enzymes, which you especially need during the detox. I also enjoy almond butter on celery or rice cakes. Another thing I do is to keep drinking lots of herbal tea without milk or sugar. This and drinking plenty of filtered water tends to ward off hunger pains as well.
I try not to have a soup every night since the body still has to digest it slightly, but it is good to substitute for the juice on occasion for variety. So for dinner tonight I made a pureed butternut squash soup. (Serves 6)

Butternut Squash Soup

2 pounds butternut chunks
1 large onion
2 carrots
2 celery stalks
3 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
32 ounces vegetable or chicken stock, preferably homemade (see an earlier post)
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 green apples, chopped
Salt and pepper

Toss the first five ingredients with the oil, salt and pepper and roast in a 400 degree oven for an hour, or until all vegetables are soft.

Place stock, apples and spices in a blender and add roasted vegetables. Blend until very smooth. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper, if needed.

This was nice and thick and very tasty. It made enough for my husband and I to have for 2 dinners (he eats a little more than one bowl).

An important thing to keep in mind that Dr. Junger writes about, is to keep a 12 hour window between your last meal of the day and your first meal of the morning. The reason for this is to give your body a change to naturally detox the daily toxins. A typical meal takes 8 hours to digest. If there are 4 more hours before your next meal, it means your body now has a chance to get to work on finding and eliminating the toxins in the body which have built up during the day. Thus the 12 hour window.

I end my evening with another cup of Smooth Move Tea (my coffee substitute) but nothing else, in order to adhere to the 12 hour window rule.

Between the elimination portion of this program and the first day of detox, I am already seeing health and weight benefits. Hopefully you are seeing the same.





 

Thursday, January 3, 2013


Is My Kitchen Toxin Free?
 
According to Dr. Alejandro Junger, the reason we're fatigued, sick, overweight, and have chronic pain is because toxins are trapped in our  bodies. In his book, Clean, he explains how they get there and how we can get rid of them. In a nutshell, toxins come from our environment, our homes, what we put on our bodies, and what we put in our bodies. He explains how we were created with a daily detoxification mechanism. He calls is a 12 hour window. In general, food takes about 8 hours to digest. Once the body is done with that job, it shifts to the job of detoxification; but only if we let it. Between dinner and breakfast there literally needs to be a period of 12 hours when we do not eat. This gives the body 8 hours to digest and another 4 hours to detoxify the toxins which have entered the body during the day. If we do not allow our bodies this daily detoxification then toxins accumulate, and over years inflammation and fat take over our system and we feel the affects of fatigue, sickness, being overweight, and chronic pain.
 
During the elimination portion of this program it is important that we educate ourselves as to where these toxins come from so we can eliminate them. What benefit would it be if we detoxify but we continue to allow the toxins entrance? Let's start with our kitchen food.
 
Dr. Junger explains that during this detoxification we must eat fresh whole foods. Nothing should come packaged in a box, jar, can, tube, bottle, or bag or have high fructose corn syrup, sugar, chemical sweeteners (like aspartame) or artificial colors in it. We should also eliminate any GMO (genetically modified organism) ingredients which are soy, canola, cottonseed oil, or corn. Also, gluten (wheat, barley, rye, bulgur, spelt, oats - except gluten free; dairy - including yogurt, cheese, ice cream, ricotta, milk; or the night shades (tomatoes, potatoes, sweet potatoes, peppers, or eggplant). All of these are toxic or have the potential of being toxic in the form of allergies of which we may not be aware.
 
In order to get ready for the 21 days of detoxification, we must clean out our cupboards and refrigerators, read labels, and start tossing.
 
What is left is fresh wholesome foods; vegetables, brown rice, quinoa, greens, fruits, antibiotic-free and hormone-free chicken and fish, etc.
 
Since doing this detox last year, I have taken a few shortcuts like buying vegetable or chicken stock in a box or jar. But for this fast I will once again make everything from scratch. So today, I will begin by making my own stock and freezing it for soup recipes and making quinoa during the cleanse.
 
      To make a chicken stock, you need a carcass of chicken bones, 2 onions-peeled and cut up, 4 carrots-peeled and cup up, 4 celery stalks cut up, 6 stalks of fresh parsley, and 1 Tbsp peppercorns. Put in a large pot and add one gallon of cold spring water. Bring to a boil then turn down heat to medium and simmer for 2 hours. Discard the carcass and the vegetables. DO NOT ADD SALT at this time since the stock will concentrate and could become too salty. Always salt just before you're ready to eat something.
 
      When cooking food starting from cold water, the flavor leeches out into the water, which is what we want here. When placing food in boiling water, the flavor stays in the vegetables. When making stock, we want all the flavor of the vegetables to find its way into the water. Then we toss the vegetables and start the soup with fresh ones.

 
Some may have concerns at how unseasonal it is to be drinking a cold juice for dinner when it's cold outside, so I've included a soup recipe which could easily be pureed with a blender and included as a "juice" for dinner.

Indian Dal Soup – Clean
Adapted from Dr. John McDougall recipes, by Veronica Patenaude

Serves 6
8 cups low sodium vegetable broth
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, minced
6 large garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
2 cups dried red lentils, rinsed and picked over
2 ½ tsp roasted ground cumin
2 ½ tsp roasted ground coriander
¾ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp ground cardamom
¾ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ to ½ tsp cayenne pepper
¼ to ½ tsp smoked paprika (optional)
Sea salt to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste

1. Place oil in a large soup pot. Add the onions, garlic and ginger and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes to bring out flavors, stirring occasionally.

2. Add the vegetable broth, lentils, and all the spices.

3. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes until the lentils are tender and falling apart. [At this point you could puree the soup with an immersion blender. If you don't have one, you should cool the soup slightly before pouring into a blender or Vitamix to prevent it from expanding and burning you during blending.]

4. Add water if a thinner soup is desired.

5. Check seasonings and add salt and pepper to taste.