Out With The Old And In With The New

Let’s talk about Detox. When that word comes up in conversation, the first thing that comes to mind is a traumatic week of lemon and cayenne water for the sake of loosing a few pounds, right? Ok, toss that idea right out of your mind because that is not what you're body needs or how to loose weight. The actual definition of detoxifying is to rid the body of poison or the effects of poisons. You can rid the body of poison without depriving it of the nutrients it needs. In fact, during detoxification, you can be getting rid of toxins and replacing them with vital nutrients that your body has been craving. Out with the old toxins and in with the new nutrients.

Today, we put such high value on instant results that we disregard the long term effects of toxic build up in our bodies, until we get a diagnosis. Over time we accumulate toxins from chemicals in our foods, products on our skin or in the water we drink. At the moment of consuming these foods or products we may feel fine or have some indigestion that we power through, but we are actually adding chemicals to our body that are flowing through our blood stream and being stored in our cells and in our fat. 

I’d like to talk to you about what you can do about this and how it will effect your health and even weight loss goals. 

Whether you live a life that is extremely organic and health conscious or whether you don’t, there is a certain level of chemicals and synthetic substances that we cannot avoid coming in contact with. For this reason, we should all make an effort to cleans our bodies a few times a year to prevent future disease and keep our bodies running at their best. When you’re not cleansing, there are certain foods you can also be aware of that will promote detoxification along the way.

Ok, let’s do a brief summary of what toxins may be transients in your body. Don’t let this part scare you, but simply educate and inspire you. Also, know that after you read this paragraph, I will be offering solutions and hope. So fear not! Here’s the low down. Ready? 

When you don’t eat organic produce and grains, you are consuming poisons like Round Up weed killer, pesticides, synthetic fertilizers and other sprays which are known to causes cancer and disruption of hormones. Non organic meats and dairies contain antibiotics and growth hormones which wreak havoc on your gut and disrupt your hormones and endocrine system. Sugar, whether organic or not is a huge stress on our system and actually feeds live transients in our body. Fluoride is a product of the fertilizer companies that is then sold to be used in insecticides and has been proven to cause brain damage and even act as a transportation for aluminum to the brain resulting in ADHD and Alzhiemers. It has also been linked to decreased testosterone, sterility and fertility complications. Fluoride is most commonly in water and toothpastes. One of the biggest ways to increase our toxic load is through body products. You may think that our mouth is the only way that we consume but our skin consumes just as well through absorption. The list of chemicals in makeup, shower products, hair dye and hair care, nail products, skin care products, fabrics and fabric soap is so long, I’m not going to attempt it. Just know that it is absorbed through your skin, consuming it like food. The one way that you consume chemicals that you cannot avoid is through the air. Even if you do not work in a polluted industry, the air is sprayed with aluminum oxide and other contaminants. Ever wondered what those white stripes are in the sky? Whew! If you’re reading this, that means you made it through the dark side of this blog post. Congratulations! Let’s move on to some hope, shall we?

I know that was a lot but I hope it motivates you to not only watch what you put into your body but also that a cleanse here and there is pretty important. There are a few ways to address detox. I’m going to encourage you to pursue a particular plan but if you have been readying my blog from the beginning you know I have a rule. DO WHAT YOU CAN! 

There are many detox programs out there but there is one in particular that has earned my trust. It is the 21 Day Purification by Standard Process. I don’t sell this or gain any compensation by promoting it. I’m sharing it with you because this company has earned my trust and meets my personal standards. The 21 Day Purification is a combination of diet, supplements and a shake.

Here is why I trust the Standard Process Brand. All of Standard Processes products are organic. Supplements are processed only on glass and stainless steal and nothing is heated above 90 degrees to keep high levels of nutrients in the ingredients. I always have a bit of skepticism about organics because I know that our government allows a certain percentage of chemicals in them and you can still deem your product organic. I also know that many farmers function organically, but end up with harsh chemicals due to run off from neighboring farmers. Standard Process is the first company that not only follows pure organic standards but they have built barriers around their farms to prevent any run off penetrating their land. They truly value their product and what they stand for, not just the bottom line. My family has experienced great healing over the past decade due to Standard Process supplements so I am a first hand testament to their function. 

This program offers an amazing recourse guide and cook book as well as whole food supplements and shake bases in a variety of options to nurture your body along the way. The following information is taken straight from their website. The Standard Process Purification Program supports the whole body’s natural toxin-metabolism processes. Patients who have finished the purification program found

    •    Increased energy and vitality

    •    Better digestion

    •    Less bloating

    •    Improved weight management

    •    Clearer skin

    •    Shinier hair

    •    Better sleep

    •    Clearer thinking

    •    Better management of challenges related to natural toxin load in the body*

Before ordering your 21 Day Purification Kit, take their toxicity questionnaire. It is also found in the cookbook as pictured above. On the website, you will be directed to a wellness practitioner that will use your questionnaire to assess your potential need for the purification program or other Standard Process or MediHerb® products. Click here to see more about the 21 Day Purification. You will see all the details for the program, research behind it, webinars and videos and more.

Ok, so you know why you should detox and you know how to detox but lets talk about the elephant in the room. What happens after the detox? Post detox, you’ll probably be experiencing more energy, mental clarity, easier digestion, less pain and headaches and you don’t want to let that go, right?

Picture this: Like a small child, you chew up a plate of Oreo cookies. Every crevice of your mouth is caked up with black cookie and white lard. In this story, the Oreo is the toxins in your body. Then you brush your teeth (with fluoride free toothpaste of course) and they are sparkling clean. Would you walk from the bathroom back to the kitchen and shovel in some more Oreos? My guess is no. After a 21 day detox, think about going back to non organic foods and about the products you’re using. Before you freak out, know that I have not forgotten about the premise of this blog. I want to lead you one attainable step at a time through the process of changing to a holistic, healthy lifestyle. If it’s too overwhelming to change everything from the dreaded dark paragraph above, just do what you can and keep reading my blog as I lead you further. However, I do want you to be mindful of the choices you make before and after your detox. 

Along the way, there are some natural detoxification foods that are great to incorporate into your daily or weekly diet as well as when you’re sick. Lemon and Grapefruit are fantastic for this. Here are two ways to consume them each day. 

Not very many people are grapefruit eaters but if you like them, have 1/2 a grapefruit with your morning breakfast each day. Grapefruit aides digestion and helps rid the body of toxins including viruses like the flu. It regulates and expels sugar from the body. Some pharmaceutical drugs do not work well with grapefruit as your pharmacist may have mentioned. If you are on medications, you can always add a drop of grapefruit essential oil in a capsule as the essential oil doesn't not have the protein associated with bad medication interactions. 

Perhaps the best choice you can make for your day is to start it with a warm cup of lemon water. It’s ok to sweeten it with a little honey. If you can avoid it though, that would be better. Lemon and grapefruit are pretty similar in function. Starting your day with warm lemon water, wakes up your digestion and sets your body to work on healthy functions like detoxifying. Your body is working for you before you even get started on your day. Why warm water you ask? Drinking really cold or hot drinks is not necessarily bad. But by drinking liquids that are closer to your own body temperature of 98 degrees, allows for less stress for your body to regulate the temperature of the beverage and allows for a gentler digestion.

In the morning, your body has just woken from a mini fast and what you put into it first sets the tone for your day. Have you ever been jolted awake by an energy bomb otherwise known as your child? Before you were ready to receive all that the day had for you, you’re forced awake and into the days routines. This is how your body feels when you give it coffee first. Coffee is a stimulant and works against digestion adding harsh acids to our body. But what lemon water does for your body is like what happens when your kids sleep in. You wander into the kitchen at your own pace and prepare for your day. I heard a quote once that said “You want to wake up for your children not to your children”. Same goes for your body. Warm lemon water gently wakes up our digestion preparing it to function well for the day. The lemon promotes detoxification of junk in your body and feeds your immune system some vitamin A and C. Adding a drop of lemon essential oil to your water throughout the day will support your detoxification efforts as well. 

Traditional Medicinals makes a detox tea that is great as well. It has a variety of herbs that promote detox but it focuses on dandelion root as well. Your body can only handle so much citrus  so if you'd like to mix it up, consider any detox tea with dandelion root as it promotes gentle detox as well. You can find it here or at most grocery stores. 

An other great way to promote detoxification is through epsom salt soaks. Epsom encourages the body to detoxify through the feet while nurturing the body with magnesium. My kids have a cup of epsom salt in every bath they take. Most adults only take showers so if you can’t make time for a relaxing soak in your week, try soaking your feet in the evening while watching a movie or reading a book. Simply add a cup of epsom salt to hot water and soak for at least 20 minutes. Adding essential oils, herbs or medicinal flowers to the soak is great way to absorb their powerful functions as well.

If you're new to my blog, please check out my intro post to find out the unique premise of this blog and how together we can life healthier, holistic lives one step at a time. Thanks for taking the time to read this today.

Eat Your Greens

Our diet is a very personal and emotional topic. We use it for more than nourishment. Our meal times can be a form of comfort, routine, or even a social event. I am definitely not going to write a blog post selling you on a full diet change. That would actually go against the whole objective of my blog which is to give simple and attainable steps towards a healthy and holistic lifestyle. So, instead of taking something out of your diet I want you to try to add something.  This week I'd like to challenge you to add a portion of raw, dark, leafy greens to your existing diet. Not ready to take the challenge? Keep reading and let me convince you why this one small but powerful change will take you one step closer to a more healthy and energy filled lifestyle. 

Let me tell you a little bit about what raw greens do in your body. You may have heard the phrase “you are what you eat”. The reasoning behind this is that whatever you put into your body is absorbed through your digestive system to feed your functioning cells. It becomes apart of you. Each cell has a purpose to keep your body functioning, growing and fighting for you. Feeding your cells sugar and chemicals disturbs their growth and ability to function as you need them to. The combination of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients in dark leafy greens build your immune system by feeding your cells what they need to grow and strengthen. They also reduce the stress and inflammation that is a feeding ground for the risk and development of stroke, heart disease, cancer, digestive disorders, diabetes, high blood pressure and other diseases. When your cells are  strengthened, your body can now send the energy it was using to fight inflammation and stress and use it to increase your cognitive clarity and get you through the day. Other health benefits from leafy greens include improved hair and skin, detoxification, weight loss, improved gut health, immune booster, increased energy levels, and cognitive clarity. Remember, the darker the green, the more nutrients in the leaf. Let me just say right now that Iceberg Lettuce is not considered a dark leafy green. Sorry folks. Also, I implore you to buy organic. If you're trying to feed those cells nutrients, you don't want to give it to them genetically modified or with a side of pesticide. 

Why raw? Much of the nutrients are lost when vegetables are cooked. Boiling vegetables are especially not recommended because it leaches out the vitamins into the water that is then discarded down the drain. The higher the heat and the longer you cook them, the more nutrients are lost. You can’t go wrong with simple raw veggies. 

Shhh! We’re playing a little trick on your body. See, when you start to add anything to your diet consistently, your body begins to consider it as a functional part of your lifestyle. When you don’t eat it, you will crave it. Have you ever challenged yourself to drink more water because you should, not necessarily because you wanted to? You carry around an extra large water bottle and find yourself drinking all day. You’ve never made more visits to the bathroom in one day, right? After a day or two, if you forget that water bottle at home, you suddenly find yourself incredibly thirsty and miss that boosted liquid intake that you made your body accustomed to. You could apply this to carbs, sugar, water and yes even greens. While the idea of craving greens may sound odd to you, think about it this way. We've all had those sugar cravings, right? Think back to all those moments when you've craved sugar and grabbed the nearest cupcake and devoured it - that was your body craving a false boost because you trained your body to need sugar. Now imagine having that same craving feeling about greens as well as that satisfaction of eating your craving?! Only this time the boost is real. The energy you feel is accompanied by mental clarity and not followed by an exhaustive crash and head ache. Can you commit to adding a serving of dark leafy greens to your diet each day?

There are many ways to add in greens to your day and still maintain some variety. One rule that you can bring with you into your day is “The Brown for Green Rule”. Pick at least one brown item in your day and replace it with greens. For example, if you are ordering something with a tortilla (brown) order it onto a bed of greens instead. If your meal is on toast or rice, have it on greens.

Need some suggestions? Here is something for every meal.

If you want to give your morning a boost, you can start with adding a large handful of dark leafy greens to your smoothie or juicing recipe. Serving your eggs over a bed of greens is a great way to add them to a savory breakfast as well. 

A salad is an obvious choice for lunch time greens. Many restaurants serve some amazing organic salads but feel free to pack your favorite salad on the go and remember to keep the dressing on the side until you’re ready to eat or your salad will be pretty soggy. Not a salad lover? Add a pile of greens into your sandwich. 

The 3 o’clock crash is a great time for your greens since they truly boost energy and mental clarity. I like to take Lucinado (Dino) kale and dip it in hummus or a healthy dressing. Even if you’re battling a sugar craving, fight through it and take that first bite of kale. The sugar craving will dissipate. It will! Kale chips are a very popular snack these days as well. It’s not raw but it is better than chips from the vending machine for sure. 

One of my favorite dinners and ways to add in some greens is with a bowl. Add your greens on top of quinoa and then top your greens with roasted veggies and a healthy sauce or dressing. Sometimes on the weekend I will make a larger batch of quinoa with garlic and herbs. Then I will roast a batch of mixed root veggies. Throughout the week I will make these veggie bowls for dinner or on the go and it’s already cooked.

Occasionally, I will share people or cook books that have inspired me. My first inspiration is Andrea Bemis. She has a phenomenal cookbook called Dishing Up The Dirt. One of my favorite recipes in there is her Farmgirl Bowl. I’ve linked her recipe for you to try. If you like it, you should definitely get her book. The recipes are hardy, healthy and delicious. 

So, are you ready to take the green for brown challenge? Either swap out one brown item in your day for greens or just plain add in one serving of greens into one of your meals. Get ready for more energy and mental clarity.

Thanks for following me and don't forget to scroll down and subscribe so you don't miss out to the next week's step to a holistic life. 

Spring Cleaning Never Felt So Good.

Well, it’s time to start our one year transformation journey to a healthy and holistic lifestyle. There’s not exactly a specific order that this needs to go, but know that I will be choosing my posts according to three basic ideas: season, keeping the variety fresh and spacing out the bigger weeks so that it’s not overwhelming. Since it’s the beginning of spring I thought I would address what we’re all getting ready to do or let’s be honest, what we’re avoiding doing: Spring Cleaning. 

I am definitely not one who finds cleaning to be therapeutic but there is something very cathartic about a fresh environment. In the garden, the old and unused parts of the plant die in winter to make room for the new growth of spring. It also does this so that it doesn't waste it’s nutrients on the parts that are no longer lifegiving. Our lives are similar to that. Purge what is not life-giving and is using up wasted energy. Cleaning out the dust and giving your lungs something fresh to breath makes way for new, healthy growth in your body. 

What I am going to focus on in this post is more specifically our cleaning products. Mainstream cleaners are full of chemicals that are cancer causing, hormone disrupting, fertility disrupting and ignites allergies and athsma. Oddly enough, as we’re are trying to keep a clean and healthy home, we don’t realize we’re bringing in chemicals that are causing illness anyway. For the sake of keeping this post short and to the point, please see Dr.Axe’s post https://draxe.com/eco-cleaners/  The Dirty Side of Cleaning Products to read further into the actual chemicals in these products and what illnesses they are linked to.

There are three ways that you can address the toxic load in your cleaning supply closet. Remember, I always say “Do what you can”. So, see which one of these methods is going to work for you and stick with it.

For those of you who are busy and just want a recommendation of brands to buy. Here are some brands that I recommend. Greenshield Organic, Better Life, or Homesolv. 

Throwing out all of your cleaning supplies and buying new, may be to aggressive on your budget. With my “do what you can” method, try and commit to purchasing or making new cleaners as you run out of the ones you are currently using. In the meantime, make sure to safeguard yourself by wearing gloves to protect any skin absorption. You may even opt for a mask so that you don’t breath the chemicals in. This is especially important if you already battle allergies or other respiratory issues. I would like to encourage you to continue to read on to the next section which are some DIY recipes. Even if you do not consider yourself a DIY type of person, you will be surprised at how simple and inexpensive these recipes are.

My final recommendation is to make your own. I know, you may be thinking that this will take up a whole afternoon of laboring but fear not! One thing you will find as this holistic journey goes on is that natural options really are more simple. You don’t need a lot of ingredients and lab created chemicals just to be clean. It’s true! I have made it easy for you once again. Below you will see a small list of ingredients that will create all the cleaners you need. I bet most of these ingredients you probably already have.

           6 Ingredients For Your Cleaning Supplies

All these recipes contain vinegar. Most of them are orange oil infused and I'll explain that next. If castile soap is new to you, let me explain why that is the soap of choice. Castile Soap is a vegetable based soap that is free of harsh chemicals and gentle for sensitive skin. It is quite concentrated so no matter if you're using it to wash your counters or your body, it should always be diluted. I prefer Dr. Bronner's Pure Castile Soap. You will notice that it comes in many different natural scents. For the sake of cleaning supplies, it really doesn't matter which scent you choose. I enjoy the combination of the peppermint castile soap with the orange oil. Epsom salt is a wonderful healing agent for your body and you will hear more about it in future posts but for cleaning sake, it makes a great abrasive when scrubbing stubborn gunk. Baking soda is a great addition to some cleaners as a detoxifying micro-scrubber. All of the following cleaners are great as they are but I will also put suggested essential oils that you can add, should you already be an essential oil user or are interested in becoming one. These are optional to boost their effectiveness to kill germs but your cleaners will serve the purpose just as they are without them. If you do not use essential oils but would like to know more, click here to shop oils and connect with me. I'd be happy to introduce you to the power of essential oils. 

Vinegar is a fantastic cleaning agent. Germs cannot survive when they come in contact with it. While many people use just white vinegar, which you can absolutely do, I like to give mine an extra boost. By soaking my discarded orange peels in the white vinegar, I am extracting the antibacterial and antimicrobial oils from the peel and infusing them into my cleaning vinegar. It also give a nice scent to the stinky vinegar. Pretty cool right? Simply grab a cute jar (if you want it to sit out on the counter). Fill it 3/4 of the way with white vinegar and start consuming some vitamin C. Let it sit for two weeks and then use it in the recipes below. 

          Your Cleaning Line Up    

Here is a great All Purpose Cleaner. Combine your ingredients in an empty spray bottle for all surfaces including toilets. I have given you a basic mixture but feel free play with the dilution. If you want something that gives more suds, add an other tablespoon of Castile Soap. Remember, this cleaner is fine on it's own but if you want to give it an extra germ killing kick, you can add one of my recommended essential oils, Onguard or Purify by Doterra. 

If any place needs some extra power and exfoliation it's the toilet bowl. No need for a spray bottle here. Just pour in the orange oil vinegar (white vinegar is fine too), castile soap, baking soda and epsom salt and start scrubbing. The orange vinegar and baking soda will disinfect, the castile soap will lubricate and break down grime and the epsom salt will scrub. Germ killing essential oils like Onguard and Purify essential oils are great to drip straight into the toilet with the other ingredients as well. This is a recipe for sparkly, clean porcelain.

This is a simple glass cleaner but let me tell you why I especially like this mixture. I have kids and I have dogs. If it's not the sticky finger prints, it's my dog's nose prints dried on my sliding, glass doors. The vinegar has a great astringent quality that strips away all that gunk. You will notice that I use regular white vinegar without the orange. I find that event though there are minimal amounts of oil from the orange that it can leave a bit of a streak, especially if I have soaked a lot of orange peels for a long time. I like to add lemon essential oil to my mixture for a fresh lemon scent but this is optional as well. 

There are many methods to cleaning floors. If you don't have any pets or kids then you may just spray the floor and use a damp mop. Some people really need to lubricate some grime and you may use a bucket of solution. Either way this mixture is for you. If you need more than a spray bottle worth, just double or triple the recipe. For really stubborn, stuck bits, put one drop of your castile soap on the area and let is sit there for a few minutes. Then try and work at it. The castile soap is a great lubricant. Vinegar is fine on hardwood floors as long as it is diluted by at least 50% and is not left on for a long period of time. 

I hope all these ideas and recipes have inspired you. There really are options for any type of lifestyle. I'd love to hear how these diy cleaners have worked for you or if any of the recommended products ended up being a favorite. Thank you again for reading and stay tuned for the next step to healthy, toxic free, holistic living.