Healthy Healing Habits mission is to empower women to be WORTHY NOW and let go of limiting beliefs so they can step into the true version of themselves and help them discover their vision for their health. These manifest in our daily lives in the form of eating disorders, drug, sex, and food addictions, anxiety attacks, mysterious illnesses, weight problems, or digestive issues. I offer accountability, support, and the systems and tools that help women. healthyhealinghabits@gmail.com
So Day 3 of the Spring Green Clean was great for me! I had lots of energy (but I wasn't going through caffeine withdrawals as much as others). I did light cardio in the morning and some heavy weights upper body then did Insanity: The Asylum Day 24 later at night. I feel my energy stores picking up and I wasn't hungry. Although I know at least one person doing this detox with us was quite hungry!
In my cleansing program I have include many superfoods and other ingredients for their amazing properties. I will try to inform you about each of these throughout the 10 days. Today I'm going to talk about one of the important ingredients in my detox plan.
Wheatgrass
Is Wheatgrass important? Yes! It increases red blood-cell count and lowers blood pressure. It cleanses the blood, organs and gastrointestinal tract of debris. Wheatgrass stimulates metabolism and the body’s enzyme systems by enriching the blood. It aids in reducing blood pressure by dilating the blood pathways throughout the body.
Stimulates the thyroid gland, correcting obesity, indigestion, and a host of other complaints.
It also restores alkalinity to the blood. The juice's abundance of alkaline minerals helps reduce over-acidity in the blood. It can be used to relieve many internal pains, and has been used successfully to treat peptic ulcers, ulcerative colitis, constipation, diarrhea, and other complaints of the gastrointestinal tract.
Is a powerful detoxifier, and liver and blood protector. The enzymes and amino acids found in wheatgrass can protect us from carcinogens like no other food or medicine. It strengthens our cells, detoxifies the liver and bloodstream, and chemically neutralizes environmental pollutants.
Wheatgrass fights tumors and neutralizes toxins. Recent studies show that wheatgrass juice has a powerful ability to fight tumors without the usual toxicity of drugs that also inhibit cell-destroying agents. The many active compounds found in grass juice cleanse the blood and neutralize and digest toxins in our cells.
Todays Menu Included: (each smoothie has different greens for variety such as romaine, kale, beet tops, carrot tops, dill, parsley, swiss chard, spinach, etc) These are all my own creations!
Breakfast: Orange, Carrot, Collard Green Juiced
Snack: Beet Me into Submission (Superfoods smoothie)
Lunch: Brocolli Soup (garlic, cayennne)
Snack: Orange you in Mint Condition (orange, mint, carrot tops)
Dinner: Salad in a Cup Smoothie
Before Bed: Pearly Coco for You ( coconut oil, flax)
I have now lost a total of 8 lbs in 3 days, please understand though that this is not normal I retain A LOT of water. I am completely nourished and not worried about losing muscle. I am "seeing" green every where you will notice it too just check the toilet!
Interested in doing your own cleanse? I offer guidance! Health Coach
Day 2 is in the past!
My Spring Green Clean detox program is going wonderfully. I attempted to do yoga in the morning after
my thirty minute cardio session but alas it was not meant to be I was going to
try a new place but it took me longer to find than I expected. I, of course, at 8 am broke down crying in
the car frustrated with my partner looking at me with mysterious eyebrows
raised. Which brings me to an important
point about doing a detox/cleanse.
We mainly focus on the physical aspect of a detox when we
talk about them. How much weight will I lose?
How will my skin look? My body
will be ridding itself of chemicals, metals, toxins. But what about the other side…. The emotional
detox! The emotional detox is just as
important if not more important than the physical detox. This is the perfect time to get rid of old
ideas and memories that do not serve you well, to clean out the closets of your
mind and send all the garbage to the dumpster.
Meditation and yoga are both great for clearing the mind and making room
for new healthy energy to flow.
Journaling or Morning Pages is another great avenue to release pent up
emotions. Sometimes during this process
it will come to you to make amends to someone you haven’t spoken to in a
while.
This is also the time to get your worries out of paper and
then let the universe take care of them!
One way to do this is to take a piece of paper and divide it the middle. On one side write Me at the top then three
things you MUST accomplish today. On the
other side write Universe at the top then EVERYTHING else that you have to get
done. Now rip the page down the center
crumple the universe side up and throw it away or burn it. Only do what you need to do and allow the
universe to work in accord to help you finish the other tasks (stop worrying),
this is really great for financial worries or careers or your future.
I checked in with a couple of others doing the cleanse and
general consensus for day two was at least 2 lbs dropped, cravings for coffee,
sluggishness and some headaches. I finished day 23 of The Asylum. I'm feeling good my only obstacle come when I have to sit in a coffee shop (because my internet went down) or watching the people from the play I went to see ordering drinks at intermission! Damn those toxins!
My
meals for day 2 were the same except for my morning juice which was kale, beet,
and apple. I have some amazing new
smoothies for tomorrow! Can’t wait to
try them! Hopping to health and looking for my golden carrot!
I finished day one of my Spring Green Clean! So what is this detox program? It is a ten day system reboot to clear the system of unwanted chemicals and toxins. Juicing and Green smoothies can maximize nutrient
intake, fight disease, strengthen cellular defense against free radicals,
alleviate pain, encourage weight-loss, and decrease the need for medication.
Following a juicing and green smoothie detox program can reduce the risk of
cardiovascular disease, strokes, diabetes, certain types of cancers, mental
illness, metabolic syndrome, and may result in longer lifespans.
I have ventured on this journey with several other people try and boost my energy levels. I have several reasons for trying this cleanse. I have a skin condition called psoriasis that has plagued me for years. The condition got better as my healthy habits improved but has never completely gone away. I want to see if I can cure this skin condition once and for all. I also have serious issues with water retention, I can retain upwards of 4 to 6 lbs. on a bad day. I think that it is related to something that I eat so by flushing my system I will have better control over the situation.
This program is designed to break caffeine and sugar addictions, help reset your internal system, clean the organs and skin, and aid in weight loss.
Before Bed: Li Me Gingerly Smoothie (Ginger, Lime)
Each of these smoothies have special ingredients that help with purification, detoxification, antibiotics etc. Which is why I chose them for my recipes.
After one day I am down 4 lbs, which is just the water dropping! I did 30 minutes of cardio and took a 3 mile walk for my first day. Day 2 will be back to my regular workout routine.
Last night I made Vegan Gingersnap Molasses Cookies and they were delicious. So I decided when I awoke this morning to take the guts of that recipe and make some wonderful pancakes. These pancakes are sensational and healthy. You can substitute the type of flour depending on your taste or needs. I wanted some extra protein so I made the majority of mine with a soy flour, but I have used coconut, whole wheat, or any other gluten free flour of your choice. I hope you enjoy and may you have a blessed holiday season!
Vegan Gingerbread Pancakes
Dry Ingredients:
1 cup soy flour
1/2 cup buckwheat flower
2 tsp. baking soda
1 Tbs. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 or 2 crushed candy canes
Wet Ingredients:
1 Tbs. coconut oil
1/4 cup applesauce
1/4 cup molasses
1 1/2 cups coconut milk
3/4 cup water 1 tsp. vanilla
Mix dry ingredients is a bowl and create a well in the center for the liquid ingredients. Add liquid ingredients and mix thoroughly. Add crushed candy canes last heat griddle and cook! Makes 2 to 4 servings depending on how hungry you are!
Organic produce is more expensive than conventional produce. What are paying extra for and why should you? Conventional farming uses pesticides or neurotoxins that destroy the central nervous systems of various pests to control their crops and have a higher yield. Every time you eat food from these farms you ingest small amounts of pesticides. These farmers also use chemicals to ripen produces prematurely. When produce is ripened early it loses the benefits of absorbing more vitamins, nutrients, and minerals from the sun and soil. We need our food to be as natural as possible. Organic farmers allow produce to ripen on its own and studies show that the produce from these farms have much higher mineral and vitamin content.
Organic farming is also eco-conscious. It uses less fuel and energy and is more "green". The soil is not filled with chemicals and can be used again for future crops. Organic farming focuses on healthy produce instead of mass quantity.
I know not everyone can afford to always buy organic so here is a list of produce that should always be organic because the toxicity levels have been proven to be the highest.
12 Most Contaminated
Peaches
Apples
Sweet Bell Peppers
Celery
Nectarines
Strawberries
Cherries
Pears
Grapes (Imported)
Spinach
Lettuce
Potatoes
If you must purchase conventional produce the following list are the least contaminated and best to buy conventional. Always clean your produce with a fruit and vegetable cleaner available at most health food stores or make your own cleaner 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar and 1 gallon of water and soak the vegetables for at least a half hour.
12 Least Contaminated
Onions
Avocado
Sweet Corn (Frozen)
Pineapples
Mango
Asparagus
Sweet Peas (Frozen)
Kiwi Fruit
Bananas
Cabbage
Broccoli
Papaya
The last thing I want to mention is that even better than organic produce is produce from a local farm or CSA. These farms usually don't use pesticides or herbicides but because they are small can't afford the organic stamp. Support your local farmers and you will help the environment and get the freshest produce available.
Omega-3 fatty acids (ALA, EPA, and DHA) are important nutrients. There is a wealth of data in the medical literature about the cardiovascular benefits of omega-3 supplements. Omega-3 supplements have been shown to reduce the risk of sudden cardiac death and heart attack, slow growth of plaque in the arteries by decreasing inflammation, improve lipid levels, enhance blood pressure regulation, and reduce pulse pressure.1-5 These fatty acids are also necessary in recovery for athletes. Keep inflammation down and energy up. Because of these benefits, the American Heart Association recommends eating 2 servings of fatty fish weekly – but is really the healthiest way to get your omega-3s? Should we eat fish to get our omega-3s?
Fish is an unfavorable source of omega-3s because most fatty fish contain harmful pollutants, such as dioxin and mercury. People also report difficulty digesting fish oils because of the fishy taste and rancidity. Purified fish oils are an option, however the increased demand for fish and fish oils is depleting our oceans of fish.6,7 Algae-based DHA and Plant-based Omega-3s are more sustainable option, and it is free of the environmental pollutants that accumulate in fish. Also, since pregnant women are advised to limit fish intake (to avoid the potential harm of mercury to the baby’s brain), supplemental DHA is a safer alternative.
Omega-3s don’t only help the health of your heart – here are some additional benefits:
Important for pregnant/nursing women and children, to ensure proper fetal and childhood brain and vision development.8-12
Reduced risk of ADHD and other childhood cognitive disorders.13,14
Improved memory; reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease and cognitive decline in the elderly.15-17
Reduced risk of depression.9,18,19
Omega-3 fatty acids and Parkinson’s disease (PD): A number of animal studies have shown that DHA has preventive and/or therapeutic effects against PD.20-22 I have seen PD in a surprising number of elderly men that eat healthy vegan diets, and I have also observed that all these men were DHA-deficient. Since men convert ALA to DHA less efficiently than women, prevention of Parkinson’s disease with DHA supplementation may be important for non-fish eating men.
How to maintain adequate omega-3 levels healthfully:
Take 1 tbsp. of ground flaxseed each day
Include additional plant sources of the omega-3 fatty acid ALA (walnuts, hempseeds or hemp milk, and chia seeds) in your diet regularly
You can get plant-based omega-3s from my favorite Nutrtional Shake Shakeology
References 1. Conquer JA, Holub BJ: Supplementation with an algae source of docosahexaenoic acid increases (n-3) fatty acid status and alters selected risk factors for heart disease in vegetarian subjects. J Nutr 1996;126:3032-3039. 2. Geppert J, Kraft V, Demmelmair H, et al: Microalgal docosahexaenoic acid decreases plasma triacylglycerol in normolipidaemic vegetarians: a randomised trial. Br J Nutr 2006;95:779- 786. 3. Kris-Etherton PM, Harris WS, Appel LJ: Fish consumption, fish oil, omega-3 fatty acids, and cardiovascular disease. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2003;23:e20-30. 4. Nestel P, Shige H, Pomeroy S, et al: The n-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid increase systemic arterial compliance in humans. Am J Clin Nutr 2002;76:326-330. 5. Doughman SD, Krupanidhi S, Sanjeevi CB: Omega-3 fatty acids for nutrition and medicine: considering microalgae oil as a vegetarian source of EPA and DHA. Curr Diabetes Rev 2007;3:198-203. 6. Myers RA, Worm B: Rapid worldwide depletion of predatory fish communities. Nature 2003;423:280-283. 7. Jenkins DJA, Sievenpiper JL, Pauly D, et al: Are dietary recommendations for the use of fish oils sustainable? Can Med Assoc J 2009;180:633-637. 8. Higdon J: Essential Fatty Acids. In An Evidence-Based Approach to Dietary Phytochemicals. New York, NY: Thieme; 2006: 78-99 9. Kidd PM: Omega-3 DHA and EPA for cognition, behavior, and mood: clinical findings and structural-functional synergies with cell membrane phospholipids. Altern Med Rev 2007;12:207-227. 10. Ryan AS, Astwood JD, Gautier S, et al: Effects of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation on neurodevelopment in childhood: a review of human studies. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids 2010;82:305-314. 11. Helland IB, Smith L, Saarem K, et al: Maternal supplementation with very-long-chain n-3 fatty acids during pregnancy and lactation augments children's IQ at 4 years of age. Pediatrics 2003;111:e39-44. 12. Koletzko B, Cetin I, Brenna JT: Dietary fat intakes for pregnant and lactating women. Br J Nutr 2007;98:873-877. 13. Schuchardt JP, Huss M, Stauss-Grabo M, et al: Significance of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) for the development and behaviour of children. Eur J Pediatr 2010;169:149-164. 14. Stevens LJ, Zentall SS, Deck JL, et al: Essential fatty acid metabolism in boys with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Am J Clin Nutr 1995;62:761-768. 15. Yurko-Mauro K: Cognitive and cardiovascular benefits of docosahexaenoic acid in aging and cognitive decline. Curr Alzheimer Res 2010;7:190-196. 16. Yurko-Mauro K, McCarthy D, Rom D, et al: Beneficial effects of docosahexaenoic acid on cognition in age-related cognitive decline. Alzheimers Dement 2010. 17. Quinn JF, Raman R, Thomas RG, et al: Docosahexaenoic acid supplementation and cognitive decline in Alzheimer disease: a randomized trial. JAMA 2010;304:1903-1911. 18. Ramakrishnan U, Imhoff-Kunsch B, DiGirolamo AM: Role of docosahexaenoic acid in maternal and child mental health. Am J Clin Nutr 2009;89:958S-962S. 19. Stahl LA, Begg DP, Weisinger RS, et al: The role of omega-3 fatty acids in mood disorders. Curr Opin Investig Drugs 2008;9:57-64. 20. Bousquet M, Saint-Pierre M, Julien C, et al: Beneficial effects of dietary omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid on toxin-induced neuronal degeneration in an animal model of Parkinson's disease. FASEB J 2008;22:1213-1225. 21. Samadi P, Gregoire L, Rouillard C, et al: Docosahexaenoic acid reduces levodopa-induced dyskinesias in 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine monkeys. Ann Neurol 2006;59:282-288. 22. Calon F, Cole G: Neuroprotective action of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids against neurodegenerative diseases: evidence from animal studies. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids 2007;77:287-293.
This 6 week clean eating Challenge is devised from several sources. There is substantial scientific proof that a plant-based diet is the key to weight loss, and that proper nutrition is the key to a full life free of disease.
Did you know:
·Dietary change can enable diabetic patients to go off their medications.
·Heart disease can be reversed with diet alone.
·Breast cancer is related to levels of female hormones in the blood, which are determined by the food we eat.
·Consuming dairy foods can increase the risk of prostate cancer.
·Antioxidants, found in fruits and vegetables, are linked to better mental performance in old age.
·Kidney stones can be prevented by a healthy diet.
·Type 1 diabetes is convincingly linked to infant feeding practices. 1
America’s health is failing and three things point to the cause: BREAKFAST, LUNCH, and DINNER. We spend more, per capita, on health care than any other society in the world, and yet two thirds of Americans are OVERWEIGHT, and over 15 million Americans have diabetes. Our society does not promote preventative HEALTH CARE, instead we perpetuate SICK CARE by trying to fix a problem by slapping a band-aid of medication over the true cause of the symptoms, the Standard American Diet (SAD). Instead of dumping our dollars into better SICK CARE, we can heal ourselves take charge of our future and actually take CARE of our HEALTH by eating the right nutritionally sound foods!
This is NOT a diet. There is a reason the first three letters of the word diet are DIE! This is a lifestyle choice. You are eliminating processed foods and choosing to follow a more plant-based diet based on the recommendations from the book Eat to Live by Dr. Joel Fuhrman, Thrive by Brendan Brasier, and backed up by research from the critically acclaimed The China Study. Much more focus has come to the forefront on this subject with the recent release of the movie and book Forks Over Knives. I highly recommend getting any of these books or at the least watching the movie in order to take control of your future and understand the reasons behind your choices. Even if you don’t read the book I am giving you the necessary guidelines to succeed at this Challenge if you so choose. I of course am willing to guide and coach you for free, but I will reference the book for most answers and suggest you read up. This Challenge is plant-based and it is your option to eat chicken or fish. This challenge is to help people become healthier, lose weight, change their lives, my recommendations are only that RECOMMENDATIONS. Ultimately, the choices you make are up to you. Again, refer to any of these books to see what they say about- animal consumption. A specific meal plan and recipes are not provided because I don’t want to violate any copyright laws. However, Dr. Furhman, Brendan Brasier, and Forks Over Knives does provide tons of great recipes and specific meal plans. The internet is also a great place to find recipes, so don’t despair. (See resources below).
I recommend starting the Challenge with the 3 Day Cleanse. This cleanse will jump start your metabolism and help break some of the food addictions your body has. Please note that as you break addictions to food, as with any substance, you may experience withdrawal symptoms. It is not uncommon to feel bloated, have headaches, and general feelings of unwellness the first few days as your body detoxifies from sugar, caffeine, processed grains, animal products etc.
Vegetarian: Egg Whites, or Grilled Fish or Chicken)
NO ADDITIVES: No Dairy, No Non Dairy Milk
(Fruit is optional, to maximize cleanse you may choose to eliminate)
Repeat for 3 days
You can contact me for a sample plan!
A few notes:
**Shakeologyis allowed and recommended in our challenge. Given that our foods today are so nutrient deprived, Shakeology makes nutritional sense. It contains many different super foods such as goji berries, maca root, wheatgrass, and camu camu to name just a few foods. Many of you have seen the video, but REALLY, if you were to try to buy all the ingredients that are inShakeology, you would be paying about $40 per shake.
This next video talks about where the ingredients in Shakeology come from. You’ll be impressed:
GUIDELINES FOR THE CHALLENGE:
This is a WEIGHTLOSS challenge if your goal if Sports Performance, or weight GAIN please see me for specifics!
**Eat 4 to 6 small meals a day, every 2-3 hours.
**Exercise 5 to 6 times per week. I am a Beachbody coach. I can help you in choosing a Beachbody program if you are my customer. I am also a personal trainer and can create a routine for you.
The EATING GUIDELINES are pretty specific (ie. 1 cup of beans per day, 1 lb or raw veggies, etc.) Please take the time to read them. Again, you’ll have to get creative with recipes or buy the book, which is only about $9.
Here we go:
UNLIMITED (eat as much as you want):
all raw vegetables, including raw carrots (goal: 1 lb. daily)
cooked green vegetables (goal 1 lb. daily) **You can eat all veggies raw if you like
beans, legumes, bean sprouts, or *tofu (minimum 1 cup daily in total of these)
fresh fruit (at least 4 daily).
eggplant, mushrooms, peppers, onions, tomato and other non-starchy vegetables, cooked and raw (unlimited)
*Beans should be eaten daily; tofu should be eaten less frequently. **Barbie note: I would actually eliminate tofu or use it just once a week, not as a main dish. LIMITED (not more than one serving): cooked starchy vegetables OR whole grains–Maximum 1 cup per day (butternut or acorn squash, corn, sweet potato, brown rice, cooked carrots, whole grain breads*, whole grain cereals*) raw nuts and seeds (1 oz. or 28.5 grams a day) or 2 ounces avocado ground flaxseed (1 tablespoon a day) soymilk, low-sugar preferred–Maximum 1 cup a day** *avoid breads and cereals as much as possible ** I would recommend ALMOND, HEMP, OR RICE MILK.
OFF-LIMITS:
dairy products
animal products
between meal snacks
fruit juice, dried fruits
salt, sugar
Alcohol ***
*** I would recommend cutting out alcohol for six weeks or limit it to one drink a week. Eliminate sugary drinks altogether!
It is your choice to add in animal products (CHICKEN or FISH ONLY). If you do follow the 90/10 guideline. Try to keep animal products to 10% of your diet to maximize benefits, detoxification, etc. It is not uncommon to lose upwards of 20 lbs on this diet and improve your overall health. If you are on any medications for diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol I suggest you watch closely because your need for them will diminish greatly. Tell your Doctor about your plan so he can monitor your medications and drop them accordingly! Keep track, keep pictures, keep being amazed!
