In my last post, I mentioned my belief in avoiding dairy. This video, from a few years ago, mentions just a few of the reasons why.
Humans are the only mammals who drink the milk of another species, and the only mammals who drink milk at all past infancy/young childhood. Besides all the other factors touched upon in the video, our bodies just weren't designed to drink cow's milk.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Friday, August 6, 2010
What's in Your Fridge?
My favorite part about shows like Losing it With Jillian is when she goes through their refrigerators and cabinets and starts pitching the bad stuff into a trash bag. Some of it is obvious... everyone knows that things like potato chips, cookies, and ice cream are not healthy choices. When it starts getting interesting to me is when she gets to the less obvious items. A lot of people don't realize that most crackers, cereals, and breads contain ingredients that make them unhealthy as well; that many traditional juices, yogurts, and granola bars - yes, even things that are marketed as "healthy" - are overly processed and contain high amounts of chemicals, preservatives, additives, high fructose corn syrup, and partially hydrogenated soybean oil. It actually makes me a little sad to see people clearly trying to make an effort at weight loss, and stocking their cabinets with *diet* products that will not only hinder their efforts, but adversely affect their health as well.
Let's get food back into our houses!
This is my own fridge, after a recent and fairly typical grocery shopping trip. In the interest of practicing what I preach, here's what I believe we could change, and where I think we've gotten it right:
On the top shelf is almond milk, organic skim milk, organic cottage cheese, prickly pear lemonade, and orange juice. Cow's milk is an infrequent purchase for us. I actually don't recommend dairy at all, unless it's organic, and even then it's best to use it sparingly. For me, it's just linked with too many health concerns to ignore, and we were really not designed to digest it. But, we buy it sometimes for various reasons, so there it is. Almond milk is a great - and yummy - alternative to cow's milk, and it's a staple for us. The lemonade is not overly healthy, but it is free from artificial colors and high fructose corn syrup, and is pretty much lemon juice and real sugar. The kids picked it out as a special treat at the health food store, and it is not a typical purchase for us.
The next shelf has grapes, bread, Smart Balance spread, and eggs. It took us a long time to find a healthy bread that we love. It's the store brand of our local health food store, and has just a few ingredients - organic whole grains, honey, sea salt and yeast. We spend way too much money to get eggs that are organic, free-range, and omega 3. Just like my meat post, those labels don't always mean as much as we would like them to, but they are a much healthier - and tastier! - egg. Until we find a local supplier that we like, or get egg-laying chickens to raise ourselves (and please, feel free to email my husband to tell him why we need to get chickens!) these are the next best thing. As for the Smart Balance: there are health reasons to avoid butter, and even more health reasons to avoid margarine. I like Smart Balance because it tastes good, is made with (mostly) healthful oils, and is non-hydrogenated. Earth Balance is another one that I like, and use when I want something completely vegan (Smart Balance contains whey). Both are far from a perfect foods though, and should also be used in moderation. Also somewhere on that shelf are peanut butter - a brand that contains only organic peanuts and salt, and an all-fruit spread.
Under that is baby carrots, more eggs, and shredded cheese. I already gave my opinion on dairy, and am noticing there's an oddly high amount of it in this picture!
The drawer below that generally holds tofu and whole wheat tortillas. Like the bread, it took us a long time to find the tortillas. Virtually every brand in the grocery store is bad news. I have made them myself, but have never liked the finished product as well as the kind we get at the health food store. I'll leave those up to the professionals for now.
The silver bowl is chilling cookie dough. Yeah that's right :)
There are so many advantages to baking your own treats from scratch! It's fun, especially with the kids; they taste better; and you have total control of the ingredients. There are no preservatives or chemicals or artificial junk unless YOU add them. You can make them healthier with whole wheat flour, less sugar, more favorable fats, etc, but even a white sugar/white flour/full fat variety is infinitely better for you than its store-bought counterpart. They're still not nutritional superstars though, so they're not everyday items.
The rest of the fridge is fresh produce. A lot of what we buy depends on availability, season, and price, but typically we have a few kinds of leaf lettuce, baby spinach, brocolli, cauliflower, tomatoes, cucumbers, avocados, green peppers, onions, apples, bananas, grapes, oranges, berries. The more produce in our fridge, the happier I am.
The biggest thing I'd get rid of, or at least reduce, is the dairy. I suppose you could take the cookie dough away too, but I'm pretty sure you'd like me a whole lot more if you left it.
**Edited because my husband just pointed out the bottle of beer on the door. It's not mine. It's his, all his. I don't like beer, but if I did, I'd place it in the cookie category... a treat to be had in moderation. I also don't drink a glass of wine (who me?) a few times a week, and I definitely, definitely don't enjoy a margarita every now and then.**
Let's get food back into our houses!
This is my own fridge, after a recent and fairly typical grocery shopping trip. In the interest of practicing what I preach, here's what I believe we could change, and where I think we've gotten it right:
On the top shelf is almond milk, organic skim milk, organic cottage cheese, prickly pear lemonade, and orange juice. Cow's milk is an infrequent purchase for us. I actually don't recommend dairy at all, unless it's organic, and even then it's best to use it sparingly. For me, it's just linked with too many health concerns to ignore, and we were really not designed to digest it. But, we buy it sometimes for various reasons, so there it is. Almond milk is a great - and yummy - alternative to cow's milk, and it's a staple for us. The lemonade is not overly healthy, but it is free from artificial colors and high fructose corn syrup, and is pretty much lemon juice and real sugar. The kids picked it out as a special treat at the health food store, and it is not a typical purchase for us.
The next shelf has grapes, bread, Smart Balance spread, and eggs. It took us a long time to find a healthy bread that we love. It's the store brand of our local health food store, and has just a few ingredients - organic whole grains, honey, sea salt and yeast. We spend way too much money to get eggs that are organic, free-range, and omega 3. Just like my meat post, those labels don't always mean as much as we would like them to, but they are a much healthier - and tastier! - egg. Until we find a local supplier that we like, or get egg-laying chickens to raise ourselves (and please, feel free to email my husband to tell him why we need to get chickens!) these are the next best thing. As for the Smart Balance: there are health reasons to avoid butter, and even more health reasons to avoid margarine. I like Smart Balance because it tastes good, is made with (mostly) healthful oils, and is non-hydrogenated. Earth Balance is another one that I like, and use when I want something completely vegan (Smart Balance contains whey). Both are far from a perfect foods though, and should also be used in moderation. Also somewhere on that shelf are peanut butter - a brand that contains only organic peanuts and salt, and an all-fruit spread.
Under that is baby carrots, more eggs, and shredded cheese. I already gave my opinion on dairy, and am noticing there's an oddly high amount of it in this picture!
The drawer below that generally holds tofu and whole wheat tortillas. Like the bread, it took us a long time to find the tortillas. Virtually every brand in the grocery store is bad news. I have made them myself, but have never liked the finished product as well as the kind we get at the health food store. I'll leave those up to the professionals for now.
The silver bowl is chilling cookie dough. Yeah that's right :)
There are so many advantages to baking your own treats from scratch! It's fun, especially with the kids; they taste better; and you have total control of the ingredients. There are no preservatives or chemicals or artificial junk unless YOU add them. You can make them healthier with whole wheat flour, less sugar, more favorable fats, etc, but even a white sugar/white flour/full fat variety is infinitely better for you than its store-bought counterpart. They're still not nutritional superstars though, so they're not everyday items.
The rest of the fridge is fresh produce. A lot of what we buy depends on availability, season, and price, but typically we have a few kinds of leaf lettuce, baby spinach, brocolli, cauliflower, tomatoes, cucumbers, avocados, green peppers, onions, apples, bananas, grapes, oranges, berries. The more produce in our fridge, the happier I am.
The biggest thing I'd get rid of, or at least reduce, is the dairy. I suppose you could take the cookie dough away too, but I'm pretty sure you'd like me a whole lot more if you left it.
**Edited because my husband just pointed out the bottle of beer on the door. It's not mine. It's his, all his. I don't like beer, but if I did, I'd place it in the cookie category... a treat to be had in moderation. I also don't drink a glass of wine (who me?) a few times a week, and I definitely, definitely don't enjoy a margarita every now and then.**
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Understanding Meat Labels
I am a vegetarian at heart. I've been a vegetarian off and on for most of my adult life, and while I'm not currently eating a completely vegetarian diet, I'm still fully convinced of its benefits... benefits to health, the environment, and of course to the animals themselves. Our household eats mostly vegetarian, and we are happy and healthy doing so.
But.
We do eat meat occasionally, and what I eventually came to realize is that the majority of issues I had with meat eating (mainly those pertaining to non-humane treatment of the animals) could be remedied by eating the right kind of meat. The right kind of meat is also far healthier than traditionally raised meat, it is better for the environment, and it is more socially responsible.
So what IS the right kind of meat? Labels are confusing, and largely misleading. You may pay far too much for a cut of meat because it claims to be "all natural" or "organic" or "grass-fed." Depending on where you buy it, and where it originally came from, these labels can mean - or not mean - very different things.
Here are a few things to know if you're buying beef at a grocery store:
Organic - Beef that is labeled organic is not allowed to have been given antibiotics. It can, however, have been given other drugs. It could have been treated inhumanely, and fed corn and other materials outside of its natural diet. It could be shipped from other countries, and it could have been fed animal by-products. Its production could have used environmentally harmful practices.
Humane - Just as the label implies, beef that is marked "humane" did not receive any inhumane treatment. It was not restricted access to free range roaming and feeding, and it was not fed animal by-products. It could still have been given antibiotics and other drugs. It could have been fed corn. It could have been from foreign countries, and had multiple ownership. Its production could have used environmentally harmful practices.
Grass Fed - Unless you know where it's coming from, and are aware of the source's practices, grass-fed means just that - it's from cattle that are fed grass (which is what cattle are designed to eat!), and not allowed corn and other non-native materials. They could still be treated inhumanely, given antibiotics, restricted access to free range, had multiple owners, participated in environmentally harmful practices, etc.
Natural -Natural beef is not allowed to be given antibiotics, nor fed animal by-products. It could still have been fed corn and other non-native materials (including grain treated with pesticides and herbicides), treated inhumanely, restricted free-range access, be from foreign countries, etc.
Antibiotic/Hormone/Pesticide Free - This label simply means they weren't given whatever drug is stated. Any or all of the other harmful, unnatural, or inhumane practices could still have taken place.
Any of the above labels could be meeting the criteria for healthier, natural, more humane meat, but the problem is that the labels as they stand do not require them to do so... which means that you really don't know what it is you're getting, no matter what the packaging says.
So where DO you want to buy it? Locally! A local farm or ranch that raises its animals from birth to slaughter the old-fashioned way: 100% grass fed and free-range, with no antibiotics or other drugs, no corn, and no animal-by products. Animals that are treated humanely their entire lives. Farms that do not use practices that could harm your environment, and farms that directly benefit your own local community. Farms that you let you visit!
A good farm or ranch will be able to answer "NO" to all of the following:
But.
We do eat meat occasionally, and what I eventually came to realize is that the majority of issues I had with meat eating (mainly those pertaining to non-humane treatment of the animals) could be remedied by eating the right kind of meat. The right kind of meat is also far healthier than traditionally raised meat, it is better for the environment, and it is more socially responsible.
So what IS the right kind of meat? Labels are confusing, and largely misleading. You may pay far too much for a cut of meat because it claims to be "all natural" or "organic" or "grass-fed." Depending on where you buy it, and where it originally came from, these labels can mean - or not mean - very different things.
Here are a few things to know if you're buying beef at a grocery store:
Organic - Beef that is labeled organic is not allowed to have been given antibiotics. It can, however, have been given other drugs. It could have been treated inhumanely, and fed corn and other materials outside of its natural diet. It could be shipped from other countries, and it could have been fed animal by-products. Its production could have used environmentally harmful practices.
Humane - Just as the label implies, beef that is marked "humane" did not receive any inhumane treatment. It was not restricted access to free range roaming and feeding, and it was not fed animal by-products. It could still have been given antibiotics and other drugs. It could have been fed corn. It could have been from foreign countries, and had multiple ownership. Its production could have used environmentally harmful practices.
Grass Fed - Unless you know where it's coming from, and are aware of the source's practices, grass-fed means just that - it's from cattle that are fed grass (which is what cattle are designed to eat!), and not allowed corn and other non-native materials. They could still be treated inhumanely, given antibiotics, restricted access to free range, had multiple owners, participated in environmentally harmful practices, etc.
Natural -Natural beef is not allowed to be given antibiotics, nor fed animal by-products. It could still have been fed corn and other non-native materials (including grain treated with pesticides and herbicides), treated inhumanely, restricted free-range access, be from foreign countries, etc.
Antibiotic/Hormone/Pesticide Free - This label simply means they weren't given whatever drug is stated. Any or all of the other harmful, unnatural, or inhumane practices could still have taken place.
Any of the above labels could be meeting the criteria for healthier, natural, more humane meat, but the problem is that the labels as they stand do not require them to do so... which means that you really don't know what it is you're getting, no matter what the packaging says.
So where DO you want to buy it? Locally! A local farm or ranch that raises its animals from birth to slaughter the old-fashioned way: 100% grass fed and free-range, with no antibiotics or other drugs, no corn, and no animal-by products. Animals that are treated humanely their entire lives. Farms that do not use practices that could harm your environment, and farms that directly benefit your own local community. Farms that you let you visit!
A good farm or ranch will be able to answer "NO" to all of the following:
- Antibiotics
- Pesticides and Herbicides
- Fed corn and other non-native materials
- Inhumane treatment
- Feed-lot finishing
- Prolonged restriction to access to free-range
- Multiple ownership before slaughter
- From foreign countries
- Fed animal by-products
- Environmentally harmful practices
- Practices that don't directly benefit the local economy
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Fudge Brownies
I couldn't imagine living in a world without brownies!! This version is from Jillian Michaels, and it uses honey and applesauce instead of refined sugar, whole wheat flour in place of white, and olive oil instead of butter.
Ingredients
* Olive oil spray
* 2/3 cup mild honey, such as clover or orange blossom
* 1/3 cup natural, unsweetened cocoa powder
* 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
* 1/4 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 large egg, at room temperature
* 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray an 8" square pan with olive oil. Set aside.
Place the honey in a large glass measuring cup. Microwave on high until the honey is runny and just bubbling, 45 to 60 seconds. Add the cocoa and stir with a fork until well combined. Let cool to room temperature.
Meanwhile, place the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Whisk until well combined.
In a large bowl, combine the applesauce, oil, egg and vanilla. Whisk together until well blended. Add the honey and cocoa mixture, then whisk until smooth. Add the flour mixture to the liquid mixture and stir until no traces of flour remain. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake until the surface looks dry around the edges of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it, about 25 minutes. Do not overbake. Place the pan on a cooling rack and let cool completely before slicing into 16 two-inch squares. Store the brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Ingredients
* Olive oil spray
* 2/3 cup mild honey, such as clover or orange blossom
* 1/3 cup natural, unsweetened cocoa powder
* 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
* 1/4 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 large egg, at room temperature
* 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray an 8" square pan with olive oil. Set aside.
Place the honey in a large glass measuring cup. Microwave on high until the honey is runny and just bubbling, 45 to 60 seconds. Add the cocoa and stir with a fork until well combined. Let cool to room temperature.
Meanwhile, place the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Whisk until well combined.
In a large bowl, combine the applesauce, oil, egg and vanilla. Whisk together until well blended. Add the honey and cocoa mixture, then whisk until smooth. Add the flour mixture to the liquid mixture and stir until no traces of flour remain. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake until the surface looks dry around the edges of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it, about 25 minutes. Do not overbake. Place the pan on a cooling rack and let cool completely before slicing into 16 two-inch squares. Store the brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
High-Fructose Corn Syrup
Just in case you haven't seen the recent ludicrous commercials promoting high fructose corn syrup as something "all-natural and fine in moderation," here is one of the ads:
I think what bothers me the most about these commercials - among many things - is that there are people out there (and these are the people they prey on!) who will see it and believe it. Hey, great! High fructose corn syrup is fine, nothing to worry about. We just have to eat it in moderation.
The truth is, it is not fine. High fructose corn syrup is a highly processed, chemically and genetically modified non-food. It is an ARTIFICIAL sweetener. It goes directly to your liver, and releases enzymes that tell your body to store fat. It can elevate triglyceride levels and cholesterol levels. It tricks your body into thinking you are still hungry, and can lead to over-consumption, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. It can also cause:
Lower IQ
Learning difficulties
Anxiety
Depression
Fatigue
Aggression
Premenstrual syndrome
Accelerated bone loss
Insulin resistance
High blood pressure
And guess what? If you're not reading labels and making a conscious effort to avoid it, you are most definitely NOT eating it in moderation. If you buy most traditionally processed and packaged crackers, cereals, juices, syrups, cookies, spaghetti sauces, salad dressings, ketchup, yogurt, and just about every other processed food, you are eating high fructose corn syrup, and in vast quantities.
The good news is that it can be avoided! Our kitchen is HFCS-free. Buy more fresh foods and shop the perimeter of the grocery store. If you do buy something boxed or processed, read the label. Read the label, read the label, read the label. There are a growing number of great brands out there that do not use it. Will you pay a little more? In most cases, yes. Is it worth it? YES.
And finally, here's a cute little rebuttal I found, and wanted to share. It's great to see that people are keeping their kids informed too.
I think what bothers me the most about these commercials - among many things - is that there are people out there (and these are the people they prey on!) who will see it and believe it. Hey, great! High fructose corn syrup is fine, nothing to worry about. We just have to eat it in moderation.
The truth is, it is not fine. High fructose corn syrup is a highly processed, chemically and genetically modified non-food. It is an ARTIFICIAL sweetener. It goes directly to your liver, and releases enzymes that tell your body to store fat. It can elevate triglyceride levels and cholesterol levels. It tricks your body into thinking you are still hungry, and can lead to over-consumption, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. It can also cause:
Lower IQ
Learning difficulties
Anxiety
Depression
Fatigue
Aggression
Premenstrual syndrome
Accelerated bone loss
Insulin resistance
High blood pressure
And guess what? If you're not reading labels and making a conscious effort to avoid it, you are most definitely NOT eating it in moderation. If you buy most traditionally processed and packaged crackers, cereals, juices, syrups, cookies, spaghetti sauces, salad dressings, ketchup, yogurt, and just about every other processed food, you are eating high fructose corn syrup, and in vast quantities.
The good news is that it can be avoided! Our kitchen is HFCS-free. Buy more fresh foods and shop the perimeter of the grocery store. If you do buy something boxed or processed, read the label. Read the label, read the label, read the label. There are a growing number of great brands out there that do not use it. Will you pay a little more? In most cases, yes. Is it worth it? YES.
And finally, here's a cute little rebuttal I found, and wanted to share. It's great to see that people are keeping their kids informed too.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Kale and White Bean Pasta
I was looking for a recipe to use the big, beautiful bunch of kale we got in our produce basket last weekend. This is my adaptation of one that pairs kale with pasta and white beans, one of my favorite combinations. It is fresh, satisfying and delicious. This recipe made enough to serve my family of six, with leftovers, and it was great cold the next day too.
A few tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 red onion, diced
2 (or more) cloves of garlic, minced
1 bunch kale, chopped into bite sized pieces
Two cups chopped tomatoes, OR canned diced tomatoes
1 can white cannellini or Great Northern beans
1 pound whole wheat pasta
salt and pepper, to taste
crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
grated parmesan cheese, to taste
Cook pasta according to package directions and reserve some of the cooking water. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet or wok. Cook onions until soft. Add garlic and kale, and cook until garlic is fragrant and kale has wilted. Add tomatoes, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper. Cook and stir until simmering, adding a bit of water (you could also use wine!) if it is not saucy enough. Add white beans and stir. Cook till combined and warmed through. When pasta is done, add it to the sauce mixture, and mix well. Add some of the pasta water if needed to loosen up the sauce. Adjust seasonings, and serve with plenty of fresh parmesan and more red pepper flakes.
A few tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 red onion, diced
2 (or more) cloves of garlic, minced
1 bunch kale, chopped into bite sized pieces
Two cups chopped tomatoes, OR canned diced tomatoes
1 can white cannellini or Great Northern beans
1 pound whole wheat pasta
salt and pepper, to taste
crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
grated parmesan cheese, to taste
Cook pasta according to package directions and reserve some of the cooking water. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet or wok. Cook onions until soft. Add garlic and kale, and cook until garlic is fragrant and kale has wilted. Add tomatoes, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper. Cook and stir until simmering, adding a bit of water (you could also use wine!) if it is not saucy enough. Add white beans and stir. Cook till combined and warmed through. When pasta is done, add it to the sauce mixture, and mix well. Add some of the pasta water if needed to loosen up the sauce. Adjust seasonings, and serve with plenty of fresh parmesan and more red pepper flakes.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Cleansing 101
Walk down the health and beauty or natural foods aisle of any drug store, and you'll be met with dozens of products promising to cleanse, burn, and detox. For just $29.95 (and up) you too can experience the renewed health, energy, and vigor that a good cleansing program can bring.
While there are absolutely many natural herbs and supplements that are beneficial for cleansing and detoxifying (dandelion, yellow dock, garlic, burdock root, goldenseal and kelp, for example), you can also do an effective cleanse at home, on your own, without buying any fancy or expensive products.
Below are several "levels", or methods, of cleansing that anyone can do.
1. Drink More Water
One of the simplest, gentlest, and cheapest things you can do start the process of ridding your body of toxins is drinking more pure water, at least two liters a day. Water is vital for ALL your body processes, and is particularly important for proper digestion. It also aids in flushing, naturally increasing elimination of waste and harmful chemicals.
2. Elimination
Ideally, you would eliminate all harmful foods, including white sugar, white flour, caffeine, alcohol, hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, flavors, and colors, anything with preservatives, etc. But let's be real for a minute. If you're eating the average American diet, replete with its fast food, fried food, packaged food, and soda, your first reaction to such a suggestion might well be, "Are you kidding me?" You can start small! Whatever your vice is, whether it's pizza, soda, Big Macs or Skittles, give it up for a month and see how you feel. Then give up another one. Your body will thank you.
3. Clean, whole foods
For those who are ready to take elimination to the next level, strip your diet of everything but fresh organic fruits and vegetables, whole grains such as brown rice, oats, and quinoa; unprocessed nuts and seeds; and lean organic sources of protein. Eat mostly vegetarian, and if you want to include animal foods, choose only those that are grass-fed, free-range, and free from antibiotics and hormones.
4. Raw Foods
While there are many people that incorporate a raw, or semi-raw diet into their everyday lives, it is also an extremely beneficial practice even on a short-term basic. A few days or weeks of raw eating can help improve your immune system, your digestion, your skin, your hair, and your energy levels. There are many reasons for the healthful advantages of eating raw, but a brief explanation is this: heat and cooking destroy enzymes, vitamins and minerals. It also causes the production of free radicals, which can contribute to a host of diseases and health problems. Eating food raw delivers many times more nutrients, enzymes, and disease-fighting antioxidants. You can read more about raw eating here Raw Food Life
5. Cleansing Fast
At the most extreme end of the scale is the cleansing fast. Just like it sounds, a cleansing fast is a fast - a period of time with no, or limited, solid food - for purposes of cleansing. A fast can last one day, a few days, or several. It can consist of simple waters, juices, raw foods, or a combination. A few benefits of fasting is that it can effectively rid your body of toxins, break addictions to substances such as caffeine and sugar, give all of your body systems a rest, flush your digestive tract, eliminate retained water, alleviate constipation, bloating and other digestive symptoms, improve skin and hair, increase energy, and kick-start a healthy weight-loss program. Side effects? The first few days can be rough, especially if you were a regular user of things like caffeine, alcohol, and sugar. You can experience headaches, nausea, dizziness, joint pain, and other flu-like symptoms as you go through detoxification and withdrawal. Also, the worse your diet was prior to the fast, the worse your side effects will likely turn out to be. The end result - a stronger, healthier, body - is well worth it.
If you would like to try a cleansing fast, one popular method is with lemonade. There are several variations, but the basic recipe is as follows:
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
8 oz water
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1-2 TB organic honey or maple syrup (to taste)
Drink 6-8 glasses throughout the day, along with pure water, and a glass of a natural fiber supplement such as psyllium seed husks. That's it! The cayenne pepper is beneficial for cleansing largely because it helps with circulation, but if you have trouble with the taste, you can use less, or leave it out altogether.
You can drink the lemon water on its own for up to ten days, or you can use it as a stepping stone to beginning a less-restrictive fast. The key is to add foods back in slowly to give your body time to adjust.
The following is a schedule that I personally used, which incorporates both the fast, and several elements of the other cleansing methods.
Days 1-3: Drink 6-8 glasses of the lemon water, plus one glass per day of fiber drink
Days 4-5: Discontinue the lemon water, and drink as much as wanted of pure vegetable and fruit juices.
Days 6-7: Add raw fruits and vegetables, and continue to drink the whole juices
Day 8: Add lightly steamed vegetables and brown rice
Day 9: Add raw, unsalted seeds and nuts
Day 10: Slowly begin adding other foods back into the diet
Whether you do a full fasting cleanse, or just start by cutting out your daily cup of cappuccino, cleansing on any level is an essential first step towards better health. Pick a path and just do it. Today.
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