Cleansing, Eatting Right and Cold Season

I do mini cleanses throughout the year.  It kind of helps regulate my body, keeps me on a healthy track, and keeps the body and mind function well.  I realized the other day when the weather warranted jeans and mine (which have been in the closet for the summer) were REALLY tight, that is one of the signals that it's time for a cleanse to get things back on track.  My hormones from perimentapause have been in full swing this summer, and though I've been really active, I think my  hormones are affecting metabolism...oh, and too much vacation food could be a factor too ;)  I also just like to use these cleanses to keep good habits.  It's easy for me to let your veggie intake slip and let the portion sizes get bigger.  I DO NOT believe in dieting.  I think balance is key and these little cleanses help restore it.  Changing habits and then keeping them is where it's at.

I've done different things, including the cleanse in "It's All Good without Gluten" which my Naturopath put me on when I was healing from gluten damage.  The one I'm doing now is a little of this and a little of that.

Here's what I'm doing:

1) Drinking "Tom's Medicine Chest Smoothies" from the Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook.  Here's what's in them.

2) When I'm craving a treat, I have one of these:

Mine aren't so pretty...I was in a hurry making them...but they taste great!

My Mom gave me the recipe...they are so good and give you a burst of energy.  The rest of the recipe is stir the honey, vanilla and almond butter together, then add the oat mix, cherries and chocolate chips.  Refrigerate for 1/2 hour.  Roll into Tbl. balls and store in the fridge. Don't forget to use certified gluten free oats if you are gluten free.

3) I drink Dandelion Root tea which detoxes the liver and helps get rid of the bad stuff.  I also load up on Organic green tea, but I always do that.  I'm a tea junkie.

4) I increase the time on my daily workout, to get stuff burnin'.

5) I DO NOT get on a scale.  I don't believe in them.  I think they are a tool of guilt and fear.  The numbers don't matter.  How I feel matters, and how my jeans that I like the way I look in fit matters.  The scale has been dangerous for me in the past, and though I've never had an eating disorder, I think I have that personality.  I OBSESS about the numbers.  So I don't use scales.  It's to easy to compare numbers, and guess what, our bodies are so different two women can wear the same size and be 20 lbs. different in weight.  Numbers aren't important. 

6) I'm gonna list some of the other new stuff I've been eating alot of and will use on this cleanse.  Some of those not pictured are Nancy's Organic Low fat Cultured Cottage Cheese, raw snap peas, veggies and fruit, brown rice tortilla wrap with turkey, lettuce and tomato, lots of water.

This is my dinner last night.  I ate the same, but cut the brown rice past amount in half, and doubled the brocollini and sauteed squash.

I live off this stuff, and will use it cleansing.  This big bag is at COSTCO, and if you've heard anything about the info on American rice and the levels of Arsenic in it, you might want to switch from rice to this for awhile.  That's what I'm doing.  I don't have alot of confidence in the FDA.  You have to make choices for your own body.  What goes in it will affect it.

Love this stuff, I add it to everything.

These "Crushers" come in lots of flavors at Trader Joe's (how I love that place!) and they are great for kid lunches, as is the Stonyfield Farm organic yogurt, which  I love too.

Kids and Cold Season:

I don't know what happened to my son this year.  Last year he got the perfect attendance award since he was never sick...this year, he got a cold right away.  This is what I do, and it really works.  Everything is over VERY quickly...especially if you add this to organic, healthy eating.

My kids are old enough for the full dose.  I do this 3-4 times a day when they are sick.  I give it to them when they are run down as well.

This stuff is amazing.  My Naturopath recommends it.  I put about 15 drops in the Emergen-C, then you can't taste it.  Again, 3-4 times a day while sick

For the cough.  I put three drops of this tincture under the tongue 4 times a day.  So many people do cough syrup and over the counter cold medicine.  That stops everything, but prolongs it.  You want the stuff to come out, that's how you get rid of it.  If it stays in you will end up on antibiotics.

Any of these products are found at health food stores, or on Vitacost.com.

Well, here's hoping my health journey will help yours!