Day 21: Detox DONE!

So ... 21 days down and detox complete.  So proud of my gal Lindsey, we did it!

What happens now you ask!? I will continue to juice every morning - that is how much I love it - lunch will be salads and more (food combining is the key, read more in Natalia Rose's book for the details) and dinner is the same regarding the food combos. Snacks - nuts, dried fruits, fresh fruit and anytime smoothies ... not bad, right?  

Now I'm not going to lie ... as you all know, tonight we are supposed to get hit with a storm of a lifetime.  I have crafts and baking galore already planned with the girls just in case we are home bound with nowhere to go - I'm a little nervous but we'll see how it goes.  I don't want to rob them of any memories so I am taking one snowflake at a time!!!!

Be safe out there and Happy Health to all ... ♥♥♥♥

Day Eighteen - Alive and Green!

Yes, I am alive and still green! Life has been crazy lately - sick kids, traveling husbands and more!  I only have THREE more days of the 21 day detox and I am off to 'normal' eating for the raw life ...

I have tried a few recipes that I am loving - and most of all I am obsessed with avacados, can you say YUM!?  I have had avacado, tomatoes, basil salads - avacado, tomato, lemon sandwiches on sprouted bread - avacado, avacado, avacado!!!  I used to think they were too high in fat to eat - but one of the many beauties of eating this way teaches you to not worry about fat content.  

Here is another delicious recipe to try:

Natalia Rose's Spring In Your Step Rolls

Sauce:
1 cup of soy sauce
1 cup pure maple syrup
1 teas ginger, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 drizzle toasted sesame oil

Rolls:
1 red bell pepper, julienned
2 large carrots, julienned
1 bunch whole cilantro leaves
1 bunch mint leaves, chopped
1 bunch whole basil leaves
10 whole red or green cabbage leaves

To make sauce:
Blend all ingredients and use as a dipping sauce.

To make rolls:
place everything inside cabbage leaf and roll.

This is very filling and you will ♥!

I am constantly motivated by everyone's support and encouragement, THANK YOU!  I am so impressed by all of those trying smoothies, going raw (even for a day!) and just asking questions - being healthy is so important to each and every one of us.  For our families, our friends, our kids and OURSELVES - we owe it to be conscious of what goes in our bodies.   If there is anyone who wants a great jumpstart to a healthy and rejuvenated life with a little help - here is a perfect program for you!

 

The Conscious Cleanse with Jo and Julie is now available to ANYONE, ANYWHERE!

The easiest & healthiest way to..... 

• Shed unwanted pounds
• Increase your energy
• Improve your digestion
• Detoxify and get back into balance
• Feel lighter and more inspired
• Sleep more soundly
• Improve your skin
• Feel empowered with food choices

Please join us for a 2-week guided cleanse from the comfort of your own home.   

During this time, we will take you through a purifying cleanse where we will focus on eating the most bountiful and life-giving foods on the planet! 

Through the process we will help you create your optimal diet, one that is sustainable.  By the end, you will be able to identify which foods increase your life force and which foods are slowing you down.  

For more information email: consciouscleanse@gmail.com or let me know and I'll forward you the info!

Here's a a healthy and happy day!

Day Nine - Recipe Exchange

Day Nine.  Feeling good. No, feeling great. Really!

I don't have much to report today except for some recipes for those interested in dabbling in juicing!  I have a Breville juicer, I completely lucked out and found one on craigslist for a great price! But ... I was using my Target one before that and it worked just fine.  You can also use your blender but I prefer the taste of the juice without the pulp.  I am a 'no pulp' kinda girl when I buy my orange juice!

My daily (breakfast and lunch) juice is:

1 apple 

1 pear

1 lemon (a MUST!)

head of romaine lettuce 

3 stalks of celery

handful of spinach

I cut the apple and pear into large pieces (no core) and also remove the lemon peel.  The better of a juicer you have, the less prep work you have to do.  I put everything in and juice away - it is absolutely delicious, I promise.  You can always get more adventurous and add strawberries, blueberries, etc but always remember to keep it green with romaine, celery, etc.  Kale is soooo good for you and I rotate my greens by the week and depending on what is one sale.

For my kids:

1 pint blueberries (or strawberries - whichever is on sale!)

1 apple

handful of spinach 

1 lemon

They both have their 'green juice cups' with a special straw and ta da, they are drinking spinach and loving it!

I am not an expert at all when it comes to eating raw or clean - this has all been learned from wonderful friends and books ... so I LOVE to hear from others with recipes, tips or anything that is helpful!  Happy Tuesday with love!

Day Eight - Winning The Battle

Wow, has it really already been 8 days??? So much to tell in so little time!

I feel G R E A T ... and that is no lie! There have been days that seem very daunting and thinking of Day 151 seems like eternity but I am taking one day at a time, even with life these days.  I am still juicing for breakfast and lunch and honestly feel like I am eating all of the time. Veggies are a 'free' snack any time of the day so I am constantly eating something yummy ... and the time dinner rolls around, having some steamed veggies, brown rice and sometimes some fish is overindulgent and so filling.  I have so much more energy and sleep better at night, a double whammy in my book!

The hubby made it back (YEA!) and he proceeded to come through the door at 11 o'clock at night holding 2 chalupas for me from Taco Bell.  Yes, really.  My first thought was, really?? And seriously, when is the last time I even ate Taco Bell? Maybe college, late night?  BUT ... the greatest part about it was I didn't even want it nor the desire to eat anything of that nature!  God love him ... he just forgot about the 'green' eating these days.  He sat down and ate those chalupas with a smile on his face ... I am not sure if he was proud of me for not indulging or because he got to eat my food!

Here is the BEST part ... my friend who is joining me in this great adventure for her health looks and feels AMAZING. I say again, AMAZING.  I saw her last night and I think she was walking on cloud 9 the entire time - she was glowing and beaming with light at every angle.  For every time I found myself wanting something other than a vegetable, that made it all worth it.  This wasn't about me trying to be on a diet and not be able to eat certain foods, this was more and that was my reminder.  I am learning so much about myself and hopefully what my future holds.  

One last thing - for any of you who ever tried to change something in your life - your diet, smoking, exercise, anything for that matter ... I am learning it's a battle to change something that we are so used to doing and I stand here with each of you.  They say it takes 3 weeks to break any habits - that is no lie!!   I heard something that hit home to me - we don't choose to be in the battle but we can choose to WIN that battle.  So ... I continue to fight my battle and enjoy all of the benefits that I am gaining from eating clean.  Life is GOOD!!

Day Three - I ♥ Green Smoothies!

I promise I won't bore you (or myself) writing every day ... I'll keep this short and sweet and be back in a few days to give a solid report.  This really isn't bad and I can't tell you how GREAT I feel! I am realizing how much I overeat during the day - and I eat relatively healthy!  The hubby is out of town which has helped with dinners (no pressure for cooking ... yet ) and he'll be my deciding factor on how the past 6 days will have been without seeing him.  I am sure he will say I am glowing and radiant  ... ! Let's hope, right!

I juiced it in the morning - took the kiddos to the library so ate a plain yummy salad there and ate my veggies and brown rice for dinner and I was FULL!  Ok, not full but satisfied ☺

A few tidbits as I have gotten some q's (YEA!).  My favorite book has been THE RAW FOOD DETOX DIET by Natalia Rose (again...Thanks to Julie Pelaez for that), she has a realistic approach to eating raw and makes it a lifestyle change that is a gradual process.  Highly suggest it ... even if you don't want to go raw - it tells you how to properly combine your foods for good digestion.  Basically, learning how to eat all over again.  Something I found completely entertaining!  And the numerous recipes are Y-U-M!  I have a list of others if anyone is interested but that was the best so far - 

I read somewhere 'health is the thing that makes you feel now is the best time of the year' - it's the very beginning of 2011 so hopefully the best time of the year is ALL year! 

Day Two - Bittersweet

I could totally say that I felt amazing all day and Day Two was a breeze ... but that wouldn't really be the case.  I definitely had my share of cravings today, it took everything out of me not to grab my favorite green apple licorice at Target today (am I the only one who has to have a 'snack' while browsing??) but I did it - that is what is important!  Did I want my soda like I thought? Definitely.  Did I want a bite of my daughters dinner? Yes.  But it's the end of Day Two (thankfully!) and I did it ... and I feel GOOD about making it through.  It wasn't easy but I did it.  Surprisingly, the juice was just as delicious as it was yesterday and it does make you feel amazing! 


I am realizing how much life is about choices - I can make good choices and bad choices but it's all up to me to make that choice.  I choose to make good choices right now - and I know it will pay off!


Off to make more juice for tomorrow ...

DAY ONE - Green Smoothie Anyone??

If you could see me right now, I am doing the happy dance!!!  This day is complete and I feel GOOD! I had my moments - a little tired in the afternoon but for the most part, it wasn't too bad - never hungry. I started off the day with a YUMMY green smoothie and basically sipped that the entire morning through lunch.  Here is a pic for you...

It may not look like it but it was DELISH ... a blend of apples, pears, spinach, celery, romaine lettuce, a banana, a lemon - who knew! I even made a similar more fruity version for the girls and they loved it.  We had a snow day today so wearing jammies and sipping green smoothies all day long was something new and exciting for us...

Thank you for all of the wonderful emails and support - and the amazing stories of those with ailments that have 100% disappeared due to eating a raw diet.  My friend made it through the day with much success too  - and hopefully she will be one of those stories for me to pass along some day!  It's amazing how food can effect our bodies, mood and spirit - I am proud to be a part of something that will not only teach me how sacred our bodies are but rid of any toxins that are building as we speak. 

Today I was reminded how truly blessed I am - for my health, my husband, my family and friends and to be alive! 'You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.' (1 Cor 6:20) 

Now, will I have headaches and crave my Diet coke tomorrow?? Probably! We'll see ... !

Tomorrow is D Day!!!

I can't tell you how many emotions I have going on right now ... but most of all, I am beyond excited to start this new journey.  Let me give you a little background to let you know how I got to this place - I'll keep it short - or try!  I have loved the idea of going raw for many months and have tried it a few times, I always got sidetracked by Friday night pizza nights, or date nights, or anything else that came up ... I realized that I wasn't doing it for the right reasons - YET!  I later learned of a condition a new and dear friend was suffering from (Lupus, which I am learning more and more about everyday) ... and my heart started stirring. I mentioned to her the raw food program and the possibilities of helping or better yet curing her condition - she had been thinking about it too and had been given books recently from friends and family members but was nervous about doing it alone.  After weeks of prayer and knowing that this was exactly what I needed to be doing ...  we are doing it together! Tomorrow is D day, so tonight is E day - or EAT day!

For the first time I feel like I am doing something for self-less reasons, there is no vanity behind the choice (yes, I am hoping to lose some holiday lbs, I'm not going to lie!) and I am hoping and expecting great things from this adventure!  My family has a lot of decisions to make this year ... and this is my way of being clear in my thoughts and to hear what I need to hear in order to move forward.   The journey starts here  ... I am doing 21 days of the Green Smoothie Detox which will ease me into eating raw for the next 365 days - YES, 365 days. With the help of many books, The Raw Food Detox Diet being my favorite so far (Thank you, Julie!) which has given me the tools and the excitement to get started.   Will it be hard, yes - will I want to eat pizza, yes - will I stay strong and complete my goal, I hope so!  Wish me luck!