Archive for January, 2010

I didn’t start eating green leafy vegetables until my mid-20’s when I learned how amazing they were for health. I started to love them immediately, and even crave them.

Greens provide your body with chlorophyll which is a proven cancer fighter, blood builder and helps to promote healthy intestinal flora. When your flora (the beneficial and necessary bacteria that live in your gut) are happy, the rest of your body will feel amazing! A great way to increase your immunity and overall energy, leafy greens are a daily staple on my detox diet. Here’s my favorite, quick strategy for great greens:

How to store your green leafy veggies

Don’t just throw them in the crisper without a bag – greens will dry out and wilt quickly. And don’t suffocate your greens! Too much moisture from a closed plastic bag will cause them to rot fast. Instead store your greens slightly wet in a perforated or slightly open plastic bag in the refrigerator – this way they’ll stay fresh for 2-3 days. Fresh herbs keep longer if you trim off about 1/2-inch from the stem, place them in a jar with 1 inch fresh water with a plastic bag over the top, and store upright in the refrigerator.

How to easily prepare your green leafy veggies

I like to do a quick saute on my greens. This wilts them slightly and removes any bitterness while keeping much of the nutrition in tact. When sauteeing greens, it is good to work with just-washed greens:

• Heat 1-2 tablespoons of unrefined coconut oil in a skillet over medium flame.
• Add a minced clove of garlic. Cook the garlic until just fragrant, and be careful not to burn or brown it – garlic gets bitter quickly.
• Chop your greens (kale, bok choy, collards, etc) into bite-sized pieces. Stack the washed leaves, roll them like a cigar and slice for evenly cut pieces. Place cut leaves in the skillet and stir frequently with a wooden spoon.
• Sprinkle with a little sea or Himalayan salt or naturally brewed soy sauce.
• When the leaves are bright green and don’t taste bitter anymore it’s time to eat!
• Try sprinkling with a little orange juice, lemon juice, gomasio, umeboshi vinegar or a few drizzles of your favorite vinaigrette.

This is an ancient Japanese remedy for quickly alkalizing the blood and is
useful for all sorts of conditions:  Feel a cold or flu coming on?  Drink a cup
of this.  It makes a great hangover remedy too. As odd as this drink is for us Westerners, it works
well for upset tummies, hangovers, colds and more.

* 1 teaspoon Kudzu

* 1 cup
cold water

* 1 teaspoon Umeboshi paste

* Shoyu (or tamari soy
sauce)

* ¼ cup grated diakon radish

* ½ to 1 teaspoon Ginger Juice (to make juice just grate a little on a fine
grater. Take the
gratings in your fingers and squeeze out a few drops
of juice.)

Simply dissolve 1 heaping teaspoon of kudzu in 1 cup cold
water in a small saucepan. It will be
easier if you dissolve it in some of the water and then add the rest. Then
add the ume paste. Stir over medium heat until the liquid becomes more clear in
color and
it is okay if it comes to a boil. Add maybe 1/2 teaspoon of shoyu
(or tamari
soy sauce) and then turn off the heat. Add ginger juice
and grated daikon and stir well. Drink hot.

Does your tummy feel a little distended this week? Did you indulge in a few too many glasses of Merlot, pieces of cake, shots of whiskey or plates of cookies in the last couple of weeks? How about Mom’s famous meat and cheese plate – did you share it or did you devour the whole thing by yourself while watching the Jets game?

I know how you feel – bloated. It doesn’t take much for me to feel my tummy pressing uncomfortably against my waist-band. A few pieces of bread, a couple glasses of wine or even more than a tiny bit of dessert and my gut starts to react instantly. I guess it’s a good thing that my body tells me when to stop so quickly – otherwise I would just keep going!

When I was introduced to an inexpensive supplement, my life, my tummy and health were changed forever. Now I take a good probiotic supplement every day, and my stomach is in great shape – visually and physically. Check out my favorite brand of probiotic here: Commensol from Sedna Products.

When I was in my 20’s and teens, I could eat desserts, processed carbs, fried foods and packaged junk food all day long and my body wouldn’t seem to notice any difference. Luckily I got really sick in my late 20’s. I say lucky, because I hit bottom at a young age and I realized that I couldn’t go on eating like that. My family is full of people with bone and joint problems, obesity, blood sugar issues, and other painful health problems that could be avoided with a good, clean diet. So I’m the lucky one because I realized at 26 that I could control my health and live a happier, pain-free life with some menu adjustments.

If you feel like you’re ready to make these changes and live pain-free, lose the bloat and finally have enough energy to make your deepest, most passionate dreams come true, come and work with me starting January 12th. I’ll be meeting on the phone every Tuesday at 2pm EST with a group of women who want to make their lives better and make 2010 the best year yet – I know I do!

The 8 Week Detox Tele-Course starts in 8 days! Sign up here…

I have big plans for this year, and I know that if I’m feeling great and treating my body well that I’ll have everything I need to make it all happen. So sign up – and get a special free gift!**

Everyone who signs up for my 8 Week Detox Tele-Course by Friday, January 8th will get a 30 minute, one-on-one session with me. This session will involve a health history and special recommendations for your situation. Then we’ll continue to work together in the tele-course group starting January 12th.