Eating better

hello everybody, happy Tuesday to you!

I just started a 7 day cleanse that I was inspired to try after reading about it on the FMTV (food matters tv) website. I have done many cleanses over the past 20 years from liver cleanses (including passing my gallstones 5 times), the lemonade diet, juice cleanses and the wild rose cleanse. I decided to do this cleanse mostly to get some new juicing and smoothie ideas. Another reason I wanted to do it was so that I could speak about it and recommend it to others from a place of experience. Below I will share a few recipes of my favourites so far.

I am on day 2 today and have already tried several beverages that are so tasty and packed with nutrition. I really feel it’s an important place to arrive at in life, to realize that foods are healing. Think about it this way, your body is made up of pure energy, everything is energy! You probably don’t need me to point out what foods are more packed with energy than others. But for example: raw veggies, nuts, fruits, seeds, avocado etc are considered ‘live foods’ meaning they are fresh and pure, no sugars or preservatives are added to them in their natural state. Then consider foods that are tampered with like: dairy, processed meats, breads, crackers, store bought juices, cereals,  anything in a can or package has A LOT and WAY TOO MUCH sugar in it for the most part, just look at the packages and how many grams of sugar are added. Sugar for smaller people really needs to be reduced as their sleep and moods can be affected hugely by too much sugar.  Sugar speeds up our thoughts, stimulates our brain and has a dramatic negative effect on our immune system. A good question to ask yourself about something you are about to eat is this:  “is this food going to nourish body?” if not consider leaving it behind or enjoying it only on occasion.

I belive in balance.  When I began to learn more about proper nutrition I made small changes each day, adding in new healthier dishes gradually and that felt very do able for me. I have always had a massive sweet tooth and so I would always choose a day in the week to enjoy a small amount of chocolate rather than having it every day.  As my diet got cleaner my sweet choices switched from milk/processed chocolate bars to darker chocolate or vegan style deserts that are known to be made with mostly very nutritional fresh ingredients.   I am not vegan but these deserts are some of the best sweets I have ever tasted. As a side note I would like to share that I used to be highly addicted to sugar, the ups and downs, mood swings and irritability I used to experience have no longer been an issue for well over 20 years since I stopped eating cheap junk and processed foods.

People sometimes ask me how I balance my busy schedule with eating well and making time to workout. Even though it’s just me and my husband, we both work 6 days a week most of the year. I have found that using my Sunday to look on Pinterest at recipes I have pinned and using a portion of that day to shop and cook/plan meals for the week works best for me. When I purchase almost all I need on Sunday, then that leaves more down time, admin time, or an opportunity to get some exercise during the week.

You will need a juicer or a good blender to make these recipes. If you have any questions about a good juicer or blender, please leave me a comment and I’ll send you my favoured choices.  Thanks everyone, hope you have a great week! ~ Lara

Turmeric ginger shot:

1 green apple – 1 inch chunk of fresh ginger root – either 1 inch chunk of turmeric or 1 tsp of powered. Juice the apple and ginger and blend all ingredients well in a blender. This drink is great for achy joints and a wonderful anti-inflammatory elixir.

Super green smoothie:

1 cup spinach – 1 banana – 1 medjool date – 1/4 avocado – 1 cup homemade almond milk or other nut milk -dash of cinnamon – 1 portion of protein powder. blend well and add a bit of water to dilute if it’s too thick for you.

Chocolate mint smoothie:

1 cup homemade almond milk or other of your choice – 1 banana – handful of fresh mint – 1/4 avocado – 1 cup spinach – 1 tablespoon cacao powder – 1 medjool date – this is a very thick smoothie, I added about another half to full cup of water.  blend well.

Green lemonade:

1 green apple – 1 lemon – 1 chunk ginger – 6 stalks celery – half to full cucumber – optional to add a couple kale leaves or half a bunch of parsley for some dark phytonutrients.

thanks for reading this blog post, I hope it has been beneficial to you in some way. For some informative inspirational movies on eating well and the effects of sugar on our organs, brains and overall wellbeing, check out these documentaries on Netflix: Food Matters, Hungry for Change, May I be Frank, Fat, sick and nearly dead 1 & 2.

~ Lara Catherine