Spring Detox Guide Review

Greetings wellness lovers!

I hope you had a happy Easter! Hopefully you were able to enjoy the spring weekend in the company of family and friends. :)

If you indulged a little more than you should have, then you may be interested in completing a cleanse to jump-start your system and get you back on track!

Just yesterday, I learned about a new detox guide for spring, created by my nutrition school, the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.

Since I am always very interested in new ways to renew my health and overall well-being by using healthy foods and lifestyle changes, I figured you just might be as well!

I thought I would do a little review for you. :)

What I love about this detox guide is that is does not recommend anything too intense such as fasting or juice fasting.

Don't get me wrong, I believe those types of cleanses can be beneficial... but as someone with a busy schedule and many obligations, a more gentle cleanse that still allows food is more of what I am looking for at this moment. :)

Why complete a cleanse?

1. Transition your body from heavy winter foods to seasonal, lighter spring foods.
2. Boost your mood, energy, and productivity by reducing inflammation.
3. Shed excess weight and eliminate toxins to feel light and fresh this summer.

The Spring Detox Guide covers:

• foods to enjoy
• foods to eliminate
• a grocery shopping list
• 3 days of recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Also included, (and this is perhaps my favorite part)... are the many benefits of the ingredients you will be creating your detoxing meals with!

You will learn about the many benefits of honey dew, lime, basil, broccoli, fennel, apple, kale, lemon, yellow onion, quinoa, flaxseed, cherries, red onion, apple cider vinegar, sunflower seeds, avocado, zucchini, garlic, cucumber, celery, ginger, parsley, scallions, tomatoes, asparagus, almonds, and extra virgin olive oil!

Here is a sneak peak of just a few of the delicious recipes you will be enjoying...

Massaged Kale Salad

Skin Glow Smoothie

Quinoa Tabbouleh

Tempted yet? ;) I think you will be pleasently surprised with the many benefits and healthy, delicious recipes of this gently spring cleanse.

You can get it here. (P.S. did I mention it is completely complimentary?!)

Let me know if you end up giving it a try!

I hope you have an excellent week! :)

xoxo,
Ashley

Dr. Axe's Secret Detox Drink

Hello there! And happy 2013!

I'm back... :) After weeks of holiday festivities, I decided to finally update my blog. Haha... I know that many of you can relate that sometimes it's just necessary to unplug and step away from the computer.

And I did just that. ;)

Anyways, today I thought I'd share my new favorite detox drink that I've been loving lately!

(photo credit)

I learned about it via Pinterest, of course ;) but it's a recipe by Dr. Axe.

Let me just say, it's the best way I've ever tried taking ACV by far!

And after Christmas and New Year's... this is a perfect way to detox and balance your system.

Ingredients

• 1 glass of water (12-16 oz.)
• 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar (I use Bragg's)
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 dash cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1 packet stevia powder (I use NuNaturals liquid drops)

Directions

1. Blend all ingredients together. (I just mix, since I use liquid stevia there isn't a need to blend.)

Have you tried anything similar to this yet?

I'm sure you know... but let's just remember how beneficial apple cider vinegar is!

Love this infographic from one of my favorite news websites, NaturalNews.com :)

Have an excellent day!

xoxo,
Ashley

Simple Summer Lemonade!

Greetings wellness lovers!

Today I wanted to share a refreshing summer recipe for a sweet + simple summer lemonade! And... it's sugar-free!

Thanks to stevia as a sweetener, you can enjoy this version of lemonade while keeping your blood sugar steady! I would even call this a detox drink! It's nice to make a batch ahead of time and then have them ready-to-go in mason jars when you open the fridge!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup lemon juice (5-6 lemons)
• 5 cups water
• 30 drops liquid stevia (I used NuNaturals' lemon flavored liquid stevia...  I love that there is no bitter aftertaste!)
• optional: 1 lemon, sliced, for garnish

Directions:

Juice the lemons. In a large pitcher, mix water with the stevia drops and lemon juice. Simple! Garnish with lemon slices. Enjoy! 


(makes 3 generous servings)

What are the Health Benefits of Lemons?

The health benefits of lemons that have been known for centuries! They are antibacterial, antiviral, and have immune-boosting properties. Lemon juice is considered a weight-loss aid, as it's a digestive aid and liver cleanser. Lemons contain many substances--notably citric acid, calcium, magnesium, vitamin C, bioflavonoids, pectin, and limonene-- all of which promote immunity and fight infection.

Have an excellent day!

xoxo,

Ashley

What are the Benefits of Chlorella?

Greetings wellness lovers!

Today I wanted to share with you some information about the many benefits of chlorella. I recently became interested in it after researching ways to detox heavy metals from one's system.

But what exactly is this strange sounding/looking/tasting substance, you may ask?

Well, according to Wikipedia...

Chlorella is a genus of single-cell green algae, belonging to the phylum Chlorophyta. It is spherical in shape, about 2 to 10 μm in diameter, and is without flagella. Chlorella contains the green photosynthetic pigments chlorophyll-a and -b in its chloroplast. Through photosynthesis, it multiplies rapidly, requiring only carbon dioxide, water, sunlight, and a small amount of minerals to reproduce.

And...

It is an attractive potential food source because it is high in protein and other essential nutrients; when dried, it is about 45% protein, 20% fat, 20% carbohydrate, 5% fibre, and 10% minerals and vitamins. Mass-production methods are now being used to cultivate it in large artificial circular ponds. It is also abundant in calories, fat, and vitamins.

What are the health benefits of chlorella?

Chlorella is a blood cleanser and increases oxygen levels in the blood. It also alkalizes the body, which is the opposite of acidosis (an acidic body pH) where most disease thrives. Chlorella also relieves inflammation,  which is the root of many diseases.

What has chlorella been proven to be effective for?

• Balancing hormones (relieving PMS, regulating cycles, etc.)
• Treatment of ulcers 
• Increasing the white blood cell count (helps with infections, warding off of illness)
• Reducing occurrence of asthma attacks and allergies
• Helps boost immune response
• Protects the brain and nervous system
• Supports elimination of many kinds of pollutants, from heavy metals to molds
• Boosts tissue growth, healing and repair
• Detoxifies harmful radiation, protects organs
• Improving your digestion, especially if constipation is a problem
• Providing B vitamins from an animal source
• Enhancing your ability to focus and concentrate
• Increasing your energy levels
• Normalizing your blood sugar and blood pressure
• Reducing your cancer risk

How to buy chlorella?

Chlorella can be purchased as a powder or in capsules, and can be found at almost every natural heath store, vitamin shop, as well as many natural health websites. (Amazon.com usually has the best deals!)

Sources:
Chlorella 101: What you need to know about this nourishing superfood (Natural News)
Chlorella and cilantro for amazing daily detox and maintenance (Natural News)
Use This Superfood to Help Remove Mercury From Your Tissues in Weeks (Dr Mercola)
Chlorella: claims of health and healing effects (Wikipedia)

Have you had any experience/success with taking this superfood?

xoxo,
Ashley

Integrative Nutrition's Spring Cleaning Guide!

Happy April wellness lovers!

I hope this spring has been treating you well so far! Have you made any health and or life/career goals for the season?

Today I wanted to share with you an excellent resource to complete a successful spring detox, since spring is the perfect time to lighten up your diet and improve your environment!

If you haven't seen this yet, I highly recommend downloading Integrative Nutrition's* Spring Cleanse Guide. It's an excellent and comprehensive guide packed with tools, resources, and refreshing recipes to cleanse your body, mind, and space!

Lighten up this season!

a sneak peak...

*note: when you download it, you will also likely start receiving additional nutrition, health, and wellness news + tips from the largest nutrition school in the world.

P.S.

If you have been thinking about studying at IIN to take your passion of all things holistic health + wellness related to the next level, and maybe even start a new career, I highly recommend reading "Integrative Nutrition: Feed Your Hunger for Health and Happiness" by Integrative Nutrition's founder/director Joshua Rosenthal. 


It can be purchased on Amazon.com for about $25... and can also be downloaded (complimentary) via the image below.

5/5 stars on Amazon.com 

About
Integrative Nutrition is the world's largest nutrition school, and is the only school that teaches over 100 different dietary theories, food energetics, and the concept of 'bio-individuality,' which is that there is not one diet that works for everyone. And, they recently upgraded their learning platform to an iPad!

If you have any questions about the program or my experience as a student... I am always happy to share my insight! My e-mail is TasteforHealthy@gmail.com


Enjoy the rest of your weekend! And, I invite you to stay tuned... later this week I will be posting an excellent music video, created by a fellow IIN graduate!

xoxo,

Ashley

*Integrative Nutrition® and Institute for Integrative Nutrition® are registered trademarks of Integrative Nutrition Inc.

Massaged Kale Salad!

Greetings health and wellness lovers!

Can you believe it's almost 2012?! I can't...

Anyways, this weekend I made a (festive?) delicious recipe from the Integrative Nutrition Healthy Holiday Guide!

Massaged Kale Salad

I made the salad to bring to a family gathering...

Honestly, I was a little hesitant to bring it, because kale is (unfortunately) not a commonly-enjoyed leafy vegetable by people outside of the foodie/nutrition/wellness circles.

But I decided to bring it anyways... and it seemed to be a hit! A family member even wanted the recipe! In addition to the Integrative Nutrition Holiday eBook, the recipe is also featured on Lemons and Loafers.

The only change I made to the recipe was substituting raisins + pomegranate seeds for the dried cranberries (because I didn't have any).

Have you ever had massaged kale salad?

Tropical Green Smoothie!

Happy Friday health & wellness lovers! I hope you had an amazing week... and are getting ready to enjoy your weekend! ♥

Today, I wanted to share a delicious green smoothie recipe that was given to me by one of my Integrative Nutrition classmates! (It is the best green smoothie I've ever had!) It is sweet and has a very 'tropical' flavor!

Tropical Green Smoothie
Ingredients:

• 1 cup coconut water
• 1/2 cup mango, frozen
• 1/2 cup pineapple
• 2 kale leaves
• 2 handfuls of spinach
• handful of sprouts (I used Trader Joe's micro greens)

Directions:
Blend all ingredients in a blender!

*Note: If you are not using a Vitamix blender, it is helpful to first blend the coconut water with the greens, then add in the fruit.

*Benefits of Green Smoothies*

• Improved digestion
• Weight loss
• Increased energy
• Detoxing
• Alkalizing
• Improved mood
• Glowing skin

P.S... Since many of you have contacted me with questions about my experience as a student at Integrative Nutrition, I wanted to let you know that there is an informational webinar tomorrow! (Saturday, May 7 @ 11am EDT) This link will lead you to the registration page! :)

Have a great weekend!!

Successful Cleanse!

Happy Wednesday! :)

Whew! I made it... I completed my first liver and gallbladder cleanse! 

Before I started, I read The Liver and Gallbladder Miracle Cleanse by Andreas Moritz.

He claims "Most people unknowingly suffer from a dangerous buildup of gallstones in the liver and gallbladder. These stones clog up the body's cleansing organs, creating a toxic environment incapable of maintaining good health. You become fatigued, your tissues inflame, you gain weight, and your immune system stops fighting off illness and disease. The Liver and Gallbladder Miracle Cleanse teaches you how to easily and painlessly remove gallstones in the comfort of your own home."

To give you an idea of what the liver and gallbladder cleanse entails, here is the time line I followed:

The Week Before: Consumed a vegan diet, for the most part avoided "cold" foods, drank 2-4 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar 4 times/day. Supposedly the malic acid helps to soften the stones, making them easier to pass.

Day of the Cleanse
8:00 am- Hot quinoa for breakfast.
1:00 pm- Steamed veggies and basmati rice for lunch. Stopped eating after 1:30.
6:00 pm- 6 oz. water w/ 1 tablespoon epsom salts
8:00 pm- 6 oz. water w/ 1 tablespoon epsom salts
10:00 pm- 1/2 cup olive oil mixed with 3/4 cup grapefruit juice

The Next Morning
8:00 am- 6 oz. water w/ 1 tablespoon epsom salts
10:00 am- 6 oz. water w/ 1 tablespoon epsom salts

Notes:
*I continued drinking the apple cider vinegar throughout the day.
*After drinking the mixture at 10 pm, I jumped immediately into bed.
*The book recommends having a colonic prior to the cleanse, or performing an enema the evening of. I did not do either of these things.

My Thoughts:
I have to say... the actual cleanse was not nearly as bad as the anxiety leading up to it! I was pleasantly surprised!

The Epsom salts were the worst part... the first 2 glasses were easy to get down. By morning, I was not feeling up to drinking the last 2... but I managed! :)

And, I actually thought the olive oil/grapefruit mixture tasted great! As long as you mix it well, you can hardly taste the olive oil.

To be honest, I was a little scared when I read that after drinking the olive oil/grapefruit mixture and lie down in bed, it is common to actually feel gallstones coming out of your gallbladder! The book describes this as a "rolling marble" sensation. And it most definitely is! Within the first hour, I felt this sensation about 5 times!

There was absolutely no pain at any time during the cleanse. I did feel a little nauseous this morning when I began drinking the final dose of Epsom salts, but it didn't last very long, maybe 20 minutes. As soon as I sipped some leftover grapefruit juice, I felt better.

The Results:
7 stones so far! Most were about 1/4" in length. (Some people get rid of hundreds of stones on their first cleanse!)

Summary:
I am definitely glad I completed this cleanse! It was a very interesting experience and I am interested to see what improvements it brings to my health & well-being! :)

Have you ever done a liver/gallbladder cleanse? What did you think of it?

*Disclaimer* Please note that this information is provided as an account of my personal experience and is not meant to substitute for the advice provided by your own intuition, nutritionist, physician, or trained professional. If you have special circumstances or in doubt whether this is for you, consult a professional before starting this program.

"Spring Cleaning"

Hello there! And happy Wednesday! :)

So, the temperature is rising to 78 degrees tomorrow... hello Spring! Every spring, I get in a "spring cleaning' mode. I clean my house, organize my closet, etc. But I also want to "clean out" my body!

I've been sipping "Get Clean" tea (dandelion & milk thistle) that I found at the Vitamin Shoppe!

And in 6 days, I am going to do a liver/gallbladder cleanse/flush! Yes, it seems as scary as it sounds...

2 years ago, I picked up "The Liver and Gallbladder Miracle Cleanse" from the local health food store.

I read it in less than a day, and it was scary fascinating!

I checked the reviews on Amazon, and apparently it's a great book and tons of people are having success with it!

So yeah, ummmmmm... wish me luck! And I will keep you posted! (I am a little nervous!) :)

I am interested to know... has anyone else checked out this book? Or actually tried the cleanse?

Time for Juicing!

Happy Saturday! I hope you are having an amazing weekend! The weather in Palmdale is so perfect right now... all I want to do is spend time outside! :)

As I mentioned, it was an emotional week, and by the end of it I did not feel well at all... (nauseous, exhausted, migranes) However, I am feeling so much better!

I've been enjoying fresh juices every morning, eating mainly fruits & vegetables, walking every morning, gardening, relaxing, spending time with my family, doing yoga, practicing "health history consultations" with insightful IN students, and applying to new jobs! And, tomorrow... hiking with friends! ♥

Anyways, back to the juicing... I can't believe how amazing fresh juice can make you feel! And spring is a perfect time to start adding fresh juices to your diet! They are so light, cleansing, refreshing, and full of vitamins & enzymes!

More benefits of juicing can be found here!

I wanted to share some simple combinations I've enjoyed this week, and I hope they will inspire you to get your juicer out! (Or get one.) :)

Cucumber Lemon Ginger Juice

(serves 2)

• 2 cucumbers
• 3 stalks of celery
• 1" ginger root
• 1 lemon

Sweet Carrot Orange Ginger Juice

(serves 2)

• 5 carrots
• 1" ginger root
• 1 lemon
• 2 oranges

And now... for the more tolerant "advanced"~

Green Detox Juice!

(serves 2)

• 2 cups greens (I used a mix)
• 5 stalks celery
• 1 orange
• 1" ginger root
• 1 lemon

Green Apple Super Smoothie!

Hello there! :) And happy Friday!

So... earlier this week, I did some reading & researching about 100 different popular dietary theories (for hours!). I am absolutely fascinated by everything I am learning at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition! ♥

Anyways, when reading about the Body Ecology Diet, I came across a delicious green smoothie recipe! I ended up adding dates for natural sweetness. It is my favorite green smoothie yet!!

If you want to whip up a green smoothie that is less "green" tasting than most, give this one a try! :) It's delightfully refreshing and calming, yet energizing!

Green Apple Super Smoothie
(makes 6 servings)  

Ingredients:

*1 granny smith apple

*4-5 stalks celery 

*2 cups romaine lettuce

*4 dates, pitted 
*½ large avocado 
*½ bunch cilantro or parsley

*3-4 cups filtered water

Directions:

Chop vegetables into 1 inch pieces for easy blending. Fill blender with 3-4 cups filtered water (more or less water depending on how thick you desire your shake). Add all ingredients into blender. Puree till smooth or desired consistency. Enjoy!

Do you have a favorite green smoothie recipe? I would love to try it! :)

And, are you doing anything exciting this weekend?

Immune System Booster Juice

*This morning, my mom juiced up a delicious immune system-boosting cocktail. We've both been fighting colds... but this should definitely help us get better quickly!

Ingredients:
(makes 8 ounces)

3 carrots chopped into ¼" pieces
1 stalk of celery chopped into ¼" pieces
1 apple chopped into ¼" pieces
½ cucumber chopped into ¼" pieces
½ beet with the greens, beet chopped into ¼" pieces
½ handful of wheatgrass
½ handful of parsley

Directions:
Juice a carrot and half of an apple. Follow with the wheatgrass and parsley. To juice the wheatgrass and parsley, roll each into a beat leaf and juice. Next juice the beets and the cucumber and finish with the carrots and apple

Recipe source: Organic Authority

It is quite possibly the best juice I've had... Thank you Mom!!!