Give 'em a second chance.

I've been seeing Brussels Sprouts all over menus recently. I am surprised and elated that they seem to be making a comeback. As a child, like most people, I thought I disliked brussels sprouts. Now I realize that they were probably just overcooked or not cooked properly. I adore brussels sprouts now and am so happy to see these tiny buds frequenting menus.

Brussels sprouts fall into the cruciferous category of vegetables. They are known to be cancer fighters, extremely high in Vitamins C and K, and an excellent source of fiber for the digestive system.

According to Whole Foods:

"It is very important not to overcook Brussels sprouts. Not only do they lose their nutritional value and taste but they will begin to emit the unpleasant sulfur smell associated with overcooked cruciferous vegetables. To help Brussels sprouts cook more quickly and evenly cut each sprout into quarters. Let them sit for at least 5 minutes to bring out the health-promoting qualities and then steam them for 5 minutes."

So next time your out eating or cooking give the brussels sprouts another chance. You may be pleasantly surprised to discover that you too like brussel sprouts.

Life after the Ranch and back to reality

Arrived home after spending an amazing week of teaching at Rancho La Puerta. I met so many wonderful people of all ages and walks of life. It was like an adult summer camp filled with health, peace, emotional well being, exercise, nature, and pampering.

Although the weather in Tecate last week was not as warm as I was hoping for. The experience at the Ranch fulfilled all my hopes and desires. Most days started with an early morning hike through the mountains. Chatting with new friends and convening with nature. A healthy breakfast would follow with lots of fresh fruit, oatmeal, quinoa, eggs and even pancakes one morning. A nice warm cup of tea with a spoonful of agave warmed me up to teach.

Every day I taught a 9am Pilates Level 1 and a 10am Pilates Level 2. Tuesday and Thursday afternoons I also taught a level 2 Reformer class.It was a progressive series adding fundamentals and exercises every day. The clients were so fabulous. Open to learning something new or in a new way and making deep, internal changes in their bodies daily. I was so appreciative of their willingness and trust to explore with me every day. Each one of them was truly a gift to me.

Once my morning classes where finished, I had plenty of time to explore the ranch and take some classes on my own. Some of my favorites were Nia with Maya, Hulu Hoop with Hazel, Cardio Drumming with Miguel, and Release and Mobilize with Diane. I also tried a water class (which I have never done before). I felt a bit uncoordinated and retarded but was open to newness and got a great workout from Craig. I also explored some sound classes and some pampering treatments.

The Ranch's healthy spa cuisine left me feeling full and inspired to try adding some different things to my diet. So many wonderful meals and I ate all of them and actually lost 4lbs. Mostly what I will take away from the diet is to eat some complex carbs for breakfast like quinoa or rice with some fruit. Normally at home I eat carbs like bread for breakfast. Not anymore. As a whole there really was not a lot of bread in the menus. Lots of fresh vegetable soups and salads with toasted nuts and fruit slices and then a dinner of items like fresh fish, vegetarian lasagna, stir fry, enchiladas. Are you getting the picture that I ate and ate well?

Some evenings were filled with fun events like Bingo with Barry. This is definitely not to be missed. Hilarious. Fun. A bit raunchy. A good time had by all. Friday evening had a live band and dancing. A blast and a perfect way to end the week with all my new friends and students.

I truly enjoyed every minute at the Ranch. I feel rejuvenated, refreshed, invigorated, inspired, and at peace. I hope to be asked back in the future to Present again, as I would truly like to make Rancho La Puerta at least a yearly event.

Meat ≠ Iron

I grew up in a meat eating home. In fact my parents still do not fully understand what being a Vegetarian, let alone Vegan, entails. They have made comments such as "how about some turkey? that's white meat" and "why can't you have soup that has chicken stock?"

I first became a non red meat eater in college, because I found that I always felt tired after eating it and that it took my body a long time to digest. Shortly after I eliminated poultry. I had never really enjoyed pork, so that was already out of my diet. I focused on eating a primarily Vegetarian diet with some rare moments of indulging in fish. At this point I was still consuming cheese (I LOVE cheese) and eggs on rare occasions. I was never a milk drinker, even as a child, and as I have aged I have become more and more lactose intolerant. During my early years as a Vegetarian, I can't say that I always made the healthiest choices or had a balanced diet. Now, being a Vegetarian and even a Vegan is very accessible with so many choices and substitutions available.

Anemia (iron deficiency) is genetically in my history. As a child and adolescence, even when eating meat, I was continually diagnosed with anemia. Both my mother and Nana have been diagnosed with anemia throughout their lives. I recently had a full blood panel done and was amazed when my doctor said that I was not anemic. "What? Are you sure?" I asked her. Having been anemic all my life and like most people associating iron with meat I assumed I would always be anemic. I do not take any multi-vitamins right now or iron supplements, so the iron I am receiving is coming through my plant based diet. Lots of spinach, kale, and lots of varieties of beans that I consume on an almost daily basis.

One of my clients who herself has switched to a primarily Vegan diet for herself and a mostly Vegetarian diet for her young children recently had one of her children's iron levels checked at her pediatricians. Her iron levels came in at 13.4 with a range of 7-10 being normal. He stated to her that "he wished all of his patients ate like her, that he would see them less and they would live longer". It was great to hear of a pediatrician supporting a plant based diet for children as long as it was "balanced".

It was such a welcome surprise to know that I could not only get enough iron, but reverse my anemia, from a balanced plant based diet. Proof that iron does not equal meat.

I personally am also a little concerned (especially as a middle aged woman) about my hormone levels, due to the amount of soy products I consume and the effect that soy can have on estrogen levels. I advise vegetarian females to have your hormone levels checked and regulate the amount of your soy product intake.

Introducing piLALAtes Book Group

Announcing piLALAtes Book Group!!

This group will read books based on health, diet, exercise, and emotional well being. The book to be read will be determined by myself and the group. You will be given at least a week to purchase, borrow, or download the designated book. We will read the book simulataneously and discuss on a designated basis the assigned chapters. Anyone can comment or pose questions to the group. I am looking forward to this being an inspirational, thought provoking group that will explore many different topics of health.

I think the easiest and most real time way to participate in the discussions will be through twitter. If you are not a member already of twitter it is free and very easy to use. On twitter we can set a thread #piLALAtesreaders. This thread gets listed in the tweet and all users posting to this thread can all see each other's comments and questions. It is in real time so will be like we are all sitting in the same room discussing.

So..... Our first book to read together and discuss is (drum roll please)......

The China Study by Thomas M. Campbell II

Click here to purchase or download to kindle.

If you have already read this book please feel free to re-read with us and/or join in for discussions as we go. Our first twitter group discussion on this book will take place Tuesday, February 1st at 8pm CT (6pm PT and 9pm ET). Please have read through at least Part I.

Mark your calendars, start turning the pages, and sign in to Twitter on Feb 1st. Looking forward to some great reading and interesting discussions.

Vegetarian Thanksgiving Menu

Thanksgiving and all the holidays can be challenging for a Vegetarian. I thought I would take the opportunity to share some great recipes that I have found and am planning to use this Thanksgiving.

APPETIZER:  

Vegan Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip

This is one of my favorite appetizer recipes. I translated the original recipe to Vegan last year and couldn't even taste the difference. Have had lots of compliments on this at parties by both Vegan, Vegetarian, and meat eating friends and family.

Ingredients:

• 16oz canned Artichoke hearts in water, drained
• 1 cup frozen spinach
• 1 cup Vegenaise
• 1/2 cup grated soy Parmesan
• 1/2 cup of Tofutti "Better than sour cream"
• 1/2 clove garlic, crushed
• 2 tblsp lemon juice
• 1/8 tsp white pepper
• 8oz Tofutti "better than cream cheese", softened
• paprika

Directions:

• Preheat Oven to 350°
• Combine all ingredients in blender or food processor until well mixed.
• Pour into larger baking/casserole dish. 
• Bake until heated through. About 30-60 mins depending on oven and depth of casserole dish.
• Serve with pita chips, crackers, baguette slices, or vegetables.

  

SALAD:

Thanksgiving Seasonal Salad

A fresh, crisp and tangy salad. The combo of dried cranberries,goat cheese, and nuts is decadent tasting. It encompasses all the tastes of the holiday season.

Ingredients:

• Fresh Baby Spinach leaves
• 1/2 cup of dried Cranberries
• 1 pear julienned with skin
• 4oz goat cheese
• Balsamic Vinaigrette of choice
• 1/2 cup candied or plain pecans or walnut diced

Directions:

• Toss clean spinach in bowl with desired amount of balsamic dressing (*Can skip this step and leave dressing on the side if you prefer)
• Layer the rest of ingredients into bowl and toss until mixed well.
• Serve cold.

MAIN COURSE: 

Gardein Pot Pie

Ellen's chef Roberto Martin's Vegan Pot Pie looks absolutely fabulous. This is what I am bringing as my main course this year.

Ingredients:

• Gardein Scallopini cut into 1/4inch pieces
• 6 cups vegan chicken stock
• 1 cup yellow onion diced
• 1 cup carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 cup peas
• 3/4tsp Thyme, minced
• 3/4tsp Sage, minced
• 3/4tsp Sea Salt
• 3/4tsp Fresh ground pepper
• 1tblsp Nutritional yeast flakes
• 1tblsp Tamari Soy sauce
• 3-4tblsp Scanola oil
• Puff Pastry sheet rolled out to 12x10

Roux Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup flour
• 3/4 cup Earth balance butter

Directions:

• Pre-heat oven to 375°
• Brown Gardein Scallopini in a sauté pan with 1tblsp scanola oil. Season with salt and pepper, remove from pan and set aside.
• In separate pan melt Earth balance. Add flour and whisk constantly until light brown color. Cool and set aside.
• In 5.5 qt Stock pot cook onions in scanola oil for 3 mins. Add carrots, sage, thyme, salt and pepper. Continue to cook for 5 mins. Add already boiling stock and simmer for 5 mins. Whisk in yeast flakes.
• Add the roux mixture a bit at a time and continue to cook as sauce begins to thicken. Stir in Gardein Scallopini, tamari and peas. Pour mixture into a large shallow pan to cool.
• Once mixture is cool, pour into individual ramekins, glass pie pan, or small casserole dish. Cover mixture with puff pastry and seal edges. Cut small slits. Bake for 35 mins or until internal temperature reaches 165°

Makes 6 servings. 15 mins of prep time and 50 mins of cook time.

Hope your friends and family enjoy these recipes. A happy, healthy and environmentally friendly Thanksgiving to you and yours. BTW no animals were harmed in the making of these products. ☺


If you have a great Vegan or Vegetarian recipe for the holidays, please share it in the comment section below. Thanks!

Chocolate dipped Strawberry Smoothie

A decadent, yet healthy smoothie. Like having Strawberries dipped in Chocolate. Creamy, Delicious and under 200 calories.


Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen strawberries
• 1 tblspoon Nutella
• 1/2 cup of almond milk
• 1/2-3/4 cup crushed ice

Directions:
Clean and cut strawberries and place into blender with Nutella, ice, and Almond milk. Blend. Pour and Enjoy!!

Asparagus & Mushroom Polenta

An easy to make, fresh, and healthy meal.  Asparagus and Mushroom Polenta will take you about 10-12 minutes to prepare.

Ingredients:

• Asparagus
• Baby Portabella mushrooms (or another local, seasonal variety)
• Polenta ( I use pre made Organic Polenta from Trader Joes).
• Chunky Pasta sauce
• olive oil
• salt/pepper to taste.
• Rosemary 

Preparations:
Cut Asparagus into 1" long strips and cut mushrooms into 1/4"slices.  Sauté Asparagus, mushrooms, rosemary, salt & pepper in olive oil over medium heat.

Sliced pre-made polenta into 1/2" think rounds.  Grill in a pan with a little olive oil. 4-5 mins/side or until golden brown.  Remove from heat and place on paper towels to remove any excess oil.

Heat 2 tbls of chuncky pasta sauce until warm.

Plate 2 slices of cooked polenta on plate. Top with sauteed veggies and sauce.
*If not Vegan top with parmesan or fresh cheese of your choice.

Review and thoughts on "Women Food and God" by Geneen Roth

Recently I read the book Women Food and God by Geneen Roth.  Oprah had been promoting it saying that "it changed the way she felt about her body, her diet, and her life."  The book totes being the "anti-diet" book.  It speaks more to the self help aspect of your relationship to food and food to your feelings.

"The way you eat is inseparable from your core beliefs about being alive. Your relationship to food is an exact mirror of your feelings about love, fear, anger, meaning, transformation, and yes, even God."

Although the book speaks mostly from the perspective of compulsive eating or overeating.  I found a lot of the feelings described throughout the book also pertain to compulsive under eating and deprivation of food. Really the emotions are the same, it is how each of us chooses to use our relationship with food to mask or numb our feelings.

Personally I have struggled with bouts of anorexia. Hiding and numbing my feelings by depriving myself.  Feeling that while things around may have been out of control, I could control what or if I ate and how much exercise I did.  I felt that I was good at this and even was praised for my thinness at times in my life.  After years of therapy, I do understand my triggers into this disease and relationship. And this relationship was a direct mirror externally to my feelings. I felt unloved, alone, angry, fearful, unworthy, and empty. The emptier my belly felt was how I dealt with the spiritual emptiness I was feeling.  I have friends who feel the same things but instead of depriving and torturing themselves through withdrawal, they instead try to fill up the emptiness with food by binging and overeating. Same feelings, different response. "Feelings are in the body, reactions are in the head; a reaction is the mental deduction of a feeling. (And beliefs are reactions to that we've had so many times that we believe they are true.) In an attempt not to feel what is uncomfortable, the mind will often rant and ramble and tell us how awful it all is." (pg 105 WFG)

Roth speaks about our internal conversation and judgement as "The Voice". In describing this Voice she writes, " you believe that you need to hide your defects from other people lest they withdraw in abject horror. You believe that The Voice knows the truth and you don't want anyone else to discover how monstrous you are. How dark. How unredeemable. Hiding seems like an act of self-preservation. It seems like your only option if you want to have any kindness or love in your life. When you are in total agreement with The Voice, you convince yourself that your best and only recourse is to be ashamed of yourself and try harder to get it right. Be The Voice's idea of you. Be someone different, someone you're not."(pg 138 WFG)

My relationship to food now is much healthier. Although, I do still have brief moments that I fall into the pattern.  I am still controlling about what I eat or don't eat, how much, and when. I still do not enjoy eating socially or trying new foods.  I watch my portions and I count my calories. And I still do weigh myself almost daily, which is better than the 3-4 times a day on two different scales that I used to do.

Roth later comments on recognizing The Voice, "that awareness functions now to separate you from what is not you. From your story about how unredeemable you are. From your shame at being the stale, rehashed, familiar story of yourself. And because you've come to love life without the story, you without your past, you are less and less willing to endure the suffering of merging with The Voice. You begin to prefer simplicity over complication. Freedom over familiarity."(pg 138 WFG)

While I found the book very eye opening, I do feel that it is just a beginning to dealing with women and their relationship to food. It is hard when you are in this vicious cycle to really stop and listen to what you are feeling. I think the book is a good starting point to investigate what you are feeling, but therapy to deal with and uncover these feelings is necessary.  I recall several points in therapy when just hearing something come out of my mouth was such a surprise to hear. I didn't even realize I was feeling it. And hearing it spoken from my mouth to someone else somehow made it more real and validated.

If you or someone you know has or is struggling with food issues this book is a must read. At least to start the internal questioning and awareness to the emotions.  A good spark to ignite the journey into the the depths of discovery of you, food, and God.

Veggie Lasagna

This is a favorite recipe that I found while I was back in college.  I have altered it over the years to include some of my favorites and incorporate more of a vegan lifestyle.  This lasagna has no noodles or pasta and no cheese.  Also I tend to cook to taste, so not a lot of measurements. Use as much of any ingredient to create the desired layer in the size of your casserole dish.

Ingredients
1 eggplant
1-2 zucchini squashes
kernel corn
black olives
diced tomatoes
brown mushrooms
16 oz firm tofu
fresh basil
fresh rosemary
Daiya mozzarella or cheddar cheese (or mix both)
olive oil
salt
pepper

Feel free to omit any of the veggies that you feel undesirable (except for eggplant and squash) and/or add some of your favorite fresh seasonal veggies.  Also if you do not want to make vegan, substitute Ricotta cheese for the tofu and use regular cheese instead of Daiya.


Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350°

Grill eggplant and zucchinin with olive oil, salt and pepper. While grilling, combine tofu, basil and rosemary into food processor. Blend until a thick consistency.

Lightly grease casserole dish. Place grilled eggplant slices in a single layer on the bottom of the casserole dish until it is covered. Next layer tofu mixture over layer of eggplant. Continue to layer ingredients on top of one another until 3/4 of way to top of casserole dish. Layer the grilled zucchini on top of looser ingredients. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top of zucchini and garnish or top with sliced black olives.  Finish with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Place casserole dish in preheated oven and cook for 30-45mins until cooked through and cheese is melted.  Turn throughout cooking in 1/4 turns for consistent cooking.

I serve with a slotted spoon as many of the vegetables tend to be rather juicy.

Let cool and enjoy!

Take a bottle, drink it down...

To quote a Pearl Jam song "Take a bottle, drink it down, pass it around". Although surely Eddie Vedder probably wasn't referencing water, it applies.


In the middle of summer with many cities experiencing heat waves, it especially important to remain hydrated throughout the day. Are you getting enough water?


According to the Mayo Clinic the following are signs that you are not getting enough water: (mild dehydration)

• Dry, sticky mouth
• Sleepiness or tiredness — children are likely to be less active than usual
• Thirst
• Decreased urine output — fewer than six wet diapers a day for infants and eight hours or more without urination for older children and teens
• Few or no tears when crying
• Muscle weakness
• Headache
• Dizziness or lightheadedness

The media output is "8x8". Meaning 8 oz of water 8 times per day.  However, this is not truly accurate but a good starting point. Activity level, diet, environment, pregnancy/breast feeding can affect how your water intake is being processed.  There are some easy tools like a daily water calculator that calculates how much water you should be drinking per day based on your activity level and weight.


How can you take in this much water throughout the day? Try tricking yourself by adding lemon wedges or cucumber slices into your water for a little more flavor. I also like adding a green tea bag, like TAZO's Zen tea with lemongrass and spearmint, into my water jug with room temperature water and drinking throughout the day.  If you are working out quite a bit try adding ZICO Coconut water after work out. Full of natural electrolytes and rehydrates quicker than water.


A good testing point is your urine outtake. According to my acupuncturist, your urine at the beginning of your day should be the most concentrated and dark. If you are drinking enough water throughout the day it should gradually become less and less concentrated until it is clear by mid afternoon through the evening.


So drink it down and stay hydrated, healthy and happy.

got milk?

With so many new varieties of milk out there, how do you know which one is best for you?

Cow's Milk Personally, I am not a Cow's milk drinker. Even as a kid I had a dislike for milk. Now that I have been primarily vegetarian for many years, the thought of Cow's milk actually disgusts me. Alicia Silverstone, who has been a Vegan for many years best describes many of the reasons I have turned away from cow's milk, in her book The Kind Diet. First, "We are the only animals that drink another species' milk." and second "Cow's milk is designed to turn a baby calf into a 400 pound cow". Cow's milk is a rich source of proteins and calcium. Contains vitamin A and B12,thiamine,riboflavin and minerals like calcium, sodium and potassium. It's disadvantages include high allergy reactions and not good for Lactose intolerant. In many places, cows are treated with a compound called recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGh). Some studies have shown that this hormone leads to some health risks, like mastitis, infertility and lameness.

Soy Milk Soy milk is being mass marketed to the general public as the "new milk". Going so far as to even place it in the refrigerated section where consumers are used to going for their cow's milk. Those of us drinking soy milk before this boom know that soy milk does not need to be refrigerated until opened and used to be stocked in the dry aisles near the baking goods. Even Starbucks has jumped on the soy bandwagon appealing to vegetarians, vegans and lactose intolerant by offering soy milk to their customers and recently changing their Frappuccino mix to allow for the modification of soy. Soy milk contains high quality proteins and carbohydrates. It is cholesterol and lactose free. The downside is that Isoflavones from soy milk are held responsible for thyroid disorder, leukemia and breast cancer. Not to mention that 85% of all soybeans grown in the US are genetically modified. So as great as soy is it is better off to take in soy from pure products such as tofu and tempeh.

Almond Milk Almonds are an excellent source of vitamin E, magnesium, and manganese; they are a good source fiber, copper, phosphorous and riboflavin. Many studies are showing a possible protection against heart disease (America’s number-one killer) and support for weight management from eating a handful of almonds a day. Almond milk is lactose free and I find it not to be as bloating as soy milk. Of course since it comes from a nut this form of milk is not good for people who are nut allergy prone. This is my milk of choice right now. I use Almond Breeze Vanilla Unsweetened in my morning coffee and Original unsweetened for cooking. A few dangers of almonds are that they are a goitrogenic food, meaning they contain chemicals that can harm your thyroid. People with hypothyroid or in danger of hypothyroid should avoid goitrogenic foods. Also Almond milk tends to be much higher in sugars than cow's milk. If you are watching your sugar intake opt for the unsweetened varieties.

Rice Milk Rice milk is processed from brown rice and usually contains rice syrup, evaporated cane juice or some other natural sweetener. It is typically fortified with calcium or vitamin D. Rice milk is high in carbohydrates. It is low in protein and fat, and easy to digest. Those who are allergic to nuts, may also be sensitive to soy and therefore, need an alternative beverage. Organic rice milk does not contain added sugars and is naturally sweet, which may make it a great alternative to those who want to avoid sugar. Diabetics shoud beware or rice milk. I found rice milk to be a little on the watery side. While I dont like using it in coffee or cereal it is a good alternative for recipes.

Nutritional Comparision of Major Brands


Which milk is best? Well it all comes down to what you are looking to get out of your milk. Protein? Low fat? Low sodium or sugars? Avoiding milk or nut allergies? Taste? Health conditions? There does not seem to be one form of milk or milk substitute that comes out as the Blue Ribbon winner. At least now you have some of the facts to make the best decision for you and your family.

Please note that most of the milk substiutes discussed are not advised as replacement for formula or infants. Please consult a physician regarding best (if any) substitutions for infants.

Healthy Pizza

Healthy Pizza? Is there really such a thing? There most definitely is! First, you can always make your own Pizza at home. I recommend starting with a whole wheat crust. Fore go sauce and brush with garlic infused olive oil or a pesto sauce. Load it up with whatever fresh vegetables appeal to you and either no cheese or a lower fat cheese like feta.

If you are looking for a store bought frozen Pizza. A company called A.C LaRocoo has many options to choose from. Organic Whole Wheat Thin Crust:Tomato and Feta Pizza, Greek Sesame Pizza, Garden Vegetarian Pizza, Cheese and Garlic Pizza, and Spinach and Artichoke Pizza. Organic Ultra Thin Sprouted Grain Crust: Bruschetta Style Pizza, Garlic Chicken Parmesan Pizza, and Old World Veggie Pizza. The wheat crust pizzas range from about 200-250 calories/2 slices or 1/3 of the pizza. The Sprouted Grain Crust pizzas range from 170-230 calories/ 3 slices or 1/2 of the pizza. These pizzas all taste fantastic and are guilt free.

Then there is Whole Foods Pizza Bar which now has a Vegan Pizza by the slice or pre-ordered whole pizza. Not sure of the nutritional information, unfortunately. But will tell you it is absolutely delicious! Thin, wheat crust with a vegan cheese that melts like butter, kalamata olives, sundried tomatoes, and roasted garlic. I cant stop craving this delicious slice. As soon as I get the nutritional info I will pass it on, my guess is that it is pretty similiar to the A.C. LaRocoo calories.

Do you have a healthy pizza recipe you would like to share? Or know of another company with guilt free pizza? Share your recomendations in the comment section below.

Juice start your diet!

There are lots of quick fix diets and fasts out there. The Master Cleanse allowing you to drink as much cayenne pepper,maple syrup and lemon water as you like for a minimum of a week. Atkins, eliminating all the Carbs from your life. I don’t know about you but somehow when I try one of these strict fasts or diets the inner, rebellious child in me comes out. All of a sudden I will eat things that I never even liked just because I am not supposed to. Plus how in the world is eating a cup of cheese (fat) on Atkins, better than eating a cup of carrots (carbohydrates)? And how is a body suppose to survive and function on sugary, lemon water? Sure you might lose the weight quickly but what does this actually teach your body? And are you really able to keep it off once you go back to eating normally?

I’m going to share a little secret with you. When I am looking to shed a few pounds in a timely manner, I turn to juicing. I load up on all the fruits, vegetables, and nuts that I want for two meals of the day and have a healthy protein based meal for my third meal. Try to juice at least two of your meals. I suggest always starting the day with juicing for breakfast and then based on your schedule and your day you can decide if your second juice meal will be lunch or dinner. In between, snack on fresh fruit/vegetables or a handful of nuts throughout the day. Your body gets all the nutrients it needs (probably more, since you will be meeting your fruit and vegetable quota), you still get the satisfaction of actually eating, and the regular meal feels like a reward that you get everyday. You will find your body making healthy choices and wont feel deprived along the way. By juicing you will get a variety of fruits and vegetables, find new tastes that you may not have ever tried, and be able to tolerate fruits/vegetables that you may have disliked before.

The best way to jump start your body into losing weight and teach your body to use food in the most productive way, I believe is through juicing . As Amanda Cross states in THE MIRACLE JUICE DIET “when a person eats nutritionally depleted food, not enough food or is putting extra pressure on the body through overwork, during illness or following surgery or when you are undergoing high levels of stress”, juicing is the answer.

Here is a breakdown of some fruits and vegetables and their benefits. I have also included a few hints and recipes. Try to get fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables first. Second best would be flash frozen. I prefer to water down my juice for a lighter, less pulpy consistency.

Melon highly nutritious, natural diuretic, powerful cleansers and detoxifiers, great for rehydration, orange melon (i.e. cantaloupe) high in beta carotene, watermelons have anticoagulant property, all are antiviral and antibacterial
Kiwi packed with vitamin C and fiber, excellent for immune system, lowering blood pressure, and heart health known in traditional chinese medicine for healing effect on stomach and breast cancer (called Chinese gooseberries)
Bananas best source of potassium (mineral for maintaining normal blood pressure and heart function), contain pectin; help normalize movement through the digestive tract and ease constipation rich in pre-biotics that nourish probiotics in the colon, help to decrease the risk of colon cancer
Berries antiviral and antibacterial, fabulous for the bloodstream
blueberries and blackcurrents help diarrhea and any urinary tract infection, raspberries contain a natural aspirin and help menstrual cramps, strawberries help the cardiovascular system as a whole
Avocados lower blood cholesterol and block carcinogens, high vitamin E content excellent for maintaining healthy skin, healing wounds and bolstering the immune system, help the body digest and metabolize fats
Cranberries deodorize urine and prevent bacteria in the bladder, prostate, and kidneys, can prevent kidney stones, very sour and may need to be combined with sweeter fruit in juices and smoothies
Citrus Fruits contain carotenoids, bioflavonoids and huge amounts of Vitamin C which are key in the fight against cancer, lower blood cholesterol and arterial plaque, antiviral and antibcterial
Papaya tops when it comes to aiding digestion as it helps to break down protein, protects against cancer and replenishes lost levels of Vitamin C, making it a good choice for smokers
Apples antioxidants, reduce cholesterol, cleanse the digestive system and boost the immune system, aid in the digestion of fats, small amount with soften the taste of a stronger vegetable blend
Plums help increase the absorption of iron into the body, great source of Vitamin C, Vitamin A, B2, dietary fibre and potassium
Pineapples anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antibacterial, help to dissolve blood clots, contain bromelain, which is essential in the digestion of protein
Mangos high in beta-carotene and full of potassium, perfect to replenish energy after heavy workout
Tomatoes lower the risk of cancer and heart disease, fight off free radicals
Broccoli high in antioxidants and Vitamin C, vital intake will help guard against lung, breast, and colon cancer, on low carb diet will help to regulate insulin and blood sugar, has been reported to deactivate cancer cells
Cabbage leading cancer fighter, can regulate estrogen metabolism and discourage formation of polyps, best raw and should be included in the diet 2-3 times per week
Sweet Potatoes help stabilize blood sugar levels and lower insulin resistance, good source of Vitamin A, C and manganese, copper, dietary fibre, B6, potassium, and iron, anti-inflammatory, can help in reducing the severity of conditions where inflammation play a role (i.e. asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoarthritis)
Peppers Vitamin C, guard against macular degeneration and respiratory infections, help to keep arteries decongested and helpful with asthma, bronchitis and even the common cold, help keep nails, skin, and hair glossy and healthy
Green Leafy Vegetables full of lutein and beta-carotene and will battle cancer and regulate estrogen, try to have a couple green juices per week even if you favor sweeter juices
Celery and Fennel great at cleansing the digestive system of uric acid, high potassium content and therefore great for lowering high blood pressure, If you hold onto excess fluid and suffer from regular bloating, their diuretic effect is very powerful and should be the basis of the juices you create
Carrots nutritional power houses. when cooked=high on carb scale, high beta carotene content, fight cancer, protect arteries, battle infections and boost immunity, said to eliminate putrefactive bacteria in the colon and facilitate elimination of intestinal parasites

Also think about adding in supplements like milk thistle (liver function) , flax seeds (omega-3 and omega-6), Psyllium Husks (colon health), Yogurt (probiotic enzymes), Brewers Yeast (metabolism), ginger (immune system), and raw garlic (antibiotic) to name a few.

Hope you will share some of your favorite recipes. Here is one of mine. Red seedless grapes, cucumber, lemon, ginger root, and mint leaves. Great for digestion, bloating and water retention. Perfect for a day in a bikini.

Belly Flat?

How do you feel after you eat a meal? Energized or ready to take a nap? I usually feel the latter. And on top of it I tend to experience a lot of bloating and abdominal discomfort especially after eating certain foods. This is what initially lead me to a predominately Vegetarian lifestyle. First giving up red meat, pork, and chicken. Still the discomfort and bloating continued. I also tried eliminating certain foods from my diet, like milk. I never was a milk drinker to begin with even as a child, so this was very easy to give up. Switched to Soy milk and then due to the estrogen in soy, switched to Almond Milk. Tried acupuncture, going Vegan, colonics, you name it. Still no remedy.

Then I started thinking about how allergies develop over time, which prompted me to do some research and this is what I found.

"Eighty percent of our body’s energy is expended by the digestive process. If you are run down, under stress, living in a very hot or very cold climate, pregnant or a frequent traveler, then enormous quantities of extra enzymes are required by your body. Because our entire system functions through enzymatic action, we must supplement our enzymes. Aging deprives us of our ability to produce necessary enzymes. The medical profession tells us that all disease is due to a lack or imbalance of enzymes. Our very lives are dependent upon them!" The Healing Power of Enzymes, Dr. DicQie Fuller

The body is progressively losing its ability to produce enzymes with major drops occurring roughly every ten years of life. Symptoms of this include heartburn, gas, constipation, bloating, bowel disorders, food allergies, ulcers, lack of energy and reduced functioning of the immune system.

Have you noticed that you cannot tolerate or enjoy certain foods like you did before? Enzymes are needed for the digestive system to work. They are necessary to break down food particles so they can be utilized for energy. The human body makes approximately 22 different digestive enzymes which are capable of digesting carbohydrates, protein and fats. Raw vegetables and raw fruit are rich sources of enzymes. While all raw foods contain enzymes, the most powerful enzyme-rich food is sprouted seeds, grains, and legumes. Sprouting increases the enzyme content in these foods enormously.

Now as much as I love my fruits and veggies, I am not ready to live a Raw food lifestyle, yet.The following digestive enzyme supplements aid digestion:

AMYLASE works to breakdown carbohydrates i.e. starches, sugars
BROMELAIN taken from pineapple plant, helps break down proteins
HCL hydrochloric acid stimulates pancreatic secretion, activates pepsin and sterilizes the stomach from bacteria and parasites
LACTASE needed to break down lactose found in milk products
LIPASE works to break down fats into fatty acids and glycerol
OX BILE improves fat digestion, stimulates bile flow, aids gallbladder
PANCREATIN contains protease, amylase, and lipase, functions in the intestine and in the blood
PAPAIN extracted from papaya fruit, aids in protein digestion
PEPSIN breaks down proteins, function depends on availability of HCL
PROTEASE works to breakdown protein into amino 

The more food that you can eat raw, the better. That said, I have added a Digestive Enzyme supplement to my diet and have noticed quite a difference. I take one capsule either before or with every meal. I chose Source Naturals Bio Align Daily Essential Enzymes, which I purchased at my local Whole Foods. Many other brands are available. Now when I eat I feel energized and that the food is actually moving through my body the way it was intended to.