LET'S DO A CLEANSE

The thought of drinking cold liquids and munching on salads while the wind is whipping around makes me shiver...

So how do you maneuver a seasonal cleanse or a new healthy nutritional style when it’s bitter cold outside?

Here are my best hacks for your winter cleanse, and your January resolutions.

1) Substitute creamy soups for salads. 

By nature, we’re programmed to enjoy substantial, warm foods when the weather gets cold. Channel your ancestors by enjoying creamy vegetable blends that are light and healthy. 

2) Use spice to warm you from the inside out.

Some spices create a warm flush, and can make you and your digestion feel more comfortable in the cold winter months. Add cinnamon to your smoothie, nutmeg to your hot cocoa, or ginger to your soup. Allspice perks up quinoa pilaf, and ground peppercorns will heat up that stir-fry. Try cayenne pepper, too, unless you are sensitive to nightshades. 

3) Dress the Part 

Nurture yourself when you cleanse, no matter what time of year. In winter that means staying cozy warm. Faux fur blanket , a nice coffee and a good read.. heaven. 

4) Sip hot herbal teas

I Love to drink hot herbal tea when I'm cold ; it’s like a warm hug. Loose tea in bulk is great, but tea balls can be messy and the tea strainer sometimes leaks. Grab a french coffee press instead! Without making a mess, it brews the most delicious tea possible. Give this tip a try.

5) Wrap your Thyroid gland 

Grandparents always make us cover our necks , and when I was little, I never understood how that was supposed to keep me healthy. Then I learned how sensitive the thyroid gland is to temperature, and that keeping your neck warm keeps your immunity strong. On any chilly day, you’ll find me in a cashmere scarf, or a fleece gator, or a zipped up yoga jacket. Cover it up!

6) Roast your root veggies 

Enjoying whole foods in addition to super smoothies, soups, and juice is especially wise in the winter, to nurture and support your digestion. Root vegetables are winter’s comfort foods, and their substantial flavor will add sweet satisfaction to your cleanse. 

7) Soak in hot water with minerals 

When I’m really feeling the chill, I take a bath; as hot as I can muster. The warm water, with added mineral or Epsom salts, will heat your internal core temperature for a long time after and you’ll be toasty warm for hours. Mineral or Epsom salts containing magnesium are great for relaxing muscles, and helping your digestion. Add a few drop of Lavender Essential Oil to calm the nervous system! 

Happy Winter!

Cleanse Days are a powerful tool in helping you to reach or maintain a healthy weight. But the science behind Cleanse Days suggests there may be additional benefits for your health beyond a slimmer body.

Many of us eat five times a day or more, including meals and snacks. This type of eating pattern provides your body with a steady flow of nutrients, but even when you make healthful choices about your meals and snacks, your body can still benefit from an occasional break from all-day eating.

Giving Your Cells a Break

Every time you eat, your body digests the foods you consume, then absorbs and transports nutrients to all of your body’s cells through the blood stream. Your cells can either use these nutrients right away or store them for later. When you consume more food than your body needs at any one time, it can lead to a back-up of excess nutrients for your metabolism to manage.

When additional nutrients arrive in the blood stream from your next meal or snack, they take priority over nutrients that have already been stored for later. If you never give your body a break from all-day eating, it can lead to problems for your metabolism and result in weight gain, over time. Your body might have a hard time clearing up any excess nutrients that have been placed in storage, especially when you consume more than your body can use.

Autophagy: Your Cells’ Own Internal Cleansing Process

Some processes within your cells are put on hold while your body is managing a continual flow of nutrients from frequent meals and snacks. One of these processes, called “autophagy,” can be thought of as your cells’ own internal cleansing process.

When the flow of incoming nutrients begins to slow, the process of autophagy becomes activated. Old, worn-out, or obsolete components within your cells are tagged for disposal and broken down to their component parts.

This process cleans up the parts that your cells can’t use anymore and converts them into basic building blocks like amino acids to support cell maintenance and growth. Taking a periodic break from eating allows the process of autophagy to be activated naturally.

Continuing research in this area has shown that as a part of normal metabolism, autophagy helps to support the health of the heart and the brain. As a process of cellular cleansing and renewal, autophagy is essential to the long-term maintenance of good health.

Cleansing for Health

By taking a short break from eating regular meals on Cleanse Days, you put the constant flow of nutrients on pause and allow your body to use up excess stored nutrients. This aspect of Cleanse Days can contribute to helping you reach and maintain a healthy weight.

Fasting on Cleanse Days is also a way to support your body’s own cleansing and renewal systems since the process of autophagy is naturally stimulated by fasting.

New research continues to explore the influence that occasionally giving yourself a break from eating, also known as intermittent fasting, can have on health. The potential metabolic changes that occur on Cleanse Days suggest that this approach can offer benefits for anyone, whether your goal is to reach a healthy weight or simply promote long-term well-being.

Cleanse benefits include:

Increased Energy, Healthy Weight Loss, Improved Mental Clarity, Radiant & Glowing Skin, More Restful Sleep, Reduced Inflammation, Improved Gut Function, Better Managed Stress, Less Aches & Pains

Seriously!