The most magnificent machine that you will ever be given is your body , keep it active and clean by DETOXING !

This is it ,,, I am starting a DETOX from tomorrow . No no no this is not just me saying it like that for the sake of the post or the subject. I am full of …toxins of course!!! And you are too if you drink and eat like I did in the last weeks … months…year I guess, well,, séance my last detox a year ago .

Detox should be part of our diets every 6 months .

  I  did exercised and run 3 times a week in the morning …but like I said before  , to be in a good shape and to get fit and have energy you must be 20 %  in to the workouts, fitness , running  and 80%  in your DIET and what you throw in your body .

If you’re experiencing signs of toxicity and want to start feeling better now, as well as ensure a longer, happier life, then start by helping your body to detoxify. You might be surprised to hear that one of the easiest and healthiest ways to do this is simply through food!

So I will start with the 3 days juice fast and this is what I found out about it .

"Juicing speeds up the detoxification process, removing toxins and hardened deposits in the body"

The juice of organic vegetables will not only speed up the process of detoxification, it will flood your body with enzymes, vitamins and minerals for quick absorption....and greatly benefit the immune system.

The juice of organic vegetables is rich in nutrients. As the cells of your body are bathed in these fresh, alkaline vegetable juices, they begin to release acids, which are toxins that can then be removed through the elimination channels of the body i.e. the lungs, kidneys, skin etc.

Juicing provides a rich source of live enzymes essential to the digestive process. Enzymes are proteins that break down foods into nutrients your body can readily digest. When you eat, digestive enzymes are released from your saliva glands sending signals to the stomach and small intestine in preparation for digestion.

What Does a Typical Juice Fast Involve?

• Between 32 and 64 ounces of juice is usually recommended per day during the fast. The juice is sipped throughout the day. Typical fruits and vegetables include celery, carrot, kale, cabbage, apple, pineapple, cranberry, spinach, beet, and greens. Citrus fruits are often avoided.
• Approximately 6 glasses of room temperature or warm filtered water is often recommended in addition to the juice.
• Organic fruits and vegetables are usually recommended. If organic produce isn't available, practitioners suggest peeling the skin off fruits and vegetables or washing vegetables with a non-toxic produce cleaner, usually available at health food stores.
• Freshly juiced fruits and vegetables are preferred, but if unavailable, practitioners suggest buying it from the health food store or juice bar as fresh as possible.
• Green vegetables and sprouts contain the pigment chlorophyll, which juice proponents believe are especially beneficial during a juice fast.
• A combination of fruits and vegetables is recommended.

Certain fruits and vegetables and their parts should not be juiced, such as the pits of peaches, apricots, cherries, and other fruits, apple seeds, citrus peels, carrot and rhubarb tops, tough skins (such as kiwi, pineapple, mangoes), and bananas and avocados.

Drink the juice within 30 minutes or less. Juice will start to oxidize after that, losing valuable enzymes and vitamins. Bottled juices are not a good substitute for fresh juices. Enzymes are destroyed in the bottling process.
Just before drinking the freshly made juice, put a little Himalyan Crystal salt on your tongue (contains 84 minerals), available at this link or possibly your health food store. Himalayan Crystal Salt is high in trace minerals, and will signal the body to absorb more of the nutrients as you drink the juice.

IMPORTANT !!  Always include 1 teaspoon of  spirulina powder  and 1 teaspoon of chlorella powder in your  juice for high protein. Chlorella and spirulina are truly the most astounding food sources on planet Earth and I invite you to read about this amazing superfoods in here  : http://www.chlorellafactor.com/chlorella-spirulina-02.html
The following is a list of the most common organic produce to put in your juices; generally whatever looks vibrant and fresh, green and in season….which means not everything you read below is in every drink. Just do the best you can with the produce available.
1 head lettuce (not iceberg)
1 head dark green kale (remove stems)
1 carrot
½ beet OR 1 carrot - no more than this - high in sugar
Beet greens (top of the beets if they are fresh)
cilantro
parsley
Celery sticks (chopped up first)
Collard greens
Endive
Spinach
Dandelion greens
Cabbage - drink immediately if adding cabbage

There’s few juice recipes . They are to be juiced in a really good juicer but if you don’t have one  then a blender will do it as a chunky baby food .

Potassium Juice

3 carrots
3 stalks celery
½ bunch spinach
½ bunch parsley

Homemade V8 (6 glasses)

6-8 tomatoes
3-4 green onions with tops
½ green pepper
2 carrots
2 stalks celery with tops
½ bunch spinach
½ bunch parsley
2 lemons (just the juice )

Mean Green Juice Recipe

1 cucumber

1 good bunch of Kale

4 celery stalks

1/2 lemon (rind on ok)

one small knob (about ½ inch or less) of ginger root

2 granny smith apples (gala is good too)

Spinach-Veggie Mix

1 cup of spinach
1/2 cucumber
2 stalks of celery including leaves
3 carrots
1/2 apple

Core the apple, and juice 1/2 the apple, carrot, celery, cucumber and spinach. Serve immediately.
Parsley-Veggie Juice

1 cup of parsley
1/2 apple
2 carrots
3 celery stalks

Core the apple and split in half(you could use a whole one, if you'd like). Juice the carrots, apple, celery and parsley. Drink immediately.

This is a great energizer. Parsley (even just a little) in anything gives you a kick!

Easy Greens

1 head romaine lettuce or celery
5-6 leaves of kale (or spinach, dandelion, or parsley)
1-2 apples or pears
1 lemon, peel ok

Clean the lettuce and cut so it's manageable to juice. Cut the lemon in half. Juice hte lettuce (or celery), apples, kale, and lemon. Serve immediately.

The apples and pears are added to make it more palatable.

Refreshing Greens

1/2 cucumber
1/4 a small Honeydew melon
Small bunch of seedless white grapes
2 kiwi fruits (without skin)
Large handful of spinach
Small sprig of mint
1 lemon

Cut a cucumber in half. Cut the honeydew, and remove the rind as it's not good for juicers. Juice the cucumber, honeydew, grapes, kiwi, spinach, lemon and mint. Drink immediately.

Cabbage - Carrot - Spinach Juice

3 Carrots
A handful of Spinach
1 3-inch wedge of Cabbage

Juice the carrots, spinach and cabbage together as usual. Serve.

Carrot-Tomato-Celery

3 Carrots
2 Tomatoes
2-3 Celery Ribs

Juice the carrots, tomatos and celery together. Serve immediately. A classic in our collection of vegetable juice recipes!

Tomato Juice

4 Tomatos (Roma are firmer and work the best)
Cut the tomatoes into wedges and feed through your juicer. Serve.

Use tomato juice to make your own tomato soup! Mixing in some celery and a little carrot and parsley make a great tomato cocktail

Broc - Cabbage - Califlower

1 Stalk of Broccoli
Quarter head of Cabbage
Quarter head of Cauliflower
2 Kale leaves
1/2 Lemon, peel ok
2 Apples

Core the apples and cut a lemon in half. Prepare the cabbage and cauliflower. Juice the broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale lemon and apples together. Serve.

The benefits of juicing are enormous. Green juices help to eliminate wastes and toxins and irrigate the body, build the blood and carry oxygen and nutrients directly to the tissues.

What to expect during a green juice fast

Common detox symptoms include headaches, dizziness, lightheadedness and weakness. Some people experience loose bowels, although it is more common to experience several and soft bowel movements. Either way, this is a good sign. These symptoms usually mean that your body is cleaning itself out (exactly what the fast is meant to do). Do not get discouraged. Detoxing usually will only occur for the first few days. After it passes, you will have a heightened energy and feel very alive. Your mind will be clear, your vision might improve and you might feel like you’ve never felt before. Focus on positive thoughts, drink tea, take a nap if your body is telling you to, and persevere.

Remember that many people have been juice fasting for centuries with great success. Getting through any adverse symptoms will take you to a new level of health.

Teas to calm the stomach and mind are chamomile and peppermint.

To end a juice fasting it suppose to have solid food slowly introduced in your dayly diet . I recomand meat only after 3-4 days after the end of the fast .  As I am vegetarian I personally going to start eating salad and up to 2 portion of fruits in the 1st day after the fast , then slowly start eating nuts and quinoa .  And coffee ? Yes I am going to allow myself a small coffee soon after my juice fast . Alchool ?? No ! No ! No forever ...if only would be so easy J Maybe a glass of wine in the 3th day after finishing my fast J 

Enjoy your week and join me in this wonderful healthy green challange !!!!


Resources :

http://www.all-about-juicing.com/green-juice-fast.html

http://altmedicine.about.com/od/detoxcleansing/a/juice_fasting.htm

http://livelighter.org/detox-drink-recipes/

http://www.i-amperfectlyhealthy.com/juicing.html

 

 

Hooray for healthy crew !!!!

Last week I had a blast when its been decided to replace all the junk food ( chocolate, biscuits, croissants, muffins ) from the kitchen snacks shelf  with healthy choices  . So we took all the sweets and muffins and hide them in the cupboard. Love the new look of the snacks shelf now , its fresh and colorful without any shiny chocolate packages .  We have lots of row nuts , fruits, cereals bars and dried fruits . The best thing is that people are happy and less tempted to even open the cupboard to reach for a chocolate bar or short bread and  I am  happy to see this happening .

 I put together nice info about the benefits of the row nuts and dried fruits in this post and I have also a nice desert recipe made of this two ingredients for who decide to mixed them and have something healthy  in a plate .

Nuts and Seeds

Nuts are very healthy and nutritious. In addition to being excellent sources of protein, nuts and seeds have many other benefits such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other chemicals that may prevent cancer and heart disease. Although many people are hesitant to eat nuts because they are high in fat, eating nuts can provide a sense of fullness or satisfaction that actually causes you to eat less of other high-calorie, high fat foods. Additionally, nuts are high in essential amino acids and healthy fats, making them an important part of any vegan or vegetarian's diet.

The world's healthiest nuts and seeds include:

• Almonds – Almonds are a good source of protein, vitamin E, manganese, magnesium, copper, vitamin B2 (riboflavin), and phosphorus. Almonds are also concentrated in protein; a quarter-cup contains more protein than the typical egg. Although one-quarter cup of almonds contains about 18 grams of fat, most of it (11 grams) is heart-healthy monounsaturated fat. Eating almonds can lower bad cholesterol, reduce the risk of heart disease, provide protection against cardiovascular disease and diabetes, boost energy, and help prevent gallstones. Whole almonds (with skins) provide the most heart-healthy benefits.
   
• Cashews – Cashews are high in antioxidants and have a lower fat content than most other nuts; additionally, 75 percent of their fat is unsaturated fatty acids. Cashews are also a good source of monounsaturated fats, copper, and a good source of magnesium and phosphorous. Eating cashews promotes good cardiovascular health, even in individuals with diabetes.
   
• Flaxseeds – Flaxseeds, also known as linseeds, are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids. Flaxseeds may provide anti-inflammatory benefits, protect your bones, and protect against heart disease, breast cancer, and diabetes. Eating flaxseeds also lowers blood pressure in men with high cholesterol. Flaxseeds are also rich in fiber and manganese and are a good source of folate, vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), magnesium, phosphorous, and copper, and lignan phytonutrients. You'll need to grind them up first (or purchase ground flaxseed) to gain the most nutritional benefits.
   
• Peanuts – Peanuts are a good source of heart-healthy monosaturated fat, flavonoid (resveratrol), antioxidants, phytosterols, phytic acid (inositol hexaphosphate), and folic acid, making them heart-healthy, a good way to reduce your risk of stroke, and possibly even cancer. Peanuts are also a good source of vitamin B3 (niacin), folate, copper, manganese, and protein, and are a significant source of resveratrol, a chemical studied for potential anti-aging effects.. Peanuts and peanut butter may also help prevent gallstones and protect against Alzheimer's disease. It wise to ensure that peanuts, especially raw ones, are stored in a cool, dry, environment (such as a refrigerator or freezer), as an extremely toxic and highly dangerous fungus (aflatoxin) can easily grow on peanuts when the temperature is between 86-96°F (30-36°C) and humidity is high.
   
• Pumpkin seeds / pepitas – Eating the green, hulled, pumpkin seeds (also called pepitas) may promote prostate health, protection for men's bones, anti-inflammatory benefits for those with arthritis, and help lower cholesterol. Pumpkin seeds are a good source of the essential fatty acids, potassium, phosphorous, magnesium, manganese, zinc, iron, and copper, protein, and vitamin K.
   
• Sesame seeds – Sesame seeds and tahini are rich in beneficial minerals. Not only are sesame seeds a very good source of manganese and copper, but they are also a good source of calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorous, vitamin B1 (thiamin), zinc, dietary fiber, and healthy (monosaturated) fats. They contain powerful antioxidants called lignans, which are also anti-carcinogenic. They also contain phytosterols, which block cholesterol production. Sesame contains one lignan unique to it called sesamin. Eating sesame seeds may help lower cholesterol, provide relief for rheumatoid arthritis, and support vascular and respiratory health. The nutrients of sesame seeds are better absorbed if they are ground or pulverized before consumption.
   
• Sunflower seeds – Eating sunflower seeds may help provide anti-inflammatory and cardiovascular benefits, lower cholesterol, and prevent cancer. Sunflower seeds are an excellent source of vitamin E. Sunflower seeds are also an excellent source of linoleic acid (an essential fatty acid), dietary fiber, protein, and minerals such as magnesium and selenium, and are high in cholesterol-lowering phytosterols.
   
• Walnuts – Walnuts are an excellent source of omega-3 essential fatty acids. Walnuts are also a good source of manganese, and copper. Walnuts are also an important source of healthy (monounsaturated) fats. Eating walnuts may benefit your cardiovascular system, improve cholesterol in individuals with type 2 diabetes, help brain functions, protect bone health, and help prevent gallstones. Walnuts also have bio-available melatonin, which helps regulate sleep. A new study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (Oct. 17, 2006) found that eating walnuts after a meal high in unhealthy fats can reduce the damaging effects of such fats on blood vessels. Walnuts also contain l-arginine, which is an essential amino acid that the body uses to produce nitric oxide, necessary for keeping blood vessels flexible.

*According to the George Mateljan Foundation. See the "World's Healthiest Foods" web site for more information.
Resources

• "Back to Basics: Nuts and Seeds" by BBC Food
• The New Four Food Group by Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM)
• "Nuts and Seeds – Nature's Powerhouses" by Allison Anton
• World's Healthiest Foods List by the George Mateljan Foundation
• Vegan Food Pyramid by ChooseVeg.com

Dried Fruits   

Eat a variety of dried fruit to get the benefits of different nutrients. Dried apricots are the highest in potassium and sodium. Dried bananas are richest in magnesium. Most dried fruit is high in fiber, but figs take the lead with 5 g per 1/4 cup -- 20 percent of the recommended daily intake of 25 g. Figs and apricots are tied for first place as all-around most nutritious dried fruits.

Vitamins           

Dried fruit contains a significant amount of vitamins and minerals. Apricots, prunes, raisins and figs offer some of the greatest benefits. Dried apricots provide a significant amount of beta carotene and potassium and dried figs offer potassium and calcium. However, prunes really steal the show with a host of vitamins and minerals: calcium, iron, Vitamins A and E and trace amounts of zinc and niacin. Overall dried fruits maintain much of the same vitamins and minerals that are found in fresh fruits. The exception to this is Vitamin C, which is found in many fruits but is reduced by 80 percent in the dehydrating process.

Antioxidants

Antioxidants have been the buzz word for the last decade, but you don't need to reach for a special drink to get them. Dried fruit is chock full of these natural chemicals that scour the body cleaning up oxidative damage caused by diet, lifestyle and environmental factors. Antioxidants offer powerful cancer fighting benefits as well. Other antioxidant-rich dried fruits include plums, cranberries, dates, goji berries and blueberries.
Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/486779-the-efficacy-of-vitamins-in-dried-fruit/#ixzz1qgw07J8H

Simple Row Vegan Recipe with dried fruits and nuts

Ok , this is the fun part in this recipe ... I really dont know the quantity we suppose to have , I guess it is up to how it looks at the end we will know what and how much to add .

So we get a good strong blender and we put dried soaked appricots, dates and raisins. Also we add soaked row almonds and row pistachio . Lemon juice and cinnamon powder . All mixed and see what you get J well to save you ,,,, I will tell you that if its to dry you can add some honey and if its to soft you can add some nuts not soaked or some oat meal . So what wewant is to have a sticky composition so that we will be able to do small balls that we will trow in a bowl with coconut powder or cocoa powder .

This is it !!! 

Enjoy !!!