Congratulations, Holy Hotties!

Imagine that you are preparing dinner for a very important and celestial guest. For me, I’m picturing Jesus coming to dinner. Maybe you have Allah, Buddha, or just good ole God gracing your dining table. Whoever your Holy guest is, they will be eating with you tonight!

What would you feed someone Holy and Divine?

I imagine that you would choose your favorite recipes, make a list of ingredients, and take time at the store picking the perfect items. You would select the brightest strawberries, the freshest spinach and the most beautiful wild caught salmon.

You would come home, make sure you were not rushed, and lovingly prepare all the dishes for your Divine guest. You wouldn’t mind the cost, time, or effort it took because this was for someone special!

You couldn’t imagine picking up a drive-through dinner or quickly throwing together Hamburger Helper for your Holy visitor! You would never offer them a frozen dinner or Starbucks coffee. Why? Because a special spirit deserves only the best food.

What, however, would you have fed yourself if you didn’t have a Divine guest to feed?

You are Spirit and you deserve the same life-giving nourishment

Without your body, where would your spirit live? Your spirit and body are meant to work together to help you grow, evolve and succeed. Your body isn’t just along for the ride! Feeding it addictive foods like sweets, sodas, coffee, processed foods, breads, and take-out only dull the senses, keeping us stuck. Its hard to soar and excel when you are stuck in a food coma.

Imagine treating your body like the Divine vessel it is and only offering it the highest quality nourishment. You would have the keen senses, clear intuition, and vibrant health to propel you forward and achieve your wildest dreams!

Food and Spirituality and interconnected

We see this in the bible, we see this in our rituals, and we see this in our every day traditions: food is integral to our spiritual experience.

It is no coincidence that if you are a spiritual person you likely have an interest in healthy food. Likewise, often people who are very interested in whole, clean eating find themselves very drawn toward spiritual exploration.

They are dependent and enhance each other. It was designed that way.

Treat yourself like a God

For those of you that are completing the last day of the cleanse, you just spent five days treating your bodies with Divine respect. How did that make you feel?

It isn’t always easy breaking ourselves from addictive foods. Heck, I can’t wait for my glass of wine on Saturday! But, the closer we get to treating ourselves like the holy spirits we are, the more in-tuned we will become, the greater success we will see, and the faster we will achieve our goals.

Congratulations on finishing 5 days of beautiful eating! Have a great weekend and keep treating yourself like the rock-star holy hot bodies you are!

***Interested in reading more about this topic? Check out this great book: If Buddha Came to Dinner by Hale Sofia Schatz

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Hump Day

Half way done with the cleanse! Hooray!

I commend all of you who are joined me this week in a 5 day Jumpstart Detox! For those of you who didn’t, but would like to try something like this, it is never too late. Whenever you are ready is the right time to start.

I have loved all of the comments and personal emails, thank you! You all are hilarious and make my day.

Here is what has bubbled up:

1. Sugar cravings
2. Acne
3. Excessive urination
4. Gas
5. Paranoia
6. Headaches
7. Fatigue
9. Hunger (duuu)

A couple of things to remember – EAT, rest, drink. Don’t forget to eat enough! This isn’t about starving yourself. A cleanse is about cleaning out your system of the old, built up junk.

Try not to obsess or get PARANOID over making a mistake to the point that you don’t fuel your body. Everything you are doing is better than you did before so there are no mistakes. (I have already dipped into some chocolate pudding, if that makes you feel better!) Look at this as honoring and loving your body so much that you want to do your best for it. You deserve that!

Here are some ways I’ve been helping myself get through the week:

1. Chai tea in the morning
I love something hot in the morning, but regular tea doesn’t do it for me. I brew my own chai tea until it is nice and condensed, add some stevia and a shot of coconut milk. It feels more like coffee. Yum.

2. Add spices to my food
I am LOVING my Conveniently Natural meals, and I hope you are too. I think they taste best when I heat them in a pan with some olive oil and spice them up! I’ll add salt, pepper, hot pepper and other spices to fit my own taste. Eating healthy does’t have to be bland, so spice up your meal to your liking!

3. Eat Earlier
I hit my low point around 4:00. I’m really hungry and getting tired. Oh, and then there are those kids of mine that want some attention. So, I allow myself to eat my dinner then! I fill up on a meal-sized portion so that I am totally satisfied. Around 6:00, I am hardly hungry, so I’ll end on a smoothie or a salad. That timing works better for me, so I’m going with it!

Have you found anything interesting?
What is the hardest part so far?
What have you loved about it?

I’d love to hear how you all are doing!

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Pee-ewe! Who cut the cheese?

When I drastically changed my eating habits about 5 years ago, something totally caught me off guard: I had the worst gas and the weirdest poop FOR A MONTH.

I shit you not (couldn’t help myself), it lasted a month.

I remember going in for a massage and having to warn my long-time masseuse that she was about to experience something that may change her forever.

We both survived that day and she still agrees to work on me, God love her.

Shit Shock

What you should know about suddenly and drastically shifting your diet like I did is that it can put stress on your digestive track, causing what I like to call: shit shock. Even when you are changing from junk food to whole foods, the flora and fauna of your digestive track is being effected. You may experience stinky farts, sticky poop or floating poop due to the increased gas from the hard-working bacteria.

It can get ugly, so warn your roommate, partner and children.

Herbivore Farts vs. Carnivore Farts

Generally speaking, carnivores product a smaller amount of smelly gas and herbivores make A LOT of gas that isn’t as offensive.

When you are drastically changing your diet, however, other things come into play.

Our bodies are unable to digest cellulose, which is the main component of vegetables, so it passes through our system as fiber, “scrapping” the intestinal track along the way. Any caught-up gunk left over from your unhealthy eating days will get loosened by the fiber and pass. This is why initially it can get a little stinky when you start eating healthy.

No worries, your digestive track will eventually settle down. I changed my diet very abruptly and never looked back, which is why my poor intestines took a month to balance. You may opt to ease in slowly, which may not be a bad idea.

DETOXERS BEWARE: you may see some crazy crap!

What can you do to help the gas situation?

1. Beano
During that first month of diet transition, I tried Beano, and found it didn’t work, but that doesn’t mean it can’t work for you.

2. Artichokes
Yes, they are known to neutralize the smell of gas, so while you still may have a lot, it may smell just a little bit better. Put some jarred artichokes on your salad and keep your fingers crossed.

3. Invest in some charcoal underwear
I am totally kidding. But they do make them. They also make charcoal pads you can sit on that absorbs the smell. I need my boys shoes to be infused with charcoal.

It’s the price we have to pay for health, fellow health visionaries. But it doesn’t last forever!

Good Luck this week! test

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Jumpstart Detox Grocery List

Remember I told you in My Personal Lows and Highs of 2011 that I was working on a new website? Well, one of the main reasons is because I can’t figure out how to do a “print recipe” button! I bet that is so annoying to you guys. Just breath though it…one day I’ll have that button.

I also don’t know how to attach PDFs to a blog post so that you can print, say, a grocery list? Wouldn’t that be helpful?

So, instead, if you want to print this post, you will get all of the other mumbo jumbo on my blog home screen and will likely have to print 27 pages.

Just sayin’, I’ve warned you. If you love trees, you may want to print a “range” of pages.

Ok, now back to business!

By now you have selected a couple recipes and know what ingredients you need for them.

Here is a list of other food/meal/snack ideas. Don’t over buy, you don’t want to throw things away. For example, pick one smoothie recipe and have the same one every day rather than having to get the ingredients for three different kinds. Unless you have the refrigerator space and pocket book!

Breakfast Ideas and Grocery List Items:

Warm Lemon Water and Tea

Lemons

Tea

Green smoothie

Non-dairy milk (rice, almond, hemp, or soy) 1 cup

Fruit (I like strawberries, 1/3 frozen banana, and a couple small chunks of pineapple) 1 cup

Spinach 1 handful

Ice

Stevia pinch

Toast with Almond Butter

Gluten-free bread

Almond butter

Non-Dairy Yogurt with fruit and gluten-free granola

almond milk, coconut or soy yogurt

Gluten-free granola

fruit

Oatmeal with Topping Ideas (tip: I make big batch of oatmeal and eat during week)

Oatmeal (NOT quick or instant.  They make an “official” gluten-free variety that ensures a rogue wheat plant doesn’t grow in the oat field, but if you don’t have a gluten allergy, you are fine with regular)

Non-dairy milk

Flax meal

Chia seeds

Fruit (bananas are yummy)

Pecan pieces

Shredded non-sweatened coconut

Stevia

Maple syrup

Lunch Ideas and Grocery List Items:

Mixed Green Salad with Topping Ideas

Spinach or Lettuce

Raw nuts (pecans, almonds, walnuts)

Vegetables (onions, carrots, whatever you like!)

Avocado

Beets (I love Melissa’s pre-cooked beets and talked about them here)

Dried Fruit (use sparingly)

Apples

Strawberries

Rice (yes, I sometime throw in some leftover brown rice to give it some weight!)

Beans

Seeds

Vinaigrette salad dressing of your choice.  Be carful of hidden sugar in the Asian dressings.

Soup

What soup are you making?  Don’t forget the ingredients!

Eat this all week with a salad

Hearty Side/Salad

What recipe are you making?  Did you decide on a quinoa salad  or bean salad to eat through out the week?

Eat paired with a green salad or a cup of soup

Snack Ideas and Grocery List Items:

Hummus

Edamame Hummus

Rice crackers

Carrots

Sugar Snap Peas

Red Bell Pepper Slices

Cucumber Slices

Edamame

Raw Nuts

Fresh Pressed Green Juice (if you have a juicer!)

Apple

Strawberries

Blueberries

Grapefruit

Orange

Avocado with sea salt on gluten-free toast

Smoothie (see above)

Glass of almond milk with a pinch of cinnamon

Celery Sticks with almond butter

Dinner Ideas and Grocery List Items:

Any of the above things!  I try to keep it simple and eat many of the same things so I’m not cooking a lot. Eat out at a vegan or vegetarian restaurant once to spice things up! Here are some additional ideas…

Roasted Vegetables over Brown Rice

Brown Rice (make a big batch and use it during week)

Brussel Sprouts

Carrots

Onions

Beets

Sweet potato

Cauliflower

Sautéd Spinach with Garlic over Rice or Gluten-free pasta

Spinach

Garlic

Rice

Gluten-free pasta

Sautéd Tempeh Lettuce Wraps

Tempeh

Iceberg Lettuce

Cilantro

Soy Sauce (preferably Braggs Liquid Aminos)

Phew! I’m exhausted. You get the picture, right?

Now get to the store by Sunday and start cooking! If you are purchasing vegan meals, you will still want breakfast and snack items, so don’t forget!

Have an amazing weekend, friends. Talk to you Monday.

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Preparing for a Jumpstart Detox

So, you decided you are going to try the 5-day Jumpstart Detox. Awesome! I really can’t wait to hear about what you feel and think along the way. You have to promise me you will share the good and the bad with me. Others will want to know your tips and turning points so they know they are not alone!

It isn’t always a piece of cake…but don’t worry. If you take time to prepare yourself, you will be much more likely to succeed and feel in control.

Before Monday, Answer These Questions So You Are Totally Ready!

1. Why did you decide to try a cleanse? To lose weight? To stop cravings? To jumpstart a longer commitment to healthy eating? Kick a caffeine addiction?

Getting an idea of your goals for this detox will help ensure you don’t blow it in the end.

I am doing it for all of those reasons. I have found that eliminating inflammatory foods – like wheat, dairy, alcohol, caffeine and animal products – and being very strict for a manageable amount of time kicks my cravings fast and helps me lay the foundation for continued healthy eating. Thus, I don’t plan on eating more Christmas cookies on day 6 🙂

So, don’t stop after the detox! Use it to propel you into a year of healthy eating! This isn’t a diet…it is about changing the foods we put in our bodies permanently. You may find that eliminating some of these foods makes you feel so good that you don’t want to add the back!

2. How does your calendar look?

How Does next week look for you? Is it full of things that will have you running all around town? Do some of your appointments back up to each other not allowing you to get a healthy meal in?

Make sure you set yourself up for success by allowing yourself to have an easier week. I know that isn’t always possible, but if you can reschedule some meetings or errands, do it!

I am one who’s eating deteriorates when I am too busy to deal with food: I’ll just grab something that isn’t the best for me. I don’t even care and think I somehow deserve it because I’m busting my butt.

5. What is one life-giving thing that you would like to do this week?

I’m going to make an appointment for a massage! What can you treat yourself to?

Maybe a lunch with an old friend at a place that has wonderful salads? Or trying that yoga class you have always wanted to check out. What about walking through the museum exhibit you keep telling yourself you will do. Have you always wanted to get energy work done?

Think about this and don’t stop there: MAKE AN APPOINTMENT AND PUT IT ON YOU CALENDAR!

4. What foods are you going to eat?

If you are planning on ordering food from Conveniently Natural, make sure you call them (913-475-8004) by Friday and mention the Dalai Lina cleanse for 10% off!

If you are making your own foods, start looking NOW at possible recipes that you can eat from all week. I like to make one soup and one side like a rice, bean or quinoa dish.

Remember, you can make most recipes vegan by altering some of the ingredients!

Here are some ideas:

Indian Roasted Tomato Soup

Broke Bean Stew

Spicy Collard Green and Black-Eyed Pea Soup

Lickable Lentil Stew (substitute vegetable stock)

French Lentil Soup

Mexican Quinoa (omit the cheese)

Quinoa Tabouli

Curried Quinoa (substitue vegan sour cream for the yogurt)

Mexican Bean Salad

Barefoot Contessa Roasted Carrots and Brussel Sprouts

You can find so many amazing recipes on the internet, if these don’t tickle your fancy, spend some time looking at some food blogs. Here are some of my favorite: Oh She Glows, Peas and Thank You, The Edible Perspective, Sketch-free Vegan, and The Wannabe Chef.

If anyone has an amazing recipe, please share the link in the comments!

Once you have your recipes, print them off, highlight what ingredients you will need, and tuck them aside until tomorrow when we will make a grocery list.

So, stay tuned! Tomorrow, I’ll give you some foods to put on your list so you can go to the grocery store this weekend and be all ready for Monday!

Until then, chill out today on the sugar and caffeine…

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5-Day Detox to Jumpstart Your Year

ARE YOU READY?

Of course you are. So am I, Lord Jesus. I am a belly full of cookies and BBQ (thanks to Dalai Dan and his recent smoked pork butt). This body of mine is ready to kick some ass.

Today, I am going to give you some general rules of this MILD cleanse. Nothing crazy like only drinking lemon juice and cayenne pepper for 5 days. I won’t make you consume ghee or epsom salt. You don’t have to submit pictures of your poop or eat only kale.

(Don’t stop reading yet, because there is a special deal for my KC readers. Non-KC readers can stop only if you didn’t gain 5 pounds like me)

Here is What You Are Going To Do:

Cleanse Length: 5 days (Monday, Jan 9th – Friday Jan 13th)

DO NOT consume: wheat (gluten), processed sugar, coffee*, sodas, alcohol, dairy products, or animal products**

DO consume: detox or other favorite tea, fresh-pressed vegetable juices, green smoothies, steal cut oats, brown rice, beans, nuts, seeds, avocados, olive oil, vinegar, fruits, vegetables, hummus, quinoa, rice/almond/soy milk, vegan yogurts/cheeses, gluten-free products***

DO NOT: freak out if you go off course, put too much on your schedule, be mean to yourself if it feels hard, starve yourself, compare yourself to others.

DO: start every morning with warm lemon water, eat when you are hungry, have your last meal around 6pm, eat a grapefruit if it is after 6pm and your are starving, try yoga (hot!) or any life giving exercise, drink lots of water, exfoliate your skin, take baths (try epsom salt or himalayan sea salt), take a nap, get a massage, start each morning with a prayer or vision for the day, try a colonic, BE KIND TO YOURSELF!

There are Two Ways You Can Do This:

1. Prepare some key foods over the weekend that will last you all week.

I am going to provide you with some ideas and recipes tomorrow. They will include things like,

• Vegetable/bean soups
• Quinoa salads
• Roasted vegetables and other vegetable recipes

2.  Or, use a vegan meal service if one is available.

This, my friends, is what I am doing this time. Thankfully, here in Kansas City, we have Conveniently Natural, a company that provides awesome vegan meals right to your door. I have talked about them here and have used them several times throughout the year.

IF YOU CHOOSE THIS ROUTE, call them directly at 913-475-8004 (BY FRIDAY!!!) and mention you are participating in the Dalai Lina cleanse for 10% off your order. The meals will be delivered on Monday, January 9th. If you are doing the cleanse alone, a 1/2 gluten-free order should be perfect. Kim at Conveniently Natural will gladly help you with your order and any food questions when you call. She and her husband are amazing!

This choice makes it much easier and is very economical, but you will still have to do some grocery shopping and preparation over the weekend….

So, stay tuned over the next couple days for recipes and a grocery list!

In the mean time, eat sensibly this week – it will make next week SO much easier!

*coffee: I know this is a killer for some of you. The acid and caffeine in coffee is hard on our bodies. Try really hard to see if you can do it! Black tea (which has a little caffeine) can take the edge off. Otherwise, if you need to, have a cup of decaf coffee with a vegan creamer or non-dairy milk.

**gluten-free products: try to limit the number of processed food. There are some great gluten-free cereals, breads, and crackers, but try to keep the cleanse about whole, fresh foods.

***animal products: if you feel like you must incorporate some animal products, consume “light” meats like fish or eggs for lunch (along with lots of veggies). Still avoid dairy!

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Cleansing Consecution: from Bloat to B.O.

I’m a bit shocked that I’m standing. (actually, I’m sitting at the computer typing – and I’m equally surprised I can do that)

Never in the history of my life have I ever gone 3 days without solid food. Except for the first 6 months of life, but that hardly counts.

Have I told you how much I love food?

ALL FOOD: brussel sprouts, beets, kale, queso, steak, donuts.

I could never be a vegan because I believe all food groups have the undeniable right to self expression. Like, when I’m mad, I like to express it over ice cream.

For someone who loves food as much as me, these cleanses are more of MY MARATHON.

As much as I love the feeling of being light, energetic and rejuvenated, I GET STOKED TO SEE IF I CAN ACTUALLY DO IT.

You train for an Ironman, I live on mung beans for 5 days. You like to complete the NY Times Friday crossword, I enjoy counting poop stones.

We all have our thing…

Enough already! Here is the skinny on the Blueprint cleanse (some more info here and here)

1. I LOVED IT. I kind of thought the price tag would end up being a waste, but I loved not having the hassle of juicing myself. It was so easy and they were delicious. The Green Juice was so mild and tasty, I almost wondered…don’t things have to suck to be worth it?

The PAM (Pineapple, Apple, Mint) was like a dessert. So yummy. When was the last time you allowed yourself to drink 16 ounces of fruit juice? Slurpalicious.

I adored the cashew milk, although one of my cohorts in this thought it was too pulpy and wanted it to be smoother. The other agreed with me and thought it tasted like ice cream.

My middle-of-the-road cleanse did not inclue the “Cab #5” which contained beet, carrot, apple, ginger and lemon juice. This is only included in the first level cleanse. But, my good friend doing this with me let me try it and I LOVED IT! She was ho-hum… little to “beety”. But apparently I love the taste of dirt.

The spicy lemonade was fine, but a little too watery for me. I can make my own lemon water, thank you very much. I want something a little more “meaty” please…I’m dying over here.

All-in-all, I thought they drinks were lovely. Maybe too many non-green juices? Hummm…it would have been hard to give up that PAM, though…

2. IT WAS MEDIUM HARD. Which surprised me. I think having it all done for me took the stress out of it, making it outstandingly easier.

Was I hungry? Sometimes. Especially when I smelled something! I wasn’t as hungry as I was weak at times. From around 3-6 (right when the kids get home. Lovely) I was dragging. Then I perked up. And by 11pm when I went to sleep, I was starving. Sleepwalk for Oreos starving.

3. IT WORKED. On so many levels.

First, I dropped six pounds in three days. I know, I know, its water…but I was feeling so bloated, I’m happy to get rid of it!

Second, I totally had B.O….OMG, stinky. That has never happened before. I nearly ralphed over my smell after hot yoga. Clearly, I was getting rid of some old toxic nastiness.

Third, my breath was wretched. All my children made independent comments about it. I NEVER have bad breath. So, I used my tongue scraper to help it along. Yuck. Again, another way my body was eliminating junk.

Fourth, my skin initially had a little break out. Just couple babies, but obviously tied to my body letting things go. Now, it looks fabulous – a little extra glow from the phytonutrients and super hydration.

And lastly, because I know my long time followers know I WILL GO THERE. The answer is NO, I didn’t have crazy #2 experiences. I just peed a ton. This type of cleanse is to give the digestive track a break from hard work and allow the body to use that energy to clean house. There is just nothing to poop out, guys. If it was a cleanse of all raw vegetables, you better believe I would have some stories…

Here to the weekend and SOLID food! Have a great one!

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My Blueprint Cleanse Has Arrived!

Sweet Jesus, the box weighed a ton of bricks. I couldn’t wait to open it…

Ahhh, gorgeous bottles of juice.

I have to be honest, this wasn’t my first impression. No. I panicked.

I thought I was going to get a box a day, so I feared I had screwed up my order and somehow clicked for three people, not three days. Images of how I was going to convince my husband and children to drink the excess juice flashed before my eyes.

Nope, they just ship up to three days at a time since they can guarantee the juice for that long.

Phew!

I have got to say, the packaging and correspondence from this company has been awesome.

Just look at these pretty bottles…

They have been preparing me with great, funny emails full of information and tips.

One of which was to do a “pre-cleanse” to prep my body for three days of pure juice.

But, on the day of Halloween, I had other ideas. Like eat candy.

Oh, and pizza. Did I mention chocolate-peanutbutter Rice Krispie treats?

I’ve always been a rule breaker. Truly. My teachers felt genuine disgust for me. Ask my mom…

And if the “pre-cleanse” offense wasn’t enough, I broke the cleanse before I even started it. Not kidding.

It wasn’t that bad. Just an apple.

My juice hadn’t arrived by the time I was to leave to play two hours of tennis and I didn’t want to faint on my partner. COMPLETELY VALID EXCUSE.

So, I finally tasted my first juice at 12:30 and had my last at 7:00.

How has it been? Not bad! I’ll tell you more tomorrow, but I had to get these pictures out of my system. You HAD to see the pretty packaging before I go and dink it all.

I am fully obsessed with these cool bottles, can you tell?

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Blueprint Cleanse

Yikes! I’ve done it.

 

I hit the “place order” and now I’m totally committed.

 

Starting Tuesday, when my house is full of chocolate and smarties, I am starting a Blueprint Cleanse.

 

 

Last year I committed to doing a mini cleanse every other month. It was my way to stay on track as well as try new cleanse ideas.

 

This year I decided to do something a little different: investigate and try three cleanses from three different companies.

 

Three? Because THEY ARE SO EXPENSIVE! Yes, your Dalai dearest isn’t getting these for free. As a matter of fact, I contacted the company asking for a discount since I would be writing about it and got shot down. The good news is you will trust my opinion that much more. (Although, I will ALWAYS tell you the truth. My long time friends know that is the best and worst part of me.)

 

Yes, at a price tag of $255 for 3 days of juices, you better believe I’ll tell you the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

 

 

My first box of juices will be delivered to me Tuesday.

 

So, God help you, my precious readers, if I’m feeling a little crabby on Wednesday…

 

 

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Rehabbing

Dear God,

May this

Two beets and one green apple juice

Cleanse me of all my eating sins.

May is reverse the cupcake damage

and affliction from processed nacho cheese.

Please forgive me for thinking bad thoughts

of people driving slow in the fast lane,

for I was under the influence of sucrose.

Provide me with the strength to

survive the sugar shakes

during my Monday rehab.

Amen.

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