Body

Simple Ayurvedic Practices for Daily Detox

September 5, 2019 by Joni Leave a Comment

You’ve been working hard on your detox and you want to be sure that the effects of all that effort last. You can also set yourself up for your next seasonal detox, primed, and ready to release toxins on a deeper level.

If you have never heard of Ayurveda, here’s the skinny: Ayurveda translates to ‘knowledge of life’ or ‘science of life’. Ayurveda is to India what Traditional Chinese Medicine is to China. Ayurveda is about living in communion with the shifts of the seasons and the rhythms of the sun and moon throughout the day. It is an ancient practice that both supports wellness and recovers health. The principles are universal and can be practiced by anyone with a desire to feel more connected to their health and wellbeing.

When you join one of my seasonal detoxes, you’ve already begun to practice one of the Ayurvedic principles, so adding these 3 simple daily practices will increase your body’s ability to withstand the stress of daily life and the toxins you can not help but be affected by.

Daily Detox Practices

If you haven’t already, begin to add these 3 practices into your routine. Do them sequentially and stay with it.

Banish Bad Breath – Upon rising, eliminate, brush your teeth and scrape your tongue. Did you know that you will remove more sticky plaque from your mouth with a metal tongue scraper than you will by brushing your teeth? Here’s a simple video to show you how it’s done. Do this before put anything into your belly.

Rinse Your Belly – By now, you have an understanding that a clean digestive system works so much more efficiently and uses less energy that a clogged up, gummy one. To keep your system clean and start with a clean stomach, drink 16 – 20 ounces of warm water first thing. This has three primary effects for your body.

Number One – Okay, actually it’s about ‘number two’. It is especially helpful to promote movement and train the body so that will eliminate through the bowel more easily. Do you have to add lemon? No. Will it hurt to add lemon? No. Just make the water body temperature and you will get the greatest benefit.
Number Two – Clean pure, warm, body temperature water first thing in the morning will help to clear out any leftovers in the stomach. This way yesterday’s food that may not have fully digested will not mix with today’s undigested food, kind of like getting a new plate for your breakfast instead of using the dirty one from last night’s dinner.
Number Three – It hydrates you! Your body wakes up dehydrated. It’s been starved for water for at least 8 hours. Because optimally, your body is about 70% water when you start your day with all your internal electrical systems flowing, you will think better. Which means you will make better food choices. Better food choices now mean that your next seasonal detox will release a little more deeply.

Oil Up – The daily practice of Abhyanga is a hot oil self-massage. This one practice will nourish your skin and body on a level that is superior to any other skin treatment. Remember, you skin is your largest organ. Once you start the habit, you’ll find it doesn’t take long to add it to you daily morning routine.

How to Abhyanga 101

Warm your oil to body temperature.
Pour a small amount into your hand and add oil as you need it.
Massage into hands. Then begin with the neck, working your way down towards your feet, because this is a grounding massage. Long strokes on the bones and circular strokes on the joints. Until you reach the feet.
When done, get into a hot shower and let the hot water rinse over you. The hot water will open your pores and press the oil into the skin. This is not only nourishing but protective. If you want to use soap, use it on your pits and privates. There is enough chlorine and other detergents in the water to ‘clean’ you.
Dry off as you normally would.

These are so simple, easy, and actually elegant ways of taking care of your body that will promote daily detox in a toxic world.

Enjoy them!

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7 Ways Juicing Can Help You Lose Weight

April 4, 2019 by Joni Leave a Comment

Unless you have been living under a rock for the last few years, you would have no doubt heard about the amazing health benefits of juicing. But did you also know that a juice elixir can also be a healthy and safe way to lose weight? When consumed in complement to an existing weight-loss plan, juicing provides a high level of quality nutrition, which will assist in weight-loss. Read on to find out how.

1. Easy Digestion

One of the best benefits of juicing fresh fruit and vegetables is that drinking them (as opposed to eating them) makes them really easy for your body to digest. If you are to juice say a couple of tomatoes, celery, cucumber, spinach, and carrot, you will make a delicious and easy to drink fresh vegetable cocktail that will provide a huge amount of nutritional benefits to your body. If you were to actually consume those same vegetables raw, from a plate, in one sitting, you would find the process to be quite difficult. It would take a lot of effort to eat and digest the same quantity of food. But by juicing those vegetables, you get to drink in one glass a dense quantity of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients really easily.

2. Reduction in Cravings

When you drink a glass of freshly made vegetable or green juice, you are loading every cell of your body with detoxifying minerals. By drinking your veggies and fruit, you are giving your body all the amazing nutrients that it needs to heal, stay healthy, and reduce the risk of illness. In turn, you will also find that you experience a reduction in cravings, particularly for sweets or processed foods. This is because you are feeding your body all that it needs. Your body won’t be sending messages to your brain that make you crave particular foods that contain certain minerals or vitamins that you might otherwise lacking. It is in this way that you will start to lose weight, often quite quickly. You simply won’t be eating the bad foods that make you gain weight, and you won’t feel like you are even depriving yourself of these foods like you might if dieting.

3. Tasty Fuel

It is also handy to know that green juices taste great! You can make your juice really flavorful by adding in lemon, mint or ginger to really add a tasty punch to your juice. You will enjoy the flavors of the juice so much that you will choose to make a juice rather than eat another less healthy snack food. It is also worth noting that juice you make at home on your own is a much better option than that which is store bought. Fresh juice made with a base of vegetables is going to contain much more nutrition than the kind that comes from a carton. Even fresh, store-bought juices will often have sugars and other additives as well as preservatives added to the juice. This kind of juice means you are drinking a lot of unnecessary calories. On the other hand, a homemade vegetable and fruit juice delivers nothing but goodness that is healthy fuel for your body.

4. Filling Snack or Dessert

Another amazing thing about juicing is that by drinking a freshly made juice, your appetite shuts off. This is because your body (which is amazing at knowing just what it needs!) is getting all that it is looking for. You will feel satisfied and satiated, much more than you would by eating empty calories in junk food. Your body will feel revitalized, not sluggish or heavy, and instead of searching for more food even after you have just eaten something, you will find that you don’t really want or need anything more.

5. It is not a fad diet

Once you start making juicing a regular part of your lifestyle, and start to experience all the health benefits and begin losing weight without a struggle, you will realize that incorporating fresh juicing into your life is definitely not a diet fad. Unlike regimented diets that are difficult to follow and which can often make you gain weight, juicing works in such a remarkable way that you will want to include juicing in your life forever. Unlike fad diets, you will never feel deprived or hungry. Not only that, but other aspects of your health will also improve. You might notice your skin is clearer, your eyes are brighter, and your nails and hair grow more quickly. You will also have more energy and you will start to feel amazing. Juicing will seriously become a way of life you will want to follow forever!

6. You invest in your health

In order to start juicing regularly, you will need to invest in a juicer, which initially will mean setting aside a bit of money. You might feel like this is an expense you don’t want to have, but by making that purchase, you are committing to your health and weight loss. It gives you a reason to stick to the concept of juicing for long enough that you will start to notice the difference in how you feel. It is also an investment in your health and well-being, so not only does juicing help you to lose weight, but it will save you money in medical fees in the future.

7. Fun and Variety

In order to lose weight and to stay motivated, life needs to be fun, right? Juicing is the ideal way to bring this into your life. As you start to get into juicing, you will find it great fun making new combinations of fruit and vegetables cocktails. You will make all kinds of unique and interesting drinks, and you will find that you never get bored from the endless variety of beverages that you can make for yourself and others. You will also want to share these drinks with others, which will also mean getting encouragement and support from those around you as you continue your weight-loss goals. Support is super important when it comes to making, and sticking to, healthy changes in your life.

Really, juicing is a fabulously fun, easy, and healthy way to shed those unwanted pounds without any struggle or deprivation. You have got nothing to lose by starting to make green juicing a regular part of your lifestyle. To get you started, here is a delicious and easy juice to kick-start your weight-loss:

Trim and Delicious Green Juice

4 carrots

2 apples

1 cucumber

½ beetroot (peeled)

1 rib celery

1 lemon

1-inch piece of ginger

Run the vegetables through your juicer and enjoy!

Looking for some tasty juicing recipes? Joe Cross from, Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead fame has a fabulous website full of amazing juice recipes.

Ready to Learn More?

The addition of a green juice daily has helped me ditch the cravings and get my glow on! Here are a few ideas to help you burn more fat each day.

Ready to make the next step to becoming the most VIBRANT you? Let’s connect

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Fat: Tips To Burn More Daily

March 12, 2019 by Joni Leave a Comment

In order to lose weight, you want to become a fat burning machine. There are many ways to do that, most of which are not difficult at all. Here are some things you can do every day that will help you to burn more fat.

Increase Your Protein

One great way to start burning more fat on a regular basis is to eat more foods that contain protein. With more protein in your diet, you are going to start increasing your energy. Higher energy, as you know, also means a higher metabolic rate, which helps you to burn more fat and calories. Protein also helps to build lean muscle, which can also help to burn more fat throughout the day. Some good options for lean protein are turkey and chicken, nuts, and some veggies.

Stop Skipping Breakfast

Breakfast still remains the most important meal of the day, so if you only have time to cook one meal, it should be breakfast. This is going to get your engine running, providing the energy you need for the day. Plus, if you enjoy a filling meal in the morning, it can help to curb your appetite and reduce cravings throughout the rest of the day. For breakfast, try to enjoy high-protein foods like eggs, oatmeal, or a smoothie with protein powder in it. This is going to get you ready for burning fat all day long.

Mix Up Your Workouts

A common mistake people make when they start exercising more often is doing the same type of workout constantly. If you want to lose weight and burn fat, you need to mix it up. Weight loss plateaus are often the result of eating the same thing, but also doing the same workout. So if you can, try circuit training or at least different types of workouts each week. Add an extra day of weight training or try indoor rock climbing over the weekend instead of going on your normal run. This will work different muscle groups, burning more fat in the long run.

Drink More Cold Water

Not only should you be drinking more water in general, but you should try to drink cold water. The colder the water it is, the higher it raises your metabolism. Keep a pitcher of water in your fridge so you aren’t using plastic bottles all day long. This is also a good time for making infused water and keeping the pitcher cold in the refrigerator.

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DIY Elderberry Syrup

March 4, 2019 by Joni Leave a Comment

Elderberry syrup is all the rage for good reason. So, what’s all the chatter about with this tiny deep purple berry, Elderberry?

The glorious aubergine liquid has been a staple in our house for a few years due to its powerful ability to support our immune systems especially during cold and flu season. Neither one of us will even slightly entertain the idea of taking a flu shot. I wanted something that we could trust and that we were very sure of what was in it.

We all know there are two types of evidence. Empirical and anecdotal. I’m happy to report there are several studies showing the efficacy of elderberry to help boost the immune system and ease the symptoms of cold and flu. Anecdotally, I can tell you we’ve had great success avoiding the creeping crud and if it does start to take a hold of us, we stop it in its tracks!

What is Elderberry?

Elderberries are the fruit of the Sambucus tree. The most common type is the Sambucus nigra. The tree has clusters of small white or cream elderflowers and bunches of small blue or black elderberries.

The berries and the flowers each hold their own when it comes to supporting our immune systems.

Elderberry: Flavonoids (rutin, quercetin), terpenes, sambunigrin, sambucine, chlorgenic acid, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Potassium.

Elderflower: Flavonols; quercetin, anthocyanins, and isoquercitrin. Chlorogenic acid, erythrodiol and oleanolic acids.

Health Benefits

This natural remedy is packed with antiviral properties, especially against different strains of influenza virus. As a matter of fact, research has shown a standardized black elderberry extract to be effective in vitro against 10 strains of influenza.

But the benefits don’t stop there. If you are unfortunate enough to contract the “creeping crud” as I call it, researchers also show that black elderberry extract reduced the duration of flu symptoms by 3-4 days.

And it gets better!

For a healthy immune system black elderberry extract still shows benefits. Elderberry stimulates cytokine production in a healthy immune system to help ward off viral infections.

You can find commercial Elderberry products everywhere these days. Your options run the gamut from lozenges to gummies to syrups. Just be sure to opt for organic if possible!

The best way is to make your own! It is super simple and not too time consuming.

Elderberry Syrup

Try this simple elderberry syrup recipe as a daily immune booster or a delicious syrup on pancakes, crepes, or waffles.

Prep Time 5 min / Cook Time 1 hour / Inactive Time 15 min / Total Time 1 hour, 20 min

Yield 4 Cups

Ingredients

1 Cup dried elderberry – TIP: I use Frontier organic bulk elderberries because they are non-irradiated.

3 ½ cups of filtered water

2 tablespoons of fresh ginger root – TIP: I’ve used powder in a pinch, but the flavor is best with fresh!

1 teaspoon ground Ceylon cinnamon

½ teaspoon of ground clove or 1 tsp whole clove – TIP: I’ve used both the ground and whole clove in batches. We like the flavor profile when using the whole clove best!

1 cup raw honey – Tip: I use a local raw honey that is cultivated for allergy support!

Directions

Pour water into medium sauce pan and add elderberries, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves.
Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce to a simmer for approximately 45 minutes to an hour. You want the liquid to be reduced by about half.
Remove from the heat and let cool until it is cool enough to be handled.
Mash the berries carefully using the back of a spoon or a potato masher.
Pour through a strainer into a glass bowl or jar.
After the liquid is no longer hot, add your honey and stir well. Adding the honey to hot liquid diminishes its power. Be sure it is cooled to just above room temp!
Pour your syrup into glass jars to store. TIP: I use dark colored jars to store my syrup!

And that…is that! You just made nourishing elderberry syrup. Since your immune boosting elderberry syrup doesn’t have any preservatives it’s important to store in the fridge. You may store and use for up to 3 months if kept refrigerated.

Standard dose is ½ – 1 teaspoon for children and ½ – 1 tablespoon for adults. If the flu does make an appearance, take the normal does every 2-3 hours instead of once a day until symptoms disappear.

Looking for more information on boosting immunity? Check out the power of essential oils! They are a great tool in your wellness toolbox.

1 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11399518

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5 Easy Self Care Tips

February 13, 2019 by Joni Leave a Comment

Self care is the act of loving yourself. Whether it is mind, body or spirit, it doesn’t matter as long as you are nurturing You. Dr. Chistiane Northrup says,

“You are responsible TO your life and health, not for your life and health.”

Amen. And Amen. What a powerful shift a simple preposition can make. We are responsible to our lives. Love this!

Once you understand the importance of self care and how to avoid the top three excuses for not scheduling in time for You, it’s time to implement. And implement with passion, Peeps! This is where intuition and self trust comes into play. You will know what feels right if you listen to your inner voice. Once you start taking care of You, it’s addictive and time will never be a factor again. Promise.

Five Fabulous Self Care Tips

1. Schedule quiet time. – Actually write it in ink on your calendar and if you don’t use one – start! I really dig meditation and music. They soothe my savage beast inside. Now that I do it regularly, everyone in my orbit is thankful and they never interrupt. Often they remind me before I have to remind myself. Powerful stuff. Seriously.

2. Take a hot bath. – This is so decadent to me but so simple. A 20 minute soak in an Epsom salt bath with a few drops of lavender, a candle, soothing music and I feel like a Queen. There’s a bonus here too. The Epsom salt helps you purge the toxins from the day.

3. Take yoga or exercise class. – Getting the body moving increases endorphins which help manage stress levels. You may need to try a few different classes, or instructors, until you find the right fit, but do something that gets you moving.

4. Journal. – This little tip is not so little in effect. Journaling is a powerful way to decompress and let yourself go. It can be in any form too! Some people keep a daily update of their lives, some write five things they’re thankful for each day and others still like to free flow and write whatever pops into their big beautiful brain that day. There are absolutely no rules. It’s all about You.

5. Get a massage. – A relaxing massage is not a frivolous activity for those with cha-ching. Massage provides health benefits; calms the nervous system, reduces tension and anxiety and improves blood circulation, which is the highway for delivering oxygen and nutrients to our cells. If you can’t swing it in the budget, make a deal with your partner to practice self care on each other.

Hopefully one, or all, of these tripped a trigger for you and your intuition is pointing you in a direction. Remember, self care is self love it isn’t selfish, it is necessary for radiant health.

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What does a candy-free February look like?

February 5, 2019 by Joni Leave a Comment

It looks better than you may have imagined!

Try some of these non-food nourishing gift ideas and I’ve added a yummy Homemade Chocolate Truffle recipe to satisfy the sweet tooth naturally:

♥ The American Heart Association suggests a gift from the heart, such as a poem or love letter. Choose a favorite poem or write what you feel. Write or type it on beautiful paper (check out some options on Etsy.) In between relationships? Write yourself a loving, “non-negotiable” list – all the things you will never put up with in a relationship ever again. Or write a friend or loved one who has been an inspiration or support in your life.

♥ Savor the moments in pictures. Do you have a ton of pictures on your phone but rarely print them out? Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to remember your loved ones with the thoughtful gift of photos. I love the app Groovebook – for $2.99 a month you can upload up to 100 pictures and Groovebook automatically sends you a photo album each month! Or go for a year of love with a photo calendar – apps like Shutterfly make it easy!

♥Get really decadent and draw yourself a relaxing bubble bath with candles, rose petals, and a bubbly beverage. Yes! You are worth it.

♥ Spend a night with no electronics or digital distractions! Make a fire, bundle up and go for a walk, or have a few friends over and serve the heart-healthy treats below with sparkling water and raspberries.

Instead of reaching for something sweet, chocolaty or gooey this Valentine’s Day, try some of these ideas for indulging the ones you love. (And that includes YOU!)

Taking time to draw a hot relaxing bath is a wonderful way to treat yourself!

Crowd out the candy with Homemade Chocolate Truffles

Ingredients:

2 cups organic pitted Medjool dates – soaked in warm water for 2- 3 hours

2- 3 TBSP raw cacao powder, extra for coating

¼ cup cacao nibs

¼ cups goji berries

1 TBSP coconut oil

2 TBSP chopped raw almonds, walnuts or cashews (soaked 1-3 hrs.)

1 tsp vanilla extract

Sea salt to taste

Directions:

Soak pitted dates in warm water for 2 – 3 hours, until soft.
Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender or food processor until you have a very smooth, uniform consistency. Use your spatula to scrape the dough down until it’s well combined as you blend.
Scoop out mixture one teaspoon at a time, roll into small balls and place on parchment-lined baking sheet. Mixture will be very sticky; wet or lightly coat hands with coconut oil to make it easier to manage.
Roll balls into additional cacao powder.
Place truffles in the refrigerator for at least one hour to firm.

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Simple Ayurvedic Practices for Daily Detox

Daily Detox Practices