Spring Cleaning

Spring is the perfect time to give our bodies a good cleansing. Don't be intimidated -- there are many ways to detoxify and several levels of cleansing. Choose what feels best to you.

The easiest, and often most effective, is to just merely SIMPLIFY. Here are a few tips that make cleansing easy. For more, see my E-Book Cleanse Your Way to Health, Beauty and Longevity:

At age 93, Jack LaLanne says "If man makes it, I don't eat it." Greatest advice I've ever heard. Just by cutting out ALL processed foods, you are giving your body a break from the multitude of chemicals used in the manufacturing of what we eat out of wrappers, cans, boxes and jars. Stick with foods that come without ingredient labels -- lots of fresh, organic vegetables, fruits, raw nuts and seeds, -- and a little organically raised meat, eggs and wild caught fish, if desired. Nourish your body with pure, authentic, unadulterated food as Nature intended.

Do not eat sugar or artificial (i.e. chemical) sweeteners. Use stevia, a smidge of 100% pure maple syrup, raw honey, dates or fresh fruit instead.

Go organic. By eating organic, you are not ingesting toxic pesticides that put a heavy burden on your body's natural detoxification system. Remember, pesticides are designed to kill living creatures, and human beings are living creatures!

Give your skin care products and cleaning products for your home a spring clean, too. You don't want them to contain toxic chemicals, either. See how yours rate by going to http://www.cosmeticdatabase.com/ Look for products that have the lowest toxic rating.

Drink half of your weight in ounces of pure, clean water every day. Water helps to flush toxins from our bodies. Drink up.

Exercise. I mean it. Our bodies were meant to move -- every day. Walk, run, dance, garden, bounce on a rebounder (great to move lymph fluids), practice Tai Chi or yoga -- and do it daily.

Sweat. Sweating is another way for toxins to leave our bodies. Sweat during exercise, sweat in a hot Epsom salt bath, sweat in a dry (or better yet, infrared) sauna. Don't be afraid to SWEAT.

Be aware of the energy that fills you -- your foods, the company you keep, your thoughts and beliefs. Find ways to fill yourself with joy, love and vibrant energy. Spring is a time of rebirth and regeneration in nature, and your body (and spirit) is naturally attuned to this.

In line with the season, now is the ideal time for you to begin anew ... to blossom in your commitment to your own health and well being.

If you need guidance with a customized cleanse unique to your needs, call me to schedule an appointment. Also, now is a great time to receive a seasonal acupuncture treatment to replenish your energy to heal, prevent illness, ease stress and feel balanced. Call me today (831) 886-5750.

Energy Bars – Health or Hype?

We all know that candy bars are not good for us. Loaded with sugar, they give us a quick lift without providing any real nourishment…that lift soon crashes and we feel hungrier than before. They also contain dangerous hydrogenated oils and A LOT of artificial ingredients.

OK, so the food giants gave us an alternative -- energy bars to the rescue! They look and taste like candy bars, have the shelf life of candy bars, contain protein and fiber, and are loaded with vitamins and minerals!! Whoo-hoo! They are convenient and they taste great! And, thanks to an incredible amount of advertising hype, they can be consumed without the guilt of a candy bar....

Or NOT.

Here’s the real truth: most energy bars are based on so-called natural sweeteners -- usually high fructose corn syrup and sometimes juice concentrates --along with dried fruits, nuts, peanut butter, and sometimes even chocolate -- a combination that results in higher percentages of carbohydrates and sugar than the typical candy bar!

But, they’re high in protein, you say...I say, there is nothing natural about the protein used in energy bars.

Soy and whey proteins used in most energy bars are waste products of the soy and cheese industry. Soy protein must be processed at very high temperatures -- a process that denatures many of the proteins in soy, especially lysine, making them unavailable to the body. Also, toxins are formed during this high-temperature chemical processing, including nitrates, lysinalanine and MSG.

Besides, most (if not all) soy in this country is genetically modified and has the nutritional equivalent of plastic. Yep. That's right. In fact, according to the late, great Henry Ford, soybean oil makes a superior enamel for painting automobiles and it's a great plastic alternative.

Yum.

Whey protein is inherently fragile and must be processed at low temperatures or its qualities as a protein are destroyed. Whey protein is formed by drying skim milk and whey at high temperatures and putting the powders into energy drinks, body building powders and high-protein bars. Bad news.

Other major ingredients of these “health” bars include high fructose corn syrup (or concentrated fruit juices, which are high in fructose), an ingredient that has been shown to be worse for test animals than sugar. "Natural flavors" and loads of synthetic vitamins are thrown in so the bars can be called "complete."

In reality, energy bars are simply glorified candy bars and have similar effects on the body. Instead of relying on them for a pre-workout energy boost, try something truly natural, like REAL FOOD. Raw nuts, organic raw goat cheese slices, fresh fruit, or a green smoothie (fruit, water, leafy greens). Real food, the way Nature intended.

Take a listen to some of my radio archives to learn more. I did an entire program about energy bars call "Bar Exam", also about High Fructose Corn Syrup, "It's so Corny". Enjoy and Be Well! http://www.wellness4women.org/archives.html