Green Lemonade

Cleanse, lose weight, gain energy and feel better.

You’ll fall hard for this health generating lifestyle with its simple, natural approach to eating and living.

All it requires to get started is an open mind and these 7 basic principles.

1. Eliminate processed foods (Or As Many As You Can)

   Contrary to popular belief, even “baked” Lays aren’t that good for you. The body doesn’t know how to fully digest many of the ingredients in boxed and bagged goods. White bread, pasta and baked goods also fall into this category. What the body can’t effectively metabolize results in waste (which then turns into excess weight) on our bodies.

   If the concept of not eating pre-packaged, overly processed breads, crackers or cereals seems overwhelming to you, go slowly – no need to go cold turkey. But start to think about more natural, whole food alternatives to incorporate into your daily meals. The less processed your food is, the less artificial ingredients it contains and the easier the food is for the body to metabolize and then eliminate.

   Experiment with some of these healthier, less processed foods.

2. Eat simply and at meal times to ramp up detoxification

   Eat simply and at meal times for good health. Grazing all day keeps the body constantly spending its energy on digestion. Sticking to meal times allows the body’s energy to be spent on its healing and cleansing work.

   Ideally you want to eat simple, natural foods that pass through the body easily and efficiently and don’t hang around for too long.

   Curious to what foods are the most easily digestible for the body? Check out this chart.

3. Eat a light breakfast

   ”The body’s ability to flush trapped fluid and toxins and metabolize stored fat peaks between 6am and noon.” – Stanford University School of Medicine

   Many mainstream dieticians claim the best way to set up vibrant energy for the day and ignite weight loss is with a hearty, healthy breakfast, but really its about letting the body detoxify for as long as possible in a natural, whole foods, diet-free detoxifying lifestyle. This means, let the body continue detoxifying (which generally takes place overnight while we’re sleeping) – into the morning hours.

   A light, enzyme filled breakfast consisting of a fresh pressed green juice or a blended green smoothie or even a bowl of fruit is easy for the body to digest. You’ll then maximize your intake of enzymes needed to perform fat burning biochemical processes and won’t slow detoxification with foods that are hard to digest.

4. Try not to combine too many foods for digestive health

   If eating light in the morning, with juices and blended smoothies is the solution to ramping up the body’s detoxification engine and digestive health (it is), consider stoking the fire even more by properly combining your food (as it feels good for you).

   Keep this food combining framework loosely in mind – but don’t let it be intimidating.

5. Learn to listen to your body for true hunger signals

   It’s amazing how emotionally attached we are to food. Listen for true hunger signals and begin to recognize emotional hunger sensations.

   Coconut water, herbal teas and a glass of water with lemon, apple or cucumber slices may also quench emotional hunger. Often times what we perceive as hunger is actually thirst.

6. Gradually begin to moderate your intake of “stimulants”

   All things in moderation of course. But generally speaking you will feel better not taking down three large cups of coffee everyday.

   In general, look to moderate your intake of alcohol and coffee as well as meats and dairy. It’s all about creating zen and an alkaline environment for the body. Creating harmony and an acid-free or alkaline environment in our bodies is one of the most powerful things we can do to avoid illness, increase our energy and boost our natural youthful effervescence! (Glowing skin anyone?)

   In the meantime, no need to declare war on any of these foods. Moderate use of either or all will still put you far ahead. Its important to re-prioritize your leafy greens and veggies when you can. Be patient with yourself and the journey. And trust me, you’ll start to feel better.

   Overtime, you may notice that as you start to eat more real, natural foods your taste buds and the biochemical terrain of your body may actually begin to change. And whereas in the beginning you couldn’t imagine a day without a cup of coffee or even a turkey sandwich for lunch, you may start to not miss them at all! (You especially won’t miss that afternoon slump!)