Amazing Whole Food on the Grill

Tonight I made some amazing whole food on the grill!  Give these recipes a try next time you get sick of the old burger and ribs routine:

Mmm Kabobs

          http://realfastfood.blogspot.com/2011/06/mmm-kabobs.html

Grilled Green Beans

          http://realfastfood.blogspot.com/2011/06/grilled-green-beans.html

The Whole Life Wellness Cleanse

One Wellness had created a detox program which will cleanse your body of unwanted toxins and toxicants, without starving, fasting or fad diets.  You can easily work the cleanse into your daily routine, and it is adaptable to fit into a one week or three day cleanse, as described below.  As with any detox program, consult a doctor, nutritionist or wellness coach before attempting the cleanse. 

Contact One Wellness at onewellness@live.com for more information.

 

Preparation – Week One

Remove processed foods including processed or cured meats, complex carbs and sugars from your diet. Also remove caffeine and alcohol. Green tea may be used occasionally in this stage. Reduce red meat, dairy products and processed grains such as bread and bagels. Drink plenty of water. This step may be skipped if the individual is already consuming a whole foods diet.

Whole Foods – Week Two

Remove all meat and dairy products, in addition to avoiding processed foods and sugars, caffeine and alcohol. Drink plenty of water and herbal teas. Soak whole grains and legumes at least one hour and over night for optimal digestion. Diet consists of soaked whole grains, fruits and vegetables.

Raw Foods – Week Three

Eat only fresh, raw fruits and vegetables and unsweetened fruit and vegetable juice. Drink water and herbal tea liberally. Dried fruit such as cranberries may be eaten in small amounts. Add coconut oil to your herbal tea to combat hunger cravings and flax oil may also be taken in salad dressings. Use cayenne pepper to help combat chills and add variety to salads and raw soups.

Rejuvenation – Week Four

Soaked whole grains, fish and steamed or roasted vegetables may be re-introduced to the diet. Continue to stay hydrated with water, juice and herbal teas. Green tea in small amounts may be tolerated if desired. This is the phase of the cleanse that you will experience the most healing. You may feel energized, experience mental clarity and feel at peace. Be sure to get plenty of rest, and you may enjoy meditative practices or gentle internal exercise like stretching or Tai Chi.

THE ONE WEEK CLEANSE

If you don't feel you can commit to a full month of cleansing, a shorter detox may be right for you. You can adapt the four phases of the diet to fit in your lifestyle. Extend the rejuvenation, if desired.

Day 1 & 2 – Preparation

Day 3 & 4 – Whole Foods

Day 5 & 6 – Raw Foods

Day 7 - Rejuvenation

THE THREE DAY CLEANSE

This is the quick cycle that may be right if you are pinched for time, unsure if you want to commit to a longer cleanse, or want to cleanse on a monthly basis. Extend the rejuvenation for maximum benefit.

Day 1 – Whole Foods

Day 2 – Raw Foods

Day 3 – Rejuvenation

Tips for Removing Toxins

If you would like to attempt a cleanse to remove toxins from your body, please contact me at onewellness@live.com or visit my website at onewellness.weebly.com.

Here is more helpful information that will make your cleanse more successful:

CLEANSING PRACTICES

Try these while cleansing, or on a daily basis:

• drink water with fresh lemon juice or ginger and lemon tea
• dry skin brushing
• meditation
• writing a journal daily
• deep breathing
• chew thoroughly
• drink 1 tsp raw apple cider vinegar with 1/3 cup room temp. water each morning

CLEANSING FOODS 

Eat these foods regularly, especially while cleansing:

dandelion greens

dark leafy greens such as spinach, kale, bok choy and swiss chard

watercress

beets and beet greens

onions

garlic

broccoli and cauliflower

carrots

cabbage

celery

red bell peppers

artichokes

radishes and turnips

sea veggies like kelp, nori and wakame

ginger

lemon, lime and grapefruit

apples

avocados

berries, especially cranberries and blueberries

figs

sea salt (combined with foods)

raw cider vinegar

raw honey and maple syrup

ghee (clarified butter)

cayenne pepper

flax seeds and flax oil

coconut oil and unsweetened coconut milk

pumpkin seeds

quinoa

lentils

mung and aduki beans

CLEANSING HERBS

Use in herbal teas, salads, or supplements:

garlic

dandelion root and leaves

ginger root

burdock

chlorella

milk thistle

yarrow

licorice root

raspberry leaf

alfalfa

rosemary

sage

chaparral

TOXIC FOODS

Avoid these on a daily basis, and especially while cleansing:

sugar

corn syrup

artificial sweeteners

margarine

corn

deep fried foods

soy and soy products of any kind, including tofu, soy sauce and soy milk

refined and/or bleached flour and grains

processed carbs (bread, bagels, pastries, cereal)

coffee and black tea

alcoholic beverages

soft drinks and sugared juices

pasteurized dairy

processed and cured meats

canned foods (contain BPA)

condiments such as ketchup, barbeque sauce, mayo and most processed salad dressings

Why Detox?

A toxin is a poisonous substance produced by living cells or organisms.  Toxins can be small molecules, peptides, or proteins that are capable of causing disease on contact with or absorption by body tissues.
Although normally grouped together, man made chemicals which cause ill health are technically not considered toxins, and are instead referred to as toxicants to distinguish their non-biological origins. For the sake of simplicity, many sources call all poisonous substances toxins, whether they are biological, chemical or environmental.

Detoxifying your body promotes healing and rejuvenation, and helps combat the effects of aging and disease. Its like giving your body an internal shower, or a tune up. Internal cleansing helps reduce mucus, excess body fat, cellulite, build up in the digestive tract and promotes healthy skin and organs.

How does a cleansing diet work?

Cleansing flushes toxins out of your body through the natural processes your body uses every day to clean and maintain it's systems. A cleansing diet simply gives your body a jump start and allows it to concentrate on cleaning, without being bogged down with more and more added toxins.

How will I feel while I am cleansing?

Ultimately cleansing toxins from you body will create more energy and overall well being. However there are often healing reactions during and after the cleanse that are easily misunderstood. Healing reactions are common and can range from headache, acne, aches and pains, fatigue, chills, body odor, mood swings, gas and intestinal distress. As with any time you clean, the unwanted materials need to be disposed of. These unpleasant symptoms are simply a manifestation that the cleansing process is working to flush the toxins out through the body's many natural cleansing processes. Healing reactions typically last from one to seven days and disappear without treatment once the toxins have been flushed out. After overcoming a healing reaction, your body will feel rejuvenated and energized.

A word on fasting:

Often detox and cleansing programs include a fasting period. Fasting is a powerful detoxifying technique and can be extremely useful in cleansing the digestive tract and jump starting a weight loss program. However, fasting is not for everyone, and not everyone can be successful at it. I don't recommend fasting for those who are new to a cleansing routine, nor for the chronically ill, those with weakened immune systems, anyone underweight or the elderly. One pitfall to watch out for should you choose to incorporate a period of fasting in your cleansing routine is binging. Often the lack of food during a fast can cause one to crave large amounts of food afterward, and whether these are wholesome foods or not, overeating after a fast can be devastating to your digestive tract and internal organs, not to mention your metabolism. Only those who are familiar with routine cleansing should attempt a fast without the direct supervision of a physician, dietician or wellness coach.

Fair Trade: for the people, for the planet

Last weekend I had the awesome privilege of attending the Fair Trade Federation Conference in Milwaukee.  I carpooled to the event with a group of local women who are making a difference by volunteering their time with Just Fare Market, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving lives through global partnerships and fair trade.

What I learned through attending the various activities offered at the Fair Trade Federation Conference was as simple as the main ideal of fair trade itself.  Fair trade supports and nurtures all the people of the world, and our fragile ecosystem.  Using consumer decisions to improve the environment and the lives of others is something we can do to create change everyday, whether it is through buying fresh organic produce at a local farmers market or buying a stunning pair of rain forest seed earrings in a fair trade store like Just Fare Market.

Change is implemented one small step at a time, and we all can make a difference by taking the time to wonder where all these products we buy come from, who is working to make that product, and what kind of working conditions and wages are given in return for their labor.

 Visit the Fair Trade Federation website for more information on World Fair Trade Day events in your area.

Why Fair Trade Matters

Fair trade is not a charity, brand name or political perspective.  It is an ideal for equal opportunity for all people, both in our local communities and the throughout the globe. It supports sustainablility and empowers farmers, craftsmen and artisans who would otherwise have little opportunity to improve the quality of their lives.  Involvement in the fair trade program teaches these producers sustainable agriculture, conservation and entrepreneurial skills.  These individuals and families are becoming small business owners and strengthening their local communities.

In addition to buying local food, products and services, shopping with awareness of global fair trade can also strengthen our local economy.  When you use your dollar to support a fair trade product, you are ensuring that jobs in your own community are not being sent to foreign countries to decrease labor costs.  You are also casting a vote in favor of a higher global standard of environmental awareness which impacts us all.

Behind each fair trade product is a story.  Ask your local farmer or the shopkeeper at a fair trade store.  They will tell you the story of how a person's life has been improved because of people like yourself and everyone who supports fair trade. 

Emotional Eating

Admittedly I have always had a problem with emotional eating. You know, those times when you are so stressed out that you turn to food- often extreme amounts of overly processed and sugar laden food. Like tonight, for example, when I ate two pieces of cheesecake for desert, then turned to the chocolate covered raisins that I picked out of my trail mix. Oh yes, I had a sweet tooth tonight. It was almost like a demon inside me poking and prodding until I gave in and consumed mass quantities. A little of the “forbidden fruit” of chocolate and dessert is no big deal, but when eaten with such blatant disregard for portion control these temptations can lead to disaster. The disaster of having a spare tire above my bikini bottoms this summer.

I feel this guilt now that it is over and I have had my fun. I wish I had moved more slowly, savored the moment more. I still feel unfulfilled.

Emotional eating can only end when you take a good strong look at your personal life and relationships and decide what it is that is making you unhappy and craving more. Are you struggling at work, financially, in your family or relationships? Do you have a strong support system in place to help you cope with these stressors? And most importantly, what is missing in your life that you are trying to replace with the comfort and pleasure of food? Do you lack intimacy? Excitement? Time to yourself?

Once you have determined why you are turning to food to help you feel better, you can begin to change your habits into more healthy ones. If you find yourself craving or indulging in junk, ask yourself what you are feeling emotionally. Allow yourself to feel that emotion for a moment, whether it is fear, anger, worry or lonliness, and then take several deep breaths and clear your mind, letting go of any emotions as much as you can. Try to redirect yourself in this way each time you reach for the junk food at a tense moment. You may find that you would benefit from relaxing practices such as meditation, yoga, Tai Chi, or artistic expression.