Spring Cleaning

Now that April has begun, spring is surely upon us.

It is the season of cleansing, renewal, and in many medicinal traditions, the absolute time to tend to our livers. Your liver has bore the brunt of Thanksgiving dinners, Christmas cookies, New Years' champagne, Valentine's Day chocolates, and now it's time to help out a bit and give the liver a chance to detox and regenerate.

Did you know that your liver performs over 500 different tasks in regulating your metabolism every single day? It works hard to take poisons, neutralize them, and what it cannot make harmless, it stores in your fat cells. The liver is the ONLY filter for our bloodstream, and like any filter, it is important needs to be cleaned out from time to time.

If we don't clean out now, our liver will have to workout twice as hard through the Easter candy and Memorial Day BBQs, leaving it no choice but to continue storing toxins in our fat cells. And thus our bodies will hold onto fat for protection from these substances, rather than burning it. By summertime, we shall be holding onto toxin-brimmed excess fat, and become overheated as we literally bake our own fat in the sun.

So what can we do? The easiest and simplest way to gently flush your liver for spring, without weird lemonade fasts or pharmaceuticals, is to go all natural with your diet!
Think green. The more green vegetables and salads you can eat, the better. It would behoove you to eat only the most natural, unprocessed foods you can find. These are easier for your body to break down, and the less work your liver has to do in terms of digestion, and therefore can work on more important functions.

Natural and unprocessed means nothing that comes in a box! Stay away from the inner aisles of the grocery store and instead turn to organic fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, whole grains (brown rice, oats, millet, quinoa), and beans. Dairy, eggs, fried foods, and meat tend to be acidic and mucus producing. And we want to clean out the mucus during springtime. Think again of your fat and mucus baking in the summertime. Yuck. You're just asking for weight gain and blemishes.

To support your liver, besides the cleansing food choices, Dr. Elson Haas gives these 5 tips:

1. Avoid toxins such as household and industrial chemicals, alcohol, cocaine, amphetamines, and many prescription drugs.
2. Drink lots of fluids and use fresh lemon in your water for liver cleansing.
3. Fresh organic cold-pressed olive oil is the best for the liver.
4. Exercise and sweat regularly to help with liver detoxification.
5. Milk thistle herb (silymarin) and olive leaf extract support and disinfect the liver.

Also consider fresh vegetable juices, or greens powders. Cell-nique is a great detoxifying beverage that actually tastes delicious. Check the fridges at your local Whole Foods or health food store, or check cell-nique.com.


By following these simple tips, you'll be a few steps closer to a healthier liver, and a successful spring detox!

Move on to Better Things

So this silly picture on the right is a recent snapshot of me being plain ol' goofy with my girlfriends. (Those are our bartender's glasses, and I'm trying to make pigtails with my hands and hair...) I have friends who I can just cut loose with, who I can let my guard down with, and just be myself. I know they'll always have my back, and I don't need to worry about anything when I'm with them, because I know I'll always have a good time.

It's easy to be relaxed and carefree when other people and things are distracting you. But what happens when you're alone and with your own thoughts? Are you able to destress and carry on with your day in a constructive manner? Or do you worry about people, your job, something that happened earlier in the day, what you just ate, or anything else?

It's so easy to become derailed by our thoughts, stresses, and fears. One minor incident at work has our mind spinning off into worrying about whether we'll be fired or not, and we might even have a nightmare that night about it. And how many people do you know who when they eat one bad thing, they freak out, get down on themselves, and/or give up on their diet plan all together??

I've gotten better, but I still have to constantly remind myself to not worry so much, to let go of the small stuff, and to do something productive even when I mess up.

I went through some rough times with food and my body, and I remember sitting at the kitchen table at my parents' house, crying to my mom about how fat I felt because I'd given in to some "bad" foods and had gained a little weight. It was really affecting me, and I kept beating myself up over and over and over and over.

Finally, my mother looked at me and said, "So what?? Get over it! Make a better choice next time and you'll be fine! Stop worrying about it so much!"

Of course, to an angsty, barely over the teenage years, highly-emotional female, this did not seem like the best advice at the time.

But looking back, my mom couldn't have been more right.

Life is tooooo short to stress over the little things that we DO have control over. So you messed up your diet. Doesn't mean you're a failure, you're going to be fat and doomed forever, just get back on it tomorrow. So your friend showed up 15 minutes late for dinner and you're pissed. Would you rather spend dinner feeling resentful, or can you shrug it off and just be incredibly grateful to be spending any time at all with her?

You have a choice, right now, and in every moment, about how you react to situations that arise. You can choose to be positive or negative. You can choose whether you are going to stay stuck in your stress and worries or move forward and do something about it!

It's not always pleasant to hear, and it might be stirring a little something in you right now, but that's GOOD! Hopefully it will spur you into action.

Now go do something about it!

Be kind and patient with yourself, and know that tomorrow is a new day!

Chocolate fondue anyone?

Valentine's Day is right around the corner! I've never really been into this holiday, no matter if I was single or in a relationship. But I've decided that this Valentine's Day, I am going to treat myself to some fresh flowers and perhaps some organic dark chocolate. And I will reflect on how I've been making really good decisions for myself lately. I've been loving and treating myself with respect and kindness more than ever.

How will you nourish yourself? And once you've taken care of you, how can you share your love with someone you appreciate?

Today I have a vegan chocolate fondue recipe for you that you can make anytime, and use to dip fresh juicy fruits or anything else you'd like. Most fondues have flour and cream, making them heavy and difficult to digest. Although this one still has a bit of sugar, the antioxidants from the chocolate and fruit will outweigh any negative effects :-)

Say Yes to Chocolate

Everyone associates chocolate with Valentine's Day. And if you're trying to be healthier or lose weight, I can see why you might be depriving yourself of the cocoa-goodness.
But today I want to give you a reason to not be afraid to add some more cacao products into your life.

The Aztecs used chocolate as an aprodisiac, and they were definitely onto something. Recent studies suggest that chocolate (particularly organic dark chocolate) will provide you with the following health benefits:

-lower blood pressure
-migraines reduced or eliminated
-lowered risk of heart disease
-decrease risk of stroke
-improved blood flow/circulation
-lower cholesterol
-better drive for love making= more love making= happier relationships and better body image
-more happy feelings (chocolate contains serotonin stimulates endorphin production)

These powerful effects come from the flavonoids and antioxidants in chocolate. The flavonoids are what make the pure cocoa bitter, so manufacturers will refine and process the chocolate to reduce the bitterness, thus reducing the flavonoids. So the less cacao in your chocolate, the less healthy benefits.

Avoid milk chocolate, and chocolate with caramel. The milk and added sugars will eliminate the flavonoid and antioxidants from being absorbed into your body. You'll be left with the fat and sugar. Yuck.

The purest and best way to go is to add unsweetened pure cocoa powder to your baking, cooking, oatmeal, etc. Second best would be bittersweet and semisweet chocolate. And if you're buying a chocolate bar, try for at least 75% cacao, and organic if you can. Organic means no pesticides were sprayed onto the cacao plants, and therefore will not go into you!

And if you're not into chocolate, you can still get flavonoids from onions, citrus fruits, green tea, and red wine!

Vegan Chocolate Fondue

12 ounces semisweet chocolate
3/4 cup almond or coconut milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract

Combine ingredients in a pot on the stove, place on LOW heat.
Watch carefully to avoid burning, and stir as the chocolate melts.
Serve in a fondue pot or slow cooker to keep warm. Fondue will harden at room temperature.
Serve with bite sized fruit.
Strawberries, bananas, and pineapple work and taste best!

Soda : The Silent Killer

Here are some startling facts about Coca-Cola:

-In many U.S. states, the highway patrol carries about 8 liters of Coke in the trunk to remove blood from the highway after a car accident.

-You can put a T-bone steak in a bowl of Coke and it will be gone in 2 days.

-To clean a toilet: Pour a can of Coke into the toilet bowl and let it sit for one hour, then flush clean. The acid in the soda removes stains from the china.

-The active ingredient in Coke is phosphoric acid. It's pH is 2.8, and will dissolve a nail in about 4 days.

-The distributors of Coke have been using it to clean the engines of their trucks for about 20 years.

Okay. So if Coca-Cola can do all that, imagine what it is doing to your body!!! Can you now understand how acidic and toxic sodas can be? If it can dissolve a T-bone, it's definitely dissolving your teeth and your bones.

Your body always wanted to be at a normal pH. So if you consume something that's highly acidic, your system will actually pull minerals (such as calcium and magnesium) from your bones to neutralize and bring your blood/body back to normal pH. So THIS is why more and more Americans are susceptible to brittle bones, osteoporosis, AND tooth decay.

And that's just one component of the fizzy beverage.

We've also got the sugar to worry about. Most sodas these days contain high fructose corn syrup, which wrecks havoc on your blood sugar, and signals your liver to immediately store as fat. See below for more on this:

According to Dr. Joseph Mercola, this is what happens to your body within an hour of drinking a Coke:

Within 10 minutes: 10 tsps of sugar hits your body (that's 100% of the USDA's recommended daily intake. In my option that is ridiculously excessive.) Phosphoric acid in the soda cuts the crazy sweet flavor. Otherwise, you might have thrown up automatically.

Within 20 minutes: Your blood sugar spikes, insulin rises, and your liver responds by turning sugar into fat.

Within 40 minutes: You've completely absorbed the caffeine, your pupils dilate, blood pressure rises, and more sugar is dumped into the blood stream by your liver.

Within 45 minutes: Dopamine production in the brain increases, which means your pleasure chemicals are activated. This has an almost identical effect on your mood and body as heroin...Yikes.

At 60 minute mark: SUGAR CRASH. Energy drops, hunger levels rise, crankiness may occur. May want more Coke or sugar.

Holy moley. That is so not cool.

So we've confirmed that soda is incredibly acidic, and that the excess sugar is pretty nasty too.
If you drink diet, don't think you're doing yourself any favors. Artifical sweeteners have over 92 different side effects, including brain tumors, birth defects, diabetes (that's right. It has the same effect on blood sugar levels as regular sugar), emotional disorders, and seizures. Not fun.

Oh, and here are some more fun facts about soda I grabbed from Dr. Mercola:

-One soda per day increases your risk of diabetes by 85%.
-Soda has been linked to kidney stones due to high phosphate levels.
-Soda drinkers have a higher risk of cancer, particularly pancreatic cancer, due to the high levels of benzene.
-Soda has been shown to cause DNA damage due to the preservative sodium benzoate, which has the ability to switch off important parts of your DNA. This could lead to Alzheimers and Parkinsons.

AND most sodas have tons of caffeine, which dehydrates your body, can lead to panic attacks and mood disorders, can interfere with your sleep, raise blood pressure, and raise your cholesterol.

Please...start drinking more water and less soda right NOW.

If you like the fizz, try sparkling mineral water, and add lemon or lime juice for flavor. You can also try liquid stevia, which is a natural herbal sweetener, and it comes in many different flavors that are absolutely delicious.

Overcoming Winter Skin Drought

Ever get cracked and dry skin on your hands, arms, or legs? Does your skin look like a desert? Do you experience itching, redness, or rawness?

Yowzas, I hear ya. California air gets SUPER DRY come November, and this year I really had to kick my butt into gear and take extra care of my skin.

Plus if you have any skin conditions such as eczema or psorasis, the cold dry air could exacerbate your breakouts.

Emphasis on "could." I truly believe that if you feed your skin proper nourishment both internally and externally, that you can have radiant skin all year long, no matter what nature brings.

Firstly, are you getting enough water? Most people definitely aren't getting the recommended 8-10 glasses a day. And with dry weather and exercise, you're gonna need more. So pump up the H20.

Second, are you getting enough healthy fats in your diet? Low-fat diets and overconsumption of toxic fats (transfats in fast food and processed goods) are equally bad for your skin and mood. Stick with olive oil, nuts, seeds, avocadoes, and best of all, coconut oil. It's saturated fats are medium chain fatty acids, and very easily utilized by the body for energy and repairs, NOT stored as fat and NOT harmful.

And remember, high allergy foods such as dairy, gluten, sugar, and soy can stress out your body, and cause internal and external inflammtion. So belly aches, skin rashes, breakouts, redness, itching...try eating more veggies, healthy fats, and protein, and cut out or reduce dairy and grains.

Thirdly, are you getting enough sleep and relaxation? Lack of sleep and excess stress can throw off your hormones and deplete your body of nutrients, which means you can look ugly and dried up if you don't take care of yourself. It ain't worth stressing over, believe me.

And lastly, are you taking care of your skin externally? What kind of lotions or creams are you using, if any? Most products have alcohol as one of the first ingredients, which means it's just going to dry out your skin. And most products have parabens, which have been linked to cancer. If you're going to use a skin care product, try to get one without alcohol or chemicals. Almond, joboba, and olive oils are fantastic, as well as shea butter. But the king of the oils? Coconut oil!! As mentioned before, it's medium chain fatty acids are rapidly absorbed by the body, and will moisturize and firm up your skin in no time at all!

Massage oils or lotions into skin after showering and toweling off. Your pores will be open, making the oil more easily absorbed, and your skin will be damp, making it easier to spread the lotion/oil.

Check out this article online that I was interviewed for. It talks about taking care of the skin, particularly for those with eczema.
http://www.dietsinreview.com/diet_column/12/ease-winter-eczema-flare-ups-with-internal-and-external-changes/

Holiday gift for you!!!

Hi there!

Just wanted to reach out to you, and make sure you know that you deserve the absolute best when it comes to your health and happiness.

I'm meeting with clients and teaching yoga today,
but before I get going, I wanted to share with you
this amazing opportunity to help you
feel absolutely incredible...as early as NEXT week.

During the holidays, we need more support.
We work extra hard to clean, cook, and have enough money to shop and buy gifts, all to show our love and our appreciation for our loved ones. But if we don't feel good about ourselves, and we're not happy with our bodies, our health, or life in general, we miss out on so much of what the holidays can offer.
I know for me, there were a number of years where I "missed out" on the holidays. Either because:
I was beating myself up for not looking perfect in that holiday dress.
Or I was so worried about gaining weight from the holiday food that I would get stressed, cranky, and end up eating everything in sight.
Or my skin was so broken out, that I would make everyone late while I obsessed over my makeup application, and was extremely self-conscious of my face, even around relatives. It was miserable and I was burning inside.

And the thing is, if I knew then what I know now, I could have saved myself so much time, energy, and money, and had a much happier holiday season. I would have been a better, healthier person, and much more pleasant for everyone else around me.

Now that I feel absolutely amazing no matter what time of year, I'm available to coach YOU to do and feel the same.
All you need are the handful of simple tricks that I learned over the years to feel the difference in no time at all.

Which is why I am now offering a wonderful holiday gift for my readers!


YEAR-END BODY BREAKTHROUGH PACKAGE


2 private 45-minute "body breakthrough" sessions with Michelle ($400 value)

1 copy of the Revamp Your Body in 21 Days Detox, for you to keep on file and complete whenever is convenient for you in 2012. ($97 value)

1 BodyCare gift package, a box of the best quality nutrition and skin care products hand-picked by Michelle, delivered to your doorstep ($150 value)


Your holiday gift package rate: $197

Regular value: $647


Reserve your spot TODAY! There are only 20 spots available!

Call 310-413-3847 or email michelle@nutrabrilliance.com to reserve.


It is my mission to help you feel and look your absolute best. Don't let 2012 be another year you missed out and put yourself on the back burner.

Happy at the holidays

It’s the holidays. Do you feel joyful? Stressed? How about both? For many people, the holidays are the toughest time of the year, with extra activities, mile-long to-do lists, and constant entertaining high on the roster of stressors. So how do we stay sane and healthy during this crazy, zany time of year?

The first thing we need to do is check out how many chemicals we’re taking in. When we say “chemicals”, we mean any substance (like refined white sugar, caffeine or alcohol) that gives you a short burst of energy, and then a subsequent energy crash. And it’s important to note that we don’t just experience a physical roller coaster ride on these chemicals. Large fluctuations in our blood sugar levels drastically affect our moods as well. Have you ever felt yourself getting irritable as your coffee high wears off? Do you feel significantly juiced up after eating a bag of peanut M&Ms? If so, you’re riding the chemical roller coaster.

Now, add incredible amounts of holiday stress together with incredible amounts of chemicals, and you’ve got the proverbial perfect storm. No wonder we all end up with the flu in January!

This holiday season, focus on adding naturally sweet foods to your diet regularly. Root vegetables such as carrots, parsnips, butternut squash, and pumpkin have lots of fiber, minerals, vitamins, and tend to have a calming effect on the body.

If you are making baked goods, use the highest-quality, organic ingredients available and substitute natural sweeteners for refined white sugar. For your favorite holiday baked goods, try substituting molasses, maple syrup, agave nectar, brown rice syrup, barley malt, date sugar or raw honey.

And just to emphasize those root vegetables I mentioned, let's take a look at pumpkin as an example of what these bad boys can do for you. Pumpkin isn't just for Halloween decorations or Thanksgiving pie, after all!

Food Focus: Pumpkin

A staple around the holidays, let’s explore the nutritional powerhouse that is pumpkin. A member of the Cucurbita family, including squash and cucumbers, pumpkin its name from the Greek word "pepon" for large melon. Seeds (pepitas) from related plants have been found in Mexico, dating back over 7000 years to 5500 B.C.

Pumpkins are chock full of beta carotene, a powerful antioxidant. Research shows that people who eat a diet rich in beta-carotene are less likely to develop certain cancers. Pumpkins are also loaded with potassium, zinc and are high in fiber.

Pumpkin seeds are nutritional powerhouses as well, and can be beneficial for people with kidney, prostate and gallbladder problems. They also help remove parasites from the intestines, and are a natural anti-inflammatory. Pumpkin seeds are high in protein, potassium, magnesium, zinc, iron, copper and essential fatty acids. All these nutrients are particularly helpful around the holidays.
________________________________________________________________________________________

Today I have 2 recipes for you! Yee-ha!

Recipe: Pumpkin Pie
From “Get The Sugar Out” by Ann Louise Gittleman

Serves 8-10 people

Ingredients:
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp ground cloves
1 ½ c pumpkin puree
1 cup milk (dairy, soy, rice or almond)
3 eggs, beaten
¼ c honey
1 ½ tbsp molasses
1 tsp natural vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Add seasonings to the pumpkin puree.
2. In a large bowl, mix milk and eggs, then stir in pumpkin mixture, honey, molasses and vanilla.
3. Pour filling into store-bought whole wheat crust*.
4. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 50 minutes longer.
5. Cool on a wire rack before serving.


Recipe: Roasted Root Veggies

Ingredients
6 carrots, peeled and trimmed
3 large parsnips, peeled, trimmed, and cut diagonally into 1-inch-thick slices
2 medium onions, trimmed, peeled and halved, each 1/2 cut into quarters
2 large beets, peeled and cut into thick wedges
1 celery root, trimmed and halved, halves cut crosswise into 1-inch-thick slices
1 whole head garlic, separated into cloves, unpeeled
2 or 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, sage, or thyme
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Put all the vegetables and the herb sprigs in a large baking dish. Season well with salt and black pepper, drizzle generously with olive oil, and toss them with your hands to coat them evenly.
Put the baking dish in the preheated oven and cook, stirring the vegetables occasionally, until they are tender and golden brown, about 45 minutes. Serve the vegetables from their baking dish or transfer them to a platter to accompany a roasted main course.