Cleansing Our Lives - Part 2

So, are you ready to do something really great for your body? Are you ready to give your liver a healthy break, give your immune system and digestive health a boost, AND rev up your metabolism for fat burning and weight loss? For the benefit of some male readers who periodically stop by this blog :) I will compare a cleanse to getting your car tuned up. We know our cars run better and are free from mechanical breakdowns longer - when we give them regular maintenance and tune-ups. If you never change the oil filter, eventually it will be so clogged with filth that it will compromise the engine. Our bodies are no different. So, think of a cleanse as a regular tune-up!

I would like to encourage you to consider a healthy 5 - 10 day cleanse every 3-4 months. See for yourself if your overall health and vitality are increased, your mental alertness and sense of well being is enhanced, and some extra weight(particularly around the middle) is lost. I am confident that when you experience the "lightness" that happens during and after a cleanse - you will look forward to it each time. And you will strive to maintain the results!

Last week I completed my own 10-day cleanse. In the past, I have done 5-day cleanses. But because I had malaria last winter, which can affect liver function, I wanted to do a longer cleanse. I used whole foods and support products from Advocare, a quality provider of weight loss, fitness, and wellness products.

I was skeptical about being on a cleanse for ten days - and wondered if my busy schedule would be compromised by the use of detox products for that long. However, I found the 10-day cleanse to be superior to the 5-day cleanse. And something I actually enjoyed!

GETTING STARTED

You'll first need to decide how many days you will cleanse. A cleanse less than 5 days is probably not long enough for maximum benefits. A cleanse longer than 2 weeks is not recommended. As a former nurse and continuing health and wellness advisor and coach - I recommend 5 to 10 days. A good cleanse can be accomplished through the use of whole foods and water only. However, if you can financially afford to do so, I highly recommend the Advocare 10-day cleanse program. Yes, I am an Advocare distributor :) However, I only became one AFTER I researched their products for nutrtional balance and safety and completed the 10-day cleanse myself. I feel I can endorse them. And the products were inclusive and made the process easier. If you do choose to accomplish the cleanse with foods alone, here are some tips!

Cleanse Tips

1. Morning is your body's natural cleansing time. Start every morning of the cleanse hydrated. Two glasses of filtered water with 1/2 lemon squeezed into them stimulates the digestive and intestinal tract, cleanses the liver after your overnight fast, energizes you and alkalinizes the body. Your body is healthier in a more alkaline state, rather than an acidic state which causes inflammation.

Hydration is highly important through the full ten days of cleansing. Your body will begin to release fluids and toxins by Day 2. It is crucial that you replace these fluids, or you could feel some common symptoms of impending dehydration - such as slight headache, low energy, muscle cramps (specifically in the calves). A minimum of 8 glasses of water each day is good.

Do not drink coffee, alcohol, juices, soda pop, and other sweetened drinks during the cleanse. Advocare uses a sugar free vitamin/mineral/amino acid energy drink in the morning, which is wonderful. Otherwise, lemon water and unsweetened herbal tea is what you would drink on a cleanse.

2. Use a good probiotic supplement each day of the cleanse (this is included in the Advocare cleanse). And I highly recommend taking a probiotic every day, after the cleanse, as well. A probiotic puts "friendly" bacteria into the intestinal tract. These beneficial bacteria encourage proper digestion and strengthen the immune system.

3. Eat 4-5 small meals per day of whole foods only. This means no sugar (except fresh fruit), white flour, refined and processed foods, fast foods, red meat, or bad fats/fried foods. Focus on eating ten servings a day of fresh vegetables and fresh fruits. Only eat starch foods (bread, rice, cereal, pasta) in their whole grain form. In other words, whole grain bread, whole grain brown rice, oatmeal/steel cut oats, wheat and oat bran. Eat only good fats (avocados, olives, olive oil, nuts) and avoid butter, margarine, mayo, and salad dressings (except olive oil/vinegar). Focus on lean proteins (turkey, chicken, fish, tofu, lentils/beans, whey protein shakes, nonfat Greek plain yogurt).

4. You should have protein, vegetables and carbs (fresh fruit and/or whole grains) at each meal. Each meal should have a minimum of 15 grams of protein and no more than 30 grams of carbs. Protein consumption is extremely important in a cleanse to help with the preservation of lean muscle mass. Advocare uses a high protein/high fiber meal replacement shake for one of your small meals. It is a balanced, low calorie meal that you can add fruit to for a yummy shake!

5. You should take a high fiber supplement for 6 of the 10 days during the cleanse. There are many options for this that can be purchased at a pharmacy. Most are meant to mix with water or unsweetened juice. Best time for taking these high fiber supplements is morning. Advocare's cleanse includes a high fiber drink and herbal cleansing supplement.

6. Exercise is important! Not only for the usual reasons we all know but because exercise also keeps everything moving through the intestines! A 20-30 minute daily walk is a great place to start! If you are already involved in an exercise program or regular gym workouts - continue these during the cleanse. Combining cleansing and exercise yields better results than either does on its own.

7. Cleansing is not fasting! If your energy depletes or if you feel hungry, you need to have a snack - something that will stabilize your blood sugar, while not compromising the cleanse. If this happens, grab a handful of raw nuts, an apple, pear or celery pieces. And I will now give you a piece of GOOD NEWS. There is such a thing as "nutritional supplement chocolate!" Yep! Any chocolate that is over 72% cocoa is allowed! There is minimal sugar in these dark chocolates - and pure chocolate is an antioxidant AND a health food. It also balances "feel good" hormones in the brain, puts you in a good mood, gives you a boost of energy, curbs your hunger, and makes it easier to lose weight! Granted, two small squares is your portion size - but it does make a healthy snack! This health benefit is only true for dark chocolate, and not milk chocolate, which contains loads of sugar - sorry :)

These tips will help you get started! If you would like to explore the option of doing the Advocare 10-day cleanse - please click on the title of this post, and it will take you to my webpage where you will see the cleanse products bundled for easy purchase. If you purchase that cleanse, I will coach you through all ten days! If you are planning to do a cleanse on your own, feel free to email me with any questions, and I'll help you through it.

Whatever your choice - remember that your body is a wondrous gift from your Creator -who desires that the vessel be operating at its healthiest capacity so you can fulfill the plans and purposes He has for you! YOU are wonderfully and fearfully made!

Next time, I will talk to you about the post-cleanse period, maintaining your results, and will share a few post-cleanse testimonies to encourage you in your efforts.

Be healthy and blessed!
Cheryl

Maximizing Your Exercise Routine with Protein!

I wanted to share with you a new discovery I made recently that could help maximize your exercise routine, increase your ability to burn fat, and improve your overall physical health. Some years ago, when working in the weight management field as a nurse in charge of medical diets, I became very aware of the importance of protein in the diet.

Truth is – most women over 40 who are struggling to maintain a healthy weight do not get enough protein in their diets. In part, this is due to the restricted calories of most diet plans that women in midlife gravitate towards. Protein, and the amino acids that make up this important nutrient, is the building block for muscle tissue. Protein builds and repairs muscles after a moderate to intense workout. Protein increases metabolism for more stamina to complete a moderate workout. Protein helps rid the body’s tissues of excess fluids that are stored from taking in too many simple carbohydrates. And protein burns fat.

Generally, about 20% of your daily calories should come from lean protein sources. The RDA recommendation for protein in women is based on age. For women over 25, the daily recommended protein intake is 50 grams. But you can multiply your body weight by 0.4 to determine the daily protein needed for a sedentary adult. However, for an active adult woman (which you want to be!), the protein requirement increases.

If you are a midlife woman who has started an exercise routine with regular strength training – but are not seeing results – you might want to look at your protein consumption and find ways to increase it without greatly increasing your caloric intake.

I’m not an advocate of extremes, therefore eating only protein – without the balance of complex carbohydrates and healthy fats is unhealthy and can put the body into a type of protein overload called ketosis. Ketosis can cause insulin resistance and glucose intolerance – dangerous risk factors for the development of coronary artery disease and hypertension. A chronic state of ketosis can also result in dehydration that burdens the kidneys – causing dizziness, headaches, confusion, sleep problems, nausea, and kidney dysfunction. Therefore, keeping protein balanced with complex carbohydrates (fruit, vegetables, whole grains) and good fats (olive oil, salmon, avocadoes, dark chocolate (!!)) is important.

However, unless you are on a carb restricted diet, the more likely scenario is that you are probably deficient in protein – and that can compromise your ability to burn fat and increase muscle strength and stamina during moderate exercise. And as I’ve mentioned before, muscle mass decreases with age.

SO… I have discovered a protein supplement that I cannot live without! It’s called Aria All Natural Women’s Protein. It is made from what is called “designer whey protein.” This just means that it is a blend of whey protein and “non-genetically modified water-extracted soy protein isolate.” Importantly, it is LOW GLYCEMIC – meaning that it will not spike your blood sugar and will help maintain healthy blood sugar. Many protein bars and supplements use increased refined sugars (sucrose). Although Aria does have some fructose (fruit sugar) in it for sweetening, it also uses Stevia, a natural plant sweetener, for flavoring. The protein is also lactose-free! This is important because many women are lactose intolerant and don’t know it. If you are lactose intolerant, you tend to “bloat” with milk and dairy products. This supplement will not cause that!

One thing I love about this protein supplement is that it mixes easily with water. I put it in a blender/magic bullet for a few seconds, with a little banana (you could use any fruit) and about 1/3 cup of lactose-free skim milk. The consistency is smooth and frothy – without lumps! And there is no gritty, protein texture! One glass, with two scoops of powder in water is only 80 calories and 14 grams of protein! I’ve been having a glass mid-morning and another one after my workout mid-afternoon – and I’ve already noticed the difference in my stamina and energy level during workouts – and just in general.

Here is the Aria website: http://www.designerwhey.com/aria-protein/

I noticed on the website that there is a coupon you can print for $2.00 off your purchase! That’s always a good thing!

Enjoy a healthy day!
Cheryl