L.O.V.E it yearly

photo courtesy of Simon HowdenMy 5 day vegan cleanse from Organic Avenue has come to an end (read my daily recap here) and I feel great. Not once during the cleanse was I hungry, although I did dream about food, I was not prone to mood swings, I lost weight and I succeed in purging toxins from my body. Most importantly, this break from grocery shopping and eating out has given me the opportunity to think about what I put into my body everyday and how I want to change that going forward.

While I have spoken about clean eating before, this cleanse has made me realize how much of a difference unprocessed food can have on your body. It has also made me excited to learn to cook this way. The first day off the cleanse I did not go wild and I was able to stay satisfied and interested in my food. Here was the menu:
Breakfast: 0% Fage Greek yogurt with agave and granola and a cup of coffee with soymilk
Lunch: Organic Avenue's Portobello wrap
Snack: a mandarin orange
Dinner: a treat at my favorite sushi restaurant consisting of: unsweetened green tea, grilled eggplant with miso sauce and 2 sushi rolls (toro and oyster) with brown rice.

Overall, if I can carry on with the routine of eating 3 meals and 2 snacks a-day, exercising, drinking lots of water and commit to cooking at least 2 vegetarian meals a week then this cleanse will be a continued success. Luckily I have a husband who is willing to alter his meal plan as he sees the value in changing our diet. This support will make sticking to the plan all that much easier. I enjoyed the experience of this spring-cleaning so much that I am going to commit to doing it yearly. Next year, whether I do the next step cleanse from OA or opt for a more economical route,  I hope to continue my food and health education and find new and interesting ways to take care of my body. -L.S.

Spring Cleaning for the Body and Mind

With the weather starting to get warmer and the days getting longer, I have decided that I'm ready for my spring cleaning. In year's past, my spring cleaning was limited to my closets but, this year, I've decided to clean my body and mind and I hope to discover something new about myself in the process. Start a spring cleaning for yourself in these 3 easy steps.

1) Do something for yourself every day It might be as little as 10 minutes a day, but you deserve it! If you spend time in the car, clear your mind with a walk around the block. If you wake up feeling stiff, start the day with some stretching. If you have trouble sleeping at night, try meditation or breathing exercises to find stillness. What ever you do, you'll force yourself to slow down and relax.

2) Expand your mind Learn something new and exercise your brain. If you have time, take a cooking class, learn a new language, or volunteer in your community. If your time is limited, watch a documentary and get perspective on the food industry or learn the history of a foreign culture.

3) Do a cleanse Cleanses don't have to be intimidating, just pick one area of your diet to focus on. Eat dessert only twice a week instead of everyday. Move away from processed food and start to focus on clean whole foods. Make the switch from white flour to wheat. Whatever you choose, you'll notice a difference in your energy levels and your waistline.

For me, spring cleaning will consist of a few minutes of meditation a day and cooking great recipes created by Chef Melissa Petitto. Starting Monday, I'm embarking on a L.O.V.E. cleanse from Organic Avenue, which I'll be writing about daily. I'm ready to do my mind and body good, how about you? - L.S.