The number one question I have been asked this month is how to prevent and treat colds and flu naturally. So I thought I would combine all of my recs and resources here for you all as an easy reference.

But first, why not just take Tamiflu, Nyquil, Sudafed or other over the counter common medications? Your health is an accumulation of and response to everything you put in and on your body. This includes everything from the air you breathe, products you put on your skin (makeup, lotion, soap, toothpaste, deodorant), people's energy around you, foods and drinks you consume, and even medications you take. 

A Cochrane review of Tamiflu published by the British Medical Journal in 2014  found "no compelling evidence to support claims that Tamiflu reduces the risk of complications of influenza, such as pneumonia and hospital admission." So besides it not really even working you also run the risk of these side-effects...

Tamiflu Side Effects:  headache, nosebleeds, digestive upset: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, and psychiatric symptoms (hallucinations, abnormal behavior, self harm).

Pseudoephedrine Side Effects (active ingredient in Sudafed, Zyrtec-D, Claritin-D,  Advil Cold & Sinus): chronic trouble sleeping, stimulant effects, headache, nausea, dizziness, feeling weak, used to make meth

NyQuil Side Effects: increase in the thickness of lung secretions, drowsiness, abnormal liver function, decreased white blood cells and blood platelets, hives, high blood pressure, addiction to NyQuil

Unlike most over the counter drugs and prescriptions, natural approaches can be incredibly effective, safe, affordable, and without side-effects. To me these nasty side effects outweigh their potential ease of symptoms. My goal is to heal and support the body while strengthening the immune system so that you don't get sick again down the road. Here are my tried and true tonics, herbs, foods, essential oils, and techniques to ease congestion, cough, sore throat, fever, and body aches. These natural remedies will also fortify your immune system so that you are more resistant to getting sick again down the road. Win. Win! 
​

• Fire Cider: 1-2 Tbsp. 3-4 times daily. Sip it with water, lemon & raw honey.
  • This wellness tonic contains immune boosting ingredients to help ward off potential illness and ease symptoms of the cold & flu. From easing a sore throat and congestion to general cold season irritations, Fire Cider will warm you back up to health.
  • Ingredients: ginger, horseradish, onion, garlic, cayenne, lemon, orange, turmeric, rosemary, honey in apple cider vinegar. Recipe Here. 
• Elderberry Syrup: 1 Tbsp. 3 times daily (Herb Pharm or Gaia Herbs)
• Echinacea: 1 tsp. twice daily (Herb Pharm or Gaia Herbs) Better for prevention
• Vitamins: D3 2000-5000 units daily, Vit C 1000-2000 mg/day, Zinc 40 mg/day, probiotics
• Gypsy Cold Care Tea: sip hot with lemon & raw honey
• Neti Pot Saline Flush. How To Here. 
• DoTerra Essential Oils to diffuse:  You may also make a Vick's Vapor Rub type ointment by mixing 1-2 drops of these oils with coconut oil and spreading on your throat and chest. 
  • ​Cold: thyme, lemon, On Guard Blend, melaleuca (tea tree)
  • Flu: Breathe Blend, melaleuca, peppermint, rosemary, eucalyptus, On Guard Blend
  • Congestion: eucalyptus, peppermint, Breathe Blend
  • Cough: Breathe Blend, melaleuca, eucalyptus, frankincense, On Guard Blend
  • Fever: peppermint, lemon, lime, eucalyptus, melaleuca  
  • Allergies: melaleuca, lavender, lemon, peppermint 
• Organic Bone Broth

Foods To Eat & Cook With
Ginger, lemon, onions, garlic (preferably raw), turmeric, peppermint, cinnamon, thyme, oregano
These are good for making tea, broth, soup, cooking, and juicing.

Foods to Avoid When Sick

• Sugar – Decreases white blood cells that help fight off infection.
• Fruit Juices – Although orange juice contains some vitamin C, it is not as high in vitamin C as whole fruits or vegetables. If you want to drink a small amount of juice, dilute it with water.
• Alcohol – Is dehydrating and lowers immune function.
• Caffeine – Is dehydrating and can increase throat pain.
• Dairy & Whey – Can be mucus producing and can cause sore throat symptoms & congestion to progress.
• Eggs - Don't promote healing. Only good when you’re healthy.
• Vegetable Oils - canola, corn, sunflower, safflower (avoid always)
• Farmed Fish - (avoid always)
• Pork 

Sleep
Last but not least, in order to recover for any illness you must rest. If I could only recommend one thing from this entire post it would be sleep. We live in a non-stop go go go culture. Just taking one day off to stay home from work is a stretch, I know. But it is the best and fastest track back to health. In one study, people who slept at least 8 hours a night were 3 times less likely to come down with a cold than those who got 7 hours or less. Sleep definitely gets less credit than it should for keeping your immune system healthy and also for recovering when you've been immune compromised. If you feel tired or worn down when you're sick, SLEEP. Sleep until you're better. You will be restoring the body and supporting the immune system from the inside so you don't get sick again in a month or two. 

Fever Tea

• Yarrow
• Elder flowers
• Peppermint

Mix equal parts of the dried herbs. Pour 2 cups of near boiling water over 2 Tbsp herbs. Steep 10 minutes. Strain. Add some raw honey or maple syrup, grade B. This stuff doesn’t taste good, but it lowers the fever, makes you sweat, eases headache and joint pain. Drink 1/4 cup every hour, while awake.

Herbal Sweat To Break a Fever

• 10 drops of any of the following: Eucalyptus, Lavender, Thyme.
• Toss a washrag into the shower so that water will hit it when you turn it on. Then turn the faucets on in your bathroom full throttle on hot. Close the door. 
• When the room is full of herbal infused steam, head in and hang out in there until you are breaking a good sweat.
• To increase this, sip hot ginger tea with lemon. Make sure to keep super well hydrated! After the steam, head to bed and bundle into your blankets for some rest.

This Happy Hemp savory salad blends two of my favorite ingredients: brussel sprouts and kale, and turns them into healthy blend of amazing, melt in your mouth rich fresh goodness. Here is some nutritional info on hemp, which adds a punch of protein, omegas and good fatty acids to the mix. 

Nutritional Benefits of Hemp Seeds

• Hemp has more protein than meat, fish or tofu.
• Hemp has the perfect ratio of omega’s 3, 6 & 9. Great for women and hormone regulation.
• Hemp is packed with essential fatty acids, amino acids as well as all of the vitamins and minerals our bodies need on a daily basis.
• Hemp is in the same category as flax seeds or chia seeds, but because of it’s nutritional balance it is actually superior to the others. 
• Hemp Seeds Support: Immune Deficiency Disorders - Digestion - Maintaining a healthy level of cholesterol - Hormone fluctuation - Circulation - Weight Management - Insomnia- Healthy Hair, Skin, Nails
• Commonly known medicinal uses: nausea & vomiting; multiple sclerosis/muscle spasm disorders; spinal cord injuries; Chron's disease; Alzheimer's disease; Tourette's syndrome; digestive disorders; glaucoma; asthma; neurodegenerative disorders
• Not to mention they taste delicious!.. And no you will not fail a drug test after eating hemp seeds. They have less than .01% THC and are perfectly legal :)

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp minced shallot
• 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
• 1/4 tsp kosher sea salt (plus more for seasoning)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 large bunches of kale (1 1/2 lbs. total), center stem discarded, leaves thinly sliced/shredded
• 12 oz brussels sprouts, trimmed, finely grated/shredded with a knife
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil 
• 1/3 cup macadamia nuts, chopped coarsely
• 1/2 cup finely grated Pecorino or Parmesan
• 1/2 cup Hemp Seeds

Instructions 
1. Preheat oven to 350°
2. Lightly drizzle coconut oil over chopped brussels sprouts and bake for 20 mins.
3. Take brussels sprouts out of the oven 
4. Combine chopped mushrooms, lemon juice. Dijon mustard, shallot, garlic, cheese, hemp seeds, salt & pepper in a small bowl - Stir to blend & set aside to let flavors meld.
5. Mix thinly sliced kale & shredded brussels sprouts in a large bowl.
6. In a small skillet, heat coconut oil on medium & add macadamia nuts/hemp seeds, stirring frequently  until golden brown in spots (about 2 mins).
7. Transfer nuts to a paper towel-lined plate & lightly sprinkle with salt.
8. Slowly whisk remaining olive oil in a cup into lemon juice mixture.
9. Season dressing to taste with salt & pepper.
10. Add dressing & cheese to kale mixture; toss to coat. Season lightly with salt & pepper.
11. Garnish with macadamia nuts. Enjoy!!

Non-dairy milks have become a staple in most homes these days. It is not strange to see a carton of almond, coconut, rice, soy or hemp milk in just about anyone's fridge. This was also the case for me until a few months ago when I took a closer look at the label of my seemingly innocent Organic Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk. What should be a healthy drink of almonds, vanilla and water had a few sneaky ingredients like carrgeenan, a processed seaweed used as a thickener in everything from yogurt to frozen pizza and also an extremely inflammatory additive shown to induce colitis in laboratory rats. Unfortunately it is still an allowed substance in organic foods. (More info HERE)

Other suspicious ingredients include sunflower lecithin, D2, "natural" flavors, soy, and vegetable oils. All of these ingredients are super processed and have a plethora of harmful side effects you don't want polluting your body. Not to mention, if your nut/seed milk is not labeled "unsweetened" you can be sure it has at least 7 grams of added sugar per cup. 

I had been wanting to try making my own nut and seed milks so I decided to give it a shot. After a few test batches I came up with a pretty incredible blend of almonds, hemp seeds, vanilla, cinnamon, Himalayan sea salt, and dates that we lovingly have begun to call "Nutty Jugs" or better yet truly "Natural Nutty Jugs." No funny business (except the name) in these jugs just real food ingredients. 

I chose to blend almond and hemp for several reasons. Almonds have cholesterol-lowering effects, help reduce the risk of various heart diseases, and have high quantities of vitamin E (an excellent antioxidant), magnesium and monounsaturated fats. Almonds also contains manganese, copper and riboflavin which play an important role in energy production.

Hemp on the other hand is my new favorite superfood. Hemp seeds are a complete source of protein (15 grams in just 5 Tbs), packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber and have the perfect nutritional balance of Omega 3, 6 and 9. Hemp supports brain function, digestion, immune function, energy and healthy hair, skin and nails. Not to mention they taste of creamy nutty goodness. What more could you ask for?!! 

For added deliciousness and health benefits I add Himalayan sea salt, cinnamon, vanilla and dates. Himalayan sea salt restores the body's natural alkaline balance crucial to wellbeing. Cinnamon has been proven to lower blood sugar and cholesterol and also reduce inflammation. Dates are a traditional Ayurvedic food used for centuries. Date sugars contain more complex carbohydrates than other fruits. These complex carbohydrates are heavier to digest, and because they release their energy more slowly into your body, curb your appetite longer than simple sugars. 

So without further adieu I give you Nutty Jugs, the tastiest non-dairy milk you have ever tasted. 

In a blender add:

• 1 Cup Raw Almonds (soaked in water overnight)
  
• 1/4 Cup Raw Happy Hemp Seeds (Awesome Austin based company. Support local!)
  
• 2 pitted dates
  
• 1 Tsp. vanilla
  
• 1 Tsp. Cinnamon
  
• Pinch of Onnit Himalayan Sea Salt 
  
• 5 cups of water

1. Blend on high for 1 minute. I don't have a fancy blender and my blender has no problem pureeing this mixture. 
   
2. Strain mixture through a nut milk bag.
3. Chill and enjoy. I find it tastes better the next day. Not sure why though. Let me know what you think!

I have sent this article from Eat Drink Paleo to so many people I just had to share it here as well. I could not have written it better than Ms. Irena. Such good info! 

One of the first things I tell people when they ask me about healthy eating is to sort out their fats and oils. It’s really worrying how many people still use canola or vegetable oil as their standard frying fat or how often I see people smoking the crap out of extra-virgin olive oil. Don’t even get me started on margarine!

The Bad Guys: Vegetable & Seed Oils

Together with high-fructose corn syrup and soy meat substitutes, the industrial revolution was responsible for the mass production of highly processed polyunsaturated vegetable and seed oils, such as soybean, canola and corn oil. While naturally occurring, minimally processed fats and oils, such as olive oil and butter, are a healthy source of energy and nutrients, highly processed seed oils contain very high levels of omega-6 fatty acids, which when consumed in excess have detrimental health effects. Problem is – these oils are present in nearly everything we eat nowadays. Grain-fed livestock, where a lot of meat produce comes from, is also high in omega-6. A diet high in omega-6 is associated with an increase in inflammatory diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma and cancer to mention a few.

In addition to omega-6 fatty acids, most polyunsaturated oils are highly prone to oxidation and rancidity, which turns these so-called ‘heart healthy’ oils to toxic liquids. And although some of them have a high smoking point, making them seemingly suitable for frying and cooking at high temperatures, their chemical structure is so unstable (again, due to the fatty acid ratio) that they really shouldn’t be cooked with at all. For these reasons, it’s best to avoid the following fats and oils: corn, cottonseed, soybean, canola, safflower, sunflower, peanut, grape seed, vegetable and margarine, which is made from aforementioned oils.

What are the good fats & oils?

A healthy diet embraces saturated fats and healthy plant-based oils and avoids highly refined and processed polyunsaturated oils, such as those mentioned above, due to their toxic properties and high omega-6 fatty acids. Your fat intake should come from meat, seafood, eggs, nuts, avocados, fats and oils used in food preparation.

It’s important to know which type of fat or oil is best suited to which food preparation method. 

Keep In Mind:

• Saturated fat is typically more heat stable and doesn’t oxidate as quickly as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which makes it more suitable for frying and other high temperature cooking.
• Nut oils and olive oil are more fragile and can be cooked with but are best used unheated to retain the most antioxidants, vitamins and flavor.
• Refined oils will usually have a higher smoking point. Ideally, they should be expeller-pressed, which indicates that the oil was extracted using a mechanical process rather than with heat and chemicals. These are best for high temperature cooking such as deep-frying.

Smoke points, Cooking Uses & Shelf Life

The smoke point of a fat or an oil is the temperature at which it gives off smoke and starts to break down and oxidize, losing nutrients and developing toxic properties. Most foods are fried at around 170°C -240°C and it’s always best to choose a fat or oil with a smoking point just above that.

This post was originally titled something about New Year's Resolutions and how to keep them, but since it's January 3rd and my brother's birthday (Happy Birthday Meady Boy!) I have officially decided to just start writing and see what happens. Here we go!

Confession #1 For the past three years I have resolved to brush my teeth before bed and yet I still struggle to get the toothbrush in my mouth. Gross, I know! But this is me being vulnerable with you.  I hate brushing my teeth, especially at night. Fortunately Scott usually reminds me, but if left to my own devices the teeth can wait until morning. I always brush in the morning, I promise.

I have been hesitating writing this post. So much so even my brother called me out on it. "You haven't posted anything since Dec 22." Everyone else has already written about their holiday feasting and New Years Resolutions. I am behind the curve. So where was I? Well... since we are being honest, Confession #2  I probably had my hand in the enormous bag of El Rey Gran Saman Chocolate I keep only for gluten free baking, of course. (Insert sarcasm here.) 

Our cleanse ended December 21st. I know I bragged that we were going to go strong all the way to New Years, but that just didn't happen. We did the prescribed 3 weeks and it was amazing. We felt and looked pretty great too. I was proud of us. Confession #3 Midnight on the 21st came and I suddenly remembered where I had hidden the chocolate from myself for the past three weeks. And Scott, whose vice is gummy candy, somehow unearthed a bag of jelly beans... which he had stollen from our roommate. And thus the flood gates opened and the feasting began for the next 4 days, literally.

You might be wondering why am I confessing all this on my nutrition, health and wellness blog? 
Shouldn't I tell you how I made it through the holidays without a single sugar sweet baked morsel touching my lips, and that I am resolving to quit sugar for the rest of the year and start fasting intermittently? Why yes, I probably should. But the reason I have been hesitating writing is because I didn't want to write about what I SHOULD write about. I want to write about real life about the amazing highs AND the difficult lows, the victories AND the losses, the what I did rights AND the what I did wrongs, the stuff that makes you and me human for better or worse. We see and hear a lot of the things we are proud to tell the world about, but we don't get a lot of what people's real struggles are. So here it goes. I'm turning a new leaf for Wild Acorn.

No, I am not going to turn this into a downer fest, because that 's not my style either. But I do want to be a little more real here, to profess to the world that Confession #4 I love sweets and I had pizza and pancakes on Christmas! I AM a health freak, who is studying to be a nutritionist, writes about how to be healthy and yet man-oh-man I gotta get me some of that chocolate cake. 

All of this to say I am not sorry for those four days of gluttony. Oh, and did I mention we did it again for New Years? Maybe I did go a bit overboard, but I enjoyed every bite, especially the portobello ravioli and coconut ice cream. If you're gonna go BIG you better enjoy it and not regret a single calorie. Seriously! Do the healthy thing, make food your medicine, eat clean 95% of the time, but every once in a while you gotta let lose and not feel bad about it.  I'm not saying make this an every-other-day kind of thing, but every once in a while you deserve to celebrate. And for me that means with food. Confession #5 This should be an obvious one, but I LOVE FOOD. Let it be whole and real and nourishing to give you the health and energy to enjoy this amazing life we have been given to live fully. And so sometimes that means a decadent cheese platter and a nice glass of wine for dinner.

Last but not least, even though I said I wasn't going to do this, and I am way late per industry standards to be posting a New Years Resolutions list, here it is. Confession #6 I love resolutions. I love setting goals and having something to learn, do and look forward to. I keep a list of my resolutions and goals in my phone so that I can check in on them and see how I am doing and what I can work on. I ALWAYS make too many resolutions and I ALWAYS leave a few left undone. Let's see, last year I DID NOT learn how to play chess and nor did I learn to sew. Oh well, maybe I'll do it this year! I DID however invest more time connecting with family which I think is far more important. One point for me! I also got better at brushing my teeth before bed, but you know I always like to leave a little room for improvement :)

I know these are pretty basic resolutions, nothing you've never read before. But they are good. They will make you healthier, happier, a better citizen of the world and a better whatever you want to be. So I stopped trying to think of fancy new fandangled resolutions and just stuck to the basics, many of which have been on my list for years. But hey, at least I'm still going for it. 

1. Eat Healthier Get rid of everything processed in your pantry, fridge and freezer. That includes cereals, crackers, cookies, chips, sodas, frozen meals, dressings, pop tarts, etc. Anything that has ingredients that your grandparents and great grandparents wouldn't recognize is probably no good. Throw it out and don't buy it again for the year, or ever! This super easy step will make a huge difference in how you eat and feel. 
2. Spend more time with family Start with calling them on a regular basis. I put an alarm on my phone every Sunday to call home. 
3. Be on Time This was also on my list last year. 
4. Start practicing Yoga & Meditation
5. Do something to Give Back Donate your time or money to a cause you believe in
6. Give yourself a little love by honoring the Four Agreements: Be Impeccable With Your Word; Don't Make Assumptions; Don't Take Anything Personally; Always Do Your Best
7. Learn to Cook and eat healthy Home Cooked Meals 5 nights a week, preferably shared with friends or family.
8. Sweat Once a Day. However and wherever you want to do it. Get your heart a pumpin'. I've taken up swimming recently. I can't feel I'm sweating but my sore legs and arms tell me I'm doing something right. 
9. Learn Something New salsa dancing; to speak a foreign language; to sew; to play chess; to play an instrument; to use Photoshop; to do a handstand... 
10. Detox or Do A Cleanse See ours.

If you made it this far into reading you get my final Confession #7 I am totally addicted to watching Scandal, and Kerry Washington takes my breath away. A little behind the curve on this television hit, yet again, but I have watched 7 episodes in the past 48 hours. Too much? Yeah I know. The real confession is I've started looking for a job back in the states. But I have to save that story for another post. Scandal is just me procrastinating.  Happy New Year!!! 

Over the past two years I have made more or less the same green smoothie for breakfast on average about 350 days a year. That's a lot of smoothies! My smoothie kick started because before I wasn't really eating more than a granola bar or yogurt for breakfast. This lack of protein in the morning resulted in afternoon and late night hunger pains and binging. A nutrient and protein packed shake is the easiest and most delicious way to jump start the day. I pretty much never have time to make a hot meal in the morning, but I always have enough time to throw a few ingredients in the blender and run out the door with my cup flowing over with green goodness. Which is what happens when I have to be anywhere before 9 A.M. I am also that girl who when I come to visit you for the weekend I bring my smoothie mixins. And I'll make you one too! In fact I love making smoothie converts. My family scoffed at my green breakfast concoction for months. I think they even gagged watching me enjoy every last sip of my kale and spinach blended to perfection. A few months later, guess what they are having for breakfast now! 

This year winter rolled in to Jerusalem with a huge snow storm. Our meager space heaters in only the bedrooms and living room where not doing the trick. The thought of an ice laden cold smoothie sounded more like torture than bliss. During this time Scott and I were still doing a detoxifying cleanse and had to have a "liquid breakfast." 

So instead I created this little beauty... Hot Chocolate Cinnamon Shake-Meal. I made mine with the meal instead of the protein powder because I really wanted it to thicken almost to the consistency of oatmeal. But if you just want to drink it like a shake you should use the protein powder and DO NOT blend the chia. I blended the chia for extra thickening power to replicate that oatmeal texture, without the oats of course. Try it out! Make it yours. 

This smoothie and I have made it through many a long day and hard workouts together. It's an oldie but a goodie and definitely deserves it's place here amongst these new fancy hot shakes. So here it is, my Tried and True Green Smoothie Recipe.

• 1 Handful of Ice
• 1 Cup Unsweetened Almond or Coconut Milk
• 1 Handful of frozen mixed berries: Strawberries & blueberries are my fav bc the seeds don't get lodged in your teeth
• 1 Handful of Spinach
• 1 Handful of Kale 
• 1 Tbsp Flax Seeds
• 1 Tbsp Chia Seeds  
• 2 Scoops Hemp Force Protein Powder 
• 1 Tbs Coconut or MCT oil
• Optional additions: Earth Grown Nutrients, Spirulina, Trilogy nut butter, hemp seeds, maca powder, cinnamon, other frozen fruit, avocado

Directions:

1. Add to Blend Tech Blender in this order: ice, milk, berries, spinach, kale, flax seeds, and other additions. 
2. Blend until smooth
3. Add protein powder and slowly blend just until mixed (The chia sends to get thick and slimy if you blend it too much and some protein powders get foamy, so add them at the end.)
4. Enjoy!

Shortly after I moved to Israel Scott and I decided we needed to do a cleanse. We were both super healthy while living in Austin, however maintaining our clean diet and lifestyle in Israel was proving to be a bit more difficult. Whole Foods and organic farmers markets were out the window and replaced with weekly "Taco Night" family dinners, both of our July birthday celebrations, plus the 4th of July and an apartment infested with mold and bugs. All of this had us spraying chemicals, eating loads of sugar and grazing on processed foods that we wanted to eliminate from our diet. 
We needed to hit the reset button. 

The Standard American Diet, processed foods, GMO's, pesticides, toxins, chemicals, antibiotics and our fast-paced, stress-filled lives have (unfortunately) all become a normal and accepted part of modern life. All these things have the potential to interrupt and damage the body's natural functions and ultimately cause it to suffer in many ways small and large. Your detoxification system, comprised of your organs and psychological processes working together, is designed to keep you healthy, youthful and happy. With a little help from YOU this amazing system can become a super power center for healing, regeneration, restoration and rejuvenation. Doing a detoxifying cleanse helps to reactivate its potential and reset the whole mental and physical body. It delivers an all access pass to boundless reserves of energy and healing you didn't even know you had. 

Scott suffered from respiratory congestion, mild asthma and low energy, and I was dealing with IBS symptoms related to gluten, sweets and the stress of moving to a new and totally foreign place. Not to mention, we both have an insatiable sweet tooth that was self perpetuating monster. Rrrawr!  

On the hunt for a cleanse that we felt we could commit to and benefit from, I read the book Clean by Alejandro Junger and was totally sold. I liked several things about the program including:

• LONG ENOUGH: It is a 21-day cleanse which would give us enough time to heal, break bad habits and form new better ones.
• FOOD BASED: We wouldn't have to go vegan and totally starve ourselves on juice! We have a protein smoothie for breakfast, a healthy protein+veggie lunch, and a light veggie soup or fresh juice for dinner.
• MIND-BODY-SPIRIT INCORPORATED: It's not just a dietary cleanse. You are encouraged to meditate to cleanse the mind and change negative thought patterns that don't serve you. Online mediation resources: Mediation Experience and Living In Love Free Apps by Deepak Chopra; Mindful Meditation App; Check out other mediation apps HERE. 
• MOVE YOUR BODY: Exercise is also encouraged and since you are still eating real super healthy food you have the energy and strength to stay active, go for a run, or do yoga. 
• ADIOS CHEMICALS: All environmental toxins and chemicals including cleaning & beauty products are eliminated and replaced with safe natural products. This includes traditional toothpaste, antiperspirant, deodorant, all soaps & detergents, makeup, air fresheners, etc. 

This process was only slightly complicated by the fact that we live in Jerusalem and in the organic health food and nutrition department they about 20 years behind the curve. Fortunately, we are able to order most everything from Amazon. We also found an awesome CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program which delivers us two large boxes of local organic veggies once a week. As for meat... Well, we have to eat a lot of chicken as it is the only meat we can get organic. For best produce shop your local organic farmers markets or sign up for a CSA! 

OUR CLEAN PROGRAM

• Liquid Breakfast: Smoothie with greens, spinach, kale, blueberries & raspberries, cucumber, almond milk, vegan protein powder, chia seeds, super greens, coconut butter, maca powder, bee pollen, etc. 
• Solid Lunch: Healthy lunch with animal protein and veggies from the approved foods below. My lentil recipe is a great lunch option. Just switch the sausage for ground turkey, chicken or lamb.
  
• Liquid Dinner: Fresh veggie juice OR blended veggie soup
• 2 Tablespoons of Organic Extra Virgin Cold Pressed Olive Oil before bed

Olive Oil taken at night lubricates your intestines, improve bowel elimination, provide anti-inflammatory fats, kill germs and enhance fat burning, stimulate the gallbladder and liver to move bile clearing the liver system, promote bone formation, inhibit blood clot formation, and promote hormonal balance. 

• Fast for 12 HOURS between breakfast and dinner. If dinner was at 7 pm breakfast is at 7 am. 
• Drink at least 1 liter of pure filtered water a day not including tea.
• Snack, only if needed, on RAW veggies, fruit or nuts
• Supplement List Fiber, Probiotics, Liver Support, Antimicrobial, Digestive Enzymes, Natural Calm Magnesium 
• Printable Shopping List 
• PDF Cleanse Manual 

Since Scott and I were already pretty healthy and knew what we need to do to get back to baseline the results have not been super dramatic. We have felt hunger but never weakness. It has been hard not to eat solid foods after lunch. I am craving chocolate like crazy. More than anything I am still trying to break the habit of wanting something sweet after lunch and/or dinner. But it's not over yet and I am hopeful! 14 days into it here is what we have to report...

• Loads of energy, especially in the A.M. after fasting for 12 hours every night
• Feeling of lightness and ease
• My stomach pains and IBS symptoms are gone
• Scott's asthmatic symptoms and congestion is gone
• Skin is clear and radiant
• PMS symptoms (cramps, irritability, bloating) are lessened, if not gone
• Regular digestion and elimination (Sorry, but it's a good thing I had to mention!)
• We both have lost some weight, Scott much more than me. I don't weigh myself, but I can say my jeans slip on pretty easy right out of the dryer. 

We feel so good that we have actually decided to continue with the cleanse all the way to New Years just to end the year strong. We will be taking a three day break December 23-25th to celebrate a little and bake THESE gluten-free beauties. Check back here January 1st for the final report! 

Here is a great list to get ANYONE started living a happier healthier lifestyle. Make these small changes TODAY and your mind, body and spirit will thank you later! 

I don't subscribe to any one specific "dietary philosophy" but I like to pull bits of wisdom from several (gluten free, Paleo, Whole30) that ring true to me. This list is based on several of the principals from Weston A. Price and the book Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon. 

1.  Eat a Variety of Locally-Grown Organic Fruits & Vegetables
Find a local farmer's market (HERE), grab your backpack and a friend, and make a morning of it! They are usually loads of fun and stocked with more than just fruits and veggies. I especially like Hope Farmer's Market in Austin because they usually have grass fed meat, artisan crafts and live music too.

2.  Cut Out All Packaged & Processed Foods
Within reason, of course... I love my coconut and almond butters. I mean the Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Cheetos and Little Debbie's cakes. Even the packaged rice cakes, granola bars and other "health foods" that tout how healthy they are... cut them out too.  Clean out your fridge and pantry tonight! 

3.  Eliminate All Refined Sweeteners
These should go out when you cut out all processed foods. 
Examples: Sugar, Agave, Dextrose, Fructose, High Fructose Corn Syrup
Replace in small quantities with:  Raw Local Honey, Grade A Pure Maple Syrup, or Stevia
Sugar cravings are the result of excess sweets, not enough quality saturated fats, inadequate animal proteins, mineral deficiencies (see #8 for bone broth recipe), and additives like MSG & artificial sweeteners in the diet.  

4.  Make Your Own Salad Dressing & Sauces 
Here's a super easy recipe: In a jar mix 4 parts olive oil to 1 part apple cider or balsamic vinegar. Flavor with stone ground or dijon mustard, garlic, herbs & spices, blue cheese, raw honey, ginger, cilantro, parsley or lemon… get creative! This is also a good marinade for meat and chicken.
My Green Goddess Dressing Recipe. 

5.  Switch To Coconut Oil, Grass Fed Butter, and Ghee
Hydrogenated oils (i.e. margarine), trans fats & vegetable oils are all highly processed and extremely damaging to your health. Saturated fats, like butter and coconut oil are essential to maintaining healthy cellular communication, brain function, strong immunity, hormonal balance, managing blood sugar, and inflammation. Trans fats interfere with every function in the body and promote cancer and heart disease. Read my post, Making Sense of Cooking Oils. 

6.  Eat Good Fats 
Make sure your diet contains sufficient high quality, organic grass-fed animal products and some raw organic dairy. Animal proteins are the only proteins that contain the vital activators Vitamins A and D.  Good fat does not make you fat! Examples: avocado, nuts & seeds, coconut, WILD caught fish like salmon, olive oil

7.  Read the Ingredients Label. Forget the "Nutrition Facts"
Nutrition facts are totally subjective and often misleading. Just because it has a lot of fat does not mean it is unhealthy. And vice versa, just because it is low in calories doesn't mean it is healthy. Read the ingredients! If there is more than 5 ingredients you should beware. General rule of thumb, if your grandmother wouldn't recognize all the ingredients it's probably suspicious. Stick to the basics. 

8.  Learn to Make Bone Broth
Good broth will resurrect the dead; fish broth will cure anything. Utilize properly prepared broths liberally as an excellent mineral source. Bone broth recipe and more info from Weston A. Price HERE. 

9.  Put Lacto-Fermentation to Work for You
No, sorry that doesn't mean head out for a 6 pack of your favorite brewsky. Lacto-fermented foods, like dill pickles, sauerkraut and kimchi, are essential for digestive health and immunity. Check out my recipe for fermented probiotic drinks, kombucha and water kefir, HERE.  

10.  Eliminate Toxic Metals, Chemicals & Additives 
Examples: Household cleaners, prescription medications & antibiotics, nonstick cookware, antiperspirants, antacids, canned foods, bleached white flour, fluoridated toothpaste and dental treatments, cigarettes, silver dental fillings, vaccinations, large fish (sword/tuna), aspartame, synthetic supplements, pesticides, birth control pills, IUD, hydrogenated oils, commercial peanut butter, imitation dairy (Coffee Mate Creamer), and last but not least MSG
Instead: Check out the cooking, cleaning & beauty products in the Wild Acorn Wellness Store. 

11.  Reduce Stresses to the Physical Body
Do this by minimizing your exposure to/use of caffeine, microwaves (Use the oven! It takes a little longer but it's worth it.), drugs, fluorescent lighting, cell phones (I know, I know. At least try!), high heels, destructive relationships and negative people. A little yoga will also help to reduce stress. 

12.  Practice Forgiveness
We are made up of a physical, spiritual, and emotional body. Focusing on what we want and where we are going from a positive and joyful perspective is key to our health.  There is no greater healer to the physical body than the offering of love to yourself and others. Read my blog, How Have a Better Day, Everyday. 

I can not tell you how many times I have tried to give up chocolate in order to reach my health goals. As a teenager I was told cutting chocolate from my diet would make my acne go away. So I tried... mostly without success. It's just too tasty! So the day I read scientific studies calling chocolate a super food with actual real life health properties I could not have been happier. I probably ran to the nearest vending machine to buy a candy bar packed full of more sugar and toxic mystery ingredients than actual real cacao. There was problem NUMERO UNO! 

The secret to eating chocolate guilt free and reaping all of its awesome health benefits is all in WHAT KIND & QUALITY OF CHOCOLATE you choose to eat. 

• First rule of thumb is to choose DARK CHOCOLATE with a minimum 70% cacao and real food ingredients you know and recognize. True dark chocolate is made from a combination of four simple ingredients: cacao beans separated into cocoa powder and cocoa butter, sugar and vanilla. Milk chocolate has added powdered milk which is a highly processed substance you should avoid. 

• Secondly, check the source of the chocolate, more specifically the cocoa bean's country of origin. Just as fine wines are made from specific grapes, and specialty coffee comes from superior coffee growing regions, chocolate is made from cacao which is the bean of the cacao tree. Experts will tell you the world's most aromatic and flavorful beans come from South America. Most companies mix lower quality beans from Africa or other growing regions but the finest chocolate is made from beans from South America. 
• Last but not least, look out for sneaky ingredients like loads of sugar, emulsifiers, soy lecithin, artificial flavors and colors. Stick to natural flavors, spices and additions like nuts and coconut flakes. My absolute favorite sweet snack is dipping pure dark chocolate into almond butter or coconut butter. Heaven! No wonder they call it the "FOOD OF THE GODS!"

While you're enjoying rich dark chocolate you can ponder these amazing health facts:

• Dark chocolate is an antioxidant POWERHOUSE even more than blueberries and acai
• Dark chocolate contains theobromine shown to harden tooth enamel
• Quality dark chocolate is rich in fiber, iron, magnesium, copper, and manganese  
• Dark chocolate helps suppress your appetite
• The bioactive compounds in cocoa can improve blood flow in the arteries and cause a statistically significant decrease in blood pressure
• Dark chocolate lowers the susceptibility of LDL to oxidative damage while increasing HDL and improving insulin sensitivity
• Dark chocolate may also improve brain function
• Dark chocolate is protective against cardiovascular disease

HOLY CACAO that's a lot of awesome! 

Check out this video on how chocolate is made...