10-Day Green Smoothie Cleanse: Lose Up to 15 Pounds in 10 Days! (6 page)

FOODS TO AVOID (cause weight gain): Dried beans, Refried beans

TYPE: Dairy:

FOODS TO EAT (support weight loss): Egg whites, Eggs, Almond milk, Coconut milk, Goat’s milk, Hemp milk, Oat Milk, Rice Milk, Non-dairy butter (vegan butter)

FOODS TO AVOID (cause weight gain): Regular (full-fat) Cow’s milk, Cheese, Cottage Cheese, Cream Cheese, and Sour Cream; Condensed milk, Powdered milk, Powered eggs, Yogurt with fruit on the bottom

TYPE: Nuts and Seeds:

FOODS TO EAT (support weight loss): Raw and Unsalted Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, Brazil nuts, Cashews, Cedar nuts, Hazelnuts, Macadamia nuts, Peanuts, Pecans, Pistachios, Walnuts; Seeds: Chia seeds, Flaxseeds, Hemp seeds, Pumpkin seeds, Sesame seeds, Sunflower seeds. The next best are roasted and unsalted nuts and seeds.

FOODS TO AVOID (cause weight gain): Sugar-coated nuts and seeds

TYPE: Oils:

FOODS TO EAT (support weight loss): Avocado oil, Coconut oil, Extra-virgin Olive oil, Fish oil, Flaxseed oil, Sesame oil

FOODS TO AVOID (cause weight gain): Bacon fat, Chicken fat, Margarine, Hydrogenated oils (trans fats), Vegetable oils

TYPE: Sweeteners:

FOODS TO EAT (support weight loss): Listed in order of the best sweetener if you want to lose weight: Stevia, Monk fruit, Xylitol, Agave nectar, Raw honey, Coconut palm sugar, Sugar alcohol

FOODS TO AVOID (cause weight gain): White sugar, High-fructose corn syrup, Brown rice syrup, Brown sugar, Dextrose, Fruit juice concentrate, Raw sugar

TYPE: Spices & Seasonings:

FOODS TO EAT (support weight loss): Apple cider vinegar, Black pepper, Cardamom, Cayenne pepper, Chili peppers, Cilantro, Cinnamon, Ginger, Parsley, Garlic, Nutmeg, Onion, Oregano, Rosemary, Sage, Saffron, Tamari, Thyme, Turmeric

FOODS TO AVOID (cause weight gain): Ketchup, Mayonnaise, MSG, Table salt, Worcestershire sauce

TYPE: Snacks:

FOODS TO EAT (support weight loss): Fresh Fruits & Veggies, Popcorn (lightly salted), Unsweetened peanut/cashew/almond butter, Organic unsweetened chocolate, Nuts and seeds, Hard-boiled eggs, Plain yogurt, Trail mix

FOODS TO AVOID (cause weight gain): Candy, Pies, Corn chips, Cookies, Donuts, Cakes, Ice cream, Pastries, Potato chips

TYPE: Beverages:

FOODS TO EAT (support weight loss): Distilled or Spring water, Alkaline water, Coconut water, Fresh-squeezed juices, Green tea, Black tea, Mint tea/Other Herbal teas

FOODS TO AVOID (cause weight gain): Sodas, Sports Drinks, Store-bought fruit juices, Mixed drinks, Beer

TYPE: Cooking Methods:

FOODS TO EAT (support weight loss): Baking, Broiling, Grilling, Poaching, Pressure cooking, Roasting, Sautéing, Steaming, Stir frying

FOODS TO AVOID (cause weight gain): Barbequing, Blackening, Burning or Charring, Deep frying, Pan frying

Superfood Additions for Smoothies

These are the nutritional powerhouses that can increase the amounts of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients in your smoothies. You can add these
after
the 10-day cleanse, as you make green smoothies a part of your daily lifestyle.

• Acai berries: power-packed with antioxidants that slow the aging process
  
• Aloe vera: has anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and antifungal properties
  
• Avocado: full of healthy fats
  
• Bee pollen: increases energy and stamina
  
• Brewer’s (nutritional) yeast: great source of vitamin B-12
  
• Cayenne pepper: will improve circulation and opens up the arteries
  
• Chia seeds: make you feel full and helps with weight loss
  
• Raw chocolate: high in antioxidants to slow the aging process
  
• Coconut oil: fat-burning power food that is antiviral and antibacterial
  
• Flax oil: boosts immune system and has anti-inflammatory effects
  
• Ginger: powerful anti-inflammatory and digestive-function strengthening properties
  
• Gogi berries: high in antioxidants to slow the aging process
  
• Maca root: improves energy levels and endocrine health
  
• Pomegranate juice: lowers cholesterol and has other cardiovascular benefits
  
• Sprouts: provide lots of enzymes and they oxygenate the body
  
• Wheat germ (raw): helps with PMS/menopause symptoms and healthy skin and hair
  
• Wheatgrass juice (fresh or powdered): alkalizes cells and boosts energy levels
  
• Yogurt or kefir: helps with digestion and fights against bacterial infections
  

Remember:
The 10-day cleanse is a detox/cleanse,
not
a diet! Be smart about weight loss. Be in it for the long haul, expect weight to fluctuate, and prepare for the journey. Normal weight loss of about one to two pounds per week is very healthy. If you have 30 pounds to lose, it will likely take you fifteen weeks to lose it, so focus and lock in for four months! You
will
achieve your goal! Focus on
getting healthy.
The weight loss will follow!

Chapter 7
Five Detox Methods to Enhance Your Cleansing

Detoxifying the body and eliminating toxins can be accomplished through various detoxification methods. (I describe twelve ways to detox the body for weight loss and overall health in my book
Lose Weight Without Dieting or Working Out
.)

Everyone’s toxic overload is different, and many factors come into play, such as your health status, weight, metabolism, age, and genetics. If you want to enhance your detoxification and cleansing, here are five methods to detox the body to support the cleansing process during or after the 10-Day Green Smoothie Cleanse.

1. Colonics
   
2. Liver cleansing
   
3. Saunas
   
4. Body brushing
   
5. Detox foot bath/foot pads
   

Colonics

Colonics, also known as colon hydrotherapy, is a method used to remove waste and impacted fecal matter from the colon. The first modern colonic machine was invented about a hundred years ago. Today, colonics are performed by colonic hygienists or colon therapists.

Colonics work somewhat like an enema but involve much more water and none of the odors or discomfort. While you lie on a table, a machine or gravity-driven pump slowly flushes up to 20 gallons of water through a tube inserted into the rectum. The therapist may use a variety of water pressures and temperatures. While the water is in the colon, he or she may massage the abdomen. Then the therapist flushes out the fluids and waste through another tube. The therapist may repeat the process. A session may last up to an hour.

The average colon weighs about four pounds, but it is not unusual at all for colon cleansing to flush away as much as ten to twenty pounds of stagnant fecal matter. Your colon can hold a great deal of waste material that, when not eliminated, putrefies, adding to the toxic load of your body. Many people with “pot bellies” may actually have several pounds of old, hardened fecal matter lodged within their colons. The process may actually cause you to experience some immediate weight loss.

It is a common misconception that doing a colonic will rid your body of all the good and bad bacteria. If you decide to do a colonic, it will rinse out good bacteria in your colon—but just temporarily. After you flush out everything, the good bacteria with the bad, you want to replace the good bacteria, the probiotics. Your body will replenish the good bacteria within twenty-four hours, unless you are extremely unhealthy or weak. However, you should always take a probiotic supplement after a colonic to replenish the good bacteria right away. A good colon therapist will always provide you with probiotics (good bacteria) at the end of your colonics session.

If you choose to research colonics and decide to include them as part of your detoxification process, you probably want to go at least once a week for up to six weeks, particularly when you first begin aggressively detoxifying the body. That is because you are drawing out toxins in the body, and if they are not eliminated quickly, they can cause detox symptoms that become uncomfortable. One rule of thumb as to whether to do a colonic is determined by how frequent your bowel movements are. If your body is managing the toxins and waste well through normal daily bowel movements (one to two per day), then you probably don’t need to have a colonic. If your bowel movements are less frequent than once a day, it may be a good idea to do a colonic to get your bowels moving more frequently.

There are no major drawbacks to a properly administered colonic by a trained colon hydrotherapist. You don’t need to be concerned about the safety of colonics as long as they’re done with a certified colon therapist on a good-quality machine.

Check Your Poop to Evaluate Your Health

Here is another simple way to evaluate your health. As an example, bowel movements (BMs) that are black or reddish indicate potential health problems. Thin BMs suggest that more fiber is needed in the diet or there is some type of imbalance in the digestive tract. If you have chronic constipation and your BMs are rock solid, this may be an indication that your liver is overworked. If you experience chronic constipation or difficult bowel movements for an extended period of time, you should seek medical advice.

Your bowel movements will help you understand what’s going on with your body. Healthy bowel movements should:

• Occur two to three times a day and definitely no less than once per day.
  
• Should not have a strong, foul odor.
  
• Should be medium brown in color, shaped like a banana, about the width of a sausage.
  
• Should float, not sink right to the bottom of the toilet.
  

Liver Cleansing

The one secret to losing weight and keeping it off is to keep the liver healthy and operating at peak performance. The liver (also known as the fat-burning organ) is the number-one secret weapon to weight loss. The liver is responsible for breaking down, eliminating, and neutralizing toxins in the body and breaking down fats in the body. Therefore, it is essential that we cleanse the liver to improve the body’s detoxification capabilities and to help the body metabolize and burn fats.

When your liver functions efficiently, it is much easier for you to lose weight. The liver has to perform well enough to eliminate the toxins that are causing fat cells in the body. If you have body fat accumulation, especially around the waist and midsection (i.e., belly fat), it suggests that your liver may not be functioning properly or as efficiently as it could. To lose this excess weight, you have to detoxify and cleanse the liver, which leads to not only a slimmer waistline but also a thinner body.

One easy way to cleanse the liver is to take herbs/supplements, such as milk thistle, dandelion root, and burdock. These herbs are all-natural and very effective at liver detoxification. You’ll find that many products on the market combine these herbs into one supplement so that you can achieve the best results. As you look for products to help you cleanse your liver, be sure to only use those that are all-natural and gentle on the body. My favorite two liver-cleansing supplements are Liver Rescue by Healthforce and Livatone Plus by Dr. Sandra Cabot.

Additionally, an inexpensive liver-cleansing option is to drink one to two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in eight ounces of water every morning and night. Do this for two to three weeks or continue until your sluggish liver symptoms have improved. My favorite brand is Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar.

Completing a liver cleanse can be a positive and rejuvenating experience that yields numerous health benefits. As you improve liver health, you increase your body’s ability to detoxify itself, improve its fat-burning capabilities, and achieve optimum health.

Saunas

The skin is the largest organ of elimination for the body, and a sauna helps you sweat out toxins from the body. Why I love the sauna is that I’m all about things that have a health benefit while providing a beauty benefit. You can kill two birds with one stone. You release toxins, burn calories, and come out with glowing skin. I had a client that learned from my teleseminars about saunas and found that by sweating out her toxins in the sauna, her acne cleared up; this was due to her sweating out the toxins as opposed to them being released through the skin, causing acne and other rashes.

If you want to know how healthy someone is, sometimes you can just look at his or her skin and tell. If someone has clear, radiant skin, there’s a good chance he or she is very healthy; breakouts, puffiness, or dry skin indicate that the body is having some health problems. Experts say that a sauna session can do more to clean, detoxify, and simply “freshen” your skin than anything else. I personally love getting in the sauna.

Benefits of the Sauna:

• Weight loss.
  In a sauna, you can burn 300 to 500 calories in fifteen to twenty minutes, almost equivalent to one to two hours of brisk walking or one hour of exercise. Saunas works positively on metabolism, increasing its speed and intensity, which in turn results in weight loss.
  
• Elimination of toxins.
  The steam in a steam sauna opens up the pores, allowing the skin to sweat out toxins that can cause illness. Perspiration is how the body purges itself of toxins and impurities.
  
• Cure for illnesses.
  The heat of the steam causes the body’s temperature to rise, which can help kill any virus, bacteria, fungus, or parasite in the body.
  
• Improved skin.
  The steam hydrates and moisturizes the skin, making steam saunas particularly beneficial to people with dry skin.
  
• Strengthened immune system.
  The high temperature of a steam sauna causes an artificial fever, which sends a “wake-up call” to the immune system and increases an individual’s white blood cell count.
  
• Relaxed muscles.
  The heat from the steam warms and relaxes tense muscles. This relaxation helps to reduce stress levels, revive mental clarity, and improve overall physical and emotional health.
  

For a steam sauna, you sit in moist heat for fifteen to twenty minutes. Follow that with a quick shower to wash off all of the toxins that have been flushed from your skin to feel truly refreshed.

Another type of sauna is an infrared sauna, which produces what is known as radiant heat. The heat of an infrared sauna also penetrates more deeply without the discomfort and draining effect often experienced in a conventional steam sauna. An infrared sauna produces two to three times more sweat volume, and due to the lower temperatures used (110 to 130 degrees), it is considered a safer alternative for those at cardiovascular risk. It accelerates the removal of toxic wastes and chemicals that are stored and lodged in the fatty tissues of the body. The sweating caused by deep heat helps eliminate dead skin cells and improves skin tone and elasticity. The heat produced in infrared saunas is extremely helpful for various skin conditions, including acne, eczema, and cellulite. Another benefit of the sauna is that you burn calories. Studies have shown that you can burn 600 calories in thirty minutes in an infrared sauna. Whichever you prefer, steam or infrared sauna, both can be dehydrating, so it is important to hydrate properly before and after a sauna.

A few of my personal tips for using a sauna:

• It is important to try out different types of saunas (steam, infrared, and oxygen steam sauna). You can make appointments at spas to see which type of sauna you like the best.
  
• You might want to invest in a home steam sauna. I bought one through Amazon.com for about $200, which is a lot cheaper than going to the spa every week.
  
• Sitting in the sauna one to two times per week is ideal for getting the best results.
  
• You will need to drink water before
  and
  after you get into the sauna. I drink coconut water after my sauna because it is super hydrating.
  
• If you have heart issues, sensitive skin, or asthma, or if you are pregnant, you should not sit in a sauna until you have checked with your doctor.
  

Body Brushing

Body brushing (also known as dry brushing) is done with a natural boar-bristle brush, which can be found in health food stores, Whole Foods, or Trader Joe’s. Dry brushing on a regular basis lightens the burden on the liver by helping to remove excess waste in the body. Dry brushing stimulates the lymphatic system, which is a secondary circulatory system underneath the skin that rids the body of toxic wastes, bacteria, and dead cells. By body brushing, you move the toxins along and out of the body for elimination. By brushing the body from head to toe with the dry brush, focusing on the lymphatic drainage regions, like behind the knee, you’ll improve the efficiency of the whole lymphatic system.

Firm, gentle brush strokes across the skin will improve your blood circulation, clean out clogged pores, and enable your body to remove toxins faster. Body brushing removes dead skin layers and encourages cell renewal for smoother skin. If the liver is the fat-burning organ, then the lymph system can be called a fat-processing system. So cleansing the liver and lymphatic system are key to weight loss and diminishing cellulite.

To effectively use the body brush, remove your clothes and begin brushing the soles of the feet. Next, brush from the ankles to the calves, concentrating on the area behind the knees, using long upward, firm strokes toward the heart. Then brush from the knees to the groin, the thighs, and the buttocks. If you’re a woman, make circular strokes around your thighs and buttocks to help mobilize fat stores, such as cellulite. (Dry brushing actually helps to diminish cellulite.) Then brush the torso, avoiding the breasts. Finally, make long strokes from the wrists to the shoulders and underarms. The entire process should take no more than three to five minutes and will leave your skin feeling totally invigorated. The best times to brush are in the morning before showering or at night before bed.

Detox Foot Pads/Detox Foot Bath

Detox foot pads are a quick and easy way to rid the body of toxins. You put the pads on the bottoms of your feet overnight as you sleep. The ingredients in the detox foot pads are said to pull impurities and toxins out of your system during the night while you sleep. In the morning, you remove the pads from your feet and discard them. They are helpful with aches, pains, sore muscles, joint pains, swelling, and bloating.