40 Day Cleanse - Vitality Diet

As many of you know, I have been participating in a 40 day cleanse diet as part of my Teacher Training. Well, my 40 days are up - and guess what - I'm sticking to it! Am I saying I won't be having a beer from time to time... no... I do not plan be perfect. But I do plan to stick to as much of it as fits into my life - and that sure is the majority. This diet, designed by my wonderful yoga teacher training director, Molly Lehman, has been a huge blessing.

This summer, I was fighting ulcers and just couldn't get my stomach together. It was painful, I never had energy and the food I was able to eat was not at all satisfying. With medication, I finally got to a manageable point by late fall, but still was not feeling my best. Enter, Molly with our wonderful training program and - vwalla - I have never had more energy, and my stomach has not been upset at all - not even a gurgle, on this diet.

"Should you be eating that, Mommy?"

"You better let me test it."

I would like to mention here that when I say 'diet' I mean my usual day-to-day consumption of food. I do not mean that I am trying to lose weight or eat less by any means. Along this journey a few people have tagged a negative connotation to the words 'diet' and 'cleanse'. But after a quick explanation of what I was really up to they all turned supportive.

This is about eating whole, real foods. Cutting out the processed foods that we may not even be conscious we consume every day can really make a difference. It is about fueling and feeding your body best. In fact, most people asked for a copy of the information for themselves! So, without further ado...

The Vitality Diet - 

Just a tip, if its not on the list you shouldn't be eating it. Molly is so positive we got a list of can-dos instead of do-nots. I really love this but want to be super clear too... this means no alcohol, caffeine, pasta, white flour/bead, sugar, salt, etc. No processed foods - read your labels carefully - best to go fresh! We were allowed 3 cheat items over the 40 days - so be kind to yourself, do the best you can, and have a little cheat-treat here and there.

Liquids:

• Jala Dhauti - lemon and apple cider vinegar water - upon waking. (1 whole lemon and about a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in a little water)
• Fresh juice of fruits and vegetables
• Rice, almond or hemp milk (soy milk in a pitch)
• Plenty of clean water
• Green of white tea before 12pm.
• Herbals teas are great throughout the day. (I made a pitcher of herbal iced tea each week - totally saved me from reaching for sugary no-no drinks.)
• Coconut water, kombucha tea in moderation
  

Solid foods:
Remember to fill the stomach one half full of solid food, one quarter liquids and one quarter left empty for digestion without mental stress.

• Salads, sprouts, steamed or raw veggies (or lightly grilled), onion, garlic
• Avocado
• All beans & legumes
• Tofu or tempeh (no processed soy products)
• Oats, oatmeal, brown rice, wild rice
• Soups (homemade or really fresh - no processed can stuff)
• Sprouted grain or mana breads (found in freezer section), sourdough bread
• Quinoa, millet, amaranth, barley, bulgar, couscous, kamut, spelt, wheatberries
• Array of fresh fruits. Dried fruit.
• Almonds (sprouted best), other unsalted nuts in moderation (best if raw)
• Raw cocao (chocolate) Good brands are: Love Street and Gnosis
• Dairy in monderation or best to remove entirely. Must be organic, no hormones, from grassfed cows - sheep or goat is better.
• Eggs, meat and fish but only 4oz per meal when eating (6-8oz per meal for men). Must be organic, hunanely raised, etc. 1 protein per meal.

Dressings:

• Braggs, fresh lemon, olive oil, tahini, ground sprouted almonds, flax, ginger, vinegar
• Homemade hummus
• Sea salt, all spices
• Agave syrup, maple syrup or honey - for sweeteners!
  
  

Bon Appetit!