These two ladies and their books provided the guidance I needed on how to make healthy meals happen. What’s even better is that you can win them by entering our GIVEAWAY.
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It’s been two months since I’ve decided to reign in my out-of-control acne situation, and I’ve seen a naturopath and undergone a food cleanse. Diagnosis so far? My acne doesn’t stay around for as long but I’m still breaking out.
Now, I’m still taking the supplements directed by my naturopath (see what she prescribed here), with an added Vitamin B6 which Dr. Flowers says will, “move estrogen more efficiently through the system, push along the phases of detoxification and keep everything in proper balance.” Translation: It keeps the liver calm and collected which helps reduce skin inflammation and breakouts.
But the real test was my 10-day food cleanse, and I’m happy to report that I stuck to it (woot, woot!). The bad news? My naturopath says to see significant results I need to do this type of clean eating (no dairy, gluten, refined sugar, caffeine and alcohol) for 3-4 weeks. Kudos to those that have this willpower and time but I can honestly say that ten days was enough. As I mentioned you need to do a LOT of planning, and in truth, I was constantly grumpy towards my lovely family.
Was my skin clearer? Some days more than others, but it was inconsistent.
Did I have more energy? Maybe? Sadly I didn’t notice an uptick in verve.
Did I lose weight? No, but that wasn’t my goal.
Post-cleanse, I’ve incorporated back into my diet gluten (in smaller amounts), caffeine and some red meat (dairy and eggs are still off-limits as reco’d by my naturopath), but I’ve also gained healthy food habits. My morning lattes are made with almond milk, we eat vegetarian two meals a week and nut butters, chick peas and flax are pantry staples. Some meals and snacks I never would have made pre-cleanse were so delish that I ended up craving them even after the 10 days were up.
My healthy-eating tomes of choice was Joyous Detox by Joy McCarthy (I used this for my 10-day cleanse), and Oh She Glows Every Day by Angela Liddon. Here are a few of my game-changers.
6 Clean-Eating Lessons
Lesson #1: You can have cookies for breakfast. Every mom has been there: there’s no time for a proper brekkie because we’re rushing around making sure Bobby has his backpack, his lunch, and indoor sneakers, while trying to convince a toddler that they have to put on her socks. Most store-bought breakfast bars are loaded with sugar, so I was chuffed that I ended up loving Joy’s Breakfast Cookies (Joyous Detox).
Lesson #2: You can have snacks that are more satisfying than run-of-the-mill carrots and hummus. I literally was in heaven after one of these Energy Booster Balls (Joyous Detox). After eating salads and slaw for a few days, I needed a little something after each meal and these were the perfect punctuation. It also gave me a new affinity to hemp seeds. Lesson #3: Almond and cashew butter aren’t just for bread. Many of the recipes in both books prefer it over peanut, and you can add it to so many things for a protein-pick-me-up. PS: I really loved it in my Magical ‘Ice Cream’ Smoothie Bowl (Oh She Glows Every Day).
Lesson #3: It’s all about garnishes. Yes, I rolled my eyes when I had to eat yet another kale salad but this time raw pumpkin seeds, apples and a dusting of quinoa gave added flavour and texture, plus a healthy boost to basic greenery. Other garnish faves: unsweetened shredded coconut, sliced almonds and hemp seeds.
Lesson #4: Coconut yoghurt is my new friend. It took a while to find (check your local health or specialty food stores) for my Yoghurt Parfait with Chia Jam (Joyous Detox) but it’s a pretty yummy alternative to regular milk-based types.
Lesson #5: Eat less sugar, crave less sugar. I admit this one was tough, but cookies and sweets didn’t have the same appeal afterwards. I still covet a good jam on toast but it’s loaded with the sweet stuff. Joy’s version uses three ingredients, and it’s pretty damn yummy on her Cinnamon Flaxseed Bread.
Lesson #6: The right ingredients can be filling. These No-Bake Superfood Breakfast Bars (Joyous Detox) were ah-mazing and I never got that mid-morning hunger. Tasty, filling and packed with nutrition, even a half bar goes a long way.
It turns out I am a big fan of breakfast and snacks, but other noteable recipes from Joyous Detox include the Salmon Quinoa Cakes with Lemon Sauce, and from Oh She Glows Every Day, the Crowd-Pleasing Caesar Salad, Sweet Potato and Chickpea Curry (LOVE!), Comforting Red Lentil and Chickpea Curry and Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta.