Seasonal Detoxing

An excellent tool to create healthy clean eating habits that can change your life and increase vitality!

It is important to give the body a reboot each new season with a good cleaning and check-in.  As the seasons change, so does our body.  Foods and practices that served us well in one season, may not serve us well in the next.

A great example of this is seasonal produce:

In the winter, root vegetables are highly beneficial as they warm and ground the body and nourish us.  Yet, in the summer, we need more cooling vegetables and fruits like watermelon, organic corn, tomatoes for our nourishment especially as they are very hydrating.  The great part about this too is that the fruits and vegetables that grow in each season are what we can plan our meals around, making it more affordable, more environmentally “green” due to less shipping and travel of our produce, and more health beneficial.

To learn more about which fruits and vegetables grow in what season you can check out this helpful infographic:

Many holistic health professionals prescribe cleansing with the change in seasons, (4 times a year) to remove toxins from the body and mind.  This is a great opportunity allowing you the tools to maintain your health and joy naturally.

I prefer a 7-day whole foods detox using an elimination approach with 4 days of preparation (termed the 11-day-detox).   Of course, with any drastic changes in your diet, you should consult your doctor.  But this detox approach is the safest possible approach, as it doesn’t restrict calories, it just helps the participant to choose the best ones!

Guiding my clients through detoxes brings me delight for a variety of reasons.  Foremost, it is a great learning tool to help people find out what foods are not serving their bodies in the best, safest way possible.  Detoxes have been effective in breaking the cycle of insomnia, skin rashes, allergies, belly bloat, indigestion, and a host of other nasty symptoms.

Detoxers comment that they continue detox practices even after the detox is over, like drinking a warm lemon elixir every morning and taking a daily probiotic.  The repeat detoxers find new things about their systems every season and may add new skills to their lives like dry brushing, tongue scraping, and detox baths.

I have been called to help people live as healthily and joy-filled as they possibly can.  Detoxing is one of my best tools to fulfill this God-given purpose and passion.  It teaches clean eating principles in such an organized way and leaves little room for question about whether food is an underlying cause of someone’s disease process.

I would love to have you join us for this season’s detox: Summer  - we will focus on the heart.  Check it out here:

Let me help you begin a new chapter in your life.  Starting today. It can change the course of your health and the health of those you influence.

Our DNA doesn’t dictate our survival.  Consider a Summer Detox and empower yourself with the KNOWLEDGE to WIN against the toxins in our food supply.

The 11 day Summer Detox.  Learn more here: http://www.crazy4wellness.com/11-day-detox/

Contact me today for more information:   lcavner@me.com.

Thanks for visiting!

Not all fats are created equal!

Heavily processed, hydrogenated “trans” fats used in prepared, packaged foods can be extremely damaging to the body. They can compromise the cardiovascular system, immune system, and contribute to behavior problems. They can also lead to weight gain, skin breakouts, high blood pressure, and liver strain.
That said, our bodies need fat for insulation, vitamin and mineral absorption, and to protect our organs. High-quality fats can steady our metabolism, keep hormone levels even, nourish our skin, hair, and nails, and provide lubrication to keep the body functioning fluidly.

Where to Find Healthy Fats

• Avocados, olives, and coconuts are great sources of healthy fat, along with wild salmon and omega-3 rich organic eggs.
• Whole nuts and seeds, and their butters like almond butter or tahini
• Look for the highest-quality organic oils when shopping. Words to look for: organic, first-pressed, cold-pressed, extra-virgin, and unrefined. Avoid expeller-pressed, refined, and solvent extracted.

How to Use Healthy Fats:

• For cooking at high temperatures (stir frying and baking), try butter, ghee (clarified butter), or coconut oil
• When sautéing foods, try organic extra virgin olive oil.
• Oils like flaxseed, sesame, toasted sesame, walnut, and pumpkin seed are best used unheated in sauces or dressings

Avocado Dip

Prep Time: 3 minutes
Makes 1 cup

1 large peeled and pitted avocado
2/3 cup plain yogurt, goat yogurt, coconut yogurt, or almond yogurt
1 diced tomato
1 tsp of lemon or lime juice
1 tblspn extra virgin olive oil
handful of fresh basil, chopped
dash or two of cayenne pepper
sea salt and black pepper

• Mash avocado with a fork until very smooth.
• Add yogurt, olive oil, basil, tomato, cayenne. Blend until smooth. This may be done in a food processor, in a blender, or with a fork.
• Add sea salt and fresh black pepper to taste.
• Serve chilled with mixed raw vegetables.
  Tip: Best made a maximum of 1 hour before serving.

There are so many diets out there, however research shows that diets are not the solution to a healthier lifestyle…habits that provoke lasting change are the solution.  The catalyst for lasting change is creating simple, easy to continue habits.  At my health coaching school (IIN), we have learned a tool to help people in this goal called “crowding out” the bad so that you can make room for the good.  What can you start to crowd out of your daily routine?  Just pick one area to work on: soda, caffeine, candy, late night snacking, an area of nagging stress? You will see within a little bit of time, you can create a positive habit that reinforces not wanting to take part in the old habit.  Lasting change brings hope for a healthy future for you and your loved ones. Find your reason, whatever it is in your world, that makes you want to work on these healthy habits.  Not just feeling better, or looking better, but for whom do you need to start feeling better and living healthier.  My reason is so I can be around to help my 6 year old daughter Avery navigate type 1 diabetes for the rest of her life or until a cure is found.  What or who is your reason? Find one, and keep it close to your heart.  It WILL forever motivate you to drench yourself in healthy habits that will last a lifetime.  Consider joining one of my seasonal detoxes or Transform 30 groups where we explore creating healthy habits through simple steps.

We are well into our spring detox and the results have been amazing for our detoxers! Weight loss, increased energy and a better understanding about the foods that serve their body well.

“Your body, the only one you will ever have, is the foundation of your life.

And it’s either an anchor limiting your freedom and potential, or a source

of radiant energy, vitality and joy, elevating your life and the lives of those

around you. It’s your choice… will yours be a source of strength, from which

you will impact the world, or an obstacle, preventing you from your dreams

and desires?”     Strength For Life, by Shawn Phillips

Have you ever stopped to think and take that all in – that this is our only one body, one brain, one heart , one pancreas that we will ever have?  That is mind numbing to me and yet at the same time it is an instant motivator to start getting more sleep, more exercise, more rest, more nutrition, and more play;  more health, more spirituality, more peace, more love, more of everything good that nourishes our body and souls….

I would love to help you on your journey to MORE of what you need in your life….for me, often MORE comes with LESS- when I take the time to DETOX of things from my mind, body, and spirit that are not serving me.  If you want to know more about what that looks like, please check out my 11-Day Detox page at  http://www.crazy4wellness.com/11-day-detox/ .  The February EAT TO NOURISH DETOX group begins on Feb 10th.

You only have one body to live in….and it is time to start taking care of it!

May blessing come to each one of you reading this in a very special way this week!

-Lindsay

As I sit and write, I am taking in all that has happened during 2013, and feeling so blessed and grateful to God for all the ups and downs my family has experienced.  No doubt, you will be bombarded with the challenge to develop your own “new year’s resolutions”.  I like to actually think of these as “goals” rather than “resolves” for myself.  In fact, writing them as goals allows you to morph them as they may need to be morphed, and allows you the room to experience success and not regret.

Here are my top 5 tips for making a fresh start in 2014.  You may find room for a goal or two after reading them! :

1) Give gratitude in every situation.

The physical power of gratefulness is healing to our bodies and souls.  It is actually shown to repair damage to our bodies physically and emotionally.  We all fall privy to the “cup is half empty than half full” way-of-thinking.  We need to CHOOSE gratefulness, it doesn’t come naturally.  When I am up against a tough situation,  I like to think of the situation in a different light than my mind automatically does.  For example, I force myself to look at my daughters’ chronic battle with diabetes as her life “nugget” that will grow in her strength and courage and also allow her opportunities to help others throughout her life.  Because of her diabetes, she is able to have empathy for others with medical struggles.  It is not easy, this way of thinking….and of course I fail at times, but I try to bring myself back into focus so I can move my mind to more positive thinking and bring her into a place of health and not regret.  So, take a minute to breathe in positive thinking in difficult situations and feel the benefits flow swiftly into  your mind and your body.

2) Breathe more, fret less:

At my nutrition school – Institute for Integrative Nutrition, Dr. Andrew Weil delivered a lecture where he said, if I teach you anything of value over this hour and a half, I want to teach you how to breathe.  This will change your life for the better.  He proceeded to teach us how to breathe for healing, especially while in a tough situation or just feeling overwhelmed by life.  Here is what he taught us:

You are to breathe in for a 5 count, hold the inhale for a count of 7 then exhale slowly over a count of 8.  Do this over several repetitions, then breathe normally for a few seconds and start again.  Do this 1 to 2 times a day to begin working up to 2 times every day.

This brings your body into better rhythm and focus so you can make less impulsive decisions.  It really is healing, and the more you practice this, the more automatic this practice will become.

3) Drink More Water and add fresh lemon!

You have all heard that our body is made up of 70% water, so it makes sense that we need to drink A LOT of it….actually the minimum amount should be half your body weight in ounces.  So if you weigh 140 lbs, you would need to drink 70 ounces a day. AND if you are at all physically active, you should increase your intake from there.  I need at least 20 more ounces daily due to running every day.  Also, keep in mind, it is best to drink water 20 mins before eating a meal or snack, and try not drink with your meals.  This is because by drinking water before we eat, we rev up the digestive system, allowing for proper digestion.  If we drink with our meal, we actually dilute the enzymes ability to digest our food.  The best way to start the day is with a warm cup of water with a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice 20 mins before you eat.

4) Do something fun for yourself every day!

The healing in this goes without saying….we tend to get into the routine of just getting through our day and getting things done on our “To do” list.  We really need to make at least 15 mins in the day to appreciate our bodies for what they help us get done in the day….maybe it is 15 mins of yoga poses, 15 mins of meditation, 15 mins of TV or painting toe nails, or massage, reading a good book, the list goes on… whatever it is, write it down at the beginning of the day and schedule time for it….Be faithful in doing this!  When we take care of ourselves, we are much better equipped to do for others….which brings me to the last tip:

5) Do something for someone else everyday!

Go out of your way to do something unexpected for someone in your day to day….this is actually more healing to us, than to the other person.  It doesn’t need to be anything big or expensive, and doesn’t even need to be recognized by the other person.  It is still healing when done in secrecy!  The prime example is paying for someone’s coffee in the car behind you at the Starbucks drive-thru. I think of even simple tasks like cleaning up my daughter’s craft area, or saying a specific prayer for a friend, or helping out in your child’s class at school, or making that cookie recipe that you know your friend loves!

Remember to give yourself some room to morph:

One of the most profound things that I have learned this year is that unfulfilled expectations that we put on our selves are just as damaging to us as unfulfilled expectations that we put on others.   Another way of saying this is that our internal thoughts towards ourselves can hurt us just as much or more than negative external thoughts from others.  Remember to give yourself some room to learn from mistakes and move on, maybe changing your goals to fit your circumstances.  Whatever your goals, make sure you have some to work towards this year, as that ensures positive thinking and efforts for the new year.

Wishing you many blessings throughout 2014 and feel free to comment below on what your goals will be for 2014!

The Clean Eating Challenge is a great way to kick start your health goals in the new year and be part of a facebook community that is supported and guided through the challenge daily.  Supports on the facebook page include: recipes for snacks, smoothies, and meals, ideas for exercise drills, and everything you need to clean your body and get on the path to wellness.  You will purchase a 4 month supply of the Trio (Garden, Orchard, Vineyard) and Two orders of Complete Protein Powder (choice of chocolate or vanilla).

The support for the challenge is free with purchase of the product.  You can either pay in full or spread the payment out over 4 months.  All products will be shipped upfront with both payment plans.  Please call or email me with any questions you have: 480-206-3605, lcavner@ssptaz.com.

To place your order Click Here: and purchase the trio and one order of complete powder.  I promise this challenge will change your life!!!

It seems lately I have had a lot of hurdles to overcome…in business, relationships, and just plain getting through each day without negative forces bringing me down.  I have been meditating on how to let these things not shake me, not bring me down and definitely not defeat me physically and mentally.  It is not easy.  As humans, we take everything personally, especially when we feel we or our loved ones are being attacked and bullied.

So, what is the key to breaking through this feeling of attack and not letting it harm us?  I think the key is gratitude.  When you feel thankful for the things that are going well and recognize them, you combat the effects of the things that aren’t going so well and you build a shield around your self. I used to live my days in worry, fear and in the “what if” mentality.  Not that this doesn’t still creep in, but if I continued in that thinking, I would ultimately will the things I worried about to come to pass.  It is the nature of things, of forces.

So today, I am grateful….grateful for the fresh ocean breeze on my vacation, grateful for the birds that are chirping as I write, grateful for my husband’s smile, my daughter’s zest for life, for my friendships gained, even for friendship lost along the way….I am grateful for breath, for failure, for struggles and perseverance – all attitudes that sweeten the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

I wish you all gratefulness and that you may learn to offer gratefulness for the little things that help to shield you from the daily yuck along the way.  If you are interested in learning more about mindfulness, please email me, or visit my pinterest page and look for my exercises on mindfulness. Buenos dias from Cabos San Lucas….

Amazing RAW recipe: Avocado Pistachio Pesto…..From: Ani’s Raw Food Essentials

goes great with rice crackers and fresh veggies for holiday parties My book club agrees!

1/2 tablespoon crushed garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup shelled pistachios (find at whole foods or sprouts)
2 cups fresh basil, lightly packed
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped ripe avocado
1 tablespoon olive oil

Throw all in the food processor and process until well mixed….
YUM!