7 Day Delicious Detox Diet

Credit for this recipe is usually given to Sacred Heart hospital in Spokane, Washington where it is said to be safely used to help patients detox and lose weight before a surgery. If followed correctly, it will clean out your system of impurities and give you a feeling of well­-being. After only seven days of this process, many will begin to feel lighter by at least 10 pounds and by as much as 17 pounds, and experience an abundance of energy.

Delicious Detox Soup

1 large can  of stewed  tomatoes

3 large green onions chopped

3 garlic cloves pressed

2 quarts fat-free chicken or beef broth

1h head of cabbage chopped

1 bunch of celery chopped

2 lbs carrots peeled and  chopped

2 red bell peppers chopped

3 Bouillon cubes or to taste

1h tsp Poultry  seasoning

1 tsp Spike seasoning

Heat  the broth  and  add  chopped and  peeled carrots in a large sauce pan.  In a separate pan,  sauté the chopped celery, onions, garlic and  peppers until tender crisp in 1 tsp  olive oil, then add  seasonings.  After adding and  mixing the seasonings, pour  this  in with the carrot mixture. Add the cabbage and  simmer for 3-5 minutes.

Let cool, then refrigerate and  reheat on the stovetop as you are ready to eat it. This soup can  be eaten anytime you are  hungry during the week. Eat as much as you want, whenever you  want.

DAY ONE: Eat any fruit  except  bananas. Cantaloupes and  watermelon are lower in calories than most  other  fruits. Eat only soup and  fruit  today.

DAY TWO: Eat vegetables. Eat until you are stuffed with fresh raw, cooked  or canned veggies. Try to eat green  leafy veggies and  stay  away from dry beans, peas or corn.  Eat veggies along  with the soup. At dinnertime reward yourself  with a big baked  

potato and  butter. Don't eat fruits today.

DAY THREE: Eat all the soup, fruit  and  veggies you want.  Do not have a baked potato. If you have eaten as described above for three days and not cheated, you should find that you have lost a few pounds.

DAY FOUR: Eat at least 3 bananas and  drink all the  skim  milk you can  today, along  with eating the soup. Bananas are  high in calories and  carbohydrates, as is the skim  milk, but  on this particular day your  body will need  the potassium, carbohydrates, proteins and  calcium to lessen the craving  for sweets.

DAY FIVE: You may have  10-20 ounces of beef and  a can  of tomatoes or as many as 6 tomatoes on this day. Eat the soup at least once today.

DAY SIX: Eat to your  heart's content of beef and veggies today. You can  even have 2-3 steaks if you like with green leafy veggies but no baked potato. Be sure to eat the  soup at least once today.

DAY SEVEN: Eat brown rice and veggies and drink unsweetened fruit juice.  Eat as much soup as you can today. You can add cooked veggies to the rice if you wish. By the end  of the seventh day many have lost 10-17 pounds. If you have lost more than 17 pounds, stay off the diet for 2 days before resuming again. 

Due to the variety of digestive systems in individuals, this  diet will affect everyone differently. After day three you will have more energy than when  you began.  After being on the diet for several days,  you will find that your  bowel movements have changed. Eat a cup  of bran or fiber if needed.  You can eat broiled, boiled or baked chicken instead of beef but absolutely no skin on the chicken.

DONT'S

No bread, carbonated drinks (including diet drinks). Remember, absolutely no fried foods.

DO's

Drink plenty, at least 6 to 8 glasses of water a day, as well as any combination of the following beverages: black coffee, unsweetened fruit drinks, cranberry juice, skim milk, herbal tea.

Did you know?

A serving of oatmeal has fewer calories than a couple of slices of bread and often has more fiber.

Oatmeal has only 3 grams of fat per serving, and this fat is primarily the heart-healthy fats that your body needs to function.

Oatmeal is one of the most filling foods that you can eat for breakfast. It beats out pastries and white bread, as well as eggs and high-bran cereal.

Oatmeal is an easy way to satisfy snack cravings without adding too many extra calories or fat to your diet. You can also use oatmeal as a meal replacement, too! Add fruit, protein powder or nut butter, and a dash of milk, and you’ve got a healthy meal!

Preparing oatmeal in the morning helps you develop the healthy habit of eating breakfast. You’re more likely to lose weight and maintain the loss if you continue your new habit of starting the day with a healthy meal.

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Ingredients

1 banana

1 egg

1 cup oats

1/2 cup pumpkin

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1/4 cup raisins

3/4 cup milk

1/2 tsp baking powder

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375º. Beat eggs and add all other ingredients in a large bowl. Mix together. Grease a muffin tin well and pour batter up to the brim. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until cooked through. Allow to cool COMPLETELY before removing or your oatmeal might stick. Use a knife to cut along the edges and twist to remove.

Tips to avoid weight gain

Sugar- and fat-laden foods, reduced activity, and increased stress are a recipe for weight gain during the winter months. When your winter chores are done, remember these tips to help avoid gaining a few extra pounds before springs work sets in.

Drink more water. Proper hydration is always important but especially during times of high food intake and lower activity levels. Drink half an ounce of pure, clean drinking water per pound of body weight to help curb your appetite and keep well-hydrated.

Eat more greens. Choose crunchy, sweet vegetables over high-starch pasta, breads, and potatoes. Broccoli, tomatoes, sliced sweet peppers, and leafy green salads are satisfying, low in calories, and loaded with nutrients and fiber.

Choose lean proteins. Raw or roasted nuts are a great source of protein. Eat these and you’ll satisfy your hunger; avoiding the unhealthy treats will be much easier!

Sleep, Sleep, Sleep. Research has shown that not getting at least 8 hours of sleep can affect your body’s insulin and ghrelin (a hormone in the body that regulates hunger) levels, leading to overeating. This time of year when the work is slow and daylight is scarce, take advantage of the long nights and enjoy your rest.

Did you know...high blood sugar levels cause you to age faster?

We all know sugar isn’t good for us…but did you know that elevated sugar levels can
actually impact your hormone levels and age important organs faster? When we eat refined sugar, it causes a glucose level spike—triggering a large insulin release to level the spike. This dramatic up and down glucose cycle is wearing on the body causing it to age faster. And, according to Dr. Troy Spurill from the Synapse Center for Health and Healing, it aggravates the female reproductive system and can lead to irregular hormone levels connected to difficult and irregular cycles.

Keeping your blood sugar levels within a healthy range can be quite simple (in the absence of diabetes). Protein breaks down slower than carbs and simple sugars. Including a protein every time you eat, even if it’s a quick snack, helps maintain the gentle rise and fall in glucose levels your body was created for.  See below for tips on adding more protein to your diet. Ashley is one of our own here at MMH and we appreciate her sharing a bit of her health journey.

“I have had to deal with major hormone imbalance and extreme pain during certain parts of the month and I learned quite a lot along the way. If you have hypoglycemic tendencies like me, it is all the more important to maintain sugar balance. Eating smaller meals several times a day will help your body maintain those levels without putting extra strain on your adrenals and other hormone producing organs. This will also help increase your metabolism.

I love to eat. If you say “snack” my eyes light up and I get teased around here for it! I can out eat all the shipping boys in a days time, but I’m not overweight and I’m very thoughtful about what enters my body. The rule is: if I have it, I will eat it. I have learned to only keep healthy snacks around so when the hunger hits, I feed my body what it needs to thrive. I keep a drawer full of snacks right at my desk filled with mixed nuts, a variety of teas and other healthy snacks. Ok, and a piece a dark chocolate for when it calls…I’m snacking as I write this. Eating with my blood sugar levels in mind has changed my life.”

Sometimes you need a little help in making better food choices. Strong sugar cravings can be caused by yeast overgrowth, a yeast cleanse (Yeast X) often reduces these cravings. The herbs in Weight Control can also be a big help in curbing the cravings. 

Simple ways to get more clean protein

Eggs are good for you, they are among the most nutritious foods on the planet. With only a trace of carbs, but rich in protein, healthy fats and vitamins, they will not raise blood glucose levels. Soaked or sprouted nuts, beans, seeds, quinoa, lentils, organic chicken, turkey, beef, bison, elk, and wild caught fish are great, clean sources of protein.

Hormone-balancing healthy fats like Coconut oil contains lauric acid, which is incredibly
healing to the skin. It’s fatty acids are great building blocks for normal hormone production.

Avocados are rich in the healthy fat that helps our body absorb and use nutrients They are also full of fiber, potassium, magnesium vitamin E, B-vitamins, and Folic acid - all essential for maintaining hormonal balance.

Raw butter provides a rich source of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K2. These nutrients are key building blocks.

Olive and seed oils: High in triglycerides, these oils are rich in Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids. Try adding a few teaspoons per day of olive oil, fermented cod liver oil, hemp seed oil, or flax-seed oil.

Antioxidant-rich vegetables: Dark green and brightly colored such as asparagus, broccoli, spinach, collard greens, cabbage, cucumbers, bell peppers, red cabbage, red/white onions, tomatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, beets, butternut squash, and turnips.

Healing spices such as Cinnamon, Turmeric, Cayenne, Cumin, Garlic, and Ginger add both flavor and nutrition to your meal!

This blog is produced for educational purposes only and is strictly the opinion of the authors.  It is not intended to be and should not be construed as medical advice in any form, nor should it be used to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or other complication. The information provided here should not be acted upon without proper consideration and input from one’s own health care professional. Before using any herbal supplements, or following any suggestions provided here, consult your health care professional.

Fertility and Food: How Diet can effect your hormone levels

What we eat is either helping normal hormonal production, or contributing to unpredictable imbalances.

Hormones largely control our mood, digestion, energy, libido, metabolism, and even effect skin health. When our meals and snacks are missing essential nutrients, our body cannot produce hormones correctly or maintain hormonal balance without the building blocks to do so. The human body needs a balance of three basic macronutrients: carbohydrates, protein, and especially fat. Macronutients are the type of food that the human diet requires in relatively large amounts.

Fat is one of the most crucial elements for hormonal balance. For years, we've been told that fat-free is good, while cholesterol and saturated fats are bad. This is now being shown to be more of a dangerous lie than a truth to live by. Healthy fat is the raw material that we need to produce and maintain proper hormone function.

Hormones are produced using certain fatty acids and cholesterol. The female reproductive system especially needs these for rebuilding cells and to maintain stable, normal hormone levels.

Basing meals off clean protein, hormone-balancing healthy fats, antioxidant-rich vegetables, and healing spices will help your body thrive. Choose one food from each category for an easy, hormone friendly and healthy meal.

This blog is produced for educational purposes only and is strictly the opinion of the authors.  It is not intended to be and should not be construed as medical advice in any form, nor should it be used to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or other complication. The information provided here should not be acted upon without proper consideration and input from one’s own health care professional. Before using any herbal supplements, or following any suggestions provided here, consult your health care professional.