
Juicing for Detox 101

12 Tips for a Vibrant & Age-Defying Life
Here are some take-away tips (or not) from what I learned at the Hippocrates Health Institute
Being a certified Hippocrates Health Educator I strive to follow these principals laid out by Brian Clement, and I know how hard is to follow them at times. Take what you can use, leave the rest. Try to implement one or two and once these are habit, add some more! Enjoy.
- SLEEP
Amazing what 8 hrs of uninterrupted sleep can do for your body. Your body goes into a cleaning/renewal cycle every night around 9-10 p.m. and continues to clean every organ & body system through about 10-11 a.m. the next morning. If we are up late, or eat late at night we interrupt this cycle. To get the maximum restorative effect of the body’s natural cycle, get that shut-eye!
2. AVOID ALL MEATS
Yes, mankind may have been eating meat (hence the omnivore) throughout time, however, today’s meat is just not what your ancestors used to eat. With the invention of synthetic growth hormones, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and many other chemicals that end up in our ground water, they can also end up in your beef. I recommend avoiding all meats and meat products such as milk, yogurt, kefir, butter, ice cream, eggs etc. to give your body the best chance to flourish into old age and avoid disease.
3. EAT ORGANIC FOODS
Is this going to guarantee that your foods are completely clean and healthy? No, of course not, however your chances of eating a food laden with chemicals are much less likely. Did you know that red peppers have are sprayed on average with over 100 different chemicals? That is absolutely incredible. Make sure you purchase organic especially all fruits and veggies that have thin skin like peppers, tomatoes, peaches, grapes, apples, etc. Bananas and avocados in comparison have thick skins and would be the better choice to buy conventional if you have to chose between the two. Just think of this: the more we buy organic, the more we send a message to producers what our choices are. The market will follow. It only takes 5% of consumers to make a change for producers to pay attention.
4. EAT GREENS
Especially the dark leafy ones. My favorite A’s are: Arugula, Avocado and Asparagus. Eat them in abundance, as they are good for your body. Arugula is actually considered a cruciferous vegetable like broccoli and brussel sprouts containing sulforaphane which has anti-cancer properties. Avocados are full of glutathione, a very powerful antioxidant made up of three amino acids glycine, glutamine and cysteine. Asparagus, can you say superfood? Asparagus has many benefits including reducing inflammation caused by rheumatism, reducing the risk of neurodegenerative disease and helps increase cell production to name a few. I should mention that it is best to consume all of the foods raw in order to get the most benefit!
5. AVOID SUGARS
Having one piece of fruit a day is ok if you are not having a disease. Even though fruit has many health benefits, if you are sick, especially the fruit sugar (fructose) does not do your body good. Fruit this day has been so hybridized that the sugar content is between 30-50 times higher than what it was before being manipulated. Add the mono culture, depleting our soil means depleted vitamins and minerals. Biomedical engineers at Duke University found that Metastatic cancer gorges on fructose in the liver. Just note, the medical establishment agrees that ALL sugars feed cancer, so be your own judge.
6. GERMINATE YOUR NUTS AND SEEDS
Nuts and seeds are nutritional powerhouses for the body. However, they are protected by enzyme inhibitors which can create havoc in your digestive system. Just think beans! Sprouting your nuts and seeds releases the enzyme inhibitors and will activate nutrients and make them more bio-available to your body and digestible with much less discomfort!
7. EAT FOODS WITH MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
That is going back to #4 above, eating green foods like Avocado, Asparagus and Arugula. But also Sweet Red Peppers, Red Cabbage, Brussel Sprouts, Onions, Scallions, Garlic, Ginger, Swiss Chard and spices like Cayenne, Cinnamon, herbs like Oregano, Basil and Peppermint. The list goes on, there are many foods that have medicinal properties to support our bodies. Chose your foods wisely.
8. CHEW YOUR FOOD
Before you sit down to eat your meal, take five deep breaths to oxygenate and settle down. Chew every bite about 20 times (yes I know, its a challenge!) to break open the cell walls of the food and allowing our saliva (enzymes like lipase and amylase) to “pre-digest” food already in your mouth. The chewing sends messages to the stomach and intestines and gets the whole peristaltic movement going. The more you chew, the more you break down the food, the easier it will be for our digestive juices to break down the food into smaller particles. If you swallow a glob, your stomach acid will only be able to access the outside of the glob, it will not break it down and the food will sit like a rock in your stomach. Let’s not talk about what happens after that, you already know. Did I say constipation? Chew, chew, chew, it doesn’t matter how much you eat if you can’t absorb anything. Plus here are some additional recommendations:
- Don’t eat when you are upset
- Don’t eat in a business meeting
- Don’t eat and drive
9. DON’T DRINK WITH YOUR MEALS
When I grew up we never had water with our meals, drinking with meals was not introduced to me until I moved to America. When you drink with your meals you are diluting your digestive juices. Matter of fact, it is a good practice to stop drinking at least 15 minutes before a meal (ok to have sips of water if you need to take pills, supplements) and try not to drink for at least 1 hour after having a meal. Now hang on for this – avoid liquids for at least 3 hours after you have eaten protein and 2 hours if you were eating beans or seeds so your stomach can fully digest and absorb the nutrients.
10. WALK AT LEAST 15 MINUTES BEFORE GOING TO BED
The latest studies from Harvard and the National Sleep Foundation show that walking/exercising before going to bed will help you get a better night sleep. Walking helps reduce stress and anxiety and aids digestion by oxygenating the body. Especially if you have chronic insomia, go for a walk before going to bed. Within a couple of weeks of this ritual you should be able to fall asleep faster, sleep longer and improve your sleep quality. Give it a try, my husband and I often go for walks at night and Gidget our dog loves it too!
11. HYDRATE, HYDRATE, HYDRATE
With the exception of not drinking around meals, you want to try drink at least half your body weight in ounces. Example, if you weigh 160 lbs your body needs approximately 80 ounces of water a day. We perspire two cups (16oz) just being here on a daily basis. If you exercise (and live in Florida) it is recommended to increase another 25%. Now, if you slam your water, most of it will pass right through you. It is best to sip water at a rate of 1 cup per 30 minutes in order to let the tissues absorb the water. Any excess gets ignored. As we age we have a tendency to drink less and less so it is imperative to pay attention to your water intake. Being dehydrated only 3% witll already affect your body system and 5% will affect your brain function negatively. Consider mineralizing your water using liquid mineral supplements to get the most benefit. Reconstituted water does not have minerals in it as it would be occuring in nature, just some food for thought. This is where green juices made with a base of cucumber and celery help out tremendously by adding natural sodium, vitamins and minerals. Green juices count as hydration, whereas coffee and sports drinks do not. Herbal teas are neutral, they do not devoid your body of hydration but do not add either. Best is to go with mineralized water, green juices or the occasional coconut water straight from a coconut.
12. MAKE YOUR FOOD TASTE GOOD
That’s a no brainer but easier said then done! The best advice I can give here is that when you find a recipe you like, safe it to a file/folder where you keep all your favorites. For kids its ok to add fruit to sweeten juices, for adults I like to add dressings, sauces, herbs and spices to mix it up. It’s hard to resist the temptation of ready-made-foods that are created by food scientists that understand how our brains work. Chain restaurants do not have cooks in the kitchen, they have chemists figuring out what makes our brains tick. Sugar, fat and salt is a lethal combination that tricks our brain into overeating because you will never find these three items all in one place in nature. So be aware and now that you know, create your own yummy & healthy versions of home made foods that work for you. Your body will thank you by staying vibrant and slow down aging with all the support you are giving it.

Epsom Salt Bath Detox & Relaxation
What to do at the end of a stressful day? You got it, fill the tub with some hot water, Epsom salt and sink into the quiet, relaxing AND detoxing feeling. Put a towel behind your neck and close your eyes. Ahhhh…
An Epsom salt bath is a great way to help our body’s natural detoxification process. Today’s world exposes us to more toxins than ever through the food we eat, the air we breathe, and even the medications we take. These toxins are irritating, harming, and possibly even destroying our bodies. Detoxification is your body’s way of metabolizing or removing these harmful compounds. Improving and supporting our body’s ability to detoxify and dispose of waste is essential, as is limiting its exposure to toxins. A detox Epsom salt bath is one way you can help your body flush those toxins out even more efficiently.
I usually make my detox baths with Epsom salt, which helps to draw out toxins and provides a wealth of benefits, such as the following:
1. Eases stress. Stress has a very negative impact on the health of your mind, body, and soul. A detox bath with Epsom salt is a great way to just relax and reduce some of that stress.
2. Improved sleep and concentration. Because it relaxes and eases the nerves, Epsom salt promotes better sleep and concentration.
3. Improved nervous system function. The nervous system commands all of your organs and bodily processes. When it is relaxed, as it is after an Epsom salt detox bath, it can function more efficiently.
4. Regulates enzyme activity. A detox Epsom salt bath also helps my body regulate its detoxification system and enzyme activity, which includes functions like digestion.
5. Promotes insulin production. By promoting insulin production, Epsom salt helps your body regulate its insulin levels and improve the function of all organs and processes.
6. Flushes toxins. A detox bath with Epsom salt helps your body flush out toxins more quickly and efficiently, supporting better overall organ function.
7. Pain relief for headaches, cramps, and spasms. Epsom salt relieves the pain from headaches, cramps, and spasms by relaxing your body and your nerves.
How to Draw an Epsom Salt Detox Bath
- Add 2 cups of Epsom salt and 5 drops of lavender essential oil (or your preferred essential oil) to a full bath tub of hot water. The water should be hot enough to stimulate your sweat glands in much the same way as a sauna.
- Add 1 cup of baking soda to neutralize any chemicals and enhance mineral absorption.
- Immerse your body all the way up to your neck and soak for at least 20 minutes. Close your eyes and practice some deep breathing.
- After soaking, move immediately from the tub to a cool shower. In order to allow the nutrients to absorb into your body, do not use any harsh soaps and shampoos.
- I use a shower filter from Aquasana that filters chlorine and other chemicals from the water.
- Apply a natural moisturizer, like BECOME Peaceful Body Lotion, and avoid food for another 30 minutes.
- Drink filtered water and rest to rejuvenate.
Epsom salt baths are part of my weekly routine. Not only do they help remove the toxins from my body but they also help me to feel relaxed and rejuvenated.
Give it a try and let me know what you think. Find me on Facebook here.

The 24 Hour Blitz Detox
My 24 Hour Blitz Detox That Yields Awesome Results
The other day I had a conversation with one of my students. Funny thing is we both had the same experience eating different foods. I had a break down grabbing a bag of store bought Pretzels a while back, eating about half of it. The next day I woke up with incredible joint pain and feeling bloated. Go figure, its not like I didn’t know that this would happen. The student however has just been starting to change her diet and been feeling really well when she ate at a place where she was served starchy and glutenous foods. She experienced a bloated belly and foggy brain withing 30 minutes of consuming that lunch.
If you’ve been feeling bloated, then you know more than anyone that you need to cleanse the junk from your body. It’s not always easy picking which path to take to cleanse your body for the results you want. But, I’ve made it super easy with my 24 Hour Blitz Detox.
I don’t believe in deprivation, so you will not feel deprived in any way. In fact, you’ll feel quite the opposite.
The reality is, no matter how clean we eat, we live in a very toxic world. Before we even open our mouths to take a bite of food, we are exposed to vehicular and industrial pollution in the air and toxins in our cleaning products and cosmetics. Not to mention the havoc wreaked on the body by stress. So, the question is not ‘am I toxic?’ but rather ‘how toxic am I?’
Ready to eliminate those toxins that cause weight gain, brain fog, loss of sleep, loss of mental clarity, and fatigue?
Here’s my 24 Hour Blitz Detox:
Upon Waking Drink:
Morning Lemon Elixir
1 cup warm or room temp water
Juice from 1 lemon
Pinch of cinnamon and a couple drops of stevia.
Breakfast:
(Blueberry) Superfood Smoothie Bliss
1 cup unsweetened almond/coconut/hemp or rice milk
½ cup frozen or fresh, organic wild blueberries*
½ cup spinach
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 tablespoon flax meal or chia seeds
Pinch of cinnamon
Stevia or raw honey to sweeten
Ice (optional)
*mixing fruit and veggies goes against food combining rules. Personally I use Sunwarrior brand ORMUS Supergreens here instead of Blueberries.
Snack: 10 almonds and 1 apple
Lunch:
Mixed Salad
2 cups mixed greens or spinach, chopped
½ cup carrot, chopped
½ cup cucumber, chopped
1 cup artichokes (BPA free, canned in water)
1 avocado, cubed
¼ cup hemp seeds or seed of your choice
Handful parsley, chopped
Handful basil, chopped
Chop vegetables and mix in a large bowl. Top your salad with avocado and hemp seeds. Drizzle with dressing of choice.
Snack: ½ avocado w/ tomato & sea salt
Dinner:
Carrot Ginger Soup
4 cups chopped carrots
6 cups vegetable broth or water
1 medium onion, minced
2-inch nub ginger root, peeled and grated
Sea salt to taste
Dash nutmeg
Chopped fresh parsley, dill, or cilantro
Put carrots, ginger, and onion in a pot with broth. Bring to boil then cover and reduce heat and simmer 20-25 minutes. Remove from heat and put everything in a blender or food processor to purée. Serve hot topped with fresh herbs.
Evening:
Early Evening Immune Boosting Ginger Elixir
1 cup warm or room temp water
Juice from ½ lemon
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger or 1 tablespoon if tolerated
1 teaspoon stevia
Bring the water and ginger to a boil, and then lower flame. Add the lemon and keep at a low simmer for a few minutes. Then pour into a mug & nourish your body.
If you’ve loved this mini detox and want more of my detox programs, then click here to join my Detox Program to maximize your results.