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  • H&LBC Day 10 Cranberry Lemonade detox gallon challenge

    Cranberry lemonade detox water challenge

    I just LOVE this fat burning drink, its amazing at cleaning out the toxins and keeping you hydrated, you can really feel all your systems working better and it keeps you full. Sometimes I mix it with Newport Skinny Tea!

    Cranberry lemonade recipe:

    • Glass gallon jar
    • Safe, clean, spring water
    • 1 cup of organic 100% cranberry juice, not from concentrate
    • 3 organic fresh lemons
    • A citrus juicer
    • Liquid stevia
    • Liquid cayenne

    Fill the jar to about 85% capacity with spring water. Squeeze the lemons and pour the juice into the water. Add cranberry juice. Add stevia to taste and then add cayenne to taste. The amount of cayenne used is up to you, but the more the better.

    If you don't have access to a good spring water source, use other clean drinking water that does not have fluoride. If you don't have access to organic lemons, use conventional. If there are no fresh lemons, use bottle lemon juice. If you can't get cranberry juice that is not from concentrate, get the reconstituted kind (just don't get any kind of cranberry juice that has any other ingredients like sweeteners or other juices). If you can't stand cayenne, don't use it. No glass jar? Use plastic. No excuses.

    If you have powdered cayenne and/or powdered stevia, I recommend using a blender to mix some of the liquid with the powders so they don't settle later.

     Here's a new challenge: the one gallon challenge. Drink a gallon of cranberry lemonade a day, sweetened with stevia, and spiced with cayenne. This is one of the best ways to detoxify, lose weight, and clean out your system. It's also a much better choice for most people than The Master Cleanse

    Drinking a gallon of water a day makes an amazing difference to your health and your appearance (google gallon a day water before and after). Drinking this much fluid flushes the organs and the lymph nodes, hydrates the skin, and helps the body to rebuild cells and regenerate in ways that most people do not get to experience. The cranberry and the lemon help flush the liver and the kidneys even more, and in my experience it's a lot easier to drink a gallon of cranberry lemonade than it is to drink a gallon of plain water. And cayenne has a ton of amazing health benefits.


    Please use common sense with this. If you do not follow a healthy diet with lots of produce, the amount of liquid consumed on this regimen can deplete the body of much needed minerals. Do not attempt to drink a gallon of anything in one sitting, EVER. This has been known to kill people, even with just water. If you have kidney problems, this may be the best thing for you. On the other hand, depending on your health issues, it may overload the kidneys. I find that smaller people who weigh less than 120 pounds can see the benefits at 1/2 to 1/3 of a gallon. Your health is in your hands. Again, please use good judgment and ALWAYS check with your doctor before making changes to your medication or doctor prescribed routine.


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  • H&LBC Day 9 Using Spicy Fat burning Broth & Juice

      Day 9: Fat burning broth & detox juice

      Basic Fat Burning Broth recipe

      • 6 large green onions or large red onion
      • 1-2 cans of tomatoes
      • 1 large head of cabbage
      • 2 green peppers
      • 1 bunch celery
      • rosemary & tarragon for flavoring
      • shitake mushrooms for flavoring
      • 1 hot pepper, as per taste
      • 2 or 3 cloves of chopped garlic
      • 1 4 inch piece of kombu seaweed
      • vegetable broth, prefer low sodium

       

      Cut vegetables in small to medium pieces cover with broth or combination of broth and water. Boil fast for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to simmer and continue cooking until vegetables are tender. Spices blend or individual spices such as rosemary, sage, thyme, tarragon or oregano, may be added as desired toward the end of cooking. Season with pepper, parsley, or hot sauce, if desired. Because of the bouillon, it will probably require little or no salt. Adding lemon or lime juice enhances the fat burning properties and the taste. Do not add salt.

      This soup can be eaten any time you are hungry. Eat as much as you want, whenever you want. This soup will not add calories. The more you eat, the more you will lose. Fill a thermos in the morning if you will be away during the day. However, if eaten alone for indefinite periods, you would suffer from malnutrition. You may strain out the vegetables or blend the vegetables to add variety.

      Slim down detox juice

      This will enliven your whole body, aid digestion, boost the immune and eliminate toxins. Also good to help your body handle stress.

      2 oranges, peeled
      ½ lemon, peeled
      1 beetroot (no greens)
      1 small handful of spinach
      5 celery stalks
      5 long carrots
      1 inch cube of ginger root, turmeric or dash of spice blend


      Peel the orange and lemon, then juice with the rest of the ingredients. If the fruit is organic and you can handle the taste of the peel, include some peel. You may change up the variety by mixing up the ginger or turmeric root, you may always add some cayenne or spice blend to this mix if you are wanting a savory treat. Also adding cucumber instead of celery will change things up too, I also like to include romaine lettuce or kale instead of spinach, you should rotate your greens if this is a drink you have consistently.

      Bonus tip! Dieter’s Dream Water – Sometimes it’s alright to keep things simple, especially when you’re detoxing. This recipe is basically water that has different cleansing fruits and vegetables soaking in it. The nutritional aspects of these ingredients will be absorbed by the water, and it’s recommended to let this sit overnight for best results. The nice thing is that you can keep refilling the pitcher so you get the most value for your money and use up as much of the ingredients as possible. If you have organic veggies and fruits, don't be afraid to use the peels! Also good to add stevia or spice blend, or freeze this for a frozen treat when you're craving sweets.

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    • How to Design a Weight Loss Detox Bath

      Custom Detox Bathing

       

      Before You Bathe:

      • Drink plenty of water! Your body is supposed to sweat out all the toxins, so you will need to keep your body as hydrated as possible.
      • Make sure someone else is home. Some people feel dizzy/light headed afterwards. Just in case you don’t feel well, it’s good to have someone there to help.
      • Allow your body to digest your food before taking a bath (i.e. don’t eat immediately beforehand).

      The Bath:

      • Make sure the water temperature is hot, but comfortable.
      • Start mixing in the ingredients when the tub is about halfway full. Every now and then, swirl the water around to make sure everything is mixing/dissolving.
      • Stay in the tub for 20-40 minutes.
      • You can take these baths anywhere from once a day to once in a while, depending on how your body reacts to them.

      After You Bathe:

      • Get out of the bath slowly and carefully. If you feel dizzy/lightheaded, this feeling should go away after a few minutes. 
      • Drink plenty of water! Your body sweated a lot, so you need to re-hydrate.
      • It is suggested to moisturize your skin with olive oil or coconut oil.
      • If you take a shower to rinse off, make sure the water is cool.

      Types of Detox Baths

      I’ve seen a variety of different detox baths, all with different ingredients and different proportions of each ingredient. Really, you can be your own “chemist,”  do some trial and error, and find what works best for you. A range of suggested ingredient amounts are provided in parentheses (again, pick what is best for YOU). For Epsom salt, start small and work your body’s tolerance up.

      Main Detox Bath Ingredients:

      • Epsom salt (1-2 cups)
      • 100% magnesium sulfate – replenishes body’s magnesium levels
      • Increases body’s ability to detoxify, strenghtens immune system, helps soothe aching muscles, reduces swelling, helps heal bruises
      • You can read more about Epsom salts here
      • Baking soda (1-2 cups)
      • Neutralizes any chemicals in tap water (chlorine and flouride especially), smoothes skin, helps alkalize body & aids detoxifcation

      Optional Ingredients:

      • Green tea bags (2-5 bags)
        • Antioxidant, relaxes body, soothes sore muscles and rashes
      • Apple Cider Vinegar (1/2-2 cups)
        • Anti-inflammatory, softens skin
      • Essential Oils (5-20 drops)
        • Great aromas and unique therapeutic benefits of each
      • Ground Ginger (1 tbsp – a handful)
        • Increases circulation, promotes sweating, helps open pores, helps in pain relief
      • Lemon halves/lemon juice (1 tbsp – 1/3 cup)
        • Antioxidant, brightens skin
      • Olive Oil (1 tbsp – 1/3 cup)
        • Moisturizes skin

      This is a wonderful way to relax and get healthier, these can be done regularly but make sure to keep them under 30 minutes as you will begin to reabsorb the toxins. Make sure you don't get too hot and add cooler water if you start to sweat profusely. You can also use your leftover loose leaf tea in your bath, just contain it in a small bag or infuser so it does not clog your drain.

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    • H&LBC Day 1: Legs up wall

      Day 1 of Hot & Lazy boot camp

      Legs up wall yoga pose is so easy! Its a restorative, restful pose you can do it while you’re doing something else and the list of benefits is HUGE (see below). Here's a great example of being rewarded for being more lazy! With daily practice you will see better digestion, better circulation and better skin tone, plus less anxiety! Try this today and feel better immediately!

       

      How to do Legs up wall

      1. Sidle one hip as close as you can to a wall.
      2. Swing both legs up the wall and move your rear end as close to the wall as possible. If this hurts your hamstrings, slide a few inches away from the wall. Rest your arms on your belly, or stretch them away from you in a T, W, or V position.
      3. When you are done, bend your knees, roll to one side, and rest there, taking a few breaths before getting up.

       

      what’s going on in this pose?

      • Your femur bones are dropping into your hip sockets, relaxing your psoas, the muscles that help you walk and support your lower back.
      • Blood is draining out of your tired feet and legs.
      • Your nervous system is getting a signal to slow down, It’s all stress release and recovery   

      Want more of this in your life?

      • Do this pose while doing something you love, it will form a positive link in your brain, such as watching guilty pleasure TV shows, playing games on your phone or reading Divergent for the 3rd time. Set an alarm on your phone for the first week, because we often forget to integrate new habits- make technology work for you!
      •  Check out Yoga Journal’s A lazy girl's guide to yoga
      •  Ask a fun friend to check out yoga classes with you, most centers have a special rate for first time visitors. Or find an at-home yoga based workout program, our favorite is Piyo by Chalene Johnson 

      benefits

      • Eases anxiety and stress
      • Therapeutic for arthritis, headaches, high blood pressure, low blood pressure and insomnia
      • Eases symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, menstrual cramps and menopause
      • Relieves tired or cramped feet and legs
      • Gently stretches the hamstrings, legs and lower back
      • Relieves lower back pain
      • Calms the mind
      • Regulates blood flow
      • Relieves swollen ankles and varicose veins
      • Helps testicular, semen, and ovarian problems in men and women respectively
      • Improves digestion and circulation
      • Restores tired feet or legs
      • Stretches the back of the neck, front torso, and back of the legs
      • Improves problems of the eyes and ears
      • Relieves mild backache
      • Helps keep you young and vital
      • Calms anxiety
      • Relieves symptoms of mild depression and insomnia

      Contraindicated for glaucoma, please check with your doctor first before trying this pose if you have any concerns about your health and/or medications.

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    • Is tea a really super fat-burning beverage?

      Tea is essentially an infusion of vegetable leaves that contain some of the most potent natural anti-inflammatory and antioxidant substances known on earth. Regular drinking of tea, green or black, is associated with great health thanks to tea's high content of a catechin polymer called epigallocatechin gallate or EGCG.

      Antioxidants are substances found in tea (and many other foods) that can prevent and slow the oxidative stress on the body which occurs naturally, but can be increased by things like exercise and a poor diet. There are many studies done on why antioxidants, especially those found in tea, are so beneficial for the body. But what most people really want to know is, can tea really help increase my metabolism? And the answer researchers keep finding is YES!

      Studies comparing the fat burning properties of caffeine alone vs caffeine combine with EGCG show that the latter combination results in a 12% higher rate of fat burning, even when no exercise or other caloric restriction is present! That means that drinking tea even while sitting on the couch will help your body burn more fat! One study concluded tea's "thermogenic properties could reside primarily in an interaction between its high content in catechin-polyphenols and caffeine." This flies directly in the face of the "Calories in-calories out" model where fat burning can be increased only by increasing physical activity, which is why people have such a hard time accepting that tea can actually help you.

      This synergistic fat-burning result between caffeine and EGCG explains why tea has a greater effect on weight loss than taking either caffeine or EGCGs alone, along with the other great benefits tea has on preventing inflammation, tea truly can be called a super fat-burning beverage!

      So drink up!

       

      Disclaimer: We cannot guarantee you will have weight loss.

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    • Tea is healthier than water to drink??

      Could it be true that tea is healthier to drink than water? Maybe wishes do come true...

      In August of 2006, the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a review of tea-based studies conducted between 1990-2004, the results may astonish you:

      1) Tea is not dehydrating. High doses of caffeine are dehydrating, but even very strong tea does not have nearly the caffeine necessary to dehydrate our bodies. Go ahead and fill your water bottle with the tea of your choice, green, white, black, oolong or pu'erh, and you will see and feel the difference that Dr. Carrie Ruxton explains surpasses filling your water bottle with water alone.

      Dr. Ruxton, lead author of the study, told BBC news that she recommends drinking 48-64 ounces of fluid per day, and, she says "that can include tea." Most importantly, she told the BBC, "Drinking tea is actually better for you than drinking water. Water is essentially replacing fluid. Tea replaces fluid and contains antioxidants so it's got two things going for it."

      2) Green Tea is not healthier than black tea, but both provide advantages over plain water. Both types of tea contain similar amounts of antioxidants, although they are of different types and amounts, green tea contains approx. 316 mgs. of flavonoids and black contains 268 mgs. Both teas provide the same health benefits in terms of antioxidant capacity.

      Antioxidants quench the free radicals that are produced during daily exercises and chores, in fact our bodies are constantly oxidizing which produces free radicals. We help this process along by eating foods that are refined or fried in oils at super high heat. Our bodies are not designed to cope with so much free radical build up, once we go past a certain threshold our cells begin to age prematurely and this leads to the path of disease. We would have no hope at all if it weren't for antioxidants, they come to the rescue by destroying free radicals and slowing down the oxidation process, keeping our cells younger, longer.

      3) Drinking three or more cups of tea per day (approx. 24 ounces) can reduce the risk of a wide range of health problems, ranging from heart disease to cancer to diabetes. Each type of tea contains a different type of flavonoid, and that starts to get pretty technical, but research shows that all are effective in scavenging free radicals and keeping you in good health. The Newport Skinny Tea program is 3 cups of tea per day, 2 of the daytime tea and one of the evening tea. While you are following the program, you can drink more plain tea, either caffeinated or decaffeinated and any variety you choose.

      So do not be afraid to replace a good portion of your daily water intake with tea, and quickly replace any soda, juice or sugary beverage with tea, especially if you are trying to improve your health or lose weight. You are doing your body a huge favor in keeping it younger, healthier and hydrated. In upcoming blogs, we will discuss the numerous ways tea benefits your health, and if you aren't yet convinced that you should be drinking a lot of tea, you will be soon!

       

       

       

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