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How to Eat, Drink and Be Merry in the Heat

If you are feeling extra hungry or notice that cravings kick in this season, remember a cleanse is not easy.  But fermented foods, following the Body Ecology Principles, skin brushing, and definitely doing some type of colon therapy can help eliminate most of the unpleasant side effects associated with your detox.

Are you feeling less hungry these days? That may be because summer is a natural time for deeper detoxification. Your body works hard to sweat out toxins during the warmer months, and the heat naturally curbs your appetite. But, while you’re out playing in the sunshine, don’t forget that it’s also very important to stay well hydrated and well nourished on foods that promote cleansing and keep you energized.

Drink it Up with Really Good Water

You are made up of 75% water, and that water is quickly absorbed by your cells to boost your life force and keep you well.  Drinking water replenishes moisture to your entire body, improving your skin, digestion, circulation, and elimination.[i] Water is essential for moving those toxins out of your body as well. When you drink more water, you must take in more minerals.

But not all water is created equally.

Ideally, you’d gather your own mineral-rich, living water directly from a natural spring. The molecules of natural spring water are structured close together, which makes it easiest for your body to absorb and benefit from.

Could this summer be your time to venture out and gather your own water? Check out findaspring.com to find a spring near you.

What about tap water, bottled water, well water and home filters?
Find out which solution will work best for you here

Already Drinking Plenty of Water? Then Sweat It Right Back Out In the Sun.

Sweating profusely is key in the summer. Your skin is the largest organ in your body and it’s designed to sweat in the summertime. Now is the time to eliminate those toxins stored up during the long winter months.

Yes, sweat but also be sure to practice “sensible sun.” In Dr. Michael Holick, newly released book called THE VITAMIN D SOLUTION: A 3 Step Strategy to Cure Our Most Common Health Problem there is excellent advice for how to obtain Vitamin D from the sun safely. He recommends that fair complexioned people spend at least 20 – 30 minutes in the bright midday sun without sunscreen 2 – 3 times per week. This will ensure that your body stores up plenty of natural Vitamin D while you sweat. If you remain outside longer than that, then slather on a chemical-free sunscreen for the rest of the day. Those of us with darkly pigmented skins can remain in the sun as much as 2 – 10 times longer because having dark skin is similar to wearing SPF- 15 sunscreen.

Hot Yellow Sun. Cool Green Smoothies

Have an ultra-hydrating cool green smoothie each day, or throughout your day to help balance out the effects of the summer heat. These easily digestible, alkalizing drinks will both support your cleanse and boost your energy, depending on what you add to them. Blending your greens and veggies “pre-chew” the fiber so that the nutrients are more available to you. These nutrients also enter your bloodstream faster since it takes less time for your body to digest and absorb these fiber-rich foods.

  • Make a cleansing smoothie by adding liver support.  As you know, your liver is your master organ for cleansing, as it filters every single food and chemical that you ingest. Supporting your liver by adding a few capsules of LivAmend to your green smoothie will increase bile so that your liver can eliminate more toxins.
  • Make an energy smoothie by adding superfoods and super nutrients that will sustain you for longer periods of time. We love the addition of Super Spirulina Plus to our green smoothies because all of the proteins are predigested, giving you a probiotic superfood.  This means your body doesn’t have to work at all to absorb all of the nutrition. Plus, you get the benefit of the probiotics that help create a stronger immune system. If you want to learn more about what other superfoods you can add to your smoothie click here

More Smoothie Ad-Ins

Adding probiotics to your smoothies like young coconut kefir and CocoBiotic makes them even healthier, and allows you to get the beneficial microflora you need in your system.

Ocean Plant Extract

Your Adrenals and Hydration

Want to REALLY hydrate your body this summer? Support your adrenals. Yes, you read that right…your adrenals…two small glands above your kidneys that help create energy. Along with other important functions like handling stress, they also help regulate hydration. Sure, you can carry around bottles of water and drink them all day long, but if your adrenals are weak, you’ll still be dehydrated.

Your adrenals need Minerals, B Vitamins and Vitamin C. Adding extra minerals from a powerful ocean supplement like Body Ecology’s Ocean Plant Extract is smart even at this time of the year. B vitamins are actually made by the beneficial bacteria in your intestines so be sure you have a lot of them colonizing your inner ecosystem.  Cultured vegetables are rich in Vitamin C. As you can see, a “Probiotic Diet” like the Body Ecology Diet is excellent for your adrenals.

This Summer, Raw Food is In

Summer is the best time to enjoy raw vegetables, sour fruits (especially berries) and Body Ecology style vegetarian foods. Raw foods help you survive the summer heat because they are cooling and expansive by nature. An excellent source of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, proteins, healthy fats and enzymes these foods are abundantly available just when we need them the most.

For some people raw foods are easy to digest, but if your “digestive fire” is weak they won’t work for you at all.  This is when you need to pull out the blender or Vitamix and make those pureed smoothies mentioned above. If you can’t eat raw veggies, then eat them cultured. When fermented the nutrients in the veggies are pre-digested and totally available to you.

Adding raw, cultured foods to each meal you eat will help keep your seasonal cleanse going strong. If you are new to this way of eating, check out the Body Ecology Book and this interview with Kevin Gianni to help determine the right balance of raw food for your unique body.

Milk Kefir Could be Your Perfect Summer Fermented Super Food

Do you love fermented dairy foods and digest them well? Summertime is a great time for delicious homemade milk kefir. In Poland and Russia milk kefir is a popular summer breakfast drink. It’s also another great addition to your raw, green smoothie.

But Sweet Fruits are Out

Stay away from sweet fruits. These contain too much sugar, and allow pathogens to grow in your gut. They are loved by parasites, bacteria, viruses and pathogenic candida. Eat the sour fruits alone in the morning (before noon) on an empty stomach. Stick with fruits, like:

  • Green apple
  • Cranberry juice
  • Lemons
  • Limes
  • Black currant juice
  • Berries
  • Kiwi, and pineapple (are stage 2 BED)

No matter what you do this summer, it’s important to take care of your body. Remember to drink plenty of water, and try to drink spring water if you can (but stay away from plastic bottles). Exercise, eat right, and get at least one green smoothie in each day. Be safe in your summer travels and enjoy “sensible” sun!

Sources:

[i] The Benefits of Drinking Water for Your Skin, UW Health, University of Wisconsin Hospital, Madison.” Web log post. UW Health, University of Wisconsin Hospital, Madison, UW Health, University of Wisconsin Hospital, Madison. Web. 18 June 2010. <http://www.uwhealth.org/madison-plastic-surgery/the-benefits-of-drinking-water-for-your-skin/26334>.

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