Special - New Year, New You! January 5th

This month I'm offering a discount on my detox plan.

This plan is 30 days and it's LIFE CHANGING.

Read about the plan here

How my plan is different than the Master Cleanse:

1. The Master Cleanse will trigger a detox, but without the proper vitamins and nutrients, the flood of toxins won't know where to go. You can make yourself really sick and just move toxins from one place to another. It's like turning on the faucet and plugging the drain.

2. My Whole Body Reboot plan includes vitamins and supplements to repair vitamin deficiencies and assist your body in detoxing.

3. You get to eat food! You'll be eating easy to digest foods such as steamed veggies, salmon, brown rice and quinoa. Chocolate, vanilla or berry protein shakes with ground flax seed and Green Superfoods. Plus a variety of soups and salads. That sounds a lot better than lemon juice and maple syrup, doesn't it?

4. My Whole Body Reboot is SAFE. You are getting the vitamins and nutrients your body needs while your body is detoxing - the right way.

Are you a candidate for my Whole Body Reboot?

Unless you are on living planet free of pollution and processed foods, you are a candidate for this detox plan. (Must be 18 or older)

Do you want to lose weight?

Do you want to increase your energy?

Do you want to turn back the clock? Just because you are getting older, doesn't mean you have to feel old.

Do you want identify potential food intolerances and allergies?

Do you want to reverse or minimize health problems?

Do you want to learn about why the foods you are eating are making you sick?

Do you want to feel better?

If you answered yes to ANY of these questions, you need to try this detox plan.

To see what this detox can do, read my blog about the health problems I use to have. Several years ago I found a detox similar to this and tried it for 7 days. I felt great and wanted another go. Since then I've completed it several times and researched all of the products. I've improved it by adding to it, making it easier, making a workbook and a cookbook. Several of my friends have all tried it with awesome results.

DETOX FAQ

How do I save $50 off the Whole Body Reboot?

To get this discount, order your detox kit by December 17th and start our group detox on January 5th.

If you would like to work out a payment plan, please contact me. A deposit is required at the time of your order and the kit must be paid in full by 1/4/12 for local pick-up (SLC, UT) or by 12/28/12 for out of state.

Can I order the kit by December 17th and start the detox at a later date in January, after the 5th?

When you start the program you will receive daily emails from me as your detox coach. The $50 discount applies to those who start the program on the 5th. If you choose not to start the program on the 5th, that's up to you. The coaching and daily emails you'll be receiving will all corispond with the 5th start date.

January won't work for me, will you be offereing this discount again?

YES - if I have enough people to do one together. I will offer that discount Feb 2nd, 2013 and March 2nd, 2013 if I have enough people. You can also organize your own group detox (4 or more people) and pick your start date.

How do I sign up and order my kit?

Please contact me and I'll send you the release form, or download it here. You can pay with your Paypal account or use a credit card through Paypal. Locals (SLC, UT) can also pay with cash. The form must be signed and emailed back to me. A $50 minimum deposit is required to order your kit. Kits must be ordered 2-3 weeks before the start date.

Once my kit is ordered, is there anything else I can do to prepare?

Yes, you'll need to eliminate caffiene from your diet. If you consume caffiene daily, please contact me for a caffiene elimination plan.

You'll want to start making changes in your diet, before we start the detox, you must remove all white flour and sugar. It's best to ease off and make sure they are completly eliminated 5 days before you start.

If you don't own a yoga mat, you'll need to purchase one. Yoga plays an important role in releasing toxins. I recommend finding a yoga studio too - the best instructors teach at studios. Many gyms offer yoga classes but I've yet to find one that is as good as the one taught at a studio. Of course this all depends on the instructor. A good instructor walks around the class and makes sure you are doing the poses correctly. A bad instructor sits at the front doing all of the poses and never gets up to correct people. Finding a good studio will make a huge difference in your results.

You'll need to make sure your drinking plenty of filtered water. I recommend getting a PUR or Britta water filter and a BPA free water bottle. A Blender Bottle also work great for preparing your psyllium and shakes.

30 Days is a long time to stick to a plan, do you have shorter plans?

30 days is nothing compared to the 12,000 days you've lived and have not been detoxing. I do offer a "7 Day Sampler kit" - this kit will have enough vitamins, supplements and shakes for 7 days. It has the workbook but it will not have the full cook book. The 7 day kit works great for those who don't want to lose any weight or maybe just 5-7 pounds AND who are generally pretty great health. The 7 day plan is $99.

Please contact me to sign up or if you have any questions.

Thanks,

Angela

RECIPE - Coconut Whip Cream

Coconut Whip Cream

1 full can of coconut milk makes 4 cups of whip cream.

This is an awesome alternative to dairy whip cream. It tastes better and doesn’t separate when stored in the fridge for a few days.

Ingredients:

1 can of cold coconut milk

1 tablespoon of honey (or adjust to taste)

1 tsp of vanilla

Method:

1.       Make sure to buy full fat coconut milk free of preservatives and additives. Store coconut milk in the fridge overnight.

2.       When you open the can, the coconut cream and coconut water should be separated. For thick cream, only use the cream. I like to use both the cream and the water when making cream for fruit or pies.

3.       Add contents to mixer and whip for 5 minutes.

4.       Add honey and vanilla – whip again.

5.       Store in fridge until ready to use.

TIPS:

Don’t use light coconut milk and don’t try to make it with a  warm can. It will be too watery. I usually keep a few cans in the fridge just in case I decide to whip some up.

 You can also put your mixing bowl in the freezer for 5 minutes before you make it to help keep it cold while mixing.

 If you don’t use the coconut water, don’t dump it out. Drink it! It’s full of electrolytes. It can also be added to your morning smoothie or protein shake.

 If you’re not sure how thick you’ll want the cream. Start mixing with just the cream, when it’s light and fluffy, you can choose to add some coconut water and mix it again to reach your desired consistency. If it's a little too watery, put it in the fridge and it will thicken as it gets cold.

If you are making the cream for the Detox Friendly Pumpkin Pie, use the cream and the water - no honey.

Understanding Food Labels, Part 3: Sugar-Free & Artificial Sweeteners

  

In my last article we talked about how fat doesn’t make you fat and eating lowfat products can contribute to heart disease and other health problems. When fat is removed from a product, more sugar or artificial sweeteners will be added to make up for the loss of flavor.

You may see products advertising: “Light” or “Sugar-free” or “Low Calorie” or “Diet” – these labels should concern you. It’s a good idea to always read and understand the ingredients.

In the United States, six intensely sweet sugar substitutes have been approved for use: Aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal), Sucralose (Splenda), Neotame (NutraSweet), Acesulfame Potassium (Nutrinova), Saccharin (Sweet’N Low) and Stevia (extracts known a Reb-A, Truvia, PureVia). You may also see sugar alcohols such as Xylitol, Malitol and others that end in “ol.”

While these are all approved, they are not without controversy. Dr. Hyman explains in his book “The Blood Sugar Solution” how all sugar substitutes can make you fat.

Tricking your brain into thinking you are getting something sweet plays dirty tricks on your metabolism.  Artificial sweeteners disrupt the normal hormonal and neurological signals that control hunger and satiety (feeling full).  A study of rats that were fed artificially sweetened food found that their metabolism slowed down and they were triggered to consume more calories and gain more weight than rats fed sugar-sweetened food. In another alarming study, rats offered the choice of cocaine or artificial sweeteners always picked the artificial sweetener, even if the rats were previously programmed to be cocaine addicts.

Diet drink consumption has increased 400 percent since 1960.  Those who consume diet drinks regularly have a 200 percent increased risk of weight gain, a 36 percent increased risk of pre-diabetes or metabolic syndrome, and a 67 percent increased risk of diabetes. A study of 400 people found that those who drank two diet sodas a day or more increased their waist size by five times.

Another controversy associated with all artificial sweeteners is that they may cause many other health problems, including cancer. Aspartame for example, can cause tumors and contribute to MS, lupus, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, headaches, memory loss, dizziness, vertigo and fatigue. Sucralose (Splenda) may adversely affect your immune system and may retard placental fetal development in pregnant women. Blurred vision, water retention, hypotension, headaches, bloating, cramping, gas, shortness of breath, hives, rashes, muscle pain, weakness and joint pain have been reported.

Stevia is a tropical plant that has been used as a sweetener and for medicinal purposes for hundreds of years. In 1991, after receiving an anonymous complaint, the FDA labeled stevia as an “unsafe food additive”. Clinical trials showed that stevia can mitigate cancer cell proliferation in laboratory mice, suggesting that it has properties that are anti-mutagenic. This finding was criticized on procedural grounds that the data was mishandled in such a way that even distilled water would appear mutagenic. Supporters of stevia believe the FDA was pressured by the artificial sweetener industry because the stevia plant is natural and cannot be patented. However, extracts from the plant can be patented. Fast forward to 2008, The Coca-Cola Company (Cargill) develops Truvia; PepsiCo and Merisant develop PureVia; and Corn Products International develops Enliten. The FDA gave no objection to these patented extracts. The use of stevia extracts in processed food is growing. These extracts are new to the food industry and some may caution overconsumption of these products. Minimal side effects have been reported – mostly gastro-intestinal (GI) distress and some nausea, but more research is needed. If you have a sugar addiction, consuming stevia may still trick your metabolism and increase your cravings.

 We need to ask ourselves, are diet beverages, gum, dressings, yogurts and other processed foods sweetened with artificial sweeteners worth the risk of weight gain, cancers, headaches and other health problems? Maybe, the question should ultimately be, should products with sugar be consumed instead of products with sugar substitutes? Well, good question! One great example of this question in our everyday lives is the following: Is Coke better than Diet Coke? Did you know that Coke is sweetened with high fructose corn syrup (a sugar), as opposed to Diet Coke which is sweetened with Aspartame (a sugar substitute)? Which is better? At this point one might think sugar is better, but recent studies have shown sugar is just as bad. Who knows? It’s kind of like asking if you want me to break your right leg or your left leg? But this is a question for another day. In fact, we’ll cover that in my next article.


Food Labels:

Understanding Food Labels - Lowfat vs.Full Fat

Understanding Food Labels - Natural Vs. Organic

Understanding Food Labels, Part 2: Lowfat vs. Full Fat

DO NOT EAT A LOW-FAT DIET

Low-fat is a food marketing term that was widely used in the 80’s and 90’s when we were taught all fat was bad. I remember working at McDonalds in high school and opting for McDonalds low-fat vanilla shake and low-fat cookies (made with trans fats) as a meal because at that time, they had the lowest fat grams on the menu.  Counting fat grams never helped me lose weight and I’m pretty sure my cookie and milkshake diet had a negative effect on my health.

Now we know fats play an important and vital role in our health (with the exception of trans fats). We need fats - good fats, even saturated fats are vital for a normal metabolism, heart, bone, liver, lung and brain health. Unfortunately, many people are still highly influenced by low-fat marketing and do not realize selecting a low-fat option over a full fat option may be worse for your health.

There are good fats and bad fats and that’s why so it’s important to read the labels. Saturated fats have a bad rap but are they are not always bad. For example coconut is high in saturated fat but it’s full of healthy benefits because of lauric acid which strengthens the immune system – but those benefits are removed when the fat is removed from coconut.

Trans fats do not exist in nature. It comes from chemically altered oils as hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils. Trans fats are used in some processed foods and low-fat products. They increase the risk of coronary heart disease by raising levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol and lowering “good” HDL cholesterol.

How Food Manufactures are Deceiving You

Some food manufactures have removed trans fats from their products but there are plenty of manufacturers hiding it from you. Some products may have trans fat, even if the label say “0”. How can they do that? If it has .5 grams per serving or less, it will say “0” – this is where it’s important to read the ingredients. For example, a small bag of cookies from the vending machine may have 2-4 servings.  If the label says “0” trans fat, it could have 0.5 grams x 4 servings = 2 grams of trans fat for that little bag! If you didn’t read or understand the label, you would assume you haven’t consumed any trans fat. Research shows that increasing daily trans fat to just 2 grams would increase one’s risk of cardiovascular disease by 30%. The moral of this story is, check the ingredients, and then make sure you don’t see any hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oil listed in the ingredients.

In lowfat products food manufactures will increase the sugars or salt to make up from the loss of flavor from removing the fat. This high salt content increases our risk for high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease as well as risk of asthma, kidney stones, osteoporosis and stomach cancer. The increase in sugar can cause spikes of blood sugar levels telling your body to store fat and increasing your risk of type 2 diabetes.

To keep the sugar and calories low, they made add artificial sweeteners such as aspartame or Splenda (sucralose). Aspartame can cause tumors and contribute to MS, lupus, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, headaches, memory loss, dizziness, vertigo and fatigue. Sucralose may adversely affect your immune system and may retard placental fetal development in pregnant women. Also blurred vision, water retention, hypotension, headaches, bloating, cramping, gas, shortness of breath, hives, rashes, muscle pain, weakness and joint pain have been reported.

Another trick food manufactures use to make a product lowfat is to pump the product full of air – this would also make the product lower in calories. A perfect example of this is ice cream. The full fat, more expensive ice creams are rich and creamy. The “light” or low fat versions are usually not as satisfying because you are eating cream mixed with air. As you scoop the ice cream you may notice it compressing or melt and that pint or quart won’t feed as many people as you thought.

Salad dressings are some of the dirtiest foods you can eat. They may be filled with sugar, sodium, artificial sweeteners, MSG and unhealthy oils. If eating out, skip the pre-made dressings opting for lemons, limes or salsa. If you’re at home, whip together olive oil with juice from citrus, vinegars or mustards.

Only use coconut oils for cooking and olive oil for low heat cooking and salads. Nut oils are great for salads too. Avoid vegetable oils and canola which is a GMO oil. There is no such thing as a canola plant. Canola is a GMO variety of the rape seed plant. Corn and soy oils most likely come from GMO corn and soy.

If low-fat products remove the healthy benefits, add sugars, artificial sweeteners and sodium that contribute to disease, then why would you buy the low-fat version of the product? Eating fat doesn’t make you fat, eating too many calories and inflammation foods make you fat.

Toss out all of those old "low-fat" cookbooks. Embrace fats and don’t be deceived – be smart and read the labels! Pretty soon you’ll figure out what foods you can trust.

Next: Understanding Food Labels: Sugar-Free & Artificial Sweeteners
Previous: Understanding Food Labels - Natural Vs. Organic

Understanding Food Labels, Part 1: Organic vs. Natural: Are You Being Deceived By Food Companies?

The first step to eating healthy is taking the time to understand food labels.  Learn how to read the labels and look past the tricky marketing.

Natural vs. Organic Products

The term “natural” has become very popular on food packaging and personal care products. Don’t be fooled! Natural is just marketing term used to make you think their product is healthy for you. In some cases, they charge more for it. In the US, neither the FDA nor USDA have rules or regulations for products labeled as “natural”. As a result, they can slap the word “natural” on heavily processed foods with unhealthy additives.

Organic on the other hand is regulated by the USDA. In order for a product to have “Organic” on the label, it must be free of toxic pesticides, synthetic herbicides, chemical NPK fertilizers, artificial colors, preservatives, waxes, GMOs, and no antibiotics or growth hormones are given to the animals. Organic producers and processors are subject to rigorous inspection to ensure they are producing products you can trust.

Conventional vs. Organic Produce

There is no doubt that organic produce is healthier for you but it’s also healthier for the environment. Organic farming practices are designed to encourage soil and water conservation and reduce pollution. The downside to buying organic is the cost. Higher prices are due, in part; to more expensive farming practices and they may spoil faster because they aren’t treated with waxes and preservatives.

Switching from conventional to organic produce can be difficult for someone with a limited food budget. If you can’t afford to switch to all organic, use the Environmental Working Group shoppers guide to help you choose your produce. The EWG guide lists 45 different fruits and vegetables and ranks them from highest to lowest based on their pesticide load. At the top of the list – the produce found to contain the highest amount of pesticides is called “The Dirty Dozen” and the bottom of the list is the “Clean Fifteen”

2019 Dirty Dozen 1.       Strawberries 2.       Spinach 3.       Kale 4.       Nectarines 5.       Apples 6.       Grapes 7.       Peaches 8.       Cherries 9.       Pears 10.    Tomatoes 11.    Celery 12.    Potatoes

2019 Clean Fifteen 1.       Avocados 2.       Sweet Corn 3.       Pineapples 4.       Sweet Peas (Frozen) 5.       Onions 6.       Papaya 7.       Eggplant 8.       Asparagus 9.       Kiwi 10.    Cabbage 11.    Cauliflower 12.    Cantaloupes 13.    Broccoli 14.     Mushrooms 15.    Honeydew

Eating smarter and healthier may cost you more money now, but it may save you money on medical bills in the future.

To read more about the deception behind the "natural" food label, read Skip the Diet Whole Foods Nutrition:

“Natural” vs “Organic” labeling: Are you getting the Bait and Switch?   See how products that use to be organic have changed to natural - but  you are still paying the same price.

Next: Understanding Food Labels - Lowfat vs.Full Fat

"You Don't Know How Bad You Feel, Until You Feel Good": The Story of My Journey to Good Health

My name is Angela and while most people consider me very healthy, I wasn’t always this way. I was never athletic and I was a very picky eater (I lived on pepperoni pizza, McDonalds and cereal/milk most my life). I want to share with you why I changed my eating habits and why I want to help others do the same.

At age 30, I was a mess.  It seemed as each year passed, an odd new symptom would begin. Looking back, my health problems started just before junior high. I remember being tired all of the time; the kids in school and even my own mom would accuse me of being stoned. I was always cold and my energy levels were very low. I struggled to stay awake in every class. My legs itched like crazy – I ruined a few pairs of pants scratching my leg with my pen, forgetting the cap was not on. Gym class was miserable, I had low energy and my lungs burned every time I had to run – that discomfort caused me to hate anything athletic or any form of exercise.

My itchy skin was blamed on dry skin, the doctor suggested changing detergents…but I still itched, some soaps made it worse. My fatigue was blamed on “just part of being a teenager” so I continued being a teenager and of course, ate horribly. Breakfast was cereal or poptarts and milk. School lunch: ranch dressing drenched iceberg lettuce with cubed processed ham, turkey and topped with cheese, crouton and sunflower seeds.  Sometimes I didn’t want what they were serving so I sold my ticket and used the money to buy a thick slice of white bread covered with melted cheese and a honey butter scone. Beverages of choice: Pepsi, chocolate milk or skim milk. Sometimes I would buy chili cheese nachos and a 32 oz soda at Circle K. It was cheaper than school lunch so I had money left over to refill my 32 oz soda and get a snack on they way home. I started working at McDonalds at age 15, and that was my dinner almost every night for the next 3 years.

I’m disgusted in myself for eating that way. I wish I knew what that food was doing to me - I wasn't fat so I didn't see any reason for changing. I wasn’t the only one who ate like that, just about every kid in my school ate their salad that way or had cheese bread and scones for lunch.  I wasn’t the only one selling my lunch tickets for convenience store crap.

At age 20 I gained 30 pounds over the course of about 9 months. This was in 1995-96 when GMO foods invaded the American diet. When I grocery shopped, I had to bring my shopping list, coupons and calculator. I was cooking for two but I only had so much to spend with our tight budgets. We lived on hamburger helper, tater tots, frozen pot pies, Spaghetti’Os, tuna, canned veggies and I tried to learn how to cook on the weekends and serving up lasagna or chicken enchiladas with a cake or cookies. Of course I didn’t exercise because it was too painful to breath.

These photos were taken 9 months apart - you can see the 30 pound weight gain in the photo on the right.

My partner had asthma and he gave me his inhaler to try and - wow…I can breathe! I went to the doctor and sure enough, I had asthma. I decided to give my improved lungs a try and bought a gym membership. It was 1996, with the help of a popular drug called Phen-fen prescribed by my doctor, I dropped all 30 pounds in 5 months with a diet primarily of Life cereal and skim milk. During that 5 months, I was required to attend a nutrition class at the hospital. This is what I remember: drink skim milk, diet soda, make sandwiches with wheat bread, use lowfat dairy products and I Can’t Believe it’s Not Butter.

At age 22 I found myself struggling to stay awake – especially if I had to drive or sit through a class or meeting at work. I couldn’t do it. My commute was 30 minutes and my partner had to drive me to and from work every day. Every day I fell asleep in the car to and from work. I was exhausted all day but then I found myself struggling to fall asleep at night.

I do not have a photo of my 30 pound weight loss, but here's one about 5 months later at age 21 - I'm sure I gained 10 back after stopping phen-fen. The photo was taken 1 1/2 years after the photo on the right at age 22...I gained it all back.

Over the next few years my immune system seemed to not work at all. I caught several colds, flu, ear infection and strep. Each time I caught a cold it would turn into bronchitis and they would put me on antibiotics and prednisone. I was put on these drugs several times each year. Once again I ballooned up 30 pounds and I was not very happy.

I researched prednisone and found it causes gain weight and weakens your immune system for up to one year. Great, I already have a weak immune system and now these drugs I to take to help me overcome my illness, will weaken my immune system even more?!…sounds like a vicious cycle I’m never going to get out of!

By age 25 my diet was mainly cereal, milk and frozen pizza, lunch was turkey or chicken sandwich and sometimes a not so healthy salad with ranch dressing on the side (that was my effort to be healthy).

New symptoms started – pain. It seemed to stem from my neck and back but it radiated up and down my whole body. Eventually the pain radiated on just the right side of my body where it would come and go. The pain was pretty debilitating at times – all I wanted to do was sleep or numb it with alcohol and drugs. I was seeing a chiropractor and going to physical therapy 3 times a week. They would do trigger point shots and send me home with somas for flare ups.

Over the next 4 years my weight went up and down. I tried to exercising 5 days a week but my energy was low. I gave up the frozen pizzas and tried to eat healthier. I followed the South Beach diet and other “low carb” diets. The weight would go down, then my energy would decrease and my weight would go up. I would catch every cold that walked past me and some would last for several weeks. I decided not to take prednisone when it was prescribed and I seemed to survive without it.

The photo on the left is me at age 27 - at a lower weight and the photo on the right is 2006, age 30 at a higher weight.


By age 30 I’d had enough and desperately wanted to feel good. The itching was getting worse, more intense…my legs were raw. My ears were itching and sometimes my arms. According to the doctors there was nothing wrong with me – at least from what they could find. My physician said I was too young to have all of these health problems but there wasn’t much they could do about it since all my test showed I was healthy. Here is the list of symptoms I was experiencing:

• Itchy ears
• Drainage from ears
• Ringing in ears
• Anxiety
• Fatigue
• Watery itchy eyes
• Red sticky eyes
• Headaches – sometimes migraines
• Balance and dizziness issues
• Asthma
• Poor memory and concentration
• Stuttering or stammering
• Hoarseness
• Thinning and breaking hair
• Constipation for a few days, then diarrhea
• Bloating and gas
• Heartburn
• Stomach/Intestinal Pain
• Foot pain
• Back pain
• Pain on entire right side of body that comes and goes
• Restless leg
• Trouble falling asleep – at least 2-3 hours I’d lay in bed each night.
• Waking up in the middle of the night – at least 1 hour.
• Sleep walking (2 occurrences)
• Anal itching
• Reoccurring yeast infections
• Irregular periods – sometimes never ending
• Swollen legs  / ankles
• Plantar warts

YIKES! Embarrassing – but true. Please keep reading because I'm going to tell you what I did to cure all of the health issues.

I’d stopped going to the chiropractor for a year. The pain was tolerable for a while but after a year, I couldn’t take it anymore. My old chiropractor office was closed so I tried just doing physical therapy for a few months…. but it got worse. I found a new chiropractor and he performed a test called a meridian scan or bioenergetic scan. He recommended vitamins and some diet changes along with adjustments 2-3 days per week. He didn’t really explain much - other than the vitamins I was taking (spending $30 per month on, were not working for me). He then sold me $100+ in vitamins but didn't really explain what they were and why I needed them or why they were better than what I was already taking.

A few months went by and I started feeling a little better…I think.  He suggested removing dairy and gluten or eating sprouted wheat. I kind of listened to what he recommended, but I didn’t really know why and didn’t really stick with it. Every few months I had a new meridian scan, I could see my results improving and I felt like I was improving….a little…but I still didn’t feel right.

I was on a mission to solve my health issues. I researched endlessly on the internet. Each week I would stop at Whole Foods in the supplement section, looking for remedies and answers. I decided to purchase one of those boxed 30 day detox kits for $30. I followed the instructions and ate most the foods it recommend and the supplements it included. At the end of the 30 days, I felt a little better, but maybe that was because of the vitamins my new chiropractor had me on?

My physician sent me to a GI doctor. She was unsure about my digestive problems. I suspected gluten may be an issue because several family members had just been diagnosed with celiac disease. She didn’t believe me because I didn’t have all the symptoms of celiacs and my blood tests were normal. She mentioned I may have IBS and scheduled me for a colonoscopy in four months. She also told me that my bowel movements every 3 days were “normal”. HOW CAN THAT BE NORMAL? I eat 3 meals a day. Why would waste sitting in my bowels for several days be normal?

I decided to try another detox but this time I purchased Dr. Hyman’s “Detox Box”. It cost $30 but it was different than the other kit I bought. It didn’t include supplements; it contained an audio CD with Dr. Hyman explaining why we need to detox, a yoga CD, yoga flash cards, a booklet, and flash cards referencing the foods and supplements the doctor recommends. It took me about a month to gather all of the supplies needed for the detox and prepare for it. I’d spent over $300 purchasing all of the supplements and supplies. Plus another chunk of money buying all of the healthy foods and spices. If I’d know the price tag up front, would I have done it? Probably not, unless I knew of others who’d been successful doing the detox. Then maybe I could’ve justified the final price tag.

After the new year, I followed it exactly for 7 days and I had a 7 pound weight loss. I felt better than I’d felt in years.  I had to learn more! Why do I need to take all of these vitamins and supplements? Why does the so called food I’ve been eating all of my life affect me this way? Is it possible I may have food intolerances or allergies? Why was I taught growing up to have 11 servings of cereals and grain, and why was I told to drink all that milk? Why does my body feel so much better when I don’t eat what I’ve been taught to eat my whole life? I had so many questions which prompted me to look for more books by Dr. Hyman.

I detoxed again but this time I did the full 3 weeks as suggested in The Detox Box. Wow! I had more energy than I’ve had in my entire adult life. I followed the detox diet exactly as it was laid out and it was very difficult for me. Before I started I had no idea how to prepare vegetables and I didn’t really like fish. I struggled eating the rice protein shakes, steamed veggies, brown rice and salmon – but I did it and I made myself like it. I continued to eat healthy for a few more months and I followed an allergen elimination diet recommend by Dr. Hyman and used recipes from his Ultrametabolism book.

By my 31^st birthday, I’d lost 25 pounds and most of my health problems went away. Even the symptoms I thought were normal part of life were gone. After 4 months without dairy, I added it back in and discovered that is what had been causing me to itch…and it made me tired. I also realized  I had a lactose intolerance. I cancelled my very expensive but now unnecessary colonoscopy.  My pain was gone too!

Over the course of the next 4 years I still applied some of what I had learned but I got lazy with the vitamins – just taking a multi. My eating habits were better than most people – I ate my fair share of vegetables and salmon, I ate really well at home but I ate food from work – which was pretty much fast foods. Most my symptoms were now back including the pain and I found myself once again, 25 pounds overweight. Ugh! I know better, how did I let myself get here….life…stress…and bad eating habits had a domino effect.

Feeling horrible I went back to the doctor, this time my tests were positive for Hypothyroidism. That would explain why after 12 weeks of bootcamp, working out harder than I have my entire life, I did not lose any weight. I was asked to come back in a month and re-test. I made some changes to my diet and the following month my test was negative – but I still had all of the symptoms. I read Dr. Hyman’s book on Hypothyroidism and found that just because your blood tests are negative, doesn’t mean you don’t have a thyroid problem. He referred to it as an elusive thyroid problem. Hypothyroidism is when your body takes the food you eat and converts it to fat instead of energy. So you feel tired and hungry all of the time – sabotaging whatever diet you try to stick to making it impossible to lose weight. Each month my tests proved negative results despite all of the symptoms I was experiencing.

That summer my allergies and asthma were really bad. I itched constantly despite avoiding dairy products. My doctor referred me to an allergy specialist for further testing. The day before my allergy test, I returned home from a weekend trip at Bear Lake. I had the worst sunburn I ever experienced in my life. I went to my appointment and said to the nurse, "We should only do the asthma test. My back is very sunburt and I don’t think we can do the scratch test on my back." The doctor disagreed and said he can still perform the test.

UGH!! That was painful! After the test the doctor said I had no allergies, even dairy did not show an allergic reaction. He said “Some people just itch” and he implied that it was all in my head. WTF?! Seriously?! He told me to go by Zyrtec....so I did and it made me feel like I'd been hit by a bus. Okay, so that visit was a waste of money. Thanks doctor for your wise advice.

The pain that radiated on the right side of my body was worse than ever. I’ve tried acupuncture, chiropractors, and massage – sometimes it would help for an hour, a day or a week but the pain always came back. Detoxing was the only thing that took the pain away for an extended period of time. Now I’ve added a new pain – joint pain in my hips and feet. My stomach hurts randomly, sometimes I'm doubled over for 4 hours. Eating is painful, even something as simple as sushi was painful.

A few months before my 35^th birthday, I knew what I had to do. I had the knowledge and the resources to fix the problem. I listened to Dr. Hymans, Detox Box CD again and re-read his books. I had to get my mind in the right place so set these goals and follow this restrictive detox diet again.

I gave up my birth control, asthma and allergy medications. I detoxed for 3 weeks – I felt better, I only lost 7 pounds and I knew I wasn’t finished. My energy wasn’t like it was 4 years ago.

I decided to detox again but I wanted to wait a month. I ate healthy that month and continued my yoga. I tried to start running until the pain came back after 2 weeks. Hmmmm the pain goes away when I detox. It feels better after chiropractic, yoga and massage - they all release toxins. Could my pain be from a toxin, maybe a toxin I’m continually exposed to? Hmm???

It had been a few years since I had a meridian scan and I visited a friend who just purchased a scanner. We performed the test and the results showed few toxins in my body, but one was very high – palladium. I went home and Googled palladium. It’s used in jewelry, mostly from china and it’s an alloys mixed with gold and used in dental crowns. It’s just as poisonous as mercury. Hmmm…..my pain started 10 year ago. That year I had 2 crowns – one on the right and one on the left. The same year I had radiating pain throughout my entire body. Both crowns really irritated my gums but the crown on the left was more irritated and that’s the one they removed…leaving the other one on the right….all my radiating pain is on the right.

For 10 years I’ve had this crown on the right side. I asked for a porcelain crown but what I got was a porcelain crown with gold on the inside. It most likely has the palladium alloy that showed up on my test. The next day I called my new dentist and asked him to remove this old crown. This time I want all porcelain – no gold, no metal. It costs more, but I’m willing to pay more if the pain goes away. After I had the crown removed, I started another detox. By the end of the 3 weeks, the pain is gone, I only dropped 3 pounds but I felt a lot better.

I felt so good – I completed two 5k races that spring (I’ve never been able to run like that before). For the first time in my life, I felt athletic. I was controlling my asthma through diet and vitamins. I’m not the best runner and I don’t really like it but I’ll kept working at it. I do however, love cycling and started commuting 16 miles every day. At lunch I go for a brisk walk for 45-60 minutes and I started swimming once a week. I continued eating the detox diet for my breakfast and lunch. Despite all of these efforts, my weight stayed the same – all summer.

That fall, I decided to do another detox. It seems to be the only way my weight will budge. The inflammation foods: dairy, gluten, corn, soy, nightshades, eggs and nuts all keep me from losing weight.  This time I dropped 9 pounds in the 1st week. One pound the 2^nd week. The funny thing, I did it without exercising.

My energy was really low before I started my detox and continued to be low after the detox, then I came down with a tonsil infection that felt a lot like strep. My doctor referred me to an ear nose and throat doctor because it was my 2nd infection in just a few months. The ear nose and throat doctor ask why I still had my tonsils? He said I had the biggest crater in my tonsils that he’s ever seen. He’s surprised I’m not sick all of the time (Well I used to be). With a crater that size my immune system is constantly fighting low grade infections and that’s what could be causing fatigue. I never had my tonsils removed because none of my doctors had ever talked to me about it until now. Looking back to my early 20’s – they should’ve been removed then. I was constantly battling chronic fatigue, sore throats and illness. Duh!

After I had my tonsils removed I expected to drop weight. Despite the low calorie, liquid diet – I didn’t lose any weight…just 2 pounds but I know it wasn’t fat.

I learned that thyroid issues cause problems with liver detoxification. Anything that’s toxic on the liver is going to cause problems with my thyroid preventing me from losing weight. I’m sure the painkillers I took after the surgery kept my liver pretty toxic.

My life has completely changed. I went from being a picky eater who's only veggie was iceberg drenched in ranch. Now I love eating healthy, I crave veggies and nutrient filled salads but I love healthy treats too. The problem is every time I start allowing, gluten, dairy or sugar in my life – it’s like a domino effect and it takes over. Next thing I know I’m eating it every day – and then I start packing on the pounds, anxiety comes back and I just don’t feel very good. In order to stop, I have to refocus and reboot my system.

Some people can lose weight by following a 90/10 rule….eating healthy 90% of the time and allowing 10% cheats. Not me. One drop of gluten, sugar, alcohol or pretty much any food not included in my detox can keep me from losing weight. I have to be strict, no cheats, not even 1 glass of wine. The longer I go without those poisons, the better I feel….and it’s not easy. But sometimes you don’t know how bad you feel until you feel good.

Now at age 36, I’ve reversed my dairy allergy. I don’t itch anymore. I still chose not to eat it, but it’s nice to know that if I do allow a splurge I’m not going to spend the rest of my night paying for it. Even the lactose intolerance is hardly noticeable.

I did not have seasonal allergies for the 1st time in 10 years. I use to take Allegra every summer....this year I'm loving the summer without it.

Pretty much all of the symptoms I listed up above are gone. Gluten causes my stomach to swells up (for years I just thought I was fat). Overall I just feel better if I keep it out of my diet. If my diet is bad for several weeks, some of the symptoms come back and go away when I eat healthy again.

I’ve learned so much these last 6 years; I just wish I knew all of this years ago. …maybe my 20’s would’ve been more enjoyable. I believe the detox, good quality vitamins in high doses and a very healthy diet with a lot of vegetables cured all of those symptoms. It's not just one change I made, I changed everything.

My doctors weren't much help, just ready to write a presciption for each symptom. Never addressing toxins, vitamin deficiencies or diet. The only one who mentioned anything about that was a chiropractor. I had to figure most of this out on my own. I read book, after book, after book. Google was pretty handy too. It's unfortunate that the doctors we trust with our health, don't know anything about vitamins, toxins or diet. So unless your luckly enough to find a doctor who knows about preventative medicine, you'll have to figure it out on your own to. You can choose to grow old on your meds while some of us are getting healthier with age.

Changing your diet takes full commitment and dedication but all that work added years to my life and it can add years to your life too. I hope to have a family some day and I want to live to see them grow. I want to be a grandma – a fun grandma, one that has energy to have fun with her family. I want to teach them how to eat between the lines and be smart about their health.

I’m a different person than I was 6 years ago. My health is in my hands. I’m responsible for what I put in my body. I don’t listen to commercial advertising telling me what’s healthy. I know how to read the labels and I understand the ingredients. I don’t count carbs or fat grams – instead I eat the right carbs, the right fats and eat clean foods. I know eating healthy costs more but I can pay for my health, feel good now and I’m investing in my future health. Or I eat cheap processed, GMO foods and pay for the doctor, hospital and medication bills down the road.

I believe I'm on the border of having serious health issues, possibly an auto immune disease. MS and Celiacs run in the family. If I don't continue to eat healthy, I will only cause myself more problems in the future. If I end up the cancer down the road, I know it was not caused by what I'm doing now, but what I did while I was young. They say adult cancer starts in your body 20 years before you are diagnosed. Turn your life around before you get sick or it may be too late.

If I can make these changes in my life, anyone can. My goal in life is to help others find what I’ve found – good health. Let me be your coach and guide you, to feeling the best you’ve ever felt. I can get you on a vitamin plan that works and I'll explain why. Try my detox – I’ve made the detox preparation easier, I've even improved it and added to it. I have a kit with everything you need and even created an easy to follow workbook. Plus you have me as your coach.

Like I said, you don’t know how bad you feel, until you feel good J