SPRING FORWARD DETOX by Rachel Feldman

Spring is here. Let's talk Spring Detox.

I am not going to bore you with a typical Spring Detox talk. No way. 

I am going to share with you some simple ways you can kick start your liver and gallbladder, which means weight loss, cellular regeneration and less fatigue for you.

Let's start simple. 

1. Drink lemon water upon waking. If you want to add some extra spring cleansing, then add a dash of cayenne and one tablespoon of raw apple cider vinegar. I love using Bragg's Raw Apple Cider Vinegar.

2. Make a Green Smoothie loaded with antioxidants and bitter greens. The bitter greens support a healthy bile flow, and we need that for healthy liver detoxification.

Make this smoothie:

Liquid Energy

1 1⁄2 cups dairy-free milk 

1⁄2 cup frozen or fresh berries

1 cup kale

handful of parsley 

1⁄4-inch fresh ginger root

 1 lemon, juiced

3. Make a healthy raw salad with a clean source of protein for lunch. A healthy raw salad for the Spring should consist of cabbage, cucumber on tops of a bed of fresh spinach with fresh herbs such as cilantro, which is great for chelating the body of heavy metals. Add the juice of one lemon with two tablespoons of high quality olive oil and your choice of sea vegetables. I love to use dulse or kelp flakes for a healthy dose of minerals plus they are great for your thyroid. Why not detox and support your thyroid at the same time? Now add a clean source of protein. What does this mean? 

I like to consume protein that is free of nitrates, organic preferably, grass fed or a fish that is low in mercury such as flounder.

Feel free to add plant-based proteins such as lentils, mung beans or hemp seeds to your salad.

4. Finish your day with a simple meal. This should be your lightest meal of the day when it comes to a Simple Spring Detox. Enjoy steamed vegetables with a green salad or roasted root vegetables with a cup of miso soup, also great for the thyroid.

EASY MISO SOUP

(Makes 3-4 Servings)

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 

2 large carrots, chopped

2 celery ribs, chopped

3 green onions, chopped

2 cups vegetable broth (organic, store-bought or homemade)

 Sea salt to taste

black pepper to taste

2 to 3 teaspoons miso

In a large pot over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the chopped carrots and sauté for 3 minutes. When the carrots start to look golden, add the celery and sauté for another 2 minutes. Allow the vegetables to soften.

Add the vegetable broth to the pot along with sea salt and black pepper. Cover and bring the soup to a boil. When the soup is boiling, remove from heat. Add miso and mix until it’s dissolved. Top with chopped scallion and serve.

Detox is not just about the food you consume. As you enter the Spring, you have the opportunity to release what does not serve you. Spring is about renewal, and the liver releases toxins both physically and emotionally. 

Take 5 minutes each night to set your intentions for the next day and release what does not serve you that day. What do you want for this Spring Season and how can you best serve your body? 

Spring Forward my friend. 

Rachel Feldman is a health coach, digestive wellness expert, and detox specialist. Based in Boca Raton, Florida, Rachel assists clients nationwide via phone, email and Skype. Rachel helps men and women struggling with weight gain, digestive issues and toxicity. Rachel graduated from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York City, Wild Rose Natural College of Healing, and International School of Detoxification Level 1 & 2 and certified by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners. Her approach to health focuses on the foods you put into your mouth and incorporates the elements of body, mind and soul. She helps her clients to access the blueprint for their health by discovering what foods fuel the body. Her signature Detox & Cleanse is based on the elimination diet. It helps to uncover hidden food intolerances, restore gut health and teach people simple ways to detox the body daily. Visit www.rachelswellness.com.

PSA ABOUT A MARCH 5TH SNOW DAY By: Kathryn Merrifield

Snow is a cold burial for the soul.  Paralyzing for this California-born person who had the luxury of visiting the snow in Mammoth or Lake Tahoe with the purpose to ski and visit grandparents.  Then, had the luxury to LEAVE THE SNOW.

Venna Rose told me one day that the one good thing about not living in Calfornia is that there are no snow days.  I thought she would be a little putt-off if I told her that earthquakes cause school closure.  Smog days too.

There’s totally a reason that the wicked witch is from the east coast.  People who get more sun are happier.  People who deal with snow all day long are less happy.  It’s where SAD comes from.  I know this because it’s on the recoding when I’m on phone hold with the doctor:  Seasonal Affective Disorder.

You know those people who react to a bitterly cold January day with, “Well, we only have another month of this and then it’s spring?”

They are LIARS!

There are three seasons in this place, okay.? Spring is not a season as it applies to weather.  Stuff starts growing again but there’s little going on in terms of drastic weather changes.  While that may be a little bit of magic, it may also be still rainy and cold.  The other seasons are more legitimate in my opinon.

But to be honest, I never knew what a season was before July 17, 1998 when I moved to New York.  So, it’s an education, this Northeastern life.

There’s an opportunity to get closer with these conversations - there's always something to talk about.

So, go talk amongst yourselves.  Warm up.  Watch as the landscape is cloaked in Shabby Chic white.