Morning Affirmation: I embody the strength, clarity and confidence I desire. I am strong, confident, and smart.
Lesson of the Day:
Caffeine – know the facts
I love a warm cup of coffee every now and then but it definitely is used as a treat and not a daily crutch to pull me out of bed. Here is some information to guide you toward making healthy and informed decisions around your caffeine use.
1.Stress
Caffeine stimulates the excretion of stress hormones, which can produce increased levels of anxiety, irritability, muscular tension and pain, indigestion, insomnia and decreased immunity. Increased levels of stress can keep you from making healthy responses to normal daily stress.
2.Emotional Unrest
Anxiety and irritability are hallmark mood disturbances associated with too much caffeine consumption, but equally important are depression and attention disorders.
3.Blood Sugar Swings
Diabetics and hypoglycemics should avoid caffeine. Caffeine stimulates a temporary surge in blood sugar followed by an overproduction of insulin, which causes a blood sugar crash within hours. This roller coaster causes weight gain since insulin’s message to the body is to store excess sugar as fat.
4. Digestive Problems
Many people experience a burning sensation in their stomach after drinking coffee because coffee increases the secretion of hydrochloric acid, which leads to an increased risk for ulcers. Coffee, including decaf, reduces pressure on the valve between the esophagus and the stomach so that the highly acidic contents of the stomach pass up to the esophagus, which can lead to heartburn and gastro-esophageal reflux disease.
5. Adrenal Exhaustion
Caffeine consumption leads to eventual adrenal exhaustion, which can leave you vulnerable to a variety of health disorders related to inflammation and fatigue.
(Adapted from Caffeine Blues: Wake Up to the Hidden Dangers of America’s #1 Drug by Stephen Cherniske.)
My recommendation for a coffee alternative: Dandy Blend. I have been recommending this product for my cleansers for a while now and they absolutely love it. I drink 2 tbsp. dandy blend, 1 tsp. coconut oil, a pinch of cinnamon, 2 drops stevia, and 1 cup hot water blended as a morning beverage.
Note: Dandy Blend is an incredibly healthy and delicious replacement for coffee. It is ground dandelion root that has a similar warming effect & look and feel of coffee. In addition, this root serves as a liver detoxifier. Win!
Journal Assignment: Investing the time and energy into a cleanse makes a strong declaration about your dedication to yourself and your health.
Tonight, write about the top 5 things you love about yourself.
Recipes
- 16 oz. warm water
- 1/2 - 1 tbsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 squeeze of lemon (or 1 - 2 drops of a citrus therapeutic grade essential oil)
- Mix everything together and drink slowly.
- If 1 tbsp. of apple cider vinegar is too much, start with 1/2 tbsp. and then gradually increase.
- Wait 20 minutes before eating anything.
- 1 cup water
- 2 handfuls spinach
- 1 cup frozen mixed berries (or berries of your choice)
- 1 scoop Amazing Meal Protein (or greens based protein of your choice - just make sure it doesn't have any sugar in it!)
- 1 tbsp. coconut oil
- 1/2 banana
- 1 tbsp. hemp seeds
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- Blend & serve!
- *Color will vary depending on which berries you choose.
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 small garlic cloves, or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon raw honey
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons water
- Combine all of the ingredients in a blender, and blend until completely smooth and emulsified. Allow to chill for 4 hours before serving, for best flavor and texture. Shake well before serving.
- 1 sweet potato
- 1 tbsp. coconut oil
- 1/2 chopped red onion
- Dash of sea salt, cayenne & black pepper
- Peel sweet potato and slice in 2 in. wedges
- Place potato on a baking sheet and massage with coconut oil
- Sprinkle with sea salt, cayenne & black pepper
- Add red onion on top for extra flavoring
- Bake on 400 degrees for 20 minutes (or until tender with a fork)
- 2 cups mixed greens (My favorite is EarthBound Farm Organic Mixed Greens)
- 2 tbsp. chopped red onion
- 1/2 sweet potato baked with coconut oil (see baked sweet potato recipe below)
- 1/2 avocado
- 1 - 2 hardboiled eggs
- 2 tbsp. Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
- Assemble together on a plate or in a bowl & enjoy!
- 1 cup vanilla almond milk (Note: you can buy this at the store but I absolutely love to make my own cashew milk, both for this recipe, and as an overall dairy substitute. See the recipe below. If you use homemade cashew milk, omit the raw honey and cinnamon as they are already in the recipe.)
- 1/4 cup chia seeds
- 1 tablespoon raw honey
- Dash of cinnamon
- In a blender, mix the almond milk with cinnamon and honey.
- Pour into a bowl and mix with the chia seeds.
- Stir every 10 minutes for about 30 minutes to get the best texture. If you just add the chia seeds and leave it, it will come out really chunky and not smooth, like pudding.
- Place in fridge for minimum of 6 hours.
- The chia seeds will expand making a pudding. Stir again before eating.
- Serving size for chia seed pudding is 1/2 cup once it is made. Have this as a snack any day of this cleanse!
- 2 cups raw cashews
- 1 tbsp. raw honey
- 2 tsp. cinnamon
- Soak 2 cups of raw cashews in water for 3 hours up to overnight.
- After soaking, pour out the water and place the cashews in a blender. Fill the blender to 8 cups with water.
- Add honey & cinnamon to blender and blend!
- Pour cashew milk into a large quart mason jar or container and place in the fridge.
- This stays good in the fridge for up to a week.
- Use this cashew milk throughout the cleanse to make chia seed pudding, use as a creamy base for your smoothies, and/or add to your evening tea.
- 4 cups cooked quinoa
- 2 carrots chopped
- 2 stalks of celery chopped
- 12 baby tomatoes cup in half
- ½ cup raisins
- ½ medium onion chopped
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- Fresh lemon juice
- Sea salt & pepper to taste
- To make the quinoa salad + greens, place 1/2 cup of the quinoa salad on top of 2 cups of greens with 2 tbsp. Bragg's Apple Cider Vinaigrette or Balsamic Vinaigrette.
