Day 9: What do you call a fake noodle? An Impasta!

Today was day 9 of the Purification Cleanse.

Today was the first day that I stepped back into a gym in over 2 years.  I now know how out of shape I am.  I did about 10 mins on the elliptical machine and then did a 18 minute walk/run on the treadmill.  Marj went too and she did the elliptical machine for over 30 minutes effortlessly.  Gah - I can't wait until I am able to do that.  Introducing exercise to the cleanse is really important and today was the day to start. The beauty of the gym -- it's only 2 blocks away from the office.

After the gym, we at lunch back at the office.  I had brought the green bean dish and Marj brought a dish that had these noodle-ish-like-ish things tossed with a basil spinach pesto.  I had never had anything like that and she offered to share it. I tried it - and boy, it was so good!  They are called Kelp Noodles and it was my first time trying them (or even hearing of them). It's the perfect item to get your noodle fix. They are about 20 calories per serving and a raw substitute for pasta.  They are an edible seaweed that has lots of nutrients, high in iodine and have over 70 minerals, trace elements, enzymes, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron and 21 amino acids.

After eating dish, it was in my head all day that I wanted to find those noodles.  I asked where I could find those and she said at certain stores -- not an HEB, but more of a natural grocery store.  We discussed Whole Foods or Mr. Natural.  Ah, how perfect -- there is a Mr. Natural on Lamar and I won't have to go to Whole Foods downtown as it was super packed due to the weather and traffic.  On a mission...

Charm wannabe 6:52pm: I head over to Mr. Natural on S. Lamar and walk in anticipated how awesome it will be to get these.  I looked around and saw where you could order food prepared and a few store items.  It was more of a restaurant vs store.  Confused, I called Marj and asked if there was possible another location as this one was more of a restaurant.  She said yes, and I then asked if I might find them at Central Market.  She said that I might, so I hopped back in the car and headed over.

Charm fail 7:21pm: After wandering at Central Market (it's a large store), I gave up and called Marj again.  I'm now blowing up her phone with calls.  I asked what section and she said in the chilled section.  I found noodles, but not Kelp ones.  I then asked a very nice employee, Annie, where I could find the kelp noodles.  She said, "Walk this way.  We do not have kelp noodles, but we have something called NoOodles."  I thanked her as she was super helpful and we chatted a bit.  I grabbed two of them then called Marj as I was checking out to ask if they were okay with the cleanse.  These are made with yam flour, Lime and water.  I have no idea what yam flour is.  To be safe, Marj suggested I stick with kelp noodles since we had never heard of yam flour.

Third time is a charm 8:04pm: I headed over to Whole Foods on William Cannon as Annie said they do have them at that location.  I didn't even know there was a Whole Foods there! As I walked in - I was amazed of how beautiful it was inside and not packed wall to wall with people.  I LOVED it.  I found the kelp noodles! Mission accomplished and they were in my possession.

For dinner, I made a fun dish with the kelp noodles and a homemade sun dried tomato marinara with mushrooms, garlic, onions and broccoli.  Tossed in the noodles and had a delicious, filling meal.  If you have not seen kelp noodles before - here's the low down.

Opened package and the noodles are not really noodles.  They have a stretchy texture and are clear.  Interesting indeed.  There's a few ways I think I could eat them.  Raw out of the bag -- naw, not for me.  Marinated in lemon and tossed in coconut oil for 1 minute. That is for me!  Here is what they look like and here is the finished entree. Side note: Ace and Osaka were really curious about them.  It's the first thing they sniffed out from the grocery bag.

"What do you call a fake noodle?  An Impasta!"

Thanks for reading and here's to a soul full of happiness and health!

Day 7 & Day 8: I am Super Girl - I resisted Round Rock Donuts!

Today's post will combine day 7 & 8 of the Purification Cleanse.  I'm slacking a day;)

Day 7
Sunday went well and had a friend visit in from out of town.  We went to dinner at Moonshine since they have a great menu, atmosphere and service.  They had this delicious spinach, blueberry salad with oil & ving.   I got the large since I was quite hungry and gobbled it down.  My friend had the salmon and it look so darn good -- oh how I miss you salmon.  I miss you lots.

Sundays is my day to run errands and clean, so didn't get much time to prepare for the following day's lunch, and made a quick dish that I could complete in 45 minutes.  It was a raw vegan alkaline Alfredo pasta.  Alfredo sauce and pasta are definitely not on the list of items to eat, but here's the beauty of substitution.  The Alfredo sauce was made from almonds, nutmeg, mustard powder, olive oil, alkaline water, garlic, lemon juice and onions.  I blended all in the Magic Bullet and it came out smooth and creamy.  For the mock noodles, I shredded zucchini on a cheese grater and poof, there's the noodles.  I tossed the sauce and 'noodles's, and added a little broccoli and roma tomatoes.  This was perfect for Monday's lunch.

Day 8

I cannot believe it's been a week.  It's been fun learning about nutrition and making different items that are good for the body.  It feels good - really good.

Had the Zucchini Alfredo Pasta for lunch today and Marj brought an extra salad for me today.  She made this gorgeous salad and homemade raw dressing.  The salad was so colorful and full of red cabbage, shredded carrots, seaweed, sauerkraut and zucchini noodles.  It was amazing.

For dinner tonight, I decided to make some squash chips and green beans with mushrooms.  Both are very quick and turned out delicious.  I put too much sea salt on the squash chips and the next round, I'll lighten it up a bit.  Green beans and mushrooms with lemon turned out delicious after roasting for just over 10 minute.  Easy and so yum.

I've enjoy the journey this past week.  My energy is high and I do not feel tired or 'sluggish' -- and I feel stronger.  Not physically stronger, but on an emotional level - as if I am invincible and can handle anything that comes my way.  Here's a fine, fine example: I resisted the Round Rock donuts that were brought into the office today.  I frakkin' love (as in would marry) their donuts (if I was another donut).  They do not make any of those crazy flavors and over the top toppings, just the simple classic donut.  I have gotten their donuts so many times - it's the real deal folks.  If you want some insanely delicious donuts, you should go there.  If I can resist those, I am Super Girl! It's amazing how I not longer have all my sugar cravings, which just a week ago, was a habit.  It my mind it was a good habit, but in my body, a bad habit.

"Every human being is the author of his/ her own health or disease." - Buddha

Thanks for reading and here's to a soul full of happiness and health!

Day 6: We all need a Magic Bullet

Today was day 6 of the Purification Cleanse.  I feel great, prolly better than I can remember.  My sleep has been solid, feel great waking up, energy strong and I have zero hunger throughout the day.  Feels good.

Met with my weekly acupuncture doctor at Lotus Wellness today.  I love that she now has Saturday appts - makes it convenient vs during the week.  This was the first time I had seen her since I started the detox and wanted to tell her about my week.  She listened with a smile and said how proud she was of me and that I was stronger than I give myself credit before.  That is partially true, but I owe much of it to Laura Farb and Marj since there is no possible way I could do this on my own.  I'm lucky that both of them have crossed my paths - funny how things come into our lives that make it that much better.

If you are interested in improving your health, I highly recommend Laura Farb.  She's been practicing and studying holistic health for over 2 decades, graduated with honors from the University of Pennsylvania and received her Masters in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine from the AOMA Graduate School of Integrative Medicine.  She also studied at Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine in China. I've been seeing her for just over 4 weeks and she's incredible.

Met with Marj at Costco and she surprised me with offering to buy me a Magic Bullet and this gorgeous deep frying pan.  The Magic Bullet comes with all these great containers to make it easy to make salsas, pestos, shakes, smoothies, dips, salad dressings, soups and more! Marj is stubborn, so wouldn't take any money and insisted on buying these for me.  I love them both and can't wait to use them (Thank you a billion times Marj!).  My kitchen is now looking like a "kitchen".  I have cooked more in my kitchen past 6 days than I have in 4 years.  Anyone that knows me, can vouch that I rarely use my kitchen.  I have always found that eating out, ordering in or picking up food was much more convenient for my lifestyle. Maybe it's called lazy, but I call it convenient.

After Costco, hopped on over to DSW to get some new workout shoes.  I have some sneakers somewhere, but cannot find them anywhere.  I think Ace has hid them somewhere and he's not telling me where.  I'm sure they will pop up one day.  I found a great pair of Blue and Black Nike Flex Trainer 2 shoes.  This have an amazing cushioning and support - and are lightweight.  Monday starts the cardio and weights into my routine at the Gold's Gym 2 blocks away.

For a late lunch, we decided to try a raw restaurant called Daily Juice on Duval.  It's a cute little restaurant in the middle of Hyde Park.  We were starving, so chowed down.  Marj had an avocado sandwich and BLT sandwich.  I had the BLT sandwich and a kale salad.  Both were very good and filling.

For dinner, I met up with my wonderful friend, Bonnie.  We met at Beet's Cafe on 5th for dinner.  She eats well 95% of the time, so knew she would love this place.  It was delicious as always.  I had the Just a Good Burger and she had the Chalupas.  Look how amazing these entrees look.  They taste 10 times better than the photos too.  If you haven't tried Beet's yet, please do.  They have been in Austin three years and the restaurant is a great raw dining experience.  It's convenient to Mopac in the downtown area, service has always been great, they have free parking in a covered garage and their food is fantastic.  They even offer cooking classes on Saturdays.  How fun would it be to get a group of good friends today, spend a nice afternoon making food that is good for you?! I haven't tried a class yet, but just may do that in the near future.

"The best and most efficient pharmacy is within your own system." - Robert C. Pale.

Thanks for reading and here's to a soul full of health and happiness!

Day 5: Pac Man in East Austin

Today was day 5 of the Purification Cleanse.  It get's easier and easier each day.

Today I was a slacker and only made my shakes this morning and brought hummus and vegetables for snacking.  I completely forgot about preparing lunch.  *hits head*

Marj was great and found another restaurant in East Austin that we could try.  It's called, Counter Culture Restaurant.

It was a cute little restaurant hidden off of East Cesar Chavez about a mile from the office.  As we entered, we were greeted immediately and offer a table inside or out.  There was a nice breeze, so we chose to sit out on the covered patio.


Counter Culture offers meatless, dairy-free and raw foods-- made from scratch. Whenever possible the restaurant procures organic, fair trade & locally grown food from area farmers. The menu had a variety of appetizers, salads, sandwiches, entrees, as well as daily specials.  They focus on nutritious and unprocessed foods.

Marj's Meal: SPICY RAW PAD THAI
Kelp noodles, coconut, seasonal veggies & cilantro tossed in a tangy ginger sauce, topped with sunflower seeds.

Jen's Meal: LENTIL LOAF
Herbed lentils & vegetables topped with house-made ketchup & served with a side of tahini mustard sauce.

We both had a side of garlic greens and a pac man salad.  I didn't realize what the pac man salad was until it arrived. It had these adorable carrots cut in the shape of pac man.  (Total win)

The waitress was very attentive, sweet, helpful and gave excellent service.  I plan on going back to this hidden little gem.  If you are in East Austin and looking for a good Vegan restaurant - try them out.  I know you will find something to hit the spot.


“Health is like money, we never have a true idea of its value until we lose it.”  -Josh Billings

Thanks for reading and here's to a soul full of happiness and health!

Day 4 of 21: You have cute fingers too...

Today was day 4 of the Purification Cleanse.

I woke up today very excited to know that I didn't have to pack up lunch for today since we are going to try Beet's Cafe, which is only a mile or so from the office.  I did make a couple shakes and packed some carrots, but other than that, it was an easy morning!

We headed over to Beet's Cafe for lunch.  Marj, Tiffanny, and me headed over and boy, were we excited.  It was awesome to be able to eat at a restaurant that promotes healthy eating with raw food. I didn't know what to expect, but I must say this place is pure hotness!  Everything in the restaurant radiates awesomeness to the 100th degree. Atmosphere, service, great menu with amazing raw food dishes and lots of cool little treats.  "The Beet" goes on and on and one and on with some awesome music too.  We heard my favorite song by Elton John, Rocket Man.  I knew I was in love as everything just aligned perfectly.  Please try Beet's the next time you are in downtown Austin.  You will be pleasantly surprised - food tastes incredible.

Marj's Meal: E.L.T
A delicious sprouted almond sunflower flatbread, spread with a creamy cashew dijonaise, layered with crispy spiced eggplant "bacon", lettuce, tomato, avocado, and high-vibe sprouts, served with crispy veggie chips and kraut.


Tiffanny's Meal: Nori Rolls
Filled with choice of "Mock Tuna" pate or avocado, assorted julienne vegetables, and sprouts, served with tamari dipping sauce.


Jen's Meal: Pizza Rustica
A sprouted sunflower seed, hemp crust generously topped with seasoned almond nut cheeze, zesty tomato sauce, marinated mushrooms, sweet peppers, crispy onions, olives, fresh tomato, basil, spices, and crystal salt, served with a petite Caesar salad.

As we were eating and enjoying every last bite, I said, "The waitress and Tiffany both have cute little figures -- I think eating well contributes to cute figures. I want a cute figure."  Tiffany then says, "You and Marj have cute fingers!"  I laughed since she thought I said 'fingers' instead of 'figures'. That made my day and know that we all have cute fingers!

Picked up a few yummy bars at Beet's for snacking later.  They are made locally by a company called, Bearded Brothers.  I got a few of the Bodacious Blueberry Vanilla and Colossal Coconut Mango.  Both were off the chart! You can also order online - get em'!

After leaving work, we decided to go pick up dinner from Beet's so no preparing of foods needed to be done for dinner.  Just order, pick up, make the shake and take supplements.  This made it a very easy night.

"The greatest wealth is our health. Eat well and nourish your body."

Thanks for reading and here's to a soul full of happiness and health!

Day 3 of 21: Peaches Rule

Today was day 3 of the Purification Cleanse. Each day is getting easier and felt wonderful today.

Brought the leftovers from last night's meal in for lunch today.  Marj and I split it and it was plenty for two.  She made an incredible lunch the day prior for us both, so it was my turn to bring in lunch.  We had the portobello mushroom with marinara, the lemon roasted brussel sprouts, and the mango-cucumber coconut fruit salad.

Still finding taking the supplements the toughest - I am never going to get this 48 pill thing a day down.  I do it, just not without my mouth fighting to swallow them.  I know it's good for me, so it's worth it. I made peach shakes today and they were delicious.  They take away the 'earthy' taste of the shakes.  For this cleanse, I can eat as many vegetables I want and  fruit.  The portion needs to be 2:1 - with vegetables being the "2".

Tonight was my billiard league, which I go to directly from work, so didn't have time to eat dinner before.  I thought I'd see if they had a salad and would eat that until I got home.  When I arrived at Slick Willies, that was the first thing I asked.  The waitress said she may have salads and would check.  She came back with the news of no salads.  I glanced at the menu and it's 100% fried foods.  Ut oh.  This is my fault -- I should of brought veggies to snack on. *hits head*

APA League went amazing.  The team scored 5-0 in 8 Ball and 61-39 in 9-ball.  I won both my matches and was able to concentrate on the games well.  I was a tad bit hungry during play, but nothing that a couple bottles of  water wouldn't cure until I got home.  As soon as I got home, I made a quick salad and shake.  Both hit the spot and I'm beginning to actually the shakes. Never thought I'd say that.

Tomorrow, Marj and me are going to try a restaurant called, Beet's.  Neither one of us has been there and one of our co-workers told us about it.  Visiting their website and it has a great story about the owner.  Her name is Sylvia Heisey -- she is passionate about healthful living and sharing it with the world. This restaurant focuses on raw living foods in a very delicious way. Looking forward to it.

"One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well." -Virginia Woolf

Thank you for reading and here's to a soul full of happiness and health!

Day 2 of 21: The Pirate & Maraca

Today was day 2 of the Purification Cleanse and it went really well overall.

Started the morning out with red grapes and a strawberry-blueberry shake and supplements.  I drank two bottles of water by the time I arrived at work.  I am having a little challenge taking 16 pills 3 times a day (Yes, 48 pills a day).  I’ve never been adverse to pill swallowing in general; and these monsters require effort. I drink a ton of water after each pill so I can get that "green" taste washed away. I know it will get easier -- just need do it. I packed an extra shake for lunch and took some baby carrots and a cool little snack called Go Raw Pizza Flax Snax. These are super delicious and a great alternative for a healthy daily snack.

I didn't prepare a meal for lunch since Marj was bringing me lunch that her and her husband had prepared.  I didn't know what it would be and I was excited to see what it was.  When I arrived at work I asked her if I could see the food.  I'm like a kid in a candy store begging.  It look fabulous -- it was mashed cauliflower with spices, zucchini with two amazing sauces on top, and seasoned broccoli.  Full of flavor and I ate every morsel and pretty much licked the bowl clean...literally.

Side note: Chatting with Marj about drinking tons of water and I mentioned that I have so much in me that I sound like a water bed squishing around.  She then said I am sloshing like a pirate! She takes more pills than me a day, so she must sound like a maraca.  We haven't picked her up and shaken her around, but I'm positive she would sound like a maraca.  So I'm thinking her nickname should be maraca and mine should be pirate.  What a team: The Pirate and Maraca.

I had thought of some ideas for dinner, but didn't have all the ingredients, so hopped over to Sprouts after work to pick up a few things.  I then came hope and starting preparing the dinner.  Main dish was a portobello mushroom that marinated in a balsamic vinaigrette, sea salt, rosemary and a little olive oil. Tossed some chopped onions on top and put that in the oven for just over 20 minutes.  For the side dishes, I made lemon roasted brussel sprouts which was drizzled with olive oil, sea salt, and lemon juice.  That cooked for just over 30 minutes in the oven and was delicious.  Made brown rice (allowed 1/2 cup a day) and sprinkled it with some diced roma tomatoes.  After the mushrooms were done baking, I topped them off with a homemade marinara sauce.

Lessons Learned:

1. I need to wake up a little earlier to prep items for the day.
2. I need to learn where ingredients are located at grocery stores.
3. Taking supplements daily is tough to swallow.  Hah - pun is intended.
4. Flax Seeds can taste like pizza if you get them from Go Raw.  Hoorah!

Prepared a refreshing fruit dish for late night snack and will take the rest for tomorrow's snack.  It's a cucumber-mango coconut fruit salad.  It's made with cucumbers, mangos, red grapes, lemon juice, red bell peppers and unsweeted coconut.

“The body is the soul’s house.  Shouldn’t we therefore take care of our house so that it doesn’t fall into ruin?” – Philo

Thank you for reading and here's to a soul full of happiness and health!

Day 1 of 21: Where have you been all my life?

Day 1 started out a bit rocky for me and I realized how unprepared I was for this.  I woke up, took my supplements and then prepared my first SP Complete shake. I had not idea what it would taste like -- I'm a big fan of shakes you get at Mighty Fine Burgers, so naturally assumed that it would taste the same.  Boy, was I wrong.

I was wrong for 2 reasons.  1. It is not sweet and thick like the delicious shakes you get that are creamy and topped off with whipped topping and a cherry. 2. I completely messed up preparing the shake.  I got the mixture ready and wanted to toss in diced up peaches.  I blended for about 45 seconds and started to drink.  It was full of awfulness since I put too much flax seed oil and didn't actually blend the peaches - so it was small pieces of peaches in a watery shake.  Drank anyway and I was thinking, "How will I be able to drink 3 - 5 of these a day?!"  It took me 45 minutes to drink it and it tasted horrible.  My cats on the other hand were trying to lick what was left in the blender.

Mistake in the morning, but moving forward to the afternoon (which was the start of a perfect day).  Marj and me went to Whole Foods at lunch and she helped me pick out items to last me a few days.  What she found in 37 minutes would of taken me 2 hours.  She knew where everything was, what was good to eat and what was not "allowed".  She zoomed through that store and knew what she was doing.  I'm not so great in grocery stores, much less with what is good for me and not.

After work, I came home and prepared a light stir fry vegetable plate that was Ah-maz-ing.  It was cooked in coconut oil, which I've never had.  This was a recommendation by Marj. Loved it. Loved it. Loved it.

For dinner I made kale chips and after they came out of the oven, I said, "Kale Chips, Where have you been all my life?!"  This snack is incredibly fantastic - tasty, good for you and you can eat them like chips.  Made some guacamole with diced tomatoes, onions, garlic and a little lemon juice for dipping.  Total win for dinner.

Now the true test was if I could get down another one of those shakes.  I was dreading the thought, but it's part of the cleanse, so have to do it.  I took Marj's recommendation on using almond milk instead of water and using frozen fruit to help created the shake texture.  I made it with almond milk, strawberries, blueberries and freshly squeezed oranges.  Blended thoroughly and so delicious.  It's my new shake, shake, shake it-love-shake.

I must give my thanks to Marj today *Thank you written 100 times on the chalkboard* - She answered questions I had, helped me shop, gave me tips to get through day one and she's doing it with me.  I'm extremely fortunate to know her and so glad we are doing this together. Day one is over and although it started out rough, it progressively got better and I look forward to day two.

Lessons Learned: 

1. Prepare meals in advance or you will be scrambling.
2. A poorly made shake by Jen is yuck.  I even tossed out the 2nd shake from that batch in a trash can at a gas station.  The cup went with it!
3. Coconut oil rocks. I'm serious.
4. Marj rocks more than coconut oil and kale chips.

"Healthy eating is not just about maintaining a healthy weight – it affects your total state of well-being.  Poor lifestyle habits have been linked to endless numbers of diseases, many of which can be prevented by eating right and exercising."

Thank you for reading and here's to a soul full of happiness and health!

Day 0 (Night Before) - Ready to take on the world

21 days of saying goodbye to my favorite desserts, fast food drive thrus, and processed food.  Oh, how I will miss you dear foods.  My little Ace will miss riding with me to the Shortstop Burgers that is 2 blocks away.  The staff there loved to give him a small piece of chicken when her purred away and twitched his little nose at the window.  

It's the night before and morning will be here soon.  Tomorrow I begin the Standard Process Purification Program.  Another really awesome part of this program is I get daily emails to help keep me on track.  What a great surprise it was to receive a welcome email from the support team at Standard Process Purification.  It was full of what to expect and reminders of what I need to do to prepare.  

Here's some of the email:

"Well Jennefer, tomorrow is your first day!  We are excited that you have chosen to embark on the 21-day purification program.  If this is your first time going through the program, you are in for a wonderful surprise.  At the end of the 21 days (in fact, long before that!) you should feel like a new person." 

Bad news - Since I start tomorrow, I decided to eat all my favorite foods this weekend. Not good to do, but I'm guilty.  

The good news - The program is only 21 days and I'm focused to make this happen.  Super excited and it starts tomorrow morning...

"When we learn to eat properly we begin to rebuild our bodies and to fulfill our purpose on this planet to grow in health, creativity, wisdom, and compassion". -Dr. Ann Wigmore

Thank you for reading and here's to a soul full of happiness and health!

21 Day Standard Process Purification Cleanse

I took quite a hiatus for the past two years, but I'm back.  I still love all games on the felt, so will start blogging again about those subjects.  A new twist - adding health and nutrition.  First topic is my very first cleanse - the healthy way.

What is the Standard Process Purification Cleanse?

The Standard Process 21 Day Cleanse is one way to safely detoxify the body -- it is not a diet.  Not all cleanses achieve this goal safely, gently, and effectively.

After reading about it and speaking to Jade Lotus Wellness in Austin, TX, I made a decision to start the cleanse.  We rely on our bodies for the entirety of our lives, and it is important that we nourish and help keep it healthy. It took me a little while to figure this out, but better late than never.  

My first day will be October 8, 2012 and am looking forward to it.

What I like about the cleanse, is that it is for 3 weeks, which is perfect for me to change habits.  Another important factor is that the Standard Process Supplements are made from whole foods, which are organically produced and not chemically derived. The cleanse emphasizes the following:

1. Supplements and whole foods such as fruits, vegetables and introducing protein in the last 10 days.

2. Vegetables

3. Fruits
4. Plenty of water - goal is 64 - 90 oz of water a day (eek)

5. Limiting the high calorie, refined foods and saturated fats

6. Shakes

I have a few goals with this program -- 

1. Lower cholesterol

2. Lower blood pressure

3. Detoxify my body

4. Change my poorer eating habits

5. Remove myself off of prescription medication

6. Increase energy

7. Improved weight management

8. Disappearance and or lessening of past conditions

This program does take a little planning to make sure the right meals are prepared for the day.  Those that know me are aware of my ability to prepare recipes.  Time to learn. Tomorrow, I'll shop for the vegetables and fruits so I'll be ready to rock on Monday. The first 10 days will include:

1. 2-3 Shakes per day (fruit added such as blueberries, cranberries, blackberries, pineapple, strawberries, peaches and/or raspberries)
2. 21 SP Cleanse capsules per day: Vegetarian supplement containing whole foods and botanicals to purify kidneys, liver, intestines and to remove toxins.
3. 9 Fiber capsules per day: Dietary fiber from bontanicals and other whole foods to maintain healthy lipid and blood glucose levels.
4. Brown Rice or Lentils
5. Vegetables and Fruits 2:1 ratio

The shakes should be yum - I'm going to add a cup of fresh fruit, 1 Tbsp of flax oil, 2 Tbsp of the shake mixture and 8 oz of water.  I'll explain each day on what delicious shake recipes I'll be making.  A few to get started will be a Strawberry Twist, Citrus-Berry Splash, and Apple-Cinnamon Surprise.

I will document my journey from day 1 to day 21. I've never been one to eat healthy, so this will be a first for me and my first step towards refining my health.  Hope that I can share my learnings, personal experience and encourage others to help make good decisions on their daily consumption of foods.

"The doctor of the future will give no medication but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, diet and in the cause and prevention of disease."
- Thomas A Edison

Thank you for reading and here's to a soul full of happiness and health!