Scalp Issues, Almond Milk, Blueberries

Scalp Issues, Almond Milk, Blueberries (August 25, 2011)

Hi Ana,

I hope everything is well. I have a question. I have scalp folicilitus. I have been juicing, eating my salad everyday etc. I wonder does this have to do with a compromised immune system?

Thanks,

K

Hi K,

Thank you for your email. I am happy to hear that you are eating so beautifully! I’m sorry to hear about your scalp issues.

My understanding of scalp folliculitisis that it is the result of inflamed hair follicles. Research tells me that it is common among patients who are dealing with serious health issues like HIV or undergoing cancer treatment. So you are correct in that it is common in people who have a compromised system. Scalp issues are also common in those who are dealing with yeast or fungal issues.

The Detox4Women approach that you are using is the perfect way to irradicate yeast and fungal growth in your system. It is the only approach that will help to deal with scalp or skin issues. I also recommend adding a Candida yeast fighting supplement like Candex or CandiGone into your routine to move the process even faster. It should be take on an empty stomach, so mornings or afternoons are the best times to take it.

If your system is compromised for any reason it is always a good idea to add more blended and highly digestible meals into your day. Your lunch salad could be a blended salad or soup. Natalia’s Pumpkin Pie in a Bowl soup is delicious (using stevia instead of dates for sweetness). My favorite is Choco-Avo Blended Salad:

• 1 box baby spinach

• 1/2 avocado

• 1/2 cup frozen blueberries

• 1 heaping tbsn cocoa powder

• 1/2 cup pure water or coconut water

• stevia to taste

Blend in a high speed blended until creamy.

In addition to a yeast-conscious diet and highly digestible meal options, please check possible environmental irritants as well. Make sure you are using a natural gentle shampoo (like an organic baby shampoo), soap, and check all lotions and toiletries. Use only natural unscented laundry detergent and household cleaning products.

I hope this helps, and I wish you a speedy recovery.

Love,

Ana

 

Hi Natalia,

I know you may not be able to answer all your emails but I am starting Detox4Women have a few questions. I have always been a big milk drinker and I know you recommend almond milk which I am now drinking. How much can I have during the day and does it matter when? Also blueberries are abundant on the family farm and I know you said no fruit but that berries were ok.  I have had them as a snack throughout the day, is that ok?

Thanks so much, Beth

Hi Beth,

Thank you for your email. I am happy that you are doing so well using Detox4Women. Almond milk is a great substitute for cow milk, however, it shouldn’t be used all day. It is very important to give the system a rest between meals, which is one of the reasons we have green juice for breakfast instead of something heavier. I would choose two times a day that are really special to you and have your milk then. I recommend it after dinner with stevia and cinnamon as a desert treat, or as an afternoon tea-time snack. If you find yourself wanting to sip something throughout the day lemon-water with stevia is a great detox-friendly lemonade.

You are lucky to have fresh blueberries readily available, and you can absolutely have them on Detox4Women. The low-sugar fruits like green apples, grapefruit, and berries are included in your menu options because they are not as yeast feeding as the sweeter fruits. Fruit is best consumed alone and on and empty stomach, so blueberries would be perfect as a mid-morning snack if you feel you need one.

<span style=”line-height: 1.714285714; font-size: 1rem;”>Never limit your intake if you are truly hungry. However, resting the digestive system gives it the chance to play catch-up, and begin to assist with the detoxification process. Munching on berries and drinking almond milk all day will keep the body dependent on outside stimulation instead of giving it the break it needs to clean house and begin to give you true energy and joy. So enjoy snacks in moderation by listening to when your body really wants them.</span>

To make your own raw almond milk:

In a high-speed blender blend the following until creamy.

• 1 cup raw almonds

• 3 cups water

Once blended, strain through cheese cloth and sweeten with stevia if desired. This will last for up to four days in the refrigerator in a sealed container.

I hope this helps, and that you continue to enjoy the lifestyle and your fresh summer blueberries.

Love,

Ana

When to Re-Introduce Fruit

When to Re-Introduce Fruit (April 24, 2011)

Hi,

I have been following the Detox4Women program for some time. I want to know if it’s okay to add more fruit back into my lifestyle. How do you know that you can safely have fruit?

Thanks,

Susan

Thank you for your question. Addressing fruit feels very timely as summer finally starts to show her face. When it is warm it feels more natural to eat lighter foods.

Fruit is the highest vibration, fastest moving, and most alkaline food that we can put into the human body. It is difficult in the beginning stages of detoxification because it is so alkaline and fast moving that it awakens toxins faster than we can release them, and because it is so high in natural sugars that it feeds existing yeast and fungal growth in the system.

Here is a guide to understanding if your cleansed body is ready for fruit:

•*Warning: A yeasted woman who still has significant weight to loose should not try fruit yet. She should stick to the low-starch and sugar Detox4Women approach. Fruit is also not for cancer patients, and some fruit (especially grapefruit) interferes with certain medications, so make sure you know what you are allowed to eat if you are still taking pharmaceuticals.

You know fruit is safe when you try a fruit-based meal or snack and…

1. You eliminate within 14 hours of your fruit meal. The bowel movement should be easy and plentiful. Fruit will only work in a system with a clear elementary canal.

2. The fruit elevates you rather than bringing you down. You should feel joyous and energized, not angry, sad or tired.

3. You have no adverse reaction to the fruit. This includes headaches, skin rashes or breakouts, and a feeling of bloating and queasiness instead of just full.

4. The fruit-only meal feels complete and satisfying. It should not feel like a fast, and if you find yourself craving more density (like fish or goat cheese, or a pile of cooked veggies) you are not ready for fruit meals.

How to eat fruit:

1. Fruit should always be eaten alone or in the company of raw leafy greens and on an empty stomach.

2. The placement in the day of a fruit meal or snack is very important. It should come before any other foods, so enjoy it as a mid-morning snack, a lunch if you juice until lunch, or a dinner if you juice until dinner. It should also only be consumed in the presence of colonics, and is best eaten no more than 1-2 days before a colonic treatment.

3. Fruit can work for you for several days in a row, and then begin to create an adverse reaction. Never eat it for more than 1-3 days in a row, and pay careful attention to your body (adhering to the guide above).

4. Ease into eating fruit again by starting with meals of winter fruit (apples, pears, bananas, and grapefruit) or making sure to eat your fruit in the company of raw leafy greens (like an avocado-banana-spinach salad, or a green smoothie).

If you are not able to do fruit yet, you can satisfy your palate with big juicy salads. Greens with plenty of lemon juice and stevia, covered with hunks of cucumber, tomato, and avocado will give you the water-containing alkalinity you crave.

Remember, in the cleansing game there is no race to the finish line (and no finish line!). You will have your fruit in time, so relax into the lifestyle at the level you need to be eating and love the meals that are safe and helpful for you NOW. Then when you think you are ready, try moving forward a step. If it makes you feel worse instead of better, scared instead of excited, or isolated instead of included, stay where you are! Slow and steady is the most effective means to your best self.

Iron and Red Meat

Iron and Red Meat (December 5, 2010)

Dear Ana,

I just finished your blog about the trip to the GP and was wondering how you maintain your iron levels without meat. About 3 months ago, I was diagnosed with severe anaemia due to bleeding. The gynae put me on hormones, which I resisted, then after about 6 weeks stopped taking because the side effects sucked and the bleeding didn’t stop. I’ve been off them for about a month, and slowly my body’s normalizing. I’m still having problems getting enough iron, though. When my iron counts drop, I have trouble breathing. This becomes an issue if I skip meat for a day or two.

As an aside, the hormones were causing me to retain water, which caused my joints to swell. The doctor was puzzled because the “solution” should have been NSAIDs, but because of the “reactive respiratory disorder” caused by the anemia, she couldn’t advise me to take them regularly. This helped end the hormone prescription because I couldn’t deal with the pain they were causing. What should I do?

Best,

Marcy

Hi Marcy,

Thank you for your question. The issue of iron deficiency is a big one. Correcting it is not a simple case of taking iron and high iron containing substances into the body but rather it is a case of creating the environment for building healthy blood. What Natalia feels made the difference in her hemoglobin count was moving from being a waste-filled body to a waste-free body. Pre-cleansing, when she was chronically anemic, she says her system was suffocating – denied adequate life force and unable to absorb and make proper use of the nutrients that she took into her body. The radical change came from the radical steps she took to unblock her system. That is what ultimately strengthened her blood. After cleansing she naturally absorbed and synthesized all nutrients more efficiently. The simple answer is that a clean body is able to get all of the nutrients it needs, and to perfectly regulate blood levels, as well as all bodily systems. When cells are carrying a toxic load, and frantically helping the body to deal with the daily onslaught of ingested and environmental toxins, the body suffers and, of course the blood reflects this.

I could point to the high levels of iron in vegetables like kale, broccoli, and spinach, but this is not the whole answer. The cleaner a body is, the better it is able to properly assimilate the nutrients it receives. Clean cells sustain optimal blood level!

I hope this helps your decision-making process, and thank you again for your email.

Love,

Ana

A Day in the Life with Natalia Rose

The Chalkboard Mag: A Day in the Life with Natalia Rose

OUR GUEST THIS MONTH, Natalia Rose, is inspiring from head-to-toe. Her killer physique, wealth of wellness wisdom, and generous attitude toward life all make her a stand-out health superstar. But when it comes to living that family life, we think Natalia makes an especially notable role model!

A DAY IN THE LIFE WITH NATALIA ROSE

7:00 AM

Get kids, Thandi, 12 & Tommy, 10, ready for school

7:30 AM

Make 15mo baby Electra’s raw baby shake, feed her & play with her

9:00 AM

Rebound or ride bike & sauna – sometimes I take business calls in there!

11:00 AM

Meditate with either Anita Briggs or Almine guided meditations – both of which elevate me to a markedly higher frequency.

12:00-3:00 PM

Write, develop and prepare for upcoming courses; touch base with Natalia Rose Institute team on top goal projects

3:00 PM

Call Health Nuts for grocery delivery: with so many mouths to feed this is almost a daily activity – often I’ll take Electra and get the items myself and enjoy a green juice as we shop.

3:15 PM

Pick up kids from school & drop older daughter off at ballet

4:00 PM

I’ll try to sneak in a few moments on my inversion board to rebalance. This is a quick fix for my mind and body between the two intense parts of my day.  I get fresh blood to my organs, give my internal organs a chance to breath in a way they can’t when I’m right side up and something about being upside down helps me get a better perspective on all things.

4:15 PM

Head to favorite local juice bar for daily fix of wheatgrass & green juice

4:30 PM

Oversee children’s homework & manage myriad of household demands…this is the second intense part of the day, the first being running the business side of things on a very limited amount of time while the kids are at school.

6:00 PM

Prepare beautiful raw salad such as baby romaine, sunflower sprouts, dulse, nori & tahini dressing, served with a plate of bohita and cerignola olives and sweet potato slices

Feed each child dinner of choice

6:45 PM

Darling husband comes home and the children flock to him!

7:00 PM

We dine and connect.

8:00 PM

Play with baby in nursery with all the kids – we have lots of fun & laughs here!

9:00 PM

I lay down with baby while hubby puts big kids to bed and hopefully she sleeps through the night so we can have plenty of fresh energy for the next epic day…

More from The Chalkboard: A Day in the Life with Natalia Rose

‘American Yogini’ interview with Natalia

American Yogini talks to Natalia Rose.

My private practice and personal interest has always had a heavy focus on kids and family. Maybe it’s because I have two children myself, but I cannot help but be very passionate about feeding the younger generation and hoping that the ills that plague my generation and my parents generation will, with perseverance and care, be remedied through the enlightenment of my children’s generation. Obviously, there are so many levels at which correcting what I would call the “mutation” in our dietary evolution must be addressed: in the home, in public health, in school cafeterias, in commercial products and in social settings. Even though it sometimes seems an insurmountable task, all it really takes is getting parents and kids motivated and enthusiastic about embracing a natural lifestyle.

Here’s how to start:

• The first thing that we all can do is be an example through our own lifestyles. By truly living this clean, prana-filled life that you are all becoming more and more at home with, you become a beacon to other parents and families, to your children’s teachers, doctors and especially to other parents and parents-to-be. We do not always need to be vocal to be heard. We can simply live this way and raise up our own beaming, light filled, mucus-free little ones with the good sense of natural living and we will inspire others.

• We must practice what we preach to our children (or better yet, practice and don’t preach). If you do not believe in eating meat or donuts and other junk foods, you must stand up for this when you purchase groceries. We cannot feed ourselves one way and then stock the refrigerator and cabinets with junk food that goes against everything we believe in for the others in our home (children, family, extended family, visitors). Our home must be the embodiment of our lifestyle. However, there is a fine line between living what we believe and forcing them to do what we have chosen to do. We don’t want to oppose anything so strongly that we wind up creating an eating disorder in our child or rouse anger and rebellion in the home. We must proceed sensitively. What I have found helpful in this regard is:

• Set the tone in the home: I keep only healthy foods in the house so that if they have the occasional non-ideal item outside the home it is not a big deal because it happens seldom.

• Avoid nagging but do explain to your kids why you make the choices you make in your lifestyle and why you do things differently to what is common.

• Permit exploration: I allow my children to try anything they want when we are in restaurants. They can even order a steak if they want to. Nothing is forbidden but I will not bring animal flesh other than fish into the home. I will not handle these flesh foods as the act of killing and eating animals is not in my truth. My children and husband respect this and know that they are always free to have such foods in any restaurant anytime.

• Prepare as much of your child’s daily food intake as possible: I pack my children’s lunches so that their school day eating is natural.

• Give them a sense of independence around food: I always let them choose what they would like to eat at mealtime. I keep lots of ingredients on hand for sprouted grain French toast or spelt pancakes for breakfast, sunshine burgers or sweet potatoes or their favorite soups for dinner and their lunches are always utterly delicious.

• Make it a sweet thing: I make sure there are fun sweets and desserts in the house so they can always have healthy indulgences whenever they like

• Let freedom ring: my kids never have to eat if they are genuinely not hungry, they can have more of one food than another, they can go into the kitchen at anytime if they would like something; while I do encourage eating at mealtime and refuse to be a short order cook, children need to feel empowered to follow their own palate and desires, particularly to avoid a sense of the parent holding too much sway over their eating. You can wield more power if you can give them more power. It creates a necessary balance that makes them feel free yet keeps them healthy.

• Make healthy snacks accessible: I keep bowls full of delicious apples and bananas around for “fast food” that they will take frequently during the day. My son will reach into the fruit bowl and wind up eating 2 apples and 2 bananas every day like a little monkey. At 4½ it gives him a sense of independence to take it when he likes without having to ask for help.

• We are all well aware of the cancer and weight crises spreading swiftly among our children. Too many children are suffering needlessly from obesity, depression, ADHD, asthma and more easily preventable physical and emotional ailments. The only way to help is to first start with your home and your children, standing up to all that our government, commerce and social conditioning hopes we will ignorantly keep consuming: such as their “square meals,” milk products, meats and packaged, processed foods that are outright killing our children physically and stealing their spirits emotionally.

• Food, however, while a good place to start and surely a necessary thing to get right, is only half of the equation. The other half is healing the emotional scars and societal habits that make us overeat and gravitate toward unfit foods to begin with. Our children are eating out of pain, out of a sense of loneliness brought about by our modern way of living so out of touch with each other. Our primary endeavor as parents must be to stand as a safe haven of unconditional love for our kids. Instead, we typically project our own pain and criticisms onto them. Children today are inundated with parental, societal and peer-projected expectations from academic and athletic competition. They are further over exposed to the constant onslaught of stimulation from the media. The incredible amount of anxiety that comes from this gets channeled into food because food serves as a numbing agent – a place they can go for temporary, albeit false comfort. Once they form this habit in the early years it is very difficult and in some cases impossible to change it sending them into a lifetime food and weight battle that eventually manifests in dire health and psychological consequences.

The only solution

We need to find every way we can to bring them peace. We can do this through sending them the message of unconditional acceptance in every single interchange we have with them each day. We do this by recognizing our own projections and correcting them if they are harmful. We do this by creating a home environment that is soothing, gentle and loving. Switch off the TV, light candles and enjoy dinner together, encourage older children take a relaxing bath and practice deep breathing exercises. Go for long walks together. Children are intuitive and would rather be with you having a gentle time than being over-stimulated by some form of media any day. From this place of peace they will also choose more natural paths, including how they eat.

The only way to bring them the kind of peace they need to have truly productive lives that serve themselves and their community one day is by opening our hearts and giving them what is sometimes difficult to give – attention and dedication to changing deep-seated habits and casting off deeply encoded cultural programmings about what matters, what is healthy and what it really means to be a good parent.

Once you find the bliss of peace that comes after you face up to the truth about how to best serve your families you will unleash a whole new spirit in the home that will shift the whole family unit into harmony and set the stage for health and well being in every area – from the kitchen to the classroom and beyond.

Natural eating, in turn will keep them calm and in sync with their inner selves and ultimately lead to better relationships, more creativity, better choices and a better sense of their place in the world. It is a healthy cycle that once begun feeds and sustains itself effortlessly.”

Ideas for healthy lunch bags

• Sprouted grain sandwiches filled with: Avocado, goat cheese and Dijon mustard Raw nut butter and pure fruit spread or raw honey Organic butter and raw honey Organic butter and pure fruit spread Sprouted grain bagels with organic cream cheese or organic butter Sprouted grain pita bread filled with nut butter and pure fruit spread

• Lara bars or other raw food bars

• Dried strawberries, dried pineapple or dried mangoes (unsulfured, no sugar added)

• Banana slices topped with cocoa powder and agave nectar

• Sliced apples topped with pumpkin pie spice

• To drink: Lemonade water: water with stevia and freshly squeezed lemon or lime

• All Organic Gourmet or Kollar cookies

• Raw brownies or other favorite raw food treat!

I personally keep lunches really simple: one healthy sandwich as above, a whole apple, a whole banana and a bar like a Lara bar or a whole grain cookie. This takes about 5 minutes to put together before school!

When it comes to feeding my family and advising my clients feeding their kids, I firmly believe in keeping it simple. Kids are usually happy with simple, natural foods. Don’t become too obsessed with perfectly combining foods for your kids either. Just make sure they are eating fresh, whole, largely raw foods most of the time and then you won’t have to worry about what they are doing the rest of the time.

I wish you and your family the most vibrant, love-filled lives!

Natalia Rose

In & Out in NYC with Natalia Rose

The Chalkboard Mag: In & Out in NYC with Natalia Rose

IT’S THE EVER-PRESENT QUESTION OF city living, should we eat in or eat out?”

Either choice comes with its challenges for those of us making an effort to eat healthfully – especially if, like this month’s Guest Editor, you’re living in New York City! No matter where in the world you live, eating in means a whole lot of shopping, prepping, cooking and storing. And eating out means navigating menus, finding healthful choices and trying not to cause a stir!</span>

When it comes to the ever-pressing culinary question of ‘in or out’, we wanted to know: how does one of our healthiest raw role models do it? Natalia Rose is sharing her favorite tips for making either choice a bit easier, from the best items to stash in your purse to the perfect dressing to make at home. Whether you live across town or across the country, there is something useful here for everyone. As for take-out – eating out while in – you’re on your own!

IF YOU’RE EATING IN…

TOSS IT UP

Celebrate salad as a main course! You can add just about anything into a large bowl of greens and have a really enjoyable meal.

Trust yourself to make inspired raw salads without using recipes!

IN THE PANTRY

Instead of waiting til the last minute to gather your ingredients, keep all of your favorite pantry staples stocked up at all times.

What are your favorite seasonings, spices and sauces? Keep these ingredients at the ready and get to cooking! If you’re always stocked up on dry goods, you can keep the focus on really high-quality produce as you need it.

THE PERFECT DRESSING

Learn what constitutes a good dressing. Always include an acid, a sweet and a fat to balance the palate.

Also, learn when not to dress your food: don’t over-season and keep things simple!

 

IF YOU’RE EATING OUT…

STEALTHY SWAPS

Avoid restaurant oils: ask for everything clean steamed and add your own things to it. Carry an extra lemon for dressing – and dark chocolate in your bag!

TIPS AT THE TABLE

Make eye contact and be kind and honest with your waiter about what you are looking for. Don’t be pressured into eating anything you genuinely don’t want to – your body, your choice.

Order a double order of salad or ask for a steamed veggie plate – even if it’s not on the menu, most restaurants can quickly make you one.

FAVE NYC SPOTS

Gemma, for the great vibe, Amaranth & Orsay for the Orsay Salad

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