health is always a work in progress

last spring I had the opportunity to spend quite a bit of time preparing for a super a-list celebrity and his family to stay at Sundance.  during this time, I was introduced to his nutritionist Kimberly Snyder.  The family was on a very strict vegan, gluten-free, mostly raw diet.  I spent hours chopping vegetables for green smoothies, shopping for Kombucha and gluten free everything.  I had to set out daily dietary supplements and enzymes and probiotics, unpackage the foods Kimberly had sent such as raw red pepper soup and raw probiotic 'sauerkraut' and raw hummus and crudite and a billion other things.

  

Kimberly had written up a daily diet plan for each person, and implemented alot of things that I have been aware of and try to do myself.  I have read every word Kimberly has ever published, and done a TON of research on the hows and whys behind her and others' nutrition advice.  I had always wanted to lean towards this green lifestyle but just never actually took the plunge.  Earlier this year, I did.  And found out it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be.  If you would like some of Kimberly's tips and recipes, visit her website at kimberlysnyder.net

From Kimberly's advice, and my own research, I came up with my own sort of 'routine' to try and transition towards.  One thing I've realized is that you can't make the change all in one day.  Letting go of meat and animal products like CHEESE and gummy candies and chicken wings can't be done in one day.  I've tried a thousand times, and usually last about 2 hours.  Bread and crackers and pastas are easy to replace with the gluten free variety, but then I started thinking 'what about Thanksgiving? can I really skip my favorite day of the entire freaking year for the rest of my life?  Can I really never enjoy another belgian witbier?  I refuse.  But why not try to improve my daily habits, and then just cheat every once in a while?  IT'S FINE!  Once you have accepted this, and mostly just become more and more mindful of the things you are putting in your body, the change will happen on it's own. Very slowly.  And you'll mess up and cheat and give up alot. But that's okay.  It's about making the effort to be kinder to your body.  Everything will work better, and you'll feel better, and then you'll mess up and eat something like gluten and dairy your body isn't used to and you'll feel like utter crap for a few days, and you'll learn.

Below is what an ideal day for would look like:

• First Thing: 1organic lemon squeezed and steeped in 16 oz of hot water.  The acid and warm water really help to get your digestive system jumpstarted.  Plus, I've found the 5 minutes it takes to sip your lemon water really give you time to plan out your day from a calm and not-yet-ravenous mindset. 
• * a note about organic produce.  In a perfect world, everything would be cultivated in a healthful and kind way, but its not.  Also, what 20-something chick can afford everything organic?  I try to buy organic produce, but especially if I am going to eat or drink something in contact with the skin- like lemons and apples and pears, greens.  If I am going to peel it-bananas, winter squash, oranges etc, you're fine to buy the regular kind.

• 30 minutes after drinking liquids: 32 oz of green smoothie.  I have been drinking green smoothies for years.  I love the 'full' feeling while still feeling completely light.  I will post recipes for green smoothies eventually.  Just focus on mostly greens and vegetables, and go lighter on the fruit.  Fruit is good for you, but too much sugar is never a good thing.
• Throughout the day: light, mostly raw, vegan, gluten free meals.  There is alot to choose from! And once you are so mindful about the food you're eating, you'll learn to be completely satisfied just savoring and avocado with sprouts and a small piece of gluten-free bread.  Or a giant salad with dried berries and nuts and strawberries or pears and a yummy lemony dressing.  Or avocado on a gluten free bread with a bit of veganaise.  so yummy.
• For dinner, I usually like something hot and filling, like soups and curries and grilled vegetables.  One of my favorite meals in the world is steamed broccoli or sliced zucchini topped with marinara.  You can saute some sliced mushrooms to beef up your sauce, too.  I do eat fish and occasionally meat, but I try to be strict with the dairy and gluten.

It is an AMAZING thing to go to bed feeling as light and fresh and empty as when you woke up.  If you are eating the right foods, your system won't be weighed down and will keep you feeling weightless all day.  I have been slacking quite a bit the past month or so, but I started this routine again 4 days ago and am trying to keep it up!  I seriously feel amazing already.

A few tips:
never eat carbs and protein together.  veggies and carbs or veggies and protein, but the carb-protein combo is just way too hard for your system to digest.  You'll feel sluggish and end up missing alot of the nutrients you just ate because you can't digest them properly,

drink lots of water, but not during meal times.  you don't want to dilute your stomach juices right before you need to use them!  wait 30 min. before and after eating to drink any considerable amount of liquid.

CHIA SEEDS! they go in everything and on everything, they make an awesome 'pudding' when mixed with almond milk.. and they are SOO good for you.

gluten free crackers and crudite are a perfect snack to dip in raw zucchini hummus.  I will post my version of the recipe later.