So here I am on Day #5 of my Kathy Freston Jump Start Cleanse and I can feel the fog finally lifting. The sluggishness of days 2-3 is gone and the constant urge to jump into bed with a big bag of Easter chocolates is starting to fade. I’m feeling quite nervous as I head into the weekend because I have a couple of social events planned and I know it is going to be super tempting to have just one glass of wine or a huge handful of nachos. I’m resolved to stay strong but this is going to be a big test!

I made a list for myself at the start of my cleanse of a few things I want to do over the next 21 days to try out some new things and to see if I can initiate a healthy habit or two. Here is what I wrote down:

1. Meditate – at least once a day but preferably twice. I downloaded a Kathy Freston guided meditation from iTunes and I’ve been listening to it on my ipod at night before I fall asleep. I’ve also been using a Louise Hay meditation CD, some guided meditations I found on YouTube and simply stopping to do some deep breathing a few times each day.
2. Floss – my dentist is always after me to make flossing a priority but I’ve never been able to make it stick. I read some stats recently about the direct link between oral hygiene and overall health and it was enough to make me rethink this nighttime ritual (did you know that according to Dr. Roizen in his RealAge Makeover book-  daily flossing can add 6.4 years to your life?)
3. Visualize – I have been taking the time when I have a quite moment to visualize how I want my life to unfold in terms of family, career, vacations, etc. and to practice gratitude for the many wonderful things in my life. I try to really picture in my mind the things I want to manifest and to feel the emotion that I would feel in those situations. (Sound too woo woo for you? Just stick to the deep breathing if one is too weird).
4. Dry Brush – another great pre-shower ritual that has many benefits including improved circulation, immune system boosting and reduced cellulite. Check out this video on dry brushing for tips. I bought my skin brush at Whole Foods but you can also order one online at Upaya Naturals.
5. Oil Pulling – I read about this one online from a fellow health and nutrition blogger and I was intrigued. It basically involves swishing coconut oil in my mouth for 20 minutes a day for a myriad of health benefits including whiter teeth, better skin and clear sinuses. You can check out the post on it here.
6. Exercise – at least once per day even if it’s just dancing around to Old MacDonald 10 times with my toddler. So far so good.
7. Organize my Pantry and Fridge – time to toss the plastic and make good use of my mason jars for storing flours, nuts, seeds, etc. I also want to get rid of condiments that I don’t use and old Halloween candy that is luring me with its stale but sugary goodness.
8. Massage – enough said. Got one booked on Saturday afternoon.
9. Kindness – one of my favourite bloggers is Patience Salgado over at Kindnessgirl.com. She inspires me with her “Guerilla Goodness” acts and I decided to incorporate a few of my favourites into my 3 weeks. I’ll keep you posted on the ones I try.

Here are a couple of easy new recipes for you that I’ve had this week and they are goodies:

Homemade Almond Butter

2 cups raw almonds
Pinch of vanilla bean powder
Pinch of sea salt
1 tsp of agave nectar (or 1 tbsp. maple syrup)

This recipe takes some patience but it is worth it! Basically you pop the nuts into your food processor and start whirring.

It will take about 20 minutes for those little babies to turn into creamy and delicious nut butter so don’t get discouraged. Just keep processing and scraping down the sides until you are convinced that nothing will ever happen and then like magic – you will have beautiful almond butter. Add a pinch of vanilla bean powder, sea salt and a hint of sweetener at the end of processing to kick up the flavor and there you have it! Spread on a rice cake or cracker or simply eat it straight out of the bowl.

Raw Tomato Sauce

7 sun-dried tomatoes (soaked in water until soft)
2 large ripe tomatoes
1 clove garlic
1 big bunch of fresh basil leaves
2 tbsp. gluten-free tamari sauce
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp. nutritional yeast

Toss everything into your blender and whir until smooth. I ate this cold over kelp noodles but I warmed it gently on the stove and served it over regular noodles for Mark and the kids. It is also great over rice and quinoa.

Enjoy!