Michelle's Marmalade

Large nectarines, oranges and lemons were in my fridge they smelt amazingly fragrant and with cravings for something sweet i decided to make marmalade. My recipe is so quick and easy. It can be doubled or tripled depending on how much you want to make.

Michelle's Marmalade
Makes 2 x 400g jars
1 nectarine or peach
1 orange
2 lemons
2 cups sugar
1. Wash fruit and cut in half or quarters, remove seeds and discard, then thinly slice citrus and roughly chop nectarine flesh (discard stone).
2. Place all fruit into a large saucepan with 1 litre water and bring to boil. Reduce to simmer and cook for 30 minutes until fruit is soft. Add sugar and stir well. Brush sides of saucepan with a wet pastry brush to remove any excess sugar or fruit. Place a small heat proof plate in freezer. Bring fruit and sugar mixture to boil, then reduce to a simmer and continue to cook until it turns a dark amber colour and mixture should be thick and sticky taking about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Remove plate from freezer and spoon a tablespoonful marmalade onto cold plate, wait a minute then using spoon push marmalade on plate and it should be set, if runny continue to cook until ready, checking if set regularly.
4. Once ready remove from heat and spoon hot marmalade in two clean jars and top with lids. Turn jam jars upside down once then back again just to heat lid. Allow to cool.

Now, immediately after i had made this marmalade i toasted a slice organic rye sourdough and spread with butter and topped with spoonfuls of marmalade - it was a instant fix to my sweet cravings and it tasted absolutely delicious.

The next day i had a naturopath session with Emma and took her a jar of my marmalade. We mentioned that she only had a couple of days to go on her detox and what a yummy treat to give herself would be to spoon a few tablespoons marmalade in 1 cup softened vanilla ice cream mixing well and refreeze. Spoon into chilled glasses and eat immediately - it's amazing!

Eat Marmalade within 5-7 days. Store in Fridge.

Words and Picture By Michelle Thrift Copyright 2010

Day 26 of Detox

My little gorgeous niece has learnt how to crawl! I am planning on popping in for a demonstration on the way to clinic so will add a photo of her in action. My brother has been frantically coordinating the expansion of his physiotherapy business. He has relocated to huge premises and is opening on Monday. I will be practising there and also running my HypnoBirthing classes weekly. I am very excited about this as I know he will create an awesome space with a lot of great energy.

I stayed up till 1am working, as did my cat Simba (see picture), so I slept until my book keeper phoned at 9am! I haven’t slept in that late for ages but I must have needed a catch up.

Apparently it is going to be filthy hot this weekend and I have a Reiki course all day tomorrow so I won’t be able to go to Bondi early morning for my swim. As I missed the gym this morning, I will go for a swim at Golden Door when I arrive tomorrow night.

Breakfast was cereal, fruit and yoghurt – for some reason on this detox I haven’t been eating many eggs. I could make frittata for lunch or dinner quite easily as it is a great protein source but eggs don’t appeal at the moment. Lunch was left over salad from dinner which I snacked on between seeing patients.

I had a social outing this evening which is probably the first big one for 3 weeks. I felt good about it before I went – I am not tempted by alcohol or bad food. The only thing I was concerned about were the options available for dinner! I have generally found that most restaurants and pubs can serve a piece of grilled fish with salad or vegetables. I always ask for dressing on the side and no sauce on the fish, just a lemon wedge. As far as drinks go I have mineral water with fresh lemon or lime - that is easy to access.

Did I tell you that my tomato plants have shrivelled up? I am trying to revive them but it is looking grim. I rang my grandma to ask for some emergency tips but she didn’t have any new ones for me.

Tomorrow I have my Reiki course so that should be great. I am curious as to how I will find it – I am not into fluffy stuff and while I am a big believer in energetic systems (think chakras, chi, prana etc) I need the scientific side as well. Will let you know how I go!

Day 25 of Detox

I woke early to go to the gym and felt rather tired for the first time in weeks. I did my cardio which all seemed very difficult and my time on the rower was 10minutes, 48 seconds, which as you know, was not great. Then I realised that I had my period – oh, it all clicks into place now!

Day 23 was a shocker for me – unorganised, cranky, I think I cried 3 times in that day and I was so irritated. You know what makes me chuckle quietly? It’s the fact that every time I get my period I have an “ahaa!” moment, like it is so unexpected! I can hear the mental process now “so that explains why I felt so emotional, tired, irrational etc”. It occurs every month but each month it still comes as a surprise. So anyway, I left the gym and came home to do a 20 minute express Pilates DVD (love these when I am feeling lazy) and have a nice breakfast of gluten free cereal, white peach and apple juice.

I made a smoothie to take to clinic – a banana, 2 passion fruits, frozen berries, oat milk, flaxseed oil and probiotic. I then had my last watercress soup from the freezer and I had forgotten how nutritious it is. It is packed with antioxidants, minerals and especially iron which I really need right now. I can feel the goodness seeping into my cells! Todays photo is my soup.

Dinner was stunning red snapper fillets, which are perfect on the BBQ. Ensure you have a really hot surface, a little olive oil, put the fish skin side up and sear the surface, turn it over just briefly then turn it back again, put the lid down on the BBQ and let it cook for approximately 3 minutes. Then I always like to let the fish rest for a few minutes while I dress the salads so that it becomes really tender.

Today I bought a quick slice mandolin!!! This is a kitchen implement that very thinly slices vegetables. I love this so much it is geeky! So I made one salad with red cabbage and a dressing of red wine vinegar, EVOO, salt and pepper. I aimed to just let the red cabbage shine as it was a perfect specimen. The other salad contained mixed lettuce, carrot, cucumber, avocado, snow peas and sugar snap peas.

Day 24 of Detox

I had a crazy day in clinic today – even my 15 minutes breaks ended up being used for acute phone consults! So it is late and I have just finished writing reports to GPs and psychologists – not my favourite part of being a naturopath but a necessary one.

I used about 6 lychees with my cereal this morning along with a kiwi and it was a taste bud sensation. I took left over salad of rocket, sugar snaps, cucumber and avocado for my mid morning snack. All my friends laugh at me as they know that I often eat left over salad before I go to the gym in the morning. It started when I was younger – I have always enjoyed making salads but I always made so much that we never ate it all at dinner.

So I would stand with the fridge door open in the morning pondering what to eat for breakfast and the salad would just scream out to me “EAT ME!!!” So I did. I then began researching what traditional cultures ate in the morning and I discovered that the cereal and toast phenomenon was a relatively recent invention. In China they eat congee, in Japan it’s miso, in Greece it’s fetta, olives with coffee etc. So our Western version of toast and jam or cereal with milk is what we feel we are supposed to eat, but is it really the best start to the day? Why can’t breakfast be savoury and more substantial? Have you ever heard of the expression “eat like a king at breakfast, a prince at lunch and a pauper at dinner”? So, if you are getting bored with your breakfasts, think outside the square and choose a savoury dish instead.

Lunch today was a Pitango lentil soup – I am in love with this company as they are certified organic, family run and have lots of different meals to choose from. I often have their take home meals in the freezer for emergencies. Dinner was red quinoa with lemon zest and extra virgin olive oil with broccoli, zucchini and tuna.

Today's photo is of Kale - my absolute favorite detox food. I have just met the farmer who grows the most amazing varieties of kale - 15 in fact! I will blog about it soon but in the meantime, buy some and know that as you eat it your liver is kicking up it's heels and dancing for joy!

Day 23 of Detox

Well, at least I woke up nice and early due to going to bed at a reasonable time for a change. The gym was not as busy and I felt great by the time I was stretching an hour later. Today’s breakfast was muesli, sheep’s milk yoghurt and half a dozen lychees. I love this fruit and just devour them when they are in season.

I then went for “coffee” and made the radical decision to have a soy chai latte. Well, never again! It was just like drinking hot milk and did not appeal to me at all. One thing that you need to ask if you are ordering chai is “do you use syrup or do you brew the herbs to order?” I kept having women complain to me that they couldn’t lose weight even though they were taking their herbs and supplements, exercising and eating well. After some investigation work it turned out that this subset of patients were all drinking soy chai lattes! If the syrup is used then this drink is high in calories, about 250 per cup, which takes quite a while to burn off at the gym. So, now I ask them to avoid this drink completely and stick to my herbal tea instead as it contains a little ginger which supports a healthy metabolism.

IKU provided a lovely lunch – I adore their cabbage and beetroot salad as just looking at it makes me feel healthy. I then had ocean trout and yellow fin tuna with salad for dinner. Now, a little about yellow fin tuna – this is a smaller, faster growing species than the blue fin tuna. Hence it is a far more sustainable choice to make as you:

1. Will not be ingesting heavy metals such as methyl mercury
2. Will not be adding to an overfished situation of blue fin tuna

Day 22 of Detox

I woke early to fit in a 20 minutes spa and a 20 minutes steam session. In the spa I aim the jets at any wobbly bits and make my plans for the week. In the steam room I do my meditation – that is called multi tasking! I am not too sore after my big cardio session yesterday but I think that is due to the Epsom salt bath last night. Being high in magnesium Epsom salts relax muscles as well as reducing lactic acid build up.

I had fruit, sheep’s milk yoghurt and LSA for breakfast followed by a mid morning smoothie of berries, banana and soy milk. Lunch consisted of a beautiful quiche with fetta, spinach, cherry tomatoes and fresh herbs. As this dish is so high in protein it keeps me feeling full for ages which is unusual for me. At 6pm when I finished I jumped in the car and drove home from the Hunter, spending the driving time to return phone calls.

I am rather excited as I need to book plane tickets to Thailand for August – I haven’t had a holiday for over 2 years so I am dying for some sun and relaxation. I can imagine now, afternoon cocktails by the pool, massage on the beach, oh I am there already!

Dinner was light - miso, almonds, black sesame crackers, white nectarines and an apple. More like a picnic than dinner but occasionally I like to graze and have a few different flavours. Do you know how shiny my hair is - incredible the sutble changes that detox makes.

Day 21 of Detox

As it was the weekend I made my weekly early morning run to Bondi beach and although the water was icy it was incredibly refreshing. I usually take the Sunday magazine to read between swims but I forgot. The nippers provided plenty of entertainment instead, they look so tiny with those big yellow boards almost as big as they are! I had a decaf soy flat white on the way home – I figure 3 weeks in that I can have a treat!

I was starving by the time I got home as I only had a white peach and some hot water with lemon when I woke up. As I wanted to head to the gym I made a smoothie with 2 bananas and 1 cup of berries with all my other usual ingredients. I added extra banana for the energy and bananas are also high in potassium which is great when you sweat it out at the gym.

Now, get ready to cheer – my time on the rower today was an incredibly 10 minutes and 4 seconds! I use music and my HypnoBirthing training to get through the pain threshold but I have to admit that I felt like vomiting when I finished – my heart rate was up at 171 so no wonder! I then used the cross trainer and did a hill session which almost had me crying. I missed the yoga class this morning so I did some stretching instead.

I had a fresh juice of pineapple, apple and mint which is one of my all time favourites – it’s perfect on a hot day if you blend it with ice and make a frappe. Lunch was once again from a freezer cook up – a casserole of vegetables and beans.

I have made a really concerted effort to detoxify my home – I only use natural cleaning products as well as make up and body care. I noticed a few months ago that whenever I hoped in the shower I would be able to smell chlorine for the first few minutes. I looked into this and found an innovative Australian company that has patented a shower filter to remove all chemicals from the water. It makes sense right – why spend so much effort and time to detox then hop into a chemical laden shower? We absorb chemicals though our skin and the issue with chlorine is that its chemical structure is similar to iodine (as is fluorine). So both chlorine and fluorine block absorption of iodine.

In case you weren’t aware, iodine deficiency is at epidemic levels in Australia and I routinely test all my patients for this. I have only had 2 patients return normal levels. Iodine is vital for the thyroid hormones that regulate our metabolism, body temperature, reproduction, growth, blood cell production as well as nerve and muscle function. Low thyroid hormones can cause a person to become sluggish and gain weight, affecting their general health, their fertility and ability to carry a pregnancy.

It is important to ensure adequate iodine intake during preconception, pregnancy and breast feeding. During pregnancy, the fetus is entirely dependent upon maternal iodine, which plays a significant role in normal central nervous system formation and maturation. Iodine deficiency during pregnancy is the commonest worldwide cause of preventable intellectual impairment and can be associated with losses of up to 10 -15 IQ points. A recent study involving 1,709 schoolchildren across the eastern seaboard of Australia demonstrated that 40% of children were iodine deficient. So, ask me to check your iodine levels at your next consultation if you have not already been tested.

Dinner is light as I am at Golden Door – I had an abbas apple, a mango and a big bowl of miso. I then did a beautiful thing for myself – an Epsom salt bath, a mask followed by a scrub, all done by candle light whilst relaxing. I felt like a prune by the time I hopped out but I slept like a baby!

Day 20 of Detox

So, this morning I weighed myself at the gym and it seems that my weight is the same as when I started. I haven’t used these scales before so it will be interesting to see what Jess has to say at my reassessment in 10 days. I know my body is much more toned and my muscle mass has increased. My wobbly bits are less wobbly and in fact I feel good at the beach now. I wouldn’t like to do a Pamela run across the soft sand but none the less I could do a stroll comfortably!

I went to the gym and hit 10 minutes 43 seconds on the rower so a little behind my best time. My technique with all the exercises is much better and I really concentrate to get that right before I go for repetitions. Once I finish this detox I may ask jess to split my program so I can do upper body one day then lower body the next. This makes for a very efficient workout as it is quicker but harder.

I had a breakfast of gluten free muesli with a heap of summer fruit (love passionfruit right now), sheep’s milk yoghurt and apple juice. I then went to the organic markets and picked up some fresh produce for the next week. I found those little Abbas apples again and they are just gorgeous. I also bought two big bunches of flowers for myself – I have a tradition to make sure I do this regularly. I am a herbalist after all and flowers make me smile – both visually and olfactory.

Lunch was on the run – a shop bought salad of spinach and pumpkin – I am definitely a better chef so I need to be more organised! Clinic was flat out which I love and then I came home to BBQ some fish and make a salad for dinner.

Did I mention the importance of eating organic whilst detoxing? It is fundamental that you do not add to your toxin load at this time as you will not release any stored toxins. This is the core point of a detox. Have a read of my book for more information on this as it will make or break your experience.

Day 19 of Detox

Ok, so my aim for this detox was to get back on track with my exercise after a very lazy Christmas period. I also aim to include a complete gut repair program which includes a parasite cleanse. Then I will do a heavy metal chelation program towards the end. So for the first week or so I focused on making sure my bowels were working really well and taking anti parasite herbs with probiotics as well as liver herbs ( and a few dozen peripheral things as well!). Then Imoved the focus onto gut repair and a liver cleanse.

I also journal my dreams as often I receive intuitive messages via them. Once I was told to take a B vitamin in my dreams, I had pathology done and lo and behold I was deficient! I definitely do an emotional cleanse – I think about the last 6 months and what has negatively affected me. This detox I wrote a letter, posted it and immediately felt lighter and that the issue was resolved.

So here is a list of what I take (you will never again ask me why you need the 5 different things I give you!):
Liquid detox herbs, individually formulated amino acids that upregulate detoxification pathways in the liver, probiotics, aloe vera juice, anti parasite tablets, high potency antioxidant, zinc, magnesium, a multi, CoQ10, fish oils, a powder for gut repair ( glutamine, slippery elm etc), powdered greens for alkalising and of course chlorophyll. I am sure I have forgotten something but I guess you get the idea.

Detoxing must be individually formulated in order to get the best results. A 23 year old girl is going to have completely different requirements to a 55 year old man. I utilise Live Blood Analysis in clinic to help me do this. It is a wonderful tool and I can see exactly what needs focusing on, whether that is liver, digestion etc. I also test all my patients for zinc deficiency, do a tongue analysis and then iris analysis if I need to clarify a point.

So, since day 8 of my detox people have been commenting on how good I look. By now I feel positively fantastic – my eyes are very white, my irises become more hazel than brown, my skin is glowing and energy levels are 10/10.

Day 18 of Detox

This morning I did Pilates from a DVD at home. I stayed up till midnight working so am feeling a little jaded and not up to an intense cardio workout. Breakfast was my gluten free cereal, oh wait a minute. I forgot to tell you what I add to this. So, into the big jar with the cereal go goji berries and nuts and seeds that I toast with shoyu, a Japanese soy sauce. It is similar to tamari but milder in flavour. By doing this I am increasing the antioxidant properties and protein levels of my breakfast. Then on top I added fresh blueberries, nectarines, sheep’s milk yoghurt and apple juice.

I felt like a coffee today – perhaps because I was up late but I haven’t even thought about coffee for at least 4 days. I often hit a mental slump 2 weeks in and I think I may be suffering from that now. I start to feel that I need to look outside or elsewhere for food. Perhaps it is because I am not eating any starchy carbs except for the occasional bowl of cereal.

I will make sure I eat quinoa (keen-wah) tonight and focus on that for the next few days. I adore this ancient grain and give out thanks to whoever decided to commercialise it. Quinoa has been grown in the Andes for 5,000 years and it reputedly kept the Incan armies strong and robust. It comes from Bolivia and is a Fair Trade product which means that there is no middle man and the people who grow and tend to the crops actually receive a fair amount for their work. This alone will give you warm fuzzies when you eat it! But, it is also one of the highest protein containing grains, does not contain wheat or gluten and is high in minerals. I try to buy the red one (there is white, red and black) as it is higher in iron which I need.

I use quinoa in many ways – add lemon zest and parsley and serve grilled fish on top, throw into your soups and casseroles to increase protein levels or simply throw though a salad. Check out the quinoa risotto recipe on my blog from Chef Andy. To cook quinoa, use 2 parts water to 1 part quinoa, simmer it gently in water for approximately 8 minutes then strain and let rest for a few minutes.

Ok, lunch today was a casserole from my freezer – cannellini beans, lentils, red cabbage, vegetables etc. I have snacked on nectarines and peaches for the afternoon while thinking about dinner. We are having a dinner party and I am cooking so it needs to be fresh, beautiful and detoxifying!

I went and saw Niko from the fish shop and he suggested some local mirror dory fillets. I immediately thought how great they would be with some quinoa, lemon zest and parsley. I was planning on making a large salad with enough left over for me to take for lunch tomorrow. So, as I didn’t have anything at home I went to the Asian grocer’s. This place is incredible as it is always packed and it’s relatively cheap. If I can’t source organic ingredients or I get stuck for options then I always recommend to patients to find a local store that has a very high turnover and the produce is fresh.

A couple of points here – often these smaller shops will be buying produce that there is a glut of so hence they can on sell it cheaply. Also, I prefer to spend my consumer dollars supporting small local businesses than multinationals like Coles or Woolworths. I often do a price comparison just for fun – today I bought a pineapple from the local shop for $1.99, in Coles it was $3.99!

So dinner was perfect – grilled mirror dory, quinoa with lemon zest and parsley and then a super salad of: rocket, spinach, cucumber, carrot, broccoli sprouts, avocado, sheep’s milk fetta, and blanched asparagus. I was going to add toasted pumpkin seeds for the zinc as well as crunch factor but I ran out of time.

Tomorrow I am going to let you know what herbal and supplemental support I take during a detox and why. Many patients ask me this and I think it is important that you realise I do a much stricter detox than I ask you to do. I know what it feels like to be grumpy, bored, feel like you are missing the fun etc etc.

Day 17 of Detox

I had my usual hot water with lemon when I woke up and I tend to sip it as I check emails. I had an achacha and a white nectarine to start and then my breakfast smoothie which was just amazing – wait for it! The ingredients were oat milk, probiotic, passionfruit, banana, berries, pureed apple with cinnamon and flaxseed oil. I love this start to the day as it provides energy as well as protein.

I have noticed in the last few days that I am starting to get bruises again. My ferritin levels are always low (max 33!) so it is something I keep an eye on. I need to take iron supplements with digestive enzymes during my period and I forgot this month. As I am not eating meat either, my levels must have dropped and the symptoms are returning. Mainly I have easy bruising and dizziness. My energy levels are still great but I am putting so many incredible things into my body I am not surprised! I will focus on more iron foods such as parsley, figs and prunes.

I took some more fruit to work to snack on as I love lychees and white nectarines at the moment. Lunch was at the ever faithful IKU and I always enjoy their food. You can feel the goodness making its way into your cells. I become very sensitive during a detox, both physically and energetically. It feels like my body isn’t clouded with excess “stuff” and is operating the way it did 2,000 years ago when we were running from dinosaurs! I think with caffeine, as much as I adore it, my adrenals run overtime and I tend to thrive on nervous energy. That can be a positive thing i.e. a great motivator but it can also be negative thing as I can tend to feel ungrounded and scattered.

Dinner was wild salmon fillets on the BBQ with my yummy finger lime salsa. To accompany it I made a salad of rocket, cucumber, parsley and sheep’s milk fetta. I love my dinners and am thriving on all the fish I eat. I think it is the omega 3 essential fatty acids but also the higher protein levels seem to suit me as well.

Power of Raw Juices

Running a google search on my laptop for "Benefits of raw juices" over 2,710,000 results appeared. Heading to my local health food section of the library and general book store the shelves are over flowing with published books about health benefits of juicing. Juice bars have become our corner store and are popping up everywhere.

So, Why is juicing so good for us? What is it about a juiced piece of fruit or vegetable that is so amazing? After doing some personal research i really like this article that Scott Malin wrote because it is very easy to read and answers my questions - i wanted to share it with you for interest;

"Fruits and vegetables are being studied in the medical community, because of compounds known as phytochemicals, which have a wide range of disease-fighting properties. Coincidentally, many of the phytochemicals that nutritional researchers are focusing their attention on are the enzymes that play essential roles in protecting cells from damage. The problem lies in the medical community's propensity to attempt to isolate which compounds actually aid in disease control. For example: A tomato, along with vitamins C and A, also has 10,000 other chemicals in it, most which researchers are trying to isolate, identify and study. Science has begun to find that using an isolated nutrient has a much lower ability to heal and protect the body than the whole symphony of nutrients found naturally in the whole food. Therefore, we strongly recommend eating the fruits or vegetables instead of a pill that isolates out a few nutrients. And one of the best ways to distill out these nutrients is by juicing.
Juicing is also a tremendous aid in detoxifying and cleansing the body. Fresh juice naturally detoxifies and heals the body by stimulating and healing the elimination and detoxification organs such as the gall bladder, liver, intestines and kidneys. It is also one of the best ways to build healthy and powerful blood. Fresh juice helps to concentrate large quantities of vitamins, minerals, enzymes and other life giving nutrients that can be easily assimilated. Fresh fruit and vegetable juice is also highly alkalinizing which facilitates the white blood cells to clean the blood and tissue of harmful bacteria, virus, and cancer cells.
Most people don't eat enough fruits and vegetables to reap the benefits they offer. For example, The National Cancer Institute recommends eating five servings of vegetables and three of fruits each day. However, the average American eats only 1 1/2 servings of vegetables and less than one serving of fruit per day. Juicing is an excellent way to incorporate more raw fruit and vegetables into the diet easily and quickly. This is not meant as a substitute for eating raw fruits and vegetables, but it is helpful as a way to incorporate more of these incredible foods into your diet.
In addition to it's many other benefits, fresh raw juice is a tremendous source of enzymes. Enzymes are important because they are the main catalyst for chemical reactions which run your body. Raw juice by definition has not been processed in any way, nor has it been heated or pasteurized. Pasteurization is the process of heating the juice to kill bacteria, but it also kills all of the beneficial enzymes in the juice. A strong push for the pasteurization of fruit and vegetable juices comes from the fact that once the juices are pasteurized they retain a much longer shelf life. A juice that is 100% juice that can sit on the shelf for an extended period of time means one thing- that juice is now dead! All the beneficial living components of the juice have been destroyed.
In my opinion, the best way to consume fresh, raw juice is go to a restaurant or shop that juices the vegetables and fruit in front of you or better yet, do it yourself! Consuming raw juice is one of the healthiest things that any person can do. Try to buy organic fruits and vegetables at local farmers markets and wash them well. Then, include a diet of eating them whole as well as juicing them for maximum health benefits. You will love the results!
We strongly suggest learning more about nutrition so you can get improve the quality of your life. Click Here to learn more at http://www.dynamicsofmotion.com/
Scott Malin is a widely respected expert on the subject of fitness, strength, and nutrition. To learn more, please visit: http://www.dynamicsofmotion.com/
Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Scott_Malin

Also, I was lucky enough to recently meet Joe Cross and watch his documentary about himself and his journey with health issues and coming to terms with the fact that if he didn't start to look after himself he was going to die at a very early age. Joe used the power of raw juice to get him back on track. Here is a synopsis about Joe's film;

Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead
Overweight, on steroids and suffering from a debilitating autoimmune disease, Joe Cross is at the end of his rope. With doctors unable to help long-term, Joe turns to the only option left, the body’s ability to heal itself. He trades in the junk food and hits the road with juicer and generator in tow, vowing only to drink fresh fruit and vegetable juice for the next 60 days. Across 3,000 miles Joe has one goal in mind: To get off his pills and achieve a balanced lifestyle.
At a truck stop in Arizona, Joe meets Phil, a morbidly obese truck driver who suffers from the same rare condition. As Joe is recovering his health, Phil begins his own epic journey to get well. What emerges is nothing short of amazing – an inspiring tale of healing and human connection.
Facebook link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fat-Sick-Nearly-Dead/215671830451?ref=ts
Website link: http://fatsickandnearlydead.com/

So, ladies and gents a fresh raw juice is waiting to be drunk today!

Mich xx

Image by http://www.foodmag.com.au/

Day 16 of Detox

I can’t believe it but I am officially on fire! My did my usual weekly power walk around the bay with a friend, sorting out many business and personal focus points along the way. Then I stopped in at the gym to do a cardio session and nailed the rower – 10minutes and 24seconds! I asked Jessie what I should be aiming for and she burst my bubble and said less than 10 minutes. Oh well, there is definite improvement.

There was very little in the fridge for breakfast so I managed some gluten free cereal with fruit and I love apple juice on it instead of any type of milk. I have limited my dairy and wheat since I was about 11. I had intolerance testing done then and came up strongly for these. I am fine if I only eat a little but if I overindulge I become horribly bloated and sluggish. So I grew up with rice and oat milk and rarely had wheat. It was much harder back then as we didn’t have all the wonderful alternatives that are available now. I love spelt pasta and being such a foodie I am fussy when it comes to these things!

Lunch was on the run and consisted of fruit, tamari almonds, rice cakes with avocado and herbal tea. I have been looking at dragon fruit a lot lately so I must try some. I just had an achacha and it would make a wonderful sorbet – very tangy, slightly sour and full of bite. I will leave a couple on the window sill and see if they become sweeter. My tomatoes are growing at a dismal pace but I check them daily and talk to them quite often. I will give them some rescue remedy as it is a new moon and the perfect time to encourage growth.

I then worked on business plans and did some shopping for supplies. Tonight it is kingfish with a salad of snow peas, rocket and avocado. All the visitors have left so my food will be easier now – I only need to organise for myself which seems so simple!

Thought for the day “All that you are is the result of all you have thought” spoken by Buddha. Basically thought results in action and that reflects who you are. I love this and feel much aligned to it.

The dandelion root has my bowels back to normal so I won’t need to have a colonic. I am also ovulating so hence feel great and full of beans. I had a salt scrub and massage today to celebrate the half way point of my detox. I thoroughly recommend having small rewards along the way to encourage and motivate you. It is about self care once again and believing in optimum health, not average health. And it is important to invest in yourself and be the best person you can be. It will enhance all your relationships and also influence the opportunities that come your way. You become more attractive on all levels and begin attracting what you need

Day 15 of Detox

Last night I had a detox bath. That involves 10 minutes of dry body brushing followed by ½ soak in an Epsom salt bath with lavender essential oil. I always sleep like an angel afterwards but also wake feeling alert and refreshed. I took the opportunity while I am at Golden Door to utilise the spa and steam room – 20 minutes in both. I do the spa first and put a jet on my thighs and butt, taking it in turns to do both sides. The steam room is where I meditate as I can maximise my diaphragmatic breathing in there. One day I will have a therapeutic steam room where I can steam herbs for their health benefits as well. I love this therapy and believe that the effects can prolong and enhance quality of life.

In my shower I turned the setting to jet and gave my thighs and butt another massage then a blast of cold to make me really feel alive! My skin is so smooth today I can’t believe it. It must be the combination of all the omega 3 fish oils I take and the spa like treatments I have been doing over the last 24 hours. I have only ever felt like this once before and that was after a whole day at the Ginseng Bath House in Sydney where I was scrubbed and pummelled within an inch of my life!

I have been taking shots of the herb dandelion root to help my bowels and the huge breakfast serving of fruit with lots of figs will also help. I was at Golden Door today so I had to resort to my frozen casserole for lunch. I still love the lentils and vegetables but I need to do another batch of soup this week to stock up again. I can’t wait until my detox program is delivered to my door – no need for shopping or too much cooking!

The therapeutic benefits of eating organic whole foods cannot be underestimated. I had a patient today who had been through chemotherapy and was incredibly deficient in nutrients. He had not been given any dietary advice pre chemo and I explained to him the need for his body to be alkaline and well oxygenated. Cancer thrives in a cellular environment that is acidic and poorly oxygenated. One of the best ways to alkalise your body is to practise diaphragmatic breathing. I do seminars on this subject and believe passionately about the benefits involved. It is also beneficial for stress management and prevention of anxiety and insomnia.

Dinner consisted of three apples whilst driving home. Not ideal but I always feel a little bloated when away from home so a light dinner is a must. Two of the apples were a new variety called Abbas. They are small, just perfect for a child’s lunchbox and quite sweet.

Day 14 of Detox

Thanks goodness for the cool change as I was beginning to have difficulties sleeping. I went to Bondi again early morning but it was really rough and I had to skip the swim. Instead I walked the beach twice, had a laugh at all the boys working out and marvelled once again at how individual the human body is – so many shapes and sizes!

I then went to the gym and again beat my record on the rower – it now stands at 10minutes and 24 seconds. Rachel came with me and it really helps to have a “row off” as it does make me competitive. My thighs and butt were aching but I need to focus on them as I think they have dropped a bit – oh dear, must have been when I wasn’t looking!

I am really starting to feel my fitness get to the next level and that makes me happy. One of my goals this year is to be as physically healthy as possible and I have made a fantastic start to the year so far.

Lunch was on the run and consisted of a tuna salad and fresh juice of lemon, pineapple and mint. I haven’t felt like much juice on this detox but that may kick in during week 3 as I get sick of the taste of water. There are so many options for fluids though – I love my tea as it makes me feel so relaxed and refreshed. Then there is dandelion leaf tea which is wonderful for fluid retention and also a liver tonic. Chlorophyll adds a nice minty flavour to water and I love it really chilled for a workout.

Question for the day – what would you do with your time if you didn’t have to work for money? The answer will be indicative of your passions and I believe these are vital to include in your life as they will feed your soul. I have written on my mirror: “self care = self love” and that is essential to look at. We watched “The Bucket List” last night and it is a touching movie. Basically, it is a list of things you want to achieve before you die. Try doing one – be as imaginative as possible and stick it on your fridge. On mine is: spend time in a small village overseas, foster animals, do a yoga retreat by the sea etc.

Day 13 of Detox

What a way to start the day – I was at Bondi by 8am and it was already 30C! The water was bracing and so refreshing. We stayed in until I started feeling cold and I just kept thinking –this is cooling my blood down! Olivia was hysterical and every time the water touched her, she would suck in her tummy, pant and wriggle every limb. The humidity is getting to everyone and lack of sleep is starting to show. We all went for coffee afterwards and I played with Olivia while everyone sipped on their caffeine.

Then off to the gym and despite the soaring temperatures I beat my rowing record – best time is now 11 minutes 8seconds. I think if there was someone rowing on the machine next to me my competitive side would come into the fore and I am sure I could get the time under 10 minutes. My brother and I have organised a staff competition involving the bike, treadmill and rower so hopefully my training will pay off.

The breakfast smoothie for everyone: berries, banana, flaxseed oil, aloe vera juice, oat milk and probiotic. I topped it off with an apple then made tracks to clinic. My appetite has decreased and I am not sure if it is because of the heat or because I am feeling bloated and sluggish today. It is very unusual for me to feel constipated and not a good thing on a detox as you tend to reabsorb the toxins from the large intestines instead of excrete them. If things don’t improve I will go for a colonic.

I have some watercress soup for lunch and I had forgotten how beautiful it is. Dinner was again salmon with salad – you can see what has happened. Everyone is here visiting me and having BBQs, socialising and drinking. I am still busy working and making sure everyone has what they need and my food has gone a little out the window. It is still organic, wonderful and healthy but I am repeating meals more than I would like. I am rather happy that things have gone this well but still it’s not ideal.

Today I found another wonder ingredient – achacha. It is a fruit that has only recently made its way into Australia. Traditionally it is grown in Bolivia and its name literally means “honey kiss”. I will eat it in the morning so will give you my low down. The University of Sydney are currently doing a nutritional analysis of it but so far it is definitely high in vitamin C, B2 and B9. It comes from the same family as mangosteen which has serious antioxidant properties.

Over the last few days I have been making constant rounds of fresh ginger tea, adding spearmint and lemon and allowing it to cool and then refrigerating it. I took a bottle of this to dinner tonight and asked for some feedback and it was loved! The general consensus was – in a pitcher, lots of ice, fresh lime/lemon slices and either plain or added to mineral water. As I have drunk 4 litres of water today it is so great to drink something with flavour!

Day 12 of Detox

Well, silly me had a cup of freshly grated ginger tea at 6.30 and then went to the gym. The humidity felt up around 75% and then the ginger kicked in and it felt 100%. I can’t believe I would do that – I was just dripping with sweat and usually I am not the sweaty type. So perhaps it is a great detox tip – why don’t you try and then let me know how you found it. BTW – my time this morning on the rowing machine was 11minutes and 32 seconds so not my best performance!

I made an antioxidant packed smoothie for everyone this morning which included double the usual amount of berries, oat milk for a change, flaxseed oil and sheep’s yoghurt. Alana, who is 14 months, just couldn’t get enough as it was quite sweet with all the berries.

I went off to clinic and snacked on apples and detox tea then had my frozen lunch back up of red cabbage, cannellini beans and vegetables. Despite the heat, my appetite certainly doesn’t suffer so I need to ensure I have food available all the time. My favourite right now is Tamari almonds – I tend to eat so many that I can’t face them for a few weeks and then I repeat the process.

For dinner I was inspired by produce. Often when I am looking for ideas of what to make I simply go to the organic shop, look at what jumps out at me and screams “eat me!” and off I go. There was white asparagus, baby endives, mini water cress and a whole heap of beautiful things.

So I settled for grape tomatoes, snow peas, fresh peas, goat’s fetta and spearmint with a simple dressing of lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil and seasoning. It was wonderful – the spearmint was a mouth explosion in amongst the other flavours and I promptly put this salad into the memory bank. I also made a salad of rocket, butter lettuce, avocado, parsley and my all time favourite, fennel. Fennel is just so versatile – roast it in winter, salads for summer. So I teamed these colourful salads with BBQ wild salmon fillets and used the last finger lime to make a salsa (see day 10).

So now I am sipping spearmint, fresh ginger and lemon tea. I think I may make an iced version as it would be beautiful with some mineral water when everyone else is swilling their wine. The family are here and we have organised an early morning swim followed by a gym visit for me and then clinic. I have never been to the beach with Olivia, my adored niece, so I can’t wait to watch her face!

My detox program is going well and I have all the supplements down pat now – I stagger them throughout the morning as I can’t fit them all in at once! I don’t think that any patient has taken as many herbs and supplements as I do. I honestly believe that if I can’t do something myself then I would never ask a patient to do it. So, trust me when I say that I have experienced all the things that I prescribe and advise!

Day 11 of Detox

Another very hot day – I am going to try taking a smoothie to work in my SIGG mug. SIGG bottles are stainless steel and are the only bottles that are proven to not leach phthalates, Bisphenyl A, lead, Bisphenol B and other harmful chemicals.

It was flat out all day today and I stopped for a Pitango soup at 2 (this is my back up option i.e. plan Z!) and raced across the road to my favourite fishmonger. Nikos, the Greek, is fantastic and he causes me to miss Ithaca terribly. We speak in Greek, mine albeit very rusty, and he at 1,000 words per minute accompanied with heroic arm gestures! I’ll never forget the first time I went to Athens at the age of 16 – I thought everyone was about to brawl as they all looked like they were screaming angrily at each other. In fact, it is their version of passion and they are simply commenting on the weather. Niko knows exactly what my criteria are for fish.

a) No deep sea large fish ( due to heavy metal contamination, specifically methyl mercury)
b) Australian
c) Sustainably farmed or wild line caught
d) Not over fished

I agree that I am fortunate enough to have such wonderful produce available but get a copy of the Sustainable Seafood Guide and become a more aware consumer. We all know that we need to eat more fish for the beautiful omega 3 essential fatty acids but make sure you are informed about the quality of the fish you are eating.

So, I ended up buying some local red snapper fillets and they were stunning on the BBQ with a little of the finger lime salsa from last night. I had a salad to accompany it which was what we called a “mosh pit salad” or you could also term a “fridge” salad. Anything that needs to be used up gets thrown in and it always tastes yummy. The clincher in this one was the eggplant I roasted last night – it was so smoky and silky and combined perfectly with the rocket and avocado.

I have now made a fresh ginger tea – I made it strong as it is still very humid and it does cool me down after the initial heat rush. Now, the next 3 days will be a test to my detox skills – I have friends here from Tasmania as well as my family from Melbourne. Now usually this would always involve lengthy dinners savouring wonderful wines – we all love fine wines and no one more than me! My dad called this week to ask which of his prized wines he should bring up to imbibe in.

After discussing all the vintages and regions we came to a conclusion and I unfortunately had to let him know that I was detoxing and hence unable to partake! Oh, let’s see how I go, am sure this will be the most difficult time. After the first 4 days of detox I felt ok and now I don’t miss coffee, alcohol, meat etc. at all. I am positive the exercise helps. Today is the first day I haven’t actively exercised and I feel it. Never mind, off to the gym in the morning to face that dreaded rowing machine – we are having a dual. I compete against the machine for time and so far my best for 2,000metres is 11minutes and 8 seconds. Wish me luck.........

Day 10 of Detox

Wow, today is so hot that I barely feel like eating anything but salad. I adore hot weather but not when I am working! There is nothing like the feel of those long summer nights, it reminds me of being a kid and eating sorbet. I had a “coffee” date with a girlfriend this morning but she forgot – I happily sipped my peppermint tea and read the paper. My brother and adored niece popped in so I managed to grab some express cuddles before I began my working day. Breakfast was some stone fruit and then I made a smoothie (same as yesterday).

I took an apple and some salad to snack on as I usually have lunch late. Again I went to IKU for lunch and had a cannellini bean pie with salad and their delicious tahini based dressing. A patient called me and told me she is pregnant – our treatment plan had her aiming for later in the year but her health has improved so much that she fell now!

I really feel water logged today – over 4 litres in total! I think I sweated at least half of it out though so I hope my organic deodorant is working hard – we do excrete toxins though sweat so you may be a little smellier during a detox.

Dinner was amazing – BBQ wild salmon with blanched flat beans, zucchini and corn. I found the most incredible ingredient today – finger limes. I had eaten them at The Golden Door but have not seen them in shops in Sydney. Anyway, they are about 2 inches long, dark green and very expensive. But cut them in half lengthways and scoop out the hundreds of pearl like orbs. Pop one in your mouth and be prepared for a burst of sunshine! So, for the dressing on the salmon I combined half a finger lime, lemon zest, parsley, lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil. Talk about an antioxidant rich dinner!

I am now sipping on my dandelion leaf tea and about to book into a Reiki course – I need to unblock my sacral chakra and I think that will help!

Day 9 of Detox

I watched Slumdog Millionaire last night – it is rather disturbing, very touching and just incredible. I have been to Mumbai and lived in Juhu when I was doing my post grad homeopathy training. As we passed the slums in our little tuk tuk, I used to have to hold my handkerchief against my nose. Oh, it is absolutely terrible the poverty and despair. But I have never seen people so neatly dressed and smile so much. I would walk the streets at night exploring and never once did I feel uncomfortable or unsafe. It is an enchanting country and I will get back there one day to explore more. The Taj Mahal features in the film and it reminds me how our tour guide won his job after assuring me that we would see 100 visual illusions! He really did show us close to 100, by which time we were over the novelty.

Breakfast this morning was a rather sad affair as I am due to shop. It consisted of a kiwi fruit then a smoothie with oat milk, berries, probiotic, flaxseed oil and apple puree. I made the apple puree in winter when apples were abundant and when I stewed them I added cinnamon which is wonderful for stabilising blood glucose levels as well.

I have a salad prepared to eat mid morning – rocket, carrot, cucumber, avocado with a dressing of extra virgin olive oil, tahini, balsamic vinegar and lemon juice. That should keep me going until lunch – I have found over the last day or two that my appetite has decreased. I feel like eating really light foods and often, say every 2-3 hours i need to ingest something. My mood is good as well.

Dinner was one of my pre cooked frozen casseroles of red cabbage, vegetables and cannellini beans. One day I will get sick of them!