Something else that is really neat that has been a huge motivator this time around…  And, I doubt when my dad shared this that he understood how much this made me cherish and want to better care for my health.  My dad left today to go to Haiti.  He will be doing water filtration.  But, out of the thousands of men who could have joined him to help, only a hand full could pass the criteria needed to go.  You know why?  Because only a handful were healthy enough!  You can’t be completely out of physical shape or on blood pressure medication and qualify to be on certain teams to go help in a crisis.  How sad that our society is filled with willing people who don’t value their health enough to take care of it so that they can help out in a huge time of need.  People will use the excuse, “Yeah, but they are old and retired.”  Hello!  I would kill to be in a retirement position (money, no children depending on me, no job holding me back, free time) and able to serve.  But, what is the point of working hard to make it to that position if your body is in no shape to serve others when you are available?  How terribly sad!  We have an entire society who is putting food and self gratification ahead of others; and, most don’t even see that as a problem.  With that in mind, I keep my goal ahead of me, and I press on to whip my body into shape and choose foods that are going to help my health not hinder it.  The Lord had a huge plan for us when He told us that our bodies were to be temples.  That is taking on a whole new meaning!

We got creative tonight and tried a new recipe, which we loved:  Stir Fried Spinach and Oranges

2 large bunches of fresh, organic spinach (I used more)

1 orange, peeled.  Remove seeds and cut into bite size pieces

1/4 cup chicken broth (I use fresh stock- Sally Fallon’s recipe from “Nourishing Traditions”)

Sea Salt to Taste

Sesame Seeds to Taste

Tamari Soy Sauce (I left this out, would use it when off cleanse)

Saute spinach in coconut oil until wilted.  Add in remaining ingredients, mix and heat through.  Serve over brown rice.  This would also be delicious with caramelized onions and/or garlic added. 

This recipe is wonderful for those dealing with iron issues or who are pregnant/nursing.  Spinach is a great source of iron and eating it with citrus (oranges) increases its absorbency, enjoy!

Forgetting, or not knowing in the first place, is what the industrial food chain is all about, for if we could see what lies on the far side of the increasingly high walls of our industrial agriculture, we would surely change the way we eat.

- Michael Pollan in The Omnivore’s Dilemma

Changing what I eat, and ultimately what Harper ends up eating from my milk, is after all the ultimate purpose of doing this Purification Program.  It is not for weight loss; however, I am so glad that weight loss and toning up is a side effect of getting healthy.  Getting healthy is the goal, and site of that must not be lost!

So you want more information on the program?  It is the 21 Purification and Weight Loss Program from Standard Process.  We love SP for many reasons, of which a few are- we trust their product, the company has super high standards (especially when it comes to farming practices, which greatly affects the product you ultimately end up with), they offer wholefood supplements, and their prices are so great for the product you get.  I could go on and on.

The program is sold as a program- a group of supplements- but, we also offer the products individually.  This plays an important role is cases like nursing/pregnant moms (who won’t use the SP Cleanse), or with someone who needs Gymnema because they crave sugar, or when a couple chooses to do the program together (you don’t need 2 sets of products because you can share some products).  I keep getting questions on cost.  Typically the program runs $225 per person through most practitioners.

We are running a special through September that gets you all the cleanse products for $157.  Not only is that a huge savings, but we have also thrown in some additional products to help you cleanse (Gymnema).  If you want more info, let me know.  I have DVDs at the office that explain the program in detail, I can get these to you for free.  I am trying to make it easier and give those w/ curiosity a peak through this blog, but we also have recipe booklets that we have put together.

Again, $157 will change if you are nursing/pregnant and/or doing the cleanse with someone else.  For those who are interested but don’t live in this area, SP does ship product and we can find a practitioner in your area.

The basic scenerio is as follows:  3 weeks because in 21days you can change a habit.  Your tastebuds will change too- along w/ weight, cholesterol, blood pressure (the testimonies are amazing!) and general mood.  You only drink water and some green tea.  Those who aren’t pregnant/nursing eat only veggies and fruits for the first 10 days (twice as many veggies as fruits).  After the first 10 days, you can add in lean (preferably organic) meat and some fish.

Minimal consumption of lentils (great for blood sugar control!) and brown rice are allowed too.  Can the diet be followed w/ out the supplements?  Absolutely!  However, the program is a success with the supplements because they speed up the cleansing and nourishing process.  We put our bodies under so much daily stress, even the healthiest people, that it is vital to cleanse on a regular basis!  Contact me for specific questions.

Happy Cleansing!