A big shout out to Amanda Patrick for mentioning my Chef V Green Drink on her super popular Instagram page. I’m so happy your beautiful little girls love Green Drink!
Amanda says: “So I FINALLY found a green drink the girls will ACTUALLY drink ???? Thank you for all the goodies @chefvlife …. the girls (and I) love you a lot!"
Thank you, Amanda! Here’s to your health! – Chef V, Veronica Wheat
When you think of a juice cleanse or detox diet, does protein come to mind? If not, it should. But not just any protein. In fact, many protein powders can be toxic to your health. Learn why you need protein if you’re cleansing and what kind is best for your body. Here’s what you need to know.
Doing a Cleanse? Why Protein Powder is important
All animals must eat protein every day to survive. Us wild human animals included. Now I’m not saying you need to eat a 72-ounce T-bone steak every day for health. I’d feel very sorry for your colon if you did that.
You don’t even need a small bite of filet mignon every day. In fact, there’s no proof that you need animal protein for optimal health. Any natural vegan protein will do, including nuts and seeds.
Here’s a fun nutrition fact to chew on: the human body can’t live more than 70 days without eating any protein. Give or take a day. I haven’t personally tested this theory. And I don’t recommend you try either.
But if you’re reading this because you’re researching the best juice cleanse, there’s a very good chance you’re going to kill yourself just a little bit. And thanks to me, I’m going to save you from that. I’ll explain how in just a sec….
You see, if you go ultra low carb like the keto diet, no problem. Some of that dietary fat you’re feasting on will be converted into glucose (sugar) for your brain to feed on. Even protein can be converted into glucose. If you eat that 72-ounce steak, there’s a good possibility some of the cow meat will turn into sugar and get stored as fat.
But your body can’t store excess protein. It also can’t make protein from carbs or fats or anything else. That’s why you need to eat protein everyday for optimal health.
Your lean muscle tissue, hair, skin, and nails all need adequate protein to look healthy.
So if you’re checking out some different cleanse or detox diet options out there, here’s the big problem with them….
Most cleanse programs contain zero protein. Instead, all juice detoxes are is a slick marketing trick for selling you fruit juice with loads of sugar. That’s the opposite of cleansing! (Compare my cleanse program to popular juice cleanses here.)
Think how brittle your hair and nails will look after going several days without protein.
Some people think that it’s not good to have protein during a cleanse. Why? They assume it’s bad for the digestive system. Well, in a way, that’s true. But only if it’s processed meat or unhealthy protein powder.
I’m here to steer you in a healthy direction and recommend a protein powder to take while doing a cleanse.
Vegan Protein Powder For Cleansing
Multi-colored, attractive bottles of juice may be effective for marketing. But they’re not good for health. You see, many commercial juice cleanse programs include about a half dozen different kinds of juice, each a different color of the rainbow. But each containing 20 grams or more of sugar and zero protein.
As far as I’m concerned (as a certified nutritional therapist), you need just one color of juice: green. Green-leafy vegetables are the most nutrient-dense foods and play a critical part in the body’s detoxification process. But even my cold-blended Organic Green Drinks don’t have any protein.
That’s why several years ago, I brainstormed on a protein powder that would be healthy for everybody, including people doing a cleanse. The result is my Organic Vegan Protein Shake. With 17 grams of high-absorbance pea protein per packet, brittle nails don’t stand a chance.
You’ll have to trust me (or the 5-star reviews on Yelp) that the shake tastes great. How does it taste good without adding gobs of sugar? My recipe uses organic vanilla powder, stevia, and monk fruit extract. Stevia and monk fruit are natural, calorie-free sweeteners.
Pea protein has become more popular. When I decided to use pea protein a few years ago, I never thought it would be just as effective for the weightlifting community. But check it out. This study shows that it produces the same increase in muscle thickness as whey protein.
There are a couple reasons I don’t use whey in my Protein Shake for my cleanse programs. First, many whey protein powders are contaminated with heavy metals. (Says this Harvard research report.) And also, whey protein is not good for people with lactose intolerance. True, I could have used whey protein isolate, which contains close to zero lactose, but I just don’t trust how whey is manufactured. And I don’t think it’s good for cleansing overall.
What About Soy Protein Powder For Cleansing?
Some people are concerned about soy protein’s effect on women. This is because soy is a phytoestrogen, and if the body has too much estrogen absorbed, it could produce a hormonal cancer such as breast cancer.
Thus far, there are no studies linking soy protein powder to breast cancer. However, I do believe that processed soy is not good for health. Also, I think there is something to the too much estrogen theory. After all, it’s not just the food supply from soybeans that causes estrogen dominance, it’s all the plastics and everyday cleaners that can mimic the effects of estrogen.
Muscle Heads
You don’t need to buy one of those huge tubs of protein powders that huge weightlifters buy for bulging biceps.
If you’re not doing a cleanse, I really don’t think you need any protein powder at all. But if you are going to do a cleanse, you absolutely do need some protein if you don’t want your muscles to waste away and your immune system to get weak.
Dietary protein plays a major role in virtually every thing that happens in your cells. And not only that, protein helps you feel full. If you go even a few days without it, just having juice will make your blood sugars go up and down. You’ll get tired and cranky.
Look, even if you don’t choose one of my cleanses, I do highly encourage you to consume a little high-quality vegan-protein every day (hemp and brown rice are also good choices).
A little protein every day goes a long way for health.
Best wishes and to your health,
Chef V
Do I ever have any fun?
Do I ever stop practicing what I preach?
Or am I constantly perched on this virtual altar spouting natural health gospel?
If you’ve been following my recent articles, you might think that I never stray from the healthy path.
But that couldn’t be further from the truth. You see, I follow the 80/20 rule: eat healthy and practice other wellness-forming habits 80% of the time and let yourself “cheat” a little the other 20% of the time. (Maybe it’s more like 85/15.)
Want to know my secret indulgences? Here’s a few of my occasional transgressions: French fries, wine, and chicken sandwiches.
I guess because of the pandemic, I haven’t let you, dear reader, see the human, relatable side of me, the side that’s just as prone to stress-eating temptation as you might be.
(The key to conquering snack food cravings: indulge in kale chips instead of regular chips. Eat almond flour crackers instead of white flour crackers.)
This blog has focused on different ways to stay healthy during these challenging times. That doesn’t mean, however, I don’t celebrate life by indulging in crap from time to time.
But I do stick to a healthy routine, including daily yoga/meditation and Organic Green Drink.
Sorry for the long-winded intro. I just needed to get the fact that I’m only human off my chest.
Now back to my regularly-scheduled next health spiel…
Why Zinc Is Important
All dietary minerals are important. But in 2020-2021, zinc just might be the most important. It’s received a lot of attention in research studies. That’s because zinc can help prevent viruses from replicating in cells. In order to become infected by a virus, the virus needs to first penetrate your cells and then start making copies of itself. Zinc is like anti-virus software that prevents your computer (the cells) from getting hacked.
There’s also one other function of zinc that’s very appropriate for the times. The mineral, which is the fourth-most abundant metal on Earth, is essential for maintaining your sense of smell.
I’m sure you’ve heard that one of the first tell-tale signs of COVID-19 infection is loss of smell. Could it be that zinc deficiency or suboptimal levels is to blame for infection? I found a research study from September of last year published in the International Journal of Infectious Disease that supports this theory. The researchers write in the conclusion of the study:
“The data clearly show that a significant number of COVID-19 patients were zinc deficient. These zinc deficient patients developed more complications, and the deficiency was associated with a prolonged hospital stay and increased mortality.”
Does reading that conclusion make you want to open a new browser and order a zinc supplement this instant? I don’t blame you. After all, if you want a balanced immune system, one that won’t go haywire and attack your organs should you God-forbid become infected, then you need to make sure you’re getting enough zinc.
Best Sources of Zinc
But getting enough zinc is just half the story. Absorbing it is another issue. Most Americans eat stuff with plenty of zinc, especially meat. A serving of ground beef contains about half of the recommended daily value (according to the FDA: men need 11 mg, women require 8 mg). Pork, seafood and chicken are also rich in zinc.
Animal protein, especially oysters, which contain the highest zinc content of any food (over 65 mg per 3.5 ounces!), are the best sources of zinc. So what’s a plant-based dieter to do? Fortunately, some of my favorite vegan treats like pumpkin seeds, cashews, and chickpeas are solid sources.
But both carnivores and vegans face an inconvenient truth about zinc. Because of both natural factors and man-made environmental concerns, we’re not absorbing enough zinc as we should.
Why We’re Zinc Deficient
What’s to blame for zinc malabsorption? Let’s start with an issue that affects vegetarians and vegans…
In nature, plants have developed ways to protect themselves from insects. Beans and lentils come from plants that have a coating that contains phytates. Phytates are anti-nutrients. That means that they interfere with mineral absorption.
As the song goes, “Beans, beans they’re good for your heart,” but the more you eat of them, without soaking them, the less zinc your body will absorb. So if you’re buying beans or lentils in a can from the supermarket, soak them overnight in pure water to eliminate some of the phytates.
Recently, I wrote about glyphosate, the most heavily-sprayed chemical on food crops in the country. Glyphosate prevents plants from uptaking zinc and other minerals from the soil. Unfortunately, just about everything we eat contains glyphosate residue. The best way to minimize your exposure is by eating organic.
Conclusion
This weekend, I’ll probably kick back and enjoy a glass or two of wine. I might even get some carry out Thai (tastes amazing but lots of carbs) and partake in another as of yet to be determined indulgence. But I’m going to make sure I’m eating a ton of organic plants (and drinking them) to make sure my cells are supplied with enough zinc to keep my immune system balanced.
I’ll also be taking an ionic zinc supplement (liquid drops that the body absorbs much better than pills or capsules).
Cleansing with Food
an interview with Chef V, Veronica Wheat
Rico Caveglia: Hello, I am Rico Caveglia, and this is your Ageless Body Self-Care Guide, operations manual for your body and for your mind.
The title of today’s interview is about cleansing. This is such an important topic these days. I’m sure you probably know that we live in quite a toxic environment these days. We’re getting toxins from the air, the water, the food, beauty products, building material products. We’re getting bombarded with toxins all the time, so it’s so important to learn about what cleansing is and what it can do for you and how to do it.
We’re very fortunate today to have one of the top experts. Her name is Veronica Wheat, and she is known as Chef V. She is a private chef, a nutritional therapist, and owner of Chef V. It’s a green drink and cleansing program company that actually home delivers. She’s offering quite a great service. Chef V, Veronica Wheat, thanks so much for being here.
Veronica Wheat (Chef V): Thank you for having me, Rico.
Rico: Thanks for coming to share your knowledge and wisdom with us. I really appreciate that. Let’s get right into it. Always the first question is, how do you define what a cleanse is? What is the definition of cleansing the body?
Chef V: Basically, our bodies are designed to naturally cleanse and detoxify themselves. Every night when you go to sleep, your cells start going to work detoxing all the impurities, breaking down foods, getting the nutrients from the food, and really getting rid of the rest of everything. We come in contact with so many toxins.
Our bodies do naturally cleanse; however, in today’s world, like you’re saying, we are loaded with toxins. All the preservatives in the food, all the additives, the colors, the dyes. In beauty products alone, there’s 2,000 chemicals that some companies are banning, and they’re not regulated here in the United States. Air pollution has lots of toxins. While our bodies they do naturally detoxify, there’s a lot of things out there that our body – it’s bombarded. It’s too much. So we really do need to give it a break.
If you’re really a very healthy person and you avoid perfumes, dyes, bad products, lotions, even toothpaste, shampoos – there’s so many chemicals in all these things we’re using. If you eat really clean and avoid toxins in all these areas, you’re a lot better off. But 95% of the population is unaware of all these things. They’re thinking that things are safe from them and putting them in their body or on their body or breathing them in or ingesting them, and it’s just too much. Your body starts breaking down. Autoimmune diseases, diabetes, all these different ailments that people are starting to see.
It’s important to add cleansing things into your diet. Lemon water detoxifies the liver first thing in the morning, if you’re doing that. You’ll notice in the morning when you wake up, your pee might be a little darker. You’ll have bowel movements. That’s really your body cleansing and detoxifying. Your body naturally does cleanse, but there’s also ways to add more cleansing and detoxifying systems into your body.
Rico: I want to add to exactly what you said. Unless you live on top of a mountain somewhere in purified air and have your own organic garden, no matter what we do, even if we eat organic, we’re still getting lots of toxins all the time. So it’s so important.
Talk to us a little bit about – it’s all about our immune system, especially these days with the virus going around and all that. I think an important thing for people to realize is that these toxins are cumulative. You might say “Just because I eat this apple and maybe it’s got preservatives on it, so what?” But the thing is all these things are cumulative, all the different ways we get it. How does that work? When we get too much overload, our immune system breaks down? Is that what happens?
Chef V: Yeah. Everyone’s really different in how they hold on to toxins, especially if you exercise a lot. That really helps detoxify the body. So if you’re exercising and eating well, you are naturally cleansing your body in certain ways.
But a lot of people are not exercising and they’re eating really horribly and they’re using all these lotions and perfumes, dyes, air fresheners. There’s so many chemicals. People think “Oh yeah, I’m going to spray Febreze around my house to make it smell good!” You’re inhaling chemical toxins into your body. There’s just so much out there. I think a lot of people think that things are regulated and things are safe for them just because they’re on a store shelf when that’s completely far from the truth.
We’re not infinite beings. Your body has limits, and when you’re putting so many toxins – cigarette smoke, lots of alcohol. It can only handle so much, and then you might get lung cancer or liver cancer or something like that. By helping to cleanse and take breaks from certain things – not saying you can never have a drink in your life. It’s just if you’re going to drink, make sure the next morning you’re having lemon water, cleansing, something healthy, a smoothie, a nice salad. If you want to eat pizza for dinner, then make sure you’re having something healthy for lunch that’s cleansing and detoxifying.
It’s all about balance. It’s really hard to avoid everything, and it’s not going to be fun if you’re not enjoying your life. But you do have to balance everything out for the wellbeing of your immune system. Otherwise your body will start shutting down.
Rico: Very well said. What are some of the main benefits you’ve seen from doing cleanses?
Chef V: I have developed different sorts of cleanses. I have a whole 3, 5, 7 day cleanse where you’re not having any solid foods. You’re just having green drinks, protein shakes, and soups. I can go more into that later. But also, what I really practice and preach is having a green drink every day first thing in the morning for breakfast. That way it’s the first thing you’re putting in your body. It’s the first thing processing through your liver, through your colon, and helping you cleanse and detox.
Sorry, what was the question again? I got off-track.
Rico: No, that’s a really good point of doing that first thing in the morning so you cleanse your liver so your liver is ready for whatever else it might have to deal with during the day.
Chef V: Oh, what have I seen from the cleansing.
Rico: Yeah, some of the benefits.
Chef V: I’ve had people that have done a 3-day cleanse rid themselves from autoimmune medication in just 3 days. Someone who was on autoimmune medication for 5-10 years. I had a guy that had gout on his leg – huge gout on his leg for 10 years. He did a 3-day cleanse; it completely melted away.
And it’s miraculous because it’s like, wow, if you’re just giving your body this little break – your body is amazing. It does miraculous things. The body can live on Top Ramen, cigarettes, and Coca-Cola. It can survive. It’s not going to be thriving, but that’s how miraculous the body is.
So when people just give it this little reset, this little break – and I’m not saying don’t eat. Don’t do lemon water and cayenne for 3 days. If you give your body nutrients and just take a break from all of the crap, the toxins, the alcohol, the gluten, the dairy, the processed meats, all of these things, your body really can function at its best. So that’s the things I’ve seen just from people doing a 3-day cleanse.
But I’ve had people that do the green drink every day – not just a full cleanse. They have food, they live their normal life, but just by having the green drink every day, I’ve seen people rid themselves of adult acne, rosacea, eczema. I’ve had one person lose 245 pounds, my biggest testimonial. He’s lost 245 pounds in 14 months, and his whole life has been changed.
I had another lady who did the green drink for a year. She had Type 2 diabetes, she had Graves’ disease, and she rid it completely just by implementing a green drink daily, which is just basically cleansing and detoxifying your body and giving your body this influx of nutrients. The most important is empty stomach. That way your body can absorb everything and your cells can get the most benefit from it.
I’ve seen a lot of amazing things. I could go on for hours, and I have tons of testimonials on my website and Facebook and Yelp.
Rico: It works. Talk a little bit about some of the plant-based foods or different plants and herbs and things that are cleansing to the body.
Chef V: In my drink, I use seven certified organic greens. I’ve chosen these specific greens because each one has a different function. These are not the only healthy foods that you can use. There’s tons more, and I can go a little bit into that.
But specifically for my drink, I use green and black kale because they are the highest phytonutrient greens on earth. The phytonutrients help fight free radicals in the body, which combats cancer. We also have green chard, which helps control your cholesterol. The collard greens help regulate your blood sugar. Dandelion greens specifically cleanse the liver. Parsley has folic acid and the green leaf lettuce is great for your hair, skin, nails, even your teeth. And then I have a little healthy dose of the apple, which also is healthy to have a little apple in your diet.
Rico: I’m actually a testimony for you as well because as you know, you’re a friend of mine, and you’ve actually contributed some of your green drinks to some of the workshops and things I’ve put on here in San Diego. I’ve had your green drinks quite often, and I have to say they’re the best tasting.
Whenever I try to make my own green drink and I put it in a blender and put all the stuff in, it always comes out like – oh man, I can hardly get it down. But you got the formula down. It actually tastes good and it’s smooth and easy to drink.
Chef V: Thank you. There’s also tons of other foods that are really healthy, cleansing, detoxifying. Anything green is going to be great in your diet. Ginger is great, garlic, onions. Berries are great. They have lots of antioxidants. There’s tons of other foods that are out there.
During COVID, I’ve done an immune boosting workshop that I’ve gone live with and talked about different foods and how to get more of them into your diet and why you should get them in your diet and easy ways to include them. There’s tons of foods that are detoxifying. You can even just google “cleansing foods, detoxifying foods,” and try and get more of those into your diet. Not saying that’s the only thing that you can eat or should eat, but you just eat more of them.
Rico: What would your recommend for someone who’s never done a cleanse at all and says “Maybe I should try something”? What would you recommend? How would they get started?
Chef V: Typically when people come into my store or call or reach out to me through the website or whatever and they want to do a cleanse, they say, “I want to do a 7-day cleanse because I want to get the most benefits.” I say, “Why don’t you start with a 3-day cleanse?” I put you on a 2-day pre-cleanse of elimination diet. No caffeine, alcohol, no red meat, no gluten, no dairy. Not saying you can never have that; again, just giving your body a little break from that.
Most people lose 5 pounds on the pre-cleanse alone, and they just feel great. Their stomach is flatter, they have more energy, more vitality. Then I have them do a 3-day cleanse. I say anyone can do anything for 3 days. It’s pretty simple. By Day 2 you’re more than halfway through. I do give you everything that you need for the cleanse. You get four 16-ounce green drinks a day, two protein shakes a day, and then a yummy detox soup at night. By the time you get to that soup, it tastes like a steak because you’re so ready for it. [laughs]
I always tell people, it’s your cleanse. Listen to your body. If you need to add something into the day, like if you’re like, “Oh my gosh, I’m not going to make it,” most of the time it’s in your head. We’re so conditioned to have breakfast by this time and lunch by this time and dinner by this time because of society. So I tell people, be easy on yourself. If you need some raw nuts or some fresh vegetables or even just a clean piece of protein at the end of the day, make it your own.
But the purpose of cleansing basically is you don’t want to have as many solid foods because your body is usually always busy breaking down foods and digesting foods and assimilating where the proteins go, the carbohydrates, all these things, and then getting rid of the waste. That takes a lot of work and energy for your body. So at night, your body gets this break, and that’s when the most miraculous things happen in your body – at night, when you’re sleeping. If you’re young, you’re growing in your sleep. Your body is detoxing and doing all these things.
So basically when you’re doing my 3-day cleanse, you’re just extending that process. Everything that we serve is blended, not juiced. You’re getting all of the fiber, but it is blended so that your body doesn’t have to break it down and work so hard to digest it. And when your body is not working so hard to digest things, it can go and use all that energy to do other amazing, miraculous things, like rid that guy of gout that he had for 10 years, or help the immunity build itself back up.
That’s what the purpose of cleansing is, so I tell people if you can, try not to eat anything other than what we’ve provided you. But again, don’t make it miserable. Don’t feel like a failure and then give up because “I had to have a piece of chicken or some nuts” or something. Just keep going. You’re still doing way better than you would if you hadn’t done anything at all.
Rico: I’ve found too that sometimes when you think you’re hungry, you really maybe are thirsty. Just drink some water sometimes or go for a walk or something. Brush your teeth. Then you don’t feel like eating anything. It’s all little things that you can do. But yeah, again, I like what you said: you don’t have to be so strict and think that you lost it all. Anything you do is better than nothing.
Don’t you find, too, that if you want to do a little bit longer one, once you get through about 3 days, it gets a lot easier, doesn’t it?
Chef V: Yeah. I have so many people that tell me, “Oh my gosh, by Day 3, I could go two more days!” I always tell people, “Cool. If you live around here, if on Day 3 you’re feeling like a million bucks, come back and we’ll give you two more days and you can keep going on the 5-day cleanse.” But a lot of it is mental. If you think “I have to do 5 days,” by Day 3 you’re like, “Oh God, I’m barely halfway done.” It’s mental, and that’s where a lot of people can choke up.
But if you’re listening to your body and really paying attention to what it’s telling you – because your body will tell you what it needs and what it wants. Your body tells you when you’re hungry. Your body tells you when you need to go to the bathroom. A lot of times people don’t listen to their body. And just like you said with the water – I’m a nutritional therapist, and I counsel a lot of my clients in their health journeys, and you’d be surprised. 90% of people do not drink enough water. Not even close.
I had a client that said, “Oh, I definitely drink enough water.” I have this scale that I would bring around if I’m counseling in person – most of the time it’s via Zoom or telephone – and it tells you what your body water percentage is. This woman who thought she was getting enough was way under the percentage. It was supposed to be around 50-60% and she was about 42%. She was really shocked. She said, “That’s so strange.”
Then we got to the bottom of it and she was counting the green drink and her collagen tea that she was drinking as water. I said, “No, as soon as you mix more than one ingredient with water, it’s no longer water. You need to just be drinking water.” It’s an example of why people are so confused. There’s not really this book that you’re handed as a child or even an adult that tells you, “This is how you need to eat. This is what you need to do. You can have this much water.”
There’s so much noise out there about nutrition and what to eat or not to eat, don’t eat gluten, you’ve got to be vegan, you can’t eat after 7:00. There’s just so much noise out there. It’s really not that hard, but the food industry has made it extremely hard and the diet world has made it extremely hard for people to be healthy and be successful in their food journeys.
Rico: Absolutely. That’s what this project is all about. I’m getting experts and people who I know that really have concern for their patients and their customers, and it’s all information you can trust. That’s what this project that you have is all about: giving you the right information so you can get past all the misinformation and the overwhelm and you’ll know exactly the best ways to care for your physical body.
One more question. How often do you recommend people do a cleanse?
Chef V: Again, this is a question that I get all the time, especially when people have great success on the cleanse. For me, I don’t really do a 3-day cleanse that often. Probably the last time I did one was 2 or 3 years ago. You might think, “What? Chef V doesn’t do a 3-day cleanse?”
But that’s because I’m doing something for myself every day, and that’s the most important thing. The reason why I created the cleanse is because, yes, it works and people are successful. But really, the success and lifelong changes come with what you’re doing every day.
I make sure that I have a green drink or something very healthy first thing that I put in my body. If I’m traveling, I either try and find some place to make a smoothie, or if the hotel will make something, or if not, I go into the grocery store and get a piece of fruit or I eat a salad for breakfast. No one’s ever taught us to eat vegetables for breakfast. Have you ever seen a salad on a breakfast menu? No. You have cereal, pancakes, eggs, bacon, toast. Lots of carbohydrates. What that does is puts your body more at a halt. It’s not really helping your metabolism speed up and turn on.
But when you’re giving your body living nutrients, vegetables, salad – the other day I had a Thai salad leftover in my refrigerator. I’m in a hotel right now in New Jersey, and I didn’t have my green drink, even though my store is not far. I had to do some work in the morning and I was hungry, so I took the Thai salad out and started eating the cucumbers and the carrots and the lettuce out of there. That was my breakfast.
Then I can wait till lunch and I can be a little bit more lax and have a sandwich or a piece of pizza or something. It’s not like you have to eat that way for every single meal. Just try and get more of those nutrients in your body.
And the most important, like I said, is first thing. What are you putting in your body first? That’s the first thing after your body has worked so hard all night to cleanse and detoxify, and then you’re going to shove it down with bacon and sugary orange juice? That’s not really beneficial. It’s really going to make your body have to work harder in order to cleanse and detoxify itself. But if you’re putting something that is healthy and cleansing or detoxifying first thing, again, you’re prolonging that cleansing process that your body is naturally doing, and you’re helping aid that cleanse and detoxification process.
Rico: Such good information. Thank you. I just want to add, I think the point you were making earlier was if you do a clenase and then you go back to eating junk food and don’t change your lifestyle habits, then you’re going to get real toxic again real quick, and you’re going to need to do it again a lot sooner.
But even if you’re trying to have some green drinks every day and be as healthy as you possibly can, a lot of people recommend doing a cleanse with a change of the seasons, maybe four times a year is a good thing to do. But I agree with you; I try and do a daily detox. I exercise and sweat and drink lemon water, drink green things. If you incorporate that into your lifestyle, you don’t have to do a regular full-on cleanse quite so often.
Chef V: Yeah. To further answer your question – sorry, I got a little sidetracked and excited – when people ask me, “How often can I cleanse?”, I say everyone’s different. If I’ve learned anything in the 10 years I’ve been doing this, I know that everybody’s different. Everyone’s different in the way they cleanse, in the way they detox, in the toxins they’ve held on to, in the amount of toxins, the different toxins that they’ve ingested or taken throughout their life.
Some people are way more toxic than others, and they probably do need a nutritional reset more often, and they’re probably not taking care of their bodies in between these 3-day cleanses or whatever. So when people ask me, “Can I do a cleanse every week?”, that’s probably not a healthy option. Your body does need calories. It does need nutrients to survive. The cleanse is low calorie, but it’s very high nutrient.
So I tell people maybe every 3 months, twice a year. At least maybe once a year doing something to nutritional reset. Some people will just take January and do no alcohol for January. That’s a perfect example of a nice little cleanse or reset. There’s different ways. It’s not just one magic potion that works.
But mine has had great success, and I highly recommend people try it if they are feeling toxic. Or maybe they’ve been on medication, in the hospital or something like that. There’s so many things. Everyone has a different journey, and I’m happy to answer anyone’s questions if they do have questions about their specific needs. You can always email [email protected]. We’re happy to assist you and tailor something that works for you.
Rico: So well said. Really good information, Chef V. Thank you so much. On that same note, I want to remind you that this video training comes with a PDF. You have a transcription, so you can read it, and we definitely always recommend that you go to all of our experts’ websites. They have lots of information there. Often they have free gifts for you, they have special offers. I know Chef V does. And they’re there also to give you some coaching, to give you some training or give you some help. We really recommend that you stay in touch and keep on learning from our experts.
Being healthy and creating wellness is an ongoing process. It’s a lifetime process. Stay connected to all this great information. We’re all learning as we go as well, so as you stay connected with our experts, you’ll be updated with all the latest scientific information and things that can really help you achieve optimal health and wellness. That’s what this whole project is all about.
Chef V, that was so good. Thank you for that great information. I really appreciate it.
Chef V: You’re welcome. Thank you for having me. Again, if anyone needs anything, you can email, reach out. I also have our website, www.chefv.com. We do 50% off your first order on cleanses.
Also our green drink subscription, which is a monthly subscription to our juice, and it comes every week like the modern day milkman. It’s a 100% money back guarantee on our green drink delivery, so you can taste it, try it out. Or if you’re next to one of our stores – we have a store in West Caldwell, New Jersey as well as San Marcos, California. You can come in, taste the drinks, ask questions, and we’re happy to help always.
Rico: You can find all this information in the PDF. Once again, thank you, Chef V. And thank you for being here.
Chef V: Thank you.
Covid is still is stressful, let’s face it. The Covid crisis has eased, and Brandon and I were fortunate to have our Chef V business to keep us busy during it. We are back to seeing our friends, going out to dinner, and especially the gym (!!). But there’s still the stress factor of “can I get Covid” in the back of my mind when I go into a crowded store or class or bus,Reducing stress can be challenging anytime, and right now it is harder – and more important – than ever.
How do I keep my cool during these times? I treat myself – and you should treat yourself too, because it keeps you healthier, and that is super important right now.
Here’s how I keep my sh*! together….
To keep my stress levels down in this scary time, I’m focusing on the good things in my life: a thriving business, a handsome and devoted husband, a fit physique, cooking skills, the ability to turn any cocktail into a healthy mocktail, and, I have another love on the side–Coconut (my canine kid).
And we alive in one of the most beautiful places on the planet: sunny, temperate San Diego, where I can go to the beach. Some people go their whole lifetime without ever seeing the ocean. But I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve taken an early-morning beach walk, watching the dolphins surf the waves (while sipping Green Drink, natch).
But no matter what my stress level, I know I need three things to keep myself sane and centered. Meditation, yoga, and Green Drink.
Meditation, Yoga & Green Drink: The Holy Trinity of Stress Management
No matter what’s going in my life, three things are a constant every morning: meditation, yoga and Green Drink. Even now, when we are forced to stay at home, you can follow my stress management steps.
As soon as I get up (and use the potty), I sit cross-legged and do some pranayama breathing. Pranayam is the foundation of any yoga practice. Even if I know that I’m going to have to face lots of frustration later in the day, these breathing exercises are so important. They’re like the equivalent of recharging your cell phone, only for your mind.
And no matter how exhausting the previous day was, I always find that practicing pranayama breathing is like a natural cup of coffee. Within a couple minutes, I notice a dramatic boost in my energy level, even if I didn’t sleep well. I feel the stress melting away. Even if my stress level will rise later in the day, this is the ultimate stress-management technique to do first thing in the morning.
There are a ton of YouTube videos you can follow along to. (Maybe I’ll create my own video after the new store is up and running on autopilot.)
Pranayama breathing warms your body and mind up for the asanas, (physical postures) of my yoga practice.
Despite 14-16 hour long days keeping the Chef V kitchen and delivery services running, I make sure I do a minimum of 10-15 minutes of yoga. It’s so easy to let stress get the best of you and say, “I’ve got no time today for yoga, I’ve got so much work to do….”
But I’m telling you the more stressful your day, the more you need to start your day off with yoga to manage your stress.
To those who know me, I might seem centered but without meditation and yoga, I might be a mess. And with the additional stress of the coronavirus, I’m upping the time I spend on both.
Keeping Your (Third) Eye on the Prize
Speaking of meditation, I finish my yoga practice with 5-10 minutes of silent meditation. If you don’t think you can sit in silence for even a minute, no worries. There are free guided meditation apps you can follow along to.
While I meditate I try to think of nothing other than my breathing. Then, after that, I take a few minutes and visualize what I want to achieve for the day. Although dealing with the extra safety precautions involved in safely getting Green Drink to my customers makes me want to pull my hair out, I am so happy to be able to continue to deliver it to you. I think it’s really important to keep your eye on the prize and not let annoying impediments get in the way of achieving your goals. I’m trying to focus on the good things in my life and in the ways I can make the lives of my employees and customers better.
Immediately after I’m done with my yoga and meditation practice, I nourish my body and keep my immune system healthy with 16 oz of Green Drink. I need the extra boost of fresh Green Drink energy and health more than ever right now.
Treating Yourself When You’re Stressed Out
When you feel like crap, try to resist eating that pint of Ben ‘N’ Jerry’s, no matter how strong a temptation that Chunky Monkey is.
Going for sugar snacks is a misfiring of the reward mechanism of the brain. It’s no different than alcoholism.
Your brain tells you that you’ll feel better about things if you allow yourself to indulge by eating a bunch of ice cream.
But in the long run, you feel lousier. The sugar from the ice cream, along with the highly inflammatory dairy, causes foggy brain and sluggish energy. You might feel blissed-out eating the ice cream for maybe 10 minutes or so. But an hour later, you’re going to feel like you’re dragging. Try my healthier alternative, my vanilla “Milk” shake and indulge yourself without bloating and weight gain.
So what can you do when your back is to the wall and you just feel like curling up in a ball? And you can’t leave the house?
Book yourself a do-it-yourself mani-pedi.
Treat yourself to that ten step facial you never had time for.
Go through all your old makeup, throw out the old stuff and organize the rest.
Try out the recipes on my blog.
Buy gift cards from your favorite businesses to help them stay in business.
Stretch – see how much you can increase your flexibility.
For the guys – grow a coronavirus beard. No, not you, honey.
It’s critical that when you’re feeling stressed out, you need to do things to revitalize your health.
We are Figuring this out Together
Times are tough and scary but you are not in this alone. You, my customers and friends, are a blessing in my life and I am so grateful to you. Your health and safety are constantly in my thoughts and I thank you for your patronage and friendship. Know that you are not alone, we are all figuring this out together. – Veronica
Chef V, Veronica Wheat, answers questions about her yoga practice and gives recommendations for your practice. She suggests supplmenting Intermittent Fasting with yoga, and breaking your fast with her Green Drink.
5 Insights to Loving Yoga
1. How did you first get into yoga and what does it mean to you now?
I first joined a gym when I was 15 years old and saw others taking classes. A year later, and after much speculation, I decided to join the class. I thought it was alright but I didn’t really get into it until two years later. I played a lot of sports when I was in high school so when I graduated, I was trying to get back into working out and decided to give yoga one more try. My body felt so good – I was surprised by how tight my muscles had been after years of competitive sports. I started going once or twice a week and soon I was hooked! I’ve been practicing religiously for almost 10 years now and completed my yoga teacher training in 2012 at Yoga Tropics at their Encinitas, CA and Pacific Beach, CA locations.
I try to practice almost every day. I don’t necessarily go to class every day but I try to do some form of yoga daily, even at home or at the gym in a space by myself. I ALWAYS practice first thing in the AM, 60-minute classes two or three times a week and then three times on my own. You will rarely see me working out afternoon or evening, I like to workout in the mornings on an empty stomach to burn stored fat and calories, plus morning workouts energizes me for the rest of the day.
I love how yoga makes me feel in mind, body and spirit. If you’ve never tried a class before, I highly recommend you do – it’s all about finding the class and instructor that’s right for you.
2. What do you look for in a yoga instructor and how have you found the ones you’ve liked best?
I really like calm teachers who have nothing to prove. Ones that help guide you along your journey. Everyone’s body is different and even if you practice all the time, every day and every practice is different. I love when a teacher comes over and adjusts me or puts me into a more challenging pose.
3. What is the best way to fuel your body before and after a session?
I prefer to go to yoga in the morning, on an empty stomach. Although, I drink lots and lots of water to make sure that I am hydrated before class begins. Sometimes I might have a little Green Drink an hour or two before class but typically just water.
After yoga is the most important time to nourish your body. I always have lots of water and a Green Drink after class. Sometimes I’ll have a kombucha or a protein smoothie that I make at home after finishing the Green Drink. It’s super important to stay hydrated before and after yoga. Drinking fluids helps flush out the toxins from your body and release them. And yoga plus an intermittent fast, plus my Green Drink maximizes fat burning, making you leaner than ever before.
4. What are some of your favorite yoga essentials? (clothing brands, mats, accessories, etc.)
I live in Lululemon pants and sports bras. I have found them to be the comfiest and most reliable. My lightweight Manduka® mat is my favorite mat, this brand makes great mats that seem to last forever.
5. What tips would you give to new or aspiring yogis?
Take it slow. Don’t be so serious, it’s just yoga. Try different classes and different instructors, not all yoga or yogis are the same. There are a variety of yoga classes for all different levels including hot, flow, fusion, sculpt and many more. Also, remember to always breathe – it’s the most important part of your yoga practice. I’ve been practicing a long time and the worst thing I see is people trying to get fancy in a pose but forgetting to breathe. Your breath is the practice, so if you lose your breath, you lose the point of the practice. Once you master your breath for one hour then you are a true yogi who can conquer any pose!
To get inspired take a look at our Pinterest Board with poses and other workouts we love.
Above, Chef V clients' before/after photos
Check out these Chef V experiences!
These customers have amazing before and after stories to tell about Chef V's Green Drink and Cleanses. Many have lost weight and feel “amazing!”.
Chef V customers might start with a Chef V Cleanse, but they continue to drink it daily for its continuing health benefits. Plus, at only $7 a day, it is much more affordable than grocery store brands.
As you can see from these success stories, our customers are happy to tell their friends, family, and us their success stories.
Pashelle says: “Thank you so much. I work about 13-14 hours a day in the wardrobe department of a television show. It is so easy to eat junk food allday. Me and the driver of my wardrobe trailer committed to the 3 day cleanse and we feel amazing. Day 1 was the toughtest day Day 2, I saw the difference. And day 3 was an introduction to my New Self. Thank you Chef V.”
“During my 21 day detox I lost 19 lbs! My BMI went from 24.0 to 16.9! I am super excited for when I do my next detox because I will be doing the expert challenge! LOVE LOVE LOVE Chef V.”
“I’ve reached my goal weight in June, losing a total of 245 plus pounds over the last 22 months. Chef V has helped in this as my morning drink since I started my Green Drink Plan from you. Thank you.”
“I’ve reached my goal weight in June, losing a total of 245 plus pounds over the last 22 months. Chef V has helped in this as my morning drink since I started my Green Drink Plan from you. Thank you.”
“Wow!… have I been excited to write this review! (READ WITH CONFIDENCE) This is not the first time I have done a cleanse, so I have others to compare it to as well. In a nut shell: CHEF V ROCKS! That’s the simple version. The long version is that the 21 Day Detox is worth every penny, it is a challenge, and it is positively altering! From day 1 to day 21 of the challenge, I lost a total of 22lbs ….and I continue to lose weight. This cleanse has aftershocks. (BOOOOOOOM!) THANK YOU Chef V; for all the countless hours of study you have done to deliver a detox that gives noticeable results and restoration! Thank you, Chef V!”
Below, “V” answers your questions about how to maximize your CLEANSE success and why it’s so important to do a brief pre-cleanse.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard someone say they are about to feast on fast food because they’re starting a cleanse the next day.
But if you don’t want a pounding headache or feel like you’re having a mild flu, make sure to check out my responses to our awesome Chef V customers below…
Question:
I’m on day 3 of my 5 day detox…. Any tips on getting rid of a headache? Everything else is going well.
V answers:
I’ll admit that sometimes headaches are unavoidable. This is especially true if you did not do the precleanse for at least 2 days before Day 1. When you purchase a Chef V CLEANSE, you get clear instructions on exactly what to eat and what to avoid – check out my article – (EAT THIS/NOT THAT!). So make sure you stick to my recommendations to the “T” or “V” as I like to say (haha). Also, during the cleanse phase, take it easy on the exercise since you won’t be eating solid food. Walks are good. Zumba: not so good.
Question:
I’m on Day 1 of Day 5. I’m not very hungry, but I feel light-headed and my brain is ‘fuzzy.’ Are these normal detox symptoms? When will I feel better?
V answers:
It depends on how your diet was before the cleanse. Obviously, most people do a cleanse because their diet before the cleanse is not super clean. Has your diet been nowhere close to clean?
And by that I mean plenty of low-starch veggies, moderate servings of fruit, whole grains, lean protein, a little bit of healthy fats/oils/seeds/nuts and no added sugars? The more processed foods, alcohol and caffeine you’ve been consuming, the longer the pre-cleanse should be.
Even if you follow my precleanse recommendations to a V for 2 days, there’s no guarantee you won’t feel detox symptoms—especially if you’ve been overindulging lately.
Question:
I ordered my 5 day detox and will start next week! HOW important is pre-cleansing? I live in a household where I am not allowed to cook. It’s complicated. Any ideas for what I could eat for a pre-cleanse dinner that does not involve cooking?”
V answers:
The precleanse is extremely important to your success! It helps prep your system. If you drink alcohol and eat fast food and then start a cleanse the next day, your body will need to eliminate and detoxify that stuff first. So you won’t get as much benefit out of the cleanse. By eliminating alcohol, caffeine, red meat, gluten and dairy, you’ll kickstart the cleansing process.
As an added bonus, you’ll probably lose a couple pounds during the precleanse phase. And you’ll likely have less detox symptoms during the CLEANSE phase.
Now as far as what to eat during the precleanse, you can get some precooked chicken or salmon (prefer organic and wild) and eat that with a large salad of mixed greens and chopped veggies. You can also eat that with brown rice or quinoa and broccoli for another easy meal. A good low-sugar dipping sauce is honey mustard.
Finally, in addition to learning what to eat and avoid during the pre-cleanse, this may be a good time to start learning how to prep some easy healthy meals for yourself. For some healthy recipes that Brandon and I love, check out my cooking videos. Wishing you much success!
Question:
I’m on day 11 of my 21 DAY DETOX. I have lost 20 lbs. Did I read somewhere that it is okay to drink coffee in moderation on Healthy Routine days?
V answers:
First of all, Wow! Congratulations on your amazing results. So inspiring!!!
Now look … I realize how challenging it can be giving up caffeine, at least temporarily. And caffeine isn’t really toxic on its own. The problem is that during a CLEANSE or longer 21 DAY DETOX, the goal is to reboot the body’s digestive organs. Caffeine over-reliance is a sign that the body needs to detox. So I don’t recommend any caffeine on the 21 day challenge. You can have decaf if you need to but it’s best to supplement organic herbal tea. If you absolutely MUST have green tea you can have a little bit.
Question:
Can I take a probiotic supplement on the cleanse and if so when’s the best time? Thanks!
V answers:
You can take a probiotic supplement before or after your cleanse. But I don't recommend using any probiotic or supplement during the cleanse. I ask you to stick to just what we give you.
Question:
Just wondering why eggs aren't allowed on the pre or post cleanse. What is bad about them?’’
V answers:
Eggs are a major food allergen. Most people don’t know they’re allergic to them. So for this reason we are cutting it out of the cleanse to help heal the gut.
Question:
Day 3 on the 21 DAY DETOX. I actually have struggled more than I ever thought. First days days were rough. I felt ok in the morning but by late evening I had headaches and nausea due to hunger. I've done lots of cleanses but never purely liquid. The support is needed. The good news is I’m down 5.5 lbs and looking less bloated. My husband commented on this morning.
V answers:
Typically hunger is in the mind not in the stomach. True starvation is in the stomach whereas our brain often tells us we’re hungry because of boredom, emotions or habit. This cleanse will teach you to listen to your body, not your mind (which is filled with tons of marketing bs around food). I have confidence this cleanse will really help you! If you absolutely need something, have a piece of fruit, or a handful of raw nuts. Or if you can hold out until dinner and add some avocado or coconut oil to your soup at night, it won’t derail your efforts.
Question:
I’m new to cleansing and trying to be more proactive about making healthier choices. My metabolism took a nosedive once I had my baby so now I need to work harder at eating better. My question is after you cleanse, do you eat less carbs? Follow a lean diet? I guess I'm trying to ask what kind of meal plan (diet) do you follow to continue losing weight?
V answers:
When it comes to carbs, choose smart carbs like fruits and veggies and whole grains. Avoid high starchy carbs like white bread, wheat pasta (gluten-free & corn-free pasta like brown rice, quinoa or lentil pasta is ok) and potatoes (sweet potatoes are ok). Also avoid processed foods. Stick to Whole Foods, a little protein, veggies and some rice or quinoa. I hope that helps!
To your cleansing success,
Love, V
Thinking about doing a cleanse? There’s no better time than now. Here are 3 reasons why summer is the best time to do a cleanse.
Last week, I admitted that I indulged to the max while on my European vacation, and how when I got back home, I decided I needed to be a Chef V customer.
I’m happy to report that I just wrapped up a 7 Day Cleanse.
So far so good.
I don’t feel like I’m missing out at all.
In fact, I feel so good, I might do a 21 Day Detox.
And right now, in the heart of the summer, there’s no better time to do a cleanse or a longer detox.
Let me share with you my top 3 reasons why it’s easy to do a cleanse in summer.
Hack #1: take a walk
A simple way to have your blood sugar return to normal after a meal is by taking a walk. It doesn’t have to be a super vigorous hike, but getting enough exercise is important for managing diabetes and this is especially true if you’re sedentary for most of the day.
Even more important than the advice to exercise is learning when to exercise. And if you only have time (or the motivation) to move your body once per day, research strongly suggests you should do it after dinner.
Most people eat their heaviest meal at night. And the biggest spike in blood sugar occurs after eating a large meal, especially if it contains lots of carbohydrates that have the potential of converting into sugar. (Think: pasta, bread, rice and other starchy carbohydrates.) Walking after a heavy meal is a proven way to improve blood sugar levels.
Consider this study from New Zealand. Two groups of people, most of whom had type II diabetes for 10 years, were compared. One group walked for 30 minutes a day for two weeks. The other group went for a 10-minute walk after each main meal. The results: blood sugar levels were significantly lower when participants walked after meals compared with the group who only went for one walk a day.
Meanwhile a different study compares exercising before a meal and after. The group with the lower blood sugar levels exercised after their meal, not before. This supports the first study that it’s vital to move around after eating a meal.
Summer is Best Time To Do a Cleanse — Reason #1: You’re not as hungry
Ever watch a nature documentary that shows bears and other animals seemingly eating non-stop during the summer?
The reason bears and other creatures of the forest binge eat in summer is, of course, because they have to fatten up for the winter hibernation.
Sometimes in winter, I feel like hibernating.
But I also feel like eating a lot more in winter than I do in summer. The hot, sticky weather in summer kills the appetite, at least for hearty foods that we usually crave in the winter like stews, meat and starchy carbs such as pasta and bread.
Most people tend to crave fruit in the summer. And unlike meat and starchy carbs, fruit is a safe food to eat while doing a cleanse.
How I start off each morning while I’m doing a cleanse is drink two glasses of water. I like to add some electrolytes to the water to provide the energetic spark plug my cells need (pink sea salt does the trick).
About a half-hour later, I’ll have 16 oz of Organic Green Drink. Shortly after that, I’ll have a handful or so of berries.
This holds me over until it’s time for my vegan protein shake.
Even though I’ve done plenty of cleanses in winter with no problem, I have to admit that summer is my favorite season for detoxing. Simply for the fact that I’m usually not as hungry as I am in the winter.
But be careful to not exercise too much when you’re doing a cleanse in summer. You’re already limiting your calorie intake to begin with. Plus, with the heat, you’re at risk for heat stroke.
So just stick to walks early in the morning and/or evening.
Summer is Best Time To Do a Cleanse — Reason #2: Swimsuit Psychology
It might sound too good to be true. But we’ve had plenty of customer success stories with weight loss of 10 pounds or more within just 7 days.
Reading these success stories that make their way to my email inbox every day is a huge reason why I wake up excited to get to work.
I love hearing from women that a Chef V cleanse helped them look and feel sexier, especially in time for the summer swimsuit season.
Here’s what “Wenderful” says about her experience:
“I lost 10lbs!… This was the perfect start to leaning out for summer….Thank you Chef V….What a great experience!!
Now, I know what you might be thinking….
Sure, it’s great she was able to lose 10 pounds. But what’s going to happen once the cleanse is over?
Well, if “Wenderful” follows my cleanse daily schedule and post-cleanse tips, she’ll have no trouble keeping off the excess weight.
In winter, my hubby Brandon likes to joke that my legs need to be shaved with a lawn mower. Because of body consciousness, summer time gives us extra motivation to get leaner and look our best.
Summer is the best time to do a Cleanse
Reason #3: Salads
If you’re doing a cleanse or longer detox, one of the hardest things is going to a restaurant with friends.
However, in summer, it’s easy to join your friends at dinner. Just order a salad. Make sure to order the dressing on the side.
Most restaurants have at least one veggie they can steam or lightly grill for you, such as broccoli or asparagus.
A large spinach salad (no croutons!) with a side of veggies will fill you up. And because of the hot weather, you’re not going to feel like sinking your teeth into a burger like your friends.
If you’re having a hard time losing those last stubborn 10 pounds, there is no better time to do a Chef V cleanse than right now.
Do it now because in the blink of an eye, you’re going to feel like hibernating. And when that happens, you won’t have the luxury of sleeping the winter off like a bear. You’ll be craving high-calorie foods to make it through those long dark nights.
Want to know the simple secret to losing up to 20 pounds in just 5 days?
It’s this: my 5 day Cleanse.
Thousands of people have successfully lost weight and have kept it off with my Cleanse or longer 21 Day Detox. That’s because when you consume a minimal number of calories with everything your body needs (phytonutrients, protein and fiber), you’re giving your body a metabolic reboot. Excess body fat starts to easily burn away, revealing a more sexy, slender you.
When it comes to cleansing and detoxing, most people associate just one organ with the process: the liver.
But there’s far more to detoxification than the liver. While it’s true the liver plays a critical role in breaking down heavy metals and other toxins from the body, there’s another organ I want you to know about that’s just as important.
Over 700,000 Americans Have This Detox Organ Removed Every Year
You probably think about your liver every once in a while. Like when you know it’s time to do a cleanse or detox: bad skin breakouts, can’t concentrate (brain fog), you’re gaining weight even though you’re eating the same amount of food, you get sick often, and you need a few cups of coffee to wake you up from the dead every morning.
Or maybe you apologize to your liver after a night of having one too many glasses of wine.
While the liver gets all the detox attention, I want you to give some thought to another organ. I admit, I don’t think about this organ enough. But if you get plenty of fresh, organic leafy green veggies in your diet, like the 7 different kinds in Organic Green Drink, you won’t have to think about this organ that much.
That’s because kale, collard greens and other leafy greens help the liver break down toxins into smaller components so that they can be moved out of the body.
But if you’re eating a lot of snacky, empty-calorie foods and not enough nutrient-dense produce, your liver is going to become sluggish.
And when your liver is backed up, it affects the next detoxification organ down the line.
Over 700,000 Americans have this particular organ removed every year. Obviously, you can live without it, otherwise surgeons wouldn’t recommend removing it. It’s galling to me that mainstream medicine just treats this organ like it’s a throwaway part when it’s so critical to detoxification.
So … Do you know which organ I’m talking about? Hint: read the last sentence of the above paragraph; it’s the italicized word.
You Can’t Lose Weight If You Can’t Digest Fats
Yes, it’s the gallbladder.
The gallbladder is best known for secreting bile. Bile is kind of disgusting because if you’ve ever had a night of heavy drinking back in the day, you probably at one point puked it up. Not a pleasant thought.
But here’s why bile is so important…
It helps break down dietary fats so your gut can absorb it. It’s actually the liver that produces bile. But when your liver is backed up like an LA freeway, your liver doesn’t produce as much bile—and your gallbladder will have trouble secreting the bile that is produced.
So if you have low bile production, it’s very likely that you’ll put on weight very easily. That undigested dietary fat has to go somewhere!
But beyond the bile storage and secretion, the gallbladder is also involved in detoxification. It sponges up toxins and other things that shouldn’t stay in your body like excess hormones.
With so many people having sluggish livers and clogged bile ducts, it’s no wonder skin problems, hormone imbalances and digestive disorders are so common. Autoimmune disorders and allergies can also be blamed, at least in part, on bile deficiency.
Wanna Go Keto? Don’t Try It Until You Improve Gallbladder Function!
Super low carb diets are popular, promising rapid weight loss—if you can just get over the hump of the dreaded “keto flu.”
What’s keto flu? It’s when you suddenly stop eating carbs (for the most part), your body switches to your stored body fat for fuel instead of the sugar in your blood from the carbs.
But the problem is that if you have a sluggish liver and low bile production, a keto diet, which is at least 75% dietary fat, is going to make you fatter and make you feel awful, at least at first.
Before going keto, I highly recommend giving your liver and gallbladder some much needed TLC by doing a 5 day cleanse. And if you feel great after doing a 5-day cleanse (which thousands of customers have successfully accomplished), you can further purify your system with a 21 Day Detox.
Most cleanse and detox programs help you lose weight—but at the expense of making you feel awful. The difference with CHEF V is that you’ll get plenty of clean, plant-based protein and the perfect amount of dietary fat and fiber so you won’t waste away; you’ll actually feel amazing (usually by day 3!).
Best Foods For Bile
In addition to eating plenty of leafy green veggies, there are specific foods that are thought to enhance bile production. These include beets, artichokes, sunflower seeds, apple cider vinegar, arugula and dandelion, which is one of the 7 leafy greens in the Green Drink delivery plan.
Go Green For Your Gallbladder
If you’re not living each day with vibrant energy then something’s off. Consider cleansing and flushing your liver and gallbladder. If you’re not sure how to start, I highly recommend a CHEF V CLEANSE. There’s no guesswork involved. You’ll get easy instructions on how to successfully give your detox organs and metabolism the reboot it needs so you can start feeling awesome again.
And if your doctor ever recommends removing your liver, ask for a second opinion!
Even if you drive a gas-guzzling car, crank up the A/C in the summer and heat in the winter, you can still do your part to tread more lightly on the Earth. Learn how easy it is to be more eco friendly….
Power Yourself with Plants: Plant Powered Proteins
The easiest thing you can do to tread more lightly on the Earth is eat less meat.
Did you know that over 30% of the Earth’s landmass is being used livestock (meat- and dairy-producing animals.) Nothing wrong with enjoying a piece of meat every now and then if it’s grass-fed, organic and humanely-raised.
However, for me, that’s a rare treat. Especially knowing that almost 10 percent of the carbon dioxide (CO2) released into the atmosphere is because of feeding and caring for livestock.
Ten percent might not sound high, but here’s the problem: Livestock accounts for a shockingly-high amount of harmful greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases are chiefly responsible for global warming. Feeding and taking care of domesticated animals that eventually turn up on our dinner plate generates about 65 percent of nitrous oxide (N20). What’s the difference between N20 and CO2?
Nitrous oxide has the potential to warm up the planet 300 more times than CO2.
Also, all those animals grazing and pooping uses a lot of water and takes up land that could otherwise be used for public open spaces.
My intention isn’t to freak you out about global warming nor is it to convert you to vegetarianism.
Rather, my intention is to let you know how easy it is to be more eco friendly simply by eating less meat. Do you eat meat three times a day? Cut down to twice a day. If you eat meat three times a week, see how you do eating it just once or twice a week.
And now that there are so many delicious plant-based meat alternatives it’s really easy to have less of a carbon footprint. In fact, if you’re already vegetarian or vegan, let your friends and family know about the delicious brands of plant protein burgers. Bring a package of Beyond Meat’s “Beyond Burger” to the next barbecue you go to.
While it’s true that Beyond Burger is a little on the pricey side, it’s a fraction of the cost of what you’ll have to pay should you God-forbid develop a chronic illness.
That’s not to say that vegetarians don’t develop chronic disease, but there’s no denying the fact that eating lots of meat puts you at more risk for developing certain cancers like colorectal. (This is especially true if you’re eating lots of red, processed meat like bacon, as well as deli meats with nitrites and nitrates.)
In addition to yummy pea protein burgers, you can also boost your plant-protein intake with hemp protein, which is one of the plant-powered proteins for my Organic Protein Shake recipe, which you get when you do one of my Cleanses.
Reduce Water and Plastic Usage
Reducing the amount of water you use is another way to be more eco friendly. Try to reduce the time you’re in the shower by one minute. Set a timer on your phone to let you know when time’s up.
Another way to cut down on the amount of water you’re using while showering is by installing a low-flow showerhead. If you own a home, the incentive to be more eco friendly will be worth it. That’s because low-flow showerheads will result in a lower water bill.
Also, if you’re still using plastic water bottles, get with the program and use stainless steel water bottles. If you’re using plastic because the water at your home doesn’t taste good, spend the money on a good water filter for your sink. Or you can buy one of those water filter pitchers.
The overwhelming majority of plastic water bottles end up in garbage landfills. In fact, it’s estimated that 80 percent of commercial water bottles end up in landfills. Every time you toss a water bottle in the trash, keep in mind that it’ll take up to 1,000 years for it to decompose. And in the meantime, the bottle will be leaking harmful chemicals into the environment.
You can easily do your part to reduce the amount of plastic that’s discarded into landfills. Just say no to plastic water bottles. We offer a glass option for our weekly Chef V plan delivery (not available for shipping at this time), just email customer service to make the switch.
When I travel by plane, I bring my own water bottle and fill it up at the airport. They always have water stations or if not a restaurant will fill it for you.
Ditching The Dairy Is Eco Friendly
As I mentioned above, livestock (think: cows) require an enormous amount of land, feed and water. And the methane gas from their back ends is a major contributor to greenhouse gas. In fact, methane is 85 times more powerful than carbon dioxide at trapping heat. That’s right, cow farts and poop are bad. Real bad. (And it’s worse than we thought, according to this Forbes article.)
So in addition to cutting down on meat, it’s eco friendly to ditch dairy, too. But if you can’t stand the thought of not having your milk and cookies, there’s plenty of healthy plant-based “mylks” out there. For example, try my recipe for almond milk. I add almond milk to Golden Milk, which is one of the healthiest, most delicious drinks on the planet.
I realize some people can’t do without cheese. Having a picnic in a field with some red wine and slices of delicious Manchego (a variety of sheep cheese) is heavenly. I get that. But that doesn’t mean you have to eat huge wedges of cheese every day. I’m not saying you need to give up cheese completely. Just as with meat consumption, try to reduce the amount of conventional dairy you eat. The cows are still going to be farting away in the fields. But the less demand for cheese and dairy overall, the less the livestock will need to be fed.
Other Easy Ways to Be More Eco Friendly
Just cutting down on the amount of meat and dairy you eat as well as the amount of water you use are impactful ways you can more eco friendly. Doing so makes a huge difference.
And other ways you can easily reduce your carbon footprint include:
Pretty simple, right? You don’t have to feel pressured to make these changes all at once. Adopt one recommendation at a time if that works better for you. Even making one of these changes will make a significant difference. It might not seem like much but every bit helps.
Love,
Chef V
Thank you Ambika for this generous review – and congratulations on your healthy success!
Ambika says:
Do you ever want to just hit a pause button and stop questioning everything you put in your mouth and feeling crappy all the time because you've fallen in to unhealthy patterns and aren't sure how to turn them around with just your will power alone?? Well then I have just the thing for you!! ????
Check out the @ChefVlife Cleanse!!
No, this isn't some weird paid ad (I'm not cool enough for that, though I will get a $25 credit for anyone who purchases with this link, so thanks in advance). I'm just excited to finally share about it, since a few days ago I finished their 5-day cleanse for the 10th time (!!) and yet again I'm feeling FANTASTIC!!
The first one I did in early 2017 rocked my world so I committed to doing it 3x a year (January, May, September), and I haven't missed one yet. And I wouldn't at this point since I crave it so gotdamn much… I crave having the well thought-out, well-balanced and easy-to-follow support structure to help me hit that pause button amidst a busy and distracted life and reset my body chemistry back to its optimal state.
And they make it so easy (no juicing or cooking or other mess necessary) that as long as you have a little jingle to put towards yourself and jump-starting healthier habits, this is truly a no-brainer.
When you include the pre and post cleanse diet (ya gotta ease in and out, very important), it's about 10-12 days (or more if you can keep it going) of no alcohol, sugar, dairy, fried foods, caffeine, wheat, soy, etc (basically like the Whole 30 diet).
So it's an excellent time to get rid of cravings and reboot your metabolism and yes of course evaporate some extra fat molecules you may or may not feel burden your beautiful body. All while not missing a day of work (I even worked on set for 2 days during this last one). It's such a well-designed program and you drink so much liquid all day that you never have a chance to feel hungry!! I can barely finish the soup at night because I'm so full. Which is INSANE!!!
Each of the 10 times I've done it now, without fail, I have felt incredibly light and clear and ENERGETIC. Not like I could go run a marathon or deadlift a horse (I mean why) but like buzzing with focus and productivity. Kinda like mainlining caffeine, but way less dysfunctional.
Point is – if you've been thinking about giving your body a break/boost, I highly recommend this particular cleanse to help you do that. I'm officially a self-proclaimed veteran now so feel free to reach out to me with any questions!! And don't forget to use my referral link please. Mama gotta support her ready-made cleansing addiction ????: https://chefv.com/?raf=ref9152459
Are you about to take your first trip in a long time? Excited but still a little nervous? Then keep reading because I have some tips to make your travel experience a little more easy-going.
Or maybe you’re not nervous at all to travel because you’ve been vaccinated for COVID-19….
If that’s the case, you shouldn’t let your guard down even if you’ve been vaccinated.
That’s because there are well over 200 viruses that are known to be able to infect humans. Obviously, COVID-19 is the one that’s still on everybody’s mind, but it’s clearly not the only one that can make you sick if you’re flying.
So let’s dive in and explore how to keep your immune system strong and balanced before you trip.
Start Taking Care of Your Immune System Now
Suppose you’re meeting close friends for dinner before you trip. Your friends order a bottle of wine. Toasts are made to being fully vaccinated and returning to life, and to your upcoming trip.
One glass of wine quickly goes down. Then another. And another. And by the next day, you’re all congested and your energy is way low because you couldn’t sleep (the wine and the congestion interfered with your sleep cycle).
At this point, your immune system has taken a huge punch to the gut. (No pun intended; 80% of your immune cells are in your gastrointestinal tract.) The congestion can then lead to a cold or sinus infection.
If you’re sensitive to sugar and gluten like I am, all it takes is one celebratory meal to make yourself sick.
Or suppose, you’re going to a birthday party shortly before your trip. Allow yourself one tiny square of birthday cake but no more. It’s not worth jeopardizing your immune system for what may very well be your first significant trip in over a year.
In addition to limiting alcohol and added sugars, start supporting your immune system now by fueling your cells with nutrient-dense superfoods. If you don’t have time to prepare meals with green leafy veggies, you can drink them down and have it delivered to your home.
Because of COVID, in addition to green, leafy veggies, I’ve been getting more edible mushrooms in my diet. Mushrooms are one of the best foods for immune support. Just like my Organic Green Drinks make it easy to get green leafies in your diet, mushroom powders make it easy to get ‘shrooms.
Organic Hand Sanitizer
Are you still using hand sanitizer after every time you go out in public? I can’t say I blame you. However, I am concerned about the long-term health effects to the gut microbiome when using conventional hand sanitizer so often.
This is especially true if you’re frequently disinfecting your hands with antibacterial soap.
And when I travel, instead of antibacterial soap, I use organic hand sanitizer or an essential-oils based disinfectant like Thieves spray.
Another thing you can do is carry some extra napkins on you when traveling. If you have to open a bathroom stall door, whip out the napkin and use it to grab the handle. I know it may sound wasteful, but, hey, as the saying goes, reduce, reuse, recycle. Don’t grab a huge wad of napkins next time you’re getting coffee to go. But if you already have napkins or tissues on hand, why not put them to good use for the rare times when you fly?
Take a good Probiotic
Especially important before I travel, I make sure I eat probiotic-rich foods and take a high-quality probiotic supplement to colonize my gut with friendly bacteria. I recommend the brand probiotic I take it’s called Bio-k. They have dairy and non dairy fermented options. To me it’s the best source because it’s fresh not a pill. I have one bottle for three day’s servings, each day, on an empty stomach. Then I wait 15-30 minutes before having my Green Drink.
Nasal Spray
The bone-dry air of an airplane is the perfect breeding ground for viruses. Now, in fairness to many airlines like Southwest, they have done a great job installing high-tech air filters that, according to Southwest’s website, offers “a full exchange of cabin air with fresh, outdoor air and HEPA filtered air every 2-3 minutes.”
But even so, the dry air on an airplane can cause microscopic tears in your nostrils. This makes it more likely for any potentially-pathogenic virus to penetrate the mucosal barrier in your nose and infect you. The antidote to this is moisturizing your nose with a saline nasal spray or nasal lubricant gel or oil, as soon as you get on the plane. (Or better yet, apply it before you enter the airport.)
Viruses Aren’t The Only Concern When Traveling
COVID-19 is the predominant health concern for those traveling. But don’t forget about traveler’s diarrhea, food poisoning and other digestive maladies that arise.
As I mentioned in a previous post I wrote about traveling with kids, I always make sure to bring remedies that will soothe an upset tummy. Read it to find out why I like yeast probiotic and Oregon Grape Root the best as well as tea tree oil for other health mini-crises that may arise while traveling.
Stress Management
And perhaps the best advice I can give is to not give into fear.
One excellent way to keep negative or fearful thoughts at bay is to maintain a daily health-manifestation practice. Repeat a simple mantra a few times a day that you’re healthy and your immune system is supporting you and well-balanced.
You can recite the mantra mentally so the person on the plane next to you doesn’t think you’re kooky.
And don’t forget to take long, deep breaths several times per day. If you’re currently not doing that now and your trip is coming up, start a breathing/meditation practice today, especially if you’re somebody who experiences a bit of anxiety before a big trip.
Through her email newsletters and blog posts, Chef V has helped thousands of customers by providing useful tips and tricks on how to prepare for a cleanse and what to do during before and after the cleanse to maximize success and long-term healthy habits. Now it’s time to turn the tables and find out how “V” (Veronica) cleanses…
You might assume that someone who literally wrote the book on Making Cleansing Easier frequently does a cleanse. But Veronica Kress, the “V” in Chef V, admits to only doing a full-blown cleanse about once a year.
Why only once a year?
Well, when you practice what you preach and do a mini cleanse every day, you don’t need to purify yourself that often. Having an Organic Green Drink every morning on an empty stomach is a daily religious rite of passage for V. “Each one of us naturally cleanses every night while we’re sleeping,” V explains, adding, “And when I have a Green Drink for breakfast after drinking some pure water, I’m prolonging the process.
But on the rare occasions, she feels she’s in a rut and experiencing cravings for junk, it’s time for V to get her cleanse on!
How Does V Know When To Do A Cleanse?
“I know when I need to do a full cleanse if I’m at a party and have a couple Doritos and then suddenly I’m craving the whole bag and other junk food.”
V reveals an intimate detail that the last time she did a cleanse was summer 2021. The reason why she chose to do it? In the hopes of getting pregnant. “I’ve had several customers tell me that after they did a ChefV cleanse, they became pregnant so I thought I might as well try too,” V laughs.
But there was another reason that V did her last full cleanse that didn’t have anything to do with procreation. “People may think I’m this perfect saint of nutrition but I’m not. Before that last cleanse, I had family in town and we did a lot of wine tasting,” V explains.
What is V’s Motivation For Doing A Cleanse?
Most people do a cleanse with the singular goal of losing weight. V says that even though weight loss isn’t her primary goal, she will lose 3-5 pounds after doing a 3 day cleanse. But the primary reason V does a cleanse—besides purging the urge to eat junk—is to sharpen her mental clarity.
“If you’re frequently craving unhealthy foods, brain fog usually accompanies the cravings,” V says.
In addition, V is motivated to do a cleanse because she realizes the plethora of benefits that accompany it, including improved sleep quality and clearer skin.
V emphasizes the amazing power that a brief cleanse has in resetting the taste buds. If you’re frequently craving starchy carbs and chemicals even a short cleanse has the potential to restore the appreciation for the natural sweetness of fruit. “When you stop eating foods with synthetic chemicals and added sugars, berries will taste amazing and then you won’t crave the bad stuff,” she says.
V’s Favorite Cleanse
In choosing between ChefV.com’s cleanse options, V says she’s partial to the 3 day cleanse because it’s the most doable.
But a 3 day cleanse isn’t really just a 3 day cleanse, V explains. That’s because the pre-cleanse phase is crucial. V says that the number of days she does a pre-cleanse depends on how her diet has been. If she’s done more wine tasting than usual or indulged in her favorite other vice—french fries—V will pre-cleanse for at least 3 days.
V’s pre-cleanse instructions are crystal clear with the 1-day, 3-day and 5-day options. Basically, V provides a list of foods to eat and to avoid before the cleanse, which is more calorie-restricted, begins.
How V Preps For A Cleanse
There’s no point in doing a cleanse if you’re not going to pre-cleanse in order to properly prepare your body, V says. “Why spend all this time and money if you’re not going to do it right?” she asks.
And while some of the “Don’t Eat This” foods on the pre-cleanse list may seem obvious, V avoids certain seemingly healthy foods leading up to the start of the official cleanse. For example, bananas are a no-no because of the high amount of sugar. Grapefruit contains an enzyme that actually slows phase 1 detoxification in the liver.
V also avoids strawberries, even organic ones, because they may contain a high amount of pesticides. Same deal goes for grapes and then there’s tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant and peppers, all of which are in the nightshade family. V avoids nightshades leading up to the cleanse because they may promote inflammation, especially if there’s already excessive inflammation in the body.
But the most important foods V avoids in the days leading up to her cleanse—and the immediate days after the cleanse is over—are anything with gluten; dairy products, red meat, caffeine and alcohol.
V says she decided to make caffeine a no-no on the pre-cleanse list because it takes a lot of energy for the body to detoxify from caffeine. But the good news is that she has helped thousands of people overcome their caffeine addiction. “They feel amazing afterwards,” she says.
below, click image to download pdf of includes and excludes
Why V Created The Pre-Cleanse Phase
So how did V come up with the idea of a pre-cleanse phase in the first place? Was it the certified nutritional therapy course she took? Nope. She was inspired to create it when a few customers walked into her former commercial kitchen in San Diego and said, “We’re going to Burger King for our last meal before the cleanse!”
V emphasizes that lots of people still don’t realize the importance of the pre-cleanse phase. If you go from filling up your car’s gas tank with sugar and then all of a sudden fill it up with the proper fuel, your car will still run like crap.
So later that night after the Burger King fiasco, V researched everything she could find about gut healing and cleansing, including what foods to eat and not to eat. The pre-cleanse instructional materials that are provided to every ChefV.com cleanse customer was soon after completed!
In addition to properly preparing your body for the cleanse, the pre-cleanse phase, V says, helps her customers typically lose 5 pounds. “The pre-cleanse phase can be just as successful as the cleanse phase.”
What V Does If She Has Cravings During A Cleanse
V doesn’t like to use the word “cheating” when it comes to experiencing cravings during a cleanse. It’s too much of a negative connotation. V likes positive reinforcements instead. Which is why V employs the concept of “intuitive eating” when her brain tells her that she’s hungry during the cleanse phase.
Instead of giving in to cravings for unhealthy snacks, V says that she’ll have a tiny bit of healthy fats like a teaspoon of coconut oil and a slice of avocado added to her Detox soup.
“The tiny amount of avocado felt so indulgent. I admit that I did feel like I was cheating a little bit, but I was making a wise decision by listening to my body.”
V also says that during the cleanse phase, one way to satisfy a craving without ruining the benefits is to puree or blend an extra veggie juice. Eating lots of cooked food, even healthy foods like low-starch veggies takes a lot of energy for the body to digest. For this reason, V says to eat a liquid lunch or dinner—if your body is really telling you that it’s hungry. Having a handful of nuts, berries, and a few carrot sticks and hummus won’t sabotage your success either.
“Don’t be so hard on yourself during the cleanse phase,” V says.
Do you spend a couple minutes every morning popping pills? I’m not talking about dangerous, addictive ones. I’m talking about supplements. Lots of people take health supplements in the hopes of living longer and avoiding chronic disease like cancer.
But according to an article on the Consumer Reports website, if you’re popping supplements like candy, you might not only be wasting your money … you may actually also be harming your health.
The Consumer Reports article requires a subscription (a great website). So for your benefit, I’ll give you the brief skinny on what Consumer Reports found out about why supplements just might be not what the doctor ordered for living a long, healthy life…..
The Verdict Is In: Whole Food Is Better Than Supplements
Nothing shocking about this headline, right? You don’t need to be a scientist or certified nutritional therapist (like me) to know that eating whole foods is better for living a long, healthy life than relying on supplements.
Nonetheless, that’s the conclusion of the Consumer Reports article. What is shocking, however, from the study, involving 27,000 people is this: 90 percent of people don’t eat the daily recommended 1½ to 2 cups of fruit and 2 to 3 cups of vegetables, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Seriously? 90 percent? That’s absurdly high.
Good thing I created an Organic Green Drink that makes it ridiculously easy to get your daily dose of veggies and then some.
So if 90% of the 27,000 people in the survey weren’t getting the recommended servings of fruits and veggies, could supplements be the answer for making up for the nutrient shortfall?
Nope. Not according to a source from the Center for Responsible Nutrition (CRN).
Say No To (Most) Isolated Nutrients
Here’s another reason to not rely on supplements to keep you healthy: isolated nutrients like vitamin C pills aren’t regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Companies can therefore get away with having heavy metals in protein powder.
Some supplements may contain far less of the isolated nutrient that what the package says.
If you can afford it, get a subscription to Consumer Reports or ConsumerLab.com. These two organizations are independent and test for purity and accuracy in supplements.
And if that’s not enough reason to ditch popping isolated nutrient supplements, let me give you a more compelling one.
Taking certain supplements may give you cancer. It’s true. It has been reported that if you take 1,000 mg per day of calcium in pill form, you might have a substantially increased risk of cancer. But when you eat foods rich in calcium your cancer risk doesn’t increase. Speaking of which, just one cup of kale supplies you with 100 mg of calcium. There’s 2 different types of kale in my Organic Green Drink.
Are Supplements Necessary?
Sometimes they are. Especially if you’re trying to get pregnant or are already with child. Folic acid and vitamin D are critical for fetal development.
Vitamin D is also good if you’re stuck inside all day and can’t expose some of your skin to sunlight for at least 10 minutes.
And if you’re vegan, you might want to take a vitamin B12 supplement as well as algal oil, a vegan-friendly substitute for fish oil.
Speaking of fish oil, if you’re eating wild salmon a couple times a week along with plant sources of omega-3 fatty acids (walnuts) you really don’t a fish oil supplement.
(Want to know how to cook salmon to perfection? Check out my recipes in my cookbook Making Cleansing Easier.)
Now, I’m not suggesting supplements don’t have their place. I believe certain supplements, especially ones that are time-tested such as traditional Chinese medicine formulas or Ayurvedic herbs can balance your system and make you healthier.
But eating whole, real food is always better than relying on popping pills for optimal health. Of course, you really didn’t need me to tell you that, did you? (Sometimes, though, the best health advice is hearing something you already know; the repeated message helps reinforce it until finally it sticks.
And I hope that if you’re not getting your daily dose of veggies, especially the healthiest kind–green, leafy ones–you’ll give my Organic Green Drink a try.
Chef V delivers Low Sugar Green Drinks nationwide. It’s the easiest way to get your daily dose of whole-food nutrients.
To your health,
Chef V
No offense to you if you’re on my Green Drink Plan …
But my favorite Green Drink customer of all time is Coconut.
He’s my five pound, six-year old canine kid (a toy maltipoo). That’s right, Coconut sips on Green Drink.
Just as Green Drinks support the health of bipeds like you and me, lapping up some cold-blended dark leafy greens can benefit your four-legged furry best friend.
In this article, I’ll highlight:
Are Vegetables Necessary For Dogs?
Not if you go according to mainstream advice. For instance, WebMD’s pet website, FETCH, says that if you purchase a brand of dog food that contains the seal of approval from the Association of American Feed Control Officials (or AAFCO), it means it offers a balanced diet.
But to me, that’s like saying if you purchase packaged human food from the supermarket that meets the criteria for the USDA Food Pyramid, it’s adequate for human consumption. And with the continuing rise in metabolic disorders such as diabetes and obesity, we all know how the federal government’s nutrition guidelines are working out for society….
The article on FETCH says that because all the nutrition dogs need is already in their food, you don’t have to worry about giving them vegetables to get a balanced meal.
But in my opinion, if I want Coconut to not just survive but thrive, Green Drink it is. Now considering he only weighs as much as a 2-liter bottle of soda, Coconut doesn’t need 16 ounces a day like I do.
The fact is that dogs live such short lives. It’s one of my biggest beefs I have with the universe. Hopefully, with exercise and a little bit of Green Drink and other healthy food, Coconut will live to a ripe old age of 20 or so.
Give Dogs These Veggies But Don’t Feed Them These…
Carrots, green beans and broccoli are some of the most popular veggies that dogs can safely eat.
But by no means should you ever give your dogs the following:
A research article published in the Journal of Animal Science says that in July 2018, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned about a possible relationship between a heart condition called dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs and the consumption of dog food formulated with potatoes and pulse ingredients. (Pulses are legumes like lentils.)
The popularity of feeding veggies to dogs has increased because of the same reason more people are eating organic human food. More and more dog owners have become conscious about the connection between the health of their pet and the quality of the food their pets eat.
For instance, some of the questionable ingredients in dog food include wheat gluten, corn, grains like rice, meat by-products and preservatives.
There are other ingredients that like beans and potatoes may seem harmless. But in reality, they can cause digestive upset or worse in dogs. These include:
Best Way To Give Veggies To Your Dog
According to the Journal of Animal Science, pet dogs have dietetically evolved much differently than their wild wolf ancestors. Whereas wild wolves consume a very high-protein diet, domesticated canines like my fluffball Coconut can much better metabolize carbs. The research article suggests that dogs consume a diet that’s about 30% protein.
That means that there’s plenty of room to add veggies in your dogs diet. In fact, the research article’s co-authors say, “The inclusion of whole food ingredients in natural pet foods as opposed to the fractionated ingredients [in commercial pet food] may result in higher nutrient concentrations, including phytonutrients.”
The article adds, “The processing of commercial pet food can negatively impact digestibility, nutrient bioavailability, and safety….”
But you shouldn’t just hand feed your dog a huge piece of raw broccoli or carrots. Even if your dog would eat raw veggies, chances are the food would pass mostly undigested. And perhaps your poor poochy would have an accident in your home because it’s not used to eating raw veggies.
So the best way to give your dog a little dose of whole, unprocessed veggies is the same way I like eating my veggies: lightly steamed or pureed.
Research On Feeding Veggies To Doggies
I found one interesting study in the Journal of the American Veterinary Society. It looked at the effects of vegetable consumption and vitamin supplementation on the risk of developing bladder cancer.
Sorry, Coconut. The dogs involved in the study weren’t toy maltipoo but Scottish Terriers. The owners of 92 adult scottish terriers with bladder cancer completed a questionnaire regarding their dogs’ diet and intake of vitamin supplements in the year prior to being diagnosed with cancer.
Dogs who ate veggies three times a week—especially green leafy veggies—had the lowest associated risk of developing bladder cancer.
I’ll drink Green Drink to that.
And so will Coconut.
Doing Great, K.I. is losing weight with Chef V
I hope you’ll take the time to read K.I. Lynn’s wonderful post about her successful and continuing weight loss – her will power and determination to live a healthy life is inspiring to me and I know it will be to you also. I am so proud of you,K.I.! – Veronica Wheat, Chef V
From bestselling author K. I. Lynn on Facebook:
LONG post ahead. I hope you’ll read.
I haven’t updated any of my weight loss because I wasn’t really seeing it, but today, I did. Plus, I hate people seeing me like this.
When I left my job it was not because my books had done so well I was going to write full time. In fact, I was just beginning to edit Breach. I left as just a pause, one that ended up being needed, because within a few weeks I hurt my knee and my beloved grandmother passed away. The next year, I released Breach and my hubs said “Ok, you don’t have to go back to work.” BTW, in that time I’d had to have surgery on the injured knee.
Between the surgery and writing full time something happened that I did not expect.
I gained weight.
It wasn’t a lot at first, but it did scare me when I passed the highest I’d ever been. Then I cried when I passed the number I said I never would.
Each year, I gained more weight. All the travel and stress and another surgery and needing something quick and easy started to add up, and in 4 short years, I’d put on around 100 lbs. That’s a lot of weight!!
I felt terrible about myself. I hated going to signings because I hated how I looked and felt. I didn’t FEEL good.
The biggest thing about weight loss that people don’t understand is that it’s not about WANTING to lose weight, it’s about having the MOTIVATION to lose weight. Wanting can lead to depression as you stare in the mirror, and you lose any desire to eat healthy.
Earlier this year I’d finally had enough. I didn’t have the motivation, but I was sick of it all. Olivia Kelley-Santos had told me about her green drink that she drank that made her feel good, so I went on and saw they had a 21 day detox and I said “That’s what I need. That’s the push.”
I needed to purge all the bad stuff from my body and start fresh. I already knew I want to do low carb. Low carb, not Keto. The box full of everything I needed came in mid-March, right in the middle of working on Welcome to the Cameo Hotel.
The detox did exactly what I needed it to do, and I lost about 20lbs in a few short week. It gave me my motivation, so when it was over, I continued on eating healthier.
I try and stick to a max of 40 net carbs a day. As many of you know, I am a cheese fanatic, and cheese is life and in about every meal. It’s what keeps me going and on a healthier way of living.
For weeks, I watched the scale go down, little by little. I saw a stall, but moved past it. I avoided temptation, and if I did fall, I had only a very small portion.
Then, in July, it happened – I hit my first milestone.
50lbs gone
Elena M. Reyes came to visit and there were some signings, but I managed not to gain any weight. For my birthday I splurged for almost a week eating anything I wanted, because for my birthday, that was all I wanted.
However, that splurge came with consequences. I had the taste for carbs and sugar again. I got back on my diet, but I found I was caving to cravings with little arm bending.
So here I am, doing a small 3 day cleanse with the green drink to get me back on track. I’m down 54lbs in total, and hope to be down quite a bit more by Wild and Windy.
I have goals, and one of them is to get this 100lbs off by the end of the year. I think I can do it. There are more goals after that, but for now, my eye is on the prize.
Just going to keep swimming. 🙂
Check out Pashelle and her Before and After photos above – she is a real inspiration to me.
Here’s what she says:
“Thank you so much. I work about 13-14 hrs a day in the wardrobe department of a television show. It is so easy to eat junk all day. Me and the driver (Tim Piro) of my wardrobe trailer committed to the 3 day cleanse and we feel amazing. Day 1, was the toughest day. Day 2, I saw the difference in my everything. And Day 3, was an introduction to my New Self. We Thank you Chef V!”
Valerie describes her Chef V Cleanse Success
Oh man did I ever need this! After getting married last summer I let myself “rest” a little too much, I fell off the wagon with exercising regularly and my eating was becoming disastrous. I was feeling tired and bloated. My cellulite was out of control. I was chugging coffee to stay alert. My weight was up to 158 which was a number I hadn’t seen on the scale in a long time… I needed something to kick start my system.
I had tried your green drink (which I loved!) a few years ago and remembered that you had cleanses. I wanted to do the 5 day but had some time conflicts so decided to start off just with the 3 to see how I did, and for sure next time I’m going to do a longer one!
I went to pick up my order at the Borden Street location because of the timing of Independence Day. All the elements of the cleanse were delicious and packed so nicely for me to cart around the rest of my day during a heat wave 🙂 I knew I loved the green drink but I adored the shakes (that cinnamon spice one? yum!), and the soups as well! I also drank the top end of the recommended water, and enjoyed the detox tea in the mornings. No days of the cleanse were really all that hard! I was a bit peckish but usually only around the times where I was due for one of the drinks, and experienced minimal other symptoms except for a bit of “fuzzy” mouth (not sure how else to put it) and a few zits. Unfortunately I had to cheat (a 4th of July BBQ where friends were judging me!) and on dinner of Day 3 ate corn on the cob, salad, and a bunless burger… and then continued the next morning. Now I am 2 days out from the cleanse and had my last big of green drink this morning.
I feel AMAZING. My cellulite is basically gone. My bloat is much improved (wish I could have done longer!). My skin feels luscious and soft. And I am a whole new weight… from precleanse (first picture) to 2 days postcleanse (2nd picture) I am now down to 149. I lost almost 10lbs! This not only made me feel physically amazing but lots of mental clarity as well. Really can’t wait for my next cleanse!
People are talking about Chef V!
We love testimonials at Chef V! Because it works! We get thousands of emails a year telling us how successful our cleanse was and/or how someone’s life has been changed by realizing how easy it is to be healthy. Get 50% off on a cleanse.
If you aren’t into cleansing, do as I do and just have a Chef V Green Drink everyday for breakfast. It’s life changing. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day but yet no one has anything healthy for breakfast. Try Chef V first thing in the am and see how different your life is!
At my Women’s Wellness Retreat in Carlsbad, CA, new and long established Green Drink customers (in the photo above) took a break from the day’s activities to talk about how Green Drink makes living healthier easier – my motto!
People are saying…
Shawna F – “Excellent customer service. Great product! I did the 5 day and it came with everything I needed and clear instructions.”
Becky S,: “The juice taste so good and it makes me feel so good too!”
Claudia P. “Great customer service! Chef V followed up with me before picking up my order and they rearranged pick up date to accommodate my needs. Definitely would do 3 day Brunch again, and of course I recommend for anyone looking for a cleanse and get a kick start to their weight loss!”
Hannah: “Response from customer service was prompt, helpful, friendly, and straight to the point. Food was delicious especially the soups and the tropical green drink. I was afraid that it would be harsh and make me go to the bathroom constantly, but none of that occurred. I felt lighter and had more energy. My second concern was I would be hungry. Surprisingly I was full and satisfied throughout.”
– Thanks for the kind words! ‘ Veronica Wheat, Chef V
I am delighted to introduce Chef V customer Nikki Aguilar. Nikki is a true renaissance woman with far reaching interests. She’s a self-described “former fatty turned fitty, California hippie with jersey girl roots, cupcake lover, former college cheerleader, rocker chick, hiker, beach bum, pole dancer, and avid writer”. During the day, she works as a producer of movie trailers, navigating life’s ups and down so successfully that she started her blog to document the advice she finds herself giving friends and colleagues.
Nikki recently challenged herself to a Chef V 5 Day Cleanse. Here’s how she describes her decision:
“A hardcore reset! ‘I’m going to do a juice cleanse’! It’ll help with inflammation, kickstart my metabolism again, and help me stop craving sugar. This sounds fucking amazing! Yessss, let’s do it! Detoxify meeeeee!!! I ordered a 5 Day Cleanse from Chef V. I chose this one because other than 4 16oz juices a day, it included 2 protein shakes and a soup per day as well. A little more sustenance than your traditional juice cleanse, so I was sold… fuck. my. life.”
Nikki sums up her philosophy of health and wellbeing: “Health doesn’t mean sucking kale through a straw and suffering through 2-hour workouts each day. Your optimal health is achieved from small changes in nutrition, movement, and self-love. The worst things to do are deprive yourself, overwork yourself, and hate yourself. ” To that end she helps people eat healthy and exercise while nurturing themselves. and loving their bodies.
Her before and after photo shows the results – she looks great!
Chef V Juice Cleanse: Mixed Feelings
Nikki recently posted an article on her experience with cleansing using a 5 day Chef V Cleanse. Titled “Conclusion: Juice Cleanses are for People Who Hate Themselves & Like to Suffer for their Food Sins” she has a distinctly mixed feeling about the experience. In summary, results: Yes! The path: not so wonderful.
For someone whose blog’s About page features the phrase “life is too short to pass up a cupcake”, Nikki took on a real challenge, my Five Day Cleanse. I love her perseverance and the candid opinions in her blog posts.
In summary, Nikki says: “While the cleanse was un-fucking-pleasant to say the least, I did notice quite a few perks and positives. I was less bloated. I had more energy. I wasn’t craving sugar. I was sleeping better. My skin was clearer and my hair didn’t feel as dry. I also knew what it was like to be uber hydrated. So, yes, while I didn’t follow all the directions to a T, I reaped the benefits. All of Chef V’s juice, protein shakes, and soups tasted amazing though. I don’t want to discredit her products because they were honestly great… but I did find out that I’m not LA enough to ever do a juice cleanse again. I’d rather be raw vegan than ever drink that much liquid again. 5 days of an angry body is just too much for this girl.”
I say Go girl! You look great and I am here for you when you try your next Cleanse! – Here’s to your health – Chef V, Veronica Wheat
There’s a lot of information (and misinformation) about exercising on a blended juice cleanse. We’re tackling the topic head-on, so you can make an informed decision on whether to hit the gym or the couch while cleansing. Let’s dive in.
How Our Bodies Burn Fuel for Exercise
Before we can discuss when, how, and how much you should exercise on a blended juice cleanse, it’s best to quickly refresh ourselves on how our body burns fuel in the first place.
On a normal day our bodies prioritize carbohydrates, proteins, and fats for fuel. If you have not ingested enough of these three macros to fuel your activity level, your body will begin burning fat reserves and, eventually, muscle mass to make up the deficit.
If your end goal for your cleanse is to lose weight (vs say, detox), this knowledge may tempt you to decrease your macros and increase your activity level/exercise output. However, this is not generally recommended.
Excessive exercise without proper fuel can lead to exhaustion, dizziness, and nausea. Eventually, you may even lose muscle mass and decrease your metabolic rate—the opposite of your end goal.
Exercising on a Regular Juice Cleanse vs a Blended Juice Cleanse
On any ol’ juice cleanse, your body will only be fueled by pressed or squeezed juices. These types of juices are essentially water, sugar, and micronutrients (for example, vitamin A, vitamin B-12, etc). In these circumstances, most people do not have the macronutrients to properly fuel for exercise such as running, swimming, or lifting weights.
In contrast, a blended juice cleanse does not filter out the fiber and carbohydrates found in fruit and vegetables. In other words, a blended juice cleanse provides more fuel for your body than a regular juice cleanse. And by extension, some physical activity may be fine for certain demographics.
What Exercise Can I Do?
Unfortunately, there’s no hard guidelines on what exercises are appropriate for who on a blended juice cleanse. The best advice we can offer is to listen to your body and do what feels natural to you.
Try doing what you normally do, but at a slightly reduced output. For example, if you usually jog 5mi every other day, reduce your distance to 3mi and run at a slightly slower pace.
Remember, your body is not getting the fuel (macros) it is used to. Do not overdo yourself.
A few other light exercises we enjoy while cleansing include:
Stretching: Not only is stretching important as an exercise on its own, it is also essential to injury prevention. Not to mention, stretching burns fewer calories than most forms of exercise, making it the perfect activity while cleansing.
Yoga: Wake up your chakras, calm your mind, and focus on a light yoga practice while cleansing.
Pilates: Similar to yoga and stretching but with an added elements of strength building. This low-impact exercise is ideal for cleansing.
Walk: Easily the most underrated form of exercise at any time, but especially while cleansing. Walking keeps your blood pumping, your body moving, and your calories burning, all while remaining low-impact and accessible to everyone.
Exercise Tips
Here are a few extra tips to remember when exercising on a blended juice cleanse:
Listen to Your Body: If you don’t feel great – stop whatever activity you are doing. Cleansing is not the appropriate time to push your limits at the gym or in the swimming pool.
Stay Hydrated: Staying hydrated while exercising is always important, but quadruple-so while cleansing.
Time Your Exercises: Last but not least – try to time your exercises for when you’ll have the most energy. Namely, after enjoying your juice products. Our own Chef V juices are designed to give you a jolt of awareness and energy, so make the most out of it.
A blended juice cleanse can be a life-changing program—but it does require a degree of preparation. Here are 9 tips to properly prepare for your next blended juice cleanse.
#1 Plan your cleanse period
First things first, you should decide when you’re actually going to cleanse.
During your cleanse you may experience fatigue, headaches, nausea, and in some instances, flu-like symptoms. Cleansing during down time—for example, on a weekend—is highly recommended.
Once you’ve decided on the dates, mark your calendar and stick to the plan.
#2 Consider your pre-cleanse period
To mitigate detox symptoms, we highly recommend doing a two-day pre-cleanse. This pre-cleanse period will help mitigate unwanted-albeit-normal detox symptoms such as bad breath and dizziness.
When considering your cleanse period, try to factor in the pre-cleanse as well.
#3 Eat healthily
An important part of your pre-cleanse is eating healthy. In other words, plan to eat only whole, natural foods that are low in saturated and trans fats, sugar, sodium, caffeine, and carbs for two days leading up to your cleanse. For a complete food guide, see our Cleanse Directions.
The pre-cleanse is especially important for individuals who consume excess coffee, sugar, sodium, fat, and/or processed foods. In fact, these individuals may want to do a pre-cleanse for up to five days in advance.
#4 Chug water
There are so many reasons to stay well hydrated. But in regards to cleansing specifically, drinking plenty of water will help you maintain focus, minimize headaches, maintain energy, prevent cravings, and even help you feel satiated without solid food.
#5 Sleep…A lot.
Another tip to successfully complete a blended juice cleanse is to get plenty of rest before, during, and after your cleanse.
Due to the nature of cleansing and its effect on our body’s primary fuel sources, sleep becomes exponentially more important. Consider aiming for 9+ hours of sleep before and during the cleanse. Bonne nuit!
#6 Stay active
You shouldn’t wear yourself out at the gym before cleansing. But that doesn’t mean you should transition to professional couch potato either.
If possible, participate in low-intensity workouts like yoga or brisk walking to keep your blood pumping, your joints moving, and your mind out of the fridge.
#7 Cut the caffeine…
One of the most common pain points cleansers report are caffeine crashes.
If you’re a heavy coffee, tea, or soda drinker, try easing off of any of these beverages in advance of your cleanse.
For example, try to only drink two cups of coffee per day two weeks out, one cup of coffee per day one week out, and drinking zero cups during your pre-cleanse.
#8 … and other bad stuff (™)
Beyond coffee and caffeinated beverages, it’s also a good idea to ease off of alcohol and cigarettes. The less toxins you consume in advance of your cleanse, the easier the cleanse will be.
#9 Relax!
No need to mess up your mental or physical state by stressing the details. As long as you make sure to follow your Chef V Juice Cleanse instructions, you’re certain to have a great experience.
Happy cleansing!
Yes–If You Have Support From “The Happy Pancreas”
For those with diabetes, having to constantly monitor blood sugar can be overwhelming. For people with no blood sugar issues, doing a cleanse is a great way to get rid of toxins that cause water weight retention. But are cleanses safe for those with diabetes? If you do one under the guidance of “The Happy Pancreas”, the answer is a resounding yes!
When I launched Chef V several years ago, my intention was to introduce an easy (and great-tasting) way for people to get their daily dose of nutrient-dense, disease-preventing veggies.
But I’ll admit, even as a certified nutritional therapist, I didn’t give much thought about the impact Chef V products would have on the 1.25 million people in this country that are living with type 1 diabetes.
After all, it’s easy to overlook Type 1 diabetes. In comparison to the 30-plus million people with type 2 diabetes, type 1 accounts for only 5% or so of this blood sugar disease.
If you are one of those with type 1 diabetes, I can only imagine how challenging it is managing this potentially-deadly condition. Having to constantly monitor your blood sugar levels is enough of a burden.
However, what if your belly is bloated, your skin isn’t radiant and healthy-looking and your energy is low—and you have type 1 diabetes? These problems affect most people. But the physical and emotional effects are magnified if you have to prick yourself with insulin everyday.
Those without diabetes can easily do a cleanse to reboot metabolism. But what about those living with type 1 diabetes? Is there a way to safely and effectively do a cleanse?
Thanks to Whitney Lewis, a Chef V customer living with type 1 (make that, thriving!), it’s never been easier. To date, Whitney has successfully finished five Chef V cleanses. Inspired to make life easier for those with type 1, and to share her challenges living with the disease, Whitney created the blog, Happy Pancreas.
About 2 ½ years ago, Whitney was invited by a friend to do a cleanse. Along with her friend’s support, she was able to complete it. Whitney realize how important accountability and community were for people with type 1 diabetes.
I’ll tell you more about Whitney’s program in just a bit. But first, a little 411 is in order…
What is Type 1 Diabetes?
Approximately 5 years ago, Whitney was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. If you’re not familiar with the disease or the difference between it, I’ll briefly fill you in.
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease. That means the body attacks itself. In the case of type 1 diabetes, the body’s immune system response leads to the inability of the cells in the pancreas to create the blood-sugar-controlling hormone, insulin.
Without insulin, sugar in the blood cannot reach the cells. Cells need glucose (sugar) to function properly. Without enough glucose, cells die. And when blood sugar levels fall too low, the function of the brain, which depends almost entirely on glucose as a source of energy, can go haywire, causing, dizziness, confusion, and even coma and death in severe cases.
By comparison, type 2 diabetes, is mostly a lifestyle disease, resulting from eating too many foods rich in added sugars or refined carbohydrates (although genetics can also be a contributing factor in developing the disease.) Unlike type 1 diabetes, type 2 is not an autoimmune disease.
Some people think the cause of type 1 diabetes is sugar. However, the true cause is mostly genetic.
What’s It Like Living with Type 1 Diabetes?
As Whitney says, this disease is a lot.
You have to constantly manage your blood sugar and be aware of everything you put in your body.
Every day, you have to manually inject insulin to keep blood sugar levels in a normal range—and to stay alive.
Type 1 diabetes is an incurable disease. But Whitney manages it with a tongue-in-cheek response, or more accurately, a hand-in-pocket solution: she carries a pancreas-shaped purse that contains her syringes and insulin.
Those with type 1 diabetes must monitor their blood sugar levels before meals and workouts, and other situations whenever the body would normally create insulin.
“Lots and lots of pokes every day … it’s not easy,” says Whitney, adding, “It can be extremely daunting…. With type 1 diabetes you must always be on and aware of your ever-changing (and sometimes dangerous) blood sugar levels. It throws a wrench in almost every ordinary situation and can often leave you feeling hindered and limited in trying things ‘normal’ people try.”
But Whitney’s type 1 diagnosis about 5 ½ years ago has led to a silver lining. Living with type 1 diabetes has led to a “passion and love for helping people with this autoimmune condition.”
Why Chef V Organic Green Drink Is Best For Type 1 Diabetes
Chef V Organic Green Drink, the foundation of the Cleanse/Detox programs I created, offer many nutritional benefits. As Whitney points out on her blog on type 1 diabetes, the biggest benefit is from the fiber in the Organic Green Drink. Whereas blended juices contain virtually no fiber, thus causing the juice to be absorbed into your bloodstream very quickly, leading to mood swings, energy loss, and extra stress when managing your diabetes, Chef V’s Organic Green Drink contains hardly any sugar. And super important, it contains the pulp (fiber) that’s necessary to keep blood sugar levels steady.
I’m both humbled and grateful that Whitney has chosen the Chef V Cleanse to help those living with type 1 diabetes reach their health goals.
CBS says: “A juice cleanse offers an opportunity to hit reset, whether you’ve been over-indulging or just need to get your electrolytes et al in gear.”
Chef V
New Jersey location opens in August 2018!
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https://chefv.com/
Eat Happy – If you’re feeling down or your emotions are fluctuating more wildly than usual, here’s why this fall is going to be different for you.
From this day forward, I want you to consider every morsel of food that you put into your mouth. And ask yourself if this particular food or drink is going to contribute to a more happy you and help to stabilize your mood. Or on the flip side, is what you’re about to consume going to exacerbate your blue mood.
Eat Happy – Kick Start Your Feel-Good Neurotransmitters
With this in mind, keep this article handy. Print it out. Make copies and place it one on your fridge. Keep a copy in your car so when you go food shopping, you’ll know exactly which foods to buy for a better mood.
Not to get all sciency here, but a tad of human physiology is necessary to explain how food can make you happy.
And it all has to do with neurotransmitters. You’ve probably heard of that term but maybe you’re not exactly sure what they are and what they do.
Here’s the bottom line: they are chemicals that relay messages from one part of the brain to another, and even to distant areas of your body.
Clear communication is vital for business, resolving family disputes and connecting with friends around the world on your laptop or phone. And it’s also critical for a healthy mood, good quality sleep and other important things in which neurotransmitters play critical roles.
Best Foods For Serotonin
Serotonin is one of the most well-known neurotransmitters. It’s one of the most important feel-good chemicals in your body. And it’s not just found in your brain; receptors for it are mostly found in the gut … another reason gut health is so important! But the problem with serotonin is that you can’t actually get in from food. But eating certain foods can kick start a metabolic pathway that increases serotonin activity.
And here are the best foods for that:
This fall, resist the greasy takeout and stuff your face with healthy options.
Best Foods For Dopamine
Dopamine is another well-known feel-good chemical. (And now that I think about it, maybe marijuana was called dope back in the day because of this reason.) Also called “the happy hormone,” dopamine is released in the brain when you’re engaged in activities that make you feel good, whether or not they are healthy. For instance, that “runner’s high” feeling is in essence a flood of dopamine released from the brain.
But you can also experience a dopamine rush by eating a pint of ice cream. Instead of sabotaging your body and mind, eat these healthy dopamine-boosting foods:
Eat Happy – Best GABA Foods
Not to be confused with the kid’s puppet show Yo Gabba Gabba!, GABA helps you feel more calm and grounded. People with low levels of this neurotransmitter are more likely to be depressed and experience anxiety.
So go grab some GABA-stimulating grub from this list:
According to PsychologyToday, these are the best foods: whole grains, fava beans, soy, lentils, and other beans; nuts including walnuts, almonds, and sunflower seeds; fish including shrimp and halibut; citrus, tomatoes, berries, spinach, broccoli, potatoes, and cocoa.
Best Happy Foods: Conclusion
Green tea, berries and green-leafy veggies are also some of the best foods to keep your mood rock-steady throughout the day. Another reason some people experience mood swings is that they don’t eat enough during meals. Or, the ratio of macronutrients (fats, proteins and carbs) isn’t balanced. If you find that you need to snack during the day, try eating bigger meals and experiment with what percentage of macros works best for you.
If you don’t love eating lots of veggies and salads, or don’t have the time to prepare them, check out my easy solution.
Back in March when the craziness started, I thought that by now, in the heart of the summer, things would be back to normal. But surges, upticks and spikes are the new normal; as if we as a nation didn’t have enough anxiety to begin with.
And now, with gyms closed for who knows how long, our options to manage stress have been taken away. Going for a run in the 90-degree muggy heat with a mask on? No thanks! Doing a group fitness class on Zoom? That was a sanity-saver for the first weeks in March and April, but now I want to play outside…
The endless cycle of doom and gloom on the news combined with spending more time at home has fueled boredom and anxiety. No wonder lots of people are talking about putting on the Quarantine 15. Boredom, anxiety and the lack of motivation to exercise at home has led to an epidemic of not only unhealthy weight gain, but also suppressed immunity and psychological fragility.
But not all hope is lost. There’s actually good news if comfort food has gotten the best of you so far this year. In fact, I have an easy three-step solution for conquering the Quarantine 15…
Conquering the Quarantine 15: Step 1 – Intermittent Fasting
How many episodes of [insert name of your favorite show] did you binge watch last night? And what snacks did you have while watching? Too embarrassed to say? No worries…
I really don’t care what you ate late last night. And in fact, no matter how many pieces of pretzels or popcorn you popped into your mouth, you can still lose weight—as long as you give your body enough time to tap into its stored energy to fuel your muscles and brain instead of all the sugar in your blood. And the simple way to do that is to not eat anything for at least 14 hours after you have finished eating or drinking anything with calories at night. (Eventually work your way up to 16 hours or longer.)
If you have a snack at 10 p.m. while watching TV, you can do it guilt-free, so long as your first calories aren’t consumed until at least 10 a.m. That’s a 12-hour fast, which is ok for beginners but for best results, shoot for 14-plus.
Amazing things start happening when you do intermittent fasting for an extended period of time. You may lose weight but your health will improve in other ways. For example, your insulin and blood sugar levels will go down. And these days, a healthy immune system is on everybody’s mind. Well, guess what, there’s been some research that shows that intermittent fasting improves the immune response.
I’ve read some clickbait articles with headlines that read something like this: Why I Bombed Intermittent Fasting. These types of articles warn that intermittent fasting doesn’t work because people end up making up for lost time and eating like there’s no tomorrow when it’s meal time.
Which brings us to step #2….
Lose Weight & Feel Great: Step 2 – Replacing Breakfast & Lunch With Green Drink & A Protein Shake
Let’s say you had your late-night snack at 10 p.m. Now imagine it’s the next day at 10 a.m. See if you can go an extra hour or two before having any calories. If your belly rumbles, drink a tall glass of warm water with some lemon juice. That hunger will probably go away.
And remember that what you’re experiencing isn’t true hunger (read: starvation). Rather, it’s just your body tricking you. If you eat a lot of carbs it could be the overgrowth of yeast in your gut telling your brain that they want more carbs to feast on. (Which is why you should take a good-quality probiotic and not frequently eat empty calorie carbs.) Placing your body under a little bit of stress, which is what intermittent fasting is all about, is what it takes to lose weight. When it’s finally time to have some calories don’t break the fast with bacon, eggs and toast. Instead, if you really want to lose the quarantine 15 quickly, break your fast with a 16 oz serving of my Green Drink.
And when you’re having the Green Drink, think about this: your body really doesn’t need a lot of calories, not nearly as many as the standard American diet. What your body craves is to be nourished with phytonutrients. When your cells are fueled with the vitamins, minerals and other miraculous healing compounds found in the 7 green leafy veggies in Green Drink, hunger and cravings go away. The brain no longer becomes tricked into eating processed food, because you just supplied your body with the optimal nutrition it needs to get through the day.
About half an hour after having Green Drink, support your beautiful muscles, nails and hair with a protein shake.
Need a high-quality plant-based protein powder to help you lose weight fast? Try one of my Cleanses.
Losing The Stay At Home Extra Weight: Step 3 – Eating a Sensible Dinner
As I said above, the key to staying full and preventing cravings is to flood your cells with nutrient density. But keeping your tummy full and satisfied also requires having enough fiber in your diet. That’s another reason a Chef V Cleanse is perfect for fast weight loss. That’s because with each cleanse I make from scratch, I include a serving of Detox Soup for dinner, which contains up to 13 grams of fiber.
If you combine intermittent fasting with my 1 day, 3 day or 5 day Cleanse, there’s no reason why you can’t lose the extra weight you’ve put on during these challenging times. And then once the Cleanse is over, if you want to keep the results going, graduate to my 21 Day Detox, where I make it easy for people to lose 30 pounds or more.
And to keep the momentum going, make intermittent fasting a part of your lifestyle instead of a temporary weight loss fix. Replace breakfast with Green Drink and a protein shake and then eat a sensible lunch and dinner, loaded with seasonal veggies from your local farmer’s market.
It’s really easy. But sometimes we all need a gentle nudge and a helping hand back to health.
That’s what I’m here for.
Now as for the motivation to exercise at home, well, let’s save that topic for next time…
To your weight loss success.
Love,
Chef V
P.S. Keep your spirits up by not watching the news and limiting time spent on social media. Focus on the positive!
Despite the thousands of satisfied Chef V Cleanse customers and incredible transformation stories, we’re never going to have a 100% success rate.
I realize that. But knowing that there’s somebody out there—even if they are the 1 in a thousand that doesn’t have an awesome experience—well, it sort of weighs on me a little bit.
So if you’re thinking about doing a cleanse or just starting out, here are some tips on how to maximize your experience and undergo the health transformation you want to achieve.
Cleanse For Success Tip #1: Set Realistic Expectations
How long has your diet been, well, let’s just say far from perfect?
If you’ve been consuming lots of processed food for many years, you can’t expect miracles from a 5 Day Cleanse. Sure, you can lose up to 20 pounds in 5 days.
But then what?
Are you going to keep the results going? And if you’ve eaten unhealthy for years, is 5 days going to reset your metabolism?
Maybe not.
That’s why in order to keep your success going, you can’t go back to eating the same foods and drinks that cause a toxic metabolism in the first place.
You have to keep the success going my sticking to my Organic Green Drink plan. The plan is simple really. All you have to do is replace a regular breakfast with an 8-16 oz. serving of Green Drink.
Then, eat a sensible lunch and dinner with a healthy snack in between if you have to. Make sure you also give your body 12-16 hours in between your last bite of dinner and your first sip of Green Drink in the morning.
This intermittent fasting will help balance your blood sugar levels and improve detoxification.
Everybody has different reactions to cleansing. For some people, the weight melts right off because the liver and gallbladder are in pretty good shape. These organs can filter out the bad stuff.
But for other people, the liver and gallbladder are so sluggish that it may take more than 5 days to do the trick.
Cleanse For Success Tip #2: Extend The Cleanse
If you’re not satisfied with your cleansing results, you may also need a healthy lifestyle education. That’s where 21 Day Detox comes in.
Many people are straight-up addicted to sugar and think that doing a 1, 3 or even 5 day cleanse will cure all their troubles. This goes back to unrealistic expectations from above. But if your brain has been hijacked by sugar or salt addiction, it’s going to take longer than a 5 Day Cleanse to reset your taste buds.
Three weeks will do the trick!I know 21 days sounds like an eternity. But think how quickly the last 3 weeks have gone by. And really, doing a 21 Day Detox is not that challenging, not when you have me as your guide.
I’ll provide you with healthy eating guides and wellness resources along with dozens of recipes to choose from. Plus, throughout the 21 Day Detox, you’ll get to eat delicious meals and snacks. It’s not a starvation diet; it’s a lifestyle adjustment and Green Drink remains the foundation of the program.
But losing up to 40 pounds in just 21 days is not for everybody.
Cleanse For Success Tip #3: Don’t Quit & Maintain Your Desire To Transform
You have to want it. You have to put in the work. It’s not that difficult. You just need to have some temporary will power in order to put the sugar genie back in the bottle.
And if you can do it for just three weeks out of your life, you can live the rest of your life buzzing with natural energy. Your vibration will be higher. Your skin will look more youthful. In short, you’re going to feel amazing.
Cleanse For Success Tip #3: Adjust The Taste To Your Liking
Some people who don’t get results from my cleanse complain about the taste of Green Drink, of which you get four 16-oz servings each day. Again, that’s because their taste buds have been corrupted by added sugars.
There are seven leafy green veggies in Organic Green Drink and nothing else except for a tiny bit of apple. That’s why there’s only a couple grams of natural sugar in each serving.
If you want to reset your toxic metabolism that has been making your fat cells bigger, one of the most important things you can do is resetting your taste buds.
After resetting your taste buds, eating a handful of berries will taste amazing. You’ll be hooked on “Mother Nature’s candy” instead of empty-calorie food with added sugars.
But you have to be realistic and give Green Drink a chance to exert its metabolic-rebooting potential. You can’t expect Green Drink to taste like a Slurpee.
You can add liquid stevia drops to Green Drink to add some natural sweetness to it without raising your blood sugar levels.
Do you want to know the absolute best way to reset your taste buds and conquer a toxic metabolism?
Your 100% Happiness Is My #1 Concern
I know it sounds cheesy… (Speaking of cheese, if you’re eating a lot of it and want to transform your metabolism, give it up as much as you can after your cleanse is over!)
But it’s true. I’m obsessive about customer satisfaction.
Remember, we’re not perfect. Sometimes shipping errors occur. And sometimes the problems are out of our hands (maybe the UPS delivery person screwed up). But I promise you we will do everything in our power to make it right for you.
I appreciate every bit of customer feedback we get. We must be doing something right when it’s 99% positive feedback. But I always strive for perfection. Maybe that’s a fault who knows. All I do know is that I want you set up for the biggest chance of success possible!
Love,
Chef V
[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”no” hundred_percent_height=”no” hundred_percent_height_scroll=”no” hundred_percent_height_center_content=”yes” equal_height_columns=”no” menu_anchor=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_position=”center center” background_repeat=”no-repeat” fade=”no” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ video_mp4=”” video_webm=”” video_ogv=”” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_loop=”yes” video_mute=”yes” video_preview_image=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” padding_top=”” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=””][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ layout=”1_1″ spacing=”” center_content=”no” link=”” target=”_self” min_height=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_position=”left top” background_repeat=”no-repeat” hover_type=”none” border_size=”0″ border_color=”” border_style=”solid” border_position=”all” padding_top=”” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=”” last=”no”][fusion_text columns=”” column_min_width=”” column_spacing=”” rule_style=”default” rule_size=”” rule_color=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=””][/fusion_text][fusion_imageframe image_id=”14805|full” max_width=”” style_type=”glow” blur=”” stylecolor=”” hover_type=”none” bordersize=”” bordercolor=”” borderradius=”” align=”center” lightbox=”no” gallery_id=”” lightbox_image=”” lightbox_image_id=”” alt=”Heartwarming success story KL Lynn” link=”” linktarget=”_self” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=””]https://chefvblog.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2019/09/chefv-before-after-rick-1-600p-9-2019.jpg[/fusion_imageframe][fusion_code]Jmx0O2RpdiBzdHlsZT0mcXVvdDtwYWRkaW5nOjE1cHg7IGNvbG9yOiNmZmZmZmY7JnF1b3Q7Jmd0Oy4mbHQ7L2RpdiZndDs=[/fusion_code][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container][fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” menu_anchor=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_position=”center center” background_repeat=”no-repeat” fade=”no” background_parallax=”none” parallax_speed=”0.3″ video_mp4=”” video_webm=”” video_ogv=”” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_loop=”yes” video_mute=”yes” overlay_color=”” video_preview_image=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” padding_top=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” padding_right=””][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ layout=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” border_position=”all” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding_top=”” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” center_content=”no” last=”no” min_height=”” hover_type=”none” link=””][fusion_text columns=”” column_min_width=”” column_spacing=”” rule_style=”default” rule_size=”” rule_color=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=””]
I’ve seen some truly amazing and inspiring success stories over the years.
Rick M. recently took the Chef V 21 Day Challenge and lost 22 pounds! He’s continued to lose weight and gain momentum since then was down a total of 51 pounds when we heard from him last.
Here’s a snippet of his awesome review posted to our Yelp page:
“I noticed that there is a lack of 21 Day Cleanse reviews, compared to 3 day, 5 day, and 7 day reviews. So I feel obliged to share my experience.
This is not the first time I have done a cleanse, so I have others to compare it to as well. In a nut shell: CHEF V ROCKS! Thats the simple version. The long version is that the 21 Day Cleanse is worth every penny, it is a challenge, and it is positively altering!
So far, I am down a whopping total of 51 LBS, due in part to Chef V’s 21 Day Cleanse! From day 1 to day 21 of the challenge, I lost a total of 22lbs….and I continue to lose weight. This cleanse has aftershocks.
(BOOOOOOOM!)”
Check out these results!! Way to go Rick!
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Stop! Don’t click the buy now button on a juice cleanse just yet. Before you spend $100, $200 or more on a juice cleanse, take just a few minutes of your precious time to learn how to do a juice cleanse “successfully.”
What does successfully mean? It means that you get through the juice cleanse with no detox symptoms; you experience no cravings, especially for unhealthy snacks; and, you’ll be empowered to eat healthy long after the juice cleanse is over. You’ll have both the knowledge and motivation to stick to healthy eating habits. Moreover, a successful cleanse will reset your taste buds so that even a tiny morsel of junk food will taste disgusting to you!
You have tons of options when spending money on a juice cleanse. Without doubt, not all juice cleanses are the same. In fact, many juice cleanses are detrimental to your health. But the problem is, many people who buy a juice cleanse don’t do their research.
Instead, many people purchase a juice cleanse online almost as if it’s an impulse buy. Kind of like buying mints or chocolate or gum at the supermarket checkout line. However, a tin of mints costs only a few bucks, not a few hundred.
Perhaps It’s no surprise then that many online juice cleanse reviews read like these real ones:
“day TWO and I now can’t drink it – it is so SOUR / tainted like rusty nail I can’t drink it. A WASTE of $100.00…”
“I’ve done a few juice cleanses and this one is not very good at all. I wouldn’t waste your money on it.”
“Awful. Tastes terrible and made me incredibly sick.”
“Waste of my time and money. This all had way too much sugar in it to be a cleanse.”
“WORST JUICE EVER!!!”
“I’ve never craved for solid food so much.”
“Don’t believe the hype because that’s all it is. They taste awful are super expensive and I found a piece of plastic in my juice.”
Want your juice cleanse to be a 5-star experience—like these 500 5-star reviews— and not an epic fail like the reviews above?
Then take a quick peek at these TOP 5 MUST-HAVES FOR A HEALTHY JUICE CLEANSE:
How The Nation’s #1 Juice Cleanse Delivery Company Blows Away The Competition & Will Leave You Feeling Slimmer With Healthier Looking Skin, AND More Energetic, Focused & Empowered To Stick With Smart Eating Habits For Good!
The reason why over 10,000 people have chosen ChefV.com for their juice cleanse is we offer so much more than juice (really, they’re Organic Green Drinks). We are the only cleanse that includes Organic Green Drinks, Organic Vegan Protein Shakes & Detox Soup.
The Organic Green Drinks & Protein Shakes gives you all the nutritional support you need to experience an easy, satisfying, and successful cleanse.
Each day, on a ChefV.com Cleanse, you’ll enjoy:
Can you see why and how the ChefV.com cleanse is different than every single other cleanse you’ve ever come across? No other 1, 3, or 5 day juice cleanse on the market is organic, delivers fresh to your home and offers Green Drinks, Protein Shakes, Detox Soups and Detox Tea, along with giving you step by step instructions on how to do a juice cleanse with success.
It’s for these reasons that hundreds of people who have completed a Chef V juice cleanse have written a 5-star review.
Here are just a few:
“Absolutely loved the cleansing process and the products itself ! I’m a seasoned cleanser/detoxer and a certified Health Coach. I must say that Chef V’s system is a breeze and actually healthier compared to others of similar systems in certain aspects. Chef V’s cleanse/detox programs are healthy, effective, simple, straight to the point, enjoyable, and actually affordable (for what your getting compared to others). All of that without sacrificing quality! They also offer several levels/packages and options according to your experience level and needs (which not many brands do).”
– Anaya M., Brooklyn, NY
“Still going strong by using these products!!! I just completed a 3 day cleanse in order to get ready for another 21 day cleanse challenge, and again I feel energized, light, and super glowing! Even after only the quick and easy 3 day cleanse I LOST A TOTAL OF 9lbs!!! I’ve kept it off too. CHECK OUT MY PROGRESS PIC THIS TIME AROUND FROM THE 3-DAY CLEANSE!”
– Rick M., Studio City, CA
“The most delicious green drink you have ever tasted! I found this company through my best friend. She swears by it and always has it in her fridge. So, of course I had to get in on a good thing!
The green drink and the cleanses are down right amazing. The cook book also gives great options for cooking at home. Chef V making getting healthy nutrition as easy as opening your fridge and pouring into the glass. Love it!”
– Alyse P., Burlingame, CA
Ready to get started on a juice cleanse … but don’t know which plan to choose?
It’s simple…
NEWBIE: 3-DAY CLEANSE
Never done a juice cleanse? No problem. Start with our 3 Day Juice Cleanse. This is our most popular organic juice detox for quick weight loss. You’ll receive easy-to-follow pre- and post-cleanse guidelines. How much weight can you lose? How does 5-15 pounds sound? And even if you eat junk food and drink coffee, you can easily do a 3 Day Cleanse. In fact, many people, like Alice, with no previous cleanse or detox program experience say they didn’t miss their coffee at all:
“Lost 6.5 lbs & my skin cleared up”
“Originally I thought I couldn’t do it because I love to eat junk food and drink coffee. Well I just finished my 3 day cleanse and I feel great! I lost 6.5 lbs and my skin cleared up. I did the cleanse with no problem and barely felt hungry the whole time. I would recommend that everyone do a cleanse at least once. This was my first cleanse and I’m glad that I did the research on Chef V because it was the right choice. The green drink was tasty and kept me energized. I was surprised that I didn’t need my daily coffee. I think that I will drink a lot less coffee.”
– Alice, USA
INTERMEDIATE: 5-DAY CLEANSE
If you have done a cleanse or detox program before but it’s been a while, our 5 Day Cleanse is perfect for you. This safe, highly affordable and enjoyable program may help you lose up to 20 pounds in just 5 days when you follow the easy guidelines. Five days might sound like a lot for some people. But with the Green Drinks, Protein Shakes, Detox Soups and Detox Tea you won’t feel famished or give in to temptations.
“Healthier, energized & I crave the green drink!”
“The Chef V cleanse definitely gets my stamp of approval. My first cleanse was the 5-day and I have never done a cleanse before. I won’t lie: it was hard. I eat a lot of solid food and just drinking liquids is normally not my thing. I feel healthier, energized, and actually crave the green drink. It’s a super green, healthy drink and chances are your body isn’t used to getting so much of it. A cleanse isn’t just about losing weight, it’s about inputting good nutritious foods into your system so that your body and mind will thank you. But I did end up losing 6 pounds, from 128 to 122 which is a nice bonus!”
– Gloria, USA
“lost 13 pounds & feel better”
“I decided to do the cleanse after two of my friends showed me their fantastic results from Chef V’s cleanse! I bought the 5 day and started ASAP. Overall, I lost 13 pounds with the cleanse (was originally 130) and I feel so much better! I recommended the cleanse to a friend of mine after showing her my results and she also lost 10 pounds. In conclusion, if you’re trying to find a way to lose weight, try Chef V’s organic cleanse. You won’t be disappointed! Thanks Chef V!”
– Marlyn, USA
These simple (and sometimes luxurious) detox treatments can enhance your cleanse, leading to more weight loss, detoxification and relaxation.
We’ll give you exact instructions on what you’ll need to do in the days before your cleanse begins. However, if you want a sneak peek, here goes:
PRE- & POST-CLEANSE TIPS FOR SUCCESS
Pre-Cleanse
Fruits & Vegetables |
Unsweetened fresh or frozen whole fruits, fresh squeezed fruit juices, sea vegetables (seaweeds), avocados, olives, and raw, steamed, sautéed, juiced, or roasted vegetables |
Oranges, orange juice, grapefruit, bananas, strawberries, grapes, corn, creamed vegetables, nightshades (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, potatoes) |
Dairy Substitutes |
Hemp, rice, and nut milks (such as almond, hazelnut, walnut, etc.) and coconut milk, coconut oil/butter |
Dairy and eggs: including milk, cheese, cottage cheese, cream, yogurt, butter, ice cream, non-dairy creamers, ghee |
Non-Gluten Grains & Starch |
Brown, red, black and wild rice, millet, amaranth, teff, tapioca, buckwheat, quinoa |
White rice, wheat, corn, barley, spelt, kamut, rye, triticale, oats (even gluten-free) |
Animal Protein |
Fresh or water-packed, cold-water fish (trout, salmon, halibut, tuna, mackerel, sardines, pike, kippers), wild game (rabbit, pheasant, bison, venison, elk, etc.), lamb, duck, organic chicken and turkey |
Pork (bacon), beef, veal, sausage, cold cuts, canned meats, frankfurters (hot dogs), shellfish, any raw meats or fish |
Vegetable Protein |
Split peas, lentils, legumes, bee pollen, spirulina, and blue-green algae |
Soybean products (soy sauce, soybean oil in processed foods) |
Nuts & Seeds |
Hemp, sesame, pumpkin, & sunflower seeds, hazelnuts, pecans, almonds, walnuts, cashews, macadamia, pistachios, brazil, nut and seed butters such as almond or tahini |
Peanuts & peanut butter |
Oils |
|
Butter, margarine, shortening, processed oils, canola oil, salad dressings, mayonnaise, spreads |
Drinks |
Filtered water, green, white or herbal tea, seltzer or mineral water, Yerba Mate, coconut water, green drink |
Alcohol, coffee, caffeinated beverages, soda pop, soft drinks, fruit juice (unless fresh pressed) |
Sweeteners |
Stevia, coconut nectar |
Refined sugar, white/brown sugars, maple syrup, high fructose corn syrup, evaporated cane juice, Splenda®, Equal®, Sweet’N Low®, juice concentrate, agave nectar, brown rice syrup |
Condiments |
Vinegar, all spices, all herbs, sea salt, black pepper, stone-ground mustard, miso, coconut liquid aminos, wheat-free tamari and nama shoyu, unsweetened whole fruit jam |
Regular chocolate (with dairy and sugar), ketchup, relish, chutney, traditional soy sauce, barbecue sauce, teriyaki, breath mints |
Friends help each other stay accountable. It’s much easier to do a cleanse if you’ve got a good friend to help keep you in check. Craving ice cream while doing a cleanse? Your friend can slap some sense into you. Not literally. That wouldn’t be nice of your friend to slap you. But a good friend will help you realize that instant gratifications are false friends. The good news is you won’t want ice cream on a ChefV.com cleanse. That’s because we’ll provide you with all the yummy Green Drinks, Protein Shakes, and Detox Soups you need to avoid cravings.
Even if you don’t have a friend to do a Juice Cleanse with, consider us your friend. We’ll hold your hand every step of the way. REMEMBER: In order to lose weight easily and learn how to keep it off for good, you need a Chef V Organic Cleanse, not just any standard juice cleanse! And if you have any questions before DAY 1 of your cleanse, do not hesitate to reach out to us.
Good luck on your cleanse!
(You really won’t need any luck because we make it really easy for you!)
If you're thinking doing a cleanse is too hard, think again. I've got some simple tips that make it super easy to follow.
I want to share one of my favorite recent success stories.
It comes from Brynn J. of Lancaster, CA via her 5-star YELP review.
Here’s her story….
Brynn had all four of her wisdom teeth extracted.
Girl, I feel your pain. I also had mine taken out years ago and it was literally the most painful experience in my life. I can remember the salty waterfall of tears streaming down my cheeks like it was yesterday.
As you can imagine, it’s really hard to eat when your cheeks are puffed-up like a chipmunk, and your mouth throbs with pain.
“It was so painful & bloody! I felt like I was never going to heal from it,” she recalls.
Brynn says that the only thing that she could eat for a week was ice cream and soft fries.
You probably don’t need a lecture from a clinical nutritionist such as myself to remind you how bad just eating ice cream and fries is for you.
Brynn herself realized she needed to get some nutrient-dense calories. But she really couldn’t eat any solid food.
That’s why she decided to do a 5-day low-sugar juice cleanse.
“I completed it today and these are my results.”
That’s awesome, Brynn! You look fantastic. Thanks for sharing your success story….
I wish I would have known about Chef V (or created it) years ago when my wisdom teeth got yanked out.
Brynn admits to sneaking some guilty pleasure ice cream every now and then during the low-sugar cleanse. However, she adds, “But I'm happy to feeling less bloated.”
This brings me to a tip I’d like to share with you about successfully completing a 3-day, 5-day or 7-day cleanse—without cheating or experiencing carb/junk food withdrawal effects….
Easy Tips for an Easy Cleanse Successfully — #1: Follow My Pre-Cleanse Advice to a “V”
Your cleanse success will be determined at least 72 hours in advance of when it starts.
You see, you can’t just go from eating burgers, wings and other fast food to having nothing but Organic Green Drink, Vegan Protein Shakes and Detox Soups.
That may sound obvious. But you’d be surprised how many times I hear people doing that.
“Well, I’m going to drop 10-15 pounds next week doing a cleanse so I might as well enjoy my last couple meals.”
Unfortunately, that mindset is still prevalent. Especially for people who have never done a cleanse before.
What they don’t realize is you have to do a pre-cleanse. It’s really important that you follow my pre-cleanse and healthy eating guidelines, which includes a schedule of exactly when to eat, what to eat, and how much to eat of each category of approved foods.
If you don’t follow this advice to a “V” you might end up breaking the cleanse with ice cream.
I’ll let Brynn slide this time because I can relate to the awful pain she felt. But, Brynn … I really would like you to try another cleanse in the near future. Give yourself up to a full week to do the pre-cleanse.
I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to not only follow my advice about what to eat, but also sticking to the schedule.
When you supply your body with nutrients at the same time each day, you quickly get used to it and you won’t be tempted by cravings or want to have a huge meal, which can negate your weight-loss success.
Easy Tips for Doing a Cleanse (and keeping the success going) — #2: Go Green
And on the flip side of the pre-cleanse, it’s also important not to ruin the progress and success of your cleanse by resuming bad habits when it's over.
Again, this seems like a no-brainer. But some people choose to celebrate the completion of a cleanse by eating a bacon cheeseburger. Doing so defeats the whole purpose of a cleanse.
True cleansing success means keeping the momentum going for several weeks, if not months or years down the road.
But I realize you’re only human. When holiday season rolls around, we are sometimes powerless against indulging. And that’s okay.
That’s why I’m here for you … to keep you on track.
There’s no shame in needing to do more than one low-sugar cleanse a year. In fact, it’s very healthy to reset your digestive system.
Let’s say that you indeed fall off the wagon around the winter holidays….
You’ve indulged in cakes, cookies, cheese, meat, and alcohol.
If you do a one week pre-cleanse, followed by a 7-day cleanse and stick to my post-cleanse advice, in very little time, your taste buds will reset. You’ll no longer desire foods and drinks with added sugars; you’ll crave all-natural, nutrient-dense foods.
So what’s my post-cleanse advice?
Organic Green Drink is the foundation of it. During your cleanse, you’ll have four 16-oz servings of it per day. After the cleanse, I want you to drink 16 oz of it in the morning. It’s like having a super healthy salad in a bottle, only it gets delivered to you and you don’t have to shop or chop for veggies.
Also critical in keeping the momentum going is following my pre-cleanse eating guide for your post-cleanse meals … at least for a few days after the cleanse; the longer the better. A couple additional resources you can use for sticking to the pre-cleanse eating guide is my Breakfast Guide and Lunch and Dinner Guide.
Jessica’s Chef V Cleanse Success Story
Before I share some more simple tips for cleansing success, here’s another story I’d like to share with you. Jessica T. of Boston, MA (love that city!) followed my advice to a V.
Check out her before and after pic:
You go, Jessica! I’m super stoked for you. Hearing your story reminds me why I have the best job in the world.
Jessica has lost almost 40 pounds in just 10 months. When she posted this review on Yelp she was in the midst of her third cleanse.
“If anyone is looking for a jump start to their healthy lifestyle, I HIGHLY recommend Chef V. I've referred three people and they all say the same thing: ‘I feel light and energetic, and never fatigue.’ ”
Thanks for sharing your success with your friends, Jessica. You know, that is absolutely the best way to inspire your friends and family to lead a healthier lifestyle.
I could talk until I’m blue in the face about the nutrients in the seven organic green-leafy veggies in the Green Drink and what they do for you and blah blah….
But people are moved to act when they see their own friends and colleagues having success.
Easy Tips for Doing a Cleanse — #3: Drink Lots of Water
Many people forget to drink water during the day. Our lives are busy. We have appointments to rush to, bosses breathing down our necks, kids that constantly need our attention….
It’s easy to see why water is an afterthought for many, and why it only moves to the forefront of the mind when we’re thirsty.
But if you only drink water when you’re thirsty, you’re in a state of chronic dehydration. Besides being bad for your skin, “staying thirsty” is not a good idea if you want to lose weight.
In fact, studies prove that drinking water before meals leads to weight loss. Drinking lots of water (I’m talking at least 2-4 cups every few hours) helps you feel full. You’ll eat less calories if you have a couple cups of water about 30 minutes or so before meals.
Also, water helps flush out toxins from your body and gives your skin a healthy glow.
Bonus Tips for Cleansing Success
In this post I wrote about tracking your health progress, I discuss some tips recommended by a close colleague of mine, Charles Clay.
Charles is a holistic health expert. (But if you read the, you’ll discover why he is so much more than that.)
A couple tips for cleansing success that I think carries over to here is writing down goals. One example Charles recommends is having an intention to be active every day. Track your progress by writing down what you did, whether it’s a yoga class or just going for a walk.
This actually brings me to another tip for cleansing success: don’t exercise too hard. No Crossfit classes, no hot yoga, no long-distance running or anything like that. Allow your body to rest during the cleanse (and the first few days post-cleanse.)
Speaking of rest, another tip from Charles from the post: use the SleepCycle app on your phone (in airplane mode).
Getting good sleep is critical for hormones and fat-burning.
And for now, I’ll leave you with one more tip for cleansing success….
Get rid of every product in your home that contains harmful chemicals. If you’re using conventional kitchen cleaners, cosmetics and hair-care products, toss them in the garbage.
You can’t cleanse and detox your body if you keep breathing toxic fumes and having harsh chemicals absorb into your skin.
Not sure if a specific product is harmful? Download the free Skin Deep app from the Environmental Working Group.
What’s Your Story?
Do you have a success story of your own? I would so love to hear about it. If you have a before/after pic, don’t be shy, share it. Before/after photos are the best tool to inspire others to lead a healthier lifestyle.
You can post a review on Yelp or email me directly.
To your health,
Chef V
