The biggest factor that contributes to maintaining a trim weight and overall health is nutrition. In this article I give you four tools for enhancing your diet and boosting your well being. And no coincidence, these same tips will contribute to reducing your triglyceride levels. The good news is you don’t have to do high-intensity, American Ninja Warrior-type exercise to have a hot summer bod. All you need is a reboot of your digestive system. Here are my 4 top tips for improving digestion and triglyceride levels and getting lean for summer….
#1: Apple Cider Vinegar Can your “mother” help you achieve a summer slim down? And by “mother” I mean the cloudy film that rests on top of a bottle of raw, unfiltered, organic apple cider vinegar (ACV)…. Raw ACV bottles such as those sold by the brand, Bragg (the same company that sells liquid amino acids, a soy sauce alternative) prominently advertise “with the mother” on the product label. As well they should. That’s because the mother is tiny bits and pieces of proteins, enzymes and friendly bacteria. ACV helps increase stomach acid production. And because of the friendly bacteria it contains, it also acts like a probiotic. Honestly, I tried to find some research on humans that shows ACV can help with weight loss. I hit a brick wall, but I did find some research on animals (rats and mice) that support using it for the following: reducing fat storage; lowering blood sugar; improves metabolism and suppressing appetite. The only downside to ACV is it tastes really harsh. But you can add it to a Green Drink to mask the taste. ACV is also good for skin. In fact, many people use ACV to treat skin conditions. Drinking a little bit every day can help clear your skin from the inside-out. And because of its beneficial bacteria and enzymes, it can help cleanse your body.
#2: Bone Broth/Collagen Powder Pretty soon, it’ll be too hot to sip bone broth. But collagen protein powders have become very popular. And you can easily add a scoop of it in your blender with almond milk and my Organic Protein Shake if you’re doing a Chef V Cleanse. If you don’t know the difference between the two: Bone broth is animal bones with herbs and spices cooked in water for 24 hours in a slow cooker. The long-simmering process of bone broth releases collagen protein from the bones. I admit that there’s a lot of hype surrounding bone broth and collagen protein. There are claims that it can cure just about everything.
There is research, however, that shows supplementing with collagen protein can help repair your gut. Gut health is crucial for burning fat. It’s not easy to get ready for a summer slimdown if you don’t have a healthy gut. In fact, some people have a condition that’s known in the alternative medicine field as “leaky gut.” Leaky gut is when the tiny junctions of your gut lining tear, allowing undigested food particles to enter the bloodstream. When this happens, your detoxification system slows down. Not only that, leaky gut can also cause an autoimmune disease. Sipping on some fresh bone broth every day can help repair your gut and improve your body’s detox system. I do not believe in store bought bone broth, it is like trying to get your vitamins from Hi-C. Store bought bone broth is not real bone broth and does not have the same benefits. The only way to get the full benefits of bone broth is fresh made or fresh bought. It should expire in a week. An alternative to bone broth is to take a collagen protein powder supplement.
#3: Probiotics I’ve mentioned probiotics at least a couple times recently, including the best one to bring with you if you’re travelling. I’ll just quickly rehash here why probiotics are so important for getting or staying lean. The healthier your gut microbiome (the trillions of bacteria, etc.), that is the more friendly bacteria you have in your gut, the easier it will be to digest your food. And the easier it is to digest your food, the less likely it will be that you’ll have difficulty getting rid of unwanted body fat. There are a few problems with probiotics…. First is that many people forget to take them everyday. Set yourself a daily reminder on your smartphone to take them in the morning or before bed. Second, some people don’t buy a strong enough probiotic. Look for a supplement that has several different strains of bacteria and has a minimum count of 10 billion colony forming units (CFU) per capsule. The reason you need a high count is that a lot of the bacteria won’t survive the harsh trip through the digestive system. And third, not all brands of probiotics are of good quality. Do your research before you buy. My favorite is Bio-K – they have a dairy or non-dairy version and it is fresh.
#4: A Chef V Detox with my Green Drink, Detox Soups, and Protein Shakes So this last tip for a summer slimdown isn’t exactly a supplement. But it’s a great way to to make sure you’re looking and feeling great when you’re ready to take your first dip in the ocean or pool…. If you do my 21 Day Detox, you’ll be amazed by the transformation your body will undergo, (not to mention your skin, mood and energy levels). Here’s how it works: you alternate between following my Healthy Routine and doing a 3 day cleanse. During the 3 day cleanse, you get 4 servings of my Green Drink plus 2- 16 oz. Protein Shakes and 1 detox soup for dinner. And during the Healthy Routine phase, you’ll get a 16-ounce Green Drink and 1- 16 oz. Protein Shake for breakfast. Then for lunch and dinner, you’ll use my healthy eating and meal planner guides, which contains delicious recipes for soups, salads, appetizers, and entrees. The best part is I deliver the Green Drinks, Protein Shakes and Detox Soups to your front door (Well not personally, but my company does.) Doing a 21-Day Detox is the easiest, most affordable, and safest way to lose 30 pounds or more. You can also try a 3, 5 or 7-day Cleanse if you just want to dip your pinky toe in the shallow end. Good luck with your summer slimdown. Even if you don’t want to spend any money on supplements, rebooting your digestive system by doing a Chef V Cleanse or Detox will get you bikini ready! Love, Veronica (Chef V)
Tag: detox
What Do I Eat Today – “On The Go” Menu
First Thing in the Morning
I have lemon water in the morning and then I wait until I'm hungry to have my Green Drink.
For Breakfast – Acai Bowl
This recipe is made in a Vitamix and can be served in a bowl or in an “on the go” cup.
The acai berry is a grape-like fruit native to the rain forests of the amazon. It has a tropical, sweet taste and a very short shelf life, so we don't often find them fresh in the store. Acai berries contain antioxidants, fiber, and heart-healthy fats.
Lunch – Carrot Ginger Salad
Green is good! Starting with fresh locally sourced organic greens, add carrot, celery, radish, red onion, cucumber, and grilled chicken (optional). Top your salad with my Carrot Ginger Salad Dressing.
Make this as a mason jar salad and take it “on the go”.
Afternoon Snack – Chef V's Goji Berry Trail Mix
Trail mix is a healthy alternative to sugary commercial candy, loaded with artificial ingredients. My recipe includes super healthy goji berries, nuts and seeds.
Try different ingredients to create some fun mixes. I generally use one or two raw nuts, one seed, and one dried fruit. Some ideas for nuts: almonds, walnuts, pistachios, cashews, pecans, or macadamia nuts. For dried fruit, always choose unsweetened and unsulfured fruits. My favorites include pineapple, apple, mango, and blueberries. And, of course, goji berries.
Dinner – Bibimbap Bowl
10 minute meal! It’s the holiday season and I’ve been cooking all day getting ready for tomorrow. I need a fast but healthy meal. This one is a crowd favorite!
Dessert – Vegan Eggnog
Spread holiday cheer with my vegan take on a traditional favorite, eggnog. This thick, wonderfully flavored beverage can be made in many ways than one. Why not try my adult version with coconut nectar and almond milk. Not too thick, this chilled iconic drink will warm the hearts of your family and friends. Homemade, delicious and beautifully presented, how can it not?!
CRP: The One Blood Test You Should Beg Your Doctor To Take
CRP is the one blood test you should beg your Doctor to take. Virtually every disease is caused by inflammation. Inflammation manifests in many different ways, from auto-immune disorders to cancer and diabetes, and even weight gain. But how do you know if your body has inflammation? After all, sometimes, inflammation has no symptoms–until a heart attack or stroke strikes.
Thankfully, there’s a simple blood test you can get from your doctor. It’s called the “C-Reactive Protein” (CRP) blood test. Next time you go for your checkup, ask your doctor to test your CRP levels. If you are diagnosed with high levels of CRP, then you can make some lifestyle changes before serious symptoms or disease occurs….
What is C-Reactive Protein?
So what do my Organic Green Drinks and Cleanses have to do with a protein called CRP that’s created by the liver when the body’s inflammatory response kicks in?
They have everything to do with C-Reactive Protein, that’s what. You see, one of the best ways to stay healthy and avoid disease is to have as little CRP as possible. CRP isn’t inherently bad. You actually need some of it to fight infections. But when levels of this protein are high, it’s an indication that there’s too much inflammation in the body. This is why its important to know what can raise your CRP levels, and how to reduce CRP levels.
As I mention above, all disease is triggered by inflammation. Even diseases that are passed down by your ancestors are at greater risk for being expressed if you have more inflammation in your body. In other words, if you eat healthy, just because you may inherit a disease potential does not mean the genes for that disease will express. However, if you eat a diet that’s full of refined carbs like bread and baked goods and lots of added sugar, you’re at more risk for those genetic switches being turned on.
That’s where my Green Drinks, Detox Soups and Vegan Protein Shakes come into play. The antioxidants and other nutrients are a great way how to reduce RP levels, which means your body will have less inflammation.
Whether your goal is to stay healthy and prevent disease or to lose weight (or both), the 7-certified organic green leafy veggies in my Organic Green Drinks can play a big part in preventing inflammation.
But how do you know how much CRP you have?
Take a C-Reactive Protein (CRP) Blood Test
Recently, I wrote about a new health trend you’ll be hearing much more about in the near future: DNA testing for weight loss.
Basically, I said that until the science catches up, getting your DNA tested to find out the best form of exercise and supplements to take is probably a waste of money.
But there is one test I’m all in favor of you getting: the C-Reactive Protein Blood Test, or CRP Blood Test. It’s easy to do and your health insurance plan (if you have one) likely covers it in a normal panel blood test (along with A1C blood sugar and cholesterol markers).
Your body has dozens of inflammatory markers. CRP is the easiest one to test and it seems to provide good insight into your inflammation levels. (Don’t get a test done while your sick, especially if you’re fighting an infection because your body’s CRP levels will be inflated and won’t give an accurate reading of the levels when you’re healthy.)
Why is CRP so important? Because it’s a good predictor of heart attacks and strokes. It can also reveal if you’re at risk for developing diabetes and arthritis. In fact, according to WebMD, a Harvard Women’s Health Study revealed that in healthy postmenopausal women, those with the highest CRP levels were more than four times as likely to have died from heart disease or suffer a non-fatal attack or stroke, compared with those with the lowest levels.
See why CRP is so important?
How to Reduce CRP Levels
Look, I realize that CRP might not be a super sexy health topic. It’s not as celeb-gossip worthy as Intermittent Fasting or Keto. But as a certified nutritional therapist, I feel it’s my duty (and honor) to share with you simple yet important wellness advice. It’s easy to fall prey to food, drinks and other lifestyle choices that can cause serious inflammation in your body.
But it’s just as easy to avoid it.
Start off each morning by lowering your CRP levels with 16 ounces of my Organic Green Drink.
If you have time before you go to work, do a little yoga routine at home or go take a class (or do yoga any other time of day). Think I’m biased because I love yoga myself? Well, I do love yoga. But I bet you didn’t know that yoga is clinically proven to reduce CRP levels. Don’t believe me? Check out this research. And as you might expect, mindfulness, meditation, breathing exercises, and moving meditation exercises such as Tai Chi, can also reduce CRP levels. (So, too, can sex! Again, don’t take my word for it; look at the research.)
A few more simple ways to keep your inflammation level down is by taking a quality fish oil supplement and probiotic and getting 7 or more hours of restful sleep every night. And remember to keep your added sugar intake to a minimum and exercise almost every day.
Eating the right foods makes a difference in your CRP levels. Try healthy wild salmon, real olive oil, cruciferous veggies, and nuts and seeds.
If you’re feeling great and doing most of these things already, then no worries. But if you are concerned about the level of inflammation in your body, it’s really easy to get a CRP blood test (unless you’re like me and deathly afraid of needles; sorry can’t help you with that phobia!
To your health (and low levels of CRP),
Veronica “Chef V” Kress
Chef V’s Fire Cider
My Chef V Fire Cider is sold in our store but if you prefer, you can make it at home with this recipe. My recipe uses healthy organic ingredients, blended fresh.
This Fire Cider is a natural anti-viral & antifungal. It is great for boosting immunity or getting rid of a sore throat or cold. It has a nice kick to it, hence the name “Fire” Cider. I use my Fire Cider all year long but especially in the winter when I need to boost my immunity and fight colds.
Ingredients
- 2 cups apple cider vinegar
- 2 lemons, quartered
- 1/4 jalapeno, sliced, including seeds
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp. horseradish
- 2 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and diced
- 1 tbsp fresh turmeric, peeled and diced
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 1 tbsp. Coconut nectar (optional)
Directions
- Mix all ingredients together in a large container with a lid.
- Store in the fridge for 2 days to marinate for up to one month.
- To use the fire cider, strain through a cheesecloth or tiny strainer.
- Consume 1-2 oz and watch the magic happen.
(Can marinate up to one month.)
Need A Liver Detox? Here’s The Safest Way
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Essential Winter Detox: 21 Days to better health
Did you just have a junk food binge-a-thon? Or did you recently celebrate a birthday with bottomless flutes of champagne? Then maybe you need a liver detox. But before you start one, Veronica Wheat, aka Chef V, explains what you need to know…
What Is A Liver Detox?
Did drinking too much red wine make you feel not so fine? Then maybe it’s time for a liver detox. But before I tell you the safest way to do a liver detox, let’s get to know your liver.
Your liver performs hundreds of functions. If you’ve indulged lately, you can thank your liver for filtering your blood. That means that the liver removes toxins from drugs, alcohol and coffee and synthetic chemicals (like glyphosate) into harmless waste products. These waste products are eliminated when you pee and poo.
But if your liver is chronically overworked because of what you’re putting in your body—or because of what your body is exposed to—its ability to filter the toxins in your blood becomes compromised.
Time to reach for the liver detox pills? Well, let’s not jump ahead of ourselves. First let’s find out if you really need to do a liver detox.
Free Liver Detox Resources
I’m temporarily making available these incredible free resources:
- Eat This/Not That chart that prepares you for the pre-cleanse and post-cleanse phase. No more guesswork about what to eat ever again!
- Healthy Portions Guide – know exactly how much of the good stuff to load on your plate.
- Breakfast Smoothie Guide – In a rush? No sweat, you don’t have to sacrifice your health thanks to these delicious and luxurious liquid breakfasts.
- Lunch And Dinner Guide – Knowing what to make is frustrating. Chef V holds your hand with oodles of healthy meal creation ideas.
You can find these invaluable resources here.
Top 7 Signs You Could Use A Liver Detox
Here’s how you can tell if you should consider doing a liver detox.
- Frequently tired—even after getting plenty of sleep
- Experiencing headaches
- Constantly constipated
- Easily putting on weight—despite exercising
- Cravings for sugar and starchy carbs
- Trouble digesting protein or fat
- Post-meal nausea or bloating
To put it simply, if you just generally feel like crap, it could be because your liver’s detoxification pathways are clogged up like an L.A. freeway at rush hour.
This is why thousands of people have transformed their health doing a safe and effective Chef V 21 Day Detox. It’s like a metabolic reboot for your liver.
How Does A Liver Detox Work?
Liver detoxes work in two phases. The first phase is reducing the toxic burden on the liver. This simply means that you remove all sources of toxic overload: junk food, alcohol (sadly this includes mimosas), tobacco, conventional brands of laundry detergent and dryer sheets (don’t underestimate how much chemicals in your everyday household goods can clog your liver), etc.
By eliminating these toxic sources, your liver can take a breather. Then, iln the second phase of liver detoxification, you introduce foods that nourish the liver and accelerate its filtering optimization.
In the Chef V 21 Day Detox, I teach people exactly what to eat and what to avoid in the days leading up to the detox. This is the first phase.
And in the second phase, I provide you with liver-boosting recipes, Organic Green Drinks, Vegan Protein Shakes and Detox Soups.
Beyond doing a 21 Day Detox, there’s other things can help you improve liver detoxification like:
- Doing high intensity interval training (like strenuous hot yoga)
- Using household cleaners and body/haircare products that are free of synthetic chemicals. (Sorry ladies: no perfume or anything with fragrance.)
- Getting enough sleep
- Sweating in an infrared sauna
- Eating a low inflammatory diet
- Taking supplements to support liver function
What Are The Best Supplements For A Liver Detox?
Want to improve your liver function? Then you may also want to think about taking some of the following supplements that are backed by research.
- Milk thistle (silymarin)
- Dandelion seed
- N-acetylcysteine (NAC)
- Vitamin C
But before you start popping supplements to detoxify your liver, let me give you a warning. First of all, not all supplements are created equal. Unless you really understand the nutritional supplement marketplace, you could end up buying a supplement that clogs your liver even more. That’s because many conventional supplement manufacturers add fillers to the products. Soybean oil? That’s nasty! (Read my take on soy here.)
The second problem with relying on supplements is that many people feel like they can continue eating like crap.
It’s true that there are some people who have low-functioning livers because of environmental contamination. But by and large, it’s a food problem. Most people aren’t flooding their trillions of cells with phytonutrients to support liver health.
And that’s why I created Organic Green Drink in the first place. It’s a staple of my 21 Day Detox program. (4 servings a day!)
What Are The Risks Of Doing A Liver Detox?
Not all liver detox programs are safe and effective. In my “industry” juice cleanses are synonymous with liver detoxes. But I’ll tell you a dirty little secret about the juice industry.
The majority of juice cleanse and detox programs are just glorified fruit juice. I call it “diabetes in a bottle.” How can consuming 25-50 grams or more of sugar a few times a day contribute to liver health?
But the insane thing is that these big brand juice companies are getting away with it. They’re marketing their juices as healthy for the liver when in fact it’s the opposite. Juice detoxes do not include enough protein. That’s why on the cleanse days within my 21 Day Detox program, you get 2 Vegan Protein Shakes. They are super easy on the liver unlike animal protein.
In addition, you need a tiny amount of healthy dietary fat while you’re cleansing the liver. That’s why on the Cleanse days within the 21 Day Detox, you get a delicious DETOX SOUP. It contains just a gram of dietary fat. Believe it or not, that’s enough to keep you satisfied and prevent cravings.
And don’t get me started with detox pills. Any pill that promises to eliminate toxins also has the potential to strip your digestive system of good bacteria and vital nutrients.
If there’s one thing I want you to take away from this article, don’t take liver detox pills.
Does Doing A Liver Detox Work?
A safely designed liver detox program can definitely help you get back on track with your health goals. In fact, in a study published in Alternative Therapies in Health & Medicine a 7-day detox program was found to enhance health and prevent the development of disease.
But don’t just let the research do the talking. Let’s give the spotlight to real people who have had huge success after doing a Chef V cleanse/detox. Like Maddi, who says, “When I need to get back on track, I love the Chef V cleanse – the 5 day cleanse for me has been an effective detox and metabolic reset. I love the soups, shakes, and juice and always end up feeling better after I complete one of the cleanses.”
What Is The Safest Way To Do A Detox?
You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars on supplements, fad diets and pills that could end up causing scary side effects.
If you want the cheapest detox? Then start each day by drinking fresh lemon juice water. But if you need more support, including all the education you’ll ever need for successfully doing a liver detox, check out:
Want a sneak peek into what a 21 Day Detox is like? Check out Chef V’s 21 Day Detox Directions. This resource is usually kept private until you sign up for the detox.
To your liver health!
Love,
Chef V
A Low FODMAP Diet: Chef V’s Recipe For Conquering IBS
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What the frick are FODMAPS? Veronica Wheat, aka Chef V, explains what they are and how avoiding foods with high levels of them may greatly reduce Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) symptoms. (For more general info on IBS click here.)
“Beans, beans they’re good for your heart … the more you eat the more you FART.”
Anybody with Irritable Bowel Syndrome can tell you that nursery rhyme is all too true.
For millions of people living with this gastrointestinal disorder, eating foods that are considered healthy—even by dieticians and other so-called experts—can cause severe bloating, abdominal discomfort, diarrhea, constipation, and yes, toots. Really stinky horrible toots.
While we’re still waiting for science to invent a magical IBS cure—its exact cause is unknown—what we do know is that certain foods like beans and lentils can trigger IBS symptoms.
Make no mistake about it, there is no 100% successful IBS intervention. However, one thing that really works for people with IBS is eating a low FODMAP diet. This makes it super important to eat most of your meals at home so that you’re in full control of the ingredients. And if you wanna jump ahead and check out my IBS-friendly recipes, I have a few to share with you here.
What Does FODMAP Stand For?
Warning: this acronym is a huge mouthful. I don’t blame you if you won’t be able to digest it, no pun intended. Ready? Here goes: Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols. Like I said, what the frick are FODMAPS?
What Are FODMAPS?
OK, so let me explain what that means. The “O” “D” “M” and “P” in the acronym are types of sugars. I’m not talking about simple baking sugar. Rather, these are the carbohydrates (sugar is a carb) that are found in fruits, veggies, grains, lentils and other plant-based foods.
Some people can digest, say, a can of black beans just fine. But for people living with IBS, the specific type of carbs in the beans (oligosaccharides) don’t digest well in the small intestine. It’s as if the small intestine says, ‘no thanks, I’ll pass on the beans.’ Meanwhile, the beans move mostly undigested into the large intestine where they start fermenting.
Isn’t Fermentation Good?
Trendy fermented foods like sauerkraut (fermented cabbage) have a reputation of being super gut healthy. But here’s the thing about fermentation: it basically means the same as rotting. This is not to say that certain fermented foods do not contribute to our health. In fact, foods like sauerkraut are probably better for your gut microbiome than a conventional probiotic supplement.
However, the problem with certain fermented foods like sauerkraut is that they are higher in FODMAP sugars. And when the FODMAP sugars move along into the large intestine, it’s the fermentation that causes the black-bean-baby-belly and other symptoms.
Low FODMAP Diet Chart
Eating a low FODMAP diet, then, is one of the easiest ways to manage IBS symptoms. And that simply means that you eliminate as much as possible the foods that have the highest level of FODMAPS.
And to make it easy for you, here’s a list of good and bad FODMAP foods you can print out and take with you to the supermarket and restaurants.
If you really want to take a deep dive into the science behind FODMAPS, I highly encourage you to check out this resource from Australia’s Monash University. The researchers at Monash are IBS experts and pretty much pioneered the low FODMAP diet.
Another great resource, especially for people who are newly diagnosed with IBS is the IBS Group forum. You’ll never feel like you’re struggling alone with this condition that can make life a living hell at times…
How Long Do You Need To Eat Low FODMAP For?
The good news is that even if some of your favorite foods are high FODMAP, it doesn’t mean you have to give them up forever. The low FODMAP diet is basically an elimination phase. I recommend giving up all medium and high FODMAP foods for a minimum of four weeks.
After that first phase, you can reintroduce one medium or high FODMAP food at a time. Don’t start your reintroduction phase by eating, say, a bowl of pasta and dipping Italian bread into the sauce.
Personally, I think anybody with IBS should be gluten-free as much as possible but that’s for another topic. The important takeaway is that when you reintroduce medium/high FODMAP foods, do so one at a time.
For best results, eat that one medium/high FODMAP food for 2-3 days. If no IBS symptoms develop, then you can reintroduce your next favorite high FODMAP food that’s considered healthy like GARLIC and ONIONS.
As long as none of the reintroduced foods give you problems, you can continue to eat them. But for the best chances of IBS symptom prevention, you may want to stick to eating a low FODMAP diet for the foreseeable future.
Conclusion
IBS is a bitch. Imagine not knowing if symptoms are going to flare up when you go out to dinner with friends. This is why it’s so important to memorize the list of low FODMAP foods. Or like I said, print out a list or snap a pic with your phone.
There is so much that’s unknown about IBS and for that reason, I’ll leave you with this last piece of advice… If you have really good health insurance or can afford to pay out of pocket, work with a functional medicine doctor or naturopathic doctor, one who has tons of experience working with IBS patients. Do your research and get a referral from someone who has successfully learned to control their IBS.
In the meantime, pass on the beans.
Love, Chef V
Lemon Juice & Water Daily Detox
When life hands you lemons, detox that bitterness away with … no, not lemonade — that’s got way too much sugar — lemon juice and water. It’s so simple, but it’s the easiest way to support your body’s natural detoxification process. Learn about the research-backed health benefits of lemon juice and the other best and easiest thing you can do to become a highly-efficient fat-burning machine….
I get the meaning of the maxim, “When life hands you lemons, make lemonade.”
Lemons are associated with being sour, bitter, and pessimistic in the common expression.
Kind of like bitter beer face – But I love lemons, bitterness and all.
And every morning, first thing after I wake up, I squeeze a little bit of lemon juice in a cup of warm or hot water. It doesn’t just make the water taste better. I do it because it’s the easiest way to kick-start cleansing and detoxing.
Don’t just take my work for it. Research proves that lemon juice assists in the body’s detoxification process….
Health Benefits of Lemon Juice
This study in Nutrition Research suggests that lemon juice can help you lose both weight and body fat.
Most studies involving natural, plant-based ingredients use animals as test subjects. But in this study, the participants were 84 women. The ladies were given a drink containing lemon juice and organic syrups (maple and palm) for 7 days.
I’m not a fan of ultra low-protein, no-food diets lasting longer than one or two days. (Which is why in my Cleanse programs, you get high-protein vegan-friendly shakes.)
Nonetheless, the lemon-sipping ladies in the study also experienced lower blood sugar levels. Another benefit of drinking lemon juice, according to the study, is lower levels of leptin.
Leptin is a hunger hormone. In people who are overweight or have obesity, leptin levels are very high. As a consequence, the brain doesn’t receive the signal to stop eating.
The cherry on top from the study was that the women’s immune systems were stronger and they had lower levels of inflammation.
Feeling Backed Up? Drink Lemon Juice!
There are lots of studies proving that lemon juice helps the body shed fat. But all I can say is that if you start drinking water with some lemon juice every morning, you’ll notice some cool things happen.
If you drink a cup of water with lemon juice and wait about 20-30 minutes and then have my Organic Green Drink (7 of the planet’s best leafy green veggies for detoxing), you’re going to experience:
- Healthier looking skin
- Better digestion and elimination (less constipation)
- More energy
- Less hunger
- Sharper concentration and focus
But make sure you don’t eat right away after having the lemon juice and water. In fact, for optimal fat-burning and detoxing, drink 16 oz. of Green Drink after the lemon water, and don’t eat your first meal of the day until 11 a.m. or later. This is one of the easiest tips for successful cleansing.
Got High Blood Sugar? Drink Lemon Juice
Green leafy veggies, like the 7 different kinds in my Green Drink, are the absolute best thing for supporting the body’s detoxification process.
But in my opinion, the next best thing is drinking water with lemon juice every day. It’s so easy to do.
And for the almost 90 million people with prediabetes and additional 30 million people with type 2 diabetes, drinking lemon juice is an easy way to manage blood sugar levels.
In fact, the American Diabetes Association includes lemons on its list of beneficial foods for diabetes. The vitamin C in lemons can help improve your fasting blood sugar levels as well as the amount of fats circulating in your blood (triglycerides).
Studies on vitamin C also link the antioxidant to lower insulin resistance. When your body is more resistant to insulin, your body needs to produce more of it to lower your blood sugar levels. That’s not good. Over time, your body may not be able to produce insulin and type 2 diabetes develops.
Lemon Juice & Green Drinks: The Easiest Way To Detox The Body
Don’t waste your money on expensive detox supplements.
As a certified nutritional therapist, I have done the research on pretty much every detox product on the market.
I have yet to encounter a more powerful and cost-effective one-two punch than lemon juice and green-leafy veggies for detoxifying the body.
And the easiest way to get your daily dose of green, leafy veggies is by letting Chef V deliver fresh, organic Green Drinks right to your door. The veggies in my green drinks are sourced from local farmer’s markets.
Go ahead and drink lemon juice water and Green Drink every day for a week. I guarantee that you’ll feel so much better adopting this easy routine in your life.
To your health,
Chef V
Top 5 Myths About Doing a Detox
You know it’s time for a new you!
Perhaps you haven’t been eating healthy but you are ready to make a positive change. Is your belly is chronically bloated? Does it take you a couple cups of coffee in the morning to wake up from the dead? And when the caffeine eventually wears off, your mental clarity and energy are foggy and sluggish, respectively. Your skin is bumpy and dull, and your sleep patterns are erratic. Let's make the new year's you the same you but better!
But some people are intimidated by detox diets. While the thought of coming out the other side of a metabolic reboot sounds appealing, you don’t want to be miserable doing it. “Detoxes” can mean different things to different people. Herbal supplements, colon cleanses, infrared saunas, digestive enzymes, and of course, juice cleanses.
If you’re thinking about doing a detox, here are the Top Five Myths About Doing a Detox.
Detox Myth #1: It’s Too Hard – Not True!
To some people, the phrase “detox” is synonymous with starvation. But a detox shouldn’t be deficient in nutrients, and it certainly shouldn’t be a lengthy, strict fast. While following an intermittent fasting schedule is great for your health (I do it, and so does Brandon, my husband.), not eating anything for over 24 hours could do you more harm than good.
With my 21 Day Detox, you choose between one, two or three intervals of a 3 day cleanse. During the 3, 6 or 9 days, you’re on a calorie restricted diet. But you’re getting all the nutrients you need to detoxify vital organs and lose weight—without feeling deprived.
On these cleanse days, you drink 4 servings of my Organic Green Drink (16 oz. per serving), a smooth-as-silk cold-blend of 7 certified organic green leafy veggies. You also get 2 packets of my vegan-friendly protein shake (about 20 grams of muscle-building protein per shake) and one Detox Soup for dinner.
Essentially, these cleanse days are a liquid diet. But there’s enough protein and fiber to help your energy levels remain steady and prevent cravings.
Myth #2: You Can Only Have Juice Or Raw Kale – No, you can have delicious soups and protein shakes as well
Many people associate cleanse or detox diets with juice programs. If you ever come across a program that offers only juices, whether it’s a 3 day program or a longer one, then run.
Here’s why: most juice programs, even if the drinks are low in sugar (unfortunately, most juice detoxes are very high in sugar), they are woefully deficient in protein and fiber. Pressed juices don’t contain the fiber from the fruit or veggie. And when you have no fiber, your blood sugar levels fluctuate. The result is nasty mood swings. You really need protein, fiber and even some healthy fat to keep you full and maintain your blood sugar at a steady level during your detox.
(By the way, my Organic Green Drink contains only 6 grams of sugar per 16 oz serving, keeping your energy level rock-steady.)
As for the non-cleanse days — either 18 days, 15 days or 12 days depending on how many 3 day cleanses you choose during the 21 Day Detox, you get to enjoy entrees like nachos, wild salmon, mac and cheese, and pesto lasagna, just to name a few.
How can you mack on mac n’ cheese when you’re trying to detoxify your body? When you order my 21 Day Detox, you get access to my recipe book, “Making Healthier Easier,” a PDF download that teaches you how to make your favorite entrees healthy (I use nutritional yeast as a cheese substitute.
I also provide you with an Eat This/Not That chart, and a Healthy Portions guide. When you’re eating dozens of delicious meals that you can take right from my book, and learn exactly what you should eat during a 21 Day Detox, 3 weeks goes by real quick.
Myth #3: You Can Only Drink Water And Detox Drinks – No! How about a Watermelon Slush?
While I do recommend eliminating caffeine during a 21 Day Detox (for all 21 days), that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy other drinks.
On your non-cleanse days (again, it’s either 18, 15 or 12 days, depending on how many 3-day cleanse periods you want to do), you can use my recipe book to easily create craft “mocktails.” How does Watermelon Slush sound? It’s perfect for hot days when you need something sweet and refreshing. Or how about Creamy Green Smoothie, a delicious, filling blend of avocado, spinach, kale, dates, lemon, chia seeds and cinnamon … doesn’t exactly sound like torture, does it?
Myth #4: You Can’t Have Any Sugar Or Dessert
Ideally, starting from right now and everyday for the rest of your life, you will eat a low-sugar diet. But there’s a misconception that when you’re doing a detox, you can’t have any sugar. Technically, that’s not true. All veggies, even green leafy ones, contain a tiny bit of natural sugar.
Sure, you shouldn’t eat anything with added sugars while you’re doing a 21 Day Detox. But even on the non-cleanse days, you still get to feast on sweet-tasting things like berries and even a date or two.
And the best part of my 21 Day Detox is that on non-cleanse days, you can have your cake and eat it, too. That’s right. In my cookbook, you’ll find recipes for Triple Layer Cheesecake, Acai, Chia Seed Pudding, Chocolate Avocado Mousse, and Vanilla ‘Milk’ Shake.
Again, it doesn’t sound exactly like torture, does it? The reason you get to eat like a King while eliminating toxins is that you’ll be swapping out high-inflammatory ingredients such as dairy, for ingredients that aid in the body’s detoxification process, and cause no inflammatory reaction.
Myth #5: It’s Expensive – No.
It’s true that some Detox programs cost thousands of dollars. But with my 21 Day Detox, you can easily lose 30 pounds or more, starting at only $249. That’s less than $12 a day. Not bad for the following:
- 4 Organic Green Drinks, 2 Protein Shakes and 1 Detox Soup every day during your 3 Day Cleanse interval
- My Recipe E-Book, Making Healthier Easier, which includes a healthy food pyramid (not the ridiculous one the federal government uses); a list of cleanse approved foods; detox drinks and smoothies; healthy breakfasts; tasty snacks and apps; super soups; sensational salads; easy entrees and sides; sweets and treats
- Healthy Portions Chart and other handy printouts
- Unlimited email and phone support
If you’ve been thinking about going on a detox diet but you’re confused, scared, and don’t know how to get started, you’ve come to the right place.
I’ll hold your hand every step of the way. I promise you will transform your body and mind (maybe even your spirit) when the 21 days are over. I also promise you won’t feel like you’re starving or miserable. It will take some dedication on your part. You must be willing to do some healthy meal prep and cooking on your own. But my recipes are real easy to follow and don’t take long to make.
And if you’ve never done a 3-day calorie-restricted liquid diet cleanse, it might seem a little challenging to go that long without any solid food. But with the protein shakes and detox soup dinner, you’ll do just fine and you’ll be buzzing with natural energy after the 3 day interval.
Get Started. Experience the Chef V Transformation
Think how quickly the last 3 weeks or even the last 3 years of your life has flown by. You can do this. It’s not nearly as hard as you think. After the 21 days, not only will your clothes feel much looser, you’ll smile at your new slimmer physique when you look in the mirror, your skin will feel smoother, your thinking will be sharper … and overall, you’re going to feel like you’re living your best life.
What do you say? Ready to get started.
Essential Detox: 21 Days to Better Health
Happy hello! Whether it’s hot or cold, every day calls for care for your health. Weather changes and cleansing go together with my Chef V cleanses & detoxes.
My cleanses include delicious Carrot Ginger and Sweet Potato Curry soups, soothing and filling. Doing an essential detox cleanse right now may protect you from nasty viruses. Plus, doing a detox is like giving your organs a much-needed tune-up.
When you’re sharing oxygen in a confined space, that’s when your body is more susceptible to catching colds and flu viruses. At work with lots of people in close proximity, the state of your immune system is a major factor in determining if you’re going to have to call in sick for work.
You might feel totally healthy now. But if you eat unhealthy fast food now that you are back at work along with alcohol, ice cream and other inflammatory foods, your immune system might be weakened right now without you knowing it.
And if you don’t detox your system now, your immune system’s energy will be spent trying to get rid of the toxic load in your organs, instead of devoting all of its resources to fighting viruses.
Hey, maybe you’re one of the lucky ones and can feast on foods with refined carbohydrates. Perhaps you’re a genetic freak who never gets sick despite a diet rich in foods with white flour, sugar, and saturated fats.
But if you’re not a member of the dietary one-percent I have some advice for you on boosting your immune system right now with an essential detox….
“During my 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.” – Mackenzie
Below, my Black Bean Soup, a recipe from my cookbook. A cleanse-friendly recipe created to accompany my cleanses and detoxes.
Ditch Sugar Addiction & Reset Your Metabolism In Just 21 Days
In addition to eating unhealthy food, you might be more vulnerable to getting sick because of stress.
Recently, I wrote about staying healthy for the back to school season. But even if you don’t have kids, many of us feel stressed out. And when stress strikes, lots of people cope by snacking on sugary treats and other unhealthy food.
If you can relate to having felt stressed out or eat lots of unhealthy food, I suggest trying my 21 Day Detox.
My 21 Day Detox is 100% organic. Although you’ll very likely lose weight after doing a 21 Day Detox, my program is far more than just a weight loss solution. More than that, my 21 Day Detox will teach you how to adopt healthier eating habits. Not just for the 21 days but for weeks, months and even years after the detox is over.
How Does The 21 Day Essential Detox Work?
During the 21 Day Detox, you’ll have days when you follow my Cleanse protocol, which provides you with four servings of 16 oz Green Drinks, 2 Protein Shakes and a Detox Soup. Then, on other days, you’ll also have Green Drinks and Protein Shakes, plus my Healthy Routine, which allows you to choose your own lunch, snack and dinner from my Meal Planner. The Meal Planner contains delicious recipes, an approved foods list, a portion-size guide, and more helpful tips that will make completing a 21 Day Essential Detox a breeze.
Plus, when you order the 21 Day Detox, I email you a downloadable copy of my recipe book, Making Cleansing Easier.
A lot of people have no idea what to eat. But I take all the guess work out of meal planning. My recipes are filled with lots of low-starch veggies, healing herbs and spices and healthy, whole grains that don’t promote inflammation. I also include some fruit as part of my Healthy Eating routine (but not too much), as well as legumes, lean protein and moderate amounts of healthy oils such as olive oil.
Squashing VIruses With … Squash, Soup And Other Awesome Autumn Veggies
Introducing winter squash, sweet potato, carrot, beets and other hearty antioxidant-rich veggies this time of year is a good strategy for boosting your immune system and aiding your body in the detox process.
And when you do my 21 Day Detox, you’ll get one of two delicious Detox soups for dinner: Carrot Ginger Zing and Sweet Potato Curry. The carrot ginger soup also contains yam, onion, garlic, turmeric, and sea salt with a base of filtered water.
As for the sweet potato curry, it’s loaded with leeks, onion, garlic, ginger, turmeric, and a gentle curry spice, flavored to taste with sea salt in a filtered water base.
Although the Detox Soups are relatively low in calories, they are very nutrient dense, so you won’t still be hungry and be tempted by empty carbs after having it for dinner.
Here’s what one Chef V customer, Mel H. of San Diego, has to say about the soup on Yelp:
The detox soup is DELICIOUS- I want to try the recipe on my own one of these days. After 3 days of cleansing I feel 100% better. I will absolutely do this cleanse again. Thanks Chef V. !
Mel didn’t jump into the 21 Day Detox. She dipped her toe in the shallow end by doing my shortest detox program, the 3 Day Cleanse. If the sound of a 21 Day Detox intimidates you, doing a 3 Day Cleanse (or 5 day or 7 day) is a good alternative.
Whether you choose the shorter cleanse or the 21 Day Detox, I’ll tell you exactly what foods to eat in the days leading up to the program and for the days that follow it after you successfully finish it.
So give your organs a tune-up now and get them in tip-top shape for the cold/flu season that’s right around the corner.
To your health,
Chef V
The New Normal: How I Keep My Sh*! Together When I’m Stressed Out
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
Alli-Yums? Should You Pass On Garlic & Onions?
For most people, cooking a meal at home just isn’t whole without garlic or onions. Harsh breath aside, garlic and onions (allium vegetables) possess potent health-building properties. But for a few people with poor digestion, alliums are just no fun. Chef V explains why garlic and onions can lead to indigestion.
Here’s a little health tip that you can try at home. Just make sure you have some mouthwash handy: eating raw garlic and onion may be two of the best things to eat for your gut.
That’s because they both contain prebiotic fiber. You’ve heard of probiotics (friendly bacteria in your gut) but in case you don’t know what prebiotic fiber is, it’s basically the preferred source of food for your beneficial gut bacteria.
If you feed your gut prebiotic fiber, the good bacteria will feast on the undigested fiber in your colon and produce short-chain fatty acids. Pretty much every single health benefit you can think of, from emotional well-being to your immune system depends on short-chain fatty acids.
So does this mean you should be eating garlic and onions by the handful?
The Health Benefits of Alliums
Garlic and onions are members of the allium family of plants. Leeks, chives, and scallions (green onions) are also alliums.
Besides being used to flavor dishes, there are some very good reasons to eat a lot of alliums. They are rich in vitamins and minerals and contain compounds that are believed to fight disease.
For instance, a 2017 study in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine says that alliums are rich in organosulfur compounds, quercetin, and flavonoids, among others. These compounds, says the research, have the following properties:
● Protect against cancer
● Cardiovascular disease prevention
● Anti-inflammation
● Prevents obesity
● Fights diabetes
● Contains antioxidants
● Kills germs
● Protects the brain and immune system
Moreover, several studies, says a research article in the Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention, have shown that a higher intake of allium products is associated with reduced risk of several types of cancers.
Besides bad breath, is there any reason not to eat these most common alliums by the bulb-full? Maybe there’s a good reason why Mediterranean cultures eat a ton of garlic and seem to have less chronic disease than Americans? Garlic is thought to be one of the most powerful foods for keeping the arteries clear of plaque buildup.
As for onions, it’s an excellent non-citrus source of vitamin C. Both garlic and onions are excellent for people trying to manage their blood sugar levels.
The Downside Of Alliums
But before you go eating bulb after bulb of garlic and onions, keep in mind that not everybody can tolerate alliums very well. It’s hard to say how many people have a true allium allergy.
Unlike Celiac Disease, which we know affects roughly 2 million people in the U.S, there’s no reliable data on garlic and onion allergies. Relatively few people are probably truly allergic to alliums but there are many people who are intolerant of them.
So what’s in garlic and onions that cause bloating, gas and other digestive upset? The reason why is that alliums are high in FODMAPs. FODMAP stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols. Basically, these carbohydrates are very hard for some to digest.
For people that have to eat a low FODMAP diet, eating alliums can cause the small intestine to poorly absorb the sugars in the onion and garlic. The sugars then ferment in the colon (large intestine), causing gas or other symptoms. But only a few people – who need to eat a very low FOD map diet – cannot tolerate alliums. For 99% of people, they are fine.
Fructans in Garlic and Onions
The main offending carbohydrate in alliums is called fructan, which is a chain of fruit sugar (fructose) molecules. Fructans represent the ‘oligosaccharides’ in FODMAPs. Garlic is especially problematic because it contains one of the highest levels of fructans in the plant world.
Unfortunately, there’s no magic pill you can take to break down fructans like you can a lactase enzyme for dairy. That means if you eat at a meal with lots of garlic and onions, you may experience abdominal pain, acid reflux or constipation.
In general, it’s a great idea to get more prebiotic fiber in your diet. More prebiotic fiber means better gut health. But not everybody tolerates prebiotic fiber (fructans and inulin, which is a polysaccharide).
Elimination Diet
If you have trouble digesting alliums, I suggest giving them up for a few weeks along with every other type of food that may be triggering food sensitivities. That means no gluten (wheat), soy, and the most common other food sensitivity triggers: artificial sweeteners, caffeine, MSG, dairy, tree nuts, shellfish, peanuts and eggs.
That bit of advice may seem overwhelming because what’s left to eat? But if you have serious digestive issues, I highly recommend working with a nutritionist who can help you discover the root causes of your digestive issues.
The good news is that after a few weeks, you can start reintroducing some of these foods back into your diet, one at a time.
And if you love garlic but it doesn’t love you back, here’s another piece of advice. Buy garlic-infused olive oil. It’s low in FODMAPS so it won’t trigger any food sensitivities.
Just don’t forget to brush and use a strong mouthwash.
What Do I Eat Today – Menu with Chicken Pot Pie
This “What Do I Eat Today” menu starts with warm lemon water, then Green Drink. For breakfast, Warm Cinnamon Quinoa, a hearty treat. For lunch, my Mediterranean Stew, and for dinner, Chicken Pot Pie, a gluten-free recipe with a vegan option, demonstrated in this Chef V Cooking School video.
I have lemon water in the morning and then I wait until I’m hungry to have my Green Drink.
For Breakfast – Warm Cinnamon Quinoa
For breakfast, Warm Cinnamon Quinoa fills the belly and tastes so good. I use quinoa, my own recipe for raw almond milk, raw coconut nectar, and ground cinnamon. You can top it with berries and/or nuts.
For Lunch – Mediterranean Butternut Squash + Carrot Stew with Quinoa
For lunch you have my Mediterranean stew, made with mellow spices for a flavorful and healthy mid-day meal.
This stew can be prepared a day ahead. It’s great to take to work or enjoy for dinner the next day, or for a warm and healthy meal for the kids to come home to and easily reheat.
Dinner – Chef V’s Chicken Pot Pie
For dinner, you are having my Chicken Pot Pie, made with healthier ingredients that will taste great and make you feel good. There is a vegan option as well!
This recipe is featured in my Cooking series on YouTube and you can watch me prepare the recipe here.
What Do I Eat Today – Menu with Chef V’s Moussaka
This “What Do I Eat Today” menu starts with warm lemon water, then Green Drink. For breakfast, Easy Cereal with Chef V’s Almond Milk. For lunch, my Creamy Sweet Potato Soup, and for dinner, Vegan Moussaka, demonstrated in this month’s Chef V Cooking School video.
I have lemon water in the morning and then I wait until I’m hungry to have my Green Drink.
For Breakfast – Easy Cereal with Chef V’s raw Almond Milk
Chef V’s Tip: My Raw Almond Milk is easy to make and so versatile; I use it throughout my book. Or, an ice-cold glass of it is refreshing on a hot summer day.
This “What do I Eat today” lunch is Sweet Potato Leek Soup. Sweet potatoes are the uber tuber – packed with fiber and antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and blood sugar regulating nutrients. The best ways to prepare them for maximum health benefits are boiling, steaming and stir frying.
Dinner – Vegan Moussaka
For dinner, you are having my Vegan Moussaka, made with healthier ingredients that will taste great and make you feel good. My vegan version of moussaka uses a dairy-free Béchamel sauce and mushrooms instead of meat.
This recipe is featured in my Cooking series on YouTube and you can watch me prepare the recipe here.
Dessert – Chia Seed Pudding
For dessert or snack we offer a recipe for Chia Seed Pudding. Chia seed pudding is great for breakfast, dessert, or anytime, and kids love this recipe.
Chia seeds are tiny superfood heroes. They come in either white or dark brown/black and have a huge nutritional profile. here.
Top Five Ways to Use Green Drink – Perfect Morning Detox
Now that your Green Drink has arrived, what do you do with it? Here are the top five ways to use Green Drink.
Should you chug the whole thing in one sitting like you’re at a frat party? Or do you daintily sip it like Mary Poppins drinking a cuppa tea? Whether you chug or sip is totally up to you. More important is learning how to incorporate Green Drink into your everyday routine.
Top 5 ways to use Green Drink #1: Perfect Morning Detox
When you wake up in the morning, it’s the perfect opportunity to gently detox your liver. So here’s how to do it. After you wake up in the morning, drink at least 8 ounces of water. Optional: add a lemon wedge or some lemon juice. (Lemon juice helps assist the detox process.)
But don’t have your Green Drink just yet. Wait for about half an hour. Give your liver some time to do its purification thing. This is the one time of the day when your liver won’t have to process anything you’ve eaten.
OK, now it’s time to have some Green Drink. Drink at least 16-24 oz. in the morning. The 7 certified organic green veggies will quickly fuel your cells with the nutrients they need for energy and metabolism.
If you’re going to eat solid food in the morning, try to wait half an hour after consuming Green Drink. Again, this is the time of day when you want to give your liver the best chance to flush out trapped toxins.
Many people make the mistake of eating in the morning, before drinking water and Green Drink. When you eat food, your liver doesn’t get a chance to rest and detox. In fact, not eating breakfast is another way you can use Green Drink, which leads us to the next way to use it….
Top 5 ways #2: Wait Until You’re Hungry
I actually wait until I FEEL hungry before having my first serving of daily Green Drink. It’s amazing … after two 8-ounce servings, my hunger instantly vanishes. And then, I’ll actually wait a little longer before I eat my first solid meal of the day.
If you want to accelerate your weight loss, do this before every meal. Wait until you’re hungry, then have some Green Drink. If you want to make your Green Drink last longer, you can do 8 oz. in the morning and then 4 oz. before both lunch and dinner.
Top 5 ways #3: Drink it All Day
A Green Drink customer owns a yoga studio right down the street from where our East Coast Chef V Cafe is located. (If you’re ever in West Caldwell, NJ, stop by and say hi!). From time to time, random people will come into our cafe and say, “We saw this woman in great shape with your drink. She told us she gets a big jug of Green Drink in the morning and sips on it all day until dinner.”
Now, you don’t have to just eat one meal a day. But if you want to lose some weight quick, say, for a wedding, having Green Drink for breakfast and lunch (or breakfast and dinner) is an awesome way to shed the pounds, fast.
Top 5 ways #4: Intermittent Fasting
You’ve probably heard of intermittent fasting because it’s become very popular. My husband, Brandon, and I have actually been doing intermittent fasting long before it became a health trend. We feel great doing it. It’s not a diet, it’s more of a lifestyle!
In case you’re not familiar with it, here’s the skinny: When you go several hours between dinner and your first meal the following day without eating, your body burns its reserves of fat for energy, instead of sugar. Brandon and I usually fast for 16 hours.
Not only will fasting 16 hours help you get leaner, it offers other health benefits such as improved focus and concentration. Studies suggest it might even lengthen your life. But you don’t have to fast for 16 hours at first.
For the first week, try 12 hours. Push it to 14 hours the following week and then 16 if you’re feeling great. Sixteen hours has shown the most benefit. But even if you just fast for 12-14 hours, you’ll likely experience positive results.
The most important thing is when you break your fast, break it with 16-24 oz of Green Drink. My body is so used to fasting that I’m never hungry in the morning. Come to think of it, that’s another way I use Green Drink….
For my complete Green Drink Intermittent Fasting Guide click here
Top 5 ways #5: Make It Into A Smoothie
To make a smoothie: Add ½ cup ice and ½ cup unsweetened almond milk.
For Green Drink smoothie recipe ideas, I’ve included this handy download for you.
Homemade Gatorade
If I’m running low on Green Drink or am just in the mood for something else, I’ll make my own healthy, homemade Gatorade electrolyte drink.
I make a healthy alternative to Gatorade and other sugar-filled, artificial sports drinks. Check out my recipe.
And here’s my article about electrolytes and the importance of keeping your levels optimal.
Ingredients
- 1 cup coconut water
- 1 cup cold water
- 1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange or mandarin
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp coconut sugar
Directions
Blend in a blender. Serve cold. Keep for up to 2 days in the fridge.
Yoga – Q&A with Veronica Wheat
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.
Chef V Q & A – She Answers your Questions About Cleansing – Headaches, Hunger, Exercise
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
Give This Organ Some TLC For Cleansing & Weight Loss
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!
Hot Detox Tea
Chef V's Tip: Both ginger and turmeric are two powerful spices that have anti-oxidant anti-inflammatory properties and aid digestion and liver cleansing.
Ingredients
- 8-12 oz boiling water
- 1 bag non-caffeinated tea
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon fresh or ground turmeric
- 1/8 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 lemon wedge
- 1 cinnamon stick, optional
Directions
Steep tea for 3 minutes. Add spices, vinegar, and a squeeze of the lemon wedge. Enjoy warm!
Where is the Healthiest City in America?
Where is the Healthiest City in America?
At Chef V, we see ourselves as ambassadors of good health. Many Americans are pessimistic about healthy eating habits. Yet, there are plenty of states that are making their health and wellbeing a priority. This fun piece will look at some of the top-ranked healthiest cities in America. No matter where you live if you are in the range of our green juice delivery, achieving your health goals is a breeze!
What Makes a Healthy City?
When it comes to determining what makes a city “healthy”, we’ll admit that it’s all up to personal opinion. However, there are plenty of popular ways that people measure health and wellness that we can base our opinions on.
Just because a city is considered “healthy” doesn’t mean that living there automatically improves your health. Rather, being a healthy city is all about providing a health-positive culture, as well as access to the resources for health. You can get juice cleanses in San Diego and juice cleanses in New York – and all the cities between can get detox juice as well. What matters is the priorities of the people in those cities and their options. Following are some ways to measure health factors in any city:
Physical Health: A city that wants to promote physical health is going to be a walkable one. Sure, you can walk anywhere, but it’s much more fun in a city with parks, trails and shopping areas. Easy access to gyms and places to be active are also important.
Nutritional Health: If a city doesn’t have a culture of healthy eating, it will be harder to shop for things like a 3 day juice cleanse. Cities filled with food deserts are going to have a hard time providing the nutritional needs of all their people.
Environmental Health: Having a green city is easier on the eyes. Real environmental health means not putting people near potential health hazards, such as chemical waste or smog.
Emotional Health: Some cities have a reputation as high-stress places. This could be because of long commutes, lack of public service, or even high crime levels. Any city that can avoid these issues is going to be a healthier place to live.
Intellectual Health: Exercising your body isn’t just about staying healthy. It’s also about having something to do and keeping yourself occupied. Cities with plenty of museums, libraries, and galleries can help keep your brain engaged.
Our Picks
With that out of the way, which cities in America does Chef V think hits these high points? In no particular order, here’s a list of some of our favorites, and some we think may need a bit more cred for their health.
San Diego
We couldn’t make this list without giving a shout-out to San Diego. Selling our juice cleanse in San Diego is how Chef V got started, after all! There’s more to San Diego’s healthy reputation than just green juice delivery. Possibly because of the weather, San Diegans love getting out and being active. Detox juice and exercise outside are a winning combination anywhere.
Los Angeles
Perhaps it’s born out of a less than healthy obsession over body image, but Angelinos are dedicated to working out and eating right. Their desire to keep trendy has also meant the residents of Los Angeles have ditched cigarettes more than nearly any other city in America.
Seattle
Seattleite’s are all about being healthy in as many ways as possible. Not only are they as active as the rainy weather allows, but they also have tons of yoga instructors and tons of places to get fresh produce.
The whole North West is generally a healthy place – a special shout-out to Portland as well for having many of the same good health habits as Seattle.
San Francisco
We don’t want to give the west coast too much love, but there’s indeed something about being out west that brings out the active nature of people. People in San Francisco are very good at keeping their weight down, keeping active, and avoiding bad habits such as smoking.
This is a good place to also put a shout-out to the entire Bay area, including places like San Jose. Exercise, good food, and healthy mental wellness practices are all popular around the Bay area.
New York
New York has perhaps an unfair reputation for being a high-stress environment. Life might move quickly in the big apple, but the city also has a long tradition of close-knit neighborhoods and communities. This helps provide much-needed emotional health. New Yorkers understand grit, and nothing seems able to break their healthy stride
Washington
The Capital of America is another city that doesn’t get much recognition for being healthy. Yet, like New York, it has a reputation for close-knit communities. People here are also dedicated to staying active, while also getting enough sleep.
Denver
Colorado is synonymous to many with an active lifestyle, and Denver itself is no exception. Plenty of fun outdoor activities and loads of produce-laden farmers’ markets make for a naturally healthy combination. The reputation for healthy living has only attracted more health-conscious people up to the Mile High City
Atlanta
With the south noted for its intense heat, it’s impressive how much Atlanta understands chilling out. The city is noted as a growing hub for the wellness movement, with people embracing healthy eating, lifestyles, and meditation.F
Get a Blended Juice Cleanse Across America
No matter if you’re looking for a juice cleanse in San Diego or a Juice Cleanse in New York, Chef V has your back. Our green juice delivery covers wide swathes of both the East and West coast. So anyone who lives in the cities we mentioned can get our green drink delivered right to them.
Don’t see your state listed? Don’t give up hope! Please email us at [email protected] and let us know you want our raw juice and plant-based delivery service in your area. Together we’ll expand the area of our green juice delivery.
Our Top 10 Underrated Vegetarian Dishes From Around the World
At Chef V, we’re always looking for the best way to maximize your nutrients and putting only the best things into your body. With that in mind, we’re making a list of some of the best vegetarian dishes from around the world that you may not have heard of.
Why Vegetables Matter
Since we’re all about providing great green drinks and juice cleanse diets, it’s no surprise that Chef V is also enthusiastic about vegetarian dishes. However, there’s more to these meals than just tasting great. Getting your leafy greens are important for a few reasons.
Firstly, it’s all about what they got. Vegetables are packed full of all your body’s favorite nutrients from vitamin A and C to fiber and potassium. This means that veggies are great for helping you boost your immune system and stay energized.
However, vegetables also are very low in things like carbs, fat, and sugar. This is the reason that juice diets as so popular. You get all the good stuff with none of the bad and can make real gains on losing weight.
Our Underrated Vegetarian Dishes List
Some people might think that searching out new recipes that are strictly vegetarian is limiting your options. That couldn’t be further from the truth. There is a wealth of vegetarian dishes out there that you may have never. While you might be familiar with some, or even most of these, hopefully, there’s at least one new vegetarian dish for you to try out!
#1 Saag Paneer
Many people new to vegetarian dishes might worry that they can’t match the “comfort food” factor of hearty meat-based meals. However, Indian cuisine is busy proving this misconception wrong every single day. There are more great Indian vegetarian meals than we can cover in one article.
If we had to pick one to start, you can find tons of great Saag Paneer recipes online. This is a perfect way to get into vegetarian dishes – you get a lot of greens, and still get the “filling” sensation from the cheese. And if you want to go full vegan there are plenty of recipes that use tofu.
#2 Laab Jay
If there’s one cuisine that can challenge Indian for mastery of plant-based dishes, it probably has to be Thai food. We barely even know where to start with all the great recipes out there. If you are familiar with Laab (sometimes spelled “larb”), you probably know its meat variants best. However, you can make delicious vegan laab as well.
#3 Koshari
Bored of your regular vegan and vegetarian pasta dishes? Then it’s time to give Koshari a try – also known as Koshary or Kushari depending on who you ask. Koshari is the perfect merger of Italian and Arabic cuisine. It features a base of pasta, lentils, rice, and chickpeas, with crispy onions and a truly delicious tomato sauce and garlic vinegar. There are also tons of regional variants of the food, so it’s a perfect one for experimentation.
#4 Urab
When it comes to salads, it’s very hard to beat the wonderful taste of Urab (also known as Urap). This salad comes to us from Indonesian cuisine and is made up of a variety of steamed vegetables. No matter the particular recipe, what really brings Urab together is the shredded coconut. Chef V even has a Balinese version that we’ve spotlit before!
#5 Vinaigrette
Nope, we’re not talking about salad dressing. Vinaigrette is a beet salad that is a staple of Russian and Ukrainian cuisine. There are plenty of variations, but most are pretty easy to whip up. Beets are a super underrated vegetable, and this is a great way to get them into your diet.
#6 Fasolakia You know what’s another underrated veggie when it comes to vegetarian dishes? Those green beans. Too often they’re considered a bland sidekick in bland dishes. However, in Greece, they do green beans a little differently. Fasolakia is an easy but incredibly delicious dish, where green beans are elevated by the inclusion of olive oil and tomato.
#7 Ratatouille
Thanks to the film of the same name, Ratatouille is starting to get a little bit more exposure in North America. There are many versions of this French comfort food, but most of them include indulgently garlicky eggplant and zucchini.
#8 Pelau
Rice is a staple of plenty of vegetarian dishes. Since it shows up so much, it’s easy for it to start to get boring. In Trinidad, however, rice is never even close to boring. Pelau is a rice pilaf made with coconut. While often mixed with meat products, it’s a great base for plenty of delicious vegetarian recipes.
#9 Rösti
Just like rice, potatoes are often the basis of many vegetarian dishes. However, they often get snubbed by many vegetarians for being a little dull, or a little too carb-heavy. However, the Swiss National dish Rösti is one potato dish you can’t miss. The best part? It works great with sweet potatoes just as well! This takes the concept behind hash browns to a whole new level.
#10 Black Bean Stews
Yet another often underrated vegetable is the humble black bean. In Latin American cuisine, however, these little packages of protein and fiber tend to take on starring roles. There are plenty of Colombian recipes that make great use of black beans, such as the classic black bean stew.
Boost Your Weight Loss Goals With a Juice Cleanse Diet
Sometimes you need to kickstart your weight loss plans and new vegetarian diets. Or maybe you need to strike back against the weight gain of the holiday season. Or maybe you just really love the taste of green drinks. No matter what you love about a juice cleanse diet, it’s the easiest way to get all the good stuff and none of the bad stuff. Our green drink also makes a great companion to any of the vegetarian dishes above. And with our green drink plan, it’s easier than ever to add healthy juice to your diet.
Your Intro To Digestive Health
Your digestive system is one of the most important and underappreciated parts of your body. Everyone wants to talk about heart health, brain health, or lung health. But the key to good health is good nutrition – and your digestive system is what determines that. If you haven’t given digestive health a thought, this piece serves as an introduction to the topic.
Common Digestive Issues
When people think of their digestive system, they might assume that this means their intestines. However, your digestive system counts as every part of your body is involved in the intake and digestion of food, from one end to the other. A digestive system is a machine with many different working parts. If any of them has an issue – well, you’re going to know it. Some common digestive problems you might experience (and their probable causes) include the following:
Trouble Swallowing: Prolonged trouble swallowing food can mean that there is some sort of damage to your esophagus. This is something you should check with a doctor about.
Stomach Pain: Pain in your abdomen can come from a variety of sources. Not all these have to do with the stomach or the digestive system at all. It’s a good idea to have a doctor pin down exactly which organ is causing you trouble.
Heartburn: Heartburn has nothing to do with your heart, but is caused by stomach acid making its way back up your esophagus. Heartburn can be dealt with by avoiding the foods that trigger it, eating smaller meals, and taking heartburn medication.
Constipation: There are plenty of reasons for constipation. Sometimes it’s due to other illnesses, or issues with medication. The most common reasons are lack of water and lack of fiber in the diet.
Diarrhea: While diarrhea can be caused by bacteria or medical conditions, it can also have dietary causes. These can range from food allergies, or eating things with too many artificial sweeteners.
Easy Steps For Better Digestive Health
There are plenty of ways that you can improve digestive health – exercise and lack of stress are both linked to good digestive health. However, the most important part of your digestive health has to be your diet. Put bad things into your body, get bad results.
Sometimes digestive issues can be because of a specific allergy. For example, if you have lactose intolerance, you’ll want to avoid dairy products unless you want an upset stomach.
Yet, there are also some wide dietary requirements that you should keep in mind. Firstly, you want to always try to get enough fiber. This is vital for making sure that your digestive system is working properly.
Getting foods with anti-oxidants is also important. These can reduce inflammation in your gut and lead to a healthier digestive system.
The upshot? Try to get more vegetables and fruits in your diet. These are the best way to maximize your fiber and antioxidants. This is also a reason why a detox juice cleanse is so good for your digestive health.
Show Your Digestive System Some Love With Our Detox Juice Cleanse
Every Chef V cleanse is designed around the promotion of good digestive health. From our 3 days to 21-day juice cleanse, our green drinks are designed to help eliminate toxins and flush the bad stuff out. Meanwhile, our detox soups and detox smoothies will give you the protein and fiber you need to keep regular during even a full 21-day juice cleanse. This means you can take on even your biggest juice cleanse goals with total confidence.
How Did Juice Cleanses Get Started?
How Did Juice Cleanses Get Started?
Blended Juice Cleanses have helped tons of people around the world lose weight, detox their bodies, and to feel great about themselves. But where did the idea of juicing come from? It might be a much older practice than you think! This fun piece explores the earliest examples of using juice for its health benefits, as well as the emergence of modern juice cleanses.
Juicing Throughout History
Some people might dismiss juicing as just a modern fad. However, juicing has actually been around for quite some time. There are rumors of juicing recipes being found from thousands of years ago in the Middle East – as the stories have it, the most popular kind of juice back then was pomegranate.
Ancient peoples didn’t just have a one-off fling with the wonders of juicing. Ancient Greek doctors might have recommended you try juices that included barley, herps, grapes, or myrtle. Roman physicians, on the other hand, may have tried to get you on a variety of juices, using apples, grapes, pears, beets, and even celery. (Yep, celery juice isn’t anything new!).
While these people might not have quite understood the juice cleanse as we know it, they did grasp the idea of a juice cleanse. While they may not have grasped modern medicine, they did get the idea that juice cleanses could help flush the bad stuff out of your body.
As people moved into the Medieval and Early Modern period, a love of juicing continued, though it often got much weirder. People were into trying to mix really wacky ingredients into their juice regimes, which soon started to more resemble magic potions. Your orange juice back then might have opium and unicorn horn mixed in with it! (At Chef V, we only use vegan ingredients, so no luck on getting any unicorn horns from us).
There are too many historical figures associated with juice cleanses throughout history to name. Even William Shakespeare might have enjoyed a juice cleanse from time to time. Shakespeare’s son-in-law, famous Elizabethan physician John Hall, came up with veggie-filled juice recipes to try to counter diseases such as scurvy.
Modern Juices
While people have been enjoying detox juice cleanses all throughout history, it was always a pretty laborious process. Getting fresh vegetables and fruits wasn’t always easy, nor was getting the most out of them.
Modern juice cleansing can be said to have started with the career of Norman Walker. The inventor of the Norwalk Hydraulic Juice Press, Walker opened some of the first juice bars in California, bringing juice cleanses to San Diego, Long Beach, Los Angeles, and the rest of Southern California.
Norman Walker is somewhat of a controversial figure in juicing, since he was operating right on the forefront of juice cleanses, and might not have always understood why his juices were so good for him and his customers. However, his vegan diet was nothing if not effective, considering he lived to be 99 years of age! You can find his juice machines in kitchens across the world to this day.
The Future of the Detox Juice Cleanse
Thanks to the work of proponents like Walker, juice became increasingly associated with good health in the early decades of the 20th century. Soon there were those looking to take the concept further, with selected limited juice diets. Starting in the 1970s, the term “juice cleanse” started to be used more widely, with various cleanses starting to vie for dominance, such as the Master Cleanse. Post-2000, the world was finally tuned in to the benefits of programs like the 21-day detox.
People also started to be more clued into the weaknesses of established juice cleanses. As time goes on, it becomes more clear which juice cleanses are fads, and which really work. The key to a good juice cleanse is making sure that you stay healthy throughout it. You want to be able to promote weight loss and eliminate toxins without endangering your own health.
At Chef V even our 21 Day Cleanse is totally doable. We mix our nutrient-packed green drinks up with detox soups and smoothies. This leads to a cleanse that will leave you feeling great, all the way through – no unicorn horns required!
How Long Does (And Should) Organic Green Drink Last?
Time is of the essence. A perfect looking piece of green kale—one of the 7 leafy greens in Organic Green Drink—has just been plucked from the ground. As soon as produce leaves the mineral-rich cozy confines of healthy soil, it starts losing nutritional value.
In this article, Chef V explains the optimal shelf life of juices made from dark, leafy greens—and the most nutritious method to make green drinks. Think your store-bought juice is healthy? You may be in for a surprise!
above, commercial centrifugal juicer
Centrifugal Juicers
Centrifugal juicers extract juice at super fast speeds. Where’s the harm in that? After all, if you have thousands of customers, you need fast production. The problem with warp-speed juicing is that the high velocity of the juicer creates a tremendous amount of heat in the juicing blades.
When it comes to cooking oils and produce, there’s no greater nutritional killer than heat. The heat generated in the metal blades of conventional centrifugal juicers destroys some of the enzymes in the oranges (and green leafy veggies, in the case of mega corporation green juices).
Another problem with juicing produce is that the high heat causes oxidation. Oxidation is the chemical reaction that turns a partially-eaten apple that’s left out into a brown, unappetizing, rancid-looking piece of rubbish.
Cold-Blended Green Drinks
When I decided to take the plunge as an entrepreneur over a decade ago, I was committed to providing the most nutritious green drink available. And what I discovered was there was indeed a healthier way to turn a bunch of the healthiest dark, leafy green veggies into a juice—without losing any of the nutritional value.
You don’t have to have a degree in chemistry to figure out that cold-blending is a technique that involves no heat. Therefore, all the enzymes, nutrients and phytochemicals in the leafy greens are preserved. Cold-blended juice is basically as close as you can possibly get to having a salad with the same leafy greens.
Yes, speed is sacrificed with the cold-blended process. But my motto with Chef V isn’t “Over 1 billion Green Drinks served.” I may not be able to whip up a juice at 10,000 revolutions per minute like a conventional chain juice bar. But taking only a few seconds to achieve salad-level nutritional quality will most likely never be a reality, at least not in my lifetime.
Thankfully, however, juicing technology has come a long way. Here at Chef V headquarters, we have some of the biggest and most powerful industrial juicers available. The powerful technology of modern blenders allows us to make your Green Drink fresh—without any nutrient-zapping heat!
Raw Vs Pasteurized Juice
The other raging debate in the world of juicing involves unpasteurized (raw) versus pasteurized juice. Now don’t get me wrong. I think Louis Pasteur was a genius for the invention of his eponymously-named method to rid food of harmful bacteria. But pasteurization was introduced in 1863—long before modern refrigeration greatly eliminated the threat of becoming ill because of food-borne microbes.
Juice sold in supermarkets has to be pasteurized by law. But pasteurization kills the beneficial bacteria in the dark, leafy greens. When you purchase veggies from a supermarket, they are not pasteurized. So why would you want to consume pasteurized kale, chard, collard greens, lettuce, parsley, and dandelion greens?
The pasteurization process also denatures some of the natural enzymes. But hey, if you like your bottle of juice to be able to sit in your fridge for several weeks, go ahead and purchase pasteurized juice.
Some juice brands proudly claim that they use flash-pasteurization. This is an ultra-fast method of killing microbes. But the truth is that all types of pasteurization involve nutrient-killing heat. Yes, there is also something called cold pasteurization, but I don’t know any juice companies that use this method. But according to this research article, even cold pasteurization leads to the inactivation of enzymes in the food and extends the shelf life.
How Long Should Green Drink Last?
How natural does it seem to you that a bottle of juice can stay preserved for weeks? Do you think that’s how Mother Nature intended us to eat? Sure, refrigeration is a modern convenience, a miracle really. But no nutrient-dense green juice should be viable for weeks.
Cold-blended ORGANIC GREEN DRINK stays fresh for up to 7 days. You can think of CHEF V GREEN DRINKS as direct to consumer. When you buy brand-name juice, you’re most likely consuming a high-sugar, nutritionally-dead food. (Well, if not totally dead, then nutritionally in a coma.)
Pure and Clean Ingredients
With CHEF V ORGANIC GREEN DRINK, there are no preservatives, fillers or GMO ingredients. It was my mission when I launched my company—and will always be—to provide the seven leafy greens as close to their nutritional value that Mother Nature provides.
What’s in your juice?
To your health,
Chef V
Enhance Your Detox With These Enjoyable Treatments
In addition to our Green Drinks there are other great ways to enhance your detox. Some of them can be done – with precautions – at a day spa, at private appointments, or at home. Here are a few of Chef V’s favorites….
Embarking on a 21 day detox will be one of the most transforming journeys of your life.
If it’s a struggle for you to stick to a healthy eating plan, our cleanses and 21 Day Detox will motivate you to eat healthy long after your cleanse is over.
If you’re reading this because you tried every gimmick under the sun that only had short-term success at best, like the Master Cleanse Detox diet, I understand your cynicism.
But please read on….
I, along with the Chef V team, will be with you every step of the way to support you.
My mission is to make it as easy as possible for you to breeze through. Whether it’s the 3-day intro cleanse or the 21 Day Detox Obsessive.
Our Green Drinks, Protein Shakes, Detox Soups, meal plans, and recipe book will nourish and guide you.
But there are other things you can do to support and enhance your cleanse.
Let’s take a look at some tips for a better cleanse. (They’re certainly more enjoyable than a strict master cleanse detox.)
To be sure, if you don’t follow any of these tips, you will still see great results from following our Cleanse and Detox programs.
Enhance Your Detox: Colon Hydrotherapy
I’ll admit something. For those unfamiliar with colon hydrotherapy, the idea might sound not so, well, appetizing.
Here’s basically how colon hydrotherapy (also known as colon irrigation) works:
Save You lie on your side in the fetal position. A colon hydrotherapist ever so gently inserts a tube into your colon. Don’t worry, it’s not painful. Next, you sit up with your feet flat on the table. Then, gallons of water gush into your colon. The water navigates up towards your intestines.
After a short while, you will feel pressure. Before it becomes unbearable, the hydrotherapist will pull out the tube. Then, the detox flush occurs.
You can actually watch your toxic waste pass through the tube. This process repeats a few times during the average hydrotherapy session, which lasts about an hour.
I wholeheartedly believe in doing occasional colon hydrotherapy. Especially if you struggle with constipation, bloating, low energy or skin problems.
Your colon is a muscle and it needs to work out every day. So if you’re only going #2 every few days, the muscles of the colon wall weaken.
And as you can imagine, when you don’t poop regularly, toxins accumulate.
Keep in mind that staying hydrated is vital when doing a hydrotherapy session. Your therapist will likely discuss with you how much to drink (at least a half gallon) before the session. In addition, you’ll also need to fast for at least a few hours before.
Moreover, you’ll need to watch what you eat before your session. In the days leading up to and after your hydrotherapy session, you gotta eat clean. It’s the same with a Chef V cleanse or detox.
Although you may think that’s obvious, consider this unbelievable fact: I know people who actually ate a bacon cheeseburger the same day as their hydrotherapy session!
Enhance Your Detox: Sweat Your Butt Off in a Sauna
Ah, shvitzing in a sauna … sounds more relaxing than having a tube stuck up your bum, huh? Though personally, I’d rather have a colonic instead of doing a master cleanser detox diet.
Indeed, soaking in a sauna is not only relaxing, it can also help you detox.
Byproducts of metabolism seep out your sweat pores in a sauna. This dietary waste includes lactic acid and uric acid. Your body also stores fat in the toxins. When you profusely sweat, toxins deep down under the skin move up closer to the skin surface. Keep sweating and some of these toxins escape to the nearest exit, which is out of your skin.
Sitting in a sauna also improves your blood circulation. And when your blood flows better, toxins can move the elimination organs more effectively. In fact, if your blood flow is stagnant, it’s not that different from a sluggish colon imitating a backed-up septic system.
Enhance Your Detox: Open your Pores With Steam
Spending about 20 minutes or so in a steam room is another satisfying spa routine for detoxing.
Who says cleansing has to be a pain in the butt (no pun intended)?
Steam rooms for detoxing works for the same reason that saunas help purify your body. The main difference between sauna and steam is humidity. Saunas produce dry heat while steam rooms feel like a tropical, well, steam bath.
Here is how a steam room can help you detox. The hot steam can increase your metabolism even if it’s temporary. And once you start sweating, this means that toxins are coming out your pores.
In addition, there’s another benefit of steam rooms. They open your mucous membranes. This is a great thing if you battle with congestion frequently.
Another benefit of steam rooms is you’ll lose weight. However, it will be all water weight.
As a side not about weight loss, remember this: when you step on a scale, your weight is not telling you the whole story. What you want to feel is lighter and thinner and more energetic.
However, if you’ve got a wedding or event for which you want to squeeze into a tight-fitting dress, losing a few pounds is a bonus. Just remember to rehydrate!
Enhance Your Detox: treat yourself to a facial
Spending about 20 minutes or so in a steam room is another satisfying spa routine for detoxing.
Who says cleansing has to be a pain in the butt (no pun intended)?
Steam rooms for detoxing works for the same reason that saunas help purify your body. The main difference between sauna and steam is humidity. Saunas produce dry heat while steam rooms feel like a tropical, well, steam bath.
Here is how a steam room can help you detox. The hot steam can increase your metabolism even if it’s temporary. And once you start sweating, this means that toxins are coming out your pores.
In addition, there’s another benefit of steam rooms. They open your mucous membranes. This is a great thing if you battle with congestion frequently.
Another benefit of steam rooms is you’ll lose weight. However, it will be all water weight.
As a side not about weight loss, remember this: when you step on a scale, your weight is not telling you the whole story. What you want to feel is lighter and thinner and more energetic.
However, if you’ve got a wedding or event for which you want to squeeze into a tight-fitting dress, losing a few pounds is a bonus. Just remember to rehydrate!
Enhance Your Detox: treat yourself to a massage
How can I almost forget enhancing your cleanse by getting a massage! It’s yet another oh so satisfying way to detox. I recommend it at least once a month if you can budget for it. Getting a massage releases metabolic waste from your tissues and improves your blood circulation.
Got any other tips for a better detox? Do you think these detox tips are better than the master cleanse detox? Got any detox cleanse recipes you’d like to share? Contact us below or post a comment on our Facebook page.
To your health!
Chef V
Rock The New Year: Your Guide to Healthy Energy
With a New Year comes new resolutions – as well as (in many places), bad weather, and backlogged workloads. Keeping energized will help you knock out your goals in the new year. This piece gives you a comprehensive look at how to keep energy levels up in a healthy matter – no sugar or energy drinks required.
What Makes Energy Healthy?
If you look for a way to stay more energized online, you’ll encounter a host of energy drinks and other artificial supplements vying for your attention. The idea you can get instant energy in a bottle is an appealing one. Yet, as they say, there ain’t no such thing as a free lunch. Most artificial energy products will come with a crash later on. Real lasting energy requires making a variety of conscious choices. Following are just some of the ways you can boost your energy naturally and sustainably.
Manage Your Stress
We wouldn’t go so to say that your fatigue is all in your head. Yet, your mental state can have a significant impact on your energy level. Even if you aren’t in a job with a lot of physical activity, overwork can cause exhausting levels of stress. Don’t be afraid to ask for help at work if things are becoming too much to bear.
Managing stress in your personal life is important as well. Taking the time to talk to a therapist or practice meditation can go a long way to helping you feel less exhausted. Getting on even a quick 3 day juice cleanse can help give you the good vibes to perk you up.
Healthy Sleeping
Sleeping is at the core of many fatigue issues. This seems almost silly to point out. Don’t get enough sleep, you get tired, enough said. But do you know how to develop healthy sleeping habits?
It’s important to always get at least seven hours of sleep a night. For many people, this is easier said than done. Good sleeping is often about building a disciplined sleep routine. You want to try to cut the electronics and sugary foods before bed, and hold yourself to the hour you want to get up. You may also want to look into developing a sleep environment more conducive to shut-eye.
Substance Care
There are a lot of things that you want to avoid before going to bed, such as coffee and alcohol. It’s not just in the evening that you need to take account of what you put into your body. Too much coffee or alcohol can lead to periods of fatigue. Even though coffee can perk you up, too much throughout the day can start leaving you feeling exhausted. Coffee only blocks the substances in your body that make you tired, not eliminate them. Too much coffee will lead to a “tiredness” debt that you will have to pay up later. If you need a pick-me-up, reach for the green drink first.
Exercise
If you work out a ton every day, you’re going to get physically exhausted. Yet, a lack of exercise can lead to fatigue as well. When you exercise, your body produces endorphins, chemicals that make you feel good and peppy. If you a starting to feel “blah” during the day, a little exercise could be what you need to feel better. Even just getting up and walking around a bit can help you feel a little better.
Hydrate
Another really easy way to give yourself energy is to just keep water always on hand. Getting dehydrated is a very easy way to start feeling exhausted. Even mild dehydration is enough to make you feel sleepy. This is because as you become dehydrated, your blood pressure drops, which reduces the blood flow in your brain. Worse, dehydration can also mess with your sleep, compounding sleepiness. It pays to always have a glass of water or green drink on hand.
Eating Right
As they say, you are what you eat. And what you are eating might include things that make you tired. This can work in two ways. Firstly, it could be a situation where you aren’t getting what you need out of what you eat. If you are suffering from a vitamin deficiency, fatigue is sure to follow. Your body is an engine, and it needs a variety of vitamins and minerals to use as fuel. If you aren’t getting enough fuel, you’re going to feel tired, simple as that.
Yet, sometimes it’s not about what you’re missing, but what you’re getting. Your level of tiredness is closely linked to your blood sugar level. If your blood sugar drops, you’ll get fatigued. A spike in blood sugar will cause your body to release insulin, which can lead to the “sugar crash” later on.
Foods that are high in carbs and sugars will tend to cause these kinds of fluctuations in blood sugar that lead to chronic fatigue. High-fat foods are also connected to the release of chemicals that end up making you tired. Plus, our bodies naturally tend to get tired when they put energy into digestion after large meals.
Boosting Energy With a Blended Juice Cleanse
As you can see, there’s no “single cause” of tiredness and fatigue. Our bodies are amazing creations and need a lot of love and care to work at their best. It’s was with this in mind that Chef V created our blended juice cleanse. Even a short 3 day juice cleanse can go a long way to restoring your energy.
Our juice cleanse is packed with all the nutrients and minerals you need for your body to work. This ensures that you remain both hydrated and energized. A 3 day juice cleanse is also a great way to get your blood sugar levels under control. Our green drinks are naturally sweet and are a great way to lose weight.
If you are wondering how to do a juice cleanse, make sure to take a look at our cleanse options. Our green juice delivery is easy, convenient, and includes some of the best juice cleanse products out there. We’re here to make sure you feel energized. How you want to use that energy is up to you.
Digestive Bitters: Don’t Be Sad If You’re Bloated, Get Bitter
If your belly feels like you’re in the first trimester of pregnancy after a meal, don’t get down, just get bitter, digestive bitters that is. Chef V highlights a handful of her favorite bitters.
I’ve been bitter these days. No, it’s not because of the new scary variant (“scariant”?) or anything like that. I’ve hopped on the bitter bandwagon because lots of my lady customers are of a certain age that let’s just say brings changes.
And when the changes come, one of the first symptoms to manifest is compromised digestion. When your hormones are out of whack, it gets more difficult for the body to detox. It also becomes more difficult to lose weight and keep it off.
That’s why I recommend digestive bitters for any age really, but especially for mature ladies.
image above is of Gentian, an edible bitter herb
What Are Bitters?
Out of the roughly 10,000 taste buds tickling your tongue, you’re probably only getting a steady dose of sweet and salty. Unfortunately, that’s the American Standard Diet for you.
Maybe if you eat a little yogurt, your sour taste buds will spring into action. But out of the five tastes our tongues can detect—savory is fourth—if it’s a slimmer belly and weight loss you want, seek out the fifth taste: bitter.
There’s a good reason why the back of your tongue is reserved for bitter taste. If your bitter buds were in the front of your tongue, you’d have a perpetual bitter beer face. (Remember that funny commercial?) In fact, the four other tastes are peppered throughout the tongue. But it’s only bitters that are relegated to the back of the tongue, which, fun fact, is technically considered a digestive organ.
We have an innate recoil response towards bitter food. Would you stuff your face with a head of the radicchio or an endive? No. But that doesn’t mean we should avoid bitters. Digestive bitters are bitter-tasting herbs that people have been using for thousands of years for bloated bellies and other digestive upsets.
Chef V’s Favorite Bitters
Kale and dandelion are a couple of my favorite bitters. That’s just one of many reasons they are staple ingredients in CHEF V ORGANIC GREEN DRINK.
Now, my next favorite bitters aren’t necessarily meant for weight loss, but they do have a part in a balanced diet: dark chocolate/raw cacao and red wine. Isn’t it nice to know that if a little square of dark chocolate and a glass of red wine is your only indulgence, it’s actually a very healthy one?
If you want to experiment with digestive bitters, the best ones for bile production and metabolism that I recommend are:
● Citrus peel
● Ginger root
● Milk thistle (You can buy this as a supplement; take it if you drink alcohol because it’s great for liver detox!)
● Gentian root
● Chicory root
● Wormwood
Oh, and how can I forget the most widely-used plant-based bitter on the planet: coffee? Personally, I don’t drink coffee, but I’m certainly not going to judge you if you do. I don’t think coffee is good to drink when you’re trying to cleanse. But if you have a cup or two every day, it may even do your body some good. But I recommend cold-brew coffee instead of hot as it’s 60% less acidic and is much easier on your esophagus and digestive system.
In fact, women who drink coffee have lower rates of cardiovascular disease than women who don’t drink it.
Conclusion
If you’re having trouble with weight management and no matter what you’ve tried, nothing seems to work, try adding more digestive bitters to your diet. There are several others, from broccoli to grapefruit, arugula and lots more.
So don’t worry and don’t get mad if your digestion is off. Just get bitter.
Cleansing In A Winter Wonderland
It’s easy to do a cleanse in August, or RAWGUST, as Chef V calls it. When it’s warm, eating lots of light, raw foods like salad seems so satisfying and appropriate for the season. But in mid-winter, what are you supposed to do if you’re looking to give your digestive system and liver a fresh start? Chef V dishes out the tips for winter cleansing…
It will probably come to you as no surprise that most of my customers begin a CHEF V CLEANSE or 21 DAY DETOX in the summer. When it’s so hot you don’t even feel like eating and certainly not cranking up the oven to 425 degrees, it’s simple to go raw.
But how can you give your digestive system a reboot and stay warm in the winter? This is the time of year when we crave starchy carbs like mashed potatoes, pasta and bread.
For carnivores, the dilemma gets even more complicated. Freezing cold weather leads to cravings for red meat. But if your elimination is sluggish, eating a steak is like throwing more toilet paper into a backed-up toilet.
The good news is that you can gently detox your digestive system with these smart winter cleansing hacks…
Winter Detox Tip #1: Warm Yourself Up From The Inside Out
When you’re following a cleanse program like this one, it’s a good idea not to exercise too hard. That’s because you’re going to be consuming less calories than you ordinarily would. So it’s best to take it easy whether you’re just doing a 1 day cleanse or a 3-day or 5-day one.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t crank up your internal thermostat without hardcore exercise.
One of the easiest ways to quickly go from frozen to toasty warm without moving your body all that much is through kundalini breath of fire exercises. Just do a search for kundalini breath of fire for beginners on YouTube and you’ll come across several free videos.
These breathing exercises involve short and powerful inhalations and exhalations and as a bonus, your abs get a workout. Practicing the breath of fire pattern for a few minutes will heat your body up and you might even feel tingly all over.
You can also do a light yoga posture flow going from cat/cow to downward dog or full sun salutations for 5-10 minutes.
Another simple tip for staying warm while doing a cleanse/detox in the winter is sipping hot beverages throughout the day. Duh, right? But not just any plain hot tea or water will do. To generate internal warmth, add a dash of fresh-squeezed lemon juice, cayenne pepper and ginger to herbal tea or water.
And what to do about sipping on Organic GREEN DRINK? After all, on a CHEF V CLEANSE, you drink four of these refrigerated drinks on each day that you’re cleansing. If you’re lucky enough to have central heating in your home, maybe it’s not a problem to drink cold GREEN DRINK.
But even if your cozy comfy home is set to 72 degrees, just knowing that it’s frigid outside might not put you in the mood for a GREEN DRINK straight from the refrigerator.
So here’s what I do. In the morning after I wake up, one of the first things I do is pour myself a glass of green drink. I pour it in a mason jar and seal it with a lid to reduce oxidation. I let the jar of GREEN DRINK sit at room temperature for about an hour so it’s not so cold.
Important side note: Make sure you put the bottle of GREEN DRINK you’re not using back in the fridge right away. Each GREEN DRINK is made fresh and because it’s raw to preserve all the phytonutrients, it has a shelf life of 7 days unlike dead, pasteurized commercial juice that never goes bad.
Winter Detox Tip #2: We’ve Got The Beet
Beet juice is not a staple in a CHEF V CLEANSE. (You get 4 Green Drinks, 2 vegan protein shakes and 1 Detox Soup with your juice cleanse.) But I feature beets in many of my recipes including red beet hummus. For my customers who want a longer program to reset their metabolism, my 21 Day Detox features some of these recipes with beets.
So why are beets one of the best winter cleansing foods? The answer is that because of the winter holidays, many people overindulge in added sugars. The excess sugar gets stored as body fat by the liver. If the liver is already overworked, this is bad news. Beets are a cleansing superhero because they protect the liver (this study shows).
Sure, you can eat beets any time of year. You can add them to summer salads. But in winter, you can add them to a veggie soup.
Tip #3: Sip On Bone Broth
Now, with my guided cleanses, I recommend going meat-free for the duration of the 1, 3 or 5 day cleanse and the 21 Day Detox. But if you’re following all my other instructions to the “V” I think it’s perfectly ok to add some chicken bone broth that you can sip on during the day to stay warm.
If you want to learn how to make your own chicken bone broth, check out my video recipe here.
Tip #4: Drink Your Greens & Cook Your Greens
In order to support my digestive system, I make ORGANIC GREEN DRINK a part of my daily routine 365 days a year. Even when I travel, I take GREEN DRINKS with me. But in the winter, I also make sure to eat a ton of cooked leafy greens. I sautee the leafy greens in a cast iron skillet with avocado oil. To feel full, I’ll add a scoop or two of healthy grains like quinoa or wild rice.
Again, the CHEF V CLEANSE includes 4 Green Drinks, 2 vegan Protein Shakes and 1 Detox Soup per day. But you don’t have to do an official Chef V cleanse to give your digestive system some cleaner fuel.
(But if you do want the quickest transformation then follow a CHEF V CLEANSE…)
Eat a few servings of cooked leafy or cruciferous greens every single day in the winter. The healthy fats in the avocado oil and the clean-burning carbs from the quinoa, brown rice or quinoa will keep your tummy satisfied and give your digestive system a break from all those Christmas cookies and eggnog.
To your health,
Chef V
CBS News New York: Best Juice Cleanses in NY
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.”
CBS’s review of Chef V:
Chef V
New Jersey location opens in August 2018!
866 709 6060
https://chefv.com/
CBS says: “Chef V offers a three-, five- and seven-day cleanse, a combination of juices, broths and shakes. Everything is totally vegan, certified organic and gluten-free. Serious cleansers might want to check out the 21-day detox, a veritable master plan to get your health on track, combining sensible meals with the signature Green Drink and protein shakes. The aforementioned Green Drink packs—count ‘em—seven greens and apples into the bottle, practically guaranteed to boost your immune system and your spirit.”
Top Ways to Successfully Detox with Chef V
Thinking about doing a 21 day detox? With most detoxes, sticking with 21 days is a challenge. But we have some great tips for you to make sure you successfully and safely complete a 21 day detox.
Many 21 day detox programs set you up for failure even before they start. They don’t tell you what to eat before the cleanse. They don’t tell you what to eat after the cleanse. And they typically don’t include enough nutrients. When you go several days of feeling deprived, major temptation kicks in. It’s hard to stick to a 21 day cleanse when you have intense cravings. But the rewards can be amazing.
Let’s start with an inspirational story – Mackenzie (photo above) says: “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.”
Do a 21 day detox with a friend
Friends help each other stay accountable. It’s much easier to do a 21 day detox if you’ve got a good friend to help keep you in check. Craving ice cream? 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. And likewise, you can return the favor. You can remind your friend why the two of you are embarking on this 21 day cleanse challenge. You and your friend can remind each other of the benefits of a 21 day detox, including:
- Cleansing vital organs and ridding harmful toxins from the body
- Burning fat more efficiently
- Feeling more energetic
- Thinking more clearly (no more brain fog!)
- Sleeping better
- Relieving stress
- Improve digestion
- Normalize blood sugar
- Lower bad cholesterol levels
It’s the rare person who would want to take a 21 day camping trip alone. Most people prefer to take a trip with a partner or friend. Likewise, think of your 21 day detox as a journey. It’s always better to travel with a friend to share the experience. A long cleansing program can indeed be a life-changing journey. Many people have miraculously transformed their lives because of a 21 day cleanse. You can safely lose 1-2 pounds a day doing a detox. And you can feel great doing it, as long as you’re doing it the right way. Having a friend to hold your hand, either literally or figuratively, is one way to successfully make it through a 21 day detox.
Pre-cleanse before your 21 day detox officially begins
It’s extremely important to eat the right foods before your detox starts. Even foods that you might not think are bad for you may make you feel lousy during the detox. But many detox programs don’t even bother to tell you what you should eat before the detox begins. And that’s a big problem. Negative detox symptoms are awful to experience. If you eat lots of junk food before your detox starts, you may experience some of these detox symptoms:
- Headaches
- Irritability
- Fatigue
- Skin breakouts
- Indigestion
- Insomnia
Can you see why it’s important to eat the right foods before your 21 day detox starts? In order to avoid these symptoms, here’s a partial list of what you should and shouldn’t eat:
Do Eat:
- Fresh or frozen whole fruits and veggies
- Unsweetened milk substitutes such as hemp, rice, almond, coconut
- Coconut oil
- Non gluten grains and starches (rices other than white rice, quinoa)
- Lean, grass-fed or wild animal proteins in small amounts (salmon, organic chicken, grass-fed beef)
- Legumes (beans)
- Raw nuts and seeds (walnuts, macadamias, pumpkin seeds)
- Healthy oils (extra virgin olive, flax, avocado)
- Healthy drinks (Pure, unbottled water; green or herbal tea, organic green drinks, mineral water)
- Zero- or low-glycemic sweeteners (Stevia, coconut nectar, yacon)
Don’t Eat:
- Fruit juices, high-sugar fruits (bananas, strawberries, grapes, oranges)
- Nightshade vegetables (tomatoes, potatoes, peppers and eggplant)
- Starchy grains (white rice, wheat, corn)
- High-fat meats and factory-farmed animal protein
- Processed soy (soy sauce, soybean oil)
- Peanuts and peanut butter
- Dairy of any kind, even if it’s organic!
- Eggs
- Butter and vegetable and seed cooking oils
- Alcohol
- Caffeine
- Soda
- Conventional fruit juice
- Refined and artificial sugar
- Chocolate
- Ketchup
Post Cleanse: Don’t fall back into bad habits
Think the Don’t Eat category is too strict? Maybe you think some of the foods you shouldn’t eat before a 21 day cleanse are healthy? Grass-fed butter, organic eggs, tomatoes. So why can’t you eat those? To give your body the best chance to eliminate toxins, it’s best to take a break from these foods. But don’t worry. After the 21 day cleanse is over, you’ll be able to eat some of these foods again. Who knows, though … you might feel so great, you might not want to.
And after your 21 day detox is over, it’s also important to eat the right foods. In fact, for both at least a few days before and after your detox, stick with the eating guidelines above. Many people mistakenly think that just because they’ve done a 21 day detox, they can eat whatever they want after. But you’ll likely feel awful if you introduce unhealthy foods back into your diet. The same detox symptoms from above may rear their ugly head if you don’t continue to eat clean.
Eating processed grains and cookies and other unnatural foods will quickly backfire on you. You can indulge a little here and there a few days after your detox is over. Think you’ll really miss coffee during your detox? Go ahead and drink one cup after it’s over. You won’t undo all the great things you’ve done for your body. Craving cheese? Have a slice or small chunk (hopefully it’s organic or raw).
Bottom line: pay close attention to the foods you eat before and after your 21 day detox.
Don’t skip the protein!
Many fad detox programs don’t include enough protein. Some don’t include any protein at all. That’s great if you lose a lot of weight during a 21 day detox cleanse. But is it healthy weight loss? If you don’t eat enough protein, you are literally starving yourself. Your body could begin to lose muscle mass if you don’t consume adequate protein.
You don’t need to eat a whole T-bone steak to get your daily dose of protein. But you need a minimal amount of protein for your body to perform its basic functions. A safe, gentle cleanse can include a protein shake. A very easy-to-absorb protein powder is pea protein or brown rice. You can have two protein shakes each day during your detox. Pea protein and brown rice protein mix easily with healthy, unsweetened milk substitutes (see examples above).
Make it a fresh & organic 21 day detox
Healthy weight loss and detoxing your body largely depends on the quality of ingredients. If the fruits, veggies and protein you consume is full of chemicals and pesticides, you won’t succeed in detoxing. It doesn’t matter if you’re doing a short 3 day-cleanse, or a 21 day cleanse. Your detox program needs to consist entirely of fresh and organic ingredients. When a vegetable is plucked or harvested from the ground, it quickly loses its nutritional value within days. To solve this problem, we’ve created a safe, gentle 21 day detox program. We deliver fresh, organic green drinks to your door. The veggies are only pulled from the ground a day before you order.
Our 21 day detox delivery program also includes protein shakes and detox soups.
Your chances of successfully sticking with a 21 day detox not only depends on the quality of the ingredients, but the taste and satisfaction. We make it super easy for you and very enjoyable. Learn more about our 21 day detox here.
@JaeBird’s 21 Day Detox
And so it starts… my @chefvlife 21 Day Detox! Feeling good. Feeling confident. Grateful for Tom as he's been preparing @whole30 meals for us all week long, which I believe to have been a great way to transition into this detox. We both definitely have big goals for ourselves this year in regards to our health and I'm looking forward to crushing them. – @zyiajaebirdenterprise, Santa Clarita California
Top 5 Research-Backed Benefits of Green Drink
Pretend that as you’re reading the following sentence, you’re 8 years old and I’m your mommy:
“Eat your vegetables!”
What did you think to yourself when your mom lectured you about eating your veggies?
“Yeah, yeah, whatever mom. I want pizza!” (And if you were a sassy kid, you said that to her out loud.)
Now that you’re older and smarter, you know mom was right. Unfortunately, very few people seem to have wisened up, at least when it comes to nutrition. Shockingly, the Centers for Disease Control estimates that only 1 out of 10 people in the USA eat enough servings of fruits and veggies.
Sipping on Green Drink is the easiest way to get your daily dose of health-boosting veggies. In fact, 16 ounces of Green Drink is the equivalent of 3 servings of fresh vegetables. Studies show that green, leafy veggies offer numerous positive outcomes for health. Here are my top 5 Green Drink health benefits:
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#1: Weight Loss & Metabolism
The 7 certified organic green leafy veggies in my Green Drink are rich in calcium. Most people are familiar with calcium as a bone-building mineral. But calcium, especially from veggies, also helps with weight loss. That’s because calcium helps the body burn fat, rather than storing it.
Research shows that diets high in calcium-rich green, leafy veggies boost metabolism. And one study suggests that when you consume enough calcium, it stifles the desire to eat more.
The same study found that women who consumed diets poor in calcium had more body fat, bigger waistlines, and higher bad cholesterol levels than those who consumed moderate or large amounts of calcium.
Here’s another way my Green Drink leads to a slimmer waistline. Because it’s made using cold-blended processing, much of the fiber from the veggies are preserved.
Studies show that fiber intake is inversely associated with body weight and body fat. In other words, the more fiber you consume from veggies, the more likely you’ll be able to manage your weight.
And, of course, another way fiber helps you lose weight is because it helps keep your bowel movements regular.
I could go on and on about how green leafy veggies helps you lose weight. But let’s move on to the next benefit of Green Drink.
#2: Lower Blood Sugar Levels
Research shows that because kale contains a significant amount of fiber, it prevents post-meal elevation of plasma (blood) glucose.
Researchers believe that kale lowers blood sugar because it increases intestinal viscosity in the gut. What’s intestinal viscosity? You see, in your gut, when you eat fiber, it interacts with water to create a gooey, gel-like substance. Although hearing that fact might be, well, unappetizing, this gel substance in your gut is great for normalizing blood sugar.
The gel also prevents you from feeling hungry, mainly by slowing down your digestion. Don’t confuse slow digestion with slow metabolism. Slow digestion is beneficial for weight loss and blood sugar. When your body burns up food too quickly, you get a hankering for junk carbs.
For this reason, kale is considered a superfood for people with type 2 diabetes. But you don’t have to eat raw kale to get the blood-sugar-lowering benefits. Just Green Drink it (as long as it’s cold-blended like my Green Drink)!
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#3: Gut Health
Some people are focused with how their gut looks from the outside (6-pack abs). But the health of you gut on the inside is even more important. The bacteria in your gut controls all aspects of your health, from how effectively your body burns fat to your mood as well as the appearance of your skin.
If you drink my Green Drink everyday, you’re supplying your good bacteria with their favorite food. The 7 veggies contain prebiotic fibers. You can think of prebiotic fiber as energy dots that Ms. Pac Man gobbles up.
Again, don’t believe my hype alone. Let’s look at the science, too. In one study, a veggie-juice-based diet was shown to improve gut health. In the study, the participants consumed only a vegetable/fruit juice blend. By the fourth day, the researchers noticed less harmful strains of gut/stool bacteria and more beneficial bacteria. Having enough friendly critters in your gut, as creepy as it may sound, is necessary for sustained weight loss and other health benefits.
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#4: Detox
Diets rich in green leafy veggies improve liver function and fatty acid profiles, says a study. When your liver is functioning more optimally, toxins are better eliminated. This keeps you healthier and enhances weight loss.
Your liver has to be in optimal condition in order to properly detoxify and break down dietary fat. If you have a “sluggish” liver, you’ll have trouble losing weight.
The study concludes that green leafy veggies not only improves liver health but also lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure.
Bonus points for Green Drinks! And all it takes as drinking one bottle a day. That’s one of the easiest, most affordable detox strategies you’ll ever find.
#5: Mood, Energy, Skin, Sleep, Concentration, Stamina & More
There are so many ancillary benefits to consuming green leafy veggies everyday. From feeling happier and more energetic, to having healthier looking skin, to sleeping more soundly and not suffering from brain fog.
There are so many ways that Green Drink will transform your life. And all it takes is sipping a minimum of 16 oz. a day. You don’t have to shop, chop, blend, or clean up. Pretty easy, right?
References:
1: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090312115053.htm
2: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15797686
3: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5103670/
How To Do A Juice Cleanse
WARNING: THINKING ABOUT DOING A JUICE CLEANSE? BEFORE FORKING OVER YOUR HARD-EARNED CASH, LEARN HOW TO DO A JUICE CLEANSE THE EASIEST, MOST AFFORDABLE, HEALTHIEST, SANEST AND SATISFYING WAY POSSIBLE SO YOU CAN BANISH CRAVINGS FOR JUNK FOOD ONCE AND FOR ALL!
YOUR JUICE CLEANSE STARTS NOW!
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.”
HOW TO DO A 1, 3, or 5 DAY JUICE CLEANSE SUCCESSFULLY WITHOUT EXPERIENCING DETOX SYMPTOMS & CRAVINGS
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:
- ORGANIC: All ingredients in the juice cleanse must be organic. You’re going to have a much more difficult time detoxing and losing weight if the juice contains pesticides. Only organic juice cleanses will really help your liver purge toxins that are responsible for weight gain and skin problems.
- BLENDED VEGGIES, NOT JUICED: Any juice cleanse (even an organic juice cleanse) that’s mostly fruit juice is a waste of your money and bad for your health. The massive amounts of fruit sugar will cause cravings for junk food because of unsteady blood sugar levels. In fact, a juice cleanse shouldn’t actually consist of juice at all! Instead, it should contain blended green, leafy vegetables. In other words, it should be an Organic Green Drink containing the planet’s most detoxifying and nutritious veggies that just happen to taste great blended. (Learn more about the difference between blended and juiced here.)
- FIBER: Blended green leafy veggies are infinitely better for your health because they contain fiber. Fiber is a must-have for a successful organic juice cleanse. That’s because fiber helps you go #2. You can’t detox if you don’t poop. And you won’t poop if your cleanse juice doesn’t contain fiber. Unfortunately, many people who spend lots of money on cleanse juice end up feeling miserable because they are constipated. Also, fiber helps you feel full. Without fiber, you’ll be way more tempted by cravings for junk snacks.
- PROTEIN: The majority of juice cleanses (again, even organic juice cleanses) do not contain nearly enough protein. Even going as little as 3 days without enough protein will start wasting away your muscle tissue. Your hair may feel like straw and your nails brittle. Fruits and veggies contain very little protein. Definitely not enough to support your body’s lean muscle. In light of this fact, you need an organic juice cleanse that contains ample protein. Maybe not a T-bone steak’s worth, but sufficient to boost metabolism.
- Pre- & Post-Cleanse Guidance: In order for you to have a 5-star organic juice cleanse experience, you need to know exactly what to eat and drink and what not to eat and drink—not only during the cleanse, but well before and after. It may come as a shock that there are some people whose first meal after a cleanse is over is a bacon cheeseburger with fries. But who can blame them if they’re not informed…. It’s easy to think how somebody can get duped into thinking “Oh, I’ll lose 10 pounds doing a juice cleanse and I’ll be so much healthier when it’s over,” only to resume their unhealthy eating habits.
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:
- Four (4) 16 oz Organic Green Drinks:
The yummy green drinks cleanse vital organs and rid harmful toxins from the body without the discomfort of other juice cleanses. Cold-blended to preserve nutrient density, Organic Green Drinks consist of 7 of the most detoxifying leafy greens on the planet, all certified organic: green kale, black kale, collard greens, dandelion greens, green chard, curly parsley and green leaf lettuce. The Organic Green Drinks are sweetened with a tiny bit of apple to satisfy your taste buds. - Two (2) 16 oz Organic Protein Shakes:
Maintaining lean muscle is critical for juice cleanse success. But a protein shake is no good unless it tastes great and is easy to absorb. The 20 grams of vegan-friendly pea protein powder is super easy to digest and won’t leave you with that chalky taste and bloated feeling characteristic of many other protein powders. This raw, whole food protein shake is delicious and contains all nine essential amino acids to keep you going strong all day. - 1 Detox Soup:
Enjoy a 16 oz “SOUPer Detox” to end each day with a warm, delicious meal that flushes your vital organs and leaves you satisfied. This flavorful soup is packed with local, organic ingredients that may help detoxify your body. Not only does Detox Soup taste great, it’s extremely nourishing, containing some of the most therapeutic nutrients on the planet, such as turmeric and ginger. On each day of your cleanse, you’ll get either Ginger Carrot or Sweet Potato Curry Soup. All soups are vegan-friendly.
THE CHEF V JUICE CLEANSE DIFFERENCE
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…
Choose a Chef V Organic Juice Cleanse That’s Right For You
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
HOW TO ENHANCE YOUR ORGANIC CLEANSE
These simple (and sometimes luxurious) detox treatments can enhance your cleanse, leading to more weight loss, detoxification and relaxation.
- Massage: Getting a massage releases metabolic waste from your tissues and improves your blood circulation. If you have the money, a monthly massage is great for detox. Try to get a massage a day or two before your cleanse.
- Sauna: Byproducts of metabolism seep out your sweat pores in a sauna. This dietary waste includes lactic acid and uric acid. Your body also stores fat in the toxins, which a sauna can help purge.
- Steam: Sitting in a steam room opens your mucous membranes. This is a great thing if you have congestion. Steam rooms and a Chef V cleanse are a powerful detoxing duo.
- Facials: your skin is the largest organ in the body. And when you have skin problems, it’s really a mirror of what’s going on in your body. Some toxins are able to escape through the skin. For example, bad bacteria that seep out your pores can manifest as acne or blackheads. Facials can help eliminate the bad bacteria.
- Colon Hydrotherapy: OK, so having a tube inserted up your backside might not be your idea of a glamorous spa treatment. But colon hydrotherapy is essential for detoxing, especially if you don’t poop regularly.
- Yoga: A gentle, yoga class is a healthy and spiritual way to enhance your cleanse. But during your cleanse, take it easy. In addition to gentle yoga, go for walks or do other forms of low-impact, low-intensity movement. Wait a few days until your cleanse is over before exercising at high-intensity again.
HOW TO DO A CLEANSE: WHAT TO EAT
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
- Before you get started, take two days before AND after your cleanse to eat only the recommended foods below. This will help decrease your detox symptoms and help you ease into and out of the cleanse.
EAT THIS NOT THIS
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 |
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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 |
Post-Cleanse
- Drink 16oz of Green Drink first thing every morning. Continue for at least two days eating the pre- cleanse food to ease you back into a healthy diet. Keep it Going!
HOW TO DO A JUICE CLEANSE: DO IT WITH A FRIEND
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!)
Successful Cleansing: follow my advice to a “V”
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