Lean Summer Body Strategies and Summer Cleansing Tips

It’s that time of year when the weather outside beckons you to enjoy outdoor activities, like swimming, gardening, lawn sports, cycling,  nature walks and picnics.  It’s especially  important this time of year  to put the healthy habits in place that nourish your tired  adrenals  and give you abundant energy so you can enjoy your favorite summer pastimes without feeling exhausted every time you exert yourself.

The sad truth is that over 50 % of people today experience fatigue so severe that even a trip to the grocery store exhausts their energy and requires a recovery nap afterward.  And 80% of women will experience adrenal fatigue at some time in their lives. That’s definitely not a pleasant condition to be in, especially if your friends and family members are encouraging you to join them in summer time fun. Unfortunately, the typical summertime celebration food served at picnics and barbecues zaps your energy and can lead to alll sorts of health consequences, like cancer, heart disease, diabetes and immune system dysfunction.  In my opinion, it’s just not worth the risk.  Yet you may be emotionally attached to your foods and the happy celebration memories that eating it stirs up. What if you could eat your favorite picnic foods and feel energized and comforted,  knowing that the ingredients  are not only safe, they are loaded with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals that energize and nourish you? It’s been a long time since I needed caffeine and sugar to energize me so I could enjoy summer activities.  I used to need stimulants to make it through the day and still crashed in the early evening.  Now I fuel myself on whole fresh food and everyone I meet comments on how energetic I am ALL the TIME! What would your life be like if you could say the same?

1) Spring Cleaning

I always do some sort of cleanse in the spring, to rid my body of any excess fat and toxins that come from spending so much time indoors during the cooler months.  I’ve done short water fasts of 5 -7 days, juice only regimes, powdered meal replacement shakes and even a modified version of the Master Cleanse, eliminating the maple syrup and using powdered greens to supplement the lemonade.  I’ve done all sorts of variations of many cleanses and even developed a few of my own. My all time favorite way to cleanse, owing to its high simplicity and satisfaction score is Green Smoothie Cleansing.  A few short years ago, I created a group Green Smoothie Cleanse and have guided hundreds of participants to increased energy, decreased brain fog and a reduction of belly fat.  I am amazed at the profound results most participants receive within just a few days.  Many are even able to reduce pain medications because their inflammation significantly decreases.  I’m leading a group cleanse in a couple of weeks and I can’t wait to experience the lightness and sense of renewal I always feel after a  7 day cleanse. The concept is quite simple, and you can can certainly do it on your own if you have the discipline and a variety of recipes.  I find that I personally need the accountability of the group experience, otherwise when those periods of desire for solid foods become strong, I crave in.  These periods don’t last long in general, so when I am accountable to the group and have regular check-ins scheduled, I sail through in spite of occasional temptations. I’ve set up the group Green Smoothie Cleanse experience so that there are 3 different options you can choose from, depending on your level of cleansing experience and your schedule.  There are daily check-in forms you can use to report your progress and get personalized feedback and this time you’ll also get extra support through a facebook chat session. To  join in the Spring 2011 Cleanse register at www.Greensmoothiecleanse.com

2) Make Delicious Nutritious Picnic and Barbeque Foods

Whenever I’m invited to summer parties, or am hosting my own, I make sure to create a few easy dishes to take along that are remakes of picnic and barbecue favorites, like mock hot dogs, burgers and potato salad and coleslaw made with a creamy nut or seed sauce instead of mayonnaise. I also cut up veggies and make delicious dip, usually including some sort of blended green vegetable and sea vegetable.For dessert, there’s the picnic tradition of watermelon and peaches, plus I add berries and cut up fruit with a yummy dipping sauce, usually made with chocolate or carob to please the kiddos. I’ll often make a seasonal fruit pie with a nut, seed or coconut based crust, like the ones in my book,  “Dessert Making it Rich Without Oil.”

The pie is simple to make.  For example, when I get lots of fresh peaches from a local farm, I slice the peaches and lay them inside the crust.  I’ll then make a sauce to hold it all together.  That can be as simple as blended peaches or possibly a different complimentary fruit like berries.  I sometimes add a couple of teaspoons of psyllium husk powder or coconut butter to thicken, and then pour the creamy sauce over the fruit and refrigerate until ready to eat.  This simple pie takes minutes to make and is usually the hit of the party. Burger substitutes can be made by putting sunflower seeds and almonds in the food processor along with vegetables.  My favorites are carrot, celery, onion and something dark green, like arugula or spinach.  Process until it begins to hold together and has the consistency of…I hate to say…chopped meat.  Season to taste and dehydrate or eat as is. Any of the bread recipes in my e-book Dried and Gone to Heaven can be formed into burger buns and even hot dog buns.  There are a few burger recipes in Dried and Gone to Heaven as well.

The bread recipes in our video course Amazing Gluten Free Living Bread can also be formed into burger and hot dog buns. And speaking of hot dogs, my dear friend, colleague and talented chef  Karen Osborne has created a hot dog recipe that has fooled many a kid.  It looks, tastes and cuts just like the real thing without all the nasty ingredients.  Now to me, eating something that tastes like a hot dog is not appealing, but for kids and kids at heart who love hot dogs, that’s great news. Karen will share her gluten free, raw food recipe for hot dogs and several others in our class “Picnic Foods and Barbeque for Gluten Free and Living Foods Diets” on May 22 .  Videos and live cast are available if you either live far away or can’t make the

I interviewed Karen on my Blog Talk Radio show and she shared the ingredients she uses and tips for making summer celebration foods.  The recording can be found at Dr Ritamarie Radio

3) Short Frequent Bursts of Exercise

My last strategy for getting and keeping in shape for summer is to incorporate short bursts of exercise throughout your day.   This can be in addition to your regular exercise program, or on busy days, in place of it.  Studies show that 30 seconds of all out intensity exercise several times a day can have the same or even better effects on your blood sugar balance as a 30 minute aerobic exercise session.  It also results in improved stress hormone balance.  Better blood sugar control and fewer cortisol spikes result in a flatter tummy.

Bonus Results of My Lean Summer Body Strategies and Summer Cleansing Tips

In addition to a flatter tummy and boundless energy, some of my favorite extra bonus results you’ll experience when you use these strategies for getting in shape for summer are:

• Happier mood
• Sharp focus and mental clarity so you can be more productive
• Decreased inflammation and more comfortable muscles and joints
• More efficient and painless digestion
• Improved blood lipid balance and reduced risk of heart attack

If you Have any favorite recipes to share for summer celebrations, please post them in the comment box below.  If you have a website where you offer recipes, feel free to post that too, and if your site is in alignment with mine, we’ll leave the link for all to see.

I wish you Love , health and a happy summer!!

Dr. Ritamarie