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The Best Natural Probiotic (Hint: It’s Not Yogurt)
I recently talked about how important it is to have good gut health. Your gut plays such a huge role in your overall health. But in the article, what I didn’t really focus on was how to achieve a healthy gut. And we’re not talking about crunches so you can have chiseled, six-pack abs here. Rather, we’re talking about hosting a multitude of good bacteria and a diverse amount of different bacteria species inside your gastrointestinal tract (the microbiome).
So what’s the easiest and best way to do that? In the article on gut health, I mentioned taking a probiotic. If you eat a low-fiber diet rich in processed (junk) food, then you should definitely be taking a high-quality probiotic.
But there’s an even easier, and perhaps healthier way to achieve a healthier microbiome. It turns out that the best probiotic source is …. Wait for it … wait for it…..
Best natural source of probiotics
So, is the best way to get lots of friendly, diverse bacteria in your gut by eating lots of yogurt? How about kombucha? Or is the best source of probiotics some other fermented food like kimchi or sauerkraut or kvass?
Turns out it’s none of these.
An article in The Atlantic, which references a study in Frontiers of Microbiology, suggests that the single best natural source of probiotics is: an apple.
The average apple, the study says, contains about 100 million bacteria.
Now, after I read that fun fact, my first reaction, I’ll admit, was the following, “Big deal, my probiotic supplement contains 10 billion CFUs (colony forming units).” That’s right, my probiotic supplement, in just one tiny little capsule, contains almost 10,000% more bacteria than an apple.
But here’s the thing. It turns out that eating the apple might be better for you than popping a pill. The reason why? For the same reason eating unprocessed whole foods (especially fruits and veggies) is better for you than vitamin supplements.
Makes sense, right? After all, whole foods offer the whole puzzle of interlocking health pieces, from micronutrients, antioxidants, as well as fiber, which the good bacteria feed on. On the other hand, supplements, perhaps probiotic pills included, represent, only a few pieces of the total health puzzle.
In other words, just like in many other aspects of life, it’s quality that usually matters, not quantity. The 100 million or so bacteria in the typical apple are comprised of a myriad of different types of bacteria. Compare that to the average probiotic supplement, which contains maybe a few different friendly microbe species.
Work On Your Core – Apple that is
Now, before you rush out to your local supermarket and stock up on apples, there is a catch. Approximately 90% of the bacteria in the apple is contained, not in the skin, or the juicy main part of the flesh, but in the core.
If you’re like most people, you probably throw the core away. And when you do that, it’s like throwing away the world’s best probiotic pill down the toilet.
So from now on, it’s all about the core. Eat the seeds, too. They actually contain a trace amount of the natural toxin, cyanide. But if you eat an apple or two a day, core included, it’ll still keep the doctor away.
Do you struggle to get enough vegetables in your diet? If so, don’t feel bad. You’re in good company. Approximately 9 out of 10 people don’t eat enough veggies, especially green leafy ones, which most nutritionists (like myself) consider the healthiest kind.
The good news is that if you’re not getting enough leafy greens in your diet or can’t stomach the thought of eating apple cores, I have an easy solution for you….
Organic Green Drinks (Core Included)
Chef V’s Organic Green Drink is the easiest way to get your full day supply–and then some–of dark, leafy greens veggies. Containing two kinds of kale; collard greens; green leaf lettuce; curly parsley; green chard, and dandelion greens, Organic Green Drink is raw and cold-blended. This means the fiber and micronutrients are preserved for optimal nutrition and, yes, gut health. Fresh produce, suggests The Atlantic article, might just be the best source of natural probiotics in general. (But that finding seems like a no-brainer in my opinion.)
And guess what else is in Chef V Organic Green Drink? That’s right … an apple! Core and all.
For every 16 oz of Green Drink you consume, you’re gut benefits from hundreds of millions of good bacteria. And remember, it’s not just the quantity of good bacteria that matters, it’s the diversity.
As Dr. James Hamblin, author of The Atlantic article on probiotics puts it, “Food is the main way that our gut biomes are populated throughout our lives, and microbe-rich foods [especially the 7 certified organic greens in my Green Drink] seem to be important to maintaining diversity.”
Best Source of Natural Good Bacteria: Conclusion
Remember, when it comes to eating apples, don’t think if you throw away the core that you’re still getting a decent amount of probiotics. In fact, it’s only by eating the core that you’ll get the same strains of bacteria that are sold in pricey probiotic pills.
Eating a plethora of fresh produce every day supports the intricate interconnectedness of the immune and digestive systems. By eating a wide variety of fresh produce, we feed our gut microbes the fiber and sugars they need to support our health. We scratch the bugs’ back, they scratch ours.
And whether you eat a huge fresh salad everyday or not, Chef V Organic Green Drink is the perfect way to gently wake up your digestive system in the morning, and gently cleanse your vital organs, and, of course, feed the friendly microbes in your gut.
Stop the presses…most olive oil is fake! Here’s how to tell…
You know olive oil is healthy. But not all olive oil is of high quality. Here, Chef V schools you on what constitutes healthy, organic olive oil.
When weather cools and days are shorter, I crave comfort food.
Here in sunny San Diego we have to wait a little longer to feel the cool nights. But when temps dip into the high 50s at night – Brrrrr. That's the time to bust out the flannel sheets and the comforter!
And it's also time to cook comfort food dishes with seasonal veggies. Below, I'll share with you one of my favorite fall recipes: Mediterranean Butternut Squash and Carrot Stew with Quinoa. (If you love the recipe, you can get more delicious ones in my book, Making Cleansing Easier.)
As you'll see in the recipe, one of the ingredients for both the stew and quinoa is olive oil.
Not too long ago, I read a report that up to 80% of olive oil sold in stores is either fake or of really low quality. In fact, the problem is so pervasive in Italy, there's a special police unit devoted to olive oil fraud! Many olive oils are cut with food coloring or vegetable oil. This makes it easy for food fraudsters to make some easy profit on unsuspecting customers.
In light of this shocking statistic, before you reach for a bottle of Italian extra-virgin olive oil, learn these tips about finding a truly high-quality olive oil….
Healthy Organic Olive Oil: location matters
You might come across a bottle of olive oil that looks legit. On the back of the bottle, it says the origin of the olives is Spain, Greece, and Italy. These three Mediterranean countries might be home to delicious olives (I especially love cantanzaro olives, yum!). Therefore, you might think, wow, great olives from the best places in Europe in one bottle. However, the problem is the olives shouldn't derive from more than one origin.
The reason why is that there are a few things that turn olive oil rancid: air, light, heat, mixing with other oils.
When olive oil comes from more than one location, there's too much air from the bottling process. So instead of buying healthy organic olive oil, you're really purchasing olive oil that could already be rancid before you open the bottle.
Organic Olive Oil: Where to buy local
If you're in the U.S., California has some amazing-quality healthy olive oil. If you want to know for sure that an olive oil is of high quality, check out the California Olive Oil Council (COOC). You can enter your zip code on their website, and it will show you which stores have COOC-certified olive oils. Some of them are even organic olive oil, which I prefer to buy.
The highest-quality and most affordable olive oil is sold at Trader Joe's, under the label California Estate Extra Virgin. It's only $5.99 for a 500ml bottle. It's not certified organic olive oil, nor is it COOC-certified, but it's still a very high-quality oil. All large producers in California who produce over 5,000 gallons are required to comply with mandatory state quality standards. So whomever is supplying Trader Joe's with the delicious olive oil I love is certainly producing at least 5,000 gallons.
And if you live on the East Coast, you can get high-quality olive oil from Georgia. Yes Georgia, which, in 2011, became the first state east of the Mississippi to harvest olive oil.
Healthy Organic Olive Oil: Buy Extra Virgin, Never Light
What is extra virgin olive oil? In short, it's olive oil that was produced without chemical processing. Instead, extra-virgin olive oil extraction is via mechanical pressing. In addition, the extra virgin healthy olive oil is lower in acidity.
There's no reason to ever buy light olive oil. “Lite” does not mean it's a healthy olive oil. On the contrary, lite or light olive oil undergoes extra processing. This denatures the oil. Also, virgin, fine and light olive oil are more acidic than extra-virgin.
Speaking of light, never buy olive oil if it doesn't come in an opaque, dark bottle. If it's a clear bottle, the light will ruin the oil.
One reason the Mediterranean Diet is so popular is because it emphasizes healthy monounsaturated fats like extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO). EVOO is one of the healthiest foods for your heart.
Organic Olive Oil: Good or bad for weight loss?
But if you worry about the calories in organic olive oil, limit your intake to about 3 tablespoons per day. Olive oil is a calorie-rich fat, which is a double-edge sword. On one hand, the 100+ calories per tablespoon will help keep you full and prevent cravings. On the other hand, though, all those calories may lead to weight gain if you don't burn off those calories through exercise. So have healthy organic olive oil often, just don't drench your salad with it.
Don't cook with organic olive oil at high temperatures. Extra-virgin organic olive oil has a smoke point of about 375 degrees. Once it's smoking that's a sign it's turning rancid. You can lightly sautee with organic olive oil. However, I prefer coconut oil for higher temp stir-frys.
Healthy Organic Olive Oil: First-Press is Best
If you have the money, spring for small-batch, first-press olive oil. First-press olive oil contains the highest amount of antioxidants. You won't often find first press (aka “Olio Nuovo”) olive oil in stores. That's because the first press doesn't yield that much olive oil. Most olive oils that you buy in conventional stores are derived from olives harvested late in the season. This results in greater yields and therefore, more olive oil that can be sold. However, even if you don't buy a first-press olive oil, if you get a COOC-certified oil or similar high-quality, it's still very good for your health.
I prefer to buy food that comes from local sources. In fact, every single one of our ingredients in our Green Drinks and Detox Soups either grow on our farm or from nearby farms. But if you want to buy extra virgin olive oil from, say, Italy, here are a couple things to keep in mind. The bottle should have a harvest date and a geographic origin and EU certification.
Now that you know a few key facts about what makes olive oil high quality, it's time to share with you my nourishing soup that I love to make in the fall. So without further ado, enjoy the recipe!
Creamy Beet Soup
My Creamy Beet Soup is a healthy treat. Beets, including beet greens, contain an amazing array of antioxidants, other vitamins, minerals, fiber, and protein. They are also believed to support our body’s detox system as well as having anti-inflammatory properties.
(serves 4 and great for leftovers)
INGREDIENTS
- 1 tbsp. cold pressed olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups fat-free organic chicken broth (or vegetable broth for vegan)
- 3 large beets, peeled and cut in quarters
- 1 medium sweet potato, skinned and cubed
- 2 cup full fat, canned coconut milk
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp. sea salt
- ⅛ tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat the oil in a large pot, big enough to make the soup.
Add onion and cook for 2 minutes. Add garlic and continue to cook for one more minute or until onion
becomes translucent.
Add broth, beets, sweet potato, and bay leaf. Boil for 15 minutes or until beets and sweet potato become tender.
Add coconut milk and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaf.
Transfer small batches of soup into a blender and blend 3-4 batches until smooth. Add salt and cayenne pepper to taste.
Bon Appétit! – Veronica
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat the oil in a large pot, big enough to make the soup.
Add onion and cook for 2 minutes. Add garlic and continue to cook for one more minute or until onion
becomes translucent.
Add broth, beets, sweet potato, and bay leaf. Boil for 15 minutes or until beets and sweet potato become tender.
Add coconut milk and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaf.
Transfer small batches of soup into a blender and blend 3-4 batches until smooth. Add salt and cayenne pepper to taste.
Bon Appétit! – Veronica
Organic Turkey: Why It’s Worth The Extra Few Bucks
As I write this a week before Thanksgiving, I realize that soon, lots of people will be spending their hard-earned money on holiday gifts for friends and family. I get it. Every extra dollar in your pocket this time of year adds up. But one thing I’m willing to splurge on even if it means one less spa treatment is organic turkey….
I’m doing a little online window shopping for the Thanksgiving meal I’ll be hosting.
Should I spend $249.95 for a 20 pound organic turkey from a high-end gourmet company, (plus $35 delivery)? Or should I just pop in to the local Target which has a deal for $1.49 per pound for non-organic whole turkey?
The answer: neither.
I’m not spending 200+ bucks for turkey, that’s just cray-cray. But I’m also not going to buy the cheapest turkey I can find. There’s got to be a happy medium. While it’s true that organic, pasture-raised turkeys can be double the price of non-organic turkey (and much more so if you’re buying from Williams Sonoma), I think it’s well worth the money spent.
Talkin’ Turkey: Why Organic Is Better For You & The Planet
Maybe you’re thinking, what’s the big deal if you eat a little non-organic turkey for Thanksgiving. It’s only one day a year. While that may be true, I believe that food is medicine. Why not give your body the fuel it needs to thrive?
The reason I eat organic turkey is because pasture-raised turkeys eat what they’re supposed to eat in nature. And what do organically-raised turkeys eat? For starters, what they don’t eat is any genetically-modified organisms (GMOs). Instead, they eat grass, clover and other broad-leaved plants. In fact, according to this organic turkey farmer, turkeys that live in open pastures can “jump up and grab a midair bite out of 6 foot tall amaranth plants.” They eat anything green, adds the organic turkey farmer, from chicory to plantain.
In addition, organically-raised turkeys eat lots of seeds, acorns and nuts as well as vegetables such as heirloom tomatoes. This is the reason why organic turkeys are so flavorful (if you’ve never eaten organic turkey, trust me, it is way richer in flavor and more juicy and plump) and healthy. When you eat organic turkey you’re getting the health benefits of the superfoods the turkeys eat in the wild.
Organic turkeys are higher in omega-3 fatty acids (the “good” fat that helps you burn body fat more efficiently), as well as another essential fatty acid called conjugated linoleic acid, or CLA. CLA’s help to fight against cancer and cardiovascular disease.
Organic Turkey For Thanksgiving: Go Local
Do you see what I mean so far about food being medicine? Eating regular turkey provides none of the above benefits and can actually harm your health. This is because regular turkey may contain pesticides, hormones, antibiotics and other stuff that’s bad not only for the turkeys but for people, which includes consumers and factory farm workers, who are exposed to environmental hazards.
But let’s say you’re invited to a dinner where turkey is served. I realize it might be awkward to ask the host if the bird is organic. And unfortunately, even if the turkey has a USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) organic certification, under current rules, poultry that is labeled USDA Organic may have been given antibiotic injections before it hatched and until its second day of life.
That’s why in my opinion, if you’re not in control of the situation, it’s better to refrain from eating it. Instead, load up on green veggies and a little bit of fat to help you feel full. You’ll be just fine going one meal without animal protein. However, if you are in control of the situation, and you’re either hosting the meal or bringing another turkey to a dinner party, it’s best if you get the turkey from a local farmer (or as local as possible). But even the USDA Organic label is far better for you than regular turkey.
And don’t think that if you buy a turkey that has an “all-natural” label, it’s as good as organic. The natural label just means that it’s minimally processed without any artificial ingredients. It does not mean organic or no antibiotics, as this Consumer Reports article says.
Where to Buy Organic Turkey
If there’s not a local organic turkey farmer within a short drive from you, you know where I’d look to buy? It’s somewhere that I myself might go to to stock up on my Thanksgiving dinner: Costco. Last year, the wholesale membership club giant sold fresh organic hen turkey at $2.99 a pound! That savings on organic turkey is alone worth the cost of a Costco membership.
For that price I might just buy two 13-pounders. They’ll cook faster than a 26-pounder.
above, Tofurky roast
What About Vegetarian/Vegan Turkey Options?
If you don’t eat meat, there’s always the option of eating “tofukey”. Personally, I don’t consider processed soybean products to be healthy. In fact, some health experts suggest that processed soybeans contain harmful substances such as enzyme inhibitors. Enzyme inhibitors interfere with your digestion. They increase gastric distress and create chronic deficiencies, potentially leading to enlargement of the pancreas and cancer. These harmful substances, however, are greatly reduced when the soy is fermented. But to my knowledge, there’s no fermented tofurkey on the market.
That being said, however, I think Tofurky’s plant-based Roast & Wild Rice Stuffing is better for you than factory-farmed turkey.
I actually eat a 90-95 percent plant-based diet. But this Thanksgiving, I do plan on eating some organic turkey. I like knowing that the animal that will bless me with health and vitality was grown naturally, with plenty of open space in a caring environment. That to me is well worth $2.99 a pound.
To your health,
Chef V
Omega 3s: Can You Get Enough of this Critical Nutrient From Plants?
Omega 3’s in veggies such as those in my Green Drink are an excellent source of this critical nutrient. Lots of people know that certain fish are rich in omega 3’s. But did you know there’s plenty of excellent vegan and vegetarian sources as well?
Before I became “Chef V,” I was–and still am–a certified nutritional therapist. A nutritional therapist works with people to alleviate (and prevent) diseases through food, and believes that the best way to correct imbalances in the body is through diet.
Out of any nutrient or topic in my nutritional therapy program, omega 3 essential fatty acids was perhaps the biggest bulk of the curriculum.
And for good reason. Most people eating a Standard American Diet (SAD; how appropriate is the acronym, by the way, right?) consume far too little omega-3s. And far too many omega-6s.
Both 3s and 6s are important for health. They are both essential, which means you have to get them from your diet; your body can’t manufacture them on its own.
But junk, processed and packaged foods are made with cheap cooking oils. These oils (the most common in packaged/prepared foods are cottonseed and soybean) contain way more omega 6s than 3s. And the problem with having too much processed forms of omega 6s is that it causes inflammation
Omega 3s in Veggies: Powerful Inflammation Fighters
Inflammation can manifest in several different ways, from weight gain to joint pain.
But Omega 3 essential fatty acids can help reduce inflammation in the body. They also help lower cholesterol levels and normalize blood pressure, and increase insulin sensitivity.
Moreover, 3s can help prevent heart disease, prevent memory loss and even help women have a less painful PMS.
There are several other health benefits from omega 3s.
But what I want to focus on here is omega 3s in veggies. That’s because most of the attention given to this topic is from one food in particular: wild salmon.
Now, don’t get me wrong, as a nutritional therapist, I strongly believe wild salmon is indeed one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet. I’ve created several recipes featuring it.
What to do, though, if you’re vegan or a vegetarian who doesn’t eat fish?
For one, begin your day with 16 oz. of Organic Green Drink.
There is no exact recommendation for how much omega 3s you should get from either supplements or food everyday. But experts believe you should have at least 500 mg. Organic green drink contains a very decent amount of 3s, over 20% of that amount per 16 oz serving.
If you have any health complications, you should probably have way more than 500 mg per day.
Omega 3s in Veggies: Good For Your Skin!
It doesn’t take a degree in nutrition to realize that eating a diet consisting of mostly plants is better for your skin.
It turns out that omega 3s are an important nutrient for skin. These essential fatty acids help with skin hydration, and normalize the amount of oil. DHA is one of the three fatty acids in omega 3s. It’s the most important of the three for skin health, as it also can help prevent acne, wrinkles, and blemishes.
EPA is another omega 3 fatty acid. It also plays an important role in skin health. If you worship the sun like I do, you’ll be glad to know EPA prevents collagen damage when you’ve been in the sun too long.
Omega 3s in Veggies: As Good As Fish
Mainstream nutrition courses teach that EPA and DHA are more potent sources of 3s than ALA, the third fatty acid. Unfortunately, if you’re vegan, the conventional point of view is that ALA does not convert well into the more potent EPA and DHA.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t get the health benefits of 3s if you’re vegan. It might mean, however, you just need to eat more variety of foods rich in ALA.
Besides the veggies in my green drink, great sources of ALA are chia seeds, walnuts, flax seeds, hemp seeds, and spinach.
You can get sufficient omega 3s in your diet from vegan sources. However, if you do have a compromised immune system or other health problem, you might want to consider taking a supplement.
That obviously means that if you’re vegan, you’re not going to take cod liver oil or other fish oil supplement.
However, what you can take is an algal oil supplement. Marine algae is a sea vegetable, which makes algal (or algae) oil one of the best omega 3s in veggie sources on the planet, if not the best.
According to Berkeley Wellness, algal-oil supplements can produce similar improvements in blood DHA levels to fish-oil supplements. This was true both in vegans and had low levels of DHA to start and in omnivores, who had higher levels of DHA at baseline.
The only bummer about algal oil supplements is that they are more expensive than fish oil. But in the long run, the money that you’ll save preventing disease will be totally worth it.
Omega 3s in Veggies: Can You Get Enough Without Fish
If you’re not vegan and are able to eat wild salmon a couple times a week, you’ll probably consume enough 3s in your diet.
However, for those who consume no animal products, ALA is inactive in the human body. And as I say above, it doesn’t convert that well into EPA and DHA, the two other omega 3s that, in studies, have shown positive impacts on health.
That’s why if you are vegan or strict vegetarian, your eating philosophy should not only be not eating meat, but also eating plants an overwhelming majority of the time. Just like people who do eat meat should do as well.
I personally believe Mother Nature provided us with all the nutrients we need from plants. But EPA and DHA, which are abundant in salmon, might be my exception to the rule.
For this reason, if you avoid animal products, eat a lot of flax-, chia- and hemp seeds. To be on the safe side, splurge on an algae oil supplement.
And don’t forget to start your day with Green Drink!
Calorie Counting vs. Intermittent Fasting: Which One Is Better For Weight Loss?
Let’s say your best friend’s wedding is coming up and you’re the maid of honor. How best to lose those stubborn 5-10 pounds so you can squeeze into that sexy, new dress? Should you drastically cut down on calories? Or should you just eat whatever you want as long as you’re doing intermittent fasting for 10-14 hours per day? Which method does science say is better for weight loss? Keep reading to find out….
Calorie Restriction Vs Intermittent Fasting: The Latest Weight Loss Science Weighs In
Back in 1991, a group of 8 people embarked on an experiment of living in a self-contained artificial ecological environment near Tucson, Arizona. Think high-tech commune, but instead of hippies, the group consisted of a physician, as well as other doctors and researchers. They embarked on what was to be a two-year self-sustaining attempt at growing their own food. The domed facility they lived in was called Biosphere 2. The goal of the researchers was to assess the feasibility for future space colonists to grow their own food.
While the food-growing effort wasn’t as challenging as that of Matt Damon’s in the hit film, “The Martian,” in which Damon’s character survives by fertilizing the Martian soil with his own poop, nonetheless, the 8 researchers quickly realized that they wouldn’t be able to grow enough food in the domed environment to sustain them.
In just so happened that one of the researchers was a devotee of calorie-restricted diets and author of a book about the subject. What better opportunity to conduct on experiment on calorie restricted diets. The 8 people living in Biosphere 2 (4 men, 4 women) reduced their calorie intake 30%.
Although calorie restriction (CR) has been studied for over 100 years, the Biosphere group is believed to be one of the first (if not the first) experiments on CR on humans.
If you want me to cut to the chase and say if calorie restriction is good for quick weight loss, I have some good news and bad news. I’ll give you the bad news first…. There are no studies on calorie restriction conducted over a short period of time such as a week or two. However, long-term studies conducted on primates reveal that calorie-restriction diets prolong life span. In fact, in one experiment, rhesus monkeys who live in captivity and fed a regular diet typically live about 26 years, whereas those who live in captivity and fed a CR-diet, can live up to 40.
In addition, besides weight loss, humans on CR diets have also reported lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, and improved blood sugar levels. So clearly, CR is the way to go if you want to lose weight, right?
Well, hold on…not so fast.
(the photo below is a before after photo of a Biosphere experimenter who used calorie restriction while living in the biosphere.)
The Dark Side of Calorie Restriction
Although the scientists living in Biosphere 2, by the end of the two-years, had better health markers than before the experiment started, there was one huge downside to their calorie-restriction experiment: they looked like skeletons. One of the researchers had his weight drop to 119 pounds from 150.
More recent experiments on calorie restriction also show some potential pitfalls. For example, a 2008 study, involving 143 people on a CR diet revealed that some of the dieters experienced trouble sleeping, and had low libido and lower overall energy during the two-year trial. And here’s one more downside the experiment group faced: they were hungry most of the time.
Going two years feeling hungry most of the day is an awfully long time. In fact, some of the researchers who participated in the Biosphere experiment said they obsessed about food, mentally, for much of the two years. The takeaway is that while CR diets may improve some important health markers, not everybody will be able to stick to it for life; it’s simply unsustainable.
Even if you’re trying to lose weight for just a short time, there’s a better way than strictly slashing your caloric intake….Intermittent Fasting: Science Says Superior For Weight Loss
Although fasting has been practiced by humans since prehistoric times, studies on how fasting affects the body has only been conducted since the 1940s. As of late, intermittent fasting has become a popular way to lose weight, increase energy and focus and other health benefits.
My husband, Brandon, and I have been doing intermittent fasting for a while and we both love it. I even recently launched an Intermittent Fasting Cleanse, which combines the 16-hour fasting window with my Organic Green Drink, Protein Shake, Detox Tea and Detox Soup.
Intermittent fasting is a much easier and more liberating way to get leaner and stay lean than CR Diets. In fact, with intermittent fasting you don’t have to count a single calorie. But after you go 16 hours without eating anything, your tummy will shrink and you’ll get full much faster. So in the end, you’ll likely eat less calories anyway with Intermittent Fasting but you’re not starving or depriving yourself.
I still recommend breaking your 16-hour fast with Green Drink and then waiting a half hour or s
Although studies on 16-hour fasting are few, owing to the recent popularity of this diet (actually, I consider it more of a lifestyle than a diet), the research on it is encouraging. Studies show that a 16-hour fast does in fact lead to consuming fewer calories. But it also shows that it can boost metabolism, lower insulin levels and blood sugar, and yes, lead to weight loss.
So next time you need to drop some weight for a special occasion, or just because, don’t starve yourself. Eat whatever you want (within reason) until your belly is content. Just make sure you’re going at least 14 hours from the end of your dinner until your next meal (no snacking). Ideally, shoot for 16 hours before you break your fast. And for even better results, break your fast with Green Drink and try not to snack in between meals.
Going 16 hours without eating will force your body to burn its own stored body fat for energy instead of stored sugar. In comparison, even if you eat 30% less calories on a CR diet, if you’re eating throughout the day, you might not burn as much body fat. Plus, you run the risk of being malnourished.
The verdict is in: intermittent fasting is much better for you weight loss and overall health than drastic calorie restriction.
Heartwarming Success Story: K.I. Lynn
Doing Great, K.I. is losing weight with Chef V
I hope you’ll take the time to read K.I. Lynn’s wonderful post about her successful and continuing weight loss – her will power and determination to live a healthy life is inspiring to me and I know it will be to you also. I am so proud of you,K.I.! – Veronica Wheat, Chef V
From bestselling author K. I. Lynn on Facebook:
LONG post ahead. I hope you’ll read.
I haven’t updated any of my weight loss because I wasn’t really seeing it, but today, I did. Plus, I hate people seeing me like this.
When I left my job it was not because my books had done so well I was going to write full time. In fact, I was just beginning to edit Breach. I left as just a pause, one that ended up being needed, because within a few weeks I hurt my knee and my beloved grandmother passed away. The next year, I released Breach and my hubs said “Ok, you don’t have to go back to work.” BTW, in that time I’d had to have surgery on the injured knee.
Between the surgery and writing full time something happened that I did not expect.
I gained weight.
It wasn’t a lot at first, but it did scare me when I passed the highest I’d ever been. Then I cried when I passed the number I said I never would.
Each year, I gained more weight. All the travel and stress and another surgery and needing something quick and easy started to add up, and in 4 short years, I’d put on around 100 lbs. That’s a lot of weight!!
I felt terrible about myself. I hated going to signings because I hated how I looked and felt. I didn’t FEEL good.
The biggest thing about weight loss that people don’t understand is that it’s not about WANTING to lose weight, it’s about having the MOTIVATION to lose weight. Wanting can lead to depression as you stare in the mirror, and you lose any desire to eat healthy.
Earlier this year I’d finally had enough. I didn’t have the motivation, but I was sick of it all. Olivia Kelley-Santos had told me about her green drink that she drank that made her feel good, so I went on and saw they had a 21 day detox and I said “That’s what I need. That’s the push.”
I needed to purge all the bad stuff from my body and start fresh. I already knew I want to do low carb. Low carb, not Keto. The box full of everything I needed came in mid-March, right in the middle of working on Welcome to the Cameo Hotel.
The detox did exactly what I needed it to do, and I lost about 20lbs in a few short week. It gave me my motivation, so when it was over, I continued on eating healthier.
I try and stick to a max of 40 net carbs a day. As many of you know, I am a cheese fanatic, and cheese is life and in about every meal. It’s what keeps me going and on a healthier way of living.
For weeks, I watched the scale go down, little by little. I saw a stall, but moved past it. I avoided temptation, and if I did fall, I had only a very small portion.
Then, in July, it happened – I hit my first milestone.
50lbs gone
Elena M. Reyes came to visit and there were some signings, but I managed not to gain any weight. For my birthday I splurged for almost a week eating anything I wanted, because for my birthday, that was all I wanted.
However, that splurge came with consequences. I had the taste for carbs and sugar again. I got back on my diet, but I found I was caving to cravings with little arm bending.
So here I am, doing a small 3 day cleanse with the green drink to get me back on track. I’m down 54lbs in total, and hope to be down quite a bit more by Wild and Windy.
I have goals, and one of them is to get this 100lbs off by the end of the year. I think I can do it. There are more goals after that, but for now, my eye is on the prize.
Just going to keep swimming. 🙂
Chef V Three Day Cleanse: Kelly & Agnes’s Success Stories
Agnes W. – First Three Day Cleanse and Feeling Amazing!
Hello,I wanted to share my success with Chev V. I did the three day cleanse and OMG!!!, I feel Amazing.
I was introduced to Chef V thru my daughter, who has been using your product for quite sometime now. I’m constantly talking about being healthy. At 70 yrs old, I think it’s important to take care of your body. So with that said, I took advantage of your 50% off deal. Glad that I did this.
The first day was very very hard.!!, yet I was determined to stick it out. Day 2 was somewhat easier, yet still hard for me working in an Office that receives Lunches everyday from the Drug Rep companies. Hard fighting that and not being tempted.. “Still determined” to complete my cleanse…
I must admit Day 3 was so EASY….. I feel great, Lots of energy.. my skin is clear… Just feeling Cleansed. The Best Part, I’ve Lost 51/2 lbs.
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS…
Thank you Chef V……… I will be doing another cleanse in a month or two… Thank You.
– Agnes W.
People are Talking.. About Chef V Cleanses and Green Drink
People are talking about Chef V!
We love testimonials at Chef V! Because it works! We get thousands of emails a year telling us how successful our cleanse was and/or how someone’s life has been changed by realizing how easy it is to be healthy. Get 50% off on a cleanse.
If you aren’t into cleansing, do as I do and just have a Chef V Green Drink everyday for breakfast. It’s life changing. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day but yet no one has anything healthy for breakfast. Try Chef V first thing in the am and see how different your life is!
At my Women’s Wellness Retreat in Carlsbad, CA, new and long established Green Drink customers (in the photo above) took a break from the day’s activities to talk about how Green Drink makes living healthier easier – my motto!
People are saying…
Shawna F – “Excellent customer service. Great product! I did the 5 day and it came with everything I needed and clear instructions.”
Becky S,: “The juice taste so good and it makes me feel so good too!”
Claudia P. “Great customer service! Chef V followed up with me before picking up my order and they rearranged pick up date to accommodate my needs. Definitely would do 3 day Brunch again, and of course I recommend for anyone looking for a cleanse and get a kick start to their weight loss!”
Hannah: “Response from customer service was prompt, helpful, friendly, and straight to the point. Food was delicious especially the soups and the tropical green drink. I was afraid that it would be harsh and make me go to the bathroom constantly, but none of that occurred. I felt lighter and had more energy. My second concern was I would be hungry. Surprisingly I was full and satisfied throughout.”
– Thanks for the kind words! ‘ Veronica Wheat, Chef V
Nikki’s Chef V Cleanse Success
Meet Nikki of Nikki Nurtures
I am delighted to introduce Chef V customer Nikki Aguilar. Nikki is a true renaissance woman with far reaching interests. She’s a self-described “former fatty turned fitty, California hippie with jersey girl roots, cupcake lover, former college cheerleader, rocker chick, hiker, beach bum, pole dancer, and avid writer”. During the day, she works as a producer of movie trailers, navigating life’s ups and down so successfully that she started her blog to document the advice she finds herself giving friends and colleagues.
Nikki recently challenged herself to a Chef V 5 Day Cleanse. Here’s how she describes her decision:
“A hardcore reset! ‘I’m going to do a juice cleanse’! It’ll help with inflammation, kickstart my metabolism again, and help me stop craving sugar. This sounds fucking amazing! Yessss, let’s do it! Detoxify meeeeee!!! I ordered a 5 Day Cleanse from Chef V. I chose this one because other than 4 16oz juices a day, it included 2 protein shakes and a soup per day as well. A little more sustenance than your traditional juice cleanse, so I was sold… fuck. my. life.”
Nikki sums up her philosophy of health and wellbeing: “Health doesn’t mean sucking kale through a straw and suffering through 2-hour workouts each day. Your optimal health is achieved from small changes in nutrition, movement, and self-love. The worst things to do are deprive yourself, overwork yourself, and hate yourself. ” To that end she helps people eat healthy and exercise while nurturing themselves. and loving their bodies.
Her before and after photo shows the results – she looks great!
Chef V Juice Cleanse: Mixed Feelings
Nikki recently posted an article on her experience with cleansing using a 5 day Chef V Cleanse. Titled “Conclusion: Juice Cleanses are for People Who Hate Themselves & Like to Suffer for their Food Sins” she has a distinctly mixed feeling about the experience. In summary, results: Yes! The path: not so wonderful.
For someone whose blog’s About page features the phrase “life is too short to pass up a cupcake”, Nikki took on a real challenge, my Five Day Cleanse. I love her perseverance and the candid opinions in her blog posts.
In summary, Nikki says: “While the cleanse was un-fucking-pleasant to say the least, I did notice quite a few perks and positives. I was less bloated. I had more energy. I wasn’t craving sugar. I was sleeping better. My skin was clearer and my hair didn’t feel as dry. I also knew what it was like to be uber hydrated. So, yes, while I didn’t follow all the directions to a T, I reaped the benefits. All of Chef V’s juice, protein shakes, and soups tasted amazing though. I don’t want to discredit her products because they were honestly great… but I did find out that I’m not LA enough to ever do a juice cleanse again. I’d rather be raw vegan than ever drink that much liquid again. 5 days of an angry body is just too much for this girl.”
I say Go girl! You look great and I am here for you when you try your next Cleanse! – Here’s to your health – Chef V, Veronica Wheat
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.
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/
Giving Thanks: Celebrating our Customer’s Success Stories in 2019
Over 2,300 5-Star Groupon Ratings Can’t Be Wrong
Many of our customers get introduced to Chef V Organic Green Drinks through our insanely-low priced low-sugar juice cleanse deal on Groupon. Our accountant thinks we’re nuts for offering our Green Drinks for such a low price. But many of our customers want to do a juice cleanse but don’t know where to start. And unfortunately, virtually all the conventional big brands of juices, owned by conglomerates such as Coca Cola and the like, are loaded with sugar (see graphic below) and are expensive. Groupon might be a loss leader at times, but if it serves as a launching point for a health transformation, I’m all in … P&L statements be damned!
Currently, out of more than 3,000 Groupon reviews, 75% of them rank as perfect 5 star reviews. I’m not bragging; I’m grateful. Here are some of my favorite recent reviews:
“I lost 7 lbs on the 5 day cleanse. The process to redeem the voucher was very easy. Before I bought this I knew the taste of the juice wasn’t going to be extremely delicious since is a green juice but I’m okay with the taste however the shake wasn’t my favorite but I managed to drink it and I didn’t mind the tea. If this is your first cleanse it might me a little hard to do but is worth it.”
Elena S., August 4, 2018
“I got a 5 day cleanse and is was great. As I went through the 5 days surprisingly I wasn’t hungry. It was easy to follow and the results were great. I will definitely use Chef V’s products again.”
Timothy E., April 2, 2018
“Great detox program. makes your detox a breeze! Great for busy people that don’t have time to juice at home! I loved the shakes that came with the program. I lost 7 pounds with this detox!”
Jessika H., August 28, 2018
Customers Showing V The Love On Yelp
We also have a great track record on Yelp, with nearly 1000 reviews so far. Thank you so much for everybody who has posted a review. And I don’t mean only those customers who have posted 5-star reviews. I sincerely thank you even if you posted a not-so-flattering review. It’s the only way we can continue to improve. As a matter of fact, the first Yelp review I’ll share with you isn’t a perfect one; it’s 4 out of 5 stars. It comes from Valerie M. of Manhattan, NY, who writes on July 6:
“Oh man did I ever need this! After getting married last summer I let myself ‘rest’ a little too much, I fell off the wagon with exercising regularly and my eating was becoming disastrous. I was feeling tired and bloated. My cellulite was out of control. I was chugging coffee to stay alert. My weight was up to 158 which was a number I hadn’t seen on the scale in a long time… I needed something to kick start my system.
“I had tried your green drink (which I loved!) a few years ago and remembered that you had cleanses. I wanted to do the 5 day but had some time conflicts so decided to start off just with the 3 to see how I did, and for sure next time I’m going to do a longer one!
“All the elements of the cleanse were delicious and packed so nicely for me to cart around the rest of my day during a heat wave 🙂 I knew I loved the green drink but I adored the shakes (that cinnamon spice one? yum!), and the soups as well!”
“I feel AMAZING. My cellulite is basically gone. My bloat is much improved (wish I could have done longer!). My skin feels luscious and soft. And I am a whole new weight… from pre-cleanse (first picture) to 2 days post-cleanse (2nd picture) I am now down to 149. I lost almost 10 lbs! This not only made me feel physically amazing but lots of mental clarity as well. Really can’t wait for my next cleanse!
“The only reason it is 4 stars and not 5? I had to wait for half an hour and make multiple calls in order to pick up my order, the guy said it was loud so he didn’t hear his phone but I was worried I would have gone all the way there for nothing!”
Thank you for the amazing review, Valerie! And thanks for your honesty. We have improved our delivery system so now you don’t even have to come pick up your order … we’ll deliver to you for free!” (that’s a picture of Valerie below)
16 Oz. of Juice A Day May Keep the Doctor Away
I also love this Yelp review from Sharie F. of San Diego, CA. On October 23rd, Sharie wrote:
“We LOVE Chef V! We have been using the Green Drink and other products over the years as cleanses and re-boots. The sweet potato soup is my fave! I suffer from chronic illness and and auto-immune disease. After years on various medications, which in itself can make you feel like crud. I have never felt as good as I do when coming off a week long (or longer) Chef V cleanse.”
And here’s one from one of my newest neighbors in New Jersey. Gina V. lives in West Caldwell, NJ, home of our newest commercial kitchen and store. Gina writes:
“I have been wanting to try the green drinks for awhile now, so I bought 64 ounces of the Tropical green drink. Not only does it taste amazing (and i am not a green drink person) but I already feel 100% better than I felt last week…I have more energy and my sweet tooth cravings are gone! I highly recommend everyone get this drink into their daily regimen!! I love it!! Love everyone who works there and will definitely say it’s one of my favorite places on West Caldwell!! Welcome to NJ Chef V!”
Thanks for welcoming me to the neighborhood, Gina!
I could go on and on with more Chef V success stories.
If you have a health transformation story you’d like to share that our products played a role in, I’d love to hear about it. Here’s my personal email address: chefv@chefv.com …
Until next time, stay cool, calm and collected over the holiday season. Don’t forget to do a little yoga. Even 10 minutes a day works wonders.
Love,
Chef V
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
Protein Powder: What you Need to Know before you Cleanse
When you think of a juice cleanse or detox diet, does protein come to mind? If not, it should. But not just any protein. In fact, many protein powders can be toxic to your health. Learn why you need protein if you’re cleansing and what kind is best for your body. Here’s what you need to know.
Introducing OUR NEW
VANILLA ULTRA SHAKE
Doing a Cleanse? Why Protein Powder is important
All animals must eat protein every day to survive. Us wild human animals included. Now I’m not saying you need to eat a 72-ounce T-bone steak every day for health. I’d feel very sorry for your colon if you did that.
You don’t even need a small bite of filet mignon every day. In fact, there’s no proof that you need animal protein for optimal health. Any natural vegan protein will do, including nuts and seeds.
Here’s a fun nutrition fact to chew on: the human body can’t live more than 70 days without eating any protein. Give or take a day. I haven’t personally tested this theory. And I don’t recommend you try either.
But if you’re reading this because you’re researching the best juice cleanse, there’s a very good chance you’re going to kill yourself just a little bit. And thanks to me, I’m going to save you from that. I’ll explain how in just a sec….
You see, if you go ultra low carb like the keto diet, no problem. Some of that dietary fat you’re feasting on will be converted into glucose (sugar) for your brain to feed on. Even protein can be converted into glucose. If you eat that 72-ounce steak, there’s a good possibility some of the cow meat will turn into sugar and get stored as fat.
But your body can’t store excess protein. It also can’t make protein from carbs or fats or anything else. That’s why you need to eat protein everyday for optimal health.
Your lean muscle tissue, hair, skin, and nails all need adequate protein to look healthy.
So if you’re checking out some different cleanse or detox diet options out there, here’s the big problem with them….
Most cleanse programs contain zero protein. Instead, all juice detoxes are is a slick marketing trick for selling you fruit juice with loads of sugar. That’s the opposite of cleansing! (Compare my cleanse program to popular juice cleanses here.)
Think how brittle your hair and nails will look after going several days without protein.
Some people think that it’s not good to have protein during a cleanse. Why? They assume it’s bad for the digestive system. Well, in a way, that’s true. But only if it’s processed meat or unhealthy protein powder.
I’m here to steer you in a healthy direction and recommend a protein powder to take while doing a cleanse.
Vegan Protein Powder For Cleansing
Multi-colored, attractive bottles of juice may be effective for marketing. But they’re not good for health. You see, many commercial juice cleanse programs include about a half dozen different kinds of juice, each a different color of the rainbow. But each containing 20 grams or more of sugar and zero protein.
As far as I’m concerned (as a certified nutritional therapist), you need just one color of juice: green. Green-leafy vegetables are the most nutrient-dense foods and play a critical part in the body’s detoxification process. But even my cold-blended Organic Green Drinks don’t have any protein.
That’s why several years ago, I brainstormed on a protein powder that would be healthy for everybody, including people doing a cleanse. The result is my Organic Vegan Chocolate Protein Shake and my Vegan Cinnamon Protein Shake. With 17 grams of high-absorbance pea protein per packet, brittle nails don’t stand a chance.
You’ll have to trust me (or the 5-star reviews on Yelp) that the chocolate shake tastes great. How does it taste good without adding gobs of sugar? My recipe uses organic cacao powder, stevia, and monk fruit extract. Stevia and monk fruit are natural, calorie-free sweeteners.
Pea protein has become more popular. When I decided to use pea protein a few years ago, I never thought it would be just as effective for the weightlifting community. But check it out. This study shows that it produces the same increase in muscle thickness as whey protein.
There are a couple reasons I don’t use whey in my Protein Shake for my cleanse programs. First, many whey protein powders are contaminated with heavy metals. (Says this Harvard research report.) And also, whey protein is not good for people with lactose intolerance. True, I could have used whey protein isolate, which contains close to zero lactose, but I just don’t trust how whey is manufactured. And I don’t think it’s good for cleansing overall.
What About Soy Protein Powder For Cleansing?
Some people are concerned about soy protein’s effect on women. This is because soy is a phytoestrogen, and if the body has too much estrogen absorbed, it could produce a hormonal cancer such as breast cancer.
Thus far, there are no studies linking soy protein powder to breast cancer. However, I do believe that processed soy is not good for health. Also, I think there is something to the too much estrogen theory. After all, it’s not just the food supply from soybeans that causes estrogen dominance, it’s all the plastics and everyday cleaners that can mimic the effects of estrogen.
I’m excited to introduce our new Ultra Shakes. Where we formerly had a cinnamon hemp and brown rice protein based drink, we have replaced it with a new soft buttery tasting vanilla protein, less gritty than the cinnamon and easier on the digestive system.
Muscle Heads
You don’t need to buy one of those huge tubs of protein powders that huge weightlifters buy for bulging biceps.
If you’re not doing a cleanse, I really don’t think you need any protein powder at all. But if you are going to do a cleanse, you absolutely do need some protein if you don’t want your muscles to waste away and your immune system to get weak.
Dietary protein plays a major role in virtually every thing that happens in your cells. And not only that, protein helps you feel full. If you go even a few days without it, just having juice will make your blood sugars go up and down. You’ll get tired and cranky.
Look, even if you don’t choose one of my cleanses, I do highly encourage you to consume a little high-quality vegan-protein every day (hemp and brown rice are also good choices).
A little protein every day goes a long way for health.
Best wishes and to your health,
Chef V
Testimonial: Lisa’s Successful Detox
Successful Detox!
I very happily completed the 21 day Obsessed Detox in December of 2017. I loved the detox and would like to do another one!
– Lisa M.
Lisa completed Chef V’s 21 Day Detox and looks great – she took advantage of our special offer and got $50 for sending us her before and after photos holding our products. Congratulations, Lisa!