Kale, Quinoa & Black Bean Soup

I made this soup a few days ago and it was a big hit at my house! I am not a skilled chef, but this soup was very easy to whip up and it really did taste delicious. Plus, it includes a lot of healthy super foods! Here are the ingredients:

*1800 mL vegetable stock (Rachel Ray's tastes great)

*1 can black beans

*1 1/2 cups quinoa (Ancient Harvest)

*4-5 cups kale

*1 large tomato, diced

*1 large onion, chopped

*5 cloves garlic, minced

*1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

*1 tsp. thyme

*1 tsp. ground sage

*1/2 tsp. black pepper

*1 tsp sea salt

Step 1

Heat olive oil in the pot with the onion & garlic until transparent

Step 2
Add vegetable stock, tomato, and spices to pot and boil for 20 minutes

Step 3
Add kale and black beans and simmer for 10 minutes

Step 4
Add cooked quinoa to the pot and boil for 2-3 minutes

Step 5
Serve and enjoy! And watch your family's delight as they try it - like I said, it was a big hit here at home!

Mind Health: The First Step To Happiness

I have thought a lot about what creates a happy mind, heart, and soul. I have read countless books about happiness, such as The Secret and The Four Agreements (I recommend both), and I have looked internally to see what causes hurt in my life and in other's lives. The number one thing I have found that causes the most hurt: The Ego.

The ego is a very complicated part of us. It is the "id" in us that would rather hide the candy in our room rather than share it with our family. It is the part of us that gossips about someone who did something hurtful to us. It is the part of us that is a selfish, needy child that wants their needs met and wants it NOW. Everyone has an ego, and I think it's impossible to completely get rid of it. But you can help quiet it and let your "good side" be the one in charge. Harry Potter's Sirius Black explains it perfectly:

How To: Quiet The Ego

1) Recognize that the universe does not, in fact, revolve around you.

Recognize that you are a tiny grain of sand on a beach, a fleck of dust in the wind. There are bigger things than you in this world. There are people will more difficult problems than you have in your life, and the universe cannot always cater to your every need, no matter how much you think you might need something. A great way to connect with this feeling of humility is to go hiking somewhere in true nature. Climb a mountain, hike to a waterfall, or even hike up a large hill near your home. Breath in the nature and look at the greatness of the Earth. Realize that you are small, and you are lucky enough to be a part of this world that we have created. Another way to do this is to volunteer somewhere, such as a soup kitchen, a retirement home, or an animal shelter. You will be helping others, and you will be brought back down to earth by seeing other's life situations that are probably more difficult than your own.

2) Everyone has their own path.

The ego loves to judge others by their actions, words, or even by their clothes. However, we have no right to judge anyone, no matter what they do. Everyone has been put on this earth to follow their own personal spiritual path. On their path, they will learn, love, and make mistakes, whether we see all of those things happening or not. When you realize this, you will know that we cannot take other's words and actions personally. When someone insults us or does something that hurts our feelings, our ego would love to take this personally. In turn, we get upset, hurt, and angry, but we must realize that we have no control over other's actions. 

Therefore, we must accept whatever they do as just being part of their own personal path. Don't take any harmful words or actions personally because it has nothing to do with you. It is part of their spiritual path, and they will have to learn later. This may help with jealousy, too. Do not be jealous, for everyone has different successes and talents for a spiritual, divine purpose. This goes along with compliments and flattery too. Our ego loves to be stroked with compliments and flattery, but we must be humble. These compliments are also part of this person's path, and while they might make you happy, you shouldn't dwell on them. You can accept them, but don't obsess over them. Letting the ego grow larger will not help you. Don't judge, and know in your heart that you have your own path while everyone else does to.

3) Think before you speak.

The ego is like an unruly child in the classroom: interrupting others while they are speaking, pushing a child over when they are angry, or crying when they don't get their way. While we don't do these things as adults (at least I hope not), the ego finds ways around this. See, the ego LOVES to over-react. The ego does not "think," it only over-reacts based on emotion and does not include any logic. It is important not to hurt people with words. Words are powerful things that can easily stick in a person's mind for the rest of their life.  So in order to control the ego, we must of course recognize that everyone has their own path, but we must always think about what we are saying before we say it. Have you ever said something that seems harmless in your mind, but you found out that it deeply hurt the person and you didn't know why? That's because the ego allowed you to think that it was okay to say that thing, no matter how selfish or hurtful it came out as. Stop and think before you speak, and do not let your ego's childish emotions take over you. You are no longer a child, so you should never allow your ego to make you act like one.

4) Meditate.

We all have an inner peace. Within our soul, we have an intelligence that has the answer to all of our questions .We have the peace and serenity in our center that we cannot find in every day-to-day life. The ego is a shallow problem. When we meditate deep enough, we push the ego aside and we focus on the 'here and now.' We can feel the peace that we all have deeply rooted within us when we meditate. Meditation can help you feel calm, focused, and humble as well. The universe is within us, and the ego is a petty part of us that we can easily quiet down, yet so many of us let it control our lives. Find a quiet place, whether that be the floor of your bedroom or on a quiet beach. Find any position that's comfortable, close your eyes, and let yourself relax in silence. It may be difficult to do at first since our busy minds are unruly, but with practice, you will be able to slowly quiet the ego and fill your heart and soul with peace and love.

We have been living with our unruly ego for years, so all of these tips will be an ongoing life practice. The first step to quieting the ego is recognizing that you have one. From there, you can follow these tips one and a time and find your own path to greatness.

How I Lost Weight - The Healthy Way

I know this blog is called My Hippie Life, but I think that exercising and staying in good health is very important in everyone's lives (even hippies like you and me). I believe that your body is a haven and you should treat it with nothing but healthy foods and good exercise. I believe that your physical well-being and your spiritual well-being are directly connected. This is all based on my experience and research, and it is okay if you disagree! But I encourage you to do your own research too. So this is what has happened to me this year:

I don't like putting a picture of me in my bra out in the open, but I think it will help make a point. I've lost 16 pounds so far in 4 months, and I really want to tell you how: diet change. It is truly ALL about the diet, and somewhat about the exercise!

At the beginning of the year, I was struggling. I weighed about 154 pounds, more than I have ever weighed. I had a knee injury for over a year that prevented me from doing any cardio, I had tore my oblique in yoga, and I had pinched my sciatic nerve in a cycling class. Basically, I was falling apart! Because of this, I got pretty depressed that I couldn't exercise and I started eating like crap.

When this year started, I knew I had to change. I tried cutting my calories but didn't really change what I ate. I was starving all the time trying to eat 1200 calories and was losing weight extremely slowly, if at all. Over spring break, my mom had me watch a documentary called Vegucated. It is about people who live a vegan life and why they do it. I can honestly say that this documentary changed my life. After that video, I made extreme changes to my diet.

What I did:

1) Gave up ALL meat cold turkey (ha)

2) Stopped eating eggs and most dairy

3) Started eating more clean than I was before (much more grains and vegetables!)

Is that it? Yes. That is all I did. I did still eat fish though, so I'm not a true vegetarian. Literally, within two and a half months, I dropped 13 pounds without even trying. I didn't count my calories, protein, or carbohydrates. I just ate less processed crap and no meat, eggs, or most dairy. That is all it took for me to drop the weight.

Amazingly, after about three months of this diet change, my injuries actually started to heal. I really couldn't believe it. When I got home from college for the summer, I actually jogged for the first time in almost two years! A combination of raw foods, healthy foods, and weight loss all started to work together and heal my stubborn knee. I couldn't be happier!

You can do it too.

Dealing with weight is a pain in the booty, but you can easily manage your weight and feel better about yourself by eating better. And you will feel better. You will have much more energy and will even feel positive about life.

I know everyone is different, but from my experience, this is what works:

1) Give up meat, especially red meats and processed meats. There is ample evidence that red & processed meats are plain terrible for your health. If you do not believe me, feel free to do some of your own research! I support this. If you do decide to give up meat, though, make sure you are taking a multivitamin to get adequate B12, calcium, and iron.

2) Start getting rid of the dairy. Dairy is full of calories and fat. Low-fat dairy has added sugar to make it taste better, according to Dr. Oz. Plus, most Americans can't even digest it properly. If you get gassy from dairy, it's because the dairy is literally sitting in your intestines, fermenting, because you lack the enzyme to digest it properly. I do have the occasional cheese, but I am in love with soy milk. I put it in coffee, cereal, and everything else. It tastes great and it is a light drink.

3) Eggs are icky. Okay, I know this could be my opinion alone, but I hate eggs now. They taste weird to me and they are kind of gross if you think about what they really are. But that is my personal opinion and you don't have to do this. Steer clear of egg yolks though - maybe just one a day - and stick to egg whites because they are much healthier for you.

4) MORE vegetables and fruits. Most people do not get any vegetables, and the others think that loading up on fruit will take its place. Wrong! Vegetables are so important. They contain so many nutrients that our bodies need. If you aren't eating vegetables, you might feel full, but your body is starved nutritionally. Make an effort to eat more of these. Of course, fruits are great too, but you probably don't need as much as you think. Check this out to see how much of each you need, and stick to it:

http://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/everyone/fruitsvegetables/

5) Clean eating. Make an effort to eat CLEAN, as in no processed foods. Processed foods contain harmful chemicals like acetone and aspartame that wreak havoc on your system. I believe that my body was too busy ridding itself of cholesterol and chemicals to even have time to work on healing my injuries! Give your body the break it needs and eat clean.

Resources:

1) Films about food I have found useful:

*Vegucated (on Netflix)

*Food, Inc.

*Fat, Sick, And Nearly Dead (on Netflix)

*Hungry For Change (on Netflix)

I also read a few books at school that were useful to me, but I can't remember their names, so when I am back in school I will update about these books!

Overall, I am sure that this post is controversial, but this is what has worked for me. With a not-so-good metabolism, I think that 13 pounds is a lot to lose. I did plateau at 13 pounds, so the other 3 pounds were lost by exercising and watching my calorie/sugar/fat intake!

I really encourage you to do your own research and figure out what might work for you! Good luck!

Dealing With Attention Deficit Disorder: The Natural Way

It's funny to read the above picture that I found on Pinterest, but this kind of thought process is common among millions of adults and children today, including me. 

I am not sure why it took me 20 years to figure out that I have ADD. I think the symptoms have officially caught up with me, and I am sure there are many people that feel the same way. I have been misdiagnosed with depression and anxiety for years, not that I didn't have those at a certain point in my life, but I simply had them partly because of ADD 'symptoms.' But I am not trying to create some kind of sob story here.

I did a little bit of research of things that people with ADD/ADHD can do to help their 'symptoms' improve. I know there is medication out there, and that medication is a personal choice, but I choose to not be medicated. I was once on a anti-depressant/anti-anxiety pill for a few years and I didn't like how it "numbed" me. It was also hell to get off of, so I try to stay away from medication. However, I understand that medication can really help some people so I do not judge personal choices at all.

How to deal with ADD/ADHD the natural way:

1) Therapy- This probably isn't the answer you're looking for, but therapy really does work wonders for people! I believe that everyone could use a little bit of therapy, especially people who suffer from ADD. It is pretty difficult to just "live with" ADD without any guidance, so a therapist can help you recognize your more negative symptoms and help you learn how to deal with them in a positive way.

2) Brain Games- It is important for people with ADD to constantly work their brain to avoid Alzeimer's and other brain diseases. I would much rather sit on my phone playing Candy Crush Saga in my spare time, but we really need to exercise our brains. Try something simple like sudoku or crossword puzzles. Take a class on something you have never learned before, or on a subject that you might be particularly bad at (math?). Reading is also a great way to work out your brain. Check out luminosity.com for some free "brain games." You can work different parts of your mind and check your progress over time!

3) Diet- Eating right is very important for people with ADD especially. Eliminating trans fats, unhealthy sugars, and refined grains for your diet can be very beneficial for you brain and body. Too much sugar actually directly affects a brain chemical that promotes learning and storing memories, two things that could be difficult to begin with for the average individual with ADD. Also, Omega-3s are SO important for people with ADD, and any other individual. Omega-3s help enhance brain power and they physically strengthen the bonds within your brain. Try eating fish 3-4 times a week, or opt for a fish oil supplement. If you are

vegetarian, find a vegetarian Omega-3 supplement in your nearest health food store. This nutrient is crucial!

4) Exercise: My psychology teacher freshman year told us "there is something that the body loves about exercise." This is very true! Exercise is good for literally everything in your body, including your brain! It helps people focus and function more efficiently during the day as opposed to someone who does not exercise. Yoga is also shown to help people people with ADD immensely by teaching them to focus and relax their mind. So get your butt to the gym, not only for ADD-related reasons, but to live longer and happier!

5) Coffee...maybe: This might be my opinion alone here, but caffeine personally helps me focus much better than I do normally. I'm not advising to drink an energy drink (never!) or get a sugar-filled latte from Starbucks, I'm only suggesting that 1-2 cups a day might really help you focus better. My entire family has some sort of ADD, but when we go out for coffee together, our brains function better together than ever before! I drink my coffee with about 1/3 cup of soy milk because cream and white sugar is just plain bad for you. If you can't stomach milk alone, try to add just a little bit of sugar and then ween yourself off. Sugar is dangerous for ADD individuals, after all.

I am not a doctor by any means, but these are just some suggestions from my personal research. Obviously, consult a doctor before you start running 6 miles per hour on the treadmill while drinking coffee and eating a heap of fish every day. Also, I have heard that the book Driven To Distraction by Dr. Hallowell is awesome for people who have ADD. So you can help yourself, and keep your brain power going strong! 

Finally, don't let ADD/ADHD get you down. It isn't who you are, it is just how you do things. Even if it gets somewhat difficult, remember that you are not alone.

Famous minds who have/had ADD/ADHD: Will Smith, Jim Carey, Tom Cruise, Sylvester Stallone, Robin Williams, Whoopi Goldberg, Bill Cosby, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Babe Ruth, Pablo Picasso, Vincent Van Gogh, Salvador Dali, Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Leo Tolstoy, Robert Frost, Edgar Allen Poe, Bill Gates, Walt Disney, Henry Ford, Steven Spielberg, John Lennon, Elvis Presley, Mozart, Beethoven, Cher, Buddy Rich, Winston Churchill, President John F. Kennedy, President Thomas Jefferson, President Abraham Lincoln, President Dwight Eisenhower, Albert Einstein, Stephen Hawking, Nicolai Tesla, Louis Pasteur, Galileo, Sir Isaac Newton, Socrates, and Eleanor Roosevelt.

http://voices.yahoo.com/famous-people-add-adhd-positive-side-add-5248633.html?cat=25

Some positive qualities of people with ADD:

*creative

*intuitive

*imaginative

*flexible

*humorous

*resilient

*good at problem-solving

You can focus on the negative, or bath in the positive! See? We are brilliant minds just waiting to bust out of our shells. If only we could learn how to focus...

Monday Lunch

Quick & easy ingredients:

*3 oz smoked salmon

*2 1/2 cups kale

*1/3 cup soy beans

*1 1/2 medium tomatoes

*1/3 cup mushrooms sauteed in onions

*sprinkled with sea salt, black pepper, coriander, cayenne pepper, and drizzled in lemon juice

323 calories

11 grams fat

27 grams protein

33 carbohydrates

I seriously devoured this salad, it tasted delicious and had a lot of textures, colors, and tastes. 

Quick Protein-Filled Recipe

I didn't have time to take a picture, but here is a filling, healthy, and protein-filled lunch if you are looking for some ideas:

*1 six oz fillet of fresh catch cod
*1/3 cup edamame soybeans
*1 medium tomato, sliced

Throw into a bowl and sprinkle with sea salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and basil

*1 cup soy milk
*1 scoop plant-based protein (I use Vegn Sport brand)
*1 cup watermelon
*1/2 cup pineapple

Blend ingredients together for a delicious protein shake! Of course, if you are a whey protein fan, you can use whey, but I believe that plant-based protein to be much better for you. At least, I used to get severe stomach cramps from whey protein, and I no longer get these from the pea protein isolate that I use.

Note: I do eat an odd mixture of vegetarian/vegan/pescetarian, so my recipes revolve around this. I do offer some alternatives though, too, in the description. Have a healthy weekend!

A Hippie's Hip Tattoo

I got this little beauty on my hip yesterday at a tattoo shop called Little Buddha in Steger, Illinois (done by Kenny Young). I couldn't be happier with the results! I had a dream before I came home for summer break. I dreamed that this tattoo was on my hip, and when I woke up, it made a lot of sense for me.

See, my mother was always into yoga when I was younger, so our house was constantly decked out with moon, star, and sun wallpaper, incense burners, candle holders, you name it! It reminds me of our bond together.

Not only that, but I am very interested in tarot cards. I give out tarot card readings and also collect vintage decks. The 19th card (XIX) of the Major Arcana is called The Sun. This card represents someone who makes positive decisions that will help them have a great future. It also represents happiness and strong relationships, along with a charitable person. These are some things that I would like to continue to work towards, so this tattoo meant the world to me.

The Sun:

Tattoos are a wonderful thing! However, I did indeed find it pretty painful (especially on my hip bone). I would say that my pain threshold is below average, so I am sure it isn't as bad for most people. So, if you have a dream or a feeling you should get something, take the jump and GET INKED!

NATURAL Beauty

I used to use beauty products from the grocery store like most people do: Regular shampoo and conditioner, store brand soap, shaving cream, brand makeup, and store-bought hair products. My hair is naturally thin and wavy, but it seemed like it was always dry, brittle, and covered in split ends. I read in magazines that the solution was more products, and that wavy/curly hair is naturally dry and you couldn't do a thing about it.

I'm not sure how it happened, but over Christmas break, I came across an article about SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate), a chemical that is nearly every shampoo, soap, face wash, and toothpaste. It helps create a rich lather, and it is cheaply made, so all beauty brands (and industrial cleaner brands) use it.

Here's the problem: Over 16,000 studies have been done on SLS, and it is found that the chemical is directly related to eye and skin irritation, organ toxicity, developmental/reproductive toxicity, cellular changes, mutations, and cancer.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/07/13/sodium-lauryl-sulfate.aspx

Why is SLS used then? Companies claim that it is safe because it is only on the skin for a short period of time and cannot be toxic in small doses. Small doses? The average American uses soap, shampoos, and toothpaste multiple times a day!

SLS is a powerful chemical that strips your hair of its natural oils, and worse, those store-bought conditioners coat your hair in mineral oil, giving it a false shine that makes you believe your hair is in good condition. Chances are, it isn't. Plus, putting chemicals on your skin is more dangerous than ingesting it! If it is ingested, it can be broken down by the liver, kidneys, and stomach. But when it is absorbed through the skin, there is no process to break it down so it ends up in your bloodstream immediately.

So I've found a solution to this problem. I made it my mission to find more natural beauty products free of chemicals, and better yet, almost everything I've found is much, much cheaper than those chemical-filled products.

These are some of the products that can always be found in my bathroom. Starting from the left, I have baking soda, coconut oil, apple cider vinegar, Burt's Bees shampoo, 100% extra virgin olive oil, and two tumbler cups.

I came across the "no poo" method of using just baking soda and apple cider vinegar in place of shampoo and conditioner. The baking soda forces your hair follicles open while the apple cider vinegar forces them closed, creating the perfect wash/rinse combination.

http://www.love-yourself-naturally.com/2013/04/welcome-to-no-poo-hair-care/

Now, I couldn't deal with 3 months of having a greaseball head of hair, so I use baking soda diluted in water as shampoo every other time I wash my hair (which is about 3-4 times a week now). I use Burts Bee's every other time I wash. I use about 1/3 cup of apple cider vinegar diluted in water to condition my hair every time I shower. And I must say, my hair has never looked better!

I stopped dying my hair as well and was pleasantly surprised at how shiny and healthy my real hair looked. I'll never dye it again, and I'll never use store bought shampoo and conditioners. They are a scam that only make your hair look worse so that you keep buying their products.

Another plus is that I spend almost nothing on hair care. The gallon of ACV cost about $8 and lasted me 6 months. That one bottle of shampoo also lasted me 6 months (about $8), and I only bought 2 boxes of baking soda the past 6 months ($1.50). I'm not good at the math thing, but I imagine that is no more than $2.50 a month.

Some other organic trades I've done & loved:

*Olive oil instead of shaving cream: This is an amazing switch I've found. It feels weird at first, but it is the best way to shave! It is so moisturizing, I rarely ever get razor bumps anymore, and I never accidentally cut myself with my razor in the shower.

*Coconut oil instead of lotion: Coconut oil works better than lotion, and it is naturally SPF 4! I put a very small amount all over my body while my skin is still wet from the shower. I use this on my face too. I have never found a moisturizer that makes my skin look better than coconut oil. Also, it heals acne and scars!

*Witch hazel instead of toner: Toner is probably the biggest waste of money ever, only because you can buy a big bottle of witch hazel for much cheaper, and it does the exact same job. It clears up acne, cleans out your bores, dissolves razor bumps, and evens out your skin tone! I love witch hazel. Find it at any store!

*Olive oil and castor oil as face wash: I have major combination skin, and this "face wash" heals my acne and moisturizes my face. I even converted my sister, who has extremely sensitive skin that turns red and flaky, and my mom who has relatively dry skin.

This is my amazing "face wash". I haven't used anything else for six months! All you do is get a reusable flip top bottle (I found this one at Walmart for 97 cents) and make a combination of castor oil and extra virgin olive oil. The general standard is to use 7 parts olive oil to 3 parts castor oil. Castor oil is very drying so it dries up acne, and olive oil moisturizes.

The theory is that store-bought face washes that claim to "heal" acne actually make acne worse. Your face produces oil for a reason: because it needs it! When you are constantly stripping your face of oil, your skin becomes irritated and your face responds by producing even more oil. You don't need to strip your face of oil, you need to remove the "bad" oil and replace it with "good" oil!

http://www.theoilcleansingmethod.com/

I used to have a very greasy face, but ever since I started using this mixture, my face has not been greasy at all! It's amazing, really. Not to mention, it is the BEST makeup remover I've ever used!

All you do is rub the mixture all over your face (with makeup still on), take a warm rag, and wipe it off. That's it! No over-drying or worrying about grease!

I really hope you think about the products you are using and how you can treat your body better. Why should we support these companies that could care less about our actual well being? As long as our dollar is in their pocket, they don't care what they are giving us. So let's start a beauty revolution. Forget the store-bought crap. The more natural, the better it is for you!

One more thing: I do splurge on some beauty products, only because I believe there is no way around it and I like the results it gives me.

Bare Minerals: I absolutely love, love, love Bare Minerals. Their powders are the kind of powders that cover up flaws but still let your natural beauty shine through, not to mention that they never make my face break out. The moment I switch to anything else, my skin flares up and breaks out again. I highly recommend Bare Minerals to everyone. I recommend visiting a store to get fitted with the right color because it can be impossible to find the right shade yourself. It took me 2 years to finally go into the store and get fitted - I had no idea I was the lightest possible shade! Also, their mascara is made with vitamins, so you don't have to worry about your eyelashes getting brittle and falling off.

*Tip: Don't do the every month renewal method. If you take the time to order your makeup each time you run out, you get much bigger containers of makeup for the same price and they last way longer.

Wen: The only reason I have Wen products is because my mom bought them and didn't like them. I have to agree that they don't seem like a miracle product, but it is all natural. I do like the conditioners, though. Their deep conditioner works really well, and I use the regular conditioner as leave-in conditioner, but I'm sure you could find something much, much cheaper out there that works just as well. Just my opinion, though. I have read that it works really well for some other people.

Hair wise, if you have thin hair, this might not work that great for your hair. I say that only because my mom has thin, straight hair, and I have wavy, thin hair.

Have you gone all natural yet? If not, get started! You will be amazed with how amazing your skin and hair will look and feel! Have a great weekend.

Project Healthy: Jillian Michaels Detox Water

This week, I decided to give the Jillian Michaels Detox Water cleanse a try. It was appealing to me because you could still eat normally (eating healthier helps, though), and all you had to do was add a cup of brewed tea and a very small amount of cranberry juice and lemon juice to about 8 cups of water that you will drink all day.

The Recipe:
*60 ounces purified water
*2 tablespoons pure cranberry juice
*2 tablespoons of lemon juice
*1 cup of brewed dandelion detox tea

I must say that I loved this cleanse after day one. I really like the taste of the water, and it was pretty easy for me to down the 60 ounces upon arriving home from work. The morning after the first day of drinking this cleanse drink, my tummy was much flatter and I felt much more confident about myself because of this reason. I must admit, though, it definitely "cleans you out" the first day, if you know what I mean. Like, a lot.
But this is definitely a good thing for your body.

I eat a ton of fiber during the day, so my stomach is usually pretty bloated, but this cleanse has completely flattened it out by Day 5! I am very impressed. I highly recommend this "cleanse", because it is easy, it works, and you can still eat!

Now, I have noticed that I drink way more than 60 ounces of water a day. I am considering buying a gallon Ice Mountain jug and skewing the ingredients so that I can drink this gallon all day long. You can do this too, but if 60 ounces is plenty for you, then drink that all throughout the day and you will have the same affect. I also recommend drinking plain water on top of this too, especially if you are exercising, but it is completely up to you. Here is what I bought:

I unfortunately bought a cranberry juice mix that included grape juice and apple juice, but it had no sugar added so I think it worked just fine. I am sure that regular 100% cranberry juice would work better, though, especially if it is organic. Be sure that there is no sugar added! I found my detox tea in Walmart in the tea aisle. The tea is called "EveryDay Detox" by Traditional Medicinals. It tastes great, kind of like licorice, and it definitely did the job. And, these tea bags are compostable, so you can throw it in the garden and give back to the earth what you took from it (a great added bonus, in my opinion).

So overall, I say YES to Jillian Michaels Detox Water recipe. It can't hurt anyone, and you can still eat whatever you like! I do suggest eating more fiber during this and it will only help you even more. Plus, with the way she looks, I might just follow anything she says.

Let me know if you tried it, and how your results turned out!

One More Thing: I have seen some things on Pinterest claiming that you will lose 5 pounds of fat by doing this cleanse. I highly doubt this. It is possible to lose 5 pounds of gunk from your intestines, but I do not endorse this for fat loss. In fact, I have not lost any weight from doing this cleanse, but I still look and feel great!

Health Tip #1: Replace Your Unhealthy Breakfast With A Big Green Salad

I can't think of anything unhealthier than the typical breakfast foods: cereals (loaded with carbs, sugar, and chemicals like acetone), sausage, bacon, and eggs (fat, calories, cholesterol), milk and orange juice (fat, sugar, unnecessary calories), pancakes (sugar, simple carbs, butter), and the list goes on and on. Did you know that the only reason we eat eggs, bacon, and milk for breakfast is because of a massive PR campaign done in the 1920s  that promoted the meat & dairy industry? This campaign was done by none other than the "grandfather" of PR, Edward Bernays.
http://www.americantable.org/2012/07/how-bacon-and-eggs-became-the-american-breakfast/

Here's the problem. When we wake up, our body is naturally in starvation mode from going without food while we were sleeping. What it needs is lean protein, leafy greens, other vegetables, and some fruit. It craves nutrients, especially in the morning when it is without these nutrients.

The last thing our bodies need is a load of fat, calories, sugar, and cholesterol in the morning. This causes your body to work overtime trying to rid all the cholesterol from your blood and trying to push all those unhealthy ingredients through your system.

I decided to rid of these so-called "nutritious breakfast foods" from my diet. Instead of the meat, dairy, and sugar, I have started to fill up on a big, green salad in the morning instead. Here is my early breakfast today:

Ingredients: 1 large green bell pepper, 1 1/3 cups kale, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, juice of 1/2 a lime, and a sprinkle of sea salt and cayenne pepper.

Some days, I will put other things into this salad, such as avocados, cucumbers, spinach tomatoes, or any other healthy vegetable or fruit. Today, I craved kale and green pepper.


I know what you're thinking. Salad for breakfast?! Yuck! But it isn't nearly as weird as you may think. It might seem hard to force it down initially, but after doing this for a month and a half, my body craves its healthy greens in the morning. I look forward to having my early morning salad far more than I ever looked forward to bacon, eggs, and biscuits!
With an early morning salad like this one, you already have gotten tons of your daily nutrients, and this salad will fill you up much better than any processed foods. With this salad, I just loaded up on Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Iron, and other necessary nutrients.

I challenge you to start replacing your usual breakfast with a big, filling salad 2-3 time a week to start. You will notice how much more energy you have and how much healthier you feel by at least the third week. I do realize that it is also a good idea to have healthy proteins in your breakfast. Forget the bacon and sausage (for these are not healthy), and try cooking some quinoa and beans to eat after your salad. You can even grill some organic chicken and throw it into the salad as well if you are a meat eater. However, know that chicken has just as much cholesterol as a steak, so try to avoid it so early in the morning as possible.

Also, be sure to add a huge glass of water to the mix, or two, especially if you drink coffee (I know I need my morning coffee). Your body is quite dehydrated from going without fluids all night, so drink up!

My Hippie Life

I created this blog in hopes of sharing my wisdom on living a more natural, spiritually-inclined, and healthy life. I believe that we are the change that we wish to see in the world. I believe that we shouldn't follow the government, the FDA, or any other society blindly - research anything you've been told because you might be surprised what you find. That may be a lot to ask, but that is why I created this blog. I created it to help you reach your physical and spiritual goals (both are infinitely intertwined). If you are looking for a better body, a healthier mind, and an alternative way of life, this is your place to be.