<![CDATA[C'est Naturel - Nutrition, Fitness & Foods - "Out with the Old, In with the New" Cleanse]]>Sun, 20 May 2012 21:52:16 -0800Weebly<![CDATA[May 2012 - Out with the Old, In with the New 15 Day Cleanse]]>Mon, 14 May 2012 22:47:01 -0800http://cestnaturelfoods.com/1/post/2012/05/may-2012-out-with-the-old-in-with-the-new-15-day-cleanse.htmlDay 1 - 4 individuals signed up for this 2week venture (originally 5 but one had to cancel - too many schedule conflicts)
Easy Deal.  Follow the parameters and you will see results!  

You are embarking on this journey to transform your palate and change your body chemistry to best facilitate healing, rest and repair.  For the next two weeks we are going to allow our bodies to maintain an alkaline environment by consuming a whole foods, plant based diet and drinking raw juices.  
Acid Forming Foods 
*Foods to AVOID!
• Sugar, Sugar Substitutes
• All cooked fruits – jams, canned, processed
• Vinegar, salad dressing
• All animal products – meats (fish/seafood), cheese, milk products, eggs
• Rice, Quinoa, Polenta
• Anything with gluten in it - Bread , Pasta, Cous Cous
• Coffee, Tea, Chocolate = Caffeine
• Alcohol
Alkaline Forming Foods 
*Foods that we will be consuming
• Raw honey, Raw agave, Raw stevia, Dates/fruit
• All raw fruits (frozen is ok , no sugar added), Dried fruit (sulfur free, free of added sugar)
• All raw vegetables/All cooked vegetables
• Raw nuts & seeds
 “If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail.”  
Look over your schedule for the next 2 weeks. Cut out/taper down as much as you can so that you can stay in the mental space to succeed at regaining your health/retraining your taste buds.

• Make time to read through your cleanse guidelines/handout
• Plan out your menu - I gave you my guidelines to make life easy, but I give you way too much food ;o)• Stock up on fruits & veggies.  Any of these that you don’t eat can be freezed, thrown into smoothies or juiced, yummy! = NO WASTE!

• Plan out your family’s menu for the next 2weeks – stock up on “easy to make items” for them (SURRENDER)
• Make time to shop, Make time to chop
• Clean out the cupboards – Eliminate the wrong foods (at least temporarily). You’ve already stocked up on the right foods – Lock up or dump the stuff you might be unable to resist in a moment of weakness.• Borrow a quality blender & or juicer from a friend (Vitamix blender – Breville juicer). This may be a good time to invest in your health – these devices make it easy!
You can do it!!!
]]><![CDATA[Raw Food vs Cooked Food]]>Fri, 13 Apr 2012 16:15:24 -0800http://cestnaturelfoods.com/1/post/2012/04/raw-food-vs-cooked-food.html
Raw Food -- One of Your Keys to Outstanding Health
Adapted from an article written by Wes Petereson 

A kitchen is nothing else than a chemical laboratory producing millions of completely new chemical substances that basically never existed in the wild and if, then very occasionally by accident. Cooking will randomly produce millions of different sugar and protein combinations commonly called Maillard molecules.

-Key Points Regarding the Effects of Cooking on Food and Health
What happens when you cook your food?
The food's life force is greatly depleted or destroyed when it is cooked. The bioelectrical energy field is altered and greatly depleted.  The biochemical structure and nutrient makeup of the food is altered from its original state. Molecules in the food are deranged, degraded, and broken down. The food is degenerated in many ways. Fiber in plant foods is broken down into a soft, passive substance that loses its broom-like and magnetic cleansing quality in the intestines.

Nutrients, like vitamins, minerals, and amino acids are depleted, destroyed, and altered. The degree of depletion, destruction, and alteration is simply a matter of temperature, cooking method, and time.
Up to 50% of the protein is coagulated. Much of this is rendered unusable. High temperatures also create cross-links in protein. Cross-linked proteins are implicated in many problems in the body, as well as being a factor in the acceleration of the aging process.

The water content of the food is decreased. The natural structure of the water is also changed to something far less than optimal.  Toxic substances and cooked "byproducts" are created. The higher the cooking temperature, the more toxins are created. Frying and grilling are especially toxin-generating. Various carcinogenic and mutagenic substances and many free radicals are generated in cooked fats and proteins in particular.  Heat causes the molecules involved to collide, and repeated collision causes divalent bonding in order for new molecules, and hence a new substance, to form. They have even been named "new chemical composites".  Unusable waste material is created, which has a cumulative congesting and clogging effect on your body and is a burden to the natural elimination processes of your body.

All of the enzymes present in raw foods are destroyed at temperatures as above 118 degrees Fahrenheit. These enzymes, named "food enzymes" are important for optimum digestion. They naturally aid in digestion and become active as soon as eating commences. Cooking destroys 100% of these enzymes.
Eating enzyme-dead food places a burden on your pancreas and other organs and overworks them, which eventually exhausts these organs. The digestion of cooked food uses valuable metabolic enzymes in order to help digest your food. Digestion of cooked food is much more energetically demanding than the digestion of raw food. In general, raw food is so much more easily digested that it passes through the digestive tract in a half to a third of the time it takes for cooked food.

After eating a cooked meal, there is a rush of white blood cells towards the digestive tract, leaving the rest of the body less protected by the immune system. From the point of view of the immune system the body is being invaded by a foreign (toxic) substance when cooked food is eaten.  Putrefactive bacteria, particularly from cooked meat, dominate the natural population of beneficial intestinal flora resulting in dysfunction in your intestine, allowing the absorption of toxins from the bowel. This phenomenon is variously called dysbiosis, or intestinal toxemia.  A buildup of mucoid plaque is created in the intestines. Mucoid plaque is a thick tar-like substance that is the long-term result of undigested, uneliminated cooked food putrefying in the intestines. Cooked starches and fats in particular are a major culprit in constipation and clogging of the intestines.

Cooked foods cause a build-up of toxins and waste material in many parts of the body, including within individual cells. Some of these toxins and wastes are called lipofuscin, which accumulates in the skin and nervous system, including the brain. It can be observed as "liver spots" or "age spots."  Cooked foods cause malnutrition at the cellular level. Because cooked foods are lower in nutrients, in addition to containing wastes and toxins, individual cells don't receive enough of the nutrients they need.

Cooked foods cause a tendency towards obesity through overeating. Because the cells don't get enough nutrients they are, in essence "always hungry" and hence "demand" more food. Cooked food is also less likely to be properly metabolized, which is another factor in excess weight gain.

-Raw Food vs. Cooked Food
In 1930, research was conducted at the Institute of Clinical Chemistry in Lausanne, Switzerland, under the direction of Dr. Paul Kouchakoff. The effect of food (cooked/processed vs. raw/natural) on the immune system was tested and documented. It was found that after a person eats cooked food, his/her blood responds immediately by increasing the number of white blood cells. This is a well-known phenomenon called "digestive leukocytosis", which means that there is a rise in the number of leukocytes, or white blood cells, after eating.  Since digestive leukocytosis was always observed after eating, it was considered to be a normal physiological response to eating. No one knew why the number of white cells would rise after eating, since this appeared to be a stress response, as if the body was reacting to something harmful, such as infection, trauma, or exposure to toxic chemicals.
While studying the influence of food on human blood the Swiss researchers made a remarkable discovery.  
  • They found that eating unaltered, raw food or food heated at low temperatures did not cause a reaction in the blood.
  • In addition, if a food had been heated beyond a certain temperature (unique to each food), or if the food was processed (refined, added chemicals, etc.), this always caused a rise in the number of white cells in the blood.
]]><![CDATA[BodyMovin 14 Day Cleanse Finale ]]>Sun, 08 Apr 2012 00:31:34 -0800http://cestnaturelfoods.com/1/post/2012/04/bodymovin-14-day-cleanse-finale.htmlPicture
On Friday, April 6 a majority of us gathered at Karen & Bills for our Finale Cleanse Meeting Potluck Extravaganza.  Being that it was a holiday weekend, a number of participants were unable to attend & were sorely missed.  Each & everyone of you made this a successful cleansing experience for each other - You guys are amazing!

Each person was asked to bring a recipe that they discovered over the course of the cleanse.  We delighted in a smorgasbord of gluten-free, vegan raw foods - soup, salad, tea sandwiches, lettuce wraps, trail mix...
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Cleanse Evaluation Participant Responses
?-What surprised you the most about the cleanse?
  • Having the "pregnancy glow" w/out being pregnant. The dullness in my face disappeared, all by day 3. A friend noticed that my eyes were whiter.
  • Experiencing a deep sleep, au naturel.
  • How great I felt especially after juicing. Can't explain it. It's almost euphoric!
  • How easy it was by the end of the first week.
  • How energetic I felt! I had no desire for coffee - after 40 years of use.
  • Getting full & satisfied on vegetables & fruits, and not craving animal products.

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?-Was their one aspect of the cleanse that was life changing for you?   
  • I'd like to continue simply because I like how I look, feel, & what people say about my appearance.
  • Realization that when I eat just fruits and veggies I can eat as much as I want.
  • That I feel good eating this way (I'm tightening extra notches on my belt. I've always been a high protein, low carb eating man. I work in construction and exercise at the gym regularly. I had never gone a day w/out meat (meat eggs yogurt & protein powders) – felt that my lack of energy was due to my age – after 4th day head finally felt clear, no more highs & lows, more energy)
  • That I could survive on only fruits and veggies & then later on only juice.
  • I bought a juicer and my kids want to drink the juice w/me.
  • I gave up caffeine and I now realize that I do not need it, I don't crave it anymore.
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?-What are the results you have experienced?
  • I lost 8 pounds easily. I got over the "I need to eat protein (meat) to survive/function". I have mental alertness & clarity. I feel great!
  • Lost weight. I have more energy. I also have a new perspective on eating.
  • A realization of just how bad I was eating when I thought I was a pretty healthy eater. I feel so much better.
  • I loved going through this w/my husband - I feel so healthy! I loved learning new recipes to make it fun and interesting. I feel confident we can live like this - eating 2 raw meals & 1 cooked + juicing regularly.
  • My brain fog is gone & my stomach no longer bothers me - gurgling/always talking to me.
  • I am happier and look better.
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Pounds Lost
Erika – 9
Larry – 17.4
Laura – 5 (15 total over past 2 months eating this way)
Karen – 8
Bill – 11.5
Katchen - 10
]]><![CDATA[BodyMovin Cleanse Days 13 & 14]]>Thu, 05 Apr 2012 08:11:34 -0800http://cestnaturelfoods.com/1/post/2012/04/bodymovin-cleanse-days-13-14.htmlYou are on the home stretch!!! I am so excited to have been priveledged to embark on this life journey with you.  As outlined in the cleanse handout and as I stated the first night after watching our launch pad film "Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead", I don't just want to lead you on a cleanse. My desire is that I can teach you how to l
Live eating a Cleansing Diet so that you are able to maintain the results. The basic dietary and health truths that I espouse are simple, yet powerful.  I hope you will be inspired to attend my topical workshops, nutrition education cl   Our grand finale Raw Food Potluck is going to be held on Friday, April 6 - please check your email for details. ]]><![CDATA[BodyMovin 14 Day Cleanse - Days 11 & 12 (All Raw, No Fats, No Oils]]>Tue, 03 Apr 2012 08:08:27 -0800http://cestnaturelfoods.com/1/post/2012/04/bodymovin-14-day-cleanse-days-11-12-all-raw-no-fats-no-oils.htmlYou guys are amazing! You are now on the other side of the hill. Watch your momentum - I find this side of the mountain more challenging because the end is so near.  Please stick to our prestated parameters (repeat of days 6&7) for eating & drinking. If you want to keep juicing for certain meals - Hallelujah!  Your palate has changed ;o).
I am going to stick it out w/Erika while she juices. In my opinon, the first 3 days are the toughest.  I begin to love the feeling of slightly being empty, having more energy, sleeping well at night, skin looking clear...increased vitality and losing the bloat (I like to call this puffiness) is a part of HEALTH.  You know now how to rid yourself of the bloat - you are a powerful human being! As you begin to add food into your system please reflect on how you feel & share it with us.

We have our final meeting scheduled for Monday, April 9. It was discussed that we would shift it to Friday, April 6th and meet at Karyn & Bill's home.  Is there anyone who couldn't make this potluck event? ]]><![CDATA[BodyMovin 14 Day Cleanse - Days 8, 9 & 10 Getting Juiced!]]>Sat, 31 Mar 2012 08:02:48 -0800http://cestnaturelfoods.com/1/post/2012/03/bodymovin-14-day-cleanse-days-8-9-10-getting-juiced.htmlWe are following the liquid parameters that we discussed.  Drinking lots of water/water concoctions - flavorful, vegetable juices and our treat of fruit juices.  Please blog your recipe ideas - You can do this! We, as a collective can do this successfully.  The benefits of eating raw foods (as you have done over the past week) and now adding just juices greatly promotes the restoration of your liver, kidney and gallbladder as you have decreased your toxic intake of processed/man-made foods, heated fats and ingestion of cholesterol from animal products.  Cholesterol levels are naturally lowering, so keep up the good work of this engine overhall!

Remember to get your 20 minutes of sunlight each day w/out lenses and practice 30-60 minutes of exercise, tapering your pace to accommodate your energy levels (we hope to see you in class at the studio).  Rest, Rest, Rest as much as your body suggests - this is not the time to try to push yourself, just maintain.
I suggest taking ginger baths to relax and enhance your detox/cleansing regime. The ginger aids in the secretion of toxins from the body.  The lymphatic system, which transports fats to the bloodstream, becomes overloaded with the food products that are unrecognizable (heated, processed fats). Dry body brushing is a fabulous technique that allows you to stimulate and cleanse your lymphatic system, and it makes your skin feel fabulous! Remember to breathe. This is another way to cleanse your lymphatic system - every exhale is a detox, along with nourishing every muscle and organ of the body with oxygen rich blood.

You are amazing!

In response to the questions about whether we're getting enough protein.  Please read the email document I sent you yesterday to help you examine your perspective on the protein issue. Here is an additional protein value chart to see the protein contents of all your fruits & veggies. 

Here is a link to the video that I wanted you guys to watch. I hope you got a chance. If you did, what did you think?
]]><![CDATA[BodyMovin 14 Day Cleanse Days 5, 6 & 7 - All RAW, No added Fats, No Oils]]>Wed, 28 Mar 2012 09:21:38 -0800http://cestnaturelfoods.com/1/post/2012/03/bodymovin-14-day-cleanse-days-5-6-7-all-raw-no-added-fats-no-oils.html'Don't eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn't recognize as food' - Michael Pollen

STAGE 3 of the Cleanse
The purpose of removing the nuts, seeds and oils is to further remove the burden of the intense amounts of energy that the body expends on digesting these types of foods.

What Can You Eat? 
All RAW Fruits & Veggies - including Avocado, Olives, Corn on the Cob 

What Can't You Eat?
Oil, butter, nuts, seeds

Salad dressings - (add lots of fresh herbs - cilantro, parsley, basil)
orange, lime, seasoning salt 
lemon, lime, seasoning saltlime seasoning salt
How am I going to get enough protein?Every fruit & veggie has protein in it, just smaller amounts.
  • Eat LOT's of the foods that you are eating, 1/3 more than you would normally eat.
  • Drink A LOT of water
  • Make big smoothies - add greens to your smoothie
You guys are AMAZING!REMEMBER we Meet at the Studio, Friday, 6pm for a short one-hour check in, please arrive on time.  This will be our launch night before we begin juicing. I'll have some yummy snacks that you guys can delight in. ]]><![CDATA[BodyMovin 14 Day Cleanse - Days 3 & 4]]>Mon, 26 Mar 2012 19:28:10 -0800http://cestnaturelfoods.com/1/post/2012/03/bodymovin-cleanse-days-3-4.htmlSo we have 14 people on this cleanse journey. It is so encouraging to read your responses.  Your parameters for the next 2 days are to eat 3 Raw meals.  We have eliminated our cooked foods. Raw food ideas abound - share your best - check out the"Good Eats" blog for additional recipe ideas (under Nutrition Education & Food Services Tab).

You are weaning yourself off of the following by Saturday am. This will make the juicing process quite a bit easier.
  • caffeine - coffee, tea:black, green, white, chocolate, energy drinks/substances
  • ALL animal products - meat, dairy, eggs (once a day, once every other day, no longer...)
  • gluten
  • sugar
  • Artificial sweeteners were immediately eliminated!

Make sure that you are: 
  1. Drinking water - 8 8oz glasses
  2. Getting a minimum of 20 minutes of sunlight through your eyes each day w/out lenses (no staring at the sun, just being outside w/a hat or under an awning is fine)
  3. Exercising (combining outdoors & exercise is the way to go) for 30-60 minutes a day
  4. Resting as much as possible and being gracious with yourself - your body is undergoing a lot of changes


Keep up the good work & sharing your ideas!  I love reading your posts. If it would save time and your accountability partner & you agree - Why not share your journey and encouragement via the blog.  You guys are so inspiring! ]]><![CDATA[BodyMovin 14 Day Out with the Old, In with the New Cleanse - Days 1& 2]]>Fri, 23 Mar 2012 20:04:46 -0800http://cestnaturelfoods.com/1/post/2012/03/bodymovin-out-with-the-old-in-with-the-new-cleanse.htmlCome clean! On Friday night, March 23, 2012 we banded together at BodyMovin Yoga, Dance & Wellness Studio in San Clemente Ca. for a night of free yoga, to watch the movie "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead" and for the brave to embark on a guided cleanse. As the dust settled 9 souls rose up to journey through the venture of our guided cleanse.  Here is their story... ]]><![CDATA[Out with the Old, In with the New Year, New You Cleanse]]>Fri, 30 Dec 2011 14:29:48 -0800http://cestnaturelfoods.com/1/post/2011/12/out-with-the-old-in-with-the-new-year-new-you-cleanse.html
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_ Cleansing the Body from the Inside Out
Does this seem like an odd concept? Well not if you think about how much of our insides we clean on a daily basis:
  • Mouths – “Brush your Teeth” – How many times a day does your dentist recommend?
  • Noses – Kids & Old people love to pick them in public
  • Eyes – Sleepy, crusty, gunky eyes we wipe away
  • Belly button – the fuzz, dirt & grime
  • Genitals – baths, douches

These are only the parts we have access to. For parts we don’t have access to we have the Excretory System. It cleans our bodies every second of everyday (skin/lungs/kidneys/urinary tract/colon).  Now you’re probably wondering, “Why do I need to do more than what nature is currently doing?” The answer: our bodies weren’t designed to handle the amount of toxins that we encounter in our modern lives each day.

The need to cleanse our bodies can be compared to house cleaning. Most of us have a weekly cleaning schedule that includes cleaning only the high traffic (high visibility) areas. During Spring cleaning we clean behind the couch, wipe down the cobwebs, finding dust and dirt where no one has even been.  Your body has the same need for a deep cleaning cleanse.

The human body can only process so many toxins at a time and everyone has their own tolerance level. When a backup occurs and toxins continue to enter, the body protects itself by storing them in fat cells. Negative symptoms begin to manifest and if the root problem is left unaddressed, in time what was once a minor irritation turns into a chronic & degenerative disease.

A cleansing diet is one of the best ways to break down the toxic stores and eliminate them from your body. This will result in increased energy, an immune system boost, a shift in unwanted weight, a clearing of skin, a lift of mental fog, and a decrease in the risk of disease & chronic health conditions. If life isn’t as easy as it used to be (little things are starting to slow you down) then you’re probably experiencing a toxic overload.

Purpose: To provide your body with a period of intentional rest and repair time in the midst of your (tapered down) life schedule that allows you to maintain an alkaline environment in your bloodstream, along with a retraining of your taste buds.

Cleansing on a periodic (recommended quarterly, with the change of the seasons) basis supports the body in eliminating foreign substances such as beauty products, household cleaners, pollutants in air, pesticides, preservatives, food additives, the list is endless. These toxins do accumulate in tissues and interfere with normal cellular function leading to diminished functioning of the immune, glandular and digestive systems.

Thereafter if it motivates you to stay with healthy eating then it has done its job. I hope to motivate you to permanently change your diet to a 75% raw food, 25% cooked food regimen. Permanent results only come from you permanently changing your diet & lifestyle. You don’t get permanently well unless you permanently change the way you live.
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