Here I am, the founder of this JOOS company and the creator of the JOOS Cleanse, which has an underlying basis to establish mindfulness – and I’ve been acting anything but mindful. The reason is that I’ve been way overextending myself. Admittedly, my intent is good. I really want to be the best mother for my children, grow the business, be a good friend, daughter, sister and volunteer in the community. Finally, it hit me that this is not feasible and that I’m really not helping anyone by over-extending myself. In fact, I’ve seen, it can really play into feeling insecure because when we’re extended in so many directions, we don’t feel like we’re doing anything well. On top of that, we’re so busy cramming everything in that we often arrive late, which is disrespectful, don’t RSVP in time for invitations, which I learned this morning, justifiably infuriates people, and, most of all, causes way too much stress!

What does stress do to us? Build up acidity, which can cause illness and disease.

I look out my window and it’s a beautiful sunny day. The temperature is perfect. Sasha is all smiles because she is attending her best friend from camp’s Bat Mitzvah in PA. I get to spend quality time with her and Bill, which hardly ever happens because I’m usually running around with four children, so spending this time with them is really special.

What I also see is that I missed the boat when I did the cleanse. I did lose five pounds. I did reboot by eating habits. I did feel more energetic – but I forgot one fundamental piece: to re-evaluate how I’m going to restructure my life so I can be more present and reduce my stress. Where am I going to start? Small steps – by taking 10 minutes each day to either meditate or journal.

I have to admit that without the discipline of the JOOS Cleanse, it is tempting to diverge, especially when I’m tired or stressed. What I do is keep reminding myself how energetic and light I felt while I was on the JOOS Cleanse and how much I want to maintain that feeling.

When I was growing up and made hasty decisions (guess I’m still growing up), my mother would remind me of the candy bar theory – tastes great in the short term, but you feel horribly in the long term.

I remember reading a study that said that you could tell if a young child would be successful later in life if they knew how to relay gratification.

These are the same principles that apply to maintaining healthy habits – and noticed how I wrote HABITS – NOT a diet!

Btw, it is not easy to post on my blog so I WOULD LOVE to hear your comments.

To Your HEALTH!

Lauri

Well, I’m supposed to be transitioning off the cleanse, but I am really feeling so much more energetic and grounded on it so I’ve deciding to stick with it, albeit in a modified way.

Yesterday my children had brown rice pasta with ghee and mozzarella goat cheese for lunch and I had about 1/2 bowl. Granted, ghee doesn’t contain casein, the “bad” protein in milk and the molecular composition of goat cheese is more similar to that of human milk (unlike cow milk) so, it really wasn’t a big divergence from the cleanse.

In the afternoon, though, I really wanted my JOOS. When I’m feeling sad, anxious, tired, angry..essentially any range of emotion…drinking JOOS makes me feeling that I’m doing the best possible thing I can for my body and my mind.

For all of you new cleansers, please let me know if you have any questions. I realize that it isn’t easy leaving a post here, but I would love to hear your comments and questions.

To Your Health!

One of the main goals of the JOOS Cleanse is to establish mindfulness. So, what does mindfulness really mean. I heard a great definition by Deepak Chopra: Mindfulness is that stillness we find in ourselves.

Why is mindfulness so important in the context of our eating habits?

If we were mindful, we wouldn’t overeat so we wouldn’t be overweight.

If we were mindful, we would eat what’s good for us – and what’s best for our body – so we would be healthier and more energetic.

If we were mindful, we would appreciate our food and make certain we’re consuming the highest quality food.

If we were mindful, we would be putting loving energy into the food we prepare for ourselves and our children.

Just something to think about…

Many people have asked how they can maintain the cleanse while traveling. I just went to NYC for the weekend and so I thought I’d write what I did to give you some suggestions.

On Saturday, when we left in the mid-morning to NYC, I didn’t have time to eat breakfast or lunch because I had to take my children that morning to soccer games, baseball practice, etc., and I had to rush to leave because I had promised Fia, who had been in NYC with my brother, that I’d arrive by mid-afternoon. As a result, I didn’t have time to pack food for myself for the trip. Suggestion for next trip: pack my food the night before so this doesn’t happen again!

I did manage, though, to drink a JOOS while I watched Julia’s soccer game, which satiated me for several hours.

So, on the road, all we passed were fast food restaurants. I bought nuts at the convenience story. Definitely not perfect, but the only thing as close to food as I could find.

When I arrived, it was close to dinner. We went to a Mexican restaurant. So easy to maintain the cleanse there with guacamole and salads and, admittedly, I did have the guacamole on corn tortilla chips.

In the morning, I had some tea. I actually didn’t feel hungry because I had eaten so much guacamole the night before. As you know, guacamole is so full of the good fat, so I felt satiated, which meant I didn’t feel hungry at all to eat breakfast.

When we arrived back in Boston on Sunday afternoon, my kids wanted Chinese food, which is also very easy to maintain on the cleanse with so many dishes with veggies and tofu, although I’m not big on tofu.

Hope this helps. Please let me know if you want to hear more suggestions. I’d also love to hear your thoughts and feedback.

In the last couple of days, I’ve received a few emails from people stating that they’re not sleeping enough, which has made them resort to eating sugary, caffeinated foods. Obviously not a surprise. This also underscores the need to get a good night’s sleep.

I’ve noticed the same pattern for myself. While I am still eating the foods I’m supposed to eat on the cleanse, I’m eating too many of them because I need the extra energy, especially raw nuts. Plus, I’m not nearly as mindful as when I have a good night’s sleep.

Following is what I wrote to a cleanser who had slipped into her old habits due to lack of sleep:

My recommendation is to BE PREPARED. Here are a few suggestions to have on hand:

1. Trader Joe’s Roasted Seaweed Snack: I don’t like to talk calories, but the whole pack has 60 calories and only costs $0.99. I buy this by the case for our household because we all love it. My son brings this to school with him for lunch. They are filling and fulfilling. They are also alkaline forming, which is consistent with the JOOS Cleanse.

2. Raw nuts: True, fat absorbs more slowly than simple carbs, but it is more satiating so you have less temptation to overeat and binge. I wrote in my newsletter a few weeks ago that studies are increasingly finding that including raw nuts in your diet in moderation can even lead to weight loss.

3. Sunspire Grain Sweetened Chocolate Chips: These are on our shopping list recommendations. They are also used to make the chocolate mousse, which is in the recipe section of the Cleanse Guide. I would highly suggest to have that in your fridge.

4. If you’re craving chocolate, I’m starting to research Taza Chocolate. It’s expensive, but that’s a good thing because it may make you think twice before having another bite.

5. Vega Shake: Generally I do not like those protein powders for many reasons, but from all my research, Vega seems acceptable. It was created by Brandan Brazier, a Canadian Ironman and vegan, and it is raw and very high in protein. In your blender, add a scoop with a frozen banana and almond milk.

6. Chocolate Sorbet: Freeze unsweetened chocolate milk and a banana. You can add raw honey or a little agave if you want it sweeter. Place in your blender and instant sorbet. You can even add different frozen fruits. This recipe is also in our Cleanse Guide.

7. Pulpcakes: At least you know you’re eating something healthy

If you find yourself slipping, PLEASE contact your cleanse coordinator at once. The only way we can help you is if we hear from you.

I find this topic so crucial that I’m going to include it in this week’s newsletter.

Enjoy the weekend!

Vacation week has completely thrown off my daily routine, but at this point, the JOOS Cleanse is so ingrained that I’m following it naturally.

Since I last wrote, I’ve been to restaurants with my children and with adults and not once did I have any desire to eat what wasn’t on the cleanse. Sure I had a glass of red wine, or two, but the next day I flowed right back into the JOOS Cleanse routine. No big deal.

I said to my kids today that we all have the ability to influence each others moods. When I’m relaxed, my kids are so much more relaxed and vice verse. Eating whole, non processed foods has definitely helped me to relax. I’m eating the highest quality nutrients and they’re affecting me in very positive ways – despite my lack of sleep, I’m feeling so much more relaxed, focused and present.

I’m completely sleep deprived because I still have to go into the commissary too early in the morning and I stay up way too late catching up on work. As a result, I’m eating a little more than I would like because I need the energy. I also find that I’m craving more JOOS than I did when I wasn’t on the JOOS Cleanse.

I also believe that when I myself come across confidant, this gives my children the security to try things and/or put themselves into situations that they may not have when I’m feeling strung out. For example, Fia, my eight-year-old, has a history of separation issues. She went to stay with my brother in NYC over vacation. Frankly, I didn’t know if she were going to make it. She made the bravest face when she had to leave me. I knew that she felt conflicted and sad, but she really wanted to be brave. The next day when I spoke with her, she broke down into tears, but only for about five minutes. Then she quickly recovered and told me about all the wonderful activities she had done with my brother – and about the John Galiano sneakers she bought with them. OK, I admit, that would make me happy, too

Many people tell me that they’re hesitant to do the JOOS Cleanse because they don’t know how they’ll manage with such a big lifestyle change. Like everything, there is a period of adjustment, but if you really follow itm you will fall into a routine and ultimately feel so much healthier and energetic.

Here is a typical day:

When you wake up, stretch a little – maybe for 10 minutes.

JOOS in the morning on an empty stomach. You will feel it move into every cell of your body.

Mid morning – a piece of fruit or preferably a vegetable. If you do not desire to lose weight or if you’re working out, add in a handful of raw nuts, a Vega shake with a frozen banana and almond milk, peanut or almond butter or Hummus on Marys Gone Crackers or a Pulpcake.

Lunch – Now that the weather is warming, have a salad with tempeh and/or garbanzo beans and avocado. For dressing, olive oil/balsamic vinegar and/or apple cider vinegar and mustard – or – vegan sushi with brown rice – or – quinoa with mixed veggies – or – hummus smeared on a brown rice tortilla from Trader Joes with tomatoes and lettuce – just to name a few. The possibilities are endless.

Mid-afternoon – If you’re truly hungry, have an apple, banana, or a handful of raw nuts or a Pulpcake. Make certain that you’re drinking plenty of water.

Dinner – Ideally just the JOOS. DO YOUR BEST NOT TO EAT AT NIGHT – or at the minimum, eat as little as possible and do not eat 2 hours prior to going to sleep.

Make certain you have a good night sleep of a minimum of 7 hours.

Our Lifestyle counselors can give you plenty of meal suggestions so contact us for what may be the most empowering experience you’ve ever had. It was for me.

In this week’s JOOS newsletter, I discussed how whole food are more nutritious than the sum of the parts. Eating whole wheat bread, for example, is not a whole food. It has been processed. The more WHOLE foods we eat, the more nutritious they are, which tends to make us healthier.

Of course you can get too much whole foods, like I did yesterday when I ate too many figs. Figs are my weakness. All I’m going to say on this subject is that I’m grateful the bathroom was vacant when I arrived at yoga this morning. For anyone suffering from constipation, figs can be a cure.

So yesterday, in addition to eating too many figs, I ate 2 bananas for breakfast, 2 handfuls of raw nut mix from Trader Joes for lunch and a salad and mixed veggies with a glass of wine for dinner. I went to a restaurant and didn’t have any temptation to eat the bread. That’s what the cleanse accomplishes: eliminating, or at least reducing, temptations.

In yoga class today, the teacher spoke about when we act in reactivity, this is when we often “put our foot in our mouths” and when we tend to overeat. The simple reason is because we’re not thinking. Believe me, I’ve had my share of both.

One of my mentors gave me the simplest method how to combat reactivity. If you are sitting in a chair, take a deep breath and lean backwards. In that 1/2 second, you can re-orientate your perspective.

Something else that worked a lot for me with the overeating is that I moved my office away from the kitchen. Having an office or computer located near the kitchen can be a recipe for binging.

So Day 12 – I ate all the right cleansing foods, but too much of them.

After coming back to the commissary, I ate two bananas.

For lunch, I warmed up organic frozen veggies with edamame in the balsamic/mustard/olive oil sauce I’m hooked on these days.

By mid afternoon, I had a JOOS, but shortly after I had Marys Gone Crackers and Hummus – too many of them. My solution is to put a few of the Marys Gone Crackers on a plate instead of eating them from a box.

Eating too many of the crackers made me feel a bit bloated.

On to the next day!

We encounter similar types of stressful situations each day, but what changes is our attitude toward them. For example, before I did the cleanse, I still had to drive my kids in what felt like a million directions. I would come home absolutely exhausted and tense. On the cleanse, I don’t feel that type of tension. The opposite, since I feel so much more relaxed, I can actually give more of me to my family and friends. Funny how that works.

Michael, our Director of Operations, asked me this morning if JOOS can actually help depression. I’ve seen numerous people have mood shifts when they’re on JOOS and it’s logical that they would, since they’re pumping the highest quality nutrients into their bodies.

Why is it that many of us do not link moods to nutrition? They are absolutely tied together. An increasing number of studies are proving this.

So Day 11
Right after I left the commissary, I did an early morning yoga class. Right after that, I consumed a JOOS. WOW!

Lunch – I warmed up a small amount of lentils and frozen organic veggies with my balsamic/mustard/olive oil sauce. Not sick of it yet, but I’m sure I will be soon.

Mid-afternoon – JOOS and Trader Joes Roasted Seaweed (Fia teased me how hooked I am on that.)

Dinner – 1/4 of a Boca Burger that one of my kids was eating and a big bowl of organic veggies with my sauce.

Then I snuggled into bed with William to read The Lightening Thief. Thank you Sandy Clancy and my doctor, Dr. John Bordiuk, for recommending that I read it to my son.