Cleanses, Diets and Flushes

In preparation for many important events I always turn to watching what goes into my body and making the best choices. There are many types of cleanses and diets I have tried, and I will only list a few. My favorite one is Kimberly Snyder’s green smoothie, which you can read about last.

1. SALT WATER FLUSH

The concept of a salt-water flush is to basically cleanse and flush your entire body of any toxic waste you may have stored. The ultimate effects are a cleaner colon. 

I never actually completed this because I threw up immediately after drinking ¼ of the salt-water solution you make with warm water.

I have heard that many runway models do salt water flushes at the same time as doing the master cleanse. I have also heard that this can be a very dangerous method of cleansing that is left as a last resort for people who get food poisoning. 

You can read about it more on this blog: 

http://www.yogitrition.com/salt-water-flush-for-colon-cleansing/

My alternative to salt-water would be drinking raw unfiltered Braggs apple cider spiked water once daily, or warm water with lemon.

2. Emergen-C

Increasing your consumption of the powdered vitamin solution has been known to improve weight loss and increase energy. I have heard that some of the Biggest Looser candidates were disqualified for overloading on Emergen-c. Personally I would not take this solely as a diet plan as the product still does contain sugar.

3. Juice Cleansing

I have tried juice cleansing on two different occasions. On both occasions I could only last for one whole day of cleansing before I felt extremely fatigued and could barely drive home from work. One cleanse I tried was the Suja cleanse system. I love the flavors of their bottled drinks, especially the cherry cayenne pepper flavor. The second occasion, was a cleanse made of fresh cold-pressed vegetables and fruits from Whole Foods. On both of these occasions I spent over $60 for one days worth of juice. I personally would suggest that if you do in fact choose to do the cleanse, prepare to take some time off of work and school in order to rest.

My alternative to juice cleansing would be to replace and solid snacks that you have throughout the day with a cold-pressed juice.

4. Starbucks Diet

I am guilty of this, and I know I am not the only city-dweller who eats, drinks and sometimes sleeps at Starbucks. I found this article about a woman who lost 85 pounds from strictly eating at Starbucks.

http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/starbucks-diet-one-woman-dropped-80-pounds-coffee-211600454.html

I have no complaints about this “diet”, it makes me really happy! My favorite items include: Venti Soy lattes, fruit cup, protein box and chicken and hummus. 

5. Kimberly Snyder’s Glowing Green Smoothie

I first read her book as recommended by a friend. Her goal is to eat to look and feel younger, have smoother skin and more energy. I personally have tried her suggested methods and have found that when I am consistent with the meals and planning I can drop 5-7 pounds. I have also found that my stomach looks the flattest following her method. Not only that but you can still eat, and the smoothies taste delicious. The only problem I have is that I am sometimes too busy to go grocery shopping, her method recommends using the freshest ingredients as possible, therefore you are constantly planning and preparing your meals.  

http://kimberlysnyder.net

***Please note I am not a nutritionist or doctor. These are all various things I have tried personally and I am only sharing my own experience. 

Interview with Julia Ahrens, Vegan Princess

I’m so excited and honored to interview one of my best friends from college, Julia Ahrens. We met in 2007 at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY. Since then Julia has found her roots as a passionate advocate of the vegan diet and lifestyle. ***

Julia Ahrens holds a degree in fashion design from Parsons The New School for Design. She has furthered her education by taking additional classes at the Fashion Institute of Technology and Pratt. She has worked and interned for various designers such as Zac Posen and Club Monaco, and has created garments that have walked the runway during New York Fashion Week. A vegetarian since she was eleven, now a vegan, Julia wants her contribution to fashion to be compassionate, avoiding the harm of traditional production methods and practices. She started her own women's clothing line, Miakoda, in February of 2013, which respects and protects the rights of animals, people, and the earth. She is passionate about preserving the New York fashion industry and fair labor practices. Miakoda is committed to producing all of their designs in a factory in NYC where all workers are treated well and paid fairly. Julia's goal is to dress people in ethical clothing that allows them to look good and feel good physically and mentally. Miakoda has been featured on chicvegan.com, thetreekisser.com, Good Day Chicago, thelilfoxes.com, and girliegirlarmy.com.

Q. Describe to me what Miakoda is and what you do, your mission etc.

“Miakoda is an eco friendly and cruelty free fashion company. We design ethical clothing that is made in the USA with 100% compassionate and organic materials. No animals, people, or places are harmed during production. The mission behind Miakoda is to create an option in the market place for women to purchase clothing that makes them feel good both physically and mentally.”

Q. How has becoming vegan changed your lifestyle? Is there anything you miss?

“Going vegan completely changed my lifestyle—from the way I eat, to the activities I do, to the way I shop. Not only do I eat a vegan diet, but I practice veganism in all aspects of my life (fashion, beauty, etc). I no longer use any products that contain animal derived ingredients (including beeswax in chap stick) and don’t wear any animal fibers (wool, silk, fur, leather). I think that the hardest part about going vegan was giving up leather, wool, and silk. As a fashion major, shopping and following what the latest trends were was a huge part of my life. I would religiously stalk out my favorite (leather) shoes from each season. However, since going vegan, I’ve discovered so many incredible vegan companies (Bhava, Cri-de-Coeur, Krze Studio, Stella McCartney, just to name a few) that there is nothing that I miss.

Q. Tell me about some of your favorite vegan beauty products?

“Some of my favorite vegan makeup companies are Urban Decay (I love that they don’t test on animals and indicate what is vegan on their website), Tarte, ELF (the best deal—cheap, cruelty free, and quality!), and my new discovery Earth lab Cosmetics. My favorite skincare company is Simple Care Products. I use their conditioning oil to moisturize and remove my makeup. Hurraw is my favorite vegan lip balm company (incredible flavors!). And of course I love  Lush. Their bath bombs are to die for.”

Q. Tell me more about being vegan and what it means to you. What is the message you would like to send to anyone interested.

“Veganism means living a completely cruelty free lifestyle. Veganism means not exploiting animals, which inherently helps people and our planet. The biggest message that I would like to convey is that veganism, contrary to popular believe, isn’t about “forcing your ideas onto other people” or “giving up your favorite food.” It’s about living a more compassionate lifestyle towards all living beings. It’s about finding new favorites and trying new things—new foods, new makeup, new fashion to ensure that you are living a kind life that you feel good about.”

Q. How can becoming vegan help ones’ fitness, beauty pageant and looking your best?

When I first went vegan I had no idea how healthy it is. There are tons of documentaries and studies showing how a vegan diet is healthiest for the human body (for example: Forks Over Knives). I’ve seen so many health and fitness advocates telling people to increase their fruit and vegetable intake in order to be healthier. As a vegan, the majority of my diet consists of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. Of course, it is possible to eat an unhealthy vegan diet (buying processed vegan food), but I have found for me, since going vegan I eat a healthier and cleaner diet which helps me to look and feel my best.

 You can learn more about Miakoda New York on the following sites and social media links!

www.miakodanewyork.com

twitter.com/miakodanewyork

instagram.com/miakodanewyork

facebook.com/miakodanewyork

[Please note that I personally am not 100% vegan. My diet does fluctuate depending on my work schedule. I typically tend to eat vegan during warmer summer months when my favorite fruits and veggies are in season. If I am working on any special projects and need to watch what I eat I turn to a goal of 50% raw vegan diet. I have found that this works best for my body type and does not bloat me in regards to my various food sensitivities and allergies.]