JOYOUSHEALTH

Tomyfavoritelovebirds:mymom,SusanMcCarthy,andmydad,MichaelMcCarthy.

Mom—yoursparklyeyes,passionfororganicgardening,bakingtalentsandjoyfulspirithaveinspiredmenotonlyinthekitchenbutinlife.

Dad—yourgentlesoulandabilitytolookatthesunnysideofeverysinglesituationinlifehasgivenmethestrength,optimismandconfidencetoachieve

mydreams.

Introduction

1 THEPATHTOJOYOUSHEALTH

2 GETYOURGUTONTRACK

3 FOODS,SUPPLEMENTSANDHABITSFORAJOYOUSMOOD

4 JOYOUSDETOXSOLUTIONS

5 SUPERFOODSANDHEALTHYLIFESTYLEHABITSFORJOYOUSHEALTH

6 CREATEAJOYOUSKITCHEN

7 JOYOUSRECIPES

FinalJoyousWordsFoodandWellnessJournalAcknowledgmentsIndex

INTRODUCTIONInmy early twenties I struggledwith body-image issues, hormonal imbalance and digestiveproblems. For three years I visited countless doctors and specialists who performed everypossibletestyoucouldimagine,searchingforthe“cure”formyhormonalimbalance—acureIassumed would fix everything else. But after an exhausting three years, I was only gettingworse.Myskinwasdry,myhairwasthinning,IhadnotmenstruatedinoversixmonthsandIhadno sexdrive—ugh. Idescribedmyselfas feeling likean“it.”“Hopeless”was theperfectwordtosummarizeeverythingIwasfeeling.One night as I lay in bedwith tears streaming downmy face, trying to decidewhether I

shouldtryyetanotherhormone-balancingpillto“fix”me,somethinginsidewasdrivingmetoaddresstherootcause.Thisyearningwasn’tnew,butthisnightitwasstrongerthanithadeverbeen.Isaidnotoanothermedicationanddecideditwastimeforchange.Then it happened—somekindofmagical and incrediblypowerful paradigm shift occurred

insideme.WhetheritcamefromcompleteexasperationoravisitfrommyfairygodmotherI’llneverknow,butIchosetotakeresponsibilityformyhealth.Over thenextsixmonthsI focusedonhealingmybodyfromthe insideout. Ichangedmy

diet,byadding,notdeleting.Ichangedmythoughts,whichturnedintopositiveactions.AndIfollowedtheguidanceofaholisticnutritionistandanaturopathicdoctor—guidanceI’mgoingtosharewithyouinthisbook.Itwasatrulyholisticapproach.Guesswhathappened?Myhairbegantogrowbackthickerandshinier,myskinwasglowing

again,andIactuallygotmyperiod!Iwasjumpingforjoy.SlowlybutsurelyallthesymptomsI’dbeenstrugglingwithforyearsbecameafadingmemory.Isharethisstorywithyoutogiveyouhope.

Youalwayshavethepowerofchoiceandthepowertohealyourbody.Youhavechoiceoveryourthoughts,

actions,wordsandeverymorselyoueat.

A fewyears later, I leftmy full-timemarketing job and enrolledmyself at the Institute ofHolisticNutrition, inToronto,where Ibecameacertifiednutritionist andwhere Inow teach.My certification enabled me to register with the International Organization of NutritionalConsultantsandstartpracticingholisticnutrition,teachingothersthehealingpoweroffoodandhealthylifestylehabits.EatWell FeelWellwas born in 2010, founded byMichelleUy andmyself as a six-week

integratedholisticnutritionandyogaprograminToronto.I’msoproudofthisprogrambecauseitguides,empowersandinspiresourstudentstolearnanewwayofeatingandlivingwithoutdietingordeprivation.Thisisthejoyoushealth(akaANTI-diet)waytolive.InEatWellFeelWell,youlearnhowtodevelopanewrelationshipwithyourbodythroughyogaand,indoingso,withthefoodyoueat.

IdecidedtowritethisbookbecauseIreceivehundredsofemails,tweetsandFacebookpostseverymonth frompeopleaskingme foradvice,or fromout-of-townerswhowish theycouldtaketheEatWellFeelWellclassorfromthosewhofoundmyJoyousHealthblogandwanttolearnmorebut can’t comeand seeme inperson. I listened, and Ihavecreated thisbeautifulbookforyousothatnomatterwhereyouliveintheworld,youwillhavetheinformationyouneedtohealyourbodyandmindandexperiencejoyoushealth.Thisbookcomprises the entireholisticnutritionprogram that I teach inourEatWellFeel

Well class. It also hasmuchmore information to guide you and inspire you to eatwell, andabsolutelydelicious(andnutritious)recipesthatIamcertainwillinspireyouandfillyourbellywithjoy.AndIhavesomeveryjoyousnews:YouwillnoticeasyouworkyourwaythroughmybookthatInevermentioncaloriecounting.Freeyourselffromthisforever!Letthejourneybegin!

Joy

It’snowonderweareobsessedwithdietswhendozensofproductswithso-calledhealthclaimssuchas“low-fat”and“low-calorie”fillgrocerystoreshelves.Wearebombardedagainwhilewaitinginthecheckoutlinebymagazinecoverspromisingthelatestweightlosssolution.Andyoucan’tturnonthetelevisionorlistentotheradiowithouthearingaboutthelatestdietfadorsupplementthatpromisestomeltfatoffyourbelly,hipsandthighs.Themadnessstopshere,withthetruth.There isnoone-size-fits-all approach tohealth.Whatyour friends thriveonorwhatmelts

poundsoff the latestcelebritymaybehealthyandgoodfor thembutnotnecessarily foryou.Therearenearlysevenbillionpeopleonthisearth,andthatmeanstherearenearlysevenbillionways to eat that can make each person thrive with joyous health. Diets are time-limitedprograms that promote deprivation. Basically, they make you feel guilty if you indulge inanythingthatisn’tprescribedforthatdiet.Dietsarenotsustainable,period.

GettingStarted

Ditchthe“Diet”MentalityAparticularfoodcanbeoneperson’smedicinewhilebeinganother’spoison.Youareyourownbestnutritionist.Butwith thatbeingsaid,youshouldconsider takingabreakfromfoodsthatyousimplyeattoomuchoftoooften.(We’lldiscusstheseinchapter4.)Keepinmindthatit’snotjustaboutfood.Lifestylechoicesareequallyimportant.

StopCountingMost people believe that counting calories and obsessing over a number on a scale willsomehowmakeusreachan“idealweight”andmakeushappier.Butcountingactuallydoesn’thelp,andinfactmakesusfeelworseaboutourselves.Insteadoffocusingonanumber,whetherit’sthenumberofcalories,thenumberoffatgramsorthenumberonyourscale,focusonhealthandyouwillnaturallychoosethebestfoodsforyou.Essentially, I want you to stop “nutritionalizing” your food. This means you should stop

rationalizingyourfoodchoiceswithnumbers.It’sincrediblyfreeingwhenyourealizeyoudon’thave to live your life from meal to meal, calorie to calorie. So instead of obsessing overnumbersonnutrition labels, read theactual ingredients. Insteadofobsessingoverhowmuchyouweigh,focusonhowyoufeel.

EatRealFoodWeliveinasocietythathas,sadly,lostitsconnectionwithreal,wholefood.We’veturnedfoodintotheenemyandbecomeverydisconnectedfromitbythinkingofitasmerelycaloriesinandcaloriesout.Let’sfallinlovewithfoodagain!Choose foods that still resemble their original form. Michael Pollan shares a similar

philosophyinFoodRules:AnEater’sManual—askyourself,Wasitpickedfromatree,pulledfrom the ground, caught in the ocean?Many frozen dinners, fast foods and packaged foodshardlyresemblewhattheyoriginallylookedlike.Idon’tevenconsidermanyofthesefoodstobe“real” food,but rather food-likesubstances.Choosemorefoods thatdon’tevencomeinapackage.Imaginechoosingafoodwithoutaflashyhealthclaim.Thefoodsthatdon’tclaimtohave health benefits are more often than not the most nutrient-dense—fresh fruits andvegetablesdon’tcomewithfoodlabels.Aneasywaytoreconnectwithyourfoodistoshopatafarmers’market,touchyourfoodand

prepare your own food. Strive to eat real food that is live, whole and beautiful as often aspossible,butfindthefoodsthatarebestforyou.Don’tworry,Iwillhelpyou.

YouAREWhatYouEat,butAlsoWhatYouAssimilate,AbsorbandDon’tEliminateJoyoushealthgoesbeyondwhatyouputinyourbody.Healthyeatingisnothingwithoutgooddigestion,becausepoordigestionistherootofagreatmanyillnesses.We’lllearnmoreaboutthisinchapter2.

ListentoYourBodyYour innerwisdomwill always guide you in the right direction. Trust yourself.You alreadyhavealltheanswers.Eatwhenyouareactuallyhungry.Sleepwhenyouaretiredandrestwhenyou need to. Push your body, because it is energized and rejuvenated by exercise, but don’toverdoit.Letyourintuitionguideyoutoallthebestrelationshipsandhavethecouragetoknowwhenitistimetoleavethoserelationships.Bekindtoyourbodyandchoosethoughtsthatserveyouwell.Wewilltalkaboutthismoreinchapters3and4.

BeProactive,NotReactive:ThinkPrevention,NotSuppression(ofSymptoms)Everychoiceyoumake,everythoughtyouthinkandeverymorselyoueatcanmoveyoucloserto joyoushealthor closer todisease.Youareultimately responsible foryourownhealth andwell-being.Youhavethepowertoeatandthinkyourwaytovibranthealth.Youhavechoices!Thekeyistomakethesechoicesnow,beforeyourbodyisoutofbalanceandyouhavetoworktwiceashardtogetyourselfbackintobalance.Hereisanexampleofhowpeoplebecomediseased.Yourbodytellsyou,viasymptomsofdisease,whenitfallsoutofbalance.Forexample,you

may keep getting colds or the flu; youmay always feel tired, stressed or anxious; youmayexperiencelowenergy,digestiveproblemsorfeelingsofunhappiness.Ifyoucontinuetoignorethesignsandsymptomsthatyourbodyisoutofbalance,youmaybecomeilltothepointthatyour doctor diagnoses youwith a specific condition.He or shemay then prescribe a pill tosuppressthosesymptomswhileneveraddressingtherootcauseoftheproblem.Further,someofthesemedicationshavesignificantsideeffects,andyoumaybeginaviciouscycleoftakingmedicationstocounteractthesideeffectsofothermedications,allthewhilestillnotaddressingthereasonfortheinitialsymptom.Themedicinethattrulykeepsyouhealthyrightnowiswithintheearthandwithinyou—it’s

thefoodyoueat, it’swhereyouspendyour timeandit’showwellyoutreatyourselfandthecompanythatyoukeep.Youhavealltheanswerswithinyoutoachievevibrantjoyoushealth.

VibrantHealthIsMoreThanJustFoodJoyoushealthisnotjustwhatyoueat,it’salsothewayyouliveyourlife.Herearesomeimportantquestionstoconsideronyourjourneytojoyoushealth.

•Howdoyoudealwithstress?•Doyoumakesleepapriority?• Whataboutyour relationships—thepeopleyousurroundyourselfwithand interactwithdaily?Aretheyemotionallyhealthyforyou?Doyoufeelgoodafterbeingwiththem?

•Doyougetyourheartrateupeverydayandmoveyourbody?•Howoftendoyouconnecttotheearth(nature,freshair,trees,grass)?

Thewordsandthoughtsyoutakeinarejustasimportantasthefoodyoutakein.

Yoursubconsciouscannotdistinguishbetweentruthandfiction.Itacceptsyourthoughtsandwordsasreality.Whatanincredibleopportunityyouhave!Yourbodywillacceptasthetruthwhatyousayandthinkonadailybasis.Doyoufillyourmindwithlovingthoughts,ordoyouhavenegativethoughtsandsayunkindthingsaboutyourself?Negativethoughtswillpromotestress,andstresswillpromoteillhealthandloweryourself-esteem.Youhavechoices!Youareyourownbestcheerleader.Youcanhavethelifeyoudesireandachieveallyourdreams.Youhavethepowertobecomethepresidentofyourdreamcompany,ifyousodesire.Leadersdon’tsucceed by telling themselves they aren’t good enough, smart enough or attractive enough.Createtheworldyouwanttoliveinwiththethoughtsyoukeep.

ThinkGlobally:GoBeyondYourOwnTwoFeetWhenyouthinkabouthowyourchoiceswillaffectourplanet,youwillnaturallymakebetterchoices.Forexample,tryhavinga“MeatlessMonday”everyweek.Why?Becausetheworld’slivestock accounts for 18 percent of greenhouse gases,more than all forms of transportationcombined!Eatingmeatless just one day aweek preventsmore greenhouse gases than eatinglocallysevendaysaweek.Whynotdoboth?GomeatlessonMondayandeatlocal,seasonalandorganicasoftenasyoucan.Nurturenatureandnaturewillnurtureyou.

WhatIsJoyousHealth?Joyoushealthismorethanjusttheabsenceofdiseaseortheavoidanceoftheoccasionalcoldorflu.Itisanoptimalstateofwellnessnotjustphysicallybutmentallyandsocially,characterizedby:

•apositivemindset•feelingandlookingfabulous•gooddigestionandelimination•restorativesleep•healthyrelationships•havingenergyforexerciseandsex•feelingjoyous!

Whileitmaynotberealistictoexpectjoyoushealth365daysayear,youshouldexpecttofeelwellmoredays thannot.Youdeserve tohave joyoushealth,andI’mgoing to teachyouexactlyhowtoachieveit.

HowThisBookWorksI’mpositivelythrilledthatyouareabouttoembarkonthiswonderfulandinsightfuljourneytojoyoushealth.Ideallyitshouldtakeyousixweekstoworkthroughthisbook.However,youcantakeaslongasyouwish.Goatyourowncomfortablepace.Togetthemostoutofyourjourney,Iencourageyoutomaketimetoreadonechaptereach

week—thisisyourtimetoconcentrateonyou,becauseyoudeserveit.I suggestyouaim foronepositivechangeperweek,whether that is simplydrinkingmore

water(withlemon!)orpracticingmindfulnesswheneating.Thisisawonderfulopportunitytosteadilymove toward a state of joyous health at your own pace. Just think, after amere sixweeks,youwillhaveevolvedinsixdifferentways.That’samazing!

SetanIntentionEachWeekAnintentionisapositiveaffirmationthatwillhelpguideyoutowardreachingyourgoals.Itissomethingyouplantodo,thinkorsaytoenhanceyouremotional,mentaland/orphysicalwell-being.Basically,itremindsyouofyourgoals.Betteryet,itiswhatgivesyoualittlekickintherearwhenyoufeellikegivingup.Hereareafewexamples:

Thisweek……Iwilldrinkwaterwithlemoneverymorningtocleanseanddetoxifymybody.…Iwillchooseloving,positivethoughtsaboutmybody.…Iwillchoosehealthy,delicioussnacksthatnourishmybody.

Intentions empower you to take charge and enforce the discipline you have within you.Here’saquoteIheardfromsuccessfulbusinesswomanandentrepreneurMarieForleothatIwillnever forget. The second I heard it, Iwrote it down and taped it tomy fridge:Discipline isrememberingwhatyouwant.It’s really not surprising that research has shown you can use positive thoughts and self-

affirmations to literally transform your life by bringing about behavioral changes. In fact,consciously reading your affirmation first thing in the morning can influence your decisionmakingfortheentireday.Writedownyourintentionandpostitonyourbathroommirrororyourcomputermonitor—

somewhereyouaregoingtoreaditeverysingledayforthedurationoftheweek.

PracticeMindfulEatingDoesmindfuleatingmeanyouneedtositonarockandmeditatefor20minutesbeforeyoueatyour dinner? No, but that’s not such a bad idea either!Mindful eating has been around forhundredsofyearsandhasitsrootsinBuddhistteachings.Justasthereareformsofmeditationthat includemindfulbreathing, standing,walkingandsitting,mindfuleating isanexercise tosubmergeyourentireconsciousness(andsubconscious)intheactandenjoymentofeating.Youcanprobablyrelatetopolishingoffabagofchipsorahandfulofchocolatechipcookies

to numb yourself from frustrations atwork or a fightwith your significant other.When youpracticemindfuleating,youbegintofreeyourselffromreactivenegativepatternsandinsteadeatbecauseofhungerratherthanforemotionalreasons.Whenyoueatmindfully,youchoosewithdeliberate intention to eat the foods that are the

mostnourishingandnutrient-dense.Youwillfindthatasyoubegintomakewiserfoodchoices,youwill alsoenjoy foodsomuchmoreand realize there aremore tastes than just sweet andsalty.Additionally,ittakesapproximately20minutesforyourguttosignaltoyourbrainthatyou

arefull.Toooften,weeattooquickly—andendupeatingtoomuchbecausewe’restuffedlongbeforeweknowit.Whenyoueatmindfully,youeatmoreslowly,andsoyougivethissignalingachancetooccur.

Mindfulnessineatingpromotesbalanceandwisdominallyourfoodchoices.Simplystated,itmakeschoosinghealthyfoodseasierandpreventsbingeing.

MINDFULEATINGHOW-TO•Beinvolvedinyourhands-onfoodpreparationasoftenaspossible.•Listenforandbecomeawareofyourphysicalhungercues(warmfeelinginyourstomach)versus your emotional hunger cues (the desire to eat to numbor distract you fromyourfeelings)tobetterguideyoutoknowwhentobegineatingandtostopeating.

• Choose a peaceful environment to eat inwithout distraction— perhaps at your kitchentablewith a candlelit place setting. Be sure to avoid eating in front of the computer ortelevision.

•Oncesitting,observethefoodonyourforkorplaceitinyourhand.Noticeitscolorandtexture.Takeafewmomentstoenjoythebeautyofthissimplemorselbeforeplacingitinyourmouth.

• Onceyou’veplaced thismorsel inyourmouth, activelyuse all your senses to joyouslyexplore,smell,taste,feelandsavorit.Youhavenearlytenthousandtastebuds—usethemtotheirfullpotential.

•Acknowledgeyourresponsestofoodwithoutjudgment.•Chewyourfooduntilit’salmostapaste,andstopeatingwhenyoufeel80percentsatisfied(orwhenyouknowthataftereighttotenmoremouthfulsyouwouldfeeltoofull).

•Ponderthethoughtthatyoubecomethefoodyoueat.Thinkabouthowthefoodyouareeatingwill literallybecometherawmaterials thatbuildyourbodyinsideandout.Everymorselyoueatwillbecomewasteorbeutilizedforoneofanynumberofprocessesinyourbody, from thinking to creating energy at a cellular level or creatingbeautiful skin.Askyourselfwhetheryouwanttobecomeajunk-foodmealofaburgerandfriesorabeautiful,colorful,nourishingsaladwithabutteryavocadoandgarbanzobeans.

MINDFULEATINGEXERCISEChooseonemealeachdaytopracticeeatingmindfully.Allowtimeforthismeal,rememberingthatittakes20minutesforyourstomachtosignalto

yourbrainthatyouaresatisfied.Youdon’twanttoplanamindfulmealforwhenyouareinarushtobesomewhere.Breathe deeply, put your fork downbetween eachbite and enjoy everymorsel.With each

bite, allow your taste buds andmouth to be fully engagedwith all the flavors and textures.Closeyoureyeseveryfewbitesifthathelpsyoufocus.

SimpleHabitsforJoyousHealthNowthatyou’velearnedaboutsettinganintentionandeatingmindfully,herearesixnewhabitsforjoyoushealth.Chooseonetofocusoneachweek.

1.Takeabreakfromcoffee.Most peoplewant a stimulant in themorning—just look at the long lineups at coffee shops

acrossNorthAmericabefore9A.M.However,when you’ve been sleeping for seven to eighthours,thelastthingyoushouldbeputtinginyourbodyisashotofcaffeine.Thisprovidesonlya short-lived burst of energy, because hormones that are released by caffeine stimulate thereleaseofstoredsugarintothebloodstream.Thisisnotsogreatifyouaren’tusingthatextrasugarforenergyandareinsteadsittinginyourcaroratyourdesk.Ifyou’renotactive,excesssugarwilleventuallybeconvertedtofat.Thissugarspikewillbefollowedbyanenergycrash—also known as the 3 p.m. slump—which may find you back at the coffee shop, this timecravingcookiesandchocolate.Furthermore, coffee is adiuretic—it increases the rateofurination—andmaydepleteyour

bodyofwaterandessentialmineralssuchaselectrolytes,calcium,magnesium,potassiumandsodium.The body is often dehydrated first thing in themorning, andwhat you should do isdrink pure, clean filteredwater to aid the body in flushing out toxins and improving energyproductioninthecells,insteadofrelyingon“dirtyenergy”intheformofcaffeine.Thereisatimeandplaceforcaffeine.Infact,coffeecanbegoodforyoubecauseitcontains

someantioxidants thatarebeneficial forhearthealth. Interestingly,a2005studydoneby theAmericanChemical Society concluded thatmostAmericans get their antioxidants, includingpolyphenolsandflavanols, fromcoffee.Thenagain, theaverageperson iseating thestandardNorthAmericandietofprocessedfoodsandsugars,adietcompletelydevoidofantioxidant-richfoods.Soitisobviouswhycoffeewouldbetheirmainsourceofantioxidants.Whenelseiscaffeineacceptable?Drinkingashotofespressobeforeaworkout,providedyou

arenotalreadytired,mayenhanceathleticperformanceforsomepeople.Coffeestimulatesyouradrenalglandstopumpouttheenergyhormonesepinephrineandnorepinephrine.However,mostofmyclientswhorunmarathonshavetoldmethatsportgelswithcaffeine

increasetheirneedtohaveabowelmovement,whichisnotgreatwhenyouaremid-race!Thisisbecausecaffeinestimulatesyourdigestivesystemtomovewasteproductsthroughatamuchfasterrate.That’swhymanypeoplerelyoncoffeetohaveabowelmovement.Haveyouevernoticed thatwhen you don’t have your coffee, you don’t have yourmorningBM? It’s not acoincidence.This iswhenyouneed toaddress the root causeofyourconstipation. (Moreonthatinchapter2.)Your gut needs adequate time to properly digest, absorb and assimilate nutrition from the

foodyoueat.Whenyoudrinkcaffeine,yourguthaslesstimetoperformthesefunctions.Sure,coffee may give you an energy boost, but it will be short-lived, because not only will youeventuallycomedownfromyourhigh,butoverthelongtermyoumayabsorbfewernutrientsfrom your food because it’s forced through your gut too quickly. This translates into lessnutritiongettingtoyourcellstobeutilizedasenergy.Thiscanbecomeaviciouscycle.DrinkingcoffeeorcaffeinatedbeveragessuchasespressooranAmericanoonceinawhileis

fine.Beveragescontainingcaffeinesuchassodasareadefiniteno-no!Also,becautiouswithblackteas.Oneortwocupsarefine,butifyouaredrinkingmorethanthat,thenblackteacanbe just as stimulating as coffee. If you are relying on it to start your day or get through theafternoonslump,thenIhavetwosolutionsforyou!

JoyousTip

Needajavadetox?Ifyoudrinkcoffeeanditisyourgoaltocutback,it’s importanttodososlowly.Caffeineactslikeadruginthebody,sowhen you suddenly remove the drug, your body will experiencewithdrawalsymptomssuchas“caffeine-induced”headaches.

Gradually cut out or reduce your coffee consumption to preventwithdrawal symptoms*. Irecommendyoufollowthisguideline.

COFFEEDETOX—BASEDONTWOCUPSOFCOFFEEPERDAYWeek1: Cutbacktooneandahalfcupsofcoffeeaday.Week2: Cutbacktoonecupofcoffeeaday.

Week3: DrinkoneAmericanoaday.(Oneshotofespressocontainsonly75mgofcaffeine,whileamugofdripcoffeecancontainover250mg.)

Week4: Cutoutcoffeecompletelyandinsteaddrinkgreentea,whichhasanywherefrom25to50mgofcaffeinepercup.

*If you are experiencing a headache, this is likelywithdrawal symptoms; simply drinkmorewaterandgiveittimetopass.

HEALTHYCOFFEEALTERNATIVESCHICORY TEECCINOOne of the best-known coffee alternatives is chicoryroot. It looks likecoffeebuthasamoreearthy taste.It’seasy to find inmosthealth foodstoresandspiceshops.

Howtoenjoyit:Intoaconventionalpercolator,Frenchpressordripcoffeecone,measure2to3tbsp(30to45mL) dried chicory root for each cup (250mL) ofwater. Jazz it up by adding some of the spices orsweetenersmentionedbelow.

Teeccinoisgainingpopularityasacoffeealternative.It is a roasted combination of carob, barley, chicory,dates, figs, ramon seeds, almonds and dandelionroot. It looks like coffee but smells and tastes spicywithahintofsweet.Itisevenbrewedtheexactsamewayyouwouldbrewcoffee. It isavailable inarangeof flavors, including hazelnut, or you can add yourownspices.Lookforitinhealthfoodstores.

Howtoenjoyit:sameaschicory.

JoyousTipSpiceitup!Addapinchofanyofthesetoyourcoffeealternativebefore placing in a French press, coffee filter or cup: groundcinnamon,cardamomorcloves.Sweetenit!Adda fewdropsofliquidsteviaorsomehoney,maplesyruporcoconutsugar.

Jennifer’sStoryJenniferwasthirty-twoyearsold,asuccessfullawyerwithahigh-stressjob.Shecametomefornutritioncoachingbecauseshewantedtolose20poundsanddecreasehercoffeeconsumption.Shewasdrinkingfourtofivecupsofcoffeeeveryday,hadsugarcravingseveryafternoon,andonnightswhenshehadtoworklate,shewasdrinkingcoffeethenaswell plus munching on chips and crackers. I suggested she follow a coffee detox (seeoppositepage).Threeweekslaterwehadherfollow-upsession,andshewassmilingeartoear(notto

mentionshewaspositivelyglowing).Shetoldmeshehadcutoutcoffeecoldturkeythedayafterwemet,andafteracoupleofdaysofheadachesandfeelingverysluggishsheexperiencedabsolutelyincredibleenergy.Herskinwastrulyglowingbecauseshewasnolonger dehydrated. She had also lost six pounds because, no longer craving sugar, shewasn’teatinghertypicalstore-boughtmuffintogoalongwithherafternooncoffeeeverydayandhadditchedthelate-nightmunching.

2.Drinklemonandwater.Eachandeverymorningwhenyouwakeup,andbeforeyoueatbreakfast,squeezethejuiceofaquarterorahalfofafreshlemoninto12/3 to2cups(400to500mL)ofroom-temperatureorwarm(nothot)filteredwater.Youwantthewatertobecloudy—that’showyouknowyou’vegotenoughlemonjuice.Ifyouareconcernedaboutyourtoothenamel,drinkitthroughastraw(preferablyaglassone).Youcan replace the lemon juicewithacapfulor twoofapplecidervinegar,ifyouwish.Thissimplehabittrulysetsthestageforthedayandhasincrediblebenefits:

It CLEANSES the body: Lemonwater cleanses and detoxifies the liver by increasing the liver’sdetoxifying enzymes. Your liver is absolutely essential to your health andwell-being. It hasmorethanfivehundredfunctions,manyoftheminvolvedwithdetoxification.

ItincreasesBILE:Soundsgross,Iknow,butlemonwaterstimulatestheliver’ssecretionofbile.Bile,alongwithfiber,isacarrieroftoxins.Sowhenyouhaveabowelmovementstimulatedbydrinkinglemonandwater,youaremorelikelytoeliminatewasteproducts.

ItALKALINIZESthebody:Expertssaythatanacidicbodyisessentiallyamagnetfordisease,andcancercellsthriveinanacidicenvironment.Lemonjuiceaidsinmakingthebodymorealkaline—theoppositeofacidic.(Althoughlemoncontainscitricacid,itdoesnotcreateacidityinthebody.) Lemon enhances your digestive secretions so that acidic wastes are eliminated moreeffectively.Foodasmedicine!

IthelpspreventCONSTIPATION:Thissimplehabit“getsthingsgoing”inthegut.Ratherthantheforceful nature of caffeine stimulating your gut to quickly push nutrients through, lemonsupports the body’s digestive system. In fact, youmay find your bowelmovements improveonceyouintroducethisonehabittoyourday.

ItgetsyouGLOWING:Afterafewweeksoflemonandwater,youmaynoticeyourskinisbrighter,andifyousufferfromskinblemishes,youmaynoticearemarkableimprovement.Thehealthofyourdigestivesystemandyourliverisdirectlyrelatedtothehealthofyourskin.

It reduces HEARTBURN: I realize this sounds counterintuitive, but the majority of people withheartburn are actually under-producing stomach acid. When you strengthen your digestivesecretionswithlemonandwater,youmaynoticeanincredibleimprovementinyourheartburn.Youwillbeamazedathowgoodyoufeelafterdrinkinglemonwithwaterforjustoneweek.I

havebeenadvisingmyclients todo this foryears,andI’mnot theonlynutritionexpertwhorecommendsthisdailyritualforhealth,well-beinganddetoxification.Infact,peoplearoundtheworldhavebeendoingthisforhundredsofyears!

3.Thinkveggie-centric.Ateverymealandsnack,makesureyourplatecontainssomevegetables.

Thesemightypowerfulfoodsarearichsourceofnutrients,includingvitaminsA,B-complex,CandK,protein,minerals,antioxidantsandfiber.Choosefromavarietyofvegetables,suchascauliflower, sweet potato, rapini, kale, spinach, arugula, Swiss chard, bok choy, broccoli,Brusselssprouts,dandelion,beetsandbeetgreens.Varietyiskey.Thefiberwillkeepyoufullerlonger, and thebalancedvarietyofvitamins andmineralswill enhanceyour energy, improveyourskinandhairhealthandaidindetoxification.Chooseatleastonemealeachdaytofill50percentofyourplatewithgreenvegetables.

4.Eatproteinateverymeal,anddon’tskipbreakfast.Protein is a macronutrient that has powerful effects. Protein stimulates the metabolic rate—hurrayforfat-burning!Itwillbalanceyourbloodsugarandpreventcravingsbykeepinginsulinhormone levels in check.Proteinmay takeanywhere from three to fivehours todigest.Thismeansyourstomachstaysfullerlonger.Whenyoueatprotein-richmeals,younaturallyeatlessoverall.Healthyproteinoptionsateachmealincludeeggs,chia,quinoa,fish,chicken,nutsandseeds,

Greekyogurt (higher inprotein than regularplainyogurt), plant-basedproteinpowder,hempseeds,lentils,beansandgreensuperfoods(seepage114).Studies show that people who skip breakfast are more prone to belly fat because of the

resultingincreaseininsulin.Highinsulinlevelsalsoincreaseyourcravingsforrefinedsugarsandcarbohydrates.Havingabreakfastsuchasametabolism-boostingsmoothiethatcontainsahealthydoseofproteintrulysetsthestageforajoyfulday(seerecipeonpage17).

5.Snack,buteattherightsnacksandeatonlywhenyouareactuallyhungry.Whenmostpeoplewantaquicksnack,theytendtograbfast-actingrefinedcarbohydrateslikecookies,crackersorchips.Thedriveforthesefoodsisevenmoreintensewhenyougolongerthanthreeorfourhourswithouteatinganythingorwhenyouskipameal.Thebodyisaverysmartmachine!Itknowsthatrefinedcarbsquicklyconverttoglucose(aformofsugar)inthebody,hencemakingthemtheobviouschoiceforaburstofenergywhentheglucosesupplygetslow.Thisisexactlywhyyoumayfindthat,onthosedaysyouweretoobusytohavelunchatwork,whenyougethomeallyouwanttoeatiscarbs.Thisperpetualhabitcomesatacosttothebody.Whenyoucontinuallyeatunhealthysnacks,

their excess sugarwill eventually be converted to fat.Additionally, eating high-sugar snackswillspikeinsulinlevels,whichcanleadtoanimbalanceinbloodsugarandputyouatriskofdevelopingtype2diabetes.Makeapointofincludingproteininyoursnacks.Itkeepsbloodsugarlevelsincheckandit

keepsyousatiatedforalongertime.Thesamegoesforgoodfats.Inotherwords,goodfatandproteinshutyourbellyup!Now,Idon’twantyoutogothinkingthatcarbohydratesarebad.Carbsarenotbadatall.In

fact,theyareessentialforenergy,fiberandnutrients.Butnotallcarbsarecreatedequally.Makesureyouchoosegoodcarbsratherthanbadcarbs,asdiscussedinchapter2.

JoyousTip

Listen to your body, and snack only when you are actuallyhungry:Ifyoueatabalancedmealforbreakfastandfindthatyouarenothungrytwoorthreehourslater,don’tforceyourselftoeatasnack.Listen to your body.When you feel thewarm sensation of hunger inyourbelly,thenit’stimetoeat.Keepinmindthatstresscanalteryourappetite hormones. Solution: Reduce stress, listen to your body’shungercuesandpower-snack.

Herearesomebalancedsnacksuggestions:• 5 to 10 small brown rice crackers with 2 tbsp (30 mL) nut butter and a sprinkle ofcinnamon

•1/4cup(60mL)SuperfoodTrailMix(page215)•1soft-boiledeggwithcut-upveggies•1cup(250mL)cut-upveggieswith2tbsp(30mL)hummus•2tbsp(30mL)chocolateproteinpowdermixedwith1cup(250mL)almondmilk•1applewith1tbsp(15mL)almondbutter•Halfanavocadosprinkledwithhempseedsonsomehigh-fibercrackers•ChocolateMintPudding(page270)

6.Keepawellnessjournal.For one week, write down everything you eat and drink. Studies show that keeping a foodjournalhelpsyoureachyourgoals.You’ll find a food andwellness journal at the back of this book that you can photocopy.

Record not only what you eat and drink but also how you feel. This will increase yourawarenessofyourfeelingstowardfoodandyourself.Becomingawarehelpsyoutobreakoldhabitsthatdonotserveyouwellandcreatenewonesthatmakeyoufeeljoyousinsideandout.Myphilosophyisthatyoudonotneedtocountyourcaloriesormeasureyourfood—letyour

innerwisdombe your guide. Free yourself from a need to put a number on everything foodrelated!Bykeepinga foodandwellness journal,youwillbecomeaccustomed to listening toyour body and giving it what it needs. The journal will also help you identify where yourstrengths andweaknesses are.Thenyoucan takepositive steps eachweek to improve in theareasthatneedalittlemoreattention.

Metabolism-BoosterBreakfastSmoothieRejuvenateandrechargeyourbodyandmindwithanall-timefavoritebreakfastofmine.It’snotonlyidealasanenergizingbreakfast,butwellbalancedasapost-workoutsmoothietoo.Itcombinesablendofcomplexcarbs,leanproteinandgoodfatstokeepyousatisfied,energizedandbalanced.Plus,it’sdarntasty!

Makes1to2smoothies

Detox

Vegan

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

1banana,cutinchunks1cup(250mL)freshorfrozendarkberries1cup(250mL)spinachorkaleleaves1cup(250mL)unsweetenedalmond,brownrice,oatorhempmilk(rotateyournutmilkseachweek)

2tbsp(30mL)wholechiaseeds1tsp(5mL)purevanillaextract(or2or3dropsofliquidstevia)1scoopplant-basedproteinpowderFilteredwaterandice

Placeallingredientsinyourblenderandpuréefor30to60seconds.Addfilteredwatertoreachdesiredconsistency.

On the JoyousHealthwellness evaluation form that allmy clients completewhen they firstcome tome, there is a section that asks them to list three health goals or areas of concern.Nearly80percentofpeoplegiveweightlossasthenumber-onereasontheywantassistance—eveniftheydon’tactuallyneedtoloseany.Moreoftenthannot,thesecondgoalistodeflatetheirbellybloat,andthethirdgoalisoftentohaveglowing,dewyskin.Butguesswhat?Weightloss,betterdigestion(bye-bye,bloatedbelly)andglowingskinare

merelysideeffectsofgoodhealthandafinelytuneddigestivesystem—ajoyousbelly.In thischapter,you’ll learnallaboutyourgutandbecomeacertified joyouspoo-ologist. I

willsharenutritionist-testedsolutionstoyourmostcommon(andperhapsmostembarrassing)digestiveproblems.Mostimportant,youwilllearnthatit’snotjustwhatyoueatbutalsowhatyouassimilate,absorbandeliminate—ordon’teliminate—thatmakesyouyou.Butfirst,let’stakeatourthroughyourdigestivesystemsoyougettoknowitabitbetter.

Ahealthygutequalsavibrant,sexy,joyousbodyandmind.

YourBrain:TheControlCenterThesound,sight,smellandtextureoffoodsendsignalstothebraintopreparetheguttoreceivethatfood.Justchoppingyourveggiesstartsyourdigestivejuicesflowing.Youstarttosalivate,anddigestiveenzymesandhormonesbegintoprepareyourbodytoreceivefood.Thisiswhy,ifyou really want to improve your digestion, you should prepare your own meals instead ofgettingfastfood.Anotherbonusisthatwhenyoumakeyourownfood,youtendtoeathealthierbecauseyouhavecompletecontrolofwhatyouputonyourplate.Sobemindfulwhenyouarepreparingfood.Allowallyoursensestobesubmergedinthewonderfulartoffoodpreparationandstrengthenthatdigestivefire!

YourMouth:TheChomperYourstomachdoesn’thaveteeth,sochew,chew,chewyourfooduntilit’samushypaste.Canyouhearyourgrandmotherscoldingyourightnow?“Chewyour food,chewyour food!”shewouldsay.Shehadapoint,andI’monherside.Mostpeoplechewafewtimes,swallowbigchunksoffoodandchasethemdownwithliquid.

Thisisnotagoodwaytoeat!It’snotaverykindthingtodotoyourdigestivesystemandcanlead to constipation, a slow-moving gut and poor absorption of nutrients. And if you don’tproperlyabsorbthenutrientsfromthefoodyoueat,howcanyourbodycreatecellularenergy,orenergytoplaywithyourkids,orgardenorwalkthedog?Howdoyouknowyou’vechewedenough?Thinkofanapple.Youshouldchewituntilyou

cannolongerdistinguishbetweenthepeelandtheflesh.Your saliva contains an enzyme called salivary amylase that starts to break down a small

percentage of starches in the mouth as soon as you start chewing. Chewing your food to amushy paste actually eases the burden on later stages of the digestive process. Digestiveenzymescanworkonlyonthesurfaceofpiecesoffood.Becausechewingincreasesthesurfaceareaofthefoodyoueat, thosedigestiveenzymescangetrightintoeverynookandcrannyinthatpieceofapple,andyourbodywillbetterabsorbthenutrientsfromit.Isn’titjustincrediblehowsomethingassimpleasproperlychewingyourfoodcanimprove

yourenergyandenableyoutodomoreofthethingsyoulovetodo?Rememberthemindful-eatingexerciseinchapter1?Chewingisawonderfulopportunityto

indulgeinsomemindfuleating.

SPITOUTTHEGUM!I’magainstgumchewing,and foragood reason. If you’reagumchewer,doyoueverwonderwhyyou’regassyandbloatedandyouperhapsevenfarta lot?Whenyouchewgum,yourbrainsignalstoyourgut toprepare for food tocomedown thepipe.Youstartproducingdigestive juices, includingstomachacidsandenzymes. But of course nothing comes into your stomach because you are only chewing gum—you aretrickingyourbody!The result? You can deplete your digestive enzymes and lower your stomach acid, so that when you

actuallydoeatfood,yourdigestivefireislow,andasaresult,youmayhavedigestiveproblemssuchasgasandbloating.Besidesthat,theartificialsweetenersusedinmostgumareawholeotherevilstoryandshouldbeavoidedatallcosts(seepage74).Oneofmyfirstclients,“Sarah,”was,attwenty-eightyearsold,aperfectexampleofthenegativeeffectsof

gumchewing.Eventhoughshewaseatingagooddietwithlotsofvariety,shewasconstantlybloated.Afterreviewingherfoodjournalanddiscussingherlifestyle(shehadverylittlestress),Iwasbaffledwhyshewasalwaysbloated.ThenIuncoveredsomething.Sarahwasarealestateagent,andsheworriedabouthavingbad breath, so shewas constantly chewing gum. I advised her to stop immediately, and I gave her otheradviceforpreventingbadbreath(includingtakingprobiotics,usingatonguebrushandgettingherguthealthontrack).Assoonassheditchedthegum-chewinghabit,shewasbloat-free.Sarahwasoverthemoonwithjoybecauseshewassoonabletofitintoherskinnyjeansonceagain.

YourStomach:TheHigh-PoweredBlenderSoyou’vechewed, chewedandchewedsomemore.Nowyou swallow the food, andmusclecontractions called peristalsismove it down your esophagus until it ends up in the digestivesystem’sveryownblender,yourstomach.There, it is further slicedanddiced (pulverizedbyperistalsis),thenliquefiedintoasoupysubstancecalledchyme.Protein digestion occurs in the stomachwhen chemicals found in gastric juices, primarily

hydrochloricacid,orHCl,andtheenzymepepsin,breakapartproteinchainsmadeupofaminoacids.Theseaminoacidsarethebuildingblocksoflifebecausetheymakeupeverysinglecellinyourbody.Whathappensinthestomachisthereforeacrucialstageofdigestion.HCl is a strong acid—if dropped on your kitchen table, it would burn a hole in it. This

extremeacidityexplainswhyitdoesagreat jobkillingmicrobesthatareinthefoodyoueat.Butdon’tworry,yourstomachisprotectedfromaciddamagebyathickliningofmucus.Thestomachusuallytakesbetweenthreeandfivehourstocompleteitsjob(threeifyouatea

lightmealand five ifyourmealwasheavy in theproteinand fatdepartment).After this, thestomachpassesthesoupychymealongtothesmallintestine,wheremostofthedigestionandabsorptionofnutrientsoccurs.

JoyousTipFoodpoisoningmaybeasignofweakdigestion.Evernoticehowtwopeoplecaneat thesamemealbutonlyonegetsfoodpoisoning?It’snotbadluckorblackmagic.It’smorelikelythatthepersonmakingthe runs to the toilet has weak digestive fire (low HCl) and lowbeneficialbacteria(moreonthatlater),whichmeansthemicrobesarenotgettingdestroyedinthestomach.

YourLiver:TheChemicalFactoryAsanutritionist,Italkaboutthisorganextensivelyinmyseminarsbecauseourliverhas561knownfunctions,makingitoneofthehardest-workingorgansinthebody.Icallitthechemicalfactorybecausetoxicsubstancesandwasteproductsthatareeithertaken

inandabsorbedbytheintestinesorproducedbyyourbodyasabyproductofmetabolismarealldetoxifiedintheliver.Fromalcoholtocigarettesmoke,fromfoodswithchemicaladditivestolotionsyouslatheronyour skin,allmustbedetoxifiedso theydonotharmyourbody.Yourliver takes these potentially harmful substances and neutralizes them, preparing them forelimination.

Whenyourbodyisoverburdenedwithchemicalsandthelivercannotfullyperformitsjob,you may suffer from allergies, low immune system function, skin disorders, hormonalimbalanceandweightgain.Thatiswhyit’scriticalthatyoueasethechemicalburdenonyourliver by drinking plenty of water to assist in the removal of these toxins and by eatingdetoxifyingfoodsthatcontainliver-supportingnutrients.Theliverisalsoamajorstoragesiteformanyofthenutrientsabsorbedthroughthewallof

thesmallintestine.ThesenutrientsincludevitaminsA,C,D,E,KandB12,themineralscopperandiron,andglycogen,aformofenergy.Theliveralsoregulatesglucosemetabolism,releasingglucoseasitisneededforenergy.From a Chinese medicine perspective, the liver holds a lot of emotional garbage, too.

Practitioners of traditional Chinesemedicine say that the liver stores anger and sadness andcannot function joyfully ifyou’venotdealtwithyouremotions.Emotionalwellness is akeyfactorinachievingyourmostjoyoushealth.Clearly,yourliverworksveryhardandneedsalotoflove.Enjoyingtherecipesprovidedin

thisbookwillgiveyourliverthesupportitneedstohelpitcarryoutoneofitsmostimportantfunctions,detoxification.TrytheDetoxJuiceonpage174.

YourSmallIntestine:WheretheMagicHappensThe intestinal wall has two extremely important functions: (1) it allows nutrients such asvitaminsandmineralstobeabsorbedintothebloodstream,and(2)itblocksforeignsubstancesfromenteringyourbloodstream.Theseforeignsubstancesincludechemicals,bacteriaandotherlargemoleculesfoundinfood.(Remember:chew,chew,chew!Itmakesthisstageofdigestioneasier.)However,somemedicationsorapoordietcanthintheliningofthiswall,causingyourguttoabsorbsubstancesthatmaybeharmful.Thisisknownasleakygutsyndrome,anditcanleadtoskinproblemssuchasacneandeczema,aswellastofoodsensitivitiesandotherhealthissuesthatcanhaveawholehostofunpleasanteffects.Yoursmallintestineismadeupofthreeparts:theduodenum,jejunumandileum.Eachpart

absorbs different nutrients that help keep your cells joyous. Minerals are absorbed in theduodenum; protein, water-soluble vitamins and carbohydrates predominantly in the jejunum;andfat-solublevitamins,cholesterol,fatandbilesaltsintheileum.Itisimportantthatallthreepartsofthesmallintestinefunctionefficientlyforgooddigestion.

YourLargeIntestine(Colon):TheGrandFinaleIt may be last, but it is certainly not least. After your small intestine has absorbed all thenutrientsitcan,yourlargeintestineisthelaststopinthedigestiveprocessbeforewasteleavesyourbody.Theaveragepersoncanhaveanywherefrom7to25pounds(3to11kg)ofimpactedfecalmatter in theirgut.That’s a lotofpoop,but toput it inperspective, thedigestive tract,frommouthtoanus,is25to35feet(7.5to10.5m)long,andifyouweretostretchandflattenoutjustyoursmallintestine,itwouldcovertheentiresurfaceofatenniscourt!Thecontentsofyourfecalmatteraremainlyfiber(theundigestedmaterialfromplantfoods),

indigestible wastematerial, water and billions of naturally occurring bacteria. Each of theseplaysakeyroleinefficientdigestion.Fiberisabsolutelyessentialbecauseithelpstofilloutthecolon,absorbstoxinsandwaste,

softensyourpoopandeaseswasteexcretion.Bacteria—knownasourgutflora—dowonderfulthingsinyourcolon.Notonlydotheybreakdownsomepreviouslyundigestedmaterials,buttheyalsoactonfoodresiduestomakevitaminKandbiotin.Watermixeswiththefecalmasstohelpitpassmoreeasilyfromthebody.Excesswateristhenreabsorbedintothebodytopreventdehydration.There’sa lotgoingon, fromthemouthonward!Andwhen thepipesareworkingeffectively,you detoxify and eliminate toxins regularly. If you don’t have good digestion, though, thesetoxinstrytoescapeinotherways.Theleakygutsyndromementionedearlier,whichcancauseblemishesonyourbeautifulfaceoreczemaonyourhands,isanexampleofthosetoxinstryingtoescapeoutthewrongexits.

DANA’SSTORYOne of my first clients, “Dana,” had slim arms and legs, yet she had a very distended belly. She wasexercising regularly, but she told me she was chronically constipated and became progressively bloatedthroughouttheday.Bytheendofthedayshealwayshadtoundothetopbuttonofherpants.Bloatingisn’tmuch fun, especiallywhenyouwear suits toworkeverydayand theyare tight anduncomfortableby fiveo’clock.AfterreviewingDana’sfoodjournalandassessinghercurrentstateofhealthandherhealthhistory, Iput

heronadetoxplan.Iremovedfromherdietallcommonfoodsthatcausesensitivitysymptoms,increasedherintakeof fiber-rich foods,startedheronasupplementationplan that involveddigestiveenzymesspecific toherneedsandhadhertakeahigh-doseprobiotic.Wealsofocusedonstrategiestolowerherstresslevels.Toreplaceherintensivebootcampsessionsthree

or four timesaweek,Danacommittedherself tooneor twoclassesaweekat a local yogastudio. I alsotaughtheralternatenostrilbreathing(seepage59)tohelpherrelaxwhenevershefeltstressedatwork.Danawasextremelydeterminedtochange,andinfourweeks,shelostawhopping10pounds.Dana toldme the biggest changewas that shewas now having regular, well-formed, detoxifying bowel

movementsonceortwiceaday—inherwords,thekindofbowelmovementsthatmakeyoufeellikeyou’velostfivepoundsandthatflattenyourbelly.Notonlydidhertummylookflat,shehadsomuchmoreenergy.Whenyourgut is full of impacted fecalmatter likeDana’swas, toxins canbe reabsorbed into thebody,

whichmayweakenyourimmunesystem,giveyouafoggybrain,loweryourenergy,makeyoufeelpuffyandaffectthehealthofyourskin.After Dana and I had worked together for nearly three months, her friends were telling her howmuch

youngershelookedbecausethepuffinesswasgonefromherfaceandshewassimplyglowing.Shefeltlikeabrand-newperson.

SolutionstoCommonDigestiveProblems:TheSufferingCanEnd!North America and many countries around the world are facing an epidemic of digestiveillnessesdirectlyrelatedtothefoodsweeat(anddon’teat)andthewayweliveourlives.TV commercials commonly show a stressed-out person eating a burger and fries, then

sufferingfromindigestion,whichistemporarilyrelievedbyanantacidorotherheartburndrug.Morethan80or90millionpeoplesufferfromdigestiveproblemsinNorthAmericaeveryyear,according to the Canadian Digestive Health Foundation and the US National Institute ofDiabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Some of the most successful pharmaceuticaldrugs are the ever-popular antacids and over-the-counter laxatives. These drugs are makingpharmaceuticalmanufacturerssomeofthewealthiestcompaniesintheworld.Antacidsworkbyweakeningthehydrochloricacidinyourstomach.Otherheartburndrugs,

suchasH2-receptorantagonistsandproton-pumpinhibitors,suppresstheproductionofstomach

acid. But do they really help? Are people getting better by popping a pill to prevent acidproduction?Isacidproductioneventheprobleminthefirstplace?Perhapsnot.Everymorsel you eat has the power tomove you closer to health and further away from

disease, or the opposite—closer and closer to illness. Unfortunately, too many people havesimplyaccepteddigestiveillnessasafactoflifeandchoosetosufferwhilepoppingpillafterpill rather than dealingwith the root cause of their symptoms. Instead of subscribing to thenotion that a pillwill fix you, acknowledge that your digestive problems offer an incredibleopportunityforchange.Thisisablessingindisguise.Youhavethepowertohealyourbodywiththewayyouliveyourlife,thethoughtsthatyou

think,howoftenyoumoveyourbodyandthefoodyouconsume.Basedonwhat Ihear frommyclientsand the typesofover-the-counterdigestiveaids that

havethestrongestsales,thesearethemostcommondigestivecomplaints:•constipation•heartburn•gas,flatulenceandbloating•irritablebowelsyndrome

I will share solutions to get your gut back on track. Fortunately, there are simple andinexpensive solutions for any digestive concern. However, it is important that you seek theadvice of your natural healthcare practitioner if your symptomspersist, since there aremanynatural solutions beyond this book thatmay benefit you and help bring your body back intobalance.

ConstipationStraining tohaveabowelmovement,hardstools, rabbit-likepellets, infrequentor incompletebowelmovements,thefeelingthatyourgutjustisnotemptied,havingabowelmovementlessthanonceaday—theseareallhallmarksofconstipation.Constipationcanleadtomoreissuesthanjustabloatedbelly.Constipationcancause•allergiesandskinproblems,includingeczemaandacne•fatigue•headaches•lowenergy•mentalfogginess•moodiness•painandinflammationinthejoints•PMS

Constipation is a big problem. More than 27 percent of North Americans report feelingconstipated,while in theUnitedStatesalone,more than$875millionwas spentonover-the-counterlaxativesin2011.That’salotofpeoplefullofpoop!Manyunderlyingfactorsmayleadtoconstipation, includingthyroiddysfunction,hormonal

problemsandcertainmedications.Aswell,somediseasescanaffectthebody’sabilitytohavea

bowel movement, including Parkinson’s disease, lupus, type 2 diabetes, kidney disease andcolon cancer. It’s best to rule out these possible causes by talking to your medical doctor.However,healthydigestionandgooddietaryhabitsmaypreventallthesechronicdiseasesfromoccurringinthefirstplace.Yourbowelmovementsshouldbepainlessandeffortless.Theidealstoolshouldbechestnut

brown,S-shapedandwellformed.Inaperfectworld,youwouldbejustlikeaninfantandhaveaBMaftereverymeal.However,withourbusylives,andthefact thatwedon’talwayshaveaccesstoawashroom,havingaBMaftereverymealmayprovechallenging.Irecommendyouaim tohaveoneor twobowelmovementseachday.Thismeans,ofcourse, thatyouactuallyneedtomaketimeforthis.Evenifyouhaveoneortwobowelmovementseachday,youmaystillbeconstipatedorhave

a large amount of backed-up fecalmatter, so it is important to checkwhat’s known as yourboweltransittime.

DotheBeetTestBuysomerawbeets,wash themandpeeloff theskin if theyarenotorganic.Usingacheesegraterormandoline,gratethebeets.Mixthemintoasaladorroastthemandenjoywithsomeextra-virginoliveoilandpepper.Betteryet,makemyBeetGoatCheeseDip(page222).Don’tusejarredpickledbeetsfromthegrocerystore.Theywon’thavethesameeffectbecausetheredpigment,calledbetalaine,haslikelybeendestroyedduringprocessing.After you’ve eaten the beets, look in the toilet after each bowelmovement and take note

whenyouseearedcolorinyourstools.Donotbealarmed!Thiscanbequiteshockingthefirsttime you see it. Youmay also notice your urine turns pinkish or red, a phenomenon calledbeeturia.Theoptimalboweltransittimeistwelvetotwenty-fourhours.However,someofmyclients

havereportednotseeingredstoolsuntilfourorfivedayslater.Thismeansthesamefoodhasbeensittingintheirgutforupto120hours!Ifthatdoesn’tseemlikeabigdealtoyou,imagineaglassoffull-fatcreamsittingonapicnic

table in the summer for four or five days.Whatwill happen to it? It starts to rot—it growsbacteriaandmold.That’snot somethingyouwouldwant todrink, is it?Yourgut is like thatglassofcream.It’sawarmenvironmentfullofyeastandbacteria(bothgoodandbad).Whenfoodsitsinyourgutforalongtime,itdoesthesamethingasthatglassofcream.Itbeginstorot,and thebacteriaandyeast feedoff it,potentiallyproducing toxicbyproductsandcausinggasandbloating,whichmakeconstipationworseandcancreateotherproblemsdowntheline.

When fecalmatter sits too long in the gut, reabsorption of cholesterol, hormones andwasteproducts can occur. This is why constipation can lead to high cholesterol and hormonalimbalanceslikePMS.Constipationmeansmorethanjusthavingabloatedbelly!So, how are you going to get your gut moving to ensure you are not full of twenty-five

poundsofpoop?Thetopnaturalsolutionsforreducingconstipationare:•drinkingmorewater•eatingmorefiber-richandwater-densefoods•reducingstress

•increasingorreducingconsumptionofcertainfoods•takingaprobioticsupplement

DrinkMoreWaterOurbodiesaremadeupofmorethan70percentwater.Everycellisdependentonwatertohelppushnutrientsinandpullwasteproductsoutforelimination.Waterisvitalforoursurvival;wecannot livewithout it.Evenmilddehydration thathasn’tevenreached thepointof triggeringthirst can result in headaches and low energy. The simple habit of drinking more water isabsolutelyessentialforahealthydigestivesystemandtheeliminationoftoxins.Yourgutisawater-richenvironment.Infact,whenyouaredehydrated,thefirstplaceyour

kidneyswillsignalthebodytotakeupwaterfromisthelargeintestine,sothatvitalfunctionssuchastheabilityofyourhearttopumpbloodcanbemaintained.Thismeansthatyourlargeintestinecaneasilybecomedehydrated,makingyourstoolsdryanddifficulttopass.

HOWMUCHWATERSHOULDYOUBEDRINKING?Thereisanoone-size-fits-allanswer.Forexample,foreachcupofcoffeeorothercaffeinatedbeverageyoudrink,youneedtodrinkoneglass(approximately2cups/500mL)ofwaterjusttobreakeven,becausecaffeineisadiuretic.Ifyouexerciseoftenandsweatalot,youwillneedtoincreaseyourwaterconsumptionaswell.Ontheotherhand,ifyoudon’tdrinkcoffeeandyoueat a lot of hydrating foods such as raw fruits and vegetables, then you don’t need to bechuggingbacktwelveglassesofwatereveryday.Aimforatleastsixtoeightglassesofwaterorherbalteaperday(assumingaglasstobe1to

2cups/250to500mL).Beyondthis,agoodwaytogaugeyourhydrationneedsistolookatthecolorofyoururine.Assumingyouarenotonanysupplementsormedicationsthatchangethecolor of your urine, it should be pale yellow. Bright yellow indicates urine that is tooconcentrated,and thereforeyouare likelydehydrated.Completelyclearurinemeans thatyoumaybedrinkingtoomuchwater,whichcanactuallybehardonyourkidneys.Thebestway to start yourday, asmentioned in chapter1, iswith a large glass of filtered

water(1⅔to2cups/400to500mL)withasqueezeoflemonorasplashofapplecidervinegar.Lemonorcidervinegarwithwaterhelpstostimulateabowelmovementbecauseitstrengthensthe liverand improvesyourdigestivefire,whichhelps tomovewasteproducts throughmoreefficiently.

EatMoreFiber-RichandWater-DenseFoodsThisislikelysomethingyou’veheardbefore.Thegoodnewsisthatthemajorityofrecipesinthisbookprovidemorethanenoughdailyfiber.Fiber,orroughage,addsbulktothestoolandhelpsthebodyeliminatetoxins.Fiberhelpstostrengthenthegutmuscles,whichimprovesperistalsis,theactionthatmoves

foodthroughyourdigestivesystem.Whenyoueat“lazy,”low-fiberfoodssuchaswhitepasta,whitericeandwhitebread,yourgutbecomeslazytoo,andconstipationisoftenaresult.Fiberalso acts as a scrub, brushing awaywastes from the colonwall, and as a sponge, absorbingpotentiallyharmfultoxinsandchemicals.Increaseyourconsumptionoffiberslowly,asasuddenincreaseintheamountofroughage

canirritatethegut,causinggasandbloating.It’sjustasimportanttocutbackonfoodsthatarelowinfiberandwater,includingmeat,cheese,whitebreadandsugarypastries,cookies,candiesandcakes.Aimtoeatfivetotenservingsoffruitsandvegetableseveryday,butdonotfeellimitedto

thefoodslistedabove.Theskyisthelimit!Foramoredetailedlistoffiber-richfoods,seepage42.Most casesof constipation canbe resolvednaturally.Eatingmore fiber anddrinkingmore

waterusuallysolvetheproblemfairlyquickly.

MYFAVORITEFIBER-RICH,NUTRIENT-DENSEANDHYDRATINGFOODS•apples•asparagus•avocados•broccoli•Brusselssprouts•cabbage•cauliflower•celery•chiaseeds•kale•pears•sweetpotatoes•watermelon

ReduceStressDifferent kinds of stress have different effects on digestion. Chronic stress slows downdigestionbyimpedingthestomach’sperformance.Whenyoueatwhenyou’reunderstress,doyoueverfeellikeyouhaveabrickinyourgut?That’sstressinaction.Acutestress,ontheotherhand, can actually speed things upbyprompting the gut to pushwaste products through tooquickly,preventingadequatedigestionandabsorptionofnutrients.Remember,it’snotonlywhatyoueat,it’salsohowyouliveyourlifethataffectsdigestion.

Reducingstressisabsolutelyessentialforeffectivedigestion.Whenyouarestressed,yournervoussystemisin“fightorflight”mode.Thelastthingyour

body wants to do right then is digest food. Your gut will either shut down digestion byinhibitingthesecretionofstomachacidanddigestiveenzymes,leadingtoaveryslow-movinggut,ordoeverythinginitspowertoeliminateallthegut’scontents,resultingindiarrhea.

IncreaseorReduceConsumptionofCertainFoods

EATMOREOFTHESEFOODS•chiaseedsandflaxseeds(sproutedarebest)•fermentedfoodssuchasrawsauerkraut,kefir,kombucha,organictempeh(fermentedsoy)

•fiber-richfoods(seepage42)•freshfruit,especiallypears,apples,peachesanddarkberries•goodfats,includingavocados,extra-virginoliveoilandflaxseedorhempoil•greensuperfoodssuchasspirulina(seechapter5)•herbalteas,especiallydandelionlicoriceteaandnettleleaftea•leafygreenvegetablessuchaskale,arugula,spinachandbokchoy•lemonandwater(seepage12)•seavegetables,includingarame,dulse,kombuandnori• sprouted foods such as sunflower sprouts, pea sprouts, sprouted lentils and beansprouts

•rawfruitsandvegetables(introducethemslowlyifyouarenotcurrentlyeatingmanyrawfoods)

• real “whole” grains such as quinoa, brown rice,millet, amaranth, teff, buckwheat,kamut,oatsandspelt

EATLESSOFTHESEFOODS•redmeat•dairyproducts•sugarytreatsandsweets•whiteflourproductsandwhiterice•geneticallymodifiedfoodssuchascorn,soyandwheat•driedfruits(orrehydratetheminfilteredwaterbeforeconsuming)• commercialcerealsandproteinbars(theycanbefullofadditivesandpreservativesthatslowyourgutdown—Iliketocallthem“cement”inyourcolon)

Finally, if thereisanyfoodthatyouhavebeeneatingeverydayforlongerthanfourtosixweeks,cutitoutofyourdietfortwoweeks.Youcanbecomesensitivetothefoodsyoueatmostoften,soeliminatingthemforashortwhilewillhelpyouruleoutfoodsensitivities.

TakeaProbioticSupplementProbioticscanbeyourbestfriend.Promeans“for”andbioticsmeans“life,”soprobioticsarethe goodbacteria (the bugs) in your body. I’mnot saying that taking a pill is a cure-all, butprobiotics are one of themostwell-researched supplements for digestive health and they are

particularlyhelpfulforconstipation.

Didyouknowthatyourdigestivesystemishometomorethan100trillionbacteria—abillionofthoseinyourmouth,andmostoftherestinyoursmallintestineandcolon?Infact,youhavemorebacteriainyourgutthancellsinyourentirebody.AccordingtoElizabethLipski,authorofDigestiveWellness,thedryweightofyourstoolconsistsof80percentbacteria,andhalfofthat is still alive. The balance of good versus bad bacteria is absolutely critical for healthydigestion,yourimmunesystem,vitaminandmineralabsorptionandmuchmore.Frompersontoperson,thetypeofdigestivebacteria,orgutflora,candifferdrasticallybased

ondiet.Ingeneral,thosewhoeathigh-fiberfoods,includinglotsoffruitsandvegetables,andlessmeathaveabetterratioofgoodtobadbacteriathanpeoplewhoeatthetypicalWesterndietfullofrefinedcarbohydrates,sugarandfoodadditives.Antibiotics,birthcontrolpillsandcorticosteroiddrugscanfurtheralterthedelicatebalance

ofgoodbacteriatobadbacteria.Whenbadbacteriagetoutofhand,themostcommonresultisanovergrowthofayeastcalledCandida.Candida cancauseawholehostofproblems, fromacne and itchy skin to yeast infections in the mouth and vagina. It may even enter thebloodstream,causingsystemiccandidiasis.Digestivebacteriaareahottopicinthenews,andthere’snoshortageofprobioticproducts,

fromyogurtstoicecreams,poppingupongrocerystoreshelveseverywhere.Sowhat’sallthefussabout?Well, thegoodbacteriadoanabsolutely incredible jobofkeepingushealthyandkeepingthebadbacteriaincheck.

• Theykeepour immune system strong andplay an important role inour ability to fightinfectious disease. For example, Lactobacillus acidophilus, found in fermented dairyproducts such as yogurt, increases the activity of immune system fighters, includingmacrophagesandlymphocytes.

•Theypreventorincreaseresistancetofoodpoisoning.L.acidophilusinhibitsuptotwenty-sixdifferentbacteriathatmakeussick,fromE.colitoSalmonella.

•Theymakebiotin,folicacidandvitaminsB1,B2,B3,B5,B6,B12andK.

•Theyincreaseabsorptionofcalcium,copper,iron,magnesiumandmanganese.•Theymanufacturesubstancesthatcanassistinloweringourriskofdiseaseandcancer.•Theyhelprelieveinflammatoryboweldiseases,constipation,diarrhea,etc.• Theyhelpusdigestlactose.Somepeoplecantolerateyogurtbutnotmilkforthesimplereasonthatthereismoregoodbacteriainyogurt.

• Theyaid in treatingvaginalyeast infections, thrush,urinary tract infectionsandarthritisandmaypositivelyaffectcholesterollevels.

•Recentresearchshowstheyevenimpactyourbrainfunction,includingpreventinganxietyanddepression.

The two most abundant groups of flora are lactobacilli, found in the small intestine, andbifidobacteria,foundprimarilyinthecolon.Here’sthedeal:wearebornwithasteriledigestivetract.We are then exposed to goodbacteria in breastmilk, andwith everybreath and touch,bacteriaenter thebody tocolonizeandmakeacozyhome. (Breast-fedbabieshave increased

numbers of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species from mama—yet another reason tobreast-feed your baby.) Within the first few days of life, we become home to hundreds ofbacteria.Often,whenbabiesareunabletoproperlycolonizethefriendlybacteria,theybecomeirritableandcolicky,theyhavegasandtheymayevenhaveeczemaontheirbottom.Theyarealsomoresusceptibletoallergiesandasthma,accordingtoElizabethLipski.Unfortunately, the friendly bacteria are only a small percentageof our total bacteria.Most

disease-causing bacteria thrive at human body temperature, and a fever kills them byoverheatingyour body. (Don’t you just lovehow smart your body is?) If youhave a suddeninvasionofSalmonellabacteria,yourbodyreactsquickly,tryingtoeliminatethemviaasuddenboutofdiarrhea,vomitingandpossiblyevenafever.Bethankfulforthisresponse!Icringeatthethoughtofpeopletakingdiarrhea-suppressingdrugswhentheyhavefoodpoisoning,asthiscouldleadtomorehealthcomplicationsdowntheroad.Thelastthingyouwanttodoisplugyourselfupandkeepthosebadbacteriainsideyou.Youcanboost thenumberofgood florabyeating them:kefir,yogurt (ifyoudon’thavea

dairy sensitivity), sauerkraut, tempeh,miso, kimchi and kombucha are excellent sources. Aswell, avoid processed foods and chlorinated water, reduce stress and take a good-qualityprobioticsupplement.Thereisanarrayofprobioticsupplementsonthemarket.Everyoneofushasslightlydifferentneeds,soitisimportantthatyoufirstspeakwithapractitionertofindoutwhatisbestforyou.AsDr.Bernard Jensenhas statedmany times inhisbooks, yourguthealthdetermines the

healthofyourentirebody.Keepingyourguthealthywithgoodbacteriaisabsolutelycriticaltothehealthofyourwholebody.I’mnotsayingthatprobioticssolveeveryproblem,buttheyarecertainlyoneofthemostbasicsupplementsthatmostpeoplewouldbenefitfromtaking.

HeartburnI am very familiar with heartburn, which has been persistent in my family for years. Acidreflux,gastroesophagealrefluxdisease(GERD),over-productionofacid—whateveryoucallit,it’snotfun,andit’sacomplaintIcommonlyhearintheinitialsessionwithmyclients.Ironically,themajorityofpeoplewhocomplainofheartburnactuallydon’tproduceenough

stomach acid. Heartburn is more often than not a result of improper food combining (forexample, eating a steak and mashed potatoes together may be a recipe for poor digestion),drinkingtoomanyliquidswithmeals,apoorratioofgoodtobadbacteria,overeating,eatingtoolateintheevening,apoordietorstress.Beforeyougotakinganypillstosuppressacidproduction,considerthesepoints.• Acid-suppressing medications can create an overly alkaline stomach environment. Butminerals require an acidic digestive environment to be properly digested and absorbed.This is when that glass of lemon andwater comes in handy! Even though lemon juicepromotesanalkalinebody,itstrengthensthedigestivefire,whichmeansfoodwillbemoreeffectivelymoved through the body. If you lack proper stomach acid, you don’t absorbyour minerals, and this can contribute to type 2 diabetes, some cancers, chronic pain,arthritisandevenheartproblems.

• Stomach acid is needed for the proper breakdown of proteins into amino acids.Aminoacids are the building blocks of life. Every cell in your entire body depends on amino

acids,fromyourskincellstoyourbraincells.Forexample,withouttheproperbreakdownandabsorptionofaminoacids,yourneurotransmitters—brainchemicals—donothavetherawmaterialstofunction.

• Stomachacid is oneof the first linesofdefense againstpathogenic, ordisease-causing,bacteria. A lack of stomach acid can mean more bad bacteria getting in through thedigestivetract,leadingtofoodpoisoning,otherillnessesanddisease.

TWOSIMPLESTOMACHACIDTESTS1.BAKINGSODATESTThistestwillhelpgiveyouasenseofwhetheryouhavetoomuchortoolittlestomachacid.Firstthinginthemorning,onanemptystomach,drink1/4tsp(1mL)ofbakingsodastirredinto1cup(250mL)ofwater.Timehowlongittakestoburp.Ifyouhaven’tburpedwithinfiveminutes,stoptiming.Dothetestfourdaysinarowand record your results. When you drink baking soda, you create a chemical reaction in your stomachbetweenthebakingsodaandthehydrochloricacid.Theresultiscarbondioxidegas,whichmakesyouburp.Ifyouhavelowstomachacid,itwilltakeyoulongerthanthreeminutestoburp.Ifyouhaveadequatestomachacid,youwillburpwithinthefirsttwoorthreeminutes.

2.BETAINEHCLCHALLENGETESTTocompletethistest,youwillneedtopurchaseabottleof650mgBetaineHClcontainingpepsinatahealthfood store. Note: Anti-inflammatory medications such as NSAIDs, corticosteroids and aspirin increase thechancesofulcersinthestomach,andBetaineHClcanfurtherincreasetheriskofgastritis.Consultanaturalhealthcarepractitionerbeforetryingthistestorsupplementing.1.Prepareahigh-proteinmealwithatleast6ounces(170g)ofmeat,chickenorfish.2.Inthemiddleofthemeal,takeonecapsuleofBetaineHCl.3.Finishyourmeal,andpayattentiontoyourdigestion.Ifyoudon’tnoticeanydiscomfortafteryourmealoranyimprovementinyourdigestion,itisverylikelythat

yourstomachacidistoolow.Ifyoustarttofeelaheaviness,burningorwarmth,thesearesignsthatyoulikelyhaveadequatestomachacid.Youcandrinkamixtureof1/2tsp(2mL)ofbakingsodaand1cup(250mL)ofwatertostopanydiscomfort.Iftwosubsequentstomachacidtestsindicateyouhavelowacid,thenyouknowyourheartburnisnotthe

resultoftoomuchacid.Ihavefoundthistobethecasewiththemajorityofpeople!Whichofcourseraisesthequestion,Whyaresomanypeopletakingantacidsandacid-suppressingmedicationstheydon’tneed?

JoyousSolutionstoHeartburnThesesuggestionsnotonlyhelpwithheartburnbutcanbeextremelybeneficialforavarietyofdigestiveproblems.

Practicebasicfoodcombining.Foodcombiningisasetofguidelinestofollowwhenyouareeatingthat reduce heartburn, increase bowel transit time and can be an effectiveweight loss tool—whenyoueliminatemoreeffectively,youarelessbloatedandnotfullofpoundsofpoop.

Donotdrinkfluidswhileeatingsolids.Drinkingwhileyoueatdilutesyourdigestivefireandcanalso lead tobloating andgas.Drink liquids20 to30minutesbefore amealor45minutesafterameal.Puréedsoupsaretheexception.

Eatfruitaloneorfirstthinginthemorning.Fruittendstofermenteasilyafterit’seaten,especially

when it’s eaten with protein and fat and when your digestion is weak. The gaseousbyproductsofthisfermentationgetpushedupthroughtheesophagus,promotingheartburn.You will notice that some recipes in this book include fruit with other foods. You maycombinefruitwithotherfoodsifyoudonotsufferfromheartburnorotherdigestiveissues.

Eat from lightest toheaviest.Thiseases theburdenofdigestion.Proteindigestsmainly in thestomach,whereascarbohydratesdigestmainlyinthesmallintestine.Eatthelightestfoodsonyour plate first—often the carbohydrates— and finish your meal with the heaviest foods,usuallytheproteinsandfats.

Donotcombineahigh-starchfoodwithaproteininthesamemeal.High-starchfoodsfermenteasilyandaremostlydigestedinthesmallintestine.Forexample,eatingwhitepotatoeswithasteakis a recipe for digestive problems because the steak may take a few hours to leave thestomachwhilethepotatoesdigestquicklyandmayferment.

Avoideatingdessertonafullstomach.Eatitonanear-emptystomach,notimmediatelyafterameal,topreventanyfermentation.

Donoteatafter8p.m.Yourdigestivefireslowlybecomesweakeras thedayprogresses. Ifyoumust eat later,make sureyoueat something that’s easier todigest, suchas a smoothie (page164)asamealreplacementorOvernightStrawberryChiaPudding(page157),providedyou’vehadanearliersnack,asthepuddingmaynotbefillingenough.

Drinklemonandwater(page12)everymorningonanemptystomach.

Eliminate dairy and gluten for two weeks. Then reintroduce them one at a time and record anyreactioninafoodjournal.Permanentlyeliminatethefoodsthatcauseheartburn.

Avoidoverlyspicy foodsandovereating ingeneral.Spicyfoodscanaggravateyourgut,andwhenyouovereat,gaspushesupthroughtheesophagusbecauseyourstomachisoverstuffed,causingpain.

Limitcoffee,caffeine-containingbeveragesandfizzydrinks.

Drinkhelpfulteas.Theseincludepeppermint,chamomile,slipperyelmandginger.

Trybitters.Considerusingabittertostimulategooddigestionbeforeyoueat.Somebittersworthtrying are peppermint, calendula, dandelion, artichoke leaf, blessed thistle, angelica,motherwort,wormwoodandbitterorangepeel.Thesecanbetakenasatea,tinctureorcapsule.Youcanalsolookfora“digestivebitter”atthehealthfoodstorethathasacombinationofbitteringredientsinoneformula.

Takedigestion-supportingsupplements.

•BetaineHCl(derivedfrombeets).Taketwo500-mgcapsuleswithmealsthreetimesadayorasadvisedbyyournaturalhealthcarepractitioner.

•probiotics(seepage31)•digestiveenzymes•L-glutamine.Ifyou’vebeensufferingfromheartburnforafewmonthsorlonger,youmayfind this amino acid helpful. It protectively coats your digestive tract, including youresophagus, and actually repairs damage to the lining of both the esophagus and thestomach.Take5g(about2tsp/10mL)aday.Itcanalsoreducesugarcravings,helpwithalcoholaddictionandenhancetheimmunesystem.

Reducestress.Doyoga,meditate,listentorelaxingmusic,takeabath.Reducingstressimprovesdigestion.

Getenoughsleep.Ensureyougetatleasteighthoursofsleepincompletedarkness.

Exercise.Moveyourbeautifulbootyeverysingleday!Getyourheartrateupforatleast15to20minuteseachdayandincreaseto45minutesadayonceyou’veadapted.

Gas,FlatulenceandBloatingNowandagain,it’stotallynormaltopassgasorburp.Butifthisisaregularoccurrence,thenit’s time to pay attention towhat your body is telling you, as these are signs that somethingyou’reeatingisnotagreeingwithyou.Additionally,bad-smellingflatulenceisacommonsignthatyoumaynotbeproperlydigestinggluten—aproteininwheat,ryeandbarley.Itcanevenbeasymptomofanautoimmunediseasesuchasceliacdisease.

JoyousSolutionstoGas,FlatulenceandBloating•Eatmindfully.Taketimetoenjoyyourmealtopreventovereating.(Seepage6.)•Eatslowlyandchew,chew,chewyourfooduntilitisapaste.(Seepage20.)•Eatsmallermeals,andeatonlywhenyouareactuallyhungry—whenyoufeelthatwarmfeelinginyourstomach.

•Donoteatwhenyouarestressedout.•Followthefoodcombiningsuggestionsonpage36.•Drinklemonandwaterbeforeameal.(Seepage12.)•Includeherbssuchasginger,peppermint,dillandfennelinyourmeals.•Avoidchewinggum.

IrritableBowelSyndromeIrritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, is themedical name for a group of varied symptoms thatoccur together and affect the large intestine, including cramping, pain, constipation anddiarrhea. IBS, though, tellsusnothingabout the rootcauseof thesesymptoms. It’s importantthatyouseekmedicalattentionifyouexperiencethesesymptomsbecausetheycouldindicateamoreseriousproblem,suchasulcerativecolitisorCrohn’sdisease.Two of the most common causes of IBS are stress and too much sugar. According to

naturopath and author Dr. Michael Murray, “Stress increases the motility (the rhythmiccontractionsoftheintestinethatpropelfoodthroughthedigestivetract)ofthecolonandleadstoabdominalpainand irregularbowel functions.”On theotherhand, refinedsugardecreasesintestinal motility and leads to constipation. Reducing both stress and sugar is absolutelyessentialwhendealingwithIBS!

JoyousSolutionstoIrritableBowelSyndrome

Reducestress.Doyoga,meditate,listentorelaxingmusicortakeabath.Reducingstresslowerscortisol andadrenaline levels, stresshormones thatboth slowdown thedigestive systemandexacerbateinflammation.

Ensureyougetatleasteighthoursofsleepincompletedarkness.

Eliminatethemostcommonfoodallergensfortwoweeks,includingdairy(especiallycheese),gluten,corn,soy,peanutsandshellfish.Thenreintroducethemoneatatimeandrecordanyreactioninafoodjournal.Permanentlyeliminatethefoodsthatcauseareaction.

Eliminatesugarandallfoodscontainingrefinedsugars.

Eat fiber-rich foods tohelpwith intestinalmotility (seepage29).Fiber isespeciallyhelpful forthose with constipation, but be sure to introduce it slowly and take note of how your bodyreacts.

Considertakingoneofthefollowingsupplements:

• peppermint oil, in 100mg capsule or liquid form, beforemeals to soothe the intestinallining

•aloeverajuice,1tbsp(15mL)beforemealsonanemptystomach•ahigh-potencygreenssupplementthatcontainsmorethan1000mgofspirulina(onescoopofGreens+Oin2cups/500mLofwaterwouldbeagreatchoice)

EatFiberItisimportanttoeatfiber-richfoodseveryday.Fiberprovidesthefollowinghealthbenefits:

•promotesregularbowelmovementsandpreventsconstipation•supportshealthyeliminationanddetoxification•decreaseshemorrhoids•decreasestheriskofcolonandbreastcancer•lowerscholesterolandtheriskofheartdisease•aidsinweightlossandhelpsmaintainhealthybodyweight•normalizesbloodsugarandreducestheriskoftype2diabetes•eliminatestheneedforlaxatives,whichmaydepletemineralsanddehydrateyourbody• balanceshormonesbypromotingtheeliminationofwaste,includingexcesshormonesinyourbowelmovements

DietaryFiberDietaryfiberistheindigestiblematerialfromplantfoods.Therearetwotypes:

Insolublefiberdoesn’tdissolveinwater.Byincreasingthebulkofthestool,ithelpsmovewastematerialthroughthecolonfaster.Thisisimportantforpeoplewhosufferfromconstipationorirregularity.Insolublefiberhasalsobeenshowntolowerbloodsugaranddecreasetheriskoftype2diabetes.Insolublefiberisfoundinwholegrains,wheatbran,nutsandmanyvegetables.

Solublefiberabsorbswater.Itthereforesoftensstools,makingthemeasiertoeliminatefromthebody.Somesoluble fibersbind tobileacidscontainingcholesterolandcarry themoutof thebody,reducingtheriskofheartdisease.Solublefiberisfoundinfruits,vegetablesandgrains,includingapples,citrusfruits,oats,barley,flaxseeds,psylliumandlegumes.

TopFiber-RichFoodsHigh-FiberVegetables

•broccoli•Brusselssprouts•cabbage•carrots•celery•eggplant•greens—spinach,collards,kale,turnipgreens,beetgreens•mushrooms•peas—black-eyedpeas,greenpeas•peppers•potatowithskin•rhubarb

•squash•sweetpotato

High-FiberFruits

•apples•avocado•bananas•berries—blueberries,blackberries,raspberries•driedfruits—figs,raisins,apricots,dates,prunes•grapefruit•guava•kiwi•oranges•pears

OtherHigh-FiberFoods

•beansandlentils•chickpeas(garbanzobeans)•nuts—almonds,brazilnuts,peanuts,walnuts,cashews•seeds—chia,flax,pumpkin,sunflower

Anti-BloatStomach-CalmingTeaWeoftengetbloatedbecauseweimproperlycombinefoods,whichthenendupputrefyinginthegutandcreatingbyproducts thatmakeyoubloatedandcanleadtoheartburn.Thelemoninthisteaeffectivelystrengthensthedigestivefirebystimulatingtheproductionofbileandhydrochloricacid.Inotherwords,ithelpstostrengthenthegutanddeflateyourbellybloat.Gingerisanexcellentanti-inflammatoryandcanreduceanyinflammationinthe intestines. You can drink this tea before or after a meal or whenever you have abellyache.Addsomerawhoneyandyouhaveawonderfulimmune-boostingtea!

Makes1drink

Detox

Vegan

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

Juiceof1/2lemonChunkofpeeledfreshginger(aboutthesizeofyourthumb)1cup(250mL)filteredhotwater

Placelemonjuiceandgingerinamug.Pourhotwateroverlemonandgingerandletsteepforafewminutes.Removegingerandletteacoolslightlybeforedrinking.Drinkingtheteapipinghotcandamagetheliningofyouresophagusandthemucosallininginyourgut.

Howyoufeedyourbodywillaffectyourmood,andhowyoufeelaboutyourbodywillaffectthefoodsyouchoose.Youhavechoices!Thekindofdayyouhaveatworkwillinfluenceyourfoodchoices,butyouwillhaveabetter

dayatworkifyouchoosegood-moodfoodsratherthanbad-moodfoodsthatprovideatemporaryliftfollowedbyacrash.Ratherthangettingcaughtupinaviciouscycleofeatingbad-moodfoods,feelingguiltyaboutitandthendeprivingyourself,Iwantyoutoeatwell,feelwellandcontinueonajoyouspath.Theknowledgethatyougaininthischapterwillprovideyouwithawonderfulopportunityto

harnessthepoweryouhavewithintochoosejoyousthoughtsandgoodfoodsandkeepyouonthepathtofeelingyourbest!

Whenyoutakecareofyourbody,youwillhaveahealthyandjoyousplacetoliveforyearstocome.

FoodandYourMoodHaveyouevernoticedhowamealmakesyou feel tenminutes, thirtyminutes, twohoursorevenhalfadaylater?Doanyofthesescenariossoundfamiliar?

•Youhadaburgerandfriesandsuddenlyfeelheavyandsluggish.•Youareflyinghighfromthatcoffeeorsugarysnack,butthreehourslater,youarefallingasleepatyourdeskfromthebloodsugarcrashandreadyforanotherhit.

• Youhadpizzaandwingsandnowfeelsogassythatyouneedtoundothetopbuttonofyourjeans.

• Youateabagofmovie-theaterpopcorn, and thenextdayyou feel sluggishandhaveaheadache.

• You’vebeendeprivingyourselfof food,andyoufeelmoodyand irritableandyouhavelowenergy.

Theseareexamplesofhowfoodcanchangeyourmood.Whatifyoucouldalwayseatfoodsthatenergizeyouandmakeyoufeeljoyous?Well,youcan!Anditreallyisthateasytoimproveyourmood!Thekeyistobeawareofhowparticularfoodsmakeyoufeel.The best way to track the food–mood connection is to keep a food and wellness journal,

writingdownwhatyouareeating,howyoufeelatthetimeandanynegativeeffectsafterwards.(You’llfindajournalonpage276.)Thejournalwillhelpyoubecomeawareofhowdifferentfoodsmakeyoufeel.Youwillbegintonoticetheemotionssurroundingwhatyoueat,andbegintoseewhyyoueatthesefoodsinthefirstplace.Manyofustodayaredisconnectedfromwhatweeat.Weeatmorefastfoodandprocessed

food,andsowehavemuchlessinvolvementinthecreationofourfood,andweevendiscountthe food–moodconnection.This iswhyfood journaling,asdescribed inchapter1, canbeaneffectivewaytomakeusawareofhowfoodaffectsus.

HowMoodAffectsYourFoodChoicesAlwaysrememberthatfoodisnotgoingtosolveyourproblems.Figureoutwhat’seatingyou,ratherthaneatingyourfeelings.Doanyofthesescenariossoundfamiliar?

• You’ve had a crappy day atwork and you are ready for two heaping servings of yourfavoritemacaroniandcheese.

•Youhadafightwithyoursignificantotherandyouarereadytogetsnugglywiththatpintoficecream.

• You are flyinghigh.You just got a bigpromotion atwork and are ready for a night ofindulgenceandalcohol.

•Youhadareallystressfuldayandarereadytoescapewithabottleofwine.•Youfeeldepressed,soyoueatchocolatebarsandcandytofeelgood.

Whatiftherewerewaystoimproveyourmoodthatdidnotinvolvefood?Whatifyoudealtwiththeissuesthatmadeyoustressed,gotyoudownorupsetyouwithoutusingfood?There

areothersolutions,andI’llsharethemwithyouinthischapter.Butfirst,let’stalkabouthowhormonescanaffectyourmood.

MoodHormonesThemoodyouexperienceatanygiventimeisrelatedtotheeventsofyourday,thehealthofyourbodyand,insmallpart,yourgeneticmakeup.Boththeeventsofyourdayandthehealthofyourbodyareentirelyunderyourcontrol.True,

theeventsofyourdaymayhavecausedyoutofeelstressed,butstressissimplyyourreactiontoasituation.Youhavethepowertobeentirelyresponsibleforyourreaction.Thatmeansyouhavethepowertoletacrappydayputyouinafunkfortherestoftheevening—ornot.It isyourchoice.Isn’tthatamazing?Neurotransmitters—which are hormones—are responsible for feelings of happiness,

motivation, joy, anxiety, anger and sadness. The three main mood neurotransmitters aredopamine,norepinephrineandserotonin.Andthenthereisthequeenbeeofneurotransmitters,nitric oxide (not to be confused with laughing gas). According to Dr. Christiane Northrup,authorofWomen’sBodies,Women’sWisdom,notonlydoesnitricoxideincreasethecirculationof blood throughout the entire body, it also has the ability to balance out serotonin anddopamine.Nitricoxideisproducedwhenyouexercise,havesex,meditateorthinkjoyfulandlovingthoughts—proofpositivethatcreatingjoyfuleventsduringyourdaywillimproveyourmoodandwell-being.Thehealthofyourbodyanditsneurotransmittersalsodependsuponthevitamins,minerals,

proteinsandessential fattyacidsyoueatdaily. Ifyouchronicallyeat acrappydiet, thenyouwill be lacking in the nutrients essential for creating a happymood in the first place. If youcontinueon thispath,youmay findyourselfonanemotional rollercoasterdayafterdayandwonderingwhyyourlifeissuchamess.I’mnotsayingthatfoodistheanswertoeverything,butfoodisagoodplacetostartwhen

youdon’tfeelyourmostjoyousself.It’ssomethingyoudohavepowerover.

FoodAllergiesandSensitivitiesAs the old saying goes, One man’s food is another man’s poison. That simply means thatdifferentpeoplecanhaveverydifferentreactionstoexactlythesamefood.Beyondhormones, food allergies are another reason food canput you in a badmood.For

example,ifyouhaveasensitivitytogluten,asmillionsofNorthAmericansdo,itcouldbethecauseoftheheadacheandlowenergythatmakeyoufeelfrustratedandunhappy—aftereatingpizzathenightbefore.Youdon’thavetobeallergictoafoodtobesensitivetoit.Thetopfoodallergens,accordingtoHealthCanada,areasfollows:•eggs•milk•mustard•peanuts•seafood(fish,crustaceansandshellfish)•sesame

•soy•sulfites(preservativesindriedfruitandnaturallyoccurringinwine)•treenuts•wheatThemajorityofhealthproblemsassociatedwithfoodsensitivitiesaredescribedas“delayed

onset.” This means their symptoms do not manifest immediately. In fact, according tonaturopathDr.MichaelMurray,up to80percentof foodsensitivitiesproducesymptoms thatshowup twohours to several days after you’ve eaten the food.Thatwheat cerealwith skimmilkyouateonMondaymorningcouldbewhat’smakingyousluggishandmoodyonTuesday.If you suspect a bad-mood food after recording a food journal, remove the food for two

weeksandre-evaluatehowyoufeel.

JoyousMoodFoodsandNutrientsThesearethetopnutrientsthatcansupportajoyousmood.

GoodCarbohydratesGood carbohydrates are called complex carbohydrates, as opposed to refined carbohydrates.They’re called “good”because theydo all of the following (beyond just promoting a joyousmood):

• providerichsourcesofnutrients,suchasA,C,B-complexandEvitamins,andmineralssuchasselenium,iron,magnesiumandpotassium

•providethebodywithlong-lastingenergyandreplaceglycogenstoresinyourmusclesandliver

•keepyourmetabolismfunctioningefficiently• keep cravings for sweets and salty snacks at bay and stabilize yourmoodbybalancingyourbloodsugar

•lowercholesterolbecausetheyarearichsourceoffiber•helpbuildleanmuscletissuebyprovidingnutrientstoaidingrowthanddevelopment•provideaslowreleaseofglucosethatgivesthebrainsustainedenergyandregulatesmood•areessentialfortheproductionofserotonin

SOURCESOFGOODCARBSWholeGrains

•amaranth•barley•brownrice•bulgur•kamut•millet

•oats•rye•spelt•wheat•wildrice

Beans

•black•garbanzo•kidney•navy•pinto

OtherSources

•chiaseeds•flaxseeds•psyllium•fruits(alltypes,freshorfrozen)•vegetables(alltypes,freshorfrozen)

JoyousTipBe cautious of “whole wheat” and “whole grain” breads. InCanada, foodmanufacturers are allowed to remove 5 percent of thewheatkernel—whichtranslatesto70percentofthegerm,wheremostofthenutrientsarefound—andstillcalltheproduct“wholewheat.”

Evenifaproductislabeled“wholegrain,”youstillneedtobecareful.InCanada, the term “wholegrain”means that theproductmust contain100%of thewheatkernel,unlikeproducts labeled“wholewheat.”Butwhere itgets tricky iswhena“wholegrain”breadcontainsonlysmallamounts of these whole grains and is otherwise full of refined flourproducts.Readthewholeingredientslistcarefully.

High-QualityProteinProteinisnotonlyabuildingblockofneurotransmittersbutitalsohelpskeepyourbloodsugarbalancedandyourmoodincheck.Whenyoueatsomeproteintogetherwithyourcarbs,itslowsthereleaseofglucose,a formofsugar, into thebloodstream.Thisprovidesyourbrainwithasteadysupplyofglucoseratherthantheshortburstfollowedbyacrashthatrefinedcarbsandameallackingproteincancause.Asdiscussedinchapter1,proteinisessentialnotonlyatbreakfastandforpowersnacksbut

alsoatlunchanddinner.Anymealyoueatshouldincludeahigh-qualityproteinifyouwanttoreceivethebenefitofajoyousmood.

JoyousTipIncludeproteininyoursnackormeal.Proteinpromotesfat-burning!Italsokeeps insulin levels incheck.High insulin= increasedbelly fatstorage.

SOURCESOFGOODQUALITYPROTEIN•beansandlentils(sprouted*)•beef(leanandorganic)•chiaseeds•chicken(organic)•eggs(whole)•fish•Greekyogurt(organic)•hempproducts(seedsandproteinpowders)•nutsandnutbutters•plant-basedproteinpowders•seedsandseedbutters•spirulina

*Sproutedbeansand lentilshavehigher levelsofvitamins(especially theB-complexvitamins)andproteincontent, and they are more digestible than unsprouted legumes. If beans make you gassy, you are notdigestingthemproperly.Besuretofollowthecookinginstructionsandfullycookthemor,betteryet,learnhowtoproperlysproutthem.Youmaybenefitfromadigestiveenzymeaswell.

TheGoodFatsThefatphobiafromthe1980sand’90spersiststoday,asevidencedbythe“low-fat”productsstilllininggrocerystoreaisles.Thisdrivesmebonkers,anditissowrong.Youshouldalwayshavesomefatonyourplate.Itisincrediblygood-mood-promoting!Takea lookat the ingredients labelof that low-fatproductnext timeyou’reat thegrocery

store. Chances are it’s full of sugar or other nasty additives. Fat adds flavor, sowhen fat isremoved, some other ingredient must replace it to boost flavor. That usually means sugar,artificial sweeteners or chemicals you can’t pronounce and don’t recognize. This is a veryunjoyous thing todo to food!Plus,whenyou remove the fat,you limit the secretionofyoursatiationhormone,leptin.Yourbrainisactuallyaveryfattyorgan—it’scomposedofupto60percentfat.Themyelin

sheathsthatcoveryournervesandareessentialforpropernervefunctionareliterallymadeoffat—infact, theyareupto85percentfat.Fathelpsyourbrainfunctionbecauseitaidsinthetransmissionofnerve impulses.Justas theoilonyourbikechainhelpsyouridefaster, fat inyourbrainhelpsneuralimpulsestransmitmoreefficiently.Studieshaveshownthatpeoplewhotakeantidepressantshavebetterresultswhentheysupplementwithomega-3fats.Not all fats are created equal, but to remain healthy, we must eat all kinds of fats, both

saturatedandunsaturated.Manyhealthexpertsgiveathumbs-downtosaturatedfat,butthisispooradvice.Saturated fat inexcess isharmful (as is anything inexcess),butourbodies stillneed it insmalleramounts. Itgivesyourcellularmembranesstructureandstability.Saturatedfatisnotverysusceptibletodamage,andthereforeprovidesexcellentprotectionforyourcells.Sincemostpeopleeatenoughsaturated fatsbut too fewomega-3 fats (anunsaturated fat),

most of the good fats I recommend below are lower in saturated fat, with the exception ofcoconutoil.(Readmoreaboutthesuperfoodcoconutoilonpage94.)

SOURCESOFGOODFATSomeofthesefoodsarealsoagoodsourceofprotein.

Fish

•anchovies•mackerel(notking)•Pacificcod•sablefish•sardines•wildsalmon(limitcannedtonomorethanonceeverytwoweeksduetoBPA)

Note: Do not eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel or tilefish because they contain high levels of mercury. Limitalbacoretunato6oz(170g)perweek.

NutsandSeeds

•almonds•cashews•chiaandflaxseeds•macadamianuts•pecans•walnuts

Oils(Toxinsarefat-soluble.Asoftenaspossibleandwhenbudgetallows,besuretobuyorganicoils.)

•coconutoil•extra-virginoliveoil•flaxseedoil•hempoil

•organicbutterandghee(clarifiedbutter)

DairyProducts(inmoderation,andonlyifnofoodsensitivitiesarepresent)•full-fatorganicyogurt•goatcheeseandgoat’smilkproducts•sheep’smilkproducts

DandB-complexVitaminsVitamin D is best known for relieving seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, and may helpimprovemoodbecauseitincreaseslevelsofserotonin.OurbodiescanmakeplentyofvitaminD from sunshine—this is why it has been appropriately nicknamed the “sunshine vitamin.”However,inCanada,ourlongwintersofshortdaysseverelylimitourexposuretosunshine.Unfortunately,thereisalimitedsupplyofvitaminDinfood,butitcanbefoundinsalmon,

cod, mackerel, sardines, eggs and some dairy products. I recommend vitamin Dsupplementation. A safe dosage to start with is 1000 IU per day. Speak with your naturalhealthcarepractitionertofindtherightdosageforyou,asyoumayneedmuchmorethan1000IU.B-complexvitamins,especiallyfolateandvitaminB12,arekeyforabalancedmoodbecause

theyareinvolvedintheproductionandmetabolismofneurotransmittersthathelpwithmood,especiallyacetylcholine.Acetylcholine is linked toattention, focusandmemory,allofwhichareaffectedwhenyouaredepressed.I recommend supplementing with B-complex vitamins, especially if you are on the birth

control pill or take medications that may deplete B vitamins. B-complex vitamins worksynergistically to supportmentalhealth,hearthealth,energyandmetabolism,which iswhy IrecommendtakingaB-complexsupplementratherthanindividualBvitamins.Those on a vegan diet should definitely consider B12 supplementation because when you

don’teatanimalproducts,it’seasytobecomedeficient.Notethatdeficiencymaynotshowuponabloodtestforyears,becauseB12isstoredinyourbodyforuptofiveyears.Bythetimeadeficiencyshowsupinbloodwork,youarelikelyverydeficient.Furthermore,itisoftensaidthatsomeplantfoodsareasourceofB12.While thismightbe true, it’snota typeofB12thebodycanutilize,sosupplementsarestillessentialforvegans.

SOURCESOFFOLATE•blackbeans•garbanzobeans•kidneybeans•leafygreens,suchasspinachandcollardgreens•lentils•navybeans•pintobeans

SOURCESOFVITAMINB12

•dairyproducts(inmoderation,andonlyifnofoodsensitivitiesarepresent)•eggs•leanbeef•wildsalmon

It’snotalwaysaboutfood.It’salsoaboutchoosingtohaveajoyousattitude.

5JoyousMoodHabitsStudieshaveshownustimeandtimeagainthatnegativethinkingmayaffectourhealth,lowerour immunity, zap our confidence and make us feel very unhappy. The mind and body areintimatelyconnectedviatheimmune,endocrine,centralnervousandconnectivetissuesystems.

Therefore, there is no disease that isn’t simultaneouslymental, emotional and physical.Yourthoughtscreateyourworld,andyoucreateyourthoughts.Becauseoftheselinks,youhaveanincredibleopportunitytotakeresponsibilityforyourownhealthandhappiness.The following strategies will help you attain your most joyous healthy self. I highly

recommendyouchooseoneortwoofthesehabitsandtrythemoutthisweek.

Strategy1:WriteaLoveLettertoYourselfIoncereceivedanemailfromawomanwiththesubjectline“Desperate:helpmegetridofmyturkeyflaparms.”Enoughofthat!Youneedtoacceptandloveyourselfbeforeyou’reabletomoveforwardtoactuallyreachyourgoalsandsustainthem.Iknowit’snotthatsimple,butisitreallythatcomplicated?Doyouhaveachoicewhetherto

beatyourselfupornot?Yousuredo!Youhavepoweroveryourown thoughts,andyoucanchoosewhetheryoufillyourheadwith loveorwithcriticism.Youhave tobeyourownbestcheerleader because there are enough people in the world who may want to criticize you.You’ve got to stick up for you, especially confronting your own pesky thoughts that do notserveyouwell.Here’swhattodo:wheneveranegativethoughtcomesintoyourhead,youareimmediately

goingtoreplaceitwithapositivethought.Takeoutapieceofpaperrightnowandwritedownthreethingsyouloveaboutyourself—alovelettertoyourself.Forexample,

Ilovemyeyesthathelpmeseethebeautyinmyself.Ilovemyhips.Theymakemeagorgeous,curvaceouswoman.Ilovemyarms.Theyarestrongandallowmetoembraceotherswithlove.

Keepthispieceofpaperhandyatalltimes—tapeittoyourbathroommirrororputacopyinyourwallet.Readitasmanytimesadayasyouneedto.Youwillfindthateventuallyyouwon’tneedtoreaditanymorebecauseyouwillbelieveit.

Strategy2:DoaLovingBodyScanHowoften do you actually look at yourself naked?Howoften do you do thiswithout beingcritical? My guess is rarely or never. I know many women (and men) who won’t look atthemselvesnakedinthemirroratall.Iusedtobeoneofthosewomen,andIhavemetmanypeopleover theyearswho felt the sameway.When Imeet them, Igive themall theLovingBodyScanactivity.I’vedoneitmyselfhundredsoftimes!IrememberthefirstclientIeverrecommendedthisLovingBodyScanto,Karen.Isuggested

thateverymorning,beforehershower,shestandnudeinfrontof themirrorandlookateachpartofherbody.ShestaredatmeasifIwascompletelynuts,thenstartedtocry.Shetoldmetherewasnowayshecouldpossiblylookatherselfnaked,becauseshewasafraidofwhatshemightsee.Iencouragedhertostartslowly—thateachweekshelookatonenewbodypartandsayloving,positivethingsaboutthatbodypart,startingwithherfeetandmovinguptoherlegs,hips,tummy,breasts,armsandfinallyherface.Guesswhat?Karenfollowedthisadvice,andalthoughittookquiteafewmonthstogetherto

lookatherwhole self completelynaked, shedid it!Karencontinues todo thisLovingBodyScaneverysooften,especiallywhensheisnotfeelingherbest,andshefounditboostedherself-esteemimmensely.

JoyousTipLoveyourbody!Trylookingatyourselfcompletelynakedafewtimesa week. It will be tough at first, but it’s a great way to build self-confidenceandself-love.

HEREISHOWTODOTHELOVINGBODYSCAN:

Level1:

Afteryouhaveashower,withyourtowelon,gotoafull-lengthmirrorandlookatyourselfforfiveminutes.Whileyouarelookingatyourself,repeattheaffirmationbelow.Itmayfeelsillyorembarrassing,butdon’tworry,noonewillhearyou.Dothiseverydayforatleastoneweek.

Level2:

Whenyouarereadytograduatetothenextlevel,afteryouhaveashower,withyourtowelcoveringhalfyourbody, lookat the lowerhalfofyourbody in the mirror for five minutes. While you are looking at yourself,repeattheaffirmation.

Level3:

Readyforlevel3?Afteryouhaveashower,withyourtoweloff,startbylookingatyourfeetandyourlegs,thenmoveyourwayup,lookingatyourentire body for five minutes in the mirror. While you are looking atyourself,repeattheaffirmation.

“Ihaveabeautifulbody.Iloveallpartsofme.Iamperfectlyperfect.”

Strategy3:MoveThatSexyBooty!There’snoshortageofstudiesthatprovethemood-boostingandserotonin-inducingeffectsofbreaking into a good sweat.Don’t forget that exercise also increases levels of the queenbeeneurotransmitter, nitric oxide. This translates into an improvement in your mood and self-esteem.Exerciseisalsoanexcellentwaytohelpyourbodybetterdetoxify.Whenyouincreaseyourcirculation,youhelpmovewasteproductsoutofyourcells.Plusyougetarosy-cheekedglow!Exerciseprovidesyouwithafull-onmegadoseoffeel-goodhormones.It’sagreatwaytofeel

sexy instantly. In fact, exercisehasbeenshown tobeaseffectiveas someantidepressants.A1999 study published inTheArchives of InternalMedicine divided a group of 156men andwomen suffering fromdepression into three groups.One groupwas given the antidepressantZoloft, the second group took part in an aerobic exercise program, and the third groupwasgiventheexerciseprogramandtheantidepressant.Aftersixteenweeks,60to70percentoftheparticipants in all three groups were no longer showing symptoms of major depression,suggesting that exercise alone was just as effective in treating depression as were anantidepressant or an antidepressant and exercise combined. Even better, when the scientists

checkedinwiththeparticipantssixmonthslater,theyfoundthatthosewhoexercisedregularlyafterthestudywerelesslikelytohaverelapsedintodepression,regardlessofwhichtreatmenttheyreceivedduringtheoriginalstudy.Ifyoualreadyexercise,inyournextworkout,dialitupanotch.Makeitalittlemoreintense

by going up a level inweights or addmore or faster intervals in your cardio. Perhaps try acompletelydifferentactivity,suchaskickboxing,orjoinarecreationalsportsleague.Keeplotsofvarietyinyourexerciseroutinesoitdoesn’tloseitseffect.Ifyoudon’tgetregularexercise,startdoingsomething,anything,today.Getupoffthecouch

(orgetawayfromyourdesk)andgoforaten-minutebriskwalk.Eachweek,addmoretimetothis walk, or perhaps start doing some simple body-weight-bearing exercises at home. Trywalkinglunges,push-upsorsquats.

Strategy4:DoaWeeklyBrainDumpI took a course called “The Psychology of Disease” that discussed how our emotions areconnectedtothehealthofourbody.OneofthebestexercisesIlearnedinthisclasswasa“braindump” that helps purge any junk thoughts you accumulatedduring the daybefore yougo tosleepatnight.Here’s howyou do the brain dump:Write a full page,without lifting your pen fromyour

paper,ofallthethoughts—thegood,badandugly—thatareinyourmind.Whenyouaredone,takethispieceofpaperandeitherburnit(safely,please!)ortearitupintotinyshredsandtossitout.This stream-of-consciousnessexercise is averyeffectiveway to ridyourselfofnegativethoughtpatternsthatdonotserveyouwell.

Strategy5:GetFreshAironYourBeautifulFaceIknowIdon’tneedtoconvinceyouofthis,becauseyouprobablyalreadyknowhowgoodyoufeelwhenyou’renearwaterortakingawalkinaparkwithtreesandgrass,butscienceprovesthislink!AlargestudyfromtheUnitedKingdomshowsthatgreenspaceisapowerfulmoodenhancerandimprovesself-esteem.Getoutsideandgetfreshaironyourbeautifulfaceeverydayifyoucan.Evenbetter, take

your entireworkout outside. If theweather is not ideal for outdoor exercise, just bundle up!Addingsomesweattotheequationbygettingyourheartrateup(seestrategy3)willmakeyourbodyfeelevenmorejoyous.

10EmotionalEatingQuickTipsSoyou’vehadacrappyday,doneyourbraindumpexerciseandstillfeellikeslurpingbackawhole bottle of wine or a pint of ice cream?Here are some tips to keep you feeling like asuperstar.Remember,eatingwellandlivingwelltodaywillensurethatyouwakeuptomorrowfeelingawesome!

1.AvoidTriggerFoodsSugary treats,bakedgoods,chocolate,candies,white rice,whitepasta,potatochipsandfriedfoodscanallpromotebloodsugar imbalances(whichcanputyouinabadmood)orputyouintoafoodcomathatmakesyoufeellikecrapthenextday.Thisisaviciouscycle,becausethe

nextdayyouarelikelygoingtofeelguilty(butpleasetrynotto,because“foodguilt”won’tgetyouanywhere).It’sevenpossibleyourdigestionwillfeeloffandpossiblytriggeryoutodothesamethingagainthenextevening.Youcanstopthiscyclebycuttingoutthesetriggerfoodsfortwoweeksandevaluatinghowamazingyoufeel.Manyof therecipesin thisbookwillmakeyoufeelfabulous.

2.TameYourStressAlternatenostrilbreathing,alsoknownasnadishodhana, isasimplebutpowerful relaxationexerciseIlearnedinyogaclassfromMichelleUy,myfavoriteyogateacherandtheco-founderofEatWellFeelWell. It’sagreatway tocalmyourmindandnervoussystem,and ifyou’refeelingtired,it’sagreatenergybooster.Theleftsideofyourbrainisassociatedwiththinkingandtherightsidewithfeeling.Alternatenostrilbreathinghelpsrestoreanyimbalances in thebrainsothatyoucanaccessyourwholebrain—plusreducestress.

HERE’SASTEP-BY-STEPHOW-TOFROMMICHELLE:1.Sitinacomfortablepositionwithastraightback.Youwanttofeelasthoughyouhavea

longspine.2. Rest your left hand on your lap.Bring your right thumb to your right nostril and your

fourthfingertoyourleftnostril.Yourindexandyourmiddlefingerwillrestatthetopofyournose.

3. Takeadeepbreath in throughbothnostrils.Asyouexhale,plugyour rightnostrilwithyourthumbandexhalethroughyourleftnostril.

4.Keepingyourrightnostrilplugged,takeadeepbreathinthroughtheleftnostril,plugyourleftnostrilwithyourfourthfingerandexhalethroughtherightnostril.

5.Inhalethroughtherightnostril,plugtherightnostrilwithyourthumbandexhalethroughtheleftnostril.

6. Inhale through the left nostril, plug the left nostril with your fourth finger and exhalethroughtherightnostril.

7.Continueforafewmorerounds.8. You can start off doing this for threeminutes and gradually work your way up to ten

minutes.9.Sitquietlyforafewmomentsafteryouaredone.

Yoga,meditationor relaxationexercises, suchasbreathingdeeplywithyourhandonyourbelly at night before bed to ensure you are taking deep, delicious breaths, will calm yournervous system and help you better manage stress. Alternatively, take a warm bath withessentialoilslikelavenderordrinkrelaxingteaslikechamomileorpassionflowerbeforebed.

3.HaveaHungerRealityCheckNext time youwant to eat something, ask yourself,Am I hungry physically or emotionally?Give the craving a little time to pass. Being in the present moment and creating awarenessaround feelingsofhungerandappetitehelpyoubetterassesswhetheryouwant toeatoutofboredomortorelievenegativefeelings,orbecauseyouareactuallyhungry.

JoyousTipThirsty or hungry? Did you know that thirst is often confused withhunger?Staywell hydrated and drink at least one or two glasses ofpurewateratleastanhourbeforeeachmeal(byaglassImean1to2cups/250to500mL).Notonlywillthispreventyoufromovereating,butif it’snotactually time foryourbody toeat, thiswillpreventyou fromeatingwhenyouareinfactjustthirsty,sincethirstandhungeroftengetconfused.

4.KeepaFoodDiaryYou’ve heardme say this before but that’s just because it’s such an effective strategy.Writedownwhenyoueat,whatyoueatandhowyou’refeelingwhenyoueatit.Thiswillhelprevealthe connections between your mood and food. Remember that there’s a food and wellnessjournalatthebackofthisbook.

5.GetSupportOftenweeatforreasonsotherthanhunger.Gettingsupportbysharingyourfeelingswithothersisamuchbetterwaytoaddressyouremotionsthandivingintoabagofpotatochips.Thekeyistodosomethingenjoyablethatdoesn’tinvolvefood:callafriend,meetafriendfortea,joinabookclub,takeupahobbyorjoinarecreationalsportsleague.

6.DoSomethingThatMakesYouFeelGoodSciencetellsusthatwegravitatetowardfoodsthatconjurehappymemoriesbecausetheymayreleasebrainchemicalssuchasdopamine,thefeel-goodhormone.Ifmacandcheesewasyourfeel-goodfoodasakid,itmayverywellbeyourgo-tomealwhenyou’vehadaroughday,asitstimulates the pleasure center of your brain. Instead of eating that mac and cheese, dosomething thatmakesyou feelgood.Exercise isoneof thebest feel-goodactivities thatyou

neverregretdoingonceyouaredone.Takeyourdogforabriskwalk,rideyourbike,goforalightjog,getoutinnatureandgoforahike.

7.TakeAwayTemptationAs the old saying goes,Out of sight, out ofmind.Don’t keep a stock of unhealthy comfortfoodslikepotatochips,icecreamorcandyinyourhomeifthey’rehardforyoutoresist.Tryoutthehealthyrecipesinthisbookinstead!

8.Don’tDepriveYourselfIhear thisoftenfrommyclients:youeat“clean”allweek,and then theweekendcomesandyou feel like a cookie monster—or worse, you want to eat everything fatty, sugary andunhealthy.What’s happening here?Deprivation can actually increase your food cravings andappetitehormones.Letyourselfenjoyanoccasionaltreat.Aboveall,eatfoodthattastesgoodallthetime—healthycanandshouldbedelicious.Youcanmakehealthyswapsthattastejustasdeliciousas theirunhealthycounterparts(seepage126fora listofhealthysubstitutions).Forexample,when you feel like eating chocolate brownie ice cream,why not trymyChocolateMint Pudding on page 270 or the Chili and Cinnamon Chocolate Bark on page 264. Theserecipesaretrulyguilt-freeindulgences.

9.SnackHealthyThere are plenty of easy, tasty and healthy snack options out there! Almonds and driedcranberries;aslicedapplewith2tbsp(30mL)ofnutbutteror5walnuts;veggieswith2tbsp(30 mL) of hummus; or the Overnight Strawberry Chia Pudding on page 157 are all well-balancedsnacksthatwillkeepyourbellyquietandyourtastebudsjoyous.

10.GetEnoughSleepStudiesprovethatsleep-deprivedpeopleeatmorecarbs,sugarsandunhealthyfoods.Whenyouget less than six hours of sleep, your appetite-stimulating hormone, ghrelin, is increased andyour satiation-signaling hormone, leptin, is decreased—talk about a doublewhammy!Get tobedby10:30or11everynightandaimtogetsevenandahalftoninehoursofuninterruptedsleepeachnightincompletedarkness.

JoyousTipGodark.Sleepingincompletedarknessallowsyourbodytogetintoadeepphaseofsleepandreleasemelatonin,yoursleephormone.Thishormoneisreleasedbythepinealgland,awalnut-sizedglandinyourbrain.Thepinealglandsenses lightanddarkness,soadark room iscritical toagoodnight’ssleep.Getyourselfaneyemaskorblackoutcurtainsifneedbeandgetyourbeautysleep!

GreenPeaandSun-DriedTomatoDip(orPesto)MichelleUy,ayogainstructorandco-founderofEatWellFeelWell,hasmadethisrecipeseveraltimesforpotlucksI’veattended,andit’sfullofflavor.Shealsolovesmakingitjustforherselfafteralongdayofteaching.Theperfectcomfortfood.Michellesays,“Ilovethis dish because it’s versatile and so simple to make. Choose your favorite pasta toaccompanythepesto,orasadip,serveitwithcrackersorspreaditoncelerysticks.Happyeating!”

Makes3to4cups(750mLto1L)ofdipor3to4servingsofpesto

Detox

Vegan

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

JoyousComfort

2cups(500mL)freshorthawedfrozengreenpeas1cup(250mL)drainedoil-packedsun-driedtomatoes1/2cup(125mL)walnuts1tbsp(15mL)lemonjuice3clovesgarlic1/4cup(60mL)oliveoilSeasaltandpepper1/2cup(125mL)gratedParmesancheese(ornutritionalyeastforanon-dairyoption)

Ifmakingpesto:1/4cup(60mL)water1/4cup(60mL)choppedfreshbasiland/orparsley

In a food processor, combine green peas, sun-dried tomatoes,walnuts, lemon juice andgarlic.Pulseseveraltimes.Withmotorrunning,drizzleinoliveoiluntilmixtureissmooth.Ifmakingpesto:drizzleinwatertothinoutthepesto.

Transfer to a bowl and seasonwith salt and pepper. Stir inParmesan cheese. Ifmakingpesto:sprinklewithbasiland/orparsleyjustbeforeserving.

Whenyoutakeabreakfromcertainfoods—orrather,thefood-likesubstancesI’lltalkaboutinthischapter—andinsteadeatthefoodsandrecipesrecommendedhereandintheJoyousHealth10-DayMealPlaninchapter6,youwillfeelrenewedandcompletelyrejuvenated.Anamazingsenseofempowermentcomesfromtakingabreakfromfoodsthatdon’tserve

youwell.Thinkofeverymorselyoueatasenergythatliterallybecomespartofyourbody.Yourbodycreatesyourcells from the foodyoueat, sowhenyoueatvibrant foods, suchas fruits,vegetables,healthyfatsandhigh-qualityproteins,youwillfeelamazing,andthisfeelingwillbereflected outwardly. Remember, outside beauty ismerely a reflection of the inside health ofyourbody.When my clients stop eating processed foods and focus on whole foods with natural

detoxifyingcompounds,theyexperiencesome(orall)ofthesebenefits:•improvedenergy•nomorebrainfog•bright,glowingskin•whiterwhitesofeyes•weightloss

•betterdigestionandelimination•improvedsleepandlibido(oohlala!)•asenseofpeaceandjoy

WhyYouShouldDetoxOverthepastseventy-fiveyears,morethanahundredthousandchemicalshavebeendevelopedacrosseveryindustry.Whetherthepurposeofthesechemicalsistospeedthegrowthofcropsortoeasesoap-scumremovalonyourbathtub,thelargemajorityofthesechemicalsarenotdoingthehealthofourbodiesortheplanetanygood.Checkoutthesealarmingstatistics.

• Of the 2.5 million tons of pesticides used each year worldwide, less than 0.1 percentactuallymakeittothepest.Therestremaininourfoodandenvironment.

•Since1945,pesticideusehasincreased3300percent.• Environmental toxins have been found in the breastmilk of over 90 percent ofwomenstudiedinNorthAmerica.

•Highlevelsofenvironmentaltoxinshavebeenfoundinthefattissueandurineofover80percentofNorthAmericanadults.

But Ihave joyousnews!Despitewhatyoumayhaveheard, todetoxify,youdon’tneed tostarveyourselfwhilesweatingnakedonarockinthedesertfortendays!I’llshowyousomesimple,naturalandveryeffectivestepsyoucantaketohelpyourbodybetterdetoxifyitself.

FoodstoEliminatefromYourDietThefirststepindetoxifyingyourbodyistostopconsumingthefollowingfoodsforatleasttwoweeks.That’sabouttheamountoftimeitwilltakeforyoutonoticeadifferenceinyourbody.Usethefoodandwellnessjournalatthebackofthisbooktoevaluatehowyoufeeleachday.

DitchtheCow’sMilkThesterile,whitepasteurizedandhomogenizedmilkforsale ingrocerystores isnothingliketherawmilkourgreat-grandparentsweredrinkingyearsago.(InCanada,raw,orunpasteurized,milk has not been legal for sale to consumers since 1991. In slightlymore than half theUSstates,thesaleofrawmilkisnotprohibited,butit’snotalwayseasytoget.)Pasteurizationandhomogenizationarethemainreasonswhycow’smilkishardtodigestandmucus-forming.Aprotein in cow’s milk called casein also contributes to the dairy-digestion issues that manypeople experience. Intolerance to dairy and dairy products is one of themost common foodsensitivitiestoday.

WHAT ISPASTEURIZATION?Pasteurization is theprocessofheatinga food, in this casemilk, toahightemperature todestroyall thebacteria in it—thegoodand the bad—essentially rendering themilk sterile.However,goodbacteriaareessentialforahealthyimmuneanddigestivesystem.

WHATISHOMOGENIZATION?Homogenizationisaprocessthatchangesthemolecularstructureofthefatglobules in milk so they stay integrated in the milk instead of separating as cream. Before the days ofhomogenization, that layer of fat could be spooned off the top, and the milk was easier for fat-digestingenzymestobreakdown.

Both processes change the chemicalmakeup of themilk,making it harder to digest andmore likely tocause allergies and food intolerances. And we cannot ignore the fact that many people, when they areweaned,stopproducingtheenzymelactase,whichisneededtobreakdownmilksugar,calledlactose.Sowhyaresomanypeoplestillslurpingtheir lattefromthecoffeeshoporpouringmilkontheirmorning

cereal?Goodquestion!Probablybecausetheyarenotawareoftheproblemsthecow’smilkiscausingthem,problemssuchasgasandbloating,constipationanddiarrhea,acneandallergicresponsessuchasarunnynose,asthma,skinrashesand irritability.Thesearesomeof themostcommonmilk-relatedproblemsIseewithmyclients.ThebestsideeffectI’venoticedwhenmyclientsditchcow’smilkisthattheysaybye-byetofacepuffinesscausedbyinflammation.

Youcanstillenjoyalatteoramilk-likeliquidonyourmorninggranolawiththeseequallydeliciousalternativestocow’smilk:

•almondmilk(seerecipeonpage170)•brownricemilk•coconutmilk(seerecipeonpage168)•goat’smilk•hempmilk(seerecipeonpage170)•oatmilk•quinoamilk

If you drink goat’s milk, do so in moderation, because it can cause some of the sameproblemsthatcow’smilkdoes,althoughthereislessoftheproblematiccaseinproteiningoat’smilk,makingiteasiertodigest.Worriedaboutlosingthecalciumifyousaygoodbyetocow’smilk?Eat(ordrink)moreof

thesecalcium-richfoods:•almonds•collardgreens,kale,spinachandturnipgreens•goat’smilk•molasses•navybeans•salmonandsardines•sesameseedsandtahini(sesamepaste)•tempeh(fermentedtofu)—chooseorganicwheneverpossible

DitchtheWheatAccording to naturopath Dr. Carolee Bateson-Koch, the author of Allergies: Disease inDisguise, when you repeatedly consume a specific food, you deplete your enzyme systems,whichcanleadtoasensitivitytothatfood.Forexample, ifyoueatawhite-flourbageleveryday,youaremuchmorelikelytobecomesensitivetowhiteflourbecauseyourbodybecomesdeficientintheveryenzymesneededtobreakdownthatflour.(Andlet’snotforgetthattoday’swheat,justlikecow’smilk,isnotthesameaswhatourgreat-grandparentswereeating.Mostofitisnowgeneticallymodified.)NorthAmericanseat far toomuchwheat,asevidencedby thenumberofpeoplewhohave

becomeintoleranttoit.Asnewclientsbegintoworkwithme,Iseeintheirfoodjournals,timeandagain,thatalmosteverydaytheyeatwhiteorwhole-wheattoastforbreakfast,somesortofsandwichorwrapatlunchandpastaorbreadwithdinner.That’saone-waytickettobecomingsensitivetowheat!Symptomsofsensitivitytowheatarevastandvariedandincludeitchyskin,eczema,digestiveproblems,fatigueanddepression.Dr.WilliamDavis,authorofWheatBelly,saysthatwheatshouldbeeliminatedfromourdiet.

“Because of wheat’s incredible capacity to send blood sugar levels straight up, initiate theglucose-insulinrollercoasterridethatdrivesappetite,generateaddictivebrain-activeexorphins,and grow visceral fat, it is the one essential food to eliminate in a serious effort to prevent,reduce,oreliminatediabetes.”Ifyouaregoingtoeatwheat,makesureit’scertifiedorganicandchoose“sprouted”wheat

instead.Whenwheatissprouted,itisfareasiertodigestandhigherinprotein(whichhelpstoreducebloodsugar).Youwillfindsproutedwheatbreadsinthehealthfoodstore.OneofmyfavoritebrandsisSilverHillsBakery.Wanttotakeitonestepfurther?Youmaywanttoconsidereliminatinggluten.Glutenisthe

protein inbarley,oats, rye,spelt,wheatandkamut,aswellasall floursandfoodsmadewiththesegrains.Takingabreakfromglutenwillhelpyouassesswhetheryoumaybeintoleranttoit.Ifyouordinarilyexperiencesymptomsoffoodsensitivityandtheyvanishoraresignificantlyreducedwhenyoustopconsuminggluten,thenyouhaveyouranswer!Besuretocheckoutthe

recipesinthisbookthatarefreeofgluten,notedbya symbol.

DitchtheRefinedSugarThisevilwhitestuffhasmanynegativehealthimplications,includingloweringimmunesystemfunction,promotingtype2diabetesandmakingusfat.NorthAmericansareeatingfartoomuchsugar.Infact,someexpertsbelievetheaveragepersoneats150poundsofsugareveryyear!Most people know that eating candy and pastries every day doesn’t exactly promote good

health.However,sugarishiddeninfooditemsthatyoumaythinkaregoodforyou.Readthelabelsonyourpastasauces,saladdressings,cereals,granolabars,energybars,flavoredyogurts,low-fatproductsandsnackfoods.Thesearewhererefinedsugarsareusuallyhidden.Youmightbeshockedtodiscoverthatyourfavoriteflavoredyogurtcontainsasmuchsugarasicecream.Here’swhattolookforwhencheckingalistofingredientsforhiddenrefinedsugars:brown

sugar, raw sugar, cane sugar, mannitol, sorbitol and just about anything ending in “ose”:sucrose,glucose,fructose,lactose,maltoseanddextrose.Avoidhigh-fructosecornsyrupatallcosts—I’lltellyouwhyinabit.Chapter6willguideyoutohealthysugarsubstitutes.Thebottomlineisthatyoushouldsavetreatsforatreatandtrulyenjoyeverymorselwhen

youhavethem.Ifyouwanttoindulgeinthatchocolatealmondcroissant,thenmakesureyoureallyenjoyitanddon’tdoiteveryday.

DitchtheProcessedSoyProductsMany vegans and vegetarians use soy products as a staple in their diet because soy is anexcellentsourceofproteinandcalcium.However,Idonotrecommendprocessedsoy,includingsoyburgers,soycheese,soyyogurt,soymilk,soyhotdogs,soyflour,tofu,soyproteinorsoyformula.Theyarethejunkfoodsofthesoyindustry.Herearejustafewoftheproblemsassociatedwithsoy:•Most“natural”soyproductsarebathedinatoxicchemicalsolventknownashexane.•Soyisaverycommonfoodallergenthatoftenresultsininflammation.•Unfermentedsoy(e.g.,tofu)containsenzymeinhibitorsandisthereforeextremelyhardtodigest.

•Researchhasfoundthatthehighlevelsofphyticacidfoundinsoyreducetheassimilationof calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc. The phytic acid can be neutralized bypreparationmethodssuchassoaking,sproutingandlong,slowcooking.

• Research on the phytoestrogens in soy and their effect on the body is inconclusive andoftenconflicting. Inmyownpractice,manyofmyclients find itextremelybeneficial toremovesoyfromtheirdiet,andsomeevenfinditlessenstheseverityofPMS.

Ifyouwishtoeatsoyproducts,dosoonlyifyouhavenosensitivitytothem,andeatonlyfermentedsoy,suchastempeh,miso,nattoandtamari.TrymyflavorfulAmy’sTempehChilirecipeonpage239.

OtherFoodstoDitchTakeabreakfortwoweeksfromtheseotherfoodsforyourmostjoyoushealth:

•alcoholicbeverages

•corn• fast food, including fried foods (fries, onion rings, chicken fingers) and all junk foods(potatochips)

•frozendinners(usuallyfullofsaltandotherfoodadditives)•peanuts•thethreewhitenasties:whiterice,whitepastaandwhitebread

UnjoyousFoodAdditivesSticktothisgeneralrulewhenbuyingfoodsinapackage:makesurealltheingredientsareonesyou recognize as food, and remember that less is more. In other words, the fewer theingredients, thebetter the food is foryou.Abagofapplesdoesn’thavean ingredients listorflashy packaging yelling health claims, does it?Of course not. Healthy food doesn’t need aclaim. On the other hand, food that’s trying to hide something is usually plastered withdeceptivemarketingclaimssuchas“low-fat,”“cholesterol-free”or“trans-fatfree.”When grocery shopping, always read the ingredients list on a package and avoid artificial

colors,flavors,preservativesandsweeteners.Thatwordsaysitall!Artificialingredientshavenoplaceorpurpose in thehumanbody.Somehavebeen shown topromote tumorgrowth inrats.Howdoyouavoidthem?Readyourlabels.

ArtificialColorsPetroleum-based coloring agents are used to give a more pleasant color to, or mask anunappealing color in, foods such as desserts and sweets, snack foods, mac and cheese,condimentsandspreads,andbeveragessuchaspopandfruitjuice.Youwillalsofindthemincosmetics andpersonal care products.Most artificial food colors are known carcinogens andallergens.In theUnitedStates, Food,Drug andCosmetic (FD&C)numbers are assigned to artificial

colors,makingiteasytospottheminingredientslists.InCanada,manufacturersarerequiredonly to use the term “color” in their labeling, making no distinction between artificial and(usuallysafe)naturalcolors.

JoyousTipUse your eagle eyewith food labels.When grocery shopping andreading ingredients labels, ask yourself, “Will this ingredient leadmetoward more joyous health?” If you easily answer no, then put thepackagebackontheshelf.

ArtificialFlavorsApproximately two thousand chemicals make up the various flavor enhancers in our foodsupply. Food manufacturers are not required to list each individual synthetic flavoring (theformulas are considered “trade secrets”), so “artificial flavor” on the ingredients label can

encompass a long list of mystery chemicals. One of the most common flavor enhancers ismonosodium glutamate, otherwise known as MSG. It is commonly found in Chinese food,potato chips, soups, sauces, gravymixes, water-packed tuna and dry-roasted nuts.MSG cantriggerasthmaandcauseheadaches,digestiveproblemsandchestpains.In1978,itwasbannedfrombabyfoodbecauseitwasshowntocausedamagetothebrainstemininfants.Ifyoubuyonlyrealfoodthatdoesn’tcomeinapackage,it’squiteeasytoavoidflavoringssuchasMSG.

JoyousTipMSG has many other names. Watch out for hydrolyzed vegetableprotein,autolyzedyeast,hydrolyzedyeast,vegetablepowderornaturalflavor.Yes,youreadthatright,naturalflavor!IfyoudohappentoingestMSG,you’llneedvitaminB6tometabolizeit.Therefore,supplementingwithB6couldhelpstopreactionstoMSG.ButamuchbetteroptionistoavoidproductswithMSGaltogether.

ArtificialPreservativesPreservativesgivefoodsa longershelf life.Salt,vinegarandhoneyarenaturalpreservatives,but synthetically produced ones do nothing for the health of your body. Two such artificialpreservatives,BHAandBHT,arecommonlyfoundincereals,frozendinners,bakedgoods,fruitjuices and chewing gum. Theywere actually banned from children’s cereals inCanada (andbannedcompletelyinEngland)becausetheycanaffectthenervoussystemandcausebehavioralproblemsinchildren.However,thesepreservativesarestilladdedtomanyfoods.StudieshaveshownthatBHTandBHAinhibitgrowth,causeweightlossanddamagetheliver,kidneysandtesticlesinrats.Sulfitesareoftenadded to foods toprevent themfromturningbrown.Theycomeinmany

forms,includingsodiumbisulfate,sodiumsulfiteandpotassiumsulfite.Peoplewithasthmaandthosewhoalreadysuffer fromallergiesareespeciallysensitive tosulfites.Themostcommonproducts containing artificial sulfites are wine, dried fruits, potato chips, frozen fries, fruitsnacksandfrozendinners.Nitratesandnitritesareaddedtocuredmeatsandmeatproductstopreventbrowning.Have

youeverwonderedwhybaconorhotdogslooksopink?That’sthankstopreservativessuchasnitratesandnitrites.Theproblemisthatnitratesandnitritesreactwithsecondaryaminesfoundinprotein-containing foods to formwhatarecallednitrosamines,andnitrosamineshavebeenfound to cause cancer in animals. Dr. William Lijinsky, of the National Cancer Institute,considersnitritesinmeattobethemostdangerousfoodadditivetodayandamajorcontributorto the development of cancer.Althoughmore recent research indicates they are less harmfulthanpreviouslythought,Istillrecommendavoidingthem.

JoyousTip“Natural” luncheon meats? If you see the ingredient “celery root

extract”listed,steerclear!It’sthesamethingassodiumnitrate,whichconvertstosodiumnitritewheneaten.

ArtificialSweetenersThe four big artificial sweeteners lurking in our food supply are aspartame (NutraSweet andEqual), acesulfame potassium (Sunnette and Sweet One), sucralose (Splenda) and saccharin(Sweet’NLow).Theycanbefoundingum,flavoredandlow-fatyogurts,jam,proteinpowders,energybarsandcereals,andtoothpaste.IntheUnitedStates,75percentofadversereactionstofoodadditivesarecausedbyaspartame,accordingtotheFoodandDrugAdministration,yetitremainsonthemarket.Fifty percent of aspartame is the amino acid phenylalanine. Toomuch phenylalanine is a

neurotoxin;itexcitestheneuronsinthebraintothepointofcellulardeath.Infact,ADD/ADHDandemotionalandbehavioraldisorderscanbetriggeredbytoomuchphenylalanineinthediet.Readyour labelsandavoidartificial sweeteners.Seepage122 for a listof themanyhealthynaturalsweeteners,includinghoneyandapplesauce,thatyoucanuseinstead.

Top7FoodstoAvoidHerearethefoodsIrecommendyouavoidbeyondwhatwe’vealreadytalkedabout.

MicrowavedFoodsUseyourmicrowaveasanextracupboard,becauseitdoesn’tdoyourfoodanygood!AstudypublishedintheJournaloftheScienceofFoodandAgriculturefoundthatbroccolicookedinamicrowaveovenlostupto97percentofitsnutrients.Cookingofanykindcanresultinnutrientloss,butsautéingwillcausemuchless,especiallyifverylittlewaterisused.Ifyoumustdefrostsomething,avoidplasticorplasticwrapinthemicrowave,asplasticmoleculescanleachintofood.Microwavedpopcorn isadefiniteno-no.The liningof themicrowavebag iscoatedwitha

substance that when heated produces perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, thought to be acarcinogen.Anditgetsworse.Youmayhaveheardof“miner’slung,”buthaveyoueverheardof “popcorn worker’s lung”? It’s a respiratory disease reported in people who work in thefactorieswhere this food-like substance is created. It’s causedby inhaling another dangerouschemical,diacetyl,whichisusedtomakethefakebutterflavoring.

MargarineAsMichaelPollanstates inhisbook InDefenseofFood, if aprepared foodcan lastdays toweeksonend,it’snotrealfood.Justsaynotomargarine!Sure,itcomesfromvegetablesthatarerichinomega-6fats,butwegettoomanyofthesefatsasitis.Plus,thoseomega-6fatsmustgo through a whole series of processes to becomemargarine. It is a completely chemicallyalteredfood.Avoidit!

High-FructoseCornSyrupHigh-fructosecornsyrup,orHFCS,iscornsyrupthat’sbeenchemicallymodifiedtohavemore

fructosethanglucose.Becausefructoseissweeterthanglucose,foodmanufacturersdon’tneedtouseasmuchofittomakeafoodsweeter,savingthematonofmoney.Theproblemis,HFCSoverloadstheliverwithfructose,andtheliverconvertsthattoglucose,andthisexcessglucoseconvertstofat.HFCSisstronglyimplicatedintherapidriseofobesityandtype2diabetes.Itmayalsoincreaseinflammation,whichputsyouatagreaterriskforheartdisease.Readyourlabels, because it’s found in many breads, baked goods, processed foods, flavored yogurts,dressingsandsauces,andcoughsyrups.InCanadaitisalsocalledglucose/fructose.

CannedFoodsAlthough I do have a few recipes in this book that call for canned beans, the brands IrecommenddonotcontainbisphenolA,orBPA.Ifyoumustbuyacannedproduct,lookforabrand labeled “BPA-free.”BPA is an estrogenmimicker and can cause hormonal imbalances(see page 77). It was once declared a toxic substance in Canada, and even though thatdesignationwas later removed, I still recommend you avoid it. The EnvironmentalWorkingGroupestimatesthatupto90percentofcannedfoodscontainBPA.Iknowthatcannedsoupcanbeüber-convenient,butfreshisfartastierandhealthier.Infact,

astudyfromtheHarvardSchoolofPublicHealthfoundthatpeoplewhoconsumedaservingofcanned soup each day for five days hadmore than a 1000 percent increase in urinary BPAconcentrationscomparedwith thosewhoconsumedfreshsoupdailyforfivedays.TryMamaBea’sCurryLentilSouponpage188andgofresh!

Fruit-FlavoredFat-FreeYogurtThereisabigmisconceptionthatlow-fatfruit-flavoredyogurtisahealthyproduct.Firstofall,don’tbeafraidoffat!Asyoulearnedearlier,fat isessentialforsatiation.Mostofthesefruit-flavored yogurts, though, are full of sugar or artificial sweeteners.Buy plain yogurt and addyourownflavorings,suchascinnamon,freshfruitorrawhoney.Evenbetter,trykefir,whichisafermentedyogurtproductveryhighingoodbacteria.Thereiscoconutandwaterkefiraswell,perfectifyou’redairy-intolerant.Furthermore,trytochooseorganicwhenconsuminganydairyproducts.

FruitJuiceandPopFruitjuicescontainverylittlenutrition(unlesstheyarefortifiedwithsyntheticvitamins,whichIdonotrecommend),andjuicerapidlyspikesbloodsugar.Plus,wouldn’tyourathereatyourcaloriesthandrinkthem?Asforpop,thereisabsolutelynothinginitofanyvaluetothehumanbody—although you will certainly get a nice dose of the very food additives I suggest youavoid,fromartificialcoloringtoartificialflavoring,aswellasamegawattamountofinorganicphosphorus, of which your body absorbs nearly 100 percent. Excess phosphorus can stealcalcium from bones and teeth. And of course, you already know that sugar or artificialsweeteners aredefiniteno-nos. Ifyouwant juice,make it yourself.There are somedeliciousrecipesonpage174.

JOYOUSWARNINGWhatisBPA?BisphenolAisanindustrialchemicalthathasbeenbannedforuseinbabybottlesinCanadabutisstillfoundinmanyplasticproducts.Itisusedtomakethesetwosyntheticproducts:

• Polycarbonate: a clear, rigid, shatter-resistant plastic found in awide variety of consumer products,includingfoodanddrinkcontainers.

•Epoxyresins:usedinindustrialadhesivesandhigh-performancecoatings.Epoxycoatingslinemostofthe 131 billion food cans (especially tomato and soup) and beverage cans (especially coconutmilk)madeannuallyintheUnitedStates,accordingtotheEnvironmentalWorkingGroup.

PROBLEMSWITHBPA: BPA is a synthetic estrogen that, even in the smallest amounts, can disrupt thedelicateendocrinesystem. Ithasbeen linked to infertility,breastandreproductivesystemcancers,obesity,type2diabetes,earlypubertyandbehavioralchangesinchildren.A2010StatisticsCanadasurveyfoundthat91percentofCanadianshaveBPAintheirbodies.

GOODNEWS:AstudydonebyEnvironmentalHealthPerspectivesfoundthatfamiliesthatatefreshfoodforthreedays,withnocannedfood,andusingonlyglassstoragecontainers,experienceda60percentreductionofBPAintheirurine.Takingabreakfromcannedfoodwillreduceyourbody’saccumulationofthishormone-disruptingchemical.

Becauseoftheacidicnatureoftomatoes,anycannedproductwillcontainlowlevelsofBPA.Toreduceyourexposure,purchasetomatoesinaglassbottle.EdenOrganicisagreatbrandforbothtomatoesandcannedbeans.ThecannedbeansbyEdenOrganicareBPA-free.

BreakfastCerealsandCerealBarsThis is foodmarketing at its finest—advertising products as “healthy”when they are full ofsugar and refined grains that have been stripped of B vitamins, essential fatty acids andminerals.Theseproductsalsocontainadditivessuchasflavorings,coloringsandpreservatives.Ofcoursetherearesomehealthyexceptions,soyoujustneedtobeafooddetectiveandreadyour labels carefully.Also, don’t be afraid to contact a foodmanufacturer and ask questionsaboutingredientsyoudon’trecognize.

BESTNATURALDETOXIFIERS•artichokes•beetsandbeetgreens•berries,includinggojiberries,blueberries,strawberries,raspberriesandblackberries•cruciferousvegetables,includingbroccoli,Brusselssprouts,cauliflowerandcabbage•fennel•fermentedfoodssuchassauerkraut,kefirandkombucha•freshfruitssuchasapples,pears,lemonsandavocados•freshherbs,includingparsley,cilantro,basil,rosemaryandoregano•garlic•gingerroot•greentea•leafygreens,includingkale,arugula,Swisschard,collardgreens,spinach,bokchoyanddandeliongreens

•nutsandseeds,especiallyBrazilnuts,pumpkinseeds,chiaseeds,flaxseeds,sesameseedsandsunflowerseeds(avoidpeanuts)

•onions,leeksandchives•seaweed•SouthAsianspices,includingturmeric,clovesandcinnamon•sproutedfoods:broccolisprouts,sproutedlentils,beansandpeas

Besuretocheckthe“DirtyDozen”listonpage105andbuyorganicversionsofthosefoodstoreduceyourpesticideexposure.

DetoxYourSkinwithDrySkinBrushingOurskinisthelargestorganinourbodyandoneofourchannelsofelimination—toxinsleaveourbodywhenwesweat.Pilingoncosmetics,lotionsandpotionsclogsporesandtrapsthejunkinside.Dryskinbrushingallowstheskintobreathebetterbyuncloggingtheporesandstimulating

thelymphaticsystemtobettereliminatetoxins.Thelymphaticsystemisanetworkofvesselsthatholdsmorefluidthanyouhavebloodinyourbody.Thisnetworkoflymphaticvesselsisconstantlyexchangingnutrientswiththebloodandpickingupwasteproductsforelimination.Thelymphaticsystemdoesn’thaveapumpliketheheart,anddryskinbrushinghelpstomovethe lymph fluidaround.Dryskinbrushing isparticularlybeneficial for stimulating lymphaticdrainagefromthebreasts.Becausemanytoxinsarefatsoluble,yourbreastsarefattyorgansthatcanstoretoxicwastes.Dry skin brushing is seriously invigorating and beautifying. When you aid the body,

especiallytheskin,tomoreeffectivelyreleasetoxins,youwillglow.Someexpertsbelievethatdryskinbrushingalsohelpstoeliminatecellulite—bonus!

DRYSKINBRUSHINGHOW-TO

When: Dry skin brushing should be done three to four times a week on dry skin beforeshoweringorbathing.

What: Use a natural-fiber brush with a wood or bamboo handle. The bristles should becomfortably uncomfortable. That is, they should stimulate but not scratch the skin. Test thebrushoutonyourarmatthehealthfoodstore.

How:Applyjustenoughpressurethatthebrushfeelsstimulatingor“tingly.”Itshouldnothurt.Youmaysee“chalky”whitemarksonyourskinforashorttimeafterbrushing.Thisisnormal.

Where:Startwiththebottomofyourfeetandworkupyourbody,movingthebrushinacircularmotiontowardyourheart.Makesureyouspendmoretimewhereyouhavelymphnodes,suchas thebackofyourknees, inside theelbowsandyourarmpits.Whenyoureachyourbreasts,brushtowardyourarmpitsandaroundyournipplestostimulatelymphaticdrainage.

JoyousTipWhat not to brush: Avoid brushing your nipples. They are toosensitive foradryskinbrush.Youalsoshouldn’tdrybrushyour face,unlessyouhaveaspecialbrushthathasmuchsofterbristles,becausetheskinonyourfaceisthinnerandmoresensitivethanontherestofthebody.

BeaCleanBeautyAccording to theEnvironmentalWorkingGroup, studieshave foundevidenceof toxins frompersonal care products in the blood and urine of babies, teens and adults—yikes! Specificcosmetic ingredients found inourbodies includephthalateplasticizers,parabenpreservatives,the pesticide triclosan, syntheticmusks and sunscreens.Many studies have shown that thesechemicalsarehormonedisruptors.Withprolongeduseofvariousproducts,theymaybuildupinyourbodyandwilldisrupthormones.Howdothesetoxinsendupinourbodies?Quiteeasily,actually,becausewhatyoubreathein

fromasprayorpowder,swallowfromalipstickorgloss,orabsorbthroughyourskinfromasunscreenorcosmeticliterallygetsintoyou.Infact,it’samoredirectroutetoyourbloodstreamthanactuallyingestingsomething.Over the years I’ve seen countless women go clean with their beauty products and have

symptomssuchasPMSandacnedrasticallyimprove.Youmaythinkthissoundstoogoodtobetrue, but it’s a fact. I personally have benefited immensely, and now all my personal careproducts,fromshampootolipstick,areasnaturalaspossible.Ifyou’veneverthoughtaboutthisaspectofyourhealth,nowisthetime,becausethecosmeticsindustryisn’tcleaningupthejunkintheirproductsanytimesoon.Fortunately, theDavid Suzuki Foundation has created a list of the top twelve ingredients,

knownasthe“dirtydozen”chemicals,toavoidinpersonalcareproductssoyoucanbeacleanbeauty!Photocopythisguideandcarryitwithyoutoensurenoneoftheseingredientsareintheproductsyoubuy.

JoyousTipEven though it’s not required that all ingredients be listed, a productthat includes a third-party label such as EcoLogo or Green Sealprovidessomeassurancethattheproductissafetouse.

SustainableShopper’sGuidetoaDirtyDozenIngredientstoAvoidinYourCosmeticsBHA and BHT: In moisturizer, makeup, etc. Maycause cancer and interfere with hormone function.Harmfultofishandotherwildlife.

Parabens:Widelyused inmakeup,moisturizers,etc.May interferewithhormone function.Associatedwithbreastcancer.

Coal tar dyes: Look for P-PHENYLENEDIAMINE inhair dyes, and colors identified as “C.I.” followed byfivedigitsinotherproducts.Potentialtocausecancerand can be contaminatedwith heavymetals toxic tothebrain.

PARFUM: Widely used even in some productsmarketed as “unscented” (often the last ingredient).Mixture of chemicals that can trigger allergies andasthma. Some linked to cancer and neurotoxicity.Someharmfultofishandotherwildlife.

CYCLOMETHICONEandsiloxanes:Widelyused inmoisturizer,makeup,hairproducts,etc.May interferewithhormone functionanddamage the liver.Harmfultofishandotherwildlife.

PEG: Widely used in conditioners, moisturizers,deodorants, etc. Can be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane,whichmaycausecancer.

DEA,MEAandTEA:Increamyandfoamingproductssuch as moisturizer, shampoo. Can react to formcancer-causingnitrosamines.Harmfultofishandotherwildlife.

PETROLATUM:Inhairproducts,lipbalm/lipstick,skincare products. Petroleum product that can becontaminatedwithcancer-causingimpurities.

DIBUTYL PHTHALATE: In nail products. Toxic toreproductionandmayinterferewithhormonefunction.Harmfultofishandotherwildlife.

SODIUMLAURETHSULFATE(SLES)andSODIUMLAURYLSULFATE(SLS):Inproductsthatfoamsuchas shampoo, cleansers, bubble bath. SLES can becontaminated with 1,4-dioxane, which may causecancer. SLS may damage liver. Harmful to fish andotherwildlife.

Formaldehyde-releasing preservatives: Look forDMDM Hydantoin, Diazolidinyl urea, Imidazolidinylurea,Methenamine, or Quarternium-15.Widely usedin hair products, moisturizers, etc. Formaldehydecausescancer.

TRICLOSAN: In “anti-bacterial” products such astoothpaste,soaps,handsanitizers.May interferewithhormonefunctionandcontributetoantibiotic-resistantbacteria.Harmfultofishandotherwildlife.

Source:DavidSuzukiFoundation,www.DavidSuzuki.org.

Youcanalso findacomprehensive listofmore thaneighty thousandcosmeticbrandson theEnvironmental Working Group’s Skin Deep cosmetics database, which rates products andingredientsforsafety.www.ewg.org/skindeep.

SocialDetoxing:EditYourSocialCircleSaywhat?Yes,doasocialdetoxbyeditingyoursocialcircle!Youwillbeabsolutelyamazedathowgooditfeelstodothisexercise.Iwas introduced to this exercise at a professional development course led by an inspiring

professionalspeakernamedStuartKnight.Inaclassaboutrelationships,Stuarthadusalldrawthree columns on a sheet of paper and give them the headings “Neutral,” “Dump” and“Promote.”Letmebreaktheexercisedownforyou.

Neutral:Thesearealltherelationshipsyoufeelneitherherenorthereabout.Meaningtheydon’taddanythingparticularlywonderful toyour life,but theydon’tbringyoudowneither.Writedownthenamesofeveryoneyouknowwhofallsintothiscategory.

Dump:Thisisthetoughestpart.Writedownthenamesofpeoplewhobringnegativitytoyourlife,perhapsthosepeoplewhoarealwaysinabadmood,canneversortthemselvesoutorarejustbadenergy.Ofcourseweallgothroughupsanddowns,andthisdoesn’tmeanyoudumpyourlongtimegirlfriendwho’sbeeninatoughsituationwithherboyfriendforthelastcoupleofmonths. It’s important to be supportive of others going through tough times. But if thatgirlfriendhasbeeninaconstantstateofunhappinessforthelasttwoyearsandallshedoesiscomplain and bring nothing joyous to your life whatsoever, perhaps it’s time to considerwhetherthisrelationshipisbringinganythinggoodtoyourlife.

Promote:Writedownthenamesofallthepeoplewhochallengeandinspireyou,peoplewhomyouadmireandviceversa.Thesepeoplebringout thebest inyou,andyou feelupliftedandjoyousjustbybeingintheirpresence.Thesearegoodpeopletosurroundyourselfwitheveryday.

Here’swhatyoudonext.

Neutral:Eithermovethemintothe“dump”categoryorpromotethem.

Dump:Don’tworry,youdon’tnecessarilyneedtowritealetterorhaveaface-to-facemeetingtoinformthesepeoplethatyounolongerwishtospendtimewiththem.Fortunately,theuniversehas awonderfulway of sorting things out for you. If you feel that someone is not bringinganythingofvalue toyour lifeand in fact theopposite, theyarebringingyoudown, just stopspendingtimewiththem.Mostpeoplejustworktheirwaynaturallyoutofyourlifewhenyouputlessenergyintoyourrelationshipwiththem.Ifsomeonejust“doesn’tgetit,”thenyoumayneedtobemoredirect.

Promote:It’stimetostepitupanotchwiththesepeople.Tellthemhowmuchyouvaluethemanddosomethingniceforthem.Takethemoutfortea,writethemaletter—whateveritis,showthemhowmuchtheymeantoyouandthenspendmoretimewiththem.

CleanBeautySmoothieThis smoothie is full of detoxifying plant compounds, including chlorophyll, fiber andantioxidants.Ahealthyglowistheresultofadetoxifiedbody,andthissmoothiewillhelpyougetyourglowon!

Makes1smoothie

Detox

Vegan

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

1cup(250mL)firmlypackedleafygreenssuchasspinach,kaleorcollards1/2cup(125mL)looselypackedfreshflat-leafparsleyormintleaves1apple(unpeelediforganic),coredandcutinpieces1/2cup(125mL)pineapple

Optional:1/4cup(60mL)hempseeds(or1scoopproteinpowder)

Inablender,combineall ingredientswith21/4 cups (550mL) filteredwater;blenduntilsmooth.Ifthesmoothieistoothick,addalittlemorewater.

AsImentionedintheintroductionofthisbook,morethanadecadeago,whenIthoughtIwaseatinghealthfully,Iwasplaguedbyahormonalimbalancethathadawholehostofunpleasanteffects.HowdidIchangemylifearound?Whileworkingwithanutritionist,Itweakedmydiet(Ididnotcaloriecountever),chose lifestylehabits that reinforcedmycommitment to joyoushealthand,ofcourse,addedsuperfoods.A“newme”wasborn!AsIwasgoingthroughthisprocessofchange,eachdayIfeltstrongerandmoreenergized.

ChangesoccurredthatIwasnotexpecting.Myhairbecameshinierandmyskinglowed.Theseresultsalonekeptmeontrack.Ifeltamazingontheinside,andmyjoyoushealthchoiceswerefinallybeingreflectedontheoutside.Inthischapter,youwilllearnthesuperfoods,supersupplementsandsuperlifestylehabitsI

recommendforjoyoushealth.Hundredsofmyclientshaveexperiencedjoyoushealth,weightlossand improvementofall theirhealthconcernswhile indulging insuperfoods.Healthycanandshouldbedonedeliciously!

EatSuperfoodsNowmorethanever,weneedtoinfuseourbodywithfoodsthatarepackedwithnutrientsandofferthebodybenefitsnotfoundintheStandardAmericanDietbutnecessaryfortrulyjoyoushealth.Superfoods are not a gimmick or a trend.Many of these foods fly off store shelves once

people realize the incrediblepotential for joyoushealth theyoffer.Someof these foodshavebeenaroundfor thousandsofyears,andforgoodreason.Manyhavemedicinalbenefits,highnutritional status and the ability to help you transform your health.What’s more, we’re nottalkingexoticforallfoods.Manyofthesefoodscanbefoundinyourlocalgrocerystoreandperhapsevengrowlocally.Intensive farming practices over the last eighty years have seriously depleted our soils of

mineralssuchaspotassium,magnesium,calcium,seleniumandchromium.Thesenutrientsnotonlyhelptopreventcancerbutalsoaidbloodsugarmetabolism,whichinturnhelpstopreventtype2diabetesandkeepyourhearthealthy.Andthisbarelyscratchesthesurfaceofthebenefitsofthesenutrients.Why does nutrient depletion happen to soil? It’s pretty straightforward. One of the most

commoncauses iswhat’s calledmonocropping.Big farmsgrow the exact same typeof cropyear after year after year. The result? The soil becomes nutrient-deficient. For example, ifcauliflower isalwaysgrown in thesamefield, theplantswilldeplete thesoilof thenutrientscauliflowerneedsmosttogrowandflourish.Thehealthofthesoildeterminesthehealthoftheplant thatgrows in thatsoil. Ifyouhavesoil that isweak,youhaveplants thatareweakandsusceptibletodiseasesandpests.Whatdothesemega-farmsdotocountertheproblem?Theydrowntheirsoilandtheirproduceinchemicalstohelptheplantsgrowandtofightoffdiseasesandpests.Growingavarietyofcropsandrotatingtheminafieldiscriticaltothehealthofthesoil.If

you have soil that is healthy, you have plants that are healthy and full of nutrients.Becauseorganicfarmsrotatecropsandtherebynaturallynourishtheirsoils,Iamcommittedtobuyingcertifiedorganicfoodsasoftenaspossible.Ialsoprefermyfruitsandvegetableswithouta sideofpesticides,another reason Ichoose

organic.The“DirtyDozen”listonpage105shows thefruitsandvegetableswith thehighestlevelsofpesticides.These are theones it’smost important tobuyorganic.However,organicfoodmaynotalwaysbeavailableorwithinyourbudget,soalongside the“DirtyDozen”youwill see the“Clean15.”Theseare the fifteen fruitsandvegetables that it’sokay tobuynon-organicbecausetheyhavethelowestlevelsofpesticidecontamination.SincetheaverageNorthAmericaniseatingplentyofrefinedfoodssuchaswhitepasta,white

riceandwhitebreadthathavebeenstrippedofnutrients,aswellasfruitsandvegetables thatcontainfar lessnutrition than theydidfiftyyearsagodue to thesemega-farms, I recommendeating superfoods. While I’m not suggesting you eat a superfood at every single meal andsnack, I do recommend introducinganew superfood toyourdiet eachweek. I’ve found thatmostpeopleneedtotransitionintoanew,healthywayofeatingslowly;otherwiseit’sdifficulttomaintain.Forexample,youcouldsimplyadddriedcranberriesinsteadofgojiberriestoyourtrailmix(seemySuperfoodTrailMixrecipeonpage215)orsliceupanorganicapple,slatheronsomealmondbutterandsprinklewithcinnamon—bothsnackshavesuperfoodstatus.

WhySuperfoods?Everytimeweturnonthetelevisionorreadthenewspaper,wearebombardedwithdepressingstatsonillhealthanddiseasetakingoverournation.In2012,nineCanadiansdiedfromcancereverysinglehour.Morethan20millionCanadianssufferfromdigestiveproblemseveryyear.Statisticsliketheseareshowingusthatthewaywearecurrentlyeatingandlivingourlivesisnotworking.Wearegettingsickerandsicker.Themost ironicpart is that inCanadaand theUnitedStates,peoplehaveanabundanceoffoodbutarecompletelyundernourished.Thereisno lack of food, just a lack of nutrients. The power is in your hands.You can choose to beanotherstatisticornot.

JoyousTipFoodismorethanjustfuel.Thefoodyoueatcanmoveyoucloserandcloser todisease—orcloserandcloser to joyoushealth.Thinkofthe food you eat as more than simply “fuel.” In fact, your skincompletely renews itself every twenty-eight days. Therefore, food isliterallytherawmaterialsfromwhichwecreatenewcells.

WhatDefinesaSuperfood?BeforeIsharemyfavoritesuperfoods,let’stakeaquicklookatthereasonssomefoodsdeservesuperfoodstatus.

HighLevelofAntioxidantsHighly reactive, unstablemolecules called free radicals from pesticides, industrial chemicalsandpollution,andevenproducedbyyourbodyasabyproductofmetabolism,candamageyourcellsandmayevenleadtocancer.Antioxidantsareabletoneutralizefreeradicals,preventingdamage toyourcells.Thesecancer-fightingplantmedicinesare found inabundance in fruitsandvegetables.Astudy in theJuly2006 issueof theAmericanJournalofClinicalNutrition lookedat the

antioxidantcontentoffoodscommonlyeatenin theUnitedStates.Thefollowingfoodshadahighlevelofantioxidants(listedhighesttolowest):

•blackberries•walnuts•strawberries•artichokes(cooked)•cranberries•raspberries•blueberries•groundcloves•prunes

•redcabbage(cooked)•pineapple•oranges•redplums•pintobeans•spinach(frozen)•kiwifruit•redpotatoes•sweetpotatoes•redpeppers(cooked)•broccoli(cooked)

HighLevelofMineralsSuperfoodsarearichsourceofcommonminerals,includingcalcium,magnesium,phosphorus,potassium,sodiumiron,selenium, iodine,copper,manganese,chromiumandzinc.Ofcourse,theycontainmoremineralsthanthese,butthesearethemostcommonones.Theyareessentialforcardiovascularhealth,mentalhealth,detoxification,preventionofdiseaseandmore.Mineraldeficiencies are more common than vitamin deficiencies because our body does notmanufactureanymineralsandsomefoodsareartificiallyenrichedwithvitamins.

HighLevelofVitaminsSuperfoodsarenaturallyrichsourcesofvitamins,whicharevitaltothehealthofyourcellsandactmainly as coenzymes (meaning in collaborationwith enzymes) in a variety ofmetabolicreactionsinourbody.Butlet’sgoabitdeeper.Vitaminshavediverseessentialfunctionsinthebody.Somefunctionasantioxidants,suchasvitaminEandsometimesvitaminC.Somehavehormone-likefunctions,suchasvitaminD,orareneededfortissuegrowth,suchassomeformsofvitaminA.Vitaminsareessentialforgrowth,vitality,digestion,eliminationandresistancetodisease.Theyhelpusstaybeautifulandfeelaliveandvibrant.Mostvitaminscannotbemadebyyourbody,withtheexceptionofBvitamins,whichcanbe

madebyintestinalbacteria.Whenourdietispoorandwebecomedeficientinanyonevitaminormineral,ourbodieswillprovideuswithsignsthatmaybesubtle,suchascracksinthecornerofthemouthindicatingaB2deficiency,orsevere,suchasricketsinthecaseofseverevitaminDdeficiencyorberiberiinthecaseofvitaminB1deficiency.Keepinmindthat,asnuttyasitsounds,thedietaryrecommendationssetbythegovernment

aredesignedmerelytopreventlevelsofdeficiencythatwouldcausesevereproblems,suchasricketsfromvitaminDdeficiency.Theseguidelinesarenotbasedontheamountsyouneedtothrive and have joyous health. I want you to thrive, not just survive or narrowly escapedeficiency! Your body will provide you with symptoms of deficiency long before it iscompletely bankrupt. This is why it’s important to choose foods that offer high levels ofvitaminsandminerals.

Beyond antioxidants, vitamins andminerals, scientists are discoveringmore plantmedicinesevery day. We already know that kale contains more than forty-five flavonoids, and USDepartmentofAgricultureresearchersfoundthat1cupofwildblueberriescontainsmorethanthirteenthousandantioxidants.

Top12SuperfoodsforJoyousHealthTheseare someofmy favorite superfoods thatofferahigh levelofnutrientsandareequallydelicious:

1.beeproducts:rawhoney,royaljelly,beepollenandpropolis2.berries(dark):blackberries,blueberries,raspberriesandgojiberries3.chiaseeds4.coconutoil5.ginger6.hempseeds7.kale8. herbs and spices: garlic, basil, rosemary, cilantro, parsley, oregano, thyme, turmeric,

cinnamon,cardamom,nutmeg,clovesandginger9.pumpkinseeds(andsquashseeds)10.quinoa11.rawcacao12.spirulina

BeeProducts:RawHoney,RoyalJelly,BeePollenandPropolisYears ago, I interviewed a few Ontario bee farmers. Ever since then, I’ve been sharing thebenefits of bee products with my clients and anyone who will listen to spread my love forhoney.Honeysuperfoodsareasancientastheycome.Asfarbackas5500bce,theEgyptianswrote

about honey’s benefits, and it’s been used in Ayurvedic medicine in India for at least four

thousandyears.Clearly,I’mnottheonlyhoneylover!But rawhoney isnot theonlybee-producedsuperfood.There’salso royal jelly,beepollen

andpropolis.

ROYALJELLYRoyaljellyisamilkysubstancesecretedfromtheglandsofworkerbeesandfedtoalllarvaeinthecolonyandthequeenbee,wholivesalmostexclusivelyoffroyaljelly—luckylady.Royaljellyistheworld’srichestsourceofvitaminB5,whichisknowntocombatthenegativeeffectsof stress, including fatigueand insomnia, and is essential forhealthyhair.Royal jelly is alsoanti-inflammatoryandcancerpreventing.Inonestudy,micethatwereinjectedwithcancercellsshowedadrasticreductioninthespreadofthosecellswhentheywerealsoinjectedwithroyaljelly.

Howtoenjoyit:Royaljellytastesverybitter,soit’sbestenjoyedwhenmixedwithsomerawhoneyandspreadonacracker.(TrytheAlmondFlourRosemaryCrackersonpage222.)

BEEPOLLENBee pollen is one of nature’s best-kept secrets. Some experts believe it’s one of the mostcomplete foods because it’s an excellent source of amino acids and enzymes. Pollen is acollectionoflittleyellowgranulesthatbeesgatherfromfloweringplants.Ironically,ithasbeenknowntobehighlyeffectiveatcombatingallergies—fightpollenallergieswithpollen!

Howtoenjoyit:Beepollencanbetakenincapsules,butthegranulesaremypreference.Thegranules shouldhave somevariation in theiryellowcolor.This indicatespollen fromvarioussources,whichprovidesabroaderrangeofnutrients.Sprinkleitonsalad,mixitintoyogurtortossitintoasmoothie.Pure,rawhoneyisalsoanexcellentnaturalsourceofbeepollen.

PROPOLISPropolisisaglue-likesubstancethatbeescollectfromtreesandplantstoholdthehivetogether.Beesuseitasanaturalantibiotictoprotecttheirhiveandasadefenseagainstdisease.Thesebenefitstranslatetohumanhealthaswell:propolishasbeenreportedtostrengthenourimmunesystem. Research shows that taking propolis during cold and flu season reduces your coldsymptoms.Becauseofitsanti-inflammatoryaction,ithasbeenusedtotreatarthritis,allergiesandasthma.

Howtoenjoyit:Thinkofpropolismoreasasuperfoodsupplementthanasafoodyoueat.Youcanfinditinmosthealthfoodstoresasatablet,capsule,powderorextract.Itcanbeusedtopically as an antibiotic. It’s also an ingredient in many personal care products, such asointments and lotions.Peoplewho are allergic to bees or honeyproductsmaywant to avoidtheseproducts.

JoyousTipHoney:Neverheatorbakewithanyhoneyproduct,asitcandestroy

theenzymesandnutrientsthatgivehoneyproductssuperfoodstatus.

BerriesBerries, especiallydarkones, arenature’sperfect candy!Whybotherwithcommercial candyfullofdyes,artificialflavoringsandchemicalswhenwehaveanabundanceofberriesavailableto us fresh, dried and in frozen form? Berries that I recommend for joyous health includeblackberries,mulberries,blueberries,gojiberries,raspberriesandstrawberries.

JOYOUSFACTSABOUTBERRIESExtremely high level of flavonoids. It’s flavonoids that give berries their rich color. These plantmedicines are anti-inflammatory and provide both cardiovascular support and anti-agingsupport.AstudyfromtheJournalofNutritionshowedthatwomenwhoconsumedflavonoid-richfoodsawimprovedskinhydrationaswell.

Nutrient-dense.BerriesareagreatsourceofvitaminCandB-complexvitamins.Infact,justeightstrawberrieshasmorevitaminCthanoneorange.

Balancebloodsugar.Berriesprovideaslowreleaseofglucoseintothebloodbecausetheirfiberslowsdowndigestion.Thishighfibercontentalsohelpspreventcarb/sugarcravings.

Brain-loving. Eating berries regularly can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease because theprotectiveantioxidantsinberriescombattheeffectsofstressonthebrain.

Good for eye health. Studies show that eating berries improves vision and reduces age-relatedvisionlossandcataracts.

Howtoenjoythem:Eatthemonebyone!OrtrymyBlueberrySpeltPancakes(page147)orGojiBerryGloryMuffins(page140).

JoyousTipOrganiconabudget?Organicberriescanbeexpensivewhenthey’renotinseason.Buyextrawhentheyareinseasonandfreezethemsoyou can enjoy them all year round. I really enjoy frozen berries in amorningsmoothie—suchawonderfulwaytostarttheday!

ChiaSeedsPeopleaskmethisall thetime,soyes, thesearethesameseedsresponsiblefortheinfamousChiaPetfromthe1980s.Chiaseedsbelongtothemintfamilyandarecompletelygluten-free.Don’tlettheirsize(orChiaPetpast)foolyou,becausetheyarenutritionalpowerhouses.

JOYOUSFACTSABOUTCHIASEEDS

Excellentsourceofgoodfat.Chiaseedsareaconcentratedsourceoftheomega-3fattyacidalpha-linolenicacid—evenhigherthanflaxseeds.Omega-3fatshelptolowerinflammationandkeepyourbrainandcardiovascularsystemhealthy.

Balance blood sugar and crush cravings.One ounce of chia seeds contains 10.7 g of fiber. Thishighly digestible fiber slows the release of glucose into the bloodstream and gives you thesensationoffullnessmuchfasterthaneatingabowlofbrancerealwill.Also,keepinginsulinincheckwillhelpreducebellyfat.

Complete source of protein. Chia seeds are particularly high in tryptophan, the amino acidprecursorofserotonin(thehappyhormone)andmelatonin(thesleep/anti-cancerhormone).

Nutrient-dense.Thisweepowerhouseofaseedisasourceofcalcium,magnesium,manganese,iron,phosphorusand folicacid.Thesenutrientsare important forcardiovascularhealth,bonehealth,stressreduction,babymakingandmore.

Howtoenjoy them:Youmust try theOvernightStrawberryChiaPudding (page 157) forbreakfastorforahealthysweettreat.Youcanalsousechiaseedsasasubstituteforeggsinarecipe;sprinkle themonyogurt, incerealor inyoursmoothie;oruse themto thickensauces.Theusesofchiaareendless.IusetheminmanyoftherecipesinthisbookandonmyJoyousHealthblog.

JoyousTipChiaversusflax:Youdon’thavetogrindchiaseedsthewayyoudoflaxseeds.Yourstomachacidsbreakdownchiaseedsveryeasily. (Ifyou don’t grind flaxseeds to release the healthy fats, they pass rightthroughyouanddownlatoilette.)Sproutedchiaisevenbetterthanthewhole seed because it’s even more digestible and higher in somevitamins,suchastheB-complex.

CoconutOilYearsagococonutoilwasunfairlydemonizedbecauseofitshighlevelofsaturatedfat.Harvardresearchers later reviewed that initial studyandconcluded itwasnotaccuratebecause theoilusedinthestudythatraisedcholesterollevelsinratswashydrogenated,whichalteredittothepointofitsbeingdevoidofanyessentialfattyacids.Infact,researchshowsthatcoconutoilnotonly causes an increase in HDL (good) cholesterol but also does not increase LDL (bad)cholesterol.Andthisisjustoneofitsmanyhealthbenefits.Coconut oil has been around a long time.Hindu scriptures dating back to 1500 bce say it

nourishes the body, increases strength and promotes beautiful hair and skin. In Ayurvedicmedicine, it has been used for over four thousand years as an effective treatment for skindiseases.

JoyousTipHigh smoke point: Most vegetable oils, such as sunflower andsafflower,cannotbeheated;otherwisetheycandamageyourbodyatacellularlevel.Coconutoil’shighsmokepointmakesitidealforsautéingand stir-frying vegetables. Don’t be afraid of using coconut oil forsavorydishes.Itaddsareallyniceflavorandisnotoverpowering.

JOYOUSFACTSABOUTCOCONUTOILContainsgoodfats.Approximately60percentof thefats incoconutoilaremedium-chainfattyacids(MCFAs),includinglauricacid,caprylicacidandcapricacid.Lauricacidaccountsforasmuchas75percentofthefattyacidsincoconutoil.Lauricacidisthesamefatthatisinbreastmilk,whichmakesitimmune-buildingandhealing.Thisfatisdigestedveryeasilyandsenttothelivertobeusedasenergyratherthanbeingstoredasfat.

Promotesweight loss.Studieshaveshownthatwhencoconutoil ispartofone’sdiet,white fatstores are reduced.White fat in excess around the abdominal region promotes heart disease,diabetesandmanyothermetabolicdiseases.BecauseMCFAsarewellabsorbedandusedasanenergysource,burningMCFAsactuallyincreasesthemetabolicrate.OnestudyshowedthatadiethighinMCFAsincreasedmetabolicrate(hello,fatburning!)by50percentoverasix-dayperiod.That’sahugeamountoffat-burningpotentialyoucanaddtoyoursmoothie!

The“anti”trio:anti-bacterial,anti-viralandanti-fungalagent.

Beautifying.Youcanliterallyslatheryourbodyincoconutoilafterashowerorabathanduseitasahairmoisturizerandnothavetoworryaboutanytoxicchemicalsbeingabsorbedintoyourbloodstreamthroughyourskin.Coconutoiliswonderfulfordry,flakyanddull-lookingskinoradryscalp.Itcanalsobeusedforpsoriasis,dermatitis,eczemaandotherskininfections.Iuseittokeepthefrizziesinmyhairawayandtomoisturizemyhandsandcuticles.

GingerGingerisoneofmyfavoriteingredientstoaddsomezippyzingtomymorningfreshjuiceorsomesautéedveggies.Gingerismorethanjustzippyzing,mindyou.It’smostfamousfortheanti-bloateffectsithasonyourbellyanditsanti-inflammatorybenefits.

JOYOUSFACTSABOUTGINGERMakes your belly joyous!Gingerol, one of themain phytonutrients in ginger, helps to relax themusclesofthegastrointestinallining,therebypreventinggasandbloating.

Anti-inflammatory gem. Gingerol is also a potent antioxidant that has been found in studies torelieveosteo-andrheumatoidarthritispain,eveninpatientswhodidn’trespondtomedications.In fact, studies have shown that it reduces certain hormones that promote inflammation.Gingeroldoesthesamejobasnon-steroidalanti-inflammatorydrugs,butwithoutthenegative

sideeffectssuchasnausea,vomiting,diarrheaandconstipation.

Immunebooster.Duringfluseason,stockupongingerbecauseitboostsyourimmunesystembyinducingsweating,which isanexcellentway todetoxnaturally.Remember,a fever isa signthatyourimmunesystemisfightinganinfection.

Naturalantibiotic.Gingerkillspathogenicbacteria,which isoneof the reasonsyougetpickledginger with your sushi. Be careful because this ginger often contains sulfites, which are acommonfoodsensitivity.

Howtoenjoyit:Adda thumb-sizedamountofginger toa fresh juice(seerecipesonpage174)orsliceoffachunkandinfuseitinhotwaterwithsomefreshlemonandrawhoneyforanimmune-boostinghotdrink.

HempSeeds(akaHempHearts)Not tobeconfusedwith theircousins, the“other”hempseedsused togrowmarijuana, thesecompletelylegalanddelicioussoft-texturedseedstasteabitlikesunflowerseedsorpinenuts.

JOYOUSFACTSABOUTHEMPSEEDSCompletesourceofvegetarianprotein.Hempseedscontainallnineessentialaminoacidsfoundinanimalfoodsandtwentyaminoacidsintotal,makingthemawonderfulchoiceforpeoplewhodon’teatanimalfoods.Infact,a3tbsp(45mL)servingofhempheartscontains10gofeasy-to-digestprotein.Comparedwithsoybeans,hempcontains far fewer trypsin inhibitors,whichmayblock theabsorptionofprotein (oneof themanyproblemswithsoy).Another reason tolovetheeasilydigestedproteininhemp:allthoseaminoacidsinhemparebuildingblocksforneurotransmitterssuchasfeel-gooddopamineandserotonin.

Sourceofessential fattyacids.Essentialfattyacids,alsoknownas“goodfats,”aretheonesyouneedtoeatbecauseyourbodycannotmakethem.Hempisoneofthebestplant-basedsourcesofomega-3fats.Infact,hempseedshaveahigheramountofomega-3fatsthanflaxseedsdo.

Unique source of gamma-linolenic acid. This fatty acid helps to balance hormones and lowerinflammation(“yourinternalfire”).Thisloweredinflammationkeepsyourtickerjoyoustoo!A2008studypublishedintheCanadianJournalofPhysiologyandPharmacologyfoundthatthehighcontentofgamma-linolenicacid(GLA)inhempseedscontributedtotheirabilitytoreduceheartdisease.NumerousstudieshaveshownthatGLAhasfar-reachingjoyoushealthbenefits,and I have seen many of these first-hand in my practice. A good intake of GLA balanceshormones, which in turn reduces PMS symptoms andmenopausal hot flashes andmay helpwitharthritissymptoms,attentiondeficitdisorderandskinconditionssuchaseczema.

Packedwithnutrients. If all thiswasn’t enough,hempseedsare a sourceof antioxidants, fiber,iron, zinc, carotene, phospholipids, phytosterols, vitamins B1, B2, B6, D and E, chlorophyll,calcium,magnesium,sulfur,copper,potassium,phosphorusandenzymes.That’sawholelotofnutritionalbenefitinthoselittleseeds!

Other hemp products with excellent nutritional benefits include cold-pressed hemp seed oil,hempproteinpowder andmyHempSeedMapleCinnamonButter (see recipeonpage 220).Youcanalsotrymymetabolism-boosting,craving-crushingHempSeedGuacamole(page210).Thankstotheproteinhitfromthehempseeds,it’sasatisfyingmid-afternoonsnack.

Howtoenjoythem:Youcansprinklehempseedsover salad,mix them intocerealoryogurt, add them tobakingrecipes,orsimplyeatthemstraightfromthebagwithaspoon—myfavoriteway!

KaleKale has been enjoyed for hundreds of years. It’s the reigning Queen of the Greens, anddeservedlyso!Kale’shighlevelsoffiberandnutrientswillhelpkeepyourappetiteincheckandyourbloodsugarbalanced.

JOYOUSFACTSABOUTKALETrioofbeautyvitamins—A,CandK.Combined,thesehelptheglandsofthescalpproduceoilsthatgivehairthathealthy,shinyglow.Theseoilsarehair’snaturalmoisturizers.VitaminsAandCalsoprotecttheskin’shealth.

Detoxifyingandanti-cancer.Glucosinolatesinkaleplayakeyroleindetoxification,andkalehasbeen linked to lowering the risk of five types of cancer: bladder, breast, colon, ovary andprostate.

Anti-inflammatory.Overforty-fiveplantmedicinescalledflavonoidshavebeenidentifiedinkale.Withkaempferolandquercetinheadingthelist,kale’sflavonoidscombinebothantioxidantandanti-inflammatorybenefits.

Goodforbonehealth.KaleisawonderfulsourceofvitaminKandcalcium,bothbone-buildingnutrients.

Containschlorophyll.Chlorophyll is thegreenmatter inplant foods. It isextremelydetoxifyingandblood-cleansing.

Aidsdigestion.Kale’shighamountoffiberhelpswithregularityandloweringcholesterol.

Other notable leafy greens are Swiss chard, collard,watercress, spinach, arugula, cabbageandgreenleafylettuce.Besuretobuyorganic,becauseconventionallygrownleafygreensaresprayedwithlotsofpesticides.

Howtoenjoyit:Tossahandful intoasmoothie (seepage164)or tryoneof thekalechiprecipesonpages206and208.

HerbsandSpices:Garlic,Basil,Rosemary,Cilantro,Parsley,Oregano,Thyme,Turmeric,Cinnamon,Cardamom,Nutmeg,ClovesandGinger

There is no limit to the number of health benefits from these herbs and spices. Some of thebenefits are anti-inflammatory, cancer-preventative, anti-viral, heart-healthy, immune-buildingandmetabolism-boosting.

Howtoenjoythem:Addoneortwooftheseherbsorspicestoatleastonemealeachday.Theseherbsandspicesareusedthroughouttherecipesinthisbook.

PumpkinSeeds(andSquashSeeds)Pumpkinseeds,alsoknownaspepitas,aretheperfectbalanceofsweetandbittertasting.Theyareasourceofprotein,omega-3fatsandantioxidantmineralsandvitamins.

JOYOUSFACTSABOUTPUMPKINSEEDSSkin-beautifyingzinc.Pumpkinseedsarebestknownfortheirzinccontent,whichiswhatmakesthemabeautifyingfood.Zincpromotescelldivision,cellrepairandcellgrowth,allofwhichequatetoskinhealth.Adeficiencyinzincmayresultinloweredtasteandsmell(twooflife’ssimplestpleasures)andcanleadtoacne.

Megadoseofanti-agingvitaminE.Pumpkinseedsareuniqueinthattheycontainawidevarietyofvitamin E forms: alpha-tocopherol, gamma-tocopherol, delta-tocopherol, alpha-tocomonoenolandgamma-tocomonoenol.Thelasttwoformsareveryeasilyabsorbedbythebodyandarenotfrequentlyfoundinfoods.VitaminEisapowerfulanti-agingantioxidantbecauseitprotectsourcellsfromfree-radicaldamagethatmayotherwiseageourskin.However,supplementationmaynotachievethesameresultsaseatingthewholefood.Insteadofpoppingpillsorbuyinga$60bottleofanti-agingcream,eatsomepumpkinseeds!

Hearthealthandwomen’shealth.Pumpkinseedsarerichinmagnesium,whichhelpslowerbloodpressureandreducetheriskofheartattackorstroke.MagnesiumisoftendeficientinwomenwhosufferfromPMS.

Howtoenjoythem:Nutrient-densepumpkinseedsaddanicecrunchasasaladtopperorinatrailmix(seerecipeonpage215)toincreasetheproteinandantioxidantcontent.Theycanalsobebrewedasateadecoctiontotreat intestinalworms(especiallyroundwormandtapeworm):simplyadd3tbsp(45mL)ofseedsto1cup(250mL)ofboilingwater,simmerfor15minutes,thenstrain.Buypumpkinseedsrawandunsaltedandbesuretorefrigeratethem.Givethemasniffbeforeyoueatthem—theyshouldnotsmellrancid.Sunflowerandsesameseedsarealsojoyous.

QuinoaTheUnitedNationsdeclared2013theInternationalYearofQuinoa.Thispopularancientseedhasbeenaroundsince3000bceandwasonceknownasthe“goldoftheAztecs”becauseofthestrengthandstaminaitsnutrientsprovide.Quinoaiscookedjustlikerice.Ithasamild,slightlynuttyflavorandisveryversatile.Itbasicallytakesontheflavorofwhatyouserveorcookitwith.

JOYOUSFACTSABOUTQUINOAComplete protein. Just like hemp seeds, quinoa contains all the essential amino acids, whichmakesita“complete”protein.Italsohassignificantlygreateramountsthanothergrainsofbothlysine (excellent at treating and preventing cold sores and promoting tissue repair) andisoleucine.

Hypoallergenicfood.Quinoaisnaturallygluten-freeandveryeasytodigest,providedit’scookedproperlytoremoveallthebittersaponins.

Nutrient-dense.Quinoaisagoodsourceofmanymineralsandvitamins,includingheart-healthymagnesium, manganese, iron, copper, zinc, bone-building phosphorus and the B-complexvitamins. Quinoa is unique in that it contains many members of the vitamin E tocopherolfamily,whicharelargelyabsentfrommostothergrains.

Antioxidants and anti-inflammatory. Quinoa is rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatoryphytonutrients, such as ferulic acid, coumaric acid, hydroxybenzoic acid and vanillic acid.Futureresearchwilllikelyshowusthatitisacancer-preventingfoodbecauseofthesenutrients.

Howtoenjoyit:Quinoacanbethemaineventofyourmealorasidedish,anditworksinbothsweetandsavorydishes.Lookforquinoaflourforbaking.Therearemanyquinoarecipesinthisbook—checkouttheCurryLentilLoafonpage234andlearnhowtomaketheperfectquinoaforanydishonpage137.

Quinoa can have a bitter taste because of its naturally present saponins—nature’s way ofprotectingtheseedfrompredators.Moststore-boughtquinoahasbeencommerciallyprocessedto remove the saponins found in the outer coat of the seed.However, you should still rinsequinoaseedsbeforecookingthem.Placetheseedsinafine-meshsieveandrunwateroverthem

whilegentlyrubbingthemtogetherinyourhands.Tasteafewseedstodetermineifabittertasteremains.Repeatthisprocessuntilthequinoanolongertastesbitter.

JoyousTipSeed or grain: Quinoa is often referred to as a grain or a pseudo-cereal but it’s actually neither. It’s a seed, and belongs to the samefamily as spinach, Swiss chard and beets. Quinoa is a wonderfulgluten-freealternativetowheat,barleyandrye.

RawCacaoCacao,anotherancientsuperfood,wasoncesovaluedbytheMayaandtheAztecsthatitwasusedascurrency.You’veprobablyheardaboutthehealthbenefitsofchocolate,butthere’smoretothestory,becausenotallchocolateiscreatedequal.Forinstance,cocoaandcacaoareverydifferent.Cocoa,althoughitcomesfromthesamesourceascacao,isprocessedwithheatandoffersfewtonohealthbenefits,whilerawcacaoistrulyasuperfood.Becauseofthestimulatingnature of the caffeine and theobromine in raw cacao, be cautious when introducing thissuperfoodtoyourdietifit’snewtoyou.

Howtoenjoyit:Mytwofavoritewaystoenjoycacaoarebysprinklingthenibsontopofasmoothieforsomecrunch,andinarawchocolatepudding(seemyrecipeonpage270)foranantioxidant punch. Cacao powder can be used in a smoothie (try my Raspberry ChocolateCheesecake Smoothie on page 162), or you can get creative and make your own chocolatealmondmilksweetenedwithsteviaorcoconutsugarbyadding2–3tbsprawcacaopowdertotherecipeonpage170.

JOYOUSFACTSABOUTRAWCACAOChock-full of antioxidants. Cacao powder is one of the richest sources of antioxidants found innature.Therearemoreantioxidantflavonoidsincacaothaninredwineorgreentea.

Nutrient-dense.Rawcacaoisrichinmagnesium,andmanyresearchersspeculatethatthisiswhywomencravechocolateduringPMS.Rawcacaoalsocontainsotheressentialminerals,amongthemcalcium,zinc,iron,copper,sulfurandpotassium.

Mood-andenergy-boostingnaturallyoccurringchemicals.Allrawcacaoproductscontaintheuniquealkaloidchemicalstheobromine,phenylethylamineandanandamine.

SpirulinaSpirulina is a blue-green algae that is rich in protein, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.Spirulinaisoftenconsideredoneofthemostnutritiousfoodsavailable.

JOYOUSFACTSABOUTSPIRULINAComplete protein. By weight, spirulina contains 60 to 70 percent protein. Just like hemp andquinoa,itisasourceofcompleteprotein.

Balancesbloodsugar.Becauseof itshigh levelofprotein, spirulinacanhelp to stabilizebloodsugarwhenitisusedasasupplementbetweenmealsandcanhelptoreducesugarfluctuationsintype2diabetesandinthosewithhypoglycemia.

ContainsenergizingBvitamins.SpirulinaisagoodsourceofvitaminsB1,B2,B3,B6andB9(folicacid).ManycompaniesclaimthatspirulinaisasourceofvitaminB12,but this typeofB12 inspirulinaisinactiveinthehumanbody,soothersourcesorsupplementationisstillrequired.

Blood-building and detoxifying. Chlorophyll is what gives spirulina its gorgeous green color.Interestingly, chlorophyll strongly resembles the human hemoglobin molecule—the one thatcarriesoxygeninthebloodstream—soit’snotsurprisingthatchlorophyllisnourishingfortheredbloodcells.It’salsoapotentdetoxifier:itspeedsthereleaseoftoxinsfromthebloodstreambybindingwiththosetoxinsintheintestines.

Howtoenjoyit:Spirulinaisnotafoodthatyoueatonitsownbecauseit’snotverytasty.Oneofmyfavoritegreenssuperfoodpowders,Greens+ObyGenuineHealth,contains1450mgofspirulinaperscoop,withavarietyofothernutrientsandsteviatosweetenit.Thebestwaytoeatspirulinaisbyaddingittoyogurtorasmoothie.Youcansimplymixitwithwaterifyouwish.Ievenknowsomerawveganchefswhomakecheesecake(nocheese,obviously)withit.

EataRainbowofColorsWhenitcomestothefoodweeat,colorisacueforjoyoushealth.That’sbecausemanyofthepigmentsthatfruitsandvegetablesgettheirvibrantcolorfromareconsideredphytonutrients—natural chemicals found in plants. Different colors offer up different phytonutrients with avarietyofhealthbenefits.Science proves this. A study from Colorado State University found that subjects who ate

severaldifferentphytonutrientsfromawidevarietyoffruitsandvegetablesexperiencedlowerlevelsofDNAoxidation (an indicationof free-radicaldamage)comparedwith thosewhoatelarger amounts of only a handful of plant foods and, therefore, a more limited spectrum ofantioxidants.Fillyourgrocerycartwitharainbowofcheerycolors,becausethemorediverse,thebetter.Oneofmyfirstclients,Amanda,toldmeshehadthehealthiestdietandyetwasplaguedwith

health issues, specifically low energy and digestive problems. When I reviewed her foodjournal,Ifoundthatshehadbeeneatingtheexactsamefoodsforseveralyears.Everydaysheateblueberriesontopofaprocessedcerealforbreakfast,trailmixforasnack,tunaonawholewheatwrapforlunch,andfordinnershealwayshadasmoothiewithsomeofthesuperfoodslistedabove,butshewaseatingthesamefoodseveryday.Herdietlackedvariety,andthiswas

whyshehadhealthproblemsinadditiontofoodsensitivitiescausedbyeatingthesamefoodsdayafterday.Onceshegotsomemorecolorsandvarietyintoherdiet,hersymptomsvanished.Sovarywhatyoueat!

BLUE Blue-colored fruits and vegetables such as blueberries, grapes, black currants,blackberriesandredcabbageareasourceofanthocyanins.Thesedark-tintedfoodsmayprotectthebrainfromfreeradicalsandimprovebrainfunction,includingmemory.

REDRed-huedfoodssuchaspinkandredgrapefruit, tomatoes(especially tomatopaste)andwatermeloncontainlycopene,thepowerfulpigmentandcarotenoidthathasgainedattentionforitscancer-fightingability.

ORANGE/YELLOWOrange-andyellow-fleshedvegetablesandfruitssuchassweetpotatoes,carrots,winter squashandapricots are fullof the carotenoidantioxidantbeta-carotene.Manystudiesshowthatthesecolorpigmentsreducetheriskofcardiovasculardiseasebecauseoftheirability to protect cells from damage caused by free radicals. These orange pigments alsoenhancetheimmunesystemandprotectyourskin.

GREEN Green vegetables such as spinach, kale and Swiss chard provide a healthy dose ofluteinandzeaxanthin,adynamicantioxidantduoshowntobolstereyeandhearthealth.

Keep inmind thatyouarenot limited to just the superfoods I’vehighlightedhere.Thereareplentymore out there! In fact, I could probablywrite an entire book just on the benefits ofvarioussuperfoods.Othernotablesuperfoodsinclude:

•apples•avocados•acaipowder•beansandlentils•broccoli•Brusselssprouts•camucamupowder•cauliflower•cranberries(dried)

•extra-virginoliveoil•fattyfish:salmonandsardines•fermentedfoods:sauerkraut,kefirandkombucha•flaxseeds•grapes•greentea•macaroot• plant-based protein powders such as Genuine Health Vegan Proteins+ and Sunwarriorbrand

•rooibostea•rootvegetablessuchascarrots,beetsandparsnips•sachainchiseeds•walnuts•whitetea

AvoidingPesticidesinFruitsandVegetablesThefollowing listwas revisedby theEnvironmentalWorkingGroup in2013basedonforty-threethousandteststoassessthelevelofpesticidesfoundonfruitsandvegetables.The“DirtyDozen”liststhefruitsandvegetablesfoundtohavethehighestlevelsofpesticideresidue.Thelistwas expandedwith a “Plus” category in2012 to include twocrops—summer squashandleafygreens(kaleandcollardgreens).Iliketorefertoitasthe“Filthy14.”

DirtyDozenPlusThese foods are listed from highest level of pesticides to lowest. Keep inmind that despitesweetbellpeppersbeingnumber12,that’sstillhighcomparedwiththeproduceonthe“Clean15.”

1.apples2.celery3.cherrytomatoes4.cucumbers5.grapes6.hotpeppers7.nectarines(imported)8.peaches9.potatoes10.spinach11.strawberries

12.sweetbellpeppersPlus:kaleandcollardgreens;summersquash(zucchini)Source:EnvironmentalWorkingGroup,www.ewg.org/foodnews.

In government tests analyzed by the Environmental Working Group, 68 percent of foodsamples had detectable pesticide residues evenafter they had beenwashed or peeled.Whilewashingwillremovesomepesticides,clearlyit’snotenough.Plusthepeelcontainsmostofthenutrients,sopeelinganapple,forexample,isawasteofmoneyandvaluablenutrition.YoucansubstantiallyloweryourpesticideexposurebypurchasingorganicversionsoftheDirtyDozenfoods.Thegoodnews!HereistheEnvironmentalWorkingGroup’slistofthefruitsandvegetables,

calledthe“Clean15,”foundtohavethelowestlevelsofpesticides.Thesearesafetoeatnon-organic.

Clean151.asparagus2.avocados3.cabbage4.cantaloupe5.sweetcorn6.eggplant7.grapefruit8.kiwifruit9.mangoes10.mushrooms11.onions12.papayas13.pineapples14.sweetpeas(frozen)15.sweetpotatoes

Source:EnvironmentalWorkingGroup,www.ewg.org/foodnews.

5Super-JoyousLifestyleHabitsThisbookwouldnotbecomplete if I didnot includea sectionon lifestylehabits for joyoushealth.Fromaholisticperspective,it’snotjustaboutwhatyoueat;it’salsoabouthowyouliveyour life, the thoughtsyou thinkandhowoftenyoumoveyourbeautifulbodyandengage inactivities that promote balance and keep stress levels in check. These are my toprecommendationstohelpyouachieveandmaintainjoyoushealth.

1.GetaDailyDoseofVitaminG

Myparentsliveinaveryruralarea—orasIusuallycallit,thesticks.WheneverIspendtimeattheir home surroundedbynature, I feel incredibly relaxed and rejuvenated.This is thanks tovitaminG,otherwiseknownasgreenspace.Getthenaturevitamin,vitaminG,asoftenasyoupossiblycan.Theterm“vitaminG”wasusedbytheauthorsofYourBrainonNature,Dr.EvaSelhuband

naturopath Dr. Alan Logan, in relation to something they called ecotherapy—a belief thatpatient care should include time spent outdoors. I know you probably don’t need a study toconvinceyouthatgreenspacemakesyoufeeljoyous,butforthescience-minded,here’sjustoneexample(oftheproof)fromthebook.Researcher Robert Ulrich evaluated eleven years’ worth of data from a single suburban

Pennsylvaniahospital.Hecollecteddatainvolvingadultswhohadundergoneidenticalsurgeryto remove the gallbladder. The major distinction among the patients was the room theyrecoveredin.Onewinghadwindowswithaviewofaminiforest,whiletheotherwinghadaviewofredbricks.Thosepatientsviewingtheminiforestrequiredlesspotentpainmedicationsandwerefoundtohavesignificantlyshorterhospitalstays,fewerpost-surgicalcomplaintsandfewernegativecommentswrittenintheirchartsbynurses.

FORESTBATHINGNo,thisdoesn’tmeanhikingthroughaforestnaked,butIwon’tholdyoubackfromdoingthataswell!AsexplainedinYourBrainonNature,shinrin-yokuistheconceptof“forestbathing,”whichwas introduced in 1982by theForestAgencyof Japan.Shinrin-yoku studies involvedover a thousand subjects in twenty-four different forest settings. The research found thatspending timeandexercising in a forest settingcandecreasepsychological stress,depressivesymptomsandhostility,aswellasincreasevigorandafeelingofliveliness.Forestbathingwasalsofoundtoresultinareductionincortisol,bloodpressureandpulserate,andanincreaseinimmunesystemfunction.Oneofthereasonsthishappensisthattreesreleasechemicalscalledphytoncides,whichcan

lowertheproductionofstresshormones,reduceanxietyandincreasepaintolerance.Itmaynotalwaysbepossibletobeinnatureeverydayifyouliveinabigcity,butdomake

aneffortatleastonceaweektoforestbatheandgetyourdoseofvitaminG!

2.GettheMusicMineralIlovemusic.Ithelpsmetoexercisemoreintensely,relaxesmewhenI’mstuckintrafficandhasthepowertoliftmyspiritandinspireme.Apparently,I’mnottheonlyonedeeplyaffectedbymusic.AccordingtoresearchersatMcGillUniversity,thebrainisaverymusicalorgan.Just asminerals are essential to brain health, scientists have found that listening tomusic

releasesdopamine,aneurotransmitter in thebrain linked to tangible, reward-relatedpleasuressuch as food, drugs and sex.Music, therefore, is like amineral!A study from theMontrealNeurological Institute and Hospital reveals that even the anticipation of pleasurable musicinducesdopaminerelease.Translation:musicmakesyoufeeljoyous!Music is good for kids, too. A study published in the Journal of Neuroscience in 2013

suggests that musical training before the age of seven has a significant effect on thedevelopmentofthebrain.Studyparticipantswhobegantrainingearlyhadstrongerconnectionsbetweenmotorregions—thepartsofthebrainthathelpyouplanandcarryoutmovements.Youcanlistentomusicanywhere.Ihighlyrecommendadailydoseofthemusicmineral.

3.Hug—ItReleasestheLoveHormoneHugging:yetanotherlifestylehabitthatIprobablydon’tneedtopersuadeyoutodoasoftenaspossible, but perhaps this little factwillmake you hug someone for longer: the average huglastsameaslythreeseconds!Twenty-secondhugs,ontheotherhand,releaseoxytocin,alsoknownastheloveandbonding

hormone,accordingtoresearcherDr.HelenFisher.Thisisthesamehormoneamotherreleasesaftergivingbirththathelpsherbondwithherbabyandfacilitatesmilkproduction.Haveyouever wondered why some elderly couples seem more bonded? Oxytocin is also what bindslovers together long after that initial lustful honeymoon phase of a relationship has faded.Oxytocinhasmanyotherhealthbenefits.

•Itcreatesfeelingsofcalmnessasitcounteractsthestresshormonecortisol.•Itestablishesasenseofconnectionandbonding.•Itreducesstress.

•Itincreasesimmunityandhelpstissuesrepair,healandrestorefaster.•Itlowersbloodpressure.•Itprotectsagainstheartdisease.•Itreducescravingsandaddictions.•Iteasesdepression.

Soremember,nexttimeyouhugsomeone,makeitlastatleasttwentyseconds!

4.MakeSleepaPriorityAsmentionedinchapter3,sleep-deprivedpeopleeatmorecarbs,sugarsandunhealthyfoods.Thesleep-deprivedpeopleIseeinmypracticecommonlycomplainoflowenergy,depression,anxietyandaninabilitytoloseweight.Thisisnotsurprisingwhenyouconsiderhowimportantthishealthhabitis.Lackofsleepevenaffectsyourimmunesystem.AstudypublishedintheArchivesofInternal

Medicine in September 2006 found that chronic sleeplessness is linked to an increase incytokine molecules that control immune response. Certain cytokines increase inflammation.Wheninflammationiselevated,youareatagreaterriskofdevelopinganinfection.If youwant to keepyour appetite in check,make sure youget adequate shut-eye.A2004

studyattheUniversityofChicagodiscoveredthatsleeplosscouldreducethebody’sabilitytoregulatehormonesthatcontrolhunger.Lastly, you are less likely to cook your own meals when you’re sleep-deprived. A study

presented at a 2007 conference sponsored by the American Academy of Sleep Medicinesuggestedthatpeoplewhodon’tgetenoughsleeparemorelikelytorelyonrestaurantsandfast-food outlets for some of their meals. Eating fast food can result in nutritional deficiencies,weightgainandotherhealthproblems.The key is to make sleep a priority. The old saying “Sleep when you’re dead” is a bit

misleading,sincealackofsleepcancauseyoutoagefaster.Don’tneglectthisincrediblehabit!It’sfreeandit’sbeautifying,sobesuretogetyourselfaneyemaskandhitthesackforatleastsevenandahalfhoursofsleepeachnightincompletedarkness.

5.PracticeGratefulnessAfewyearsago,IhadaclientnamedEmmawhohiredmeashernutritionistallthewayfromAustralia—we did her sessions on Skype. As you will see on the testimonials page of myJoyousHealthblog,oneofthechangesEmmafocusedoneverydaywasagratefulnessjournal.Shehadincredibleresultsandanoverallimprovementinherhealthandwell-being.Scienceisjustcatchinguptotheconceptofgratitude,butreligionsandancientphilosophers

havelongembracedgratitudeasanintegralcomponentofhealthandwell-being,andyoucanbenefitfromit,too!Author and researcherDr.RobertEmmons, of theUniversityofCalifornia, discovered the

powerofgratitudeduringeightyearsofintensiveresearchonthetopic,whichhewroteaboutinhisbookThanks!HowtheNewScienceofGratitudeCanMakeYouHappier.Emmonsfoundthatpeoplewhoviewlifeasagiftandconsciouslyacquirean“attitudeofgratitude”experiencemultiple advantages, including improved emotional and physical health and strengthened

relationships. “Without gratitude, life can be lonely, depressing and impoverished,” saysEmmons.“Gratitudeenricheshumanlife.Itelevates,energizes,inspiresandtransforms.Peoplearemoved,openedandhumbledthroughexpressionsofgratitude.”Gratefulnessisapowerfulhealer.Isuggestthateverynightbeforebed,youwritedownthree

thingsyouaregratefulfor.Whenyouarefeelingsadorlonely,oryou’vehadabadday,readyour gratefulness journal as a reminder of all the reasons to be grateful. Sharing yourgratefulness is a very joyous thing to do as well. Be sure to let others knowwhen you aregratefulforthem.

CarrotCakeSmoothieOneofmyabsolute favorite treatsgrowingupwascarrotcake (still is!).Thissmoothie,withshreddedcarrotsandspices,tasteslikecarrotcake—butisfarbetterforyou!

Makes1smoothie(about2½cups/625mL)

Vegan

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

JoyousComfort

2Medjooldates,pitted1/4cup(60mL)shreddedcarrots1/4cup(60mL)hempseeds1scoopvanillaproteinpowder1to2tbsp(15to30mL)rawhoney1tsp(5mL)organicpurevanillaextract1tsp(5mL)cinnamon1/2tsp(2mL)nutmeg1/4tsp(1mL)groundcloves1cup(250mL)icewaterCoconutmilk,justenoughtocoverdryingredients

Placeall ingredients inahigh-poweredblenderandblenduntilfullycombined,30to60seconds.

Congratulations!You’vemadeitthroughthefirsthalfofJoyousHealth,andIhopeyouhavegained plenty of delicious knowledge.As the simple but true saying goes, If you have goodfoodinyourfridge,youwilleatgoodfood.Rememberthatcreatingajoyouskitchendoesn’thavetobedoneinoneday.Lettheinformationinthischapterinspireyouandbeaspringboardfromwhichyoutryoutnewthingseachweek.Babystepsarekeytolong-termsustainablechange.Transitionslowlyovertime.Meaning,if

youarecurrentlyeatingmostlyprocessedfoodsandveryfewrawfoods,don’tgofull-forceandstartjuicingeveryday.Suchanall-or-nothingapproachmaysetyouupforfailure.Juicingcanalsoawakenalotoftoxicmatterinthebody,anotherreasonit’sbesttostartoffjustgraduallyincorporatingmorerawfoodsintoyourdietifyoucurrentlyeatmostlycookedandprocessedfoods.Whenyou focuson small changesover time, it’s easier tokeep themomentumgoing and

easiertoincorporateanewchangeeachweek.Itisafarmoresustainableapproach.Iwantyou

tobesuccessful,sointroducechangesatyourownpace.Andrememberthateverybiteisonestepclosertojoyoushealth.Allright,nowit’stimetocreateajoyouskitchen!Youwanttobuildyourkitchenandstock

yourfridgeandpantryaroundtheJoyousHealthFoodPyramid.Thisistrulythehealthiestwayofeating

JoyousHealthFoodPyramidAtthetopofthepyramidarefoodsthatshouldbeconsumedinthesmallestquantities,andatthebottomarefoodsthatshouldbeconsumedinthelargestquantities.

Thesefoodsaremerelyexamples;donotfeellimitedtotheseitems.Seepages118–123foracomprehensivelist.

JoyousTipDrinkup! For amore precisemeasurement of howmuchwater youneedtodrink,divideyourbodyweight(inpounds) inhalf.Youshoulddrinkthatnumberofounceseachday—or,ifyou’remetric,multiplythatnumberby30mL.Forexample, ifyouweigh200pounds,youshoulddrink100ouncesofwater (or12½cups,which is justovereight12-ounceglasses;or3000mLor3L).Ifyouweighcloserto100pounds,youwillneedonlyabout50ouncesofwater(or1500mL),oraboutfour12-ounce glasses daily. Your body will tell you what it needs if youlisten.Check thecolorof yoururine; inmost cases if it’sdark yellowyou’relikelydehydrated,andifit’spaleyellowyou’rewellhydrated.

UsingthePyramidDon’t feel constrained by the JoyousHealth FoodPyramid—instead, let it guide and inspireyou.TherearenearlysevenbillionpeopleonplanetEarthandjustasmanydifferentwaystoeat.Whatmakesonepersonfeelincrediblemaynotbethebestforyou.Iencourageyoutofine-tuneanyplantosuityouruniqueneeds.If you are new to the JoyousHealthway of eating, I recommend you introduce healthier,

fiber-richfoodsslowly.Otherwise,asuddenincreaseofrawveggiesmaymakeyoufeelbloatedandgassy.Yourguttakestimetotoneandadjust.It’sjustlikestartinganewexerciseregimen:youdon’tstartoffdoingfiftypush-upsonyourfirstday;youstartwithfiveortenandgraduallybuildfromthere.If you suffer from any inflammatory bowel disease, you will need to modify the Joyous

Healthplanbecauserawfoodsandhigh-fiberfoodsmayaggravateyourcondition.Consultwithyournaturalhealthcarepractitionerbeforemakingsignificantchangestoyourdiet.

Bekindtoyourself.Transitionslowly.Allowyourbodytimetoadjusttothejoyouswayofeating!

JoyousHealth10-DayMealPlanTherecipesonthismealplanandtheorderinwhichtheyappeararemerelysuggestions.Forexample,youmaysubstituteDay2lunchwithDay6dinner.Interchangejoyousrecipesinthesecondhalfofmybookasyouwish!

Note:Thismealplancouldworkovera1-to2-monthperiodbecauseleftoverscanbeusedoveracoupleofdays.

Servingsizes:Theseareentirelydependentonyourage,sex,levelofactivityandmetabolism.Isuggestyoulistentoyourbodyandfollowthesetipsforguidance.

• Eatwhen you are actually hungry—when you get thatwarm sensation in your belly—ratherthantofilltimeorsatisfyanemotionalhunger.Listentothecuesyourbodygivesyou.

• Eatmindfully.AvoidwatchingTV, using your computer or talking on the phonewhileeating.Formoremindfuleatingtips,seepage6.

•Eatslowly.Chewyourfooduntilit’sapaste.Forexample,ifyouareeatinganapple,chewuntilyoucannottellthedifferencebetweenthefleshandtheskin.

•Eatuntilyouare80percentfull.You’llhaveagoodsenseofthisifyoueatwhenyouareactuallyhungry,asperthefirstpoint.

StockYourKitchenJoyously!Thesearethefoodsyou’llwanttokeeponhandinyourkitchen.Alltheseitemscanbefoundinyourgrocerystoreorhealthfoodstore.

Breads/cereals/pasta:quinoa(black,redand/orwhite),brownrice,millet,amaranth,buckwheat,teff,steel-cutoats.

Manybreadoptionscontainavarietyofgluten-free“grains.”Asforpasta,quinoapastaismypreferredgluten-freepastaforflavor,butmanygluten-freeoptionsareavailable.Makesureyouavoidwhitericeproducts:eventhoughtheyaregluten-free,they’restillajunkfoodandhighly

processed.Ifyoudon’thaveanytroubledigestinggluten,besuretobuyorganic,stone-groundfloursforbakingsuchasspeltandkamut;peopletendtoreacttothemmuchlessthantheydowheat.

Fats and oils: Butter, clarified butter (also known as ghee), extra-virgin olive oil, coconut oil(makesureitsmellslikecoconut),sesameoil,hempoil,flaxseedoilandgrapeseedoilaresomeofmyfavoriteoilstouse.Nearlyallnutsandseedscanbeturnedintooil,sodon’tbesurprisedifyouseemacadamianutoralmondoilatthehealthfoodstore.Justmakesureit’sasminimallyprocessedaspossible.

Alwayschooseorganicwhenyoubuyfatsandoils.Toxinsarefat-soluble,sonon-organicbutteris justabigglobof toxic fat!Besure theoilsyoubuyarecold-pressedand inacanordarkglass bottle to ensure freshness (light and exposure to air can be detrimental to oils). Avoidliquidoilsinplasticbottlesbecausechemicalsintheplasticcanleachintotheoil.

HEATINGOILS

Everwonderwhysomeoilscanbeheatedandotherscannot?Italldependsonthetypeoffatsinaparticularoil.Themoresaturatedfatanoilcontains,themorestableitiswhenexposedtoanyformofenergy,suchasheat,lightoroxygen.Asyouwillseebelow,coconutoilisnearly90percentsaturatedfat,whichmakesit—along with ghee and grapeseed oil—very stable at high heat. Flaxseed and olive oil are primarilymonounsaturatedandpolyunsaturated,meaning theyare lessstableandmoreprone tobreakdownwhenheated.Extra-virginoliveoilshouldnotbeheatedhigher than lowheat,despitewhatyoumayhaveheard.Highheatdestroysallthebeneficialpropertiesoftheoil,includingantioxidants,andturnsitrancid.Thesameistrueformanyvegetableoils,includingsafflowerandsunfloweroil.Neverheathemporflaxseedoil.Sesameoilcanbeheatedonalowtemperature,butbecauseitstasteisverystrong,Idon’tusuallycookwithit.

Source:www.virgintogo.co.uk

Condiments: sea salt or Himalayan rock salt, pepper, organic balsamic vinegar, apple cidervinegar, organic Dijon mustard, raw honey, molasses, pure vanilla extract, hot sauce (nopreservatives),nutritionalyeast(greatasasubstituteforParmesancheese)

Spices/herbs: freshginger,garlic,oregano,basil, thyme, rosemary, turmeric (orcurrypowder),cayenne,cinnamon,cloves,allspice,nutmeg(mypersonalfavorites,butthelistisendless)

Choosefreshherbsasoftenaspossible.Notethatpackageddriedspicesmaycontaingluten.

Tea:green,white,rooibos,chamomile,peppermint

The sky is the limit! Some teas enhance detoxification, so start slowly with these ones:dandelion,burdockroot,milkthistleandginger.Manybrandscontainacombinationofherbs,meaningteawithtwoormoredetoxifyingherbs.

Nuts and seeds: walnuts, pecans, almonds, brazil nuts, macadamia nuts, cashews, chia seeds,flaxseeds,pumpkinseeds,sesameseeds,sunflowerseeds

Buy only whole, raw and unroasted nuts with no added salt. Nut and seed butters are alsoavailable.Keepallyournutsandseeds(andbutters)inthefridgeorfreezer,astheygrowmoldveryquicklyandthefatsturnrancidatafasterratewhenstoredatroomtemperature.Peanutsareheavilysprayedandcanhavehighlevelsofmold,evenwhenorganic.Theyalsotendtobeacommonfoodsensitivityandallergen.Even ifyouhavenoproblemswithpeanutbutter,youshouldstilleatpeanutproductsinmoderation.

JoyousTipIncreasethedigestibilityofyournuts.Soakyournutsinwaterfor3to4hoursorovernightbeforeeating.Thismakesthemmoredigestible

becauseitremovestheenzymeinhibitors.

Driedfruit:figs,dates,prunes,cranberries,raisins,apricots,apples

Alwayseatdriedfruitinmoderationandmakesureit’slabeled“sulfite-free”(seepage73).Buydried fruit inbulk tokeep costsdownandalways combine itwith anutor seed to lower itsglycemicindex(andkeepyourbloodsugarincheck).

FruitsandvegetablesKeepyourfridgestockedfulloffreshproduceeachweek.Keepfrozenberriesonhandsoyoucan always make a smoothie, and keep frozen vegetables for a last-minute dinner option.Choose fresh fruits andvegetables that are in seasonasoftenaspossible andgo forbrightlycoloredfruitsandvegetables(refertothecolorchartonpage103).Andremembertomixitup!Don’tbuythesameproduceweekafterweek.

Seaweeds:arame,dulse,hijiki,kombu,nori,wakame

Iloveusinganorisheetasawrapandstuffingitwithquinoa,spicesandvegetables.

Animalprotein:wholeorganiceggs,fish,chicken,quail,Cornishhen,turkey,grass-fedmeat(e.g.,beef,bison,lamb,wildgame)

JoyousTipCan’teateggs?Here’smyfavoriteeggreplacementforbaking:2tbsp(30mL)sproutedflaxandchia+1/3cup(75mL)water=1egg.Letthemixturesitforafewminutestobecomegelatinous.

Vegetarian protein: organic tempeh (fermented tofu), hemp seeds, chia seeds, sprouts (anysprouted bean, e.g., mung), quinoa, nuts and seeds (preferably soaked before eating), plant-basedproteinpowders,beansandlegumes(chickpeas,lentils,mungbeans,whitebeans,blackbeans andnavybeans are the easiest todigest).Don’t forget aboutgreenvegetables! In fact,watercressis84percentproteinandspirulinais60percentprotein.

CheeseExercisecautionwithcheese.Theproteincalledcaseinincheeseisacommonfoodsensitivity,andalittlegoesalongway.Besuretobuyorganicandrawwhenavailable.GoatcheesetendstobemoredigestiblethanhardcheesessuchascheddarandSwiss.Whenmissingagoodfatintheir diet,many peoplewill naturally crave cheese.Avocado is awonderful replacement foryour cheese habit, and a few slices of this buttery fruit are a nice way to change up yoursandwich.

CannedfoodsKeep canned food consumption at an absolute minimum. As mentioned on page 75, many

canned foodscontainbisphenolA,which isahormonedisruptor.SomebrandsareBPA-free,andyoumaychoosetousethosecannedbeansforsomerecipes.

SweetsSweeten your food naturally. For baking, try organic unsweetened applesauce,molasses, realmaplesyrup,rawhoney,yaconsyrup,coconutsugarorcoconutnectar.Forsweeteningdrinks,trystevia(anherbalsweetener)inliquidorpowderform.Somespicesnaturallysweeten,suchascinnamon,clovesandnutmeg.Butdon’tgocrazywithanyofthesesweeteners.Moderationiskey!

Cow’smilkalternatives:almond(seerecipeonpage170),brownrice,coconut(seerecipeonpage168),hemp(seerecipeonpage170),quinoa,oatandflaxseedmilks

Fancy superfoods (if budget allows): acai powder, camu camu powder, greens powder, gojiberries,rawcacao,beepollen,kombucha,mulberries,maca

Fermented foods: kombucha, kimchi, kefir (provided no sensitivities are present), sauerkraut,miso,tempeh,applecidervinegar

Thesefoodsarehighingoodbacteriaandthereforebeneficialfordigestionandimmunity.

WaterAtthebareminimum,abasiccarbonfilterwill removemostof thechlorineandsomeof theheavymetalsfromyourwater.Ifbudgetallows,thebestchoiceisareverseosmosisfilterwithanattachmentthatalkalinizesthewater.Avoidbottledwaterandplaintapwaterifpossible.Toaddmoreziptoyourwater,makethelimeadeonpage168.

NotesonIngredientsTomakeyourrecipesextrajoyous,herearesomeingredientsuggestions.

Baking soda and baking powder:Look for aluminum-freebrands. If youwantyour recipe tobetrulygluten-free,makesureitalsostatesthisonthelabel.

Sugars:Themost common sugars youwill see inmy recipes are coconut andSucanat sugar.Large grocery stores that have a health food section often stock these sugars. They are lessrefinedandcontainmorenutrientsthanregularwhitegranularorbrownsugar.Butremember,attheendofthedaysugarissugar,souseitmoderately,assuggestedintherecipes.

Chooseorganicwheneverpossiblefortheseingredients:

•Allanimalfoodssuchaseggs,chicken,turkey,goatcheese•DirtyDozen(page105)•Allfatsandoilssuchascoconutoil,oliveoil,butter

TipsforJoyousShoppingonaBudgetBuyingwhole,organicfoodscanmakeyourgrocerybilla littlehigher,butkeepinmindthatit’sbetterforyouandMamaEarth.Herearesometipstohelpyoubeasavvyshopper,andyoucanusethesuggestedmealplanonpage116.

Writeoutaweeklymenuandagrocerylist.Shopaccordingtothemealsyouaremakingduringtheweek.Thiswillalsohelppreventcreepycrawlies(i.e.,mold)fromgrowinginyourfridge.TheaverageNorthAmericanwastes 40 percent of their groceries because they rot in the fridge!That’snotaveryjoyousthingtodotoavocadosandkale.

Look for coupons and specials. There are often specials that can be downloaded from a store’swebsitebeforeyougothere.Thenyoucanstockuponnon-perishablefoodsor,forexample,ifyourfavoritefreshberryisonsale,youcanbuyextraandfreezethem.

Practice Meatless Monday. Organic meat as your main dish costs a heck of a lot more than avegetarianmeal.Youwillbeamazedathowmuchloweryourgrocerybillsareifyoueatmoreplant-basedfoods.Startoutbychoosingonedayoftheweek,suchasMonday,togomeatless,

meaningnoanimalfoodsforthewholeday.

Shopseasonally. In-season foodsaremorenutrient-denseand tastier!Rather thanbuyinghard,flavorlessstrawberriesinthedeadofwinter,buythemwhentheyareinseason.Itmakessensetoeatthisway,justasourancestorsdid.

Remember theDirtyDozenand theClean15 (page105).Several fruitsandvegetablesareknowntohave very low pesticide residue, so it’s not necessary to purchase these foods organic. As abonus,youmaynoticethatwhenafoodisinseason,theorganicversionisoftenthesamepriceastheconventional,sometimescheaper.

Buyinbulk—it’scheaper.Youcanpurchasegrains,pastas,driedfruits,nutsandfloursinthebulkaislesofyourgroceryornaturalfoodstore.Whenfreshfruitsorvegetablesthatcaneasilybefrozenareinseason,suchasberries,greenbeansandpeas,buyextraandfreezethem.

InvestinaCommunitySupportedAgricultureprogram.Theseprogramsallowyoutoregularlyenjoyashareof a local farm’sharvestby receivingaweeklyboxof fresh fruits andvegetables.Notonly are you supporting a local farm, but inmost cases you’re also getting organic producethat’sfresherthananythingyou’llfindinastore.Yum!

Brown-bag (orbetter yet, glass-container) your lunchwith leftovers from lastnight’sdinner. Inormallycookextraatdinnerandeatleftoversforlunchthenextday.

GiveYourKitchenaMakeoverChooseonedayinthenextweekorsotodoakitchenmakeover.Usethischartasaguidetostockingyourkitchenmorehealthfully.

InsteadofThis,EatThis:HaveaHealthySubstitution

INSTEADOFTHIS… HAVEAHEALTHIEROPTION! WHY?

Ketchup Salsa; hot sauce; chop up avocado, tomatoandredonionwithlimejuiceforaquicksalsa Ketchupismostlyrefinedsugar.

Prepared saladdressing

Combine olive oil and balsamic vinegar, ormix tahini, tamari, fresh ginger, lemon juice(orlemonjuicemixedwithhempseedoiland3dropsstevia).Seerecipessectionformoreideas.

Contains sugar, sodium, preservatives,possiblyartificialsweetenersand flavoringagents.

Sauces (e.g.,marinades,prepared stir-frysauces)

Fresh herbs, garlic, spices, Dijon mustard,lemon,balsamicvinegar,tamari

Contain sugar, sodium, flavor enhancerslikeMSG,additivessuchasfoodcoloring.

FrozendinnersCookontheweekendandfreezeleftoverstoenjoythroughouttheweek.

High insodium;very littlenutritionalvalueduetofoodprocessing.Excesssugarandadditivesareoftenaddedforflavor.

Cerealbars Choose loose granola andmix it with driedfruit.MaketheTrailMixonpage215.

Most cereals bars are full of sugar andpreservatives with very few “whole”ingredients.

Take-out orfrozenpizza

Makeyourownandtopwithfreshingredientson a whole-wheat or gluten-free brown ricecrust.Trythepizzarecipeonpage246.

Contains trans fats and sodium, highglycemic index (crust high in sugar);nutrient-deadfood.

Whitepasta

Whole wheat, kamut, spelt, buckwheat,brown rice, quinoa. Watch out for spinachpasta. It’s just white pasta with spinach orfoodcoloringaddedforcolor.

Highlyrefinedfood,strippedofBvitamins,essentialfattyacids,antioxidants;haslittleto no fiber. Many synthetic nutrients areaddedbackintowhitepastabylaw.Thisiswhy you see B vitamins listed in theingredientsofmostwhitepasta.

Take-outsandwiches/subs

Brown-bag your lunch. Choose a whole-wheatwrap, loaditupwithveggiesandrealchicken (no luncheon meats), add hummusoravocado.

Fakemeatscontainnitratesandotherfoodadditives.Excesscaloriesfromsaucesandchemicals.

Flavored cannedtuna

Plain tuna or wild salmon—limit to once aweek.

Can be high in mercury and sodium;artificialflavoring.

Store-boughtmuffins, cookies,croissants

Natural almond butter on toast or on applewithcinnamon,homemademuffins

Containstransfatsandexcessiveamountsofrefinedsugar;veryprocessedjunkfood.

Ice cream,frozen yogurt,other frozentreats

Make a dessert smoothie and add ice tomake itcold (seepages162,164and165);makepopsicles(pages257and258);freezegrapes or blueberries. You can also makeyourownicecream,frozenyogurtandgelatoveryeasilywithpureingredients.

Contain refined sugar and additives suchasartificialflavorsandcolors.

Canned ordehydratedsoups

SoupsinglassjarsTypically very high in sodium; lacknutritional value; possible BPAcontamination.

Hydrogenatedpeanutbutter

Natural nut butters: almond, sunflower,pumpkin,hempseed

High in sugar; very little nutritional value;often contains trans fat; processed junkfood.

Cow’smilk Nutmilks:oat,almond,hemp,brownrice Seepage66.

Microwavepopcorn

Air-poppedorstove-top-poppedorganiccornwithorganicbutter,seasaltandblackpepper

Harmful chemicals in lining of bag(includingcarcinogenicPFOA);fakebutter;mostlyGMOcorn.

Candy,processedchocolate

Dark,organicfair-tradechocolateContains sugar, sodium, preservatives.Dark chocolate is a superfood high inantioxidants.

Liquid oils inplastic Oilsincansordarkglassbottles Chemicals in plastic can leach into oil;

manyoftheseoilsarerancid.

containers

Frenchfries RoastedsweetpotatoesAcrylamide, labeled a “probably humancarcinogen,” forms naturally during thecookingoffries.

Potatochips Kalechips(seepages206and208) Fullofsalt,preservatives,artificialflavoringandcoloring.

Pop Make the limeade on page 168 or make afreshjuice.

Very high in phosphorus; loaded withsugar.

Orangejuice Chooseoneofthejuicerecipesonpage174.

Even though there may be no “addedsugar,” these juices rapidly spike bloodsugar; pasteurization removes all thenutrients.

MayonnaiseMake your own or use one of the saladdressing recipes on page193 as a healthy,delicioussubstitute.

Store-bought mayonnaise is a processedfoodwithmanyadditives.

Margarine Butter,ghee,oliveoil

The plastic of the food industry. I do notconsider thisa real food.Oneof themosthighly processed foods on the markettoday.

JoyousToolsfortheKitchenStockyourkitchenwiththesetoolsforthemostjoyouscookingexperience.

BlenderAgood-qualityblenderisveryhandyinthekitchenbecauseithassuchawidevarietyofuses,makingeverythingfromsmoothies,puréedsoupsandnutbutterstohummusandpesto.Abroadrangeisavailable,fromtheMercedes-Benzofblenders—theVitamix($500+)—tothebudget-friendlyVolkswagen—Breville(under$500).IstartedoutwithaBrevilleandhaveuseditforyears,buttheVitamixisaprettysweetmachine.Thedifferencebetweenhigh-endblendersandbudget-friendly options is usually the wattage (power) and a few extra bells and whistles.Blending in a Vitamix will be much quicker and more efficient than in some of the lessexpensiveoptions.Eitherway,ablenderisessentialforajoyous,healthykitchen.

JuicerRegularly drinking fresh fruit and veggie juices is an amazingway to detoxify the liver andcleanse the colon (otherwise known as beautifying from the inside out)!There are twomaintypesofjuicersIrecommend:centrifugaljuicersandslowuprightjuicers.Thereisnoonerightjuicerforeveryonebecausechoosingtherightjuicerdependsentirelyonyourbudgetandwhattypesoffruitsandvegetablesyouplanonjuicing.

Centrifugaljuicer:$150to$350Thisisthemostbudget-friendlyjuicerandit’sperfectforthosewhodonotwanttojuicelotsofleafygreens,wheatgrassorfreshherbs.It’sgreatforfoodswithalargesurfacearea

tojuice—apples,pears,beets,celery,carrotsandcitrus.Keepinmindthatthefast-rotatingblade that shreds the produce can destroy some of the nutrients, including enzymes.Recommendedbrand:Breville.

Slowjuicer:$350to$550This is themostversatile juiceron themarketbecause itwill juiceany typeofproduce,fromhardest to softest,andany leafygreen—hurray!Themaindifference is thata slowjuicer first crushes the food, then presses it to produce the highest juice yield possiblewhile keeping the enzymes and nutrients intact. Bonus: its design takes up much lesscounterspace.Recommendedbrands:Hurom,Breville.

Nomatterwhich juicer you purchase, youwill be amazed at howmuch better fresh juicetastes.Plus,it’shigherinnaturallyoccurringnutrientsthancommercialjuice,whosenutrientsareaddedafterit’sbeenpasteurized.

ElectricMixerIf you love to bake, then a standmixer like the KitchenAid ($500+) will seem heaven-sentbecauseitmixesyouringredientssoevenly.It’sallaboutwattagewhenitcomestochoosingagood-qualitymixer—themorepower,thebetter.Havingavarietyofspeeds,asopposedtojustfastandslow,allowsyoutocreateawiderangeofbakedgoodsjustlikeapastrychef!Plusitlooksprettyonyourcounter.Ifyoudon’tbakealot,thenahandmixerwilldojustfineandbefareasieronyourwallet,at

under$100.

FoodProcessorEventhoughagood-qualityblendercandomanyofthejobsofafoodprocessor,theadvantageof a food processor is that you can make smaller batches with ease. I suggest a mini foodprocessor(capacity3to4cups/750mLto1L)forsmallerbatchesofrecipesandalargeone(7to20cups/1.75to5L)forbiggerjobs.Iusemyminiprocessornearlyeverysingleday!IlovemakingkalepestoinmyminiprocessorandtheSexyMacaBalls(page261)inmylargeone.Aminifoodprocessorcancostaslittleas$40andalargeonecanbeasmuchas$1000,thoughyoudon’thavetospendthatmuch.Youcangetadecentlargefoodprocessorfor$350to$500.Recommendedbrands:Cuisinart,KitchenAid,Breville.

SlicingandDicingToolsWhenIwastakingculinaryartscoursesatGeorgeBrownCollegeinToronto,oneofthebestpieces of advice I receivedwas to stock your kitchenwith really good quality knives and amandoline.Ihighlyencourageyoutomakemanyof therecipes in thisbook,sohavinggoodknivesandamandolinewillcomeinhandy.Isuggestyouusealargewoodencuttingboard—yetanotherkitchenessential!Cuttingonaglassormarblecuttingboardcanseriouslydullyourknives.Asetofgood-qualityknivescanbe foundforagoodprice (a fewhundreddollarsorless)atWinners.Asforamandoline,youcanspendanywherefrom$25to$150.

FoodStorage:GlassContainersandMasonJarsPlease,Ibegyou,donotstoreyourfoodinplasticcontainers!EvenifyourplasticisBPA-free,it can still leach chemicals into your food. When you take the time to make good-qualitynutrient-densefood,youdon’twanttoruinitbystoringitinplastic.Masonjarsaremyfavorite

storage itemfor liquids suchasalmondmilkor soups. I also love taking themon thego if Imakeasmoothie for the road.As for storing leftovers,getyourselfapackageofeight to tendifferent-sizedglassorstainlesssteelcontainerswithlids.Ioftenseethemonsaleathardwarestores,soyoucangetawiderangeofsizesforunder$30.Stainlesssteel foodcontainersarekid-friendlybecausetheywon’tbreakandaremuchlightertocarryaround.

JoyousTipSkipthemicrowave:Pleasedon’tirradiateyourfoodbyheatingitinamicrowave. A study published in the Journal of the Science of FoodandAgriculturein2003foundthatbroccolimicrowavedinwaterlostupto 97 percent of its nutrients, including beneficial flavonoids, somephenoliccompoundsandglucosinolates.Besure toeatplentyof rawfoods,asanytypeofcookingleadstosomedegreeofnutrientloss.Ifyouneed toheatsomething,heat iton thestovetop,orheat it in themorningandplaceitinathermosthatwillkeepitwarmforhours.Itwilltastefarbetter!

OTHERJOYOUSKITCHENESSENTIALSNutbag: thismakes creatingnutmilk somucheasier and allowsyou to strain themilk awayfromthegritwithease.

Citruszester:forsaladdressingsandsauces.

Lemonjuicer:perfectforyourmorningwaterwithlemonjuice.

Vegetablepeeler:youshouldleavethepeelonmostfruitsandvegetablesbecausethatiswheremostofthenutrientsarecontained,butavegetablepeelerisgreatformakingthick,flatnoodlesoutofzucchini—ajoyousalternativetowholewheatpasta.

Cheesegrater(largeandsmall):thiscomesinhandyforshreddingcabbage,carrots,beetsorevenfreshgingerandisalow-budgetalternativetoafoodprocessor.

Garlicpress:Iusuallychopgarlic,butwhenarecipecallsforminced,it’shandytohaveapressonhand.

Coffeegrinder:veryhandyforgrindingspicesandflaxseeds.

Measuringcupsandspoons:choosemetal,ceramicorglass.

Therighttoolsareonlyhalftheformulaformakingamealjoyous.Alwaysremembertoputloveandgood

intentionsintoeverythingyoucreate!

Colander:awirecolandercanreplaceanutbagwhenmakingnutmilk.

Potsandpans:avoidTeflonandothernon-sticksurfacesbecausemanyofthesecoatingscontaincarcinogenicchemicals.Choosestainlesssteelorcastiron(enameledornot)instead.

Grillpanorelectricindoorgrill:wonderfulforafast,healthymealofgrilledfishorveggies.

Bakingdishes: twoor threeat least, sizedfroma loafpan toa lasagnapan.Amuffinpanwillcomeinhandytoo!

Stainlesssteel,ceramicorglassmixingbowls.

Woodenspoons.

Largeandsmallspatulas.

BREAKFAST

SMOOTHIES,SIPSANDJUICES

SOUPS

SALADSANDSNACKS

MAINSANDSIDES

DESSERTS

Detox

Dairy-free

Vegan(noanimalproducts)

Vegetarian(mayincludeeggsordairy)

Gluten-free

JoyousComfort(comfortfood)

Raw(Definedasfoodnotheatedabove118°F/48°C.Ifyou’refollowingastrictrawfooddiet,lookforrawsubstitutesforingredientsliketamarisauceandvanillaextract.)

MexicanToast

HowtoMakePerfectQuinoa

ApricotOatGranolaMuffins

GojiBerryGloryMuffins

QuinoaBerryBowl

AppleWalnutSproutedFrenchToast

BlueberrySpeltPancakeswithCoconutButter

CoconutFlourBananaPancakes

MapleBananaGrilledSandwich

AvocadoKaleTartine

ChocolateProteinSquares

OvernightStrawberryChiaPudding

MexicanToastTheflavorsinthisquickbreakfastorsnackremindmeofmytravelsinMexico.Ioftenmakeasmallerversionwithbrownricecrackersasamid-afternoonpowersnack.

Serves1

Vegan

Dairy-free

2sliceswhole-grainorgluten-freebread1tsp(5mL)extra-virginoliveoil3/4ripeavocado,peeledandsliced1smalltomato,sliced1/4cup(60mL)hempseedsPinchofcayennepepperSquirtoflimejuice

Toast bread. Drizzle toast with oil. Top with avocado slices, tomato slices and hemp seeds.Sprinklewithcayenneandsquirtwithlimejuice.

HowtoMakePerfectQuinoaManypeoplehavetoldmetheyhavetroublegettingtheirquinoafluffyandperfectlycooked,soI’mgoingtotellyouexactlyhowtodoit.Ialwaysbuypre-washedquinoabecausethebittersaponinshavealreadybeenremoved.Ifyourquinoaisnotpre-washed,youneedtorinseitatleasttwicebeforecookingandthenonceaftercooking;otherwiseitcanbebitter.Somepeoplefindevenpre-washedquinoacantastebitter,sorinseitanywayifthatisyourpreference.

Makesabout2½cups(625mL)

Vegan

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

2cups(500mL)filteredwater(orvegetableorchickenstockformoreflavor)1cup(250mL)dryquinoa

Inamediumsaucepan,bringwaterandquinoatoaboil.Reduceheattolow,partlycoverandsimmer,stirringoccasionally,for15minutesoruntilquinoahasafluffytextureandtheouterringhasseparatedfromtheseed.Removefromheatandfluffwithafork.Youcankeepquinoarefrigerated in a glass storage container for up to 4 days. Now you’re ready for theQuinoaBerryBowlonpage142.

ApricotOatGranolaMuffinsThesegrab-and-gomuffinsareperfectforbusymorningswhenyouneedsomethingtastyinahurry.Theyareheartyenoughtofill thehungergapforafewhours,especially ifyouslatherthemwithsomealmondbutter.

Makes12muffins

Vegetarian

Dairy-free

1½cups(375mL)quick-cookingrolledoats(notinstant)1/2cup(125mL)almondflour1/4cup(60mL)wheatgerm1/2cup(125mL)driedcranberries1/2cup(125mL)driedapricots,chopped1/2cup(125mL)pecansorwalnuts,chopped

1/4cup(60mL)sunflowerseedsGratedzestof2oranges1tsp(5mL)cinnamon1/2tsp(2mL)groundginger1largeegg2/3cup(150mL)realmaplesyrup1/4cup(60mL)coconutoil,melted1tsp(5mL)purevanillaextract

Preheatovento350°F(180°C).Greaseamuffinpanorlinewithpaperliners.

In a large bowl, stir together oats, almond flour, wheat germ, cranberries, apricots, pecans,sunflowerseeds,orangezest,cinnamonandginger.Inaseparatebowl,lightlybeategg;stirinmaplesyrup,oilandvanilla.Addwetingredientstodryingredientsandstiruntileverythingismoist.

Dividebatteramongmuffincupsandpackdowntightlywiththebackofaspoonsotheystaytogetherafterbaking.Bakefor20minutesoruntiledgesbegintobrown.Letcoolforseveralminutesbeforeremovingfrompan.

GojiBerryGloryMuffinsThe spicy sweetness from the cinnamon and ginger will light up your taste buds, and thenourishing ingredientswillkeepyourbellysatisfied. I’veenjoyed thismuffincountless timesjustbeforeayogaclass.It’sjustenoughtofillthehungergap,butnottoomuchtoweighyoudown.

Makes12muffins

Vegetarian

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

1/2cup(125mL)gojiberries(orraisinsordriedcranberries)1cup(250mL)brownriceflour1cup(250mL)almondflour1cup(250mL)Sucanatorcoconutsugar2tsp(10mL)bakingsoda2tsp(10mL)cinnamon1/2tsp(2mL)groundginger1/2tsp(2mL)salt1apple(unpeeled),coredandfinelychopped2cups(500mL)shreddedcarrots1/2cup(125mL)unsweetenedshreddedcoconut1/2cup(125mL)choppedwalnuts,almondsorpecans1/3cup(75mL)pumpkinseeds3eggs(anysize)2/3cup(150mL)coconutoil,melted,orgrapeseedoil1/4cup(60mL)waterorfreshjuice(orange,apple,pear)2tsp(10mL)purevanillaextract

Covergojiberrieswithlukewarmwaterandletsoakfor30minutesto1hour.Drain.

Preheatovento350°F(180°C).Greaseamuffinpanorlinewithpaperliners.

Inamediumbowl,combinericeflour,almondflour,sugar,bakingsoda,cinnamon,gingerandsalt;mixwell. Inaseparatemediumbowl,combinegojiberries,apple,carrots,coconut,nutsandpumpkinseeds.Inathirdmediumbowl,whisktheeggswiththeoil,waterandvanilla.

Addeggmixturetofruitandnutmixture;stirwell.Addtoflourmixtureandfolduntilnodryflourisvisible.Donotover-mix.

Dividebatteramongmuffincups.Bakefor20 to25minutesoruntilgoldenbrown.Letcool

slightlybeforeremovingfrompan.

QuinoaBerryBowlDitch the boxed cereals once and for all and indulge in a truly “whole” and “real” breakfastbowlthatwon’tbloatyourbellyandwillkeepyoucompletelysatisfiedforhoursthankstoitsprotein,goodfatandfiber.Ilookforwardtothisbreakfastafteragoodrunorworkout.Thebestthing about this recipe is that you can use whatever ingredients you have on hand, or evenbetter,what’sinseason!Cookyourquinoaaheadoftimeandbreakfastpreparationwillbeevenquicker.

Serves1

Vegetarian

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

JoyousComfort

3/4to1cup(175to250mL)cookedquinoa(dependingonhowhungryyouare)1/2cup(125mL)choppedstrawberries(orblueberries,blackberriesorraspberries)2tbsp(30mL)pumpkinorsunflowerseeds1tbsp(15mL)chiaseeds1tbsp(15mL)realmaplesyrup1tsp(5mL)cinnamon3/4cup(175mL)nutorseedmilksuchasalmondorhempOptional:1tsp(5mL)acaiorcamucamupowderforavitaminCboost

Place quinoa in a cereal bowl and stir in berries, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, maple syrup,cinnamonandacai, ifusing.Pourmilkontop.Giveita little taste testandaddanythingelseyoufeelitneeds.

JoyousTipSeepage137formakingtheperfectquinoa.

AppleWalnutSproutedFrenchToastMostofthetimeIdon’teatwheat.However,thisrecipeisanexceptionbecausesproutedbreadsoffer amuchmore digestible form ofwheat and are higher in protein. It’s become a joyoustraditionformetomakethisrecipeonSundaymorningsformyparentswhenIvisitthematthefarm.Mynephewsandniececallthistraditionpartof“theBigMcCarthyBreakfast.”

Serves4

Vegetarian

Dairy-free

JoyousComfort

6eggs1cup(250mL)nutorseedmilksuchasalmondorhemp1/2tsp(2mL)purevanillaextract

4tbsp(60mL)coconutoil8slicesraisincinnamonbread(IliketheFoodForLifeEzekielbrand)1/2tsp(2mL)cinnamon4apples(unpeeled),coredandthinlysliced1/2cup(125mL)walnuts,coarselychopped2tbsp(30mL)realmaplesyrup

Preheatoventolowestsetting.

Whiskeggsinalargebowl.Whiskinmilkandvanilla.

Inalargeskilletovermediumheat,melthalfthecoconutoil.Dip2or3slicesofbreadintoeggmixture,making sure bread is well coated. Place bread in the pan and sprinkle with a littlecinnamon.Cookfor4to5minutes.Flipover,sprinklewithcinnamonandcookforanotherfewminutes,untilthebottomisgolden.TransferFrenchtoasttoabakingsheetandkeepwarmintheovenwhileyourepeatwiththeremainingbread.

Meanwhile,inanotherskillet,melttheremainingcoconutoilovermediumheat.Sautéapplesuntil tender, 5 to 7 minutes. If the pan starts to get dry, add a little more coconut oil. Addwalnutsandtosswithapples.Removefromheatanddrizzlewithmaplesyrup.

Top French toast with sautéed apples. Drizzle with extra maple syrup if you like. Serveimmediately.

BlueberrySpeltPancakeswithCoconutButterThisfiber-rich,flavorfulbreakfastisanother“BigMcCarthyBreakfast”favorite.SometimesImakeabatchontheweekend,freezethemandthenpoptheminthetoasterduringtheweek—it’slikebrunchonaweekdayinasnap!

Serves4

Vegetarian

Dairy-free

JoyousComfort

1cup(250mL)speltflour1/2cup(125mL)oatbran1tsp(5mL)bakingpowder2cups(500mL)almondmilk

2mediumeggs,beaten1tsp(5mL)purevanillaextract1cup(250mL)freshorfrozenwildblueberries2tbsp(30mL)coconutoil1/4cup(60mL)coconutbutter

In a large bowl, stir together spelt flour, oat bran and baking powder. Add milk, eggs andvanilla;stiruntilwellcombined.Foldinblueberries(besuretothawanddrainexcesswaterifusingfrozenberries).

Meltcoconutoilinalargeskilletovermediumheat.Pourabout1/4cup(60mL)batterintothepanforeachpancake.Cookforafewminutes,untilyouseesoftbubblesformingonthetopandthesidesarejustturninggolden.Flipandcookforafewmoreminutes,untilcookedthrough.Serve immediately with a dollop of coconut butter. Let it slowly melt on top of your hotpancakes.

JoyousTipCoconut butter is so naturally sweet you might not even need realmaplesyrup.MyfavoritebrandisArtisana.Delicious!

CoconutFlourBananaPancakesThesegluten-freepancakesarefluffyandfulfilling.Youwillbepleasantlysurprisedtofindthattheypleaseeventhemostfinickyeaters.Leftoversarefabulouspoppedinthetoasterthenextday.You’llfeelasifyou’rehavingadecadentweekendbrunchonaMondaymorning.

Makes6to8pancakes

Vegetarian

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

4mediumeggs,atroomtemperature11/4cups(300mL)almondmilk1tsp(5mL)purevanillaextract1/2cup(125mL)coconutflour1tsp(5mL)bakingpowder1tbsp(15mL)coconutoil2bananas,slicedabout1/4inch(5mm)thick

Inalargebowl,whiskeggs.Stirin1cup(250mL)ofthemilkandvanilla.Inamediumbowl,whisktogethercoconutflourandbakingpowder.

Adddryingredientstowetingredientsandwhiskjustuntilcombined.Someclumpsofflourareokay.Letstandfor3minutes.Lightlywhiskagainuntilbatter is thickandsmooth,similar tobrowniebatter.Becausecoconutflour isabsorbent,add1/4cup(60mL)morealmondmilk ifnecessary.

Inalargeskilletoronagriddle,meltcoconutoiloverlowtomediumheat.Youmayneedtoaddmorecoconutoilasyougoalong.Pourabout1/4cup(60mL)batterintothepanforeachpancake.Spreadthepancakeslightlyifyourbatteristhick.Place2or3bananaslicesontopofeachpancake.Cookpancakesforafewminutes,until thesidesarestartingtogetgoldenandthetopisformingbubbles.Flipandcookforanother2to3minutes,untilcookedthrough.

JoyousTipCoconutflourisagreatsourceoffiber—infact,amere2tbsp(30mL)has a whopping 6 g of fiber—and it’s highly absorbent. This is whyeatingjusttwopancakesisverysatisfying.

MapleBananaGrilledSandwichThisgrilledsandwichisthebreakfastofchampionswithitsprotein,complexcarbs,goodfats,vitaminsandminerals. Itwillkeepyourbellysatisfieduntil lunchandyourbrainfueledwithlastingenergy.It’sahitwithkidsbecausetheylovethenaturalsweetnessfromthecinnamonandbanana.Youcouldevensneakinafewchiaseedsandtheywon’tevenknow!Thissweetbreakfastsandwichgoesverynicelywithabowlofseasonalfruit.

Serves1

Vegan

Dairy-free

JoyousComfort

2tbsp(30mL)all-naturalsunflowerseedbutteroralmondbutter2slicessproutedwholewheatbread

1banana,sliced1tsp(5mL)cinnamon1tsp(5mL)realmaplesyrupOptional:1tsp(5mL)chiaseeds

Spread sunflower seed butter on one side of each bread slice.Arrange banana slices on top,sprinklewithcinnamonanddrizzlewithmaplesyrup.Sprinklewithchiaseeds, ifusing.Topwiththeothersliceofbread,butteredsidedown.

Heatagrill,skilletorpaninipresstomedium.Cooksandwich,turningonce,untilgolden,3to4minuteseachside.

AvocadoKaleTartineInmyopinion,threeingredientsthatcompleteasavorybreakfastareavocado,kaleandeggs.ImadethisonemorningwhenIwasinthemoodforsomethingwarmandfulfilling.You’llfeel

likeaParisianwiththisopen-facesandwich!

Serves1

Vegetarian

2eggs3tbsp(45mL)filteredwater1tbsp(15mL)coconutoil3kaleleaves,washed,stemsremoved,torninbite-sizepieces2sliceswhole-grainorgluten-freebread1/2ripeavocado,peeledandslicedAfewslicesofcucumberandradishoranycrunchyvegetablesyouhaveonhandforgarnishSeasaltandpepper1tbsp(15mL)extra-virginoliveoilorhempoil

In a small bowl, whisk eggs with filtered water.Melt coconut oil in a medium skillet overmedium heat. Add kale and sauté for a minute. Add eggs and scramble until eggs arecompletelycooked,4to5minutes.Removefromheat.

Meanwhile,toastbread.

Place sliced avocado on 1 slice of toast. Top with kale scramble and any crunchy veggies.Seasonwithseasaltandpepper,addadrizzleofoilandgarnishasdesired.Topwiththeothersliceoftoast.

JoyousTipDon’t be afraid of the whole egg in this recipe. There is a commonmisconception that the egg yolk is somehow less healthful than thewhite.Thiscouldn’tbefurtherfromthetruth.Infact,theyolkcontainsnearlyhalftheproteincontentofthewholeeggandit’sarichsourceofnutrients, containing farmore calcium, vitamin D and folate than thewhite.

ChocolateProteinSquaresChocolateforbreakfast?Ohyes!Theseprotein-packedsquaresofdeliciousnessaretheperfecton-the-gobreakfast.Ioftenbakethemontheweekendandthenfreezetheindividualsquares.I simply grab one and head out the door on a busy weekday. They are also lovely as anafternooncrunchysweetsnack.Thebarsmaycrumbleasyoucutthemandtransferthemtothecookiesheet.Justkeepthecrumblesandusethemasatoppingforyogurt—instanthomemadegranola!

Makesabout20squares

Vegan

Gluten-free

3cups(750mL)rawoats(soakedfor2hourstoincreasedigestibility)orquick-cookingrolledoats(donotsoak)*1cup(250mL)chocolateplant-basedproteinpowder1/2cup(125mL)sunflowerseeds

1/2cup(125mL)unsweetenedshreddedcoconut1/2cup(125mL)darkchocolatechipsorrawcacaonibs1/2cup(125mL)choppedalmonds,walnutsorpecans1/4cup(60mL)coconutsugar1tsp(5mL)cinnamon1cup(250mL)almondbutterorsunflowerseedbutter1/4cup(60mL)coconutoil1/2cup(125mL)almondmilk2tbsp(30mL)realmaplesyrup1tsp(5mL)purevanillaextract

*Thisrecipeisgluten-freeonlyifyouuseoatslabeled“gluten-free.”Oatscanbecontaminatedwithwheat.

Preheatovento350°F(180°C).Greasea13×9-inch(3L)bakingdish.

In a large bowl, combine oats, protein powder, sunflower seeds, coconut, chocolate chips,almonds,sugarandcinnamon;mixwell.

Inasmallsaucepanoverlowheat,meltalmondbutterandcoconutoil.Addtodryingredients;addalmondmilk,maplesyrupandvanilla.Stiruntilfullycombined.Giveita littletastetest,addingmoremaplesyrupifyoudesireasweetertaste.

Pourbatterintothebakingdishandpressitdownevenlywithwethands.Bakefor15minutes.Removefromovenandletcoolslightly.Cutbarsintoyourdesiredsizeandtransferthemtoagreasedcookiesheet.Bakeforanother10to12minutesoruntil theedgesaregoldenbrown.Letcoolforafewminutesonthebakingsheet.Serveimmediatelyortransfertoaracktocoolcompletely.Storeinanairtightcontainerforaweekorfreezeforafewmonths.

JoyousTipHaveyoueverreadtheingredientsonapackageofproteinorenergybarsandscratchedyourhead in confusion? I’mnot surprised.Therearemoreingredientsinmanystore-boughtbarsthaninabagofcandy,andthat’salot!

OvernightStrawberryChiaPuddingDessert forbreakfast,buthealthyofcourse!Thiswonderfullysimplerecipe is ideal for thosewhoaredairy-intolerantbecauseyouwon’tmissyogurtonebit.Thechiaseedsaddproteinandfiber,whilethebananaandstrawberriesmakeitnaturallysweet.It’ssoyummyyoucouldalsoenjoyitasadessert.

Serves4to6

Detox

Vegan

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

JoyousComfort

1banana2½cups(625mL)freshorfrozenstrawberries1cup(250mL)coconutmilkoralmondmilk3/4cup(175mL)chiaseeds1tsp(5mL)purevanillaextractChoppedfreshstrawberriesforgarnish

In a food processor, combine banana, strawberries, coconut milk, chia seeds and vanilla.Processuntilcompletelycombined.Transfertoabowl,coverandrefrigerateovernight.Divideamongbowlsandtopwithchoppedstrawberries.

RaspberryChocolateCheesecakeSmoothie

GreenGoddessSmoothie

MorningEnergizerBlueberrySmoothie

SangriaKombucha

LimeadewithFreshMint

RichandFulfillingCoconutMilk

VanillaAlmondMilk

CreamyHempMilk

SunshineJuice

GreenBeautyJuice

DetoxJuice

WhyILoveSmoothies

NUTRIENT-DENSE:Smoothiesareaconvenientwayforyoutogetawholebunchofnutrientsinasinglemeal.Super-easytomake,theycaneasilybetakenonthego,whichismuchbetterthanskippingamealaltogether.

SOURCEOFPROTEIN:Proteinisanessentialcomponentofajoyoussmoothie.Itkeepscravingsaway,balancesblood sugar, boosts metabolic rate, enhances detoxification and is important for theproductionofhormones,antibodiesandenzymes.Myfavoritepowderbrandsforahitofprotein are Sunwarrior, because it’s made with a highly digestible sprouted brown riceprotein,andGenuineHealth’sVeganProteins+blend.Youcanalsogetaddedproteinfromsomesuperfoodssuchashemp,quinoaandchia.

EASYWAYTOGETSUPERFOODSINYOURBEAUTIFULBODY:Youcanaddanysuperfoodtoyoursmoothie:beeproducts,hempseeds,maca,spirulina,rawcacao,avocado,chiaseeds,leafygreens,berries,acaiberries,coconutoiloranyotheringredientmentioned in the superfoods section (see page90). These foods contain highlevelsofbeneficialantioxidants,vitaminsandminerals.

RaspberryChocolateCheesecakeSmoothieThissmoothieissodecadent,you’llfoolyourselfintothinkingit’saguiltypleasure.Butit’sfullofgoodness,makingitcompletelyguilt-free.

Makes1or2smoothies

Vegan

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

JoyousComfort

1/4cup(60mL)rawcashews1cup(250mL)freshorfrozenraspberries1scoopvanillaplant-basedproteinpowder(or1/2tsp/2mLpurevanillaextract)2tbsp(30mL)rawcacaopowderorcocoapowder2tbsp(30mL)chiaseeds1cup(250mL)coconutmilkFilteredwater,justenoughfordesiredconsistency1tbsp(15mL)rawcacaonibs

Soak cashews in filtered water for about 30 minutes to 1 hour; drain. Place all ingredientsexceptcacaonibsinablender.Blendfor30to60seconds,untilsmooth.Pourintoaglassandsprinklewithcacaonibsforanicecrunch.

JoyousTipIf your raspberriesareabit tart,add8 to10dropsof liquidstevia tosweetenthesmoothie.

GreenGoddessSmoothieThissmoothieisamatchmadeinnutritionheavenbecausetheplant-basedproteinandgoodfatwillkeepyourbellyfullforhours.Andthegreeningredients,includingspinach,kaleandmint,areagoodsourceofdetoxifyingchlorophyllandfiber.Bonus:it’ssuperyummy!

Makes1or2smoothies

Detox

Vegan

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

2tbsp(30mL)hempseeds1banana1/2ripeavocado,peeled

1cup(250mL)spinach1cup(250mL)frozentropicalfruit(pineappleormango)1/2cup(125mL)kaletorninlargepieces,stemsremoved2tbsp(30mL)chiaseeds1/4tsp(1mL)choppedfreshmint1cup(250mL)almondorhempmilkFilteredwater,justenoughfordesiredconsistency

Reserve1tbsp(15mL)hempseedsforgarnish.Placeallingredientsinablender.Blendfor30to60seconds,untilsmooth.Pourintoaglassandgarnishwithreservedhempseeds.

MorningEnergizerBlueberrySmoothieThis is a meal in a cup! I always feel balanced and energized for the day when I start mymorningoffwiththissmoothie.Whenblueberriesarenotinseason,Ijustswapforadifferentberryorusefrozenberries.

Makes1or2smoothies

Detox

Vegan

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

1banana1cup(250mL)blueberries1cup(250mL)spinach1/4cup(60mL)cookedquinoa2tbsp(30mL)chiaseeds2tbsp(30mL)liquidhoney*1tbsp(15mL)beepollen*1cup(250mL)almondmilkorhempmilkFilteredwater,justenoughfordesiredconsistency

Placeallingredientsinablender.Blendfor30to60seconds,untilsmooth.Pourintoaglass.

*Ifyouhaveanyallergiestobees,don’taddthebeepollenorhoney.Replacethebeeproductwithanequalamountofrealmaplesyrup.

JoyousTipIfyoudon’thavecookedquinoaonhand,add1scoopofyourfavoriteplant-basedproteinpowder.

SangriaKombuchaI love entertaining guests. When I do, I always make this sangria kombucha. Luckily, agirlfriend ofmine is the creator ofmy favorite brand, TonicaKombucha, a beverage full ofgoodbacteriatomakeyourdigestivesystemjoyous.Thisjugisfullofsomanyamazingflavorsandbrightcolors.I’msureyou’llloveit!

Serves6to8

Vegan

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

1apple1orange1peach2tbsp(30mL)gratedfreshgingerJuiceof2limes6cups(1.5L)plainkombucha1bottle(750mL)yourfavoriteredwine1tsp(5mL)liquidstevia(or1/4cup/60mLliquidhoney)

Chopthefruitintolargechunks,discardingcores,seedsandpits.Combineallingredientsinalargejug.

JoyousTipPrefer a non-alcoholic option? Swap the red wine for cranberry,blueberry or pomegranate juice. These juices are chock-full ofantioxidantsthankstotheirrichcolors.

LimeadewithFreshMintThisthirst-quenchingdrinkwillhydrateyoufromtheinsideout.Awell-hydratedbodywillbereflectedinyourskin’shealth.Thislimeadeisaneasywaytoensureyougetenoughwater—anditisincrediblyrefreshing.

Serves1

Vegan

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

JoyousComfort

Juiceof2limes3to5dropsliquidstevia(dependinghowsweetyoulikeit)2tbsp(30mL)finelychoppedfreshmint

1½cups(375mL)chilledfilteredwater

Combineallingredientsinalargeglass.Quadrupletherecipeifyouwanttomakeajug.

RichandFulfillingCoconutMilkMakesabout4cups(1L)

Vegan

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

JoyousComfort

2cups(500mL)unsweetenedflakedorshreddedcoconut4cups(1L)filteredwater1/2tsp(2mL)purevanillaextract

Soak coconut inwater for 2 to 4 hours; drain. Place coconut, filteredwater and vanilla in ablender.Blendfor60seconds.Strain throughafine-meshsieveoranutbagsetoverabowl.Pressdownonthecoconutmixturetoreleaseallofthemilk.Coconutmilkkeepsinthefridgeforupto5days.

VanillaAlmondMilkOnceyoustartmakingyourownalmondmilkrather thanbuyingit,you’llbehooked!You’llneverwanttobuystore-boughtagain.Thetastetellsall.Evenbetter,youcaneasilyavoidsomenastyadditives suchascarrageenan.Enjoy ina smoothieorwithporridgeorgranola.Use inplaceofcow’smilk.

Makesabout4cups(1L)

Vegan

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

JoyousComfort

1cup(250mL)unsaltedrawalmonds2Medjooldates,pitted

1/2tsp(2mL)vanillapowder(or1tsp/5mLpurevanillaextract)4cups(1L)filteredwater

Soakalmondsinplentyofwaterovernight.Drainandrinsewell.

Inablender,combinealmonds,dates,vanillaandwater.Blendfor30to60seconds,untilyoucanno longerseeanyalmondchunks.Strain througha fine-meshsieveornutbagsetoverabowl.Pressdownonthealmondmixturetoreleaseallofthemilk.It’sthateasy!Almondmilkkeepsinthefridgeforupto5days.

CreamyHempMilkHempseedsarea superfood, fullofgood fat, especiallyanti-inflammatoryGLA.Hempmilkmakesanicechangefromalmondmilk.Thisrecipeisincrediblyeasy!

Makesabout4cups(1L)

Vegan

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

JoyousComfort

1cup(250mL)hempseeds4cups(1L)filteredwaterYummyhempmilkvariations:Add1/2tsp(2mL)gratedorangezestAdd2tbsp(30mL)rawcacaopowderAdd1/2tsp(2mL)cinnamon,cardamomornutmeg

Placehempseedsandwater inablender.Blendwell.Strain throughafine-meshsieveornutbag set over abowl.Pressdownon thehempmixture to release all of themilk.Hempmilkkeepsinthefridgeforupto5days.

WhyILoveJuicingDETOXIFYING:Nutrients inmany fruits and vegetables, especially brightly colored ones such as beets,carrots,apples,kale,collardsandSwisschard,stimulatetheliver’sdetoxifyingpathwaystoenhancethebody’sabilitytoremovetoxins.

BONE-BUILDING:Green vegetables in particular provide a mega-dose of minerals, including calcium,magnesium,iron,potassiumandchromium.

BEAUTIFICATION:VegetablesarehighinvitaminC.Just1cup(250mL)ofkaleprovides70percentofourrecommendeddailyintakeofvitaminCwithonly20calories.VitaminCisaprecursortocollagen,askinproteinresponsibleforpreventingprematurewrinkles.

ALKALINIZING:Wecouldallusemorealkalinizingfoodsinourdiet.Mostpeople’sbodiesareveryacidicbecauseofstress,sugar,caffeine,redmeat,processedfoodsandalackofexercise(ortoomuchexercise).Plantfoodsarealkaline,makingthemhelpfulinbalancingyourbody’spHlevel.

NUTRIENT-DENSE:Juicingprovides thebodywith amega-doseof enzymes (becauseyouareusingall rawproduce), vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Scientists are discovering new plantmedicines all the time, so there are literally hundreds of beneficial compounds in everycupofjuice.

JoyousTipsforJuicingALWAYSJUICE80PERCENTVEGETABLESAND20PERCENTFRUIT.Thiswillensureyourjuiceislowontheglycemicindex(meaningyouwon’thaveabloodsugar spike, keeping your insulin levels in check). This ratio also helps preventweightgaininthelongterm.

DOUBLE-JUICEYOURINGREDIENTSTOGETMOREBANGFIRYOURBUCK.You’llgetmore juiceoutofyourfruitsandveggies ifyourun themthroughyour juicertwice.Bonus:itresultsinlesswaste.However,somejuicersaresoefficientthatthepulpisnearlydryandyoucanskipthisstep.

USETHELEFTOVERPULPTOMAKESOUPSTICK,ORCOMPOSTIT.Ifyouplanonusingthepulptomakeavegetablestock,makesureyouremoveanyseeds.Somefruitseeds—suchasapple—containnaturallyoccurringtoxicsubstances.

CHOOSEORGANIC.Whenyoujuice,youconcentratethepesticidesbecauseyou’reactuallyjuicingmoreoftheingredientthanyou’dnormallyeat.Chooseorganicasoftenaspossible,especiallyforthe“DirtyDozen”(seepage105).

USEINGREDIENTSTHATAREINSEASON.They’ll be the most nutrient-dense, as they’ve probably been picked ripe and haven’ttraveledthousandsofmilestogettoyourgrocerystore.Plus,theyarelikelycheaperthanfruitsandvegetablesfromfaraway.

BESTINGREDIENTSFORJUICING:Cucumbers,celery,Swisschardandspinachcombinedwitheitheranappleorapear.Freshgingeraddsawonderfulupliftingflavor.Herbssuchasmintorparsleycanalsobejuiced—bothareveryrefreshing.Therearesomanychoiceswhenitcomestojuicing—theonlylimitationisyourcreativity!

LASTLY,REMEMBERTHATAFRESHJUICEDOESNOTREPLACEAMEAL.Thebesttimetodrinkafreshjuiceisfirstthinginthemorningonanemptystomach,orinthe middle of the afternoon, again preferably on an empty stomach, as a way to re-

energize.

JoyousJuicesEachrecipemakes1to2cups(250to500mL)

Detox

Vegan

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

Raw

SunshineJuice

This juice is an immune-boosterwith the nutrients in the carrots, ginger, lemon and orange,including beta-carotene and vitamin C. Plus the lemon is incredibly alkalinizing and liverdetoxifying.Thistasteslikesunshineinacup!

3carrots1/2cucumber1thumb-sizepiecefreshginger1lemon,peeledandseeded1orangeorgrapefruit,peeled

Cutvegetablesandfruitsintolargechunksdependingonthesizeofthemouthofyourjuicer.Youmayrun1/4cup(60mL)filteredwaterthroughthejuicerattheendtogeteverylastdropofjuice.

GreenBeautyJuice

Thisjuiceisbeautifyingbecauseitisextremelyhydrating,detoxifyingandnutrient-dense.Themintgivesitarefreshinglift!

1/2cucumber4stalkscelery1appleorpear3kaleleaves2cups(500mL)spinach1/2cup(125mL)freshmintleaves

Cutvegetablesandfruitsintolargechunksdependingonthesizeofthemouthofyourjuicer.Makesureyouremovetheseedsfromtheappleorpear.Youmayrun1/4cup(60mL)filteredwaterthroughthejuicerattheendtogeteverylastdropofjuice.

DetoxJuice

Get ready to love your liverwith this juice featuring beets, carrots and apple. It’s also veryimmune-building.Thebeetgreenscanbejuicedaswell.Theycanbebitter,butanybittertasteisgoodfordigestion.

3beets3carrots1/2cucumber1apple1lemon,peeled1thumb-sizepiecefreshginger

Cutvegetablesandfruitsintolargechunksdependingonthesizeofthemouthofyourjuicer.Make sure you remove the seeds from the apple and lemon. Youmay run 1/4 cup (60mL)filteredwaterthroughthejuicerattheendtogeteverylastdropofjuice.

MaMcCarthy’sChickenSoup

CarrotGingerSoupwithLemonTahiniDrizzle

ChilledCucumberAvocadoSoup

ChickenorTurkeyStock

SummerLovin’Gazpacho

CardamomParsnipPearSoup

MamaBea’sCurryLentilSoup

ThaiBeetSoup

MaMcCarthy’sChickenSoupEversinceIwasalittlegirl,mymom’schickensouphasbeenacure-all.Luckyforme,IstillgetaMason jaror two to takebackhomeaftervisitingmyparents for theweekend.WhenIaskedmymomforherrecipe,shesaid,“Ijustmakeitfromscratchoffthetopofmyheadeverytime.”Ifinallypersuadedhertowritedownhersecretrecipeformetoshare!Garlicisn’tintheoriginal,butIsometimesaddit,asit’sanincredibleimmunitybuilder.

Serves8to10

Dairy-free

JoyousComfort

16cups(3.8L)chickenstock(page182ororganiclow-sodiumstore-bought)2cans(28oz/796mLeach)dicedtomatoes(or6to8mediumtomatoes)2tbsp(30mL)coconutoilorgrapeseedoil1mediumonion,cutinbite-sizepieces2clovesgarlic,minced2cups(500mL)carrots,cutinbite-sizepieces1cup(250mL)celery,cutinbite-sizepieces3/4cup(175mL)brownrice3/4cup(175mL)barley(omitifyouwanttomakethisgluten-free)Seasalt,pepperandanyherbsyoulike(suchasoreganoorparsley)1to2cups(250to500mL)dicedcookedchicken

Inalargepot,heatchickenstock.Addtomatoeswiththeirjuice.Addalittlewaterifyouwanttochangetheconsistencyorthetasteofthebroth.

In a separate pot,melt coconut oil overmedium-high heat. Sauté onion and garlic for a fewminutes.Addcarrotsandcelery;sautéfor4moreminutes.Addsautéedvegetables,brownriceandbarleytothestock.Seasontotastewithsalt,pepperandherbs.Simmerovermediumtolowheatforafewhours,untiltheveggies,brownriceandbarleyarefullycooked.Stirincookedchicken;simmeruntilchickenisheatedthrough.

Thissoupcanbeputintojarsandfrozen,butit’ssogoodyouwillprobablywanttoeatitallinoneweek.Makesureyouleave1/2to1inch(1to2.5cm)betweenthetopofthesoupandtherimofthejartoallowroomfortheliquidtoexpandwhenitfreezes.

JoyousTipThere are timeswhenwe crave chicken soup, but it isn’t just for itswarmthandcomfort;thereissomegoodsciencebehindthatcraving.(I

lovewhenscienceprovesthatsomethingweinnatelyknowisgoodforus really is!) A 2000 study at the University of Nebraska found thatchicken soup may contain anti-inflammatory properties, which helpsootheacold.Theexpertsconcludedthatsomething inchickensoupinhibited the movement of neutrophils, white blood cells that arereleasedingreatnumbersduringviral infections(suchasacold)andthatleadtomucus,coughingandastuffynose.Theresearcherswrotethat“chickensoupmaycontainanumberofsubstanceswithbeneficialmedicinalactivity.”

CarrotGingerSoupwithLemonTahiniDrizzleThiseasycarrotsoupismadefromkitchenstaples,soit’sagreatchoicewhenyoudon’thavemuchinthekitchenbutwanttoeatsomethinghomemadeandhealthy.

Serves4to6

Vegan

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

2tbsp(30mL)coconutoil1-inch(2.5cm)piecefreshginger,peeledandchopped4clovesgarlic,chopped1lb(450g)carrots,peeledandchopped4cups(1L)vegetablebrothSaltandpepper

Drizzle1/4cup(60mL)tahiniJuiceof1/2lemon1clovegarlic,minced2tbsp(30mL)water

Meltcoconutoilinalargesaucepanovermedium-highheat.Addgingerandgarlic;sautéfor1minute.Add carrots and continue to sauté for 4 to 5minutes or until slightly softened.Addvegetablebroth.Increaseheattobringthesouptoaboil.Onceitisboiling,lowertheheatandsimmeruntilthevegetablesaretender,20to25minutes.

Puréethesoupwithanimmersionblenderorinaregularblender.Seasonwithsaltandpepper.

For thedrizzle,combineall ingredients inasmallbowlandwhisk toblend.Seasonwithsaltandpepper.

Reheatsoupifneeded.Poursoupintobowlsanddrizzlewithtahinidressing.

ChilledCucumberAvocadoSoupWhile traveling inMexico I came across a tiny andvery rustic roadside restaurantwhere anelderlyladycookedintheopenkitchen.Isatdown,andshetoldmeinbrokenEnglishthatsheknewexactlywhat Ineeded—this soup! It’sperfect for ahot summerday.As soonas IwasbackinCanadaIrecreateditbecauseitwassorefreshinglydeliciousandeasy.

Serves3or4

Vegetarian

Gluten-free

2ripeavocados,peeledandcutinlargechunks1smallcucumber,cutinlargechunks,reservingsomethinslicesforgarnish1clovegarlic1cup(250mL)plainyogurt(orcoconutmilkyogurtforadairy-freeoption)1/4cup(60mL)freshdill

1/4cup(60mL)cilantroJuiceof2limes

Placeallingredientsinafoodprocessorandprocessuntilsmoothandcreamy.Ifyoupreferacreamier texture, addmoreyogurt.Garnishwith slicesof cucumber and chill for30minutesbeforeserving.

ChickenorTurkeyStockMakingyourown stockmay seem like anoverwhelming task, but it’s easier thanyoumightthink.WheneverIroastachickenor turkey,Imakestockwiththeleftovercarcassbecauseitprovidesthemostflavorfulbaseforallyoursoups.

Makesabout7cups(1.75L)

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

1chickenorturkeycarcass3onions,roughlychopped3clovesgarlic2stalkscelery2carrots8cups(2L)filteredwaterorenoughtocoverthecarcass

Place thecarcass,onions,garlic, celeryandcarrots ina large souppot.Add filteredwater tocoverthecarcass.Bringtoagentleboil,thenreduceheatandsimmer,withoutstirring,for1to2hours,skimminganyfoamfromthesurface.

Removefromheatandletcool.Coverandrefrigerateovernighttolettheflavorsmingle.

Thenextday,youmayskimoffthesolidifiedfat,althoughthisiswheremostoftheflavoriscontained.Strainthestock,discardingthesolids.Stockkeeps,refrigerated,for5daysorcanbefrozenforafewmonths.

SummerLovin’GazpachoIlovepickingtomatoesinthesummerfrommymom’sorganicgardeninChatsworth,Ontario.Whentomatoesare inseason, thisfreshandvibrantsoupisasgoodasoneanyfive-starchefcouldcreateinarestaurant,andyoucanmakeitinyourownjoyouskitchen!

Serves4

Detox

Vegan

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

Raw

5or6ripetomatoes,cutinchunks,or1can(28oz/796mL)wholetomatoes

1sweetredpepper,cutinchunks1/2redonion1/2Englishcucumber,cutinchunks2clovesgarlic1/2cup(125mL)cilantro1/4cup(60mL)freshbasil1/4cup(60mL)oliveoilParsleyleavesforgarnish1/4cup(60mL)finelychoppedcucumberandredpepperforgarnish

Place all the ingredients except thegarnishes in ablenderor foodprocessor.Process toyourdesiredconsistency(Ilikeafewsoftchunks).Refrigerateforupto1hour.Servechilledwithagarnishofparsleyandatouchoffinelychoppedcucumberandredpepper.

CardamomParsnipPearSoup

The sweetness of pear softens the distinct taste of the parsnips, and the cardamom adds awonderfullycomfortingflavor—it’samatchmadeinjoyousheaven!Thegarnishofhempseedsaddsasplashofprotein.

Serves4to6

Vegan

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

2or3mediumparsnips,peeledifnotorganic,cutinchunks2Boscpears,peeledifnotorganic,coredandcutinchunks3to4cups(750mLto1L)almondmilkorwater1to2tsp(5to10mL)groundcardamomLotsoffreshlycrackedblackpepperandapinchofseasalt3/4cup(175mL)hempseedsforgarnish

Preheatovento350°F(180°C).Placeparsnipsinacoveredbakingdishwith1/2inch(1cm)ofwater.Dothesameinaseparatedishwiththepears.Bake,covered,untilparsnipsandpearsarefork-tender.Thepearswilltakeabout35minutesandtheparsnipsmaytakeuptoanhour.

Transfer pears, parsnips and any liquid from the dishes to a food processor or blender.Addalmondmilkandcardamom.Processuntilsmooth.(Ortransfer toa largesaucepanandblendwithan immersionblender.)Transfer to a large saucepanandbring to agentleboil.Removefromheat.Seasonwithpepperandsalt.Garnishwithhempseeds.

QuickMethod:Ifyouarecrunchedfortimeandhaveasuper-high-poweredblenderlikeaVitamix,placealltherawingredientsexceptsalt,pepperandhempseedsintheblenderandblenduntilsmooth.Transfertoalargesaucepanandbringtoagentleboil.Reduceheatandsimmerfor10minutes.Seasonwithpepperandsalt,andgarnishwithhempseeds.

JoyousTipParsnipsandpotatoeshavemanyofthesamehealthbenefits.Actually,parsnipswereamajorstapleinEuropeuntilthelatenineteenthcentury,whentheywereupstagedbytheblanderbutmoreversatilepotato.Theyareanexcellentsourceof fiber, vitaminC, folicacid (more thanpotatoes),manganeseandcopper.ParsnipsarealsoagoodsourceofBvitamins(thiamine,niacin,riboflavin),magnesiumandpotassium.

MamaBea’sCurryLentilSoupA few years ago, my boyfriend,Walker (nowmy hubby), texted me a photo of a very oldlookingwrinkledpieceofpaperwithahandwrittenrecipeforlentilsoup.Walkerasked,“Wouldthis be a joy-approved recipe? It’sMamaBea’s”—that’sWalker’s grandma. Itwas definitelyapproved—andit’sbecomeafavorite!

Serves4to6

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

JoyousComfort

1mediumwhiteonion,diced3clovesgarlic,finelychopped2tbsp(30mL)coconutoil

2cups(500mL)yellowlentils1tbsp(15mL)driedbasil2tsp(10mL)turmericoranymixedcurryspicesyouhaveonhand1russetpotato,cutinmediumchunks6to7cups(1.5to1.75L)vegetableorchickenstockSeasaltandfreshlygroundpepper1/4cup(60mL)cilantroforgarnishOptional:1/4cup(60mL)extra-virginoliveoil

Inalargesouppotovermediumheat,cookonionandgarlicincoconutoil,stirringfrequently,untiltender.Usingasieve,rinselentilsunderrunningwater.Addtovegetablesalongwithbasil,turmericandpotato.Pourin6cups(1.5L)ofthestock.Bringtoaboil,reduceheatandsimmeruntillentilsaretender,20to30minutes.Addmorestockifyoupreferathinnersoup.

Seasonwithseasaltandpepper.Servegarnishedwithcilantro.Whileyouaresalivatingwithanticipation,drizzlewithsomeoliveoilforahealthydoseofmonounsaturatedfat,ifyouwish.

JoyousTipIfyouwantthisrecipetobetrulygluten-free,makesureanypackageddriedspicesyouusedonotcontainanygluten.

ThaiBeetSoupTheearthyandnaturalsweetnessofbeetscombinejoyouslywithThaiflavors.Beetsaretrulyasuperfoodwiththeirmixtureofunusualantioxidants.

Serves4to6

Detox

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

5mediumbeets,peeledifnotorganic,cutinbite-sizepieces2tbsp(30mL)coconutoil4shallots,chopped2to3clovesgarlic,minced4cups(1L)vegetablestock2thumb-sizepiecesfreshginger,peeledandgrated1to2stalksfreshlemongrass,dryouterleavesremoved,minced2cups(500mL)coconutmilk2tbsp(30mL)ThaifishsauceJuiceof2limes1/2tsp(2mL)salt1/4cup(60mL)cilantro

Preheatovento350°F(180°C).Placebeetsinabakingdishandaddjustenoughwatertocoverthebottomofthedish.Coverandbakeuntilbeetsarefork-tender,about45minutes.

Meanwhile, ina largepotovermediumheat,meltcoconutoil.Cookshallotsandgarlic forafewminutes,stirringfrequently.Addstock,gingerandlemongrass.Oncethebeetsarecooked,add them to the pot.Add coconutmilk, fish sauce, lime juice and salt. Simmer until heatedthrough.Garnisheachbowlofsoupwithcilantro.

Option:Youmaypreferapuréedsoup.Oncealltheingredientsareinthepot,blenduntilsmoothwithanimmersionblender.

ChickpeaDetoxSalad

DijonHoneyDressing

KeepItSimpleDetoxDressing

GrilledVeggieQuinoaSalad

CreamyHerbPotatoSalad

MangoCashewMilletSaladwithLimeGingerVinaigrette

AppleBeetCarrotSlawwithHoneyDressing

KaleOrangePecanSalad

Farmers’MarketBruschetta

LemonPumpkinSeedSeaSaltKaleChips

Curry-SpicedKaleChips

CheesyKaleChips

Sun-DriedTomatoHummus

HempSeedGuacamole

TurmericSeaSaltPopcorn

SuperfoodTrailMix

AlmondPowerMuffins

ChewyAlmondButterCookies

HempSeedMapleCinnamonButter

BeetGoatCheeseDip

AlmondFlourRosemaryCrackers

ChickpeaDetoxSaladThiscrunchysaladisasummertimefavoriteofmine.It’ssoquickandeasytomakeandkeepsin the fridge forat leastaweek.The fiberandphytonutrientsmake thisan idealdetoxmeal.Chickpeasareanaturalappetitesuppressanttoo!

Serves2

Detox

Vegan

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

1can(15oz/425g)garbanzobeans(chickpeas),drainedandrinsed1smallredonion,thinlysliced5stalkscelery,cutinbite-sizepieces1sweetredpepper,cutinbite-sizepieces1/4cup(60mL)cilantro,chopped1or2clovesgarlic,minced1/4cup(60mL)freshlysqueezedlemonjuice1/4cup(60mL)extra-virginoliveoil1/2tsp(2mL)seasalt1/2tsp(2mL)cayennepepper

Combineallingredientsinalargebowl;tosswell.Letsitforanhoursotheflavorscanmingle.

SaladDressingDijonHoneyDressing

Detox

Vegetarian

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

1/4cup(60mL)filteredwater3tbsp(60mL)extra-virginoliveoil2tbsp(30mL)Dijonmustard1to2tbsp(15to30mL)rawhoneyJuiceof1/2lemon

Combineallingredientsinasmallbowlandwhiskuntilemulsified(orshakeinajar).

KeepItSimpleDetoxDressingDetox

Vegan

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

1/2cup(125mL)hempoilorextra-virginoliveoil1/4cup(60mL)cilantro,chopped1/2clovegarlic,mincedJuiceof2lemonsPinchofseasalt

Combineallingredientsinasmallbowlandwhiskuntilemulsified(orshakeinajar).

Doubleortripleingredientsformorethantwopeople.

GrilledVeggieQuinoaSaladThis recipe is perfect forBBQ season because it’s fresh and full of seasonal ingredients. Soinsteadofbuyingcoleslaworabeansaladfullofsaltandprocessedvegetableoil, takeafewminutesandmakethisheart-healthyquinoasalad.Quinoaisanexcellentvegetariansourceofprotein.

Serves4

Detox

Vegetarian

Gluten-free

1cup(250mL)quinoa(anycolor)3sweetpeppers(anycolor),coarselychopped1yellowzucchini,coarselychopped1redonion,cutinwedges1tbsp(15mL)extra-virginoliveoil4cups(1L)arugulaorchoppedkale2tbsp(30mL)crumbledgoatcheeseOptional:1/4cup(60mL)choppedparsley

Dressing2tbsp(30mL)freshlysqueezedlemonjuice1tbsp(15mL)cidervinegar1tbsp(15mL)grainyDijonmustard1/2cup(125mL)extra-virginoliveoil1clovegarlic,minced1/2tsp(2mL)seasalt

Cookthequinoaaccordingtotherecipeonpage137;transfertoalargebowl.Preheatgrilltomedium-high.

Lightlytosspeppers,zucchiniandonionwithoil.Grill,turningoccasionally,untiltender,6to8minutes.Addtoquinoaandtosswell.

Combinedressingingredientsinabowl(orjar),whisking(orshaking)untilemulsified.Youcandoubleortriplethedressingrecipeifyouprefermoreflavor.Tosswithsalad.Letcoolslightly.Tosswitharugula,thensprinklewithgoatcheese.Garnishwithparsleyifusing.

JoyousTip

Ifthereareanyleftovers,thissaladisjustastastythenextday.Keeprefrigerated.

CreamyHerbPotatoSaladIfyoulovepotatosaladasmuchasIdobuthadtogiveitupbecauseyouhavetroubledigestingdairyordon’tlikeamayonnaise-drenchedsalad,thisrecipewillcomeasahealthysurprise.It’sproofpositivethathealthycanandshouldbedelicious!Ilovesurprisingfamilyandfriendswiththisrecipe.Nooneeverbelievesmethatit’shealthy!

Serves4

Vegan

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

JoyousComfort

2lb(900g)redpotatoes

Dressing1/4cup(60mL)choppedfreshdill2tbsp(30mL)choppedfreshparsley2clovesgarlic,minced1/4cup(60mL)lemonjuice1/4cup(60mL)extra-virginoliveoil3tbsp(45mL)filteredwater2tbsp(30mL)tahini1tbsp(15mL)Dijonmustard1/4tsp(1mL)seasalt1/4tsp(1mL)blackpepper

Ifyouhaveorganicpotatoes,youdonotneedtopeelthem.Washandcutpotatoesintosmallchunks.Bringalargepotofwatertoagentleboil.Addpotatoesandboiljustuntiltender,15to20minutes.Becarefulnottoovercook.Drainandrunundercoldwater;drainagain.Letcoolcompletely.

In a large bowl,whisk together dressing ingredients untilwell combined.Toss potatoeswithdressing.Refrigerateforafewhoursandservechilled.

JoyousTipThe skin of the potato is nutrient-dense and contains most of thephytonutrients,whichiswhyIsuggestyoudonotpeelthem.

On a hot summer’s day enjoy this saladwithCurryChickenBurgers(page227)foranutritiousandcompletemeal.

MangoCashewMilletSaladwithLimeGingerVinaigretteIwasinspiredbymyfavoritetake-outsaladfromSukhoThaiinTorontotocreatethistangyandfull-of-texturesalad.Themilletmakesitamealuntoitself,oryoucouldenjoyitasastartertotheRawSunshineWraps(page236).

Serves4

Detox

Vegetarian

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

1½cups(375mL)millet3cups(750mL)filteredwater2mangoes,peeledandcutinsmallcubes1cup(250mL)rawcashews,coarselychopped1/2cup(125mL)finelychoppedfreshmint1/2cup(125mL)finelychoppedcilantroSeasaltandpepperParsleyforgarnish

DressingJuiceof2limes3tbsp(45mL)extra-virginoliveoil2tbsp(30mL)ricevinegar2tbsp(30mL)honey1tbsp(15mL)gratedfreshginger1/4tsp(1mL)salt

Inalargesaucepan,combinemilletandfilteredwater.Bringtoaboil,reduceheattolowandsimmer, covered and stirring occasionally, for 20 to 25minutes, until all thewater has beenabsorbedandthemilletisfluffy.Removefromheat.

Preparevinaigrettebywhiskingtogetherallingredientsinasmallbowl.

In a large bowl, combine millet, mangoes, cashews and fresh herbs. Season with salt andpepper.Garnishwithparsley.Drizzlewiththedressingandtosswell.Refrigerateforatleast1hour.Servechilled.

AppleBeetCarrotSlawwithHoneyDressingFresh, vibrant and full of flavor, this completely raw slawwill not only loveyour liver—it’sburstingwith fiber and detoxifying nutrients—but itwill energize you too. I enjoy this slawwithsomegrilledfishortoppedwithhempseedsasavegetariandish.

Serves4

Detox

Vegetarian

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

2apples(unpeelediforganic),choppedinbite-sizepieces4carrots,grated3beets,trimmedandgrated

2tbsp(30mL)honey2tbsp(30mL)cidervinegar2tbsp(30mL)extra-virginoliveoil1/2tsp(2mL)seasaltOptional:1/2cup(125mL)choppedfreshparsleyorcilantroforgarnish

Inalargebowl,stirtogetherapples,carrotsandbeets.Inasmallbowl,whisktogetherhoney,vinegar, oil and sea salt until emulsified. Just before serving, toss dressing with the slaw.Garnishwithparsleyifusing.

JoyousTipIf youdon’twant thebeets to turn theapples red,add thebeets justbeforeserving.Youdon’thavetopeelanyofyourproduceifyoubuyallorganicandwashitwell.

KaleOrangePecanSaladThis amazing salad is bursting with vitamin C, carotenoids and fiber, making it immuneboosting.Theorangesgiveitawonderfulsweetflavor,andthepecansaddanicecrunchybite.

Serves4

Detox

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

1bunchkale,washedandpatteddry2oranges,peeledandslicedcrosswise1/2cup(125mL)pecans

Dressing1/2cup(125mL)brownricevinegar1/3cup(75mL)sesameoil1/4cup(60mL)orange-flavoredomega-3fishoil1/2cup(125mL)freshmintleaves2tbsp(30mL)gratedorangezestJuiceof1orange

Tearkaleawayfromthestemsandtearintobite-sizepieces.Placeinalargebowl.

Combineall thedressingingredients inafoodprocessor;processuntil themint iscompletelychopped,about30seconds.Pourdressingoverthekaleandtosswell.Arrangeorangeslicesontopandsprinklewithpecans.

JoyousTipFlavoredfishoildoesnothaveafishytaste.Infact,therearebrandsoffishoilthattastelikeorange(perthisrecipe,GenuineHealth)orevenlemon. Ifyoudon’thavethisoryouarevegan,usehempor flaxseedoil.

Farmers’MarketBruschettaServe this at your party along with Hemp Seed Guacamole (page 210) and some SangriaKombucha(page166)andyourguestswillbewantingtoknowwhenyournextget-togetherisgoingtobe!

Serves2to4

Detox

Vegan

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

Raw

4ripetomatoes(anyvariety),choppedor2pints(1L)cherrytomatoes

1clovegarlic,minced1/2cup(125mL)freshbasilleaves,chopped1/2tsp(2mL)seasalt3tbsp(45mL)extra-virginoliveoil

Combine all ingredients in a bowl; tosswell. Letmarinate for at least 10minutes. Serve oncrackers— perhaps the Almond Flour Rosemary Crackers on page 222—with some fresholives.

KaleChipsThreeDeliciousWaysI’m convinced I can turnmost anyone into a kale-chip-lover. I have evidence. Although hemightnotwanttoadmitit,mygirlfriend’sten-year-oldboydevoursthemeverytimehestartsmunchingonsome!Ifyouareanewbie tokalechips, theyaredehydratedbite-sizepiecesofkale with various concoctions of deliciousness. Basically, they will take on the taste of theseasoning.My three favorite variationswill satisfy even themost finicky eater. Each recipeserves2to4asasnack.Kalechipskeepinanairtightcontainerfor1week.

Detox

Vegan

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

Raw

LemonPumpkinSeedSeaSaltKaleChips1bunchkale,washedandpatteddry1tbsp(15mL)extra-virginoliveoilJuiceof1/2lemon1tsp(5mL)seasalt2tbsp(30mL)unsaltedrawpumpkinseeds

Preheatoventoitslowestsetting.

Tearkaleawayfromthetoughstemsandtearintolargebite-sizepieces.Placeinalargebowl.Drizzlewithoilandlemonjuice;massageintothekalepieceswithyourhandsforaminuteortwo. Spread kale evenly in a single layer, slightly overlapping if necessary, on a parchment-linedbakingsheet.Sprinklewithseasaltandpumpkinseeds.

Bakefor2to4hoursoruntilkalechipsarecrispy.

Curry-SpicedKaleChips1bunchkale,washedandpatteddry1tbsp(15mL)extra-virginoliveoil1tsp(5mL)seasalt2tsp(10mL)yourfavoritecurrypowder(or1tsp/5mLturmeric,1/2tsp/2mLgroundcuminand1/2tsp/2mLgarlicpowder)

Optional:1tsp(5mL)hotchiliflakes

Preheatoventoitslowestsetting.

Tearkaleawayfromthetoughstemsandtearintolargebite-sizepieces.Placeinalargebowl.Drizzlewithoilandmassageintothekalepieceswithyourhandsforaminuteortwo.Spreadkale evenly in a single layer, slightly overlapping if necessary, on a parchment-lined bakingsheet.Sprinklewithseasalt,currypowderandchiliflakes,ifusing.

Bakefor2to4hoursoruntilkalechipsarecrispy.

CheesyKaleChips3/4cup(175mL)rawcashews1bunchkale,washedandpatteddry1/2sweetredpepper,cutinlargepieces1clovegarlic1/3cup(75mL)nutritionalyeast*2tbsp(30mL)extra-virginoliveoil1tbsp(15mL)tamarisauceJuiceof1/2lemon

*Nutritionalyeastisnotthesameasyeastusedinmakingbread.Nutritionalyeastisadeactivatedyeastthatgivesthisrecipea“cheesy”flavor.

Inasmallbowl,soakcashewsinwaterforatleast1hour.Drain.

Preheatoventoitslowestsetting.Meanwhile,tearkaleawayfromthetoughstemsandtearintolargebite-sizepieces.Placeinalargebowl.

In a food processor, combine cashews, red pepper, garlic, nutritional yeast, oil and tamari.Processintoapaste.Addlemonjuiceandprocessuntilsmooth.

Addcashewpastetokaleandmassageitoverkalewithyourhands,makingsurekaleisevenlycoated.Spread kale evenly in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet,making suretheydonottouch.Coverandrefrigerateremainingkaleuntilfirstbatchhasfinishedbaking.

Bake kale, turning once after the first hour, for 2 to 4 hours, until crisp, completely dry andtoppingdoesn’tfeelchewyormoist.

JoyousTipDonotoverdotheoliveoil!Whileitmayseemverylittle,thekalechipsshrinksignificantly.Gettingimpatientwaiting?Youcanturnupthetempto300°F(150°C),but thechipswill finishcooking in5 to8minutesmax (dependingonhow long you’ve already baked them). Also, cooking at a highertemperaturewilldestroysomeoftheenzymesandvitamins.

Sun-DriedTomatoHummusA perfect addition to your next party along with Hemp Seed Guacamole (page 210) andFarmers’MarketBruschetta (page205).Yourguestswillbe impressedwithyourhealthyanddeliciousspread.

Detox

Vegetarian

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

1can(15oz/425g)garbanzobeans(chickpeas)5sun-driedtomatoes*2clovesgarlic2tbsp(30mL)tahini1/4cup(60mL)filteredwater

Combineallingredientsinafoodprocessorandprocessuntilsmooth.ServewithAlmondFlourRosemaryCrackers(page222)orbrownricecrackers.

*Lookforsulfite-freesun-driedtomatoes

HempSeedGuacamoleAlwaysacrowd-pleaser,thisguacisahitatanyparty.Itwillprobablydisappearquitequickly,soyoumightwanttobepreparedwithanextrabatch!

Makes1½cups(375mL)

Detox

Vegan

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

2ripeavocados1/2mediumtomato,finelychopped1/2redonion,finelychopped1clovegarlic,mincedJuiceof2limes1/2cup(125mL)hempseeds1/2tsp(2mL)hotsauce(ormoreifyoulikeithot)

Spoonavocadofleshfromskinsandtransfertoabowl.Mashavocadowithafork.Addtomato,redonion,garlicandlimejuice.Stirwell.Giveitalittletastetest—addatouchmorelime,ifneeded. Stir in hemp seeds and hot sauce. Serve immediatelywith blue corn chips orwholewheatpitabread.

JoyousTipAvocados are an amazing source of healthy monounsaturated fats.Thehempseedsareagoodsourceofprotein.Proteinandfattogethermakethisaverybalancedsnack.

TurmericSeaSaltPopcornWhatisbetterthansnugglingupwithyourfamilyonacoldwinter’snightwithabigbowlofpopcornandyourfavoritemovie?Ipromiseyouwill lovethishomemadepopcornwaymorethanthemicrowaveversion—youwilldefinitelytastethedifference!

Makes4to5cups(1to1.25L)

Vegan

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

JoyousComfort

3tbsp(45mL)coconutoil1/2cup(125mL)organicpopcornkernels1/2tsp(2mL)seasalt

1/2tsp(2mL)turmericGroundblackpepper

Inamediumsaucepanovermedium-highheat,meltcoconutoil.Addpopcornkernels.Coverandcook,givingthepotashakeeverysooften,untilyouhearthekernelsbegintopop.Don’tletthepotsitonthehotelementformorethan5or10secondsatatimeoncethekernelsbeginpopping—keepliftingitandgivingitashake.Removefromheatwhenyouhearnomorepops.Pourthehotpopcornintoalargebowlandsprinklewithseasalt,turmericandblackpeppertotaste.Tosswell.Serveimmediately.

JoyousTipBe sure to buy certified organic corn kernels because most corn isgeneticallymodifiedandhighlysprayedwithpesticides.

SuperfoodTrailMixMy girlfriend Candice helped me create this amazing trail mix for a workshop we wereteaching.Itwasahit!It’sperfectforahikeorabikeride.Justmakesureyouhaveenoughtosatisfyallthehungrymouthsthatmightbetravelingwithyou!

Makes4cups(1L)

Vegan

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

3tbsp(45mL)coconutoil2tbsp(30mL)coconutsugar1tsp(5mL)cinnamon1cup(250mL)pumpkinseeds

3/4cup(175mL)gojiberries1/2cup(125mL)driedmulberries1/2cup(125mL)rawalmonds1/2cup(125mL)walnuts1/2cup(125mL)cacaonibs

Inasmallpotoverlowheat,meltcoconutoil.Stirincoconutsugarandcinnamon.Inalargebowl,stir together theremainingingredients.Pouroilmixtureover topandmixwell.Portionout2tbsp(30mL)foranenergizingsnack!

JoyousTipThistrailmixcontainsaplethoraofgoodness!It’sall-natural,withnoneoftheadditivesandpreservativesofsomanystore-boughttrailmixesandenergybars.

AlmondPowerMuffinsYou’llfeelpoweredupbythesesatisfying,super-tastyandhealthymuffins.TherecipecomesfromoneofmystudentsattheInstituteofHolisticNutrition.Hemadethemfortheclassandwewereenergizedforhours!They’recompletelygluten-freeandagreatsourceofproteinandfiber.Packtheminyourbagforahikeorwhiletravelingforahealthysnack.

Makes12muffins

Vegetarian

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

JoyousComfort

3/4cup(175mL)almondflour(groundalmonds)3/4cup(175mL)coconutflour1/4cup(60mL)chiaseeds1tsp(5mL)seasalt1tsp(5mL)bakingsoda12mediumeggs3/4cup(175mL)coconutoil,meltedandcooledslightly1/2cup(125mL)realmaplesyruporcoconutnectar1tsp(5mL)purevanillaextract1tsp(5mL)almondextract1/4cup(60mL)sliveredalmonds1tbsp(15mL)coconutsugar

Preheatovento325°F(160°C).Greaseamuffinpanorlinewithpaperliners.

Inalargebowl,combinealmondflour,coconutflour,chiaseeds,seasaltandbakingsoda;mixwell. In a separate bowl,whisk the eggs.Add coconut oil,maple syrup, vanilla and almondextract;whisktoblend.Addwetingredientstodryingredientsandstirjustuntilcombined.Donotover-mix.

Spoon batter intomuffin cups. Sprinklewith almonds and coconut sugar. Bake for 18 to 20minutesoruntilgoldenbrown.Letcoolfor10minutesbeforeremovingfrompan.Enjoywithsomehoney.

ChewyAlmondButterCookiesThesecookiesareaJoyousHealthreaders’favorite.Ifyouhavekids,insteadofbuyinganotherbagof cookies that have lots of sugar and little nutritional value,make a batch of these andwatchyourkidsdevourthem.Justmakesureyoukeepsomeforyourself!

Makes2to3dozenlittlegemsofdeliciousness

Vegetarian

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

JoyousComfort

1/4cup(60mL)coconutoil1/4cup(60mL)almondbutter1¾cups(425mL)lightlypackedalmondflour

1cup(250mL)quick-cookingrolledoats(notinstant)1/2cup(125mL)shreddedcoconut1/4cup(60mL)sesameseeds3eggs(anysize)1/2cup(125mL)coconutsugarorSucanat

Preheatovento350°F(180°C).Greaseacookiesheet.

Inasmallsaucepanoverlowheat,meltcoconutoilandalmondbutter.Setaside.

Ina largebowl,stir togetherflour,rolledoats,coconutandsesameseeds.Inaseparatebowl,whisktogethereggsandsugar.Addmeltedoilmixture;mixwell.Addwet ingredients todryingredients;stiruntilwellmixed.

Formdoughinto1-inch(2.5cm)ballsandarrangeabout2inches(5cm)apartonthecookiesheet. Flatten with a fork. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.Transfercookiestoaracktocool.

HempSeedMapleCinnamonButterHealthier than your typical store-bought, sugar-laden peanut butter and a nice alternative toalmondbutter.Hempseedsareatruesuperfoodwithasmooth,nuttyflavor.Ienjoythisontoastforbreakfastoroncrackersasasnack.

Makes1cup(250mL)

Vegan

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

JoyousComfort

1cup(250mL)shelledhempseeds2softMedjooldates,pitted3to4tbsp(45to60mL)hempseedoil2to3tbsp(30to45mL)darkmaplesyrup1tbsp(15mL)cinnamon1/2tsp(2mL)seasalt

Combineall ingredients inafoodprocessororblender.Processuntilapasteforms. I like thebuttera littlechunkier,butyoucanblend it longer ifyouprefer it creamier.Serve spreadonslicesofappleorontoastorcrackers.Keepsinthefridgefor2weeks.

BeetGoatCheeseDipThe natural sweetness of beets combines beautifullywith the richness of goat cheese.Whenbeetsareinseason,thisdipisoneofmyfavoritesnacks.Plus,beetsareatotalsuperfood!

Makes2to3cups(500to750mL),dependingonsizeofbeets

Detox

Vegetarian

Gluten-free

JoyousComfort

6or7mediumbeets,peeledandcutinchunks1tbsp(15mL)grapeseedoil1clovegarlic3/4cup(175mL)softgoatcheese

1/2tsp(2mL)seasalt

Preheatovento350°F(180°C).

Placebeetsinaroastingpanorbakingdishwithalidanddrizzlewithoil.Coverandbakeuntilfork-tender,35to45minutes,stirringonceafter25minutes.Letcoolfor10to20minutes.

Inafoodprocessor,combinebeets,garlic,goatcheeseandseasalt.Ifyourfoodprocessorisnotlarge enough, blend in batches. Blend until smooth. Serve with Almond Flour RosemaryCrackers.

AlmondFlourRosemaryCrackersMakes8to10crackers

Vegetarian

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

2cups(500mL)almondflour(groundalmonds)1½tsp(7mL)driedrosemary2tsp(10mL)seasalt1mediumegg2tbsp(30mL)extra-virginoliveoil

Preheatovento350°F(180°C).

Inafoodprocessor,combinealmondflour,rosemaryandsalt;pulsetomix.Addeggandoil;pulsejustuntilcombined.

Roll out dough as thin as possible between two sheets of parchment paper. Remove the topsheetofpaperandslide theothersheetwith thedoughontoacookiesheet. (Ifdoughisverysoft,putitinthefreezerfor10minutesbeforecutting.)Useaknifeorpizzawheeltocutout8to10crackersabout11/2inches(4cm)wideand3inches(8cm)long.

Bakecrackersfor10to12minutesoruntilgoldenaroundtheedges.Letcoolcompletelyonarack.ServewithBeetGoatCheeseDip.

CurryChickenBurgerswithMangoSalsaorTzatziki

BakedLemonPepperSalmonwith“Cream”Sauce

TamariBroccoliwithSunflowerSeeds

Walker’sSpicyBrusselsSprouts

TurkeyBurgerswithGuacSalsa

CurryLentilLoaf

RawSunshineWraps

Amy’sTempehChili

RoastedLemonAsparaguswithPecans

RawliciousZucchiniPastawithHempSpinachPesto

MashedCauliflowerwithGoatCheese

ArugulaorKaleWalnutPesto

Sun-DriedTomatoArugulaSpeltCrustPizza

SpaghettiSquashwithChiaSeeds

CurryChickenBurgerswithMangoSalsaorTzatzikiThespicesmakethesejuicyburgersincrediblyflavorful.Enjoythemwithafewspoonfulsofmangosalsaortzatziki.They’regreatasapower-packedlunchwithabigrawsaladandyourfavoritedressingthenextday.

Makes4to6burgers

Gluten-free

Burgers1lb(450g)groundorganicchickenbreast3shallots,finelychopped1tbsp(15mL)currypowder1tbsp(15mL)lemonjuice1tsp(5mL)groundginger1tsp(5mL)groundcumin1/4tsp(1mL)cayennepepperSaltandblackpepper

MangoSalsa2mangoes,peeledandthinlysliced1/2smallredonion,thinlysliced1greenonion,finelychopped1/2cup(125mL)choppedcilantro1/4cup(60mL)limejuice

Tzatziki1/2cucumber,grated1to2clovesgarlic3/4cup(175mL)sheep’smilkyogurt1tbsp(15mL)lemonjuice

For theburgers, in a largebowl, combineall ingredients.Gentlymixwithyourhands.Forminto4to6patties,dependingonhowlargeyoulikeyourburgers.Coverandrefrigerateforatleast20minutestolettheflavorsmingle.

Meanwhile,make thesalsaor tzatziki.Combineall thesalsa ingredients inasmallbowl.Or,placeallthetzatzikiingredientsinafoodprocessorandblenduntilsmooth.

Preheatgrilltomedium.

Grillburgersuntilnopink isvisible insideand juices runclear,7 to8minutesper side.Top

burgerswithmangosalsaortzatziki.

BakedLemonPepperSalmonwith“Cream”SauceThislemon-infusedsalmonisbrightandfresh,justperfectforacoldwinter’sday.Thecreamytahinidressingisawonderfuldairy-freealternative.EnjoywithTamariBroccoli(page230)andyou’llhaveawell-balanced,joyousmeal!

Serves2

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

JoyousComfort

2salmonfillets,6oz(170g)eachJuiceof1/2lemonSeasaltandfreshlygroundpepper

LemonPepperTahiniSauce2tbsp(30mL)extra-virginoliveoilGratedzestandjuiceof1lemon1/4cup(60mL)tahini1tbsp(15mL)honeyAsprinkleortwoofseasaltandlotsoffreshlygroundpepper

Preheatovento350°F(180°C).

Placesalmonfilletsonabakingsheet.Drizzlesalmonwithlemonjuiceandseasonwithseasaltandblackpepper.Bakefor10to15minutesoruntiltheinsideofthefishisnolongerdarkpink.

Meanwhile,makethesauce.Inasmallbowl,stir togetheroil, lemonzest, lemonjuice, tahiniandhoney.Seasonwithseasaltandpepper.

Arrangebakedsalmononplatesanddrizzlewithsauce.

JoyousTipTahini (alsoknownassesamepaste) isanutrient-densepastemadefromgroundsesameseeds.Itisagoodsourceofplant-basedcalcium.Some manufacturers add additional oils to their tahini—avoid thosebrands!Readyourlabeltoensuretherearenoaddedoils.Youwantatahini made only from pure ground sesame seeds to get the mostnutritionalbangforyourbuck.

TamariBroccoliwithSunflowerSeedsFast-fresh-food is thebestway todescribe this sidedishbecause it canbewhippedup innotimetoaccompanyanyfishorchicken.Therichflavorsinthetamarisauceaddamemorabletaste,andbroccoliisacancer-preventativepowerfood.

Serves2

Detox

Vegan

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

2tbsp(30mL)coconutoil1bunchbroccoli,cutinbite-sizeflorets1to2tsp(5to10mL)wheat-freetamarisauce

1/2cup(125mL)sunflowerseeds

Preheatovento350°F(180°C).

Melt coconut oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add broccoli and cook, stirringfrequently,untilbrightgreen,6to7minutes.Drizzlewithtamariandcookforanotherminute.Removefromheatandsprinklewithsunflowerseeds.

JoyousTipTamari is fermented soybean sauce with little or no wheat. It has adeeper, richer flavor than soy sauce—Iprefer it.My favorite brand isSan-Jbecauseit’smadewith100percentorganicwholesoybeansandnowheat.Thereisalsoagluten-freetamaribythisbrand.

Walker’sSpicyBrusselsSproutsIfyourmemoriesofBrussels sproutsmakeyoucrinkleyournose,youarenotalone,but it’stimetogivethisincrediblynutrient-denseanti-cancerfoodanotherchance!Thisrecipeisoneofmyabsolutefavorites,especiallywhenWalker,myhubs,makesitforme.Thesetastedeliciouschilledthenextday!

Serves2generously

Detox

Vegan

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

2tbsp(30mL)coconutoil2cups(500mL)Brusselssprouts,trimmed,cutinhalf2to3tsp(10to15mL)hotchiliflakes1/2tsp(2mL)seasaltFreshlygroundpepper

Ina largeskillet,meltcoconutoilovermediumheat.AddBrusselssproutsandcook,stirringoften,for15to20minutesoruntiltender.Ifthepangetsdryaddsomemorecoconutoilor2tbsp (30 mL) filtered water. Near the end of the cooking time, stir in chili flakes, salt andpepper.

TurkeyBurgerswithGuacSalsaThis recipe is fabulousany timeofyear—it’s freshand light for thewarmermonths,but theflavorsarerichandcomfortingforwinter.Ilovemakingextraburgersandeatingthemchilledthenextdaywithasalad—sosatisfying!Ilovehomemadesalsaandguacamole,soIcombinedtheminthisfresh,vibranttoppingfortheburgers.

Makes4to6burgers

Detox

Vegan

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

GuacSalsa

2ripeavocados,peeledandcubed1tomato,chopped1/2smallredonion,finelychopped1clovegarlic,mincedJuiceof1to2limesPinchofseasalt

Burgers1egg(or1tbsp/15mLchiaseedssoakedin1/4cup/60mLwaterfor4minutes)2tbsp(30mL)wheat-freetamarisauce1lb(450g)groundorganicturkey1sweetonion,chopped1clovegarlic,chopped8sun-driedtomatoes,slicedinslivers5to7creminimushrooms,chopped1/4cup(60mL)choppedfreshparsley1tbsp(15mL)hotchiliflakes

Preheatgrilltomediumorovento350°F(180°C).

Fortheguacsalsa,inasmallbowl,combineavocados,tomato,onionandgarlic;stir.Pourlimejuicetotasteovertopandsprinklewithseasalt.Setaside.

For the burgers, in a large bowl, whisk together egg and tamari. Add turkey, onion, garlic,tomatoes,mushrooms,parsley and chili flakes;mixwellwithyourhands (it’smessy, soyoumightwant toweargloves).Form into4 to 6patties, dependingonhow largeyou likeyourburgers.

Grill burgers, with the lid closed and turning once, for 10 to 12 minutes or until cookedcompletely.Or bake for 7 to 9minutes, flip themover andbake for another 7 to 9minutes.ServewithGuacSalsa.

JoyousTipI love these bun-free burgerswith a side ofWalker’s Spicy BrusselsSprouts(page231).

CurryLentilLoafThisisaJoyousHealthblogreaders’favoriterecipeandwasahitonmyfirstonlineprogram,theJoyous10-dayonlinedetox.Thefiber-richlentilsmakethisrecipeheart-healthyanddetox-friendly.PerfectformakingonaSundayafternoonandenjoyingforlunchduringtheweek.Itfreezesreallywelltoo.

Serves6to8

Detox

Vegetarian

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

JoyousComfort

2¾cups(175mL)redororangelentils3½cups(875mL)filteredwater½cup(125mL)quinoa2tbsp(30mL)coconutoil1smallonion,chopped1cup(250mL)slicedcreminimushrooms½cup(125mL)finelychoppedsweetredpepper2eggs(anysize),lightlybeaten2clovesgarlic,minced1cup(250mL)choppedfreshparsleyorcilantro¾cup(175mL)old-fashionedorquick-cookingrolledoats½cup(125mL)pecansoralmonds,coarselychopped3tbsp(15mL)currypowder2pinchesofseasaltandlotsoffreshlygroundpepperArugulaorspinach

Preheatovento350°F(180°C).Greasea13×9-inch(3L)bakingdishwithcoconutoil.

Inamediumsaucepan,bringlentilsand21/2cups(625mL)ofthewatertoaboil.Reduceheatandsimmer,partlycovered,justuntiltender,15to25minutes.Becarefulnottoovercookthelentils.

Meanwhile,inaseparatesmallpot,bringquinoaandremaining1cup(250mL)ofwatertoaboil.Reduceheatandsimmer,partlycovered,untilfluffy,about15minutes.

Meanwhile, melt coconut oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook the onion,mushroomsandredpepper,stirringfrequently,for5minutesoruntiltender.

Inalargebowl,combinelentils,quinoa,mushroommixture,eggs,garlic,parsley,oats,pecans,currypowder, saltandpepper to taste.Mixwellwithyourhands.Transfermixture tobakingpan.Bakefor30to35minutesoruntilgoldenbrown.Servethiscomfortingloafonabedofpepperyarugulaorspinach.

JoyousTipIf you find the finished loaf a little crumbly, it’s likely because youovercookedthelentils.Solution:Enjoytheloafwithagenerousdollopof extra-virgin olive or hempoil and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar ontop.

RawSunshineWrapsYou’llfeellikea“rawfoodie”whenyoueatthesewraps.Becausealltheveggiesareraw,these

wrapsareburstingwithenzymes.Enzymesare theworkerbeesofeveryactioninyourbody,fromthinkingtoliftingyourarm.Youcaneat3or4wrapsasamealor1or2asanenergizingsnack. TheThai-inspired almond sauce is zesty.Bring these to a party and they’ll be a surewinner!

Makes4wraps

Detox

Vegan

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

Raw

AlmondSauce1/2ripeavocado,peeled1clovegarlic,mincedJuiceof1/2lemon1tbsp(15mL)almondbutter2tsp(10mL)gratedfreshginger1tsp(5mL)wheat-freetamarisauce1/3cup(75mL)filteredwater

Wraps4collardgreensorlargekaleleaves1/2cup(125mL)thinlyslicedpurplecabbage1carrot,cutinmatchsticks2greenonions,cutinmatchsticks6snowpeasorgreenbeans,thinlyslicedlengthwise1cucumber,cutinmatchsticks1avocado,peeledandslicedOptional:peashoots

Forthealmondsauce,placealltheingredientsinafoodprocessorandprocessuntilsmooth.Setaside.

Toassemblethewraps:Withaknife,scorethecenterribofeachcollardgreentomakeiteasiertofold.Inabowl,tosstogethercabbage,carrot,greenonions,snowpeasandcucumber.Spreadadollopofalmondsauceontheinsideofeachcollardgreen.Placeasmallhandfulofvegetablemixtureinthecenterofeachcollardgreen.Topwithasliceor twoofavocadoandsomepeashoots,ifusing.Rollupleaveslikeawrap.Youcanrollfromanarrowendorfromtheside—it’suptoyou.Insertatoothpicktosecure,ifneeded.Useanyleftoveralmondsauceasadip.SometimesImakedoublethealmondsaucejustforadip.

JoyousTipIfyou’d like tomake thealmondsaucemore “hearty,”add2 tbsp (30mL)hempseeds foracompletesourceofproteinandsatiatinggoodfat.Infact,hempseedsareawonderfulsourceofaspecialkindoffattyacid calledGLA,which isanti-inflammatoryandcanbebeneficial forconditions such as arthritis and heart disease and for skin problemssuchasdermatitis.Youcanusericepaperwrapsinsteadofcollardgreens,butthewrapsaren’traw.

Amy’sTempehChiliMycousinAmyhasbeenavegetarianforaslongasIcanremember.WhenwewerekidsshewasalwaysservedsomethingintriguingatfamilyEasterandChristmascelebrationsinsteadofhamor turkey.The first timeImade this recipeofhers formyhubby,Walker,he teasedme,wonderinghowchilicanpossiblybetastywithoutgroundbeef.Tohissurprisehetotallylovedit,andnowit’saregulardinnerinourhome—score!

Serves4to6

Vegan

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

JoyousComfort

2tbsp(30mL)coconutoil

1onion,chopped2clovesgarlic,chopped1jalapeñopepper,chopped1package(9oz/250g)organictempeh1smallsweetredpepper,chopped4stalkscelery,chopped1cup(250mL)choppedcarrots4tomatoes,coarselychopped,or1can(28oz/796mL)dicedtomatoes1can(15oz/425g)kidneybeans,drainedandrinsed1can(15oz/425g)garbanzobeans,drainedandrinsed2tbsp(30mL)hotchiliflakes1tsp(5mL)eachturmericandgroundcumin

Meltcoconutoilinalargepotovermediumheat.Addonion,garlicandjalapeño;cook,stirringfrequently, for 5 minutes. Crumble three-quarters of the tempeh into the pot. Cook, stirringfrequently, for 5minutes.Add red pepper, celery and carrots; cook, stirring frequently, for 5minutes. Add more coconut oil if necessary. Add tomatoes with their juice, kidney beans,garbanzobeans,chiliflakes,turmericandcumin.Increaseheatandbringtoagentleboil,thenreduceheatandsimmer,stirringoccasionally,foratleast30minutes.Seasonwithseasaltandpepper.Servetoppedwithcrumbledremainingtempeh.

JoyousTipMy favoritebrandof tempeh isHenry’sbecause it’s certifiedorganic,non-GMOandaCanadiancompanyfromKitchener-Waterloo,Ontario.Tempeh is a fermented soybean product. It’s an excellent source ofproteinandismucheasiertodigestthantofu.

RoastedLemonAsparaguswithPecansOncespringhits,Ican’thelpbutsmilebecausethismeansorganicasparagusisinabundanceatfarmers’markets.Thismouthwateringsidedishisalsowonderfulservedchilledforlunch.

Serves4

Detox

Vegan

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

1lb(450g)asparagus(preferablythickspears)2tbsp(30mL)balsamicvinegarorjuiceof1lemon1to2tbsp(15to30mL)grapeseedoil2pinchesofseasaltandfreshlygroundblackpepper

1/2cup(125mL)choppedpecans

Preheatovento350°F(180°C).

Snap toughendsoff asparagus anddiscard.Place asparagus in a largebakingdishorbakingsheet.Sprinklewithbalsamicorlemonjuiceandgrapeseedoilandrollasparagusaroundtocoatwell.Seasonwithseasaltandpepper.

Roastfor18to20minutesoruntilfork-tender.Transfertoaplatterandsprinklewithpecans.

JoyousTipYoumaybesurprisednottoseeextra-virginoliveoilinthisrecipe.ThisisbecauseIdonotrecommendheatingoliveoiltoahightemperature,asheatdestroysthebeneficialqualitiesoftheoil.Grapeseedoilisthenextbestoptionforthisrecipe.Youmaydrizzlehigh-qualityextra-virginoliveoil(evoo)overtheasparagusafterit’sbeenroastedtoperfection.My favorite brand of evoo is from Acropolis Organics;www.acropolisorganics.com.Asparagus is a source of a prebiotic fiber called inulin. Once inulinarrives in our large intestine, it becomes an ideal food source forcertain types of bacteria associated with better nutrient absorption,lowerriskofcoloncancerandlowerriskofallergies.

RawliciousZucchiniPastawithHempSpinachPestoThis recipe is completely raw, hence “rawlicious.” Raw recipes are chock-full of enzymes,vitamins andminerals.When I don’t feel like turning on an oven, this is one ofmy go-tos,especially in the summerwhenzucchinis aregrowing likemad inMaMcCarthy’sgardenupnorth.Serves2

Detox

Vegan

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

Raw

2zucchinis,endstrimmed

HempSpinachPesto3cups(750mL)spinach1or2clovesgarlic1/2cup(125mL)pumpkinseeds1/4cup(60mL)hempoilorextra-virginoliveoil1/2tsp(2mL)seasaltOptional:1/2cup(125mL)hempseeds

Useaspiralizer*toturnzucchinisintonoodles,oruseavegetablepeelertoslicezucchinisintoribbons.Placezucchininoodlesinalargebowl.

For the pesto, in a food processor, combine all ingredients. Process to desired consistency. Ipersonallylikemypestowithabitoftexture,alittlecrunchy,butyoucanblenduntilcreamyifyoulike.Addmoreoilifneeded.

Addpestotozucchininoodlesandstirwell.

*Aspiralizerisahandylittlegadgetthatturnszucchiniintoperfectlysizednoodles.IlikethePadernobrand.Makesuretoincludetheskin,asit’sfulloffiberandnutrients.

JoyousTipZucchini ishighinatracemineralcalledmanganese,whichhelpsthebody metabolize protein and carbohydrates, participates in theproductionofsexhormones(oohlala!)andcatalyzesthesynthesisoffattyacidsandcholesterol.

MashedCauliflowerwithGoatCheeseThiscreamyyet light sidedish is theperfect replacement formashedpotatoes.Now,beinganutritionist,Iwouldneverbashavegetable.However,whitepotatoesarenotthebestchoicefora carb to accompany your meal, because they are not the most nutrient-dense vegetable. Ipromiseyouwon’tmissthepotatoeshere!

Serves4

Detox

Vegetarian

Gluten-fre

JoyousComfort

1largecauliflower(2¾lb/1.25kg),stemsandfloretscutinbite-sizepieces1/2cup(125mL)softgoatcheese1tbsp(15mL)almondmilk1/2tsp(2mL)salt1/4tsp(1mL)pepper2tbsp(30mL)choppedfreshchives

Inasteamerbasket,coverandsteamcaulifloweruntil tender,about10minutes.Transfer toalargebowl.

Usingapotatomasher,mashcaulifloweruntilthetextureofmashedpotatoes.Addgoatcheese,almondmilk,saltandpepper;stiruntilcombined.Topwithchives.

ArugulaorKaleWalnutPestoIfyouenjoygarlicasmuchasIdo,thenyouwilllovethispesto.Itwillbecomeafavoriteinyourhomebecauseyoucanuseitforpastaoronpizza,makesaladdressingwithitorenjoyitoncrackers.Garlichassuperfoodstatus,andyoucanfinditlocallygrown.Thenicethingaboutthispestoisthatyoucanusejustaboutanyleafygreen,andyoudon’thavetousepinenutstocall it “pesto”! Pine nuts can be very pricey,which iswhy I like usingwalnuts, almonds orcashews.

Makesabout3/4cup(175mL)

Detox

Vegan

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

2cups(500mL)arugulaorbabyspinach(or5or6kaleleaves,washedandpatteddry)1/2to1clovegarlic(goeasyonthegarlicifyouareanewbietothisrecipe!)1/2cup(125mL)walnuts,almondsorcashewsJuiceof1/2lemon1/4cup(60mL)extra-virginoliveoilPinchofseasalt

If using kale, tear it away from the tough stems and tear into large pieces. Place all theingredients in a food processor or high-powered blender; chop on high for 30 seconds to 1minute.Ifyouhaveaminifoodprocessor,workinbatches.Giveitatastetestandaddwhateveringredientsyoufeelitneeds.Iusuallyaddmoreoil.

JoyousTipWorriedabout thepotentgarlicsmellonyourbreath?Chewonsomeparsley afterwards—it helps to neutralize the smell, plus it’s a greatsource of calcium and a rich source of antioxidant nutrients such asvitaminC.

Sun-DriedTomatoArugulaSpeltCrustPizzaThinkyoucan’teatpizzabecauseit’snothealthy?Thinkagain!Whenyouuseallreal,“whole”ingredients, you can eat your pizza and enjoy it too.My good friendDee,who transformedherself fromafrozen-dinnergirl toakitchengoddess,made thispizzacrustwithherfavoritetoppingsformeonenightandIlovedit.She’sapizzalovertoo.

Serves2to3

Vegetarian

JoyousComfort

PizzaCrust1½cups(375mL)organicstone-groundspeltflour1tsp(5mL)aluminum-freebakingpowder1/2tsp(2mL)fineseasalt1egg(anysize)1/4cup(60mL)wateroralmondmilk4tbsp(60mL)extra-virginoliveoil

Toppings1/2cup(125mL)ArugulaorKaleWalnutPesto(page245)8sun-driedtomatoes1/2cup(125mL)softgoatcheese1/2cup(125mL)freshbasilleaves2tbsp(30mL)extra-virginoliveoilOptional:1tsp(5mL)hotchiliflakes

Preheatovento425°F(220°C)withapizzastone.Lightlyoilapizzapanorbakingsheet.

For thepizzacrust, inamediumbowl,stir together flour,bakingpowderandsalt. Inasmallbowl,beateggwithafork;stirinwaterand2tbsp(30mL)oftheoliveoil.Addwetingredientstodryingredientsandstiruntiltheyformaballofdough.(Astandmixerwiththedoughhookwillmakeiteasier.)Youmayneedtosprinkle themixturewithmoreflour toprevent it fromstickingtothesideofthebowl.

Lightlyflouryourworksurface.Shapethedoughintoaball.Kneaditfor3to4minutesoruntilsmooth. (Or knead for 2 to 3minutes in your standmixer.)Using a floured rolling pin, rolldoughintoacircleslightlylargerthanyourpizzastoneorpizzapanorbakingsheet.Scooptherolleddoughontothepan.Usingyourhands,flattenitandpressit totheedges.Brushdoughwiththeremaining2tbsp(30mL)oil.Thiswillpreventthetoppingsfrombakingintothecrust.

Topthepizzawithasmucharugulapestoasyoulike.Topwithsun-driedtomatoes,goatcheeseandbasil.Bakefor20minutesoruntiltheedgesaregolden.Drizzlewithextra-virginoliveoilandsprinklewithchiliflakesifyoulikealittlespice.

SpaghettiSquashwithChiaSeedsThiscanbeasidedishorthemaineventusedjust likepasta.It’sgluten-free,anti-belly-bloatandfullofflavor.Youcanusethisasanoodleandpourtomatosauceontop;youwon’tmisspastaonebit!

Detox

Vegan

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

1organicspaghettisquash2tbsp(30mL)extra-virginoliveoilororganicbutter1/2tsp(2mL)seasaltPinchoffreshlygroundpepper2tbsp(30mL)chiaseeds1/2cup(125mL)choppedfreshparsley

Optional:2tbsp(30mL)blacksesameseedsand/orasprinkleoforganicnutritionalyeastforacheesyflavor

Preheatovento375°F(190°C).

Cutsquashinhalfandscrapeoutalltheseeds.Placethesquashcutsidedowninabakingdish;add1inch(2.5cm)filteredwater.Bake,uncovered,for50minutes.Pokewithafork;ifitisnottender,cookfor10to15minuteslongeroruntilfork-tender.Usingafork,scrapesquashfleshintoaservingbowl.Itwillbestringylikespaghettiandcomeoutveryeasily.

Pouroiloversquashandseasonwithseasaltandpepper.Sprinklewithchiaseedsandgarnishwithparsley.Addsesameseedsandorganicnutritionalyeast,ifusing.

JoyousTipSeparate the squash seeds from the stringy flesh, spread themonabakingsheet,sprinklewithseasaltandbakethemat225°F(110°C)forabout1½hours.Enjoyasasnack!Eventhoughspaghettisquashisnotonthe“DirtyDozen,”makesureyou buy organic squash, especially if you are pregnant or breast-feeding,asittendstoabsorbfromthesoilabannedinsecticidecalleddieldrin,whichisstillpersistentintheenvironment.

CardamomAppleCrisp

FruitSaladwithCashewOrangeCream

RaspberryMacaPopsicles

AvocadoMatchaPopsicles

PeachesandCreamPopsicles

RawCarrotCakeBalls

SexyMacaBalls

DoubleChocolateGluten-FreeCookies

Mom’sTrailMixCookies

ChiliandCinnamonChocolateBark

BlackBeanChiaBrownies

LemonPoppySeedLoafwithCoconutIcing

ChocolateMintPudding

KeyLimePudding

PearTartwithCashewMapleCream

CardamomAppleCrispIcreatedthisdessertforsomeveganfriendsIwashostingfordinner,soit’scompletelydairy-free (most crispsusebutter in the topping).Thecardamomwas suchanicechange from theusualcinnamon.

Serves6or7

Vegan

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

JoyousComfort

Topping1½cups(375mL)quinoaflakes(pre-cooked)2tsp(10mL)cinnamon1/4tsp(1.25mL)groundcardamom1/4cup(60mL)sulfite-freedriedcranberries1/4cup(60mL)choppedpecansorwalnuts1/4cup(60mL)coconutoil,melted1tbsp(15mL)coconutsugar1to2tbsp(15to30mL)realmaplesyrup

Filling6apples(unpeeled),washed,coredandthinlysliced2tbsp(30mL)applejuiceorwater1tsp(5mL)cinnamon1tbsp(15mL)coconutsugar

Preheatovento350°F(180°C).

Forthetopping,inamediumbowl,stirtogetherquinoaflakes,cinnamonandcardamom.Stirincranberries,pecans,coconutoilandcoconutsugar.Holdoffonthemaplesyrupfornow.

Forthefilling,inalargebowl,combineapples,applejuiceandcinnamon;tosswell.Tasteoneoftheapples.Ifyouwantasweeterfilling,stirinthecoconutsugar.

Transferapplestoabakingdish—youmayuseadeeproundbakingdishora13×9-inch(3L)bakingpan,dependingonhowthickyoulikethetopping.Sprinkletoppingevenlyoverapples;drizzlewithmaple syrup.Bake for35minutesoruntil applesare tender. I likemyapples tohavea little texture,soyoumaywish tobakefor longer.Servewithcoconutmilkvanilla ice

cream,orforbreakfastwithcoconutmilk.

JoyousTipYouwillfindpre-cookedquinoaflakesatmosthealthfoodstores.Theylooklikeoatflakesandhaveamildflavor.MyfavoritebrandisGoGoQuinoa.Ifyoucan’tfindthem,substitutewithquick-cookingrolledoats.

FruitSaladwithCashewOrangeCreamThisfruitsaladisdecadentwiththecasheworangecreambutcompletelyguilt-free!Enjoyasadessertoranafternoonsnack.

Serves4

Detox

Vegan

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

1pint(500mL)strawberries,slicedinhalf4kiwifruit,peeledandcutinbite-sizechunks1pint(500mL)blueberriesorblackberries1pineapple,peeledandcutinbite-sizechunks2largeoranges,segmentedJuiceof2limes

CashewOrangeCream1cup(250mL)rawcashews(soakedfor4hoursanddrained)3tbsp(45mL)coconutmilk2tbsp(30mL)realmaplesyrup1tbsp(15mL)gratedorangezestJuicefrom1freshlysqueezedorange

Inalargebowl,tossfruitwithlimejuice.

Forthecasheworangecream,inafoodprocessororblender,combineallingredients.Processuntilsmoothlikecream.Addmorecoconutmilkifyoupreferathinnerconsistency.

Half-fill4dessertbowlswithfruit.Addaheapingspoonfulofcasheworangecream.Fillbowlswithremainingfruit.Topwithsomemorecream.

JoyousTipManytimesIsaytomyclients,eatthefoodyouwanttolooklike!Thistipapplieshereperfectly.Fruit is full ofphytonutrients that lend themtheir beautiful rich colors. Many of these same nutrients are verybeautifying foryourskin.Plus there’sadoseofvitaminC,which isaprecursortocollagenandwhatyourskinisliterallymadeof.

PerfectPopsiclesThreeWaysWhentheheatofthesummerhits,thesewonderfullynourishingpopsicleswillcoolyouofflikeacucumber.I’veevensnuckafewsuperfoodsintoeachrecipe!Theyarenaturallysweet,butyoucan taste-test thembeforeyoupop themin thefreezerandaddmoresweetness ifyousodesire.Eachrecipemakes4to6popsicles,dependingonthesizeofyourmold.

RaspberryMacaPopsiclesVegan

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

1can(14oz/400mL)coconutmilk2pints(1L)raspberries,washed3tbsp(45mL)macapowder

3tbsp(45mL)chiaseeds3tbsp(45mL)almondbutter10to15dropsliquidstevia(or1/2cup/125mLrealmaplesyrup)

Shake can of coconut milk until you hear the milk change from solid to liquid. Place allingredients in a blender or food processor; process until well combined. Pour into popsiclemoldsandfreezeforatleast6hoursorovernight.Ifyouhavetroubleremovingthepopsicles,runthemoldunderlukewarmwater.

JoyousTipAfterwashingraspberries,placethemonakitchentoweltodryoff.Youdon’twantexcesswaterinthepopsiclesbecauseitcancausefreezerburn.

AvocadoMatchaPopsiclesVegan

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

1can(14oz/400mL)coconutmilk1ripemediumavocado,peeledandcubed1tbsp(15mL)matchagreenteapowder1/4cup(60mL)honey10to15dropsliquidstevia

Shake can of coconut milk until you hear the milk change from solid to liquid. Place allingredients in a blender or food processor; process until well combined. Pour into popsiclemoldsandfreezeforatleast6hoursorovernight.Ifyouhavetroubleremovingthepopsicles,runthemoldunderlukewarmwater.

PeachesandCreamPopsiclesDetox

Vegan

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

JoyousComfort

1can(14oz/400mL)coconutmilk8to10ripemediumpeaches,peeledandcutinwedges10to15dropsliquidstevia(or1/2cup/125mLrealmaplesyrup)

1/2cup(125mL)unsweetenedsulfite-freecoconutflakes

Shake can of coconut milk until you hear the milk change from solid to liquid. Place allingredients, excluding coconut flakes, in a blender or food processor; process until wellcombined.Pourintopopsiclemolds.Sprinklewithcoconutflakes.Freezeforatleast6hoursorovernight.Ifyouhavetroubleremovingthepopsicles,runthemoldunderlukewarmwater.

RawCarrotCakeBallsOne of my all-time favorite desserts is carrot cake. These yummy cookie balls, made withshreddedcarrotsandspices,tastejustlikeit!Becausetheyarecompletelyraw,youcanmaketheminasnap.

Makes18to20balls

Vegetarian

Dairy-free

Raw

JoyousComfort

3/4cup(175mL)unsweetenedshreddedcoconut6Medjooldates,pitted3/4cup(175mL)walnuts1/2cup(125mL)gratedcarrots1/4cup(60mL)hempseeds1/4cup(60mL)honey1tsp(5mL)purevanillaextract1tsp(5mL)cinnamon1/2tsp(2mL)nutmeg1/4tsp(1mL)groundcloves

Reserve 1/4 cup (60 mL) shredded coconut in a shallow dish for rolling. Place remainingingredientsinahigh-poweredfoodprocessorandprocessuntilfullycombined.Formmixtureinto 1-inch (2.5 cm) balls and roll in reserved shredded coconut, coating balls completely.Transfertoabakingsheetandrefrigerateforafewhoursorovernight.Keepchilled,orfreezeinanairtightcontainerforafewmonths(thoughIguaranteetheywon’tlastthatlong).Enjoy1or2asasnackordessert.

SexyMacaBallsThisrecipeisaJoyousHealthblogreaders’favoritebecauseofthefamoussuperfoodmaca—and maybe even a little because of the name.Maca is a Peruvian root reported to increasestaminaandenergyandhelpthebodybetteradapttostress.Ancientrumorshaveitthatmacamayevenincreaselibido—oohlala!Theseballsofdeliciousnessaretheperfectsweetsnack,withproteinandgoodfattofillthehungergapmid-morningormid-afternoon.

Makes15to20balls

Vegetarian

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

8to10softMedjooldates,pitted1/2cup(125mL)rawalmondsorcashews

1/4cup(60mL)gojiberries1/4cup(60mL)darkchocolatechips*orrawcacaonibs1tbsp(15mL)cinnamon1tbsp(15mL)rawcacaopowder1½tsp(7mL)macapowder1tsp(5mL)purevanillaextract

Placeallingredientsinahigh-poweredfoodprocessorandprocessuntilcombined.Rollmixtureinto1-inch (2.5cm)ballswithyourhands.Placeonabakingsheetand refrigerate fora fewhoursorovernight.Keepchilled,orfreezeinanairtightcontainerforafewmonths(thoughIguaranteetheywon’tlastthatlong).Enjoy1or2asasnackordessert.

*Checkingredientslabeltoconfirmgluten-freeifyouwantthisrecipetobetrulyfreeofgluten.

DoubleChocolateGluten-FreeCookiesWhenIwasexperimentinginmykitchenonedayIcreatedthesecookies.Theyareachocolatelover’sdreambecauseof thedoublehitofchocolatefromtherawcacaoandcacaonibs.Thecoconutflourkeepsthemsurprisinglymoist.They’reperfectwithaglassofalmondmilk.

Makes20to24cookies

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

JoyousComfort

1/2cup(125mL)coconutflour1/3cup(75mL)rawcacaopowder1/4cup(60mL)coconutsugar1tsp(5mL)bakingpowder2eggs(anysize)1cup(250mL)wateroralmondorhempmilk1tbsp(15mL)coconutnectarorrealmaplesyrup1tsp(5mL)purevanillaextract1/4cup(60mL)coconutoil,meltedandcooledslightly1/2cup(125mL)chocolatechips*orcacaonibs

Preheatovento350°F(180°C).Greaseabakingsheetorlinewithparchmentpaper.

Inalargebowl,whisktogethercoconutflour,cacaopowder,coconutsugarandbakingpowder.Inamediumbowl,lightlybeattheeggs;addwater,coconutnectar,vanillaandcoconutoil.Addwet ingredients to dry ingredients; stir until well combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Formdough into 1-inch (2.5 cm) balls and arrange 1/2 inch (1 cm) apart on baking sheet. Flattenslightly.

Bakefor12minutesoruntiltopsaredry.Letcooloncookiesheetfor10minutes,thentransfertoaracktocoolcompletely.

*Checkingredientslabeltoconfirmgluten-freeifyouwantthisrecipetobetrulyfreeofgluten.

Mom’sTrailMixCookiesMymommakes these cookies forme nearly every time I visit her, and I always get a carepackagetotakehome.ThesecookiesaregreatwithanicecupofhotgreenteaandyourfavoritebookonaquietSundayafternoon,orasanafternoonpowersnackatwork.Useyourfavoritetrailmix;IlikeBob’sRedMillOldCountryStyleMuesli.

Makes20to24cookies

Vegetarian

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

3/4cup(175mL)speltflourorstone-groundwholewheatflour1/2tsp(2mL)bakingsoda1/2tsp(2mL)seasalt1/2tsp(2mL)cinnamon1egg(anysize)1/2cup(125mL)coconutoil,melted1/2cup(125mL)coconutsugarorSucanat1tsp(5mL)purevanillaextract1cup(250mL)trailmix1/2cup(125mL)chocolatechips1/4cup(60mL)cacaonibs

Preheatovento375°F(190°C).Lightlygreaseacookiesheet.

Inamediumbowl,whisktogetherflour,bakingsoda,saltandcinnamon.Inalargebowl,beattheegg;whiskincoconutoil,coconutsugarandvanilla.Addtoflourmixtureandmixwithaspatula until well combined. Stir in trail mix, chocolate chips and cacao nibs. Drop byteaspoonfulsabout1/2 inch (1 cm) apart on cookie sheet.Pressdowncarefullywith a lightlyflouredfork.

Bake for10 to12minutesoruntil edgesaregoldenbrown.Let coolon thecookie sheet forabout5minutes,thentransfertoaracktocoolcompletely.

ChiliandCinnamonChocolateBarkThis recipe reminds me of my favorite spicy hot chocolate from Soma Chocolatemaker inToronto’sDistilleryDistrict.Thehintofcayennewillgiveyourmetabolismalittleboost,andyou’lllovehoweasyitistomake.

Makesabout8mediumpieces

Vegan

Gluten-free

1/3cup(75mL)coconutoil3/4cup(175mL)rawcacaopowder1/4cup(60mL)realmaplesyrup(addmoreifyoulikeitsweeter)1tbsp(15mL)cinnamon1tsp(5mL)cayennepepper1/4cup(60mL)rawcashews,coarselychopped

In a small saucepan over low heat,melt coconut oil. Slowly stir in cacao andmaple syrup.Whenfullycombined,stirincinnamonandcayenne.Removefromheatandletcoolforafewminutes.Lineabakingsheetwithparchmentpaper.Pourchocolatemixtureontothepaperandsprinklewithcashews.Refrigeratefor4hours.Breakintopieces.Storeinthefridgeforupto1weekorfreezeforacoupleofmonths.

BlackBeanChiaBrowniesHere is a much healthier version of regular brownies, but don’t worry—you don’t have tosacrificeflavor!Andtheyaresodelicious,noonewilleverguessyou’veusedblackbeansandchiaseeds,infusingthesebrownieswithtonsoffiber.Youcoulduseregularcocoapowder,butit’s just not as intensely flavorful—or nutrient-dense—as raw cacao powder. To make themgluten-free,chooseGFchocolatechips.

Makes24smallbrownies

Vegetarian

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

JoyousComfort

1can(15oz/425g)blackbeans,drainedandrinsed

3mediumeggs1/2cup(125mL)coconutsugar1/3cup(75mL)coconutoil,atroomtemperature1/4cup(60mL)rawcacaopowder2tbsp(30mL)chiaseeds2tsp(10mL)purevanillaextract1/2cup(125mL)semisweetdarkchocolatechips1/4cup(60mL)rawcacaonibs

Preheatovento350°F(180°C).Greasean8-inch(2L)squarebakingpan.

Ina foodprocessororblender, combineblackbeans, eggs, coconut sugar, coconutoil, cacaopowder,chiaseedsandvanilla.Processuntilsmooth.Stirinchocolatechips.Transfermixturetothebakingpan.Levelwithaspatulaandsprinklewithcacaonibs.Bakefor30to35minutesoruntilaforkinsertedinthecentercomesoutclean.Coolinthepanbeforecutting.

LemonPoppySeedLoafwithCoconutIcingThisisa“healthyrecipemakeover”successstory!Thetypicallemonpoppyseedloafcontainsfartoomuchrefinedsugar.OnedayIcreatedthisforagirlfriendwholovedtherefinedsugar(unhealthy)versionfromherlocalcoffeeshop.Sheneverwentbackandnowmakesthisrecipeallthetime.OhandPStheicingisfoodgasmic!

Makes1loafor12muffins

Vegetarian

Dairy-free

JoyousComfort

2cups(500mL)speltflour1/2cup(125mL)coconutsugar1/4cup(60mL)poppyseeds1tsp(5mL)bakingpowder1/2tsp(2mL)bakingsoda1/2tsp(2mL)seasaltGratedzestandjuiceof1lemon1/4cup(60mL)grapeseedoil1/2cup(125mL)almondmilk2extra-largeeggs,lightlybeaten

CoconutIcing1/2cup(125mL)coconutbutter,atroomtemperature1/4cup(60mL)liquidhoney1tsp(5mL)purevanillaextract1/2tsp(2mL)gratedlemonzest

Preheatovento350°F(180°C).Greasealoafpan.

Inamediumbowl,whisktogetherflour,sugar,poppyseeds,bakingpowder,bakingsoda,seasalt and lemonzest.Beatingwell after eachaddition, addgrapeseedoil, almondmilk, lemonjuiceandeggs.

Pourbatterintoloafpan.Bakefor35to40minutesoruntilatoothpickinsertedinthecenteroftheloafcomesoutclean.Coolcompletelybeforeapplyingicing.(Iusuallyleavetheloafinthepan,cutoutaslice,covertheloafwithplasticwrapandpopitbackinthefridge.)

For the icing, combine all ingredients in a small bowl; stir until well combined. Enjoy

immediatelyorrefrigerateforaweek.

Option:Tomakemuffins,lineamuffinpanwithpaperliners.Dividebatteramongmuffincups,fillingthree-quartersfull.Bakefor22to24minutesoruntilatoothpickinsertedinthecenterofamuffincomesoutclean.Coolcompletelybeforeapplyingicing.

JoyousTipCoconutbutterandcoconutoilarenotthesamething.Coconutbutteriswholecoconutfleshpuréedintoafibrous,denselynutritiousspread—think almond butter. Coconut oil is just that, the pure oil of thecoconut,expressedmuchlikepeanutoiloroliveoil.It’sfullofmedium-chain triglycerides— very health-promoting fats. You do not need tostoreeitherintherefrigerator.

ChocolateMintPuddingChocolateavocadopuddingwasoneoffirst rawrecipesIevermadeformyblog.Because itwassopopular,Icreatedanorangeversiontoo.ThechocolatemintideacamefromKate,myresearch assistant aka nutrition nerd at Joyous Health. If you’ve only ever had store-boughtchocolatepudding,youareinforarealtreat!

Serves2generously

Vegetarian

Dairy-free

Raw

1ripeavocado,peeled1/3cup(75mL)rawcacaopowder1/4cup(60mL)realmaplesyruporrawhoney2tbsp(30mL)almondmilk1/2tsp(2mL)peppermintextract1tsp(5mL)cacaonibsforgarnish

Place all ingredients except cacaonibs in a foodprocessor or high-poweredblender; processuntilniceandsmooth. Ifyouprefera thinnerconsistency,adda littlemorealmondmilkandblend somemore.Give it a taste test. If youprefer it sweeter, addmoremaple syrupor rawhoney.Spoonintoservingbowlsandsprinklewithcacaonibs.

JoyousTipSimplyOrganicmakesvariousorganic flavoredextracts.Youcanfindthematmosthealth foodstoresor in thehealth foodsectionof yourgrocerystore.

KeyLimePuddingTwodessertsIloveareKeylimepieandanyflavorofpudding,soIcombinedthemintoonefresh-tasting and completely raw (no-bake!) recipe. This dessert is proof that healthy anddeliciouscanbefoundinthesamerecipe.

Serves4

Vegetarian

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

Raw

2ripeavocados,peeled1/4cup(60mL)rawhoney1/4cup(60mL)freshlysqueezedlimejuice2tbsp(30mL)sweetenedflakedorshreddedcoconut

Placeallingredientsexceptcoconutinafoodprocessororhigh-poweredblender;processuntilniceandsmooth.Giveitatastetest,andifyoupreferitsweeter,addmorerawhoney.Spoonintoservingbowlsandsprinklewithcoconut.

JoyousTipWantitalittlesweeterbutdon’twanttoaddhoney?Add5to10dropsofliquidstevia,tastingafter5dropsandaddingmoreifyouwish.

PearTartwithCashewMapleCreamThisisasummerpotluckfavoriteofmine.Makingitaheadandrefrigeratingitnotonlysavestimebutalsomakesforafabulouschilleddessert.Or,inthewinter,sautéthepearsjustbeforeserving for a comforting Sunday-night dessert. Either way, remember to plan ahead: thecashewsneedtosoakfor4hours,andthedatesfor1hour.

Serves8

Vegan

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

JoyousComfort

CoconutCrust

1cup(250mL)pitteddates(soakedfor1houranddrainedwell)1½cups(375mL)walnutsorpecans1cup(250mL)shreddedorflakedcoconut

CashewMapleCream1cup(250mL)cashews(soakedfor4hoursanddrainedwell)3tbsp(45mL)coconutmilk2tbsp(30mL)realmaplesyrup1tsp(5mL)purevanillaextract

PearTopping2tbsp(30mL)coconutoil3largepears(unpeeled),washed,coredandthinlysliced2tsp(10mL)cinnamon2tbsp(15mL)realmaplesyrup

For thecoconutcrust, ina foodprocessor,combinedates,walnutsandcoconut;processuntilcompletely combined.Transfermixture to a 9-inch (23 cm)pie plate;withmoistenedhands,firmlypresscrustintobottomandupsidesofpan.

Forthecashewmaplecream,inafoodprocessororblender,combinecashews,coconutmilk,maple syrupandvanilla; processuntil smooth like cream.Spreadcashewcream in thecrust.Coverandrefrigerateforatleast2hoursbeforetoppingwithpears.

Forthepeartopping,meltcoconutoilinalargeskilletovermediumheat.Addpearsandcook,gentlystirringandturning,untilsoft,10to15minutes.Sprinklewithcinnamonanddrizzlewithmaplesyrupwhilecooking.Removetartfromthefridgeandarrangesautéedpearsontopofthecashewcream.Serveimmediatelyorrefrigerateovernight.

JoyousTipIf you have a little cashew cream left over, serve each slice with adollop on top. This recipe alsoworkswith any fruit, so usewhat’s inseasonforthefreshestandmostnutrient-densetart.

FINALJOYOUSWORDSDearJoyousHealthReader,

Thankyoufortakingpartinthisjoyousjourneywithme.Itrulyhopethatwhatyou’velearnedfrommybookinspiresyoutoliveamorejoyouslife!Rememberthatit’snotjustaboutwhatyoueat,it’salsoabouthowyouliveyourlife,thethoughtsyouthinkandhowoftenyoumoveyoursexybootyandgetoutsideforfreshair.Reachingoptimalhealthandpreventingdiseaseisaresultofaholisticapproach.That being said, remember to avoid perfectionism and keep in mind that transitioning to

joyoushealthtakestime.Bekindtoyourselfanddonotexpectchangeovernight.Lastly, I chose to share this photo ofme andmy sweetman,Walker, drinking localwine

(fromapolka-dotstraw,ofcourse!)becauseIwantyoutoknowthatbalanceisveryimportant.Idrinkwine,Ieatchocolate—noteveryday,butIdon’tobsessaboutwhatIeatanddrink.IfIhappentobeataneventorafamilygatheringwheremyusualhealthyeatsarenotavailable,Idon’thaveameltdownorgetstressedoutthatI’mgoingtofalloffthewagon.IfIhappentoeatsomething not very joyous, I enjoy every bite of it, and I do not indulge in any food guiltwhatsoeverbecause IknowIwillbe rightbackon track thenextday. I recommend thatyoutake the same approach! Or better yet, bring something joyous and healthy to that familygathering.Furthermore,whenyoumakethechangetowardjoyoushealth,you’llactuallyfinditeasytostayonthepathbecauseyou’llfeelsomuchbetter.

FINALJOYOUSTHOUGHTSWhenyoufocusonhealthandhowyoufeel,asopposedtoanumberonthescale,youwillfinditfareasiertoreachyourdesiredgoals.Everymorselyoueat,everythoughtyouthink,isyourchoice!Youhavethepowertomake

joyouschoicestomoveyoufurthertowardincrediblehealthandwellness.JoyousHealthtoYou!

JoyMcCarthy,CNP,RNCPHolisticNutritionist,loverofrealfood

CONNECTWITHME:Blog:www.joyoushealth.ca—JoinmyDoseofJoyNewsletterTwitter:@joyoushealthInstagram:@joyoushealthFacebook:facebook.com/joyoushealth.caPinterest:joyoushealth

JOYOUSHEALTHFOODANDWELLNESSJOURNAL

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

After severalyearsofworking inmarketing/advertising, I came to the realization thatwhat Ireallywantedtodowastomakeadifferenceinpeople’slivesinamoremeaningfulwaythanIwasdoing.SomyfirstthankyouistotheInstituteofHolisticNutrition,allthestaffandalltheteachers,especiallyMuratVardar,whoseencyclopedicknowledgeof thehumanbody ignitedmypassionandstartedmeonmyamazingjoyoushealthjourney.ThankyoutoWalkerJordan,mylove,mylifepartner,mybestfriendandofficialrecipetaste

tester—your unconditional love, humor and beautiful soul have inspired me to be the bestversionofmyself.OfthesevenbillionpeopleonplanetEarth,youareoneofakind.Iloveyoutoinfinityandbeyond!ToCarolDano,mycreativeguruwhomakeseverythingIdoand think look joyouson the

webor inprint; toKateMcDonaldWalker,myfavoritenutritionnerdandwordsmith;and toNicholasCollister,myphotographer,whocapturedtheessenceofmyjoyousvision—thankyouallfromthebottomofmyjoyousheart!ThankyoutoAndreaMagyar,myeditor,andtoPenguinGroup(Canada)forbelievinginmy

joyousvisionandbringingmydream to lifewith this,my firstbook.Thankyou tomycopyeditor,ShaunOakey,forhispatienceandeagleeye.Thank you to allmy clientsworldwide and all the students I have had the opportunity to

sharemyknowledgewith.Yoursuccessesaremysuccesses,andIamtrulyappreciativeofeachandeveryoneofyou.Somany individuals tomention, but a big thankyou to allmy family and friends…you

knowwhoyouare!Your loveandsupporthavealways inspiredme topushmyself tohighergoalsandaspirations.Thankyoutoallmyteachersovertheyearswhotaughtmethatit’snotjustwhatyoueatbut

alsothethoughtsyouthinkandhowyoutreatyourbodythatcreateawholejoyoushealthylife.Lastbutnotleast,averyjoyousthankstoallmyJoyousHealthblogreaders.You’veinspired

metobethebestIcanpossiblybeinthekitchenandinlife.

Cheerstojoyoushealth!

Aalkalinizingjuicingand,172withlemonwater,12

allergies,48Allergies:DiseaseinDisguise(Bateson-Koch),69

almondflouralmondbuttercookies,219almondpowermuffins,217apricotoatgranolamuffins,139

gojiberrymuffins,140rosemarycrackers,222

almondspowermuffins,217andvanillamilk,170

almondsauce,236aloeverajuice,39AmericanChemicalSociety,8aminoacidsanddigestion,21andquinoa,99roleindigestion,34

antacids,25antibiotics,natural,95anti-inflammatoriesinchickensoup,179ginger,95hempseed,96kale,97quinoa,99

antioxidantsincoffee,8inquinoa,99inrawcacao,100andsuperfoods,88

applecidervinegar,28applesbeetandcarrotslaw,200cardamomcrisp,253andwalnutFrenchtoast,144

apricots:muffins,oatandgranola,139

artificialcolors,71–72artificialflavors,72artificialsweeteners,21arugulaandsun-driedtomatospeltpizza,246andwalnutpesto,245

asparagus:roastedlemonwithpecans,241

avocadoandcucumbersoup,chilled,182guacsalsa,233hempseedguacamole,210andkaletartine,152matchapopsicles,257

Bbacteriadigestive,32inlargeintestine,23roleof,23,31

bakingpowder,123bakingsodatestforstomachacid,35typestopurchase,123

bananasandcoconutflourpancakes,148andmaplegrilledsandwich,150

Bateson-Koch,Dr.Carolee,69beepollen,91beeproductsassuperfoods,90–91beetappleandcarrotslaw,200andgoatcheesedip,222soup,Thai,189

beettest,27berriesandbloodsugar,92blueberryspeltpancakes,147andeyehealth,92

MorningEnergizerblueberrysmoothie,165andquinoa,142raspberrychocolatecheesecakesmoothie,162strawberrychiapudding,157assuperfoods,92

betaineHClandheartburn,37testforstomachacid,35

beverages.Seealsosmoothiescoconutmilk,168DetoxJuice,174GreenBeautyJuice,174JoyousJuices,174limeade,168sangriakombucha,166SunshineJuice,174

bile,stimulationof,12bisphenolA(BPA),75,77bitters,asdigestiveaid,37blender,128bloatingcalmingteafor,43andgumchewing,21preventing,38

bloodsugarandchiaseeds,93effectofberrieson,92andinsolublefiber,40andjuiceintake,76andproteinintake,13,14spirulinaasstabilizer,101

blueberriesMorningEnergizersmoothie,165speltpancakes,147

bodyscanandmood,56–57bonehealth,97bowelmovements.Seealsoconstipationapplecidervinegarasstimulant,28beettest,27andcoffee,9ideal,26andlemonwater,12

BPA.SeebisphenolA(BPA)braindump,andmood,58fatin,51roleineating,20

breadalmondflourrosemarycrackers,222bruschettatopping,205Frenchtoast,withapplesandwalnut,144maplebananagrilledsandwich,150Mexicantoast,137

breadstypestopurchase,118wholewheatandwholegrain,50

breakfastcereals,78importanceof,13andinsulinlevels,13

recipes,137–57breast-feeding,advantagesof,33broccoli:tamari,withsunflowerseeds,230brownies:blackbeanchia,267bruschettatopping,205Brusselssprouts,spicy,231budgetconsiderations,125burgerscurrychicken,227turkey,233

butters:hempseedmaplecinnamon,220

Ccacao,raw,100caffeine,37.Seealsocoffeecalcium,foodscontaining,68Candida,31carbohydratesforimprovedmood,49orderofeating,36andsnacks,14sourceforgood,49

carrot(s)appleandbeetslaw,200cakeballs,258cakesmoothie,111andgingersoup,180

cashewmaplecream,273milletmangosalad,198andorangecream,254

cauliflower,mashed,withgoatcheese,244cerealsbreakfast,78typestopurchase,118

cheese,122chewingasgasandbloatingpreventative,38importanceof,20andmindfuleating,7andsaliva,20

chiablackbeanbrownies,267andstrawberrypudding,157

chiaseeds,93chickencurry,burgers,227soup,MaMcCarthy’s,179stock,182

chickpeasdetoxsalad,193sun-driedtomatohummus,209

chicory,asalternativetocoffee,10chili,tempeh,239chocolateandchiliandcinnamonbark,264gluten-freecookies,262mintpudding,270proteinsquares,154

andraspberrysmoothie,162chyme,21coconutcrust,273coconutflouralmondpowermuffins,217chocolategluten-freecookies,262pancakeswithbananas,148

coconuticing,268coconutmilk,168coconutoil,94coffeeadvantagesof,8–9alternativesto,10antioxidantsin,8andbowelmovements,9casehistoryofdecreasingintake,11cuttingbackon,9–10asdiuretic,8drawbacksto,8,9effectonbody,8limiting,andheartburn,37andwaterconsumption,28

colon.Seelargeintestinecondiments,120constipation.Seealsobowelmovementscasehistory,24causes,26,29andcoffeeintake,9andlemonwater,12probioticsastreatment,31reducing,27,28–31,30resultsof,26andstress,29

cookiesalmondbutter,219carrotcakeballs,258chocolategluten-free,262macaballs,261trailmix,263

cornsyrup,high-fructose,75cosmetics,ingredientstoavoid,80crackers:almondflourrosemary,222cucumberandavocadosoup,chilled,182tzatziki,227

Ddairyalternativestocow’smilk,123cheese,typestopurchase,122eliminating,andheartburn,37products,assourceoffat,52yogurt,75

DavidSuzukiFoundation,81Davis,Dr.William,69dessertsrecipes,253–73whentoeat,36

detoxificationfoodsfor,78foodstoeliminate,66–71andjuicing,172andlemonwater,12purpose,66roleofkale,97ofskin,79smoothiefor,83ofsocialcircle,82andspirulina,101

DetoxJuice,174detoxsaladdressing,193diarrhea,andstress,29dietfoodjournal,16increasingfiberin,29wellnessjournal,16

digestion,andkale,97digestiveenzymes,37digestivesystemandaminoacids,21brainand,20coffeeasastimulantto,9effectofstresson,29andgumchewing,21andheartburn,36–37andhydrochloricacid,21liverand,22mouthand,20probioticsand,31–33stomachand,21

DigestiveWellness(Lipski),31Dijonhoneysaladdressing,193dips.Seealsospreadsbeetgoatcheese,222greenpeaandsun-driedtomato,62tzatziki,227

dryskinbrushing,79

EEatWellFeelWell,59,63ecotherapy,106eggreplacement,122eggs:avocadoandkaletartine,152electricmixer,129Emmons,Dr.Robert,110emotionaleating,59–62emotions,anddisease,58EnvironmentalHealthPerspectives,77EnvironmentalWorkingGroup,75,77,80,81,104,105exercisebenefitsof,37,108and“forestbathing,”108andmoodimprovement,57–58

eyehealth,andberries,92

Ffats

inchiaseeds,93incoconutoil,94good,51–52inhempseeds,96saturatedandunsaturated,52sourcesofgood,52typestopurchase,118inyogurt,75

fiberbenefitsof,40dietary,40infecalmatter,23foodsrichin,29,42increasingindiet,29andirritablebowelsyndrome,39roleindigestion,29

fishlemonpeppersalmon,228assourceoffat,52

flatulence,38flavonoids,92fluids.Seealsowaterdrinkingatmeals,36

folate,53foodadditivesincereals,78colors,artificial,71–72flavors,artificial,72preservatives,artificial,73sweeteners,artificial,74

fooddiary,61foodeliminationandirritablebowelsyndrometesting,39andsensitivitytesting,30

foodjournal,46foodlabels,sugarslistedon,70foodpoisoning,22,33foodprocessor,129FoodRules:AnEater’sManual(Pollan),2food(s).Seealsosuperfoodsallergies,48avoidingtrigger,59blue,103bread:wholewheatandwholegrain,50breakfastcereals,78budgetingfor,125canned,75,122colorin,103–4combining,andheartburn,36containingfiber,42eliminationindetoxdiet,66–71fats,51–52fermented,typestopurchase,123fiber-rich,29withgoodbacteria,33green,103healthpyramid,114–15andmood,46–47,49–53MSGin,72nutrientrich,29

orange,103packaged,avoiding,2recommendedtoavoid,74–76red,103toreduceconstipation,30replacingwithhealthier,126–27seasonal,125sensitivities,48servingsizes,118spicy,andheartburn,37stockingpantry,118–23storagecontainersfor,130water-dense,29yellow,103

“forestbathing,”108Forleo,Marie,6Frenchtoast,withappleandwalnuts,144

fruitcombiningwithotherfoods,36salad,254sangriakombucha,166typestopurchase,121

fruitjuice,76

Ggamma-linolenicacid,96gaspreventing,38productionandgumchewing,21

gazpacho,184ginger,95andcarrotsoup,180andlimevinaigrette,198

gluten,eliminating,37,69goatcheeseandbeetdip,222andmashedcauliflower,244

gojiberrymuffins,140granola:muffins,apricotandoats,139gratefulness,110GreenBeautyJuice,174GreenGoddesssmoothie,164greenssupplement,forirritablebowelsyndrome,39guacomole,hempseed,210gumchewing,21,38

Hheadaches,10healthfoodpyramid,114–15heartburncauses,34reducing,12,36–37

heartdiseaseandpumpkinseeds,98andsolublefiber,40

hempmilk,170seedguacamole,210

seedmaplecinnamonbutter,220seeds,96andspinachpesto,243

herbs,97,120homogenizationofmilk,66,67honey.Seealsobeeproductssaladdressing,200using,91

hormones,47–48hugging,109hummus,sun-driedtomato,209hungerdifferentiatedfromthirst,61realitycheckfor,60

hydrochloricacidandantacids,25anddigestivesystem,21andfoodpoisoning,22

Iicing:coconut,268immunesystemfoodstoaid,32gingerand,95

InDefenseofFood(Pollan),74insulineffectofsnackson,14productionandbreakfast,13

inulin,241irritablebowelsyndrome,39

JJensen,Dr.Bernard,33JoyousJuices,174juicer,128juices.Seebeveragesjuicing,172–73

Kkale,97andavocadotartine,152chips,cheesy,208chips,curry-spiced,206chips,lemonpumpkinseedseasalt,206GreenGoddesssmoothie,164orangeandpecansalad,202andwalnutpesto,245

kitchenmakeover,126–27kitchentools,128–31Knight,Stuart,82knives,129kombucha,sangria,166

LLactobacillusacidophilus,32largeintestine,23–24leakygutsyndrome,23,24lemon

poppyseedloaf,268tahinidrizzleforcarrotgingersoup,180

lemonwater,28,34,36benefitsof,12–13andgasproduction,38

lentilcurryloaf,234currysoup,188

L-glutamine,37lifestyle,106–10Lijinsky,Dr.William,73limesandgingervinaigrette,198Keylimepudding,271limeade,168

Lipski,Elizabeth,31,33liver,22loaf,lemonpoppyseed,268Logan,Dr.Alan,106LovingBodyScan,56–57

Mmagnesium,98mangocashewandmilletsalad,198salsa,227

margarine,74Masonjars,130mealsdrinkingliquidswith,36size,andgasproduction,3810-dayplan,116–18timingof,36

metabolism:smoothierecipeforboosting,17Mexicantoast,137microwavedfood,74,130milkalternativetocow’s,67,123coconut,168eliminatingindetoxdiet,66–68goat’s,67hemp,170vanillaalmond,170

millet,cashewandmangosalad,198mindfuleating,6–8,20,38minerals,insuperfoods,89moodandfats,53andfoodrelationship,46–47foodstoimprove,49,51,52andhormones,47–48improving,49–53,55–58andnitricoxide,47andprotein,53andtriggerfoods,59andvitaminD,53

MorningEnergizerblueberrysmoothie,165mouth,roleindigesting,20MSG(monosodiumglutamate),72

muffinsalmondpower,217apricotoatgranola,139gojiberry,140

Murray,Dr.Michael,39,48music,benefitsof,108

Nnegativethoughts,dispelling,55–56nitrates,73nitricoxide,andmood,47nitrites,73Northrup,Dr.Christiane,47nutrientsanddetoxification,172foodsrichin,29inhempseeds,96andjuicing,172inquinoa,99inrawcacao,100insmoothies,161

nutsanddigestibility,121assourceoffat,52typestopurchase,120

Ooatsalmondbuttercookies,219chocolateproteinsquares,154muffins,apricotandgranola,139

oilsassourceoffat,52stabilityandheat,120typestopurchase,118

orangesandcashewcream,254kaleandpecansalad,202

Ppancakesblueberryspelt,147coconutflourbanana,148

parsnips,andpearsoup,186pasta,118pasteurization,66,67peachesandcreampopsicles,258pearsandparsnipsoup,186tart,273

peas,green,andsun-driedtomatodip,62peppermintoil,forirritablebowelsyndrome,39personal-careproductscoconutoilas,94ingredientstoavoidin,80toxinsin,81

pesticides,avoiding,104–5pesto

arugulawalnut,245hempspinach,243kalewalnut,245spinachwalnut,245

piesandtarts:peartart,273pizza,sun-driedtomatoarugulaspelt,246Pollan,Michael,2,74pop,76popcornmicrowaved,74turmericseasalt,212

popsiclesavocadomatcha,257peachesandcream,258raspberrymaca,257

potatosalad,creamyherb,197preservatives,artificialeffectsof,73inpersonal-careproducts,80

probioticsandheartburn,37roleindigestion,31–33

propolis,91proteinanimal,typestopurchase,121chiaseedsassource,93healthyoptions,13hempseedsasvegetariansource,96andhigh-starchfoods,36importanceofindiet,13forimprovedmood,50–51andinsulinlevels,13orderofeating,36quinoaassource,99insmoothies,161insnacks,14sources,51,93,96,99inspirulina,101vegetarian,typestopurchase,96,122

puddingchocolatemint,270Keylime,271

Qquinoabasicpreparation,137andberries,142cardamomapplecrisp,253andgrilledvegetablesalad,194

Rraspberryandchocolatecheesecakesmoothie,162macapopsicles,257

royaljelly,90–91

Ssalads

applebeetcarrotslaw,200chickpeadetox,193dressings,193,194,197,198,200,202fruit,254grilledvegetablequinoa,194kale,orange,andpecan,202mangocashewmillet,198potato,creamyherb,197

saliva,andchewing,20salmon:lemonpepper,228salsaguac,233mango,227

sandwiches.Seealsowrapsavocadokaletartine,152maplebananagrilled,150

sangriakombucha,166saucesalmond,236arugulawalnutpesto,245casheworangecream,254hempspinachpesto,243kalewalnutpesto,245lemonpeppertahini,228spinachwalnutpesto,245

seaweeds,121seedschia,93assourceoffat,52typestopurchase,121

Selhub,Dr.Eva,106sensitivities,food,48servingsizes,118skincare,andpumpkinseeds,98detoxifying,79improvingwithlemonwaterdrink,12

sleepbenefitsof,37,109–10andemotionaleating,62andirritablebowelsyndrome,39

smallintestine,functionof,23smoothiescarrotcake,111CleanBeauty,83GreenGoddess,164metabolismboosterforbreakfast,17MorningEnergizer,165proteinin,161raspberrychocolatecheesecake,162superfoodsin,161

snacksandemotionaleating,62highinsugar,14andinsulinlevels,14proteinin,14recipes,206–22suggestionsforhealthy,14superfoodtrailmix,215turmericseasaltpopcorn,212

softdrinks,76soupcardamomparsnippear,186carrotginger,180chicken,179chickenstock,182cucumberandavocado,chilled,182currylentil,188gazpacho,184Thaibeet,189turkeystock,182

soy,eliminatingindetoxdiet,70–71speltflourlemonpoppyseedloaf,268pancakes,withblueberries,147sun-driedtomatoarugulapizza,246trailmixcookies,263

spices,97,120spinachGreenGoddesssmoothie,164andhemppesto,243andwalnutpesto,245

spirulina,101spreads.Seealsodipsbruschettatopping,205hempseedguacamole,210hempseedmaplecinnamonbutter,220sun-driedtomatohummus,209tzatziki,227

squaresblackbeanchiabrownies,267chocolateprotein,154

squash,spaghetti,withchiaseeds,248

stock:chickenandturkey,182stomachacidin,21,34roleindigestion,21testsforacidin,35

storagecontainers,130strawberrychiapudding,157stressanddiarrhea,29effectondigestion,29andemotionaleating,59–60andgasproduction,38andirritablebowelsyndrome,39reduction,andheartburn,37

sugareliminatingindetoxdiet,70identifyingonlabelslist,70andirritablebowelsyndrome,39spikescausedbycoffee,8typestopurchase,123

SunshineJuice,174superfoodsadditionstotop12,104antioxidantsin,88beeproducts,90–91benefitsof,86–87

berries,92chiaseeds,93coconutoil,94ginger,95hempseeds,96herbs,97kale,97mineralsin,89pumpkinseeds,98quinoa,99rawcacao,100andsmoothies,161spices,97spirulina,101squashseeds,98top12,90typestopurchase,123vitaminsin,89superfoodtrailmix,215

supplementstoaiddigestion,37forirritablebowelsyndrome,39probiotic,31–33

sweeteners,artificial,74sweets,122

Ttea:anti-bloatstomach-calming,43teasblack,cautionabout,9recommended,37typestopurchase,120

teeccino(coffeealternative),10tempehchili,23910-daymealplan,116–18Thanks!HowtheNewScienceofGratitudeCanMakeYouHappier(Emmons),110tomatoesbruschettatopping,205gazpacho,184sun-dried,andgreenpeadip,62sun-dried,arugulaspeltpizza,246

tools,kitchen,128–31traditionalChinesemedicine:perspectiveonliver,22

trailmixcookies,263superfood,215

triggerfoods,59turkeyburgers,233stock,182

type2diabetesandhigh-sugarsnacks,14andinsolublefiber,40

tzatziki,227

UUlrich,Robert,106urine,colorasgaugeof

hydration,28Uy,Michelle,59,63

Vvegetablesnutrientsin,13typestopurchase,121vitaminsin,172

vegetables,grilled,andquinoasalad,194vinaigrette:limeginger,198vinegar:ciderandbowels,28vitaminB6,72vitaminB12,53vitaminD,53vitaminE,98“vitaminG,”106vitaminsinkale,97inspirulina,101insuperfoods,89invegetables,172

Wwalking,asmoodimprover,58waterasaidtoliverfunction,22calculatingdailyrequirements,115andcoffeeconsumption,28andlemondrink,12–13,28andmealtimes,61asmorningdrink,8toreduceconstipation,28typestopurchase,123

weightcontrol,andcoconutoil,94wellnessjournal,16,276–77wheat,eliminatingindetoxdiet,69WheatBelly(Davis),69Women’sBodies,Women’sWisdom(Northrup),47wraps:RawSunshine,236

Yyogurt,75tzatziki,227

YourBrainonNature(SelhubandLogan),106,108

Zzinc,98zucchinipasta,243

ABOUTJOYMcCARTHYJoyMcCarthy,CNP,RNCP,isthevibrantnutritionistbehindJoyousHealth,whoseexpertisehas

helped people globally achieve their wellness goals. She is a regular contributor on GlobalTelevision’sTheMorning Show, a corporate wellness speaker and a faculty member at theInstituteofHolisticNutrition,andsheleadsworkshopsacrossNorthAmericaontopicsrangingfromemotionaleatingtosuperfoodsforbeautyanddiseaseprevention.Her infectious energy and passion for whole foods are evident in her health writing and

nutrition contributions to variousmedia outlets online, in print and on TV, includingWyldeAboutHealth,HealthMattersTV,CBCRadio,AliveInteractive,TonicToronto,SweatEquity,TheGlobeandMail,FLARE,Fashion,Chatelaineand,mostrecently,TheHuffingtonPost.Sheistheproudco-creatorofEatWellFeelWell,Toronto’slongest-runningholisticnutrition

andyogaprogram.

Joyisagraduate(withhonors)fromtheInstituteofHolisticNutrition,aprofessionalmemberof theInternationalOrganizationofNutritionalPractitionersandaRegisteredOrthomolecularHealthcarePractitioner.

Joywillhelpyoufallinlovewithnourishing,healthy,beautifulfoodonemorselatatimesothatyoucanfeel

confidentandlookincredible!

PINTAILamemberofPenguinGroup(USA)

PublishedbythePenguinGroupPenguinCanadaBooksInc.,90EglintonAvenueEast,Suite700,Toronto,Ontario,CanadaM4P2Y3

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Designandfood/propstylingbyCarolDanoPhotographybyNicholasCollister

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ISBN:978-0-14-319079-0

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