Orange and Honey Salt Detox Scrub

Sunday was a great Detox Day.....








I took the day off...and what a difference that made!

I pampered myself and had time to prepare food and juices calmly.



If I could do this every day of the Detox it would be a walk in the park.


Here's a little Video I made showing you how quick and easy it is to make an Orange and Honey Detox Salt Scrub....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQPar1w-zik

It's so cheap, quick and easy ...great for you and the environment too and it makes your skin so silky smoothe and deeply moisturized you won't believe it...give it a go.


Prendsletemps.

The 'Taco' is an iceberg lettuce leaf - Detox Diary Day 3

For most of yesterday (Detox Day 2) I was 'HAVING A MOMENT' !

I was already BEYOND GRUMPY when I woke and simmered all morning, before turning the juicer on without the pulp collector attached. The kitchen devastation was the perfect visualisation of my internal 'rage'...I was ridiculously close to tears!

The constant finicky prep - peeling; grating; chopping; mincing and blending, was seriously beginning to irritate me, to the point where I had to: 'put. the. knife. down'.

I enjoy cooking - I normally find it relaxing - an indulgence - so why is this experience so different? I am really, really, struggling with the stench of garlic and apple cider vinegar that has clung to the walls of my kitchen - it is just not pleasant.

The eating plan is not a problem. Quite frankly, most of the food is so un-appetizing to me that I am finding it quite easy NOT to think about the next meal all the time!

Today's menu is:

Juice: Kale, Orange, Celery, Pineapple

Lunch: Gazpacho (yep..cold raw soup)

Dinner: Walnut, Sundried tomotoes, mushrooms mix (for the meat!), salsa (with vinegar obviously!) Cashew and Avocado 'Cream' (with vinegar obviously!).

The 'Taco' is an iceberg lettuce leaf.

BUT...Today I chose not to be grumpy

.

First thing - I put MANDARIN and ROSE oil in my bedroom burner - uplifting and calming at the same time.

Second thing - emergency burner to the kitchen filled with peppermint, lavander and Eucalptus to cut through that stench! I am taking the situation in hand.

Yesterday I failed. I wallowed in a wrangling of stress, tiredness and anger.
I had neglected the side of detox that I nag others not to forget...'taking care of emotions and wellbeing'!

As I type, I am wearing a thick nourishing calming face mask (Masque Doux Aromatique aux 3 Roses by NUXE - a great range but be careful a few of their products do contain parabens) and that is just the start.

Today will be a day all about pampering...mani, pedi, hot-oil hair treatment, full body exfoliation and latherings of DETOX oil.

(I will write about these home made treatments later today so you can do some home pampering too..)

In fact...today, Sunday, will be how I imagine a normal day of Detox Retreat would be if I were in India...Well....almost!

Prendsletemps.

Shopping Trolley Judgements - We all make them!

I bumped into clients in the supermarket yesterday...thankfully my basket was full of this!

(I'd been boring them with detox details just the day before!)

After AM. yoga I dealt with mails and calls - trying to get the Prendsletemps 'Spring Vitality Weekend Retreat' finalised and up on the website.

Lunch delayed me! not so much the prep..but THE CHEWING! Impossible to eat the Watercress, sprout, pumpkin seed with grated carrot quickly..which, i'm assuming is the point (chewing releasing enzymes to break down food to digest etc...) BUT too long chomping made me rushed for my afternoon client.

I was definitely 'scatty' yesterday. I rocked up to give a 'facial' when my client was expecting a 'detox algae body wrap'. (She was just lovely, enjoyed the facial and will be having a free wrap next time!) That is not the point.....I was mortified to be that unprofessional and felt embarrassed that I'd let my detox affect my work. Maybe that's a reason you have to 'go away' to detox...maybe it's just not possible to function 100% and work whilst detoxing.

So far...sticking to the eating plan ...not a problem.

For everything else...I wish I was in India!

To be fair, Tanya does recommend doing this programme in a quiet week. For most, i'm assuming that means taking leave from work and with most people having precious limited holiday allowance that's going to be a deterrent.

Next..a DIARY FAIL! Somehow, I managed to clash Detox Day 1 with hosting a loud, boozy quiz night for 29 people in my friends restaurant. A test too far? I'll let you know later

Prendsletemps

Mostly Ce Soir I will be ....making Sauerkraut!

To return to the beginning...RIGHT NOW I should be on retreat in India.

If I were, I would probably have had a lovely Pre-Detox-Day of yoga, massage and meditation ...perhaps a river stroll and i'd probably now be sipping on some delicious fortifying Pre-Detox-Broth.

MY REALITY began at 6.30am when I soft-padded into the bathroom and was suddenly 'paddling'. The toilet had flooded overnight. We won't dwell on it (this is afterall kind of a food blog). My first hours of the day were spent mopping, not stretching..Yoga was a no go.

Tired and stressed before 9am, my morning mails requested: high-res images ASAP - essential for potential press; several client diary changes; urgent product requests; several detox queries and a disgruntled Aunt who can not, apparently, open the latest images I attached of the puppy.

My nearest post office DOES NOT SELL ENVELOPES..which meant a detour to the 'tabac' (only in France!!). I got very lost en route rushing to new clients. I got home to an 'admin' emergency. I'd forgotten to deliver a clothes rail to friends....I popped it over to them and gratefully polished off a beer and some curry they had ready (they are chefs!).

At 9.15pm I realised the day was done and I still had a weeks worth of Sauerkraut to prepare.

Returning, again, to the beginning...'This is a project to see if it really is possible to Detox in the real world we live in ...or do we have to (quite literally) reatreat to the other side of the world.'

I'm not ready, I'm stressed, I've got a headache...and I'd rather be in India.

I will, however, be getting up to my first juice which is: Kiwi, Spinach, Mango and Celery.

Make mine a large one!

Prendsletemps.

OK then....NOT a great response to my blog entry yesterday...but today is a new day...so we are moving forward regardless!!

SO..here is a very, very long list of things you CAN eat on your detox. This particular list comes from Tanya who has put together the 7 day cleanse I will be beginning on Friday.


There is still time to download her ebook if you want to follow the same programme as me visit

http://www.betterraw.com/


GREENS/FRESH HERBS

Spinach

Basil

Watercress

Lettuce

kale

parsley

ginger

coriander

collards

Spring Onion


VEGETABLES

Sprouts

Celery

Beetroot

Tomatoe

Avocado

Red Pepper

Red Onion

Chestnut Mushrooms

Cucumber

Courgette

Cauliflower

Butternut Squash

Red Cabbage

White Cabbage


FRUITS

Strawberries

Blueberries

Kiwis

Lemons

Watermelon

Orange

Banana

Mango

Pineapple


DRIED GOODS

Desiccated Coconut

Dates

Raisins

Quinoa

Sun dried Tomatoes

Sunflower Seeds

Walnuts

Pumpkin Seeds

Flaxseeds

Walnuts

Cashews

Almonds

DRIED SPICES

Paprika

Oregano

Basil

Cumin

Cinnamon

Tumeric

Cayenne

Coriander

Garlic Powder

CONDIMENTS

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Cider Vinegar

Tamari

Aminos

Tahini

Nutritional Yeast

Cacoa Powder

and that doesn't include her Energy Balls which are emergency crave quenchers and sound pretty yummy.

I deliberately started with this particular programme as there is no fasting and I for one really don't think we're going to be hungry eating all this!

Hope that's cheered you all up !

I'm sure you'll let me know!

Prendsletemps

DETOX PREP: Fail to plan..Plan to Fail.

As D. Day approaches.. (my Detox starts 'proper' on Friday) I'm getting lots of messages from Twitter, Facebook and 'real people' ! who want to follow and join in the Detox Blog but are worried about sticking to an exact programme.

I've given links to the programmes I am following, but I'd love you to get involved even if you're following a different or altered programme.

It's all about 'shared experience'..the highs when your skin has a glow or you fit into jeans and, of course, the 'Fail days'..when we cave to temptation.

I live alone and am the first to accept that in lots of ways this makes my Detox easier...I don't have the aromas of temptation around me. One young mum has commented she fears even her toddlers porridge will look tempting 3 days in!

Another reluctant participant (to be fair she is a mum and has her own Beauty Salon to run...she knows who she is but i'm observing client confidentiality here!!) has asked if it's possible to stick to the rules ...but using Pret a Manger to supply her salads and soups! Great. Brilliant. Go for it. This experience, after all, is:

to see if it actually is possible to Detox effectively in our real world's - without retreating (literally) to far flung corners of the earth.

Do your best.That is all you can do.
Follow whatever programme you are most likely to stick to..the basic ground rules are the same. So...in the hope that i'm catching you all still 'stuffed' with Christmas excesses - let's just do it in one quick 'ripping off the plaster' moment...below is a list of what MUST NOT PASS YOUR LIPS ON A DETOX:

Caffeine + alcohol - including black tea

Nicotene and any other recreational drugs.

All Wheat products- including bread

Complex Carbohydrates - including pasta and rice

All complex protein - including meat products and eggs

All dairy produce including milk

Salt and harsh spices

Hydrogenated fats

Artificial sweeteners including commercial chocolate and biscuits

Food additives and preservatives

Fried Foods

Ready Meals and Microwave Meals

Fizzy drinks, cordials and non-fresh juices.

Ouch! Wasn't too bad was it?

Please follow the blog and comment ...let me know if you're trying different programmes ..or the same..and how you are planning.

Remember it's only 7 days...surely our 'insides' deserve an Annual Holiday too!

Prendsletemps.

Purification - moving the mountain to Biarritz

RIGHT NOW I am meant to be 'en route' to a month long purification programme in India. ACTUALLY (for various reasons - mainly relating to moving and dogs) I will be staying at home (Biarritz - could be worse!) for the month of January.

Always a 'glass half full' kind of girl..I have decided this is 'meant to be'..and I will still use the 1st month of 2011 to focus on purification - using the opportunity to re-launch my wellbeing blog.

In general, the blog will continue to focus on health, beauty, aromatherapy, retreats and wellbeing..Naturally!

Specifically, through the whole of January, I will blog a daily diary of whether or not it is possible to detox 'in the real world'. I will trial two separate detox programmes and add in my own natural remedies.

Throughout January, I will use only completely home-made natural 'products' (I'll tell you how to make face masks, body scrubs etc) to compliment the detox process. I will also add in some recommended treatments and activities.

SO...this detox is accessible to all...WHY NOT JOIN ME?

I will begin the first programme
Tanya Alekseeva's: 'Complete 7 day Detox Programme'
the second week in January..so you have time to take a look at the link and see if you fancy joining me.

This ebook contains shopping lists, all recipies..everything you need to get ready.
It costs £15 and is available via this link. http://www.betterraw.com/2010/12/your-complete-7-day-detox-program-is_19.html

I must add that I have never met Tanya and know her by reputation only!
I have purchased the programme as an ordinary un-biased consumer.

This particular programme is based on raw food. There is no 'fasting period'..you eat every day. This does mean that shopping and advance food prep is required!!

I will follow on from this with a second more ...ahem...comprehensive colon cleanse. Based here in France, Fiona Robertson runs colon cleansing retreats and has launched her Home Detox Box. This programme includes fasting (but with syllium and clay shakes!)..pro-biotics and yes...colon cleansing!

Check out the link below and start to think if you could progress to this with me the last week of January!

http://www.home-detox-box.com/weight-loss-colon-cleanse-detox-liver-flush.html

Meanwhile, please follow the blog, leave comments and get involved...most things are more fun done together...detoxing has to be one of them!

Prendsletemps.