Did you see “Food, Inc.” the Academy Award Nominee for Best Documentary Feature? Well, I sure did, in fact my family and I saw it OnDemand on Comcast. I have to tell you – that film, directed by Robert Kenner, shook us all up.
Organic food is expensive, I know that…but I also know why it’s expensive. I tried to explain it to my Mother-in-Law, but I’m not so sure she got it. Like many of us, her thinking is, “If organic food is free from preservatives, pesticides, insecticides, antibiotics, growth hormones, fertilizers, toxic additives, artificial flavorings and colorings, why does it cost more? Does it not cost money to add those chemicals to food? So if organic food contains less added chemicals, why does it cost so much?”
She raised some valid points, but here’s the answer to those great questions: Government plays a significant role as to why non-organic foods are cheaper than organic. Non-organic is cheaper because we are reducing the in-store cost by paying for it with our taxes. Agrochemical agriculture is heavily subsidised by the taxpayer through the government, whereas organic farming receives no subsidies at all. Organic and small-time farmers receive “specialty crop grants” that are measured in thousands rather than in millions of dollars. (If you’re not growing corn, wheat or soybeans, you get the merest of crumbs from the federal table.)
Another reason why conventional food is cheaper than organic foods: Conventional farmers have certain advantages. Rather than using the age-old practice of crop rotation to keep soil healthy, they can apply cocktails of synthetic fertilizers and herbicides to fields. Unsold conventional food will be bought up by the USDA for school lunches (this is what we’re feeding our kids?) One calculation estimated the national all-in subsidy for industrially grown agriculture at $80 billion per year (that’s $725 per American household.) An organic farmer, by comparison, might mix up 200 pounds of old pasta salad, 100 pounds of rotting lettuce, and other assorted odds and ends to create a rich and fragrant compost with their waste.
The more common-sense reason why organics cost more than conventional is that smaller organic farms require more time, attention, and labor to get produce to market (watch an organic farmer hand-weed a row of carrots and you’ll immediately know why.)
Now personally speaking, my family eats pretty healthy foods…that is, I thought we did until I saw Food, Inc. Our major meat and poultry consumption comes from the major brands in that Documentary Feature. The chicken that we eat is so pumped with chemicals and growth hormones that it was difficult to watch.
For instance, the average chicken naturally takes about 3 months to reach maturity without toxic growth hormones – these BIG NAME chicken factories are growing them within 49 days (these chickens have also been “engineered” to have breast meat 2 to 3 times the size as a natural chicken, so much so they cannot walk more than a foot without plopping down because they are too top-heavy.) My family and I have consumed these toxic chemical-induced chickens for years and years…but no longer.
No wonder America has become an obese and sick nation (heart disease, E.coli poisoning, diabetes, obesity, elevated blood pressures, etc.) We are eating nothing but chemically altered foods - Go ORGANIC whenever possible.
“The price of Organic Food is cheaper than meds.” - H. Luiz
What an Amazing, Thrilling, History-Making OSCAR NIGHT…It started with Mo’Nique’s Oscar win for Best SUPPORTING Actress, one of four African American to win that prestigious award -Hattie McDaniel for Gone With The Wind (1939) Whoopi Goldberg for Ghost (1990)- 51 years later!Jennifer Hudson for Dreamgirls (2006) and now Mo’Nique (2010).
“Everything I wanted to say — and everything I needed to say — I said,” the 43-year-old “Precious” actress beamed. “I am a stand-up comedian who won an Oscar!”
“The reason why I have on this royal-blue dress is because it’s the color Hattie McDaniel wore when she accepted her Oscar in 1940,” Mo’Nique explained, saying the adornment in her hair also was a tribute to what McDaniel wore to the awards show. “I feel you all over me, and it’s about time that the world feels you all over them.”
“Through this journey and process, some journalists and some reporters wrote, ‘Somebody needs to teach Mo’Nique a lesson; someone needs to teach her how the game is played.I am proud to hold this Oscar in my hand, because the Academy said, ‘We are not willing to play the game.’ “ - Mo’Nique
The film PRECIOUS also won the adapted-screenplay Oscar by Geoffrey Fletcher. (We send a special nod to Sapphire, the author of PUSH on which the film is adapted from.)
“This is for everybody who works on a dream every day. Precious boys and girls everywhere!” -Geoffrey Fletcher
Then Oprah Winfrey presented a speech to Gabourey Sidibe, Academy Award Nominee (and my good friend…here I go, Ha!) for her portrayal of Precious, the Lead role in PRECIOUS. It was so moving and uplifting, Gabourey Sidebe could NOT contain herself as she soaked in the words…
“On Monday, she skipped school to audition for a movie called Precious. On Tuesday, they called her back to meet the Director Lee Daniels. On Wednesday, she got the part! And tonight she is sitting at the Academy Awards in the same category as Meryl Streep” – Oprah Winfrey
Then, Two-Time Oscar Winner, Sean Penn came to the microphone to announce the WINNER for Best Performance by an Actress in a LEADING role… “And the Oscar goes to – Sandra Bullock!” YES!!!! Oh…y’all didn’t know that Sandra was a Sista?
Sure, I wanted Gabourey Sidibe to win (she’ll have more opportunities, I hope and believe) but Sandra has earned that damn Oscar. I believe she has been overlooked in the past (could you believe that it is her first Academy Award Nomination??) and the film Blindside was just exquisitely performed and crafted by our Sista, Sandra Bullock!
Sandra Bullock gave a wonderful speech acknowledging all her fellow nominees and turned to Gabourey Sidibe and said, “Gaby, I love you sooo much, you are exquisite. You are beyond words to me.”
Then she spoke of her mother, “…So…if I can take this moment to thank Helga Bea…for reminding her daughters that there’s no race, no religion, no class system, no color, nothing, no sexual orientation that makes us better than anyone else…we are all deserving of love…” SPEAK!!
Sandra also thanked her “lover,” Meryl Streep jajajajajajajaja!
Congratulations to all 16 winners (and one lucky lady in NY for her support) of the “the HLP Oscar Night Contest.” I will be taking your orders shortly (tomorrow) and want to send your dozen cookies (whether chocolate chip, oatmeal cranberry, or biscotti) as soon as possible. I will be baking for the first 8 winners by this weekend, and the next 8 winners (plus Ev) by next weekend.
I would also like to thank everyone for their participation, let’s do it again sometime real soon!!
The 82nd Academy Awards is up and LIVE this coming SUNDAY, MARCH 7th at 8PM EASTERN TIME on ABC.
So, let’s have a little fun with it, shall we? I am conducting a casual, little contest with this year’s NOMINEES. Contest winners willreceive a box full (a dozen) of my home-made (some even say delicious) BISCOTTI, OATMEAL COOKIES, or CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES – your choice! See if you can correctly guess who will win Academy Awards in 10 categories – that’s it! There are only a couple of rules: You MUST be an H. Luiz Presents SUBSCRIBER to qualify as a contestant (if you have not done so yet, Subscribe to H. Luiz Presents by clicking this link) AND you can only enter once per household (and you must get all 10 category winners to win, duh!) The contest/survey closes Saturday, March 6th 2010 at 11:45pm (I’ll show you how you can enter by the end of this post.)
The contest/survey closes Saturday, March 6th 2010 at 11:45pm (I’ll show you how you can enter by the end of this post.) THE CONTEST IS ALSO LIMITED TO 500 ENTRANTS (there’s over 2,000 Email Subscribers and the site gets 38,000 hits a month from around the globe – which is a small population compared to more-popular celebrity sites, however I am but only one person with one tiny stove jajajajajajaja!) The FIRST 50 “WINNERS” out of the 500 Entrants will receive the gifts (that’s 600 cookies – whew!) So please, enter the contest as soon as you can – each entrant is automatically numbered.
Here are the NOMINEES for the 10 categories “The HLP Contest!” will cover…
Best Picture
Avatar, The Blindside, District 9, An Education, Hurt Locker
Inglourious, Precious, A Serious Man, Up, Up in the Air
Actor in a Leading Role
J. Bridges, G. Clooney, C. Firth, M. Freeman, J. Renner
Actor in a Supporting Role
M. Damon, W. Harrelson, C. Plummer, S. Tucci, C. Waltz
Actress in a Leading Role
S. Bullock, H. Mirren, C. Mulligan, G. Sidibe, M. Streep
Actress in a Supporting Role
P. Cruz, V. Farmiga, M. Gyllenhaal, A. Kendrick, Mo’Nique
Animated Feature Film
Coraline, Mr. Fox, Princess/Frog, Secret of Kells, Up
Cinematography
Avatar, Harry Potter, Hurt Locker, Inglourious, White Ribbon
Directing
J. Cameron, K. Bigelo, Q. Tarantino, L. Daniels, J. Reitman
Foreign Language Film
Ajami (Israel), Milk of Sorrow (Peru), Prophet (France),
Secret in Their Eyes (Argentina), White Ribbon (Germany)
Music (Original Song)
Almost There (Princess and the Frog – Randy Newman)
Down in New Orleans (Princess and the Frog – Randy Newman)
Loin de Paname (Paris 36 – Wagner/Thomas)
Take It All (Nine – Maury Yeston)
The Weary Kind (Crazy Heart – Bingham/Burnett)
If you are a MEMBER of “The HLP Network!” (which is NOT the same as being an H. Luiz Presents SUBSCRIBER), please subscribe first to the website by clicking this link to qualify for the contest. Incidentally, I will also be LIVE on the HLP Network! to chat about the Academy Awards with you during the hours of 8pm until I/we fall asleep…so please, stop by and give me a holler on OSCAR NIGHT if you are an HLP Network MEMBER (If your not, sign up by clicking at the bottom BAR of your PC screen…it’s FREE!) We can chat about the Red Carpet, Who Looks Good (and who doesn’t), Who SHOULD have won, etc.
NOW, onto the link for the contest - but first, remember to answer all 10 questions and don’t forget to include your name and email address at the END of the survey’s FIRST question. Please note that you can change your answer choice(s) if you decide to change your mind within your survey as long as you don’t press “Done.” When you press the “Done” button, the survey will NOT allow you to take another, since it’ll block your ip address (remember: one entry per household.)
Last minute tips: Just because you really enjoy and like a specific actor/director/song, it does not mean their performance was better/worse than another one you don’t really care for – choose wisely. If you have NOT seen the movies, peruse the internet for feedback. Ask friends and family who did see “said” movies to make a better decision. You can just have fun and try to “guess” who the Academy Awards Committee “thought” was the best. Or, just pick who you like and hope that they win!!
2. She nearly didn’t audition for the part of Precious because she didn’t want to have to cut school.
3. The 24-year-old from Harlem had been working as a receptionist to pay her way through college where she was studying psychology.
4. At school Gabourey played the part of a pirate in Peter Pan and Glinda the Good Witch in The Wiz.
5. She didn’t want to pursue a career in acting because she didn’t want to subject herself to “the opinion of the world”.
6. Gabourey’s parents split up when she was 12. She has two brothers, aged 21 and 16, and a 13-year-old sister.
7. Her mum is a schoolteacher turned professional singer and her dad went to France to study architecture before returning to New York to become a cabbie.
8. Gabourey describes herself on her Facebook page as ‘a normal girl, trying to do abnormal things’.
9. She has been a fan of the now defunct boyband ‘N Sync since a teenager and has seen them in concert 23 times. She wants Justin Timberlake to be her date to this year’s Oscars.
10. Precious is based on the novel Push by Sapphire. Gabourey was cast alongside her idols Lenny Kravitz and Mariah Carey in the film.
Monday, Feb. 22, 2010 but what does that REALLY mean for us?
There’s lots of good news that I want to share with you, but there are also a brand-new series of traps as well (I’ll talk about those too at the end of this post.)
The BIGGEST thing the CARD Act will do for you and me is to to STOP Credit card issuers from increasing interest rates on existing credit card balances unless the borrower is at least 60 (SIXTY) days late on the account. This will eliminate the retroactive rate increases and the universal default clause where credit card issuers would periodically review an account holder’s current credit standing to determine changes in terms and annual percentage rates. If your rates have been increased in the last 6 months, this is exactly why - they’re trying to recoup the millions/billions dollars they’re going to lose once this ACT is in effect.
Credit card issuers will have to provide clear disclosure of account terms before a borrower opens an account. If the account provides a promotional interest rate period, the promotional interest rate will have to last a minimum of six months – not the usual 3 months or 30 days!
They will not be able to raise your interest rates on your new credit card accounts during the first YEAR the account is opened. Again, this rule will not apply if the borrower falls 60 days late on a credit card payment.
Credit card issuers will not be able to charge over-limit fees unless they obtain our consent to accept and process over-limit transactions beforehand. If consent is obtained, the card issuer will not be able to charge more than ONE over-limit fee per billing cycle. This has got to be one of my favorite laws of the CARD Act. Just like those damn BANK CARDS, my attitude was, “Don’t allow me to purchase something if it goes over my limit” If I’m a dollar over the limit, they would ALLOW the purchase ‘for my convenience’, but charge me a fee from 29 – 39 dollars! What the…???
Additionally, credit card issuers will not be able to charge an over-limit fee if interest charges or other fees are the sole reason for pushing the account holder over their limit. (Amen to that!! I use to be like, I didn’t use that card, how is it possible I’m incurring an over the limit fee? Well, thanks to the CARD Act – not anymore!!)
Credit card issuers will not be able to charge additional payment penalties for accepting payments by mail, phone, electronic transfer, or any other means, unless the payment is processed through an expedited service processor. No more additional costs for paying by phone – awesome!
If a due date falls on a weekend or holiday, the credit card issuer will not be able to penalize mailed payments that are received on the next business day. Payments received by 5 p.m. must be credited the same day. YES!!!!!
Double-cycle billing, a process where credit card issuers use the previous month’s balance to calculate interest charges for the current month, becomes illegal. Okay…This is HUGE here! Credit Card companies do this, well did this, with most of us NOT knowing about it. I use to say, “This should really be against the law,” and now it is.
Credit card issuers will be required to apply any payment above the minimum amount due to the highest interest balance first. In the past, you just paid your bill beyond the minimum balance and that “extra” would be applied to your lowest previous purchases/services – that’s why it takes most of us FOREVER to pay down a bill.
Credit card issuers will have to include a minimum payment disclosure that explains how long it will take to pay off the existing balance and the total cost in interest fees if the cardholder paid only the minimum amount due. Additionally, card issuers will have to provide minimum payment details and the total cost in interest to pay off the existing balance within 3 years. If we “see” how long it will take, then we will make better choices when purchasing on credit, right?
They will have to make account terms and cardholder agreements available to their cardholders on the Internet. (It is HARD to find any REAL information on our Issuer’s web site – now, everything will be just a click away – no more run-around phone calls and automated systems to trouble us.)
As part of the CARD Act, credit card companies will be severely restricted in how they market cards to college students, potentially shrinking an important part of their business. (Thank Goodness – most students have credit card debt to an average of $5,000.00 before they graduate.)
NOW, SOME “NEW” ISSUES TO WATCH OUT FOR:
Most CARDS will charge a 2% fee on all purchases made outside the United States (watch out all you online shoppers.)
Whereas 3% was once the standard charge for rolling over a balance from one credit card to another, I found out that JPMorgan Chase (JPM, Fortune 500) are now assessing customers a 5% fee.
If you’re 18 to 21 years old, you will need a co-signer on most cards. So MOM and/or DAD, when Junior can’t pay his bill, you will now be responsible.
Consumers with credit history less than PERFECT, may find it much more difficult to get a card or have their credit limit extended.
REWARDS on card will decrease as a result of the new laws. My CARD just sent me disclosures of my reward plan, I found out that I can no longer get FREE Hotel Nights and my child can no longer fly for FREE – using my points. Shoot – Jonathan stayed at some great resorts on my “points.”
American Express told me that they would not be able to accrue my reward points on my purchases if I’m ever late with a payment. I am NEVER late with payment, but if I ever am, I must pay a $29 fee to recoup those points. To be fair, American Express “CREDIT” cards (not charge cards) is the BEST card I ever had – they treat me like I’m a MILLIONAIRE every time…we should all be treated that way, whether we have millions or not.
Whereas in the past, banks could raise your annual percentage rate just for missing a payment on your cell phone bill or without giving a consumer much advance notice, such practices will soon be outlawed. Issuers now have to alert you at least 45 days in advance before raising your rate under the CARD Act.
In recent months, banks have moved consumers over to so-called variable rate cards, whose rates fluctuate based on the direction of the prime rate. And with that rate at historic lows, be prepared for at least a moderate increase in their APR at some point. Make sure you have NOT be moved to a variable rate card – check right now!
The new law also does not include any sort of interest rate cap banks and issuers can charge customers that are late on their payment by two months or more.
The CARD Act doesn’t absolve anyone from having to pay back their bills or take people out of harm’s way if they run into trouble – so you MUST be careful.
We have waited and anticipated and now it’s here – Soldier of Love, a new album by the band - SADE. I say “band” because it shares the same name with vocalist Sade Adu and not too many people know or make the distinction. Of course, forever beautiful Sade Adu is the sultry “voice,” but the band holds their own with their sexy Island, Jazz, World, Blues, and/or Tropical sound. The musicians invoke the joy and the sorrow of each song with every instrument (drums, guitars, sax, violins, bass, trumpets, etc.) The smoky lyrics, all written and performed by Sade Adu, fills your heart with all kinds of emotions.
Nigerian-born Helen Folasade Adu (Sade) has a distinctive style to her vocal prowess and we’ve loved her since 1984 – the release of Diamond Life (remember Smooth Operator?) Sade, the singer, has about 5 notes in her repertoire, but each one is so smooth, gliding from one to another. There’s none of the roller-coaster notes of R&B divas today, but with Sade, you don’t even want that (leave that to Beyonce, Christina, Mariah, and others.) The tones are warm, then cool, then warm again – like waves on the beach, gently cascading over rocks. And those harmonies, Classic Sade harmonies playing, loving, fighting, all over those pulsing, rhythmic beats – always a winning combination. It has been 10 years since Sade’s last album and this one delivers – it’s worth the wait! Sade is singing at lower registers (you should hear her normal speaking voice…she could drive a cab in NYC and you wouldn’t know that there’s a beautiful, small-frame, exotic girl with the brightest smile driving the vehicle) as well as singing in “keys” higher than usual in other songs. The only negative? I would hate to wait another 8 to 10 years for the next album.
The first track, THE MOON AND THE SKY lures you in (like all of Sade’s albums) to the experience that lies ahead. It speaks of a love that “messed up” like some lovers do…and she can’t understand why he messed up, but she can’t let him go. (Who has not been there at least once in their lives?) “You’ll always know the reason why, We could have had the moon and the sky…ain’t gonna let you go. You had the keys to the car, You had every star, Everyone of them twinkling…baby, what were you thinking?”
The title track, SOLDIER OF LOVE, has a wounded heart, but longing for love, confidant that it will find love again. I love the first line “I’ve lost the use of my heart, but I’m still alive, Looking for the light” all the way through to the last lines “Still wait for love to come, turn it all around.” Fighting to love again – a soldier! Also, the first few lines has a deep rich sound to Sade’s voice – almost like a bass. Luv it! She went from the KING of SORROW (Lover’s Rock album) to a SOLDIER of LOVE (it took her 10 years, but she’s here damn it!)
MORNING BIRD sound like a reprise of The Moon and the Sky with the military feel of Soldier of Love. “Nothing’s quite what it seems, The ghost of my joy, Won’t let me be…If you set me free, I will not run.”
When I first saw the title BABYFATHER on the CD cover, I was like, “Oh No, Sade’s going to talk about baby-daddy-drama? Noooooo!” I was so glad to “hear” that it was not the case. This track has a reggae groove to it and it is lovely. My favorite line is “Oh child don’t you know, Your daddy’s love comes with a lifetime guarantee” for all the obvious reasons.
LONG HARD ROAD and BE THAT EASY tell us that “It’s gonna be alright” and then flows into a different direction with “That’s just like you to tell me I’ve nothing to fear.” Irony at it’s pulsating best!
BRING ME HOME with its heavy bass-line, is the fastest track on the CD – but it’s Sade-fast…mellow and smooth.
The 8th cut, IN ANOTHER TIME speaks to a “girl,” telling her that “In another time girl, Your tears won’t leave a trace, In another time girl, In another place…They don’t know what to do, With something so good.” I am not sure if this is a “conscience” speaking or a pro at love-lost consoling a “girl” with a brand-new aching heart.
I love the song SKIN because it reminds me of a poem I’ve written about 20 years ago “When I found out this love’s undone…Felt like nothing good could come.” (My poem read: This love – I’m way past done with it, nothing’s good about it, nothing good will come of it, damn it – I’m done with it…) There’s also a line I identify with as well “Now as I begin, To wash you off my skin, I’m gonna peel you away, Cos you’re not right within.” It resonates with dark feelings of what you need to do as oppose to what you want to do – turmoil and strife at what MUST be done
THE SAFEST PLACE is the last song on the CD and an absolute favorite. “In my heart, Your love has found, The Safest hiding place…In there you’ll shine, In there you will cry…The safest hiding place.” This song is the “classic” Sade song – full of pain and love and sorrow and hope all rolled up into one sensation.
Watch the Video to Soldier of Love (plus the making of the album and so much more) here…
“I only make records when I feel I have something to say. I’m not interested in releasing music just for the sake of selling something. Sade is not a brand.” – Sade Adu
Now how does one stay out of the music scene for 8 to 10 years, yet still be relevant upon their return?
How does one pour so much sorrow, joy, and pain into sultry vocals, yet remain so private in real life?
How does one speak so deeply and yet have a smooth melodic tone to their singing voice?
How does one look as fresh, young, and beautiful in 1984 and look just as beautiful and fresh at the age 51 in 2010?
I mean, these are my questions for Sade – and I want some answers!!
I’ve had GREAT Valentine’s Days with my Boo over the past 11 years. One of the most memorable ones for me was our very first Valentine’s Day…
I was low on funds, but I knew I could cook. I’ve created a sexy menu and decorated my apartment to set the mood. There were pillar candles in my fireplace (it was a non-working fireplace, but the candles did cast a romantic fire glow) and small votive candles on my dining table and throughout the living/dining room. I also had red carnations and baby’s breath everywhere (carnations is a very inexpensive alternative to roses) nestles inside fluted Champagne glasses on the mantle, on the tables, in the bedroom, and even in the bathroom. The bathtub and bed were covered with rose petals (a half a dozen of full bloom roses will do the trick nicely…remember, I was low on funds.) Of course, Sade was playing softly in the background (the “Best of Sade” which includes Your Love is King, Smooth Operator, The Sweetest Taboo, No Ordinary Love, and Cherish the Day plus many more sexy songs.) It was a beautiful evening…I don’t think we ever made it to dessert!
The actual keepsake gift was a .99 cents golden frame of my Valentine’s Day “Menu” (printed in MS Word) which I had on my dining table that night. That framed menu has become such a treasured item to us. On our 10th Valentine’s Day, I dug out that frame and re-created the menu with new twists. The biggest twist of all was that our son got to enjoy a new version of our Valentine’s Day Dinner along with us.
What’s your BEST Valentine’s Day? Please leave in “comments” all your wonderful Valentine’s Day memories. You may even help inspire a few ideas for all of us this Sunday, February 14th, 2010.
After careful consideration, I decided to rid myself of certain toxins. I have never undergone a process or entered a program that will allow me to cleanse from unhealthy substances. My family has decided to unselfishly join me in my journey of clean living. My quest is to have a fresh start towards a healthier lifestyle. This treatment starts tonight (Sunday, February 7th, 2010) and it will span five days until Friday. May God be with us!!
I have never done a cleanse before (have you?) and I’m excited, anxious, thrilled and nervous about it – all at the same time. After our 6 night 5 day cleanse, we are going to try to stay away from the evil white stuff – sugar, potatoes, rice, flour, and bread as much as we can. We do love dairy, eggs, potatoes, and bread. We’ll curb, but never eliminate.
The real issue (when we get right down to it) is: we just love our carbs! We love white potatoes (frites, mashed, stuffed, with pork chops, gnocchi, hash-browned, au gratin) and white rice (butted, pilaf, vegetable-fried, with black beans, with meatloaf, with steak and onions, with chicken Marsala, etc.,) and white flour and white breads (Italian bread, French Bread, white bread for French Toast, white bread for paninis, white bread for Monte Cristos, white flour for cookies, cakes, biscotti, cakes and pie crusts) and don’t get me started on sugar.
A cleanse is suppose to re-invigorate your body’s system. It should be performed (so they say) about once to twice a year. A cleanse or detox helps to strengthen the organs that the body uses to flush toxins from the body on a daily basis. These include the skin, the lymphatic system, the intestines, liver, lungs, and kidneys. Detoxing gives your body a break from the toxic excesses that modern life creates. By removing the body’s necessity to burn energy digesting heavy, sugar and fat-laden meals and snacks that are difficult to digest and metabolise, and which play havoc with blood sugar, your energy is released to cleanse and regenerate your bodies tissues and vital organs.
So why haven’t I tried this DETOX before? I don’t know…maybe I saw a detox/cleanse as a starvation, weight-loss thing. Maybe I saw it as more harmful than helpful sort of a thing (I know of a male friend who fasts one day a week, I believe on Wednesdays, because he wants to retain his size 32 waist…he’s 39 years old and can’t lift anything over 45 lbs.) Maybe I saw it as something “women” do (I am so beyond sexist, so please save your letters.) Maybe I was uneducated about the benefits of a yearly cleanse. Or maybe, just maybe, it was something I thought I could not do (I hate failing at ANYTHING!)
On our program, we are drinking our breakfast and dinner via smoothies and soups. For lunch we have a sensible (but small) meal of lean protein (chicken or fish) with some brown rice or buckwheat noodles. We can also have a decent serving of roasted or steamed vegetables. Wish us luck!!!
Our detoxification program is based on the “Whole Body Action plan” by Alejandro Junger, M.D., author of CLEAN.
Alejandro Junger, M.D., is board certified in internal medicine and cardiology, having trained and now practicing in New York City. In addition, after completing his medical training, Junger studied Eastern medicine in India. He was the medical director of WE Care Holistic Health Center in Palm Springs, a world-famous center for fasting, cleansing, and detoxification. Currently, he is in private practice at the renowned Eleven Eleven Wellness Center and is the director of integrative medicine at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.
In the Page titled “Entertaining” under Detox/Cleanse http://www.hluizpresents.com/entertaining-ideas/detoxcleanse/ , I will be listing my 5 day cleanse menu if anyone’s interested. I will also give a little cleanse-journal of our progress as well.
PS: I just realized that I went from posting about McDonald’s to posting about a “Cleanse” – the two have no correlation to one another. Again, my McDonald’s post was about the “interior” of ONE store, a definitely NOT the fast food.
