The Times are Changing - Americans are Turning to Health - JOOS in the Herald!

Little by little we're realizing that all these sugar coated, processed foods are making us fat and sick. "They" meaning food and diet companies, who have come to be known as the establishment, have been tricking us for years to think that if we eat their fortified, low calorie, low carb, low fat foods, we would lose weight and be healthy. America is waking up to the fact that they're wrong!

Many of us thing that losing weight will make us look good and feel better, but that's just the band aid, which is why we inevitably gain back the weight.

First, we have to get to the root of WHY we have allowed ourselves to gain weight.

The JOOS Cleanse addresses this. We focus on your health first and, as you become healthier, you naturally lose weight.

The article just published in the Herald (link below) about JOOS is an indication of how we're learning to take back our health.

http://bostonherald.com/entertainment/health/nutrition/view.bg?articleid=1255480

What do you think? Do you agree?

The Importance of Alkalinity - Oxygenating your cells - Get it in JOOS!

With four active children, a thriving business and some other personal issues, the stress can undeniably build up, which throws off my system in various ways, including UTIs and stomach aches.

By almost anyone's account, I have a healthy diet. Approximately 70% of my diet is composed of fruits and vegetables and approximately 90% is whole grains. Yet, I still feel the effects of the "acid buildups" from the rigors of everyday life.

If this is what happens to me with a healthy diet, there's no wonder that disease is so prevalent in our society with so many of us consuming a diet composed of acid forming, processed and refined foods, large portions of animal protein, wheat and dairy. Scary!

We Americans are under more stress than almost any other nation. We are also a nation of pandemic disease.

Why do we do this to ourselves?

This is why I founded JOOS? To help people alkalize - or oxygenate - their systems so that they build up their immune systems and help prevent free radicals from running rampage.

Join us on a JOOS Cleanse! This is the biggest gift you could give to yourself and your family!

Pace Yourself for Sustainability

We all know that if we start a race too quickly, it is highly likely that we end up burning out by the end of the race.

This is exactly what happens on many cleanses or weight loss programs that involve starvation and/or deprivation and why these types of programs do NOT work - we starve or deprive ourselves and inevitably we end up binging.

Our JOOS Cleanse is designed to teach you to pace yourself and develop healthy eating habits for the rest of your life. This is a process and, if you're truly committed to it, you can reach your lifestyle goals, whatever they may be.

We'd love to support you through this. Please call us and we'd be happy to discuss the program with you.

Let the JOOS Cleanse help you clean your life of chaos

Sasha is feeling so much better in the mornings. When I worked from home, the house was in chaos. Notice how I wrote house instead of home? The children woke up irritable. It was nearly impossible to establish a routine. Life in the mornings, shall I say, was not very pleasant.

Now that I'm working out of the house, we have a home. The children wake up happy and energetic. They arrive early to school. Life is, over all, so much more satisfying.

When our lives fall into chaos, we do almost everything scattered from making hapharzard decisions, over scheduling ourselves, mixing up priorities, and eating poorly.

The goal of the JOOS Cleanse is to bring your life in sync so that you become balanced and in control. Every day we are revamping our program so that we can improve our service to you.

People come up to me daily and ask how I do it with four children and a thriving business. I wouldn't be able to without JOOS!

The Power of JOOS!

This morning our entire JOOSing team was not in the best spirits. Some of the team had spent the entire day yesterday schlepping produce from one town that didn't have a water contamination issue, washing the produce there, and then returning it to Belmont. We had purchased gallons of bottled water admittedly at a considerable expense and, frankly, it wasn't the most fun we've ever had straining the JOOS, washing with bottled water, etc.

There is a reason why I'm writing this. Michael, our Director of JOOS Operations, who had to manage all this, was understandably in a grumpy mood at 3:00 am when he arrived at the commissary. One of his responsibilities is to sample every single batch of JOOS. Today it seemed to me that he was over-pouring his samples. By 5:30 am, he was down right giddy, almost drunk, from drinking so much JOOS. He had all of us laughing so hard with his jokes and wise-cracks. I said, "did you ever think that consuming the healthiest beverage/food had the power to change your mood?"

I've had this same experience several times. In fact, I look forward to Mondays when I haven't JOOSed for the weekend. That's how acutely I can feel when I haven't been sufficiently nourished.

So, please join us in the power of JOOS and let me know if you have any questions.

To Your Health!
Lauri

You Can Eat Healthy on a Trip and Still Enjoy it!

Many of you ask how to maintain the "JOOS Cleanse" eating lifestyle - or just plain eating healthy - while traveling. So many of us feel like we fall apart when we go on vacation. Fun while we indulge and then we feel miserable when we return.

Like everything in life, we need to strike a balance. Going away and eating healthy is not incongruous. In fact, it is very doable. Just be realistic about it. And remember: this is NOT about being perfect because what is perfection anyway - an illusion!

Here's a sample vacation eating plan (which, by the way, can be applied to every day life):

Breakfast
Have a big bowl of oatmeal and load it with fruit. If you eat a big enough breakfast, you will not feel so much temptation to consume a big lunch and dinner.

Lunch
If you are in a warm climate, have a huge salad of greens and a protein - no bigger than the size of your fist, like a piece of fish. Avoid the heavy meat. Make certain you use a light dressing like a vinegrette or olive oil with balsamic vinegar.

If your breakfast and lunch are big enough, you will not have temptation to eat a big dinner or snack during the day.

Dinner:
If you want to order a cocktail, do! Even have a glass of wine with dinner.
Have a protein - again no bigger than the size of your fist - with lots of veggies and perhaps a small portion of a starch, like rice, 1/2 a sweet potato or 1/2 baked potato without the butter, sour cream, etc. If there is a big dessert buffet, take a bite sized piece of a few of the desserts or have 1/2 of one of them. Remember, if you feel deprived, you will binge - so better to have a small amount of something you are craving than to gorge later.

I have to go back to my French woman example. Often they eat a small piece of steak with no more than a fist sized portion of french fries, veggies and a glass of wine f dinner. They do NOT graze in between meals. They watch their portion size. They enjoy their food.

Unlike the French, we feel so constrained in what we eat that it is inevitable that we binge, particularly when we go on vacation.

Establishing healthy eating patterns is a process so take small steps. The next time you go out to dinner or on vacation, start with watching your portion sizes.

Also, you know I have to add that eating an alkaline diet of at least 70% will help you diminish the cravings. What's the best way to do this? Drink fresh, organic JOOS!

Overextending Ourselves - Where does the Cleanse Come In?

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

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

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

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

Another Stab at Transitioning off the JOOS Cleanse

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

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

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

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

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

To Your HEALTH!

Lauri

JOOS Cleanse - Transitioning off

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

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

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

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

To Your Health!

Establishing Mindfulness on the JOOS Cleanse

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

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

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

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

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

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

Just something to think about...

JOOS Cleanse - Day 21 - Travelling on the JOOS Cleanse

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

JOOS Cleanse - Day 19 - Not sleeping enough which has thrown me off

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Enjoy the weekend!

JOOS Cleanse - Day 18 - It's a part of my life!

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here is a typical day:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

JOOS Cleanse - Day 14 - The Whole is Greater than the Sum of the Parts!

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

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

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

JOOS Cleanse - Day 12 - Beware of Reactive Eating

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

On to the next day!

JOOS Cleanse - Day 11 - Positive Mood Shifts on JOOS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

JOOS Cleanse - Day 10 - Energy Up, Stress Down

I have to admit that even I, who owns JOOS and has done several cleanses, was hesitant to start another JOOS Cleanse, but I have to tell you that once you go through the initial 3 to 4 day adjustment period, it is so easy to maintain with the added benefit that you feel amazing! That's why we encourage doing at least 2, and optimally 3 weeks, of the cleanse.

Last night I attended a JOOS cocktail party in Wellesley hosted by Laura Holland, Becky Georgenes and Diana Gilloly. Becky's asparagus guacamole and Christin Gilloly's vegan tuna fish were "to die for!" If you want, I can get you the recipes.

Another huge hit was stumbled upon by Peter Holland who was dipping dried banana chips into the vegan chocolate mousse I brought. I swear, this was one of the best desserts I've ever had and totally acceptable on the JOOS Cleanse - in small portions :)

So yesterday, I had a JOOS and Pulpcake for breakfast. For lunch I was in a rush (what else is new) so I warmed up prepackaged lentils from Trader Joes, frozen organic veggies in the the mustard/balsamic/olive oil sauce I'm into these days. Dessert was 2 Pulpcakes.

I had another JOOS before I went to the JOOS Cocktail, which was a good thing because I would have ended up over eating on all the delicious food.

So, Day 10, my energy is way up and my stress is way down. I have been on top of organizing my papers, filing systems, business systems and household. I feel like I have so much more time - and this all happened once I started the JOOS Cleanse. For me, that says enough.

JOOS Cleanse - Day 9 - Too Many Pulpcakes, but so good!!

I was just listening in my car to a lecture by Ann Marie Colbin, PhD, author to The Whole-Food Guide to Strong Bones. She was saying that studies are out that show that the whole food has more health benefits than the sum of the parts.

I always thought it was weird that food companies put individual ingredients in foods, like adding Omega 3 to cookies. This is a great marketing ploy to make us believe that we were consuming some new "super" ingredient while eating our favorite junk. By the way, there is no junk food - there is either food or junk!

There is no substitute for the real thing. Nature intended us to eat whole foods. Why do we believe that processed, refined and fortified foods can actually be nutritious?

So on Day 9, I consumed my JOOS in the morning with 2 Pulpcakes.

At lunch I had quinoa with organic frozen veggies that I warmed with mustard, balsamic and olive oil. Remember, quinoa is actually a seed and a complete protein like animal meat. Then I snuck in another Pulpcake.

Mid-afternoon I consumed my second JOOS so by dinner I wasn't very hungry, although, I not full enough to eat yet another Pulpcake.

I confess that I broke my rule of two Pulpcakes a day.

JOOS Cleanse - Day 8 - Feeling happy, but almost purchased the M&Ms

A few weeks ago, I saw Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project, speak. She said that women named making their beds in the morning as something that makes them feel happy. I could see the point, but just making a bed? Well today I spent hours shifting threw my pile of papers and filing them in appropriate places, mostly the bin. Tonight I feel so much lighter and "happy."

This is exactly what happens on the JOOS Cleanse. It's a way to clean out your closets, i.e., your system - organs and all, so that you feel "happy."

Today I almost blew it. I was in Staples and I almost reached for the M&Ms. M&Ms are such a nostalgic candy for me. I don't like candy bars, but M&Ms... Someone who worked for Mars, the company who owns M&Ms, told me that the company adds a special ingredient to make people feel hungry for more M&Ms. I believe it.

Anyway, since I'm on the cleanse and exercising more restraint, I took a moment to think about why I thought about purchasing the M&Ms. I realized that, in actuality, I was very thirsty. As soon as I drank water, my desire for the M&Ms vanished.

So today, I had JOOS at our commissary. Mid-morning, I still wasn't hungry, but our baker just baked the Pulpcakes and I couldn't resist. They smelled soooo good. So I had two. That's probably why I felt so dehydrated later in the afternoon when I almost purchased the M&Ms.

By mid-afternoon, I had a half grapefruit and JOOS.

By night, I had a handful of raw nuts.

Yes, I do need to eat more veggies, but I find that I run around so much throughout the day that I barely have time. I know you all can relate!

JOOS Cleanse - Day 7 - Loving this beautiful weather!

Amazing what a little sleep and a JOOS Cleanse will do...and, of course, a sunny day spent with friends and family.

Today I woke up to a JOOS. So good to get those nutrients into an empty stomach.

I had a handful of nuts mid-morning and then melon for lunch.

Mid-afternoon, another JOOS

Dinner, a bowl of quinoa with veggies and the mustard/balsamic/olive oil sauce I've very into these days, followed by a handful of raw nuts.

As a reminder about quinoa, it is actually a seed, not a grain, and is a complete protein, just like meat.

Looking forward to another full week of JOOSing!