Pineapples

Feeling a little green from St Patty's Day? Time to replenish with raw, organic juice and a huge dose of vitamin C in particular. Pineapple Water is uber-refreshing and has 130% of your daily value. Pineapple (1 cup) Contains 131.4% of Daily Value for Vitamin C

Vitamin C is the body's primary water-soluble antioxidant, defending all aqueous areas of the body against free radicals that attack and damage normal cells. Free radicals have been shown to promote the artery plaque build-up of atherosclerosis and diabetic heart disease, cause the airway spasm that leads to asthma attacks, damage the cells of the colon so they become colon cancer cells, and contribute to the joint pain and disability seen in osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. This would explain why diets rich in vitamin C have been shown to be useful for preventing or reducing the severity of all of these conditions. In addition, vitamin C is vital for the proper function of the immune system, making it a nutrient to turn to for the prevention of recurrent ear infections, colds, and flu.

Pineapple contains Manganese and Thiamin (Vitamin B1) for Energy Production and Antioxidant Defenses

Pineapple is an excellent source the trace mineral manganese, which is an essential cofactor in a number of enzymes important in energy production and antioxidant defenses. For example, the key oxidative enzyme superoxide dismutase, which disarms free radicals produced within the mitochondria (the energy production factories within our cells), requires manganese. Just one cup of fresh pineapple supplies 128.0% of the DV for this very important trace mineral. In addition to manganese, pineapple is a good source of thiamin, a B vitamin that acts as a cofactor in enzymatic reactions central to energy production.

PILAR AMAYA: dTox's Juiciest of the Month

I was brought to dTox on a referral from another neighborhood dTox'er.
A conversation was started about a cleanse that offered juices that
actually tasted good and were available to purchase locally.
Initially I wanted a cleanse to kick start a renewed focus on
wellness. I had abandoned my exercise routine and felt that I had
reached a point of no return in regards to my weight. I had somehow
managed to pack on twenty plus pounds in a little over a year.

I was surprised to find the juice refreshing and energizing. I
replaced my processed food snacks with fresh juices and made sure they
were always easily within my reach.

My digestion problems came to an almost immediate stop. My alcohol
intake tapered to a minimum as my exercise increased. My complexion
improved dramatically. I credit this to my juicing and the bad foods
the juice replaced being out of my diet.

The Brazil Nut milk is my night time treat! Delicious! I save it as
my grand finale for my evening sweet craving.

I use the Gingergizer Elixir as a substitute for my previous espresso
energy shots in the morning and before working out. I have found the
ginger extremely helpful to enhance my treadmill endurance.

3 Day dTox Box Cleanse Diary

As I begin this blog, I am reminded that I have another blog. The last post date there, October 28, was the last free time I've had until today. It has been go, go, go and scramble, juggle, scramble since November 1. Phew.
After the opening of dTox on November 12, things have been extremely busy.
Finally,, I had an opening in my schedule and my sister in law, Roxi, in town wanting to do the three day dTox Box so I decided to do it with her.

We neither prepared very well. We had a trunk show for AngelRox on Saturday evening and several bellinis. Regardless, I was prepared for the pampering part. I scheduled my massage several days before.

Sunday, Day 1
I began Sunday morning, my first day off since January 1, in earnest. Cayenne water down, wheatgrass elixir and red juice up next. I was going to slow flow yoga at 9:15 and massage at 11. My first mistake was heading into the office to do a few things first. One thing lead to another, and I missed slow flow. Made it to Exhale in time to get relaxed and hot water and hot shoulder thingy before Mary was ready for me. Mary specializes in lymph massage which is a perfect complement to a cleanse. It was the most relaxing massage I have ever had. Highly recommend!

Feeling great as I leave knowing I've left a list of all the things that need to get done for the day and someone besides me is doing them. Sweet. Until employee texts me "pretty much everything on your list I cannot do today". Great. We work through this catastrophe and I head home to do something fun-clean my house. When cleansing, best to do things the family don't want to do, such as organize the playroom and purge toys. As within, so without.

Some people are fatigued while cleansing. I have a surplus of energy when I juice. I made sure to have a juice every two hours and drank water throughout. When I still felt hungry, I slapped on some whitestrips. Think of the beauty aspect and carry on.

I had a successful first day and a great nights sleep. Not sure if that's the cleanse, Mary's lymph massage, or the excitement about another day "off" but this time to hang with the babies. What would we do on the holiday? The park if nice, the High Museum or Children's Museum. I'd take all the things to goodwill and finish cleaning the "future master bath/where I throw everything when the maid comes" room.

Monday: Day 2
7am Cayenne water check and I head to Exhale to teach my Vinyasa class. Feeling great until I decide to demo handstands. Come up feeling really dizzy and black out a little. Maybe dont' do inversions on the second day of a cleanse.

Employee calls in sick. Well shizzle. There goes my day. SO I go in to work, children in tow. Feeling grumpy. Feeling stressed. I decide to make our coconut cookies around lunchtime. No biggie. Get them into the dehydrator no problem. The hard part about cleansing when you have kids is kid food. You are constantly making it and popping bites into your own mouth often without awareness. Several times I caught myself chewing, freaking and spitting. OOps. Now. This is not the way I would recommend doing your cleanse. Prepare for it. Take some time alone to journal, walk, meditate, and generally relax. We were quite busy at dTox. 8 boxes going out, one (of two) employees down, and two cranky kids and one annoyed mama. We were selling out of juices at a pace that I couldn't have a juice myself at the appropriate interval, 2 hours. It got to around the 4 hour mark and damnit those cookies were smelling delish. It was a weak moment. My daughter was running around butt naked as she potty trained and one of the regulars just pointed out that my hair color on top was much darker than the bottom and so... I ate a cookie-or two. And some brazil nuts. By the time I finally got a juice for myself, I was feeling pretty lousy and guilty. Now you will not have this excuse you who have nicely prepared for you a dTOX Box ready to go. By the time I got home at 10 pm, Roxi was home from the Mart where she'd been selling AngelRox all day. She was quite hungry and wanting a beer. I had to tell her that I'd cheated. I ate a cookie. She burst out that she'd had pretzels and mumbled several other things. No judgements. Day 3 would be a new day. Again, I slept really nice. Woke up feeling optimistic with a sense of wellbeing. Hmmm

Tuesday Day 3
Today I am determined to take a day to hang with my girl away from dTox. She needs some new clothes so we head to Sweet Repeats for some retail therapy. On the way there, it was raining because it was Tuesday. And it always rains on Tuesday. Mary Elle spotted Chick Filet and needed a little "nacky" and playtime. Who knew Chick Filet did breakfast? Not me. How delish did those little biscuits look. Very.

I am feeling pretty good about not eating a chicken biscuit when I get the call, we need cucumbers. Well so much a for a fun day away. The hunt for organic cucumbers is on, again. I am passing Fresh Market so slam on the brakes to take a look. Never shopped here before. And then it was on to Trader Joes, No, Whole Food, No and then to sweet talk at Dekalb Farmer's Market, SCORE!

Made it through the day and again, slept like a baby.

It's not about perfection, it's about progress. It is about finding your balance over and over and over again. It's about falling and yet knowing there is balance to be had and gently bringing yourself back to it. I fall all the time and hard. I enjoy over indulging sometime and eating things I know aren't great for me. But I always come back to find the balance so I can have my cake and juice it too!