Spring into Detox Spring clean detox can happen many ways and on many levels of mind, body, soul, and even your personal belongings. We hope our quarterly newsletter will help create positive goals for improving and inspiring one’s life. Put your health as a priority and begin with your spring clean detox!
A Simple Yet Effective Way To Detox
-Dr. Joe Holcomb N.D.
When winter turns to spring, it is the perfect time for your body to cleanse itself in order to rejuvenate itself for the active lifestyle you lead. I recommend a simple supplement to be taken for a few weeks in order to streamline your liver. A high quality Milk Thistle taken 2 x day will do the job. See my brand recommendations below.
Understanding the liver
The liver is an amazing organ as it deals with 90% of the toxins that our body creates which is exposed in our food, drinks, air, and through the skin. I tell my patients that the liver has many freeways that these toxins are processed on. Sometimes those freeways can get grid locked or have road construction on them, and therefore not allow toxins through in an efficient manner. When this happens, symptoms usually begin to manifest and can be anything from headache to joint pain; as these toxins are usually inflammatory.
Trusted Brands to choose from:
Gaia (health food store or amazon) Milk Thistle Seed or Liver Health
Herb Pharm (health food store or amazon) Milk Thistle or Liver Health
Restorative Formulations (www.restorativeformulations.com, set up a patient account and use 4068900172 as the authorization code.) Liver Support Px
Final Note** As with any detox you want to make sure you are having 2 - 3 bowel movements a day before beginning. Also make sure you are hydrated during the weeks you are doing this detox, remember hydration is water and salt (not table salt). At least 1⁄2 your body weight in ounces (i.e. if you weigh 150 lbs. you should drink 75 oz. of water a day). Popping salt is advisable when increasing our water intake; take a 1⁄4 tsp of salt and pop it in your mouth and drink it down once a day.
The Role of Chiropractic in Systemic Detoxification
It is the rare patient that asks me how regular chiropractic care can benefit their detoxification. Great question! Most people think chiropractic is only for neck and back pain or car accidents, etc.. To no surprise, most only think about their overall health when there is a crisis or disease of some sort, or even an accident. This is analogous to only thinking about putting gas in your car when the light comes on, or even taking it to a mechanic when there is an obvious problem, which could ultimately be concluded as a poor long term strategy.
Imagine if all the indicators and control systems in your car, especially the engine, fuel systems, accelerator/brake, etc. were not displaying the correct information and not giving the correct feedback. Talk about an accident waiting to happen. Not a car I want to rely on. A chiropractor is more than just a structural repair specialist. Because of the direct impact on the nervous system, chiropractors are more like a “master mechanic” looking at the interplay between all systems.
As a 3rd generation chiropractor with over 19 years of clinical experience, I work directly with the nervous system function by addressing spinal misalignments, neurologic reflexes, nutritional imbalances, dietary factors, emotional imbalances, and overall health by having your nervous system functioning at its highest level. The nervous system both directly and indirectly controls and modulates every system in the body. Regular chiropractic care and optimizing your nervous system play vital role in detoxification.
In my opinion, almost every service provided within the walls of Cloud 9 plays an integral role in helping the body heal itself and restore innate balance. I am happy to be a part of the team. Is any one modality or
treatment more crucial or valid? No. Finding what you uniquely need to restore balance in the quickest most direct manner is what is key. Should you desire to be evaluated by me to see chiropractic care, specifically an Applied Kinesiology based treatment protocol could help your condition, I look forward to meeting you.
Yours in health, Dr. Todd Schleusner
Spring Cleaning For Your Body and Mind
Spring is in the air and days are getting longer, soon we'll be enjoying the many reasons we choose to live or visit Montana in the summer. Here are a couple things you can do to improve and clean out your mind and body to help you get ready for all of your summer excursions.
Simple things to do at home that won’t break the bank.
● Drink more water (Half your bodyweight in ounces, ex: 200 lbs = 100oz)
● Add more veggies to your diet (Whole Foods)
● Switch from table salt to Sea salt
● Exchange Canola oil out for Olive oil or Coconut oil
● Watch your Sugar intake (sugar is hidden in most everything)
● Take cold showers! (boost immunity, Lymph function, energy/endorphin boost)
In addition to these things Cloud 9 Float Spa offers some other ways to complement or speed up the cleaning process.
Infrared Sauna- Originally created for scar and burn victims the infrared sauna is a great way to relax while you detox and improve skin complexion! Studies show that infrared heat sweats out 20% more toxins and that it is 7 times more effective for metal toxicity. Also Infrared saunas have been shown to increase collagen and elastin in our skin reducing wrinkles and improving skin tone including softness, smoothness, clarity and elasticity. Infrared saunas heat you from the core so it feels a little more soothing than a typical dry rock sauna and with that you experience a little cardiovascular workout as well as burning about 400-600 calories.
Flotation Therapy- Amazing way to unplug from all of your daily stressors and distractions and spend an hour of peace and quiet in one of our float tubs. Floating in water that is 12 inches deep with 1,200lbs of medical grade epsom salt (Magnesium Sulfate) and heated to skin temp (93.5 degrees F) allows the body to get to a deep state of rest know as theta waves. In this theta state is where our body gets its REST (Restricted Environmental, Stimulation Therapy) and recovery along with absorbing that magical mineral Magnesium!
One of the things that i think is so amazing about humans is we always have the ability to improve no matter where we are in life or what area of life. Taking it one day at a time and taking baby steps towards improving ourselves each day is the best thing we can do and over time with consistency the big leaps will be noticed by all!
Happy Spring! ~ Brandon Schmaus
Detoxify Your Body With a Therapeutic Massage!
First things first, what are toxins? Toxins are poisonous substances usually produced by bacteria, and they can be harmful to the body. When the body gets sluggish due to unhealthy eating, lack of exercise, or too little fluids, it has trouble flushing these toxins out.
The lymphatic system, along with the liver, is responsible for much of the body’s natural detox, acting as our own internal waste disposal unit. Having no natural pump of its own, the lymphatic system is dependent on muscles, efficient breathing and exercise for its function. An overload of toxins can prevent it from working properly, leading to fatigue, lethargy, or illness. Massage helps to stimulate your system into action so that waste can be more easily eliminated.
Having a massage is a fantastic way of freeing your mind from stress and worry, both of which have physical effects on your body’s capacity to handle waste. Stress and exhaustion can lead to illness as we put our systems under constant pressure to perform, and we can often forget, or struggle to take the time to care for our bodies. Convenience meals eaten on the run, liquid lunches, and burning the candle at both ends will leave your mind and body feeling even worse!
Once your body experiences a therapeutic massage, here are some of the benefits you may reap: Aids in the healing of connective tissue injuries, sprains and ligaments
Assists in the healing of scar tissue
Excellent for the promotion of fluid flow and relief of fluid retention
More energy
Stronger immune system Clearer thinking
Better sense of well-being Deep relaxation relief
If you’ve never tried massage before, now is a great time to find out what all the fuss is about. Massage is a fantastic, low effort way to pamper yourself inside and out!
Looking forward to helping you get healthy and be whole! Stephanie May, LMT
Spring Cleaning for Your Body and Mind, A Holistic Approach
Dr. Paul Raish, ND
As winter months wind down and we start thinking about spring, the topic of spring cleaning often comes to mind, for our homes and our bodies. It's time to shed a few pounds acquired over the winter months of decreased activity due to the difficulty of getting outside.
Detoxification. (Reducing the toxic burden of the body)
Everyone has a potion or product to assist the detoxification process and many are helpful but there are some simple things that can be done very effectively to reduce toxins of all sorts and energize your body. Here are a few considerations:
Eatseasonallyandlocallywhenpossible. SpringGreens!
The phytonutrients contained in the foods grown locally (preferably organically), are perfect for our bodies for the climate and seasons in which we live. They help our bodies respond to the challenges of each of those seasons. During the Spring, there are brand new sprouts, and bitter baby leafy greens full of nutrients to help our liver cleanse. Bitter is good. It helps the liver produce bile and is excellent for digestion and elimination of toxins.
Greens! Greens! Greens! Chlorophyll is one of the best detoxifying agents known to man. It also contains the perfect form, amount and ratio of magnesium and calcium (not ground-up seashells that your body has no clue what to do with), potassium, vitamin K and many of the trace minerals which we need to nourish and cleanse. Green juice, green smoothies, sprouts, microgreens, wheatgrass juice, etc. These are foods that are full of life and vitality.
Ever noticed how amazing something picked from the garden tastes? It’s vibrant. Food loses its nutritional value quickly after being harvested. Produce purchased from the store, often picked unripe, who knows how long ago, and shipped who knows how far, is a better choice than canned food, but consider choosing a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) or a Farmer's Market or a container garden or a mini Greenhouse, or even a tray of microgreens on your windowsill. It’s worth it!
The Liver
One of many roles of the liver in the body is to transform and remove toxicity from the body. It does this best at night after it’s finished its many other duties of the day—creating and breaking down hormones, digesting the foods taken into the body during day, etc. If we over-eat or eat an especially heavy meal late into the evening and go to bed before it’s fully digested, the Liver is so busy processing that meal that it’s unable to get to it’s important role of housecleaning—taking those toxins down off the shelves where it put them during the day because it was otherwise occupied. Ever feel sluggish the next morning? This is a big reason why.
Anger and the liver. The Traditional Chinese Medicine approach recognizes that the liver is the receptacle for the emotion of anger. Ever wonder why you wake up between 1 and 3 every morning? That's the liver's time clock. It could be from a heavy dinner eaten too late and the liver is having to work overtime. Or it could be that there's anger. Often, we don't even recognize this is the case. Consider the topic of forgiveness. Let go of hurt feelings. Recognize that others are just doing the best they can, however limited that may be. Cut them some slack. Forgiveness is emotional detoxification and no less important for the body getting rid of I was physical toxins.
Consider Fasting. Spring has traditionally been a period of fasting for many peoples and cultures around the world as food supplies run low from winter stores. Periodic fasting is an excellent way to reduce the burden on our bodies/liver and allow them to naturally begin to take out the trash that they were too burdened to do because they're working so hard to digest the heavy foods of winter and the higher caloric content of holiday foods. There are many types of fasting, from a day to a week or more, many require professional support; but a simple 24 hour fast each month provides tremendous benefit. Consider fasting from meat for a period of time and choose vegetarian protein sources, if not already doing so. Or fast from sugar for a week, or from fried foods or dairy or other inflammatory foods. You’ll be surprised how good you feel.
Movement. (Moderate Exercise)
We live and a gorgeous place, here in Montana. Make it a point to get out and enjoy this beautiful place that we call home. Walk, hike, paddle, ski. Whatever you like to do, do it. Let the sun shine on your body, allowing the infrared energy to penetrate and energize your body. Fill your lungs with clean air and smell the beautiful fragrances of the changing seasons. Take in the majesty and beauty all around us. Life is short. Whatever is keeping you from doing it will wait. Make time as often as possible. Daily is ideal. Our bodies were designed to move! Nothing works properly when we don't; conversely,
everything works better when we do. That's just how God made us. Walking in the cold dark mornings is still better than sleeping in.
Don't sweat the small stuff but do sweat out the toxins. Sweat Depuration. Infrared sauna is an excellent detoxification therapy. It’s highly effective and is especially good at removing heavy metals. Just make sure you shower off immediately afterward so as not to re-absorb the toxins.
Sleep
Proper rest is essential for health and detoxification. Getting to bed by 10 p.m. is one of the best things you can do for yourself. The type of sleep that occurs beginning right after 10p.m. and until about 11:30p.m. (level 4 sleep) is deeply restorative. If you’re not in bed until midnight, you’ve missed the bulk of your body's ability to produce human growth hormone, regenerate and repair. Early to bed...The more sleep you get before midnight, the less sleep you need.
The role of our genetic makeup in detoxification.
More than 70% of us have some type of genetic mutation, known as SNP's (pronounced "snips") short for Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms that effect our health. About 60% of us have SNP’s effecting methylation—which in turn effects hundreds of functions in the body.
Methylation
What does Anxiety, Depression, Heart Disease, Fibromyalgia, Arthritis, Hormonal problems, Obesity, Alcoholism, Addictions (including food and sugar) have to do with detoxification? Everything! Ever heard of the term methylation? Most of us haven't, and quite frankly most conventional medical doctors haven't either. It's an enzymatic process involved in activating nutrients such as Folate and Vitamin B12 to be able to perform their proper biochemical functions. Methylation participates in the cascade of creating the neurotransmitters Melatonin, Serotonin, Dopamine, Epinephrine and Norepinephrine, as well as the production of Coenzyme Q10, Glutathione, Nitrous Oxide and the crucial molecule SAMe, which participates in hundreds of reactions. It’s involved in many pathways related to liver health, heart health, brain and nervous system, joint health, hormonal regulation, RNA and DNA production, fat metabolism/weight loss, cellular energy production and detoxification!
Consider taking the guesswork out of your treatment.
LAB testing an important tool for assessing health and health concerns. Conventional blood testing is always a good place to start and can sometimes be very helpful for figuring out what’s going on. Other times not so much! There is a whole array of other overlooked conventional, and, not so conventional, functional medicine tests for a variety of issues not well understood by conventional medicine that
can be utilized to illuminate what’s going on. These can be incredibly helpful and give us important missing pieces to our puzzle. But there’s another, largely unknown type of testing that can give us additional missing pieces and understanding about the WHY and what to do about it. That’s genetic testing.
Assessing our genetic makeup is an additional and powerful tool to facilitate the understanding of our own personal challenges with detoxification and why a seemingly well indicated nutrient or supplement works miracles for a friend but not for you. It allows us to give recommendations for customized dietary, lifestyle, and supplemental nutrition according to your own genetic differences. And here’s something you don’t often hear: There is a very affordable way to do it for a fraction of the cost of typical genetic testing. Here’s a link to a 90-second video clip which illustrates SNP’s and the testing for them: https://youtu.be/kxXwrDPMOpI. And here’s a link to the testing that you can do from home if your interested in getting the process started: https://refer.23andme.com/s/admin2
Stress and Relaxation.
You can't detoxify when you are stressed. Sympathetic nervous system dominance means you're living in that fight or flight mode. Digestion and detoxification don't work when you're running from the bear. Besides the nutrition recommendations of magnesium and so forth, additional recommendations include: Cranial Sacral Therapy, Flotation Therapy, Massage and Acupuncture. Relaxation techniques such as prayer, meditation, deep breathing, and grounding exercises are also powerful tools in assisting the detoxification process that can be done virtually anywhere, at any time. These provide a crucial reset—allowing the body and mind to relax and literally let go of the mental/emotional, as well as the physical toxins being held in the body.
Pain! Pain is a huge source of stress to the body and the mind. And again, it causes the release of stress hormones which prevents detoxification. Treating chronic pain is a crucial part of being able to detoxify the body. Laser therapy is an impressive tool to help the body heal from those difficult chronic injuries and pain, as is Prolozone therapy. They’re even better when used together. Chiropractic care, Acupuncture, Massage, Cryotherapy and Floatation Therapy are other amazingly helpful tools for treating stress, pain and inflammation—providing needed relief and expediting the healing process.
Cranial Sacral Therapy is another phenomenal tool for helping rid the body of mental, emotional, or physical trauma and pain being held in the body. I've seen 20-year-old pain disappear in a single
treatment on a number of occasions when the underlying cause was addressed with craniosacral therapy. Other times a series of treatments is required.
Bio-therapeutic Drainage is a beautiful form of German biologic medicine which very gently directs the body to let go of the toxicity being held within the cell (especially heavy metals). It's focused on organ systems and uses specific homeopathic remedies and plant stem-cell therapies, and is a simple, effective and gentle way to begin helping the body let go of chronic illness.
Magnesium, Magnesium, Magnesium.
One of the most important things you can do for your body, for all of the 600 plus biochemical and enzymatic reactions that magnesium participates in, and is required for, is to make sure that you have sufficient magnesium in your body. That sounds simple, but almost everyone is magnesium deficient. When you don't have enough of it, those reactions don't happen or don't happen adequately; so, we're left with many of the unrecognized clinical symptoms of magnesium deficiency such as: chronically tight muscles, muscle spasms, cramps and twitching, restless legs, heart palpitations, anxiety, depression, and other mood changes, fatigue. Magnesium is involved in calcium metabolism also; so without enough magnesium there is osteopenia and osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, osteophytes (bone spurs), dental caries, atherosclerosis, blood sugar issues, metabolic syndrome, insomnia, headaches, numbness and tingling, constipation, and many, many others.
Magnesium participates in the regulation of metabolism, blood sugar and include insulin sensitivity. Magnesium is needed as a cofactor in the production of energy in RNA and DNA synthesis, mitochondria function and electrical activity. Because magnesium is required in the methylation cycle, it’s required for normal heart function and blood pressure regulation. Magnesium supports brain function mood and sleep which are all dependent on the methylation cycle. It's involved in neurotransmitter production including serotonin dopamine and GABA among others, as mentioned earlier. It also alkalizes the body. It improves respiration by relaxing the airways.
Some of the things that inhibit or deplete magnesium include alcohol, stress, high cortisol levels, low stomach acid, and heavy metal toxicity, especially mercury toxicity, that comes from those “silver” amalgam fillings. There are over 200 prescription and non-prescription medications that block magnesium absorption or just plain deplete it, which contributes to deficiency. Antacids and proton pump inhibitors, oral contraceptives and diuretics are some of the worst offenders.
How do we get magnesium in our diet? There's a magnesium molecule in the center of every chlorophyll molecule. So, anything green contains magnesium! Here's where that dark green leafy
vegetable recommendation comes in. Sprouts, broccoli, avocados, wheatgrass juice, barley grass, blue green algae, etc., are all excellent sources. Additionally, sprouted nuts, seeds, and whole grains, winter squashes and tomatoes contain smaller amounts of magnesium and contribute to the whole.
Soaking and sprouting grains, seeds, and nuts eliminates the naturally occurring phytic acid that prevents the nuts and seeds from spontaneously germinating, which is important; but the problem is that it also acts as a binding agent for the calcium and magnesium contained in those seeds—preventing their proper absorption and utilization in the body.
Because magnesium is required to detoxify and we live an increasingly toxic world, most of us need far more magnesium than were able to get in our diet. Even with supplemental nutrition it's difficult to gain magnesium sufficiency in the body. This is primarily due to the difficulty of absorbing magnesium.
IV therapy is the surest way to make sure it's in your bloodstream. An IV drip or IV push are both fantastic ways to get the magnesium into the body, especially in a crisis such as fluid loss, muscle spasms, Migraines or anxiety. It brings an immediate sense of calm and will often stop a migraine or muscle spasm in its tracks.
Flotation therapy is another fantastic way to get magnesium into your body. The supersaturated magnesium sulfate (Epsom salts) solution in a float tank is a great way for many people to be able to literally soak up the magnesium through the skin and have a profoundly relaxing experience that lasts for days in some cases. You can also do Epsom salts baths at home. Some people find “magnesium oil” (which is not really an oil at all but feels like it because it stays on the skin), is a topical magnesium spray which can be helpful on specific muscle groups, but I find it messy and itchy. For some people it works great. I'm not one of those people.
Oral Magnesium. As great as IV and Floatation therapy are, none of us can do it daily. Oral magnesium is essential. There are many forms of oral magnesium. But again, the problem is absorption! My favorite is Magnesium Glycinate, which is about 95% absorbed, as opposed to magnesium citrate which is about 30% absorbed and worst of all, magnesium oxide, which is about 5% absorbed and tends to be a little rough on the digestive system and acts more as a laxative.
Memory and mood
Magnesium glycinate is a phenomenal tool to help restore magnesium sufficiency. It alleviates anxiety and improves sleep. The amino acid, Glycine, which has dozens of functions in the body is also a precursor to the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA which helps calm the mind.
As great as Magnesium Glycinate is, my new favorite is Magnesium L-threonate—a well-researched, patented form of magnesium that actually crosses the blood brain barrier, significantly enhancing levels of magnesium in the brain, improving memory and cognitive function, attention, executive function, and learning ability. I use CogniMag by Pure Encapsulations (the only form of the Magnesium L-threonate that does not contain undesirable stearates, but does contain a proven natural polyphenol blend) to support cognitive function. Magnesium Glycinate By Pure Encapulations, for the same purity reasons. Both Magnesium Glycinate and Magnesium L-threonate are fantastic for the brain. I often use both together.
Magnesium malate is most often used in fibromyalgia to reduce muscle pain and tenderness because many patients with fibromyalgia are often low in malic acid which helps regenerate cellular energy in the mitochondria. Vital Nutrients brand Magnesium (glycinate/malate) is the cleanest formula I can find.
Magnesium Citrate and Oxide are the worst. The low absorption rates tend to cause gastric discomfort but works great as a laxative if you're not trying to get magnesium into the system to affect your biochemistry mood relaxation and detoxification.
There are many over-the-counter supplements available, and you can typically pay a little bit less, but the problem is you're never guaranteed about the purity or potency of the product and contamination with heavy metals, etc. Additionally, most over-the-counter supplements are full of undesirable ingredients such as stearates and other lubricants and fillers that have deleterious effects on the health. With professional grade supplements that are tested and guaranteed to be free of toxicants and have assayed and guaranteed potency. These are the only products I carry and make available to patients.
The best idea is always to come talk to a qualified practitioner who is familiar with your specific health concerns and can make specific personalized recommendations according to your individual needs. There is another option if you know what you want. Since many of my patients live out-of-town or out-of-state, I just found a great option for purchasing some of these professional quality supplements, at a discount, from the convenience of their own homes.
● Fullscript https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/praish
● Thorne Call to create an account. 800.228.1966 or go to www.thorn.com
● Sign In; New User Account; Referred by a Health Professional? Yes, HCP1008757
There is no one-size-fits-all recommendation. That's why you really should see a naturopathic physician to customize a comprehensive plan for you—a road map to your individual health—a plan of action according to the wisdom of your own body. Someone who is there to support you and advise you and answer your questions.
Simple things that reduce our toxic burden.
Most of us know the things that contribute to optimal health, but life gets busy; and sometimes, we get out of the routine and we forget some of those basic things to support our health. I'm just as guilty as anyone; but let's not get down on ourselves. Some days, and weeks, and months, and years, are better than others. Just do your best, whatever that is for you, in this moment. It’s a process. Be gentle with yourself. Many of the following ideas seem obvious, but sometimes we just need a reminder, or at least I do. Here are a few additional things to remember:
Clean Eating. Simple, clean food choices that reduce the burden on the liver free up a lot of energy that can be used to houseclean. But, let's face it, our brains are hard-wired to enjoy sugar, fat, and salt. Consider heathier options of those favorite foods, with better ingredients, and don’t beat yourself up with the occasional indulgence. And, if you’re out with friends, it’s much healthier to eat that piece of chocolate cake, with joyful gratitude than to agonize over if it’s gluten-free, dairy free and made with 100% organic ingredients or how it’s going to look on your waist.
Dirty Dozen/Clean 15 www.ewg.org
Skin Care. Some of the most toxic products we’re exposed to are those which we apply to our skin, including sunscreens, lotions, soaps and shampoos. Find clean skin care products like those produced right here in the Flathead Valley from Kettle Care Organics. Consider EWG’s Healthy Living App to help navigate the complicated world of skin care products.
Make your own Household Cleaning Products with water and vinegar, essential oils, etc. Save money and eliminate the unnecessary toxic chemicals and solvents. Norwex has some great products as well.
Choose Glass when possible. Get rid of your xenoestrgen containing plasticware, especially for your fatty leftovers.
Never Microwave Food. It destroys food value.
Breathe Fresh Air. Consider cracking your window at night. Run, bike, walk away from the road
whenever possible. Choose an organic dry cleaner. Avoid the toxic commercial dry cleaning. Read Labels. If you can’t pronounce it, do you really need it?
An important thing to remember, there are countless, often unexplored, options to get to the root of the problem causing pain or preventing the body from letting go of toxicity. Despite what conventional medicine might say about your particular situation, there are answers and there is hope.
________________Pineapple Kale Green Smoothie______________
2 handfuls Kale
1 handful spring mix greens 2 cup water
1 1⁄2 cup frozen peaches
2 handfuls pineapple chunks stevia to taste
2 Tablespoons freshly ground flaxseed
**Place leafy greens and water into blender and blend. Add remaining ingredients, blend until creamy.
The Mean Green Detox Salad
INGREDIENTS
SALAD
2 cups cooked chickpeas
1 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
2 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce or tamari
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 cups Tuscan kale roughly torn
2 cups fresh broccoli florets
1/4 head purple cabbage shredded
1/2 cup fresh parsley + cilantro roughly chopped hemp seeds + chia seeds for topping
2 red grapefruits segmented
2 ripe but firm avocados, sliced or chopped
prep time 30 minutes totaltime 1hour
VEGAN PARMESAN
1⁄2 cup raw pine nuts
2 teaspoons raw sesame seeds
servingsserves4
1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast Salt to taste
LEMON TAHINI DRESSING
2 tablespoons tahini sesame seed paste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon low sodium soy sauce or tamari
juice + zest from 1 lemon use only half of zest 2 cloves garlic grated
2 teaspoons fresh ginger grated
salt + pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
LEMON TAHINI DRESSING
Add all the ingredients to a bowl and whisk until combined. Taste and adjust salt + pepper to your liking. Alternately you can add the ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. The dressing can be made a week in advance and stored in the fridge until ready to use.
SALAD
Spread the chickpeas out on a towel and dry them completely. Add the chickpeas and coconut to a baking sheet and toss with the soy sauce, sesame oil and cayenne pepper. Toss well to evenly coat. Roast for 20 minutes and then stir the chickpeas around and roast another 10 minutes or until the chickpeas are browned and the coconut is dark brown. Remove from the oven. Save any leftovers for snacking on later!
Add the kale to a large bowl and drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil and a big pinch of salt. Using your hands, massage the kale for 2-3 minutes until the kale is well coated and has slightly softened. To the bowl add the broccoli, cabbage, parsley and cilantro. Toss well. Add the dressing and continue to toss until all the veggies are coated. Add the grapefruit segments and avocado. Gently toss to combine. At this point, you can cover and store the salad in the fridge for up to 24 hours or continue on with the recipe.
Divide the salad into bowls. Top with the crunchy coconut chickpeas and the vegan parmesan cheese (recipe below) and a sprinkle of chia + hemp seeds. EAT!!
VEGAN PARMESAN
In a food processor or blender, combine the pine nuts, sesame seeds, nutritional yeast and a pinch of salt. Processor until you have fine crumbs that resemble parmesan cheese. Taste and season with more salt if desired. The vegan parmesan can be made a week in advance and stored in the fridge until ready to use.
Enjoy!!
Info coming soon!
Helping Vets - Alternative Health Care
Impact Montana Funding vets to use the Float Spa services (Cryo, Infrared Sauna, Flotation Therapy) Stop by or give us a call an we will get you all set up with an application. Impact Montana is fast with getting approvals back so we should be able to have you using services within a week or two.