When I was still living in Johannesburg, South Africa, there was a restaurant I would love going to called Mike’s Kitchen, it wasn’t that the food was particularly amazing, or even special, but what they had was a salad bar – a real innovation at that time and the only restaurant offering this. To me there was nothing better to eat than a delicious fresh salad and one which I could pick and choose my own ingredients.

On moving to New York and working in the city, I discovered that salad bars were a standard offering, they were everywhere and I was delighted. What could be easier to put together than a salad when all the work has already been done for you. This rapidly became my lunch time staple (along with frozen yoghurt – another novelty back in the 80’s).

Fast forward a couple of years to the arrival of the City Bakery first on 17th Street and now on 18th in NYC. I was in salad bar heaven. Not your garden variety salad with bowls of chopped tomatoes, shredded lettuce, grated carrots, hard boiled eggs etc but gourmet salads using the freshest local, mostly organic ingredients frequently sourced from the nearby Union Square Farmer’s Market. It was truly inspirational and remains one of my most favorite places for lunch.
Since I obviously could not eat there every day, I started thinking what I could do to eat this way on a more regular basis and so the idea was born to turn my fridge into my own personal salad bar.

Once a week, I dedicate some time to chopping, dicing and slicing a variety of vegetables and salad greens storing them in glass containers in the fridge. I keep my assortment as varied as possible, allowing me to make not only salads, but also soups, stir fries and even roasted vegetables. Its time well spent and means a healthy and delicious meal can go from kitchen to table in no time at all. It’s also a wonderful opportunity to become truly creative and try new combinations of ingredients you may not have tried before.

Here is one of my favorite salads…

Mixed Greens with Clementines (serves 2- 3)

• 2 cups baby spinach leaves, washed and dried
• 1 cup arugula, washed and dried
• 1 small radicchio, washed and coarsely shredded
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 clementines, peeled and sectioned (if clementines are not available, substitute with grapefruit)
• 1 avocado, peeled and cut into cubes
• 1 mango, peeled and cut into cubes (optional)
• Sesame seeds to sprinkle
• Combine all ingredients and drizzle lightly with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Balsamic Vinaigrette

• 2/3 cups extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon raw honey
• Pinch of salt
• Combine all ingredients in a glass jar and shake well until thoroughly blended

For more recipes, go to http://www.elevenelevenwellness.com/resources/
You will find salad recipes in each section of Remove, Revive and Sustain.

There is a lot of misunderstanding about what a detox is and how to do it, so let me explain how I understand detoxification.

Detoxification is what your body does naturally to neutralize, transform or get rid of unwanted materials or toxins. It is a primary function of the body, constantly working and interacting with all other functions of the body. So when I am talking about detoxification, it is about improving and optimizing the function of your body’s own detoxification systems. This is done by decreasing the amount of toxins we put into our bodies while at the same time supporting our body’s detoxification and elimination systems with the nutrients it needs to function properly.

As a culture we are very aware of our external cleanliness. We clean our teeth daily, we bath and wash our hair daily or every other day and we like to look and smell clean because it makes us feel better. Similarly, I see detoxification as internal cleansing. The problem is that it’s often hard to know when our internal cleansing mechanisms are not functioning well. Unlike other parts of our body it is very hard to know how well our liver is working, and our liver is the main detoxification organ. It filters the blood of bacteria and toxins, chemically neutralizing toxins and converting them to substances that can be eliminated by the kidneys and synthesizing and secreting bile.

Although it is mostly ignored by our current medical system, the detoxification system is a key component of our body’s functioning. Most of the molecules made by our bodies every day, are for getting rid of waste products. We need hundreds of enzymes, vitamins and other molecules to help rid the body of unwanted waste products and chemicals. We need to manufacture these molecules to help take the good from what we ingest and get rid of the unwanted. Although the bulk of the work is done by the liver and the intestinal tract, the kidneys, lungs, lymphatic system and skin are all involved in this complex detoxification system.

The purpose of a detoxification program is primarily to support these organs of elimination so that toxins present in the body can be metabolized and excreted. Time and time again I’ve seen the benefits a good internal cleanse can bring. I think an effective detoxification system is necessary for good health and in response to the many requests I’ve had, I have put together my own programs based on what I’ve seen working in my practice.

I have been putting my patients on “detoxes” for the last 20 years and seen incredible results. I designed a 2 week detox with all the components I feel are necessary to optimize your body’s detoxification systems. This is now available online and not only for my patients. To learn more, please visit www.elevenelevenwellness.com/getting-started/getting-started-remove.

Bob introduces the supreme view of Buddhist philosophy which is the view of no view. By doing so, you can allow another to overcome the suffering and absurdity of being trapped in a fanatical view. Recorded at Menla Mountain Retreat Center, October 2006.

Here are my four top tips for helping your children to stay healthy and avoid illnesses in the new school year.

The foods that make kids the sickest are sugar and dairy.  

1.  Avoid dairy

If you can possibly raise them without milk products, you will prevent the most common mucus conditions, especially colds and ear infections.  Milk is a great mucus producer;  bacteria love living in it, and casein, the protein in milk, is commonly used in laboratories to set up bacterial cultures.  Cheese is just as much of a problem, and yogurt is little better.  And it’s not because of the fat – in fact, butter does not bring on infections, according to my observations – it is the protein and the calcium, which in cow’s milk are intended to help baby cows become big cows (or steer), and are excessive for humans.

2.  Don’t reward them with sugar

If you can avoid giving your kids sugared foods – including sugared breakfast cereals, cookies, cake, candy, and ice cream – you will allow their immune systems to do a better job of keeping them healthy.  Sugar is known to depress the immune system, and what is worse, it is really addictive.  According to a recent study at the University of Bordeaux, France, it appears to be more addictive than cocaine.  I know that we tend to reward the children with sweet goodies, but that habit is perhaps best reconsidered – crayons, balloons, comic books or nuts and raisins might be a better idea for rewards.

3.  Give them lots of protein

To keep the kids healthy, they also need to eat sufficient protein (some in each meal, such as fish, chicken, meats, or beans and legumes), with lots of vegetables both cooked and raw, as well as good quality fats (extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, organic butter).  See my post on protein breakfasts for more advice.

4.  Make sure they get plenty of rest

Most importantly, they need enough sleep and rest, which will allow their bodies and their brains to recuperate and restore, as well as grow.  Lack of sleep is one of the major causes of stress and illness.

So there you have it:  feed them well, keep them off the ice cream and sweets, and make sure they sleep enough, and they will avoid many illnesses.
 

No shoes in the house (as most household dirt, pesticides and lead come in on your shoes)

• Go barefoot or wear slippers

Place floor mats vertically by your entryways to wipe your shoes

• This way more dirt and residue from your shoes stay on the mat

Keep the air clean

• Keep your windows and doors open as much as possible to ventilate
• Have your air ducts and vents cleaned with nontoxic cleaners
• Get a portable air cleaner/purifier, especially for the bedrooms
• Use green plants as natural air detoxifiers
• Remove odors with baking soda
• Use fresh flowers or bowls of herbs like rosemary and sage to add a pleasant fragrance to rooms

Be conscious of the potential for carpeting to hold toxins

• Use natural fiber wool & cotton rugs
• If possible, replace your wall-to-wall carpeting with hardwood floors, all natural linoleum or ceramic tiles
• Use nontoxic glues, adhesives, stains or sealers for installation

Keep house dust to a minimum (as more dust means more toxins).

• Mop all surfaces at least once a week
• Vacuum carpets with a vacuum cleaner (with a HEPA filter, preferably) HEPA-filter vacuums capture the widest range of particles and get rid of allergens

Avoid excess moisture (as it encourages the growth of mold and mildew)

• Check areas for moisture accumulation or leaks (particularly basements)
• Regularly clean surfaces where mold usually grows – around showers and tubs and beneath sinks

Get a shower filter (as many contaminants in tap water become gases at room temperature)

• A shower filter can help keep these toxins from becoming airborne

Get a water filter (as more than 700 chemicals have been identified in drinking water)

• Filtering your tap water is better than drinking bottled water

Switch from the standard household cleaning products to cleaner and greener ones

• These don’t damage your health nor the environment’s as much and work as well as the mass marketed ones. You can also use basic ingredients you have around the house, for instance, you can use vinegar in place of bleach, baking soda to scrub your tiles and hydrogen peroxide to remove stains. According to our very own blogger, Annie Bond, the author of “Better Basics For The Home” you can clean anything with water and these 5 basic ingredients: Baking Soda, Washing Soda, Distilled White Vinegar, Vegetable based liquid Soap eg Dr. Bronner’s Peppermint Soap and Tea Tree oil

Use Plastics wisely (as some contain BPA, which is linked to cancer).

• Avoid plastic food packaging (when you can)
• Don’t wrap food in plastic
• Don’t microwave food in plastic containers
• Choose baby bottles made from glass or BPA-free plastic
• Stay away from children’s toys marked with a “3″ or “PVC.”

Avoid non stick pans, pots, bakeware and utensils (because they contain Teflon)

Clean out your medicine cabinet (personal care products are loaded with toxins)

Seal or replace particleboard walls, floors or cabinets (as they contain formaldehyde, which causes sensitivity)

• Avoid plywood, fiberglass, fiberboard and paneling

Tell the dry cleaner not to use the plastic wrap (as the plastic traps the dry cleaning chemicals on clothes and in your closet)

• Let your dry cleaning air out (preferably outside) before storing it
• Use “wet cleaning” if you are lucky enough to have it in your area

Avoid toxic pest control in your home and toxic lawn chemicals in your garden

• These lawn chemicals get inside on your shoes

When painting indoors, use latex (water based) or other least toxic brands

• Open all windows to ventilate

And most important, no amount of environmental toxins are as important as emotional toxicity. You can do all the above, but if there is a house full of anger, resentment, jealousy, hurt and a lack of love, compassion and forgiveness, the house will remain toxic