Jennifer Thompson » Fasting

Raw Food for Weight Loss – Before and After Pictures

Jennifer Thompson — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 13:17:26 +0000

Can a Raw Food Diet be the answer?

A Raw Food Diet can be a wonderful diet to help people achieve weight loss. One of the main reasons why it works is because when you eat raw food, you naturally avoid the cooked food temptations that may lead you to over-eat. Raw food also digests very easily and allows the body to get back into balance at it’s own natural pace.

Remember that it doesn’t have to be forever! You can use it as a tool to get to your ideal weight and slowly you can re-introduce cooked foods back into the diet. Eventually you may want to eat more raw foods anyway and that’s ok too! But so many people make the mistake of thinking this is an all-or-nothing now-and-forever type of decision and it doesn’t have to be that way!

Just consider that you may actually have a better chance of long-term success if you do a Raw Food Weight Loss Program rather than a full fasting program. You will also be high-boosting your mineral and vitamin reserve and therefore gaining inner strength, increasing immune function and also cleansing the cells, blood and tissues.

I was successful using a Raw Food Diet to lose weight and the best thing was that I ate as much as I wanted! I didn’t have to count calories or scale portions or weigh meals – in fact, I ate more than everyone else around me and I still lost weight! It’s true!!

Jennifer Cooked (Before) & Jennifer Raw (After)

One book that really helped me initially go all raw was The Sunfood Success Diet System by David Wolfe. Nowadays there are so many Raw Food Potlucks on craigslist.org and meetup.com. Imagine finding a new network of friends to help support and encourage you along the way!

It’s been 4 years since I started my raw food journey. I continue to feel better, more energetic, healthier and younger every day! And I have maintained my weight loss without ever feeling like I am on a limiting diet.

Jennifer Cooked (Before) & Jennifer Raw (After)

I now offer one-on-one Private Coaching for Raw Food Weight Loss. I can help you identify where you may be making mistakes and get you on a fast track to feeling good and looking great. There is nothing special about me, in fact, I am exactly like you! So, if I can do it, believe me, you can too!

4 Session Package – One-On-One Coaching

$229.00

Liver Flush Drink – Recipe for a Daily Liver Cleanse

Jennifer Thompson — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 04:25:14 +0000

Healthy Liver Flush Drink

In an earlier blog post, I talked about the Liver/Gallbladder Flush and outlined the recipe to naturally release gallstones from the liver. In this post, I want to share with you the recipe for a standard Liver Flush Drink. Think of this drink as a much more mild version of the actual gallstone flush…in fact, do not expect any gallstones to come out from this drink as it is not strong enough to trigger that reaction in the body. This drink is perfect for those who are looking to do some occasional mild detoxing of the liver from time to time or for anyone who is preparing to do a fast or cleanse as this drink helps the body to begin a gentle phase of pre-cleansing.

If you feel unwell after you have had this drink, it is a sign that your liver is detoxing rapidly and for sure you would benefit from additional cleansing, whether it be colon cleansing or liver cleansing. You can have this drink once a day for a period of time when you are working on your liver, and if you enjoy the taste, feel free to have it every day! It is all natural and a fantastic blend of Mother Nature’s cures!

Simple Ingredients for a Powerful Cleanse

The Liver Flush recipe:

Extra Virgin Olive Oil – anywhere from 2 Tbsp. to 1/3 cup, as you prefer
Freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice, 1/3 cup
Fresh garlic, 3-5 cloves
Fresh ginger, 1/2″
Cayenne Pepper, dash to taste
Freshly squeezed orange juice, 2 cups

Put all ingredients in a blender, blend and drink immediately. Think about all the good you are doing for your body!! Enjoy!

Keep in mind that freshly squeezed apple juice is also an excellent liver cleanser as well as dark leafy bitter green juices, so feel free to switch it up a bit if you start to get bored from the Liver Flush Drink. Remember too that everything you eat and drink which is natural will be good for you body!

The liver is affected by all chemicals, pesticides, caffeine and alcohol. Long term, to really help detoxify the liver, it is important to look at all of these elements and how they may be affecting your liver and your body’s health. Remember ‘Natural, Whole & Pure!’ Changing your cleaning agents, body products and clothing to more natural alternatives will all help to take the load off the liver. Imagine how grateful your body will be as you start to get closer and closer to your own Healthy Bliss!!

Detox Craze – Is it good, bad or just hype?

Jennifer Thompson — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 20:36:26 +0000

Juicing is a great way to detox the body, mind & spirit

Hey guys..Check out my latest article in woman.ca, the premiere website for women in Canada:

Everyone these days seems to either be on a detox, just done a detox or is planning a detox. People are talking about the ‘Master Cleanse,’ fasting, cleansing and colonics like never before. Is it normal or even healthy for someone to consider not eating for a few days up to a week? Will there be any lasting benefits? Is it something you should be doing?

Ultimately only you can answer these questions. Personally I have been doing detox programs and different types of cleanses and fasts for the last 12 years, and I think it is the best thing I have even done for my body. Every time I do a cleanse I feel healthier, more in balance, lighter, purified of negative thoughts, more spiritual and much more in tune with myself. I have done 1 day, 28 days and everything in between, always testing the limits of what these programs can do so I can better help my clients.

BUT I don’t think fasting is for everyone.

If you are very stressed, toxic or sick, it can be a big shock to your body to go right into a cleanse, and you could end up doing more harm than good. I think it is always best to go gently into these programs, allowing your body time to build its vitamin and mineral reserve so it has all the elements it needs for healing.

If you want to try a detox program but prefer to get a feel of it for yourself at home first, I would suggest trying a 3-day fruit only diet. For 3 days, try to eat nothing but fresh fruits, including sweet fruits like pineapple, apple, papaya and banana as well as savory fruits like cucumber, tomato, bell pepper and zucchini. This is a great mini-cleanse and can be done at any time, without having to pay a lot of money or invest a lot of time to start feeling the results. If after 3 days you still feel good, you can continue for 5 or even 7 days. After 7 days of eating only fruit, I always feel stronger, healthier and better in every way. I lose a few unwanted pounds, my skin becomes clearer, my hair shines more and my bowel movements become so healthy, easy and regular!!

Eventually you might want to consider doing a full Master Cleanse or another fast or detox. In my opinion, doing a cleanse is a great way to allow the body to naturally catch up and clear out any excess toxic buildup. But the benefits only last if you change your diet and lifestyle after the cleanse and eat better foods, living a more natural, whole and pure lifestyle long-term.

If you do a detox, be sure to avoid too much retox!

If you have any specific medical conditions, please consult your medical doctor before doing any type of cleanse.

Fasting Day 9 in Koh Samui, Thailand

Jennifer Thompson — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 04:23:33 +0000

Follow Jennifer’s progress during her most recent cleanse. Hear what type of detox cleanse she is doing and learn for yourself how you can use the Arise and Shine products yourself at home. Some people define a ‘fast’ as a water only fast, but in this case, Jennifer is describing a colon cleanse fast using fruit juice, coconuts, psyllium husk powder, bentonite clay, probiotics, Chomper and Herbal Nutrition herb blends. The island of Koh Samui, Thailand is a great destination for doing your cleanse or detox as the weather is warm, the beaches are nice and there are a lot of detox spas on the island. When you break your fast, you can enjoy lots of fresh tropical fruits and raw foods as well!

Simple Steps to re-calibrate your Body & Mind – Get re-focused on your Health Goals

Jennifer Thompson — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 13:40:19 +0000

Enjoy the Green Smoothie Love

So, how’s the green smoothie revolution going for everyone back in the real world? Don’t forget how much value just one change like adding a green smoothie to your diet every day can make. If you are starting to feel overwhelmed by the stress of every day life again, think about doing a 3-day green smoothie fast.

A chance to re-calibrate your body and mind, get re-focused on your goals, and pull yourself back into balance.

You can start on Monday. Just do 3 days, from there you may want to continue to 5 or 7 and realize how much good you are doing for your body just by having these fabulous green smoothies!

Someone asked me where I get my green smoothie info from. Look for Victoria Boutenko’s book called Green for Life. She is amazing.

It’s important not to let excuses get the best of you. It is so easy to blame work, or stress, or a bad relationship, or cold weather, or bad living conditions on why you haven’t started to make change in your diet and lifestyle, but really the only thing that is stopping you is YOU. We can all think of excuses for our situations, that is not going to help bring about change, so instead look at all the good reasons to start now and realize that the sooner you start, the sooner you will start to FEEL better.

Health is waiting for you. Your body NEEDS it! So does your spirit!! Now is the time

A new journey awaits you!

Make a list of your goals. Re-read it often. Make sure you are doing at least one thing on your list every single day. Watch and observe as changes begin to happen. Enjoy the journey of it all. Share your experiences with others. Realize that you will have good days and bad days along the way. Continue to love yourself through the process. Feel gratitude for your opportunities to heal.

Forgive, love and let go!! What are you waiting for????

Much love to you all. Next entry will be about sprouting. I’ve got fantastic sprout bags available for sale finally

After Your Fast, Cleanse or Detox – Stay Positive, Focused, Determined & Strong!

Jennifer Thompson — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 09:23:20 +0000

Health, Balance, Love, Bliss

I just completed another fast/cleanse which was fantastic! Overall it went very well for me and I managed to clear a lot of imbalance and build-up that I still had in me even after the previous fast.

As I always say, one can never have an ego with the whole cleansing thing – no matter how many times you have done it, there will always be a new challenge or issue uncovered, whether it be physical, emotional or spiritual.

There is always more to learn about yourself through cleansing.

Feeling Good is Healthy!

Overall it is so important to stay on track for your LONG-TERM goals. After the fast is where the real work begins. That involves getting rid of bad habits, letting of of any lingering negative emotions and making time for a healthier lifestyle.

Make yourself and your health a priority!!

Exercise every day, meditate every day, send love and positive energy to everyone, be patient and understanding and just imagine how much more enjoyable your life will be!

It is so easy…you can start right here, right now in this very moment.

Focus on Long-Term Goals!

Even in the midst of complete chaos around you, it is even more important to remain positive and focused.

Keep your mind focused on the best possible outcome in every circumstance and remember that positive energy works more effectively than negative energy in each and every situation.

Still working on getting my Healthy Habits Newsletter going…it’s in the works.

Until then, my message to you is enjoy every single moment you have – live in gratitude and appreciation…feed your body well and keep your mind and spirit clean!

Raw Food Recipes after Juice Fasting – Post Fantastic 21-day Cleanse

Jennifer Thompson — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 06:20:47 +0000

Cleansing is great, but eating after cleansing is even better, especially when you know and feel healthier and stronger in every moment!!

Cleanse, Fast, Balance

Life is better than great for me right now. This fast was absolutely earth-shattering for me, in fact there is part of me that is missing the challenging aspects of the cleanse, in a way life is too easy post-cleansing this time around!! I cannot express in words my pure respect and gratitude for my healing progress, from the inside out, and both on a physical and spiritual level. After all these years of cleansing, I still learn more every time, and I can speak with hesitation when I say that the body can heal itself of anything through fasting and cleansing.

Gratitude is Bliss

I spent a lot of time meditating during this last cleanse, and already in such a short period of time, I can see and feel my goals and intentions manifesting right before my very eyes! Thank you to every single person who has helped me through this journey of healing over the last year. From my heart to yours, I want to express my pure love, respect and gratitude for having met so many kind-hearted souls – and each one of you knows who you are!

Food, fresh, pure and delicious! Where to begin!! Many people are curious to know exactly what I eat and where I get ideas for recipes. I can tell you all now that I don’t really ‘do’ recipes…I tend to go to the market and check out what looks good on any given day, keeping variety in mind at all times, and I simply buy what looks good and somehow make my own creations from there.

Here are some example of Raw Food Salad Recipes that I threw together in the last few days:

‘Raw’ Cucumber Soup

Fresh Cucumber Soup Great for Cooling..

Green Bean Salad

Fresh Yummy Raw Food Salad

Carrot/ Mung Bean Sprout Salad

Fresh Grated Carrot Salad

Fresh Raw Power Juice

Carrot, Apple, Ginger, Parsley, & Celery

Fresh Durian – Yumbo!

Nothing else needed but pure, fresh, gooey, stinky DURIAN BLISS!! Much love to the blessed DURIAN, so glad you are finally in season!!

Cleansing & Healing, from Strength to Strength to Day 17 of the Fast…

Jennifer Thompson — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 06:17:38 +0000

Fasting Girl Juicing up a Storm

There is a lot to be said for listening to your own body while you cleanse. It’s just so important. I try to feel what my body needs, and I react accordingly.

My body is saying now ‘give us just a few more days we are nearly there.’ So I continue to fast, rest, meditate and be grateful everyday for this opportunity I have to so thoroughly clean out. I am convinced from this fast more than ever before in my history of cleansing that THE BODY DOES HAVE THE POWER TO HEAL ITSELF. Trust me on that one.

I’ve been switching out my bum-washing teas from pau d’arco to milk thistle, mainly because I ran out of the pau d’arco, but it’s fine with me. Also today I started doing garlic enemas. I am still getting loads coming out. What a great feeling to see that much GONE. Just a bit of FYI on the garlic…I’ve been putting 3 to 4 cloves in a processor to chop finely then I add boiling water and let it sit for about 5 or 10 minutes. After I drain the lot using a cheesecloth then add the liquid to my enema bag with more water added to slightly dilute. Doing it that way, I can hold the mixture in for about 5 minutes, which is pretty good for garlic.

What kind of Juice? Bit of everything!!

What else…well lots of rest most importantly, also I’ve been making an effort to get sun every day because I do think it’s important while fasting…helps the body recharge and reconnect energetically.

I also juicing twice a day now which I feel is essential when doing long fasting..the body needs more help to get through the process and it just makes the experience much more enjoyable.

Juices today – watermelon, celery and apple. Verdict – Very refreshing!

This afternoon’s juice – watermelon, ginger, carrot, apple, celery and greens. Verdict – bit of a hodge-podge but anything tastes great after 17 days of not eating!

Thought for the day – Be patient, and enjoy the journey…

Much love to everyone from my little slice of paradise.

14 Days Fasting & Still Going Strong – Detox in Koh Samui, Thailand..

Jennifer Thompson — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 04:30:32 +0000

Fasting Day 14 on Cloud 9!

Been too busy to catch up on the last few days between working and fasting..it’s a hectic schedule to try to get everything done! The fast is going exceedingly well now, and it feels really good to have 2 weeks behind me. Day 1 seems so long ago looking back! So much has shifted; I am feeling clearing and more positive every day, and very focused on my objectives for this cleanse. I’ve had a lot more energy in the second week and for that I am very grateful because I needed it for work! It’s been raining nearly every day but hasn’t bothered me because I don’t feel any pressure to walk the beach and I know that I need to rest so now I do just that with no guilt whatsoever.

It’s so nice to hear the sound of the rain combined with the waves from the sea.

As I suspected I had a healing crisis on Day 9 of this fast which pretty much lasted for about 36 hours. I was in bed all day for Day 10, and I just rested and let my body do what it needed to do. It’s a wonderful experience when you see that your body is finally strong enough to go deeper into the cleanse, so even though physically I felt pretty crap mentally I was really ok. By Day 11 I was starting to feel better and man, that was a good thing because I worked for 6 hours straight without a break. No way I could have done that the day before! Since then I’ve pretty much been smooth-sailing, having high energy and so much positive emotion, truly a natural high. On day 12 I had a 2-hour Thai massage to help recover from the previous 2 days – it was just what I needed to balance the energy again. I really should have a massage every day while fasting, but I just haven’t had the time.. One of the best things about fasting in Samui is that you can go to a spa every day and enjoy a massage for just s few dollars…yes I definitely need to make more time for that!

Today I had to re-stock my water supply so I rented a Jeep for that day and did a big water run at Tesco. Now I am well stocked so I can do another full week if I so choose. I’ve been doing 2 enemas a day at home so I’ve been going through loads of water. I think the Thai family who runs my bungalow place must think I am showering with the stuff!! They just can’t figure out all the empty bottles outside every day- ha! Imagine me trying to explain what I’m really doing!!!

Having a juicer is making this fast so enjoyable.

Faster's Fridge (or Restaurant Stockpile....)

I am still so excited every time I use it and so glad that I treated myself with it!! At Tesco I also stocked up on fruit and veg for the juices…I didn’t really think I had that much even but the Thai taxi drivers in the parking lot asked me if I own a restaurant – no joke!! I said no, I’m just a vegetarian, no chicken no fish only healthy healthy. They didn’t believe me. (I did have 5 pineapples….)

Today I made a juice with apple, pineapple, ginger, green veggies and cucumber. Verdict – fantastic!

I do hope the sun comes out in the next few days so I can start walking again, and I would like to make an effort to only watch health videos for the next week, and I swear I will as soon as I watch the latest episode of LOST …seriously I do think it’s better for the subconscious mind, and having said that I did watch Louise Hay’s ‘You Can Heal Your Life’ yesterday, so overall I think I’m doing ok there.

Most important thing while fasting is to stay positive in the mind and not attach to any negative emotions or situations.

Actually that’s pretty important while you’re eating too!

Until the next juice…

It’s been a long, long time since I’ve been away,
Been a long, long time since I felt this way,
Been a long, long time I find the words to say,
How much I’m grateful for my life today.

‘Cause under every cup you might find a nut,
Behind every corner you might get jacked up,
At the end of every rainbow you might find gold,
The last bite of your sandwich hope you don’t find mold.

‘Cause none of us can live a perfect life,
The kind that we see on Nick at Night,
And sometimes we all just lose sight,
Of the pain that will guide us from dark into the light.

We fall down, yes, but we get up,
And sometimes we just need a little bit of love,
to help you make it through another day,
into the night into the light into a Saturday.

So in the morning when I’m waiting for the sun to raise,
And my head’s a little foggy like I’m in a haze,
I remind myself that everything is gonna be ok.

I take a breath, slow down and say,

Why must I feel like this way today,
I’m a soldier but afraid sometimes to face the things that may
Block the sun from shining rays, and fill my life with shades of grey
And still I long to find a way,
So today, I pray for grace.

- Michael Franti, Pray for Grace

Breakthrough on Day 8 – Detox Fasting in Koh Samui, Thailand

Jennifer Thompson — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 04:29:53 +0000

I'm fasting and I'm feeling fine...

Well actually I think the ‘breakthrough’ happened on Day 6 for me..but I’ve been too busy to write these last 2 days. Sunday was my 6th day on the program but technically my 7th day of fasting, and I decided to use the opportunity to treat myself for having gotten through the first week.

The first thing I did was buy a juicer. And all I can say is WOW!

My entire world has changed since then!! I am so happy to have the freedom to make whatever juice I want whenever I want! I came home with the juicer and after cleaning it out went straight for my first concoction on this nice clean virgin juicer – love the sound of a good motor – I combined fresh pineapple, apple and ginger and I honestly think it was one of the BEST juices I have ever had!! Somehow it was the perfect amount of each, all at perfect freshness, and ok after 7 days of fasting it may have tasted a bit better than normal, but it was pretty close to heaven on earth for me! I must add that I had not bought one previously because I don’t actually have a kitchen in my bungalow and that has put me off wanting to mess around with the hassle, but I can tell you it is only a hassle if you make it one – it’s really not bad, and since I’ve been making a lot of smoothies and salads at home anyway, the juicer was the next logical step.

In addition to the juicer, I bought a $3 tray table which is now officially my new kitchen. Up until now, I have been cutting up fruits and veggies on a cutting board on the floor of my bungalow and it didn’t really bother me but I knew there was room for improvement. Can I tell you how incredibly happy I was to even get 10″ off the floor?? I was absolutely THRILLED!! So there I was using my new setup cutting up everything for my new juice. You may think I am a bit simple, but keep in mind that I did cook all my meals on the ground outside in all weather conditions imaginable for 6 months when I thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail, so even preparing meals on a clean tiled floor was pretty luxurious for me. We really don’t need as much as we think we do in life!

Then I proceeded to prepare some dishes for my friends who were having a Mexican Feast at their house that night. I wasn’t too crazy about not being able to enjoy the foods, but I still wanted to be social, and really it is only one meal missed in the course of many gatherings amongst friends in life – not a big deal to let it slide. For some reason I seem to love cooking when I am fasting – I think it’s because you really take the time to smell and feel the foods and there is no urgency to throw it together because you can’t eat it anyway so you tend to take your time and actually enjoy the art of preparing. With my new ‘kitchen’ again I was thrilled…I had my music playing and my door open to the view of the sea and I just took my time chopping and mixing and loving life.

Simple moments..

Anyway I made a guacamole and fresh salsa…I don’t tend to use recipes much; I just see what feels right and I swear somehow that day the combinations were channeled to me – I was in a zone and just mixing together the perfect blends and textures, without ever even being able to taste the food.

Kind-of like Beethoven composing the Ninth Symphony when he was deaf – ha! That’s how it felt anyway!!

The guacamole was basically fresh avocado, onion, garlic, tomato, cayenne pepper, fresh chilies, fresh chives, black pepper, fresh lime, salt, yellow bell pepper, and olive oil. The salsa was a masterpiece – tomato, fresh coriander, onion, vinegar, olive oil, cayenne pepper, fresh chillies, fresh lime, fresh chives, salt, and fresh pineapple. Will definitely be attempting to re-create them again once the fast is over.

Sunset at Kamalaya...A Great End to the Day

After all that it was time for my next ‘treat.’ I headed down to Kamalaya Spa in Koh Samui and splashed out entirely for a proper colonic hydrotherapy. Believe it or not, it was my first ever! All these years I’ve been quite happy using enemas and colemas and I didn’t really see the need in spending the money for anything else. Still I was curious…well perhaps the details are best saved for another entry but I can say that I was very happy with the results and was happy with the decision to try it and I would definitely consider doing it again while fasting.

From there I went to the Mexican night and I can report that the reviews for my creations were excellent. Even though I couldn’t indulge, it made me happy to see others enjoy.