Forgive me for getting an Outkast song going through your head (my Clean Team is composed of super hip (they’ll love that!) music lovers so I’m getting quite an education) but your very own “so fresh and so clean” New Year begins with not only a catchy little beat but three very important R’s.

These R’s will be the tools for absolutely amazing vitality as well as an immune boost. They are: Remove, Restore and Rejuvenate, and here’s the super simple breakdown.

1. Remove toxins by avoiding processed/packaged food with additives and artificial sweeteners, beauty care products with ingredients you can’t pronounce, finding food and non-food items that are organic like fruits and vegetables, clothing, bedding, makeup, and pet supplies, buy or make your own eco-friendly cleaning products, and also look at removing common allergens from your diet such as dairy, bread, pasta, sugar, white rice/sugar and red meat.

2. Restore healthy bacteria in the gut (by using natural and often really delicious plant and herbal antimicrobials like garlic, lemon, olive oil, oregano oil, thyme and cayenne pepper) to help your body out as it tirelessly works to move all those toxins that we accumulate just by living, working and playing in this world of ours.

3. Rejuvenate by making time to rest both your body and your mind, with things like meditation, yoga, gentle walking or stretching, being outside whenever possible even if it’s just to watch some clouds float by or the snow fall through trees, taking a bath, reading, some form of creative activity, sharing space with loved ones, or simply being still for a few minutes every so often throughout your day. . .

A final tip that addresses all three of the above R’s is this:

Love those greens! Fresh green juices are one of the best ways to fill your body with incredible nutrition, easy to digest energy, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and a pleasant sensation of fullness that will help with maintaing the right weight for your own body. Greens (and especially in fresh juiced form) even help to generate feelings of comfort and being loved. Love from yourself for taking such good care of your wonderful body, but also, that feeling of being satiated and nourished creates a state of happiness and clarity in your brain (and also to your overall moods) both of which are so important in these long cold winter months. Seasonal Affective Disorder runs rampant and threatens to drive us all under the covers with a pound of chocolate, and unless it’s some sugar-free raw chocolate, you might be pleasantly surprised when silky, sexy, slightly sweet green juices become your “comfort food” of choice and the scales begin to tip in a lighter direction as a welcome side effect.

If you don’t happen to have a neighborhood juice bar don’t worry, because you can make delicious green juices without even having a juicer. With any high speed blender, you can make a thick “soup” and then using a simple nut milk bag (about $7) or even with a DIY cheesecloth one, you can strain out the pulp and be left with a glass full of yummy green nutrition to power you up through what promises to be an amazing New Year!

These simple things are the sexiest (and easiest) tools ever for reaching optimal health and vitality. You’ll have more energy and more time to fully experience the things you love and to begin actively participating in your incredibly vibrant life.

Warmth and love. . .

Dr. Alejandro Junger

Michelle Sorensen & Family

I am a vegan mom to two daughters (aged 1 and 3). In addition I am self-employed as a therapist. I have another identity that is invisible to many people: I am a Type 1 diabetic with a couple of other autoimmune problems thrown into the mix. In the 11 years I have been diabetic, I have learned not to fight this disease but to live more peacefully with it.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which your body turns against itself and destroys the insulin-producing beta cells on your pancreas. It is often confused with the more common Type 2 diabetes, which can be managed with diet, exercise, or oral medications. Type 1 (previously known as juvenile diabetes) usually strikes children or young adults who seem otherwise healthy. Without synthetic insulin injected into the body, Type 1 diabetes would be a terminal disease.

I was diagnosed when I was about to turn 25. I was in the middle of graduate school and when I look back, I had been running on adrenaline for some time. The previous year I had been diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease, which is an autoimmune problem with the thyroid gland. It never occurred to me that my body was warning me to slow down. I continued to take care of others and to juggle school, work and social commitments. I felt tired all the time, and sometimes would get weak and shaky. I was hungry and thirsty, no matter how much I ate or drank. And still I pushed myself to accomplish more. When I felt exhausted I thought I was being lazy. Finally, I ended up at the emergency room. My sugar was too high to register a reading on a glucometer. I was told they had never seen a sugar so high outside of someone in a coma and I was put on an insulin drip right away. I remember asking a resident the question that I had been pushing out of my mind for months: Am I a diabetic? Of course, the answer was obvious, but for a few weeks I honestly believed it would all turn out to be a mistake.

It surprised me what a juggling act diabetes management was. I spent my first year trying to be the perfect diabetic and I struggled with feelings of guilt and shame. I was convinced that somehow this was my fault and now I could never fix it. My days were filled with insulin injections and sugar checks… suffering from blood sugar lows that left me guzzling juice, shaking, sweating and confused or highs that made me dehydrated and fuzzy-headed. I could never take a day off from diabetes without substantial risk to my safety and well-being.

It became difficult to maintain the people-pleasing life I had lived for so long. I started to realize this was a problem at the first anniversary of my diagnosis, but it took me much longer to actually change my behavior. So my body kept saying NO. No, I will not let you destroy me. No, you deserve better than this. Since the first few diagnoses didn’t slow me down, my body sent out more signals. My digestive system began to crumble. The specialists stuck tubes down my throat and scanned me but had no answers. So I gave up on them and it took me another four years of feeling sick and fatigued before I discovered my path to health.

To heal I had to take responsibility for the fact that my health problems were my responsibility. I had to face up to the fears I buried deep down that something I did caused me, in the prime of my life, to develop all this disease. When I fell in love with my husband (6 years ago) he was able to help me see how little I nurtured myself. He made me feel happy and helped me to slow down. My body recognized its window of opportunity and increased my digestive distress, finally sending me to a naturopath. I discovered the food allergies related to my leaky gut (destroyed by stress and lack of nutrition) and quickly devoted myself to adopting an allergen free diet. During my twenties I did not take time to prepare the vegetables and fruit I had always eaten growing up. I consumed way more wheat and dairy than I had in my parents’ home. Now, with my body failing, I needed to spend more time on me.

When I discovered a wonderful raw food restaurant during my first pregnancy four years ago, I began to realize the importance of adding in even more plant-based foods (versus just cutting out the food I couldn’t tolerate), and had an ah-ha moment: food itself is truly medicine! Two years ago my husband and I started making green smoothies every morning and then craved plant-based foods all day. Last spring, I decided I did not enjoy meat anymore, and thought I may as well cut it out altogether for a trial period. The ACT cleanse was starting here on CSL and I decided to follow along. Everyone’s tips and ideas were so helpful. I started using the juicer that had been sitting in my cupboard, did a little dry brushing, got back to hot yoga, and shook the last few gastrointestinal symptoms I had! I completed my transition to veganism.

There is nothing more empowering than taking control of your health. I may still need my insulin pump and thyroid medication but I believe I have halted the autoimmune cyclone hitting my body and I will continue to eat a plant-based, vegan and gluten-free diet for the rest of my life! I know these changes could help many people… in fact, my husband’s asthma of 25 years vastly improved from eating a less rigid version of my diet at home. I hope someone reading this is helped a little on their own path to good health.

Michelle Sorensen is a clinical psychological associate in Ottawa, Ontario. She practices cognitive behavioral therapy, teaching her patients to change the way they feel physically and emotionally by changing the way they think.

It may seem more difficult to stick to Meatless Mondays during the holiday season, especially if you’re striving to add more raw foods to your diet, but we’ve got some tips to keep you on track. Kristen Suzanne is here to share her game plan for making this winter a delicious, healthy, and kind one!

When the colder months arrive, I think of two things: staying healthy and staying warm. There are many ways to accomplish both – with a raw vegan diet!

Let’s start with the immune system. If there’s a time to stay healthy and keep the immune system strong, it’s now. While people are congregating more indoors to stay warm, traveling more because of the holidays, as well as letting their diets slip with sugar-laden foods and alcohol from all of the parties and gatherings, it can become an easy breeding ground for illnesses like the flu. Apart from the obvious hand washing, getting plenty of rest, etc., there are a few tricks for helping to keep the immune system nice and healthy.

Go Organic!

In addition to being better for the environment, organic produce contains more nutrients than conventionally grown food and this is the time of year to make sure you’re getting just that. Some people spend extra money on medicine, doctor visits, and being sick. Not me… my health is my priority so I don’t mind spending extra money for organic food, which helps me stay healthy and avoid spending on those other things in the long run.

Get Extra Greens!

Greens help alkalize the body and they’re loaded with superior nutrition. The easy way to get extra greens in your diet is to drink fresh organic green juice and green smoothies during the holidays. I sometimes add a green powder to the mix for extra oompf! Getting your greens in liquid form helps give the digestive system a rest, which can be beneficial for healing and rejuvenating the body. Go Greens!

Stay Hydrated!

When I’m drinking plenty of green juices and green smoothies, and eating a High Raw (or all Raw) diet, then staying hydrated comes easily. However, it doesn’t hurt to keep the fluids coming. A great way I easily add more hydration to my daily diet is to start and end every day with a nice cup of warm water with a squeeze of fresh organic lemon in it. Always filtered tap water (through a high quality filter), and never in plastic bottles. (I carry my water on-the-go in a reusable glass bottle or aluminum sports bottle.)

Probiotics Are Great!

During the holiday seasons, when everybody finds themselves a little busier, possibly more stressed, and surrounded by hordes of sniffling, sneezing, busy, stressed people… I take precautions and take probiotics. This gives my digestive system plenty of friendly bacteria… helping me stay healthy.

Fermented Foods Rock!

Fermented foods such as raw (unpasteurized) sauerkraut and kim-chi (pronounced “kim chee”) are quite popular around the world. They’re a staple in my diet year round and I generally consume about a 1/4 cup per day, or at least every couple of days. Fermented foods are low in calories with plenty of fiber, and they’re filled with a rich supply of vitamins and minerals. Plus, they help build up and maintain friendly bacteria in the body. All of these benefits are important… especially around the holidays.

I make my own sauerkraut from organic cabbage that I get from the farmer’s market. It takes about a month (or longer if desired) to ferment in my stoneware fermentation pot, so I make plenty of this when cabbage is in season. Then, I store it in my refrigerator for the months to come. If you don’t want to make your own, you can purchase delicious raw, organic, unpasteurized sauerkraut online from Gold Mine Natural Foods or Rejuvenative Foods, and sometimes your local Whole Foods Market has it.

Want to stay warm during the colder months while eating a raw vegan diet? No problem!

Here are a few tips:

1. Warming Spices!

During the colder months, it’s a great time to start spicing up your life in the food department. Some easy ways to do that are with spices like ginger, garlic, horseradish, curry, and cayenne pepper. Add some to the next green juice, green smoothie, raw soup, or salad that you enjoy. See how it gets your circulation flowing. Yowza!

Another favorite trick of mine for warming up is with organic miso soup – yum! (There are soy-free varieties of miso, too. My favorite brand is South River Miso.) Miso soup isn’t Raw, but miso has living components that are excellent for digestion and healing. Every time I have a warm cup of miso soup, I feel the lovely warmth spread in me from head to toe, literally in minutes.

2. A Dehydrator Warms Wonderfully!

Dehydrators are a great kitchen appliance for warming up your Raw foods. Dehydrating takes a little planning, of course, because you’ll need to warm your food for a couple of hours to get a nice soft warmth without destroying nutrients. One of my favorite raw vegan meals to warm in my dehydrator is raw vegan lasagna – Mmmmm.

3. Whirl a Little Longer in Your Blender!

Your blender (especially a high-powered blender) can be used to warm up Raw foods such as soups, nut/seed milks, and can even be used to warm up smoothies a bit to take the chill off. All you have to do is blend the ingredients for longer than you normally do, paying attention not to let them get too warm. A good temperature test is using your finger. Make sure your blender is OFF(!), and dip your finger into the mixture periodically to check the temperature. If it’s not too hot for your finger, it still has its nutrients.

Get Your Booty Movin’!

Exercise is great for getting blood circulating and warming you from head to toe. I keep a rebounder near my desk and jump on it every few hours for about 10 minutes to warm my body. Stay toasty in the winter and burn calories – a win-win! Another great (and cheaper) option is to use a jump rope.

Dress Warmer!

Sounds obvious, but it’s true! Treat yourself to a pair of fluffy organic cotton (or hemp) socks and an extra sweater. Layer up with your clothes. We keep extra blankets around the house this time of year, too, so staying warm is nice and easy – without having to keep the thermostat too high and wasting energy.

Aimee Bittinger

Having energy to do what we want to do is easy to take for granted. I know I did, as I zipped through graduate school and into my first years of teaching. I worked hard–and stayed up late planning each lesson. But then I crashed. As a teacher it’s natural to feel wiped out, but having to spend the entire weekend on the couch was really depressing. I became concerned when I started to feel fatigue that was, well, debilitating. I missed out on fun things and lost friends because I was too drained. I felt like a magnet was pulling me to the ground, dragging down my limbs and making my mind into mush.

I had to do something. Browsing the medical section of the bookstore led me to a book on fibromyalgia. I read it cover to cover; it was somewhat helpful. It gave me the idea to see a rheumatologist, who ran a variety of tests. She found nothing specific, then wanted to put me on a stimulant for the fatigue. I found this counter intuitive because I had just given up coffee after reading that it can cause fatigue.

Fortunately I had other resources to draw on. A few years back, I was given some B-12 shots from a naturopath, and I remembered getting quite a boost of energy from them. It seemed more natural than taking prescribed speed. Back in the naturopath’s office, with my sleeve rolled up for the shot, they stopped and wanted to evaluate me for a few more things instead of just treating the symptoms. They tested my blood and found I had the Epstein-Barr Virus (which the rheumatologist had not checked for), which can lie dormant in your body. This made sense since I had mononucleosis as a teenager. The antibodies indicated a current infection, as the virus can reactivate when the body is under a lot of stress.

Armed with supplements from the ND, but still seeking more vigor, I recalled a friend who had eaten a raw food diet for a while. She seemed to be able to conquer the world while eating uncooked goodies. I knew I always felt great after eating salads and drinking fresh juice, so why not try that? I was thinking a week or so would do the trick. Just to see how I reacted.

The first few weeks of my raw food diet, I was really tired, but no more so than I had been. I found if I kept up my weekly B-12 shots and daily juicing, I could get past the fatigue and keep going. Somehow my week of eating raw food turned into two weeks, then three, then months. I found myself having more and more energy. I felt so great that I didn’t want to come down! That summer, I spent plenty of time in the sun, charging my inner stash of vitamin D. I learned to make lots of different types of raw food–including lasagna, chili, and ice cream–so I wouldn’t get bored. I had a weekly shot of wheatgrass and even started jogging to expend my extra energy.

However, Epstein-Barr, like other illnesses, can return. That fall–just last year–I had a relapse from overworking and not taking care of myself like I should. I forgot to juice and drink wheatgrass. I poured any extra energy into my job, working 50 or more hours a week. I managed to keep going but slowly became even more tired than before I started eating raw. On my breaks from teaching I would lie under my desk barely able to move.

I ended up leaving my job and refocused. I joined My Crazy Sexy Life in May and did the ACT cleanse. I learned that I should really be drinking green juice daily. After watching the film Crazy Sexy Cancer, I read up on wheatgrass and sprouting and started my own mini-garden inside. I started to walk daily and spend a lot more time with my dogs and cats. I also began Craniosacral therapy, a method of teaching your body to self-heal, which is also very meditative and helps me quiet my busy mind.

Six months later, my Epstein-Barr blood test shows that I am well on the way to recovery. My body is not showing a current infection, just a past infection. I attribute this to slowing my life down and taking the time to heal. I still get tired at times but I’ve also learned to pace myself so I don’t burn out. I am flexible with myself so I can make plenty of room in my schedule for growing wheatgrass, dog walks, cat snuggles, making raw food, and just plain living.

Aimee Bittinger is a 30 year old who lives in Seattle with her husband, 2 dogs, and 2 cats. She is a longtime animal activist and recently has become a health activist. She blogs at bittsblog.blogspot.com

By Bonnie Wishney

The picture below (left side) was taken eight months ago of our sweet 21-year-old horse, Duquessa. In July of 2008, we began to notice that she was losing weight, becoming very lethargic, and had no appetite. A large tumor had developed in her mammary glands. Three weeks later, she was still deteriorating and the tumor had grown much larger. We called our veterinarian who came out two days later. After the examination, she gave us devastating news: She suspected the tumor was cancerous and suggested we do a biopsy.

When the results came back a week later, our worst fears were confirmed. Then we had to ask, “Is there anything we can do?” Our veterinarian was not optimistic about chemo or surgery. Due to the horse’s age and the progression of the disease, the vet told us to prepare for the end, which could be in weeks or a few months. At that point my husband and I discussed “putting her down” so she would not suffer, but we just could not give up on her.

Before & After

After several days of crying and feeling sorry for our baby and ourselves, a light bulb suddenly went off in my head. I had worked at the Hippocrates Health Institute for only five months. I was still learning about the program and had begun the transition to healthy living. During my short time there, I had already seen so many people heal themselves from devastating illnesses. I told my husband, “People come to Hippocrates and are healing themselves on the Hippocrates program, why don’t we try to do this for Duquessa?” At that point, we both became totally committed to the program. Dr. Brian Clement developed a program for her and with his guidance we began the journey of healing.

For the last eight months this has been her program:

• Our first step was to change her diet. We stopped feeding her processed food, alfalfa, and all products and treats containing sugar. She eats only unprocessed oats and natural orchard grass.
• She gets 50 sprays of ACZ in the morning and 50 sprays at night.
• We give her 4 ounces of bee pollen in the morning and 4 oz. in the evening.
• She has wheat grass in her food with every meal and we make juice for her every day.
• We apply a garlic and oil mixture every morning.
• She gets several sprays of Sovereign Silver twice a day.
• We apply Two Feathers healing salve in the evening.
• We exercise her for 20 minutes twice a day.
• And finally, we give her lots of love.

After eight months on this program, she has gained an enormous amount of weight, is running around the pasture with the other horses, her attitude is back and, to echo the cliche, she is eating like a horse. The tumor has shrunk from the size of a large grapefruit to the size of a lemon.

Our veterinarian called us a couple of months ago, as she had not heard from us. She assumed the worst. When we told her that Duquessa was recovering and making amazing progress, she did not really believe us. She asked to come to our house and see for herself. When she saw Duquessa, she was speechless and could not believe it was the same horse. She took dozens of pictures and wrote down all the changes we had made, including the Hippocrates lifestyle. If our story helps even just one animal to recover, or one veterinarian to see the possibilities beyond traditional medicine, we have accomplished a great deal.

Each day Duquessa grows stronger, healthier and happier. We look forward to many more wonderful years with her. We are so thankful to Dr. Clement and Hippocrates Health Institute for their direction, their support, and their love for our four-legged family member. Every day we look at her we feel so blessed for the opportunity we have had to learn how to heal our horse and ourselves.