Dr. Daniel Pompa

Spiritual Benefits of Fasting: Beyond The Physical

Spiritual Benefits of Fasting: The physical benefits of fasting have vehemently swept the health industry over the past few years. This ancient ritual has been revived thanks to the modern scientific backing and an ever-increasing awareness of terms like autophagy and cellular healing. Today we explore fasting from another angle: the spirit.

Spiritual Benefits of Fasting: The History of Fasting

Fasting is truly a fascinating act that has been used by humans for an array of purposes for thousands of years. It is used in healthcare, both in ancient times and in modern times, for physical and for mental health. Fasting has been used to enforce a political stance as a tool for protest. Fasting has also been used in religious context across every religion across the globe, for as long as faith has been alive on earth.

Fasting is one of the oldest therapies in medicine, used both preventatively and retroactively in healing the human body. It was used therapeutically in the 5th Century BCE during the ancient Greek era of Hippocrates, the father of Western medicine. He advocated fasting as a way of self-purification and healing. Another founding father of medicine, Paracelsus, referred to fasting as “the greatest remedy–the physician within.” [1]

Fasting is a very natural occurrence when the body is sick due to loss of appetite. Animals naturally fast when they are ill or injured, allowing the body to focus all its energy on repair and rebuilding, and this wisdom has permeated various types of healthcare both ancient and modern. Fasting is used therapeutically in one of the oldest Eastern healing modalities out of India, known as Ayurveda. [2] But even in modern Western medical medicine, fasting is used methodologically like prior to surgeries or blood tests.

Fasting is also used in functional medicine clinics, commonly in Europe, as a tool to bridge the gap between Eastern and Western medicine. Clinics in Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, and Russia use clinically supervised fasting as a healing modality for detox, health, cancer treatments, and general rejuvenation.

Fasting has taken a front seat in the modern health and wellness scene, with various studies highlighting the benefits it can have on cellular renewal, autophagy, stem cell production, immune system boosting, brain health, and weight loss. [3-5] These studies explore an array of different ways to fast, including intermittent fasting, alternate-day fasting, and prolonged fasting. Fasting encompasses various styles too, including juice fasts, mono-fasts, and water-only fasts.

Although fasting and physical health go hand in hand, the benefits also extend themselves to spiritual health and exploration. In fact, the roots of fasting may actually be in spiritual growth, since the pursuit of fasting and religion go back.

The Spiritual Benefits of Fasting

Nearly all the religions of the world use fasting as a tool for spiritual enlightenment, connection with the divine, as well as a tool for penitence, and self-control. Roman Catholics and Eastern orthodoxy take on a 40 day fast during Lent to mimic the period where Christ fasted for 40 days and nights in the desert. Judaism incorporates several yearly fasts including Yom Kippur and the Day of Atonement. Muslims fast during the holy month of Ramadan, Buddhist monks and nuns follow Vinya rules whereby they do not eat after noon, and Hindus have fasting deeply imbedded in spiritual practice as they fast for holy days, religious festivals, and in honor of their favorite deities. [6-9]

Understanding the benefits of spiritual growth when it comes to fasting is ultimately a highly individual experience since spirituality is an internal world. Physical benefits are measured, tested, compared in a lab, but spiritual growth is something only you can experience. Having an awareness of some of the commonly shared benefits of spiritual growth and fasting may help you connect dots between your own experience.

1. A Surrender to the Higher Power

Modern society revolves around food, and the mentality that we must eat three meals per day is a commonly held belief. When one breaks free from this construct, it requires a large degree of surrender to the unknown. This type of surrender is the same devotional surrender that occurs in spirituality; an acknowledgment of the unknown, to a higher power.

2. A Sensitivity to the SuperNatural

Anyone who has participated in a prolonged water fast can attest to the incredible sensitivity that increases for all the senses. Sight, touch, smell, sound: all the ways in which we interact with the world become heightened when we stop consuming food. Upon reintroducing food, taste as well takes on a completely new meaning. Foods taste more vibrant, more alive. We reset our tastebuds to truly experience flavor in a totally renewed way.

This sensitivity extends itself to our spiritual awareness too. Our connection to God, to the divine, to spirit, becomes much more sensitive. A clear mind and body, brought on by a fasting period, help us become much more in tune with the messages coming through us from above. We are able to trust our knowledge in a much deeper way. Many people express high degrees of clarity, even regarding issues that have previously brought them much confusion and pain.

3. A Renewed Appreciation for the Subtle Beauty of Life

Heightened senses also enable us to see life for the wonder that it is. Colors become brighter, smells become stronger. Many people report more sensitive touch to their skin and even a heightened awareness of other people’s energy. When we take a minute to slow down and abstain from food, clarity comes through in ways that aren’t comprehensible with a logical mind.

Appreciation for the creation is an appreciation for the creator: for they are one and the same. Simply to praise the creator (God, spirit, the universe, whatever you want to call it), fails to acknowledge that the creation is an extension of the creator. When we have a renewed sense of appreciation for the world, our relationship with God is strengthened too.

4. Creating Space for Miracles

When we live life at high speed, it can be difficult to see the magic in the mundane. In a materialist modern world, many people focus their day’s on generating income, and/ or what they will spend their money on. When we fast, everything slows down. Taking an extended water fasting period to just rest and be can create a powerful space in which you can learn to observe the miracles that are happening every day around you.

We have gotten accustomed to nature, for example, to the point where we don’t stop to smell the roses. Trees, grass, birds, and animals all become just another part of life. This often changes while you fast, because slowing down creates space for awareness, which enables us to see life for the miracle that it is. It enables us to see the extraordinary nature of this human existence, that too often we are rushing past without a second glance.

5. Heightened Intuition

When we surrender to a fasting period, we let go of our mental constructs and let the wisdom of our bodies take over. This is the place where intuition is born: inside of you. Intuition is an intrinsic knowing, that occurs without a rational explanation of the mind. In today’s highly scientific world, it can be scary to make decisions based simply on a “knowing”, but this faith-based way of making choices is indeed what humans relied on for centuries before modern institutions of knowledge were propagated.

When you fast, you trust the body’s wisdom. This is especially true during longer fasts when a deep surrender must occur. Many old habits and patterns must be dropped, like the tendency to over-exercise, in favor of rest. We must let go of our long-held beliefs about what our bodies ‘need’, and just let it be. This process of fasting increases our sensitivity to the messages being communicated from within called intuition.

6. Humility and Kindness

Longer fasts are a highly humbling experience, as we get to witness how soft and vulnerable we can be as humans. For people who rely heavily on a go-go-go mentality of achievement, and usually over-caffeinating, over-exercising, over-thinking: taking a break from it all to rest is incredibly humbling.

Watching the body experience ebbs and flows of energy, weakness, and an array of emotions can be a gateway for compassion towards others. Seeing yourself in such a vulnerable state, with lots of time for self-reflection, can be a powerful reminder about how precious life is, and how important it is to be kind and compassionate with all beings on the earth.

Spiritual Benefits of Fasting: Summary

The benefits of fasting extend themselves far past physical health. Although they may be more difficult to measure in any scientific method, the spiritual benefits of fasting are profound. Fasting has been used in nearly every religion on the planet as a way to purify the mind and get closer to God, and indeed fasting can encourage an array of spiritual benefits including humility, kindness, heightened intuition, creating space for miracles, a sensitivity to the supernatural, and a renewed appreciation for the beauty of life.

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References

  1. Hicks, Cherrill. “Why Fasting Is Now Back in Fashion.” The Telegraph, Telegraph Media Group, 13 Apr. 2015, www.telegraph.co.uk/lifestyle/11524808/The-history-of-fasting.html.
  2. Shripathi Adiga, H and Adiga, Ramya S (2013) Concept and canons of fasting in Ayurveda. Journal of Fasting and Health, 1 (1). pp. 37-40.
  3. Cabo, Rafael De, and Mark P. Mattson. “Effects of Intermittent Fasting on Health, Aging, and Disease.” New England Journal of Medicine, vol. 381, no. 26, 2019, pp. 2541–2551., doi:10.1056/nejmra1905136.
  4. Kerndt, P R et al. “Fasting: the history, pathophysiology and complications.” The Western journal of medicine vol. 137,5 (1982): 379-99.
  5. Mattson, Mark P., et al. “Impact of Intermittent Fasting on Health and Disease Processes.” Ageing Research Reviews, vol. 39, 2017, pp. 46–58., doi:10.1016/j.arr.2016.10.005.
  6. “The Buddhist Monk’s Discipline: Some Points Explained for Laypeople.” The Buddhist Monk’s Discipline: Some Points Explained for Laypeople, www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/khantipalo/wheel130.html#food.
  7. Azizi, Fereidoun. “Islamic Fasting and Health.” Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, vol. 56, no. 4, 2010, pp. 273–282., doi:10.1159/000295848.
  8. Trepanowski, John F, and Richard J Bloomer. “The impact of religious fasting on human health.” Nutrition journal vol. 9 57. 22 Nov. 2010, doi:10.1186/1475-2891-9-57
  9. Dugan, Kathleen M. “Fasting For Life: The Place of Fasting in the Christian Tradition.” Journal of the American Academy of Religion, LXIII, no. 3, 1995, pp. 539–548., doi:10.1093/jaarel/lxiii.3.539.

 

 

Chronic Pain: A Multi-Therapeutic Approach to Pain Management

Chronic Pain

chronic-pain

Chronic Pain: Dealing with and healing from pain is a subject I hold near and dear to my heart. It is something I have dealt with personally, and overcoming chronic pain is has completely transformed my life. There is a lot of misinformation out there, and my journey to overcome pain has taken me through methods of all kinds; I am here today to share with you what worked for me in hopes that it may help you or a loved one well.

A Multi-Therapeutic Approach

When it comes to pain, we want to keep you off the ibuprofen, the oxycodone, and any of the other pharmaceutical drugs that come with a host of side effects. We don’t want to blunt the pain, nor do we opt for invasive surgery unless absolutely necessary. Here at Health Hunters, we want to promote healing by supporting the body as naturally as possible.

Pain is an interesting tool for transformation because, as humans, we are motivated by pain and pleasure. So although it can be a difficult journey towards recovery, pain is also a great teacher and catalyst for growth and transformation in the health realm. My biggest personal challenge came from debilitating back pain as well as chronic neck pain following a fracture. Despite the difficulties I experienced, I have overcome them and am on my hero’s journey to report back to you and share my experience. Being able to help and inspire people across the world brings me so much fulfillment, and so despite the hardship—every pain has its purpose.

Two Types of Pain

Something important to understand right off the bat is that there are two types of pain: mainly a structural problem (that results in chronic pain) or pain resulting from trauma (break, pull, twist, etc.). If the injury failed to heal correctly, that could also cause your trauma to become chronic structural pain, but either way, there are ways to heal and restore wellbeing.

Structural Pain

I used to do structural correction chiropractic work with my patients and would see it every single week: the impact that structural problems have on functional patterns. In other words, seeing someone’s bone structure via an X-ray would demonstrate why they currently have pain or how they will develop pain at some point in their life. Seeing one shoulder higher than the other, or one arch flatter than the other- these structural imbalances put pressure on the mechanics of the body, that has to work day in and day out to keep you stable. Imbalances get more severe with time and with every type of impact (sitting at a desk, standing all day, training at the gym, running a half marathon), and so over time, the body weakens to the point of developing chronic pain.

Trauma

Trauma is a whole different story. Not only does the injury site retain trauma (scar tissue), but more often than not, we also resume activity before the area has had time to heal completely. Even the simple notion that you have been injured in one place can cause the body to compensate and develop a structural imbalance that will lead to more pain in the future.

Managing and healing from pain requires a multifaceted approach to deal not only with the acute pain of the moment but also ensure that the foundation of the body is aligned correctly, to prevent pain in the future.

Structural Correction

If your pain is long term and chronic, I suggest starting your journey towards healing at a qualified chiropractic clinic. Understanding the way your structural alignment may influence your day-to-day movement can quickly be done via an X-ray. You can, at the very least, rule out the need for unnecessary surgery. Two techniques I love to address structural realignment are called Pettibon and Chiropractic BioPhysics.

Muscle Activation Techniques

There are many different muscle activation techniques, and generally, you will find them at a chiropractor or orthopedic clinic. One of these techniques is the Advanced Muscle Integration Technique (or AMIT), popularized by Dr. Craig Buhler. Dr. Buhler works with Olympic and NBA athletes and pro skiers, not only to recover from injury but also to improve their performance.

The concept is pretty simple: since our nerve supply the muscles and the muscle make the joint move- this technique addresses the nerves predominantly, especially when they have been turned off due to trauma. When we undergo trauma and our nerves and turned off, this causes significant imbalances in the body. We activate the nerve, the muscle, and this helps our body reestablish balance. To do this, an AMIT practitioner will activate the muscle using multiple different techniques, including acupuncture points, trigger points, and other holistic modalities, by focusing on the connection between muscle function, range of motion, and the restriction that is at the root cause of the pain. Often a single session will reestablish mobility, and the pain will vanish.

Prolozone Therapy

Prolozone is another incredible therapy that I have used personally with immense success. It is a non-surgical ligament reconstruction and is a well recognized and permanent treatment for chronic pain. The procedure is an all-natural injection of collagen-producing substances and ozone gas to reconstruct damaged or weakened connective tissue around the joints.

I experienced the power of Prolozone during an episode of pain related to the lumbosacral ligament in my low back, which was compensating for a disc problem that had been lingering for years. Although the treatment protocol generally takes three to six shots, it relieved my pain in a single shot.

This therapy really works with the body’s natural healing mechanisms, and so not only does it provide instant relief, it promotes continued healing moving forward. You can learn more about Prolozone therapy by listening to my interview with Jason West, on Cellular Healing TV.

BEMER

Another breakthrough technology would be FDA-approved BEMER therapy. This natural therapy is groundbreaking and works by improving circulation, thereby supporting the body’s biological self-regulating processes. Blood is the body’s universal means to transport oxygen, nutrients, chemical messengers (i.e., hormones), and immune cells. By boosting the circulation, BERMER encourages that the tissues and organs are adequately nourished, and metabolic waste products are removed. As a result, our bodies become healthy and function properly.

The devices work with a patented signal, and you can check out their website for all the different ways to administer the current and start healing your body.

Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy (PEMF)

PEMF machines operate by directing powerful, pulsed energy waves toward damaged or injured areas of the patient’s body. Similar to BERMER technology, the PEMF energy pulses penetrate and stimulate the cells surrounding an injured area. Essentially the body uses that energy to activate its natural healing mechanisms.

These healing tools might sound too good to be true, but I have experienced them myself and can tell you: they work. If you are facing an invasive surgery to help relieve your pain, why not try a non-invasive, natural option first?

Cryotherapy

You have surely heard of cryotherapy by now—these cold chambers are sweeping the nation, and you can most likely find a cryo wellness center in most towns nowadays. Cryotherapy uses nitrogen gas to cool the chamber to 150 to 250 below zero, to drop the body’s temperature by 35 to 45 degrees. You enter the chamber for short amounts of time, under the supervision of the clinic staff.

What happens as a result is incredible. Physically, the body down-regulated inflammation (which means pain relief), but benefits also include hormonal optimization and a positive change in the microbiome. Benefits mirror my diet variation principles, in that forced adaptation generates health and hormone optimization.

I discovered cryotherapy to help heal an injury. Still, the benefits were so profound that I continue to go about 3x per week as a tool for preventative health and to speed up the recovery time from my workouts.

Supplements

There are so many supplements out there that can help your body thrive, but my top 4 for pain relief are:

  1. Magnesium: works great for muscle spasms.
  2. Cannabidiol (CBD) oil: works incredibly well for all types of pain; it reduces inflammation dramatically, helps heal the gut, and supports the hormonal system.
  3. Tryptophan: is a wonderful natural sleeping aid.
  4. White willow bark: is a natural replacement for aspirin.

There are so many ways to help relieve pain naturally. I am on a continuous quest to discover the breaking edge methods and report them back to you. I want to encourage you to find health and vitality without having to compromise your values or your immune system.

Find Pain Relief with KYRO

There are hundreds of supplements claiming to strengthen your joints and ligaments… And if you suffer from chronic pain, then you’ve probably tried most of them! Globally, the cost of supplements like these reach into the billions, so you would assume they all work. But the evidence is unclear. I choose Systemic Formulas KYRO because it contains an array of nutrients and botanicals designed to strengthen ligaments, muscles, and other tissues. 

With a proprietary blend of collagen, gelatin, liver tissue, and heart tissue factors, KYRO doesn’t just help relieve pain, it also strengthens weakened areas. And because it helps rebuild muscle, in addition to strengthening joints and ligaments, it’s perfect for recovery from tough workouts and sports injuries.

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Learn more here>>>https://healthhuntersradio.com/episodes/hunters/episode-10-chronic-pain<<<‘

When Detox is Dangerous: What Methods Cause More Harm Than Good

When Detox is Dangerous

when-detox-is-dangerous

Detox is a buzz word thrown around by many people these days. You see it mentioned in ads, on the news—detox even has its own section in most health stores. For decades, people have been trying to detoxify their bodies, and no wonder: we live in a toxic world. But to what degree is your method helping you, or perhaps harming you? Many of the modern ways detox marketed to consumers are rooted in methods that are ineffective at best and very dangerous at worst. Common ingredients like chlorella and cilantro are, in fact, not at all helping your body achieving the completed cycle required to detoxify itself properly and are often just making things worse.

Today we are going to explore how detox can become dangerous, and how we can safely and adequately support our body’s natural detoxification pathways.

Living In A Toxic World

Intuitively, many people understand that their body’s natural means of detoxification are not adequate in modern times. Indeed, the cell is equipped to self-detoxify, because even without the advent of harmful chemical exposure, our cells create waste every time they convert nutrients into energy. Similar to how fire creates smoke to generate heat from burning wood, our cells form waste matter. They can quickly and efficiently get rid of this waste (processed out through the liver), but problems arise when we increase the toxic load so much so that the cell can no longer keep up with the waste elimination.

Top Sources That Require Detoxification

  • Metals
  • Mould
  • Hidden Infections

Your toxic load builds up over time and starts while you’re developing in the womb. Led toxicity is prevalent with the firstborn child because stored led (among other things) are released from the mother’s bones during pregnancy. Mold is another tricky one because people often don’t know they are being exposed to it until autoimmune symptoms start creeping up. And then there are hidden infections (from bacteria or parasites).  This can be picked up even in the most pristine of environments.

Unless you’re growing your own food and living far from the city (and have your entire life), the odds are that you’re overburdening your system with environmental toxins too. They’re sprayed and injected into our foods, pollutants from cities (cars, etc.) are in the air and the water. They also come in most body care products, and from synthetic clothing, chemicals like glyphosate are even being found in the rain and permeated soils of organically grown produce. If you’re living on the grid, there’s little doubt that your body is overburdened with chemicals and needs assistance in the detox department.

Random Detox: More Harm Than Good

For the past three decades, we’ve heard that certain natural products help our body detox. Chlorella and cilantro are two major ones, and you can find them in most prepackaged detox supplements on the shelves on health stores. As Health Hunters, we’ve been through it all. I remember juicing bunches of cilantro daily, which triggered some of the sickest days I’ve ever experienced. But why?

An analogy for toxins would be garbage out in the street. To properly clean up the street (your body), the trash needs to get picked up and properly disposed of. Unfortunately, many of these detox products act like big street sweeping machines that simply pass through with large bristles. They and move the garbage around—without actually removing it. Cilantro and chlorella, in particular (like many “detox” supplements) are not powerful enough to bind to the toxins until they are safely eliminated from the body. Instead of picking them up and throwing them out, they just redistribute them. This can cause them to penetrate deeper into our nerves, tissues, and brain.

Random detoxes are worthless at best and dangerous at worse.

Simply Googling “detox” generally won’t yield results worth applying to your life. Many people don’t understand the mechanisms in which the cell detoxifies, and so the supplements on the market rarely do their job. Let’s explore the proper way to get the job done.

True Cellular Detox

Three main components set apart a real detox from a harmful one:

  • Applying the 5 R’s principles as a roadmap to fix the cell
  • Opening and supporting critical detox pathways
  • Utilizing true binding agents to remove toxins from the cell

The first component is that all detox must address toxins at the cellular level.

If you’re going to get well, you have to fix the cell.

Scientists understand detoxification on the cellular level. But,  most doctors (holistic or medical) actually have no idea how detoxification truly works—nor do they generally care. The method to understand is the same method by which the cell self-detoxifies itself from the waste generated when it produces energy.

This mechanism is what I call 5 R’s, or:

The second component is opening up the downstream detox pathways.

After the cell can detoxify the matter, there is an entire team of organs and channels required to help these toxins safely exit your body. Your gut, liver, and kidneys are the leading players here If they are not opened up (functioning correctly), real danger can occur. One of these dangers is autointoxication, whereby you start to recycle and reabsorb the toxins.

The third component is using real binders.

Unlike cilantro and chlorella (which are very weak binders), a real binder will hold on tight to the toxins to make sure they make their way out of your body with a minimal amount of upset (Herxheimer Effect) along the way. Weak binders mostly pull chemicals out of the body and then drop them somewhere else, which wreaks havoc on the system.

The Three Phases

Now that you understand the three components, we can explore the three phases of detox. Simply diving in without a plan won’t yield the best results, and might even be dangerous. These three phases ensure a smooth, safe transition to help support the body through the detox.

These phases include (1) a preparatory step, (2) a body phase, and (3) a brain phase.

The prep phase targets the detox as mentioned above, pathways to support and upregulate the cell function. The body phase is when we introduce a sturdy binder and set up a concentration gradient to move toxins from areas of higher concentration to lower concentration before removing toxins from deeper tissues, such as the brain. And finally, the brain phase is when we add a fat-soluble agent to support neurotoxin elimination. This final phase is the key to why so many “have tried everything” and still don’t feel well. It’s also a key to resolving the current hormone imbalance epidemic.

Four Products

These four products to help you navigate your way safely and effectively through the detox. (1) GCEL increases the cell’s natural ability to undergo this natural mechanism, (2) BIND and (3) CytoDetox enters the cell membrane and acts as a vehicle to getting rid of the toxins as we upregulate cell function, and prevent reabsorption, and (4) BrainDTX to support neurotoxin elimination.

Three components, three phases, with four excellent products: that’s true cellular detox. It’s what saved my life, and what I am blessed to share with the world.

If you are reading this and have many symptoms relating to neurotoxic illness, hormone imbalance, autoimmune, or other unexplainable illnesses, you will need a practitioner to coach you through the process.

 

<<<Learn more here>>>

 

 

Beyond Fasting: Questions and Answers with Dr. Pompa

Beyond Fasting: In my recently published book, Beyond Fasting, we explore the ways to safely and effectively prepare for and embark on a 5-day water fast. The book covers the ins and outs of therapeutic fasting, and how to properly prepare your cells for the healing experience that is water fasting. Today we will delve a little bit deeper, and answer some of the most frequently asked questions about the book. 

To order your copy of Beyond Fasting, click here.

beyond-fasting

Question: What has been your background with fasting/ how did you start? 

Answer:

I got into fasting in the 1990s, long before it was cool. I went to fasting seminars, and read the very early literature– which was mostly rooted in vegan literature. Although veganism was not my thing, I was drawn to this concept of the body’s innate intelligence. This concept is also what drew me to chiropractics: the body’s healing wisdom. I have so much respect for that philosophy, it’s how I got my life back, it’s how I raised my children. 

Using fasting in my own life, both extended water fasts and intermittent fasting has enabled me to experience vibrant health. It’s by fasting for 11 days my wife reclaims her own health (dealing with cervical dysplasia) and hormonal imbalances. As a practitioner, I’ve incorporated fasting into protocols with clients and over the years developed a patient-tailored method that increases metabolic flexibility by harnessing the power of diet variation.

We are genetically programmed to fast, but unfortunately due to modern conveniences, it almost never happens. It’s a shame, we’re aging prematurely, we’re inviting in diseases and disorders. Although fasting has been embedded in every religion and various ancient healing modalities, modern science has finally caught up to the mechanisms that make this technique so valuable to our health. With these new scientific discoveries, fasting is making a comeback– and that’s great.

You can only go so far with knowledge in textbooks, seminars, and journals. At a certain point, you have to turn that knowledge into wisdom and you can only do that through experience. As a practitioner, I’ve established not only a personal relationship with fasting but have been lucky enough to develop an understanding of how its benefits apply to a wide range of people in my practice. 

Question: Fasting can be summarized as ‘not eating’…so how is it that you filled over 300 pages of a book on the subject!?

Answer:

Fasting is like a marathon: you need to prepare for it. Unfortunately, so many of us have become very disconnected from natural cycles of feast and famine, and so our bodies are not prepared to simply start fasting. With a little preparation, we can begin to increase metabolic flexibility and prepare the body to get the most benefit out of the fasting experience.

In my book, we explore not only the reasons why fasting is beneficial and who fasting can help, but I also give you a step-by-step seven-week guide to prepare the body for a 5-day water fast. The book includes so many resources to improve your results, including complementary therapies, how to break a fast, and a great recipe guide for both higher carb and lower carb days.

This book is the same protocol I use on my patients, it’s the information I share with the practitioners that I teach therapeutic fasting to. By preparing properly for a fast and following the guidelines of this book, you enable adaptation that will set you up for the most benefit out of a water fast and quite simply make the fast easier to achieve.

Question: What does this seven-week protocol work towards?

Answer:

In wanting to maximize the results of the fast and make it as easy as possible, the book is broken down into a seven-week guide leading up to a five-day water fast. The process eases you into fat-adaptation, whereby your body can quickly transition into burning glycogen (sugars) to burning ketones (fat) for fuel. Some of the key progressions include getting fat adapted. The book will delve into this quite specifically, but essentially this starts by lowering carbohydrate intake to the point where the body has to tap into fat as a source for fuel. This may take two or three weeks, which is why the book is full of tips on how to make this happen.

A huge part of fat adaptation is rooted in the concept of: don’t eat less, eat less often. When calories are restricted chronically, your metabolism will flow down. This is not ideal, it does the opposite of turning you into a fat-burning machine. A huge part of metabolic flexibility is achieved by narrowing the eating window and getting your body used to periods with food, and periods without food. By eating less often we start to flex the fasting muscle, without actually triggering any metabolic damage or slow-down. This is called intermittent fasting, and it works what I call metabolic mitochondrial fitness. This is where the ‘marathon training’ for your fast begins.

Question: Can perimenopause, menopausal, or women dealing with hormonal imbalances fast?

Answer:

They absolutely can, in fact, this book is tailored to deal with all sorts of hormonal imbalances and illnesses from gut disorders, to thyroid dysregulation, to weight loss resistance. This is the very reason for the seven-week progression into the fast, it’s to prepare the body metabolically.

If you’re already super healthy, odds are you can dive into water fasting pretty easily. My patients are facing a health challenge, and this is why we’ve devised a protocol to help people reach a place where they can indeed fast without causing more harm than good.

The book is also for healthy people, though, because truthfully the more you prepare for a fast the deeper your body will go into autophagy, the more benefits you will get from your fast.

In short: yes, fasting is for everyone. The key is just understanding metabolic flexibility, and taking as long as you need to achieve this before doing an extended five day fast. Although the book is broken down into seven weeks, you may decide to stay on a certain week for two or even three weeks– until you feel confident in progressing to the next step. This book is about changing lifestyles, it’s about integrating new patterns, and promoting health in the long term.

For someone dealing with more serious hormonal imbalances: take your time. As you read the book, take advantage of the tailored information for those who are sick or have weaker hormones. This may look like adding in a few more high carb days as your body becomes fat adapted. In time, though, you will be able to widen the fasting window like everyone else. Take your time.

Question: Are there any other options for those who just don’t feel ready to fast?

Answer:

Actually yes, the preparatory month can take you into week 5 with a partial fast. A partial fast mimics the benefits of a water fast, by drastically lowering your caloric intake for five consecutive days. By this point, you should absolutely feel prepared to experience at least a partial fast, due to the metabolic flexibility you have developed to this point. Whether you opt for a partial or full water fast, you will reap long term benefits that come from controlled caloric restriction.

Question: I’m at the end of day five of my fast and I’m feeling great, should I continue?

Answer:

Although I am a big fan of listening to your body, when it comes to fasting I ascribe to the belief that you’re better off doing 5-day water fasts more regularly, as opposed to trying to go for as long as you can. 

There are signs you can look for when it comes to extended fasting, we get into it in the book, things like changes in tongue color, sensations of hunger, and a weight loss plateau. Although you can go longer, again, I suggest doing a 5-day fast more regularly than pushing your limits each time. There is too much of a good thing, so 5-day per season (once every three months) does wonders, and it’s the safest option.

Question: How often can I do a 5-day water fast?

Answer:

This really depends on the individual. Fasting more regularly is particularly beneficial for people with a lot of excess body fat. For some of my patients with a lot of weight to lose, we can incorporate a 5-day fast once a month. For others, a seasonal (once a quarter) or even just one five-day fast per year can be great maintenance fast to promote health and longevity.

Question: How do I break the fast?

Answer:

This is week seven of the book! There is an entire chapter dedicated to the in’s and out’s of breaking your fast properly. This chapter may very well be the most important chapter in the whole book because the way you break your fast plays a huge role in creating stem cells and setting your body up for all the long term benefits of the fast.

After clearing out old and damaged cells through autophagy, your body is now in a renewal phase. An abundance of stem cells becomes available and the worst thing you can do is stress it. Assaulting your body with too much or the wrong kind of foods can actually shut down that stem cell formation, which is not what we want!

Your microbiome has changed during this fasting period, which is a great thing, but it also means you need to be mindful of what you consume to build back up that flora. Your HCL (digestive acid) is low post-fast, which means you won’t be able to properly digest things like meat straight away. You also have to be mindful of the amount of food you’re consuming, not to shock the body.

We explore the best way to re-integrate foods in-depth, allowing you to reap the most out of your fast and set yourself up for the benefits long after the fast ends.

Question: Can I continue to drink my coffee or take supplements during a fast?

Answer:

During a fast, the answer is basically a resounding: no. While water fasting, you want to let the body do its thing and trust its innate wisdom. Teas, coffee, and other supplements will interfere with the deep process of autophagy.

The exception to this would be if someone is highly toxic, they might want to take a supplement like BIND and CytoDetox, and perhaps some electrolytes to help eliminate toxins and reduce the herxheimer reaction. Ideally, though, you want to take nothing but small amounts of sea salt if necessary, to help replenish electrolytes. I explain in more detail how to use salt in the book. 

If you are doing a modified fast, you can continue to take your supplements but I suggest avoiding any caffeine because it will encourage pushing beyond what your body needs to benefit from the fast. A lot is going on inside of you during this time, and this requires adequate rest. By avoiding caffeine you can measure your body’s true energy levels and live accordingly.

Remember that these fasts are about trusting the body, relying only on its innate intelligence. Stay away from lemon, herbal teas, apple cider vinegar. Any and all flavorings or supplements trigger enzymes in the mouth, they stimulate digestion– this interferes with your fasting experience. Stick to water and mineral-rich sea salt, that’s it.

Question: Who shouldn’t fast?

Answer:

The list here is pretty small. Basically pregnant women and breastfeeding women should not fast, for a few reasons including the fact you don’t want to be dumping any unnecessary toxins into your system during this time. A lot of energy goes into building and nourishing a baby so focusing on nourishing yourself during this time is key.

I would also warn against fasting for anyone who is anorexic, bulimic or has patterns of disordered eating. Because of the restrictive nature of fasting, and the role that it can have on someone who has a psychologically disrupted relationship with food, it could do more harm than good. 

Diabetics can fast, but they will require much less insulin, so best do it in conjuncture with doctor’s guidance. In fact, anyone who is unsure, on medication, or is dealing with a complicated health issue should seek out guidance when it comes to fasting. I train practitioners all around the country in this very method.

I don’t suggest children embark on a 5-day fast, but intermittent fasting (a daily fasting window of say, 12-14 hours) is completely safe and even natural, and beneficial to hormonal health and development. 

To order your copy of Beyond Fasting, click here.

Join Fasting For A Purpose for education, community support, and receive updates about my next 5-day group fast.

My Favorite Fasting Aid

Your body is under constant attack from oxidative stress. The good news is, a little oxidative stress is natural. But too much free radical damage can cause irreparable damage to your cells, proteins, and even your DNA. And that means you’re at a higher risk for disease and accelerated aging. Even fasting can stress your cells enough to cause some oxidative stress. But that doesn’t mean fasting is bad for you. Instead, this stress makes your cells more resilient and contributes to anti-aging benefits over time.

However, it is a good idea to get some fasting support to keep free radicals in check.

Fastonic cellular molecular hydrogen is a leading-edge fasting support supplement that balances free-radical damage and supports several different systems in the body.

Fastonic can help:

  • Decrease appetite
  • Stabilize fat metabolism
  • Support cognitive function
  • Reduces fatigue 
  • Improved skin health
  • And MUCH more

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The Principles of Stemnomics: An Introduction to An Emerging Field

The Principles of Stemnomics: I would like to introduce you to Stemnomics. This modern concept harnesses ancient wisdom to enhance the production and utilization of stem cells in your body. In an ever-evolving world, it can be difficult to express ourselves with a stagnant language. I’ve developed Stemnomics as a way to discuss the emerging field focused on maximizing our ability to produce and use these incredible powerhouses to not only survive but to thrive.

stemnomics

It has become my life’s mission to empower individuals with information, all of which is rooted in my personal health journey and transformation. The principles of Stemnomics are the culmination of my life’s work, all rooted in the ancient wisdom of our ancestors.

Let The Body Do The Healing: Stem Cells 101

My core philosophy is to remove the interference and let the body do the healing, and the principles of Stemnomics hinge on this same principle. Stem cells are the seeds of all biological life. All human life begins with a single stem cell, which then multiplies exponentially to eventually give rise to trillions of cells and form every system in the body. These cells are like a blank canvass that the body can use as needed to create or repair the body. A stem cell can turn into a specialized cell (brain, heart, lung, etc.) to repair or regenerate our organs. This repair becomes increasingly vital as we age. Although our body continuously needs the support of stem cells, many factors contribute to the depletion of our reserve.

My core philosophy is to remove the interference and let the body do the healing. The principles of Stemnomics hinge on this same principle: boosting the body’s ability to create and use stem cells and allow the body to use them as needed.

Stemnomics: A Multi-Therapeutic Approach

Stemnomics is the field that harnesses the power of stem cells through the use of therapeutic strategies. It’s the method I use not only to help my clients, but also my family and my self—to support the body’s innate intelligence by maximizing endogenous stem cell production.

These strategies revolve around manipulating your diet (what you eat, and when you eat it), and focus on intermittent fasting, ketosis (fat-adaptation), diet variation (feast/ famine cycling), and prolonged water fasting (5+ days).

Intermittent Fasting: Intermittent Fasting is an eating pattern that restricts food consumption to a shortened window of time each day to allow for a period of extended fasting. It is the one aspect of our Stemnomic principles that address when you eat, as opposed to what you eat. The benefits of intermittent fasting begin around the 12-hour mark, but as metabolic flexibility increases, the window can increase to 16, 18, or even 20 hours of daily fasting. Some people progress to one single (substantial) meal per day.

Intermittent fasting improves hormone sensitivity, fat-burning ability, boost growth hormones, and harness the benefits of autophagy, which include longevity, downregulation of inflammation, and the production of new stem cells and new immune cells.

Ketosis: the ketogenic diet is a high fat, moderate protein, low carbohydrate way of eating.

Eating this way over a prolonged period puts your body into what we call ‘ketosis,’ when fat (as opposed to glucose) becomes the primary source of fuel.

Ketosis is a fundamental component of Stemnomics. It promotes similar autophagy benefits that prolonged water fasting does. Both methods force the body to burn fat for fuel; secondly, because it opens the door for diet variation (see below), and thirdly because it prepares the body for longer fasts (particularly when combined with IF).

Diet Variation:

The Diet Variation component of Stemnomics is the missing piece for many people who are currently on a full-time ketogenic diet; it involves the introduction of high carb days and day(s) of total fasting. This aspect is crucial to get the most out of the program because periods of feasting creates adaptive stress, which increases hormone optimization, fat adaptation, autophagy, and stem cell production.

Going back and forth between fast days and feast days is the key because the body is allowed to experience the autophagy pathway (that is used for recycling) and the mTor pathway (used for regeneration/ growth). The feast days are not only there to keep you on track with your plan (although it does do so as a bonus side effect), but it is essential to remind the body that it is not starving. A long term keto-only diet will eventually plateau and even begin to regress in progress (slowing down your metabolism, putting on belly fat, etc.).

Diet variation can be implemented in multiple different ways. Weekly variations could include four days of a ketogenic diet, two days higher carb/ protein, and one-day water fasting, or 3-2-2 (respectively). Monthly variation can work well for women, who have higher carbohydrate cravings during their menstrual cycle. It can keep keto most of the month, introducing a higher carb diet for the week surrounding their cycle. Seasonal variation is the most natural ancestrally, whereby winter would follow a more ketogenic diet, and summer a higher carb diet.

Incorporating diet variation into your life is a deeply personal choice. It should reflect a pattern that is easiest to incorporate into your everyday life so that you can maintain it in the long run. In my household, we like weekly variation with feast days on the weekends.

Prolonged Water Fasting:

A 5+ day water fast is the peak of this mission to maximize stem cell production, in that it is the most powerful way to support the body’s ability to create them, and heal. The use of intermittent fasting, ketosis, and diet variation are all strategies that increase the body’s metabolic flexibility and health in preparation for a prolonged fast.

Fasting is the oldest and most potent ancient healing modality, and indeed for good reasons. Recent research shows that fasting for seventy-two hours can regenerate the entire immune system! One way it does this is by raising stem cells that turn into new and improved immune cells. These new healthy cells replace old and dysfunctional cells in the body. These dysfunctional cells that are destroyed through autophagy during a fast are the ones that can lead to disease, hyper immunity, autoimmunity, and cancer.

All these therapeutic strategies come together to form the emerging field of Stemnomics, used strategically to promote the body’s own ability to create and use stem cells.

 

You’ve heard the buzz about stem cells and anti-aging therapies.

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This guide will help you get all the benefits of these high-end anti-aging modalities—simply by using powerful fasting, nutritional, and dietary changes.

It’s a workbook and doctor-formulated protocol designed to help you:

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References

[1] Reya, Tannishtha, et al. “Stem Cells, Cancer, and Cancer Stem Cells.” Nature, vol. 414, no. 6859, 2001, pp. 105–111., doi:10.1038/35102167.

[2] Patterson, Ruth E., and Dorothy D. Sears. “Metabolic Effects of Intermittent Fasting.” Annual Review of Nutrition, vol. 37, no. 1, 2017, pp. 371–393., doi:10.1146/annurev-nutr-071816-064634.

[3] Golbidi, Saeid, et al. “Health Benefits of Fasting and Caloric Restriction.” Current Diabetes Reports, vol. 17, no. 12, 2017, doi:10.1007/s11892-017-0951-7.

[4] Wilson, Jacob M., and Ryan Lowery. The Ketogenic Bible: the Authoritative Guide to Ketosis. Victory Belt Publishing, 2017.

[5] Pompa, Daniel. The Cellular Healing Diet. Revelation Health, 2016.

[6] Longo, Valter D., and Mark P. Mattson. “Fasting: Molecular Mechanisms and Clinical Applications.” Cell Metabolism, vol. 19, no. 2, 2014, pp. 181–192., doi:10.1016/j.cmet.2013.12.008.

Nutrient-Dense Smoothies: Ultimate Smoothie Recipe Guide

Nutrient-Dense Smoothies: There is no doubt that easy-to-digest smoothies can be one of the best ways to break your daily fast. This guide will provide you with some of the keys to making your smoothies super nutritionally dense, and includes ten nourishing smoothie recipes!

smoothie-guide

A Few Tips to Up the Nutritional Density of Your Smoothies

Nutrient-Dense Smoothies: Sneak in the Good Stuff

Some of the most nutritionally dense foods are things we don’t love to taste. Be it bitter greens or liver– some of the healthiest foods don’t taste appetizing (especially first thing in the morning). The great thing about smoothies is that you can easily sneak in 1-2 small doses of super healthy ingredients without even tasting them. Whether you’re trying to fool kiddos or your taste buds, pick one or two ingredients to put into your smoothie to up the nutritional game.

Some examples to super-boost your smoothies:

  • One serving of bitter greens (like arugula, dandelion greens, or kale)
  • One tablespoon or liver (raw or cooked, you can simply keep single servings of liver in your freezer and just add a cube into your smoothie)
  • One teaspoon of your favorite adaptogenic powders like tonic herbs or medicinal mushrooms (maca, reishi, ashwagandha, chaga, cordyceps, lion’s name, or he shou wu)
  • One serving of unsweetened superfood powder

Choose a Better Liquid

Smoothies require a liquid base to blend with other ingredients, and one great way to increase nutritional density is to choose a better liquid than water or fruit juice. Fruit juice contains a massive hit of sugar without the blood-sugar balancing fiber. Although water is a better option than fruit juice, there are even better options out there to increase your nutritional benefits.

Some examples of nutritionally dense liquids to base your smoothie on:

  • Cold bone broth: full of minerals and gut-healing collagen/ gelatin. The flavor goes unnoticed. You can also up the protein by adding a bone broth powder.
  • Cold tea: simply store a jug of your favorite tea in the fridge, ready to add a mineral (and flavor!) hit to any smoothie
  • Coconut milk: will add a nice thickness and creamy flavor to your smoothie plus the benefit of the MCT fats and vitamins from coconut
  • Coconut water: a great clear, light, and relatively unflavored liquid that is full of minerals and natural sugars. Coconut water is an excellent option for a refreshing post-workout smoothie base!

Probiotic Hit

We all know that probiotics help support a healthy gut, and sneaking in some probiotics to your smoothie is so easy! You can simply dump a capsule of probiotics into your smoothie before you blend it, or add a few tablespoons of your favorite yogurt or kefir (coconut, goat, or cows milk)!

Nutrient-Dense Smoothies: Don’t Forget Your Protein & Fat

Including a source of protein and fat in your smoothies will ensure a more balanced glycemic index and a more nutritionally balanced drink that will keep you satiated for hours. Smoothies used to be typically fruit, juice, and ice blended up, which are high sugar and low satiety.

Some ingredients that can help boost the protein and fat content:

  • A tablespoon of nut butter (like cashew, peanut, almond butter) or coconut cream
  • A small handful of whole nuts
  • ½ an avocado
  • 1-2 scoops of collagen powder
  • 1-2 scoops of bone broth protein powder

10 Nourishing Smoothie Recipes

Nutty Cacao Smoothie

nutrient_dense_smoothies

Ingredients

  • 1 cup of coconut milk
  • ½ an avocado (frozen is ideal)
  • 1 Medjool date (pitted)
  • 1 tablespoon almond butter
  • 2 tablespoons cacao powder
  • 2 scoops of collagen powder
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • 4 ice cubes

Optional nutritional boost add-ins: (pick one or two!) 1 teaspoon of: reishi, cordyceps, lion’s mane, chaga, ashwagandha, maca, camu camu, turmeric, acai powder, hemp seeds, flaxseed, chia seed, spirulina, chlorella, bee pollen, green supplement powder, or a probiotic capsule.

Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.

Nutrient-Dense Smoothies: Super Enzyme Sunshine Smoothie

nutrient_dense_smoothies

Ingredients

  • 2 cups of coconut milk
  • 1 tablespoon coconut cream
  • 1 cup frozen pineapple
  • 1/2 cup frozen mango
  • 1 scoop protein powder
  • 1 tablespoon bee pollen
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • Juice of one lemon

Optional nutritional boost add-ins: (pick one or two!) 1 teaspoon of: reishi, cordyceps, lion’s mane, chaga, ashwagandha, maca, camu camu, turmeric, acai powder, hemp seeds, flaxseed, chia seed, spirulina, chlorella, green supplement powder, or a probiotic capsule.

Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.

Berry Bliss Bone Broth Smoothie

nutrient_dense_smoothies

Ingredients

  • 2 cups of bone broth
  • ½ cup frozen blueberries
  • ½ cup frozen raspberries
  • ½ cup of frozen strawberries
  • ½ cup of tart yogurt (like greek or coconut)
  • A handful of fresh spinach
  • 1 scoop of protein powder

Optional nutritional boost add-ins: (pick one or two!) 1 teaspoon of: reishi, cordyceps, lion’s mane, chaga, ashwagandha, maca, camu camu, turmeric, acai powder, hemp seeds, flaxseed, chia seed, spirulina, chlorella, bee pollen, green supplement powder, or a probiotic capsule.

Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.

Nutrient-Dense Smoothies: Post Workout Refuel Smoothie

nutrient_dense_smoothies
Two glass glasses of blueberry smoothie with banana on the table

Ingredients

  • 2 cups of coconut water
  • 1 scoop of protein powder
  • 1 scoop of collagen powder
  • ½ tablespoon of spirulina (or a handful of fresh bitter greens)
  • ½ a large frozen banana
  • ½ cup frozen blueberries
  • 2 tablespoons cacao powder
  • 1 heaping tablespoon of peanut butter
  • 4 ice cubes

Optional nutritional boost add-ins: (pick one or two!) 1 teaspoon of: reishi, cordyceps, lion’s mane, chaga, ashwagandha, maca, camu camu, turmeric, acai powder, hemp seeds, flaxseed, chia seed, spirulina, chlorella, bee pollen, green supplement powder, or a probiotic capsule.

Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.

Creamy Mocha Smoothie

nutrient_dense_smoothies

Ingredients

  • 2 cups almond milk
  • 1 double shot espresso or 60ml cold brew coffee
  • ⅓ cup thick cream or coconut cream
  • ½ an avocado
  • 3 tablespoons cacao powder
  • 2 tablespoons monk fruit sweetener
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean powder
  • 3 ice cubes

Optional nutritional boost add-ins: (pick one or two!) 1 teaspoon of: reishi, cordyceps, lion’s mane, chaga, ashwagandha, maca, camu camu, turmeric, acai powder, hemp seeds, flaxseed, chia seed, spirulina, chlorella, bee pollen, green supplement powder, or a probiotic capsule.

Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.

Nutrient-Dense Smoothies: Super Greens Smoothie

nutrient_dense_smoothies

Ingredients

  • 2 cups of coconut water
  • 1 frozen banana
  • ½ cup frozen pineapple
  • 1 large celery stalk (chopped)
  • 1 handful of fresh spinach
  • ½ cup of cucumber
  • 1 teaspoon spirulina
  • 1 tablespoon of chia seeds
  • 1 tablespoon of coconut cream

Optional nutritional boost add-ins: (pick one or two!) 1 teaspoon of: reishi, cordyceps, lion’s mane, chaga, ashwagandha, maca, camu camu, turmeric, acai powder, hemp seeds, flaxseed, chia seed, spirulina, chlorella, bee pollen, green supplement powder, or a probiotic capsule.

Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.

Vanilla Smoothie

nutrient_dense_smoothies
Protein Milkshake With Oats, Banana in jar with paper drinking straw on concrete background. Closeup view, selective focus. Concept of vegan sporty healthy lifestyle

Ingredients

  • 1.5 cups of almond milk
  • ½ cup of yogurt (cows, goats, or coconut)
  • 1 heaping tablespoon cashew butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean (powder or extract)
  • 1 frozen banana
  • 2 scoops of vanilla protein powder
  • 1 teaspoon of flax seeds
  • Pinch of sea salt

Optional nutritional boost add-ins: (pick one or two!) 1 teaspoon of: reishi, cordyceps, lion’s mane, chaga, ashwagandha, maca, camu camu, turmeric, acai powder, hemp seeds, flaxseed, chia seed, spirulina, chlorella, bee pollen, green supplement powder, or a probiotic capsule.

Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.

Nutrient-Dense Smoothies: Peanut Butter & Jelly Smoothie

nutrient_dense_smoothies

Ingredients

  • 1.5 cup of nut milk
  • ⅓ cup frozen blueberries
  • ⅓ cup frozen raspberries
  • 2 scoops collagen powder
  • ½ tablespoon chia seeds
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder
  • 2 tablespoons natural peanut butter

Optional nutritional boost add-ins: (pick one or two!) 1 teaspoon of: reishi, cordyceps, lion’s mane, chaga, ashwagandha, maca, camu camu, turmeric, acai powder, hemp seeds, flaxseed, chia seed, spirulina, chlorella, bee pollen, green supplement powder, or a probiotic capsule.

Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.

Nutrient-Dense Smoothies: Mint Chocolate Chip Smoothie

nutrient_dense_smoothies
yummy vegan Mint Chocolate Chip Smoothie Mug

Ingredients

  • 2 cups of coconut milk
  • ½ frozen banana
  • 5-10 fresh mint leaves
  • 3 drops of mint essential oil
  • ½ an avocado
  • 1 handful spinach
  • 1 scoop plain or vanilla protein powder
  • ⅓ cup yogurt (cow, goat, or coconut)
  • ¼ cup cacao nibs (to top)

Optional nutritional boost add-ins: (pick one or two!) 1 teaspoon of: reishi, cordyceps, lion’s mane, chaga, ashwagandha, maca, camu camu, turmeric, acai powder, hemp seeds, flaxseed, chia seed, spirulina, chlorella, bee pollen, green supplement powder, or a probiotic capsule.

Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients to a blender except the cacao nibs, and blend until smooth. Add cacao nibs and stir in using a spoon.

 

Nutrient-Dense Smoothies: Cookie Dough Smoothie

nutrient_dense_smoothies

Ingredients

  • 1.5 cups almond milk
  • 1 heaping tablespoon of cashew butter or almond butter
  • ¼ cup cashews
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean (extract or powder)
  •  2 Medjool dates (pitted)
  • ¼ cup yogurt (cows, goat, or coconut)
  • 2 scoops collagen or vanilla protein powder
  • 1 tablespoon hemp seeds
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder
  • 4 ice cubes
  • ¼ cup cacao nibs (to top)

Optional nutritional boost add-ins: (pick one or two!) 1 teaspoon of: reishi, cordyceps, lion’s mane, chaga, ashwagandha, maca, camu camu, turmeric, acai powder, hemp seeds, flaxseed, chia seed, spirulina, chlorella, bee pollen, green supplement powder, or a probiotic capsule.

Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients to a blender except the cacao nibs, and blend until smooth. Add cacao nibs and stir in using a spoon.

Add the best antioxidant to your smoothies: Cacao Bliss!

I was so excited when I found out about the power of a unique type of Peruvian chocolate. You see, most chocolate is grown over on the west coast of Africa. But small batches of chocolate also come from the jungles of Peru. And the difference is incredible. Peruvian cacao is not only sweet like regular milk chocolate— It’s also one of the healthiest and highest antioxidant foods on the planet. This unique chocolate isn’t processed like mass-produced chocolate and contains no unhealthy fats or sugars, so that all of its health benefits aren’t just preserved, but maximized.

Being 12x healthier than blueberries…

16x healthier than kale…

 And 37x healthier than even broccoli.

This delicious chocolatey gift has been the food of emperors for nearly 2,000 years. And the growing process was finally perfected during the late Incan empire. Which is what gives us this unique Peruvian chocolate that not only tastes delicious but can also…

  • Promote healthy blood sugar
  • Reduce free-radicals & fight inflammation, thereby slowing down aging in the body
  • Make you fall asleep faster and STAY asleep through the night
  • Even help to prevent brain aging

<<<<get some of this amazing Peruvian cacao here!>>>