Fresh Start Green Juice

Happy New Year!

It’s a new year and a time of new beginnings.

We love a fresh start. Any chance we can get to clear out the old and bring in the new is an opportunity to celebrate. After all, that’s what cleansing is all about, isn’t it?

Recently I’ve found myself organizing and refreshing just about everything I can get my hands on…all my tax receipts are all in order (hooray!), my kitchen knives are all sharpened, I’ve donated a large box of toys and books that my kids are no longer interested in, I bought a bunch of new bins and have taken charge of a messy closet…and let me tell you, it feels good! Really good!

When I think about years past, it’s usually this time of year that I feel completely fried, washed up and ready for my “real” vacation to start. The kids are just back in school, I’m exhausted, fighting a cold and there is a pile of work yet to tackle that was put on hold over the holiday break. It can feel daunting and overwhelming, to say the least.

Can you relate?

This year things have been different and I’m 100% certain it’s because before all the holiday hubbub I gave myself the gift of doing a 10-day juice cleanse. Before I go on, let me pause and say that drinking fresh pressed green juice for ten straight days is not for everybody, but I’ve been living the Conscious Cleanse lifestyle for nearly a decade, and to me this was a lovely way to truly nourishing myself. It wasn’t easy but it did remind me just how powerful I am, especially when I fully commit and set my mind to something.

So it got me thinking about New Year’s resolutions and how they don’t work and I realized that it’s the small choices we make every day that shape our lives and make a difference when it comes to our health! Ultimately that is what we hope to teach in our 14-day whole foods cleanse – to teach people the basics about eating fresh, nutritious, life-affirming foods and less of the junk (insert caffeine, alcohol, sugar, gluten, etc) that slows us down.

So in case you’re having trouble revving your new year’s engine, consider that it’s not all or nothing and instead of swearing off all the bad crap in one fell swoop (which usually doesn’t work), try simply adding in one or two healthy things.

Need some ideas?

My tried and true favorites to get the fresh start feeling today are:

1. Start the day with warm lemon water.

2. Drink more water…ideally your body weight in ounces.

3. Drink a green smoothie.

4. Do 1-2 days of Conscious Purification (read more in our book on page 113) consuming only fruits and veggies.

5. Try a fresh pressed green juice (try my new favorite recipe below). Don’t have a juicer? Don’t worry! Fortunately there are juice bars popping up all over, so find one near you at the Pressed Juice Directory. Just be sure what you’re buying and drinking is 100% all organic.

What are you doing to kick start your healthy 2015? Be sure to leave me a comment below!

With love and fresh starts,

Fresh Start Green Juice

Yields: 1 quart
Ingredients:

• 1 head celery
• 6 stalks kale
• ½ bunch parsley
• ½ cucumber
• 1 lemon, peeled
• 1 (3-in.) piece of ginger
• 1 pear or few drops of Stevia for sweetness

Directions:
In a juicer, combine celery, kale, parsley, cucumber, lemon, ginger and pear or Stevia for sweetness. Pour into a large glass and enjoy!