This month a project very close to my heart launches and that labor of love is a cooking show called “Eat with Intention.” It’s a show where I teach how to nourish your body from the inside out by eating from a place of self-love. I spent so many years looking for food to fix me or to make me love myself and it wasn’t until I realized that food could not fix me that I was able to get out of the co-dependent relationship and step into a happy, healthy balanced life. I know you can look to food as a technology that can be used to help you take care of your beautiful body but it’s not a substitute for taking the time for self-care or connecting to your inner self during meditation. These are two of my “juice prescriptions” – not only do they include a delicious juice recipe that will have you buzzing with energy, but I also have them paired with a meditation and self-care tip for optimal results. Our food, meditation and self-care are all crucial parts of living a life that truly lights us up from the inside out and when we slack on one it affects everything. It’s my hope that these recipes get you started on thinking of taking care of your body holistically. If you’re interested to learn more, join me at EatwithIntentionTV.com for more recipes and inspiration. BLUEBERRY-BASIL BRAIN TONIC This sweet and refreshing juice will quench your thirst and please your taste buds. It holds the intention of “clarity.” The kale base gives you the alkalizing power of chlorophyll to balance out any acidity in your body caused from inflammation, as well as clean, focused energy. The blueberries also provide nutrients to support your eye sight and immune system. The combination gives you access to greater clarity around every aspect of your life. The color of this juice is indigo like the sixth chakra, the energy center of the third-eye also known as intuition. Drink this juice with the intention of clarity and open up the portal for a clearer mind, body and soul. 2 cups of kale 1 medium sized green apple 1 lemon (without skin) 1 cup of blueberries 1/4 cup of blackberries 5 sprigs of basil Meditation for greater clarity: One of my favorite meditations for clarity is a kundalini meditation to release overwhelm. Simply place both hands in front of your heart like you’re making a cup to hold some berries. Breathe in your nose and when you breathe out your mouth, purse your lips and blow as if there is a feather in your hand that you are blowing away. Repeat this breath for 3-5 minutes and each time you inhale allow whatever thought that’s racing through your mind to come up and then exhale it into your palm. Repeat for any thoughts that come up, it’s okay if it’s the same one repeatedly! At the end, take a deep breath in to seal your meditation, hold for a count of ten and exhale as you release your hands. You may want to stay in this blissed out, clear-headed spot for a few minutes and do some journaling on a subject you want further clarity on. Self-care tip for clarity: Take stock of what you are putting in your body. Are you drinking a lot of caffeinated beverages that can contribute to your mind racing? Has there been an excess of processed food fogging up your brain? Lean towards food that feels alive and crisp to help bring about more clarity in your body and soul. Take a look at your schedule, are you giving yourself enough me-time to properly relax and refresh? Pencil in a quiet bath with candles and lavender Epsom salts to give your mind the space to unwind, take a long stroll outside or sit in a park with a good book. Often, we gain the clarity we need once we make the space for it. GRAPEFRUIT-ORANGE UPLIFT JUICE This eye-opening concoction is the perfect way to start your day or put a little pep in your step. Grapefruit and orange are natural moodlifters and combined alkalizing lemon and nutrient-rich carrots; let’s just say this isn’t your grandma’s orange juice. Its color coordinates with our second chakra, a beautiful sunset orange representing going with the flow of life, sitting in our feminine receptive energy like the waves of the ocean. The intention of this juice is “to uplift.” Allow it to elevate your spirits and lift you above your current situation as you sip. 1 large grapefruit 4 oranges 1 lemon 5 large carrots The meditation for uplifting is focused on gratitude. Find a quiet place, outside if possible, to get some beautiful sunlight shining on your face or just in a peaceful nook in your home. Sit cross legged and place your hands, palms up, on your knees. Start breathing in slowly, in your nose and out your mouth. Allow any thoughts that come up to drift by like clouds, don’t push them away or cling to them, just allow them to float on by. Center your mind on gratitude and one by one bring things big and small that you are grateful for to mind. Start with the basics, perhaps a sunny day, some time alone to meditate and work your way up to bigger items in your life. Allow yourself to take this joyful inventory of all things tiny and huge that you are thankful for and allow the gratitude to expand your heart. Marinate in this feeling. Return to your breath when your inventory is done and repeat as often as needed through the day to snap out of a funky mood. Self-care tips: Need a boost in your mood? How about getting active? Turn up your favorite songs for a few minutes and dance around or head to a group fitness class with a friend. Exercise is an instant happy pill so whether you watch an old kickboxing workout video on YouTube, head to a spinning class or jump up and down on your bed to Taylor Swift’s latest hit. Get those muscles moving, that heart pounding and sweat your way to a better mood. Cassandra Bodzak is the happy, healthy living guru featured on ABC’s “The Taste.” She started GoSweetandSkinny. com, where she shares her healthy recipes and tips for living your happiest life, and is the proud author of “Juicespiration,” her no-nonsense guide to do-it-yourself juice cleansing. She works with clients all over the U.S. to help them stop dieting, start eating right and achieve the body and life they love! 2 SUMMER JUICE PRESCRIPTIONS FOR “CLARITY” AND “JOY”
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