Vegalicious Boot Camp

Handbook

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Contents Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 4

Week 1: Pre-Boot Camp Tips ....................................................................................................... 5

Weekly Journals ......................................................................................................................... 5

Goals & Measurements ............................................................................................................ 5

Well-Being First, Weight Loss Second ...................................................................................... 6

Call Schedule ............................................................................................................................ 6

Facebook posts vs Private emails ........................................................................................... 6

Meal Planner—Is It a Bible? ..................................................................................................... 6

Ingredient Substitution .............................................................................................................. 7

Raw Food Intake ....................................................................................................................... 7

Green Smoothies ...................................................................................................................... 7

Rotating Greens is Important .................................................................................................. 7

Removing Stems from Greens ................................................................................................. 7

Supplements & Medications ................................................................................................... 8

Detox Symptoms ....................................................................................................................... 8

Dry Brushing................................................................................................................................ 8

Colonics & Enemas ................................................................................................................... 9

NO Caffeine, “Soft" Drinks or Alcohol ..................................................................................... 9

Working Out ............................................................................................................................... 9

Laying off Nuts ......................................................................................................................... 10

Why You Should Avoid Peanuts ............................................................................................ 10

Soaking Nuts ............................................................................................................................ 10

NO Sugar! ................................................................................................................................. 10

Sweeteners .............................................................................................................................. 10

Oil Is NOT Health Food ............................................................................................................ 11

BMs—as in Bowel Movements ............................................................................................... 11

Traveling & Eating Out ........................................................................................................... 11

Larabars & Mrs. Maya’s Trio Bars ........................................................................................... 12

Self-Sabotaging—Overcoming Obstacles .......................................................................... 12

Homework ................................................................................................................................ 13

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Week 2 ......................................................................................................................................... 14

Eating Under Influence .......................................................................................................... 14

Green Smoothie Cleanse ...................................................................................................... 14

Loving Exercising ..................................................................................................................... 15

Losing and Keeping Weight Off ............................................................................................ 15

Fat Cells Don’t Melt Away ..................................................................................................... 15

Not Feeling Hungry ................................................................................................................. 15

Juicing vs. Blending ................................................................................................................ 16

Co-Ops–Saving Money! ......................................................................................................... 16

Homework ................................................................................................................................ 16

Week 3 ......................................................................................................................................... 17

Truth about Slow Metabolism ................................................................................................ 17

Emotional Eating ..................................................................................................................... 17

Hydration Woes ....................................................................................................................... 18

Hormones! ................................................................................................................................ 18

Using Magnesium .................................................................................................................... 19

Chemical Free Personal Care Products .............................................................................. 19

Is Eating Soy Products Dangerous? ...................................................................................... 21

Wheat (Gluten) Products ....................................................................................................... 21

Sprouting .................................................................................................................................. 21

Homework! ............................................................................................................................... 22

Week 4 ......................................................................................................................................... 23

Imitation Animal Foods ........................................................................................................... 23

Fermented Foods .................................................................................................................... 23

About Vitamin D...................................................................................................................... 24

Homework ................................................................................................................................ 27

LIFE AFTER BOOT CAMP .............................................................................................................. 28

Report Your Success (Survey) ................................................................................................ 28

Future plans & Staying Motivated ........................................................................................ 28

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Introduction

Dear Vegalicious Recruit,

Although the Boot Camp manual is filled with tips and tricks, over the last year I

found that some participants benefit from a short list of tips and tricks. I put this

Handbook together to help you get any possible questions answered. You will

also find additional tips collected from previous live Boot Camps—you will find

that what others wanted to know might be the things that will answer your

possible questions too.

I also would love to present you with opportunities to learn a few more things

about plant based living, as you embark on this health journey, so that you

become even more resolute to stay healthy once this experience is over.

Each section of this handbook is broken down into weekly installments, and

each week you will find a short homework assignment. Although not required, it

is highly recommended that you try to do each assignment, and perhaps even

involve your family members to do them with you!

I wish you success on this journey!

© 2012 Elena Wilkins

All rights reserved. Do not redistribute or copy without explicit permission from the

author. No part of this book should be copied, claimed or your own or resold. If you

need to quote a part of this publication on your web-site/blog, proper credit must be

given to the author and linked to www.vega-licious.com. If someone you know wishes

to participate in the 30-Day Weight Loss and Health Improvement Boot Camp, please

direct them to www.vega-licious.com for their own copy.

Thank you!

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Week 1: Pre-Boot Camp Tips

Weekly Journals As per manual, make sure to keep your weekly journals of food intake and

exercise. When it comes to food, you do not have to write down exact amounts

of foods you eat, just what and how frequently. With exercises, jot down the

type and the duration of each exercise.

Full Program Participants: E-mail your journals to me before the call, either the

night before, or the morning of the call, so I can review them and send you a

feedback in a timely fashion.

To make your lives easier, one of BC participants created a spreadsheet

formatted journal, which you can use to document your journey. The link for the

download was included in your purchase e-mail. If you do not want to use this

journal, follow the format as close as possible to streamline it for me and make

my life easier. If you do not always have access to a PC to keep notes, print it

out, and handwrite your journal (make sure I can read it!) and then scan and

email to me.

DIY-ers—I still recommend keeping a weekly journal, so you have a point of

reference and accountability for yourself.

Goals & Measurements As instructed in the Manual I hope you had written down and typed up your

goals for the BC (boot camp). On the first day of the BC, when you wake up (or

the night before), measure and weigh yourself. The measurement chart is in

your Manuals. If we agreed that you are to avoid the measuring tape and the

scales, take your BEFORE pictures—everyone really should ;).

When setting goals, be reasonable! If you have 50 lbs. to lose, don’t expect to

lose them all in 30 days. Set a goal to lose 5-10 lbs., so, if you go over it you will

feel excited as opposed to feeling discouraged.

Full Program Participants: You will need to send me your pictures (if you can get

them taken), measurements/weight, and goals along with your first weekly

journal.

NOTE: If you ever had or struggled with an eating disorder STAY AWAY FROM

WEIGHT LOSS GOALS. No measuring or weighing yourself either. This boot camp

is about overall wellbeing first and foremost!

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Well-Being First, Weight Loss Second The Boot Camp is about learning how to live and eat better. Weight loss, if it is

your goal, will happen, but it will depend on how much effort you put into this

experience. Do remember, however, that since you will be exercising, you will

gain muscle weight, while losing fat weight, so scales are not always the best

marker of your progress. We go by 1) how we feel, first; 2) how we fit into our

clothes; 3) our measurements; and only then 4) scales. Well-being always

comes first!

Call Schedule Full Program Participants: Call schedule will be announced before each live

Boot Camp. All calls are scheduled in the evening (USA time), to

accommodate as many participants as possible.

Facebook posts vs Private emails Full Program Participants: If you have a question that you feel too personal

about, email me, otherwise, please post questions, thoughts, etc. on Facebook

group, so others can benefit from it as well.

DIY-ers, please use Facebook group for all of your questions.

Meal Planner—Is It a Bible? Meal planners are provided as a guideline, not a hard rule. You can mix and

match recipes from the manual as you want/need. You can adjust them, tweak

them—as long as they fall within the BC guidelines you have nothing to worry

about.

Should you choose to pick different meals from the guide than I suggested, you

are more than welcome to do so. Should you choose to make your own meals

that would fit the Boot Camp guidelines, go for it! Just remember: high raw food

intake, unprocessed foods, no fats (oils), and no sugars/junk, at least 32 oz. of

green smoothies a day, no caffeine and no animal foods of any kind, and you

will be fine.

You also do not have to consume your green smoothies only in the morning and

evening. It can be morning and afternoon, morning and snacks, etc.—as long

as they get in you, I am happy, although I do prefer that the first one is

consumed as your first meal to kick off your digestion.

If in doubt—post your questions in FB group!

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Ingredient Substitution If you are making a meal and missing something from the recipe I provided,

canoe eat certain foods (example: soy or wheat products), or have your very

own favorite spice, feel free to substitute it. Just remember to keep your sodium

intake low :).

Same goes for green smoothies—make your own recipes, if you wish, or

substitute ingredients as you have them available—just remember that you

DON'T WANT TO SKIMP ON THE GREENS!

Raw Food Intake Most of your 30-Day food intake will need to be consumed uncooked—60% (at

the least) or more—but the more the better.

Why raw? Raw (uncooked) foods are rich in enzymes. When you eat raw foods

your body does not have to tax itself by pulling enzymes from other processes,

so you don't only slow down your aging process, but also keep your immune

system running strong, helping it arrest any potential invaders. Because of this,

any time you eat a cooked meal, it should be accompanied by raw veggies or

a salad.

Green Smoothies Remember that during the 30-Days of Boot Camp you have committed to drink

at least 32 oz.+ (2 servings) of green smoothies a day--NO MATTER WHAT! I need

you to stick with it! You can always do more! If it happens that one day you

have an aversion to them, instead of quitting the whole program, skip them for

that day, and then try to get right back on the program.

Rotating Greens is Important All plants, just like animals and even human beings, have oxilates—a little bit of

poison that protects their existence. When the same green is consumed over

and over again (i.e. you are stuck on eating spinach every day, every week,

every month), you over-accumulate the same oxilates, which might cause

various reactions in your body. To avoid this, and to get maximum benefit (think

vitamins, nutrients, minerals), we rotate greens at least every couple of days.

Removing Stems from Greens You might have noticed that some of my green smoothies will tell you that I

removed the thicker (stem) part of the plant. It is not a rule that must be

followed—I have done so for everyone who will be drinking green smoothies for

the first time in their lives, and for those who do not have high speed

blenders. The stems are little more pungent than the leaf, so newbies might

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have a gag reflex—however, I do not want them to quit, so we

adjust. Personally, most of the times, I either blend the stem with the leaf, or use

it in a salad or a soup. Stems are also more fibrous, so slower blenders might not

integrate them into your smoothie as easily, making them chunky.

Supplements & Medications If you are currently on any medication, it is your responsibility to communicate

with your physician on what you should do about it. Make sure to get medical

opinion before you do anything you have doubts about!

If you are currently taking any supplements, like a multi-vitamin, with the foods

that you eat during the 30 days, you won't need to supplement (this is my

personal opinion coming from my experience and research). Your diet will be

RICH in vitamins, minerals and nutrients. The only supplement you will need

during this time (and beyond) is vitamin B12. Refer to the Manual to read more

information on the topic.

Detox Symptoms Depending on your current diet some of you might experience mild to severe

detox symptoms: headaches, sluggishness, irritability, acne, etc. Stick with the

plan and they will go away—the more greens and raw foods you consume, the

sooner you will get through this phase. Some people experience detox

symptoms immediately, while others will have a delayed reaction, so do not be

surprised if you do not feel any of these immediately.

If you are not sure about what might be happening to you in the first phase of

the Boot Camp, make sure to ask questions in the FB group.

Dry Brushing When you are detoxing, toxins come out not only through your colon, but also

through your skin, since it is the largest organ you have. Experiencing itching

and even occasional burning from detox is… normal. But, as with all things, you

can help yourself get through this detox phase faster by employing dry brushing.

It is one of great and cheap ways to help your body detox, by brushing dead

skin cells and toxins off your body. It is not invasive, takes only moments to do

and feels like a great mini massage, especially during winter months, when skin is

dry and itchy. Read this article on the benefits and the how-to's of dry brushing.

Here is the brush I use.

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Colonics & Enemas Another topic of interest during detox season for many is colonics. A colonic is

an infusion of water into the rectum by a colon therapist to cleanse and flush

out the colon. The question that is frequently asked is: “Should we or shouldn't

we do colonics?” Here is my take on it.

The best way to clean out one's colon is with a fiber rich diet. A person on a SAD

(Standard American Diet) can have regular colonics and benefit little, because

in the long run s/he will still suffer the consequences of their food choices

regardless of how many colonics they get. A person who eats a plant based

diet might initially go through a detox, like some of you will, feeling weak, tired

and sluggish, but at the same time, s/he will train her body to do the work it

meant to do with the aid of right foods, not creating a dependency on the

outside sources.

There are times, however, when people are fighting severe, terminal conditions

when colonics, or at home enemas, are helpful in accelerating expelling

toxins. It is normally used in conjunction with switching to a healthier diet by

those who are using these techniques.

In my entire life I had only ONE colonic, and I made sure it was GRAVITY based.

It was when I was going through an especially deep detox and wanted a quick

relief, not because I had to. I administer my own "colonics" daily with a couple

of glasses of green smoothies ;), which I do administer internally but from the top

end, not the bottom ;).

NO Caffeine, “Soft" Drinks or Alcohol The rule of the Boot Camp is for you to avoid any/all forms of caffeine, all junk

drinks, including processed "juices" full of sugar and chemical and alcohol. Your

drinks of choice are: green smoothies, water, herbal teas. Organic kombucha

and water kefir are also ok, and you can indulge in a cup of Teeccino every

now and then. I also heard that Dandy Blend is a great option, although I never

tried it myself.

To fully understand WHY caffeine is bad for you, please take a few minutes to

read this article on Caffeine, written by one of the Boot Camp graduates: To

Caffeine or Not to Caffeine.

Working Out Whether you have physical limitations or not, you need to move! If you have

any injuries, unless your doctor told you not to, move—do something! Do some

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cardio, yoga, Pilates, modify the workout routines I provide, but I need you

moving 3+ hours a week. You will thank me for it later, I promise!

Laying off Nuts Although nuts are an "approved" snack, try not to consume them on a daily

basis. Rotate them with veggies, fruit, and green smoothies. They are still

packed with calories, especially when un-soaked. So, if weight loss is your goal,

you might want to take them off your list for a while. My normal nut intake can

be less than once a week. Sometimes I go months between having any. I prefer

seeds mixed with raisins and other dehydrated goodies for my snacks, or simply

veggies, fruit, green smoothies or salads.

Why You Should Avoid Peanuts First, peanut is not a real nut, but a legume. Most are molded by the time they

make it to the market, so to cover it up, they get roasted. When it comes to

roasting, it should be avoided altogether, for peanuts and real nuts alike.

Roasting nuts at a temperature higher than 170° F will cause a breakdown of

their fats and the production of free radicals. When nuts roasted at the high

temperatures used commercially are consumed, the free radicals they contain

can cause lipid peroxidation-the oxidizing of fats in your bloodstream that can

trigger tiny injuries in artery walls-a first step in the buildup of plaque and

cardiovascular disease.

If you feel like having some peanuts every now and then still, just make sure they

are organic, and try to consume as little as possible of the roasted kind.

Soaking Nuts Soaked nuts are easier on our digestive system. This topic was addressed in the

Manual. Make sure to check it out.

NO Sugar! If you have not yet read the articles linked in the manual as to why you should

not be eating sugar, do! In short, sugar is very addicting and creates addiction

habits similar to cocaine. Also watch this video to glean a bit more on the topic.

Sweeteners You already have a list of approved sweeteners in the Menu Planner

guide. Stay away from all chemical or chemically processed sweeteners! That

includes stevia, unless it is a whole leaf which has been dehydrated and ground

to powder. Use dates—they are wonderful!

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Oil Is NOT Health Food Make sure to read this article: There Are No Healthy Oils, and follow it like the

Bible for these 30 days! The article will tell you how you can sauté your veggies

with water.

BMs—as in Bowel Movements You really ought to read a very "poopy" article I wrote on the topic. All of you will

experience a VAST improvement in your digestion, which means you will be

spending more time with a friend we affectionately call "John-John"—it is a

good thing! The more junk you get out of your system, the faster you will

detox. Some of you, depending on your diet before the Boot Camp, might

experience a couple of days (or more) before your body picks up on what is

going on, with all of the good foods you are feeding it. If you feel constipated

for the first few days, it will pass—you have been backed up for so long before

the Boot Camp that your body is still trying to get the old stuff out. You can help

it, however—the more green smoothies you can get in, the faster you will get

"moving"; also including some aloe vera in your green smoothies might be

helpful (about 2 oz. once a day). You can even do one or two days of green

smoothies only until dinner time.

Traveling & Eating Out I hear it way too many times: eating healthy and traveling is hard! No, it isn't! At least

not as hard as some think. It is no picnic, that is for sure, but I bet that even if you are

staying in a hotel, they can offer you oatmeal made with plant milk or water, fruit,

veggies, salad. You can find more and more restaurants offer vegetarian options that

can be veganized. All you have to do is talk to your server, ask him/her to

communicate to the chef that you have dietary restrictions due to your health (totally

true!) and then tell them what you cannot have: meat (of any kind), dairy, oils, butters,

sugar, and ask them to be as creative as possible and watch the magic happen! I also

have known people to carry a little 3x5 card with a message of the same kind that can

be sent with your server to the chef, listing a whole slew of foods which you CAN eat.

Don't be afraid to ask!

Hubby and I recently dined at Cheesecake Factory, of all places, and found a

few things on the menu that were vegetarian (like veggie pizza, salads, veggie

burger and even some pastas) which were easily veganized by simply removing

cheese. If you order pasta, make sure to ask for NO OIL (same goes for

dressings).

Be your own advocate ;)!

You can also call restaurants ahead of time explaining to them what you need

to see if they can accommodate you. And remember, the more of us do this,

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the more restaurants will start offering healthy vegan options, so you will be

helping other health seekers too!

If you are on the road in your own car, things get even easier—pack a cooler

with green smoothies, fruits, veggies and nuts to much on, or even make some

whole wheat veggie sandwiches. Traveling can be fun!

When hubby and I go out of town and we are driving, in addition to all of the

goodness I just listed, I also pack my Vitamix—every hotel has at least one outlet

;)! Upon our arrival we always hit a nearby store and we NEVER go without a

green smoothie or raw soups. YUM!

Larabars & Mrs. Maya’s Trio Bars Some of previous Boot Campers asked if these were viable snack options. I do

not find them optimal for these 30 days (or ever!), especially not knowing which

one your munching one—the Chocolate, the Cashew, or whatever other kind

they might offer. MOST OF THEM, I found after a trip to the store to check on it,

have COCONUT OIL as one of the ingredients—not optimal at ALL! Most of them

are nut rich, and as we discussed it before, I really do not want you munching

on nuts every day… or couple of times a day. So, avoid them like the plague for

now… and later.

Mrs. Maya’s bars are full of nuts and… SUGAR, so avoid them as well.

Your best option is to make your own energy bars and refrigerate them. You will

find a couple of recipes in your manuals.

Self-Sabotaging—Overcoming Obstacles You will learn during these days that you can be your best cheer leader or your

worst enemy. You have to decide in your mind that the reasons you are doing

this boot camp for outweigh any perceived sacrifices you are making. If you

don’t and the going gets tough, you will be tempted to quit. So, whether it is

making a vision board of finding an accountability partner, make sure to have

something to help you stand strong; prepare foods ahead of time, enough to

last you a few days, to help yourself succeed. You will find that most recipes in

the manual will yield enough meals to feed a few people or be stored for a few

days, or even frozen, for later enjoyment!

Plan your trips and outings in advance, and NEVER allow yourself to feel

pressured to eat anything but what you know is good for you, just because you

might be out with a few friends who do not understand what you are doing.

True friends should support your decision in pursuing better health.

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Homework Make sure to watch both of the linked videos from this post:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYTf0z_zVs0&feature=share and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VWi6dXCT7I&feature=share

Read the Caffeine Article!

To Caffeine or Not to Caffeine

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Week 2

Eating Under Influence "Don't drink and drive!" it is said. Well, the same goes for eating and drinking…

and I don't mean just alcohol—I am talking about water. Unless you are eating

dry food that needs moisturizing (that is why we are consuming most of our diet

raw), put the glass of water down—let your saliva do its job! Digestion BEGINS IN

THE MOUTH! Don't be so hasty to wash down your foods. Let the mix in with your

bodily fluid which was given to us for that purpose!

Green Smoothie Cleanse

Not Losing Weight?

If you are doing Boot Camp to help yourself lose weight, there are a few things

to consider. Frist, remember, we are going by: health improvement first, pant size

second, and scales last. If you are exercising, you might lose a couple of

pounds of fat, but also gain muscle weight, so, while you lose inches, it might

seem that your weight did not budge. Do not make the scales your success

marker.

There are other valid reasons due to which some do not lose weight as hoped,

which you might consider:

1. Eating too much nuts

2. Not consuming enough greens/green smoothies

3. Eating too much cooked foods

4. Not enough exercise

5. Pre-existing health conditions which take time to heal

6. Being on medication, such as birth control, that causes weight

gain/retention

7. Too much stress in your life

8. Not eating nutrients that make up for stress: B-vitamin rich foods, foods rich

in minerals and not taking B12

So, when you have a moment, analyze what might be missing and it might

make more sense to you.

Boosting it Up

While doing your analysis, consider doing a 1-3 day green smoothie cleanse, or

going 2-7 days of all raw foods, it might help you give your body the needed

jumpstart to reach a new weight-loss phase.

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Loving Exercising I know that not everyone does. I was not always the fitness fan that I am now.

What I found to be key to actually LOVING working out is finding something that

you can love doing. Although, in the beginning, I worked out to stay fit, doing

cardio and weights, when I was introduced to Power Yoga all things changed

for me. It motivated me and eventually I fell in love with High Intensity style

workouts as well. So, find something that you will love: running, hiking, weight

lifting, dancing, etc., then find something that will motivate you to stay healthy

and fit (health, family, travel, looking hot ;), etc.) and stick with it.

Losing and Keeping Weight Off If you stick with 100% of the Boot Camp plan you will probably experience some

or substantial weight loss. To keep it off, or to keep losing it, all you have to do is

keep at it—stick with the plan. Even when the 30 days are over, all you have to

do is keep eating/living the same way—high raw, whole foods, unprocessed

diet and exercise. If you stick with it, you won’t have to worry about regaining

the weight, but you also have to consider other factors, discussed earlier.

Fat Cells Don’t Melt Away You will be working really hard these 30 days taking care of your health and

reducing your waistline. Remember that when you lose weight the fat cells do

not disappear. They are there to stay, unless you get a liposuction. That is why it

is so much easier to regain weight if you come off a diet or "treat" yourself to a

forbidden food, than it is gaining it in the first place. Once you get them, those

suckers are there to stay! And once they have been created it takes no time for

them to re-inflate, so a lifetime of dietary excellence is needed to keep up with

a thinner waistline, which is much easier to achieve on a whole foods, plant

based diet than with yo-yo SAD dieting. Don't believe me? Just Google Oprah's

weigh loss/gain roller coaster and you will get what I am talking about.

So, let’s slenderize your fat cells and keep them that way!

Not Feeling Hungry Most of you will NOT experience this phenomenon during the first month of the

plan, since most of you come from more of mainstream diets. Normally, during

the first few weeks following switching to a nutrient dense diet, your bodies will

do the opposite, because they are so starved for real nutrition--they will keep

begging for nutrient rich foods, so they can replenish their depleted storages. A

time will come, however, when the constant hunger seasons will subside, if you

keep up with this nutrient dense diet, and you won't always feel ravenously

famished.

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There might be times, however, especially if your body is hard at work trying to

heal something internally, such as cold or flu, that it will force you to fast for

periods of time, which is ok. You just have to make sure to keep your food

intake light, liquid and stay hydrated.

Juicing vs. Blending "Which one is better, juicing or blending?" I am asked. Hands down—

blending. When you drink a green smoothie you are drinking not only vitamins

and minerals, but also consuming fiber which is responsible for sweeping your

insides clean and helping to expel toxins out of your system. Juicing, as great as

it might be in appropriate situations, oxidizes food (juices) immediately--you

have to consume juices you make the moment you make them, because

nutrients become useless once oxidized. With blending, instead of happening in

minutes, oxidation process is slowed down by hours, that is why you can pre-

make your green smoothies, but not your juices.

There are uses for juicing, however--one is to get more nutrients in, in a shorter

period of time, especially useful to those fighting terminal diseases, such as

cancer. People in such conditions have starved their bodies of nutrients,

vitamins and minerals, and in order to successfully beat their disease need to

replenish their storage in the shortest period of time possible.

Juice fasts, although they sound fabulous, cannot be sustained for long periods

of time, and certainly not on a small budget—they require a LOT of financial

commitment and a lot of time—you have to be able to juice almost non-stop. I

personally find green smoothie cleanses more efficient and practical.

Adding vegetable and green juices to your diet is a great idea; however, it is a

better idea to be adding them to an already effective plant based diet for

maximum results.

Co-Ops–Saving Money! If you have not looked around your local area to find a co-op yet, you should

do it. It is a sure way to save money, especially on healthy bulk

purchases. There is also an on-line co-op (you would have to pay for shipping

charges) that is worth checking out, especially for organic nuts, seeds, dates,

etc. Go to www.azurestandard.com--one of my favorite places to shop. If you

live anywhere near one of their delivery routes (like OR, WA, and a couple of

other states) you can get your food orders delivered to you for FREE! They also

offer great deals on personal care products. Also check out Bountiful Baskets.

Homework Look for a co-op, a CSA, and other ways to save money while eating healthy.

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Week 3

Truth about Slow Metabolism Contrary to the popular belief our metabolism does not slow down because we

get older. What happens is that we abuse our bodies and the “parts” wear out,

so they cannot function as efficiently as they should (think about cars and oil

changes/maintenance). A whole foods plant based diet provides ongoing

maintenance, so that your body parts keep rejuvenating, and your metabolism

never has to slow down. While it is partially true that you can eat more when

you are younger, what we fail to realize is that when we are younger, even in

our 20s, our body and brain is still developing, so we need more calories. The

brain actually is known to reach its maturity age by the time we are 25! (so, it is

still developing until then). Once our full development is complete, we might

require fewer calories, especially based on our activity level.

If you want your metabolism to work the way it did when you were young,

simply eat clean, smaller size frequent meals, and add exercise to your weekly

routine.

Emotional Eating I know it is painful for some of you, but let's admit it, instead of dealing with the

pain of your emotions you go to food to "feel better". Some even think that

since you are eating healthy now, it must be ok. Not so, my friend! Emotional

issues need to be dealt with… EMOTIONALLY! If you are hurt, upset, angry, or

sad--STAY AWAY FROM EATING! Go journal, workout, call a friend/spouse,

punch something that is not breakable, breathe, but do NOT go to the food!

You should never eat while upset. First, you will always avoid the actual issue,

making the issue and the pain that comes with it even worse; secondly, when

you are upset/stressed, your body becomes slightly acidic. To deal with acid

your body creates fat cells. That is why getting over something QUICKLY is best

for your health and your waist line. But imagine if you add food to the

equation—now your body is working overtime and storing those foods in your fat

cells too. I will bet that you don't reach for a green smoothie when you "coping"

this way either--you probably reach for sweets or other "comfort" foods, making

all things that much worse. Stop the insanity! ;)

Please read a recently published article on how to deal with emotional eating:

Ten Ways to Conquer Emotional Eating.

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Hydration Woes Staying hydrated is very important. Since we are about 70% water, we need

water to keep going. Some of the symptoms of dehydration are:

Weakness

Headaches

Head rush

Fatigue, etc.

While the general rule (in the US) is that we should drink half of our body weight

in ounces is a good idea for most, you will find that now, since you will consume

a lot of water in green smoothies and through your raw foods (which are full of

water), your thirst levels might go down, and that is fine. But make sure not to

stay under-hydrated to avoid unpleasant symptoms.

Stay hydrated, be mindful of your water needs, and ask questions if not sure

what to do.

If you are exercising and look to replenish electrolytes while working out, a

simple way is to add a tiny dash of sea salt to your water, or try products like

VEGA (I have no vested interest in promoting this product, and I do not find the

need to use it myself, but those who are interested in such products might

benefit from it).

Hormones! Some Boot Campers undertake this adventure because of hormonal issues, and

all of them want to know what to do to speed up the healing process, especially

if they are experiencing irregular periods, have hormone imbalance or are just

coming off birth control. There are a few things you can do to speed up the

process of healing.

First, stick to the BC way of eating!

Include as many green smoothies as you can, so at least 2 or more a day

Include maca root powder and sea weeds into at least one green

smoothie a day (shoot for about 1 tsp—1 tbsp of maca, 1 tbsp dulse

flakes, or about 1 tsp kelp)

You will be adding flax, hemp and or/chia seeds to your smoothies at

least once a day. You need only about 2 tbsp of flax a day.

Get some Brazil nuts--have about 2-3/day this month--they are rich in

selenium, which supports thyroid health. Brazil nuts are the most highly

concentrated source of selenium. In fact, scientists have shown that a

daily Brazil nut is a better source of the mineral than taking a supplement.

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Add some sunflower/pumpkin seeds to your weekly food intake--pumpkin

seeds are rich in manganese which also supports thyroid health

Some people with hormone issues are gluten sensitive or allergic to it

altogether. They should exclude all wheat products as much as you can.

Gluten has been found to be linked to certain thyroid issues in some

people.

Avoid ALL dairy (animal) products.

Most of your diet (about 70%) should be raw, with only 1-1.5 meals

cooked.

Check into doing the B12 supplementation, as B12 is essential to hormone

health (make sure to recheck the Appendix in your Manual for more info).

If you can, use magnesium oil for a month (info below) and then you can

cut down on it, once you get your levels up.

No microwaving or using non-stick surfaces.

Avoid chlorine and fluoride.

Avoid plastic containers and bottles (I use glass), especially with warm/hot

foods.

Using Magnesium Magnesium is a very important mineral to our bodies. It is involved in our thyroid

health, thus in the health of our entire body. Accidentally, a couple of years

ago, while trying to address my pituitary gland issues, while also experiencing

night sweats, I ordered magnesium oil spray, and in a few short days of using it,

my sleep improved and night sweats went away. I used it faithfully for 30 days,

then transferring to occasional use, while including more magnesium rich foods

into my diet as well.

I prefer magnesium oil, to use topically, since skin is the largest organ on our

bodies, and it is directly connected to our blood stream, thus making better use

of supplementing, delivering magnesium into our system in a matter of

minutes. This is the brand I personally chose to use: Ancient Minerals. There are

other products on the market, but I personally tried only this one.

Just FYI—spraying oil on your skin might sting. Make sure not to spray it over

broken/freshly shaven areas. If stinging is too much, you can spray it on the

bottom of your feet, where skin is thicker and less sensitive.

Magnesium is also used by athletes to relive muscle soreness/aches.

Chemical Free Personal Care Products Your skin is the largest body organ and it is directly connected to your blood

stream. Whatever you put on your skin ends up in your blood stream in a matter

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of moments, so be very careful about what goes ON you, as much as what goes

IN you.

I found that I have control over the following hormone disruptors in my

household (all links lead to resources and explanation as to why you should

follow certain suggestions):

1. Bottle Water and Plastics–plastics mimic estrogen. Any foods stored in

plastic will be contaminated with chemicals leached from it. I use no

plastic storage containers, save some plastic bags for household items,

but NEVER for anything that touches our food. I do use some plastic bags,

but only with WHOLE (uncut, uncooked) produce, like greens, and only

frozen!

2. Dump your microwave! If you microwave your foods, you are killing

nutrients and minerals in your foods. If you are microwaving in plastics,

you are doing yourself double-harm. Our goal is to keep as many

nutrients in our foods as possible, so you can heal.

3. Say no to nonstick! Nonstick surfaces are full of hormone disruptors.

4. Chemical personal care products: most personal care items you find–

lotions, body wash, shampoos, hair spray, etc., are full of hormone

disruptors. Avoid them like plague!

I use coconut oil as my makeup remover/moisturizer;

for body wash I use Dr. Bronner’s organic soap, which can

be diluted into hand and surface wash as well;

I use organic shampoo, and no other hair products;

for perfume I use essential oils, and found this one to be a good

option too, although I do not use it as often as essential oils (by the

way, if you did not know, the chemicals found in

perfumes/colognes have shown to cause infertility in boys!

for makeup I use Bare Minerals

I now make my own deodorant, and you can too.

For more how to’s on this topic go to my YouTube Channel and watch

videos on the topic.

5. Household cleaning items: again, most are chemically laden. I do not use

conventional detergents for dishes, clothes, or cleaning solutions. Click

through the links to see what I do use.

6. Fluoride and Chloride–both are known hormone disruptors and damage

your thyroid function and health. I use only fluoride free toothpaste and

filter my water (I use glass water bottles only!)

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Is Eating Soy Products Dangerous? In one word—no, not organic, unprocessed soy products. There is a myth going

around that soy affects our hormone production, but let me put your mind at

rest--the phyto estrogen found in soy is nothing like our estrogen, so it cannot

affect out estrogen production. Problems occur when soy is abused. Production

of soy drastically changed and most, which is sold now, or added to about

every food that is sold, is genetically modified or engineered, not to mention

that chemicals are used in growing it. So, with such abuse a lot of people

develop soy allergies. In such cases these persons SHOULD stay away from soy.

With that said, there is NO scientific evidence I could find that would

substantiate the claims of soy being bad for us. There are studies, however,

which span over about 20+ yrs, which show that soy is beneficial to our health

and prevents certain diseases. It does not mean that you need soy in your diet,

or should consume it, but simply that if you do, it will not be harmful to you--in its

original organic state. So, if you do choose some products with soy, make sure

they are organic, make sure that they are as close to their original state as

possible, and simply do not overdo on it—there are other plant foods to be

enjoyed.

There are also false claims, at least in my opinion, that soy affects thyroid

function. I consumed soy products throughout my healing journey from

hypothyroidism and never had an issue with it. However, I have to admit that I

am not a fan of tofu, so I have it very rarely. The only soy that I end up having it

found in vegan mayo (still my occasional mis-“treat” ); I consume these

products in small portions, as condiments, so I have no reason to ever be

concerned.

Wheat (Gluten) Products If you noticed, during this month we are trying to consume LESS wheat products

altogether, so make sure not to get stuck on eating noodles and bread. Wheat

products are calorie packed, when over consumed, and, in addition, some of

you might be gluten sensitive/allergic without even knowing it. This month is a

great opportunity for you to see what you might be sensitive to and to unload

some burdens off your digestive system. While about one in five people are

gluten sensitive, the rest, who are not, can safely consume organic wheat

products, in rotation with other foods.

Sprouting Don't forget about the benefits of sprouts you read about in the guide--sprouting

is easy and all of you should try it at least once this month ;). Here is a link to my

video on how to do it for next to nothing.

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Homework! Watch this video:

Uprooting the Leading Causes of Death

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Week 4

Imitation Animal Foods Fakin' Bacon, Chicken Nuggets, Veggie Burgers, etc.--in one word, stay away

from them! They are loaded with processed TRASH! Make your own veggie

burgers at home (you have a recipe in your manuals), or do without. If the "real"

stuff is so bad for us why try to imitate it so hard? Why not do better?

I know there are some recipes with vegan mayo and vegan sour cream in the

manual, but they are very few, and only provided as transition foods for newbies

and their families. Vegan options of imitation foods, although superior to their

animal counterparts, are still not 100% optimal for our health because of

processing and certain ingredients. I kept both in some of the recipes, so that

you have some sense of familiarity when transitioning. In a perfect world we

should not be using them, although I have to admittedly say that I still

occasionally use vegan mayo in recipes like the Potato Salad, but I ALWAYS

load up on extra greens those days, and use only the MINIMUM amounts… for

my taste buds sake ;), but never because it is "good" for me, because it isn't.

(There, see, now you know I am not perfect ;). I also occasionally use vegan

cheese when making pizza.

Fermented Foods Good bacteria is essential to our gut flora and health, and should be

encouraged, but not excessively. Many cultures, such as Russian, Chinese, etc.,

for centuries supplemented their diets with fermented foods: cabbage, kimchi,

kombucha, etc. I still occasionally include those in my diet, making them in the

comfort of my home. You can learn how you can make your own fermented

vegetables by visiting these posts

http://www.vega-licious.com/vegan-recipes/benefits-of-fermented-

food-and-how-to-make-your-own-raw-fermented-food/

http://www.vega-licious.com/vegan-recipes/how-to-make-raw-

fermented-vegetables-at-home/ (there is a video in this post)

You can also read the posts on water kefir and kombucha:

http://www.vega-licious.com/vegan-recipes/kombucha-tea/

http://www.vega-licious.com/vegan-recipes/raw-vegan-week-

challenge-day-2-water-kefir-and-how-to-make-it/

To put your mind at rest, so you don't feel that you HAVE to eat these foods—

you do not. I only eat them occasionally and am not worse off because of

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it. If/when you do eat fermented vegetables, make sure to wash out excess salt,

which is used as a preservative in the fermenting process.

About Vitamin D The best source of Vit D is sun exposure. Even if you live in the Northwest, if you

get out often enough in the Spring/Summer months, you should store enough Vit

D to last you until the year after. I personally do NOT use sunblock and could not

suggest doing so for anyone. If you are out in the sun when the sun is gentle

(early morning or evening hours, NOT high noon hours), your diet should be what

is protecting you, not a chemically laden cream. Eating a diet full of

antioxidants and protective agents (think plants: greens, berries, fruit) should

help your body protect itself as needed. If you are going to be out in the sun for

longer than usual periods, simply wearing a hat and long sleeved white clothes

should help you shield yourself from sunburn and overexposure. If you look into

it, most people who end up with skin cancers/issues, are the ones eating

mainstream American (SAD) diet.

On the other end of spectrum there are those who think that they might not be

getting enough exposure, so some suggest supplementing. I personally have

not found a truly VEGAN D3 yet, although there are a couple that claim to

be. One of them (namely Garden of Life brand), I was very excited about, but

then found that their original product did come from an animal source.

Some studies have shown that Vit D2 is as effective as Vit D3, so lot of vegans

take D2, which is then converted by the body into a usable form. I have heard

about this brand (they have different strengths)as a viable option.

I personally lay out in the sun during warm sunny days getting my D on!

There is a concern with D3 that if you take too much you can become toxic, so

recommendations will vary from one person to another by a specialist. I have

not heard of similar concerns with D2, but it is something worth exploring.

Another problem with people experiencing D deficiency, even though they

might be out in the sun, is that they do not allow the vitamin soak in through their

skin, and wash it off too soon. We need to allow several hours for the process to

happen, before hopping into the shower, or, in the least, do not soap wash all

parts of our body immediately after sun exposure.

Tandi, a Boot Camp graduate, had written a great article on the topic. Take a

few minutes to read it.

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Meanwhile, let me share an professional opinion of our local vegan ND

superstar, as taken from her web-site (Dr. Pam Popper--she is a mover and

shaker in the Nutrition and Plant Based Nutrition worlds--changed a lot of

nutrition related legislation around the country). I agree with her opinion on this

topic:

"Vitamin D

Many health care practitioners have determined that almost everyone is

suffering from a Vitamin D deficiency and that almost everyone is a candidate

for Vitamin D supplementation. Although I will concede that most people

probably are Vitamin-D deficient, I disagree with the recommendation to

supplement with it, and present here a contrary viewpoint.

Although some Vitamin D comes from food, the vast majority of it should come

from exposure to sunlight. The body makes vitamin D from a precursor located in

our skin. In fact, the body's manufacturing of Vitamin D in response to sunlight

has led many to classify it as a hormone rather than as a vitamin.

Vitamin D made by the skin travels to the liver, where it is converted by an

enzyme to a Vitamin D metabolite, which is the storage form of Vitamin D. When

Vitamin D is needed, some of its storage form travels to the kidney, where

another enzyme converts it to a more powerful metabolite called 1,25 D.

Parathyroid hormone induces the production of the kidney enzyme needed to

convert to 1,25 D when more is needed. Enzyme production is reduced when

levels are adequate.

However, the conversion of the storage form of Vitamin D and subsequent 1,25

D levels are influenced by many factors. The consumption of animal protein

causes a significant drop in 1,25 D levels by creating an acidic environment that

blocks the kidney enzyme that assists in producing it. Animal protein increases

the production of insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1), which increases cancer cell

growth. When 1,25 D levels are reduced, IGF-1 activity is increased. These factors

create an environment in which cancer cells can replicate quickly.

Calcium levels also affect the activity of 1,25 D. When blood calcium levels rise,

the activity of 1,25 D is reduced. Calcium also adversely affects the activity of

the kidney enzyme needed to produce 1,25 D.

In other words, both 1,25 D levels and activity are reduced by the over-

consumption of animal protein and calcium, which means that people

consuming some version of the Standard American Diet should expect to have

lower levels of 1,25 D.

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It is common for health care practitioners, to deal with health issues at the

symptom level. Prescribing drugs to reduce pain from inflammation and

supplements to remedy nutrient deficiencies are examples. But there is almost

always a better alternative, which is to address the issue at its root, which is diet

and lifestyle. In the case of Vitamin D, exposure to sunlight and conversion to a

program of dietary excellence are far better options than supplementation with

Vitamin D.

How much sun exposure is needed? It is important to get some sun exposure

every day possible without the use of sunscreen. Start early in the season with

exposure for short periods of time, and you can stay out as long as the skin does

not burn. If you need to be in the sun longer than your skin will tolerate, wear

loose protective clothing and hats. Your body will store Vitamin D for use during

the winter months.

A Vitamin D deficiency should be a warning sign - like carrying extra weight,

poor complexion and constipation - that diet and lifestyle change are needed.

The same habits that lead to Vitamin D deficiency lead to cancer, heart

disease, and other degenerative conditions. Positive change in these areas will

almost always correct the deficiency while reducing the risk of common

diseases." (http://www.wellnessforum.com/NewsStand/)

HERE IS ANOTHER ONE OF HER THOUGHTS:

Misinterpreting Data

The American Academy of Pediatrics issued guidelines in 2003 recommending

that infants be given 200 IU of Vitamin D daily in the form of drops. The AAP

claims that breast milk is deficient in Vitamin D and that most infants are

deficient, particularly those that are exclusively breast fed.

First, it is important to remember when considering any recommendations from

the AAP that this is the same group that recently recommended that children

be screened for elevated cholesterol levels and advised that children as young

as 8 be given statin drugs in order to address the problem. I personally do not

consider this group to be the best source of information on many issues

concerning childhood health.

Nonetheless, studies are showing that infants and children are Vitamin D

deficient. Dr. Catherine Gordon is director of the bone health program at

Children's Hospital Boston. She conducted a study measuring Vitamin D levels in

365 mostly African American and Latino infants and toddlers and found that 40%

of the children had low levels, and 12% were deficient. Gordon and her

27

colleagues concluded that breast feeding without supplementation was a

significant risk factor for Vitamin D deficiency. The study was published in the

Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine in June 2008.

The reason why breast milk is deficient in Vitamin D is that breast-feeding women

(and most people in general) have been taught to stay out of the sun, and sun

exposure is the best way to promote Vitamin D production. Additionally, the

poor diets of most people, including breast feeding moms, inhibit the conversion

of the storage form of Vitamin D to its useable form, which also results in

deficiencies.

The breast milk of most nursing moms is deficient in many nutrients, because the

diets and lifestyle of most of these moms are terrible. Instead of recommending

supplementation with Vitamin D drops and other isolated nutrient pills, the AAP

should be recommending a program of dietary excellence that starts long

before conception and continues through gestation, nursing and throughout

the child's life."

Homework Read Is Cleanliness Next to Health? | What You Need to Know About Vitamin D.

28

LIFE AFTER BOOT CAMP If you made it this far, congratulations! You have completed your journey… but

do not let it stop there. You can repeat the Boot Camp plan over and over and

over, until the end of times. The longer you do it, the more your body is going to

heal itself. Keep up with your diet and exercises and keep improving!

Report Your Success (Survey) I cannot wait to hear about your successes and struggles. Please share them

with me by taking this 2 minute survey. Thank you!

Future plans & Staying Motivated While some, like myself, are human self-motivating machines—a thought of long,

healthy lifestyle is a motivation enough for me to eat right and exercise; others

need outside motivation, encouragement in accountability. It can be anything

or anyone who will keep you going—our online group, your friends, spouse, or a

Vision Board—anything that will keep your goal in front of you.

Re-Enroll for a Month

It can also be another month with me and other boot campers—you can re-

enroll for another 30 days for only fraction of the original cost (please enquire

when ready).

Annual Membership

You can also consider Annual Membership to Vegalicious Boot Camp. Since

you already made the initial investment, you will receive a partial credit toward

the annual fee. For the year 2013 annual membership is $250, but you can re-

enroll for $200 by clicking on this link.

Benefits of Annual Membership

One Free Boot Camp Manual upgrade per year (if there is one)

One or all Twelve months of Boot Camp participation (so, if you wanted to

do the Boot Camp for a month with me, then try things on your own, and

then come back, now you can! Or you can come back every other

month, during the year, or whatever might fit your needs!)

Access to all recorded Boot Camp calls

Access to life calls, if you are participating in an ACTIVE Boot Camp (that

means you are actually reporting in)

Review of your food journals at any time (this means that if you need to

keep track of things for a week to make sure you are on track while you

are doing a non-reporting boot camp (on your own), after completing

the first month of Boot Camp, you can shoot it out to me for review and

feedback)

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Even if the cost of the Boot Camp goes up, and it most likely will, you are

guaranteed not to incur any further cost for it, during the time of your

membership

Lifetime access to the Facebook Boot Camp group (as in lifetime of the

program, of course )

AND… 30% off any Vegalicious ebook, current or future, during the time of

your membership (discount cannot be combined with other promotions!)

Wishing you success and health!