Lemon Water

If you can only make time for one ritual in the morning that will improve your health, let it be this.....
Start the day out with a mug of warm (not hot) water and the juice of half a lemon.

It's so simple and the benefits are just too good to ignore. Warm water with lemon:
1. Boosts your immune system
Lemons are high in Vitamin C and potassium. Vitamin C is great for fighting colds and potassium stimulates brain and nerve function and helps control blood pressure.
2. Balances pH
Lemons are an incredibly alkaline food, believe it or not. Yes, they are acidic on their own, but inside our bodies they're alkaline and an alkaline body is really the key to good health.
3. Helps with weight loss
Lemons are high in pectin fiber, which helps fight hunger cravings. It also has been shown that people who maintain a more alkaline diet lose weight faster. I have found that if I start the day off right, it's easier to make the best choices for myself the rest of the day.
4. Aids digestion
The warm water serves to stimulate the gastrointestinal tract and peristalsis—the waves of muscle contractions within the intestinal walls that keep things moving (maybe your first cup should be first thing in the AM;). Lemons and limes are also high in minerals and vitamins and help loosen toxins in the digestive tract.
5. Acts as a gentle, natural diuretic
Lemon juice helps flush out unwanted materials because lemons increase the rate of urination in the body. Toxins are released at a faster rate which helps keep your urinary tract healthy.
6. Clears skin
The vitamin C helps decrease wrinkles and blemishes. Lemon water purges toxins from the blood which helps keep skin clear as well. Did you hear me ladies.....decreases wrinkles!
7. Hydrates the lymph system
This cup of goodness helps start the day on a hydrated note.  When your body is dehydrated it can't perform all of it's proper functions, which leads to toxic buildup, stress, constipation, and the list goes on.

Adopting just this one practice of drinking a cup of warm water with lemon in the morning for a month can radically alter your experience of the day. Don't be surprised if you begin to view mornings in a new light. It's the simple things that count.

Chocolate Fix

I have a new chocolate love, and we all know you can never have too much chocolate.....Almond Butter Chocolate Fudge. 

I altered a recipe I got off of www.detoxinista.com. She has other great recipes too.

This is a chocolate candy that I would actually recommend that you eat a piece or two a day. It has the healthy fats of coconut oil and almonds; the cacao powder is filled with antioxidants; it is sweetened with nutrient-rich maple syrup; and it satisfies that chocolate need that some of us have. So enjoy, guilt free!

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw almond butter (or nut butter of choice)

• ⅓ cup coconut oil - melted

• ¼ cup cacao powder

• ¼ cup pure maple syrup

• ½ teaspoon fine Himalayan or sea salt

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, mix together the nut butter and coconut oil until smooth. (This works best in a  food processor.)

2. Add in the cacao powder, maple syrup, salt and vanilla, and stir until smooth and creamy.

3. Transfer the mixture to a small rectangle dish, lined with plastic wrap for easy removal, and smooth the top with a spatula. (you can also use a small muffin pan with liners to make individual candies.)

4. Place the dish in the freezer, and allow the fudge to set for at least an hour before slicing and serving. Thanks to the coconut oil, this raw fudge will melt quickly if left to sit in a warm room, so it's best served directly from the freezer.

5. Store the leftovers in a sealed container in the freezer. (As far as I know, it will last indefinitely in the freezer-- but mine never lasts too long!)

Notes:

You could easily double this recipe to fill an 8" x 8" pan, if you'd prefer.

If you have nut allergies you can make it with a seed butter like sunflower seeds.

I have found that I like making my own almond butter by roasting 3 cups almonds in a 350F (175C) degree oven for 15 minutes. While still hot, place in food processor. Blend until crumbled, scrap sides and blend more. You will need to blend and scrap for about 10 minutes. Suddenly it will clump, then liquify. Really cool how it does that. But be patient and let it get really smooth or your fudge will be gritty (which isn't a bad taste either). Place almond butter in a jar and store in refrigerator - ready to make more fudge when needed!