The Clean Revolution with Dr Alejandro Junger

Have you heard of the ‘clean’ revolution? ‘Clean’ eating? Or how about ‘clean’ living? For those new-bees to the ‘clean’ world – no it doesn’t mean living without making a mess or scrubbing your house from top to toe with powerful disinfectants.
The ‘clean’ revolution is all about stepping away from refined and processed foods, saying no to chemicals and embracing all things natural and wholesome. Living clean is said to help manage diseases, avoid developing diseases in the first place, lose weight, remove toxins, and just feel better. ‘Clean’ living is all about creating a healthy, toxic-free environment with real food, real health, and real beauty.  Clean eating isn’t about cutting out food groups, dieting or restricting your lifestyle, but rather it focuses on embracing whole healthy foods and letting go of the not-so-healthy options. Sound like a bit of a sweeping statement? Why not check out The Clean Program or the fabulous Clean Eats book, both have been designed by a cardiologist and cleanse specialist Alejandro Junger M.D. which guides you through living ‘clean’ and provides you with hundreds of amazing ‘clean’ recipes.

5 minutes with the ‘clean’ master Dr. Alejandro Junger….

Setting up your kitchen and living space with the right foods and tools can transform your health and your life. These are my tips for promoting better eating habits and a clean lifestyle.

My top 5 tips to a clean lifestyle:

1. Place fruits and veggies where they can be seen. Studies have shown that keeping your fruits and veggies on the counter or easily accessible in the fridge increases how much and how often they are eaten. Given that we get the majority of our antioxidants and phytonutrients from these plant foods, this little life change can produce big results.
2. Use your blender. My favorite blender is the Vitamix Blender. You can give your digestive system a rest by using a blender to make a nutrient-dense shake for breakfast. Shakes are a great way to get in healthy fats, protein, vitamins, minerals, and water in one easy to digest meal. I like to add a handful of greens, berries, almond milk, and avocado to my shakes.
3. Cook More. New research has shown two important ideas about how we eat. Our food choices become less healthy throughout the day and that eating out significantly decreases the quality of our diet. A simple response to both of these is to cook more clean food. It’s not necessary to cook every meal at home to improve your health. Even a few meals a week cooked at home can support a clean lifestyle, especially if they are at dinner time.
4. Make clean eating work for you. Elaborate recipes are great for special occasions, but they are not ideal for someone who is busy and not as experienced in the kitchen. Clean eating doesn’t have to be hard. You just need three or four go-to-meals that you can recreate daily. Make your gluten-free grains in bulk so that you can add them to meals throughout the week. Dressings are easy to make in big batches as well. My kids and I make simple and fun meals out of a few ingredients. Our favorite is the “Avocumber Roll” which I’ve included in my new book Clean Eats. They are sushi-like rolls made out of a hollowed-out cucumber and avocado. Cut them into sushi pieces and dress them in salt, lemon, Braggs aminos, and any other spices.
5. There is power in the community. Spending time with your friends and family can make you happier and healthier. When you cook with your loved ones, you save money and make healthier choices. My family and I cook our meals together. I even get my kids involved. Turn the electronics off and indulge in the people around you.

For more information on ‘clean’ living or for some delicious ‘clean’ recipes check out the New York bestseller Clean Eats. This book is loaded with Dr. Junger and Chef Frank Giglio recipes as well as some clean contributions from Gwyneth Paltrow, Oprah, Dr. Oz, Kris Carr, and Cameron Diaz – just to name a few. The best bit is – all of the proceeds from the book go to two youth-focused charities – Health Corp and Vitamin Angels – now that’s what I call a ‘clean’ conscience.
Here’s a recipe from the Clean Eats book that will surely get your mouth watering!

Mediterranean Rice Noodles

Ingredients:

1 packet King Sabo rice noodles
2 – 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ pound fresh green beans
10 halved cherry tomatoes
¼ cup pitted olives
8 – 10 fresh basil leaves, torn
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1)    Cook the rice noodles according to the directions on the packet, then run them under cold water and drain them well.
2)    In a medium bowl, toss the noodles with olive oil.
3)    Bring 4 cups of salted water to the boil. Have a bowl of ice water ready nearby. Blanch the green beans in the boiling water until they are tender, around 2 minutes, then remove them from the hot water and immediately submerge them in the ice water to stop the cooking. Drain them, and cut each bean into thirds.
4)    Stir the beans, tomatoes, olives, basil, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper into the bowl of noodles. Adjust the seasoning to taste and serve.