Q: For the Community Q & A:

Ana,

I hope you can answer this and hopefully others will benefit too.

I have been wondering a long while what my approach should be towards pain relief medications. For example whilst these substances are obviously not ideal, for someone who is not yet optimally “clean”, what happens if I get a bad flu with very strong headaches? Or as what has just happened, an infection sets in after dental surgery. The pain was simply not bearable and I found myself running for pain relief.
What are the alternatives? Are pain relief medications an absolute no-no? Are some less destructive than others? I understand that if my system was stronger, I would not get the flu or an infection after dental treatment. However, I am not “there” yet and I have to concern myself with the body that I have now which does get into trouble every so often.

Another issue is that of antibiotics. Whilst this dental infection may be the first time in a few years that I have been prescribed antibiotics, (In the past when I got sick the dr was my first port of call and he would give me what he knew to work…) I wonder if there is an alternative. If I clearly have an infection how long would you recommend I wait to see if my body will sort it out or if antibiotics are necessary?

Very gratefully,

Gittele

A: Hi Gittele,

Thank you for your email, these are wonderful questions. I would like to address pharmaceuticals as a general category. As always, this is not meant to replace the advice of your Doctor, I am not a physician.

Here is what we know: medications are toxic and extremely harmful to the equilibrium of the body and the planet. We also know that a clean body that has been effectively detoxing for some time will be able to beautifully regulate all systems and functions of the body.

The reality is that there are circumstances and illnesses where medication may play a role. All I ask of myself and my clients is that drugs be approached with the highest intelligence and discretion. I am often shocked to talk to people who don’t know the full name of their prescription, nor their prescribed dosage. Please proceed wisely:

1. Do not leave you Doctor’s office without getting all of your questions answered. Take careful notes, and do not allow yourself to be bulldozed or brow-beaten. Make sure you fully understand what he or she is recommending and why.

2. Do your research. You should know the generic name of the prescription, all possible side effects and complications, what it has been prescribed for in the past (many medications are used to treat multiple issues) and your exact dosage. You should know exactly what you are getting into and take responsibility for being fully informed.

3. Figure out where your body is on the transitional “bridge”. How long have you been aggressively detoxing? This will tell you your body’s ability to regulate itself. A highly alkaline system can fight infection better than an acidic system, and a long-time mostly raw and juice-filled lifestyle allows you to handle deeply emotional situations with more strength and intuition.

4. Gauge you level of discomfort. If you can easily bear it while you give your system a chance to do its work, you may not decide to interfere. If you are in constant pain that makes life unbearable you may decide to try medication.

5. Exhaust all other options. Have you tried acupuncture, therapy, physical therapy, rolfing, and guided meditation? Medication does not have to be a first resort. The internet is a great resource for finding others who have been in similar situations and tried other recourse.
6. Make sure you understand the length of time you are dealing with. Is this a long-term chronic pain, or something quick and commonly treated? The longer the medication is taken, the more it accumulates in the system.

7. Do not make any snap decisions. I often have clients meet with me for the first time and decide to go right off their anti-depressants. This could be a devastating decision. Slow and gradual moves, with a doctor’s guidance, are the way to go. We detox slowly and safely, making friends with where we are on the transitional bridge each step of the way.

8. Boosting your alkalinity with additional green juice and taking high-quality probiotics will help your body to stay strong during a cycle of medication. Avoiding all starches and sweeteners other than stevia until all medication has left the system is also essential, so that additional yeast and fungal growth does not take place during the process.

I hope this helps you to make a very personal decision. I am heartened to have so many emails from detoxers who are gathering all the information they can before going forward. Please remember, there are no gold stars for pain and suffering, and no guilt for any choices that are well researched, and made with the highest good in mind.

Love,
Ana

Q: Hi Ana, I wondered if you have known anyone who has followed D4W and been able to have the fibroids reduce in size or be eliminated? Are there certain foods one should not be eating? I am committed to doing whatever it takes to improve health. Thanks for any advise you can provide. Emily

A: Hi Emily,

Thank you for your email.

The Detox4Women approach is the right one. Fibroids, and even cancerous tumors, are the body’s way of isolating toxins away from vital areas of the body. In the case of fibroids, the area being protected is the uterus. Because uterine fibroids are an indication of toxicity, deep cleansing is the best course of action.

Secondly, tumorous growths thrive in high-yeast and fungal environments, and on starches and sugars. Be very yeast-conscious in your approach to eating and cleansing. This is why the Detox4Women regime is the one which will work best.

I have several clients who have had great success in reducing the size of their fibroids, one of whom has recently informed me that they have all but gone. She and I have been working together for two years carefully keeping yeast-feeding starches and sugars out of her day, and making the focus of her diet vegetables, goat cheese, avocados, and cooked low-starch root vegetables and grains. You can have great success with this approach.

1. Keep the body’s alkalinity as high as possible with daily raw green vegetable juice and large raw green salads with every meal. The body needs this alkalinity to balance the acidity made apparent by the fibroid growths, and the chlorophyll and high-vibrations of the raw greens to keep you at your highest strength while you go through this process.

2. Omit all yeast-feeding starches and sugars. The only grains should be millet, quinoa, and buckwheat, which are low enough in starch that they will still work for occasional meal options. You can have yams, sweet potatoes, and squash, and use stevia for your only sweetener. The focus of your meals should be goat and sheep cheese, high-quality wild caught fish and free range eggs, and raw and cooked vegetables.

*I would recommend starting every day with juice,
*Then a raw avocado salad for lunch (with an optional baked sweet potato),
*And a big raw green salad with goat or sheep cheese for dinner. You can have an omelette or other egg dish or piece of fish with steamed vegetables for your dinner entree.

3. Make sure that as you are starving off yeast and fungal growth and hydrating and magnetizing acidic accumulation with raw green vegetable juices and salads you are removing the waste you have awakened. Find a good colon-hyrotherapist that you trust, and work closely with him or her to continually remove yeast die-off and old waste.

4. Stimulating the lymphatic drainage system to assist detoxification through dry brushing, rebounding, and infrared saunas will also help to speed the cleansing process.

5. Meditation, music, and hot baths are a must. Emotional health is a key element to your process. Your home and day should be as peaceful and loving as possible.

Please keep in mind that this information is not intended to be patient education, does not create any patient-physician relationship, and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment. Please consult your health care provider before making any health care decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. I know you will select healthcare providers who will support your goals and approach.

I hope this helps you. Please reach out again if you need additional support.

Love,
Ana

Q: Dear Natalia Rose Institute, How do I use bentonite clay? I have heard it is a detoxifyer, should I take it every day?

Thank you, Rebekah

A: The Tools of the Trade

We do not recommend the use of supplements. They address health in an allopathic way, where putting something in to a toxic system is an attempt to fix a problem. This lifestyle puts the focus on the removal of the obstruction that is the cause of the discomfort and disease. The following list of tools are all modalities to assist in the removal of toxic accumulation in the body.*

Bentonite Clay
Sonne’s Detoxificant No.7 is a pure bentonite clay that can be taken internally to help absorb a fatty toxic substance so that it can pass easily along instead of sticking in the tissue. It can also ease gastric distress caused by rancid substances (including those that have turned rancid because they have been trapped in the body at 98.6 degrees for too long).

It should not be taken therapeutically on a daily basis. It is bulky and could actually slow down movement in the system if taken with too much regularity.

Dosage: 1 tbspn with or following a meal

Good timing: Goat milk ice cream, or the occasional buttery sauce will lodge in the clay instead of the intestine and move through the body nicely. This is not a band aid or a repair of damage done, but more to use as a tool for the evenings of planned indulgence that keep us loving this life. Take 1 tablespoon right in the middle of the substance if possible, but afterward will work as well. For example, eat half of your serving, a tbspoon of clay, and then finish your portion.

Bentonite clay is also wonderful for children who are feeling poorly. Because of it’s absorbing properties it can often ease a toxin-ingestion stomach ache.

Aloe Vera
Herbal Answers Aloe is raw and 100% pure. It lubricates the intestinal tract and can soften very hard and caked-on tarry matter.

Dosage: 2-4oz (the cap is a perfect 2 oz measuring tool) each morning on an empty stomach for two weeks will help someone who is having hard and painful releases, or intense colonic treatments. It softens scabby baked-on matter. I like to recommend aloe for clients who have had heavy protein-based diets before cleansing, even if they were eating large amounts of nut-based dishes instead of meat. Think of aloe as a softener and lubricant to help the waste begin to mobilize.

Aloe vera topically straight from the plant (which is easy to grow at home or find in the wild in desert areas like Arizona and New Mexico) is a tried and true burn remedy, and also an herbal treatment for overexposure to the sun. Simply break off a spiny arm and use the clear gel that oozes out as a salve or balm on burn blisters, cracked lips, or on any part of the skin after a long day at the beach.

Castor Oil
Castor oil should not be ingested, but instead applied as a hot pack to the abdomen to help mobilize waste. It can aid the cleansing process by helping bowel movements and making colonics more effective.

Dosage: spread a light layer onto the abdomen and massage it into the skin while lying down. Next, cover the area with a cloth-wrapped hot water bottle and relax for 20 minutes. This method is very effective in the same circumstances as the aloe, performing even more of a lubricative task and helping the older hard matter to gently progress through the large intestine.

Good Timing: This is a nice way to relax before dinner on a cold winter night, in leu of a hot bath. It is also a wonderful remedy for children who are constipated or having hard and painful bowel movements.

CandiGone and Candex
These two herbal formulas help to kill off the Candida yeast that we attempt to diminish with a low starch and sugar approach to eating.

Dosage: Both Candex and CandiGone recommend a twice daily dosage, when in fact taking the whole day’s allotment at once is just as (if not more) effective.

Good Timing: Take these alone and on an empty stomach. Either in the morning or mid-afternoon several hours after lunch.

Oregano Oil
Pure oregano oil is what you want, and there are a lot of inexpensive mixes on the market. Pick the (pricier) glass dropper bottle with cold-pressed oil of oregano as its only ingredient.

Dosage: Two drops on or under the tongue on an empty stomach are an effective way to help irradiate yeast and fungal growth. You can also add a couple of drops to a salad, or a chilled soup (like gazpacho).

Good Timing: This can be taken in conjunction with Candex or CandiGone either first thing in the morning or mid-afternoon well after lunch.

Probiotics
Ascended Health products listed on the site are really special products that both Natalia and I have had great success with. They are able to pass through the stomach’s digestive juices and arrive safely to cultivate in the intestine. Dr Ohirra’s probiotic pearls are also wonderful.

Dosage: You can take the full recommended dosage at once, alone and on an empty stomach.

Good Timing: These work really well if taken several times a year until the bottle runs out. Alternating the two is a great move: first finish a full course of one, and then begin the other. This will cultivate healthy bacteria, which should begin to thrive in your fresh and clean colon.

Body Brush
Herba Prima, and several other companies as well, make wonderful natural bristle body brushes. Use them on dry skin, and first thing in the morning. Start with the feet and work upwards in small firm strokes towards the heart focusing on the lymphatic areas on the backs of the knees and front of the pelvis (bikini line/hip joint). Work towards your center. Then start at the fingertips and repeat, also moving in towards your middle. You can also concentrate some additional attention on the backs of the thighs, or other areas you would like to help loosen. This gives your epidermal layer a faster turnover time, and sends blood rushing through the body. Your chi will be free-flowing, and your lymphatic system properly draining. And just watch that cellulite start to diminish…

Coconut Oil
This is our favorite moisturizer. If applied after bath or shower time, the skin will be luxuriously soft and silky. You can use it on the face if it’s not too heavy for you, but often summer is not the time for such a greasy layer. Coconut oil and aloe vera also help the skin recuperate from sun damage, so if you’re spending your summer getting a little overexposed, ending your day with coconut oil before bedtime is a great way to love your skin.

Rebounder
ReboundAir and Belicon are the rebounder companies we’ve chosen to feature on the site. ReboundAir makes a model that folds neatly in half and slides under the bed or couch for easy storage (and easy travel). We favor this type of body movement for many reasons.

1. First, the impact increases bone density the way any impact aerobic activity will, without the accompanying joint and tissue damage of an activity like running. No aching knees or sagging breast tissue here! It’s safe and easy for bodies that may still be holding extra weight which would otherwise add too much strain to the frame of the body.

2. Rebounding helps stimulate lymphatic drainage, and makes a marked difference in cellulite areas. It tightens and lifts, and works the whole body at once.

3. The squeeze of pressure that you feel at the top of each just is assisting each cell in the body with detoxification.

Try starting with jazz-stye high kicks (landing on first one leg, then the other) with alternating arm swings. The kicking leg is using the whole front of the leg, the landing leg the back of the leg and buttock, the arms and abs are incorporated. You will really see and feel the results.

Youtube, and many bookstores have more rebounding video workouts to find the motion that feels right for you. Start with a 10 minute workout and build your way up to half an hour to 45 minutes. I’ve found rebounding to be most effective (like most workouts) when used daily for a period, followed by a break. Keep the body guessing. Or just use it on rainy or cold days when outdoor movement doesn’t feel right.
Note: When the body is more burdened with toxic accumulation rebounding will be more difficult. As you cleanse, you will be able to stay on your rebounder longer and longer.

*This information is not intended to be patient education, does not create any patient-physician relationship, and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment. Please consult your health care provider before making any health care decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition.

Q: Dear Ana,

Every morning I keep trying to give up my coffee and I just can’t seem to go through the whole day without caving in and having one small cup. How bad is coffee? Is it keeping me from moving forward with detoxification?

Thanks,
Marley

A: Hi Marley,

Thank you for your email. Here are the facts about coffee:

1. It is acidic. When we are trying to mobilize old toxic acidic waste using alkaline foods like green juice and raw fruit and vegetables it works against us by adding a daily dose of acidity.

2. Because it is a stimulant it is not recommended on any yeast or Candida cleansing eating regimes. If you are trying to cleanse intestinal yeast growth it will not help you.

3. All stimulants can contribute to adrenal fatigue, which I know many of my clients are dealing with. They stimulate a low-grade fight or flight response which overwhelms a delicate system in a world where we are in a constant state of panic already (traffic, scary movies, financial fear, etc).

4. It creates a false sense of energy that keeps us from getting in touch with our body’s natural rhythms and really listening to which substances drag us down and which substances elevate us. It would be hard to tell, for example, if you were needed to lighten your lunch meal because it was making you too tired if you’ve just had coffee.

If you are going to continue having coffee, please do it in the most intelligent way. We all must respect where we are on our transitional journey, and if coffee is still a part of your day, it’s ok. It is hardly the worst thing you can do, and there is a smart way to place a cup o’ Joe.

1. Keep it at least 30 minutes separate from your green juice so that it’s acidity does not lower the alkaline Ph of the vegetable juice.

2. If you must have something in your coffee, use stevia for sweetener, and only almond milk or heavy cream (NOT half and half) which has a lower casein content and will be less sticky and mucous-forming that less fatty cow dairy.

3. Try to balance your acidity. If you are having coffee, wine, and dark chocolate it may be too much if you. For example, I am not a wine drinker, and I will only have the occasional espresso if I know I am not touching dark chocolate or anything else acidic during my day.

4. Americano coffee is a great suggestion for a way to get a creamy espresso-based drink that needs no cream or almond milk. A little stevia and nutmeg makes it delicious without making it any heavier.

5. Lastly, remember that for every false high, there must be a low. Keep a careful watch on your day and if you are more likely to overeat or have an emotional binge in the late afternoon or evening it may be because you are very sensitive and the caffeine letdown is affecting you at that time. It can make you feel sad, irritable, depressed, and hopeless. Just start to notice the rhythms created by the stimulation and if they make things harder for you it may be time to gently give it up.

Coffee is one of the little extras, like wine and chocolate, that add a little acidity to the day without being too sticky in the tissue. It can have a place if you are not ready to say goodbye yet and would like to honor and respect where you are on your path. However, it certainly does not serve your body’s higher good.

Q: Dear Ana,

I have read that green smoothies are very beneficial in a raw food lifestyle. Is it okay to substitute a green smoothie for a green juice in the morning?

Thank you,
Sherry

A: Hi Sherry,

Thank you for your question. There is a lot of confusion about green smoothies versus green juice.

A green juice is a raw vegetable juice that contains at least one leafy green, like romaine, kale, chard, or spinach. It can also have green apple, lemon, and ginger for flavor, as well as any other raw vegetables that you enjoy. The juice has been separated from the fiber of the vegetables through either a centrifugal extraction process using a juicer such as the Breville, or with a cold press such as the Norwalk. A centrifugal juice should be consumed as close as possible to the time it is made, while a cold pressed juice remains enzymatically intact for up to three days.

* A juice is filled with the most easily accessible and assimilable chlorophyll, high-vibration raw life force, alkalinity, vitamins, minerals, and protein.

* Juice does not have the cellulose or fiber of a blended smoothie, and therefore enters the blood faster and easier.

* Juice does not require significant digestion, so we are able to use it to sustain us through a mini-fast when we may otherwise have wanted breakfast or lunch.

A green smoothie is processed in a high-speed blender such as the BlendTec, not a juicer. The plant fiber is still present, although the blending process helps with the breakdown of cellulose walls and makes digestion easier. For a yeast-conscious diet, such as the one outlined in Detox4Women, green smoothies should be a combination of leafy greens such as spinach, kale, chard, or sprouts with low-sugar fruit such as berried, green apple, or grapefruit. Avocado is a wonderful thicker, and stevia, cocoa powder, or other spices can be added for flavor. This is also often referred to as a blended salad.

* Green smoothies can be a great lunch option for someone who is looking for a light meal.

* Green smoothies are wonderful for cancer patients, or other detoxers with compromised immune or digestive systems as they are partially pre-digested through the blending process.

A blended drink should not take the place of a morning juice, but can be enjoyed as a mid-morning snack or lunch. They are a great way to keep a meal light, and to enjoy a sweet meal rather than a savory salad if that is what you prefer. They are also a wonderful aid to those transitioners who are dealing with serious illness.

I hope this helps! Keep juicing every morning, and try my favorite blended green smoothie recipe for lunch on a hot day:

1 5oz boz organic baby spinach
1 cup frozen blueberries
2 tbsns cocoa powder
1/2 avocado
1 cup pure water
stevia and nutmeg to taste

Blend these ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth, and enjoy.

Love,
Ana

Q: Dear Natalia Rose Institute,

Can you please tell me how to find a good place to get colonics in my area? I don’t know what I am looking for because I have never had one before. Is there anyone you can recommend near me?

Sincerely,
Annie

A: Dear Annie, Thank you for your email. All of the Colon-Hydrotherapists that we are familiar with and have had contact with are listed on Natalia’s Natalia Rose Institute website. You can visit the directory anytime to find the recommended hydrotherapist closest to you.

There are many wonderful hydrotherapists out there whom we have not been introduced to. When you are doing your own research you will want to call and ask several key questions:

1. Do you use a gravity-fed closed colonic system? If the system is not gravity fed then a machine controls the flow of water. This does not work with the natural rhythms of the body in the same way as a gravity method (where the tank of water is above your head, and powered only by the pull of gravity). A closed system means that waste will exit through tubing instead of into an open toilet.

2. How long will my colonic take? The answer should about an hour. Anything less and you are not getting to the full range of the large intestine. The ascending colon, which runs up the right side of the body, usually only begins to release matter after about 40-50 minutes on the table.

3. Will you be in the room with me the whole time? A therapist should never leave the room while you are on the table. A good therapist knows how to massage the stomach and help your body to effectively release as much as possible while making the experience as gentle as he or she can.

If you find a wonderful place to get treatments, please ask them to reach out to us so we can add their listing to the site and direct others to them as well!

Love,
Ana

Q: Hi Ana,

I hope everything is well. I have a question. I have scalp folicilitus. I have been juicing, eating my salad everyday etc. I wonder does this have to do with a compromised immune system?

Thanks,
K

A: Hi K,

Thank you for your email. I am happy to hear that you are eating so beautifully! I’m sorry to hear about your scalp issues.

My understanding of scalp folliculitisis that it is the result of inflamed hair follicles. Research tells me that it is common among patients who are dealing with serious health issues like HIV or undergoing cancer treatment. So you are correct in that it is common in people who have a compromised system. Scalp issues are also common in those who are dealing with yeast or fungal issues.

The Detox4Women approach that you are using is the perfect way to irradicate yeast and fungal growth in your system. It is the only approach that will help to deal with scalp or skin issues. I also recommend adding a Candida yeast fighting supplement like Candex or CandiGone into your routine to move the process even faster. It should be take on an empty stomach, so mornings or afternoons are the best times to take it.

If your system is compromised for any reason it is always a good idea to add more blended and highly digestible meals into your day. Your lunch salad could be a blended salad or soup. Natalia’s Pumpkin Pie in a Bowl soup is delicious (using stevia instead of dates for sweetness). My favorite is Choco-Avo Blended Salad:

1 box baby spinach
1/2 avocado
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1 heaping tbsn cocoa powder
1/2 cup pure water or coconut water
stevia to taste

Blend in a high speed blended until creamy.

In addition to a yeast-conscious diet and highly digestible meal options, please check possible environmental irritants as well. Make sure you are using a natural gentle shampoo (like an organic baby shampoo), soap, and check all lotions and toiletries. Use only natural unscented laundry detergent and household cleaning products.

I hope this helps, and I wish you a speedy recovery.

Love,
Ana

Q: Hi Natalia,

I know you may not be able to answer all your emails but I am starting Detox4Women have a few questions. I have always been a big milk drinker and I know you recommend almond milk which I am now drinking. How much can I have during the day and does it matter when? Also blueberries are abundant on the family farm and I know you said no fruit but that berries were ok.  I have had them as a snack throughout the day, is that ok?

Thanks so much, Beth

A: Hi Beth,

Thank you for your email. I am happy that you are doing so well using Detox4Women. Almond milk is a great substitute for cow milk, however it shouldn’t be used all day. It is very important to give the system a rest between meals, which is one of the reasons we have green juice for breakfast instead of something heavier. I would choose two times a day that are really special to you and have your milk then. I recommend it after dinner with stevia and cinnamon as a desert treat, or as an afternoon tea-time snack. If you find yourself wanting to sip something throughout the day lemon-water with stevia is a great detox-friendly lemonade.

You are lucky to have fresh blueberries readily available, and you can absolutely have them on Detox4Women. The low-sugar fruits like green apples, grapefruit, and berries are included in your menu options because they are not as yeast feeding as the sweeter fruits. Fruit is best consumed alone and on and empty stomach, so blueberries would be perfect as a mid-morning snack if you feel you need one.

Never limit your intake if you are truly hungry. However, resting the digestive system gives it the chance to play catch-up, and begin to assist with the detoxification process. Munching on berries and drinking almond milk all day will keep the body dependent on outside stimulation instead of giving it the break it needs to clean house and begin to give you true energy and joy. So enjoy snacks in moderation by listening to when your body really wants them.

To make your own raw almond milk:

In a high speed blender blend

1 cup raw almonds
3 cups water

until creamy. Then strain through cheese cloth and sweeten with stevia if desired. This will last for up to four days in the refrigerator in a sealed container.

I hope this helps, and that you continue to enjoy the lifestyle and your fresh summer blueberries.

Love,
Ana

Q: Hi Ana,
I recently bought The Raw Food Detox Diet and read it with great interest. I have food allergy/sensitivity/intolerance and found that your suggestions of the unique “sequence to eat food” very helpful. It definitely helps me to identify the food that causes gas or diarrhea. Is there a good book to read about the topic above (IBS & sensitive GI system) and for weight gain? We would like to know more about gaining weight, not losing it.

Duyen and Tom

A: Hi Duyen and Tom,

Thank you for your email. Natalia’s methods of detoxifying the body address both weight loss and weight gain. When the body is clean it will achieve a cellular perfection that is reflected on the outside. This lifestyle balances and harmonizes the systems of the body to bring it to its ideal. If you have always been underweight the cleansing process will help you to achieve this balance, and if you have lost weight during the cleansing process stay patient.

During the process of deep cleansing and detoxification many men and women find that they have become leaner than they would like. This is part of the process for some people, and it doesn’t mean you will always stay so gaunt. When the body is flushing out so much old toxic matter it goes through a transformation. Some people hydrate so much waste that they feel a little bulky temporarily, and some people are able to release so much that they feel too small.

For weight gain you can embrace all of the sprouted grain products like the Ezekiel breads, and the Alvarado Street Bakery breads and tortillas. You can use raw nuts and raw nut butters, and plentiful avocado salads. Lydia’s Grainless Apple Cereal is perfectly combined and is delicious with fresh sliced bananas and coconut water. You could also use almond milk, or even water with stevia.

The following is one of my favorite recipes (taught to me by Natalia):

4 tbsp of raw sesame tahini
1/4 cup of water
2 cloves raw chopped garlic
1 small nob of raw peeled and diced ginger root
dash of nama shoyu soy sauce
stevia to taste

Blend these ingredients in a high-speed blender until creamy and pour over your favorite green salad. I like to follow this salad with the following desert:

2 heaping spoonfulls of raw almond butter
2 heaping spoonfulls of carob powder
1 bunch of baby spinach
stevia and nutmeg to taste

Blend these with ice to make your own creamy green slushy.

Love,
Ana

Q: Natalia, thank you for the books and the advice in them. I started the raw food diet about a week ago. I’m a Level 3 (borderline 4) and have severe stomach issues. Some of the raw fruits are making my acid worse 🙁 but I am keeping my chin up about the others. However, I feel sicker and worn out, no energy and my sinus problems have exacerbated. I am assuming it is part of the detox, but any recommendations for what to do or when it gets better?

Thank you, Joanna

A: Hi Joanna,

Thank you for your email. I am sorry to hear you are feeling poorly! There may be more than one issue making your detox so intense.

First, I highly recommend that you read Natalia’s Detox4Women. I suspect that you probably have an intestinal yeast overgrowth and eating anything too sweet or starchy will aggravate the problem (even raw fruit and sprouted grain breads can be a problem). Sugars and starches feed yeast growth, and active yeast makes a true detoxification impossible. Detox4Women outlines a very simple approach that will be the most effective for you. Riding your body of yeast and fungal growth is essential.

Overconsumption of fruit is also making things hard on you. It will hydrate and mobilize a lot of old waste that may be too much for your body to move all at once. And then when you have more fruit, it awakens more waste and hits a road block. This creates gas, and the reverse pressure backup you are feeling when your stomach acid comes up.

A good colon-hydrotherapist would be able to move some of the waste that you have already hydrated and mobilized that needs to come out. And then using the Detox4Women approach would be the perfect approach for you.

Love,
Ana

Q: Hi,
I recently started your program and also found out I am pregnant (2 months). Any advice for fellow pregnant ladies? How does the cleansing cycle differ? I find I am hungry all the time and having trouble staying on track!

Help! Thanks!

A: Hi Tiffiny,

Thank you for your email. Congratulations on your pregnancy! Natalia has created a website specifically for parents with a curriculum which addresses preconception to early childhood. The Life Force Families site will have everything you need to modify your lifestyle for the next nine months, and you can come right back to your detox routine following the birth of your new little one. Go directly to the pregnancy area of the site here.

Please reach out to me again with any additional questions.

Love,
Ana

Q: Hello,

First – love your detox book and have recommended to many women (and men!). Second – I’m now approaching 50 and experiencing tummy bulge (blech). I want to keep wearing my clothes!

Any recommended reading or knowledge on raw food and menopause, tummy bulge, etc!?!

Thank You, Tamara

A: Hi Tamara,

Thank you for your email. Happy upcoming birthday! It is wonderful that you have been able to direct so many people to this lifestyle.

For a tummy bulge, the best approach to diet and lifestyle is a yeast-conscious approach to eating. Most women who have been living in Western culture have a yeast and fungal overgrowth in their intestine that keeps them from loosing the weight that they would like. This yeast, also called Candida, can also slow digestion, prevent proper food absorption, and create lethargy. It is essential to eliminate this yeast to successfully detox the body. Natalia outlines simple and easy ways to rid the body of this yeast in Detox4Women. I think this would be the right approach for you to achieve your goals.

Natalia also addresses the cycle that leads up to our difficulties with menopause in her Blog “It’s Electric”. It is a two part blog which you can start here.

Thank you for your wonderful feedback, and please reach out with any further questions.

Love,
Ana

Q: Dear Ana,

I am an athlete and I need to make sure I get enough protein after my morning workout. I have been using a vegan protein powder in my morning smoothie. I have green juice before the gym, and a protein smoothie afterward. Is this okay?

Thank you,
Heather

A: The idea that the body must consume protein before or after intense physical exertion is outdated by any standard. The body runs best when it is powerfully conducting the Life Force Energy which comes from clean, open pathways (created by a diet high in water- containing fruits and vegetables and a regimen dedicated to the removal of intestinal obstruction), not dense proteins (either of the vegan or non-vegan variety). Your power does not come from what you put in your body right before or after a work out but by the steady state of a clean-celled system, systematically consuming high-life-force-foods with great eliminations. Most people are not used to the power that comes from such lightness of being. In the beginning, when they are transitioning away from old protein/workout paradigms, they can mistake missing their “false fire” of stimulating proteins for weakness. That is just a phase and if you stick with the clean-celled paradigm that will pass and you will tap into the power of a swiftly conducting system.

Natalia and I work with athletes all the time and know a number of world-class athletes who are dedicated to this approach because it has made them more powerful, agile and strong! It’s the full picture of your diet and internal systems that matter, not whether you have protein right after your workout. That idea, while very commonly held, comes from old school gym mythology.

In fact, over time many detoxers find it somewhat miserable to exercise with a full system that is giving much of the body’s energy to the digestion process instead of the movement at hand and wouldn’t dream of putting anything but water containing fruits or avocado salads into the body after a big work out. Heavier foods may be enjoyed like raw granola, baked sweet potatoes, fish, raw goat or sheep cheeses and eggs as part of the daily intake but do not feel there is a special post-workout protein formula that will make you stronger (unless it is a raw organic egg yoke and vegetable juice concoction which many clean-celled athletes swear by (but there’s always the risk of samonella so be cautious with that one and note that the egg whites should be discarded).

Many of the vegan powders on the market, including the raw powders, are comprised mainly of brown rice or oat protein. For an individual who is using a yeast-conscious approach to food like the one outlined in Detox4Women, this will not help you achieve your goals and as an athlete is will only make you puffier. Rice powder is dead, dense, and will stick in the system. It is yeast feeding and is certainly not a health generator. If you are still excited about having protein in the early half of the day before lunch (after green juice!!) my top three suggestions are:

1. Leafy greens are the most easily assimilated protein source for the body. A blueberry-spinach smoothie would be a wonderful option if you feel you would like more than green juice.

2. Raw egg smoothies are also relatively light and will give the body and easy to digest protein option. I love mine blended with baby spinach, vanilla, ice, and stevia (again, note the above egg warning/instructions).

3. For an even more substantial protein smoothie option try blending banana and raw sesame tahini or raw almond butter for a nut and seed based protein. This will move through the body at a slower speed than the other two options as it is more dense, but it will not directly feed a yeasted system nor weight the system down too early in the day.

Explore the difference between true energy that originates in a clean healthy body and the stimulation of taking in dense substances of a slightly addictive nature (like starchy grains). Please be cautious also when reading anything that feels gimmicky or marketed. The truth is that nothing can be gained from a dead dry powder.

Q: I have Detox4Women and I notice you do not mention Lentils. I love lentils with millet. Are they ok to eat on your cleanse? Love your thoughts !!
Patti

A: Dear Patti,

Thank you for your email. I am so glad you are enjoying the Detox4Women lifestyle.
Lentils can have a place in your lifestyle if you are eating them and still progressing because lentils are the smallest of the legumes, and therefore much easier on the system than beans or peas. Legumes are not included in Detox4Women because they are mostly starchy and hard to digest.

Lentils combine best with raw and cooked vegetables, like a lentil soup after a large raw avocado salad. The next best option is to combine them with a clean cooked starch, like millet, quinoa, or buckwheat just as you have been doing.

Lentils should always be eaten after or with a raw salad so that they are less dense when moving through the system. Have your salad first, and then enjoy! Or try making a chilled lentil salad to top your raw green salad for added texture and flavor:

2 cups cooked lentils
juice of 2 lemons
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 smalled chopped red onion
1/2 cup diced bell pepper
1 chopped beafsteak tomato
dash of chili powder
dash of cumin
stevia to taste
sea salt to taste

Mix ingredients and refrigerate until chilled, then top a large raw green salad with avocado if desired.

I hope this helps, and please feel free to reach out to me with any additional questions.

Love,
Ana

Q: Hi,

I have been following the Detox4Women program for some time. I want to know if it’s okay to add more fruit back into my lifestyle. How do you know that you can safely have fruit?

Thanks,
Susan

A: Thank you for your question. Addressing fruit feels very timely as summer finally starts to show her face. When it is warm it feels more natural to eat lighter foods.

Fruit is the highest vibration, fastest moving, and most alkaline food that we can put into the human body. It is difficult in the beginning stages of detoxification because it is so alkaline and fast moving that it awakens toxins faster than we can release them, and because it is so high in natural sugars that it feeds existing yeast and fungal growth in the system.

Here is a guide to understanding if your cleansed body is ready for fruit:

**Warning: A yeasted woman who still has significant weight to loose should not try fruit yet. She should stick to the low-starch and sugar Detox4Women approach. Fruit is also not for cancer patients, and some fruit (especially grapefruit) interferes with certain medications, so make sure you know what you are allowed to eat if you are still taking pharmaceuticals.

You know fruit is safe when you try a fruit-based meal or snack and…

1. You eliminate within 14 hours of your fruit meal. The bowel movement should be easy and plentiful. Fruit will only work in a system with a clear elementary canal.

2. The fruit elevates you rather than bringing you down. You should feel joyous and energized, not angry, sad or tired.

3. You have no adverse reaction to the fruit. This includes headaches, skin rashes or breakouts, and a feeling of bloating and queasiness instead of just full.

4. The fruit-only meal feels complete and satisfying. It should not feel like a fast, and if you find yourself craving more density (like fish or goat cheese, or a pile of cooked veggies) you are not ready for fruit meals.

How to eat fruit:

1. Fruit should always be eaten alone or in the company of raw leafy greens and on an empty stomach.

2. The placement in the day of a fruit meal or snack is very important. It should come before any other foods, so enjoy it as a mid-morning snack, a lunch if you juice until lunch, or a dinner if you juice until dinner. It should also only be consumed in the presence of colonics, and is best eaten no more than 1-2 days before a colonic treatment.

3. Fruit can work for you for several days in a row, and then begin to create an adverse reaction. Never eat it for more than 1-3 days in a row, and pay careful attention to your body (adhering to the guide above).

4. Ease into eating fruit again by starting with meals of winter fruit (apples, pears, bananas, and grapefruit) or making sure to eat your fruit in the company of raw leafy greens (like an avocado-banana-spinach salad, or a green smoothie).

If you are not able to do fruit yet, you can satisfy your palate with big juicy salads. Greens with plenty of lemon juice and stevia, covered with hunks of cucumber, tomato, and avocado will give you the water-containing alkalinity you crave.

Remember, in the cleansing game there is no race to the finish line (and no finish line!). You will have your fruit in time, so relax into the lifestyle at the level you need to be eating and love the meals that are safe and helpful for you NOW. Then when you think you are ready, try moving forward a step. If it makes you feel worse instead of better, scared instead of excited, or isolated instead of included, stay where you are! Slow and steady is the most effective means to your best self.

Q: In response to many emailed questions I have outlined below how to enjoy this lifestyle as a vegan. Detox4Women is adaptable for a vegan lifestyle, but I would like to take this opportunity to say a couple of things about a vegan detox.

A: First, please carefully investigate your reasons for remaining vegan. Large-scale agriculture has the same devastating effects on the planet’s animal populations as commercial goat dairy farming and fishing industry practices. Please understand that you are not doing mother earth a favor by abstaining from the animal products recommended on this program (see Natalia’s blog on veganism).

Second, a vegan approach is not the Detox4Women approach. You are not doing your body any favors, either. We do not recommend veganism as the best way to get your body where you want it to be. Women transition best when they include small amounts of animal protein in the form of goat and sheep cheese, fish, and organic eggs as part of their weekly regime. This is the true Detox4Women approach that is recommended to detoxify the body, loose weigh to achieve your optimal physique, and end the addiction to refined flours and sugars. The density of the cheese, eggs, and fish keeps my clients true to the program for a longer period of time because they enjoy meals that keep them feeling satiated and indulgent.

If you would still like to go ahead with a vegan lifestyle that encompasses the Detox4Women principals, I respect your personal decision. Here is the best way for you to move into this lifestyle:

First: start your day with the recommended breathing or meditation practice, water, and then green juice.

Second (or morning snack): more juice, or one of your low-sugar fruit choices: green apple, grapefruit, berries, or ripe banana. If you do not need a mid-morning snack, please respect your body and juice until lunch.

Lunch: a large avocado and green salad with lemon-stevia dressing and any combination of raw vegetables. If you would like to include a cooked component you can follow your salad with a baked sweet potato, vegetable soup, or bowl of low-starch grain: millet, quinoa, or buckwheat. If your body wants to continue juicing instead of eating lunch please listen.

Afternoon snack (ranging from lighter to heavier): all-vegetable juice, low-sugar fruit if at least 2 hours has passed since lunch, guacamole with raw vegetables, or avo-salsa cabbage or romaine roll-ups.

Dinner: a large raw avocado and green salad with lemon-stevia dressing followed by a baked sweet potato, cooked low-starch grain, or squash-based dish.

OR

A large raw salad with raw sesame tahini dressing, followed by banana-tahini ice cream for an all-raw diner option.

Desert: Vegan dark chocolate and an optional glass of wine.

Favorite Avocado Salad:
Greens
Guacamole
Raw corn off the cob
Chopped cilantro
Salsa
Lime-stevia dressing

Blended Avocado Dressing Base
2 large ripe tomatoes
½ to whole avocado
Lemon juice
Stevia
Sea salt
Enough water to keep the blender moving

Use this as your base and take it any direction you want for a creamy salad dressing. I love a garlic-basil dressing, a stevia-Dijon dressing, or a chili-ginger dressing.

Natalia’s Sesame Tahini Dressing
4 Tbs raw sesame Tahini
Large chunk of peeled and chopped ginger root
3 cloves diced garlic
dash of nama shoyu soy sauce
Juice from 2 lemons
1/8 cup water
stevia to taste

This creamy dressing has been a favorite of mine since I first stole a bite out of Natalia’s dinner salad. 
Banana Tahini Ice Cream
Blend in a high speed blender:
2 ripe bananas
2 frozen bananas
½ tray of ice cubes
4 Tbs raw sesame tahini
2 Tbs cocoa powder
stevia to taste

This can be enjoyed right away, or frozen and pulled out to soften 30 minutes before desert time. It is the perfect followup to a tahini-based salad.

Q: Hi Ana-

I have a question about Sonne’s Detoxificant #7. I know during training Natalia talked about using Bentonite clay after an offensive meal, and having a colonic soon afterward because of the effects of the clay.
I just bought it and I am reading the box which talks about using it regularly as a detoxificant and daily cleansing drink. What are your thoughts feelings about this and if it should be used this way?

Thanks,
Emily

A: Hi Emily,

Bentonite clay is a highly alkaline substance. It also has all of the absorbent qualities of clay, and is a wonderful aid to this lifestyle for these reasons. Be warned: taking a spoonful of bentonite after a more acidic food choice will not turn a burger into a life-generating salad. It is not a get-out-of-jail-free card.

Bentonite can be used for children and adults with mucousy discharge, or an upset stomach. One tablespoon will do the trick. In fact, it’s the only “medicine” Natalia keeps in her medicine cabinet.

It is also very effective at absorbing more rich, greasy, creamy, fatty substances. Taking one tablespoon-full when having a buttery fish or indulging in LaLoo’s goat milk ice cream will help to keep these substances from become too sticky.

Bentonite is a clay, and should not be taken daily therapeutically because of its density. The alkalinity of raw vegetables and vegetable juices come with the high vibrations of growing plants, chlorophyll, and high water content. They are alkaline, AND life-generating and hydrating. Bentonite clay will not deliver the same punch, and is too dense for the bowel to move regularly.

Sonne’s Detoxificant #7 is bentonite clay suspended in spring water, and is the best source of bentonite clay that we have found. Using it daily won’t be an aid, but using it on the occasion of over-indulgence in rich foods, or to help your child or hubby through a more acidic patch is a wonderful way to incorporate it into your lifestyle.

Q: Hello,

I am starting your detox today. 🙂 I was wondering how you felt about peas. I love them and would like to know if they are on the good or bad list and if frozen ones are ok.

Thanks,
KT

A: Hi KT,

Peas are a legume, and are also quite starchy when cooked. Raw peas are delicious, and can be enjoyed as much as you like. They are a delicious snack, and kids love them.

Cooked peas are a wonderful option for children and for men. A hot split pea soup for lunch, or a side of peas with dinner will work beautifully for the family meal.
A woman who is eating at a higher transitional level using the Detox4Women approach would not want to incorporate cooked pea dishes too often because of their starch content, and would always want to combine them properly (only with other legumes or vegetables).

Fresh vegetables are always preferable to frozen vegetables because of their life force, but flash-frozen organic vegetables should be a staple in any freezer as an easy way to fill out a meal in a pinch, or for those who cannot get to a market with regularity.

Love,
Ana

Q: Dear Ana,
I just finished your blog about the trip to the GP and was wondering how you maintain your iron levels without meat. About 3 months ago, I was diagnosed with severe anemia due to bleeding. The gyn put me on hormones, which I resisted, then after about 6 weeks stopped taking because the side effects sucked and the bleeding didn’t stop. I’ve been off them for about a month, and slowly my body’s normalizing. I’m still having problems getting enough iron, though. When my iron counts drop, I have trouble breathing. This becomes an issue if I skip meat for a day or two.

As an aside, the hormones were causing me to retain water, which caused my joints to swell. The doctor was puzzled because the “solution” should have been NSAIDs, but because of the “reactive respiratory disorder” caused by the anemia, she couldn’t advise me to take them regularly. This helped end the hormone prescription because I couldn’t deal with the pain they were causing. What should I do?

Best,
Marcy

A: Hi Marcy,

Thank you for your question. The issue of iron deficiency is a big one. Correcting it is not a simple case of taking iron and high iron containing substances into the body but rather it is a case of creating the environment for building healthy blood. What Natalia feels made the difference in her hemoglobin count was moving from being a waste-filled body to a waste-free body. Pre-cleansing, when she was chronically anemic, she says her system was suffocating — denied adequate life force and unable to absorb and make proper use of the nutrients that she took into her body. The radical change came from the radical steps she took to unblock her system. That is what ultimately strengthened her blood. After cleansing she naturally absorbed and synthesized all nutrients more efficiently. The simple answer is that a clean body is able to get all of the nutrients it needs, and to perfectly regulate blood levels, as well as all bodily systems. When cells are carrying a toxic load, and frantically helping the body to deal with the daily onslaught of ingested and environmental toxins, the body suffers and, of course the blood reflects this.

I could point to the high levels of iron in vegetables like kale, broccoli, and spinach, but this is not the whole answer. The cleaner a body is, the better it is able to properly assimilate the nutrients it receives. Clean cells sustain optimal blood level!

I hope this helps your decision-making process, and thank you again for your email.

Love,

Ana

Q: Hello Ana,

I am looking for some clarification regarding Detox4Women. I’m unable to find how you differentiate between the classic detox for women program and the systemic yeast cleanse program (mentioned on pages 55 & 56). I would like to undertake the systemic cleanse and want to make sure I omit all of the right items. And how does this fit into The Raw Food Detox Diet? Please advise. Thank you.

Best regards,
Kelly

A: Hi Kelly,

I’m glad you asked, I think the idea of a yeast cleanse has created confusion for others as well.

First, the Detox4Women approach to eating is the best and most effective way to eradicate yeast and fungal growth from the system. By staying away from processed starches, sweeteners, and high-sugar fruits we are no longer feeding the yeast, and by eating light-to-heavy and in quick-exit combinations we are moving waste quickly out of the body.

Second, many people write to me asking how to know if they have a yeast issue. The simple answer is that if you are a women, have weight to loose, skin issues, have ever been on antibiotics or birth control, or have eaten a high-starch diet, or a high mainstream meat and dairy (antibiotic and hormone laden) diet, I would assume you are yeasted. This obviously applies to just about everyone! Starting your transition into cleansing with a powerful yeast-fighting approach is the most effective way to get your body to where you want it to be. I tell my clients that Detox4Women is your big comfy chair. Yes, you may have a difficult time during the holidays, or want to try indulging in more fruit further down the cleansing path, but you can always come back to your chair. I find that I work best when I eat this way most of the time, or at least do a heavy yeast and fungus cleanse several times a year.

And lastly, clients often ask me how we can get away with sugar-sweetened dark chocolate, and the occasional Laloos goat milk ice cream night. My answer is that if you are doing everything else right, these “safe poisons” help you stick to loving this lifestyle for longer, and give you the keys to long-term success. A day filled with well-combined alkaline vegetables and vegetable juices can certainly lead to a night with a small treat like 70% or above dark chocolate or goat milk ice cream. And you will still continue to move forward with your cleanse and weight.

Q: Dear Natalia Rose Institute,

I noticed on a guest blog on your site that eating a lot of nuts and seeds can create a toxic situation and difficult digestion. I am eating a high level of nuts and seeds. However, I am not having any “forbidden” foods that would inhibit a detox such as caffeine, alcohol, preservatives, sugars, chemicals, meat, fish, poultry, etc. Does this still apply to me?

Thank you in advance,
Kristy

A: Hi Kristy,

Nuts and seeds are certainly a bit tricky to navigate. Here’s how to handle them:

1. If you are starting a yeast/fungus cleanse with the Detox4Women approach these are not for you. They are too dense, and most people have trouble eating only a small amount. We are trying to move alkaline food quickly through the body with as much awakened waste as possible, and the density of nuts and seeds will not be helpful.

2. Most nuts and seeds are not actually raw. The shelling process involves heat, and takes away their vitality. Natalia recommends testing your “raw” nuts by sprouting them. If less than half are able to sprout, there’s your answer. They are not life generators.

3. Nuts and seeds are not optimal to me because they don’t combine with most of the things I love to eat! I much prefer a raw goat cheese salad followed by steamed spinach and sauce (nuts cannot combine with animal protein) or an avocado salad followed by baked yams (nuts cannot combine with avocado or cooked starchy vegetables). Quite honestly, they make a meal too boring and limited for me!

4. If you DO want to include nuts and seeds in your diet, keep in mind 2 rules: First, smaller is cleaner (so a seed will always be cleaner than a nut), and second, they should always be eaten in the company of a big pile of raw vegetables. Try making a sesame tahini dressing for your lunchtime salad!