GoPal's Power Wraps!

If your image of comfort food entails saddling up to the table with a heaping serving of Grandma’s mashers laden with potato skins - you’ll love these texture-rich healthy treats carried at The Daily Juice!
 

Gopal’s Power Wraps contain raw, organic soaked seeds and nuts, blended together with sea salt and spices to create a creamy center tightly wrapped into a chewy nori roll.  Kazaam! Easy to transport, high in digestible protein and have we mentioned, tasty? These make a perfect mid-afternoon snack. 

Stop by The Daily Juice on Barton Springs Blvd in Austin, TX to stock up ($2.85/piece) or buy them online at Go Pals Health Foods.

Mustard Shallot Vinaigrette

Simple and delicious, this dressing takes just minutes to create and livens up everything from salads to stir-fried vegetables.


INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Tbsp finely minced shallot
• 1 tsp dry mustard
• ¼ tsp organic garlic flakes
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• Himalayan salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:
Put the shallot, mustard, garlic, salt, pepper and vinegar in a small glass jar with screw top lid and shake vigorously. Pour in one tablespoon of oil. Screw lid back on jar and shake vigorously. Continue pouring in oil and shaking until half the oil has been integrated. Continue by pouring two or three tablespoons at a time.


This is best when made fresh, but it can be made up to one day in advance, and kept in the fridge in the tightly sealed jar. Let it sit at room temp for one hour if it has been in the fridge.


Adapted from Candida Recipes

The Vida Crew: Join their Journey!

Jeff, Dan & Ed with their Love Cleanse juice in hand!

The Vida Crew

Meet Dan, Jeff and Ed, three executives working together and highly motivated to transform their lives. Currently on Day 7 of their Ultimate Concierge Program, this trio agreed to share their challenges and victories in real-time, right here with us!

At the time of this pic, they have already lost a combined weight of 33.9 pounds between their 7 day PreCleanse and 7 day cleanse. They are feeling good!

Want to receive regular updates on Team Vida and their real-time progress?  You can receive these on Facebook or Twitter.  Go team go!

DAN'S GOALS:

• Lose 20 lbs and keep it off. 
• Increase energy.
• More balanced mood. 
 

ED'S GOALS:

• Learn what he should be eating each day. 
• Feel more invigorated and motivated to continue exercising.
• Reduce or eliminate heart medications.
• Get to a comfortable weight of 185.

JEFF'S GOALS:

• Lose 10-15 lbs and keep it off.
• Increase energy.
• Sleep more restfully.

SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM TO READ THEIR PHASE 1 SUMMARY.

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DAY 1:

Dan and Ed are shocked by how satiated they feel. Energy is great and their cravings have disappeared! 

Jeff, however, is ravenous and despite the juices, veggies and shakes can’t fill up. "Dan’s hand is looking tasty." Hypothesis: Jeff needs more protein, stay tuned.

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DAY 2:

 
Dan’s energy improvements and attentiveness are holding steady. He is feeling less moody than before the program and lost 2 #’s overnight.

Ed is so full that he can’t eat his apple! Ed has struggled with significant hunger and cravings and can’t believe it when a pizza placed before him isn't even appealing. But Ed notices congestion after his beloved SuperFood Snack which he affectionally calls "dirt." Ed’s also did not lose weight which is extremely rare. Hypothesis: Ed is reacting to something in the SuperFood Snack. We offer to reformulate but he doesn’t want to change it b/c it’s helping so much with his cravings. So we decide to watch!

Jeff had the citrus free hummus at lunch and the extra protein made a big difference in his cravings, energy and hunger! We also had him add fish at dinner.

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DAY 3:
 

Dan’s  sleep quality has improved from a “5” PreCleanse to a “9” and he has lost 1.8 more pounds. Feeling good!
 

Ed is still reacting to something in the SuperFood Snack, weight is holding. We ask Ed to please try simplified formulation next day.
 

Jeff went to the UT game and though he pre-planned well he got a bit off on schedule and missed protein at lunch. He felt slightly light headed. Jeff definitely needs regular protein! This is great early information as we work to help him find his protein/ carb balance. Jeff has lost 10 pounds from the start of the Pre Cleanse phase 10 days ago.

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DAY 4:

 
Dan’s  sleep and energy improvements continue with much improved irritability, anxiety and mood levels. Weight loss of .2 pounds overnight and he says he is disappointed not to lose the 2#’s per day to which he’s become accustomed.

Ed used the new SuperFood Snack formulation and lost 6 pounds overnight! He was definitely reacting to something in old one.

Jeff's anxiety and irritability levels are much improved despite currently experiencing a high amount of external stressors. The food changes are allowing him to better process stress. Jeff got slightly off track when he skipped his SuperFood Snack and had a smaller dinner than usual due to a social outing. But Jeff rallied and felt great later.

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DAY 5:

 
Dan’s  still doing well. He lost .8 pounds overnight. A pizza was placed before him today and he thought it looked good but cravings still significantly improved from PreCleanse levels.

Ed is also doing well. His energy in the evenings has increased from a 2.5 to a 7! He losta pound overnight. Go Ed Go!

Jeff was able to regulate protein well today by staying on schedule. He lost 2 pounds overnight and has several people comment on how good he looks. His eyes appear more rested too!

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DAY 6:

 
Dan is continuing to do great with improved mood and energy levels.

Ed lost 3 pounds overnight! The new SuperFood Snack formulation is working well for him. His energy, mood levels and cravings are still much improved.

Jeff felt great all day but got a little off track at night with a social function. He slammed his SuperFood Snack before, skipped their dinner and ate when he got home. Feeling good.

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Day 7 – Last Day of Phase 1!

Though he lost 1.4 pounds overnight and has had 6 days of feeling like a champ, Dan is struggling today.  He didn’t sleep well last night and is much more irritable, returning to his former pre cleanse irritability levels.  There were some extra stressful circumstances in his life today.  But we want to also be sure there isn’t a food impacting things.  Upon further investigation, we discovered that he ate out the other night and accidentally received soy sauce and soy oil.  He has also recently introduced coconut oil and vinegar.  Strategy:  Asked him to remove both and let’s see if things shift.  We will test these items later.
 
Ed has another great day!  Nothing new to report – this man is on a roll with improved energy, mood, cravings, weight etc….
 
Jeff ‘s evening energy is still looking much improved and he has lost another pound.  His drainage symptoms are much improved from pre cleanse levels but he is experiencing an increase in itchy eyes and congestion. He notes that the mold levels are currently high and indeed they are.  But we want to vet out foods fully because a majority of the time an inflammatory food is creating reactions to external environment.  We are currently sleuthing with spices, foods and condiments to be sure he isn’t reacting to something more obscure.  Stay tuned!

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PHASE 1 SUMMARY:

Dan, The Man, came to the program stating he was soooo ready to make changes in his life!  Wow, is he making changes!  Here is his summary for the past week:

• Lost 6.4 pounds
• Sleep Quality has gone from a “5” to an “8 to 9”
• Energy levels have improved significantly in every single tracked category including morning energy, afternoon slumps, evening energy and overall energy
• Attention/Presence much improved
• Anxiety/Irritability and mood levels are markedly better with the exception of one day – possible reaction or due to high stress circumstances?  We are investigating
• Motivation is off the charts!
• Food cravings have disappeared

Areas of investigation/further inquiry:

• Going to optimize carb/protein balance to keep weight loss moving at optimal levels
• After significant improvements in every singly category, Dan had one challenging day at the end.  Was it extra stress in life?  Or was it Vinegar or accidental soy?  Stay Tuned!

Ed is rocking it out!  Before he began the program, Ed told us that he wants to be around to see his children grow up and though he wants to lose weight, even more importantly, he is READY to feel good!  Here is Ed’s summary for the past week:

• Lost 13 pounds in the past 2 weeks between Pre Cleanse and Cleanse Phase!
• Previously ravenous cravings have completely disappeared and Ed is thrilled
• Evening energy has gone from a 2.5 to a 7!  Slumps are totally gone throughout the day and night.
• Overall energy and daytime energy are markedly improved
• Mood Swings and irritability levels much better

Areas of investigation/Further inquiry:

• Was reacting to an ingredient in SuperFood Snack by weight holding and congestion.  After removing 3 ingredients –weight dropped 6 pounds overnight and congestion disappeared.  The most likely culprit is rice protein.

Jeff is making the weight loss look so easy and is already at his goal weight after losing a grand total of 14.5 pounds in the past 2 weeks!  At the start of the program Jeff currently is experiencing higher than usual amounts of stress. Anxiety/worry are usually strong areas for him but he is feeling heightened levels as we begin.  Jeff is making major strides in this department.  Here is Jeff’s summary for the past week:

• Significant night-time energy increase
• 14.5 pound weight loss from past 2 weeks in Pre Cleanse and Cleanse Phase
• Anxiety/Worry are significantly improved!  Even though external stress triggers are still high, Jeff’s capacity to handle them is increased
• Drainage levels are much improved

Areas of investigation/Further inquiry:

• Jeff has experienced brain fog off and on this week.  This can be typical in the first 3 days of the cleanse but Jeff’s is most likely tied to needing more animal protein.  We had him add fish at dinner in the first few days but are going to increase to lunch and dinner in Phase 2.
• Jeff experienced slightly higher congestion symptoms the past 2 days and believes it is due to higher levels of mold.  We, however, want to fully vet out foods and are investigating spices, condiments to fully vet out how food is impacting allergies. (Click here to read an account from a prior client who thought she was reactive to environment, to see how foods can impact allergy symptoms.)
• Jeff is definitely an animal protein person and with this early info we are well on our way towards finding Jeff's ideal  protein/carb threshold.

Want to receive regular updates on Team Vida and their real-time progress?  You can receive these on Facebook or Twitter.  Go team go!

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Week 2 Summary of the Vida Crew

Skipped a chocolate custard dessert AND opted for greens while out to dinner? Dan is one dedicated client! 

Click here to start at the beginning of the Vida Crew's Journey.

Will Jeff still require scheduled surgery?

Will Dan continue losing close to 1 pound per day?

Ed, oh Ed….Where are you?

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Week 2 Summary of the Vida Crew
Click here to read the first installment of the Vida Crew's Cleanse Journey! 


Dan broke the 200 pound mark and continues losing .6 to .8 pounds per day.  His energy and mood improvements are fantastic.  Dan started doing yoga at lunch each day and is sweating out more toxins. He did have a couple of days, which broke his trend, in which the weight went up and other older symptoms reared their head including increased irritability.  Now that Dan has experienced how good he can feel, he is very in tune with these fluctuations.  On both occasions, there were suspicious foods or dressings while eating out.  There is something impacting Dan’s mood, energy and weight and he is close to uncovering it!

Dan is heading to NY next week and is concerned about being able to stay on track.  He will go armed with chef cards, instructions and his new super Ninja ordering skills.  And if all else fails, can just get himself back on track when he returns.

• Lost an additional  5 pounds this week, even with 2 days of minor weight increases due to suspicious ingredients in restaurants
• Continued significant improvements in energy, mood, pain and presence!

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Ed, oh Ed – where are you?  Ed hasn’t been tracking this week so we do not have as much information to report.  Ed started an exercise routine, left a message and said he is feeling great and even better than last week!
But Ed’s weight has held steady at the same levels for several days in a row.  This is very rare, especially for our male clients and leads up to believe that there might be something he is eating that is creating weight holding.
We appealed to Team Vida to help us get Ed back to tracking so that he can have the same experience as his teammates!

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Jeff’s wife, DeAnna is one happy sleeper!  She told him that for the first time in 20 years, he is not keeping her up with his snoring at night.  His congestion and allergies are much improved, his energy is fantastic and he says he is feeling great!

Jeff’s original goal weight was to lose 10 – 15 pounds. 15 pounds melted away within 2 weeks and he has now decided that he would like to lose another 10!  He was last at this weight in high school.  Can he do it?

One of Jeff’s biggest concerns upon beginning the program was sleep apnea and snoring issues.  He has surgery scheduled for December 1st.  He has pushed it back to December 8th to give himself more time to assess.  Will he need it?  

Jeff’s wife is thrilled that he is no longer snoring at night and coughing up junk in the mornings!  She wrote him a love note to thank him. :) 

So far Jeff has experienced the most food intolerances with onions, corn and vinegar.  Each of these seems to impact his apnea and allergy symptoms.

• Drainage/Throat Congestion are gone for the first time in 20 years, with the exception of the times he has introduced the foods which have triggered them.
• Energy improvements continue
• Snoring is gone and no longer needing Affrin at night
• Blood Pressure dropped from 135/85 to 120/80 in 2 weeks!
• Postponed surgery from December 1st to 8th to give more time to assess

Vida Crew Rocking on Through Weeks 3 & 4

Click here to start at the beginning of the Vida Crew's Journey.

 Dan broke his “plateau” weight from prior programs and 

can’t believe it’s possible to feel this good!

Ed’s back, feels amazing and says his whole relationship

with food is changing!

Jeff has run out of allergy medication from his doc but even without the meds his allergies are nary an issue.

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DAN:
Dan started week 3 in NY and bit off a rather large apple while away.  But we always say – there’s no guilt, just notice how it made you feel and let that motivate you to get yourself right back on track.  Dan’s a pro at this by now and is addicted to feeling good so getting back on track is no big deal.  Dan returns, baselines for 3 days (fancy word for eliminating anything not cleared yet) and is ready for soy.  

Upon introducing soy, however, mood symptoms flare and he gains a ½ pound. Dan says things are stressful though right now and he’s not sure if it’s soy or natural responses to his environment.  

We say let’s play!

Hypothesis:  Dan is reacting to soy and it’s impacting mood, energy and weight.

Hypothesis Test Recommendation:  Remove soy, wait on anything new, track symptoms and let’s see what happens.

Hypothesis Result: Sure enough – Dan’s radiating positivity again and ready to go onto the next item on his list – nuts! Dan has also stepped up his exercise routine and is busting a move with P90X every morning at 5:30 am!

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ED:
Ed’s back.  He was experiencing some technical difficulties with his tracker but he’s back and tracking again, most days. Ed is thrilled with how good he feels. His evening energy has gone from a “2-3” to an “8”!  Cravings are gone, mood is lifted and he says he has a whole new relationship with food.

With the guidance of his doctor, he’s been able to decrease his blood pressure meds to 25% of his original dose 4 weeks ago!

Ed reacted to pineapple and it created a skin breakout.  Was it the pineapple or nuts he had also just introduced?  Ed’s hunch was right – pineapple!  He left the nuts in, eliminated the pineapple and his skin is clearing up.

Ed is embracing his new found intuition with food and we are loving it!  The goal of the whole program is to access your own inner expertise and eventually tell us all to heave ho!

Ed is a founder of a cold laser technology called Zerona, that allegedly melts away fat.  He wants to go through a treatment while in the process.  I asked him to wait a few weeks to keep everything simple for food comparison’s sake.  He has patiently waited and is now ready to go.

Ed is already onto eggs and is clipping right along with the reintroduction.

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JEFF:
Jeff spent week 3 in Miami and let himself enjoy it’s culinary pleasures.  We say – “go for it, in moderation”.  There are no slips if you notice how it made you feel and get yourself back on track upon return.  Jeff noticed an increase in many of his symptoms and happily went to baseline when he returned home!

Jeff is still enjoying improved energy, clarity, mood and weight.  But his baseline included nightshades and his allergy symptoms weren’t returning to his new improved clarity.  And Jeff wasn’t the only one impacted.  His wife has been enjoying the new snore free zone.

Hypothesis:  Nightshades are creating congestion, snoring and lower energy.

Hypothesis Test Recommendation:  Remove nightshades, wait on anything new and let’s see if it clears up.

Hypothesis Result: Allergies cleared up to minimal and happily his snoring disappeared again, but he was still showing slightly higher than total clarity he experienced weeks 1 and 2.  Upon further investigation, we learned that Jeff is out of his allergy meds and is now tracking med free.

But the good news – Jeff’s allergies without meds are improved from his symptoms with meds!  No more Affrin at night yet no snoring.  And no daytime meds with little impact.

Jeff is also experiencing higher than usual amounts of external stress but his capacity for handling it is significantly improved.  Energy’s better, weight is holding and Jeff is in his zone.

Despite reacting to 4 or 5 foods so far, Jeff is making this look easy!   Jeff’s curiosity, positivity and dedication to feeling his best are paying off.  He has a natural ease with intuition and food and is making our role simple.

Vida Crew's 5th - 6th Week

Nearing the end of the program, how did the Vida lads fare on their cleanse during the Thanksgiving Holiday? These men have been fiercely committed to creating change in their lives.  Now wrapping up week 6 of their discovery process – let's check in:

 

In Week 5, Dan says he is coming for the 180’s.  Can he do it with the holidays?

Ed had his first significant food reaction and caught it lickety split!

Jeff’s allergies symptoms are barely detectable and he has postponed his sinus surgery, again, until January.

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Dan is loving how good he feels and looks. (Click here to read his personal testimonial). In week 5, before the Thanksgiving holiday, he drops into the low 190’s and proclaims – “I’m coming for YOU 180’s!”.  Can he do it?

Some indulgences around the holidays created minor pauses in further weight loss but Dan is a champ and even with these indulgences maintains his new lower weight.  We are refining his carb to protein balance and playing with the ratio of nuts to help his accelerate his entry into brand new terrain.

In week 6, Dan experienced a couple of nights of reverting to his old Pre-Cleanse sleep levels, slightly lower energy and weight increase.  We suspect he received a bit of soy, which has already been discovered as a primary intolerance triggering many old symptoms.

Otherwise, Dan feels great!  His energy is much improved, he sleeps better, feels lighter and his mood is brighter.

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Ed is tracking on paper and sending us updates once per week.  So while we do not have as much hands on guidance with Ed’s day to day reality, he seems to be right in the swing of things. 

Ed discovered his first significant intolerance, corn, which triggered many of his old symptoms.  Upon introducing corn Ed’s energy dipped to his Pre-Cleanse levels and former mood and digestive symptoms returned.  Ed is in tune, notes in his tracker how he feels and says he has eliminated it.

Is Ed back on track with his new found energy levels, improved mood, digestion and cravings?  We hope so but haven’t heard and look forward to getting an update soon.

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Jeff’s wife Deanna remains one happy wing-woman in slumber!  Jeff’s snoring is still non-existent with the exception of the times he has introduced intolerant foods. He has discovered a new one – nuts, which make his eyes water and his congestion rears it’s head again.

Jeff maintained his new svelte shape of 185 even during the holidays and is dipping into the lower 180’s. His energy, mood and blood pressure levels all continue to remain much improved!

Jeff is heading to the Big Apple tomorrow, but, now that he’s in the flow with the process – we have every bit of faith in his ability to indulge if he chooses and get himself right back on track!