Tools for the Clean Slate Cleanse

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For the most part, all you need to complete the Clean Slate Cleanse is a well-stocked kitchen. Load up on gluten-free, sugar-free, plant-based whole foods, and you’re good to go. However, during the Cleanse you may wish to participate in some optional enhancers. This post will help you decide which of these you may want to add in and direct you to places to purchase optional tools.

Good Clean Water

Quite possibly the most important thing you can do while on the Cleanse is to drink lots and lots of water. Water not only helps flush toxins from the body, it can also help you avoid headaches and other effects of detoxification. In order to ensure clean, pure water, I suggest purchasing a water filtration device.

My favorite water filter is my Aquagear Water Pitcher. Aquagear pitchers remove 89 water contaminants. The water from my Aquagear tastes crisp and clean, and I know I don’t have to worry about any contaminants.

Something about using a favorite water bottle also encourages me to drink more water throughout the day.

Tools to Boost Your Water Intake

Yoga

During the Clean Slate Cleanse, you have the option to attend weekly yoga sessions. When we embark on a detoxification process, it’s easy to become a little obsessed with food, and our thoughts and attention may become fixated on food. Yoga can help broaden your focus and perspective to one of improving emotional and physical health.

Practicing yoga during the Cleanse heightens your awareness while you learn about the alternative ways of eating while feeling and observing the detox process going on.

Tools for Yoga

Meditation

Meditation is an important tool to help process some of the emotions during the Clean Slate Cleanse. You may take just a few moments to contemplate your feelings, or you may choose to spend several minutes meditating. Because distraction is the enemy of successful meditation, removing distractions and creating a comfortable space will improve your experience. Try this meditation pillow.

Continuous Glucose Monitoring

If you have food sensitivities, then you may want to consider Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM). CGM is a way to monitor your blood sugar levels throughout the day. Blood sugar tracking is critical to seeing how the body reacts to the foods youu eat. This can provide insight for managing weight, energy levels and more. You can learn more about the benefits of CGM in this podcast.

Order a continuous glucose monitor here with the code Lindsey.

Dry Brushing

Dry brushing is a great way to stimulate lymphatic flow to encourage the elimination of toxins. Read more about dry brushing here.

Order a natural bristle brush here.

Ionic Detoxification Foot Bath

An ionic detox foot bath is a natural method of assisting the body to eliminate harmful toxins, heavy metals, and other foreign matter. An electrical current in a module emits ions in the foot bath. This re-energizes the body while eliminating toxins from the kidneys, liver, bowels, and skin. The foot bath also triggers the body’s lymphatic system for continued detoxification.

Order an ionic detoxification foot bath here.

Castor Oil Pack

Castor oil packs have immune-supportive, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, laxative, and uterine relaxation effects. Plus, they are one of my favorite ways to pamper myself. Learn more about the benefits of castor oil packs here.

Tools for castor oil pack

Gallbladder Flush

The function of the gallbladder is to store and concentrate bile. Bile is important for the digestion of fats, and it also collects waste products from the liver and passes them into the small intestine. People with gallstones rarely feel any symptoms until the stones are large enough to obstruct flow of bile through the biliary system. Cleansing the gallbladder is easy and requires only a few ingredients: green apples, olive oil, lemon juice, and Epsom salts.

Tools for gallbladder flush

Coffee Enema

Coffee enemas may also help detoxify the liver, reduce abdominal pain, and release toxic matter and parasites.

Tools for coffee enema

Kitchen Tools

We all have our favorite knife, cookware, and other tools in the kitchen. Here I will list some of my must-haves for you to check out. Maybe it’s time for a kitchen upgrade?

Ready now?

Keep in mind that, while some of these tools may enhance your cleanse, they are totally optional.

If you haven’t signed up for the Clean Slate Cleanse, what are you waiting for? It starts soon, so go ahead and make a decision to get on the path to better health. Register now!

Clean 7 Smoothies

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Smoothies are a great way to add a boost of nutrition to your diet. Not only do they provide a simple way to sneak more fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet, you can also pack fiber, antioxidants, healthy fats, and other goodness into a smoothie. I recently decided to add more smoothies to my regular diet. Here you will find several of my favorites that I like to call the Clean 7 Smoothies.

Selecting Ingredients

Making delicious smoothies is pretty easy if you keep a few basics in mind. Select ingredients from each of the following categories to create the “base” of your smoothie:

  • Liquid (almond milk, coconut milk, water, fruit juice)
  • Fruits and/or vegetables
  • Healthy fat (coconut or other oil, seeds, nuts or nut butters, avocado)

From there you can also add spices or extracts and/or other superfoods to add bulk, flavor, texture and nutrition. These may include oats, seeds, cocoa, ginger, flax, etc. If you want to add more sweetness to your smoothie, add a few dates or bit of stevia.

You’ll notice some of my favorite ingredients in many of these recipes. . .

Flax seeds or flax meal adds a boost of both soluble and insoluble fiber and omega-3 fatty acids. It may add a slight nuttiness to your smoothie, but most of the time, you won’t even know it’s in there.

Sweet potato helps to bulk up a smoothie to make it more of a meal. Plus it adds fiber as well as iron, calcium, selenium, vitamin C, and a hefty dose of most of the B vitamins.

Tahini, or sunflower butter, will give your smoothie a rich, buttery texture. Not only that, but it adds vitamin E and selenium, which combat heart disease and inflammation as well as help to regulate blood sugar.

It’s easy to sneak spinach or other mild greens into many smoothies for an added dose of phytonutrients, such as iron and calcium.

I use both almond milk and coconut milk in my smoothies. Coconut milk is much higher in calories and fat (especially canned coconut milk). Consequently, it makes for a richer, creamier smoothie. If you use almond milk, you may want to add tahini or another butter for more creaminess, Additionally, coconut milk is the obvious choice for people with nut allergies.

Ok…let’s get to the recipes!

Clean 7 Smoothies

Mango Coconut

This smoothie combines vitamin-packed mango with lime and a kick of ginger.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon flax meal

13.5 oz. can coconut milk

1/2 cup almond milk

1 cup frozen mango

1 teaspoon lime juice

Zest of half a lime

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

1/2 teaspoon stevia

Pinch of salt

Combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blitz on high for 30-45 seconds until combined. Serves 2.

Piña Colada

Create a taste of the tropics at home with this creamy Piña Colada Smoothie. This simple recipe is not only creamy and delicious, it is also filling.

Ingredients

13.5 oz. can coconut milk

1 cup frozen pineapple

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1/2 cup water

1 teaspoon stevia

Combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blitz on high for 30-45 seconds until combined. Serves 2.

Berry Colada

Add a handful of mixed berries and some sweet potato to the basic Piña Colada Smoothie for a boost of antioxidants and vitamin A.

Ingredients

13.5 oz. can coconut milk

1 cup frozen pineapple

Mixed berries

1/2 medium sweet potato, cooked and skinned

Combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blitz on high for 30-45 seconds until combined. Serves 2.

Chocolate Avocado

Avocados provide beneficial monounsaturated fatty acids that help with weight management, brain health, and help regulate cholesterol. They also add a rich, creamy texture to this smoothie. *Disclaimer: This smoothie was not my favorite. Maybe a few modifications would make it taste better.

Ingredients

1 avocado, pitted and peeled

1/4 cup cocoa powder

4 dates

1 teaspoon stevia

2 cups almond milk

Combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blitz on high for 30-45 seconds until combined. Serves 2.

Cherry Chocolate

This rich, filling smoothie will satisfy a chocolate craving while providing a dose of vitamins from the cherries and sweet potato.

Ingredients

2 cups almond milk

1 tablespoon raw cacao powder

15 frozen cherries

1/2 medium sweet potato, cooked until very tender and peeled

3 dates

1 tablespoon coconut oil

Pinch of salt

Combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blitz on high for 30-45 seconds until combined. Serves 2.

Berry Blast

This is not your average boring berry smoothie. The creaminess from the nut butter compliments the sweet berries and hint of lime perfectly.

Ingredients

1/4 cup sunflower butter

1 tablespoon flax meal

1.5 cups water

1 cup mixed berries

1/2 cup spinach

1 tablespoon lime juice

2/3 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

1 teaspoon stevia

Combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blitz on high for 30-45 seconds until combined. Serves 2.

Cinnamon Cardamom

This creamy, spicy smoothie will give you that fall flavor but without all the sugar and calories.

Ingredients

1/2 cup sunflower butter

1 tablespoon flax meal

4 cups almond milk

2 tablespoons coconut milk

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cardamom

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 dates

1/2 cup pomegranate juice

Pinch of salt

Combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blitz on high for 30-45 seconds until combined. Serves 2.

Apple Cinnamon

This smoothie is like apple pie in a glass.

Ingredients

Apple, peeled, stemmed and cored

1/4 cup sunflower butter

3 cups almond milk

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon flax meal

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blitz on high for 30-45 seconds until combined. Serves 2.

Natural Remedies for Poison Ivy

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Last month I somehow got into poison ivy. The rash started in a few small places on my arms and quickly spread to my chest, face, and thighs. During this unbearable battle, I tried so many different types of natural remedies for poison ivy. Want to know if any of them really work?

What exactly is poison ivy rash?

Poison ivy rash is caused by the plant toxin, urushiol. This natural poison causes swelling, blisters, burning, pain and an astounding amount of itching. A severe rash can be extremely uncomfortable and may present significant health risk.

All parts of the poison ivy plant (Toxicodendron radicans), including the roots, leaves and stems, produce a sap that contains urushiol. The sticky oil adheres to many things—clothing, garden tools, and even pets—making it very easy to transmit. When urushiol comes in contact with abundant Langerhans cells in the skin, it triggers an immune response. During this chain-reaction process, CD1a molecules activate T cells, which then produce interleukin 17 and interleukin 22. To the non-sciency types, basically this means you get a nasty rash.

After exposure to the oil, a rash may develop within a few hours, but some say it can take as long as 48 hours to show up. So imagine you unknowingly get the oil on your hand. You may touch many other body parts and even other people before you are even aware you have it.

Preventing the rash

Obviously, avoiding plants and clearing them from your yard is ideal. Learn how to identify the plant and remove it as soon as possible. To kill poison ivy plants, you can purchase a chemical herbicide or research natural ways to get rid of it. But beware: Even when the plant is dead, the urushiol is still active. Use extreme caution when bagging dead plants and NEVER burn living or dead poison ivy plants. Burning the plants releases the oil into the air to be inhaled. Inhalation is a potentially life-threatening type of poison ivy exposure. Mowing over the plants can also release dangerous plant fragments and oils into the air.

If you do come in contact with poison ivy, the best prevention is to wash off the oil as quickly as possible. Use very hot water and scrub any contaminated area vigorously with a wash cloth to make sure you remove all of it. Remember the oil is very sticky, so scrubbing with an oil-repelling dish soap is recommended.

Even if you are unsure whether you have touched poison ivy, if you spend time working outdoors where poison ivy is present, it’s a good idea to scrub thoroughly. You may also want to dispose of contaminated clothing or gardening gloves because the oil can stick around for a long time (some sources say up to 5 years!)

Natural Remedies for Poison Ivy

So you have poison ivy. Here is a list of some remedies that may help bring relief to the itching and burning.

Baking soda

Baking soda is alkaline and may help to draw some of the poison out of the blisters. Create a paste with 3 teaspoons baking soda and 1 teaspoon of water. Apply to affected areas and allow to dry and flake off. You can repeat this as many times as you’d like if it brings relief.

Apple cider vinegar

Some sources say ACV has a toxin-pulling action that helps draw poison out of pores. You can apply it straight to poison ivy sores or dilute it with a bit of water.

Aloe vera

Aloe is extremely cooling and may help soothe burning lesions from poison ivy. It also helps to keep the skin moist, which can speed the healing process. Fresh aloe from a plant is best, but aloe vera gel works as well.

Witch hazel

Witch hazel has anti-inflammatory properties and may soothe rashes and speed healing. You can apply it neat to affected areas or use it with a compress.

Essential Oils

Certain essential oils can soothe rashes and help prevent infection. Essential oils that soothe the skin include lavender, frankincense, geranium, rose, and myrrh. Peppermint, tea tree, and eucalyptus can also provide cooling relief.

Bentonite Clay

Bentonite clay binds to other molecules, and may pull some of the urushiol toxin from the skin. Create a paste with the dry clay and water and pack it on lesions.

Over-the-Counter Cortisone Creams/Gels

Cortisone is a mild steroid that helps reduce the body’s reaction to allergens, thereby decreasing inflammation and itching. As with any steroid, using the cream carries some potential side effects, but it may provide some relief to poison ivy blisters.

Systemic Poison Ivy

Sometimes—such as in my case—poison ivy can become a systemic reaction. Unlike a typical reaction, which causes a localized rash on the skin where contact took place, a systemic reaction is not isolated to one area. Rashes may spread all over the body, including areas with no direct contact with the plant or oil. The most common reason for a systemic poison ivy reaction is inhalation of urushiol. However, some people are so sensitive to the toxin that when it binds to the Langerhan’s cells, it penetrates cell membranes and transmits to other areas of the body. Let me tell you: This is the worst.

If you develop new patches of poison ivy more than 2-3 days after the initial exposure, there’s a good chance it’s gone systemic. This is a whole other ball game, people. Just as the initial rashes begin to heal and improve, new ones will pop up all over the body. For some reason, it seems to favor tender areas, such as under the arms, the groin, behind the knees, and even eyelids and inside the ears! The natural remedies for poison ivy listed above may offer some comfort for lesions, but they will not stop the spread if the toxin is in your cells.

When All Else Fails

When my case of poison ivy became too much to bear, I finally acquiesced and took a corticosteroid. This requires a doctor’s prescription, but when you have a full-blown case of systemic poison ivy, there are few things you won’t do for relief.

If you use a steroid, such as prednisone, follow your doctor’s orders closely and monitor for side effects. When you take a steroid, your body stops producing its own, so it is always necessary to wean off gradually to allow your immune system to compensate as the steroid is withdrawn.

Need a soothing bath soak to relieve the itch? Try this Calming Waters Bath Soak.

I Did 30 Podcasts in 30 Days. Here’s 15 Things I Learned.

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I started my podcast, the Lindsey Elmore Show, last spring. Our first 50 episodes have been quite a learning experience. I knew I still had a lot to learn, and being part of other podcasts presents an opportunity to glimpse what works (and doesn’t work) for others. So my team and I set a goal for me to be a guest on 30 podcasts in 30 days. It was a whirlwind month, and here is what I learned about podcasting through the experience.

The Beginning

When I started the Lindsey Elmore Show, I wanted to reach women and inspire them by having conversations with game changers, thought leaders, doctors, creatives and more. I was excited to not only host amazing interviews on my show, but to also have the opportunity to connect with other podcast hosts to continue to spread the message of empowered and intentional health and wellness.

Throughout our first 50 episodes, we’ve talked about the healing power of music, how to have tough conversations with your children, making the most of every moment, how to build an authentic brand, why it’s important to keep your immune system healthy, and so much more. I set a goal to be a guest on 30 podcasts in 30 days in order to learn more and connect with different audiences. Connecting with these new audiences while talking passionately about women’s health, vegan cooking, business strategy and more was a challenge and opportunity I was excited for!

This experience taught me a lot about how other shows are run, what they’re doing right, and also how some podcasts can be improved upon. I gained a lot of inspiration for my own show, which was rewarding in itself!

What I Learned

1. Do NOT be late.

I can not stress this enough. Whether you’re hosting your own podcast and expecting a guest, or if you are a guest on another show, it is imperative that you make a good impression while also being respectful of others’ time.

2. Know your stuff.

Prior to a podcast, do your research. Figure out how you’re going to address or introduce the guest or host, and be prepared with questions. Valuing other people’s time by preparing for an interview shows mutual respect between guest and host.

3. Set a time limit.

Know ahead of time how much the host is expecting of you as a guest, and be up front with a host regarding your hard stop times. Don’t be afraid if you’ve got the time to chit chat post interview, but make sure you’re always being respectful of both parties’ time.

4. Don’t make guests jump through hoops just to feature them.

As a podcast host, if you’re really looking for guests to be on your show, it should not be an impossible task to book those guests. Sometimes a pre-interview, extensive intake questionnaire, or a 30-minute call ahead of time can turn off guests from wanting to be on your show in the first place. Sure, it’s important to know the guest going in. But make sure what you’re asking before an interview is not an inconvenience to your guest.

5. Pay to play is not the way.

When crafting a show for your audience, booking authentic, intriguing guests is something every show should strive for. Having a policy that forces a guest to pay to be on your show doesn’t set the episode up for success. Instead, it creates a transactional relationship between guest and host, which is the opposite of the organic, natural, insightful conversations listeners of a podcast deserve.

6. Do not ask guests to rate and review your podcast before they are on the show.

If a guest genuinely enjoys being on your show, they will likely go listen to it and provide a truthful review. Asking guests up front to rate and review the podcast makes that feedback seem inauthentic. It may be acceptable to request a review after the guest has been on your show, but be sure to ask in an appropriate way once you’ve formed a rapport with your guest.

7. Be careful when it comes to ads.

Ads are a great way for a podcast to generate income and notoriety. However, make sure you’re not agitating your listeners with ads that are too loud or placed in awkward parts of the podcast. You also don’t want too many ads; after all, your listeners are there to hear you speak – not to hear how you’re monetizing your show. Your ads should be relevant to your podcast, helpful to your audience, and should relatively fit in with your natural ebb and flow.

8. Ask for referrals.

After you’ve been on a show, or even after hosting a guest, always ask for referrals. This is a great way to book yourself as a guest on shows you may not be aware of, or to have great guests recommended to your show. If you prepare ahead of time, and really flex your stuff as a show guest, you’ll be an easy sell to get referrals for other podcasts.

9. Know your limit.

It’s great to challenge yourself, to set goals, and to have a vision of what you want your show to be. But, it’s imperative that you know where your time and energy limits exist. Being on a podcast means preparing ahead of time, which means being mentally and physically ready for a show. Trying to pack your day full of interviews with no time in between each show to debrief, may be ambitious but not realistic. Protect your time to prepare for each show while also allowing yourself to breathe between recording podcasts, whether it’s as a guest or a host.

10. Utilize all of the tools and platforms at your disposal.

When I set a goal to be on 30 podcasts in 30 days, our podcast team went to work finding different outlets to help me get bookings from different shows. Platforms such as PodMax, Podcast Clout, Podcast Guests, Matchmaker.fm, PodMatch, and Podcast Guest Collaboration on Facebook and more are just some of the ways to help get your name out there to help you be a part of other shows. Also don’t downplay the ability to connect with other hosts via Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram. Use the relationships you’ve built on social media to ask for referrals and recommendations for shows you might want to hear (or see) yourself on.

11. Bring your A Game.

Being an effective, entertaining and well-prepared guest on a podcast is certain to set you up for success. Better guests receive better placements in future shows, and it’s important to give it your all during every segment. How do you do that? Listen to the show ahead of time. Know the format and layout of the show to avoid surprises when it comes to recording day. Look and feel your best; this means getting adequate sleep the night before and doing what it takes to look your best. Have questions and answers prepared, even as the guest. The ability to converse with your host authentically and organically will give you a leg up on other guests. Test your tech well before recording time. Nothing is worse than dealing with technical difficulties right before you’re supposed to go live with a show host.

12. Have your assets prepared.

This means having several things at the ready. Make sure to have a bio that paints you in the best light, one that truly gets to the root of who you are and what your message is. Provide a high resolution headshot or photo of yourself. Professional photos are best, but at least choose one that catches you in a flattering light, as these photos will be used to promote you on the show. (Trust me, having a quality photo stops podcast producers from having to hunt you down on Facebook to find a quality photo that might not be your favorite!)

13. Know how to pitch yourself.

If you’re unsure of what you do, who you are, and what you want to talk about – what makes you think a podcast host will want to have you on their show? Have a one-sheet podcast file that gives podcast hosts everything they need to know about you: topics you’re willing to cover, shows you’ve been on previously, your bio, your headshot and anything else relevant to why they should have you on their show. Creating a 60-second video with quality audio and video will also help give people an easy, clickable asset so that they know who you are as a speaker and as the talent as soon as they open their email.

14. Know and state your discussion boundaries.

Have go-to questions for what each podcast can or can’t ask you, and topics that you’d be excited to cover that is relevant to their audience. Make sure the topic of conversation that is selected fits in with what both you and the podcast host have envisioned for the show. This is vital also as the podcast host. “Seeing where the conversation goes” is an effective technique among friendly conversations. But in order to get into the nitty gritty and truly get to the root of quality conversation requires planning ahead of time and knowing what you want to ask your guest. This also goes a long way when protecting the time constraints of all parties involved.

15. Create a place on your website where people can book you for their show.

As much as I love podcast booking platforms, there is a lot of dead space. What I mean is that you do tons of pitches and not everyone gets back you in a timely manner and often not at all. That’s why we created a dedicated area of our website where podcasters can book me as a guest or apply to be a guest directly to us. Here’s the page.

Listen to The Lindsey Elmore Show now.

If you are starting a podcast, you may want to check out this post to learn about Tools for Creating the Perfect Podcast.