Patty James M.S., C.N.C.

We are all biochemical individuals and what works in a Cleanse for one, may not work for another. There are some basic principles that will work for everyone that we will utilize during the first ten days. We’ll remove the major foods-most of them are white!-that are almost toxic in your diets. We’ll help you with some ways to calm your cravings, if you have them. Of course we will give you healthier options for whatever you remove, during the Cleanse.

Next we’ll slowly eliminate the sensitive seven, as my friend Dr. Elson Haas, calls them.  These seven ingredients are common allergens and often times when they are removed, you will see some pretty incredible results. During this phase, which will last much of the remainder of the month, we will give you healthy recipes that you energize you and cleanse you!

We will also chat about psychological toxins, the science of willpower, so to speak, and more.

Our goal at Zest during our Cleanse months of April and September is to slowing work with your body-no sudden changes!-to improve your health.

You don’t need any special equipment, although a juicer of some sort would be good to have, if possible.

At the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco last Tuesday, I chaired a program on Food Addiction. The panel included doctors, clinicians, and scientists from all over the country and Canada. It was an incredible event and everyone learned so much; the physical elements of food addiction such as dopamine release, (ah, pleasure…) the correlation of fats/salt and sugar to food addiction, and certainly the psychology behind food addiction were so interesting. Then there are policy implications by acknowledging food addiction as ‘real’ –a program in itself.

Dr. Elissa Epel from UCSF suggested that food addiction begins in the womb when brains are being ‘calibrated.’ Dr. Vera Tarman from a treatment center in Toronto, Canada suggested strongly that a paradigm shift needed to happen in treatment centers to assist people with addictions to drugs/sex/gambling and food, incorporating nutrition into treatment. Also, the problem with not recognizing food addiction as a real addiction is that it makes it difficult to treat.

Dr. Robert Lustig, head of pediatrics from UCSF, brought up an op-ed he had just submitted to The Atlantic on ‘Happiness and Pleasure’. This was my take home point. Some people confuse the two and they are, he suggests, opposite ends of the pole.

What is the difference? Pleasure is a momentary feeling that comes from something external –the gratification of the senses; a bowl of ice cream, sports, sex, new ‘things’ and so on. Pleasurable experiences can give us momentary feelings of happiness, but this happiness does not last long because it is dependent upon external events and experiences. We have to keep on having ‘more’ in order to feel pleasure. As a result, many people become addicted to these external experiences, needing more and more to feel a short-lived feeling of happiness. Remember when kids would ‘save the best for last?’ Delayed gratification is, as Dr. Lustig states, “so 20th century.” We want the good stuff and we want it now. This need for pleasure-and more of it-hasn’t been good for our collective waistlines or our souls.

Happiness is more a state of mind, a state of being. The ties that bind are happiness: family, community, and doing something to make the world a better place. It doesn’t have to be a grand gesture. Raising a healthy and kind child, taking care of an elder, or doing work that makes a positive difference in someone’s life are all sources of true happiness. A sense of closeness and gratitude are deeply satisfying and profound happiness can be the result.

To put this in a food-related context, take your portion of happiness with pleasure on the side.

Try this recipe. You’ll enjoy the taste (pleasure) and you’ll be happy knowing that you’re doing something good for your body when you eat nutritious food. Healthy bodies help create happiness. Best of both worlds.
Red Snapper Vera Cruz
Serves 4

2 pounds red snapper or other firm white fish
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 cups tomatoes, diced. About 2 large tomatoes
1 4-ounce can green chilies, mild or hot, chopped
1 tablespoon capers, drained
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

Wash fish, pat dry, and place in a glass bowl. Lightly salt and pour the lime juice evenly over the fillets. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Sauté onions in a skillet over medium heat, covered, until tender, about 10 minutes. If necessary add a tablespoon of water to prevent scorching. Add half the red peppers, all of the tomatoes, chilies and capers. Cook, covered, for about 10 minutes. There will be liquid in the bottom of the pan. Add the fish and cook, uncovered, for about 5 minutes on each side. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve over quinoa or brown rice.

If you are a vegetarian, skip the fish and add 2 cups of cooked black beans instead.
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During the month of April, participants in Patty’s ‘Zest’ program will be led by Patty and staff in a one month cleanse. It’s a slow and easy process and you’ll arrive at the end of April feeling so wonderful. Join us! http://pattyjames.com/home/services/

Patty is the co-chair of The Health and Medicine Member-Led Forum at The Commonwealth Club and was chair and moderator of The Food Addiction Program. Here is the link to the web site to listen for the Podcast, coming soon:

http://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2012-02-28/food-addiction

The answer is that those are the topics of the Zest Program in March. Last Thursday, the topic was the importance of healthy snacks -which was a bonus class as there are 4 more Zest classes this month.

Join us in March and learn all about these topics as you learn to create healthy recipes for you and your family.

In April, the whole month is a Cleanse. I have been involved as a participant, a c-leader and a leader of a Cleanse. There is a right way and a wrong way! You move into cleaning your body slowly be reducing or eliminating foods and lifestyle choices that don’t serve you (you know what they are) then we slowly ease out of the Cleanse and cement your new habits into your everyday life. I know you can do this Cleanse. You will feel healthier by the end of April.

People are starting to register, so don’t wait too long.

Dr. Lustig will be speaking at The Commonwealth Club tomorrow. This is such an interesting article:

On Tuesday February 28th at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco, we have experts from all over the country coming to speak about Food Addiction. It’s not often we have this many experts in one place!

Join us!