7 Tips to slow down & de~ stress!

7 Tips to Slow Down & De~Stress!

Hi there:) Between work, chasing after the kids, running errands, caring for aging parents and trying to keep your body healthy, who has time to slow down? Is it just me or does it seem like everyone is in a rush these days yet no-one is getting anything done! 

News Flash~Your body is well aware of these chronic stressors we call “life”! Its screaming for you to “slow down and just be! When you repeatedly get stressed, your nervous system stays stirred up. Even small amounts of stress can make you feel overwhelmed.

Today as I sit in Mexico with my boyfriend, his son and two amazing dogs, I realize its 5pm and I’ve been in my bikini all day. Mexico does that to me. It slows me down and I don’t mind a bit! I always feel refreshed when I return home ready to tackle my week! 

Andrea taking a relaxing day in Mexico!

Here are my top 7 Tips for learning to slow down~de ~stress and  relax!

1) LEARN TO MEDITATE  Meditation has been proven to lower blood pressure in individuals with chronic stress. What more proof do we need? During my interview with Meditation expert Tom Cronin I learned a way to “go within” that works for me. I try to aim for at least 20 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes at night. Although meditation does not have the effect that my yoga practice does, I always feel calmer and more centered when I incorporate it into my flow!

Andrea Cox~Morning meditation in Mexico!

2) PRACTICE YOGA OFTEN The facts are in! The benefits of yoga far surpass any other exercise out there. For me, yoga is my moving meditation! Ive practiced 3-7 days per week for over 7 years now and find the benefits are long lasting for days after class. Aim for 3-5 sessions per week. 

3) VISUALIZATION A therapist told me I needed to visualize years ago, I laughed then went and bought a book on it! Nothing can bring peace like visualizing yourself on a far away island listening to the ocean waves crashing around you while you are on your lunch break in your office! Try it and see for yourself!

4) STOP THE STIMULANTS I recently stopped taking a green tea pill and I cannot tell you how incredibly taxing it was! I had a headache for three days! We are talking green tea with all its benefits! Bottom line here is that any and all caffeine will rev you up then drop you like a one night stand:) Ditch the coffee and replace it with a caffeine free herbal tea! Your adrenal glands and partner will thank you (less moodiness)!

5) GET YOUR HANDS ON A GOOD ADRENAL GLANDULAR Nothing supports the adrenal glands after a long stressful period in life than a good nights sleep and a great adrenal glandular! Your adrenal glands support energy production in the body. When we are in that “go go go rat race” they can crash and burn out! This leaves you feeling tired and ran down! Look for a good adrenal product preferably one that is herbal and vegan.

6) HYDRATE & EAT HEALTHY Skip out on this and the consequences will be great! In order to have peace in our mind we must have peace in our bodies! This comes from the inside out! What you take in today will determine your clarity of mind, peace and your bodies ability to handle stress tomorrow! Choose that food wisely and hydrate!

7) MOVE YOUR BODY EVEN ON YOUR “REST DAY” Exercise is as important daily as breath! Our lymphatic system doesn’t pump on its own, we must move so it can do its job to pump that lymphatic fluid that carries toxins out of our body! Even if only for 20 minutes~move daily! Your body, heart and mind will thank you!

 

I hope you enjoyed this and empty the tips above in your own life! Feel free to Tweet this and tag me at “Rawchefandrea”! You may also Pin it or share it on Facebook and tag me under Andrea L Cox! I love sharing!

 

Andrea L Cox is the owner of http://www.thehealthyhaven.net & http://www.alkalizewithandrea.com

Andrea is a fitness model turned health coach who has written two books on the raw vegan healthy lifestyle and detoxification! After healing herself of bulimia and anorexia Andrea set out to spread the word on cleansing on a cellular level to create optimal health! Andrea has appeared on numerous news stations TV shows and magazine publications. She runs yoga juice cleanse retreats both in San Diego and Mexico! Her You Tube channel is approaching close to 2Million views. Her website for retreats is http://www.alkalizewithandrea.com Her other programs may be found at http://www.thehealthyhaven.net

 

7 Tips to improve the quality of your life!

 

Hi there:) I wanted to share with you a little about my story. My journey to health and happiness began out of necessity. At the time, I couldn’t walk into a Barns~N~ Noble without seeing myself on the cover of a health or fitness magazine. The pressure was high to maintain two totally different figures depending on the type of magazine I was shooting for.

In fitness, they liked you tan and toned. In the more glamour type magazines it was pale and a little plump. I developed a terrible eating disorder called bulimia and although I didn’t realize it at the time, it turned out to be a HUGE blessing!

In the midst of my disease I found myself alone at my mothers home in Ohio one night at 2am with my head in a toilet bowl. It was Valentines day and I had just ended a ten year relationship. I had been there (hovering over the toilet) for over three hours vomiting after a HUGE binge! I had drank a syrup that hospitals use to induce vomiting and it had back fired on me to the point of me blacking out. That was my rock bottom! I swore that night that I would NEVER make myself sick again!

Fast forward to today! I’m healthy, happy, have better skin than when I was twenty and I’m living out my passion helping others reach their goals in both fitness and cellular health! I’m sharing this with you because I want you to know that no matter where you are in life God has a plan for you! One thing is for sure however, the quality of your life is EXTREMELY important! In order to achieve a better quality of life you must develop the following seven healthy habits!

Andrea Cox today:) Happy and healthy!

1) Crush the toxic conversation in your head that is saying “I’m not good enough” or “I’m broke” or I’ll never get in shape! Look if you don’t believe and love yourself where you are at right now then who will? Become your biggest cheerleader!

2) Ditch the negative people and toxic abusive relationships in your life now! How do you expect to move forward with your goals hopes and dreams? I realize that this is sometimes very hard to do especially with family or close friends. Maybe down the line the relationship can be rekindled but right now its just not a good fit.

3) Keep a schedule when it comes to eating sleeping and fitness! Have you ever seen a baby when it gets off schedule? They cry or throw a tantrum! Guess what~ we never really grew up! We too need schedules! Try to keep a journal of mindfulness when it comes to procrastination and time wasting! Keep a food journal to prevent mindless snacking. Before long you will notice your goals begin to take shape!

4) Do what you love for a living! Easier said than done, right? Sure, the nay-sayers you just cut out in tip #2 may think so but who’s to say you don’t THRIVE when you step away from the tribe! Is it true that what you are doing is for you because you went to school for it 1000 years ago? Certainly not! Maybe you’re caught up in the 9-5 rat race that has you feeling stressed or stuck? Journal and feel your way through this~ask the important questions and find the truth!

5) Workout daily! Yes~DAILY! If you think you have all the time in the world to get your body in the shape you want, think again! I like to always remind people that it’s not how long you live, it’s the QUALITY of the life you are living NOW that matters!

Alright I know what you’re saying. I don’t have the time and what about a day of rest. Nonsense! Your lymphatic system gets sluggish on its own! Besides the better you feel about yourself the more confident and better you are to this World! Ahhh I feel the endorphin rush coming on now!

6) Get adequate sleep! Try to go to bed at the same reasonable hour each night. Use things like Lavender essential oil or stress away by Young Living oils to ease away daily tension! Keep a journal of gratitude next to your bed. At the end of the day write just 5 things that you are grateful for. Make sure you turn down the lights about 2 hours prior to bed so your melatonin balance isn’t disrupted.

7) Keep your food simple! You know how you feel after you’ve visited your family at Thanksgiving? That bloated lethargic I’ve eaten enough for 17 people feeling? Whats that for anyway? Why would you eat that way in everyday life? The salad pictured below is coming out in my new book “Sexy on Salads”! Although it only has 7 ingredients, its delicious and filling! I even had room for a vegan cookie after! Its about quality remember! I want you to care about the food that comes into your body! 

Andrea’s Confetti salad from her new book “Sexy on Salads”!

I really want you to achieve all of your goals both in your personal and professional life! What I want for you more than anything is for you to be able to actually ENJOY them!

It’s about being able to walk up and down stairs without heavy breathing. It’s about playing ball with your children without having to sit down and take a break! It’s about dancing all night long with your husband without feeling tired. Your life is happening NOW! If you went tomorrow could you honestly say you lived your life to the absolute fullest? If you said no and if it has anything to do with excess weight or toxicity holding you back then today is the day to start fresh!

To feel healthy on a cellular level is to experience life, people and places like a child!

I love you~you’re welcome!

 

 

Andrea L Cox is the owner of http://www.thehealthyhaven.net & http://www.alkalizewithandrea.com She is a fitness model turned health coach who has written two books on the raw vegan healthy lifestyle and detoxification! Andrea has appeared on numerous news stations TV shows and magazine publications. She runs yoga juice cleanse retreats both in San Diego and Mexico! Her You Tube channel is approaching close to 2Million views. Her website for retreats is http://www.alkalizewithandrea.com Her other programs may be found at http://www.thehealthyhaven.net

 

 

 

 

If you are reading this and know someone that can potentially benefit from this, please SHARE this! They will be thankful and so will I!:)

Today, I honor this man.

Today I honor Dr Wayne Dyer, a man whom I had dinner with every night for two years. He didn’t sit across from me at the dinner table nor did he ever enter my home. He did however enter my heart at a very dark time in my life.

It was a time of discovery and transition for me. I was transitioning onto living foods, living in a big 5 bedroom home by myself in Dayton Ohio. I was just beginning my journey into healing my body and quite honestly chose not to associate with many people. I valued time alone. 

Any vegan you speak to will tell you that when you first go vegan and especially raw you are prone to eating HUGE portions of food! Even though my bout with bulimia was long over, the raw foods detoxed me down to a mere 97 pounds despite my meals covering an entire dining table at times. Out of shame of my huge portion sizes and the food that most considered “odd” at that time along with my drastic weight loss, I chose to not eat in front of others. Sadly this went on for two years.

Every single night during that two years of emotional turmoil and isolation I would listen to one of Wayne’s shows. He was my friend when I felt I didn’t have anyone. It didn’t matter if it was a PBS pre recorded show or a radio interview with Dr Dyer, I always felt better at the end of dinner when I shared it with him.

So tonight as I eat dinner I’ve got one of his speaking engagements playing on my computer. In this moment as his voice streams across my dining room table I feel comfort, support and love all over again! Thank you Dr Wayne Dyer for everything you have given to me and to millions of others. You are loved!

 

7 Tips To Slowing~Down to get more done!

Hey there friends:) Ok well this isn’t exactly a “she she poo poo” video like the one I sent you last week. It is something however that I feel is vitally important in order to achieve the healthy lifestyle I know you want!

 Check out the video above!

I also wanted to share my to 7 tips for slowing down! 

1) Honor yourself by taking time for YOU!!! Its vitally important that you know this is YOUR time! You are doing this firstly for you and secondly to be a better person for those around you. If you cannot love yourself enough to do this, it simply won’t work to your advantage!

2) Find someone who will hold you accountable for your “time out sessions”! Having someone who will remind you from time to time to stay on track with your goal of slowing down will greatly improve your ability to do so. I have a girlfriend who whenever I ask her to go to a yoga class, she’s in! These are the types of people you will need in your corner to make this change of taking time for YOU easier for you to adopt!

3) Meditate 20 minutes every morning and evening. The verdict is in! Meditation not only reduces oxidative stress in the body but also reduces anxiety! Recent studies show it could also lead to a longer life span! Think you don’t have 40 minutes a day? Think again! I’m here to remind you that YOU matter enough to make the time to meditate!

4) Yoga anyone! Any questions? Thought so! 🙂

 5) Drop the guilt! So many people who have children or aging parents that they care for use it as an excuse to not slow down! From soccer practice to cheer leading to the grocery and cleaning their home. There simply isn’t enough time to slow down! Lets think of it differently! What are you teaching your children by constantly being in a rush and taking no time for yourselves? What are you telling your spouse when you get short with them because you are overwhelmed? I rest my case.

6) Nap lie you are in kinder~ garden!  Studies show a 90 minute nap completely restores a sleep deprived body! You simply operate better when you are rested! Even 30 minutes is enough time however to get a mini reprieve! Try lying on your back with your feet elevated! Place a cool cloth over your eyes and a bit of lavender essential oil on your forehead and chest. Ahhh can you feel it?!

7) Got sleep? When your body is sleep deprived it is impossible to be or do your best! If you want to achieve anything in life, it starts with developing good sleep habits! Aim for 7-8 hours per night!

 

Andrea L Cox is the owner of http://www.thehealthyhaven.net & http://www.alkalizewithandrea.com She is a fitness model turned health coach who has written two books on the raw vegan healthy lifestyle and detoxification! Andrea has appeared on numerous news stations TV shows and magazine publications. She runs yoga juice cleanse retreats both in San Diego and Mexico! Her You Tube channel is approaching close to 2Million views.

Seven tips to having a healthy relationship! R rated!

The art of making love!

I’m feeling a strong desire to write about a different aspect of health today. The aspect of healthy relationships. Not the type of relationships between family members or friends. The relationships between a man and a woman. A healthy emotional, sexual and respectful bond.

About seven months ago I was in the midst of one of the happiest times in my life! I had just met the man of my dreams who I fell madly in love with! My business was booming with my coaching clients and VIP clients flying in for retreats. My relationship with my family had never been better and EVERYONE was telling me “You’re GLOWING Andrea!!!

That glow was because I was being loved…and loved well!

Its no secret that biologically speaking men are very different from women. They are driven hormonally to want sex and to have it immediatly! In a loving mutually beneficial relationship this demanding drive in men can be a very good and healthy thing”! Women have a different chemical/ hormonal brain and physiological response to sex then men do. MUCH DIFFERENT! A woman’s chemical response in her brain makes her become emotionally connected to a man once intercourse has taken place. You hear women speak of this often in conversations with other women. Generally the conversation goes something like this…”I didn’t even like him but once I slept with him something happened, I’m so in love now”! Nine times out of ten a woman will likely form an emotional bond to a man especially during the act of orgasm. Although I don’t want to frighten any of you men out there….its a known fact that the majority of women are picking out china patterns after they’ve slept with you a handful of times! 

Its a known fact that women have a different chemical and hormonal brain response to sex then their male counterparts do. A woman is wired differently than a man! It really is that simple! I’m not saying by any means that men don’t get emotionally attached to a woman or that men don’t fall in love. What I’m saying is that it takes a bit longer for men to feel this bond and a level of respect and loyalty from the woman must be displayed before this can happen.

In a perfect world, the man will be motivated to treat his woman in loving ways even if she is only there for a short sector of time along his journey. In turn a man will gain some rewards beyond merely sexual pleasure or a less than one minute orgasm. He will get a woman with an oxy~tocin GLOW who feels loving, emotionally connected, and jumps for joy when near him!

Gentleman…please when you have sex with a woman, know that she is emotionally bonding to you! Treat her as if she matters to you and not just in those few minutes of time. This goes far beyond pleasing her orally or having SAFE sex with her! It means calling her the next day and not playing screwed up mind games of “push~pull (see below)! You see this woman is SO much more than a hot body to screw. She’s an actual feeling human being! She is always aware that she is connecting with you emotionally and this is far more than just sex to her!

Look guys, its difficult enough for her to know she is at risk of pregnancy or getting a sexual disease ever time she opens her heart (essentially her legs) to you!  She is also taking the risk of becoming HIGHLY connected to you on a spiritual level called “bonding”!  If you should choose to break that bond in a sudden surprising bad way she will only be stressed out after being with you! Do this repeatedly and she becomes ill on a physical level! Once the depression kicks in for her, so does the feeding her pain through the ice creme she has stashed in the freezer!

LADIES…Its YOUR responsibility to say NO! Make the guy wait a few months! Feel him out so to speak. You may find after a month of “hanging out” your not interested!

MEN…What’s the point of taking all these risks for her just to”get you off”?Do you want an emotionally wounded woman calling you at all hours of the night just to ask “why”?

 1) Don’t be a crumb taker!

There is an old saying that goes something like this, “when someone shows you who they are, believe them”! Never settle for crumbs. What are crumbs? Crumbs are verbal abuse, lies, cheating, belittling, physical abuse, disrespectful partners, emotionally dead partners, loveless relationships or disappearing acts that will always rob you from your peace of mind!

Know that you deserve ALL the love that this World has to offer no matter where you are along your path! You will never earn the respect or be the one your partner swoons over if you don’t have enough respect for yourself to walk away when you are treated poorly! 

2) Awaken your Soul as you let go of thy ego! 

The soul is the one thing that bridges the gap between Spirit and the ego! What does the soul mean to me? The soul is conscious loving of oneself and conscious giving to others expecting NOTHING in return! The ego is not speaking, living or acting out your truth in order to appear a certain way in the eyes of others! Once you fully awaken your soul strength and clarity arise! Your values switch over and upward onto a more conscious level. You live a life of love. And, you create soul connections with others along with soul moments instead of ego~ic “me me me stories” to compete with others.

3) Learn to love without grasping the other person so tightly!

Ahhh we are hitting an “ego moment” for me on this one! I have always made the men in my life show up in LARGER than life ways to win my affections and love. Once I feel safe with them I love them full throttle (pun intended)! I care about their health, I become the “best sexual experience they ever have” I shower them with poetic sweet nothings and public displays of affection! Having said all of that, if they display ANY sign of not honoring, respecting or not loving me, I grip…tightly! 

People such as myself who are “grippers” when the going gets rough have not mastered their own egos! Sure we are humble, kind and loving. Generally however there is a part of us that is wounded. The majority of us (myself included) have severe abandonment issues. We lost someone of authority very young and never had the chance to grieve. Or we had an authority figure that struggled with addiction and we never healed. Whatever the case may be its impressive that we recognize this “grasping” behavior in ourselves and work on it. We will never have a fully loving care free relationship unless we do. Be mindful of all the little ways your ego stops you from experiencing true love in your life! The ego is always about gripping onto something you fear will leave you. It feeds upon your fear and encourages a constant feeling of lack.

4) Learn how to effectively deal with stress! 

As your ego becomes filled increasingly with Spirit through consciousness and love, you shift your identity increasingly to “JUST BEING” or “BEING IN THE MOMENT”! You will find that no matter how much emotional stress you are under your spirit or he who lives within all of us will ALWAYS guide you into simply being with self!

Its important to note that any form of vanishing at or during these stressful times with no word given to your partner before hand is NOT trust building! If you are in the midst of a circus type of relationship where your partner repeatedly “runs off” or disappears into the oblivion leaving you to wonder about his or her whereabouts or even worse, about their safety when alone, it is your job to get out NOW! You are not putting all of this effort into something to be a crumb taker my friends! Time to pull out the book on self love and self respect and get to reminiscing those days when you still had some! 

5) Take Time to Re-align your calendar! 

You see this all the time! Boy meets girl, boy chases girl, girl stops hanging out with her friends, doing yoga, getting her cute little hair blow outs and generally neglecting herself. Boy is suddenly onto the next or off in “disappearance land”! 

This one is VERY simple! Keep a calendar and write down something to do for yourself DAILY! Yes I said daily my little love sick health nuts! This could be soaking in an epsom salt bath to meeting your girlfriends after work for a yoga class. It all counts towards brownie points that are dropped into your “self~care love tank”!

6) Grow up and stop the endless push~pull cycle! 

Us ladies just love this one…don’t we? He calls you ten times per day, you return every fifth call! He brings you flowers every other date you say thank you but never reciprocate with a single card for his efforts. He plans AMAZING dates for you but you still talk to two other men on the phone “just incase” it doesn’t work out with him. Then suddenly you find yourself falling in love with him (oh “smit”)! You begin to call him at the office to ask him about his day. At first he loves this then, his secretary tells you he’s at lunch (at 4:30). You wait by the phone dreaming of where he s going to take you this weekend and the call is so last minute you cannot even pull an outfit together/heck he’s stopped planning anything at all! At this point its a struggle to even go to the movies with him.  You have incredible sex then he is breaking your heart that very night saying “this just isn’t going to work”! 

You feel confused, heart broken and your self esteem is in dumps~ville! You cannot focus on work, on yourself heck you can’t even get a green juice down! ATTENTION ALL LADIES AND MEN~ welcome to push~pull “I only want you when you don’t want me land”! This is a HUGE indicator of a commitment phobic who is VERY wounded! It doesn’t mean that he or she isn’t a good person. It just means you should run for the hills and pray for their recovery! See (don’t be a crumb taker above)!

This is never a healthy scenario for either person! Your heart ends up in the gutter making it virtually impossible for you to move forward with anyone else. The other person is feeding off of you chasing them when they choose to disappear! Basically, your feeding a drug addict if you continue in this manner!

7) Take care of yourself!

Several studies have been done that prove men are not looking for “a perfect 10”! They want a woman with confidence however! Keep yourself nice ladies. You know what I mean! Take pride in being a woman! Get your weekly non toxic mani and pedi! Go get your hair done once in a while for a little boost! Dress in up to date clothing always keeping your own personal style! 

Men, stay well groomed! Shower after the gym! Keep your car nice inside so she doesn’t have to move a pile of papers and lint brushes as she goes to sit down! Buy a tongue scraper! Hit the gym! I’m not saying you have to show up as Brad Pitt but pull it together for her. It shows you care about the relationship!

So whats the moral of this story?

For the men… The next time you see a beautiful woman walking down the street who is literally GLOWING know that she is being loved and loved well!  If you don’t treat her respectfully, carefully, lovingly, and responsibly don’t be suprised when she displays the gripping, annoying argumentative habits of “your ex”. Or…the last woman you failed to recognize as a diamond solitaire that needed dusting off!

A good woman can only go for so long without hearing the words “I love you” before she stops loving herself. Remind her often!

Once you create a connection biologically know that there will be a connection emotionally. Love responsibly and work on taming that ego in the mean time!

For the women…Crumbs are to be left in the trash can! Desire a happy life? Take responsibility for your own!

 

 

Detox pancake recipe & a success story!

Hi there beauties:) So I’m here in Mexico (again) and I just got done running an AMAZING VIP detox for a stunningly beautiful woman named Minerva! Minerva was Hands down one of my absolute favorite clients to ever do my detox program! Miss Minerva I like to call her! A wife, mother World traveler and speaker of truth!!! I love and adore this woman & wish she was my next door neighbor! 

To love what you do for a living is to have peace in your heart!!! This woman was sent from above and will forever be etched inside of my heart!!! Enjoy the photos of her retreat along with two versions of pancakes I know she will be whipping up! 

Miss Minerva’s 3 day detox VIP retreat!

Let the 3 day detox begin!

 

After a guided super market tour and a trip to trade in toxic cosmetics for paragon free goods! YAY! Minerva is 100% a girly girl! She LOVES all things about being a woman! 

The beautiful Minerva and I stayed out a bit too late after our trip to the grocery!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Waiting on my new favorite girl to get her colonic:) I was eating blueberries in the lobby while Miss Minerva was getting “cleaned out”!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Before she left, I took her a fresh coconut and made her a salad with organic soy-free tofu made from hemp! She loved it and I call that healthy travel food!!! 

 

Minerva left her 3 day detox GLOWING even more than when she walked in! I wrote about fears I was having prior to her coming that taught me a valuable lesson! The following is what I wrote on my Facebook wall after meeting this beautiful woman! 

Beautiful both inside and out!

“Today I had a VIP guest fly in from Texas to do a three day detox here in San Diego. As I went to greet her at the resort, I was a bit nervous. The truth is, as I’ve been speaking to her on the phone the past few months she reminded me a lot of myself. I’m not exactly easy to please and was beginning to fear if I would live up to her expectations.

I spent about an hour and a half with her and then returned this evening to teach her class. Within minutes she opened up to me and invited me to open up to her. Much like the last guest I had a month ago…I fell in love with her kind loving heart! Not only is she beautiful on the outside but also on the inside too!

On the drive home I began thinking “yes…we are a lot a like!” We are both “high maintinance women” with HUGE giving, loving honest hearts! Heck I’m proud to call myself “HM” for the first time in my life! To me high maintenance only means you demand people give you their very best and do the same for others! I’ll take that title ANY day of the week!

Today was a beautiful day of two women from different cultures, different up bringing and different lives coming together to share, love and to heal!

 I am forever blessed to be able to LOVE what I do!”

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A divine salad recipe! VEGAN and NON VEGAN PANCAKE RECIPES! YUM!

 

So here I am “chill~axing” in Mexico and I thought hmmm what would the beautiful friends at the Healthy Haven like to see this week? Then it hit me…some easy to digest recipes! Enjoy these favorites below!

 

Curry tofu with dried fruit and seeds!

1/2 C pineapple

1/3 C dried cranberries

1 of Andrea’s “sticky balls” (dates, walnuts, sunflower and pumpkin seeds rolled into balls and dusted in dried coconut)

1/2 C hemp (soy free) tofu

1 tsp turmeric

1TB curry powder

1 TB hemp seeds

 

Combine tofu with curry, coconut oil and turmeric set aside.

cover a large plate with raw spinach, break up Andrea’s sticky ball, add pineapple and dried cranberries place curried tofu on top and add hemp seeds! BOOM! Enjoy without shame or guilt!

 

 

 

 

YOU ARE GOING TO LOVE BOTH VERSIONS OF THESE PANCAKES!

 

Ok folks I know I NEVER do NON vegan recipes but Ive been getting requests for this! Here are two FABULOUS recipes for pancakes! One is vegan and one is not!

 

Gluten free banana pancakes!

1 banana

2 farmers eggs

blueberries

cinnamon oil by Young Living (E@mail me at andrea@thehealthyhaven.net to learn how to get 11 essential oils FREE!)

 

Thats it, yep! 4 ingredient pancakes! Simply mash, mix and cook! See vegan recipe below!!!

Andrea holding her banana blueberry pancakes topped with cinnamon mac almond syrup!

Here is the vegan recipe! Feel free to share the photo below onto your favorite social media page! I love that!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enjoy this beautiful weekend everyone and enjoy the BEST part of your life! LIVE IN THE NOW!

Remember, I only want the absolute BEST for you! Andrea L Cox

Week in review!

 

 

WEEK IN REVEIW!

In Mexico on 4th of July!

 

 

Happy 4th of July everyone! Something occurred to me today and I wanted to share it with all of you. Once you know the truth, you can move forward to create the life you truly are meant to have! Don’t allow lies to ever hold you back!

I love you and I believe in you!!

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Late is better than nothing!

 

F~I~T~N~E~S~S

 

 

 

 

progress not perfection!

 

 

 

 

Having been a former fitness model who graced the cover of over 20 magazines I know a thing or two about working out. If I could give you one piece of advice it would be that there are no shortcuts!

I lift weights three days per week, interval train to keep my heart healthy and do bikram yoga a minimum of five days per week.

My diet that really isn’t a diet at all consists of tons of “good water”, a plethora of vegetable juices, fresh organic fruits and a ton of greens along with some cooked starch such as sweet potatoes. 
Although I will drink bone broth in the winter, I’ve not eaten any animal flesh in 9 years. No eggs, no chicken, no dairy and no fish!

The question I get asked the most is “where do I get my protein”? My answer is always the same. Dark leafy greens and sprouted seeds give me an abundance of protein!

As far as supplements I eat my evening formula clay. That supplies me with ALL the vitamins and minerals I require! 
People are always looking for the “magic pill” or “quick fix”. I prefer an all you can eat buffet of fruits and vegetables mixed with sunshine, clean air, yoga and body movement.

Want to get truly healthy? Just eat sunshine:)

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F~O~O~D   R~E~C~O~V~E~R~Y

Everyone makes makes mistakes!R~E~C~O~V~E~R~Y

Last night I had a “slight slip up”frown emoticon It wouldn’t be cool of me to not share it with all of you. My desire from this post is that you see that no one is perfect! Not even me. 

I had gone to sleep very late the night prior and had not stuck to my eating schedule over the weekend. Long story short…I didn’t tune into my body yesterday as a result. I ate way too late and I wasn’t hungry when I did take in! 

Please allow this to be a lesson for you to never take in when the body is kicking ass and feeling great! Always stick to somewhat of a schedule with your eating so that you know your “hunger times”. The meal didn’t serve me what so ever! In fact it kept me up the entire night and feeling like poo today:( It’s green juice for this detox Queen until at least 3pm!

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F~A~S~H~I~O~N  

Ok, I’m getting a plethora of Emails asking me where I shop! I chuckle at this because quite honestly I am the thriftiest shopper I know! I buy most of my dresses at little off road boutiques and have not set foot in a mall (unless forced to) in years! 

I am drawn to comfortable, “beachy” dresses made from organic materials!

Here was last weeks ensembles

 

  

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J~U~N~E 28

A day to remember:)

 

 

 

 

 

 

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My 6th month anniversary with my love:) I’ll cherish this time for a lifetime:)

Six months ago today I met this kind loving man. I wasn’t looking and I’m pretty sure he wasn’t either. When a mutual friend mentioned I should meet my love I said “tell me about him” then I blurted out “he’s not for me”:) About a week later we spoke for the very first time. “Sweet William” immediately went on my “do not answer phone” list. I just thought we were worlds apart when it came to everything we believed in. The next week something kept saying “give this man a shot”….”give love a shot”!

Fast forward to December 29th, our first date. Standing before me was the most handsome man I had ever laid eyes upon. He was nervous and for the first time in my life….so was I! He brought dog treats for Louis and the most beautiful orchid for me. I broke my do not kiss on the first date rule that night and many other rules during the past six months. William has a gentle way of teaching me that rules rule me and that letting go is what life is all about.

I cannot count the number of times this man has brought me flowers since that day. He has made me laugh more than anyone I’ve ever met. I’ve also cried for the sheer fact that I’ve never been happier then when I look into his blue eyes. I fell for his eyes before they knew me and every time he kisses me it feels like our very first kiss six months ago.

I love you sweet William, my handsome, quirky sharp dressing funny “man-pan-ion”! Thank you for showing me what falling in true love for the very first time feels like!

 

Anniversary flowers:)…they went from pink to white:)

The struggle I’ve always been too embarrassed to share.

Why I keep my food so simple/My struggle with OCD

Several years ago, after high school people around me noticed a strive for perfection that seemed to be deeply rooted within me. They also noticed a “routine” that as long as it was in place kept me happy because my goals were being reached at incredible speed. 

When I was 22 this was diagnosed as “OCD” or obsessive compulsive dissorder. My “illness” was surrounding diet and exercise. I always kept this as a secret. My significant other at the time knew and supported my decision to avoid medication in order to “keep it in check”.

Eventually this became an eating disorder called binge/bulimia. At my sickest I was 90 pounds. Instead of seeking help from a place that would feed me crap food and put me on drugs, I chose to educate myself on living foods, juicing and fasting in order to crush my addictive behaviors. I traveled around to meet very well known pioneers in the health industry. While others were going out drinking, I was barricading myself in my home reading, learning and studying the art of detoxification on a cellular level.

I did this all on my own, with God by my side. It took me almost a decade to be in the position I am today. I’m not perfect by any means. I still struggle every once in a while as we all do.

I will say that part of my healing process was to learn to keep my food very simple and very clean! This has a biochemical effect on the body and keeps my triggers at bay. Staying on an early to rise and early to bed routine during the week also has helped me tremendously. Recently, I’ve let this routine go and have noticed a significant difference in my “rituals” and mood. It is up to me to get it back on track but also to not stay so rigid that it causes me to fall back into my OCD habits.

The biggest struggle I’ve had is to actually come out with this in public. I was always scared that people wouldn’t love and accept me any longer. You really learn who your true friends are and who the people are that love you when you admit to having such an issue. 

About a year ago, I dated a man with the same struggle. He brought me face to face with my own illness and that was a very sobering moment in how far I had come.

I’m feeling grateful today for the people in my life and the struggle I have undergone. Those who accept me know that this has meant the world to me. Those who choose to not accept me for my faults and unique way of dealing with them have more work to do on their own journey. For those who have been supportive, especially my mother…I thank you for accepting me, ALL of me and the best part of my soul. ♡♡♡

On a side note I would like to wish my mother (a true saint) Bonnie Cox a very happy birthday today! I love you mom and would be nothing without your caring kind heart!

The art of listening to your body!

  

R~E~C~O~V~E~R~Y

Last night I had a “slight slip up”:( It wouldn’t be cool of me to not share it with all of you. My desire from this post is that you see that no one is perfect! Not even me. 
I had gone to sleep very late the night prior and had not stuck to my eating schedule over the weekend. Long story short…I didn’t tune into my body yesterday as a result.

I ate way too late and I wasn’t hungry when I did take in! Please allow this to be a lesson for you to never take in when the body is kicking ass and feeling great! Always stick to somewhat of a schedule with your eating so that you know your “hunger times”. The meal didn’t serve me what so ever! In fact it kept me up the entire night and feeling like poo today:( It’s green juice for this detox Queen until at least 2pm today!

Something else that was suggested to me by my loving man~pan~ion was to book a yoga class if 5pm rolls around and I’m simply NOT feeling dinner! What a fabulous idea! I would love to hear your solutions to your struggle when you “tune out” instead of tuning in! Let me know in the comments below.

Remember, I love you and only want the very best for you♡♡♡ Andrea

To enjoy the journey is to find peace!

Today and everyday I am choosing to “enjoy the journey”! This was said to me years ago by my mentor while I was in the depths of my detoxification process as I healed my body on living foods. I can remember calling him in tears asking when “this will end”? When will the old stuff stop coming up? Why was my mind cleansing even more than my physical body? How can I possibly move through so much pain at once?

I’ll never forget his words to me. He said Andrea… what good is the journey if we are not enjoying our walk down the path along the way”? That was the very first moment I began to “relax” into what is in order to allow what was to come.

Its been quite a long road and the road has had many bumps along the way. The one thing I’ve learned beyond all others is that if we don’t allow the pain to come up and FEEL through it, we will never allow for the sunshine and rainbows to come through. 

Today, I encourage each and every one of you to FEEL through your pain! Love yourself along the journey and to allow everything that is meant to flow into and out of your life to do so. I promise you that any pain you are feeling now will soon be replaced with some of the most beautiful sun filled days of your life.

I love you and believe in you! Have the BEST week ever! 

Andrea

Hiking in Mexico with the love of my life:)