Put a Spring Into Your Health With More Raw Foods

By Amy Butchko, CHC, CNHP, SPHR

Wellness Works

. http://www.wellnessworksllc.net

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Put a Spring Into Your Health With More Raw Foods

Renewal is everywhere this time of year, but it's not just flowers and trees that get new life it's us too. Getting moving with activity and eating live, raw food nourishes our internal organs and helps us detoxify. We can help things along by making sure we are eating lots of raw plant-based meals.

I created some brand new recipes for my recent five day livable liver cleanse that made detoxing feel less like starving and more like a nourishing health practice. Sure, giving up sugar, alcohol, animal products and my beloved organic decaf coffee wasn't a party, but giving my internal organs a break, allowing them to regenerate and remove the waste of previous excesses was an opportunity to do good for my long term health.

While I was at it, cleansing also “reset” my palette, so I no longer crave the junk, which has had the added bonus of helping drop a few stubborn pounds gained over the winter when I'm less active.

Here is a recipe idea to help add some raw food to your spring table. This salad was a staple at our house during the cleanse, and it's sure to be on the menu frequently throughout the spring and summer with lots of seasonal vegetables available.

Amy's 7 Veggie Chopped Salad

Makes 2 servings

Dressing

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons Bragg's raw apple cider vinegar

Salad Mix

Cut into bite size pieces the following

3 cups spring mix

1/2 red or yellow bell pepper

1/2 cucumber

1/2 red or yellow beet

1 tablespoon minced purple onion or scallion

1/2 cup chopped cabbage

1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley, oregano, thyme or chives

Drizzle oil and vinegar over chopped greens and seasonal vegetables and add salt and pepper to taste.

Raw salads are full of vitamins, minerals and best of all flavor. Chew well and enjoy.