A pretty peach in the complexion signals health and vitality.  Petal-pink cheeks are so desirable, that the beauty industry makes millions every year selling products to replicate that alluring glow.  But you don’t have to spend a fortune on high-end beauty products, (or worse yet, pile on the cheep stuff), to achieve that healthy hue.  There’s an easy way to get the flush without the blush.

Starting your day with fresh, clean water with a squeeze of lemon will give you that lusterous look.  Hydration counts when it comes to the condition of your skin, so drinking water throughout the day is a must.  But adding lemon to your water, especially in the morning, will deliver a multitude untold benefits, the best of which is keeping your skin clear and vibrant!  Here are some of the ways drinking water with lemon will contribute to a rosy shimmer:

 Ok blog readers and subcribers, this is an Elissa Goodman insider secret.  You are all about to recieve information that is yet to hit the mainstream, but will shortly.  It’s about Shatavari, a bitter-sweet herb used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine.

The effects of Shatavari are powerful and far reaching.  Shatavari is used to rejuvinate a sense of well-being, clear the intestines, and perserve the health and quality of body tissue.  It’s a diuretic, a laxative, and an antacid.  It’s even used as an anti-tumor agent! However, Shatavari is most famously used for something a little more suggestive, and fun!

Shatavari  is a powerful aphrodisiac. The name Shatavari translates to “she who posseses 100 husbands”, which should give you an idea of how sitmulating this herb is said to be.   As an aphrodisiac, it’s used to increase feminine libido, and balance cervical pH and dryness.  Taking Shatavari on a regular basis will help you feel relaxed, frisky, and in the mood!  And while a fantastic passion promoter, Shatavari also supports the female reproductive system as a whole.  It’s useful in relieving menopausal symptoms, restoring fertility,  protecting from threatened miscarraige,  relieving PMS pain and loss of blood during menstruation, and balancing the hormones of women who have had hysterectomies. It both nourishes and cleanses the blood and the female reproductive organs, protecting your most important and fragile area.

In the energetic realm, Shatavari, has a  positive and healing power.  It is said to be a sattvic herb, which means it will make you calm, steady, peaceful, and alert.  It enhances the feelings of spiritual love, and increases life-force and vigor.

All mysterioso aside,  taking an herbalist’s reccommended dose of Shatavari is proven to mend problems with the female system and boost our hormone levels.  Meow!  It’s a perfect Mother’s Day gift for yourself, or someone else.  Doesn’t every mother deserve to feel foxy?!

To set up your own personal cleanse/nutrition session with Elissa, call:  (323) 596-0003 or email: info@elissagoodman.com

I know going out to dinner can be fun and exciting, but not every night.  Also, take-out can get very boring and expensive. There is something so satisfying about a nutritous, home cooked meal.  I say, why go out to eat when cooking at home can be easy, healthy, delicious, and affordable?  And with the right techniques and ingredients, preparing your meal can be quicker than picking up take-out.

Margaret Floyd (author of Eat Naked) has written another great cookbook, called – Naked Foods. I know you’re probably thinking they both have to do with being naked…sorry, no such luck!  You’ll have to leave that to Fifty Shades of Grey.  The Naked Foods Cookbook shows how to create whole, organic, and fresh, “naked” meals that maximize the natural nutritional value of food. When we eat out or buy commercially made food, we get harmful additives, preservatives, or empty-calorie fillers.

This cookbook is well-suited for people who lead busy lives.  Each recipe is organized around the time it takes for you to prepare each type of dish: “in a rush” recipes take ten minutes or less, “every day” recipes take twenty minutes or less, and an “impress the neighbors” section offers more time-intensive recipe selections. I seek to control the quality of ingredients and nutrients in my food so I  turn to this cookbook time and time again for affordable, naturally delicious meals.  After you make a few meals from it, you’ll make it your go to source for fun, fast, and fabulous food ideas!

To set up your own personal cleanse/nutrition session with Elissa, call:  (323) 596-0003 or email: info@elissagoodman.com

Toss that beach moo-moo and prepare to bare your best bikini body this summer. It’s detox time!

Detoxing is an easy and  fast way to a flatter tummy, sleeker arms, and lighter thighs and hips.  Excess weight in the body is the result of unexpelled waste and excess toxicity. Detoxification is the process of eliminating all the negative effects on your body – it moves waste and excess toxicity out of our organs and tissues. When you move the waste, you lose the weight!  Food based detoxification gets the body to a pristine condition and keeps it there.

Spring is a natural time to detox.  Our bodies sense the time of renewal and they are naturally inclined to shed waste and toxicity.  These in-season foods are powerful at cleansing your cells and moving toxicity out of the body!  They break down the bad stuff and get rid of it. So get excited for the beach this summer because here are my top picks for a happy bikini-bod:

• Strawberries: This juicy fruit not only brightens your skin and whitens your teeth, it is also packed with compounds that help detox your intestines.  When you shed waste from your gut, you shed weight all over.

• Asparagus: This earthy veggie supports kidney drainage, and lymphatic health.  These two systems are primary detox centers- they clean the blood and the body tissues.  When you remove toxins from your blood and tissues, you look instantly sleeker and more toned.

• Rhubarb: This seasonal gem tops the spring detox charts! Rhubarb contains a powerful detox facilitator called inulin.  Inulin is a sugar that breaks down only in the intestines.  This means it’s food for all the healthy gut bacteria.  When your gut bacteria thrive, you have no problem passing digested material from your body and this leaves you light, lean, and freshly energized.

• Artichokes: Artichokes are not only beautiful and elegant, but excellent at detoxing the liver.  The liver is a huge storehouse of waste and toxic buildup. Cleansing your liver gives you more energized health, and tighter, firmer skin.

• Apricots: Apricots make the perfect detox snack. They give the body a deep cleaning, and load our cells with toxicity fighting agents that keep new waste from building up.  You’ll look like a real beach peach when you make apricots a daily dish.

When you make these seasonly detox foods a part of your diet, you’ll feel confident, light and lean heading to your favorite beach this summer.

To set up your own personal cleanse/nutrition session with Elissa, call:  (323) 596-0003 or email: info@elissagoodman.com

I hear from so many people,  ”I would give up meat, but I don’t know where I ‘d get my protein from!”  I’ve thought about this complaint a lot.  

Hormone free, grass fed animal protein contains the most complete assembly of amino acids, however too much meat is not cleansing and it’s a myth that animal protein is the only optimal form because it’s the most complete.  Plus, depending only on meat for protein can make you look dull, saggy, and dried out.  Meat is a very toxic carcinogen and  a new study in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that daily consumption of red meat can result in a 13 percent increased risk of mortality. You won’t look good when your six feet in the ground!

The best approach to protein is to look for synergistic forms from a wide variety of sources. Elephants are massive animals who eat nothing but grass, proving you can thrive on plant based diet.  I am sure you have heard of superfoods: nutrient dense foods that assist metabolism of, improve digestion, aid weight loss and provide an intoxicating array of vitamins and minerals.  Superfoods can supply a plant-based diet with essential protein levels.  Additionally, superfoods are great source of essential fatty acids, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals that protect and enhance your appearance. Below are the best superfood souces for protein, so you can get the nutrients you need and support your lovely looks!

To set up your own personal cleanse/nutrition session with Elissa, call:  (323) 596-0003 or email: info@elissagoodman.com

Wouldn’t it be nice to take a “get gorgeous” pill?  The only silver bullet is working from the inside out.  You have to eat  your way to shimmering beauty.  And eating buckwheat is a dazzling means to firm, hydrated skin, sustained energy, and improved digestion.  While normally used in place of grains, like rice or cous cous,  buckwheat is actually a seed.  This makes it a fantastic carb alternative for people with gluten allergies.  Some buckwheat can become cross-contaminated with wheat or other gluten products.  Always buy the highest quality buckweat and double check with your waiter at a restaurant to ensure that your buckwheat is truly gluten free.

That being said, buckwheat’s robust and dark flavor make it a delicous way to eat to our most attractive selves. Here’s why buckwheat tops the charts:

• Buckwheat’s high in antioxidants that will clear and fortify the skin.
• Buckwheat’s high in minerals that keep the mind and the body relaxed.
• Buckwheat’s a low glycemic food and can help you kick sugar.
• Buckwheat’s a high protein and high fiber food that will satisfy your tummy and detox your body.

Enticed?  To prepare a beatuy boosting buckwheat dinner, try the recipe below for something simple and tasty! Remember  to only by organic buckweat, and if possible, sprouted.  Sprouted grains, nuts, and seeds are easier to digest than non sprouted!

Buckwheat and Roasted Vegetable Salad

Roasted Vegetables
1 onion
1 big bell pepper (yellow or green)
1 medium-sized zuchinni
1/2 lb oz. summer squash
1/2 lb oz. cauliflower
1-2 tablespoons of olive oil
salt to season
fresh herbs (e.g coriander, oregano, whatever you like…)

Buckwheat
1 cup buckwheat (sprouted if you can find it)
2 cups of water

Salad Dressing
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 tablespoon of white balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon of lemon juice
1 clove crushed garlic

Peel and cut all vegetables in bite-sized chunks. Place them on a baking tray. Chop the fresh herbs and add. Salt generously. Then drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil over the vegetables and stir thoroughly so that everything is covered thinly in the oil. Place in the oven and bake at 450 degrees for about 20-30 minutes or vegetables are cooked.

Bring the buckwheat groats to boil in salted water, then simmer for about 10-15 minutes. Most of the water should be absorbed by the buckwheat. Check regularly for doneness, as the buckwheat should always have a bite. Overcooked buckwheat looses its shape and texture.

Mix  the dressing and toss all portions togeather.

To set up your own personal cleanse/nutrition session with Elissa, call: (323) 596-0003 or email: info@elissagoodman.com

Reflexology is a popular therapeutic treatment, and for good reason.  There are reflex points in your feet that relate to the health of your eyes, liver, spleen, colon, etc.  Almost every major organ in your body is tied to the health of your feet.  When you walk barefoot, you give yourself a free reflexology treatment. You’re feet may be a little sensitive in the beginning, but over time that tenderness will be replaced by a feeling of rejuvenation!

One sure-fire way to feel like a million bucks is to spoon down some of this high-vibe pudding.  Chia seeds are the superfood of superfoods!  Just 2 tablespoons of chia seeds has three times the amount of antioxidants in blueberries.  That means consuming just a little of this low-calorie food brightens your skin, fights off aging, and protects you from disease.  Plus, chia seeds also have three times the amount of fiber in oatmeal, two times the amount of protein of any other bean, seed or grain, and two times the amount of potassium in a banana. Chia seeds are a sure-fire way to a sleek physique because they help you get rid of waste, go longer without food, and burn more calories.  You’ll feel totally dazzling and give off tons of glitzy vibes when you make a breakfast or snack of this yummy recipe.

Here’s the round-up of my favorite simple and stylish lunch ideas.  Lunch is one of those meals that’s just too easy to skip. We get busy in the middle of the day at work or running errands and we think we’ll squeeze a meal in later.  Sometimes we even think we’ll cut down on calories by skipping a meal.  Nothing could be farther from the truth.  Eating lunch helps us stay slim and healthy.  Our bodies need regular meals to keep our metabolism high and, when we skip meals, we often find ourselves unconciously snacking on unhealthy foods a little farther down the line. These sleek and delicious recipes are so easy to prepare and fashionably appetizing!  When you’ve got something this swank to look forward too, you’ll never skip lunch again!

1. Black bean burritos

I recently discovered an amazing food delivery service called Mother Organica. Never in any of my nutrition day-dreams have I imagined such mouth-watering perfection – an uber yummy food club and catering service that specializes in personalized, succulent, farm-to-table meals.  Twice a week,  the chefs at Mother Organica visit the farmers market and from what’s locally available and in season, they design tantalizlingly tasty meals.  There are a three ways to get Mother Organica’s zesty meals delivered to your doorstep:

• Mother Organica is a food club.  That means you join a plan where you have a certain number of meals delievered to your home once or twice a week (depending on your plan).  You can have these meals customized or semi-customized to your tastes, dietary restrictions, and or allergies.  You can also order a la carte items like Carrot-Ginger and Lemongass Soup, or Black Bean Chipotle Chili with Quinoa from their stunningly appetizing online menu.

• Mother Organica is a catering company.  Remember your dilema every time you have an occassion to celebrate?  You need to provide delicious food for a large group of attendees, but it’s hard to find a catering company that can supply decedant taste with your standards of superior healthiness. Getting Mother Organica to cater your party guarantees a fantastic fete – for health concious you, and your many guests!

• Day-of Delivery.  If you have family coming in from out of town, but you don’t feel like eating out, call Mother Organica in the morning to place an order for that night.  You don’t have to be a food club member to do this.  Just call it in as a catering order.  And if you want a little extra elegance, they will even come to your house and plate the meals for you.

Check out this low stress, cutting edge way to stay looking fresh by eating fresh here!

To set up your own personal cleanse/nutrition session with Elissa, call:  (323) 596-0003 or email: info@elissagoodman.com.