The Hormone Reset Diet (35 page)

I can relate to each of these women, and I imagine the same may be true for you. They point to what’s lost for us as women when we get too busy to listen to our bodies and use our inner guidance. When we take the time to clean the slate, we feel amazing. “It feels like a warm, sunny day,” said one woman after the Hormone Reset. “I feel a deep sense of calm, contentment, and happiness—physically and emotionally.” It’s up to you to make that choice: Do you want it to be stormy and rainy, or do you want a wonderful sunshine to warm your body? Each day, you have the chance to control your inner weather. I encourage you to choose the warm sunshine instead of mud and thunderclouds. That way you can deal more gracefully with the inevitable winds of change that will come.

Over the course of your Hormone Reset, you’ve learned firsthand about the foods that tend to cause harm through allergies, intolerances, hormone imbalance, broken metabolism, and fat-loss resistance. After elimination and provocation, you are empowered to
listen even more closely to your body and make the best decisions about which foods serve you.

I hope you know by now that this is about so much more than weight loss. It’s about mastery over your life. When you feel energetic, strong, and in touch with your body, wonderful things can happen. Now that you are no longer bloated and cranky, obsessed and neurotic, or guilty and self-loathing about your body, you can finally focus on your deepest hopes and dreams, your purpose in life, your voice, your place in the world. You can discover what makes you feel most alive and awake. It’s huge.

Like the thousands of women who’ve gone through the Hormone Reset, I hope you feel enchanted by your body and continue to cultivate the awareness that you need to maintain your progress with grace. Please count on me as a resource for you at any point at www.HormoneReset.com. Even if you live far away, imagine that I’m there, by your side, as you go food shopping or exercise. When you come to a crossroads, and you most certainly will, ask yourself what I might do or say. I hope this provides you with some guidance and insight. Thank you for your commitment, sharing this time with me, and taking vital steps to create and sustain your progress.

I will leave you with an image of the lotus flower. You might have noticed one floating on a pond or seen a picture. This exquisite and fragrant flower is amazing: it literally grows up from the mud, spreading its petals toward the sun, full of inner intelligence and subtle energy from the inside out.

You are the lotus flower. No matter where you’ve come from or what you’ve been through, you have the potential to break through toward the light, to cultivate awareness, to accept where you are and where you are headed—and to bloom. You are gentle yet strong, determined, and beautiful. I honor your bravery and commitment. Once you’ve seen the light, I hope you decide to dwell and thrive in it for many years to come.

F
ood should be delicious and nourishing, and it should keep you feeling energized from your cells to your soul. These recipes are designed to heal your metabolism and to be easy for busy people to prepare.

Geek Out with Dr. Sara:
Protein shakes are a great opportunity to consume effortlessly a serving of nutrient-rich, fresh vegetables. (Lightly steam them if you have thyroid issues to reduce the goitrogenic or thyroid-slowing effect.) I always add at least a cup of greens, usually frozen kale, to my shakes. Some people dislike kale because it is fibrous and bitter, but I find that the flavor is easily masked in this drink.

Makes 1 serving

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth.

Makes 1 serving

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth.

* See
The Hormone Cure,
page 191, for more information, or go to www.thehormonecurebook.com.

Geek Out with Dr. Sara:
Unsweetened almond milk has 50 percent more calcium than dairy milk! Getting off dairy never tasted so good.

Makes 1 serving

Blend all ingredients in a high-powered blender (for instance, Vitamix, Blendtec, Magic Bullet, or NutriBullet—see Resources) until smooth.

Geek Out with Dr. Sara:
Here’s a detoxifying drink that is as healthy as a tonic and as nutritious as a balanced meal, and it tastes like dessert! Cacao nibs are roasted cacao beans, the essence of chocolate.

Makes 1 serving

Blend all ingredients in a high-powered blender until smooth. Garnish with cacao nibs and a mint leaf.

Geek Out with Dr. Sara:
Sunflower seeds are rich in vitamin B6, which helps you make more of the happy brain chemical, serotonin, and reduces your risk of premenstrual syndrome.

Makes 1 serving

Blend all ingredients in a high-powered blender until smooth. Enjoy!

Makes 1 serving

Blend all ingredients in a high-powered blender until smooth.

*I buy kale, wash and chop it, and freeze it for shakes.

Geek Out with Dr. Sara:
Tulsi, or holy basil, is an herb used in Ayurvedic medicine for its healing and stimulating effects. Replace
your morning cup of coffee with this invigorating tea, and you may also be helping to reduce the damage that years of coffee consumption have inflicted. Tulsi has been shown to be a powerful anti-inflammatory and has properties that may prevent ulcers.

Makes 2 to 3 servings

Steep Tulsi and dandelion leaves in boiling water for at least 30 minutes. Once tea has become quite strong, strain leaves and add cool water. Tulsi tea is traditionally served at room temperature.

Adapted with permission from Jessica Theroux’s Tulsi Tea.

Geek Out with Dr. Sara:
This tonic is an anti-inflammatory powerhouse. Turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, chard, and beets are all particularly potent combatants of inflammation. Remember that blended veggies count toward your daily pound. Just be sure to drink the pulp by using a high-powered blender (see Resources)!

Makes 3 to 4 servings

1. Place water, beets, and cinnamon sticks in a large pot over high heat.

2. Bring to a boil, and cook until the beets are tender, approximately 20 to 30 minutes.

3. Strain the beets, and discard the water and cinnamon sticks.

4. Blend the beets, ginger, turmeric, broccoli sprouts, chard, dandelion greens, mint, and grapefruit juice in a high-powered blender; add the mixture to the pot.

5. Let the tonic heat over a low flame for another hour or two.

6. Serve warm or cold.

If you find yourself having trouble consuming a pound of vegetables a day, try blending them into a tonic. This potent dose of antioxidants goes down quicker than a salad and travels better. I use my blender for tonics, juices, and smoothies because blending whole vegetables doesn’t remove the fiber as juicing does. Not to mention, blending is faster, easier, and less messy!

Makes 1 serving

Blend all ingredients in a high-powered blender until smooth. Energizing!

Makes 1 serving

Blend all ingredients in a blender for 30 seconds.

Geek Out with Dr. Sara:
Don’t toss the seeds from your delectable delicata squash! Winter squash seeds provide omega-6 fatty acids. To preserve these vital oils, roast your seeds at a low temperature for a short time—about 160°F for 15 minutes. Toss with cinnamon or cayenne for a crunchy salad topping or afternoon snack.

Makes 6 servings

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.

2. Slice the delicata squash into thin slices or cubes. Toss them in a large bowl with half of the coconut oil and salt. Spread the squash in a single layer on a baking sheet.

3. Dice the shallots, and toss them with the remaining coconut oil and salt. Spread the shallots on a separate baking sheet.

4. Bake the squash and the shallots for 30 to 45 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, blend the sunflower seeds, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, xylitol, and warm water in a food processor or blender until smooth. You may want to add more or less xylitol or salt, depending on taste.

6. Toss the squash, shallots, and cilantro in a large bowl, and serve with the dressing on top.

Geek Out with Dr. Sara:
Tree nuts and nut milks make an excellent base for dairy-free cheese. Whereas soy-based fake cheeses are often rubbery and bland, nuts provide the rich texture and complex flavor we expect to find in dairy cheese. Rich in healthy fats and vitamins, nuts are also more nutritious than soybeans. This recipe calls for an artisanal variety of nut cheese, which is relatively simple to make at home and a far cry from the processed soy product we typically associate with dairy-free cheese.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

1. Heat the duck fat over medium heat in a small skillet, sauté the garlic and mushrooms until soft.

2. Transfer the mushrooms, garlic, and remaining fat from the pan to a small bowl. Whisk in the red wine vinegar, olive oil, truffle salt, and black pepper to create the dressing.

3. Drizzle the dressing over the arugula in a large bowl, and toss until coated.

4. Serve the salad with thin slices of cheese on top, and garnish with radish sprouts.

Geek Out with Dr. Sara:
This salad contains ingredients rich in beneficial phytonutrients, specifically sulforaphane, which aids in cleansing the body of toxins because it activates enzymes in the liver essential to detoxification.

Makes 4 to 6 servings