30-Day No Shampoo Challenge Results

If you have been following me on Facebook or YouTube you may have noticed that I have been doing a 30 day challenge where I have not used any products like shampoo or conditioner in my hair. You also refrain from using hairsprays, gels and de-tanglers but I wasn't using these products to begin with, so it was just the shampoo and conditioner I had to do away with. I started this challenge as an experiment to see if shampoo was the cause of my irritated, dry itchy scalp. I can't remember the last time I had a healthy, flake-free scalp for more than a week. (except for when I spent 10 days in Hawaii!) 

I exhausted every possible product over the years starting with expensive salon shampoos and gluten-free shampoos, moving to paraben and sulphate-free, then anti-dandruff shampoos like head and shoulders, to organic, then to vegan with no success lasting longer than a week. I was tired of wasting my money on these products and knew there had to be a better way.

I just looked under the sink and counted 11 different shampoo bottles plus their conditioner counterparts. 

I was inspired by 40 Below Fruity video on facebook to try this for myself.  She hasn't washer her hair in two years and it looks beautiful. I researched other YouTube videos and found that going 'poo-free' is trending and that it is working for people with all different hair types whether you have corkscrew curls or poker-straight hair like me. 

Check out the BSV rinse video here -->http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6u_KHpGauk

I started by washing my hair with a baking soda solution and rinsed it with apple cider vinegar, as suggested by 40 Below Fruity and other poo-free challenges on YouTube. The first time went over great - I couldn't believe how nice my hair turned out. I left it for five days and tried the BSV rinse again, with less success. My hair was overproducing oils and I had to wear a scarf/headband to hide the slick-ness. I knew this was to be expected as my head was adjusting to being poo-free and it inspired me to try other things like diluted food grade hydrogen peroxide, pureed bananas and avocado! It wasn't always pretty but I am so happy I tried this.

Banana Mask

Click here to watch the banana mask demo --> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qG4ZamUqE1o

Here are the results of my 30-Day No Shampoo Challenge:

My hair is gorgeous. I love the way it feels, the natural shine and the reduced irritation of my scalp.

After 30 days my hair is not overproducing oils like it used to, and the BSV rinse works well every 5 days or as needed. As for my dry scalp, I will continue to use bananas and avocados to moisturize and treat the flakies. I can already see great improvements and feel that if I continue on this path it can only get better.

One downside is that my hair doesn't hold a curl as well as it used to. My hair is poker-straight and had trouble holding a curl before, unless I used a flat iron to curl my hair. Now the ringlets don't last, but I actually like how they fall into loose beachy-looking waves. And I probably shouldn't be using that intensity of heat on my hair anyways if I'm going to all this trouble to restore it's health. I think the curls don't last as a result of my hair being more healthy. I have noticed over the years that the more damaged my hair was the more curl it would hold. It's also slightly heavier, weighing the curls down. Bottom line -I'd rather my hair be healthy than curly so I guess that's a no-brainer.

Got knots? - apple cider vinegar - it's THE best de-tangler for your hair. Even if you don't want to go poo-free I recommend trying the apple cider vinegar for your locks. The vinegar smell goes away quickly and you are left with easy to comb, shiny hair. Apple Cider Vinegar has made my tangled locks the easiest hair to comb in all of Canada! Seriously!

And if the Baking Soda isn't cutting the grease, try a pureed - banana mask - It may leave some sugar flakes but it absorbs the excess oils. Rinse well with water then use the apple cider vinegar solution to de-tangle.

My hair is also not as static-ky, which is nice, I don't enjoy it sticking to the side of my face and getting in my mouth!

List of things I tried in 30 days:

• Baking soda and water solution (2 tbsp mixed with a little water in ketchup-type bottle) with an apple cider vinegar rinse (4 tbsp mixed with 1/2 cup water in the same bottle). This worked great the first time, but lost its power in the 2nd and 3rd week. Now that my hair has adjusted it works well again. 
• Epsom Salts - I was inspire to try this as a result of how great my hair feels after I've swam in the ocean. It didn't really do anything that I noticed but I will try this again later on and see. 
• Food grade hydrogen peroxide - a small/specific amount diluted in the bath water that really cleaned out the gunk, leaving my hair more bouncy and curly but failed to remove any of the excess oil. ***warning, this can be dangerous if not done properly and extremely harmful if this gets in your eyes.
• Banana hair mask - left on 1 hour -worked great for moisturizing scalp and removed excess oils better than the baking soda solution. I rinsed this with the apple cider vinegar to detangle and remove the sugar. I was left with some sugar flakes and it loosened the natural flakes on my head. I just wore a headband for a few days until I washed again with BSV. 
• Avocado mask - left on 30 minutes - moisturizing scalp and roots of hair. Worked best for flakes and itchy-ness. 
• Coconut oil in ends of hair - used this to tame any fly-aways from winter static

So now I can toss all those bottles and know that my hair is more beautiful and healthy the Naturally Ashley way using Baking Soda, Apple Cider Vinegar and Bananas! (except the Dr. Bronner's - I use it to clean everything, great for bathtubs, body wash and laundry!) 

I challenge you to try 30 days poo-free! The first month is tough but so worth it. I'm looking forward to sticking with this and seeing how it goes.

Thanks for reading!

Lots of sweet, fruity love, 

Naturally Ashley

http://www.facebook.com/NaturallyAshleyNutrition

5 Ways to Add Kale to Your Life!

Why I eat Kale:

I eat greens everyday, and one of my favorites is kale!

Learning to incorporate dark, leafy greens into your diet is essential for a healthy body and immune system. Eating lots of greens naturally crowds out the foods that you don't want to be eating. Our cells are made up of the foods we eat. For example, if you eat potato chips you will most likely experience cravings for potato chips. When you put good things into your body, your cells crave good foods.

Greens like kale are full of antioxidants, fibre, vitamins, and minerals that help strengthen the blood and respiratory system. They are also high-alkaline foods. The alkaline minerals in our bodies are used to neutralize acidic conditions caused by the environment. I have noticed a huge improvement in my hair, skin and nails since I started eating more greens and can notice a difference if I miss them for more than one or two days.

Nutritionally, greens are very high in calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorous, zinc and vitamins A, C, E and K. They are loaded with fiber, folic acid, chlorophyll and many other micronutrients and phytochemicals. Although choosing organic is recommended, eating non-organic greens is still preferable to not eating any greens at all! 

So how do you incorporate more greens like KALE into your diet?

5 ways to add Kale to your life:

1. Sweet Green Smoothies!

Add 2-4 stalks of dark leafy green kale, stems removed, and blend with coconut water(or filtered water) and your favorite fruit! Sweet fruit works best to mask the taste for beginners, like mangos, bananas, pineapple and dates!

2. Juice it!

Juicing kale gives you a straight shot of nutrients that will give you immunity and more energy than your morning cup of coffee! Removing the fibre allows this powerhouse of antioxidants to be absorbed straight into your bloodstream for lasting energy without the crash that typically follows your caffeine binge. I like to make a green juice using 4 stalks of kale, de-stemmed, one apple, one lemon and a cucumber! It tastes better than you think!

3. Kale Wraps

Those lettuce wraps are pretty popular right now, showing up in restaurants, and you can make them using Kale! The big leaves allow you to fill them up with your favorite filling. You can then rolls and make them into a wrap or use them like a taco shell. My favorite filling is mushrooms, tomato, avocado, onion and homemade taco seasoning - delicious!

4. Marinated Kale

Wash, de-stem and cut up a head of kale. Toss it in a bowl with your favorite marinade recipe or salad dressing. You can use italian, greek, or make your own with olive oil and lemon with some salt and pepper. Let the kale marinate for the afternoon or an hour, and throw in your favorite veggies to make a tasty salad for lunch, or you can saute the marinated kale to make a lovely side dish at supper. If you want a crunchy snack - try baking or dehydrating the kale to make kale chips! Pizza kale chips are my favorite. You can use pizza sauce to marinate pieces of kale or so a homemade sauce. Recipe at the end of post!

5. Baby Kale

So you've tried kale, and you just don't like it, but you want the benefits of this nutrient-dense leafy green- then you can try baby kale! It's usually pre-washed and pre-packaged in the grocery store, making it easy to throw into smoothies and fast to make salads with. It has a milder taste and has the added benefit of being easier to digest!

So what have you got to lose?? Go out and buy a bunch of kale today! There are hundreds of recipes on the internet using this trending vegetable right now. Even though KALE is sooo good for you, it's still important to eat a variety of greens for balanced nutrition. When you are done trying kale, go out and get some spinach, romaine, swiss chard or arugula! You're body will LOVE you for it.

Pizza Kale Chips 

Ingredients:

2 bunches of Kale - washed with stems removed and torn into bite size pieces

1/4 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)

1 roasted red pepper (or fresh)

3-4 sundried tomatos (soaked an hour)

3 Tbsp nutritional yeast (optional, *gives cheesy flavor)

1 Tbsp pizza seasoning  (I used fresh basil and oregano)

1 clove of garlic

1/2 tsp sea salt

Directions:

1. After washing and removing the stems of the kale, place in a large bowl and set aside.

2. Place all ingredients *except kale* in a food processor and mix well, scraping sides.  Should form a paste thicker than traditional pizza sauce. Add 1 Tbsp water if sauce is too thick.

3. Pour sauce onto kale pieces and massage into leaves using your hands.

4. Spread kale pieces onto cookie sheet or dehydrator trays lined with parchment paper, greased with a thin layer of olive oil.

5. If using and oven: Bake at the lowest temperature setting for your oven for about 20 minutes ***keeping a close watch! They burn quickly.***

If using a dehydrator: dehydrate for about 8 hours at 115 degrees, checking for desired crispiness.

Enjoy your healthy, crunchy pizza snack! 

Taco Salad! (Low Fat, Raw Vegan- translation - Healthy!)

Tonight's supper is a taco salad inspired by Live Love Fruit's Raw Vegan, Low Fat Tacos! 

Click the link for the original recipe here -----> Raw Edible's -Raw Vegan Low Fat Tacos

I've made these twice, and tonight I'm putting a spin on the recipe and turning it into a Taco Salad! The first time I made them I let the zucchini and mushrooms marinate at room temp, and the second time I put them in the dehydrator. I liked them room temperature better and found the dehydrator made the mixture a little watery. So for my Taco Salad I'm letting them marinate on the counter. You can also eat it right away if you don't have any patience like me!

I chopped up some of my favorite taco veggies to go along with my taco 'meat' and tossed them all together in an epic salad! I didn't want it to end. I love finding recipes like this. If you were to ask me if I miss eating anything right now - I'd say no way! I changed the recipe a bit to suit my taste and what I had in my kitchen.

Taco Salad

Taco 'Meat'
1 medium zucchini - chopped into little cubes
1 cup of cremini mushrooms - chopped finely

Taco Dressing
3 medjool dates, soaks in 1/4 cup water for 1/2-1 hour until soft
1 green onion chopped
1 garlic clove
1tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp bell pepper flakes
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp corriander
Juice of 1/2 lime

When the dates are soaked and soft - blend with the water and remaining ingredients. You may need to add more water to make a medium-thick sauce.

Place the zucchini/mushroom mixture in a medium bowl and pour your Taco Dressing over top, stirring to even coat all the veg. Set aside for 30 minutes - a half hour.

While waiting, I washed and chopped up:
- a head of romaine lettuce
- a container of cherry tomatoes
- a red or yellow bell pepper
- two more green onions or red onion

You can also add:
- grated carrot for a 'cheesy' look
- avocado slices
- fresh organic corn

After your marinated zucchini and mushrooms are ready, make your salad to your liking and enjoy your zesty, healthy meal.
Disclaimer: You might not want to share this with others -I ate the whole thing myself and growled at the dogs when they tried to come near!

Lots of sweet fruity love, 

Naturally Ashley

xo

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Bananarific Hair Mask - 2 Videos

I'm sure it's no shock to anyone that my next venture in my Shampoo-free challenge was to try a banana hair mask! I'm actually shocked that it took me this long to realize it! So happy with the results, here's how it went:

Banana Hair Mask

What did I do Friday night? You won't be surprised to hear that I had a date with a bowl of puréed bananas. My friend Pam sent me a message talking about different natural hair treatments and of course bananas was one of them. Bananas are good for everything! I should have known that they would take care of my dry scalp issues. 

This is a demo of me using the banana mask:

I pureed around 5 ripe bananas in the blender, which ended up being too much. I would do three next time. It went on easy and I was able to really massage it in. The I left it on for an hour before rinsing.

I loved the smell and the fact that I could eat it if I felt like a snack! 

This video is the Banana Mask Results: 

I rinsed it out an hour later to find that there was no way that I was getting a comb through it. It clicked that I should do an apple cider vinegar rinse...I didn't want to loose the sweet smell of bananas, but I knew the vinegar would work to detangle my hair.  I could also see that I hadn't rinsed all of the banana out anyways. It turns out that bananas are difficult to rinse out of your hair and I still have some tiny flakes. Besides the sugar flakes, this was a huge success! I absolutely love the way my hair feels. The banana worked better than the baking soda to cut the oils and my hair is so light and bouncy today!  

Bananas for the WIN, yet another reason to love them. 

(seriously, why didn't I think of this before??)

Lots of love and bananas, 

Naturally Ashley

xo

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Day 19 - No Shampoo Challenge

So it's day 19 already and I'm getting used to my hair being a little more shiny than normal. I've been wearing it half up or in ponytails lots but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. My hair is still overproducing natural oils, just like your face does when you quit using cleansers. It's from all those years of stripping the natural oils with harsh shampoos. I'm not sure how long it's going to take to balance out but I'm willing to stick with it. My hairdresser Luc told me yesterday that our hair is shiny in its natural state, imagine a horses coat - not greasy, but shiny. This is my new goal - to have healthy, shiny hair. With no products! Thanks Luc for the new perspective! I think I'll be keeping this up for more than 30 days! 

Click here ---> to watch my YouTube video for the full update

Naturally Ashely

xoxo

Dairy-Free Creamy Mushroom Soup. Heated in my Vitamix!

I was inspired to make this Creamy Mushroom Soup recipe last week by my cousin Sheena and my Aunty Sandy. They have been busy using their new Vitamix blenders to make soups and smoothies, and posted a pin on facebook of a yummy mushroom soup recipe that they had just made. (To see the original recipe click on the link--> http://pinterest.com/pin/193162271490423482/)

The recipe looked great, but I wanted to try it 'uncooked' in my Vitamix blender.  I also made a few other substitutions to fit my diet and use up what I had in my fridge like:

~exchanging the walnuts and olive oil for a 1/2 of an avocado. The avocado made it sooo creamy!

~I made it lower sodium by using water instead of broth and adding celery to satisfy my craving for salt. If you really like your salt, try the celery salt instead of the stalks. I know I really have to watch my sodium intake or I swell like a balloon!

~You may notice that I didn't use thyme but that's only because it's the only herb I didn't have in my kitchen! So by all means, add it if you have it and think that it will add to the flavor of your homemade soup. 

Did I mention how easy this was to make? It only took me ten minutes, and I couldn't have been more satisfied with the results. I can't remember the last time that I had mushroom soup! So happy to have this recipe in my life. Thank you Sheena and Sandy! xo

Naturally Ashley's Creamy Mushroom Soup

Ingredients:
2 cups of chopped mushrooms (cremini or white button are nice)
1 small zucchini peeled and chopped
1/2 ripe avocado
4 green onion tops (the chives)
2-3 garlic cloves
2 small stalks of celery or 1 large stalk (or 1 tsp celery salt)
1/2 cup water


Directions: 

1. Wash and dry your mushrooms. Chop them up and set aside 3/4 of a cup of mushrooms. 

2. Add the other 1 1/4 cup mushrooms ant the rest of the ingredients into your Vitamix or high-speed blender. Blend on high until very smooth and creamy. I blended mine for 3-4 minutes to heat the soup - you can see it start to steam inside the blender. 

3. Pour your creamy mushroom soup into a bowl or two bowls. Add remaining mushrooms and stir them in with a spoon.

4. Enjoy this raw/vegan cream of mushroom soup immediately, while it is still nice and warm from the blender!

Thanks Ladies, 
Lots of love, smiles and bananas,
Naturally Ashley

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Raw Vegan Red Pepper Chili Cheese Dip

This is the most delicious dip recipe! It's gluten-free, dairy-free, raw, vegan, and the healthiest, yummiest dip ever! Take this to supper tonight and wow your friends and family! They wont believe it's not full of fat and real cheese when they taste it! 

Red Pepper Chili Cheese Dip

Ingredients:

1/2 of a red pepper (de-seeded and sliced)
1/4 c of raw tahini
4-5 sun-dried tomatoes (soaked 1/2hour-1hour till soft) 
1/4 c fresh squeezed lemon juice
2-3 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp chili powder

Blend all ingredients in Vitamix blender or food processor until smooth. I blend until it's slightly heated for a warm dip. You can make it in a food processor as well and warm it in a mini slow cooker. 

Serve as a dip with the red pepper or zucchini 'chips' or as an appi and place a dollop on top of the red pepper squares and garnish with either green onion, cilantro or chili pepper. Makes a great appetizer or snack. May also be used as a dip for other veggies or bean chips, and it tastes great slightly heated and poured on top of steamed broccoli or cauliflower!

This dip is always a hit! Everyone loves the chili cheese flavor! Give it a try and enjoy! 

Stuck in a Funk?? Get out of it instantly by doing one simple thing.

Have you ever been stuck in a funk? Trapped in a 'bad' day, in a cyclone of negativity, where there seems like there's no way out and nothing you do is going to make it better, make you smile and you feel stuck, so you might as well stay there and wallow- Well that is you choosing to stay there. There is a way out. Once you realize that you chose to be in the current situation that you are in, you then have the power to choose to get out of it. Our thoughts shape our experiences, so if you are thinking - 'She's out to get me,' 'He's always picking on me, or 'I'm having a bad day' - then she will be out to get you, and he will pick on you, and you will have a bad day. It's your choice.  Those negative thoughts and negative energies generate negative experiences. And the same goes for positive thoughts. By thinking happy positive thoughts you generate positive life experience. You might hit every light on your way to the grocery store, find a great parking spot, and get the last bunch of bananas on the shelf! Just tell yourself that these things are going to happen for you. You literally create your day and life experiences through your thoughts. Now, knowing this, you can change your thoughts from negative to positive to get out of your funk.

It's best to start your day off with a positive thought and affirm  "I am going to have a great day!" But if you find yourself wanting to get out of a funk at two pm you can simply say something like, 'I leave my negative thoughts surrounding today's events behind me, they do not serve me and I wish to let them go. The rest of my day is going to be bright and sunny and my heart will be filled with love for myself and others.' 

You can also shake it out, or dance it out! Body movement helps boost your mood in ways that eating a pint of ice cream won't - unless it's banana ice cream! Then you can eat as much as you like! Banana ice cream makes me happy! Indulging in greasy, fatty comfort foods only comforts you in the moment. It's not a lasting solution. I wanted to eat onion rings so bad today, I could smell them at work and it's harder to control your cravings when you are in a negative mood (another reason to choose happy thoughts!) I fought off cravings for junk all day today and every healthy meal I ate made me stronger. Had I have caved and indulged in foods that make me feel sick, I would have not only felt sick and weighed down, but extremely guilty as well. And that's never good. Guilt only leads to more negative thoughts and experiences. I am happy I chose to just eat a salad with lots of onions on it today, and I mean LOTS, to satisfy my cravings for those darn onion rings - it made it easier to move towards the choice of thinking happy thoughts.

Thank you to Paula, Lisa, Charmaine and Richard for reminding me of these things and helping me get out of my funk today. Once I realized that I was choosing to be there, I was able to choose to get out. You can do this too. My challenge for you is to wake up tomorrow and tell your self what kind of day you want to have! It's really that simple.

Watch how your day shifts when you change your thoughts. If negative thoughts pop into your head, simply acknowledge them and let them go, continuing to focus on the positive. 

Wake up everyday and know that it's going to be great, especially you set your mind to it.

Naturally Ashley
xo

This is my BEST Squat! -Video

I was asked to demo a proper squat at work this afternoon so I jumped up and showed the ladies my best squat! I thought I'd share it with you all as today is day 5 of my 100 squats a day challenge. What do you think? Am I doing it well?

 I'm doing 100 squats a day for 100 days inspired by 100 Squats a Day on Facebook (link below). I'm loving all the people that are messaging and approaching me to tell me that they did their 100 squats! Keep it up! I did 100 squats in 3:54 time today. That's six seconds longer than yesterday so I will be working even harder to beat my time tomorrow! Don't let yourself get discouraged if you don't beat your time every day. Be happy that you accomplished them no matter what the clock says! 

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Chocola-Cherry Banana Pudding

~Welcome to my blog Naturally Ashley. I just finished banana Island where I ate nothing but bananas for seven days! You might think I'm bananas... but I feel great! I am also still eating lots of bananas!

 I was craving chocolate covered cherries this afternoon and came up with this recipe for Chocola-Cherry Banana Pudding to satisfy my sweet tooth. I am still reintroducing foods and trying to keep it simple, that's why this recipe is so great - it's only three ingredients! Super easy and it takes just a minute or two to whip up. 

Doesn't it look great...?

I cannot describe how yummy this was! Such a lovely afternoon treat. Sure to be a hit with your kids and you don't have to worry because it's insanely healthy. 

Here's my three secret ingredients: 

~Banana, dried cherries and carob powder!~

Ok, not so secret, I'm sure you guessed them all from the title. Maybe not the carob powder though...I use it in place of cocoa or cacao when I make my chocolately recipes. When I started using carob in place of cocoa or cacao, I mixed it half and half, but love the taste of it by itself now. I actually prefer the earthy flavor of the carob over cacao, and you don't end up shocking your adrenals with all that caffeine! I learned this lesson the hard way on Valentine's Day: I treated myself to some raw chocolate truffles made with cacao and boy was jacked! - I was up until four in the morning buzzing and incredibly restless. Not my idea of a treat! 

So I happily stick to carob powder - and you can buy it at your local health food store. 

Here's the super easy, super yummy pudding recipe:

Chocola-Cherry Banana Pudding

In a blender or food processor or blender, pulse or blend together 

~2 Ripe Brown Spotted Bananas

~Half of a package of Dried Sour Cherries 50grams (or approximately two packed tablespoons) 

~2 tbsp Carob Powder (or cocoa/cacao if you don't have any carob yet....Get some!) 

Blend until smooth and creamy! Serve with sliced bananas and/or fresh cherries in the summer if you have them. Serves two lovely people. 

Enjoy Enjoy Enjoy!!!! 

Lots of love and bananas, 

Naturally Ashley

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Models have greasy hair, and they get paid to look like this! No Shampoo Challenge: Week Two

It continues! The second week of no Shampoo or Conditioner- called poo-free in the internet world. I didn't wash my hair for five days in between and it was getting pretty greasy! But no worries, I just wore a scarf around my head to work yesterday.

I washed my hair again this morning with the baking soda and apple cider vinegar rinse. I mixed two teaspoons of baking soda in with some water and 'lathered' it into my hair. I rinsed with the apple cider vinegar- 3tbsp mixed half and half with water.  I think I will use more baking soda next time as my hair is still a little greasy, or I will just go without anything from now on and see how it goes. Honestly, I thought it would be worse than it is! And I understand it takes time for my chemistry to change and get used to my new poo-free ways. On the upside, I'm not dealing with any annoying static, and I have an excuse to wear all of my pretty scarfs! Plus my sister was just saying the other day how all the models seem to have greasy looking hair, so I guess I'm actually in style! 

NO Shampoo Challenge: Week 2

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Lots of love and bananas,
Naturally Ashley

Benefits I Experienced on Banana Island and Your Top 8 Questions Answered

I just had a mango! Loved it! So happy to have them back in my life! Just wanted to share with you all the benefits that I noticed over the past week!

Here are some of the BENEFITS I experienced on Banana Island:

• Better mood, I'm naturally happy but Banana Island kicked it up a notch. I was blissed-out the entire time! 

• I felt more motivated, to get things accomplished and to exercise - one of my struggles!

• Great recovery time, not only from exercise, but from getting my wisdom tooth pulled. I'm a wimp at the dentist but I healed so fast! I still can't believe it! 

• Better digestion. 

• I noticed that I peed a LOT! That was my body releasing toxins, which is why it's so important to drink lots of water and stay hydrated! 

• Lots of energy throughout the day, but tired by 10:00 and ready for bed. (I had really good sleeps too!)

• Clear and vivid dreams. I felt like I was actually talking with my grandpa!

• Some people lose weight, but I stayed the same. Maybe a pound or two but nothing major.

• I feel more connected to my spirit and my body, more aware and loving towards it. 

• Less attachment to food. Not worried about over-eating and a heightened awareness of what it means to be truly full. (the bananas would start to loose their flavor and I would know that I was satiated. How many times does this happen with a 'regular' meal, but we keep eating anyways? Listen to your body!)

• Convenient and Easy to prepare meals. No Dishes!  

• More time to focus on things that I enjoy doing.

I will do this again, but maybe a melon island next time for a good kidney flush! I love watermelon and honey dew, but I will wait until they are in season - being more nutritious, tasty and affordable! And now to answer the most common questions that I was asked while on the island.

Your Top 8 Questions Answered:

"Why brown spotted bananas? I like my bananas a little green."

-All of my banana recipes are made from RIPE brown spotted bananas. This is very important as the brown spots signify that the bananas are ripe - meaning the carbs have turned to sugar, making them easily digestible. Unripe bananas can cause cramping, bloating and constipation. It's best to eat all of our fruit ripe! You get used to it, I used to eat my bananas a little green too! Start by throwing ripe ones in a smoothie. 

"Are you making banana bread with all those bananas?"

- Nope, I'm going to eat them all! Probably today. I get asked this often at the grocery store and you wouldn't believe the looks I get! 

Aren't Bananas high in carbs? Wont eating that many make you fat?

-No, it won't! Carbs are your friend. We need them to be healthy and happy! As long as they aren't the processed, refined white flour/sugar carbs found in cakes, cookies and muffins, etc. Look at the fat content in these items - and rethink what might actually be making you fat from them. They are usually made with butter, oils, milk or other fatty agents. Plain brown rice and the carbs found in fruit will not make you fat. 

Isn't that too much sugar?

-Not when you are eating low fat. The sugar is easily absorbed and utilized as energy when there is little or no fat clogging up the bloodstream. Bananas contain very little fat (3% of their calories) so you are safe on the Island from sugar rushes and crashes.  I had a very steady even energy throughout the day.

Aren't you are going to overdose on Potassium?

-You would have to eat around 300 bananas all at once to OD on potassium.

30 Bananas a Day link to info about potassium overdose: 

http://thebananagirl.com/potassium-overdose-on-30-bananas-a-day-2.php

What about protein?

-Did you know that 4% of a bananas calories come from protein? I actually make sure that I don't eat too much protein to prevent an overly acidic body chemistry. This can lead to calcium being leached from your bone and teeth, inflammation and chronic disease. I love having a healthy alkaline body! 

Don't you feel really full? I could never eat that many bananas!

-How do you know this? Have you ever tried? I feel completely satisfied on Banana Island without feeling stuffed. If I tried to eat 25 unripe bananas in one day, I would feel pretty bloated and gross. But when the bananas are brown spotted and ripe, they are easily digested in the body and leave you feeling light and full of energy! 

Aren't you sick of them already?

-Nope! More in love with Bananas than ever!

Thank you to everyone that has been following my Banana Island Adventure on Facebook, Youtube and here on my blog! Please feel free to leave comments and questions that you have that I may not have answered above. 

Lots of love and ripe bananas, 

Naturally Ashley 

Cheers!

Last Day on the Island - Reintroducing other fruits and veggies.

It doesn't really feel like the first day of spring...more like the last day of winter...here's hoping! Let's all think warm and loving thoughts to get this snow melted so the lovely spring flowers can pop up :)

Spring is all about cleansing, and I am happy to start it off with a cleaner body. Banana Island, you've been great, thank you for nourishing my body while simultaneously cleansing all the winter junk out of my system. I'm really hoping this will help with my salt cravings! 

Now comes the hard part - slowly introducing food back into my body without going crazy and eating everything! I'm going to add things back in one at a time and try to do as many mono meals as possible. I really want to pay attention and listen to how my body reacts to each new food I add. 

When reintroducing foods it's important to begin with foods that are easiest on the digestive system starting with:

1. Other fruits eaten in mono meals
2. Greens like baby spinach, baby romaine, baby kale
3. More Greens!
4. Veggies
5. Grains
6. Nuts and Seeds
7. Animal products (if consuming)

I've already been incorporating greens into my smoothies today. Baby spinach and baby romaine. 

Tomorrow I will have an orange juice for breakfast and a banana and baby kale smoothie for lunch. I find that blended greens work best for the first couple of days. I'm looking forward to eating my big salads again for supper! And zucchini noodles - I've missed them too!  ***Insert reminder to go slow here!

However, the best part about it being the last day on Banana Island isn't about the food, it's about setting a goal and accomplishing it. To know that I have the will power and dedication to follow through on a my health goals and this makes me feel like I can accomplish anything. I bought myself a little prezsie today for completing my challenge:

A real Banana necklace! Isn't it beautiful?! My local health food store, Alternate Roots just brought these into the store and I was at work for a mere hour before I asked Carrie to open the glass case so I could try this necklace on! And needless to say I didn't take it off. I might even sleep with it on tonight!

Here's a look at how my last day on Banana Island went: (I will be posting the next couple of days to share how I've been reintroducing foods into my diet) 

Day 7

Baby Spinach and Banana Smoothie for Breakfast - 6 Bananas

Baby Spinach and Banana Smoothie for Lunch - 6 Bananas plus 2 Monkey Style

Baby Romaine and Banana Smoothie for Supper - 6 Bananas plus 4 Monkey Style

3 Litres of water

Half hour jumping on the rebounder followed by 100 squats!

7.5 hours of sleep last night

Banana tally: 24 Bananas! 

Banana Island Total for 7 days: 190 Bananas (Over 200 if you count the baby ones!)
 It was a great experience and I will do it again! So grateful for my clean digestive tract and healthy body. Thank you Banana Island, It's been a slice. 

Follow me on YouTube:

 http://www.youtube.com/user/naturallyashleyNASH/

and on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/NaturallyAshleyNutrition

Also check out:

http://www.30bananasaday.com/

http://www.foodnsport.com/

8 Banana Recipe Meals (Only Bananas!)

One of the reasons I choose Bananas for my mono island is because they are so versatile. I can make a few different meals to satisfy me while eating only bananas for a week. It wouldn't be as much fun if I were only eating them monkey style the entire time. All of my banana recipes are made from RIPE brown spotted bananas. This is very important as the brown spots signify that the bananas are ripe - meaning the carbs have turned to sugar, making them easily digestible. Unripe bananas can cause cramping, bloating and constipation. It's best to eat all of our fruit ripe!  

Here's the 8 different ways I eat bananas:

BANANA MILK

Banana milk is so easy, it only takes a minute. Just pulse blend 1 cup of filtered water and one banana in the blender until smooth and milk-like!

Here's a video I did today on how to make banana milk:
Banana Milk - YouTube Video

SLICED BANANAS

Slice em up and eat them with your hands or a fork!

BANANA CEREAL

I slice up bananas and pour the banana milk on over to create a dish similar to cereal.

Here's a video I made today about banana cereal:
Banana Cereal

BANANA SMOOTHIE

This is my second favorite way to eat my bananas! I find it really enhances the flavor and I love how smooth they are out of the Vitamix! I blend 6-8 bananas and 1/2 cup of water until smooth. You can add one or two frozen bananas if you like them cold, but I like mine room temperature.

BANANA PUDDING

Banana pudding is made the same as a banana smoothie but without any water. Just bananas in the blender or food processor. It's handy to have the tamper on the Vitamix for this one and like how it warms it up just a little!

BANANA MASH

Mashed bananas. It's pretty self explanatory. I slice them up on a plate and mash them with a fork !

MONKEY STYLE

The easiest way to eat a banana? - straight out of the peel! It's not the most fun, but it's extremely convenient to run out the door with ten bananas in your purse for lunch.

And last but not least:

BANANA ICE CREAM!!!

This is my favorite way to eat bananas! 

INGREDIENTS:

JUST BANANAS!

Slice bananas 1/4-inch thick. Make sure they are ripe with lots of brown spots!!

Freeze in a single layer on a cookie tray lined with parchment paper — or in one layer in a resealable freezer bag, laid flat — until solid, at least 6 hours. (I usually freeze them overnight)

Transfer to food processor OR Vitamix/high powered blender.

When you process the bananas, they’ll first go sort of granular, then you’ll start to notice it going a bit creamy near the edges. Once this happens, scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue to blend, scrape, blend, scrape, etc. until the whole thing is a smooth, silky, creamy, moussey dream. This whole process should take 3 to 4 minutes in the food processor and 1- 2 minutes in the Vitamix. 

I don’t suggest doing this in a blender unless you have a Vitamix or a Blentec high powered blender. The blade isn’t big enough to properly chop the bananas. That being said: My sister makes hers in her Magic Bullet adding some unfrozen banana of almond milk to get things moving along. 

Variations: You can switch up the flavour by adding another frozen fruit, just as long as at least half of the mixture is banana. Some great mixtures I have done are: 

Banana Strawberry
Banana Blueberry
Banana Mango
Banana Lime
Banana Pineapple 
Banana Chocolate (carob/cacao) and mint


Here's a look at my second last day:

DAY 6

25ish bananas - I didnt keep track!

3 Litres of water

30 minutes of rebounding, followed by yoga and 5minute ab workout

20 minute walk outside to pick up my car from the dentist! 

10 hours of sleep last night! 

Follow me on YouTube:

 http://www.youtube.com/user/naturallyashleyNASH/

or on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/NaturallyAshleyNutrition

Also check out:

http://www.30bananasaday.com/

http://www.foodnsport.com/