Have you tried every fad diet on the market with great initial results, but then with a quick return to your former weight?

Well, if that is the case, then Chinese Medicine has a markedly different perspective on weight loss than you might be used to. In the Western tradition, weight loss is achieved by the formula of increasing the calories that are burned and reducing the calories that are eaten, thus turning it into a mathematical equation. There is nothing personal or specific about its approach.

How Does Acupuncture Work?

Many people ask, “How does Acupuncture work?” and how are Chinese Weight Loss Treatments different than Western methods?”. In Chinese Medicine, one’s constitutional energies determine a person’s propensity to gain weight and when understood, can be managed to help facilitate weight loss. There is no one-size fits all secret to weight loss according to the principles of Chinese Medicine. Each person has their own unique contributing factors in their pattern of weight gain.

• There may be an imbalance within the Spleen and Liver organ systems that cause weight gain, digestive disturbances and emotional distress.

• There may be a deficiency of fire (yang) energies in the Spleen and Kidney that make it very difficult for the body to metabolize food thus resulting in a puffy, bloated, pale appearance.

• There may be a deficiency of water (yin) in the Stomach that results in dry stools, constipation, bad breath and abdominal fullness.

Each of these scenarios has their own unique treatment strategies!

All of our organs depend upon each other's proper function in order to create inner harmony and sustain optimum health.

Acupuncture and Weight Loss Treatments at LYT NYC

When you embark on a Weight Loss program at LYT NYC and utilize the unique therapies that Chinese Medicine offers, you will receive:

• Customized acupuncture treatments which include ear magnets to relieve cravings and manage emotional eating

• Customized food recommendations to enhance weight loss and well-being

• Customized herbal recommendation to reduce stress, strengthen digestive energies and increase energy

• Lifestyle recommendations to enhance self-awareness and responsibility

• Warm, non-judgmental support and encouragement

Because our Acupuncture Weight Loss treatments are designed to enhance constitutional well-being, the results are long-lasting and easy to maintain. It’s like getting the owner’s manual for your body! Now wouldn’t that be enlightening! 

Did you know that your organs' level of health or distress is easily reflected in your own face?!?!?!

To read Jennifer Taveras’, L.Ac. full bio, click here.

Raw Food To Lose Weight: Say No to Sludge

We all understand that raw fruits and vegetables, and raw juices are healthy because they provide us with abundant nutrients, but that is not the only reason they are good for us. Equally important is the fact that they move quickly and cleanly through the body leaving very little residue. Items like animal protein, processed foods, dairy, white flour, and processed sugar are sticky and difficult to eliminate from the digestive tract. Yes, all those cheese omelettes, pastas, and turkey sandwiches, are leaving leave a trail of sludge in your system, and it’s the months to years of sludge buildup that’s the main cause of weight gain (for more on how “Waste = Weight” see our blog entry on cellular detox).

Raw Food Detox Diet: a Non-Calorie Count System

When beginning to eat raw food to lose weight, we recommend you don’t go 100% raw. Here’s an easy sample daily menu:

1) Upon rising  -  A big glass of water (12-16 oz) with lemon. It’s a great way to alkalinize the body.

2) Breakfast  -  Raw vegetable juice. Nothing is more nutritious or better at loosening up old waste in the digestive tract. If after an hour you’re still hungry, a few pieces of your favorite fruit or a slice of toasted sprouted-grain bread (or toasted Manna Bread) with avocado OR coconut butter are a good choices.

3) Lunch  -  A big salad with romaine lettuce, avocado and lots of your favorite veggies.

4) Dinner  -  Start with a raw, green salad, then have whatever you want.  Just try to keep with the laws of food combining.

Roasted yams & asparagus make a hearty entree! (Remember to eat your salad first!)

Remove the Sludge, Lose the Pounds

One last, but vital thing to remember when on a raw food detox diet is the importance of including regular colonic treatments in your regimen. The raw foods and juices will do their part in loosening up that old accumulation, but you want to make sure you’re washing that waste and weight away with colon hydrotherapy.

Feeding your body a diet very high in fresh, delicious raw fruits and vegetables will not only fill your cells with abundant nutrients, but it will detox the debris that is hiding in those cells and causing your weight gain. Whether you’re looking to totally transform you body or just shed a few pounds, choose a raw food detox diet plan. It’s the healthy way to lose weight.

While most of you are probably approaching your New Year’s weight loss goals by controlling portions and calculating fat grams and calories, we would like to draw your attention to the most effective key to weight loss: CELLULAR DETOX!

It’s the truth: Excess cellular waste = excess weight.

Cells Are The Foundation Of Life

Our bodies are one big universe compiled of trillions of cells, and each cell plays a role in our existence. Cells cluster together to form the foundation of our many biological expressions.

If Your Cells Expand – So Will You!

We consume food, extract nutrition and sustenance, and expel the waste that results from the process of extracting fuel. This process is happening in each individual cell. Our cells accumulate excess sludge, waste, and gas when we eat gobs of starch, dairy, protein, and processed foods, which contain little to no nutrition. Cells expand to accommodate the extra waste and gas, and our waistlines expand accordingly.

Contracted Cells = Weight Loss

A cell that has the opportunity to rid itself of waste will contract and regenerate. Contraction on the cellular level results in happier, oxygenated cells and a slimmer, healthier you!

2012 Health & Diet Goals: Loosen AND Remove!

As you are deciding where to start with your New Year’s weight loss process, we suggest you start with RAW FOODS.  Imagine that the oils left in a frying pan after many uses represent the waste/residue in your cells. Raw foods and fresh vegetable juices are your degreasers! These foods are alkaline in nature and they will neutralize the acidic waste as they prepare it for removal.

A Few Tips For Achieving Your 2012 Health & Diet Goals:

1. Drink Water – To help your system flush out toxins.

2. Drink Fresh Veggie Juice – It is highly nutritious, alkaline, and cleansing.

3. Eat Salads Before Your Cooked Meals – It will set you up for good digestion.

The Keys To Achieving Your New Year’s Weight Loss Goals:

1. Cellular Detox = Weight Loss

2. Raw Foods = Healthier More Vibrant Cells

3. More Vibrant Cells = Good Health, A Trimmer Body, Clear Thinking, & Greater Energy To Live Your Life

*Stay tuned for our next blog to continue your raw food education, and take a look at our Colon Hydrotherapy page to learn more about detox.

Hypothyroid Symptoms & The New Wellness Trend

When it comes to hypothyroidism and prescription medication, most people believe they must be chained to their bottle of pills for a lifetime. This trend is changing though, as many people, fed up with the side-effects of underactive thyroid pharmaceuticals, are now considering holistic measures which can provide them with healthier options and superior long-term results!

This new holistic lifestyle trend is exactly the case with LYT client, Julia Samersova, 36, Co-Star of “Scouted” on E!, Casting Director & President of Cast Inc. and one very proud Mom to Violet, who experienced hypothyroidism symptoms after the birth of her daughter – including a FIFTY-POUND weight gain during pregnancy! Subsequently, she was diagnosed with hypothyroidism and placed immediately on Synthroid. Check out her video here!

No More Synthroid Meds!

Julia’s story about how she reversed her underactive thyroid condition and was able to successfully transition completely away from Synthroid speaks volumes of her fervor for inner strength and exemplifies the LYTStyle Formula!

Holistic Treatments + Transitional Lifestyle Changes = Emotional, Spiritual, & Physical Well Being

Hypothyroidism Fades To Black

Julia’s astounding SIXTY-pound weight loss over the course of ten-months will amaze you (& she’s still workin’ it)! We are motivated and impassioned watching her tell her story straight from the heart – as well as with a bit of sass from the hip! She is beautiful, living-proof that your best ally is your heart’s conviction. Julia reversed her hypothyroid symptoms in just ten months! Sayonara Synthroid! What rewards from healthy lifestyle changes await you?  LYT is just a phone call away! Detox Rocks®!

Julia Before

Simply put, a colonic is a bath for your colon. Also known as Colon Hydrotherapy, a colonic employs the use of filtered water (implemented through the rectum) to gently wash accumulated solid and gaseous waste out of the colon. The removal of this waste significantly improves your body’s overall function, elevates your physical and mental health, and reverses various diseases!

Why Gravity Method & Not a Machine?

At LYT we work with the Woods Gravity Method of Colon Hydrotherapy because we believe in the comfort and gentle power of Gravity Colon Hydrotherapy. This is the original method of Colon Hydrotherapy. In a Gravity Treatment, the water prompts the colon’s peristalsis to activate, strengthening this five-foot-long muscle, and yielding improved bowel function in the days and even years ahead! This is why Colonics Rock® at LYT NYC!

What Happens In The Colonic Treatment?

1. You are lying down on a massage table in one of our spa-like treatment rooms. You will be covered with a drape sheet for privacy.

2. There is a 5-gallon tank of water suspended 3 feet above your body that will be filled several times during the session.

3. As the water enters your body it will simultaneously exit, thus allowing you to feel an emphasis on the exit rather than the input of water.

4. Your elimination is contained in a closed tube.

The Colonic Instrument

1. The stainless steel instrument, which is lubricated and gently inserted to the rectum, is called a speculum.

2. It is completely sterilized via a three-step process.

3. Two separate surgical tubing attachments, made of firm rubber material, convey water into the body and carry water and waste out of the body directly into the plumbing. This tubing is changed after each client’s colonic.

Your Colon Hydrotherapist: What Makes LYT NYC Colon Hydrotherapy Unique?

The LYT Colon Therapists are certified at the Woods Hygienic Institute. The LYT Method of Colon Hydrotherapy includes an additional two-month Advanced Training with supervised, hands-on clinic hours supervised by the LYT Founders, Cyndie & Joyce.

Your therapist is trained to connect with your body’s rhythm throughout the colonic treatment via abdominal massage and a gentle manual pulsing of the tube that carries the water out of your body.

Your therapist will gladly answer any questions you have and share knowledge about food combining, vegetable juicing, exercise, and lifestyle practices that will help improve your overall health and suit your personal goals.

All the LYT therapists share a common bond: they were ALL clients at LYT first! Their decision to pursue certification came naturally after being deeply moved by their own transformations.

The therapists who work here are all practicing the lifestyle. They will inspire you to reveal your own most extraordinary health potential with pleasure and simplicity.

We hope this has answered the question: What is a colonic? And for all you Grand Master Cleansers, if you’re curious how to colonic NYC-style, check us out at LYT for the real deal when it comes to greater well-being, beauty, and longevity!

1.  Our own healthy “Vegetarian Thanksgiving Tips” video!

2.  A tasty Vegetarian Thanksgiving recipe.

3.  Our suggestion for an adventurous Vegan Thanksgiving out!

These ideas will tantalize your taste buds and leave you feeling great instead of asleep on the sofa!

Thanksgiving is synonymous with overindulgence. We tend to overeat so many different food groups, which leaves our digestive tracts working and struggling well into the next day. Take a look at this short video where we show you a few small but healthier food choices that can make a big digestive difference.

Going to your Auntie’s house, a potluck or just looking for a new dish to add to your table? We invite you to try this delicious and easy Vegetarian Thanksgiving Quinoa Casserole Recipe. Be sure to make enough for everyone because it will be popular even with the biggest turkey fanatics.

Thanksgiving Quinoa Casserole Recipe

Ingredients

•  1 parsnip

•  2 carrots

•  1 red pepper

•  1 container fresh brussel sprouts (9 oz)

• 1 bunch rosemary

•  1/4 tsp garlic powder OR 2 cloves crushed garlic

•  1/2 tsp onion powder OR 1 chopped sweet onion

•  1/4 tsp ginger powder OR 1 tsp fresh grated ginger

•  1 tsp Bragg’s Liquid Aminos

•  1 tsp Nama Shoyu

•  Several twists of fresh ground pepper

•  1 Tbs Seitenbacher Vegetarian Vegetable Broth & Seasoning

•  1 cup purified water

OPTIONAL:  Extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil (added to taste after cooking)

*This recipe will yield 12 cups or 3 quarts of food to fit a 9″ x 13″ casserole pan 2            1/2″ deep.

Dry Ingredients/Photo: J. Rockwood

Vegetable Prep (use ORGANIC when possible)

1.  Wash brussel sprouts and cut into 1/4′s.

2.  Wash and dice all the other vegetables into small cubes trying to keep the pieces         similar in size.

3.  Place all vegetables into roasting dish (approx 9 x 12 or any casserole dish will           do).

4.  Add the water.

5.  Spray or drizzle vegetables with thin layer of Extra Virgin Olive Oil if desired.

6.  Sprinkle vegetables with Bragg’s Liquid Aminos, Nama Shoyu, several twists of        fresh ground pepper, and all herb powders.

7.  Using large serving spoon, mix the ingredients thoroughly.

8.  Place stems of rosemary on top of mixed vegetables and press stems into mixture      so they reach the bottom of liquid to infuse during baking.

9.  Place casserole in 350 degree oven for 60-70 minutes or until vegetables are soft,      mixing every 20 minutes or so and checking for tenderness.

10. While the vegetables are baking, you can prepare the Quinoa.

Quinoa Prep

1.  4 c water

2.  2 c quinoa (rinse before cooking)

3.  1 tsp sea salt

4.  4 tsp Seitenbacher Vegetarian Vegetable Broth & Seasoning (Doesn’t contain seitan.)

5.  A few stems of fresh rosemary leaves.

6.  Place 4 c water in saucepan w/ 4 tsp Broth and whole rosemary leaves

7.  Bring water to a boil.

8.  Immediately add quinoa and stir once gently.

9.  Leave the pot uncovered until the water boils again.

10. Reduce heat and cover, allowing to simmer for 15 min, or until all water is                 absorbed.

11. You will know the quinoa is cooked when the seeds become transparent and the        spiral germ is separated.

12. Once vegetables are done baking, remove from oven.

13. Add the quinoa to vegetables in casserole dish and mix gently until blended                 thoroughly.

And, now, it’s ready to eat!

Finished Quinoa Casserole/Photo: J. Rockwood

OIL TIP: If you prefer to cook without oil, as we suggest, add the oil (to taste) to the finished casserole when you mix the Quinoa and vegetables together or when it is on your plate. It adds a delicious flavor and keeps the dish moist. Raw oil is healthier for our blood as it metabolizes easier than cooked oil. In some cases, cooking oils renders them carcinogenic.

Raw Food Thanksgiving: A New Tradition Did you know that during Thanksgiving it was customary in a Pilgrim household for the adults to sit down to eat and have the children serve them? Isn’t it sad how some holiday traditions have disappeared? Well, if you can’t get the kids to wait on you, or if you’re thinking of forgoing the cooking altogether this year, why not start a new tradition by celebrating with a sexy, gourmet  raw food Thanksgiving feast at Pure Food and Wine. Sarma & her staff are sure to knock the socks off of the most ardent turkey-loving traditionalists. If your plans are already set in stone, we recommend grabbing some goodies-to-go from One Lucky Duck!

Pure Food & Wine

Whatever you decide, remember there are plenty of ways you and your loved ones can enjoy a delicious and healthy Thanksgiving without the digestive discomfort. Be creative, try something new, but most of all have fun!

Happy Vegetarian Thanksgiving!

Detox! Detox! Detox!

In record numbers, people are going on juice fasts for the purpose of cleansing.  Okay, we didn’t take a survey, but it’s hard to deny that detoxing is all the rage. From health and beauty magazines touting the cleanses of celebrities like, Gwyneth Paltrow or Beyonce, to fresh green juice companies sprouting up everywhere, we have to face facts. Juice cleansing is more than a fad, it’s gone mainstream.

While getting the detox message out is good news, (especially to the world of Standard American Dieters), it seems an important truth about the cleansing process is getting lost in all the hoopla. And here at LYT, we find that a little troubling. So, since we have a bit of expertise on this subject, we want to take a quick, closer look at juice cleanses and detoxing.

Detox 101: Just the facts, folks!

Let’s say you went on one of the increasingly popular three to five-day cleanses promoted by many juice companies.  What’s the deal? Did you really detox? Well, the answer is….

Maybe.

Now, we know some of you might be angry.  “You’re telling me, I drank vegetables for five days for nothing?” Sorry to break it to you, but going on a juice fast alone does not guarantee ACTUAL detoxification will take place. Why?

Waste Removal: The Detox Guarantee

Take a look at the dictionary definition. “Detoxification: the physiological or medicinal removal of toxic substances from a living organism.” The key word here is removal.  Something HAS to leave the body for de-toxing to take place. We repeat, HAS to leave the body.

What juice fasting accomplishes is simply the loosening of waste and poisons. And guess where that toxic gunk ends up? Yes, the colon. But, now that nasty stuff has to be eliminated or it will get reabsorbed into the tissue. So, unless you’re going to the bathroom an inordinate amount of times a day, doing a cleanse without colon hydrotherapy is not a sound idea. This is why people who fast without colonics frequently feel awful. The loosened poison is not leaving the body, so it’s swimming around their systems wreaking havoc.

Detox Cleansing: The Two-Step

So, if you’re thinking of doing a juice cleanse, the most important thing to know is that detox cleansing is a 2-part process:

1. Loosen the waste

2. Eliminate the waste

So, please remember, all you would be Detoxers. When embarking on a cleanse or as part of a lifestyle plan, always focus on this vital second step. And be sure to give us a call, because we’ve been doing colonics in New York City for over a combined 25 years.  At LYT, Colonics Rock® and waste management is our specialty.

Never forget, waste removal is the key to effective cleansing, without it, you’re just drinking juice.

Continuing with the momentum of Fabulous February, Author and Nutritionist Natalia Rose shares her perspective and professional knowledge about the impact of dairy on human health. We hope this is of great value to you as you experiment with eating less or no dairy at all this month! (Hmmm, maybe you’ll even continue right on into March…) We look forward to your feedback. Thank you, Natalia, for your generous contribution and profound insights.

We hope you find this inspiring,

Joyce Rockwood & Cyndie Suarez
Co-Founders

Q: Joyce & Cyndie – What is the impact of dairy on human health?

A: Natalia:

“From my perspective as a health practitioner and active participant in this lifestyle, I believe the human digestive system was not designed to metabolize the milk of another species. We are only equipped to process our own mother’s milk. All other animal milk leaves an acid ash and mucusy bi-products in the body (it also triggers the formation of sticky mucoid matter as a self defense tool to protect the blood from foreign substance contamination). This makes for a mucus double-whammy!

Also there’s the matter of casein, the part of the protein molecule in milk that directs the size of bone growth. In cows, this casein is 300 times larger than human milk casein. The large size of these molecules makes them indigestible. Therefore they get stored in the body, often accumulating in the joints, becoming a harbinger of arthritis. These facts are further indication to me that milk is not designed for our consumption.

With the understandings about the nature of cow’s milk in mind, I believe it is possible to find a happy medium if you want to have dairy in your diet or you are seeking a gradual transition. In my experience and observation with numerous clients, I find raw milk is always far easier to digest than modern pasteurized milk products.  It is less of an affront to the body, and thereby encourages less mucoid matter to form. Raw milk is also far less acidic than pasteurized. Because it has it’s live enzymes in tact, it won’t have such a hard time leaving the body – it comes with it’s own digestive aid.  I do believe that all mainstream dairy should be avoided at all costs due to the hormones and antibiotics they contain.

Raw goat and sheep milk products are even less harmful than their bovine counterpart and, in my experience, can certainly be enjoyed as part of a very high caliber diet.

In short, other animal’s milk is not pure human food, but if the hierarchy of dairy is understood and respected, it can be fun, tasty and harmless to include as part of a highly alkaline, raw vegetable-based diet with lots of juicing and sufficient bowel cleansing.”

We are excited to present the first post for the LYT blog. For those of you who are new to us, LYT stands for Love Your Transformation and is pronounced “Light.” We chose this name because we all seek ways to feel lighter in body, mind, and spirit. The holistic therapies and lifestyle options we offer at LYT all support our mission, which is to foster a lightness of being through greater awareness in our choices. We believe good health is a choice, and we are dedicated to guiding you through your own transformation. Welcome to our BLOG!

Last week we were overjoyed to see appearances on Oprah by author Michael Pollan, and actress/author Alicia Silverstone. If you have not seen the film Food, Inc., or read The Kind Diet, please do so! Mr. Pollan’s worldly cause & effect overview on commercial farming will help you re-evaluate the components of your next meal, and how your choices directly affect your body as well as the rest of humanity. Ms. Silverstone’s honest description about how her overall health was directly affected by eating more (vegan) whole foods will inspire you to consider options that make you feel and look phenomenal. (She rid herself of asthma, constipation, bloating, & a poor complexion).

You can see excerpts from their appearances on Oprah by clicking on the YouTube links below. We are deeply inspired by the profundity of their views on the vegan diet, which are in alignment and harmony with the philosophy at LYT. We are compelled to continue spreading the good word.

Pollan and Silverstone Clip 1

Pollan and Silverstone Clip 2

Join us on a journey and let’s make this a Fabulous February free of: (brace yourselves) DAIRY.

Q. What’s that you say? How can I live without my cheeeeezzzz?

A. One day at a time, and we will offer suggestions to help you with cravings.

Q. How will my body build calcium?

A. From all of the wonderful leafy greens and fresh veggie juices that you will have more room for in your body.

Embrace the challenge New York! We live in a city filled with beautiful, interesting, savvy, edgy, and unique people that need a lot of life force energy to keep up with this fast paced culture. Explore what 28 days DAIRY-FREE feels like in YOUR body.

Q. What do you have to loose?

A. Mucous. Fat. Acidity. Puffiness. Inflamed Sinuses. Bloating. Constipation.

Q. Need we say more?

A. Yes! Troubled Skin. Achy Joints. Weakened Immune System. Cellulite.

Dudes, if the girls can do it, so can you. This is a journey for all humans!

LYT will continue to Tweet and blog suggestions throughout the Fabulous month of February in support of YOUR journey with us.  We will be looking for all of those gorgeous, mucusless faces passing us in the street. We suggest having fun and sharing this with your favorite group of co-workers, family, and/or friends.  The process is more fun when a group shares a mission together.  It is easier when the person next to you is not slopping up a goopy mess of cheese. Community is about support and love. Let’s generously support one another in VIBRANT LIVING!

Q. Aren’t you curious?