By Renee Pantas

In a world crammed with information regarding weight loss and health, it is easy to become confused and overwhelmed. However, with such profound results and scientific grounds, the 5:2 diet (otherwise known as the intermittent fasting diet) has exploded in popularity and is something which is certainly worth familiarizing yourself with.

Popularized by doctor and journalist, Michael Mosley in his 2013 international bestseller ‘The fast diet’ book, the world was first alerted to the 5:2 phenomenon in the BBC programme Horizon, whereby Mosley trials the intermittent diet for himself, with the results being physically and mentally profound. 

Basically, the 5:2 diet follows the premise that we are designed as humans to experience periods of fasting and periods of feasting and this is what essentially allows us to maintain a healthy and stable weight. By intermittently cutting our calorie intake, rather than all at once, our body is able to repair itself and restore damaged cells, whilst using energy to burn fat.

Some consider the 5:2 as lifestyle, rather than a diet, as it harks back to caveman times, where we were forced to use our own energy stores to stay alive in periods of famine. Author of ‘The fast diet’, Dr.Michael Mosley, says that ‘Fasting is nothing new…your body is designed to fast…we are the product of millennia of feast and famine. This is a natural bodily process which, when experienced intermittently, can reduce your risk of cancer, heart disease and increase longevity.

                   

In modern times, due to the vast availability of food, the idea of fasting and feasting becomes non evident. Too often, we consume food out of boredom, stress or habit without truly recognizing the body’s hunger signals, overloading our system and putting our digestion into overdrive.

‘Intermittent Fasting can put us back in touch with our human selves.’ (Dr.Michael Mosley, ‘The Fast diet’)

When on the 5:2, individuals are recommended to consume a ‘normal’ number of calories five days a week and for two days in the week (either consecutive or non-consecutive), eat just 25% of their usual calorie total - 500 calories for women and 600 for men.

The 5:2 is simple, easy and practical to follow and many are surprised by their ability to easily follow its guidelines.

By intermittently fasting for 2-days and eating normally for 5-days, we can simply and effectively lose and maintain a healthy weight, whilst also giving our bodies and mind time to rest and recuperate and also reflect on eating habits and rituals.

Here at KARMIC, our juice cleanses are designed exactly in line with the 5:2 guidelines, with all our cleanses totalling between 400 and 500 calories per day, which means you can easily and effectively follow the 5:2 whilst getting all the nutrition provided from our low-fructose, cold-pressed juices.

Experiencing a KARMIC cleanse gives you the chance to calm and recuperate the mind, body and soul and lets you feel the real benefits of what humans have relied on for millions of years.

Next up: WHY do the 5:2? What happens to our bodies when we intermittently fast?

By KARMIC Kitchen Masterchef Renee Pantas

                                 

Serves 1
1 ½ cups Almond milk (home made or store bought) I recommend ‘Pure Harvest activated almond milk’
1 cinnamon stick
6 cloves
4 crushed cardamom pods (outside shell removed)
2 star anise
¼ teaspoon allspice
¼ teaspoon vanilla seeds
1 black tea bag (or chai)
1 cup of organic rolled oats

To serve
Manuka honey
Sliced banana
Pistachios (or almonds or walnuts)
Ground cinnamon

 

This is a great breakfast idea once you have settled back into normal foods after a KARMIC cleanse.

Oats contain beta-glucan, which helps to lower cholesterol reabsorption. Almond milk contains high amounts of protein important for muscle recovery and the array of spices in the chai mixture help to ease digestion and lower blood pressure.

                                      

1. Pour 1 cup of almond milk in a medium saucepan together with the cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom, star anise, all-spice and vanilla seeds. Reserve ½ cup for later. Heat the milk up until just before boiling and then immediately turn down and simmer for 5 minutes, constantly stirring.
2. Take off heat and add a black tea bag in the mixture, letting this sit for another 3-4 minutes. (Alternatively you can heat the milk and simmer and add a chai-leaf tea bag if you do not have those spices on hand)
3. Place a small strainer over another saucepan and strain the mixture, until the almond milk does not have any large chunks of spices in it. This may also be made in large batches and used by itself as another alternative to plain almond milk
4. Add ¾ cup of oats to the milk and gently heat, stirring, until mixture is thick and creamy. You can add the extra milk here if need be, otherwise water can also be used 

Serve warm or refrigerated drizzled with manuka honey, chopped pistachios, sliced banana and extra cinnamon

Enjoy!

By KARMIC Kitchen Masterchef Renee Pantas

         

Soup (Serves 1)
1 cup of peas
1/4 avocado (large)
Large handful of watercress roughly chopped
Zest and juice of 1 lime
Small handful of mint, finely chopped
Small handful of basil, finely chopped
2 tbs olive oil
Salt and pepper

 

To serve
Natural Yoghurt
Microgreens
 

A good entry into solid foods after a KARMIC Cold Pressed Juice cleanse. Light, refreshing and full of green goodness, this soup is an absolute treat!

Green peas provide a good source of carbohydrates and contain high amounts of Vitamin-K, which assists in maintaining strong bones. The leafy green watercress also has potent anti-cancer effects and contains high amounts of lutein, beneficial for healthy eyes.

The acidity in the lime and the herbs also aid in digestion and detoxification of the liver.

1. Place the peas in a medium saucepan and cover with water. Bring up to the boil and simmer for 3-4 minutes or until cooked. Drain (reserving some of the cooking water) and pour into a food processor. Pour the olive oil over the peas and process for 40 seconds or until smooth.
2. Add the avocado, watercress, lime zest and juice, mint, basil and olive oil to the food processor or blender, together with the peas; blend until all ingredients are combined.
3. Continue processing whilst slowly adding reserved cooking water until you reach the desired consistency, season to taste with salt and pepper

Serve with micro-greens or extra herbs and a dollop of natural yoghurt and drizzle with a little bit of extra virgin olive-oil.

KARMIC Cold Pressed are proud to announce that we’ve now converted our juice bottles to 100% glass in an effort to reduce our overall reliance on plastic packaging. This change was born out of our research into the best storage methods for Cold Pressed Juice and in consideration of the health of our clients and the environment.              

Plastic is overwhelmingly the most common way consumable goods are packaged. Plastics are cheap to produce and light to transport, however the unfortunate side is that they’re often only used once before making their way to a landfill site and contributing to an ever growing pollution issue. Despite the best efforts to recycle, estimates suggest that approximately 90% of all plastic bottles produced globally are not recycled. In landfill, it’s estimated that on average most plastics take between 500-1000 years to fully biodegrade – what’s more alarming is that plastics containing polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE) don’t appear to biodegrade in the environment at all, and it is specifically this type of plastic which is used to make many of these drink bottles.

In addition to environmental concerns, there’s also a growing body of research around the health effects of consumables stored in plastic packaging. Concerns were originally raised when bisphenol A (BPA) was used in the manufacture of a number of different plastic goods ranging from household goods through to drink bottles and food packaging. Numerous studies have shown that this chemical is not 100% stable in the plastics and can leach quite easily into water, including in drink bottles. The amount of BPA in the water drunk from certain plastic water bottles varied widely but was exacerbated when bottles were either heated or became aged. Interestingly, certain food acids can also contribute to an increased breakdown of plastic and leaching of chemicals. BPA has been suspected to adversely affect the endocrine system in humans and animals by mimicking certain hormones in the body, specifically oestrogen. This can lead to a host of health issues and is especially dangerous for pregnant or breastfeeding women. Now, many food containers and drink bottles are marketed as BPA free, nonetheless other chemicals contained in plastic food packaging such as those that either colour the plastic or effect it’s flexibility are being found to make their way into the consumables and the effects of these are not yet known.

KARMIC Cold Pressed have decided that our juice deserves to be stored optimally in order for us to continue to provide the very best cold pressed juice cleanse available on the market today. All of our cleanses will now be packaged in easy to transport 375ml glass bottles, which so far our clients have received well as it’s easier to bring a mix of juices to drink throughout the day.

• Clearer, fresher taste
• Sustainable for the environment 
• Convenient serving sizes
• Transportable

Unlike plastics, glass bottles can be safely cleaned and reused over and over again. A special shout out goes to one of our clients who recently kindly returned a glass juice brimming with raw honey from their bee hives – awesome idea and absolutely delicious!

Melbourne is the coffee epicentre and lets be honest – it tastes great and makes you feel amazing, at least for a short time. There are many pros and cons of drinking coffee and KARMIC Cold Pressed felt it necessary to explore these area’s because we personally suggest that people avoid coffee (caffeine) whilst completing a cold pressed juice cleanse.

   

What is so good about coffee? It can assist individuals to perform tasks better and faster – an obvious tick! Caffeine has been shown to delay fatigue, increase mental cognition and coordination (typing / sports) and creating a sense of euphoria. It is for these reasons, along with taste of course, that caffeine is so popular.

Like all things however, what goes up must come down – and no one likes a caffeine come down! The body builds a tolerance to caffeine over time and, therefore, you will require larger doses to generate similar stimulation – just like any kind of drug. When we drink too much coffee during the day there are some tell tale signs of overdose:

• Anxiety & “fast talking”
• Irritability
• Insomnia
• Dizziness / Shakiness
• Increased Heart rate
• Flushed Face

Caffeine is addictive and the withdrawal symptoms can be painful depending on your habit – typically withdrawal symptoms will kick-in within 24 hours from the last dose and can last up to 3 days. Typical withdrawal symptoms are:

• Depression
• Drowsiness / Apathy / Lethargic
• Craving for Sugar and Coffee
• Shakiness
• Headache / Inability to concentrate 

                                                                                 

When we consume large and frequent amounts of caffeine, studies have shown that this can carry adverse health effects. Being a stimulant drug, it directly affects the brain, digestion and nervous system. Consumption of coffee can also contribute to sugar cravings as it disrupts our blood glucose – eating excessive refined sugars is a contributing factor to excess weight-gain and the catalyst of many modern illness.

Health professionals generally agree that for normal ‘healthy adults’, small amounts of caffeine (1-2 cups of coffee per day) is relatively safe. Having a complete break from Coffee on a regular basis is recommended to reduce the adverse health impacts of being continuously over stimulated and remove or reduce any coffee addiction.

Many individuals simply don't want to feel dependant on a morning coffee in order wake up and think clearly, and indeed the body is quite capable of doing this effectively without any assistance from caffeine. In order to kick the habit there are some easy techniques:

• Cold turkey - make a decision not to drink coffee on a certain day and stick to it
• Slowly reduce coffee intake over time (reduce by a ½ cup per day until you can easily go without)
• Substitute herbal tea’s and water for your normal coffee break

                                 

A Karmic Cold Pressed Juice Cleanse can be the perfect way to kick start a coffee break and initiate a return to balance. The Cleanse program provides a flush of nutrients through the digestive system, assisting the body in removing toxins and re-hydrating cells. The specific low fructose juice blends are designed to keep sugar cravings low during this period and are the perfect substitute for coffee. It is amazing to experience the hit of living nutrients, anti-oxidants and boosting minerals contained in the cold pressed juice, which will help your body function on a natural high.