Hi Everybody! Welcome to another Friday blog. I’ve had several comments and questions concerning how to take your EVOO shot, what to take it with and when. It is very dependent on your goal. Are you trying to stimulate your body into losing weight? Is your goal to get your cholesterol down?  Let’s get started.

There are many ways to get EVOO in your body. Finding what works best for YOU is actually easier than you think. If your goal is weight-loss, you need to gradually increase from 2 to 4 Tablespoons. I did 2 Tablespoons for 2 weeks before increasing to 4. This can be a lot to drink by itself. I find it easier to add a little juice of some kind. Fresh-squeezed lemon is AWESOME for encouraging weight-loss, but some people find it too strong and hard to get down. I personally love it! Follow up with plenty of water to rinse the acidity of the lemon from your throat. It is like drinking your salad dressing first. However, it’s not for everyone. You can try a little tart cherry, orange, grapefruit or any juice of your choosing. Swirl it around and gulp it down. You will end up with the taste of the juice you‘ve chosen. If you find it challenging, have something handy to eat or drink immediately following your shot, such as a grapefruit, apple, or cup of coffee. Experiment and find what works best for you. The EVOO shot should be first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. This large dose goes immediately to your liver for processing. This triggers your brain to switch to a fat-burning mode and tells your body you’re not hungry. Go with it. Some people may feel a slight nausea. If you do, eat a few bites of dry toast or cracker to ease that sensation. When you take a dose this large, you’re taking in about 500 calories before you’ve even had coffee or anything else. Don’t let this scare you! I know it is contrary to what we’ve all been told for years! However, FAT is so important to your body that it will make it from carbs and proteins and store it usually where we don’t want it. This is PERFECT for your body. When you give your body the right fats, your body can break them down to be utilized to make new cells and repair damaged cells. Fat makes you feel more satiated, so you may not be hungry till around lunch time. At this point, since your goal is to lose weight, focus on giving your body lots of fruits and vegetables and a small serving of protein. I personally, like to have a cup of homemade chicken-vegetable soup for lunch, or Greek yogurt with nuts and fruit. I also allow myself several snacks throughout the day, such as apple and peanut butter or a few chips and salsa. For dinner, try to get in some fatty fish about 3 times a week.  When you sit down to dinner, don’t be surprised that you CAN’T finish your food. DON’T make yourself. This goes against the grain. I was taught to clean my plate and so many times end up overeating this way. The reduction in quantity of food also reduces the work load on your gut. You will be AMAZED at how GOOD you begin to feel. 

**If you do NOT have a gallbladder, consult your physician before taking more than 1-2 Tablespoons at once.

You will notice increased energy, lust for life, eased joint pain, improved circadian rhythms and more subtle positive changes as well. This is life-altering. So, get ready to be full real quick. This is because your stomach has shrunk, so your portions will need to decrease...by probably more than 50%!! This not only allows the weight to begin to fall off, but literally HEALS your digestive tract. Understand that the EVOO goes a long way to restore, heal and balance your body. You will notice that your body will start to get rid of all the bad stuff in your intestines that you never realized was there!! It stimulates your bile duct to open and get cleaned out. You will go to the bathroom several times a day at this point. Don’t freak out. This is the first step in normalizing your body and ALLOWING it to do its job. Track your progress. Let us know YOUR JOURNEY!!!

If your goal is NOT weight-loss, you can have a little throughout the day. Take a 2 Tablespoon shot with your breakfast, or drizzle on your oatmeal, your salad, hummus or tomatoes. Add it to a smoothie, soup or chili. It’s amazing drizzled on just about ANYTHING!! The properties in high polyphenol EVOO are unequaled by ANY other oil. It goes a long way to protect us from a heart attack or stroke, boost our immune system and allow a long and healthy life. 

With the holidays here and Covid-19 looming over us, it is more important than ever to take care of our health. It is inevitable that we will be faced with more newly emerging viruses, viruses that have found a way to jump species that we’ve never seen before. Give your immune system a big boost every day!

So, until next time my friends, drink, drizzle, digest high polyphenol EVOO, eat fatty fish, drink lots of water, get plenty of sleep, get a good pre/probiotic, exercise your body and mind. #EVOO