As we turn the corner toward spring, many of us are looking for ways to get a jumpstart on tidying up our lives. Not only does this mean cleaning up our surroundings, but also looking for easy ways to cleanse the body internally.

It might feel daunting when you look at all the cleansing products on the market and try to find one that is right for you. Not only that, but it can be downright dangerous to aggressively cleanse the body without taking into account your individual medical needs. Make sure to talk to your doctor before you cleanse and look toward a gradual, gentle approach and will work with your system.

The Gerson Method is a diet to cleanse the body of any toxins that cause illness, disease and any other unfortunate ailments that may arise from poor diet, lack of sleep and lack of exercise. Following the Gerson Method is a great way to eliminate your body of unwanted buildup that could be making you feel tired and sluggish. The Method consists of eating raw organic foods, drinking juices made from the freshest organic fruits and vegetables, consuming natural supplements and partaking in enemas to cleanse the digestive tract.

Another option is the Ayurvedic Cleanse, Pancha Karma. This Ayurvedic cleanse is done in three stages: preparation, cleansing and rejuvenation. During the preparation stage, certain foods like sugar, caffeine and alcohol are phased out. Then, a special herbal drink is consumed, which is made up of water, fennel, pepper, ginger, cumin, coriander and cardamom. Psyllium fiber is also utilized to flush out the system. After the body is cleansed, foods are introduced back into the diet to rebuild the body, mind and spirit.

Mission Monday:  It’s National Chip and Dip Day and we’re curious, what are your favorite dips? Organic Mild Black Bean & Corn Salsa? Edamame & Cucumber Hummus? Organic Mild Pineapple Salsa? Let us know and you could win a Wild Oats prize pack. Comment or reply with your faves on our Twitter or Facebook page and you’re automatically entered!

To share your favorite dips through Facebook, simply comment in our Mission Monday post by 8:59pm PT/11:59pm ET tonight to be entered to win!

To share your favorite dips on Twitter, tweet them to us with #wildoatsmission #sweeps by 8:59pm PT/11:59pm ET tonight to be entered to win!

Good Luck. Full Sweepstakes rules and details can be found here: bit.ly/1DoNN9U

I don’t know about you, but I love berries. Somehow though, unless they are in season I seem to forget to eat them. According to Case Adams from Green Med, part of the reason for this may be that I am not getting enough berries!

Studies done by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, Washington State University, India’s Annamalai University and Oman’s Sultan Qaboos University College of Medicine and Health Sciences, found that the antioxidants in berries significantly reduces the risk of various forms of dementia.

Strawberries, bilberries, blackcurrants, and blueberries, are all on the list of brain boosting fruits that help clear out the clutter and keep your mental processes sharp. And thanks to Clarence Birdseye, the father of frozen, we can now have fresh frozen berries to enjoy year round. If you have it in mind that “fresh is best,” think again. Contrary to popular belief, frozen does not mean less tasty or less nutritious. In fact food that is frozen is often “fresher” than its counterpart. Being harvested at peak and frozen within hours of being picked, frozen foods like berries can be ripe and ready for you to take advantage of them, – whenever you choose.

So don’t forget to bring home the berries, fresh or frozen, it’s a sweet treat your brain will remember.

For a triple dose of cool berry goodness, try this Power Berry Smoothie

• 1 cup frozen mixed berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup low-fat plain yogurt
• 1 teaspoon honey

1 tablespoon unsweetened soy protein powder

 Links to other brain boosting berry ideas and recipes:

Spark People – 10 super berry smoothie recipes

National Frozen Foods – Why frozen

Huffington Post – berries, brain, toxic proteins accumulation

Daily Mail – Alzheimers- berries stop brain ripening

Natural News – Studies find berries help fight Alzheimers disease

Green Med – Afraid of Alzheimer’s? Eat your berries

Springtime is all about cleaning out your cabinets and clearing your mind. But, doesn’t it feel like every time you try to be healthier, it seems to cost a ton more money? Not to fear! Here are some easy spring savings tips to help you find affordable organic products that inspire a healthier lifestyle.

Organic Products Swap
Consider starting a simple product share program with three friends in your neighborhood to save money and find new organic products. On one of your shopping days each week buy two extra of your favorite organic products that are on sale and then share with your two friends. They will do the same so that you are swapping organic products. Not only does this save money, but it also helps introduce each of you to great products you might not have tried.

Be an Organic Beauty Scavenger
One of the biggest drains on a budget can be finding organic beauty products that don’t break the bank. You may be used to paying upward of $60 for an organic beauty cream and not know that there is an effective alternative for WAY less money. All you need to do is be a bit of an ingredient scavenger and you can find some great organic products to replace high cost ones. Simply look for the active ingredients used in your favorite high-priced products like coconut, almond, marula and argan and then simply buy these separately to use on hair and skin. Often times, you can get a large bottle that will last twice as long at a fraction of the cost of the fancy product. Best of all, it works just as good!

Dine In Organic One Week Per Month
Everyone loves to eat out from time to time, but have you ever stopped to think about how many times you are eating out each week and how much it’s costing you? Plus, lots of times restaurant food isn’t all that healthy, anyway. Try planning one week each month where you reset your system by eating in with a focus on going organic. Try revving up the flavor by utilizing Wild Oats Organic Spices and look to delicious recipes like my Nana’s Secret Spaghetti Sauce and Black Bean Dip for inspiration. Bon Appetit!

“Man cannot live by bread alone; he must have peanut butter.”  James A. Garfield

There is no escaping the gooey goodness of peanut butter. In fact unless you are one of the 1% of people that are allergic to peanuts, by the time you have graduated from high school, you will have consumed 1,500 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches… I know – boring right?

But here’s what’s NOT boring. The taste. Peanuts are the ultimate in complimentary taste notes. More than just a substitute for meat in school lunches, peanut butter can wind it’s way through Thai dishes and into Pasta with style. It adds an untamed note to sauces – as this Ginger Peanut Sauce recipe, or an earthy quality as in this scrumptious Pork Tenderloin recipe. 

The fact is you can pair peanut butter with just about anything and come out ahead.

The ultimate in easy to eat, with its healthy fat and protein, peanut butter can also stave off those afternoon energy lows in a way caffeinated drinks just can’t rival. – Tired of those dry protein bars?  Try these Three ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies  – (Literally Peanut Butter, Honey and an egg!)

In fact the Pinterest count for Peanut Butter Cookie Recipes currently stands at 4317, indicating that there is no shortage of Peanut Butter adoration out there.

But it’s not just your taste buds that love the butter – your heart loves it too!  Recent studies have shown that peanuts can actually help reduce the risk of heart disease.  

And as an added bonus, the fiber in peanut butter is great for your gut.

Unlike other more high maintenance foods, Peanut Butter is always there for you. Upside down, in your fridge for months – its just as good for you when pull it out, as it was when you left it there.

Here are a few reasons you should take a jar out soon.

• Protein,
• fiber,
• healthy fats,
• magnesium
• potassium
• antioxidants,

And – In case you forgot, Peanuts are high in niacin. Studies have shown that people who get enough niacin are 70 % less likely to develop Alzheimer’s. 

So that’s seven real reasons to love the legume. Its true. Ounce for ounce, peanut butter is hard to beat for benefits. On toast, in smoothies or right off the spoon, this simple food is as good for you as it is easy to consume.

Trivia: Research has shown that women tend to prefer smooth, while men generally choose crunchy peanut butter. Whichever way you lean, Wild Oats has got your style. For a sweet twist on tradition try Wild Oats Honey Roast Peanut Butter.

For more, check out this link to for fifty more ways to get more nutty goodness into your life.

50 Healthier Peanut Butter Recipes

And even more:

8 health benefits of peanut butter

http://nationalpeanutboard.org/the-facts/history-of-peanuts-peanut-butter/