It’s been a long winter! There’s been snow everywhere, even in the Deep South. It’s been cold and dry, it’s been cold and wet. Make yourself feel better with midwinter home spa day.

There a few themes for a home spa day – hydration, exfoliation, and relaxation. Of course you can add other things, like a mani-pedi, or experimenting with your makeup, or deep conditioning your hair. We’re going to stick with the basics, so you can fit this midwinter refresh into a normal day (not an overscheduled one – this will fill up a few hours).

• Start your day with a glass of cool (not cold) water.
• Skin brush before your shower to exfoliate your skin and stimulate your lymph system.
• Moisturize before you dry off.
• Make yourself a cup of your favorite tea – chamomile is relaxing, but drink what you like. Drink tea or cool water through the day.
• Spend at least an hour doing something relaxing – read a book or a magazine, watch a favorite movie, take a nap (yes!), listen to a calming playlist, daydream.
• Set aside an hour before bed to continue your spa day.
• Wash your face and use a favorite facial mask.
• Take a baking soda bath for 20 minutes.
• Moisturize your hands and feet with a thick moisturizer, and put on cotton socks and gloves (wear them all night).
• Have a glass of cool water before bed.

If you missed yesterday’s chat with Marilu and Dr. Neal Barnard (founder and president of Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine), don’t panic!

Read the chat transcript here.

Stop by next Tuesday, March 9 at 10 PM Eastern/7 PM Pacific for another chat with Marilu and Dr. Barnard. These chats are a collaboration between Marilu.com and PCRM’s 21-day Vegan Kickstart program.

…of water, that is.

Trade in carbonated beverages for water, and see your weight change and your health improve. It’s not instant, but it’s a small change that will add up fast.

Sodas made with sugar or corn syrup add calories without nutrition, and lead to tooth decay (just ask your dentist).

Even diet sodas cause problems. The chemical sweeteners can lead to cravings for more sweet foods, or for salty foods (to balance the sweetness of the soda). Either way, you don’t need those extra foods. And we really don’t know what all those chemicals are doing in our bodies over time.

Drinking a carbonated beverage means drinking in gas… and then you have to get rid of the gas. No matter which end it comes out, it’s not the image you want to project. At least we don’t think so.

Stick with water. Do your body good.

Photo: Zsuzsanna Kilián

Don’t eat any concentrated foods today. That means…

no animal proteins
no starches
no legumes

Stick with fruits and vegetables for one whole day. You won’t believe how good you’re going to feel.

Need some ideas?

• Fruit smoothie – if that feels like too much natural sugar for you, add some peeled cucumber and a handful of baby spinach
• Fruit salad or fruit plate
• Vegetable-only soup – want it thicker? – add some pureed cauliflower
• Salad greens topped with a variety of grilled vegetables
• Bowl of roasted vegetables
• Zucchini “pasta” with marinara sauce

Do this once a month to feel really ALIVE the next day.

Dry skin brushing is an excellent detoxifier and exfoliator. Brush your dry skin in an elongated motion toward your heart for 1-2 minutes every morning – before you shower or exercise. Use a natural bristle brush designed for dry skin brushing – Marilu’s favorite is the Yerba Prima Tampico Skin Brush (it has a removable handle and perfect bristles).

Start with your feet and ankles, and work your way up the body to your calves and thighs. Really concentrate on brushing the lymphatic areas of your body (the backs of your knees, your inner thighs, under your arms, and inside your elbows) to stimulate those glands and get them started on flushing toxins.

Gently brush up your stomach and tush, shoulders and back. Last, do your hands and move up your arms. Make sure you cover the entire surface of your body, excluding your breasts and face.

The brushing should not irritate you, but it will feel rough (so be gentle to start!). It may take a couple of days to get used to it, but if you hang in there, you will feel the difference in your skin in less than a week.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Did you know that your body is about 60 percent water by weight?

Some organs have an even higher percentage of water. Your brain? About 70 percent water. Your blood? Over 80 percent water. Your lungs? About 90 percent water.

Without adequate water intake, every system in your body slows down and becomes sluggish. It’s like those commercials for the oil that your car engine needs – when the engine oil gets sticky and gunky, your car breaks down. When your organs don’t get the water they need, they first start to take water from the less vital areas (like your skin, joints, bones, etc.) to supply the brain, heart, and other vital organs. Eventually, your whole body becomes inefficient and eventually breaks down.

How do you know you’re dehydrated?

First sign – thirst. Always drink water when you’re thirsty.

Other signs to look for –

• headache
• fatigue
• confusion
• loss of appetite
• flushed skin
• heat intolerance
• light-headedness
• dry mouth and eyes
• lack of skin elasticity
• stomach pains (can feel like hunger)
• slower metabolism (leads to weight gain)

So drink water. We recommend half your weight in ounces each day, up to a maximum of 100 ounces per day. So if you weigh 200 pounds or more, drink 100 ounces of water a day. If you weigh 150 pounds, drink 75 ounces of water a day.

One of the concepts of the Total Health Makeover® is that eating mostly “wet” foods at a meal will improve your digestion and help you with weight loss. Fill 2/3 of your (9″ or 10″) plate with wet foods, and the other 1/3 with concentrated foods for a healthy meal.

So what are wet foods?

Foods that are high in water content – either naturally, or by the way they were prepared – are “wet.”

• Most fruits are wet foods.
• Many vegetables are wet foods, especially when they’re steamed.
• Some prepared foods, like soup and smoothies, are wet foods.

Okay, so what are concentrated foods?

Foods that have a greater density (remember high school science class? density is basically cramming more molecules in the same space) are harder to break down. We call them “concentrated” foods. There’s nothing wrong with eating concentrated foods – in fact, they offer wonderful nutritional benefits. Just don’t fill up on them. You already know how that makes you feel – it’s basically the traditional Thanksgiving dinner feeling of Too.Much. and It’s.Not.Moving.

• Animal protein is a concentrated food.
• Starches (grains, starchy veggies like potatoes) are concentrated foods.
• Legumes (beans) are concentrated foods.
• Nuts and seeds are concentrated foods.
• Dried fruits are concentrated. You know, because they took out the water.

Remember – 2/3 wet and 1/3 concentrated foods. It’s easy if you serve a green salad and a side or two of veggies with your concentrated food entree. Your digestion will thank you. And so will the scale.

Make water your only beverage today. Keep it with you. Carry a refillable bottle – and refill it!

Carry it in your purse, briefcase, or backpack.
Keep it in your car.
Bring it to your meetings, classes, office, the gym.
Keep it with you while you exercise, while you talk on the phone, while you answer your email.

Drink half your weight in ounces of water each day, up to 100 oz/day.

Photo: Zsuzsanna Kilián

Make water your only beverage today. Keep it with you. Carry a refillable bottle – and refill it!

Carry it in your purse, briefcase, or backpack.
Keep it in your car.
Bring it to your meetings, classes, office, the gym.
Keep it with you while you exercise, while you talk on the phone, while you answer your email.

Drink half your weight in ounces of water each day, up to 100 oz/day.

Photo: Zsuzsanna Kilián

Continue with the daily habits you’re creating – drinking water, breaking that sweat, eating 5 fruits/veggies each day, and avoiding sugar, red meat, and alcohol.

1. Avoid dairy products – no milk, cheese, butter, ice cream, or any other dairy product. You’re not committing to this for a lifetime – just through Booty Camp. We’ll talk more about why we avoid dairy as we get into Booty Camp. Right now, drink water or herbal tea. Use rice milk on your cereal. And hold the cheese.
2. If you eat some of your meals away from home (because of work or school, for example), find an insulated lunch bag, a few spill-proof containers, and a “blue ice” pack you can use to pack those meals.
3. Join Marilu.com now, so you can get the Booty Camp recipes, plan your menus, and do your grocery shopping! (Members – check out the Current Class page!)