Get A Healthy Start to 2014: CT Resources for Juicing, Healthy Eats & More

You just did it all this holiday season. And by that, I mean...cookies became a food group. Mixing, stirring and shopping had you working your “muscles” (how to polish something, right?). Real exercise resided in the back seat, crammed in between boxes and bags and wrapping paper. Your sanity was also wedged in there, too, now that you think about it. Thank goodness that a new year is upon us because you weren’t quite sure you could take another week, chaotic and fun as it may have been. And yes, there was much good in the holiday season...but it’s all....tiring. So now, after the decadence and gluttony, let’s reset. Recharge. And for the love of Pete, put down that cookie.

Here we offer, as your first gift of the New Year, some great resources, including juice cleanses, yoga joints and healthy eats, to get your body and mind back on track and ready for action in 2014! 

The Stand Juice Company

(31 Wall St., Norwalk and 87 Mill Plain Rd., Fairfield)

At The Stand Juice Company, cleanses are lovingly prepared fresh everyday by the incredible Juice Jockies (love that) with only the best organic, ethically and sustainably sourced, non-GMO ingredients from farmers and producers that they believe in and can trust. Some even comes from The Stand’s own farm! The Stand is offering 1-7 day cleanses that can be picked up at one of their two locations or just ask them to deliver to your home or office. No excuse now, buddy. As a bonus, the prices have been lowered by $10/day...see, another gift! Cleanses can be picked up at either location or at Saraswati’s Yoga Joint just down the street from the Norwalk location....a one-two punch of convenience and health. Mike and Carissa love what they do and it shows. Just to make sure that everyone cleansing has a good experience and gets all their questions and concerns answered along the way, Carissa includes her phone number  so that you will be guided the entire way. A new and better spin on the old Butterball Hotline. To learn more about The Stand, or to book your cleanse now, check out www.thestandjuice.com

...and just a few blocks away on Wall Street in Norwalk is...

Saraswati’s Yoga Joint

(1-3 Wall St., Norwalk and 12 Burtis Ave., New Canaan)

If you are on the road to cleansing, it’s your intention to detox your body and rid yourself of unhealthy habits. At Saraswati’s Yoga Joint, a belief in the art of intention and in a super-healthy approach to yoga sets you on your way to a cleansed state; one that involves your body, your mind and your spirit. When your body is healthy, your mind is free you can say goodbye to toxins in both areas. Their vigorous form of yoga will stretch & strengthen you while you sweat, facilitating a greater detox...breathing techniques will flush toxins out of your blood stream and lungs...and meditation will help you connect to your intention, free your mind of toxic thoughts and keep your nervous system calmed. Enter a stronger, calmer, and cleaner you for the New Year. Woot!

Saraswati’s is teaming up with The Stand if you would like to combine a detoxing cleanse with great yoga. Just mention the words ‘yoga foodie’ and you’ll get a 10% discount on the juice cleanse from The Stand and a 10% discount on a class card at Saraswati’s. (If you’ve never been to SYJ you can enjoy 30 days of yoga for $44.00). www.sarasyogajoint.com  

Green and Tonic

(85 Railroad Ave., Greenwich, 7 Strickland Rd., Cos Cob, 1098 Post Rd., Darien, CT....coming soon to New Canaan)

Just the name sounds good for you...greens and tonics. Glasses and plates full of goodness to, as Green and Tonic puts it, “Nourish, Energize, Purify and Revive”. I’ll take some of that, please. At Green and Tonic, you can sign up for cleanses or visit their locations for health-a-licious drinks and foods; “reviving with real food” is what they want you to do here. Aside from a long list of smoothies, tonics, tinctures, grains, salads and energy squares, a variety of juice and veggie cleanses are available. Amongst those are the Jumpstart (juices and plant-based nutrition), 5-day functional plans (food, juice and supplements) and the 10-day reset (food, juice, supplements, support/coaching). For more information on coaching, cleansing or to get started, contact Green and Tonic at cleanse@greenandtonic.com, 1-855-GO-GandT or www.greenandtonic.com

Freshii

(1 Main Street, Westport. Note: accessible from both Parker Harding Plaza and the Post Road. Shares an entrance with HSBC)

Recently opened this autumn, Freshii is providing Fairfield County with unique offerings of flavorful, healthy “fast” food at affordable prices. With a diverse menu consisting of organic oatmeal, egg pockets, salads, wraps, burritos, bowls and soups, you will find all that you need to integrate more veggies and healthy grains and proteins into your daily eating. Made-to-order vegetable juices and fresh fruit smoothies round out their menu.

Freshii has a chef-designed menu but they also offer the option to customize any dish of your choice.  Catering to almost every food preference and dietary restriction, including specific gluten-free designed items, everything is made fresh to order. All entrees are vegetarian and reasonably priced under $10, with the option to add chicken, tofu, steak or shrimp.

Freshii will be launching catering in early 2014, which will be perfect for business meetings or lunch/dinner parties at home, and they will also be adding outdoor patio seating this spring. Dine fresh(ii) for breakfast, lunch and dinner!www.freshii.com

She3 Barre Well-Fitness Boutique

(63 Unquowa Rd., Fairfield)

We’ve probably all had a little too much holiday cheer, so why not kick off the New Year with She3 and get lighter, both in body and mind. Feel strong, feel healthy, feel empowered (that’s what She3 stands for) through the 28-Day She3 Whole Food Cleanse. This cleanse is juice-free, unlike many others. It is simply eating whole foods that result in no more bloating, weight gain, fogginess, coughing, muscle aches, tiredness, headaches and more. By Week 4, you will have increased energy, more stamina and concentration (and, as a by-product, may fit into your “skinny-jeans”!). The cleanse includes twenty-eight days of emails, four weekly meetings for nutritional tips and group support, private food shopping experience and personal nutrition services.  Sign up soon as the next 28-day Nutritional Cleanse will begin January 8th! And as a bonus for CTBites foodies, if you sign up for the newsletter on the She3 website's homepage, you will be entered into a raffle to win a our 5 Barre Class Package and One Wellness Service ($300 Value). Go for it! You know you want back into those skinny jeans. Pronto. View their video hereor check out their web sitewww.she3fit.com. 

The Granola Bar

(275 Post Road East, Westport)

At the far edge of Playhouse Square resides the very new and very cool Granola Bar. A bit of schmear, a good dose of karma, and a generous sprinkling of oats. Striving to use as many organic ingredients as possible (their fresh produce is about 80%), the team at The Granola Bar tackle smoothies with a wide variety of proteins, salad bowls, and great coffee drinks using Toby’s Estate (Brooklyn, NY), not to mention paleo baked goods and granola products almost too numerous to mention. Their own Oats granola is currently carried in about 80 stores in the Northeast, is wheat and dairy free and sweetened only with honey. Try it in their daily-made bars or granola bowls-a best seller is the Dark Chocolate flavor, made with oats, almonds, walnuts, pecans, honey, (non-dairy) chocolate, cinnamon, vanilla, clove and nutmeg. Bring. It. On. In addition to table service and a cafe-like atmosphere, their to-go business is hearty. Come sit awhile and enjoy a “Yoatmeal” one of these cold mornings...aside from being a fun word to say, it is a belly-warming bowl of oatmeal, topped with greek yogurt and toppings of your choice. Didn’t think you could read a write-up with the word “oat” in it so many times, did you? Enjoy! 

Catch A Healthy Habit

(39 Unquowa Rd., Fairfield)

The name of the cafe, Catch a Healthy Habit, is just what we all should be doing right now. And lucky for us, in addition to their usual drinks and good-for-you eats, liquid organic cleanses are on the docket, too. One 5-day cleanse session will happen in each of the upcoming months, although if the demand is high enough, more may be added. Each includes juices, superfood smoothies and soups. There’s even some Chia seed pudding added for extra oomph (gone are the days of only using those seeds for ChiaPets). Diversity with the veggies, nuts and fruits rules the program so that your taste buds stay intrigued while you are on the road to new health. January 6th is the start date for the first cleanse, so do not delay! And even if you are not in the mood to hop on board with this, just stop by and enjoy the healthy meals and snacks the Catch crew is whipping up. Lunching with the girls never felt so guiltless. http://catchahealthyhabit.com/cleanse/

Embody Fitness Gourmet

(545 Riverside Ave., Westport, 72 Heights Rd, Darien, 2420 Boston Post Rd, Darien)

“In Health and Well-Being, We Believe” is the slogan of Embody Fitness Gourmet and they will have you standing at attention. Their goal is to, via food and nutrients, increase the vitality that is sucked out of our systems on a daily basis from that thing called “Life” and do so in the most earth-friendly way they can. Knowing that crazy schedules and endless commitments make it hard for people to nourish their bodies, the food and drinks at Embody can help reclaim the balance that is lacking and help you to power through your day in a positive way. Juices, smoothies, good breakfasts (yogurt parfaits, organic eggs, granolas) and their “mixology” of greens that can also be turned into wraps will help you choose wisely even if you have to choose quickly. Some cute yummies for the hungry kids you have in tow will help you manage your troops. See, there’s no excuse when you can swing by Embody and fuel up the right way. And with salads, for example, named “The Wild One”, “Turbo Veggie” and “All Hail Kale”, a sense of humor rounds out all this nutritional goodness nicely. www.embodyfitnessgourmet.com

Healthy Brands Collective

Donna & Dan Ratner have made Norwalk their home for Healthy Brands Collective.  Eight years ago, Dan created an organic line of ready-to-drink green drinks in their kitchen and named it Cell-nique, whose flavors mix a wide range of vitamins, minerals, proteins and anti-oxidants. In 2010, they learned that there were many great brands that were not able to whether the recession, and so began the process of rescuing those brands that matched their commitment to a healthy way of life. Today, the mission is to make healthier products for healthier lifestyles. Cell-nique Super Green (cleansing fruit and “green” drinks) and High Country Kombucha (probiotic fermented tea) are amazing ways to jump start the new year by cleansing and energizing your body. You can find out more about these drinks and where to purchase them at http://www.healthybrandsco.com.