Organic Avenue founder Denise Mari
After a long winter, are your pipes starting to feel a little rusty like mine?
I recently caught up with Denise Mari, founder of Organic Avenue, and asked her to share her detox tips. Organic Avenue is the NYC-based healthy lifestyle company famous for its LOVE* (Live. Organic. Vegan. Experience.), detox cleanses, and celebrity following (Gwyneth Paltrow, Alicia Silverstone and Russell Simmons are all fans).
Here is Denise’s advice on getting some of your own LOVE* going, whether you’re looking to detox, cleanse or simply add some powerful foods to your everyday diet.
Celebrities and fashionistas have flocked to Organic Avenue. What inspired you to create it 10 years ago?
DENISE MARI: I discovered that the more organic, plant-based, whole foods and juices I ate and drank, the healthier I became. I continued to study and practice the vegan and raw food diet, and then learned that adding an alkaline emphasis was a miraculous way of eating, living and being.
Why is the alkaline angle important?
Sugars create acidic conditions in the body, and acidic conditions cause breakdown. In combination with the cleansing aspects of vegan raw foods, adding alkalinity creates the most optimal situation for the human body. Acidic leads to disease, alkaline leads to health. Most food choices in the modern world, along with stress, are all acid contributors.
It’s fantastic that you demystify eating raw, organic and vegan by calling it LOVE*. How did you come up with that?
A boyfriend of mine suggested the use of LOVE* for Organic Avenue. I tweaked it a bit, but it’s stuck! And it keeps the focus of my day on its many meanings.
This time of year, everyone wants to detox. How can a cleanse help?
A cleanse is a great way to start. It allows a reboot. It gives a new sense of confidence and energy needed when undertaking new goals for a new year. Most people complain of not having enough energy. The biggest benefit of cleansing—once over any detox hump—is a sense of clarity of purpose and energy to fulfill and set goals.
It amazes me that some cleanse offerings out there are not good quality or even organic. What sets your products and juices apart?
We are committed to organic because we are committed to the environment. If we don’t clean up our environment, no matter what we do we are all going to continue to get sick. As Dr. Robert O. Young says, “If the fish is sick, do you treat the fish or change the water?” We must stick to organic—no pesticides/herbicides/synthetic fertilizers/GMOs—and promote clean farming if we want clean, healthy and happy bodies. Organic Avenue also chooses to bottle in glass and biodegradable vegetable plastic. There is always more we could do, and we are always looking to improve.
Even though I don’t eat raw or vegan all the time, I try to eat as much organic and plant foods as possible, and it feels great. Do you have to be a full-time raw eater to feel the LOVE*?
I think there are benefits to full-time raw eating. Listen to your body and proceed slowly. Sometimes a full raw-food and juice fast are best for the short-term, and other times for the long-term. I have experienced tremendous clarity, motivation, health benefits and energy when 100 percent raw, and have experienced more grounding and emotional comfort when adding some consciously cooked foods too. I personally practice a combination with an emphasis on and goal of being as whole-food focused as possible, cleansing regularly, and juicing daily.
If one wants to make a single change or addition to his or her diet, what brings the most bang for the buck?
Green juice every day. Start with one, and work your way up from there. The more greens you drink, the stronger and healthier you will become. It works every time.
What change to your eating has given you the most bang for your buck? We’d love to hear from you!
Live épanoui*
Elisa
* in full bloom
