As people that are researching eating clean, the types of exercises to burn the most fat, how much water they should really be drinking, what the best protein shake they should be making, there is also the talk, concern, or research of nutritional supplements.
The vitamins and minerals found in our nutrition are essential to our ability to function properly. God designed food to meet our bodies' needs. We don't need to take supplements IF you are eating a diet full of nutrient-rich foods, staying hydrated, sleeping well, and have very little stress in your life (I don't know about that one - that's a hard one to keep in check). That scenario is not our norm of course. But the best way to NOT have to take supplements is eat whole, organic foods. If you are busy and "always on the run", you can take supplements in order to AID your body in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
A good rule of thumb to make sure that your supplements are for you - make sure that they are either fruit- or veggie-based as well as certified organic; not synthetic. Always read the labels. Let's talk about which ones you should be taking, if you choose to do so.
Multivitamin: start with a good, organic multivitamin.
Omega-3s: these are fatty acids that are key to helping the body to reduce unhealthy inflammation. We get these from fish oils (like salmon), krill, flax seeds, chia seeds, and hemp seeds. Use good, organic fish oil (preferably from deep-sea fish).
Vitamin D: We get this from the sunshine and food (mostly animal-based). By having enough Vitamin D, this will help maintain healthy sleep patterns.
Probiotics: these promote good, healthy digestion and overall health for your gut. Organic yogurt, kefir, and kombucha is the best way to get this.
Home Remedies:
Tumeric: helps fight cancer, relieve arthritis, control diabetes, reduce cholesterol levels, promote healthy immune and digestive systems, and help in preventing Alzheimer's and liver disease.
Apple Cider Vinegar: Make sure it's raw, unpasteurized, organic ACV (Apple Cider Vinegar) - it'll have what looks like stringy residue that is in the bottom of the jar. One ounce in warm water and add some raw, local honey to help with the taste will also aid in digestion.
Just start slow and see what works best for your body and your activity level. If not sure, consult your Dr or do some research to find out to take to your Dr and discuss.
Saturday, May 27, 2017
Thursday, May 25, 2017
Detoxing, Part 2
There was so much information in the first part of the detoxing, that I didn't want to overwhelm you with ALL the info. Here is simple break downs for the 2nd part and very useful to understand how our bodies work, what it needs, and how we can help our own selves work more efficiently - not harder.
Detoxing the liver is very important. It is the 2nd largest organ that we have and it's function is to help with digestion by producing bile. The bile helps break down fats into smaller units to metabolize. Foods that my help in promoting liver health include avocados, dandelion greens, asparagus, walnuts, organic spinach, grapefruit, raw tomatoes, carrots, garlic, Brussels sprouts, and kale. Don't overdose on the kale, as it can cause flu like symptoms and be pretty potent!
The skin. I'm sure you can guess what the best detox for your skin is... You got it... WATER! Our skin is the largest organ and one of the most important ones that you have. Try having foods that are high in water content, like cucumbers and melons. When you sweat, your skin is getting rid of the toxins, so don't be afraid to SWEAT! :) If you get bored with drinking just plain ol' water - try "detox water". Easy to make and yummy too (might take a minute to get used to, but oh so helpful!) Simply pick your favorite citrus fruit (lemon, orange, grapefruit, etc.) and pair it with your favorite fruits. Popular ones consist of combos like lemon with cucumber, mint with watermelon, and lime with raspberries. Chop fruits and put them into a jar with water. Allow to sit for 30-60 minutes, then drink it! Bottoms up!
Grounding - this is the process of aligning yourself with the electromagnetic field of the earth - walking barefoot in the sand at the ocean (MY FAVORITE!!!)
Fasting - listen to your body. Best way to go about that is simple - if you chose to do a fast - eliminate all food EXCEPT fruit, veggies, and water. There are different types of fasting: juicing, water, "Master cleanse", and the Daniel fast. Before you start any fast, research it. Read up on it. See which one, if any, will be best for optimal results for your particular body and your needs AND consult your Doctor before starting any type of fasting.
Next time will be on Nutritional Supplements... stay tuned! :)
Detoxing the liver is very important. It is the 2nd largest organ that we have and it's function is to help with digestion by producing bile. The bile helps break down fats into smaller units to metabolize. Foods that my help in promoting liver health include avocados, dandelion greens, asparagus, walnuts, organic spinach, grapefruit, raw tomatoes, carrots, garlic, Brussels sprouts, and kale. Don't overdose on the kale, as it can cause flu like symptoms and be pretty potent!
The skin. I'm sure you can guess what the best detox for your skin is... You got it... WATER! Our skin is the largest organ and one of the most important ones that you have. Try having foods that are high in water content, like cucumbers and melons. When you sweat, your skin is getting rid of the toxins, so don't be afraid to SWEAT! :) If you get bored with drinking just plain ol' water - try "detox water". Easy to make and yummy too (might take a minute to get used to, but oh so helpful!) Simply pick your favorite citrus fruit (lemon, orange, grapefruit, etc.) and pair it with your favorite fruits. Popular ones consist of combos like lemon with cucumber, mint with watermelon, and lime with raspberries. Chop fruits and put them into a jar with water. Allow to sit for 30-60 minutes, then drink it! Bottoms up!
Grounding - this is the process of aligning yourself with the electromagnetic field of the earth - walking barefoot in the sand at the ocean (MY FAVORITE!!!)
Fasting - listen to your body. Best way to go about that is simple - if you chose to do a fast - eliminate all food EXCEPT fruit, veggies, and water. There are different types of fasting: juicing, water, "Master cleanse", and the Daniel fast. Before you start any fast, research it. Read up on it. See which one, if any, will be best for optimal results for your particular body and your needs AND consult your Doctor before starting any type of fasting.
Next time will be on Nutritional Supplements... stay tuned! :)
Sunday, May 21, 2017
Eating Clean - Detoxing Part 1
This journey of health is an amazing one. Just taking it one step at a time, and NOT all at once, is the key. Your mind and body WILL NOT be able to process it all at once. It will just set you up for failure...and that's what we DON'T want.
Today is about eating clean. What we put in our bodies to fuel it, is so key and important. So, continuing in the book "Healthy and Free", there is a segment on this very topic.
"A drawback to dieting is that it can indirectly exacerbate a weight problem. Recognize the triggers that cause emotional eating, stop dieting, and start nourishing your body with healthy, organic, living foods. Your body needs food to burn fat. When you starve your body, your brain tells it to store all your fat, because it knows that it's not getting enough in your diet. Once you begin to eat good, healthy, clean foods, your body will respond and will work for you.
"Clean eating" means that you consume foods that are pure and true in their natural form. This includes an abundance of foods like fruit, veggies, healthy proteins, and good fats. It helps eliminate processed foods like refined sugar, salt, and flour from your "diet". There is the old saying, "If you can't read or pronounce the ingredients, don't eat it!"
Protein should be a fundamental part of your diet. It's recommended that you eat one gram of protein for every pound that you weigh. Protein is one of our main body builders - from muscles, hormones, enzymes, and antibodies. When choosing proteins, try to stick to high-quality, organic sources such as lean red meats, poultry, fish, cottage cheese, milk, natural nut butters, peas, broccoli, organic corn, chickpeas, spinach, and kale. There are also many good protein powders that can help supplement the protein intake. There are vegan protein powder made of peas, hemp, and cranberry - YUM!
Fats, when eating good healthy fats and in the right amount, can actually aid in weight loss, as well as metabolism. You need to have between .3 and .6 grams of healthy fat per pound of body weight. You can find these healthy fats in foods like: wild salmon, cod, nuts, seeds, avocados (which are a "complete" food meaning they contain fat, carbs, and protein), and oils (flaxseed, olive, fish, and coconut).
Carbs provide our bodies with energy and the lack of them will actually increase cravings for sugar and other junk foods. You will want to stick with complex carbs that are commonly found in veggies, wholemeal breads, and cereals. Other types of food that you get good carbs can be found in spinach, yams, broccoli, beans, brown rice, quinoa, zucchini, lentils, skim milk, whole grains, and many other leguminous plants and veggies. For breads, Ezekiel bread or Manna bread or any sprouted grains bread.
Sugar has been proven to be more addictive than hard drugs! We need to find healthier alternatives. These alternatives need to have a low-glycemic sugar that will not spike your blood sugar level. You will need to be a 55 or below on the glycemic scale. These can come in the form of: Natural Maple Syrup: 54; Natural Honey: 50; Natural Yacon Syrup: 1; Coconut Palm Sugar: 35; and Stevia: 0 - make sure it is pure Stevia - that it hasn't had corn syrup added to it. Please stay away from Aspartame and Splenda - linked to numerous diseases and conditions.
"Superfoods" are powerful additions to nutrition that provide high doses of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Chia seeds, Gogi berries, hemp seeds, flax seeds, and Kale." There are many more - you just have to do the research.
This is just a start of what is out there - so sorry that it was a long one today, but it is SO important to know HOW to fuel your body for it to run properly and efficiently. Let's feed our bodies the right way and live cleaner, healthier lives for ourselves and our families!
Today is about eating clean. What we put in our bodies to fuel it, is so key and important. So, continuing in the book "Healthy and Free", there is a segment on this very topic.
"A drawback to dieting is that it can indirectly exacerbate a weight problem. Recognize the triggers that cause emotional eating, stop dieting, and start nourishing your body with healthy, organic, living foods. Your body needs food to burn fat. When you starve your body, your brain tells it to store all your fat, because it knows that it's not getting enough in your diet. Once you begin to eat good, healthy, clean foods, your body will respond and will work for you.
"Clean eating" means that you consume foods that are pure and true in their natural form. This includes an abundance of foods like fruit, veggies, healthy proteins, and good fats. It helps eliminate processed foods like refined sugar, salt, and flour from your "diet". There is the old saying, "If you can't read or pronounce the ingredients, don't eat it!"
Protein should be a fundamental part of your diet. It's recommended that you eat one gram of protein for every pound that you weigh. Protein is one of our main body builders - from muscles, hormones, enzymes, and antibodies. When choosing proteins, try to stick to high-quality, organic sources such as lean red meats, poultry, fish, cottage cheese, milk, natural nut butters, peas, broccoli, organic corn, chickpeas, spinach, and kale. There are also many good protein powders that can help supplement the protein intake. There are vegan protein powder made of peas, hemp, and cranberry - YUM!
Fats, when eating good healthy fats and in the right amount, can actually aid in weight loss, as well as metabolism. You need to have between .3 and .6 grams of healthy fat per pound of body weight. You can find these healthy fats in foods like: wild salmon, cod, nuts, seeds, avocados (which are a "complete" food meaning they contain fat, carbs, and protein), and oils (flaxseed, olive, fish, and coconut).
Carbs provide our bodies with energy and the lack of them will actually increase cravings for sugar and other junk foods. You will want to stick with complex carbs that are commonly found in veggies, wholemeal breads, and cereals. Other types of food that you get good carbs can be found in spinach, yams, broccoli, beans, brown rice, quinoa, zucchini, lentils, skim milk, whole grains, and many other leguminous plants and veggies. For breads, Ezekiel bread or Manna bread or any sprouted grains bread.
Sugar has been proven to be more addictive than hard drugs! We need to find healthier alternatives. These alternatives need to have a low-glycemic sugar that will not spike your blood sugar level. You will need to be a 55 or below on the glycemic scale. These can come in the form of: Natural Maple Syrup: 54; Natural Honey: 50; Natural Yacon Syrup: 1; Coconut Palm Sugar: 35; and Stevia: 0 - make sure it is pure Stevia - that it hasn't had corn syrup added to it. Please stay away from Aspartame and Splenda - linked to numerous diseases and conditions.
"Superfoods" are powerful additions to nutrition that provide high doses of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Chia seeds, Gogi berries, hemp seeds, flax seeds, and Kale." There are many more - you just have to do the research.
This is just a start of what is out there - so sorry that it was a long one today, but it is SO important to know HOW to fuel your body for it to run properly and efficiently. Let's feed our bodies the right way and live cleaner, healthier lives for ourselves and our families!
Tuesday, May 16, 2017
Get Moving...
Continuing with the "Healthy and Free" book that I'm reading, we have come to the section about "Get Moving!"
Have you ever thought or felt, "If exercise were a pill, it would be the most cost-effective drug ever invented." When we sit on the couch, being sedentary, we feel tired and/or a little foggy-brained. Once we get up, though, we start to feel better, proving we are not created to be sedentary.
Do you have to go to the gym to get results? NOT at all! I just want to encourage you to just move! Whether it's going to the gym, riding a bike, playing sports, or working out in your living room, the sacrifice of exercise is minimal compared to its benefits!
Not only does exercise benefit your physical body, but it also has great benefits for you mind. It has been proven that physical activity can help combat depression and mental fog, relieve stress, and improve body image, and self-esteem.
Don't limit yourself to one type of exercise. There are different types that you should consider. Here are some options:
JUST DO IT!
Have you ever thought or felt, "If exercise were a pill, it would be the most cost-effective drug ever invented." When we sit on the couch, being sedentary, we feel tired and/or a little foggy-brained. Once we get up, though, we start to feel better, proving we are not created to be sedentary.
Do you have to go to the gym to get results? NOT at all! I just want to encourage you to just move! Whether it's going to the gym, riding a bike, playing sports, or working out in your living room, the sacrifice of exercise is minimal compared to its benefits!
Not only does exercise benefit your physical body, but it also has great benefits for you mind. It has been proven that physical activity can help combat depression and mental fog, relieve stress, and improve body image, and self-esteem.
Don't limit yourself to one type of exercise. There are different types that you should consider. Here are some options:
- Cardio - this is getting your heart rate up
- Interval Training - a high intensity workout that includes focused and intense lifting that keeps heart rate pumping, then followed by a short break to slow your heart down.
- Crossfit - workout that combines cardio, weights, gymnastics, and core training
- Swimming - great way to add cardio - even muscle tone - to your body. It is also helpful that it's non-weight bearing to help with joints
- Stretching - this is crucial for your body as it starts the flow of blood to your muscles, which will help you move better
- Pilates and Yoga - this is a great way to stretch and tone your muscles. Take the eastern religious aspect out of yoga and replace with focusing on the Word of God. Pilates focuses and challenges your core while also working other parts of your body.
JUST DO IT!
Tuesday, May 9, 2017
The Power of Sleep
It's amazing what sleep can do for a body! Sleep is a powerful tool in a healthy lifestyle. Life seems to be so packed full with events and busyness that sleep often takes a backseat. Perhaps you feel guilty when you start to feel run down and decide to rest because you expect that you should have been able to get by on only a few hours of sleep. Too many of us feel that there are more productive things to do with our time than just sleep.
We have to change our thinking and allow our bodies to sleep. Rest, even a power nap, may help improve your health and quality of life dramatically. Our bodies recalibrate as we sleep. Our whole system are restored. Sleep regulates hormones, as those that regulate appetite.
When you deprive yourself of sleep, you are only setting yourself up to fail physically and sometimes emotionally. Many people spend their lives serving till they came to the end of themselves. By putting themselves last, many went into burnout and some made bad choices. Sometimes the cause for failure in people's moral lives can be traced back to prolonged sleep deprivation.
To ensure to help your body get the best rest possible, eat a SMALL portion of protein. This helps aid the body in the process and helps burn fat as you sleep.
Sleep is the foundation for good health because without it, the body simply cannot reap the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.
DO NOT BE AFRAID TO ALLOW YOURSELF TO REST AND SLEEP!
We have to change our thinking and allow our bodies to sleep. Rest, even a power nap, may help improve your health and quality of life dramatically. Our bodies recalibrate as we sleep. Our whole system are restored. Sleep regulates hormones, as those that regulate appetite.
When you deprive yourself of sleep, you are only setting yourself up to fail physically and sometimes emotionally. Many people spend their lives serving till they came to the end of themselves. By putting themselves last, many went into burnout and some made bad choices. Sometimes the cause for failure in people's moral lives can be traced back to prolonged sleep deprivation.
To ensure to help your body get the best rest possible, eat a SMALL portion of protein. This helps aid the body in the process and helps burn fat as you sleep.
Sleep is the foundation for good health because without it, the body simply cannot reap the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.
DO NOT BE AFRAID TO ALLOW YOURSELF TO REST AND SLEEP!
Monday, May 8, 2017
Hydration - Part of Healthy Living and doing it FREELY...
Here is an important part of living healthy and do it free from the bondage of food.
Water is a vital factor in determining our health for many reasons. If you feel thirsty, you are already on your way to dehydration - already lost around 2-3% of your body's water content. Many people don't realize that as they reach for a soda or their favorite sugary, caffeinated latte when they feel thirsty, only leads to more dehydration.
Dehydration can lead to a variety of sickness, disease, and slower metabolism.
So how much water should we be drinking? A good rule of thumb is to take your body weight, divide it by 2, and drink that number in ounces. For example: if you weigh 130 pounds, you should be drinking 65 oz a day in water. I know that this may seem overwhelming - SHOOT - I should be drinking 175 oz a day!!!
Hydration is a key factor in your journey to health, so keep drinking, no matter how hard it may get! Over time, your body will start to crave it and love you for being kind to it with just drinking water. Your skin will look and feel better. Your organs, muscles, cells, and bones will function better.
Water is also our body's main source of energy, sometimes known as the "cash flow" of the body, helping it function more fluidly.
Best is NOT out of the tap - too many chemicals. Filtered (Brita, etc) is best and the BEST investment one can make (pretty inexpensive to get a pitcher or I have a 5 gallon one that I keep in the fridge).
DRINK UP!
Water is a vital factor in determining our health for many reasons. If you feel thirsty, you are already on your way to dehydration - already lost around 2-3% of your body's water content. Many people don't realize that as they reach for a soda or their favorite sugary, caffeinated latte when they feel thirsty, only leads to more dehydration.
Dehydration can lead to a variety of sickness, disease, and slower metabolism.
So how much water should we be drinking? A good rule of thumb is to take your body weight, divide it by 2, and drink that number in ounces. For example: if you weigh 130 pounds, you should be drinking 65 oz a day in water. I know that this may seem overwhelming - SHOOT - I should be drinking 175 oz a day!!!
Hydration is a key factor in your journey to health, so keep drinking, no matter how hard it may get! Over time, your body will start to crave it and love you for being kind to it with just drinking water. Your skin will look and feel better. Your organs, muscles, cells, and bones will function better.
Water is also our body's main source of energy, sometimes known as the "cash flow" of the body, helping it function more fluidly.
Best is NOT out of the tap - too many chemicals. Filtered (Brita, etc) is best and the BEST investment one can make (pretty inexpensive to get a pitcher or I have a 5 gallon one that I keep in the fridge).
DRINK UP!
Friday, May 5, 2017
Seeing Health and being Free!
As I continue to read, "Healthy and Free" by Beni Johnson, I am realizing more and more how I have allowed food to keep me hostage to how I feel about myself. I didn't really realize that I had negative thoughts and feeling about and towards myself, because of my weight. By going to counseling, I am dealing with the emotional issues that have happened and I chose to overeat to mask the hurt/pain.
Today, in Chapter 3, it talks about being God's Art. WHOA. Never thought about myself as God's Art. Here are excerpts from the chapter:
*THE GREAT DESIGNER* - We are designed by God, who is the greatest artist of all time. We are fashioned with great care and much detail. YOU are God's BEST piece of art. The word "intertwined" means connected and linked together - the mind, body, and spirit cannot be separated.
*SAVING THE BEST FOR LAST* - Many of us are familiar with the story of creation. In 6 days, God created the heavens and the earth and all things in it. What I find intriguing is that God waited to create His most intricate, complex, and best creation last - US! HE saves the best for last! He is as the Master Designer. God loves details. We know this because the Scriptures tell us that not only does God care about us passionately, He even knows the exact number of hairs of our heads! Out of all the beauty and wonders that God has created in this world, we are HIS very best workmanship.
*TRIUNE BEING* - There is no separation between our bodies, souls, and spirits. We have to see ourselves as this WHOLE being, and appreciate how God made us, without elevating one part over another. We are His great design.
The beauty of how God has designed us, and it gave me a greater incentive to want to take care of this temple that God has specifically given to me to live in - we're the only one who can take care of our own temple. The Lord will reveal to you just how perfectly crafted you are - that you are HIS best work.
WE ARE HIS ARTWORK AND MASTERPIECE! BELIEVE THAT!
Today, in Chapter 3, it talks about being God's Art. WHOA. Never thought about myself as God's Art. Here are excerpts from the chapter:
*THE GREAT DESIGNER* - We are designed by God, who is the greatest artist of all time. We are fashioned with great care and much detail. YOU are God's BEST piece of art. The word "intertwined" means connected and linked together - the mind, body, and spirit cannot be separated.
*SAVING THE BEST FOR LAST* - Many of us are familiar with the story of creation. In 6 days, God created the heavens and the earth and all things in it. What I find intriguing is that God waited to create His most intricate, complex, and best creation last - US! HE saves the best for last! He is as the Master Designer. God loves details. We know this because the Scriptures tell us that not only does God care about us passionately, He even knows the exact number of hairs of our heads! Out of all the beauty and wonders that God has created in this world, we are HIS very best workmanship.
*TRIUNE BEING* - There is no separation between our bodies, souls, and spirits. We have to see ourselves as this WHOLE being, and appreciate how God made us, without elevating one part over another. We are His great design.
The beauty of how God has designed us, and it gave me a greater incentive to want to take care of this temple that God has specifically given to me to live in - we're the only one who can take care of our own temple. The Lord will reveal to you just how perfectly crafted you are - that you are HIS best work.
WE ARE HIS ARTWORK AND MASTERPIECE! BELIEVE THAT!
Tuesday, May 2, 2017
More on Healthy and FREE....
I am really enjoying the book Healthy and Free by Beni Johnson....
In my previous post, I shared some key points from Chapter 1... here are some excerpts from Chapter 2...
SOUL HEALTH
In my previous post, I shared some key points from Chapter 1... here are some excerpts from Chapter 2...
SOUL HEALTH
- NEEDING TO LOVE OURSELVES - Loving God must be something that every fiber of our being can feel. The second commandment (note that is is not the second "suggestion") is to love your neighbor as you love yourself. It all starts in our minds.
- GIVING YOURSELF PERMISSION - Ask yourself these questions: Do I like myself? Do I love myself? If your answer is no, then it is time to give yourself permission to fall in love with yourself. Your entire being is dependent on you to love your mind, body, and spirit. You are worthy of being loved!! Become like a child and allow yourself to turn those negative thoughts into beautiful words. "Toxic thoughts are thoughts that trigger negative and anxious emotions, which produce biochemicals, that cause the body stress. They are stored in your mind as well as in the cells in your body."
- HOW YOUR MIND AFFECTS YOUR HEALTH - In order to lose weight you have to overcome the lies that you believe about yourself. Ask yourself THESE questions: Do I have thoughts that are keeping me from my goals? Are there lies that I believe that are keeping me from a healthy and free life? Have I talked myself into believing that I can't reach my goals? First, get out a piece of paper and begin to ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you any lies that you have been believing. Next, ask God to show you the truth about yourself. If you want to change the direction you are heading and think brand-new, healthy thoughts about yourself, then join me in repenting. Begin anew by starting to make positive declarations over your life.
- DECLARATIONS - Once you start on the journey to loving yourself, giving yourself permission to change, and doing an "about face", then you can being to start making declarations over your life. What do you want in your life? Happiness? Healthy relationships? you can actually decide to declare those things into existence with holy and godly declarations. Remember that God wants to partner with you too. He is rooting for you. He is on your side!
- LAUGHTER - Laughter is the best medicine. I love how God uses laughter to bring restoration and peace to our bodies and minds. When you pay attention to your soul and choose to take steps toward it's healing, you will find it will be a turning point, not only for your mind, but your body as well. "Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers" (3 John 1:2).
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