Pure Start Challenge : forming healthy habits one week at a time : eat mostly plants

Hey guys, I hope you’re all well and 2015 has been treating you good so far…

How about those resolutions or those healthy habits?

Are you drinking more water?
Are you cutting down on sugar?

I hope so… keep going – you are forming healthy habits that will make you healthier, give you more energy and make your skin and body look better too. Naturally, my tips promote weight loss, if that’s your goal, and they also improve skin and hair. Although my approach is for optimal health – it’s interesting how your body thanks you by looking good! ;)

This week I want to jump into a challenge of just eating healthy! 
I feel like there are so many versions of what healthy is, that it tends to be confusing. So, since you all know my story of how I healed with food – I should sum up a few key points of worked for me (and in general works for healing). My healthy ‘diet’ is all about increasing the ‘good’ foods and eating less of the bad. I enjoy what I eat and couldn’t have it any other way – although for some, it may feel like sacrifice to stop eating foods they enjoy – I think that’s because they don’t know how good healthy foods can be! I research a lot about nutrition and learn new things every day. I look at modern science* as well as ancient regimens of what works to heal the body. 

*Modern science and research is also confusing. Just because the FDA puts a stamp on something, like GMO and Aspertame, I am not going to eat it. But I do keep myself informed as best I can about the latest research out there. But I also check on things like who is funding the research and could it be skewed a certain way. (The dairy industry is just one that comes to mind at the moment.)

5 simple tips to eating healthy and healing with food!

1. Learn to listen to your body… it’s always trying to tell you something. And no, sugar cravings are not your way of feeding the body what it wants. Sugar is addictive – it’s the addiction that’s getting what it wants. I think we already established that earlier! ;)

Low energy, anxiety, headaches, skin problems, stomach cramps, constipation, weak hair and nails, cravings for sugar and carbs… all these things, even dry skin – and so much more, mean something. They mean that your body is begging for help. Neglecting and sticking a bandaid solution on the problem (like Tylenol for that headache) only masks the problem temporarily. Ask why? Why do you get headaches or have acne or upset stomach?

Solving these mysteries can be really challenging because of so many reasons… I think most of us are so busy and stressed that we don’t even know how to read our body. But tuning in for a few minutes throughout the day to how you feel is the first step.

I think it’s best to notice how you feel after a meal. Are you tired? Do you crave more food/ sweets? Do you get a runny nose, a scratchy throat? All these are symptoms of a bigger problem. Pay attention to these symptoms. Your body’s trying to tell you something.

2. Don’t accept things as the norm : low energy or high energy/ easily anxious types – don’t you think that that’s just how you are? I used to have lots of energy and easily got anxious about business and life, I thought laying down on the couch or blanket was a waste of time and didn’t see the point of ‘relaxing’ – because I had better things to do! I thought my insomnia was caused by a lot of excitement in my life! I also experienced a lot of headaches and moodiness – a real roller coaster ride with my mood swings. Now I know a lot of this was not a normal way of behaving – but I didn’t even see it until it was too late. Now I see that stress, sugar addiction, skipping meals and poor sleep patterns were a big picture of why I eventually got sick. I didn’t read the signs…Awareness is key! ;)