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The Best Morning Habit Ever and its FREE!

If I told you all it takes is one small morning habit to fire up your metabolism, rehydrate, flush toxins, clean your colon (as in poop right away), and increase your level of alertness, what would you say?  Sign me up right?!  Well all it takes is starting your morning with a big ol glass of H2O. Yup water!  I wanted to write a blog about this, because I am super passionate about it!

After waking up, brushing my teeth, and of course taking my dogs out, I immediately fill a large mason jar with cold filtered water and add a lemon slice.  Sometimes I mix it up with lime or cucumber slices, you can get fancy with it if you want.  Then I pretty much guzzle it, but you can take your time it doesn’t really matter, as long as your starting your day with at least 22oz of water (I drink a 32oz mason jar).

Check out these 5 ways it’s changed my life!

  • Pooping first thing!  I had to start off with this one, because it’s helped me so much!  Growing up I struggled with constipation  (I know, i’m sorry TMI).   My diet was definitely to blame (typical American diet of hot dogs and candy, ugh), but as I got older and changed my diet the pooping got better.  However, its never been as good as it is now, after starting my day with 32oz of water! I literally drink my water and within 10 minutes head to the bathroom.  Yay for pooping stories!
  • Increases your level of alertness!  Did you know your brain is 75% water? WOW (I just learned this after a google search, haha).  It makes sense then that when your not properly hydrated your brain wont function right, you will feel tired, moody and sluggish.
  • Fire up your metabolism!  Drinking a cold glass of water after you wake up gets your metabolism firing.  One study showed it increases your metabolism by 24% within the first 90 minutes!  Which is great when you do a morning workout like me, you fire that metabolism for your workout.
  • Flush those toxins!  It’s the kidneys job to rid your body of toxins, but it cant do its job if your not drinking enough water. Getting fluids into your body first thing in the morning will help your kidneys flush those toxins.
  • Rehydrate!  Ok this one is obvious right?!  But really after sleeping 7-8 hours all night, you might not feel thirsty, but your body needs fluids!  You’ve probably heard it before, but when you actually become thirsty, your probably already dehydrated!

I hope these 5 facts will help you in starting your day right with some H2O!  Along the lines of water, check out my blog on: The Best Purchase I’ve Made in a Long Time! 

I love to hear from my readers, if you have any questions or comments, please do so below!

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The Best Purchase I’ve Made in a Long Time! My Review of the Berkey System

The Berkey water filtration system sat in my Amazon cart for well over a year before I finally purchased it, and boy I sure wish I bought it sooner!  It has definitely been one of the best purchases I’ve made in a long time!  Unfortunately, our drinking water is often laced with chlorine, lead, harmful bacteria, and chemicals.  Bottled water can still contain these contaminants and can get really expensive not to mention, harmful to our environment.

However, shopping for a water filtration system can be confusing and a bit overwhelming with so many products on the market.  One thing I loved about the Berkey is that it’s really simple, the filters last a long time, and it’s great for an emergency.  In fact it was after our third hurricane scare this summer, that I decided it was time to get prepared and purchase the Berkey.

Check out my pros and cons for buying the Berkey system, which system would work best for you, and the links to where you can purchase below.

First off the Pros:

  • The Berkey System is inexpensive!  I didn’t want to spend a lot on a water filtration system, and the Berkey is pretty cheap compared to similar products on the market, with the basic system starting at $175 you cant go wrong.
  • It’s really simple!  It doesn’t need to be hooked up to a water source, each system comes with everything you need right in the box, and the countertop design makes it portable and easy to use, especially for traveling families and emergencies.
  • Perfect for emergencies!  We all know that fresh water is one of the most important things we need in an emergency, and the Berkey system is perfect for that because it doesn’t require electricity.  You literally can take raw pond or lake water and turn it into drinkable water!
  • The Berkey System removes pathogenic bacteria, cysts, parasites, pesticides, herbicides, organic solvents, heavy metals, and so much more!  It’s actually pretty incredible what it filters out, all while keeping the beneficial minerals we need.  Check out the list of contaminants it removes here!
  • The filters last forever!  Ok maybe not forever but seriously a long time!  The black water filters last for 6,000 gallons of water, or over 5 years.
  • The system is attractive on my counter.  Unlike other systems, the Berkey looks really nice on the counter, and its stainless steel chambers are made with high quality materials proven to last a long time.
  • The water tastes great!  

A Few Cons:

  • Filling the reserve chamber. While it’s really not that hard, sometimes we forget to fill the chamber, and then we have to wait for the water to filter through.  It’s not a huge deal breaker, but sometimes it can be a little annoying.
  • Over-filling the lower chamber.  When we first got the Berkey we thought that if we just kept the top chamber full, it would filter to the bottom, and we would always have water.  We were wrong, the water in the upper chamber will keep filtering down until its empty and it will overflow the bottom chamber.  This has happened a bunch of times and its irritating to constantly clean up water, but we learned our lesson and now we only put in the top what the bottom can fit.

Types of Berkey Systems 

If you’re in the market for a water filter I hope you consider the Berkey System, you will not be disappointed.  I would love to hear your comments or questions on the Berkey below.

Check out The Best Morning Habit Ever and it’s FREE!

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The Real Reason Your So Tired All The Time!

Do you feel tired all the time?  You just don’t feel so great, your body aches, your minds foggy, and you have low energy?  Trust me I’ve been there!  Many people just accept the fact that not feeling so great is part of life and getting older, but that’s simply not the case!  Yet studies have shown that 15% of women, and 10% of men are regularly exhausted.  If it’s not just aging, whats making us so tired?  Check out these 4 reasons why you could be feeling so drained and what you can do to feel re-energized!

Sedentary Lifestyle 

Studies have shown that exercise acts on your central nervous system to increase energy and reduce fatigue.  However, when your extremely tired, getting up to exercise is the absolute last thing you wanna do, I get it!  But speaking from experience,  when I’m tired and force myself to workout, It’s crazy how much energy it gives me!  I leave my workout feeling so energized, alert and de-stressed!

However, don’t let all this talk of exercise freak you out, because you don’t have to do an intense workout to boost your energy!  Even just moderate exercise for 20 minutes can help fight that fatigue.   Start slowly by taking a short walk, swim, or bike, and feel the difference in your energy levels!

Poor Diet

The absolute best way to prevent fatigue is by eating a healthy balanced diet! We’ve all been there, we eat a big greasy meal, and we finish feeling stuffed, and exhausted right? The saying goes, “eat good, feel good”.  To get adequate nutrition and eliminate fatigue, it’s important to eat a balanced mix of food that includes: vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, and protein.  Eating a plant-based, whole foods diet is the best way to do this!  For more information on this check out, Why you should eat a plant-based diet! 

You can also make positive changes in your diet my making some of these small changes:

  • Eat regularly.  Don’t go for long periods without eating!  Eat 3 meals a day, and have a healthy snack in between, such as fruits, vegi’s, or a handful of nuts.
  • Drink lots of water.  Dehydration makes you tired, constipated, and moody!  Drink at least 2 liters of water per day.
  • Don’t skip breaky.  Breakfast is the most important meal of the day (we’ve all heard that before)!  Seriously though, a healthy breaky gives you energy for the day, don’t skip it!
  • Eat less meat.  Instead of having your meal centered around the protein, fill your plate with vegetables and fruits, with a side of protein.
  • Eat less dairy.  There are a ton of dairy-free options out there, try switching the dairy in your morning coffee to coconut/almond milk, and skip the extra cheese!

Extreme Stress

In this world we live in, it seems really difficult to avoid stress!  We encounter stressful situations at work, school, in our relationships, even driving in traffic.  Some stress can actually be healthy and can help us to perform a task, and be more alert.  However, extreme prolonged stress can cause us physical and emotional exhaustion, that can eventually lead to illness.

If you’re experiencing extreme stress, try these tips:

  • Exercise regularly.  Physical activity is a huge stress reliever and gives you those feel good endorphins.
  • Identify the source of your stress.  Find out whats causing you stress so that you can control it.
  • Learn to say no.  This is a big one, often times we bring stress on ourselves by taking on too much.  It’s ok to say no!
  • Avoid association with people who stress you out.  If there is someone in your life that causes you a lot of stress, try to spend less time with them.
  • View stressful situations in a different way.  Look at stressful situations more positively, sometimes its all in our attitude.
  • Accept the things you can’t change.  Some things are unavoidable, we can avoid stress by accepting things the way they are.

If you feel you may have a medical condition causing your fatigue, please consult your healthcare provider.  Has any of these suggestions helped your energy levels?  I love to hear from you, please comment below.

Did you know having a dog also reduces stress?  Check out 5 Reasons Having a Dog is Good for your Health!

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5 Traits That Make a Healthy Friendship!

Good friendship is one of the most gratifying things in life, in fact a recent study in the journal of Personal Relationships show that close friendships correlate with good physical and emotional health. It’s a fact that when we feel loved and supported by good friends, that’s when we are the happiest and healthiest in life.

friends have fun together!

Yet sometimes we may struggle to have really satisfying friendships, or we wonder where the heck all of our friends went? In my life I have had many friends come and go; people change, interests change, you’re not the same as you were 10 years ago. The point is it’s totally normal to lose friends, that’s a part of life.

Nevertheless, how can you build friendships that stand the test of time, build you up, make you laugh, and keep you feeling loved? Check out these 5 traits that build strong lasting friendships!

Be a good listener.

This is seriously my pet peeve (and why I listed it first), good friendship requires being a good listener, you can’t do all the talking! Ask questions and truly LISTEN to the answers, let your friend vent their frustrations, fears, feelings, worries, and show your interest by nodding and maintaining eye contact.

While there speaking don’t be thinking of what you’re going to say next (trust me we’ve all done it), but stay present and genuinely interested in them. When they’re finished speaking don’t jump into a story about yourself, but stay focused on them by following it up with more questions to bring them out, this will show that you are genuinely interested and care about them.

Evaluate how good of a listener you are by asking yourself, how much do I know about my friend? What was their childhood like? How many siblings do they have? What are their biggest fears and worries? Do you know the answers? If not you may need to work on your listening skills =).

Be a giver, not a taker!

This is a big one and sadly theirs a lot of takers out there. You know who they are; you probably have some in your life whether it be friends or even family members. They’re always in need either emotionally or physically, and your relationship consists of you doing things for them. Don’t expect them to be there for you when you’re in need because they will disappoint you, big time. If you recognize this characteristic in others and hate it (like I do), don’t do this in your friendships! I once had a friend like this, and our friendship didn’t last beyond a year because I was tired of being used.

One of the definitions of “love” is: giving, and self-sacrifice. Think of friendship like a love exchange, in any relationship there should be equal amounts of giving and taking, but it has to be 50/50. What you put into the relationship, you get back. Anything less and someone in the relationship is being used.

You can have more than one best friend. 

We’re not in elementary school anymore, so it’s totally okay to have more than one best friend. Even the bestest of friends should encourage you to make new friends, and try new things without them. As we age and diversify in our life, so do our friendships. I have several best friends, and I love them all for their own qualities, they fill a unique purpose in my life and I hope I reciprocate that for them.

A healthy friendship means you spend time apart, and you have your own identity without them. You would never get jealous or resentful that they were spending time with other friends, it’s important to do things separately, and this leads us to the next point.

friends and sisters

Respect each other’s boundaries. 

When you have a healthy friendship, everything feels right in the relationship for both parties involved. That means that neither friend is yearning for more time together, or being clingy towards the other. Good friends know where the boundaries lie, and don’t cross them.

It’s not too late to apply the boundaries; here are a few ways to do this:

  • Respect your friends’ time! If you make a plan with a friend, be there and follow through, don’t leave them waiting at the coffee shop where you planned to meet, their time is valuable!
  • You don’t have to tell your friends everything, and neither do they! You probably have certain friends that know every little secret about you, and others that don’t, and that’s totally okay! If a friend tries to pry and you don’t feel comfortable spilling the beans, be open, upfront (yet tactful), and explain that you don’t feel comfortable talking about it. Neither would you pressure a friend to tell you something they’re not comfortable with.
  • Reevaluate friendships where you feel used! Speaking of the so-called friends that emotionally and physically exhaust you, if you’re the one always giving in the relationship, it might be time to reevaluate the friendship to determine how much value it’s adding to your life.
  • Respect their differences! Your friend isn’t going to be a carbon copy of you, after all that would be no fun, so respect their differences and beliefs.

Trust each other.

Loyalty is hard to come by in the world we live in today, but it’s one of the most important requirements for a healthy friendship. In the past I’ve learned this one the hard way, and unfortunately have lost friendships over it, yet you live and you learn to become a better person.

An important way to show loyalty is by reigning in your tongue. If you’re a loyal friend you won’t talk behind your friends back by telling others their secrets, or stories without their permission. When you have trust in your relationship, you feel comfortable sharing your feelings and secrets because you know your friend won’t gossip about it, or throw it back in your face.

When speaking about my friends to others, I always imagine that they are there with me while I’m talking about them. I ask myself, would I say this straight to their face? Or would they be okay with what I said if it was repeated to them later? This keeps me in check, and reminds me of my unconditional loyalty to them.

Want to learn more about making stronger more meaningful friendships? Check out Frientimacy, this awesome book lays out strategies for creating deeper more supportive friendships.

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Why you should eat a plant based diet, but you don’t necessarily have to a vegan!

A plant based diet is all the rage right now and thats because people are sick and tired, of being sick and tired!  I hate to call being plant based a “diet” because it’s not one of those “fad diets” that many people will try in the hopes of dropping weight, but then fail to make it stick.  Eating plant based is a lifestyle, one we should all live by that gives lasting results.  Yet many people are hesitant to go plant based because they don’t want to give up meat, or are tentative to make the full on switch to a vegetarian or vegan diet.  I totally get it, Ive been there!

Personally I am not a vegetarian or vegan, I confess I eat meat and dairy products every now and then.  I would say I am 90% plant based, and I’m totally ok with that for now.  My goal is to eventually be fully plant based, but I’m taking my time, and listening to my body.  The more I eat plant based and substitute whole foods for meat and dairy, the better I feel.  Ive maintained a healthy weight, have a ton of energy, my skin is clearer, and overall I feel great!

So what is a plant based diet?

A plant based diet emphasizes whole or minimally processed foods. This includes vegetables and fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes.  A plant based diet avoids or limits animal products, including chicken, fish and dairy products.  In addition avoiding refined foods, such as added sugars, processed oil and white flour.

Is eating meat really bad for you?

Just recently the World Health Organization shocked the world when it announced that processed meats were a carcinogen, and consumption of it will lead to cancer.  However, this goes beyond just processed meats.  There is a ton of evidence proving that eating all kinds of animal products (including chicken and fish) is bad for you!  Studies have shown it increases your chance for heart disease, cancer, diabetes, Alzheimers, dementia, and the list goes on.

I wont go into all the deets, but If your really interested in the science behind it all, you have to read the book “how not to die” by Michael Greger MD.  I cannot recommend this book enough, its mind blowing!

Baby steps towards becoming plant based

Good news, it doesn’t have to be all or nothing when it comes to eating animal products.  Cutting back on your meat consumption (even just a little), will cut your health risk down.  Take baby steps towards eliminating meat and focus on substitution rather then elimination.  Sometimes when we focus on what were missing, its so much harder then just focusing on what were adding!  Start by adding more fruits, vegetables and whole grains to your current diet.

Unlike the typical American diet that makes meat the main dish, try making whole plant based foods the main dish, and having a small portion of meat on the side.  Take your favorite recipes and substitute the meat for a plant based option.  For example, I took my favorite chicken enchilada recipe and made it a black bean quinoa enchilada, and my beef lasagna became a vegetable lasagna.  Believe me this, I do not miss the meat at all!  In fact my husband (a renowned carnivore), likes the enchiladas better meatless!  Another option is to only eat one meal a day that includes meat.  Have a small portion of meat at lunch, and go meatless for breakfast and dinner.

What ever baby steps you take towards going plant based, once you start it will get easier and easier.  The best thing about eating whole plant based foods, is you can eat as much as you want, with no calorie counting!  Just eat real food, mostly plants, and indulge guilt free!

Do you feel tired all the time, get sick a lot, and cant seem to lose weight? Check out:  8 signs you need a gut reboot!

Are you trying to go plant based? If you have any questions or would like to share your experience, please comment below.  I would love to hear from you!