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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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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!

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8 Signs You Need a Gut Reboot!

Centuries ago the Greek Physician Hippocrates once said “all disease begins in the gut”, what a wise man he was.  Of course, not ALL disease begins in the gut, however, there is a ton of evidence that many chronic diseases do in fact begin in the gut!  Many scientists, doctors and researchers are now seeing how important gut health is to your overall health.

Now i’m definitely no expert, but I completely believe in the old saying “if you eat good, you feel good”.  Because the gut is so connected to other parts of your body, including; your brain, immune system, and other organs, there are distinguishing symptoms implying that your gut needs a reboot.  Here is what to look for:

  • You cant seem to lose weight.  

Do you workout and eat healthy but still seem to struggle with your weight especially around the midline?  Your gut bacteria can influence your metabolism, food cravings and how many calories your body absorbs from the food you eat, making it harder to lose weight and keep it off.

  • You get sick all the time.

You have probably heard this before, but most of your immune system is in your gut.  So if your gut is off balance, you’re going to be more susceptible to getting sick.  Instead of reaching for medications to fight off a cold, you want to boost your immunity by working on your gut health.

  • You’re constantly tired and have a lack of focus.

This is a pretty complex issue, but the short explanation is: it’s your guts job to digest the food and break it down for energy.  So if your gut is imbalanced, you may not be getting the energy you need from  the food you’re eating, causing you to feel tired all the time.  The Real Reason your so Tired all the Time explains the top 3 reasons for being exhausted 24/7.

  • Break outs, skin rashes or eczema.

The skin is the largest organ in the body, so if your skin is going crazy, thats usually a sign of whats happening in your gut.  You may have noticed that when you eat well, your skin is glowing.  Yet when you eat junk food, it shows all over your face.  This is a clear sign your skin is affected by your gut health.

  • You feel anxious, moody, or depressed.

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that sends signals from one part of the brain to the other, and it’s important in regulating your mood.  However, did you know serotonin is actually located in your gut?  No wonder the gut is known as “the second brain”.  Whether you’re feeling anxious, depressed, moody, or just straight up meh, your gut is to blame!

  • You’re bloated, constipated or gassy.

Ok this one is pretty obvious, digestion issues like bloating, constipation and gas is definitely linked to gut heath.  But instead of just treating these issues with medications, get to the root of the problem and heal your gut!

  • You have arthritis or joint pain.

This one came as a surprise to me, but it makes sense that arthritis: a painful inflammation and stiffness in the joints, would be caused by “the not so good gut bacteria”.  In fact just in the last couple years there has been a ton of research on this subject.  Functional medicine pioneer Dr. Susan Blum said about healing from arthritis, “taking time to dig deeper for systemic imbalances that could potentially contribute to a patient’s pain symptoms — and for many, the gut is the best place to start”.  Check out her research  “To treat arthritis, first heal the gut” to learn more about it.

I think it’s safe to say, if you’re having any of these issues your gut may be to blame!  I would love to hear from you, please comment below with any questions or comments.