I’m not famous, I’m not rich, but I do use a bodyguard. Food is my bodyguard.

Without whole foods the human body begins to weaken a little bit at a time. When you choose to eat foods that are processed, chemically enhanced, deep-fried, microwaved, over-cooked, preservative-laden, overly salted, and contain unhealthy oils your body reacts negatively to it. Your body was built to work with whole foods to maintain optimal health. When companies who process and package foods that once were whole began popping up in the late 1940’s early 1950’s, human health began to decline. Among many food related diseases are type 2 diabetes, heart disease, kidney and liver disease, digestive diseases and even brain function.

What can you do to bring back your best health?

Get back to basics. Begin eating more whole foods, especially foods that are in season and local since they are picked at their ripest and hold their full nutrient load. Cook at home more so you have control over artificial ingredients, oils and salt. Choose better restaurants when you eat out; chains tend to have high fat and high sodium content as well as ‘fake foods’. Shop at your local farm stand and farmers’ markets and buy lots of colorful vegetables and fruit. Eat raw or lightly steamed so nutrients are retained. Find out what foods are best for your body and your lifestyle. Raise your activity level at least 3 days a week for 30 minutes each.

Getting on track

We all form habits, some are good and some are not-so-good. Beginning a healthy lifestyle might sound overwhelming and confusing especially when you start to research different ways through the internet. Getting healthy doesn’t have to be a chore or a complete life-changer. By learning what is best for you personally and learning how to incorporate better choices one step at a time, you will find that good habits are easy to adopt. When you begin making changes for the better your body will react immediately and you’ll be amazed at how great you can feel.

As a personal health coach, I will help you make the transitions wisely, easily and without extra work and overwhelm. Consider your health a top priority. Protect your body with proper nutrition so that you can live a longer, healthy and happy life.

The seeds that are in most pantries but get little attention and have BIG benefits.

Chia– high in protein, calcium and fiber; helps stabilize blood sugar, lower risk of heart disease

Fennel– relaxant, helps reduce water weight, decreases food cravings, reduces allergy inflammation and breaks up fat deposits

Celery– reduces inflammation, helps lower blood pressure and cholesterol clears toxins from the digestive track, relaxant, and anti-depressant (avoid during pregnancy as it can promote bleeding)

Sesame– high in minerals, lowers bad cholesterol, helps reduce hypertension & stress and inhibits the spread of cancers.

Poppy– helps lower cholesterol, soothes nervous irritation, and has B-Complex vitamins and minerals.

Anise– helps digestion helps control fungus, bacteria, urinary track infections and yeast. Anise is toxic to wasps and mosquito larvae.

Do you watch what you eat, try to lose weight but just can’t? Are you being kind to your liver?

The liver is the major fat burning organ in your body. It also pumps excessive fat out of your body through bile. A healthy liver removes dead, unhealthy cells, toxic chemicals, heavy metals that are in our air, water and food and clears out bacteria, parasites and fungus and fat globules. The liver filters oxygen, toxins and waste products from the blood; pumping through it about 3 pints per minute! Your liver also releases glucose to be used by the body. The liver is the main detox center in the body. If your liver is swollen with fat it cannot filter properly and your immune system will be weakened.

Poor liver function can trigger high blood pressure, skin problems, abdominal water weight & “pot belly”, trouble losing weight especially while dieting; it can lead to diabetes, high cholesterol, shortened tendons in palm & fingers, fatigue, reflux/heartburn, excessive sweating, headaches, nausea, depression, sleep disturbances, low testosterone low libido and so much more.

How does your liver get under duress and fatty? Simply by eating processed foods, high fat, greasy foods, sugary baked goods, simple carbohydrates like white bread, pasta, chips, soda and other sweet drinks, as well as artificial sweeteners (which are chemicals and not food at all- by the way), lots of caffeine and alcohol. The water we drink and the air we breathe also plays a large part in helping our liver becoming sluggish.

You can help your liver which in turn will help you burn off more fats through eating a healthy diet and by following a liver detox for a time if you’re so inclined. If you would like guidance in a liver detox contact me at Dawn@InitiateWellness.com.

Eating for your liver health consists of whole natural foods, and drinking at least 8 ounces of lemon infused water each morning either hot, warm or cold. You can also drink it throughout the day if you like it; lemon and water are terrific detoxifying foods.

A short list of other foods with a big benefit on liver health includes:

Garlic(it removes mercury, additives and hormones), onions, fresh lightly steamed or raw vegetables, fruits, berries-especially blueberries, raspberries, strawberries and blackberries), bitter spring greens, dill, caraway, turmeric and cayenne, Omega 3 fats from wild caught small fish, seeds, nuts, flax and grape seed oils, Chia, flax, avocado and fish oil supplements.

It’s winter, it’s flu season-and this year the flu virus has been finding so many of us. Because of this, I feel that it’s important to share some information and tips on keeping your immune system healthy and strong.

The job of your immune system is to “serve and protect”.  It is in the form of cells, tissues and organs throughout the body. Your lymph system plays an important role in finding virus’ and bacteria in your body; it’s like the virus alert system that looks for foreign material through the lymph nodes.  When the lymphatic system is healthy and strong it can usher unwanted bacteria and virus out of the body.

Knowing how the lymphatic system works let me share a few tips on how to keep it strong and healthy. There’s fluid in the lymph system and when that can flow freely and smoothly it can do its job properly.

Exercise plays an important role in keeping the flow going. The diaphragm is the most important muscle in your immune system. it’s located between the lungs and abdominal cavity. Vigorous deep breathing enhances the flow of lymph fluid. This can be accomplished by brisk walking, bicycling, running or any other aerobic type activity and through diaphragmatic or belly breathing.

Diet also plays an important role in keeping a strong immune system.

• Refined carbohydrates, polyunsaturated fats and saturated fats, caffeine and alcohol can harm the immune system so these things should be limited or eliminated completely.
• Foods such as low-fat or fat-free milk, cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt, eggs, fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, garlic, onions, sprouts, honey and un-sulfured molasses are great immune system supporters.
• A good quality daily vitamin helps as well as stress reduction/management. Some stress reduction practices used are meditation, yoga, exercise, journal writing, and activities that are fun and help take your mind off the stressors.

Drinking enough water is always good for the immune system and all other systems of the body. We don’t tend to drink as much plain water in the colder months but it’s still as important as warmer weather months. We still get dehydrated due to artificial heat in our homes and other buildings.

I am often asked for help in eating healthy at work. The best thing you can do for yourself is to bring lunch in from home and eat only what you bring in. Homemade lunch is easier that you might be thinking so I’m going to help you plan your work lunches. First, if you aren’t accustomed to bringing your lunch from home, start out slowly. Begin one to two days a week and work up from there. Most dinners can be used as hearty, filling lunch-time fare and it’s easy to prepare.

When preparing dinner, make sure that you make a little extra for your lunch. If you make brown rice or another whole grain, make plenty of extra as they serve as a great base for leftover chicken, fish or vegetables and always make more vegetables than you think is enough, they’re fat free and low-calorie.

Once dinner is done and you begin clean-up, put leftovers in small containers that you can pack into your lunch sack in the morning and go. If you tend to go out to dinner a few nights a week that works too – always leave enough for your next day lunch and ask for a takeout container; most restaurant portions are far over-sized anyways.

Plan your beverages too; that can save you many empty calories. Always remember to drink plenty of water every day; half of your body weight in ounces is a good rule of thumb.

Lunch at work is important and a healthy lunch plays an important part in your dietary goals, so keep it healthy so you can keep yourself on track and accountable!