Spring into Your New Life -step 3

I've probably mentioned this before, but I'm going to say it again...I hate when someone compares the food we eat to the fuel we put in our cars. Gasoline makes the car go (providing everything else is in order)...but when it comes to making our bodies 'go', food is so much more than fuel. Think about it. When your car breaks down, it doesn't matter if you have a full tank or only a quarter tank. The fuel won't repair the car. But the food we eat has an effect on our body's overall state.

Everything you put in your mouth is going to have an impact on your body and your health. Your body has the most amazing ability to repair, to regenerate, and to rebuild itself. Some things better than others. Every single cell in your body will be replaced at one time or another, some within days others taking up to ten years, and what you've been 'fueling' your body with is going to show up in one or more areas. 

Has this ever happened to you? You get a random cut or scratch that leaves a scar, but that other injury that everyone groaned and said "That's gonna leave a mark," is no longer visible. Why?

The food you eat provides the nutrients or building blocks for a healthy body. Empty calories, endless chemical ingredients, pre-packaged, processed foods are far from the best you can do for  yourself, because instead of making you the best possible you, your body has to scramble to sort, remove, process and neutralize all the crap you've been feeding it. Do you need an endless supply of caffeine to keep going? Do you have skin issues, mood swings, mental fog, aches and pains to name a few? Could your body be trying to tell you that it's reached its max toxic load?

So now that we've got you reading labels in and around the house, what about your food? This is where you can throw in, "You are what you eat." I'ts as simple as that. If you're thinking something like, "Eating Organic is just too expensive," we'll get into that in just a bit. I found two videos you might like to take a look at. The first one is about 2 min, and the second covers the Clean Fifteen and the Dirty Dozen. Think of it as a good place to start. Just click on the links. 

Toxins in the body, and the Dirty Dozen. 

As I mentioned at the beginning of this journey, it doesn't take long before you start to feel the effects of these green and healthy choices. I think you just might be in for a wonderful surprise. 

Where do you start? 

Pay attention to what you're eating. If you are buying your food in any other form than what comes straight from Mother Nature, read the labels attentively. If it doesn't sound like something you'd use in your kitchen, but rather in a science experiment, you might want to rethink putting that in your mouth. Cameron Diaz wrote in The Body Book, "Just because you can put something in your mouth, chew it, swallow it, and poop it out, doesn't mean it's food." And that says it all. 

My suggestion here is to become aware of what you've been feeding yourself. The last thing I promote is cutting things out of your diet, because restrictions bring out resistance and sets you up for failure, or a walk of misery. This should be a celebration! You matter enough to merit loving care. Organic produce on sale is affordable. Buying from the clean fifteen (see video) is awesome, because you know these foods are safe. Avoiding the dirty dozen also keeps toxic food out of your diet. There are ways to get healthy...many ways.

If you start making yourself a smoothie for breakfast (or any one meal a day) you will have changed over 30% of your diet with this one, simple move. Now how's that as food for thought?
See? It really isn't that hard. Taking baby steps over a long period of time will get you farther than running off half-cocked, only to give up ten days later. We are not trying to make this painful, we want to make lasting changes, healthy choices, and we want it to be a wonderful experience of learning and growth.

Cheers!

Here is a list from dirtiest to cleanest veggies that came out 2 days ago from the Environmental Working Group.
https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/full-list.php

Are You a Victim of Toxic Living?

Now, what did you think about that title? Does that describe you in some way, now or at one time? Are you on a Journey to healthier, Greener Living?
Where are you on your journey?
-Not doing it,
-Thought about it,
-Don't know where to start,
-Don't know who to believe or what to think,
Took my first step,
-Started integrating greener/healthier living, or
-Full-fledged Green?

What exactly is a victim of toxic living? How can you tell if you are one?
Well...here is something to think about.The unimaginable amounts of toxins that we are exposed to every day can manifest through different health problems such as allergies, headaches, low energy, depression, bowel irregularities, digestive problems and skin issues.
Everyone has a different reason to get started, and in the end, there are no wrong reasons. The biggest regrets I've heard are that people didn't realize the impact of their choices sooner.
So what are or would be your reason for looking at greener, healthier choices?

Many women or parents will tell you that the moment their children entered their world, everything was thrown on its head and they had to re-think their way of living. Others, sadly, come to the healthier choices after health issues escalate. Thoe good thing is, whether you get there by choice or consequence, you made it! So pat yourself on the back and take comfort in knowing that our bodies are amazing, and given the right conditions, can do some pretty incredible things in the way of improving and even restoring our health. 

So just where are these chemicals? EVERYWHERE.
They are in our food, our clothing (thanks to flame retardants on children's PJ's, the laundry soap and softner we use, and let's not forget dyes and such), our toothpaste, shampoo, soap, shaving cream, creams and lotions, hair products, just to name a few. When we talk about perfumes and fragrances, either the ones we apply to our skin or the ones used in our products, well that's even scarier, because there are literally hundreds of chemicals used to make a fragrance or perfume, and the companies don't have to list them anywhere. 
When it comes to our food, in my home we eat organic. When you think about the amounts of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, larvacides, and such that are sprayed on our food crops, it's not something I want to put into my body, or my family's. Consider that they use 250lbs of chemicals for one acre of coffee...(I'm even happier not to drink it, but I do love my ground date pit 'coffee' so I can make pumpkin spice lattes).

pic from the link I gave you

Do you remember doing an experiment in school with food dye and celery or flowers? Here's a link to check out one such experiment. So you'll understand that even if you wash your produce, you cannot remove what is inside the plant. It soaks into the ground and is absorbed by the plant. The other issue with non-organic produce is the soil. Healthy soil has 52 minerals and micro/macro-nutrients, whereas conventionally grown produce has 3...the ones they keep spraying on the depleted soil. Crop rotation was there for a reason.

OK, back to the point of the post! WHAT can you do to take control of your health and well-being? Take a step, fall into action, make a change. If you don't want to go full-on organic, then take time to look up the "Dirty Dozen" and avoid those foods unless they are organic. Learn about the "Clean Fifteen" and add them to your routine. Start reading labels. If there are more than 5 ingredients on the list, most of which you can't even pronounce, you might want to look them up or find better products. That goes as much for food as for moisturizer, laundry soap and any product going in or on your body. What you apply to your skin gets into the bloodstream in as little as 26 seconds.
Another thing you can consider is adding essential oils to your routine. (Not the cheap ones bought at the grocery store, but pure oils that you know contain no chemicals added in along the way.) 

According to Health Canada, essential oils have been proven and accepted to be used in aromatherapy;

• for symptomatic relief of acne/boils,
• to relieve minor skin irritation/cuts/bruises/burns,
• for symptomatic relief of eczema/dermatitis,
• as a nervine/calmative,
• to help relieve joint/muscle pain associated with sprain/strain/rheumatoid arthritis,
• to help relieve a headache,
• as a carminative/antispasmodic for symptomatic relief of digestive discomfort, and
• to help relieve colds/cough.

And if you take a few minutes to look up the benefits of the individual oils, you're in for a nice surprise. Every oil you add to your routine is a toxic product you've left behind. It literally takes me a minute to make a bottle of foaming hand soap, enriched with essential oils, and costs less than a dollar a bottle. I use, trust and love Young Living essential oils and their products. Their Thieves household cleaner amazes me every time I use it. My husband is now a believer as well.

All you have to do is give it a try. You will notice the difference when you lower the amount of toxins in your daily life. I was reading somewhere where they pointed out that someone who added smoothies to their morning routine improved 1/3 of their diet. 
My husband eats vegan/organic here at home and uses the non-toxic products we have, but he also eats out every weekday, and no...it's not organic or vegan. Nonetheless, he realized that he no longer suffers from allergies. Imagine how he'd be feeling if he embraced this full on! 

If you want more info on Essential oils, give me a shout. I'd be more than happy to help you begin your journey. Young Living offers you an amazing deal, a starter kit of 11 essential oils and a diffuser, plus a whole slew of little goodies on the side for $199.75 Canadian, or $160 US. (You get 24% off all following purchases for a year, so it's even better than a Costco card! No offense to Costco, but I paid cash just to get my card, here you get a great kit in exchange!)

Debbie Brown: Young Living Independent Distributor #11073874