clean eating Archives - Tips On Living Healthy

Why Detox?

Why Detox?

With the new year and new adventures in getting healthy, you may have wondered why do I need to detox? This is something my body was designed to do on its own right? You are correct, but sometimes we need to help our body do what it was designed to do.

Our liver performs over 400 bodily functions and is our main source of detoxification. The kidneys are an organ that facilitates our bodies detoxification process as well. The Standard American diet consists of so many starches, sugars, and fats that it can hurt our livers natural process.

If you drink alcohol, eat processed food or smoke your liver may be sluggish. Signs of a sluggish liver include headaches, digestive disturbances, and constipation. As toxins accumulate they can also have an affect on brain functions.

Your mind may feel cloudy, you may have trouble concentrating, and even trouble sleeping. These can be indications that you are toxic. Symptoms you need a detox include low energy and fatigue, which seems to be an epidemic. This has resulted in the rise of energy drinks and caffeine laden drinks that will burden the liver in the long run.

Read ingredients and do not trust a product just because it says natural! A detox is not only a great way to revitalize your health but it is a great discipline that can spill over to other areas of your life. If you have had a bondage to any particular food, caffeine, cigarettes. sugar, etc this could be a great tool for kicking those harmful habits.

When you start to experience all the health benefits of a detox you may just begin a lifestyle change. When you have a clearer mind feel lighter, have more energy and better sleep you may be able to accomplish some of the goals you could not muster up the energy for!

To help your body prepare for a detox, a few days prior begin to eliminate caffeine and sugar. You may have a caffeine headache and that is normal. Drink plenty of water, and even add lemon to a glass of warm water first thing in the morning. This preparation will help reduce the unpleasant symptoms that ridding your bloodstream of the toxins may include.

Dr. Axe is very balanced and I trust his advice. He has a simple liver detox on his website. I replaced coffee with my new favorite tea that I make using raw unfiltered local honey, purified water, and raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar. I recommend Bragg ACV. Patricia Bragg has many drinks that you could use on your detox.

An easy way to help facilitate the bodies natural detoxification process is to eliminate the alcohol, sugars, caffeine, and processed foods. Then add fresh primarily raw fruits and vegetables, seeds, and nuts. See Dr. Ben Kim for a detox diet.

If you found any of this information helpful please share and if you have any testimonies with detoxing leave a comment below. To your health,

Jenay Green

Quick tips for fasting

Quick tips for fasting

At the beginning of the year a lot of people choose to break bad habits and begin healthy ones. Fasting is a commonly known practice dating back to biblical times.Fasting is done for a variety of reasons including, to discipline ourselves. I believe God has miraculous benefits in mind with fasting.

The thought of fasting can seem scary for a lot of people, especially who may not have any experience with it. A fast is something I believe you should pray about personally to get direction on why and how. Make sure before you begin fasting that you have a plan outlined. This will help you to not give up or divert from the original plan.

Another quick tip is to establish the type of fast you will be doing and why. The Daniel fast is a common fast. In the book of Daniel you can read beginning in chapter 1:8&12 Daniel had only pulse and water for ten days according to scripture. This would consist of fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and water. This is a great fast to begin with.

Another type of fast is juice only. A quick tip for beginning a fast is to begin cutting out caffeine, processed foods, and sugar to make the detoxification process more subtle. When coming off a fast you should gradually add foods back to your diet and chew your food well. A juice only fast should consist of fresh juiced fruit and vegetables. This is fresh raw food in its most assimilated form.

Genesis 1:29 “And God said, behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree , in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed: to you it shall be for food.”Raw foods are considered the healing force in our diet, because they contain active enzymes, which are broken down when foods are cooked.

With the juice only fast, the body is cleansing more aggressively, which can result in greater detox symptoms. This is normal and the more intense the cleansing the greater the discomfort can be.Better out than in, but the toxins coming out can be an unpleasant experience.

If you are working and do not have the time to juice the vegetables fresh you can either juice them before leaving and keep them refrigerated or you can purchase a v-8 juice that is low sodium, not v-8 splash( it is not the same). Another option is the green goodness by bolthouse farms that can be purchased in almost any grocery store. These store bought options should be limited and water should be your primary drink when fasting.

Green leafy vegetables, beets, cucumbers, cabbage,and carrots are some great for juicing with some cleansing benefits. Cabbage is particularly helpful if you have colon issues, constipation, and indigestion. I hope these quick tips for fasting are helpful. Always drink plenty of water when fasting. Please add any information you have found helpful with fasting in the comments below.

To your health,
Jenay Green

Power punch for your health

Would you like a power punch for your health this cold and flu season? Sometimes your best defense is building a strong immune system. Granted, there is no fool proof way to be sure you will not catch any colds or flu, but you can lessen the chance and shorten the duration by strengthening your immune system.

One of the first and most obvious ways to give your body a power punch for your health is to eat plenty of clean foods. Cruciferous vegetables such as Kale, cabbage, and broccoli support the liver and immunity by boosting the livers ability to flush out toxins.

Mushrooms such as enoki, shitake, oyster are Japanese mushrooms loaded with a powerful antioxidant that does not get destroyed when cooking. Add some of these mushrooms to your hot cooked meals and soups.

Ginger warms the body and helps break down the accumulation of toxins in organs particularly the lungs and sinuses. Avocados are great for adrenal function. They contain essential amino acids and antioxidants. Avocados also have healthy fats and help balance hormones. So great news for all you guacamole lovers!

Black currants contain 5 times more vitamin c than an orange making them a great power punch for your health. Sage extract also works as an expectorant. It helps to move mucus out of the body. Try using a drop of sage extract with hot tea or make your own with hot water.

Graviola is a natural immune system booster that has been used to kill parasites, reduce fevers,and help treat colds and the flu. Graviola appears to contain natural compounds that have some anti- tumor properties.

A great whole food supplement is an easy way to get more of the essential vitamins and minerals we need to give our body a power punch for health. With holiday parties it is sometimes a little more challenging to eat clean and to avoid all the sugar that breaks down the immune system.

Exercise is a great way to give your body an extra boost. With endless benefits exercise also helps you release stress which wreaks havoc on immune function. Prayer, deep breathing, and giving thanks helps me release the stress. We all have stress we just have to not let it have us.

Get a good night rest. Our body repairs during sleep and sleep is crucial for healthy immune function. Do your body good and sleep like a baby. If you have a hard time with sleep try cammomile tea or melatonin.

Get a good belly laugh. The bible is full of wisdom from God on how to live a healthier and happier life when applied to our lives. Proverbs 17:22 tells us “ A merry heart does good like a medicine: but a broken spirit dries the bones”. Scientific studies have proven this to be truth!.

If you have any thing to add that has helped you during cold and flu season be sure to comment and share below. To your health,

Jenay Green