Wellness & Lifestyle

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To Detox Or Not To Detox

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To Detox Or Not To Detox

To Detox Or Not To Detox

One of the most common questions I get from my Nutrition clients, is : Should I do a detox? 

I figure I should share my thoughts with everyone, and so I decided to put it into a blog post this week. 

What is Detoxing? 

The removal of toxins from the body. It's normal and it happens in our body every day! Our body is always coming into contact and creating toxins, and so our body can and does detox itself all the time. 

What are Toxins?

Anything the body deems unworthy such as alcohol, caffeine, drugs, excess hormones, pesticide residue or any chemicals. Or extra waste material our body produces.  It's anything the body needs to get rid of. Here are a few kinds and examples. 

  1. External toxins: food additives, drugs, pesticides, etc. coming from our external environment

  2. Internal toxins: hormones or amino acids which are natural byproducts of normal metabolism.

Detoxification is a normal process that allows our body to function without too much backup in our bloodstream.

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What Is Processed Food?

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What Is Processed Food?

What Is Processed Food?

Eating healthy can feel hard, but if we focus on just a few areas, it can make a big difference to our health.

What Makes a Food Processed?

The world of food can be so confusing at times. There was a time when it was clear what food was - it came directly from nature - whether foraging, hunting, or farming.

Now there are so many things we eat that don't resemble a natural food.

Michael Pollan has a famous quote, he said:

"Eat Food - Not too much - Mostly Plants"

And in his famous book, In Defense of Food, he defines what food should be. He says, "Don't eat anything your great-great-grandmother wouldn't recognize as food."

And, we can all agree that some things are obviously not recognizable by our great-great-grandmothers: candy bars, fast food, and sports drinks.

We can also say that many of the common health issues we face today: heart disease, diabetes, some cancers, cavities, etc. didn't exist at anywhere near the rates before industrially processed foods became available.

But, where do we draw the line? How do we define processed? How processed is processed? And what the heck is ultra-processed?

Allow me to let you in on the internationally recognized classification system. And we’re going to go through it step-by-step with an apple.

Fighting Stress with Healthy Morning Routines

Fighting Stress with Healthy Morning Routines

Fighting Stress with Healthy Morning Routines

I have read a few studies lately on stress. And the results of all of them point to a very stressed out society we are living in. Work, spouses, kids, friends, money, bills... you name it. There are many causes of stress. 

And here's the problem with that... ongoing stress is NOT good for us. 

It can cause acne, hair loss, weight gain, weight loss and many other health problems.  It can make you feel crazy and  overwhelmed at EVERYTHING!

But, the good news is, there is a way to combat stress.

Routines and organization is the best way to deal with stress throughout the day. And what better time to start with a routine, then first thing in the morning! Setting the tone for the day starts the minute you open your eyes. If you aren’t careful, stress can take over your day before you can do anything about it.

So just how do you combat stress first thing in the morning? 

10 Easy Ways to Get Rid Of Stress

10 Easy Ways to Get Rid Of Stress

10 Easy Ways to Get Rid Of Stress

Life is busy, and we get so stressed. But did you know that Stress is bad for you? Plus, it's a cycle that's hard to stop. 

When we are stressed, it’s quite easy to develop negative thinking patterns because we become frustrated by our challenges and frequent feelings of being overwhelmed. This negative outlook then makes it even harder for us to manage those challenges and move forward and break through the stress cycle.

Practicing positive thinking helps to focus on our strengths and accomplishments, which increases happiness and motivation. This, in turn, allows us to spend more time making progress, and less time feeling down and stuck. The following tips provide practical suggestions that you can use to help you shift into more positive thinking patterns: