Even though it plays a major role, food isn’t the only factor in achieving vibrant health and wellbeing. Yes, changing your dietary habits will make a dramatic change in your health, however food is not the “be all end all” when it comes to looking and feeling your best. With the right balance of each, the following lifestyle factors all play a vital role in achieving a vibrant state of health. Food – This is one of the most important factors so it’s the best one to start with. One of the biggest time consuming tasks your body is busy doing at least three times a day, is digesting food. More of your body’s resources are devoted to breaking down the food you eat and if you’re not eating food designed for your body, such as fruits and vegetables that are easily digestible, you’re putting a major burden on your digestive system at every meal. When your body is busy trying to break down foreign substances that can’t really be classified as human food such as soda, fast food, junk food and animal products, you feel tired, unmotivated, moody and ill. Sleep – Getting a good night’s sleep and allowing your body to wake naturally without an alarm clock allows your body time to achieve major healing, deep tissue repair and cellular regeneration. It recharges your body’s energy sources and helps to keep your immune system working at an optimal level. Nature – Spending time in nature getting sun on your body, breathing fresh air and appreciating our natural surroundings may not sound like it’s very important but trust me, when you start incorporating nature into your daily life, you will see and feel the benefits. Hydration – Whether from pure filtered water or from the copious amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables you consume, it’s important to keep your body properly hydrated. Movement – We all know we need to exercise, but we don’t always make time for it. The best form of movement is one you enjoy and are willing to do. There are so many forms from walking, running, hiking, cycling, swimming, kayaking, paddle boarding, surfing, dancing, yoga, rebounding, weight training, tennis, racquetball, gardening, the list is endless. Find a movement you love and make it a regular activity. Relationships – Cultivating quality, balanced and harmonious relationships is integral to a happy, healthy life experience. Recreation – It’s important to take time out for yourself and do things that make you happy. Most women, especially mothers, tend to give and give, often to a fault, never thinking about their own needs or what would make them happy. Then they get burnt out and lose sight of what makes them truly happy, which then affects everyone else around them. And yes, there are plenty of men who do this too! Whether it’s a hobby, a sport or an artistic talent, a weekly massage or a girl’s, or guys, night out, take time out for yourself and do something you love. If you don’t, you’ll never fully be of service to those you love if you’re always burning the candle at both ends, ignoring your personal needs and desires. Spirituality – This factor is going to be different for everyone. You may already be fully connected in this department but if you’re not, it will help keep you grounded, feeling safe and grateful with a sense of purpose. It doesn’t have to be religion or even faith in a higher power, it can just be a connection with nature, but some form of spiritual practice that connects you with the innate wisdom you were created from, is often a missing link for many who are seeking balance in their hectic and chaotic lives. I could write a book on each one of these topics individually about why they’re so important, but for now, these are the basics and I encourage you to explore each one of them on your own. As the saying goes, “You are only as strong as your weakest link,” and if you discover your weaker links and work to improve them, you’re going to achieve a great state of health much more quickly. Curious about what to eat on an all raw diet? Click HERE Do you have more questions? Check out the FAQ Page HERE

How much would you like to improve your health and vitality? A little…or a LOT? If you want to see improvements in your overall health, you’ll need to become a label reader. Start looking at the ingredients in the food you’re eating. If the list is incredibly long with words you can’t pronounce and have no clue what it is, it’s probably a good sign you should put the item back on the shelf immediately and move on.

For noticeable improvements in your health and energy, begin removing these items listed below.

First list of foods to eliminate are processed and refined foods, as well as dairy:

Processed and packaged foods – Anything packaged in a wrapper, box or in the frozen section (specifically things that don’t resemble a food found in nature) such as candy, cereal, pop tarts, bread, nuggets, canned cheese, etc.

Take it a step further to experience even greater improvement and remove:

And to achieve the highest state of health your body can offer you:

Consume a diet of all raw, or mostly raw, fruits & vegetables with a small amount of nuts and seeds. 

At this point, you’re probably thinking I’ve taken away everything and left you with nothing to eat, right?

You may not know this, but there is a healthier alternative for just about every food item on the market these days.

Instead of processed sugar you can use agave, stevia, 100% pure maple syrup, date sugar and coconut sugar, cane juice and coconut nectar.

Instead of wheat you can have things like amaranth, buckwheat, quinoa, oat, coconut and organic corn flowers.

Instead of soda you can drink 100% fruit juice with seltzer water or delicious kombucha drinks that have lots of carbonation but also beneficial bacteria for intestinal health, and there are natural coffee substitutes that will give you a coffee taste made from natural ingredients. You can also find unlimited herbal teas at your local health food store.

Instead of traditional fast food, you can prepare your own food to go or grab an all fruit smoothie from a juice bar or a nice big salad from a local salad bar, topped with your own healthy salad dressing. Maybe even an all veggie taco or burrito. You can create your own at places like Chipotle. Another great place for finding healthy, delicious plant based meals is Veggie Grill.

To replace dairy, there are amazing milk alternatives on the market like rice, oat, hemp, almond and other nut milks that taste delicious.

Maybe this sounds overwhelming at first, so if you’re not an all or nothing type, take it one step at a time moving forward at a pace you can live with removing what you can, in increments that feel good to you. If you do too much too soon, it might backfire and have you binging on all the wrong things if you end up feeling deprived. This is not at all about deprivation, it is about finding alternatives to the foods that are wreaking havoc on your body, allowing your tastes to naturally change and enjoying an abundance of foods that will nurture your body and allow it to detoxify and heal so you can feel better than you’ve ever felt.

It’s also worth noting that most foods that contain soy, corn of any kind including high fructose corn syrup, canola and cotton oils, and even plain old sugar, if not labeled organic, are most likely Genetically Modified or considered GMO, and best avoided.

If you need guidance, I’m always available for consultations through email and Skype. Just click HERE.

Once you begin making a few of these changes, you’re likely to begin feeling like a new person. You’ll notice improvements in your energy, stamina, weight, skin, mood and mental clarity. You’ll find you sleep better, wake up refreshed and feel lighter overall. You will also notice how much more you appreciate the flavor of food and you’ll naturally become more drawn to eating, and even craving, certain fruits and vegetables. Sometimes the changes are very gradual depending on your commitment  and you won’t notice how good you feel until you slip and eat something you previously eliminated. That’s when you really notice how much better your body was functioning on the new and improved path.

Don’t take my word for it, check out the following films for proof that changing what you eat dramatically affects your overall health and wellbeing:

To read more about how to improve your health and vitality, click HERE