How To Beat Bloating

Education, Lifestyle · April 14, 2016

Bloating is a fact of life. You get a period. You ate food that didn’t digest well. Somehow you consumed 7 days worth of sodium in one meal. It happens. But suffering with an uncomfortable pressure is a sign that you might need to remedy the issue.

So here is an amazing list of foods that really do help with beating the bloat. Personally these are the things that work best for me. I have tried over the years to eat foods to help alleviate bloat according to what other people found helpful. In doing so, I found some worked for me and some did not. In fact, some worked for certain types of bloat better than others. So here is what I found worked best for each situation.

Period Bloat

Bananas (they make that time of the month way more bearable when I have one a day consistently), spinach, and blueberries.

I experimented with eating a banana every single day for 2 months. I found that my period cramps those two months were much less painful than they had been in the past. I stopped having a banana consistantly to test if things went back to normal on my next period, and it did. So I am confident that when I eat a banana everyday it hleps with my period.

It’s also easy to get in spinach and blueberries with a banana because that’s my favorite shake to make and I have one a few times a week. But blueberries are easy to add to a fruit salad, oatmeal or a bowl of greek yogurt. Spinach is also great when cooking down a pasta sauce or any sauce to go with a meal for added nutrition.

Digestion Bloat

Spinach, herbal tea, dandelion, and citrus.

To get in more spinach I prefer to put it into my smoothies. I add about 1-2 cups to a green shake and blend it all together. Another good way to add it to meals is to mix it into a salad. I tend to used far less, maybe 1/2 cup, when using it in salads. You can also add dandilion to your salads but it’s not a flavor that I love so I tend to go easy on that as well.

To add in citrus I lean toward juicing lemons. Drinking a warm lemon water in the morning is about all I need to get my digestion going in the am. A second glass of warm lemon water is also great mid day if I’m struggling with digestive bloat.

You can get dandelion tea and herbal teas at almost every grocery store now. I also have purchased it online to get more variety if my store is out or running low. Both can be brewed and sipped throughout the day to help with digestive upset or feeling backed up.

Sodium Bloat

Celery, melon, broccoli and cabbage (I prefer brussel sprouts). Celery was eaisert for me to consume with my juicer. I am not a fan of just crunching through celery for a snack that often so juicing was a better option for me.

Broccoli, cabbage and brussel sprouts were good sides for most of my dinners. I like to toss them in olive oil and garlic and roast them or sautee them on the stove. I prefer mine a little on the crispy side and that’s how I get them in when I need to.

I found these out through trial and error. When I have digestion bloating, broccoli doesn’t help me much, so you might find that not all of these work the same for you. But herbal teas really, really do. Especially dandelion tea. So you should really, time the time, to see what works for you because everyone is different. But these foods are notorious for helping bloating, so it’s worth testing out for yourself.

Let us know, what helps you beat the bloat?

Lean Guide

Education, Lifestyle · April 14, 2016

The Lean Guide is an overview of our eating philosophy to apply in any way that works for your specific diet. Vegan? Great! Mediterranean? Perfect! Something we’ve never heard of? That’s ok too! Enjoy our guide to eating on any diet.

Veggies

Spinach – Low in fat and even lower in cholesterol, spinach is high in niacin and zinc, as well as protein, fiber, vitamins A, C, E and K, thiamin, vitamin B6, folate, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, copper, and manganese.

Onions – The phytochemicals in onions along with their vitamin C help improve immunity. Onions contain chromium, which assists in regulating blood sugar.

Tomatoes – an excellent source vitamin C, biotin, molybdenum, and vitamin K. They are also a very good source of copper, potassium, manganese, dietary fiber, vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene), vitamin B6, folate, niacin, vitamin E, and phosphorus.

Mushrooms – are low in calories, fat-free, cholesterol-free, gluten-free, and very low in sodium, yet they provide importantnutrients, including selenium, potassium (8%), riboflavin, niacin, vitamin D and more.

Cucumbers – With vitamin K, B vitamins, copper, potassium, vitamin C, and manganese, cucumbers can help you to avoid nutrient deficiencies that are widesprea

Broccoli – is a great source of vitamins K and C, a good source of folate (folic acid) and also provides potassium, fiber. Vitamin C – builds collagen, which forms body tissue and bone, and helps cuts and wounds heal. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant and protects the body from damaging free radicals.

Carrots – beta carotene and fiber content. This root vegetable is also a good source of antioxidant agents. Furthermore,carrots are rich in vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, vitamin B8, pantothenic acid, folate, potassium, iron, copper, and manganese.

Cauliflower – is an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, pantothenic acid, and vitamin B6. It is a very good source of choline, dietary fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, manganese, phosphorus, and biotin. Additionally, it is a good source of vitamin B2, protein, vitamin B1, niacin, and magnesium.

Asparagus – is just packed with health benefits: It’s loaded with nutrients: Asparagus is a very good source of fiber, folate, vitamins A, C, E and K, as well as chromium, a trace mineral that enhances the ability of insulin to transport glucose from the bloodstream into cells.

Iceberg Lettuce – is an excellent source of vitamin A, K, and C. It is also a good source of thiamin, vitamin B6, and folate (vitamin B).Iceberg lettuce contains 14 calories per 100 grams. It mainly contains water and dietary fiber. This food is low in sodium and is also very low in saturated fat and cholesterol.

Starches

White Potatoes -a very good source of vitamin B6 and a good source of potassium, copper, vitamin C, manganese, phosphorus, niacin, dietary fiber, and pantothenic acid. White potatoes also contain a variety of phytonutrients that have antioxidant activity. Among these important health-promoting compounds are carotenoids, flavonoids, and caffeic acid, as well as unique tuber storage proteins, such as patatin, which exhibit activity against free radicals.

Beans – are the least expensive source of protein, especially when compared to fresh meat. Aside from protein, complex carbs and fiber, beans contain a powerhouse of nutrients including antioxidants, and vitamins and minerals, such as copper, folate, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, potassium and zinc.

Sweet Potatoes – Sweet potatoes contain a wealth of orange-hued carotenoid pigments. Recent research has shown that particularly when passing through our digestive tract, sweet potato cyanidins and peonidins and other color-related phytonutrients may be able to lower the potential health risk posed by heavy metals and oxygen radicals. Storage proteins in sweet potato also have important antioxidant properties.

Eggplant – Nutritional Value of Eggplant. The wonderful health benefits of eggplants are primarily derived from its vitamin, mineral, and nutrient content. Eggplants are a rich source of vitamin C, K, B6, thiamin, niacin,magnesium, phosphorous, copper, dietary fiber, folic acid, potassium, and manganese.

Beets – are high in immune-boosting vitamin C, fiber, and essential minerals like potassium (essential for healthy nerve and muscle function) and manganese (which is good for your bones, liver, kidneys, and pancreas).Beets also contain the B vitamin folate, which helps reduce the risk of birth defects.

Fruits

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Bananas – Bananas are good for your heart. They are packed with potassium, a mineral electrolyte that keeps electricity flowing throughout your body, which is required to keep your heart beating. Bananas’ high potassium and low sodium content may also help protect your cardiovascular system against high blood pressure, according to the FDA.

Strawberries – are an excellent source of antioxidant-promoting vitamin C and manganese. They are also a very good source of dietary fiber, iodine, and folate. Plus, strawberries are a good source of copper, potassium, biotin, phosphorus, magnesium, vitamin B6, and omega-3 fatty acids.

Blueberries – Have fiber, potassium, folate, vitamin C, vitamin B6 and phytonutrient content, coupled with its lack of cholesterol, all support heart health. The fiber in blueberries helps lower the total amount of cholesterol in the blood and decrease the risk of heart disease

Raspberries – contain strong antioxidants such as Vitamin C, quercetin and gallic acid that fight against cancer, heart and circulatory disease and age-related decline. They are high in ellagic acid, a known chemopreventative, and have been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties.

Blackberries – Much like spinach, raisins, apples, plums and grapes, blackberries are rich in bioflavonoids and Vitamin C, but other nutritional benefits include a very low sodium count and having only 62 calories to a cup. The dark blue colour ensures blackberries have one of the highest antioxidant levels of all fruits.

Cherries – Cherries contain powerful antioxidants like anthocyanins and cyanidin. Sweet cherries contain fiber, vitamin C, carotenoids, and anthocyanins, each of which may help play a role in cancer prevention.

Apples – are extremely rich in important antioxidants, flavanoids, and dietary fiber. The phytonutrients and antioxidants in apples may help reduce the risk of developing cancer, hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease.

Oranges – In addition to oranges phytonutrie-nts, vitamin C, and fiber, they are a good source of folate, vitamin A (in the form of carotenoids), vitamin B1, potassium, copper, pantothenic acid, and calcium.

Pears – provide a very good source of fiber and are also a good source of vitamin B2, C, E, copper, and potassium. They also contain a significant amount of pectin, which is a water soluble fiber.

Peaches – offer a rich treasure of minerals such as calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron, manganese, phosphorous, zinc, and copper. Peaches are low in calories, contain no saturated fat or cholesterol, and are a good source of dietary fiber.

Pineapples – a storehouse of huge health benefits due to its wealth of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals, including potassium, copper, manganese, calcium, magnesium, vitamin C, beta carotene, thiamin, B6, and folate, as well as soluble and insoluble fiber

Lemons – many nourishing elements like vitamin C, vitamin B6, vitamin A, vitamin E, folate, niacin thiamin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, copper, calcium, iron, magnesium,potassium, zinc, phosphorus and protein.

Whole Grains

Whole Wheat – Still Working 🙂

Oats – Still Working 🙂

Quinoa – Still Working 🙂

Rice – Still Working 🙂

Proteins

White Meat – Still Working 🙂

Fish – Still Working 🙂

Red Meat – Still Working 🙂

Non Meat Protein – Still Working 🙂

Fats and Dairy

Olive Oil – Still Working 🙂

Coconut Oil – Still Working 🙂

Avocados – Still Working 🙂

Raw Cheese – Still Working 🙂

Organic Dairy – Still Working 🙂

Nuts and Seeds – Still Working 🙂

Grassfed Butter – Still Working 🙂

Raw Milk/Dairy – Still Working 🙂

Keifer – Still Working 🙂

In Depth Guide

Our Customer Care team has created a very useful guide on Using the Montauk Template if you’d like a more in-depth look.

Our Reference List:

https://www.organicfacts.net/nutrition-facts/vegetables/nutrional-value-of-cabbage-and-iceberg-lettuce.html

http://www.eatingwell.com/blogs/health_blog/5_powerful_health_benefits_of_asparagus_you_probably_didn_t_know

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=13

http://m.mushroominfo.com/benefits/

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/16-superb-health-benefits-of-cucumber.html

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=44

https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/vegetable/carrots.html

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/8-great-reasons-to-eat-more-onions.html

http://www.healthyeating.org/Healthy-Eating/All-Star-Foods/Vegetables/Article-Viewer/Article/91/health-benefits-of-broccoli.aspx

http://foodfacts.mercola.com/spinach.html

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=64

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/01/25/beets-health-benefits.aspx

https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/vegetable/health-benefits-of-eggplant.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/16/beans-health-benefits_n_1792504.html

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=48

https://authoritynutrition.com/foods/rice/

http://www.livescience.com/45005-banana-nutrition-facts.html

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=32

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/267290.php

http://berryhealth.fst.oregonstate.edu/health_healing/fact_sheets/red_raspberry_facts.htm

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/287710.php

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=37

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/08/02/health-benefits-cherries.aspx

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/01/31/blackberry-facts_n_2581622.html

www.aperfectpear.com/health–benefits-of-pears.html

https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/fruit/pineapples.html

https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/fruit/health-benefits-of-peach.html

https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/fruit/health-benefits-of-lemon.html

Chickpea Hoison Stir Fry and Rice Pasta with Marinara

Education, Lifestyle · April 14, 2016

Here is a peek at the dinners from this week. For me the simplicity of these dishes really makes dinner something I look forward to. Often I meal prep on Sundays, just to make sure I have time to make more complicated dishes because I don’t have time on weeknights to simmer chili for 5 hours.

One great tip: save your more complicated meals for the weekends or your days off. It makes cooking them more enjoyable and less of a rushed hassle. And, if you like those dinners for the week, meal prep them on Sunday. Examples of great weekend meal prep dishes: Chili, Slow cooker recipes – unless you don’t mind leaving them when you are at work, Stews, and Roasts.

What are you favorite meals to prep on your days off?

Dish 1 – Mongolian Chickpea Stir Fry

Dish 2 – Quinoa/Rice Pasta and Marinara and Greek Yogurt

New Website, Same Amazing Blog

Education, Lifestyle · April 14, 2016

Hey all!

So happy to see you on the brand new, new fit body, blog. We have moved to Love Lean Life because what once started as just a way to get a better, fitter, body has changed over the years to incorporate so much more.

It’s about loving yourself, others, and the life you live.

It’s about lean eating, processed free as possible, to really nourish your body.

It’s about life, as a whole, inside the gym, inside your home, at work, and everywhere else.

We know that you live a real, whole, complicated and ever changing life. Because we do too! And it’s not just about getting to the gym. Sometimes it’s about finding the time to. And it’s not just about eating perfect, because lets be honest, pizza happens. And it’s not about never feeling bad about yourself, cause sometimes we don’t like what we see in the mirror either. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a way to live happily on your health journey. It just means finding a way to make it all work, and make it all work for you!

No gym? We will be posting not only gym workouts, but work outs from you home with and with out weights.

Don’t know what to make for dinner? We will post recipes. And grocery lists.

Fall off the wagon? Us too, so let’s just support each other and get back on track. There are no mistakes, just learning experiences.

And we can’t wait to share our journey with you, and we can’t wait to hear about yours. This is a blog and website about real health, for your real life.

Welcome. 🙂

A Better Fragrance

Education, Lifestyle, Uncategorized · December 6, 2015

There are so many times that I debated giving up on fragrances. I know that seems silly, but knowing that your skin absorbs so much of what you put onto it, made me look into what was in my perfumes. Unfortunately the lists of ingredients were mostly unrecognizable to me and after just a little bit of googling what they were, I couldn’t be sure that everything was completely safe for me.

But, I love smelling nice. And unfortunately I did not want to just throw out all of the years of fragrance bottles I had accumulated. So what to do? Well a gift from a friend last year changed it all. She bought me a small glass roller ball vile of a blend of essential oils that gave off a scent just as beautiful as the perfumes filling my cabinets in my bathroom.

Well I used it. I used every last drop of it. And, I love it. I ended up going back to where she purchased it and buying another fragrance as well. The company was using therapeutic grade oils and only oil in the mix so I didn’t have to worry about any mystery ingredients.

But that wasn’t the last of my research. I first stumbled across oils after a doctor, who writes about nutrition and everyday health, wrote a well researching

article on the benefits of essential oils

and his own experience with them. I was about to brush over the article with out reading, partly because he doesn’t usually write about this and also because I was only concerned about oils from a fragrance perspective, but something drew me back. His entire article was scientifically backed so I decided to bite.

I’m so happy I did. I learned all about essential oils and what other health benefits they had. I was directed to the oils he used but first did a little more research on the brands. An article written by a wellness mama guru, 7 blogs long, really dived into the companies and their quality.

The last article

pointed me to

Rocky Mountain Oils

, and through her research and some more of my own, I decided to go with them for all of my essential oils. They had the best quality, a lot of organic oils and the best price as well.

I am quickly running through my first big box I ordered. Having a diffuser has made my house small amazing as well as made some of the oils quicker to use at night instead of mixing them with other carrier oils and applying them right to my body.

I am also looking for good book on essential oils. If anyone knows one, then please share. I would like to start mixing the different oils in the diffuser.

So try them for yourself! I’m sure after reading the article you might be intrigued as well. It’s been worth the research and using them has been such a pleasant experience. And of course, the whole reason this started, I’m loving the fragrance aspect of it. So much nicer than even most of my perfumes! But I didn’t waste any of the old perfumes I had. I just spray them on the outside of my jackets. These never rub against my skin and still let me us the fragrances I bought as not to waste them.

Here’s to helping you, Live Life Lean.

Eating Organic: How to Make it Manageable

Education, Lifestyle, Uncategorized · December 6, 2015

I always heard about going organic and the lists of ways to shop for this type of produce, but never really cared much to spend that much money on it. However, after doing some research I realized there are so many reasons to go organic. Investing a little more money into my diet was worth it because for so long I was saying “why bother?” and now I can’t imagine ignoring the facts.

Each year there are so many lists that inform consumers of the “clean 15” and the “dirty dozen.”So lets take a look at the dirty dozen, because when we go grocery shopping, these are the most important ones when putting produce into your cart.

This list contains the heaviest sprayed crops and the produce where the most residue from pesticides were found. Samples of produce on this list contained up to 15 different pesticides per piece of produce. This is a startling amount seeing that you will be ingesting all of these when you eat them later.

Of course we don’t have to list the innumerable amount of reasons you do not want to ingest pesticides. In short these are unnatural chemicals and that equals your body, especially your liver, working overtime to rid your body of these toxins. Pesticides are poison and just because you only ingest a small amount per piece of produce, doesn’t mean that over time these don’t get backed up into your body.

So by Live Lean standards, it’s best to cut out the pesticides. Live chemical free and buy these top fruits and vegetables organic.

1. Apples

2. Peaches

3. Nectarines

4. Strawberries

5. Grapes

6. Celery

7. Spinach

8. Sweet Bell Peppers

9. Cucumbers

10. Cherry Tomatoes

11. Snap Peas – Imported

12. Potatoes (All Varieties)

+ Hot Peppers

+ Kale/Collard Greens

The + is the two added pieces of produce that the EWG found to have to frequently have tested positive for insecticides that are toxic to our nervous systems.

I love easy lists like this. These are something you can write down on the back of your grocery pad and bring to the store or just leave saved in a list on your phone. The clean 15 list can be found

here

One other creative idea is taking a permanent marker and writing them into the inside of your reusable grocery bag. We get ours for around 99 cents a bag at

Trader Joe’s

, and for less than ten dollars we have super sturdy, environmentally friendly, bags to shop with. They are pretty roomy and can handle a lot of weight. We don’t splurge on the insulated bags because we don’t live super far from our grocery stores.

On a side note, anything that is coming out of a can, like tomatoes and beans if you need these for convenience because I know not everyone has time to soak beans or make tomato sauce from scratch every time, then always buy organic. Many stores have their own brand that is cheaper than more advertised brands and they come in organic versions too.

Let me know below if you find it easy to shop for these organic versions at your grocery stores.

References:

http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary.php

For more information please visit their website.

The Incredible Eggs

Education, Lifestyle, Uncategorized · June 25, 2015

The incredible egg. This small food is a breakfast favorite and rightly so!

When cooking eggs, consider learning to poach eggs (tricky but worth it!) to avoid having to use oil or butter in a pan to help them cook. Also, there are several baking recipes with eggs over potatoes that bake without the use of much oil or butter. Plus, there is always the age old hard boiled on a salad to get your eggs into your meal.

Look for upcoming recipes with eggs including:

Avocado Baked Egg Boats

Eggs in a Basket

Plus, if you like Breakfast hash, look back on our

SouthWest Breakfast Hash

Enjoy your eggs!

Processed Free Beauty

Education, Lifestyle, Uncategorized · June 18, 2015

For those of you looking to switch to less processed beauty routine there are so many great choices out there and it’s worth looking into it. I did it because all aspects of what you put on and into your body affect you. Even though your skin is a barrier to the outside world, it is still porous and absorbent. So while we focus on making sure we put the least amount of artificial junk into our bodies through what we consume, it’s also good to take a look at the chemicals we expose our skin to everyday. For whatever reason you are doing it, don’t get discouraged if you do not know where to start.

The world of beauty is a vast array of marking campaigns and beauty products to help us feel good day to day. But further than that, it is our soaps, shampoos, deodorants and lotions. It is the acne medicine and facial masks we buy to fix skin problems. It is the whitening toothpastes and nail polishes that make us look shiny and new. Now before you think I’m condemning using beauty products, especially soap, I want to say that in no way do I think that you shouldn’t use any of these things. Just as I am not here to say if you should eat meat, dairy, or wheat on a daily basis or not. The concept of this blog of course is to help you live a less processed life and in doing so just bring to light some of the things that might be affecting you.

If the focus is to take the chemicals and additives out of our bodies so we can live a healthier life by allowing our bodies to concentrate on the thing it does best, taking care of itself, then it doesn’t hurt to look at more than just diet. Whole and natural foods allow our bodies to work at it’s best and allows us to work on constantly healing and renewing ourselves. The same goes with things we use on our skin everyday.

Here are my top five trade outs:

Body Lotion

Coconut Oil. Yes, that simple. That swap was so easy and I really love this oil. It smells fresh and sweet. Plus, it’s found in most grocery stores. Go with Unrefined, Unprocessed coconut oil so that you get the most unprocessed form. Pick a Jar with a nice large mouth so you can get your hands in easily like this jar.

Shampoo/Conditioner

This was the second switch I made in my personal care routine. But it was a hard learning curve on what made my hair feel very clean and what left it feeling waxy or greasy. I love the brand Nature’s Gate and they have so many great options to pick from. I like calming shampoo for my hair and so does everyone else that uses it. I find mine at the store or on amazon which makes it easy to order.

Body Wash

Jason Brand is so great smelling and their company has been making natural products for years. My favorite scents are Lavender, Aloe Vera (the one currently in my bathroom), and my all time favorite Citrus. The citrus is very awakening and the Aloe Vera on is super soothing on my winter skin.

Toothpaste

Well this one blew my mind. I started with Tom’s of Maine Fluoride and SLS Free because it was the closest to the toothpaste we were already using and is a great transition for kids and adults who are sensitive to taste.

I then transitioned to the Himalaya toothpaste, which my holistic health coach friend Taylor recommended. While I didn’t mind the earthy taste at all, my other half was not a fan and continued to buy Toms for a while.

Then the mother of all toothpastes hit my doorstep! The Dirt. It’s hands down the weirdest toothpaste, but the best tasting and most effective one I’ve tried. It’s cinnamon and some other spices flavored and does an amazing job of remineralizing my teeth. The reviews were nuts and I tried it, and needless to say, still addicted to the clean it gives my teeth. For those of you who are looking to try it, (if you do you’ll be hooked – ask all my friends and family!) they offer a one time 15% off code for new customers and you can get that by clicking here. <— You’re squeaky clean teeth can thank me later.

Perfume

This category, I have to admit, was the hardest for me to make the switch. I have bottles and bottles of perfume and have done enough research to know that artificial scents can disrupt your endocrine and hormone disrupter. There for in order not to waste them, I only spray them on my coat now.

For perfumes that you can put on your skin, I found this amazing brand after trying their makeup. This perfume by Pacifica is safe on skin and won’t mess up you insides when you wear it. Smell good on the outside and stay healthy on the inside.

Each of these beauty products have so many natural alternatives that it is easy to find one if you want to look! Body Lotion and the use of unrefined and unprocessed coconut oil will be it’s own post because of the many uses and benefits of that product. I will also post on alternatives to all the other beauty products that you can find. If you have any other brands you swear by please leave them in the comments.

*Note, this blog contains affiliate links. I use each and every one of these products in my home and choose to use affiliate links as a way to help readers fund the cost of the blog. I am not sponsored by any of these brands as of the time of posting (even if I wish I was lol ). I enjoy providing this material for free, and you are under no obligation to support or buy through me, however for those of you who do, thank you for your support. Most of these products can be found in stores or online at their own websites and you can buy directly form them as well if you are interested. Thank you for your continued support of my blog so that I can keep providing free content for you.

Detoxing Honey Lemon Tea

Drinks, Education, Lifestyle, Recipes, Uncategorized · June 18, 2015

Everyone gets that tickle in their throat or that annoying sneeze that not only won’t go away, but seems to always be followed by an annoying cold. Or maybe the stress of your week is catching up to you and now you’re feeling run down, which can also lead to being sick. Being sick always puts a damper on working out or ever eating right. But there are a few things that can boost your immune system and help you fight off a feeling under the weather.

First things first. When you feel like you are getting sick or feeling run down the first thing is to make sure what you are putting into your body isn’t taking away from your immune system when it should be fighting a virus. Put down the processed foods, they only make your body work harder to get rid of all the junk that they are made of. Alcohol is the same. Even the smallest amount can make your body work harder to fight off sickness. And of course, what everyone always tells you, get some sleep! It’s so important for your body to heal itself.

Then make yourself a hot cup of the detoxing and healing tea.

Ingredients:

Tea of your choice (My favorite right now is Tropical Green Tea)

Honey, Raw and Unfiltered

1/2 Lemon squeezed

Put 1 tbs. of honey into the bottom of a mug and pour boiling water over it. Then squeeze half of a lemon into the mug and enjoy. This toasty drink should warm your insides and sooth you.

Progress not Perfection

Education, Lifestyle, Uncategorized · June 18, 2015

For those of you who have heard this speech a hundred times. It might be good to sit through it again. I have reminded myself, and written many times about the journey to your fittest self through diet and exercise, as well as striving and doing your best with out striving for perfection.

Every journey looks different. Every end result looks different. One person’s idea of perfect is different than another. So striving for the “perfect body,” the “perfect diet,” or the “perfect workout,” can put unnecessary stress on your lifestyle that is an ongoing process. Strive to do your best. Strive for health over a certain look. And strive to get away from wanting to be perfect.

Sometimes you will mess up your diet and have too much pizza. Three days in a row. Sometimes you will skip a work out. For your entire vacation. It’s always alright. No one is perfect. But we must never forget that our journey is a series of steps everyday that we take towards our goals. And if we take 10 steps forward one week and one step back, that doesn’t bring us back to step one. Set backs don’t mean starting over. They are just a few steps on a long path way. Remember that.

Remember to be good to yourself. To forgive yourself. To believe in yourself. To love yourself. Even when you’re not “perfect.”