Nutrition is as nutrition does.

Our diet is the main factor in our health, down to a cellular level. Every cell takes in nutrients and releases its waste. On a larger scale, we see this in humans, through eating and excreting. In yoga, this is referred to as Prana (the intaking) and Apana (the releasing).

By eating processed foods, chemical additives (either because of pesticides used, chemically created food products or adding chemicals to the food itself), and large amounts of animal products, cells regenerate by replacing themselves with a weaker cell. These cells must be strong in order to fight off free radicals, but with a diet like the one above, a cell would not be getting enough antioxidants to combat the free radicals. The body does create antioxidants, but not enough to keep the body healthy in this case and may lead to bodily breakdown.

How to improve your nutritional health

1. Drink water, plenty of it, all day long (and you might want to look into natural spring water to avoid flouride).
2. Eat whole foods, where you can easily identify (and have hopefully cooked for yourself) all of the ingredients. Limit your eating out adventures to a minimum.
3. Juice for the taste of it! Juicing is gaining popularity and with great reason. It’s simple to get tons of vitamins and nutrients, and most of your veggies for the day, in one glass. Be mindful of how much fruit you use, as the sugars can add up. I typically add an apple to sweeten my green juice.
4. Eat tons of kale. This vegetable has the highest nutrient value by three times the second runner-up. You can juice it, use it in salads, bake it into kale chips, or replace lettuce on sandwiches. (Be mindful if you have thyroid issues, and always listen to your body!)
5. Take a multi-vitamin from a reputable source. Do not buy the gummies (as they contain ingredients your body cannot break down – counterproductive) or super cheap vitamins. Head over to a health foods store and talk to the staff about what you should take. My personal favorite is NuSkin’s LifePack.
6. Limit your intake of animal products. Look into other sources for protein, such as: spirulina, quinoa, beans, seeds and nut butters. Also limit diary to only organic sources. If you are like me and do require some meat, look into grass-fed and pastured meat. Not only is the taste better, these animals have a natural diet – compared to eating GMO corn.
7. Start eating organic fruits and vegetables. Just because a box of food says FDA Organic on it, doesn’t mean it’s healthy. Eating fruits and vegetables is healthy, and you bypass all the processing that goes into a box. An argument I hear is that it’s too expensive, to which I always counter, “And you think medical bills in the future will be cheap?”
8. Stop eating processed foods. Or at least limit yourself to foods where you can easily identify all of the ingredients on the list.
9. Add some chia seeds. Chia seeds form a gel around them once mixed with water or in your stomach, helping to remove toxins. I have a hard time drinking the gel, so I sprinkle it on salads or on top of peanut butter bread (mmm, with sprouted wheat bread)!
10. Love yourself. Don’t beat yourself up if you can’t do everything, try one thing at a time. Part of nutrition is being mindful and becoming a mindful eater. If you want to eat a Twinkie, by all means eat, and love every second of it! Life was meant to be enjoyed, and if we put food into our body with an already negative mindset, it may just solidify that thought into our body.

The following are some common ailments/diseases in America and some interesting questions to ask:

High Cholesterol

Did you know that cholesterol is only found in animal products?

Did you know the vitamin Niacin can help lower these levels?*

Cancer

Did you know that doctors in Mexico are curing and sending cancer into remission with juice from whole fruits and vegetables using the Gerson Theory?

Did you know that it is illegal for them to do so in America?

Did you know cancer and not finding its cure is big business in America?

Inflammation

Did you know that eating blueberries and walnuts both reduce inflammation?

Did you know taking high doses of over-the-counter inflammation reducers, such as Ibuprofen, can cause liver damage, especially when taken with other over-the-counter pills?

Headache

Did you know that a common reason for headache is dehydration?

*Do not buy the flush-free Niacin; it can cause liver damage. Start low in your doses until you create a flush feeling in your body – this is your saturation amount and how much you should take.