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Spiritual Health
Why
Bother Eating Healthily?
Do you ever feel sluggish? Tired? Are you struggling
to find the energy you need to achieve your
artistic, financial and personal goals?
You are not alone.
Whether you want a new boost to your energy, your
sex life or your digestive system, eating the right
foods can improve your health and completely
reinvigorate your energy and passion for life.
So, how do you do it? And how do you change your
eating habits in a way that is not boring and does
not make you feel deprived, tired and lethargic?
Well, first you need to commit to giving yourself
this gift of optimum health and radiant energy. Make
yourself an inward promise and make a list of all
the reasons this is important to you. If you have a
goal in mind- like running a marathon or being a
certain weight then write that too. Commit it to
paper and look at it every day.
It will take some will power at first to cut back
on all those little treats and snacks, but remember
that there are always alternatives and this is about
choice! After an initial 7 day cleanse you will find
that a healthy, natural diet is all about abundance
and certainly nothing to do with deprivation,
fasting or being miserable!
A little bit of what you fancy is fine, but once
you have established a healthy lifestyle as the
norm. It is the junky-drug-like foods that we need
to cleanse your body and mind from initially, after
a week or two of healthy living you will not want to
go back- in fact if you do you will feel worse than
ever! What we are striving for is a balance. That
balance should look lie and 80-20 split with 80% of
what you eat being natural, healthy live foods from
source and 20% other foods.
So,
this is about indulging your body, giving it what it
really needs and nurturing and nourishing yourself.
There is heaps of information about detoxing online
for a DIY detox or you can use one of the many detox
retreats around the world.
Here are my simple and easy top tips and guidelines
to get you started for your turnaround and a
lifetime of good health!
My
Story
Just two years ago I smoked a pack of cigarettes
each day, drank every night, and never dreamed of
heading to the gym. I thought I was happy and this
was as good as it got. I had no idea this was
surviving...not living.
I
had difficulty getting out of bed every morning,
felt tired in the middle of the day, and could have
slept for ten hours a night if given the
opportunity. I did not know the first thing about
eating for energy. Since then I have discovered
secrets the secrets to radiant health. Now, I am
fitter, more alive, I jump out of bed and have more
hours for living and less for sleeping! I have
better relationships; I am more productive and I
also now have better concentration.
Although it felt strange at first it was well worth
changing my old habits and addictions to feel
strong, healthy and full of energy again. I don’t
miss he cigarettes or the booze whatsoever- honestly
I barely even think about it and when I am offered a
drink it is no big deal to say ‘No thank you’
Whereas before I would be the one pouring the
drinks, drinking them and getting smashed at least
once a week. I don’t miss this at all – although
there was a time that I thought I would be lost
without it.
Who doesn’t want to live longer? Who doesn’t want to
feel bright and have more time and energy to spend
with loved ones? Who doesn’t want to cut their
chances of getting cancer in half, and feel and look
wonderful! You will if you follow these simple
steps and commit to constantly improving your health
and fitness and growing your awareness of your
body’s true needs.
You can change, I don’t care how depressed you feel
about your weight, how much you hate exercise, or
how attached you are to that 12 o clock cigarette or
4 o'clock chocolate bar. I am a true example of how
you can change and I promise you it can be fun!
Once you commit to change do not look back! Of
course you may be a bit uncomfortable at first. But
place your focus on just exactly why you’re changing
you life - you are one of the leaders! You are on
the fore front of a tide of change regarding how we
treat our bodies, healthy is the new hip and it is
cool to care about yourself so do not be afraid to
go for it!
You will feel so much better and will be able to
jump out of bed in the morning feeling alive and
excited. You’ll have more time and energy to give to
your loved ones and your family and you will be able
to wear those clothes you really like so you can
feel even more vibrant and sexy!
You’ll find these guidelines easy to follow and
straight to the point. Bullet points- stripped down
to the basics- so you can put them into practice
immediately and start feeling better NOW!!
You will wake up feeling fantastic- have heaps more
energy and get straightforward, no- nonsense FACTS
about what your body really wants and needs.
Do what you can and what is feasible right now- I
didn’t make all the changes in one go. Change can be
tough at first but:
If you keep doing the same things you have always
done you will only get the same results you have
always got!
Finally, be really nice to yourself and don’t worry
if you give into your cravings and old patterns,
pick yourself back up and keep going. Don’t give up!
Have fun and enjoy!!
So
Lets get started…
TIP 1
Breathe
Properly
The first thing you can do is breathe. Whilst you
are reading this; inhale really deeply through your
nose- filling your diaphragm. As you exhale pull
your tummy in and make sure you expel any air still
left inside. This gets your lymph system going-
taking away waste products and getting oxygen to the
brain- it will WAKE YOU UP!!! And ladies- breathing
properly is more effective in helping get rid of
cellulite than any expensive gel and cream!!
TIP 2
Re- think your daily meals
PRE
BREAKFAST-
Do these 4 things first thing in the morning
1. OXYGEN
First thing you do on waking- stand up and give
yourself just a couple of minutes to take ten really
nice deep breaths. Repeat this several times a day
2. WATER
Drink half a litre of water on waking.
(Keep a bottle by the bed- you probably do anyways,
but get some down you first thing!
Keep a 1.5 litre bottle on your desk and drink that
at work every day- )
Dehydration is Suicide!
I can not stress the importance of these two- if
nothing else, add these to begin with and notice the
positive changes you feel.
3. A NICE CUPPA
Hot lemon- cleansing and wakes you up.
4. FRESH FRUIT/ VEGETABLE JUICE
This will change your life.
One crucial thing is that it must be fresh. I don’t
care if you just start off with a little plastic
thing and a few oranges, and then work up to buying
a proper juicer-the most important thing is that the
juice comes to you directly and not from a carton as
this will have been heated (pasteurised) and
therefore loses its vital life force, enzymes and
nutrients!
You can get some good juicers now for about £30 –
and the Jason Vale juice master book comes for free
with the Moulinex juicer which is fab and costs £40.
His book ‘SLIM 4 LIFE’ is a great start and a funny
read too.
Juice in the morning will make you feel and look
wonderful. It doesn’t matter what you put in- there
are heaps of books out there and I am putting one
together, but for now just use what is in season,
what you can get hold of- and what you enjoy!!
People always moan that juicing is a right pain in
the bum but it really does not have to be a big
deal.
If you always find that you are manic in the morning
then you could make it the night before – just fill
a little water bottle and screw the lid on- keep it
in the freezer overnight and grab it on the way out
the door. Maybe you live/work near a juice bar,
where you can get a lovely juice for a couple of
quid- think of the money as an investment in
yourself- you deserve it, and it is far better for
you than coffee and will give you a fantastic burst
of energy!
5. BREAKFAST (break-the-fast)
N.B: BUY ORGANIC WHEREVER POSSIBLE – there is 10
times more the amount of vitamin C in an organic
orange than a normal one!
I think that breakfast always depends on what you
feel like- but here are some suggestions that are
very energising and healthy!
BERRIES- Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and
blackberries go great with a bit of plain, live and
low-fat natural yoghurt- ensure it has the probiotic
for extra gut boosting health properties!
BREAD/TOAST/RYVITA- wholemeal/granary or rye like
the Germans or pita like the meds- Alternative flat
breads such as Dr Karg’s 3 seed snack breads are
awesome because they don’t have all the yeast-
especially if you suffer from thrush/Candida.
+ Honey (for extra health kick try manuka)
+ Olive oil and tomatoes
+ Avocado and pepper
+ Nut butters
PORRIDGE- Absolutely brilliant breakfast- really
quick and easy to make. Try it with water instead of
milk- it is still lovely. Then add whatever you
fancy- fresh fruit, frozen fruit, maple syrup,
honey, cinnamon, nuts, seeds- whatever! Yummy and
keeps you going. Also goes towards your 5 portions
of fibre xx for extra brownie points sprinkle on a
tablespoon of wheat germ- easy to buy in any health
food shop.
MUESLI- With soya milk, almond milk or live
yoghurt. Not one for me as I don’t really have
dairy, and I don’t miss it. If I did, this is what I
would have; just see what works for you. If you love
your cereal with milk and can’t imagine not having
it, then this is definitely the best alternative.
You could have live yoghurt with fruit, or bran
flakes- just check labels. If you must have milk try
goat’s (goats have just one stomach like us- whereas
cow’s have 4 to break down the big molecules in
cows’ milk)
QUINOA – So easy to make and really great for you.
Cook in vegan bouillon normally or orange juice for
a great breakfast alternative!
BROCCOLI AND BROWN RICE - Bit different but great
way to start the day.
EGGS- In Chinese medicine it is believed the solar
plexus chakra rises between 7 and 9 in the morning
and this is the best time to eat your eggs!
LUNCH
and DINNER
Really easy- just two things to remember
-
Water based ‘live’ foods are essential. Your
plate should be a bit like the earth- at least
75% should be comprised of water. This means you
can have a piece of fish or some nice wholegrain
pasta with pesto or fresh tomato sauce- but have
a large salad with it. We are 75% water and if
you took all the water out of us we would fit
into a carrier bag! So get those veggies and
salads rocking- and the least amount of cooking
the better. This is because all fruit, veggies
and salads have enzymes and nutrients that get
destroyed in the cooking process- if you want to
glow then raw is the go!
-
Your tummy does not like having carbs and
proteins at the same time- this is because – put
simply- when you eat protein such as meat/fish
your stomach produces an acid in order to break
this down- when digesting a carbohydrate
however, the gut produces an alkaline to break
it down- so what do we get- neutralisation- and
the grid lock! This will make you feel sluggish
bloated and gassy. So best to avoid it and stick
with one or the other. Big green salads and
green veggies are also great for just about
everything so don’t hold back.
(Make double the amount of food at dinner and take
into work the next day for your lunch if time is an
issue)
TIP 3
AVOID-
seven to steer clear of:-
Dairy
– replace with goat’s milk/ rice milk
White refined Carbs
– replace with wholemeal, brown rice, spelt, quinoa,
cous cous.
Caffeine-
replace with herbal teas. Hot lemon and fresh ginger
is also great.
Red meat
– go for more fish and poultry
Sugar
– instead snack on nuts, hummus and dips, fresh
fruit
Wheat, gluten, yeast
– Look for the "Free" section at Waitrose or Tesco
Opt for rye bread/ Dr Karg instead which does not
contain wheat.
Salt
– use fresh herbs/ spices/ lemon to make foods
tastier. If you must have salt use Celtic Grey Sea
Salt- which provides essential minerals.
Finally – please enjoy and appreciate your food and
chew slowly. Remember this is about NEW choices and
abundance!!
TIP4
- Visualisation- Spend a bit of time visualising
what you want to get from this, how you want to look
and think of something you will do when you have
reached your target goals- e.g. buy a new out fit/
car/ have a photo shoot etc. Be creative and let
your imagination run free! Create a dream board if
you like – with pictures and colours!
TIP 5
-
Colon Cleansing – A colonic is not as scary as it
seems and had huge health benefits. I use Amanda at
Balance the Clinic on the King’s Road, in Chelsea,
London.
TIP 6
-
Dry Skin Brushing – Pick up a long armed dry skin
brush from somewhere like the body shop to remove
dead skin cells, improve your circulation, stimulate
your lymphatic system and make your skin glow with
beauty!
TIP
7
- Salt baths/ ocean bathing- even cheap sea salt in
the bath does the trick (hot tip- mix with almond
oil and essential oils for a luxurious scrub!)
TIP
8
- Drink Energy Greens- To alkalise the system and
help weight drop off fast! – If you want the
cheapest greens around I over ordered and have ten
unopened tubs for sale on eBay at
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130131388902&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:UK:31
TIP 9
-
Saunas – Use your skin as a kidney and sweat out the
toxins. Mmmmm
TIP
10
- Take supplements such as Chromium, Magnesium,
Aloe Vera and a good ProBiotic- and spend the money
to get good quality – I do NOT recommend off the
shelf.
So
here are my top ten tips to get you off on the right
foot, I hope you found this useful. KD x
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