Kim's Tips for Great Health ? Transition Now

Our SAD (standard American diet) and many products in our homes combine to contribute to a health crisis in our country.?? We are losing our health and our sense of well-being. ?I have done a lot of investigation and study over the past few years in the field of nutrition and natural health.? The movies ?Food, Inc.?, ?Food Matters? and ?Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead? are where I started educating myself about why I need to take control of my own health.? Of all the many books that I?ve read on nutrition, four stand out as the best:? ?Deep Nutrition?, ?Wheat Belly: Lose the Wheat, Lose the Weight, and Find Your Path Back to Health?, ?Health and Nutrition Secrets that Can Save you Life?, and ?The Maker?s Diet?.?? These books have provided the foundation for my current diet and healthy lifestyle.

Here?s a summary of the steps I?ve taken to improve my own health and well being.

What I?ve eliminated:

1. Hydrogenated oils and trans fats (Crisco, margarine, etc) from my diet.
2. Vegetable oils.? For cooking I only use organic butter, organic grass-fed ghee and coconut oil. I do use extra virgin olive oil, avocado and macadamia nut oil but not for cooking.? Other vegetable oils are toxic to the body.
3. Artificial sweeteners.? Aspartame is a genetically modified food with dangerous side effects.? More and more is being discovered each day about how damaging this and other artificial sweeteners are to the body.? They are also implicated in weight gain.
4. Sugar.? Cancer cells thrive in the presence of sugar and it disrupts your body functions and impairs your immune system.? I use raw honey, raw, organic agave nectar, coconut palm sugar and stevia instead.
5. Foods and drinks made with high fructose corn syrup or corn syrup. No sodas!? They will damage the liver, are converted immediately to body fat, and increase LDL cholesterol.? I don?t drink store bought juice for the same reason.
6. Grains (wheat, barley, spelt). Foods that contain gluten can lead to everything from thyroid disorders, trouble losing weight, depression and other mental disorders, digestion diseases, malnourishment, and so much more.? I do occasionally eat sourdough or bread made from whole grains soaked in an acid medium overnight.
7. Nitrites or nitrates ?(ham, hot dogs, lunch meats, and bacon not labeled as nitrate-free). These preservatives are known to cause cancer.
8. MSG (in the majority of packaged foods) with is a dangerous neurotoxin which also causes weight gain.
9. Soy products of any kind unless they are organic and fermented (miso, tempeh, natto).
10. All conventional dairy products.? Occasionally I will drink raw, organic, grass-fed milk and I do use organic pastured butter and ghee.
11. Food or drinks in plastic, unless it is in my own BPA-free water bottle.? I don?t cook in/with plastic or store food in plastic containers.? Note: Ziploc bags and Gladware containers are BPA free.
12. Teflon coated pots and pans.? Teflon is toxic.? I only use stainless steel, glass and hard anodized pots and pans for cooking.
13. Aluminum Foil because it leeches into the food and aluminum is a toxic heavy metal.
14. Canned foods. Unless labeled otherwise, cans are coated with toxic plastics that enter the food when the product is processed.
15. Alcoholic beverages.
16. Caffeine because it keeps me up at night.
17. Microwave popcorn because it has dangerous chemicals, preservatives, table salt and GMO corn.
18. Most fish, unless it?s wild, Alaskan salmon, to avoid mercury, pcbs, and dioxins.
19. Genetically modified foods (non-organic corn, potato and soy products).? Organic produce is more nutritious due to the quality of the soil it is grown in.
20. Pork and shellfish to avoid parasites, viruses, bacteria and toxins.
21. Pesticide laden vegetables and fruits.? I use the dirty dozen list to choose clean produce. (http://www.foodnews.org/walletguide.php)
22. I?ve eliminate almost all processed foods from my diet.
23. Dental amalgam fillings because they contain mercury.

What I Eat

1. I eat mostly fresh and frozen organic fruits and veggies.
2. I LOVE COCONUT OIL!!? I use it in almost everything.
3. I eat lots of avocados.
4. I eat lots of spinach salads with fruit, nuts and vegetables (dressed with olive oil and Himalayan salt).
5. I use raw honey, raw, organic agave nectar, coconut palm sugar and stevia to sweeten foods and beverages.? Coconut palm sugar is delicious and very nutritious and has a low glycemic index.? I use it in everything.
6. I also eat plenty of white rice, brown rice, oats and quinua along with organic potatoes for carbohydrates.? I love to eat brown rice and quinua pastas and gluten free tortillas.
7. I love coconut ice cream and organic dark chocolate.
8. I cook from scratch.
9. I drink coconut milk and almond milk instead of cows milk.
10. I drink 2 cups of green tea every day.
11. I make bone broth every week to use in soups, stews and vegetables (instead of MSG/bullion cubes).? Bone broth is a super food and it?s delicious!
12. I eat only organic meats and eggs, usually grass-fed or pastured. ?I eat lots of protein and healthy fats every day.
13. I use a good quality juicer (Greenstar) and blender (Vitamix) to prepare my juices and smoothies. ?I try to eat plenty of raw food every day.? I love to add flax seed, chia seed and hemp seed to my smoothies.
14. I drink water from a reverse osmosis filter (to eliminate the fluoride, chlorine and other toxins in our municipal water supplies).? Fluoride contributes to many health problems in America, including thyroid disease, bone cancer, dental fluorosis and decreased IQ in children. Chlorine destroys the healthy fauna in our GI tract.
15. I eat lots of nuts and seeds.? Brazil nuts, raw cashews, raw almonds, raw pecans, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts and others all have minerals and fats that are vital to helping the body function optimally. ?I don?t eat any that have oils or MSG listed in their ingredients.
16. I?ve switched to Celtic Sea Salt and Himalayan Salt. ?There are many different minerals that can be found it sea salt that our bodies need.? Himalayan salt has over 80 essential minerals (table salt only has one, iodine).
17. I eat prunes.? Prunes have been shown to help keep the calcium in our bones much better than calcium supplements.

Other changes that I have implemented

1. I?ve switched to an all-natural deodorant (no aluminum). I?m also careful to buy bathing products, sunscreens, lotions and makeup that do not contain toxic substances.? Many are endocrine or brain chemistry disruptors.? (google ?toxic cosmetic? to see lists of ingredients to avoid.)
2. I use natural cleaning products and avoid bleach.
3. I?ve switched our entire family to a non-fluoride toothpaste.? The fluoride we consume contributes to our out-of-whack thyroids and can make us gain weight and make it more difficult to lose weight.
4. I exercise regularly.
5. I try to get some sun every day. 15-20 minutes in the summer without sunscreen (before skin turns pink) for optimal vitamin D levels and also to improve and maintain good vision.
6. I sleep well.? I get at least 8 hours of quality sleep per night in complete darkness.
7. I?ve done everything I can do to decrease exposure to electromagnetic frequencies in my bedroom (no alarm clock, CFL light bulbs or cordless phone by my bed. I sleep on a grounding pad and use a Qlink nimbus to bring harmony to the chaotic EMF fields in our house and bedroom).
8. I NEVER get the flu shot ? I refuse to knowingly put aluminum, formaldahyde and mercury in my body.? Instead I maintain a strong immune system through diet and supplements. (http://www.flu-treatments.com/flu-shot-ingredients.html)
9. I spend time in prayer and meditation every day.
10. I stay connected with friends.
11. I give back (help people get healthy, mentor young moms, raise amazing kids (I hope) and serve at my children?s school)

I do take supplements

1. Vitamin D3 ? 1000 IUs in the summer and 5000 IUs in the winter.
2. Krill oil ? essential fatty acids and astaxanthin for brain health.
3. One good quality, whole food probiotic daily to build healthy flora/fauna and immunity.? I also eat sauerkraut and kimchi.
4. Whole food multi-vitamin and mineral supplement for overall health.? Synthetic vitamins are not easily absorbed by the body.
5. Melatonin for sleep (also a powerful antioxidant).
6. Garlic, coconut oil, manuka honey and apple cider vinegar ? to stave off bacteria and viruses.
7. Gingko Biloba for memory enhancement, improved vision and blood circulation.

Some of my favorite things:

Best Whole Food Supplements and Nutritional Products

Favorite Books

Best Skin Care

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Mother of two, wife of one, home manager, gardener, student of health and wellness, world traveler, nature lover, researcher, Jesus follower, community builder. I'm seeking to become resilient and to live sustainably. I desire to give back and share what I'm learning with others.

Source: http://transitionnow.wordpress.com/2012/08/23/kims-tips-for-great-health/

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