Sue Hardman

Nourish + Rejuvenate

Womans health

Do you know the difference between Good Fat & Bad Fat?

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THE WHAT  and THE WHY – WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT FAT

good fat for heart healthFor so many years, health experts have preached that a low fat diet was the way for you to lose weight and be healthier. They proclaimed fats as your enemy, linking them to heart disease and other illnesses.

The food industry jumped on this “theory” and bombarded us with fat-free and low-fat “food” options. A walk down the supermarket aisle will confirm our obsession with fat-free foods.

To ensure that the flavour of foods was not compromised, they added sugar in increasing amounts. So, while our low-fat options exploded, so did obesity rates, as well as other related health issues.

Clearly, low-fat did not deliver the promised results. We now know that healthy fats DO NOT make you fat. In fact, they are one of the three macronutrients, along with carbohydrates and protein, that your body NEEDS to function at optimal levels.

And, truth be told, fats help us stay slim!! The right fats can help you become lean, healthy and vibrant.

THE WHY

So, why do we need fats in our diets, how much is enough, and what kind of fats should we incorporate into a balance eating plan?

Fats provide essential fatty acids (EFA’s) – essential for your body to function and to prevent disease. EFA’s help to build and protect cell membranes from inflammation, produce hormones, absorb vitamins effectively, protect your nerves, and support basic brain function, protect your heart, keep your essential fatty acidskin and hair soft and subtle, lubricate your joints.

Fats deliver vitamins A, D, E, and K to your cells and are also are a great source of energising fuel.

So, you can see that your body really can’t function without them!

THE WHAT

How do you know if you’re getting enough ‘good’ fat?Your body will send you warning signs that you’re potentially deficient these signals could include the following:

  • Dry, itchy, flaky skin
  • Brittle nails
  • Tiny bumps on the back of your arms or on your torso
  • Achy and stiff joints
  • Memory issues
  • Diabetes
  • Weight gain
  • Painful periods or PMT

THE BAD FATS:

Let’s take a closer look at the different types of fats. The standard diet consists mainly of artery-clogging saturated and trans fats.

Why? Because they taste so good and are widely available in our food supply.

Fats (saturated and trans fats), together with salt and sugars, enhance the flavors of foods and keep you coming back for more.

Most of us have heard about the bad saturated fats. Usually solid at room temperature, found in animal products such as meat and diary.

Most processed foods on supermarket shelves are made with poor-quality omega-6 fats from refined, processed vegetable oils. They’re abundant, very cheap, taste good and improve texture.

Trans fats are unsaturated fats that have been altered though the process of hydrogenation to extend their shelf life. These should be avoided at all costs, as they are associated with heart disease, insulin resistance, obesity, type 2 diabetes (think: packaged cookies, pastries, muffins, and cakes).

THE GOOD FATS

Healthy unsaturated fats play a huge role in your overall health and well-being.

They are either polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats and are considered good fats because they help lower your cholesterol levels, which can reduce the risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Polyunsaturated fats:
Provide you with essential fatty acids (EFA’s), essential meaning we must get them from our diet as our body does not manufacture them. These fatty acids keep your brain functioning well and aid in the healthy growth and development of your body.These “good” fats also help your body produce prostaglandins otherwise known as the hormones that cool off inflammation.

Omega-3 EFA’s, found in oily fish such as salmon, tuna, and sardines, as well as flaxseeds, chia seeds, avocado and walnuts, are central to reducing inflammation and heart disease.

It’s always best to get your omega-3s from food, but supplement if you need to.

Most people get too many omega-6 fatty acids from vegetable oils and margarine.

Monounsaturated fats:
Found in peanut butter, nuts, olive oil, sesame oil, and avocado. olive is a good fat

Exception to the rule – coconut oil, can be metabolised by the body faster than others, hence they are rarely stored as fat. Read more about that here.

For good health and a balanced diet

It is important to get fats from both polyunsaturated and monounsaturated sources.

The more omega-3 fats you eat, the easier your body can cool off, which means less inflammation- the root of nearly every chronic disease, especially those impacting the brain and the heart.

Your brain is completely dependent on these high-quality fats. In fact, it is made up of 60 percent fat. High-quality fat boosts cognition, happiness, learning and memory.

In contrast, studies link a deficiency of omega-3 fatty acids to depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and even violence.
Your heart will also thank you for eating more omega-3s, which help lower levels of bad fats (triglycerides) and raise levels of good fats (HDL). Omega-3 fats make blood more slippery, reducing the likelihood of artery disease.

And remember, the next time you are in the supermarket and spot a fat-free or low-fat label on a food item, take that as a red flag and your cue to run as fast as you can to the fresh produce section!   

A few things you should consider when selecting your fat sources:

  • Buy small amounts of fats in non-plastic containers. Oil that sits in large bottles shelves for months begins to degrade over time due to the constant exposure to heat, light, and oxygen.Additionally, avoid oils and fats in plastic containers at all costs, since the plastic leaches into oil or fat – a toxic mix!
  • Change it up: it’s important not to get stuck in a fat rut! To ensure you’re reaping all the health benefits that different kinds of fats provide.In my kitchen, I have several oils to choose from: coconut oil, ghee, sesame oil, walnut oil, extra-virgin olive oil, and flaxseed oil, to name a few. I try to vary my use throughout the week.I also like to get fat-rich sources from foods like avocados, nuts, wild trout or salmon, flaxseed meal, walnuts, or chia seeds, some of which are rich in anti-inflammatory omega-3s.

 

If you’re struggling with tiredness, low energy or wanting to lose your excess weight, and any kind of hormone imbalance. I’ve  put together a FREE guide for you, so you can start to learn how and why specific foods, and drinks, can help you have more energy and lose weight naturally. 

You’ll find it is easy to add these ingredients into your diet on a daily basis – get your downloadable guide here

In fact, at the end, I’m going to share one simple recipe you can make in under five minutes that incorporates all of these foods.

5foods-loss-weight

Get your copy of the FREE guide:
5 Foods that will help boost Your Energy Levels and Lose Weight Naturally.

 

HERE

Broccoli essential for hormones and your liver

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You’re Liver Will Love You If You Eat More Broccoli (and Brassicas)

What’s it with this tradition of having Brussels sprouts ( same family as broccoli) at Christmas? Love them or hate them? It seems you can’t have a traditional Christmas dinner without them, at least in many parts of the world.

There is a reason that they are a great addition to a meal – read on!

So if you’re not partial to Brussel sprouts, include other members of the Brassica family – broccoli, kale, cauliflower, rocket and cabbage (basically means cabbage) family.

So, why eat brassicas anyway?
Brassicas contain good substances (I3Cs – indole-3-carbinols, DIM and glucosinolates) which help boost the liver’s ability to eliminate and deal with unwanted toxins that we consume – including alcohol and chemicals. Even unwanted hormones!

Liver support
Your liver is your waste disposal unit – it works hard to process and metabolise toxins and hormones, thereby making them safe to be eliminated. The liver needs good quality fuel in the form of nutrients to work efficiently.

Brassicas are nearly unrivaled as a food source for activating glutathione (the mother of all antioxidants) and supporting detoxification of many chemical substances through your liver.  Also, be sure to also include plenty of antioxidants from brightly coloured, fruit and vegetables with the brassicas.

What’s The Role of Brassicas in Hormone Balance
For women the reason these veggies are so vital is that they can help do amazing things in for your body. They actually help promote healthy levels of ‘good’ oestrogens and help remove ‘bad’ oestrogens from the body.

It’s the livers critical role to keeping your hormones in balance, by eliminating the excess oestrogens. The liver uses the I3C’s and diindolylmethane (DIM) in this process.

The wrong kind of oestrogen could be the reason you’re having problems like migraines, food cravings, PMS, infertility, heavy periods, fibroids, endometriosis and other issues related to the female reproductive system.

Nutrient Rich
The brassicas are powerhouses of nutrients including vitamin C, vitamin K, all the B vitamins and carotenoids. Those in the know will say that one could hardly consume enough of these veg in one day to reap all the health benefits, with evidence in both cancer research and liver detoxification.

Brassicas are also very beneficial for the immune, digestive and cardiovascular systems due to their high volume of fibre.

Anti-ageing and Metabolism Boost [Hot off the press]
Scientists have discovered a natural compound NMN found in broccoli, cabbage (edamame, avocado, and cucumber) that has “fantastic anti-ageing effects in mice” – and  that could work on humans. (They’ve now started trialing this with humans)

So far, they’ve seen numerous positive effects on mice – their level of physical activity increased, bone density and muscles improved, the immune system and liver performed better, their eyesight improved and they even lost weight.

As animals get older, they produce less NAD which is involved in energy production in the body. They gave mice NMN to see if this would boost levels of NAD and have a rejuvenating effect.

Asked if this worked, lead researcher Professor Shin-ichiro Imai, of Washington University in St Louis, said: “The answer is basically yes. As a matter of fact, NMN has remarkable anti-ageing effects in mice.”

So watch this space and all the more reason to keep eating broccoli!

Try this delicious Red Cabbage Salad Recipe
My suggestion is to have your fill of brassica veg this Christmas and support your liver. It might be working harder than usual.

A Word For If You Have Thyroid Issues

In the past those with thyroid issues may have been told that the goitrogens, found in the brassicas, can do their body more harm than good.

A recent assessment published in Nutrition Review looked at the evidence and found – that the usual daily intake is far lower than what could ever negatively affect your thyroid.

This is especially true if you cook them, as it de-activates the goiterogen.
Many doctors, including the most renowned thyroid experts, would say that it’s nearly impossible to consume enough goitrogens to become a real problem. This is true unless the foods highest in this plant chemical ie. Russian/Siberian kale, some collards, and Brussels sprouts, turnips and rutabagas – are eaten daily, as a staple and in the presence of iodine deficiency.

In fact, you’d have to consume over one kilogram of un-cooked or raw vegetables every day for several months before you developed symptoms.

So, yes you can safely enjoy Brassica vegetables, which is good news for you as they really are associated with a wide range of health benefits.

Flax Seeds – Why You Should Use Daily

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A daily dose of Flax Seeds – provide you with Omega 3’s and help to balance your hormones

Why are flax seeds so good for everyone – in particular helping women balance their hormones?

Flax seeds are very high in lignans or phyto-oestrogens and bear a strong resemblance to the female hormone oestrogen in shape, structure, and some functionality. Phyto-eostrogens are plant compounds that have very mild oestrogenic effects that can be used to modulate the influence of the body’s excess oestrogenic hormones on body tissues. Phyto-oestrogens help with hormone imbalance and may help prevent many types of cancer, such as breast, colon and prostate cancer The flax seed plant contains a higher concentration of photo -oestrogen lignans than any other food.

Aside from the lignans flaxseds are loaded with the best source of vegetarian essential fatty acid Omega-3 (or ALA) essential to our health and wellbeing.  More than that, our bodies can’t produce these fatty acids on their own. So you have to get them as part of your diet.

Flaxseed contains a perfect balance of omega-3’s and omega-6’s which work to form the membranes of every cell in your body and play a vital role in the active tissues of your brain.

Flaxseeds can also improve the quality of your hair, nails, and skin, as well as helping you to lose weight or bulk up, and it lowers cholesterol, blood pressure and prevents arthritis and cancers.

Flax seed also really helps the digestive system creating an ease of bowel movement combatting constipation. One of the great benefits also is the help flaxseed can bring during the menopause.

What else do Flax seeds Help You With?
– Contain complete proteins  (it has all the essential amino acids your body needs)
– High in minerals like potassium, magnesium, iron and zinc and B vitamins
– Important role in the metabolism of fat
– Full of both soluble and insoluble fibre (you need both types),
– Flaxseeds contribute to an alkaline pH balance in the body

Research Backs Flax Benefits
Recent research indicates that flaxseed may have the ability to reduce blood pressure, lower level of harmful cholesterol, offer both estrogen-like and anti-estrogenic effects, and is being studied for its ability to protect against cancer.

Follow up studies show that just 2-3 tablespoons of flax daily can help up to 2/3rds of severely depressed women bounce back within eight weeks. Flax, says Udo Erasmus, PhD, has a mood boosting ingredient: docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) that is essential for the proper function of brain cells, yet up to 85% of women aren’t getting enough of it.

How to store flax seeds
The best way to keep a fresh supply of flaxseeds either ground or whole is to store them in an airtight container in the freezer and use them as you need them.Flax seeds

How to use flax seeds
For both hormone health and general health, it’s a good idea to have 1-2 tablespoons of ground flaxseeds a day, preferably added to other foods like breakfast cereals, soups, salads, yoghurt.

Here are some ideas:
1. Add to cereals, oats or porridge, topped with fruit and cinnamon
2. Sprinkle on salads, along with ground/whole pumpkin, sesame and sunflower seeds
3. Add to your soup (add at the very end, so that heat doesn’t destroy the essential fatty acids)
4. Sprinkle on baked peaches, custard, rice pudding or fruit and yoghurt just before serving
5. Add to fruit smoothies or green / vegetable smoothies

If you’re struggling with any kind of hormone imbalance, tiredness, low energy or wanting to lose your excess weight. I’ve  put together a FREE guide for you, so you can start to learn how and why specific foods, and drinks, can help you have more energy and lose weight naturally. 

You’ll find it is easy to add these ingredients into your diet on a daily basis – get your downloadable guide here

In fact, at the end, I’m going to share one simple recipe you can make in under five minutes that incorporates all of these foods.

5foods-loss-weight

Get your copy of the FREE guide:
5 Foods that will help boost Your Energy Levels and Lose Weight Naturally.

 

HERE

Prevent osteoporosis and increase bone density

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Stop osteoporosis and strengthen your bones as you age – the 6 Do’s and Don’ts

This blog was inspired by my grandmother.

After my grandfather died my granny lived for many years on her own with her dog for company, doing everything for herself, well into her late 80’s. She really cherished her independence until the day she slipped and broke her hip, her life was never the same again. She had osteoporosis.

She was moved to an old age home so she could be taken care of. Her hip never really fully recovered and she struggled to walk properly again. She was kind of happy and cared for, but she’d lost her independence and she had to stay in the home for the rest of her life. Not an uncommon story, but I wanted to dedicate my article to her and to you, so you have essential knowledge about keeping your bones strong and healthy as you age.

When it comes to the health of your bones from the age of 35 your bone mass declines. Adopting the right strategies to prevent low bone density or osteoporosis needs to start before you get a diagnosis. In the article I’ve given you a few essentials to consider, that will help keep you strong and stable as you age.

Strong Bones – 6 Do’s and Don’ts!



The health of your bones is instrumental to your health and longevity. Bone formation peaks between the ages of 20 and 30. After the age of 35 you begin to lose bone mass unless you take action to prevent it!

We all seem to have it in our heads that we only need calcium to build healthy, strong bones. However there’s far more to the story to giving you fracture free strong bones, both now and down the road. There are other essentials components for better calcium absorption and stronger bones.

1. Physical activity – your bone is a dynamic living tissue that gets stronger when stressed and weaker when not used. So the best way to improve your bone mass is with weight-bearing exercise, strength training and improving your coordination and balance (with yoga or Tai Chi).

Weight-bearing exercise includes walking, running, dancing and stair climbing. Strength trainer-718x581ctraining (lights weights or using your own body weight) has been found to prevent falls—the most common cause of hip and wrist fractures— when you get older. Swimming and cycling are less effective for maintaining strong bones because they are not weight-bearing.

Try to get 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity daily, including weight-bearing exercise, strength training (at least twice a week), and activities that improve balance to help prevent falls.

2. Calcium – You need 1,000 mg under the age of 50 and 1,200 mg over the age of 50.

700mg a day = eat a handful of almonds, an orange or a serving of broccoli. Other good sources include sardines and sesame seeds.

3. Key nutrients or co-factors are necessary to support the absorption of Calcium into your bones.

a) Vitamin D – is essential.  If you’ve not had much sunlight exposure you might be deficient. You can also get it from foods such as oily fish and egg yolks. About 400IU/day

b) The support of probiotics. A recent research study found women 48 and older who took a probiotic supplement for at least eight weeks improved their bone density by 36%, compared to those who didn’t take a probiotic.

c) Omega 3 – found in flax, oily fish and chia seeds increases the absorption of calcium plus omega 3 is anti-inflammatory. To much inflammation stimulates the bone dissolving cells (osteoclasts).

d) Vitamin K – is a fat-soluble vitamin found in broccoli, cauliflower and green leafy veg. It’s needed to make a protein that’s essential for your bone formation. A study found that those who consumed moderate or high amounts of vitamin K from vegetables had a 30% lower risk of hip fractures than women consuming little or none. Only 100-150mg per day is needed, 500mg of kale gives you your daily portion.

e) Magnesium intake regulates calcium absorption into the bones and approximately 50% of total body magnesium is found in your bone. Calcium and magnesium work together like 2 sides of a coin. If you consume a 1,000 mg of calcium per day, then you need at least 500-800 mg of magnesium.

4. Mediterranean diet – latest research shows your skeleton needs a wide range of nutrients to stay young, several studies have found that higher intakes of fruits and vegetables, particularly those rich in potassium, are associated with lower risk of fractures.

Eat a minimum of 7 servings of a variety of different coloured fruits or vegetables daily. Olive oil can raise your blood levels of osteocalcin a marker of strong bones. The antioxidant Lycopene found in tomato can help reduce fractures.

5. Another reason to eat your vegetables – is your diet acidic or alkaline? Calcium is stored in your skeleton and is used to neutralise acids in the body. 

Dr Susan Lanham-558985_570293236324447_1832435506_nNew, professor at the University of Surrey, completed an analysis of clinical trials of the alkaline diet and its potential benefits. ‘An alkaline diet would be beneficial to all women as it appears to help conserve calcium and benefits muscle, heart and bone function.’ 

Acid forming diets are rich in grains, proteins and diary will leach calcium from your bones, fruit & vegetables are classed as alkaline and reverse this process in your body.

6. What to drink? Try to reduce caffeine as it’s diuretic effects increases the amount of calcium you excrete for several hours after we drink it. 

Research also shows that caffeine may interfere with the absorption of Vitamin D. Since Vitamin D is necessary for the body’s absorption and use of calcium. 

Avoid fizzy drinks, they contain phosphoric acid which interferes with calcium absorption.

The good news for wine lovers – Oregon state University suggest a small glass of wine with dinner may be good for bones, but that’s in moderation of course go – overboard and it has the reverse effect.

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If you’re struggling with any kind of  imbalance, tiredness, low energy, hormonal or wanting to lose your excess weight. I’ve  put together a FREE guide for you, so you can start to learn how and why specific foods, and drinks, can help you have more energy and lose weight naturally. 

You’ll find it is easy to add these ingredients into your diet on a daily basis – get your downloadable guide here

In fact, at the end, I’m going to share one simple recipe you can make in under five minutes that incorporates all of these foods.

5foods-loss-weight

Get your copy of the FREE guide:
5 Foods that will help boost Your Energy Levels and Lose Weight Naturally.

 

HERE

 

Glowing Skin Is An Inside Job

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The Essential’s To Having Healthy, Glowing Skin

We’ve all heard the expression “you are what you eat”, and your skin is no exception. Glowing skin isn’t just an outside job.

As a Naturopath, I’ve had first hand experience with acne in my teens and twenties, along with bad skin pigmentation when I was pregnant.

I also believe that we can do a lot to reduce the effects of ageing and actually regenerate our skin. I’ve seen first-hand that your skin is a mirror of your internal health. The right nutrients can make all the difference; especially as we age…they’re essential to glowing skin.

Simple Fact:  Your skin is your largest organ. It’s your protective covering and your first line of defence to fight illness and disease. It is also a passageway to your bloodstream. That being said, what you apply topically on your skin, as well as what you eat, will affect the overall health & appearance of your skin.

So let’s get started from the inside out.

A quote from a well known skin doctor: “Certain foods have powerhouse ingredients that keep skin supple and smooth and help fight age-related damage”, says Nicholas Perricone, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and author of “Ageless Face, Ageless Mind”.

First off, we need to HYDRATE the skin. That means drinking plenty of water. You need at least the recommended 6-8 glasses/day. If you are physically active, live in a warm climate, or feel thirsty, you may need to up your daily intake. Also, as we age, skin tends to become dehydrated a lot more quickly, causing it to wrinkle, so ample hydration is key.

Eat your superfoods! If it’s good for your health, it’s good for your skin too! Some examples:

  • Stress relieving foodOmega-3 fatty acids are found in fatty fish, such as herring, sardines, and salmon. Other sources of omega-3s include flaxseeds & walnuts. Omega-3s are known to decrease inflammation and may reduce the risk of acne and other skin problems.
  • Vitamin C helps produce collagen & prevents cells from damage caused by free radicals. Great sources are oranges, pineapples, tomato, strawberries, & bell peppers.
  • Vitamin E helps limit sun damage & signs of aging. Avocados and Almonds are a terrific source of Vitamin E.
  • Vitamin A revitalises skin by increasing cell production and rebuilds tissue. Eggs and dark leafy greens are good choices.
  • Beta-Carotene is needed for growth & repair of tissue. It is found in abundance in orange foods like carrots, sweet potato, pumpkin, and cantaloupe.
  • Other fabulous foods to include to boost your skin health:  dark leafy vegetables, avocados, mushrooms, berries, and, surprise, surprise dark chocolate.

Did you know that your skin is a “breathable” organ? 
Up to 60% of what you apply topically on your skin will be absorbed into your bloodstream, and children absorb even more than that!!!!

Imagine that products you’ve been using for years actually contain harmful ingredients and could damage your health. If so, your first instinct would be to find a healthier alternative, pronto!

Heightened awareness and potential dangers have caused consumers to take a closer look at what they put on their skin and demand safer alternatives.

Many cosmetic companies do NOT list their ingredients, aka toxic chemicals, because they are not required to do so. Several of these toxic chemicals are linked to a host of problems including:  allergies, skin rashes, cancer, headaches, fertility & reproductive issues, birth defects, hormone inhibitors, and more.

Some toxic chemicals that should be avoided:

  • Parabens – often found in many personal care products. parabens are hormone inhibitors & believed to accelerate tumor growth
  • Artificial fragrance & color – may trigger allergies, asthma, and some colors contain lead & harmful dyes
  • Toulene – found in nail polish, hair color products, and some fragrances, this chemical is linked to kidney & liver damage, which may affect fetal growth
  • Sodium Lauryl Sulfate/Sodium Laureth Sulfate – a foaming agent found in shampoos and body/facial washes, it dries out the skin & is linked to eczema, hair- loss, rashes, and dry and scaly skin. (not to mention the effect on fish that are exposed when it ends the water system)
  • Formaldehyde – used as a preservative, formaldehyde is known by several different names & should be avoided at all costs, as the side effects are numerous
  • PEG’s – found in numerous skin & personal care products, this is anti-freeze and should be used in for your car, not your skin!
  • Paraffin/Mineral Oil/Petrolatum – clogs pores, causing toxic build-up ( favourite in baby oil and found in vaseline!)
  • Phthalates – found in plastics, it is a known hormone disruptor
  • Triclosan – used in anti-bacterial products, it is a pesticide, harmful to the environment, and a suspected carcinogenic
  • Sunscreens –Google some of those ingredients and you will see that they cause possible damage to DNA and many are known carcinogens

*****Of course, there are more, but you get the point. If you wouldn’t EAT it, it doesn’t belong on your SKIN.*****

 

If you’re struggling with any kind of hormone imbalance, tiredness, low energy or wanting to lose your excess weight. I’ve  put together a FREE guide for you, so you can start to learn how and why specific foods, and drinks, can help you have more energy and lose weight naturally. 

You’ll find it is easy to add these ingredients into your diet on a daily basis – get your downloadable guide here

In fact, at the end, I’m going to share one simple recipe you can make in under five minutes that incorporates all of these foods.

5foods-loss-weight

Get your copy of the FREE guide:
5 Foods that will help boost Your Energy Levels and Lose Weight Naturally.

HERE

Health and happiness,

Sue

Toxins – 5 Ways To Reduce Them In Your Home

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So you’ve heard about detoxing your body to eliminate internal toxins but what about your home?

The common household and body-care products we use are increasingly being found to have negative health effects on the nervous, immune, reproductive systems, endocrine, cardiovascular and respiratory systems.

The average home contains 500-1,000 chemicals, many of which we are unable to see, smell or taste. Making your home healthier and greener doesn’t have to be expensive, or overwhelming.

Just a few changes can improve the health of your home and everyone in it.

Taking more care to reduce our exposure to external toxins, by detoxing our living space allows the body’s own detoxification to function more efficiently.

Strengthening your body’s resilience to the daily onslaught of toxins impacts your health.

Here are a few ways you can you cut down your exposure to these chemicals and other potential household risks.

Mistake ♯ 1. Plastic bottles, containers and wrap. Plastic releases chemicals that are hormone disruptors, according to many studies.

What to do instead: If you use a lot of bottled water consider this, they’re no good for the environment and bad for your health. Try replacing your plastic for glassware or heavy duty plastic water bottles which are designed to be safely used, again and again. Avoid putting hot or acidic food in plastic, and never microwave them.

Mistake ♯ 2. Even if you live in a place where drinking water is considered good the following contaminants are not usually removed – chlorine, E. coli, pesticides.

What to do instead: Filtered tap water is a better choice than tap water. Simply filtering your tap water can remove lots of these pollutants. A simple jug water filter system may be all you need for drinkable water. There are also filters that attach to a tap or to the plumbing system.

It’s a ‘better safe than sorry’ approach.” You’ll also cut down on waste in landfills by not buying – and then tossing – plastic bottles.

Mistake ♯ 3. Skip antibacterial soap, new research has also shown that triclosan, the main ingredient in antibacterial soap, has the potential to affect sex hormones and interfere with the nervous system.

Antibacterial products contain harsh chemicals like triclosan, which has been linked to liver toxicity and ends up in water sources.

What to do instead: Studies show washing your hands with plain soap is just as effective or try making your own antibacterial spray using tea tree and lavender essential oils they have powerful antibacterial and antiviral properties.

Some researchers believe that the quest for hyper-cleanliness may have led to weakened immune systems, and possibly to more cases of asthma and allergies.

Mistake ♯ 4. Indoor air quality can be worse than outdoors, let your home “breathe.” Open your windows as often as you can, open your curtains and let in the sunlight, a natural antibacterial agent.

Plants that remove toxins in your homeWhat to do instead: Use natures air purifiers – plants.

While most plants take away oxygen at night, the snake plant (or Mother-In-Laws Tongue) gives off oxygen at night, it is extremely low maintenance, tolerant of irregular watering and less lighting, and has the potential to absorb airborne chemicals.

Mistake ♯ 5. Wearing outdoor shoes around your home, particularly relevant if you have a lot of carpets or small children crawling on the floor.

What to do instead: Leave your shoes at the door so that you’re not spreading outdoor pollutants and additional toxins throughout the house. Go barefoot or wear slippers. Place floor mats vertically by your entryways to wipe your shoes. This way more dirt and residue from your shoes stays on the mat. This is the easiest thing you can do, and costs you nothing.

Something else to consider: Is your body trying to tell you something? Do you often look & feel tired, have dark circles under your eyes, or wake up feeling sluggish?

Because Toxins are unavoidable, maybe your body needs a cleanse. So every once in a while it’s a good idea remove them with the structure and support of a fresh food detox!

 

If you’re struggling with any kind of hormone imbalance, tiredness, low energy or wanting to lose your excess weight. I’ve  put together a FREE guide for you, so you can start to learn how and why specific foods, and drinks, can help you have more energy and lose weight naturally. 

You’ll find it is easy to add these ingredients into your diet on a daily basis – get your downloadable guide here

In fact, at the end, I’m going to share one simple recipe you can make in under five minutes that incorporates all of these foods.

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Get your copy of the FREE guide:
5 Foods that will help boost Your Energy Levels and Lose Weight Naturally.

HERE

This Love Your Body Detox Program will take you step-by-step through a simple detox that will make a huge difference in how you feel and look – in just 14 days!

Find out more HERE