Happy New Year!!

You are probably taking stock of how much weight you put on over the holidays and what you are going to do differently this year to ensure you are healthier and happier in the New Year.

below you will find Ten Tips on healthier eating, however I want to point out that people who are also committed to regular exercise... meaning 5/6 days a week, every week are nearly always within a normal weight range.  So along with eating healthier make a plan to get more regular exercise. 

1.Eat more in-season local organic foods

Big supermarkets supply foods, which have been picked, unripened, shipped thousands of kilometers and have often been sprayed with pesticides. Let’s say no to such foods, which hook us on oil dependence and are no good for our health. Find a local farmers' market or organic supermarket in your community and vote with your shopping dollars by supporting them. The added benefit of eating in season means that you’ll also likely find that it’s cheaper!

2.Enjoy a salad with every meal

Not everyone wants to be a 100% raw foodist and honestly it’s not always the best option for everybody. We do know for a fact though that most of us are not eating enough raw foods and we must do something about it. The easiest way to start introducing more raw foods is to add a salad with every meal. And if you’re convinced that the salads you make are tasteless and devoid of flavor then you need to explore more raw food cooking techniques. Look for a class in your local area or you can check

3.Drink more clean water

De-hydration is prolific in modern society causing headaches, weight gain and constipation.  Aim to drink at least 8 glasses per day. You will have fewer problems going to the toilet and this extra hydration will assist in flushing out the toxins of our modern westernized society.

4.Cut down on the White food

Weston A. Price had it figured out in the 1930’s. Processed and de-vitalized foods, in particular processed grain foods such as white bread and pastries, are detrimental to human health leading to weight gain, diabetes and other diseases of lifestyle. Make a commitment to cut down on these foods by eating more whole foods and sprouted grains.

5.Try new foods once a week

Make it your little experiment to try something new and exciting each week. From grabbing a handful of mung beans and sprouting them in a jar to slicing a fennel bulb and adding in grapefruit and seeds for a salad. Hey, why not even buy a bunch of celery and your favorite nut butter and indulge. The point is that we often tend to eat the same things over and over again and hence get the same results over and over again.

6.Eliminate deep fried fast foods

Deep fried fast foods are bad, we all know it so just give it up and stop eating them. They are addictive and cause weight gain, skin outbreaks and pimples. Yuck...

7. Eliminate Soft Drink and other sugary drinks

Soft Drink is loaded with sugar and calories.  It has no redeeming health value so cut it out for good.

8. Clear out Processed and Packaged Food from your pantry.

In order to have a long shelf life these foods and loaded with chemicals and preservatives.  The body has to detox these chemicals which means it weaken your immune system over time so that you develop allergies, colds etc..

9.Supplement your diet

Not everyone is an angel when it comes to his or her food habits.  These slips in our habits normally catch us when were out of our comfort zone, traveling, away from our familiar kitchen and on the run. Supplements are not to be seen as ‘covering’ you in these situations more that they are there as an insurance policy. Making sure that with a predominantly healthy diet you’ll be ensuring adequate intake of a healthy array of vitamins, minerals, essential fats and enzymes to ensure optimal health and immunity.

10. Give yourself a Break.

Food was meant to be enjoyed with family and friends. Make a goal to health well at least 6 days a week and if you must cheat, do so only on one day.  The idea here is that you will notice how your cheat food makes you feel… NOT GOOD! And you will begin to cheat less and less.

There you have it, 10 ideas for a healthy and abundant New Year! 

Dr Pia Martin DC ,CCN

http://www.cre8wellness.com