Want to Maximize your Daily Health, Happiness and Pleasure? Try these 10 Healthy Habits

Your daily checklist to maximize life

 Start & End Day w/2 min deep breathing. Set attitude and release stress.

 Get up and drink one glass of warm water

 Eat 3-5 small meals a day

 Balance each meal/snack with Protein, Carbohydrate, Fiber & Good Fats

 Move for ½ hour daily and then at least for 1 min every hour

 Drink 1/2 your weight in ounces of water, not bottled water; add lemon or a tsp of apple cider vinegar for bonus health benefits

 Say NO to 1 unhealthy lifestyle choice per day 

 Say something positive and encouraging to yourself and some-one else today

 Minimize the chemical impact on your body: ex-no BPA, Stay away from the dirty dozen (www.EWG.org)

 Sleep for 7-8 hours

 

Food as my medicine cabinet? You Betcha!

Raw Apple Cider Vinegar

This is naturally fermented apple cider that has not been pasteurized and still contains probiotics, enzymes and minerals. I am not quoting from the medical literature here but experience which to me is valid. This can help to restore proper ph levels in your body, it’s an immune booster, will help cut a cough and runny nose, as well as flu symptoms, it’s anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal and can be taken daily during the winter months to help fight infections!  It’s also great for yeast infections, skin/intestinal detox, and digestive disorders. Simply mix with raw honey with apple cider vinegar and make apple tea. We use tons of it in flackers as well so enjoy and eat up guilt free.

Ginger:

Yes, good ol fashion just plain ginger root that you can find in the produce department is quite the magical healer! Clinical studies have shown that ginger is helpful for reducing nausea, especially for long car rides, and pregnant ladies.. Simply peel off the tough outer layer and slice off a few inches.  I typically use about an inch of the root and slice it into thin discs and then add then to a hot cup of water.  Allow it to seep for 10-15 minutes and enjoy with some raw honey for a wonderful, soothing and warming tea.

Raw Honey

This is unadulterated honey that has not been heated, changed altered or pasteurized, so it retains all of the natural enzymes and healing properties present from nature. Because of raw honey’s enzymes and minerals and trace amounts of pollen, it makes a fabulous cough suppressant and healing agent.  It is also naturally antimicrobial, which again helps with sore and irritated throats and can also be used on cuts, shallow topical abrasions and boo boos to ward off infection.

1 tsp raw honey

1/4 tsp of cinnamon mixed and yum! great for colds and coughs

Garlic

Garlic contains allicin which has strong antimicrobial effects. I have read can be equivalent to anywhere from 1% to 20% of a standard penicillin dose. It also contains sulphur compounds, this is where much of it’s healing power is, as well as vitamins C and B, flavanoids (antioxidants), and the trace minerals selenium and germanium (excellent for cancer prevention among other things).

The active components in garlic are heat sensitive and fairly volatile, and therefore most of it’s benefit will be lost if the garlic is cooked. Please, by all means, continue to cook with lots of garlic just because it tastes amazing  but for optimal medicinal use, it must be eaten and crushed raw to truly be effective.

Chamomile Tea:

Chamomile is a small, daisy-looking flower that has been used since ancient times to calm the nervous system, relive anxiety and aid in digestion. It is easiest taken as a tea. I like to mix it with peppermint or ginger as a remedy tea wonderful for aiding in digestion. It’s great for calming down little ones too, especially before bed; I know…and your welcome moms (: It can also sometimes work for relieving stress headaches although I also use a dab of lavender oil for these as well.

 

Spring Forward; Cleanse & Energize

Spring is my favorite time of year. The grey and white world of winter blossoms into vibrant colors and greens. It is the perfect time to be thinking about a cleanse; to lessen our bodies’ burden of harmful chemicals and to refresh; restore balance and revitalize. By following these simple effective internal spring cleaning tips you can help your body detoxify and restore your systems’ balance, optimal health and abundant energy.

1. Increase healthy liquids: Simply increasing healthy liquids, will shift your bodies’ balance strongly toward improved elimination and less toxin buildup. Healthy fluids help dilute and eliminate toxin accumulations, pure water being the most important detoxifier. It helps clean us through our skin and kidneys, and it improves our sweating with exercise. Try and eliminate all stimulants like coffee and chemical drinks, like sodas, alcohol and enjoy the purifying effects of healthier liquids such as water (1/2 your weight in ounces per day) along with herb teas, and teas high in anti-oxidants such as green tea or red tea (rooibios).You can also enhance the detoxifying benefits of water by adding a tsp of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar and consume ten minutes prior to eating every meal.

 

1. Fiber is a wonderful detoxification supporter, helping to cleanse and pull toxins from the intestines. I recommend adding chia seeds, fresh ground flax seeds or flackers to your daily menu. This will provide your body with excellent fiber, plant lignans and healthy fats known as omega-3 fatty acids. Other good sources of fiber are fresh vegetables and fruit, especially berries.

 

1. To help maximize your spring cleaning program, increase your intake of organic fresh fruits, herbs and vegetables. Have at least three colors of vegetables with every meal, add medicinal cleansing potent anti-oxidants filled herbs to your food; cilantro, onions, parsley, dandelion, and garlic. To help promote optimal liver function, the main detoxification center in our bodies, I suggest 1-2 servings of artichokes and 2-3 servings of brassica family (broccoli sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, kholrabi) per day. These foods will promote healthy digestion, increase flow of bile and help with the elimination of harmful environmental chemicals and heavy metals.

And finally, get outside and play, enjoy and move your body. Your body will love you and you will feel fabulous!

To your optimal health,

Alison Levitt, MD