Live Long Naturally ©2012

In looking to research 2 popular and 1 not-s0-popular diets, I came across many such as: the Hallelujah Diet, Shangri-La, and even a French Women Don’t Get Fat diet (among many others). I was pleasantly surprised to come across one that I would actually recommend to someone in need of structure and accountability.

Personally I don’t believe someone should need to pay someone on a weekly or monthly basis to tell him/her to eat better (and less). Weight should never be an issue! A foolproof way to accomplish that is to eat healthy most hours of the day and days of the week. What constitutes healthy? Food without labels! It as simple as that!

The not-so-popular, but highly effective diet that encourages this type of eating is the Pritikin Diet. It has been referred to as the Recession Diet.  Most of the foods can be purchased in bulk, thereby saving you money! Why pay for packaging? The foods on this diet include:

• Fruits and vegetables
• Whole grains, beans and peas
• Starchy vegetables like potatoes and yam
• Nonfat dairy (or soy) and fish

It is based on 30 years of scientific research, it includes exercise and stress management, and… UCLA Scientists have published over 100 clinical studies in various medical journals including New England Journal of Medicine. Benefits include:

• Long-term weight loss
• Reduction of all heart disease risk factors
• Lowered blood pressure and cholesterol
• Eliminating need for angioplasty and heart bypass surgery
• Control/reversal of Diabetes
• Reducing/eliminating pain and arthritis
• Elimination of many medications
• Reduced risks for breast, colon and  prostrate cancer

The benefit of living a longer naturally healthy life is priceless. For less than $20 (book), you can learn the Pritikin Principle, lower your grocery bill, and see the pounds and inches melt away without ever having to diet again.

isn’t it time you feed your body and not just your taste taste buds?

For those of you who don’t know what Kombucha is… it is a sparkling and invigorating fermented tea. It is highly beneficial – once brewed, the tea contains Vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, and B12, folic acid, antioxidants, enzymes, probiotics, polyphenols, and glucuronic acid (which helps detoxify the body and liver). It has been around for centuries, used by many to increase energy, aid in weight loss, improve well-being, and cure diseases.

There are “starter” batches sold in the range of $30, though… you don’t need it to start making your own. Simply get yourself a raw unflavored store brand and use that as a starter tea. The are many variations to the recipes and the supplies needed. I will say that quite often less is more. You don’t need fancy equipment or tea bags for that matter.

One last key to making your own flawless batches are to keep your hands and all supplies/ingredients clean at all times.

Eat slowly, chew thoroughly, and stop before feeling “stuffed.” Wait 15 minutes before going back for 2nds. Before any meal and throughout the day, drink plenty of water between meals – a half hour before or after helps you eat less, weigh less and helps keep you full longer.

It’s not what we do on the holidays or special occasions that make or break our health – it is what we do most hours of the day and days of the week. 

CHEERS & BON APPETIT… just remember to savor the taste to lessen thy waist.

“Everyone should be held responsible for what they eat, just as they are for what they drink when driving.” Jane Goodall

It’s been said, we are what we eat. However, it is more than that… we are what we eat, drink, absorb, think, and believe. So why wouldn’t we want to make it positive, great and healthy?

Think about what you eat before you eat it. If you think you will have “eaters remorse” you probably will. Before allowing your taste buds or emotions to eat you into oblivion or eaters remorse, ask yourself if it will bring you closer to health and your naturally good looks or farther away faster. This simple question has helped me and many others avoid certain foods or drinks, which in turn makes looking in the mirror the next day easier.

Eating healthy most days of the week and hours of the day and can do wonders at helping a person look and feel their absolute best without ever having to “diet” again. As we age, the months and years seem to fly by faster – before we know it, a decade has passed, wrinkles have appeared and clothes have gotten larger.

Think long term…

How I would love pizza more often, but looking and especially feeling less than I am capable of just isn’t worth it, at least NOT on a daily basis. A single binging frenzy can puff me up from head to toe and everything in between. If I ate whatever I wanted when I wanted, I would no doubt be fat!

Challenge yourself to eat better for a week – experience and appreciate how it will make you look and feel. Your body will respond surprisingly well to a healthy diet and lifestyle. Once you attain your optimal health and weight, your body will speak volumes if and when you do eat poorly. These signs, along with the overall fat and cellulite, are built in gauges telling you your body is in dire need of cleansing.

Disappearing eyelids, an overnight growth of jowls and the belly growing bigger than the bottom are a small price to pay compared to the damage being done to our long-term health.

A mirror doesn’t lie… let it be one of your guides, gauges and scream for help in looking and feeling your absolute best!