As I come to the end of the festive season, I feel ready and excited to get back into a daily rhythm that will allow me to fulfill my 2016 health goals – fitter, leaner, stronger, clearer with an abundance of energy. From this place of health, I’ll be able to reconnect and fulfill my work, relationship and general lifestyle goals.
Over the years, the following guidelines have helped my patients and myself reset and elevate our health. They work, no matter the state of your health or specific health goals.
1. Eliminate or reduce caffeinated drinks such as coffee and green or black teas to 1-2 per day. Make sure they are chemical free by choosing organic unflavoured kinds.
2. Eliminate or reduce alcohol to 1-2 glasses a couple of times per week.
3. Eliminate recreational drugs and slowly reduce over the counter medications. As you get healthier you may not need them.
4. Eliminate refined sugars and processed, ready to eat foods such as breakfast cereals, bread, muesli bars, snack foods, frozen and canned foods. Replace with fresh produce.
5. Eat healthy, organic protein and fats such as grass-fed or pastured meat, poultry, pork, dairy and eggs, preferably nose to tail for extra nutrition.
6. Eat wild, sustainable fish and seafood for real omega 3 benefits.
7. Eat healthy, organic carbohydrates such as seasonal fruit and vegetables and non-gluten grains such as rice and pseudocereals like quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat.
8. Add healthy, organic fats from plants such as olive oil, coconut oil, nuts and seeds to every meal.
9. Enjoy organic healing foods made from bone stock broths and cultured, probiotic rich foods and drinks such as yoghurt, kefir, beet kvass, kombucha or cultured vegetables.
10. Replace pre-made sauces, dressings, spreads, condiments and pastes with healthy, organic dried herbs and spices.
11. Add extra flavour and goodness with fresh organic herbs, lemon or lime zest and juice and apple cider vinegar for anti microbial activity, enzymes and antioxidants.
12. Eliminate processed and refined salt with a natural salt such as sea salt, Himalayan or rock salt.
13. Implement movement into your everyday life: fitness and energising, as well as stretching, flexibility and strength exercises.
14. Dry brush daily to stimulate circulation and lymphatic flow as well as enhance the skin’s eliminative capacity.
15. Sweat out toxins in a sauna, hot yoga or bath a few times per week.
16. Hydrate with plenty of healthy fluids such as filtered water, spring water, organic herbal teas, broths and fresh juices. 2 litres or more per day.
17. Reset your body clock by going to bed by 10pm and waking with the sun.
18. Become mindful of breathing. Breathe with the belly, through the nose, mouth closed, in and out. Breathe clean air by being near the sea or in a park or forest surrounded by trees.
19. Practice a daily meditation and journal in order to reconnect with self and get out of your busy, stressed out mind.
20. Reduce your chemical load: what you eat, what you use on your skin, breath in, clean with, etc. There are plenty of natural, toxin free products that work out there.
21. Chew your food until liquid and eat in a relaxed state.
22. Bathe in sunlight for vitamin D. But of course, be sensible and don’t burn.
23. Start de cluttering a room a week: give away, sell or tidy up.
24. Get into the habit of putting away the things you use. You will create and maintain a calm, ordered and healthy environment.
25. Laugh! After all it’s the best medicine.
