New Year Detox and Wellness Tips

Now that I’m *almost* done with my book, I have more time to dedicate to myself!

I’m highly motivated to get into the best shape of my life in 2019 because I’ll be getting married (!!) plus, the fact that my jeans have been feeling a little tight from post-holiday bloat… ugh. We all have ups and downs and there are bigger problems in the world than gaining a couple pounds, but the thing is – I know I can do better, and I want to do better, for myself and for a challenge.

Also, ever since I’ve started P.volve this past summer, I’ve seen baby ab lines forming (slowly), and I want to see where it can take me if I truly dedicate myself to the program, and actually have fun on the ride instead of judge myself the whole way through. Maybe I’ll get the courage to share a before and after photo… anyways, the tips below are ones that will help you transition your mindset into thinking long-term, rather than quick fix because we all know how that cycle goes… and it’s one that I’m not a fan of. Nothing is ever good enough in the “quick fix” mindset, and nothing ever lasts, either. Thinking long-term takes a lot of the pressure off, is much more sustainable and is healthier for your mental health, sanity and body overall. Am I right?!

These New Year Detox and Wellness Tips can be implemented today! You don’t have to wait until the New Year… why not start right now?! If you have a small goal or aspiration, what’s the good in waiting around? 

New Year Detox and Wellness Tips

1. Movement Everyday

I used to really dread working out. Now, I like to take time for myself to move everyday. Whether it’s a P.volve video, youtube workout, walking, rebounding or yoga, I make it a point to get my body moving everyday, if not 6 days a week. It doesn’t have to be strenuous because that’s not really my style anymore (unless I’m really craving it) and I also workout with my menstrual cycle, but it’s more for my mental clarity and endorphins, and not going to lie, the overall toning and tightening is a large part of it too.

It’s funny because the process of writing a book has been a blessing in disguise for my exercise routine. About 6 months ago, when I started writing, I found myself having no time or motivation to go to the gym, so I started doing home workouts because I like those more anyway (less germs, less people touching equipment, less chance of getting sick, less creepers and less time spent altogether). At the same time, my goals were starting to shift because the strenuous, lifting heavy type of workout was only making me feel bulky, bigger and exhausted. It was also raising my cortisol which was making me hold onto weight which stressed me out even more… ugh!! I was so over it!!! Everyone is different but heavy weights were no longer working for me and I started to despise the gym. I wanted to trim down and bring out my natural lines and curves instead of bulking up and having to eat extra food to grow my muscles. So I didn’t go to the gym for those 6 months and instead, found workouts that made me feel good and didn’t add stress to my life.

I mentioned P.volve earlier because it truly makes me feel amazing and has totally changed my outlook on exercise. It’s intense and burns like crazy, but I’m not dripping sweat or dying after. It’s unlike any other workout I’ve ever tried and takes some getting used to but I feel so energized after, my booty is juicy (he’s called the ass-master) and I truly look forward to it! I’ve noticed lines starting to form down my legs, my arms are more toned and leaned out, my tummy is changing, I’m not as bloated and everything feels tighter. It’s the only program that has changed my body without raising my cortisol and I can imagine myself following this way of exercise for the rest of my life because it’s sustainable and the more you do it, the harder it becomes!! I now stream 40-minute P.volve videos 4-5 times per week and do something else on the other days.

While the founder (Stephen) trains Victorias Secret models, his main focus is the average girl that’s struggling to change her body and is sick of killing herself in the gym (aka, me). His method brings out your natural shape that is unique to you and if you can’t tell already, I’m obsessed. It also helps that he’s super cute (don’t tell Terry) and throughout each video, he explains why each exercise is good for your bones and joints, and what it is doing for your physique, so I’m learning a lot along the way! It’s sort of a cross between pilates, physical therapy, stretching and stepping motions that are meant to activate and elongate your muscles, using light hand and ankle weights and/or resistance bands. I’m not an affiliate – I just started it 6 months ago and am hooked which is saying a lot because I get bored easily. 

So maybe you want to join me on moving your body everyday, or at least working up to it because it does so much for our mental health and well-being, even if it’s just walking 30 minutes per day. Instead of thinking ugh, I have to workout, change your mindset to movement being in your daily routine. Doing that really helped me. I’m so much easier on myself, but am also getting better results… who knew!

2. Include greens at every meal

While this is easy for me now, it wasn’t always that way so don’t get discouraged before you even try. Upping my intake of greens has changed my internal health which has benefited my skin and digestion in a major way. Greens are so alkalizing, they contain lots of fiber, antioxidants vitamins and minerals that are essential for a healthy body. Your cells thrive off of greens and they help keep your blood sugar levels balanced, which reduces cravings for sugar and processed junk and is crucial for lowering stress and inflammation levels in the body.

Everything functions better in your body with more greens and once you begin to incorporate it more often, you’ll start to crave more healthy foods, that is the beauty of eating more greens. Also, romaine or iceberg lettuce don’t really count as green, ha!

After almost 5 years of being vegan, I love and appreciate all the green things. Spinach, spring mix, kale, broccoli, microgreens, sprouted greens, cucumber, celery, green beans, asparagus, zucchini, fresh herbs – I love them all. It’s helpful to make each meal consist of half of something green, and half of whatever else you were planning to eat. Make it a rule of thumb and eventually you’ll get used to greens, and learn to love them because your taste buds change.

For breakfast, think leafy greens in your smoothie or on your avocado toast. If you like oatmeal, make a small green juice or smoothie on the side to drink before. For lunch, think greens in a yummy salad, a glow bowl with lightly steamed green vegetables, or a simple green salad alongside your favorite soup. And same goes for dinner. The options are endless really. In almost all of my recipes here on the blog, I try to include some type of green so be sure to check out my Recipes tab. Obviously this may not apply for snacks or healthier treats, but for breakfast, lunch and dinner – you get the point. Here’s a few ideas!

Crispy Buffalo Tofu and Kale Salad with Vegan Ranch

Happy Hormone Smoothie

Mashed Chickpea Salad on toast with greens

Spicy Black Bean Burger with lightly steamed broccoli and avocado

Mermaid Smoothie Bowl

3. Diatomaceous Earth

Eeeekk!! This is a new wellness and detox tip that I’ve been wanting to implement for a while and finally did a few weeks ago. See, you don’t have to wait until the New Year, I got a jumpstart! I can’t wait to share this with you because food grade diatomaceous earth (DE) is one of the cheapest, most natural and most versatile health products on the market. DE is a gentle abrasive made up of fossilized shell remains of tiny, aquatic organisms called diatoms. The shells of these single cell diatoms crumble into a super fine powder, and are composed of pure silica, which is an essential mineral and important component of human ligaments, cartilage, and musculature. Most of us are deficient in this powerful anti-aging mineral.

Diatomaceous Earth scrubs your intestinal walls and cleanses your colon. It also kills parasites, viruses, bacteria, worms and candida and rids of mucoid plaque, heavy metals, etc. Everyone has parasites, and somehow, the U.S. has forgotten that we need to regularly cleanse our body to rid of them, even though this is well known in most other parts of the world. Please read this post from Organic Olivia! (I plan to do an entirely separate post on parasites) but parasites feed off refined sugars and carbohydrates, which makes us crave these foods even more. It’s a vicious cycle that many of us are stuck in.

Consuming the DE powder everyday helps move things out of your intestines and treats constipation. It helps promote healthier hair, skin, nails, bones, ligaments and joints. Acne or skin ailments will clear up, wrinkles will be filled in, skin will appear brighter, under-eye dark circles will diminish, you?ll have more energy and retain less water, your immune system will be stronger, your body will feel and look better than ever, and your cravings will disappear. The increased collagen supports a healthy metabolism and can help with your weight management as well, with healthy eating and exercise of course. Collagen promotes joint health and can help reduce joint pain over time while strengthening the cartilage that cushions your joints. Studies have shown that DE (when taken daily) can help promote healthy cholesterol levels. It is even beneficial for your pets and garden! Do your research, and you will be astounded, I promise.

I prefer to take it in the morning on an empty stomach but Terry takes it at night. Find what works for you, I’ve outlined more info on how to take it below.

How To Take Diatomaceous Earth and Detox Symptoms:

Take diatomaceous earth on an empty stomach, preferably in the morning. It is recommended to start small and slowly work your way up to a higher dose. So start with one teaspoon added to at least 12 ounces of filtered water (or juice/smoothie). Mix and drink immediately. After a few weeks, work your way up to one tablespoon. The max dose is 2 tablespoons per day.

Some people don’t like the mildly chalky flavor and gritty texture when it is mixed with water only. If that’s you, try adding DE to a smoothie or juice, or mix it into applesauce.

As your body begins to detox from the DE, you may experience what is commonly known as “die off,” symptoms or “Herxheimer reaction”, which sometimes feels like a mild flu accompanied with fatigue and headaches. This is what you want!! “Die off” is a side effect of the metabolic reaction of toxins being released into your body, not a side effect of DE itself, and usually clears up within a couple weeks. You can counteract these symptoms by increasing your water intake, getting enough rest, as well as reducing your DE dose for a couple days if symptoms are too much to handle. This is also why it is recommended to start small, to reduce the side effects of detoxification.

Signs that the DE is working:

• Impaired brain function
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Intestinal distress including bloating, gas, constipation and nausea
• Sweating and fever
• Sinus infection
• Skin breakouts (not limited to face)
• Typical flu-like symptoms

This post is already pretty long, but here are 5 more natural detox and wellness tips for 2019, aside from a healthy plant forward diet, of course (!):

1. Remove Endocrine Disruptors
   Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (also known as EDC?s) interfere with hormone action and mimic certain hormones, which tricks your system into thinking it has to pump out more of one hormone and less of another. They can lead to all kinds of symptoms, from estrogen-related hormonal conditions such as PCOS, endometriosis, and fibroids and cysts, to unexplained headaches and extreme fatigue. Not to mention the strain they put on your liver. Do yourself and your family a favor for 2019, and clean out your beauty products and cleaning/household products! Use the EWG Skin Deep database to look up products or the Think Dirty app to see what toxicity score your beauty products get, and always look at the ingredient list for ever single product you buy. For cleaning products, I use Branch Basics and Seventh Generation for laundry, toilet bowl cleaners and all cleaning sprays – they are the only brands I trust for my home. 
2. Eliminate sugar, for good! >> refer to this post  
3. Apple Cider Vinegar
   One tablespoon of raw, unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar (with the mother) is used to regulate blood sugar levels (so important for hormone balance), lower cholesterol, improve skin health, reduce blood pressure, and reduce acid reflux (by helping to increase the acid in your stomach). I have long loved ACV and use it in salad dressings, soups, stir frys, face masks, hair rinses, and more!
4. Milk Thistle:
   A powerful natural herb and liver cleanser (also called silymarin), milk thistle may be beneficial after too many holiday drinks! It’s known as a natural liver supporter and detoxifier and is sometimes used to help treat liver diseases. Your liver works harder than you think to filter out toxins that are common from everyday life, by removing harmful substances and chemicals, and milk thistle protects from your liver from damage that can be brought on by prescription medications, alcohol use, antibiotics, pollution, heavy metals and more.
5. My 5-Day Body Balance Cleanse
   A whole food cleanse to reset your digestion and mindset. It’s very popular for the New Year! Read more here.

I hope you find these tips helpful! Happy almost 2019, I’m so excited for what is to come and love this fresh start feeling 🙂

♥

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