From Resolution to Intention

Most vegetables and fruits [Not fruits and Vegetables =)] are good sources of nutrition. Adding them to our diet is an excellent, healthy, but sometimes difficult intention. =)

You may be in top physical shape or you may have a health concern. Everyone can gain the benefits of fresh produce. In addition to promoting healthy digestion, Vegetables and fruits are rich in antioxidants. Vegetables will fill you up with few calories and little fat, and are an easy snack when on-the-go.

Dark leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables [Broccoli, Cauliflower, Brussels Sprouts, Kale, and Cabbage] are especially good choices, as are berries and other low glycemic fruits. Four servings of vegetables and three servings of fruit per day would be ideal. Choose fruit and vegetables that are very colorful and buy organic when possible.
Have a Healthy and Happy 2013!
~ Peace and Veggies

Sugar Addiction Quiz

A QUIZ to see if you are sugar-addicted!  =)
This is taken from Dr. Nancy Appleton's Lick The Sugar Habit.
Answer each of the following questions as truthfully as you can. You're not going to be graded, and no one is looking over your shoulder. Be honest with yourself - your health depends on it.

QUESTION: Answer True or False

I eat refined sugar every day.

I can go for more than a day without eating some type of sugar-containing food.

I never have cravings for sugar, coffee, chocolate, peanut butter, or alcohol.

I've never hidden candy or other sweets around my home in order to find and eat them later.

I can stop after eating one piece of candy or one bite of pastry.

There are times when I have no sugar of any kind in my home.

I can go for three or more hours without eating and not experience the shakes, fatigue, perspiration, irritability, depression, or anxiety.

I can have candy and other sweets in my home and not eat them.

I do not eat something sweet after each meal.

I rarely drink coffee and eat donuts or sweet rolls for breakfast.

I can go for more than an hour after waking up in the morning without eating.

I can go from one day to the next without drinking a sweetened soft drink.

Quiz Results from Lick The Sugar Habit, by Dr. Nancy Appleton
If you answered "false" to more than four of the statements, chances you are probably sugar-sensitive. You are probably allergic to sugar and also addicted to it - the same way an alcoholic is addicted to alcohol. You crave sugar, have withdrawal symptoms when you don't get it, and probably feel better for a short time after you've eaten it. In eating sugar to feel better, you are actually making your condition worse.
If you answered "false' to four statements or fewer, it doesn't mean you don't have a problem with sugar. You may not be addicted to it, but perhaps you don't quite realize just how much sugar you are eating.

Toxins and Cleansing

It’s a dirty world out there. According to one environmental watchdog group, the average person is burdened with 92 different toxins from substances they breathe, touch, and ingest. And modern researchers have found that toxins in body fat disrupt metabolism, making weight loss much more difficult – a crucial, if overlooked, aspect of our current obesity epidemic.

 

No cleanse, no matter how thorough, is going to help over the long term without appropriate diet and lifestyle changes. That means going to a diet based on organic produce, naturally-raised animal protein, and healthy fats, such as olive and coconut oil. At least 30 minutes of daily exercise should also be in the mix, along with adequate water intake, stress relief, and restful sleep.