8 Tips to Cleanse AND Relax!!

          Are you looking for healthy ways to cleanse this spring season?  Spring is almost here and this is the perfect time for cleansing and putting new energy into your health goals. The term "Spring Cleaning" implies "out with the old and in with the new," so why not flush out the toxins and rejuvenate your body?!  

Cleansing the body of toxins is an important practice in living a healthy lifestyle. And, I am here to tell you that you do not have to spend a lot of money at a spa to do it! I have 8 tips you can use daily to detox that do not have to cost a thing! Try these and see which ones feel best for your body. 

Here are my 8 favorite tips to cleanse that can change your life!  

1) Eat more leafy greens: Leafy greens are rich in nutrients that help digestion and have hydrating properties. Eating kale, arrugula, dandelion greens, chard, romaine, and mixed lettuces cleans out your system and makes your skin glow.

2) Drink plenty of water: One of the best ways to detox, without any added calories, is drinking lots of water. Drinking clean water literally flushes toxins out of the body. For every 8 ounces of caffiene you consume, replace it with 3 glases of water. You will notice that you feel better and sleep better. Just remember to stop drinking water at least 2 hours before bedtime to prevent waking up during the night.

3) Exercise: Do exercise that makes you sweat out the toxins! Part of the reason why exercise feels great is because you are releasing the toxic build-up through your pores when you sweat. A regular yoga or tai chi practice is wonderful, but make sure you are also getting regular sweat-producing cardio.  

4) Do a juice fast: Try replacing meals with nutrient dense freshly pressed juices. Fresh juices pack tons of nutrients, and the body absorbs these nutrients easier than nutrients in solid foods. Juice cleansing has been shown to reverse illnesses and release large amounts of excess weight. Check out the Pressed Juicery's cleanses using cold-pressed juices: http://www.pressedjuicery.com. 

5) Take salt baths: The next time you take a bath, add therapeutic salts. Salt is great for restoring muscles because the salt removes toxins. Buy aromatic salts, like lavendar, to create a deeply relaxing bath-time ritual. 

6) Take a steam shower or infrared sauna: Sitting in a hot steam shower or a sauna is another way to release toxins by sweating. If you have a small bathroom with a shower at home, you can also make a steam shower by steaming up the bathroom with hot shower water. Take 15 minutes to meditate and breathe in your steam filled bathroom, remembering to keep the door closed. 

7) Jump in the ocean: Ocean salt water has been known to cleanse the body, mind, and spirit by literally washing away negative energy. It might also be the best way to clean the sinuses! For rejuvenation and grounding, take a swim in the ocean and come out feeling like a different person. The ocean is one of nature's most healing gifts. 

8) Take Kundalini yoga classes: Kundalini yoga uses several different breathing exercises to  create shifts in your awareness. If you struggle with sugar cravings, then Kundalini is for you. I truly believe that "A clean body, is a calm mind" and the breath work can relieve obsessive thoughts about food. 

These are my 8 tips for cleansing this spring. What I love about them is that they are detoxifying and relaxing!  I suggest incorporating these into a daily routine and notice how you feel. You will know intuitively which detox tips work best for you. You do not have to do them all to notice the profound benefits to your health and body. You deserve to feel calmer and cleaner inside and out,  AND enjoy a fit body you love!  

                                                              With love, Emily 

How to Handle Halloween Cravings!

Halloween is almost here! How do you have fun this Halloween and not pig out on candy?

Check out these 5 helpful tips to help you avoid the sugar highs and lows this Halloween. how to handle cravings

1.)   Do not to keep lots the candy in the house. If you need to buy candy ahead of time, find a place like your friend’s house or your garage, to keep the candy until the 31^st. Prevent temptation as best as possible by not having the candy in reach.

2.)   On Halloween night, have fruit available to snack on if you are having sugar cravings. Binging on candy will only make you feel sick and remorseful later on.

3.)   Stay centered this time of year to reduce cravings by exercising, eating healthy meals, drinking lots of water, getting good sleep, and meditating when you feel anxious or overwhelmed.

4.)   Tell a close friend or your significant other you are trying to avoid the Halloween candy this year. Having support will help you with your goals of eating clean and avoiding excessive amounts of sugar.

5.)   When you are offered candy “Just say No!” You can also add “Thank You!”

  

Refined sugar is like a drug. In fact, a lot of research says it is a drug. Sugar causes highs and lows in blood sugar levels, which in turn causes numerous imbalances in the body. There are many great sugar substitutes that are just as sweet as sugar and have none of the harmful side effects. This Halloween make your own treats and baked goods with agave nectar, coconut sugar, or honey. I encourage you to indulge in a dessert that is not candy, but rather a dessert than can offer your body nutrients, like honey. It is actually easy to avoid all the candy, once you experience how much better you feel without it.

Cut out the candy this Halloween!

Until next time!

-Emily

Control Your Cravings!

Of all the relationships in our lives, the one with our body is the most essential. It takes communication, love and time to cultivate a relationship with your body. As you learn to decipher and respond to your body’s cravings, you will create a deep and lasting level of health and balance.

 

No book or theory can tell you what to eat. The important thing is to understand why you crave what you crave. Perhaps your diet is too restrictive or devoid of essential nutrients. Perhaps you are living a lifestyle that is too boring or stressful. In essence, your body tries to correct the imbalance by sending you a message: a craving.

 

A sugar craving for a sweet could mean any number of things. You might need more protein, maybe your body needs more exercise, more water or more love in your life. The key to stopping the sugar craving is to understand and deliver what your body really needs.

 

A health coach, friend, family member, or therapist can help you figure out what your might need at the moment when you are having cravings. Cravings can feel overwhelming, and can take you over. When you get the “craving message” try the following tips to stop yourself from overeating:

-      Drink a glass of water and practice deep breathing meditation for 10 minutes.

-      Eat a healthier version of what you crave. For example, if you crave sweets, try eating fruit and yogurt or a healthy bar. I have a favorite sweet nutrition bar I eat as a snack at night that satisfies my sweet tooth.

  

To avoid cravings:

-      Practice mindful eating. When you eat, enjoy your food; savor it, taste it, take your time; eat with family and friends, and eat in a quiet or pleasurable environment.

-      Do not deny yourself delicious foods.

 

The body is an amazing source of intelligence. It is always there for you, never skipping a heartbeat, digesting whatever food you put in it, maintaining homeostasis, and you never even think about it. This reliable, intelligent bio-computer isn’t making a mistake by craving chocolate or a hamburger! The next time you have a craving, think about what critical piece of information this craving might be telling you about your body or your life. And, try not to beat yourself for having a lack of will-power or discipline if you indulge.

Until next time!

-Emily

5 springtime detox foods that can also get you in shape for summer!

With summer right around the corner it's time to knock those eating habits into healthy ones, make sure to stock up on these 5 vitamin filled detoxing foods to help shed any unwanted weight.

1) kale

For a green, kale is unusually high in fiber. This helps create the bulk you need to fill you up and to keep you full for a good amount of time. Kale is also an excellent source of nutrients, especially vitamin A and calcium. With a combination of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, kale is a dieter's dream food.

2) blueberries

 

Blueberries are a nutritional powerhouse with a small calorie footprint. For example, blueberries contain Vitamin C, potassium and antioxidants that neutralize free radicals. Blueberries also contain fiber that assists your digestive system. They contain no fat, cholesterol or sodium. Finally, a half-cup of blueberries has only 40 calories. This potent combination makes the fruits a healthy and nutritious option for any weight-loss program.

3.) cabbage

 

Cabbage offers a major payoff -- the fewest calories and least fat of any vegetable. This powerful veggie is a must for dieters trying to lose weight.

From green cabbage you'll enjoy a fiber boost and a respectable amount of vitamin C. Two types of cabbage, savoy and bok choy, provide beta-carotene - an antioxidant that battles cancer and heart disease. For those who don't eat dairy products, bok choy is an important source of calcium, which may help prevent osteoporosis and aid in controlling blood pressure.

4.) broccoli

 

As broccoli helps you lose weight, it also provides health benefits such as lowering cholesterol, boosting your heart health and lowering your risk of cancer. Broccoli is an excellent source of vitamins C, K and A, as well as folate and dietary fiber.

5) onions

Onions are full of fiber and flavor, eating fiber helps you stay full longer, which helps control your weight. It also helps control your blood sugar levels, which may help reduce your risk for type 2 diabetes.

Until next time!

-Emily

Spring Cleansing: Detoxifying Bath

 Spring is here and it marks a time of ridding the body of toxins. A lot of us think of doing juice cleanses and fasts as a means of detoxing, but there are many options. One of my favorite cleansing rituals is a detoxifying bath. One of the most simple and easy baths you can do in the comfort of your own home is a Himalayan Pink Sea Salt Bath.

 It’s this easy: Fill your bath tub with desired warm-hot water temperature. Put a tablespoon of Himalayan Pink Sea Salt in tub as bath is filling. Add some essential oil, such as lavender, which has relaxation properties, if you wish.  

Pink Himalayan Crystal Sea Salt has several health benefits:

-it controls the body water levels

-it helps balances the pH in your cells

-it balances blood sugar levels

-it reverses signs of aging

-it helps the body absorb vitamins & minerals

-helps prevent sinus problems

-increases bone strength

-creates a healthy libido

-promotes healthy sleep patterns

-helps the functioning of the respiratory and vascular systems

 Turn down the lights in your bathroom. Light some candles. Perhaps play some soothing music. Make this detoxifying bath a relaxing experience. Relaxation exercises decrease cortisol levels, a stress hormone, in the body, which aids in weight loss. And, you can take as many baths as you want!

I am here to help you live the healthiest life possible in any way that I can. Contact me anytime & check out my website at www.emilyspowerfoodsliving.com

Until next time, 

-Emily

Farm to Table dining is Here!

If you have not been and you like healthy clean food, you must go to FEED Body & Soul on Abbot Kinney in Venice. It has been open for about a month now; I went for dinner about a week after it opened and I look forward to going back.

When you walk into Feed you know you are in for a healthy dining experience.  The atmosphere is fun, casual, and city-like. 

When you walk in you will see their wild salmon roasting. At dinner you can order everything from a smoothie to an Acai Bowl to grass fed steak or stuffed organic chicken.

I personally loved the grass-fed beef, the wild salmon, and the vegan coconut cake. They also have a full bar with organic wine.

For health foodies like myself, the menu will knock your socks off, and for those who do not eat really healthy, I do not think you will know the difference! 

I love that Abbot Kinney with all of its stores, restaurants, and bars are right outside so you can make a fun night around your dinner out. FEED is also open for lunch. The beach is also a few blocks away if you want to meander to that way.

I can see FEED as a place for family dining, taking out groups of friends, parties, or even a romantic night for two! 

Love this spot! 

Until next time!

-Emily

Delicious Dandelions!

 Did you know Dandelion's were used for more then just beauty and pollen for the bees?

 Dandelion is used for loss of appetite, upset stomach, intestinal gas, gallstones, joint pain, muscle aches, eczema, and bruises. Dandelion is also used to increase urine production and as a laxative to increase bowel movements. It is also used as skintoner, blood tonic, and digestive tonic.

Some people use dandelion to treat infection, especially viral infections, and cancer.

In foods, dandelion is used as salad greens, and in soups, wine, and teas. The roasted root is used as a coffee substitute.

How does it work?

Dandelion contains chemicals that may increase urine production and decrease swelling (inflammation).

Grab youtself a cup of Dandelion tea, its a simple way to enhance your diet, support your insides and live healthy! Check Whole Foods or your local health market for both loose leaf or pre bagged tea! 

Dandelion tea works great to purify the blood and cleanse the system.

Dandelion tea enhances detoxification, by stimulating urination and, in addition, by replacing the potassium lost in that process.

Dandelion tea is one of the most effective herbs for getting the bloat out and helping relieve water retention.

Dandelion tea has specific action in reducing inflammation, of the gall bladder and of the bile duct, and for rheumatism and arthritis

Dandelion tea improves the function of and maintains optimum liver, kidney, pancreas, spleen, stomach, and gall bladder functions

Dandelion tea helps in treating chronic hepatitis and jaundice disorders, and encourages healing of damaged tissues caused by alcohol liver disease

Dandelion tea contains antioxidants that help your body fight off toxic bacteria and viruses.

To healthy living!

-Emily