Indeed, when dieting, we eat less of certain categories of food, but what our body needs is a selection of healthier foods that will supply it with the needed nutrients that will support and activate our metabolism as well as supply our cells with proper nourishment.  Our body also needs to preserve its energy by avoiding attempts to draw nutrients from non-nutritional food or to deal with their negative impact on the body’s functions.

Some of us don’t necessarily know what is best to eat; we think eating salad and little meat while avoiding carbs and fat will help us stay in shape.  However, this is not enough to sustain us and nourish our cells, so we start to feel weak and tired, the body panics and sends craving signals, we binge, then start all over again. While the focus is on losing weight, it should be on nourishing the body to create and maintain the best shape.

The same happens with exercising – we overdo it with no success, and fall off track for a while then start all over again. Yet, all our body needs are movement and balance. So, we constantly battle against our own selves, our desires, and our appetite.

I spent the last few months pondering on the subject and piecing together all I learned on my journey to better health and came up with a proposition to better ways of eating that benefits our body, brain, and spirit. Eating better is linked to better living since nourishing the body entails lots of reorganization in our lifestyle that is necessary to maintain appropriate eating habits.

First, let’s say that, for this proposition, I’m not going to use 3 words that I find often mislead us. These words are: Diet, Change, and New.

Our mind tends to be suspicious about these terms. The word “diet” is often thought of as being limiting, restrictive. The word “change” is scary because it echoes the idea of unknown and our mind does not like to deal with the unknown, the risky. The same goes for the word “new” as it brings a kind of doubt.

Unconsciously we are telling ourselves:

Wow, wait a minute, what if I don’t like this new way, what if it pushes me past my outside my comfort zone, what if I can’t handle that.

So, let’s skip these words and replace them with terms like healthier vision, better health, wiser choices, being reasonable, enjoying the goodness of nature and food with no exaggeration and instead with moderation.

Our ancestors ate what nature offered them with little knowledge of all the biology and the chemistry that we now have at our disposal. They did not have to choose from a super market filled to the brim, they had their choices in nature in their backyard or by exchanging with others. What we need to do now is be inspired by their wisdom and mix it with all the knowledge and the technologies available to us today. We then can celebrate our progress and our efforts to nourish our body much better.

Now, let’s get into better ways to feed ourselves, making wiser choices, better food combinations that benefit our health, and using knowledgeable cooking styles that can enhance our food taste, safety, and appeal. This article focuses more on the Mindset of eating healthier. The next one will cover some practical tips to learn and implement healthier eating.

The best way to go about this is to go through these mandatory steps:

Know Yourself

Know what you like or dislike, your weaknesses, your strengths, your limitations and what motivates you. Also, know your numbers; have baseline measurements of your weight, your height, your waist, your blood pressure, your heart rate, your allergies, your blood sugar level, your cholesterol number. This is not to keep checking where you are at, but to have an idea where you are starting from and what needs to be taken care of first.

State Your Goal

Not in terms of how many pounds you want to lose, but rather in terms of how you want to feel and look, the size of dress you see yourself in with satisfaction, the condition of your skin, and how energetic, vibrant, and healthy you want to be. When you have a vision of what you want to become and you cherish it and work toward it, you have better chance to attain it. Think of the kind of food you would like to eat to feel like a prince or princess. An then get the healthier version of those. There is nothing to loose, but all to gain, including a leaner and fitter body, a sharper mind and a lighter spirit.

Envision a Different Mindset and Outlook on Your Habits

Find out what would be best to nourish your body and at the same time very satisfying to your spirit—what could you do to get in your best shape? What makes you feel energetic, calm, radiant, and sexy? Try to see things in a different light: the food choices you make and why, the time you spend to chew them, the timing of your meals, your sensations and feelings when you approach the table, and the people you share your meals with.  Be grateful for the experience and its benefits.  Feel all that differently, pay attention and stay present. Shut down the distractions like TV, iPhones, PCs. Stop doing this routinely, give value to the time you spend eating since it’s a precious moment of your life. It is a gesture that sustains life in you. Love your food, but love yourself first to stay healthy.

Treat Yourself Well

This way you can already feel good about yourself. Figure out which food stimulates your senses, whether it be the color, flavor, or presentation, etc. Think of a nice dinner that could be healthy, refreshing, and reinvigorating to you. Project in your mind a nice fruit tray with beautiful color, peaches, red or green apples, purple and green grapes, mangoes, blueberries, a piece of hard cheese or an excellent yogurt with nuts and dried fruits. Even picture a mango tree, a cherry tree, or anything else you can think of because they are all there for you in nature. It’s wonderful, isn’t it? Our planet has everything good for us.

What’s bad for us is what is deeply transformed and over manipulated one way or another,  foods that have lost their soul, their natural core. Let your sight be amazed and stimulated by the beautiful colors, shapes and forms of natural whole food like some deep green broccoli florets.

Smell a baked cinnamon apple, feel the softness of a banana or a pear, salivate at the aroma of roasted meat, and be tempted by the vibrant color of some red pepper and eggs for breakfast turned over in coconut oil. Food can be gracious. Those fruits and fats are give you a nice skin complexion. Those proteins and cholesterol build your hormones. A glass of wine, from time to time, brings in antioxidants that protect your cells from aging too fast. A good shake or smoothie made of natural fruits and vegetables energizes and sustains your mind and body.

The point is to eat with purpose, and, for this, you need to learn about food. When you think about food that fuels you, think of meat, fish, lentils and cheese. When you think of food that detoxifies your body, think of beets, kale, spinach and lemon. Think of food that calms your nerves like yogurt, bananas, avocados, green leafy vegetables, and food that induces sleep like turkey, chocolate, honey and warm milk.

About Rose-Moraine

Rose-Moraine is a natural health enthusiast although her background is in nursing and psychology. Her journey became a quest for optimal health. She learns and gather information about natural health and now shares her experience and knowledge while still learning from new findings and researches daily.

How much sugar did I add to my cup of coffee?

Or

How many donuts did I eat?

The problem is that sugar is currently found in almost every food imaginable; even those that we might not immediately equate as sweet. For example, ketchup, bread, sports drinks, salad dressing, oatmeal, fat-free foods are all loaded with sugar.

This means that giving up sugar may not be as easy as it sounds. Although difficult, it is one of the best things that you can do for yourself. Here are 7 reasons why quitting sugar will make you happier.

1. Losing Weight

Without a doubt, losing weight is one of the biggest advantages of giving up sugar. People who indulge in high sugar diets are always hungry and constantly experience cravings. This is because sugar is quickly processed and converted in the body leading to a perpetual feeling of hunger.

By cutting out sugar of your diet, it becomes easier to control your cravings, what you eat, and by extension your weight. By losing weight, health is improved and there is nothing more important in determining happiness than one’s health.

2. Less Irritable, Anxious and Moody

If you find yourself irritable, anxious, and moody, the reason could be the sugar in your diet. The body is very sensitive to changing glucose levels. The term sugar high is used in everyday language in a jocular manner, but it is a proven scientific fact. When fed sugar, the body releases endorphins giving the feeling of a high. However, this only lasts for a short while before eventually, a crash occurs, leading to fluctuating moods.

Giving up sugar will re-establish the hormonal equilibrium in your brain and thus reduce these changes in mood.

3. Stop Hurting Your Body

You will stop exposing your body to sugar and harmful preservatives. Gary Taubes, the author of the book “The Case Against Sugar” goes so far as to describe sugar as a toxic substance. As extreme as this may sound to some, it is difficult to argue with his assertion when some studies have shown sugar has the same addictive qualities as cocaine and heroin.

People who quit sugar actually liken their symptoms to having withdrawals.

4. Better Sleep

You will sleep better and longer. High blood sugar levels are a leading cause of insomnia. This is because sugar has the effect of keeping you up. Therefore quitting sugar will help improve your sleep patterns.

5. Improved Lifestyle

There can be a renewed focus on a healthy, wholesome lifestyle. Giving up sugar requires a dedication and single-mindedness. It means a conscious effort to educate oneself, read food labels, cook from scratch, change diet, and avoid certain foods altogether. In other words, it requires a commitment to a total lifestyle change. Thus you will join the category of people living happy, healthy, holistic lives.

6. Look Your Best Self

The old adage “Looking good is feeling good“, applies in this case simply because sugar has such a detrimental effect on one’s appearance. People who give up sugar report clearer skin, healthier hair, stronger teeth, and of course weight loss. A better appearance leads to improved feelings of self-worth.

7. More Productive

Improved productivity, memory, and alertness. Those who consume a lot of sugar are prone to peaks and slumps of energy throughout their day. Cutting out sugar helps increase focus and this is beneficial to daily life in work and school.

The benefits of giving up sugar far outweigh those of keeping it in your diet. Quitting sugar is the first step in taking charge of your health and overall well-being. Not only will your body improve, so will your mind.

Sources and Further Reading on Sugar:

• The Case Against Sugar by Gary Taubes
• The growing concern over too much added sugar in our diets
• Sugars, Added Sugars and Sweeteners
• Science Confirms Sugar the Culprit for Weight Gain
• How Giving Up Refined Sugar Changed My Brain

1. No Nutrients

   Our bodies are in a constant state of growth, repair and maintenance. The metabolic processes that go on within our cells require a whole range of nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids, fats, water, etc.

   When you don’t get the nutrients your body needs, then your body is less equipped to do all of those general functions.

   So you can imagine that the growth, repair and maintenance of your skin, hair, bones and internal organs are all being compromised whenever you eat junk foods instead of healthy natural foods.

2. Dehydration

   Water is the basis of your blood, your brain, your intracellular fluid and it’s also required for every single metabolic process that your body does.

   Soda, coffee, beer and other beverages not only contain empty calories, refined sugar, caffeine and other chemicals which zap water out of your body, but they also replace the water you should drink with your meal or throughout the day.

   I personally suggest you to carry around a glass water bottle everywhere you go that you can reuse and refill so that you are constantly drinking water.

   Filtered water is best for you but even tap water is better than soda, coffee or any other beverage you could drink.

   Tea is a close second to water and has a lot of nutritional benefits in itself; you just want to be aware of the caffeine content.

   Coconut water is actually more hydrating than regular water and it also contains electrolytes. Coconut water is a great replacement for energy drinks or any time that you feel especially dehydrated and thirsty.

3. Chemicals (Free Radical Damage)

   Junk foods are loaded with chemicals added for flavor, texture, preservation, appearance, etc. Every time that your body does a chemical reaction to deal with these chemicals, you end up with some leftovers called free radicals.

   Free radicals are energetic, unstable molecules that go in and attack your healthy cells and your healthy tissues so that they can attempt to neutralize that energetic instability.

   The more you eat chemicals, the more chemical reactions you will have and the more free radicals you will have. Your body is equipped to deal with a certain amount of  free radical damage, and this oxidative stress is a natural part of the aging process.

   But when you really overload your body with chemicals and free radicals, then that is a great way to accelerate aging.

   Cigarette smoke is another thing that contains a great amount of free radicals.

4. Toxins

   Many chemical food additives are just plain toxic. MSG (monosodium glutamate) is a clear example. A substance which is known to have toxic effects in the body, but is used in foods anyway. Even for the flavors or the addictive properties.

   Nitrates which are used in processed meat, especially hot dogs or pre-packaged deli meats, can also have a toxic effect once being converted by the body.

   Alcohol is another great example of a toxin.

   The bottom line is that there are so many chemicals, that it’s nearly impossible to thoroughly test each and every one of them. Much less for you to remember which chemical is which, and which one is toxic.

   The easiest solution is just to avoid these chemically altered franking foods in the first place.

5. Refined Sugar

   Our bodies were designed to run on fats, proteins and complex carbohydrates. We really aren’t equipped to process huge amounts of refined sugar, even though that’s what most people actually eat.

   Too much refined sugar in your blood literally attacks your healthy cells and tissues, especially collagen which we know is important for giving our skin that youthful elasticity.

   Eating too much refined sugar is also going to stress your adrenals and that will give you problems with energy and sleep. That is going to accelerate aging too.

6. Blood Sugar Spikes

   Your body constantly works to maintain a consistent blood sugar level. Your blood has to have just enough sugar that your body has the energy it needs, but not so much sugar in order to avoid any damages.

   Every time you eat, you affect your blood sugar levels and when you eat refined sugar and refined flours, it causes a very intense spike in your blood sugar levels.

   If you spike your blood sugar levels too often or too intensely, you can develop insulin resistance and this can lead to type-2 diabetes.

   The amount of stress that your body goes through every time you spike your blood sugar, causes a huge amount of cellular degeneration, oxidative damage and can just in general accelerate aging.

7. Trans Fats

   Fats play a multitude of roles in your body. The lipid bilayer of every cell in your body is made out of fat, not to mention your brain, your nerve cells and the layer of adipose tissue under your skin that keeps you looking soft and supple.

   When you eat chemically altered fats like partially hydrogenated oils (trans fats) you start playing an evil trick to your body. Your body will use those fats like they would any other fat, but when push comes to shove those fats cannot perform the necessary function.

   Any time that you hinder and challenge your body’s natural functions, you accelerate aging and degeneration.

   Partially hydrogenated oils are found in margarine, vegetable shortening and most processed foods. Opt instead for natural oils like olive oil or coconut oil as a much better alternative to margarine or any olive oil substitute.

8. Inflammation

   Inflammations occurs when the body sends additional blood and nourishment to a particular area that needs some healing.

   A great example might be an insect bite, a cut or a bruise. But inflammations also occur internally and they’ve been linked to heart disease, cancer and a whole host of other illnesses.

   Partially hydrogenated oil, simple carbohydrates, toxins, trans fats and chemicals in general are all causes of inflammation.

   When you eat a lot of processed and junk foods, you have to know that internally your body has to do some healing. As long as this inflammation goes on, it can also accelerate aging and degeneration.

9. Obesity and other illnesses

   Anytime your health is compromised, you accelerate the process of aging and degeneration.

   Junk food causes obesity, diabetes and many other illnesses. When you eat processed food you miss out on a huge variety of vitamins, nutrients, minerals, amino acids, etc. from all of the foods that you really should eat instead.

10. Stress

    Studies have shown that eating while you are stressed out or while you are doing other things can contribute to weight gain and poor digestion.

    Cortisol, the stress hormone, literally stops the process of digestion. Anything that you eat while you are stressed out is going to take a lot longer to process and digest.

    Stress in and of itself has also been shown to accelerate aging and degeneration.

Do you find yourself eating junk food multiple times a week? How do you feel about it? Leave a comment below and tell us your opinion about junk food.

Here is a list of 5 highly beneficial superfoods that you have to add to your diet today.

1. Sacha Inchi

   Sacha Inchi also called Inca Peanut is a wild harvested Peruvian superfood. It looks like a nut, it tastes like a nut but it’s really a seed.

   Sacha Inchi has the highest source of omega-3 fatty acids in the world. It is a powerful antioxidant, it contains the 9 essential amino acids, potassium, calcium, zinc and it’s gluten free.

   It’s a great superfood that improves cardiovascular health.
   
   Photo: Jill

2. Cacao Powder

   It is one of the most powerful antioxidants in the world. It contains tryptophan, the precursor of serotonin. The feel-good hormone, so you are going to start to feel better. When you eat cacao your energy will shoot through the roof, that means that you can step into “Radical Action”.

   A lot of people don’t love themselves because they don’t have any motivation and willpower. Cacao powder serves as a powerful catalyst for developing willpower and a greater appreciation for yourself and those around you.

   Cacao powder is also high in magnesium and sulphur; two important minerals that are often depleted in today’s soils and processed diets. Finally cacao powder releases endorphins and brain chemicals, leaving us with that feeling of well being and love.

   Additionally, cacao powder is a phenomenal superfood that improves your circulation and cardiovascular health.
   

3. Chia Seeds

   Chia seeds were used as a stable food source for many South American cultures. The Mayans, the Aztecs, the Incans, they would all use chia seeds right alongside corn, beans and other ancient grains. Chia seeds are a great source of fuel and strength.

   The botanical name for chia seeds is Salvia Hispanica, and it’s actually considered an herb. Chia seeds contain a great amount of fiber; 6 gram per tablespoon. That means 1/4 of daily fiber in one tablespoon of chia seeds.

   The other great thing about chia seeds is that they also contain a lot of omega-3 fatty acids, and the great thing about these omega-3 fatty acids is that they also are combined with chia seeds natural antioxidants which help prevent these sensitive fats from oxidising.

   Chia is also a good source of protein, it has iron, calcium and other traces of minerals in it as well.

   Chia seeds don’t have a huge taste on their own, in fact almost nothing at all, but what makes them so unique is their texture. One of chia’s great properties is that it acts as a gelling agent. A chia seed will absorb nine time its weight in water. So when you just combine it with some water or juice, it will bulk up into a nice chia gel.
   
   Photo: Stacy

4. Coconut Oil

   Coconut oil has many amazing benefits. It is full of lauric acid which is an organic antiviral, it helps to kill bacteria and funguses. Coconut oil has also been shown to naturally lower cholesterol levels.

   Coconut oil’s fat goes directly to the liver to be processed from the digestive track and it’s used for energy immediately. What’s great about this is that it has a fat burning effect.

   Taking one tablespoon of coconut oil every day is one of the best things you can do for your health. Coconut oil is overall one of the best superfoods available on this planet.
   
   Photo: Lauren

5. Lucuma Powder

   Lucuma powder can be used as a natural sweetener. You won’t need sugar anymore. Sugar robs from your healthy cells. Lucuma powder is one of those superfoods full of minerals, antioxidants and it also has anti inflammatory properties.
   
   Photo: Duy

Food plays a powerful role in helping us all change our attitude. We are not only what we eat, but we are also what we feed to all of our senses. However what we eat plays an integral role in helping us become our best version.

Here we are going to describe seven simple shifts that can make a profound difference in the way that you feel, in your vitality and energy levels, so that you can meet the demands of your day and help you accomplish your goals.

1. Start your day with protein

   Eat protein for breakfast. Definitely don’t skip breakfast, which is a common mistake that a lot of people make, and do not eat refined or processed foods. You don’t want to eat things like cereals, bagels or anything like that because those things are quickly digested, they spike and then they crash your energy levels.

   Instead you want to look for ways to include protein in your diet and the most ideal way is to have some egg whites or egg omelet with some vegetables such as spinach or asparagus. In that way you are starting out with a really solid meal.

   This type of breakfast is not going to give you energy right out of the gate, but you are going to get the type of energy that will last for hours. Whereas if you eat carbohydrate you are going to crash and burn within an hour or two.

2. Drink plenty of water

   Dehydration can make you feel fatigued and lead to muscle exhaustion, and what unfortunately a lot of people do when they are tired, is that they drink more coffee or tea rather than water.

   Every time you feel a little bit hungry or tired, get into the habit of pouring yourself a glass of water and having that first. In this way you can build in increasing amounts of water into your day and over the course of time you will find that it will absolutely help you feel better, have greater energy and it will oxygen your body in a more thorough way.

3. Do not skip meals

   Skipping meals not only is bad for your energy level, but it’s also really bad for your cognition. Your body needs a certain amount of fuel in order to operate optimally and without eating, you are not giving it.

   Coffee won’t make a difference, it won’t substitute for food and neither will candy bars or refined foods like cookies that people often eat when they are skipping meals. Plan ahead and make sure that you execute at least three meals a day.

4. Plan and execute a 4 o’clock snack

   Many people have about a four hour gap between breakfast and lunch. But many more hours can pass between lunch and dinner. That’s an awfully long time for your brain and your body to go without any nourishment whatsoever.

   What can be even as bad, is having something refined and sugary like cookies at 4 o’clock in the afternoon, which is also what people often do in order to get a quick fuel to help them “feeling better”. But in reality it’s not really helping them.

   You want to plan beforehand for a 4 o’clock snack that’s balanced. Think of things like apples, bananas, carrots, nuts mix, etc.

5. Reduce the amount of sugar in your diet

   This is a big mistake a lot people make. They forget to eat, they skip meal or they don’t have time to plan an appropriate balanced meal, so their substitutes consist of refined, processed and sugary food that will help them boost their energy in the short term, but it’s going to crash them down shortly thereafter.

   It is not great for optimal energy levels and it will leave them feeling depleted. The first thing to do is to assess how much sugar is in your diet right now. And it’s not just the obvious sources like table sugar in your coffee, but it’s also candy, cookies and cakes.

   Also juices contain a large amount of sugar. You might think that you are doing a good thing for yourself by making a fruit smoothie, but if that blended fruit smoothie doesn’t have protein powder of flaxseeds at all, it’s like drinking concentrated sugar.

6. Exercise

   Exercise is a wonderful way to slowly and systematically build your energy reserves. It will also help you manage your anxiety and your stress level much better. And if you have a mood disorder, exercise has shown to be wonderful and even better than antidepressants to helping you manage your mood. It helps to oxygenate your blood and in that way you get more oxygen into your brain and every cell of your body.

7. Sleep

   So simple, but so many people do not get adequate sleep. You must get somewhere between 6 to 8 hours of good sleep every night. Ideally you want to fall asleep before midnight, because that’s when you get the most quality sleep and you want to create an environment in your bedroom where you can get a sound night’s sleep.

If you are really exhausted and you’ve tried everything else and you are still feeling tired, the one mineral that is the quintessential nutrient to help you boost your energy levels in a very fundamental way is magnesium.

Magnesium can be found in fruits and vegetables, whole grains and nuts.

There you have it, a very easy way to make small shifts in your habits and in your lifestyle to help you achieve your health goals. Rather than first reaching for some sort of medication or some sort of artificial stimuli, you can make small changes in your diets that will help you boost your energy levels and contribute to your overall health and vitality.

There are a couple of different factors that affect whether or not the cells and tissues in our body can do what they are supposed to do; or whether or not there are some errors or dysfunctions. Dehydration, temperature and availability of nutrients are some of these factors.

Another important factor is pH. The pH scale goes from 0 up to 14, where 7 is the pH of water, that it’s considered neutral. Under 7 that’s acidic. Over 7 that’s alkaline. The optimal pH of the body is slightly alkaline, somewhere between 7.2 and 7.5.

The different foods that we eat and the different things that we put into our body are either going to contribute to a more acidic environment or a more alkaline environment.

Researchers have found that when the body is in an alkaline state, it actually promotes proper cell functioning and it promotes healthy tissues. When the body is an acidic state, it actually promotes the growth of cancer cells and this makes it really difficult for cells and tissues to do all the functions that they are supposed to do. Many researchers have also said that cancer cells can’t even live in an alkaline environment.

Another way to think about this is to imagine the life of a houseplant. If a houseplant is given the proper conditions it will flourish and grow. So, it needs the right amount of sunlight, the right temperature and the right amount of water. All these different factors influence whether or not that houseplant is going to live and flourish and whether or not that houseplant is going to die.

Our body works very much the same way. We want to be thoughtful about the environment that we are creating

What foods are acidic and acid forming?

One kind of misconception is to think that if something tastes acidic or is acidic, then it forms acid in the body. That’s not really quite how it works. Certain foods are acid forming and certain foods are alkaline forming.

The acid forming foods are: processed foods, refined sugars, refined grains and pretty much any time something is processed even minimally it is going to make it acid forming. Red meat is acid forming and caffeine (soda, flavored coffee drinks). The majority of the foods in our diet are acid forming and so they contributes to most of the population having an acidic environment.

A lot of doctors and researchers would argue that the acidic environment of the body is contributing towards cardiovascular diseases, obesity, heart diseases and other chronic diseases, even cancer. Avoiding these acid forming foods is a really good idea.

What are the alkaline forming foods?

The first food we are going to talk about is lemon. Some people might be confused since lemons taste really acidic, but lemons are actually alkaline forming in the body and they have a pH around 9. So lemons are a very highly alkaline food. If you are one of these people who drinks a lot of soda or who doesn’t like water, then a cool idea for you might be to add some lemon to your water. It has an excellent taste.

The next food is watermelon, it has a pH of around 9. Watermelon is known for being mostly water. It’s a diuretic so it’s great for your kidneys.

Photo: Harsha

The next category of food is comprised of fruits. In general all the fruits and vegetables are going to be alkaline forming in your body. This is another reason why everyone should eat more fruits and vegetables. But the particular ones that we are going to point out are: mangoes, papayas and melons which are also known for being highly alkalizing. They are rich in antioxidants and overall really good foods that we all have to start eating a lot more.

Next on the list there is cayenne pepper. Cayenne pepper is rich in vitamin A, it has a lot of antibacterial properties and it is known to really help the endocrine system (hormones, moods, emotions). Cayenne pepper is a great spice to add in to other foods. Start incorporating it more into your diet as soon as possible.

While pretty much all of the foods and vegetables have an alkalizing effect on the body, one vegetable that really stands out is asparagus. Asparagus has high pH and it also has some amino acids that are really important for our nervous system.

A couple of other fruits that are worth mentioning are grapes, bananas, apples, berries and pineapples. Not only these fruits have a huge range of different vitamins, antioxidants and nutrients, but they also are highly alkalizing.

Another good thing about fruits and especially pineapples is that they contain fiber. High-fiber foods will make you feel full and satisfied.

Then there are high quality fermented foods such as miso, tempeh which is fermented tofu, sauerkrauts and yogurt.

Additionally we have fruit juices which generally have a pH around 8.5 depending on the fruits. Make sure that you are drinking a 100% natural fruit juices, because a lot of the commercial fruity drinks only contain a small amount of actual juice.

The last alkalizing group of foods is composed by the sea vegetables such as nori and the sea weed which is the paper used to wrap up sushi. You can add those sea weeds to salads, soups and pretty much everything you like.

What other alkalizing foods do you consider healthy and good for our body? Leave a comment below and let us know.

First of all you shouldn’t use the word vegan to define who you are.

You are an infinite being

Labels give us a sense of superiority when in essence we are all energy.

You have to be brave. Never tell people what you are going to do, show them the results. When they see how you’ve changed, that does wonders. A lot of times you will want to say, “Hey I am starting to eat healthier. I’m letting go of meat”. But all the people around you are going to start asking you, “What? Why? When? Who?” Watch out for Ws questions.

Keep silent instead. Just focus on yourself. Research. Educate yourself. Don’t become a vegan just because you are reading it on this site or because your next door neighbour said; do it because you want to. You will have to pay your juice. For a long time you will be questioning yourself, because you are going to get whisperers, “don’t do it, you are going to have a high-end deficiency, where are you going to get your protein”.

You have to become mentally strong. More so you have to ask yourself why are you doing this. Is it because you want to? So many people stopped eating meat and dairy because somebody told them to do so, but then they went right back eating it. You have to know why you are doing it.

You probably want to start doing it in stages. First start by letting go of beef, then chicken, then fish, milk, eggs and so on.

Research about all the different foods. Superfoods, chia seeds (fantastic source of protein), hemp seeds, drink a lot of smoothies, eat a lot of foods with phytonutrients such as kale. You will feel healthier, more confident and will have more clarity.

Photo: Jules

Build a support network. You can’t do it all by yourself, or maybe you can but it’s going to be lonely.

But still, it’s not going to be easy because there is a lot of resistance. The old paradigm is still clinging on. The new paradigm is about respecting all life forms on the planet. It’s not necessarily about letting go, but it’s about finding a replacement, alternatives.

Instead of eating meat, you can eat, quinoa, tofu, beans, lentils and you stay there because it tastes really good.

Photo: Jennifer

Instead of drinking milk, you go to almond milk and you stay there because that tastes excellent. Instead of eating processed sugar, you go to raw cane sugar.

The alternatives are infinite. Just research a way and all the answers will come your way. What may be stopping you from embracing a more plant-based diet is the money that you are going to spend on food. But remember to yourself that all this is worth it. Certain times you can’t be stingy if you are not eating meat. You have to realize that your health is wealth.

Having a heart attack is a lot more expensive, but there are alternatives. You can go to your local farmers market. Yes it sounds adventurous, but you are going to have to take that trip. That’s initiation.

Have fun, eat with other people. That way you won’t eat that fast and you are going to save yourself money in the long run. Also, remind yourself that you don’t have to feel guilty about sharing your story with the world because we are going through a metamorphosis on the Planet.

The whole Earth is awakening

The more you step into your truth, the more the world will become a better place. The world needs more people in their true authenticity. All life is sacred. You have to realize that becoming a vegan and eating raw foods is just the tip of the iceberg. It doesn’t end there, that’s just the beginning. That’s just a part of the evolution. That’s the catalyst for helping you become your greatest version.

So, every day take small steps. Share with people. Most importantly, don’t put all of this pressure on yourself. You are going to learn a lot about what to eat and how your body works. Get to know your body.

It’s not only about eating a raw food diet or a vegan diet. It’s about eating foods that work for you, your uniqueness that makes you happy, that makes you confident, that makes you trust yourself.

Stay well. Stay healthy.