Healthy Body Healthy Life: HBHL- 26 Jan 2012

Healthy Body Healthy Lifers,

As we finish up our cleansing, I wanted to reiterate the importance of not gorging yourselves on your favorite foods. Hopefully, you have found that you feel better than anything could ever taste, and you won't WANT to go back to your old habits! But, it's okay to be excited about incorporating some of your old foods back into your meal plans- strawberries, bananas, sweet potatoes, grains, etc. Just try to reintroduce them one at a time. Note how your body feels. Not only that, pay attention to how you sleep, do you notice yourself being extra snotty or bloated after a particular meal? Remember that food allergies can present themselves in ways other than the normal digestive issues. Red meat can give some people the night sweats and trouble sleeping. Dairy gives some people headaches or a runny nose. Just pay close attention and don't re-introduce too many things at once. This is the only time in your life you will have a completely CLEAN palate to start with- take advantage of it.

So- what healthy habits will you keep after the Cleanse? Maybe you'll continue to do morning smoothies or use supergreen powders. Maybe many of the recipes you tried will become your new family staples, or you'll keep experimenting with the new foods you were introduced to during the 21-day process. Whatever, it is - I promise you will be changed forever... in a good way.

Wellness lesson: Oxidation and Anti-Oxidants

Oxidation is the process where oxygen combines with another substance to produce an oxide. It's a continual process and contributes to human aging. When we breathe, our bodies convert the oxygen into free radicals. Some free radicals are necessary, as they help us stay healthy, but an excess of free radicals can occur as we constantly breathe toxins from the air around us (thanks to smog & pollution).

Healthy eating and the ingestion of antioxidants can actually slow the oxidative process and thus, slow aging of the human body. Some antioxidants scavenge and then neutralize the harmful free radicals which can cause damage by stripping molecules from lipids, protein, and DNA - leaving cells that are vulnerable to disease. By eating healthy foods that contain antioxidants you can decrease your risk of harmful free radicals. Vitamin C, Beta-carotene and Vitamin E are strong antioxidants that are found in leafy green veggies, citrus fruits, cauliflower, strawberries, and sprouts. Berries are also high in antioxidants- as they help to repair and prevent the stress of oxidation (blackberries, blueberries, and cranberries ranking highest in a 2004 study).

So stay away from too many processed foods, which use preservatives to alter or destroy the natural healthy enzymes, fatty acids, minerals and vitamins found in the original whole food source and contribute to the production of harmful free radicals. Many whole foods (those which don't require any processing and are in their natural state) have antioxidant properties

that can help you look and feel younger! Who would say no to that?

Check out this week's recipes, if you haven't already, Colorful Mango Salsa Salmon & Tasty Cinnamon Snacks:

CLICK HERE for this week's recipes

For this week's Powerbodyz workouts (including the PBz Newbie workout):

CLICK HERE

If you are new to HBHL and are interested in learning more about:

Powerbodyz- reference the 8 Jan HBHL blog

The Cleanse- reference the 1 Jan HBHL blog.

Have a wonderful night!

Be Educated. Be Balanced. Be Fit. Be Healthy.