THE THREE PILLARS OF CLEAN EATING

Pillar 1 – The most important step in clean eating is to avoid consuming chemicals, additives, preservatives, artificial substances, and genetically-engineered organisms (GMO). While many of these products are legally able to tout their “natural” origin, or “healthy” benefits, we all know that the clean, pure foods found in nature have absolutely nothing in common with these poisonous industrial products.

While many people are understandably focused on the results of eating clean, such as losing weight, having clearer skin and complexions, and healing from illnesses, even an otherwise healthy person will force their body to work overtime if they consume chemicals and artificial additives in their foods and beverages. Before we can begin to achieve maximum health, the first step is to quit taxing our bodies with toxic substances.

Pillar 2 – After moving towards a diet that is free from chemicals and preservatives, the next area to be aware of is understanding the source of the fruits, vegetables, grains, and even meats that we eat. A tomato grown with tender loving care in a small garden is a vastly different plant than what results from large-scale commercial growing enterprises. Secondly, food is always cleaner when it is acquired in its purest, most natural state, meaning fresh from the vine, bush, tree, or plant instead of being boiled, canned, diced, and otherwise processed.

While some advocates of clean eating avoid the consumption of meats, others feel comfortable with it. Whenever possible, it is best to buy meat in its natural, whole state from a local butcher, instead of processed meats like hamburgers and sausages, mass-produced by robotic industrial machines on a commercial scale. Consuming meat in its cleanest state starts with buying large joints or natural cuts of meat, and then cutting them and processing them at home yourself, rather than relying on industrial machines to serve up pre-packaged fillets and steaks.

Consuming whole grains and fiber, as opposed to processed white flour, is an important part of eating clean. In this area, a careful examination of the label is very important. While it’s fashionable and convenient to put the word “whole grains” on products, a careful examination of the label often reveals that while yes, the food was made from whole grains, it was also made with ordinary processed white flour as well, completely negating the benefit of eating clean.

Last, but not least, a good way to ensure that you are eating clean is to count the number of ingredients in the foods that you are eating. The old rule of thumb of five or less ingredients is incredibly useful. Almost anything for sale in a supermarket that has more than five ingredients is probably heavily processed and full of chemicals, preservatives, or additives.

Pillar 3:  The third pillar of clean eating is regulating your meals.

Nutritional science now understands that the human body does best when we eat small meals more often, rather than the traditional three large meals during the day. A number of hormones and other natural chemicals are produced during the digestive process, and keeping our bodies fueled and hydrated throughout the day helps keep those hormones at steady levels. When we go from large meals to periods of not consuming anything, the insulin in our blood spikes and falls, and adds a lot of stress to our bodies.

Nighttime and the sleep period is when our bodies rest and repair from the stresses of the day. When we are active and alert, it is generally a good idea to keep our bodies in a steady state of processing and digestion, converting the clean foods and beverages we consume into a healthy source of reliable energy.

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Stay Hydrated

Drinking enough water and other liquids is one of those things that we all know that we are supposed to do, and yet we sometimes (oftentimes) fail to do it. All year round, including in the winter, people need at least one litre of clean, fresh water per day, and much more during hot weather or periods of physical exertion.

Every function and process in our body depends on an ample supply of water to function. When we stay hydrated, our body’s immune system and other vital defenses have the necessary components to keep us healthy. People with severe allergies report having much milder symptoms when they stay properly hydrated.

Salt Water/Saline Rinses

Salty water is one of the greatest natural compounds ever discovered for clearing out your nose, sinus passages, and other clogged breathing passages.

Tip: mix three spoonfuls of salt (with no iodine added) with one spoonful of baking soda. Place the contents in a sealed container. Add a teaspoon of clean, purified water (do not use tap water) to the mixture. Then fill a bulb syringe or other device with the solution and squirt it into your nostril. Hold for a moment, and then let drain completely before treating the other nostrils. If you own a Neti pot, you can use the same solution as described above.

If your throat hurts, you can also try gargling the same mixture as described above. Be sure to spit out the and completely remove the solution and not to swallow it, as it may cause stomach upset or irritation from the salt.

Local Honey

Local honey contains a blend of local pollen and eating it can strengthen your immune system and reduce pollen allergy symptoms. Honey is so versatile and can be incorporated into anything from breakfast foods to desserts. It’s an easy and affordable way to keep your sinuses under control year-round.

Stay Warm and Rested

Again, it’s one of those simple things that we all know, and yet we sometimes need to be reminded once again of how important it is to be rested. When our bodies are fighting off infections, colds and allergies, it requires a lot of energy and sustenance. The best thing you can do for yourself is to get enough rest, to stay warm, and to not overexert yourself when your body is trying to heal. Forcing yourself to go into work or school when you’re sick just ends up prolonging the recovery period, as well as increasing the risk of you infecting your friends, family members and coworkers.

An Extra Pillow

Sometimes, when we are feeling congested or stuffed up, a slight change in angle can make a world of difference. By raising your head up higher than normal with an extra pillow, your sinus passages can gently drain during the night, giving you some relief by the morning. If the angle is not comfortable enough for sleep, try putting some pillows underneath your mattress or bed frame to create a more gentle slope.

Butterbur

There’s been a lot of excitement lately over the discovery that a natural plant called butterbur can work to reduce or eliminate allergic reactions in people. Some patients have even reported completely eliminating the use of pharmaceutical compounds thanks to butterbur.

Butterbur is available from many health food stores, chemists, and other shops. It has an additional advantage of not causing sleepiness, a common side effects with many anti-allergenic prescription medications.

Quercetin

Although the name sounds mysterious, this is a common natural ingredient found in many vegetables and plants. While some people prefer to simply eat more fresh fruits and vegetables to get more quercetin in their diet, some chemists and health food shops do sell quercetin supplements. The active compound in quercetin works much as an antihistamine or anti-inflammatory drug.

Apple Cider Vinegar

We all grew up with a bottle of vinegar in the cupboard, and it has many, many uses beyond a simple flavor compound in food recipes.

Tip: mix one spoonful of organic apple cider vinegar with a full glass of water, and drink the entire contents. Try drinking up to three glasses of this formula to both prevent future allergic attacks as well as to reduce the onset of current symptoms.

Probiotics

When we get sick, many times the doctor or nurse will prescribe a course of antibiotics, which while it may work to cure the infection, also strips your body of its valuable good bacteria.

Drinking fermented drinks such as kefir, kombucha, and organic yogurt can help restore your body’s colonies of helpful bacteria and microorganisms. Capsules, pills and supplements are also sold separately for people not wishing to drink dairy products.

Go forth and stay healthy!

A few tweaks in your everyday routine and diet can help keep annoying allergy and cold symptoms away.

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Natural Headache Relief

Modern life can be hectic and swift, and for many people, headaches, migraines and other cranial suffering is an unfortunate regular event. Thankfully, a wide variety of natural techniques and ingredients can provide a lot of relief to those suffering from them. .

Coffee – A lot of people will be thrilled to hear that coffee and other natural drinks containing high amounts of caffeine can help reduce the swelling of your blood vessels, reducing pressure and the sensation of pain in the head.

Cinch Up – Although it may sound counter-intuitive, many patients get a lot of relief from their headaches by tying a scarf, tie, bandanna or other piece of clothing around their head precisely where they feel the most pressure and pain. This technique helps block the flow of blood to the outer part of the head, where swollen blood vessels can be the principal cause of headaches. Another traditional remedy is to first soak the bandanna or cloth in vinegar.

Lavender – Whether you use the natural, growing plant or a small bottle of pure essential lavender oil, the wonderful perfume emitted by this amazing plant can help people relax and unwind. Place a few drops of lavender oil on your forehead and temples and then close your eyes and allow the tension to leave your body.

Natural Relief for Anxiety and Stress

Modern life is very stressful, and it can be challenging to effectively deal with flare-ups of anxiety, nervousness and unease. Thankfully, a number of safe and proven natural remedies have been discovered for people suffering from an excess of any of these issues.

Chamomile – An herbal tea brewed with this common plant has been widely used for centuries to help calm nerves and soothe jittery spirits. It is also available as a concentrated supplement. Drink one cup three times a day.

Green tea – Famous in Asia for its use in Buddhist meditation ceremonies, green tea is an excellent way to calm down and relax after enduring a stressful situation. The key ingredient, L-theanine, has been scientifically proven to help reduce heart rate and improve a sense of well-being.

Passionflower – Known as a “folk remedy” for years, modern medicine is now beginning to realize just how effective this natural flower is in treating stress. It also has side-benefits such as treating stomach ailments and insomnia. It’s most effective when consumed as a tea.

Eating Healthy – Sometimes our instinct reaction is to reach for quick and supposedly satisfying junk food during stressful situations, but research has proven that eating healthy helps people recover more quickly from stressful events.

Natural Allergy Remedies

Generally speaking, allergies are just the exterior signs of your body telling you that it considers itself under attack by a foreign invader. When a harmful virus is attempting to overrun your system, that reaction is good, but when people suffer while being around common allergens such as pollen or foods such as nuts, they often find themselves in need of urgent relief.

Water – It almost goes without saying, but it is critically important to drink enough water every day. Water helps your body’s immune system function correctly, and relax when it is not truly under attack from elements in the atmosphere.

Neti pots – These odd-looking devices use the natural power of salt water to quickly reduce inflammation of the sinuses as well as allergic reactions throughout the body.

Local Honey – It’s been said that because local honey contains a blend of local pollen, eating it can strengthen your immune system and reduce pollen allergy symptoms. Honey is so versatile and can be incorporated into anything from breakfast foods to desserts. It’s an easy and affordable way to keep your sinuses under control year-round.

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Establish a Regular Routine

This is one of the best ways on how to get a good night’s sleep naturally. According to most experts, establishing a regular routine each night will play a large part in your quality of shuteye. Waking up and going to bed around the same time each day, even on weekends, helps keep the body’s circadian rhythm in sync. For those who sleep late on weekends and then change their sleep patterns during the workweek, the results are similar to jet lag.

Turn off the Gadgets

Televisions, smartphones, tablets and more are great to play with during the day, but when it’s time for bed they need to be turned off and put away. Not only does checking email and watching a late-night football game make it more difficult to wind down, but the artificial light from the screens suppresses melatonin, the hormone responsible for inducing sleep.

Avoid Alcohol Near Bedtime

Many people think a drink before going to sleep is relaxing, but actually the opposite is true. Not only does it disrupt a person’s sleep by eliminating slow-wave sleep, but its effects wear off very quickly and leave a person with nightmares and fragmented sleep. Along with alcohol, caffeine should also be avoided prior to bedtime, with that last soft drink or cup of coffee being enjoyed no closer than two hours from bedtime.

Don’t Toss and Turn

When you are having trouble falling asleep, you’ll have greater success nodding off if you get up and do something then try again, rather than lie in bed and worry about why you can’t fall asleep. Many people who are concerned about everything they need to do the next day often make a list prior to bedtime, allowing them to think through the next day’s activities before getting into bed. By doing so, the worrying is finished before their head hits the pillow, resulting in a better night’s sleep.

Have a Soothing Bedroom

More and more people use their bedrooms for everything but sleeping, with televisions, computers, exercise equipment and more included in the mix. Sleep experts state the bedroom should be associated with sleeping and nothing else, so finding another place for these items should be a high priority. In addition, the room should be kept at a comfortable temperature, along with being very quiet and private.

By adapting some of these tips, you could find yourself going from sleep-deprived to well-rested in no time. If you make sleep an important part of your life rather than something you try to do as little of as possible, you will find yourself getting a better quality of sleep while waking up refreshed and ready to take on the challenges of the day.

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The Farm-to-Table movement, sometimes called Farm-to-Fork, refers to a rise in social conscience, with greater management of how food is grown, harvested, stored, processed and packaged, transported, sold and then eaten. At the heart of the Farm-to-Table movement is the deep understanding that local food, grown to match the natural variances of the seasons, and transported only minimal distance, is in its optimum condition to provide flavor, freshness and nutrition. Many advocates of the Farm-to-Table strongly believe that genetically modified organisms (GMO), pesticides and other scientifically modified foods are not healthy for either the human body or the planet as a whole, and advocate for smaller, more sustainable farming methods that abstain from pesticides, GMOs and other contaminants. Many growers are returning to the land to re-plant and nurture long-forgotten lines of heirloom and wild variants of fruits and vegetables, focusing more on the quality of the food than proceeding with a ruthless capitalist eye on the bottom line.

Farm-to-Table is more than just about growing, farming and harvesting food. Starting in California, in and around the Berkeley-San Francisco area, many restaurants have sprung up over the past 20 years that focus on providing every diner with fresh, local, and sustainable food. Now cafes, grocery stores and restaurants all across the country are now climbing on board this popular evolution in our relationship with food, and offer full menus replete with locally-source, sustainable, organic fruits, vegetables and animal products.

Professional chefs and experienced foodies have begun turning towards Farm-to-Table to craft delicious, authentic meals with a strong focus on seasonable availability and minimal processing. Michelin starred restaurants in major cities now allow their diners to eat along with the seasons, in many ways recreating the healthy diet and lifestyle of our ancestors centuries ago. A variety of popular cookbooks, television shows and online programs from respected cooks and culinary experts now feature recipes and meal plans based on the Farm-to-Table concept, allowing even beginner home cooks to take advantage of this healthy dietary trend.

For any diner or gourmand who is interested in exploring the gustatory delights of the Farm-to-Table movement, there are many popular rating websites available online that can direct you to a nearby restaurant. In nearly every major city in the country, one or more top-quality restaurants now feature top-quality food made in line with the Farm-to-Table concept, using seasonally-available, fresh food grown, harvested and minimally processed by local farmers. Diners benefit from eating fresh, nutritious food, while restaurants and local farmers close the cycle by helping to sustain and improve the environment while making a living conscientiously.

For home cooks interested in obtaining fresh, local fruits, meats, cheeses and vegetables, the best place to start is your city’s farmer’s market, or by contacting your state’s Agricultural Department. They will be able to connect you with local farmers in your area who practice organic, sustainable small-scale farming techniques that will improve your overall health while supporting local businesses. Many meetup groups and social networks offer ways to meet fellow enthusiasts of the Farm-to-Table movement in your area, where you can find and swap recipes, restaurants, and local farms to find sustainable, quality food.

Eating abundant amounts of fresh, local food that is produced responsibly and sustainable is welcomed by all major religions and faiths, seen as proof of both productive stewardship of the Earth as well as improved harmony with the wondrous other forms of life that share this planet with us. Fresh, delicious recipes will allow any beginner home cook to savor the many benefits of the Farm-to-Table movement.

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