Women today as young as in their 20’s, and all the way through their 70’s are turning to expensive potions and procedures in order to “slow the clock” on their appearance. But many of these treatments can be toxic, and do nothing for your body on the cellular level. The best anti-aging regime begins within the body and starts with a nutrient dense diet. But another critical component that is often overlooked in the quest for a healthy and youthful appearance is strength training. Strength training is one of the most powerful and important things you can do to help slow aging from within.

Sometimes it’s not all about the fruit. At certain times and for a variety of reasons you may want a fruit-free juice or smoothie. I have many clients who are on my Candida Recovery Program, and for them fruit is temporarily off limits. It can be hard at first, especially for people who have an addiction to sugar. I’ve had clients who have sailed through 60 day or longer juice cleanses without a hitch, yet the first three or four days of drinking juices without fruit becomes a true challenge. This is often a key sign that there is an overgrowth of candida fungus.

“Death begins in the colon” ~ Bernard Jensen. As dramatic as that sounds, there is definite truth to the idea that the health of your entire body is dependent on the health of your digestive system. Your digestive system is where your body obtains its energy for food, absorbs essential nutrients, and eliminates waste products that would otherwise be toxic to the body. There is a direct correlation between the food you eat, and your digestive health.

We all know that beautifully colored fruits and vegetables are important. But many people aren’t exactly sure which colors are related to which benefits. Here is a handy list you can refer to when you are considering the many health benefits you will get from eating the rainbow!

Dates are the perfect energizing snack to keep on hand at all times! There are many different varieties, all having slightly different taste and texture. Called the “Tree of Life”, the date palm is thought to be the first cultivated tree in history, having been grown for at least 8,000 years that we know of. Directions for growing date palms are recorded on sun-baked bricks made in Mesopotamia more than 5,000 years ago.

We hear a lot about the benefits of green tea, and hopefully by now, you have added organic green tea to your life. Even if you don’t do caffeine, at least the decaf version! But did you know that matcha is like green tea elite? It’s a higher performing version of the traditional tea, and it can be really delicious. Matcha is actually the highest quality powdered green tea available, and is made from the super nutrient dense young leaves picked from the tips of shade-grown Camellia sinensis plants.

Your liver is the single most important detox organ in the body. The liver works non-stop to remove every toxin we expose our body to from the air we breathe, to the water we drink, the food we eat, and the chemicals we internalize from beauty products, plastics, household cleaners and more. Of course the best bet at a healthy liver is to eat clean organic plant based foods, use only coconut oil or natural products on your body, and avoid toxic household cleaners. It is also a great idea to do a juice cleanse regularly to give your liver an opportunity to take a break. But you can also provide ongoing support for your liver by eating foods that provide important nutrients specifically helpful to this incredible organ.

Apples – overall tonic and contain pectin, a fiber that’s good for the digestive tract, supports immunity. Research shows apple can lower Alzheimer’s risk. Apples contain vitamin C, copper, magnesium, potassium, iron, manganese, phosphorus, trace minerals. Apricot – rich in beta carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, B5, copper iron, potassium, fiber.

Artichokes –  contain folate, vitamin-C, vitamin K. Are also a rich source of minerals like copper, calcium, potassium, iron, manganese and phosphorus. Arugula – beta carotene, vitamin K, folate, vitamin C, B2, B5, iron, copper, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, zinc, magnesium, omega 3, omega 6. Asparagus – diuretic, laxative, pre-biotic and thus feeds the good bacteria in the gut, promotes heart health, vitamin C, beta carotene, folic acid, B1, B2, B3, fiber, anti-cancer, great for cleansing the kidneys.

Balanced body chemistry is extremely important in order to maintain health, which is one reason consuming a diet high in alkaline foods is important. Acidosis, or over-acidity in the body tissues is one of the primary factors underlying many diseases. Staying alkaline depends on the efficient functioning of our body’s three natural buffering systems, and so we want to do all that we can to support the proper functioning of those systems.

Seaweeds are the most nutritionally dense plants on the planet. They can contain up to 10 times more calcium than milk and eight times as much as beef. The chemical composition of seaweeds is very close to human blood plasma, which greatly helps build our own blood. Seaweed also has the ability to alkalize the body, and protect us from a wide variety of toxins including heavy metals, by converting them to harmless salts that the body can eliminate.

There are many different areas of health we can focus on, but if we truly want to THRIVE, and not just survive, there are ten areas of focus which will bring your health into balance in a meaningful way. Having a healthy, disease-free body does not have to be difficult. We just need to spend some time understanding what is at the core of true health! These are the principles that are the CORE of our 8 Week Body Reset, and have proven to be incredibly powerful for many people. Try them and let me know how you feel!

The red watermelon has lycopene in high quantities. Lycopene is an antioxidant and helps to prevent many diseases. Beta carotene and lycopene neutralize the free radicals that cause tissue and organ damage, in our bodies. Free radicals contribute to inflammation and cholesterol deposits in blood vessels, causing strokes and heart attacks. Lycopene helps to minimize risks of strokes and other ailments like rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, colon cancer and asthma.

One of the most frequent questions I get is “What is the difference between juicing and blending?” Some people are uncertain if these methods are the same, or if one is different from the other. Juicing and blending are actually completely different and I believe both can have a role in a living foods diet. However, in terms of nutrient power and efficiency, juices win hands down.