The Nourishing Foods Winter Cleanse was a great success. We supported our adrenals by addressing our blood sugar issues in every way. We flushed toxins from our kidneys. We used breathing and meditation to soothe our stress. With this level of care we are able to hear our inner guidance again as we head into 2017.

A.M. says…

“After completing over a full year of the Seasonal Nourishing Foods Cleanses, I find myself better equipped to live closer to the principles of healthful eating in between the cleanses, which may be the most valuable long-term benefit.  Even if I do not follow everything to the “T” I can still hop in and participate at my comfort level, and I always notice a difference and carry that with me.  Seeing an improvement inspires me to make healthier food choices. Ingrid is an authentic human being with love in her heart.  Her programs are affordable, doable and the information is well-curated.  In my personal experience what Ingrid teaches is sustainable long-term without insane will power. 

We look forward to getting together again in April to do the Nourishing Foods Spring Liver Cleanse.

I am preparing to go away next week to Costa Rica for a month. We have been going to Asia for the last 6 years but this year we decided to stay closer. We needed a break from the 22 hour plane flight. I look forward to hanging out in the jungle with the monkeys and birds doing lots of yoga, meditation and hiking. Then playing on the beach and enjoying the Costa Rican food and hospitality in Santa Teresa. I will post pictures and hopefully get some good recipes to share.

Even while traveling I do my best to eat the foods that support my body, exercise, meditate and sleep well. It isn’t always easy but it is fun. It is especially challenging since I still need to be gluten free. I hope by next year to have healed enough to eat gluten again. As always I keep my attention on how strong and magnificent my body is.

Gaining Momentum For Your Health Goals

Now that we are a few weeks into the New Year, how are you doing with your healthy eating goals?   Are they gaining momentum or are they losing their energy?

Willpower is important when you first start.

Did you know willpower is directly connected to your blood sugar levels?

I’ll explain more about it below.

Unfortunately willpower alone is not going to sustain your intention for too long. It is important to gain the support of your subconscious mind. I like to think of it as changing your vibration, generating momentum with your emotions.

The good news is when you eat a healthy diet you will be more resilient, have less cravings
and feel happier.

A healthy lifestyle keeps your hormones in balance with less cortisol, more serotonin and just the right amount of leptin and ghrelin. Your body works with your intentions effortlessly.

In today’s blog I give you my core healthy eating/living principles to support your body and a few tips to shift into a motivating mindset.  Instead of using willpower you will be inspired.

Willpower

You will be happy to know you can increase your willpower by paying attention to your blood sugar. A study done by research psychologist Roy Baumeister shows willpower needs to be fed because it relies on blood sugar. If you have low blood sugar you have less willpower. If it ‘s stable you have more willpower. This is good news.

You have probably had the experience of getting so hungry you lose control of what you eat. I know I have. What happens is your blood sugar has dropped so much you don’t have enough willpower to make a good choice. You wind up eating chips, cheese, cookies, you know what I am talking about.

Blood sugar drops when you are hungry. If you don’t listen to your hunger your blood sugar drops along with your willpower. If you eat when you are hungry you raise your blood sugar back to normal and are more likely to have strong willpower.

One of the keys to strong willpower is WHAT you eat. If you eat foods that spike your blood sugar you’re not creating sustained willpower. You are going to have a spike and then a drop not only in your blood sugar but in your willpower too.

By following the core principles below you will feel healthier, maintain a natural body weight, have more energy and inspired willpower

Food

• Eat 70% of your diet as vegetables
• Start your day with protein instead of carbohydrates to keep your hormones balanced.
• Drink 16 ounces of water with fresh lemon juice when you wake up in the morning to flush toxins.
• Drink 16 ounces of water 15-10 minutes before each meal to stimulate digestion
• Have 2-4 ounces of lean protein at each meal. This can be antibiotic free turkey, chicken, salmon, fish, lamb, free-range eggs, chia, flax, hemp, nuts, nut butter, beans or tempeh.
• Sleep 7-8 hours a night ideally following your natural circadian rhythm, going to bed by 10 or 11pm.
• Improve digestion by eating fermented vegetables which build good bacteria
• Avoid processed foods and chemicals. Eat whole foods from the earth.
• Limit sugar and refined carbohydrates to burn fat.

Movement

• If you sit at a desk get up every hour and walk around. Within 90 seconds of standing up, the muscular and cellular systems that process blood sugar, triglycerides, and cholesterol—which are mediated by insulin—are activated.
• Move your body every day for 15-30 minutes. Try yoga, sun salutations or Interval training
• Avoid over exercising. Recent research shows long (45-60 minutes) of slow steady cardio training actually increases cortisol and is damaging to the heart.

Mindset

You get more momentum from your subconscious mind when you move toward what you want (feeling good) instead of away from what you don’t want (getting sick).

• Eat healthy food because you love the way it feels in your body
• Exercise because you love the exhilaration of it
• Appreciate how much your body does for you without even asking
• Marvel at the trillions of cells in your body that are in good communication with each other
• Strive for positive emotions to keep those pathways open and the cells communicating with one another in an efficient way
• Find a way to let go of stress. Stress prevents us from losing weight, causes pain and even lowers our IQ.  Meditation, deep breathing, tapping are my favorites
• Take your attention off of the things that aren’t going well, focus on what is right in each moment. Solutions come to you when you feel calm not when you’re stressed.

Healthy Indulgence

The goal is not necessarily to eat a perfect diet but rather to create health in your body to
ENJOY YOUR LIFE.

You want to eat the foods that support your health most of the time. But unless you are sick, it is a good idea to plan on some indulgences each week.

If you deprive yourself of the foods you really want, it’s only a matter of time before you rebel and binge on these foods.

It is better to plan to eat 2 or 3 treats a week to please your inner child. When you have these indulgence foods, choose the most delicious and satisfying version of it you can get and enjoy it completely with full awareness. Sit down and enjoy it without any judgment or guilt.  You are free to eat whatever you want when you are healthy and have good digestion.

As you move along this healthy lifestyle path you will find yourself connecting to your inner guidance, wanting and enjoying the foods that support your body more and more.

Let me know what you think. Please leave me a comment below.  I love hearing from you.